MickyFine Roars Through 2020, Second Outing

I'm Micky, 33-year-old librarian and general reading nerd. I'm a collections librarian for the public library system in Edmonton and as a result I read a solid chunk of non-fiction as I select it for work every day. The rest of my reading is a wide mix of genres but there's usually a healthy dose of romance, fantasy, graphic novels, and historical fiction in the mix. I don't have any big reading goals this year, although I might dabble in the BookRiot Read Harder challenge for the year. In addition to books, I'm likely to discuss life events (sometimes featuring Mr. Fine), whatever I'm watching on TV, and our cats, Smee & Ash. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

January
1. The Night Mark - Tiffany Reisz
2. Spider-Gwen: The Life of Gwen Stacy - Jason Latour
3. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill - Abbi Waxman
4. Spider-Man/Spider-Gwen: Sitting in a Tree - Brian Michael Bendis & Jason Latour
5. Teen Titans: Year One - Amy Wolfram
6. Ayesha at Last - Uzma Jalaluddin
7. Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince: Night of Knives - V.E. Schwab
8. The Psychology of Time Travel - Kate Mascarenhas
9. An Inspector Calls - J.B. Priestley
10. And Dangerous to Know - Darcie Wilde
11. The Bodies in the Library - Marty Wingate
12. F-Bomb: Dispatches from the War on Feminism - Lauren McKeon
13. Cabin Pressure, Series 1 - John Finnemore (re-read)
14. Cabin Pressure, Series 2 - John Finnemore (re-read)
15. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon (re-read)
16. Northanger Abbey - Val McDermid
Favourites:


February
17. Book, Line, and Sinker - Jenn McKinlay
18. Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne
19. Cabin Pressure, Series 3 - John Finnemore (re-read)
20. One Hundred Years of Struggle: The History of Women and the Vote in Canada - Joan Sangster
21. Marilla of Green Gables - Sarah McCoy
22. Paper Girls Volume 1 - Brian K. Vaughan
23. Cabin Pressure, Series 4 - John Finnemore (re-read)
24. Emily Climbs - L.M. Montgomery
25. Lumberjanes: Indoor Recess - Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh
26. Magic for Beginners - Kelly Link
27. Fry's English Delight, Series 1 - Stephen Fry
28. Josie and the Pussycats, Vol. 1 - Marguerite Bennett & Cameron DeOrdio
29. The Undrowned Child - Michelle Lovric
30. Paper Girls Volume 2 - Brian K. Vaughan
31. Fry's English Delight, Series 2 - Stephen Fry
32. Paper Girls Volume 3 - Brian K. Vaughan
33. Paper Girls Volume 4 - Brian K. Vaughan
34. Paper Girls Volume 5 - Brian K. Vaughan
35. Fry's English Delight, Series 3 - Stephen Fry
36. Fry's English Delight: Word Games - Stephen Fry
37. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade - Diana Gabaldon
Favourites:


March
38. Dream Lake - Lisa Kleypas
39. Fry's English Delight, Series 4 - Stephen Fry
40. Naughty on Ice - Maia Chance
41. Valour and Vanity - Mary Robinette Kowal
42. Fry's English Delight, Series 5 - Stephen Fry
43. Magpie Murders - Anthony Horowitz
44. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake - Sarah MacLean
45. Paper Girls Vol. 6 - Brian K. Vaughan
46. Information Hunters: When Librarians, Soldiers, and Spies Banded Together in World War II Europe - Kathy Peiss
Favourites:

April
47. Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones
48. Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers - NYPL
49. Mythos - Stephen Fry (re-read)
50. Eating Korea: Reports on a Culinary Renaissance - Graham Holliday
51. Star-Crossed: A Novel - Minnie Darke
52. If All the Seas Were Ink - Ilana Kurshan
53. The (Post) Mistress - Tomson Highway
54. A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab (re-read)
55. A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab (re-read)
Favourite(s):


May
56. A Conjuring of Light - V.E. Schwab (re-read)
57. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
58. Jane of Austin - Hillary Manton Lodge
59. Nemesis - Agatha Christie
60. When a Duchess Says I Do - Grace Burrowes
Favourite(s):


June
61. Miles Morales: Spider-Man - Jason Reynolds
62. Flamebringer - Elle Katharine White
63. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
64. Ink and Bone - Rachel Caine
65. Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince: The Rebel Army - V.E. Schwab
66. Heroes - Stephen Fry
67. The School for Scandal - Richard Brinsley Sheridan
68. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins (re-read)
69. I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
70. She Stoops to Conquer - Oliver Goldsmith
71. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
72. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Favourite(s):

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge

Read a YA nonfiction book
Read a retelling of a classic of the canon, fairy tale, or myth by an author of color - Ayesha at Last
Read a mystery with no violence against women
Read a graphic memoir
Read a book about a natural disaster
Read a play by an author of color and/or queer author - The (Post) Mistress
Read a historical fiction novel not set in WWII - Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
Read an audiobook of poetry
Read the LAST book in a series
Read a book that takes place in a rural setting - Marilla of Green Gables
Read a debut novel by a queer author
Read a memoir by someone from a religious tradition (or lack of religious tradition) that is not your own - If All the Seas Were Ink
Read a food book about a cuisine you’ve never tried before - Eating Korea: Reports on a Culinary Renaissance
Read a romance starring a single parent
Read a book about climate change
Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman - Outlander
Read a sci-fi/fantasy novella (under 120 pages) - Magic for Beginners
Read a picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community
Read a book by or about a refugee
Read a middle grade book that doesn’t take place in the US or the UK - The Undrowned Child
Read a book with a main character or protagonist with a disability (fiction or non)
Read a horror book published by an indie press
Read an edition of a literary magazine (digital or physical)
Read a book in any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author

This thread is officially open for business. Let's get as social as we like in this virtual forum. :)

Happy new thread, Micky! Glad to hear your final approval came through for the house. Very exciting. I hope there will be pics :)

Happy new thread and official congrats on the house!!

May this never, ever happen anywhere that you live:

Happy new thread

Congrats on the house!

Happy new one!! Love the topper. : )

Happy new thread, Micky.

Hi there Micky. Why did Richard bring his horse for a visit?
Good thing you have a new house to move into!

Love that topper image. Details?

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Micky, and congratulations on the approval on the financing for your new house!

Happy new thread, Micky!

Thanks to Katie, Richard, Figs, Kim, Paul, Sandy, Jim, Foggi, Anita, and Mary for the new thread/new house well wishes.

>6 katiekrug: When we've moved in and are bit settled I promise that at minimum there will be pictures of my library space. :)

>7 curioussquared: LOL. The house is near a park but I don't think it's likely any horses will wander by.

>12 SandyAMcPherson: I have to admit I don't know the original source on that one. I found it on Pinterest.

Saw your forecast for today.

Alas, there are times when I just want to move back to Vancouver Island... the weather in the prairies is so extreme and hard on an original Westcoast kid... we woke to minus 22 oC this morning (-7 oF for our friends on the old-fashioned units).

And fresh snow ~ .
That's our back garden vegetable plot today.

>18 SandyAMcPherson: Eeek! -22! We also had a proper snowfall during the night, but only -5 in the morning (I think a few degrees colder during the night). We've had some wonderful warm days with almost +10 so I'm no longer used to the winter cold - making the setback worse.

>18 SandyAMcPherson: Our backyard faces north so the snow back there is still quite deep and not helped by the multiple centimetres we got this week.

Book 47



Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones

Sophie's life is plain and uneventful as befits the eldest daughter of three - everyone knows exciting things only happen to the youngest of three children. However, when the Witch of the Waste comes into the hat shop where Sophie works and casts a curse on her, Sophie's life is turned upside down. In the wake of these events she ends up in the castle of the Wizard Howl and then her life becomes truly unpredictable.

I've been fond of the Miyazaki film adaptation of this book for years but had never read the original source material until now. I found the book a delight with many fascinating plot lines that differ greatly from the film and charming character development for all. A sweet, charming, fantasy novel that holds up well no matter your age.

Rating: ****

>21 MickyFine: I just read that one not too long ago myself. I agree with your assessment that the it "holds up well no matter your age."

Happy new thread! Congratulations on the new house!!

>21 MickyFine: One of my favorites! Although, ALL of her books are my favorites. There really isn't a bad one in the lot.

>21 MickyFine: I adored this book when it came out and the sequel, too (Castle in the Air).

A lot of DWJ fans didn't like the movie but I thought it was wonderful. Sure the story differed in many places to the book, but thus it always was. The Miyazaki film adaptation was a tribute to a marvellous story.

I'm glad you posted this title, Micky, because it prompted me to pull the 2 novels off my shelf. I was surprised to discover that I had somehow skipped adding the Castle sequel to my LT catalogue. They'll be lovely re-reads when I can't cope with my anxiety of present life. An escape into mystical worlds is balm for my soul.

>21 MickyFine: Oh, I love that book. I read it last year (I think) and I'm so glad I did. I definitely want to read more of Wynne Jones.

>21 MickyFine: Oh, yay! I love that one tons, too.

Happy new thread, Micky. Great news about the house and being an essential employee. That's another great topper!

>22 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. It's a fun read.

>23 curioussquared: Good to know, Natalie. :)

>24 SandyAMcPherson: Happy to serve as a reminder for a comfort re-read, Sandy.

>25 PawsforThought: I think I'll try more at some point, Paws.

>26 scaifea: I remembered that you did, Amber. Yay to being part of the club.

>27 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg.

Book 48



Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers - NYPL

A fun collection of questions found in the archives at the New York Public Library asked by library users from roughly 1940-1980 with answers crafted by current staff. If you're a library nerd or just enjoy exploring some of the strange questions people ask, this will be a delight.

Rating: ****

Book 49



Mythos - Stephen Fry (re-read)

A re-read via audiobook. Listening to Stephen Fry tell Greek myths is just as delightful and soothing as you'd imagine.

Rating: ****

>29 MickyFine: Oo! Yes please.

>30 MickyFine: *happy sigh*

Have a pleasant pandemic.

Have a lovely, peaceful, safe and healthy weekend, Micky.

wave

Hi Micky, stopping by to get caught up. Happy new thread and congratulations on the house purchase! That is such exciting news. Sorry to learn that your surgery date is in limbo due to Covid-19, but as others have mentioned, probably not the best time to be going into the hospital for elective surgery.

>31 richardderus: Several of the questions made me laugh out loud, Richard. You've got a treat waiting for you.

>32 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>33 Kassilem: Hi Melissa. Happy to see you!

>34 lkernagh: Nice to see you also, Lori.

Book 50



Eating Korea: Reports on a Culinary Renaissance - Graham Holliday

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge: Read a food book about a cuisine you’ve never tried before

A travel and food memoir from Holliday who spent two years living and working in Korea in the mid-90s and who returns to get a sense of what the food in Korea is like now. The writing is strongly evocative here, although some of the metaphors used to describe the food seem over the top, and Holliday gives a strong sense of place and the unique qualities of Korea's different regional specialties. But when Holliday strays into discussing Korean culture in a broader sense, things get... awkward. Several chunks of the book early on come off as a middle-aged white man complaining about how dare a country change at all from the way he knew it 20 years ago. His description of several aspects of Korean culture come off as judgmental and, occasionally, colonialist and paternalistic. Skim those sections though and you have an excellent food-focused travelogue. However, I must admit that after reading this book I don't really have a hankering to try Korean food. But if pork and all things that come out of the sea are your jam, you might find it enticing.

Rating: ***

>36 MickyFine: I don't have a strong desire to read the book from your review, but mmm, I love Korean food. Bibimbap and jap chae and Korean barbeque.... I mostly stick to the stuff I'm familiar with, so haven't tried any of the more obscure seafood dishes. Hoping the small family place near my office makes it through this lack of business. I think a lot of Korean food is actually pretty accessible, but you do have to be OK with lots of pickled flavors.

Can you tell it's lunchtime here? Might need some Korean takeout soon.

Hi, Micky. Love that topper!

You got me with Howl's Moving Castle. Like you, I enjoyed the Miyazaki film, and I've read other Diane Wynne Jones books - esp. the Chrestomanci ones. I thought the book might be a bit redundant with the movie, but it sure doesn't sound like it is.

I loved Mythos, too, and you may remember that we got to see him do it on stage. Three hours of Greek mythology and he got a standing ovation. Seems so unlikely in the abstract, doesn't it. We'll never forget it.

>29 MickyFine: Oh, yeah, that sounds like one I would love. Thanks for the recommendation!

>30 MickyFine: Already in the BlackHole.

Hope you and yours stay safe and healthy!

I wanted my message this year to be fairly universal in a time we all should be pulling together, whatever our beliefs. Happy Celebration, Happy Sunday, Micky.

Hi Micky,
I read (or listened to, actually) Howl's Moving Castle for the first time last year. I hadn't seen the movie, so I was completely new, and I loved it.

You got me with >29 MickyFine:.

Happy Easter! All still on track with your new home?

>29 MickyFine: I was wondering what you thought of Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers as a book for a very nerdy 9-year old who is a confirmed bibliophile? And... is there an e-book version?

One great problem for the younger end of the YA kids is a lack of e-books. Lots of cool adult items on Overdrive, just not kid-oriented.

>37 curioussquared: Happy to create a craving, Natalie. :)

>38 jnwelch: I hope you find time for Howl in book form, Joe. It's worth the time.

>39 alcottacre: Nice to see you, Stasia.

>40 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I had a lovely Easter.

>41 AMQS: All things house continue to move forward, Anne. Month from today we take possession!

>42 SandyAMcPherson: Hmm, if they're a particularly precocious reader it would probably be fun. There is one question involving an orgy of some type (and the response refers to two definitions of the term) so depending on your willingness to explain that... there's nothing particularly dry or scandalous for the most part. And yes there is an ebook edition so you could request it from your library.

There often is more kid content than you see in your library's OverDrive platform, it's just digital econtent for kids has not been as much of a priority for most public libraries. Most parents have concerns about screen time and so purchasing ebooks of children's content was less of a budget priority. Obviously, current circumstances have shifted that significantly. Keep checking your library - you might see an explosion of ebooks for kids in the next little while.

Book 51



Star-Crossed: A Novel - Minnie Darke

When Justine crosses paths again with her childhood sweetheart, Nick, she is surprised to discover the spark she felt as a teen is still there. Frustrated after giving him her number and not receiving a call, Justine takes fate into her own hands. As she works at the magazine with the horoscope column Nick follows religiously, she decides to tweak the horoscope in a way that will convince him to call her. Of course, things don't turn out how Justine hoped and so she continues to tamper with the horoscopes every month. Of course, Justine's alterations have wider ramifications on the many other horoscope followers who share Nick's sign and Justine's advice causes wide ripples.

Such a sweet book at just the right time. I decidedly fall into the "horoscopes are bunk" group but whether you buy into them or not, there's plenty of story to charm you. Being set in Australia, it's fun to wrap my northern hemisphere brain around flipped seasons as the book takes place over the course of the year. Darke also does an excellent job of alternately exploring Justine and Nick's lives as well as the cascading consequences for other people who apply Justine's horoscopes to their lives. While there's no huge surprises along the way, the journey is a delight and comforting in knowing that all will be resolved for the good. Recommended if it sounds like your jam.

Rating: ****

Caught up finally! Congrats on the house!

>29 MickyFine: That looks like a fun one Micky and I like the picture of the lion. That library is one that I visited when I was in New York last September and we did a tour of that library. Very interesting.

>44 MickyFine: This sounds very cute and like a perfect quarantine read. Going on the list!

>43 MickyFine: Thanks for that insight.
I might see if the used book shop has Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers. They're doing curtsied requests and pick ups!

>45 leahbird: Thanks, Leah!

>46 Familyhistorian: The central branch of NYPL is definitely on my travel bucket list. :)

>47 curioussquared: It's a good choice, Natalie.

>48 SandyAMcPherson: Excellent plan, Sandy.

Book 52



If All the Seas Were Ink - Ilana Kurshan

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge: Read a memoir by someone from a religious tradition (or lack of religious tradition) that is not your own

Ilana Kurshan's memoir recounts the seven and a half years she spent doing daf yomi, the cycle of reading the 37 volumes of the Talmud, and how that experience interwove with the other events that happened in her life during that time. Kurshan begins studying in the wake of her divorce to her husband of only a year when she is feeling at a loss, uncertain about her life in Israel (which she moved to for her ex-husband) and her career. By the end of the study cycle, Kurshan is in a different job, married, and has three young children. Observing her journey and the insights to her faith she gains through reading the Talmud was fascinating for this reader and I enjoyed immersing myself in the life of someone whose experiences are so different from my own.

Rating: ****

Book 53



The (Post) Mistress - Tomson Highway

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge: Read a play by an author of color and/or queer author

A one-woman musical set in 1980s rural Ontario. Marie-Louise Pinchaud is the postmistress at the small post office in Lovely, Ontario and over the course of the play she recounts the tales of the people she knows from the mail she sends between them, as well as offering insights into her own life.

Tomson Highway is a Canadian institution and this is a great indication of his talent as the play is well crafted. Obviously, reading a musical is never quite the same as seeing it in person, especially for a one-woman show where the personality of the performer drives the performance. That said, the plot is intriguing, Marie-Louise's personality comes off the page, and the ending was a sweet surprise.

Rating: ***

Book 54



A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab

Re-reading is one of my favourite modes of comfort so I pulled the Shades of Magic trilogy off my shelf for another visit. The book did not disappoint. Kell, Rhy, and Lila remain as compelling as ever, the world still sparkles even when it's not your first encounter with it, and the plot draws you in in all the best ways possible. If you haven't tried this fantasy trilogy yet, I highly recommend it.

Original Rating: *****

>52 MickyFine: I have this one on my Kindle and need to get to it. Hopefully soon!

>52 MickyFine: Okay, I'm going to have to look that one up. Sound very interesting. Also, the covers for the series is amazing.

>53 curioussquared: It's a good choice, Natalie!

>54 PawsforThought: I hope you enjoy them if you try them, Paws.

Hi Mickey. How's the house move going? Is it next month that you take possession? I've lost track.

Edited to ask, >52 MickyFine:, Is that title the first in the series? I think it sounds really appealing.

>56 SandyAMcPherson: We take possession mid-May and our move is scheduled for the last Sunday of May. The boxes continue to multiply as we pack. :)

And yes, that's the first in the trilogy.

Micky, I hope the move goes amazingly easily. I also hope you can find a DRC or ARC of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, due out in October here, because DAYUM!!! La Schwab is at her peak.

>56 SandyAMcPherson: I requested it on Overdrive.

The wait times for e-Books are increasingly long (what a surprise!! Ha.) I keep looking for hidden gems that aren't as popular or in the public eye at least. I think A Darker Shade of Magic is an early one of Schwab's so I might get my crack at it before the middle of May.

Best of luck with the packing. Is it decades since you moved? And do you have a surprising amount of things you never used since the last move? You can see that is my situation... there's nothing like having to pack everything up to *really* make it obvious.

Edited to ponder a question: why are touchstones increasingly flaky?

>58 richardderus: Thanks for the move well wishes, Richard. And I've got the new Schwab on my radar but I'll wait until October for it since I've got a feeling that will go straight into the personal collection and I want the final physical object to be as lovely as I'm sure it will be. :)

>59 SandyAMcPherson: The demand for library econtent has exploded and for a lot of libraries it's hard to shift budgets around. eBooks and eAudiobooks are often quite expensive so balancing demand versus budget has gotten a lot harder.

As for the move, we don't have too much accumulated stuff here as my husband has only been here 2 years and I've lived here slightly less than that (I moved in after we got married and our anniversary isn't until September). Mostly we've just got some wedding decorations to deal with that we're waiting to deal with at the new house. The shutdown of places like Goodwill and used bookstores has made it tougher for clearing out stuff prior to the move.

Book 55



A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab (re-read)

International magic competition! Groundwork for the big conflict in the final volume of the trilogy. Awesome as ever.

Also, I really could crawl inside this world and spend time with so many of the characters who we get to know only slightly. Specifically an Alucard Emery spin-off would make me so happy.

Rating: *****

April Summary




Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 9 (55)
Books ditched: 0 (2)

Fiction: 4 (36)
Non-fiction: 5 (19)

Adult: 8 (47)
YA: 1 (5)
Children's: 0 (3)

Library: 6 (45)
Mine: 3 (10)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 3 (8)

Female authors: 5 (31)
Male authors: 3 (26)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 2,666 (12,593)
Hours: 15 hours, 26 minutes (1 day, 15 hours, 1 minute)
Average rating: 3.89

Average time to read book: 3.91 days

Favourite book(s): Ignoring re-reads (which are obvious favourites) I'll give it to Star-Crossed, which was so darn cute.

The Darker Shade of Magic series is such fun - glad to see you're enjoying a reread.

>63 bell7: Glad to see that A Darker Shade of Magic is fun.
I *just* started this novel yesterday.
Feeling fortunate because I thought it would be at least a month before my turn on the reserve list rose to the top. E-book requests are piling up.

>63 bell7: It's been a delight. I also just got the first Harry Potter novel as an audiobook (the Stephen Fry narration) as I've re-read the series often enough I can handle it in audio. Got the first couple chapters in today and it is still so much fun. Also, Stephen Fry's Hagrid is great.

>50 MickyFine: I went to add that book to the BlackHole only to discover it was already there. I just wish my local library had a copy.

>52 MickyFine: One of these years I will get that series read. . .

>65 MickyFine: I've never been able to hear Stephen Fry's version, but Overdrive has the first of the books and audiobooks available for everyone and I'll be starting a listen to book #1 with Jim Dale very soon (I keep falling asleep too quickly to really said I started it, so one of these evenings it will have to be what I listen to while I knit).

>66 alcottacre: The Kurshan is a good candidate for ILL, whenever that service gets back up and running. As for the Shades of Magic trilogy, I highly recommend it.

>67 bell7: My library has a few copies of all the HP titles with the Stephen Fry narration as that was the version originally available for purchase in Canada. Now all we can get is the Jim Dale version, which pales in comparison. Also, it just seems wrong to hear a British book read in an American accent. But I'm sure if you have nothing to compare it to you'll enjoy it while you knit. :)

Book 56



A Conjuring of Light - V.E. Schwab

Everything comes to its final crescendo full of heartbreak, epic battles, and yet a sense of hope throughout. A thoroughly satisfying re-read.

Rating: *****

Happy Friday, Micky!

You all packed up and ready for the move?

>70 katiekrug: Getting closer! We packed up all of the kitchen stuff we won't need for the next two weeks we're still in our current place, so most of the major packing is done. Did all the lawyer stuff on this past Friday. Thursday at noon we take possession! We don't move until theweekend after next though as my family is moving my grandmother next weekend. We're going to pro at this by the end.

Book 57



Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

Opted to do my re-read via audio this time as my library has the editions narrated by Stephen Fry. While I'm not generally an audiobook person, these books are so familiar and Stephen Fry's voice is so amazing that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the book. It'll be a bit of a wait for the next book (we've got low numbers of copies of the Stephen Fry editions) but I look forward to experiencing the series this way.

Rating: *****

You should be pros at moving by the end of May, Micky. Good luck to you and I hope nothing gets lost. (I always loose something in a move, no matter what.)

>49 MickyFine: When you get to the central New York Library take the tour. I was really glad that we signed up for it. Also be forewarned they have a book store. I got my copy of Bibliophile there and they stamped it with the New York Public Library stamp (which has the face of one of the lions in profile).

>73 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Packing up we discovered things that had been stashed away and we hadn't used in the almost 2 years we've been here but (hopefully) will use more in the new place.

Book 58



Jane of Austin - Hillary Manton Lodge

Jane has always been close with her older sister, Celia, since their mother passed away and their father left them to be a pseudo-parent to their younger sister, Margot. When the rent on the property where they run their small tea shop in San Francisco suddenly goes up, the sisters must face a difficult decision. An offer from extended family sees the sisters moving to Austin, Texas where they hope to set up a new shop. But the relocation puts a strain on their relationships with each other and romantic entanglements complicate things further.

A gentle romance and a charming contemporary interpretation of Sense and Sensibility. As with any re-telling it's highly enjoyable to see an author take the familiar plot points and make them work in a modern setting while still being original as well. I found it interesting the author chose to do alternating first-person perspectives between Jane (Marianne) and Callum Beckett (Colonel Brandon), since so much of the original follows Elinor. There's also a bunch of recipes included in the novel, which I admit to skimming but do look tasty. If you enjoy a good Austen re-telling you can't go wrong picking up this one.

Rating: ****

>75 MickyFine: Interesting. Writers are increasingly discovering Austin, it seems.

>76 richardderus: South by Southwest takes the place of the trip to London. It's fun. :)

>75 MickyFine: This sounds super cute! Putting it on hold now :)

Hope all the moving goes well for everyone!

>75 MickyFine: - I have this one waiting on my Kindle. Sounds good!

>78 curioussquared: Yay! I hope you like it.

>79 aktakukac: Thanks, Rachel!

>80 katiekrug: I'll be curious about how react to it having actually lived in Texas.

>72 MickyFine: I love Fry's audio narration of HP! I listened to them all last year.

>82 ChelleBearss: Mr. Fine did them all a year or two ago so I heard snippets of them while he listened to them while cooking and cleaning but this will be my first time getting to listen to the whole thing myself.

Mr. Fine and I are officially homeowners! We got keys yesterday, did a bit of cleaning, moved a few things, and met a couple of our neighbours. I think it's going to be a great neighbourhood for us and we're already excitedly planning what things we want to do with the house and yard; I'm reading a gardening book for the first time in my life. It being a long weekend here this weekend I'll be trying to move a bunch of boxes but strategically since we've got professional carpet cleaners booked for Tuesday, along with a locksmith. Tuesday will be chaos since I still have work, I need to drive Mr. Fine out to the house to meet said service people (he doesn't drive), and then find parking somewhere near our current place since our townhouse complex is having the parking lot cleaned and we're not supposed to park there. Plus, despite our request to not have our current place shown while we're still living here, we got notice from our property managers that we've got a showing Tuesday afternoon. Sigh. Hope they enjoy looking at stacks of boxes and cat hair dust bunnies. :P Cannot wait to be in the new house full time.

>84 MickyFine: Congratulations!! I hope all of the moving stuff goes smoothly for you!

>84 MickyFine: Congrats!! Sounds like a stressful Tuesday but it'll be worth it in the end! :)

Congrats!

>84 MickyFine: Wonderful news! I'm very happy for you both.

Congrats, Micky and Mr. Fine! That's so exciting. It's hard to be in the transition period between the two places, but it'll be over soon. Can't wait to hear more about your plans for the house and yard :)

>84 MickyFine: This moving business is such a series of co-ordination schedules, isn't it? All best wishes, it will be wonderful having a garden allyourveryown to roam in.

Congrats on the house! I hope the move goes smoothly.

>72 MickyFine: I've never been able to find the audiobooks by Stephen Fry...someday! Wizardingworld.com has been having different people read each chapter of Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone and that has been fun to follow. So far they've had Daniel Radcliffe, Noma Dumezweni, Eddie Redmayne and Stephen Fry.

>75 MickyFine: onto the list it goes!

Congratulations on home ownership, Micky! Always tricky trying to coordinate things so I hope all goes smoothly for your both.

Congrats on the new house, Micky, and best of luck moving, unpacking and making it your own!

I am celebrating the end of Ramadan, Micky, a time of thanks and forgiveness and I want to say my thanks to all my LT friends for helping keep me somewhat sane these last few years.

I hope that you have settled into the new place. xx

I'm still alive! It's been a very full week of moving, unpacking, and settling in but our house is mostly set up now although pictures have yet to be hung and books need to be properly sorted. I promise pictures of my library once it's been organized.

I have managed to finish a couple books in the midst of all the madness and reviews will be forthcoming. Thanks to everyone for their congratulations on the house! I promise I'll start making rounds on threads soon.

Mr. Fine and I are officially homeowners! Congratulations! That's such a big moment in life. books need to be properly sorted. The best part!

I mean, organizing the library IS the best part, no?

>95 MickyFine: What >97 bell7: said. So happy for y'all!

Congrats on the new place! Good luck with your new garden!

>96 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Books are all sorted and it's lovely.

>97 bell7: Definitely.

>98 richardderus: Thanks, RDear.

>99 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle!

Catching up on reviews for books finished in May. Once I've done that and May stats, I promise there will be a picture of my library space.

Book 59



Nemesis - Agatha Christie

Miss Marple is surprised when the lawyers of the now-deceased Mr. Jason Rafiel, whom she met on her trip to the Caribbean. He's left Miss Marple a large amount of funds, if she can solve a mystery. The only catch is, he hasn't told her what the mystery or whom it might involve.

An odd Miss Marple mystery. There's quite a bit of recalling of previous mysteries, which is delightful for dedicated fans of the series but Miss Marple also feels far more rambly than she ever has. The oddity continues with half the novel being taken up with trying to figure out what mystery Miss Marple is supposed to solve. Once we get there, it's a decent case to dig into but not the most charming or sparkling of her adventures.

Rating: ***

Book 60



When a Duchess Says I Do - Grace Burrowes

Duncan Wentworth feels exiled to the estate gifted him by his cousin, the Duke of Walden. However, when he encounters a strange woman in his woods who saves him from some poachers he finds himself fascinated by her. But Matilda is carrying a mountain of secrets that could endanger anyone who's close to her. Can she let herself fall in love with Duncan?

An historical romance that hit the spot. Duncan and Matilda are strong independent characters and while there's a bit of a damsel in distress plot, Burrowes is very clear that Duncan only intervenes when asked to by Matilda and lets her handle her own issues when she prefers. Compelling characters, an intriguing plot, and as comforting as I want from this genre.

Rating: ****

May Summary




Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 5 (60)
Books ditched: 0 (2)

Fiction: 5 (41)
Non-fiction: 0 (19)

Adult: 4 (51)
YA: 0 (5)
Children's: 1 (4)

Library: 4 (49)
Mine: 1 (11)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 2 (10)

Female authors: 5 (36)
Male authors: 0 (26)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 1,545 (14,138)
Hours: 8 hours, 25 minutes (1 day, 23 hours, 26 minutes)
Average rating: 3.92

Average time to read book: 4.12 days

Favourite book(s): I try not to include re-reads since their obvious favourites so I'll give it to Jane of Austin.

Book 61



Miles Morales: Spider-Man - Jason Reynolds

Miles has just returned to his private school after a suspension and with his Spidey-senses apparently on the fritz he's questioning whether he should even be Spider-Man. His racist history teacher who obviously has it in for Miles isn't helping things either. As Miles grapples with injustice both as himself and as Spider-Man, he confronts the challenges of a system that does everything it can to keep him down.

A very timely read. Reynolds does a great job of raising issues confronting Miles as a young Black man, while also crafting a compelling superhero narrative. I was a bit underwhelmed by the final showdown between Miles and the villain (it may have felt more epic in graphic format) but the metaphors at play are powerful. Recommended for teens who enjoy superhero narratives but want a more diverse perspective.

Rating: ***

And as promised, a photo of the home library. I hadn't planned to have the two shelves right next to each other but due to the size of the room and the loveseat we've got in there for seating, it's the arrangement for now. Eventually, I plan to get chairs instead and then we can rearrange things.

>106 MickyFine: Lovely! And that Eiffel-Tower pillow made me smile. Thanks!

>106 MickyFine: I kept wanting to enlarge the image so I could be nosy and read the book titles!

I'm impressed that you've got your library organised already. It was always a big hassle in our moves (and a few arguments about where the bookshelves were going to be placed...)

>106 MickyFine: Hooray for the library!

Congratulations on your new house!! I love that P&P poster!

>107 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. That pillow and blanket are a relic from my teen obsession with Paris (which I got to visit when I was 17). They're great for napping. :)

>108 SandyAMcPherson: For us the thing that always takes longest is trying to decide where to hang pictures/artwork. We're pretty nerdy so we've got some fan art and then we've got more general stuff. Deciding how much of our nerd selves let hang out in the major areas of the house is the current debate.

>109 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie.

>110 jennyifer24: Thanks, Jenny. You can get it here. Be warned that the website is a rabbit hole of lit nerd artwork.

Book 62



Flamebringer - Elle Katharine White

Aliza and Alistair Daired, along with Alastair's dragon, Akarra, are in a race to reach the southern portion of their kingdom. While they're not quite sure what dark forces are coming for their people, they know something is coming that will threaten everything they love and fighting back against it may be the final battle they cannot win.

This trilogy is an oddity as its first volume was a Pride and Prejudice retelling in a fantasy setting and the subsequent volumes have just taken the characters and run into a whole new plot arc. This final volume is pretty heavy with few light moments and while the action is compelling, it's hard to reconnect with the characters. As a result my upset over certain events is based mostly on my emotional ties to Austen's original characters. If you enjoyed the novel prior to this, you'll enjoy the resolution but it's just as easy to read Heartstone and enjoy it for the retelling it is and ignore the rest.

Rating: ***

>112 MickyFine: I have an ARC of this one and am only just learning that it's part of a series. Oops (I mean, I'm late in getting to it anyways, so it's not a pressing read). Should I start from the beginning if I'm going to read it?

>113 bell7: Definitely. Each book builds on the previous one and the bones of the world are really only described in the first book.

>114 MickyFine: Well, that's good to know. I guess I'll bump it down until ILLs start up again and I can get the earlier books in the series. Which is fine, I have a few ARCs of books that haven't come out yet that I need to read first!

>115 bell7: There's always other books to read. Tons of other books. Possibly an intimidating number of other books. :)

Book 63



Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

While it's a re-read of the series for me, it's the first time listening to Stephen Fry's narration and once again he knocks it out of the park. All of his characters are excellent (I particularly enjoyed his smooth, charm-filled voice for Gilderoy Lockhart). Always enjoyable to see so much of the groundwork that is laid here for plot points that will appear later in the series.

Rating: *****

Book 64



Ink and Bone - Rachel Caine

In a world where the Great Library of Alexandria never burned but instead became the central body of a world-wide system of libraries who control all access to knowledge, Jess Brightwell grows up in a family of book smugglers in London who sell original books and scrolls to the collectors who can afford it. When Jess turns sixteen, his father arranges for him to enter the Library as a postulant. The plan is for Jess to work as a double-agent, turning over the occasional volume to his family as needed. But as Jess begins his training, he discovers political machinations within the Library that will threaten everyone he cares about.

That summary only scratches the surface of everything going on in this novel, the first of a series. Of course, I'm a sucker for anything involving a library and to have a universe where the library is the menacing agency is fascinating. There's a light steampunk element here and faint elements of fantasy but large chunks of the novel are devoted to the characters and exploring the world and the Library. The plot churns along at an excellent pace and I'm looking forward to picking up other books in the series.

Rating: ****

Thanks to Mary (bell7) whose review was the one to finally get me to add this to The List.

>118 MickyFine: Oh good, glad you enjoyed that one as much as I did! I still haven't picked up book 2... maybe after I read down my library stack a bit.

Hi Micky, I m getting caught up here. Congratulations on your new home. Wonderful bookshelves! Looks like a cozy reading nook.

>119 bell7: I'm craving some light, comfort reads again so it may be a bit before I pick up the next in the series as well.

>120 AMQS: Nice to see you, Anne! It is a lovely little room. It gets good sun and I've been taking my afternoon coffee breaks in there (I'm working from home), listening to audiobooks/podcasts and working on my cross-stitch project.

Ditched



How to Stop Time - Matt Haig

The blurb for this one makes it sound like a sweet romance between a man who ages extremely slowly and thus has lived for hundreds of years and a woman he meets in the present day, with a hint of danger from the secret society the man belongs to who works to keep people like him a secret from the rest of the world. What I got in the chunk I managed to get through was a supremely depressed man with chronic headaches due to his extensive volume of memories. While the writing is beautiful, I just couldn't make myself read a novel that feels so unrelentingly bleak so on to other things. CW for suicidal thoughts. YMMV.

Rating: /

Book 65



Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince: The Rebel Army

In the final volume of this graphic novel trilogy, Prince Maxim faces down the Rebel Army who threatens to destroy the empire as he knows it.

A solid final arc for this series, the final battle was a bit anti-climactic but ultimately an enjoyable exploration of Maxim's character.

Rating: ***

Got notice yesterday that my surgery that was postponed due to COVID-19 has been rescheduled for the end of this month. So if I'm quiet for a bit in early July, that's why.

Book 66



Heroes - Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry continues his retelling of the Greek myths in this second volume, which focuses on the great ancient heroes including, Perseus, Heracles, Atalanta, Orpheus, and Theseus among others. Whether the tales are familiar or not, Fry breathes life into these myths bringing his wry humour and endless wit to these epic tales. I listened to this as an audiobook, which I highly recommend. Stephen Fry has impeccable talents as a narrator and while his choice to give various characters British regional accents (for example Perseus has a northern accent while Minos and Ariadne have Scottish accents) may not work for all listeners, I found it delightful. The Acknowledgements note that Heroes is part of a planned trilogy and I eagerly look forward to Fry's planned take on the Trojan War and its aftermath. Highly recommended for fans of Fry and those who enjoy Greek myth.

Rating: *****

Book 67



The School for Scandal - Richard Brinsley Sheridan

The full-cast recording of this classic play sees a small circle of the uppercrust encountering the perils of scandal-mongering when some of their members become the subject of gossip. There's false identities, several rounds of hiding in the same room, and plenty of misunderstanding with an ultimately happy resolution. I could have sworn I read this in a course on Restoration drama during undergrad but the post play interview with the director notes that this play isn't technically part of the Restoration so it's possible I haven't read this one before after all. An enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Rating: ****

Book 68



Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins (re-read)

Anna spends her final year of high school at the School of America in Paris and while missing home, her family, and best friend desperately she also struggles with living in a strange city, learning a new language, and figuring out just what is happening between her and the dreamy Etienne St. Clair.

I pulled this one off my shelf as I was in the mood for a comforting re-read and it hit the spot nicely. While I don't find St. Clair quite as swoony as I did the first time I read this, it is lovely to spend time watching Anna explore Paris and figure out her friendships and relationships. I also didn't realize how many times Isla (the protagonist of the third novel in this series) popped up in the background of this novel. I'll definitely be re-reading the rest of the series in the near-ish future.

Rating: ****

Went for a haircut yesterday, which felt very exciting. Just a couple inches off and a clean up of the layers but it already feels much lighter.

Today after work I get to go to my home library to pick up a couple books on hold using their curbside service. Their system sounds pretty well organized (items are checked out in advance, placed in a bag, and then set on a table just outside the doors of the library which is inside of a larger county building) and I'm excited to have physical books again that aren't mine. Of course, it's probably going to be a few weeks before I can do this again as I'm not going to be able to drive for a couple weeks after my surgery so back to ebooks and my own books. Such hardship. ;)

Shows currently in progress: Mid-way through Season 1 of Once Upon a Time, almost done season 1 of Supernatural, and our airdate order viewing of the Arrow-verse is nearing the ends of each show's season (Arrow Season 5, Flash Season 3, Supergirl Season 2, and Legends of Tomorrow Season 2).

I'm also super psyched for the release of Hamilton on Disney+ next week. Will I be watching it once a week during my recovery? Time will tell.

Oooh, I need a hair cut so badly! My salon has re-opened but my regular person is not coming back, so I'm not sure if I'll count as a returning customer or a new one.Very few places are taking new customers right now, as they try to get all their regulars fitted in.

>129 katiekrug: My stylist didn't come back but the salon had no issues finding someone else to take me. He was lovely but did note that for upcoming appointments, they're already booking into September. I usually only go twice a year so I'll have to call much earlier than usual to set up my winter cut. :)

>128 MickyFine: I'm SO excited about Hamilton. I also expect I'll be watching it once a week and I won't even be recovering from anything ;) Best of luck with the surgery!

I meant to add I'm looking forward to 'Hamilton,' too. I am glad I saw it in person, as I think the energy in the theater contributed a lot to my experience of it, but The Wayne hasn't seen it so I'm looking forward to that introduction :)

My salon only has two people working right now, but since I just want a trim, I'm hoping they can squeeze me in (once I feel confident going).

>131 curioussquared: If it's anything like what I was like when I discovered the soundtrack it'll be on repeat for weeks. :)

>132 katiekrug: I saw it in Chicago almost 4 years ago (hard to believe it's been that long already) but Mr. Fine hasn't seen it. Broadway Across Canada was supposed to do it for the 2020/21 season but I think that's been postponed to 2021/22.

Everyone in my salon was wearing a mask (I brought my own but they were also supplying them), everything was well distanced, and lots of cleaning between so I had no qualms but I understand how nerve-wracking going out can feel. :)

I saw Hamilton when it came to Seattle in early 2018, and it was fantastic. But at that point I had listened to the original cast album on repeat for months, and while most of the touring cast was excellent, I just could not get into our Hamilton's voice. So I'm looking forward to enjoying Lin in all his glory :)

Book 69



I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith

A radio play adaptation of Dodie Smith's classic novel. Cassandra lives in a crumbling castle in Suffolk with her family whose lives are dramatically shaken up by the arrival of two Americans who have inherited the property. The adaptation was sweet and charming, filled with the romance and drama of the original which nicely mixes Cassandra's diary entries with dialogue between all the characters. Having read the novel, I found this a great way to revisit the story.

Rating: ****

Charlie and I are counting the minutes until Hamilton! So. Excited. Apparently it will be minus two of the three F-bombs, but we've decided to be okay with that...

>136 scaifea: I saw a Buzzfeed (?) article rounding up Lin Manuel-Miranda's tweets about it. I'm ok with it if it's the price I have to pay to see the original cast.

Book 70



She Stoops to Conquer - Oliver Goldsmith

L.A. Theatre Works audio presentation of the classic play full of mistaken identities and endless hijinks. Two friends end up at an estate where they're supposed to make a good impression and one of them is to woo the daughter of the lord of the manor. However, they are informed by the mischief-making son that it's an inn. Comedy ensues. A funny way to spend a couple hours and it definitely doesn't hurt that James Marsters plays one of the leading roles.

Rating: ****

>136 scaifea: >137 MickyFine: I will accept the trade-off, but I think they chose my least favorite of the three F-bombs to include, which is a bummer.

Glad to see your're reading and rereading some good books, and that the haircut was a good experience. My salon had a lot of social distancing and masks and protocols in place that made me comfortable too - and my next visit isn't 'til September (I go every 4 months or so) and have to book early because she has to plan for an hour appointment with me.

Enjoying the Hamilton chat, though without Disney+ I probably won't see it 'til a visit to my sister's (my BIL loves all things Disney) after COVID.

>137 MickyFine: Definitely worth the cost of two f-bombs!

>138 MickyFine: Oooh, James Marsters! *love*

>140 bell7: I hear you on the long hair cuts. With my curly hair I go for Deva cuts (they cut my hair dry) and it's always a process even though my hair isn't super long. If you're really desperate to watch Hamilton you could do the 1 month free trial of Disney+. I also recommend binging The Mandolorian if you opt for it. :)

>141 scaifea: Yes and James Marsters doing a British accent, which is the best Marsters. He's lovely but it always seems so odd to hear his own American accent coming out of his mouth. He's done quite a few LATW productions so if you're hankering for his voice, I highly recommend looking up a play or two.

>142 MickyFine: Oh, agreed. James minus the accent is unsettling. I'm also less keen on James without the bleached-blond hair. So, essentially, I just want him always to be Spike.

>138 MickyFine: Nice one. I must get to that one soon. Used to have a crush on Joanne Whalley way back when she starred in the TV series of A Kind of Loving.

>143 scaifea: My husband likes to listen to the Dresden Files audiobooks, which James Marsters narrates with his own accent, and that doesn't seem nearly as odd. Of course, I'm not seeing the voice coming out of his face which I expect to be Spike so... ;)

>144 PaulCranswick: It's a quick listen, Paul.

Life Update

Surgery on Tuesday went very well and I was home again by Wednesday afternoon. Spent a very dozy Canada Day with the strong drugs working their way out of my system watching the 1980s Anne of Green Gables film (one of my go-to movies when I'm home sick). I've got six weeks off work for recuperation so I'm working to find balance between TV viewing, reading, cross-stitching, and some interwebs time in between my regular small walks around the house or a little way up and down our street.

So far I've watched the aforementioned Anne of Green Gables, Hamilton, finished season one of both Supernatural and Once Upon a Time, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood (weirder than expected), Jumanji: The Next Level (laughed harder than I probably should have with my incisions), and some episodes of Scrubs and Will & Grace.

I've got some final June reads to add here and I've got some titles finished in July as well, which I'll put on a new thread for a new quarter. I'm currently reading The Invasion of the Tearling and while it's been a while since I read the first book, I've dropped back into the world fairly smoothly.

Book 71



Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

Radio play adaptation of the classic novel in which Becky Sharpe does her best to advance through the complexities of London society during the Napoleonic era. Stephen Fry is the narrator providing an excellent wry voice as the cast does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. An excellent to revisit this chunkster.

Rating: ****

Book 72



Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

A radio play adaptation of the novel. I really enjoyed this as a means of revisiting this familiar narrative and the cast all fit their roles well. Recommended if you enjoy the format.

Rating: ****

June Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 12 (72)
Books ditched: 1 (3)

Fiction: 6 (47)
Non-fiction: 6 (25)

Adult: 8 (59)
YA: 3 (8)
Children's: 1 (5)

Library: 11 (60)
Mine: 1 (12)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 2 (12)

Female authors: 8 (44)
Male authors: 4 (30)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 1,516 (15,654)
Hours: 1 day, 13 hours, 34 minutes (3 days, 14 hours)
Average rating: 3.92
Average time to read book: 4.21 days

Favourite book(s): Stephen Fry's amazing narration makes Heroes the obvious pick for this month.

New quarter means new thread! Follow the link below to my new digs!

No really, the link is down here!