MickyFine Roars Through 2020, Third 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
Favourite(s):


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
Favourite(s):


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
Favourite(s):

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):

July
73. Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors - Sonali Dev
74. Howards End - E.M. Forster
75. Thank You, Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse
76. Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce
77. War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
78. Antigone - Jean Anouilh
79. Die Mommie Die - Charles Busch
80. The Invasion of the Tearling - Erika Johansen
81. Hedda Gabler - Henrik Ibsen
82. Behind the Sheet - Charly Evon Simpson
83. Oslo - J.T. Rogers
84. Suitors and Sabotage - Cindy Anstey
85. Macbeth - William Shakespeare
86. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
87. Twelve Angry Men - Reginald Rose
88. The Cherry Orchard - Anton Chekhov
89. Copenhagen - Michael Frayn
90. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
91. No Country for Old Gnomes - Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne
92. Agnes of God - John Pielmeier
93. 8 - Dustin Lance Black
94. 4:50 from Paddington - Agatha Christie
95. Bogaazan! - Akira Hayasaka
96. Virgin River - Robyn Carr
97. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
98. Please Continue - Frank Basloe
Favourite(s):


August
99. The Duke and I - Julia Quinn
100. Young Victoria - Juliet Ace
101. The George Bernard Shaw Collection - George Bernard Shaw
102. Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer
103. The Little Foxes - Lillian Hellman
104. Pressure - David Haig
105. Sisters Matsumoto - Philip Kan Gotanda
106. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou (dramatization)
107. Six Degrees of Separation - John Guare
108. A Streetcar Named Desire - Tennessee Williams
109. Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord - Sarah MacLean
110. Fool - Christopher Moore
111. The Viscount Who Loved Me - Julia Quinn
112. An Offer from a Gentleman - Julia Quinn
113. All Systems Red - Martha Wells
114. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
Favourite(s):


September
115. They Called Us Enemy - George Takei et. al.
116. Herding Cats - Sarah Andersen
117. Sex and Vanity - Kevin Kwan
118. Beneath the Sugar Sky - Seanan McGuire
119. Lumberjanes: X Marks the Spot - Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh
120. Love in the Blitz - Eileen Alexander
121. Artificial Condition - Martha Wells
122. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
123. Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Diana Gabaldon
124. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton - Julia Quinn
125. Rogue Protocol - Martha Wells
126. To Sir Phillip, With Love - Julia Quinn
127. Lumberjanes: Birthday Smarty - Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh
128. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (re-read)
129. The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts - Annie Darling
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 - They Called Us Enemy
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 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
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 - To Sir Phillip, With Love
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

Life Update (reposted with light edits from previous thread)

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'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.

This thread is now open for business. Tell me all about how you kicked off your July.

Book 73



Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors - Sonali Dev

A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice that gender swaps the Elizabeth and Darcy roles, while also shifting it to an Indian immigrant family in San Francisco. Dr. Trisha Raje is a brilliant neurosurgeon with a less than brilliant bedside manner whose well-off family is in the midst of attempting to get her brother elected Governor. DJ Caine has come to California to provide for his sister, who is suffering from a brain tumour. At the same time, he is trying to establish his own catering business which infuses the Indian cuisine he grew up cooking with French Cordon-Bleu influences. Constantly thrown together with Trisha at both her brother's election functions and at the hospital where she's his sister's doctor, sparks fly but not necessarily the best kind.

I enjoyed this retelling and its shifting of both the gender and cultural contexts. However, this is not a light P&P retelling. There's a lot of heavy issues woven in here including racism, facing the prospect of disability, sexual assault, and fertility problems. The novel is well-written and compelling and Dev does some great things with the frame of the P&P narrative while crafting her own tale. I will note that there's a hint of magical realism that felt really out of place but it's a small part of the novel so don't let it detract you if the novel sounds of interest.

Rating: ****

Happy new thread, and glad to hear the surgery went well! I watched Hamilton once for myself and a second time while dozing on the couch late on the 4th while the noise drowned out the firework noises for the dogs :) But I still found myself waking up and paying attention at all of Daveed Diggs' parts. I just love him so much.

Book 74



Howards End - E.M. Forster

A radio play adaptation of the novel which follows the Schlegel sisters as they go against the tide of London society and find their own way. John Hurt is the narrator for this one who provides a lovely gravitas while the rest of the cast fill their roles very well. As when I read this novel in print, I'm left feeling like I'm still not quite sure what Forster was trying to say with his narrative but I am impressed with how well he wrote women.

Rating: ****

>9 curioussquared: Hi Natalie! Daveed Diggs was also my favourite in the production, which surprised me given how much I love Lin-Manuel Miranda (obvs still love him a ton). I saw the production in Chicago almost 4 years ago and I honestly couldn't remember if that production's Eliza did the same reactions as Phillipa Soo, which I had mixed feelings about. Super enjoyable viewing though and I'll probably watch it again in a few weeks when Mr. Fine goes back to work as he enjoyed it but isn't in a rush to spend another 2 hours and 40 minutes watching it again. ;)

>11 MickyFine: I love Lin a ton too, but you can't deny that Daveed got the fun roles and made the most of it :) I couldn't remember if our Eliza in Seattle did those reactions either, but I think I liked Soo's interpretation. My fiance is the same way, haha, but I can totally see myself putting in on in the background while I clean all the time.

Happy new thread, Micky, and glad to hear that the surgery went well and you're recuperating. Anne of Green Gables sounds like the perfect sick-day watch. I grew up on those too.

Also glad to see you enjoyed Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors. The fact that it was its own story while paying homage to Austen was something i really liked about it.

How did I kick off my July? Well, at work on July 1 I put my first book order of the fiscal year in, which was exciting. One of my co-workers who purchases nonfiction mentioned that this means that once they're processed and the books come in it's "behind" by a couple of weeks - I agreed, but said this year no one will notice because they still haven't seen what we bought in May and June! *sad face* I mean, all the popular authors still get holds, of course, but I despair of the books that would have been picked up but are neglected because no one sees the covers and grabs them off the new shelf...

And at home I kicked off July with a long weekend and lots of reading. Hope you have a great week!

Happy new thread, Micky, and happy recuperation! I hope it all continues to go smoothly.

I couldn't get into the Dev novel, but I will likely give it another try at some point. It may have just been wrong book, wrong time.

I've been enjoying a staycation to kick off July. Today is the last day :( It's been a nice mental break!

Happy new one!

Hi Micky, love the new "Roaring 20's" topper!

And I see you've been reading up a storm. How did you like I Capture the Castle?
I liked the movie (DVD from the library) and wondered if the book was as good or better.
Bill Nighy is a fave actor for me.

July has been warm and occasionally rainy, which is very welcome in our parts, as I am sure you would know. We haven't had the deluges or hail that Edmonton received, thank goodness.

My rate of finishing books has fallen off. This is no surprise considering the priority I put on being active out of doors. Winter and the cold spring really emphazised how short our summer might be.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Micky! Very happy to see that the surgery went well and you are now home recovering.

Happy new thread, Micky, glad to read your surgery went well.

>12 curioussquared: It's definitely a good cleaning soundtrack. :)

>13 bell7: Thanks for the well wishes, Mary. My work library has started limited in-branch services - self-service holds and extremely limited browsing (our Hits to Go collection and Staff Picks - which will hopefully be mostly be new arrivals as they make their way to branches). They started yesterday at 3 branches but the last plans I saw before I went on leave is that it would eventually roll out to most of our locations. It'll be interesting to see what things look like when I go back in August.

>14 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I enjoyed the Dev but I'm on the fence about putting the next book in the series on The List. It's a retelling of Persuasion, which is in the top tier of my Austen faves, but some comments I looked at on GoodReads indicated that the content is again pretty heavy. And while I appreciate it when romances take on real issues, I need some lighter content to balance it out, which I didn't find with P,P&OF.

>15 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs!

>16 SandyAMcPherson: It's been a while since I've read the book, Sandy, but I remember really enjoying. The edition I listed on my last thread is a BBC Radio dramatization, which was lovely as well.

>17 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>18 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

>19 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

I've got a bunch of audio dramas checked out from the library in Libby, which I put on while I cross-stitch (victim of my own list as I created an OverDrive list of audio dramas for work before I went on leave). Many of them are adaptations of classic novels so my reads look more impressive than they are as the dramatizations are often only 2-4 hours. Basically an advance notice that my updates here are likely to explode but they'll be short audio "reads."

Book 75



Thank You, Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse

Jeeves has left Bertie for service elsewhere in protest of Bertie's incessant playing of the banjolele. However, the pair end up in the same neighbourhood in the English countryside, which is only for the good of Bertie who ends up getting tied into one of his friend's attempts to marry a girl and all the madness that ensues.

As comic as I always expect of Wodehouse. While Jeeves and Wooster are synonymous with Fry and Laurie as far as I'm concerned, this audio drama adaptation by L.A. Theatre Works of this Wodehouse story is solid as well. Most of the cast is spot on. Jeeves is played by Paxton Whitehead who I know best from his guest role on The West Wing as the snooty curator, Bernard, and he does a fantastic job. However, the mayor of L.A. at the time (the production was recorded in the mid-90s) plays one of the American characters and his reading is the stilted awkwardness one would expect of a non-actor. However, a lovely way to spend some time with Wodehouse's best creations.

Rating: ****

Book 76



Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce

A radio play adaptation of this children's classic. Tom must stay in his aunt and uncle's small flat when his brother comes down with the measles. The flat is small and the house it's in has no garden at all. But when the large grandfather clock in the hallway strikes thirteen, Tom opens a door into a beautiful garden where he can play and where he meets Hattie.

I discovered this charming novel during undergrad in a children's literature course and fell in love with it. This radio play adaptation is well done and manages to make the many descriptions of the garden required feel natural to the characters' dialogue. Una Stubbs is also wonderfully cozy and comforting sounding as Tom's aunt. Whether it would be appealing to children, especially if they'd never encountered the book before is more uncertain.

Rating: ****

>22 MickyFine: Congratulations on reaching 75, Micky!

Congrats!

Happy new thread, Micky.

Congratulations also on passing 75 books already.

>23 MickyFine: I *love* Tom's Midnight Garden! I'm hoping to read it soon with Charlie, because I think he'll love it, too.

Congrats on passing 75, Micky! Hope you're doing well.

Yay, congrats on 75! I've never heard of Tom's Midnight Garden but it sounds like the kind of thing that would be right up my alley.

Thanks to Anita, Jim, Paul, Mary, and Natalie for the 75 congrats.

>27 scaifea: I can definitely see Charlie falling in love with it.

>28 bell7: I continue to do well. Took the bandages off this week and while it's a bit weird to see the incision scabs, I continue to heal slowly but surely.

>29 curioussquared: I definitely think you should give it a try, Natalie. It's a quick read. :)

Book 77



War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells

A production of the classic radio play adaptation of H.G. Wells by Orson Welles. Directed by John De Lancie, the production is full of cast members from Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, which adds an extra layer of delight to this well done production. Of course, being familiar with the panic caused by the original production, it's interesting to listen to this version and very easily grasp how it could have been taken as the real thing in an era when news was distributed primarily in print and on the radio. Also, having not read Wells original novel, it's a fascinating way to experience the outlines of his narrative.

Rating: ****

Book 78



Antigone - Jean Anouilh

Written and performed in Paris during the Occupation this play explores the tragedy of Antigone who defies her uncle's order to bury her brother, Polynices. Its exploration of themes such as loyalty, defiance, happiness, and adherence to the law are fascinating to consider in the context of when the play was originally produced. While the play is a bit heavy on long speeches, as is fitting to a classical tragedy, there are occasional moments of humour interwoven throughout as the play makes its way to its inevitable tragic end.

Rating: ****

Book 79



Die Mommie Die - Charles Busch

An audio production of this darkly comic mystery play. Angela Arden is desperate to get out of her marriage to Hollywood movie producer, Sol Sussman, and what better way than poison. Her daughter, Edith, however is distraught by her father's death, convinced her mother did it, and will stop at nothing to prove it. A highly entertaining and campy take on a mystery, Charles Busch constantly steals the show as Angela (based on some of the laughter from the live audience at the recording, there are additional comic moments just from having the actors on the stage that the audio audience sadly misses). I was happily surprised by the resolution of the mystery and utterly enjoyed the journey.

Rating: ****

Book 80



The Invasion of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

In this second book in the trilogy, Kelsea has taken the throne of the Tear but now must face the ramifications of her choice to end the shipment of slaves to the neighbouring kingdom of Mortmesne. As Kelsea faces the reality of the invasion of her land, she is left with nothing but bad choices. As she grapples with what to do she is repeatedly pulled into visions of the life of Lily, a woman who lived in pre-Crossing America. What do these visions mean for Kelsea and how can she possibly preserve her smaller and weaker kingdom from the Red Queen and the massive army of Mortmesne?

It's been a couple years since I read the first book in this trilogy but I fell back into the world of the Tearling easily. Kelsea's journey is compelling as she struggles to understand her magic, grapples with the impossible choices that face her as a leader, and fights always to become anything like her mother. Intercut with this are the flashes into Lily's world - a dark but believable dystopia which feels slightly reminiscent of the world in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. It is fascinating to see the roots of this medieval-ish fantasy world come from a dark near-future world. The narrative is compelling throughout and I look forward to seeing the resolution of the plot in the final novel.

Rating: ****

Book 81



Hedda Gabler - Henrik Ibsen

An audio production of the classic play. Hedda returns from her honeymoon with her new husband, George, only to find that a former beau of Hedda's has regained a respected position in society and will be a challenge to George in advancing in his career in academia. I found this an interesting if challenging listen. Without actors' faces to read, it becomes a lot more difficult to discern Hedda's motivations throughout the play, how she truly feels about the flirtations she engages in, and how she feels about her final act in the play. Despite that, this is an excellent way to experience the play.

Rating: ****

Book 82



Behind the Sheet - Charly Evon Simpson

A play exploring the history behind the development of the surgery to repair fistulas (a complication that occurred after childbirth), which was largely developed by a white doctor in the South who experimented on female slaves with the condition. Simpson centres the roles of these women in the work of the doctor as they were not only subjects of his surgical experiments but also provided assistance during the procedures. Exploring not only the horrors of pre-Civil War medicine and surgery and the awful realities of slavery, the play also delves into the importance of female friendship. A challenging but important play to experience. This audio production includes interviews with medical historian Deirdre Cooper Owens and the playwright after the play, which provides additional insight into the real history, which inspired the play.

Rating: ****

HI Micky, loving all your LATW reviews! I need to get back to scrolling through my local library's catalogue now that they are open for pick up and some limited browsing of the shelves.

>37 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. I've borrowed all of these from my work library's OverDrive/Libby collection so you might be able to snag them digitally as well. :)

Book 83



Oslo - J.T. Rogers

An audio production of the play, the stage version of which won the Tony award for Best play in 2017. It's 1993 and the Norwegian foreign ministry and one of the country's think tanks are the unlikely architects of secret peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The play recounts how a small group of individuals worked to create the Oslo Peace Accords. Filled with plenty of political intrigue, a healthy dose of humour, and beautiful moments exploring the humanity of all of the diplomats involved this is an excellent play and recommended.

Rating: ****

Book 84



Suitors and Sabotage - Cindy Anstey

Imogene Chively is slightly nervous at the prospect of Ernest Steeple and his brother, Ben, coming to visit her family's estate. Having met Ernest during the London season and made an impression, the visit serves as an opportunity to get to know each other with the likely view of getting married. Imogene likes Ernest but getting to know Ben, she finds herself falling for the wrong brother. At the same time a series of small but cruel accidents befall Ben, making it seem likely that someone has it in for the young man.

An exceedingly gentle Regency romance that's marketed for teens but would likely be suitable for older middle-grade readers. There's a lot of angst over perceived barriers to Imogene and Ben's falling in love, which is balanced by a lot of sweet and cozy moments between all of the main characters. The mystery involving Ben feels pretty low stakes for most of the novel and the resolution of that plot line felt kind of odd. Also as a long-time reader of Regency novels, the author's cheat of the young people agreeing to all call each other by first names feels wrong although I appreciate why the author made the choice given her target audience. Ultimately, a great read to give a tween or young teen to introduce them to the delights of Regency romances but as an adult reader who is very familiar with the genre the content failed to live up to the excellent cover.

Rating: ***

Book 85



Macbeth - William Shakespeare

LATW audio production of the Scottish play. All of the cast are adequate but none of actors really stand out (sadly not even James Marsters) - although my opinion may have been coloured by almost the entire cast using American accents. The sound effects used for scenes with the witches are excellent and add just the right tone of weirdness that these scenes require. Not a bad version of the play but not one I'd recommend as a way to experience the narrative for the first time.

Rating: ***

Happy newish thread, Mickey. Love the topper. Congratulations for reading 75 and way beyond, but I guess recuperation helps that along, doesn't it? I hope you are healing well. You got me with a BB for Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors. It sounds like an interesting retelling with more depth than I thought it would have. I want to see what Sonali Dev has written as I have seen her in person and wouldn't have expected her prose to deal with weighty subjects.

>42 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! Recuperation has definitely helped a lot. I've been doing a lot of cross-stitch and listening to audio plays at the same time, which has definitely increased my reading number totals. Hope you enjoy the BB.

Ditched



Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery

There's nothing in particular wrong with this audio dramatization of this Canadian children's classic. However, I seem to be incapable of accepting anyone other than Megan Follows as Anne - probably not helped by the fact that I recently just rewatched the films for the umpteenth time. I made it less than five minutes into the production before giving it up as not for me. YMMV.

Rating: /

Book 86



The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

A six episode audio drama adaptation of the classic novel. A really excellent listen full of drama, romance, and plenty of swashbuckling. All of the cast do an excellent job of distinguishing themselves in their roles and listening to this version has had me add the original print version to my want to read list.

Rating: ****

Book 87



Twelve Angry Men - Reginald Rose

LATW audio production of the classic drama. This play does particularly well in audio format, which is surprising given the cast is large, all male, and none of them are given names. Even knowing how the play ends, it manages to be suspenseful and powerful in its exploration of human nature. I also found the casting choice of Hector Elizondo as the bigoted juror an interesting choice. Recommended.

Rating: ****

Book 88



The Cherry Orchard - Anton Chekhov

LATW audio production of the classic play recounting the challenges facing an aristocratic Russian family who desperately wants to maintain their way of life even as their finances fall on hard times. I found it challenging to keep characters straight in this one and wasn't always certain which character was who - possibly complicated by the complexities of Russian names. This would have been easier to keep straight in a traditional production as you have faces to track with the voice. Not a bad listen but not a play I'm likely to revisit.

Rating: ***

Ooooh, The Three Musketeers is one of my very favorites. I'm glad the dramatization was good!

>48 scaifea: It really was. An excellent method for a quick revisit if you're in the mood as the whole thing is under three hours.

Hi Mickey.
You sure have had a good run of 4 star readings. Interesting that so many of the LATW have been successful.

I'm intrigued with Tom's Midnight Garden (Philippa Pearce). Would the book be too dated (or too young) for a 9 y.o. who has been gobbling up Nancy Drews?

Edited to also say--- "and huzzah for 75 books!"

Hi, Micky! I'm finally getting caught up on your thread. Congratulations on the new house, I'm glad your surgery went well, and huzzah for 75 books!

>50 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. I think Tom's Midnight Garden would be just right for nine year old - I hope the young'un in your life enjoys it!

>51 foggidawn: Thanks for dropping in Foggi and for all the congrats! Lovely to see you as always.

Happy Newish Thread, Micky, and congrats on reading, and blowing by (!) 75 books.

I love the audio reviews, and you've recently read so many I've liked. I'm glad you liked Pride and Prejudice and Other Flavors; I did, too, for the reasons you and Mary give. I want to try her newer Persuasion-based one.

Tom's Midnight Garden is a favorite in our house, and it's tempting to re-experience it the way you did.

As I complain to my wife every time we see a Chekhov play, I'm not a fan. His plays are okay, but I've never understood why so many actors love and revere them. The Cherry Orchard is actually one of the better ones from my POV, along with The Three Sisters. The Seagull - no, thanks.

On the other hand, I love the Three Musketeers story, and that sounds like a fun production.

belated happy new thread and glad surgery went well!

YAY for surgical success; YAY for blowing past 75; YAY for the spate of good ear-reads, too.

Yay!

>53 jnwelch: Hi Joe! Glad you're enjoying all the audio reviews. I just finished the third HP as an audio so I'll be back to flying through audio plays soon. I've got about a dozen checked out and another 10 or so on hold - including Chekhov's The Three Sisters so we'll see if I enjoy that one any better.

>54 leahbird: Thanks, Leah!

>55 richardderus: *smooches* Thanks, RDear. Lovely fireworks.

Book 89



Copenhagen - Michael Frayn

An audio production of the play which explores the relationship between Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, rotating around the mysterious meeting between the two during the height of WWII in 1941. All three cast members are equally strong and the play works hard to make the physics comprehensible to the audience. The play is cyclical as the characters continue to come back to the meeting in 1941 while going on tangents about the relationship between the two scientists and the orbital role played by Bohr's wife, Margrethe. The stellar voice cast for this production makes the play but it wasn't a runaway favourite.

Rating: ***

Book 90



Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

The re-read via the Stephen Fry-narrated audiobooks continues. Another delicious adventure for Harry and friends, introducing some of my favourite characters.

Rating: *****

The film adaptation of this one is my favourite of the series so I'm looking forward to watching that in the next week or two (I've been watching the films as I finish the books). I've also begun re-listening to the podcast Witch, Please after finishing each book/film which is just as enjoyable as when I listened to it the first time. Sadly, however based on the wait estimates in Libby I likely won't get book four until late September or early October. Fingers crossed the people ahead of me listen quickly and return early. ;)

Book 91



No Country for Old Gnomes - Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne

The second book in the Tales of Pell series sees an unlikely group including two gnomes, a halfling, a dwarf, an ovitaur, and a gryphon undertaking a quest in the midst of massive conflict between the peace-loving gnomes and the rather dastardly mafia of halflings led by Marquant Dique of Bigly Wicke. Adventure filled with plenty of puns and other jokes abounds.

While most of this novel follows a new group of characters that were not in the previous novel, there are spoilers for the previous book included here so the books should be read in order. The books are silly but with plenty of heart and while they deal in fantasy tropes they also frequently undercut them. I giggled throughout and frequently read passages aloud to my long-suffering husband but I also sniffled through the truly heartfelt and heart-warming ending. I continue to highly recommend this series if you're in need of a funny and feel-good read (and don't mind the occasional poop joke).

Rating: ****

>59 MickyFine: Oh, that one sounds great!

>59 MickyFine: One of these days, I've got to try that series

>60 drneutron: I definitely recommend them, Jim.

>61 bell7: I think they'd be a fun read for you, Mary.

Book 92



Agnes of God - John Pielmeier

An audio production of the play. When a baby is found strangled with its own umbilical cord in the room of Agnes a young nun at a local convent, a psychiatrist who is also a lapsed Catholic, is called in to determine whether Agnes is criminally responsible. As the psychiatrist interviews both the Mother Superior and Agnes repeatedly to get to the bottom of what happened that night she will be forced to grapple with issues of faith and the possibility of miracles.

All three actresses in this production are powerhouses and make all of the emotions palpable to the listener. Compelling not only as a mystery but as a character study.

Rating: ***

Book 93



8 - Dustin Lance Black

An audio recording of the all-celebrity production of the play which used the actual transcripts from the 2010 legal case in which several homosexual couples sued the state of California over Proposition 8, which made homosexual marriages illegal.

Initially performed as a fundraiser for Rob Reiner's foundation which worked for equal rights, the cast in this production is amazing with even the smallest roles filled by big names. The playwright has done an amazing job of turning dense legal transcripts into a powerful play full of drama, humour, and pathos. The play is also a fascinating historical document as it was recorded in 2012, prior to the case appearing before the Supreme Court and the later eventual provision for equal marriage rights for all. Recommended.

Rating: ****

Book 94



4:50 from Paddington - Agatha Christie

A radio dramatization of a Miss Marple mystery. When Mrs. McGillicuddy is convinced that she saw a man murdering a woman on a train passing hers on her way to visit her dear friend, Miss Jane Marple, the authorities are skeptical but Miss Marple takes the case. As she and her younger associate work to find the body and then determine who the woman is and why she may have been murdered, they stumble into the dramatic inner workings of a well-off family whose estate abuts the rail line.

One of my favourite Miss Marple's, even knowing the who of the murder mystery didn't rob this audio drama of its delights. A really enjoyable way to revisit this one.

Rating: ****

Book 95



Bogaazan!

An audio production of the play. A Japanese WWII veteran shares his memories of serving aboard the "unsinkable" battleship Yamato as it steams toward Okinawa in the waning days of the war. As the lieutenant in charge of the galley, he is startled when he discovers a young girl stowed away amongst his vegetables.

A very short listen (under an hour), it was a solid listen although I lamented the lack of post-play interviews/discussions that are often included with LATW productions as I was curious about the history of the play/playwright.

Rating: ***

Book 96



Virgin River - Robyn Carr

In the wake of her husband's death, nurse practitioner and midwife Mel Monroe decides to completely abandon her life in a busy L.A. hospital and take a one-year contract in the small northern California town of Virgin River assisting the older doctor. When she arrives, she discovers that the cottage she's supposed to live in is deplorably run-down, the doctor wasn't involved in the hiring decision and doesn't really want here there, and that back country life isn't quite as a serene as she imagined. Determined to hightail it out of there as quickly as she arrived, Mel's plans change when she find's a baby in a box on the front step of the doctor's house.

I watched the first episode of the show on Netflix and enjoyed it so I decided I wanted to try the source material before continuing. The book was... meh. The plot and characters are fine but the writing rotated between serviceable and clunky. I'll definitely be watching the rest of the show because the plot has some of my favourite tropes (big city girl discovers charms of smalltown life) but I won't be continuing with the books. YMMV.

Rating: ***

After lamenting my long wait for the audiobook of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire I managed to snag a Lucky Day copy in Libby on Friday night. So I'll be blitzing through that this week while I cross-stitch, which means the deluge of audio plays will pause for a bit.

>68 MickyFine: Nice! Enjoy.

>67 MickyFine: It's one of those reads where the idea far exceeds the capability of the creator to make the best use of it.

>68 MickyFine: Enjoy!

>57 MickyFine: I saw this live, knowing almost nothing about it going in, and it was one of my favorite experiences of live theatre. There's a movie, too, which is... okay.

>67 MickyFine: I need to check out this show. I've seen so many people say it's so much better than the books. I tried the first one because the premise appealed to me but DNFed for pretty much the same reasons you were lukewarm about it.

>69 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi! I'm enjoying it immensely and on-track to finish it during the shorter loan.

>70 richardderus: It's one of those reads where the idea far exceeds the capability of the creator to make the best use of it. Precisely. You phrased that so much better than I ever could.

>71 lycomayflower: Cool that you got to see the play live, Laura. I miss theatre. As for Virgin River, I've now watched two episodes of it and it's definitely superior to the book although I was surprised as they did a reveal for something at the end of episode two that doesn't happen until the end of the book so I'm curious to see where the show goes from there. Of course they have a massive series to pull from so they've got plenty of source material.

Sorry to see you had to have surgery but glad it went well and has given you lots of time for reading!

>73 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle!

Book 97



Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

Continuing the re-read via the audiobooks narrated by Stephen Fry. This is the point where the novels really expand in their complexity and I enjoy it so much. However, one thing I noticed more listening to the novel rather than reading it myself is that the villains spend SO MUCH time completely explaining all of the plots that have brought them to that point in the story - Voldemort and Barty Crouch both do this. As a reader I always fly through these sections but when the book is read to you the exposition begins to feel a little exhausting. But I enjoy these books tremendously so even that little quibble really doesn't bother me.

Rating: *****

Book 98



Please Continue - Frank Basloe

An LATW audio production of a play recounting events behind the scenes of the controversial Yale obedience experiments completed in the 1960s in which psychologists explored participants willingness to give another participant electric shocks when asked. This play focuses on the individuals involved in developing and delivering the tests and there is only one instance where the audience hears one of the experiment sessions. It's a fascinating and complex play and the audiobook also includes a discussion with a neuroscientist who discusses the ongoing implications of these tests in the understanding of the human brain and decision making.

Rating: ***

July Summary









Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 26 (98)
Books ditched: 1 (4)

Fiction: 7 (54)
Non-fiction: 19 (44)

Adult: 22 (81)
YA: 1 (9)
Children's: 3 (8)

Library: 25 (85)
Mine: 1 (13)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 1 (13)

Female authors: 10 (54)
Male authors: 14 (44)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 2,148 (17,802 15,654)
Hours: 2 days, 19 hours, 41 minutes (6 days, 9 hours, 41 minutes)
Average rating: 3.88
Average time to read book: 3.80 days

Favourite book(s): No Country for Old Gnomes was just the dose of silliness and heart that I needed this month.

Book 99



The Duke and I - Julia Quinn

Daphne Bridgerton is the fourth of eight, alphabetically named siblings, and has always been one of those women that men like but would never think of courting. When she arranges a bargain with the Duke of Hastings to pretend to be courting to increase her value on the marriage market and to prevent him from some of the worst of the maneuvering mamas of the ton, Daphne is certain that she's definitely getting the better end of the bargain. But when events occur that pushes the two towards actual matrimony, Daphne is left facing marriage with a man who obviously cares for her but most definitely never wants to be married or even think of having children.

This historical romance hit the spot wonderfully. The characters are all full of life and fun to read about, with plenty of banter in the first half of the novel which makes the pages fly by. The big conflict of the novel does revolve around an encounter where consent is super fuzzy, which made this reader a little uncomfortable (signs of the novel being originally published 20 years ago), but the ultimate resolution is thoroughly rewarding. The edition I read included a "second epilogue" - essentially a short story written later by the author (there's one for each book in the series). It does include a spoiler for one of the later novels in the series as it reveals whom one of Daphne's siblings married but I'd already deduced they were likely leads in one of the later books from details in this novel anyway. It was also a charming read.

Rating: ****

Thanks to Katie whose endless warbling about this series finally got me to put it in front of my eyeballs!

WOOT!

Ditched



Destination Wedding - Diksha Basu

I really wanted to enjoy this novel which follows an Indian-American woman as she goes back to India for a cousin's wedding and grapples with where she belongs and who she wants to be, but it wasn't to be. The writing felt flat and while the limited third-person narration shifts between multiple characters in the first chapter, none of them felt different from one another. The book also started off on the wrong foot for me by describing every article of clothing almost every character was wearing, without it having any relevance to the plot. Fine if you're a Sweet Valley High book but I don't care what brand of sweatpants a character is wearing in an airport lounge. YMMV.

Rating: /

Book 100



Young Victoria - Juliet Ace

A BBC Radio play that recounts the events of Queen Victoria's life from shortly before she claims the throne up to the death of Albert. The play uses Victoria's diary entries and letters to inform some of the content of the play and it's an easy way to explore Victoria's life. However, I'd probably recommend the film with Emily Blunt or the recent TV series over this - the costumes alone make it worthwhile.

Rating: ***

Book 101



The George Bernard Shaw Collection - George Bernard Shaw

Eight GBS plays all produced in audio by LATW. Includes Arms and the Man, Candida, Major Barbara, Pygmalion, Misalliance, Mrs. Warren's Profession, The Devil's Disciple, and The Doctor's Dilemma. All of the plays except for Pygmalion were new to me and it was fascinating to see the range of settings and issues Shaw took on over the course of his career. The humour in all the plays continues to sparkle and many of the social issues remain interesting ones to consider. Recommended.

Rating: ****

Book 102



Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer

Twilight from Edward's perspective.

Back during the heights of my Twilight obsession I more than once read the excerpt of this book that had been leaked and subsequently posted to Meyer's website, so I was delighted when I heard she was finally publishing the full book. While I am no longer a rabid fan of the series I still enjoy picking up the books for a re-read occasionally and this newest book was a fun read. I enjoyed seeing everything in Twilight from Edward's perspective and to further explore the other Cullens as Edward sees into their minds and remembers their shared experiences. The final section of the novel was far more action packed than I expected and even though the ending is a foregone conclusion, it was fun to get there. Recommended to fans of the series.

Rating: ****

Life Update:

Down to my last couple days of leave as I go back to working from home on Tuesday. I've got a massage scheduled for this morning, which I'm really looking forward to as I haven't had one since things shut down in mid-March. While massage therapists have been open again for almost two months I couldn't get one in before my surgery and then lying on my stomach wasn't a real option for so long after my surgery. My shoulders are SUPER tight and I'm pretty sure they've been the source of a few headaches lately. I'm trying a new studio/massage therapist since we've moved so we'll see how it goes. Masks for all of course.

Tomorrow we're headed out to my brother's farm for my youngest niece's second birthday. She's about to be a big sister as my SiL is due on Tuesday - although my SiL been late with her previous three pregnancies so we'll see what this baby decides. Sex of the baby will be a surprise as always and I'm excited to see if I'll end up with a fourth niece or get a nephew to mix things up.

Leaning towards having a super lazy last day of leave on Monday but we'll see how things go.

Hmmm, I'm still not convinced I want to read Midnight Sun. I enjoyed the Twilight series just fine reading once through, but have never reread them because I knew that all the things that irritated me slightly but I wanted to know what would happen would irritate me a lot more once I knew the ending. But I don't know if that's me just being generally grumpy about "finished" series with prequels coming out, because I feel exactly the same way about the new Suzanne Collins book.

I hope your new massage therapist was good and able to give you some relief. Massages are The. Best.

And congrats to your SIL and family! Yay for a new niece or nephew to come.

Hi Micky! I visit your thread only to hear something about surgery! Well, since it sounds like you've mostly recovered I'm going to just assume it was something really cool, like having an extra set of robotic machine guns arms attached to your body. Way to go!

>78 MickyFine: I added this to my WL on Overdrive!

Happy Hundredth Read! I wish it had been a bit more to your liking, though.

>85 bell7: It's not so much a prequel as just the first book over again from Edward's side, if that helps. :)

>86 Ape: Lol, no robotic arms here.

>87 SandyAMcPherson: Excellent choice, Sandy

>88 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I've just started a collection of Neil Simon plays on audio and have been chuckling through Barefoot in the Park already so things are looking up.

Hope your first few days back to work from home went well. And how exciting to have a new niece or nephew!

>89 MickyFine: Well that's true. At least he can't compare his own abs to rocks every other page, can he? ;)

>91 aktakukac: Thanks, Rachael. I'm slowly wading through the customer requests for titles - our library resumed placing new holds and circulating physical material again while I was on leave so, of course, there was a corresponding spike in titles customers want added. I'm basically caught up in OverDrive but I haven't touched the requests submitted through the app in our catalogue. I've got ~450 titles to get through there. :P

>92 bell7: Nope. In this one you get a lot of exasperation over his inability to hear Bella's thoughts. Plus, multiple Hades and Persephone references - thus the cover.

Hi! I'm here. Glad you're recovering from your surgery ok. How is your new house?

I will not be reading Midnight Sun but I am in a group chat of other people who are and am very entertained by it.

>94 norabelle414: I'm so psyched to have you drop by! Mr. Fine and I continue to love our house to bits and I'm even willingly doing yard work. I'm really happy we bought this year as I've got a nice designated space to do all my working from home.

I totally understand enjoying Midnight Sun vicariously. I do that with some books for sure.

Book 103



The Little Foxes - Lillian Hellman

A Southern woman maneuvers against her brothers and husband in order to get her share of money from a major business deal.

Largely terrible people being terrible to each other but with Southern accents.

Rating: ***

Book 104



Pressure - David Haig

The lead Allied meteorologist grapples with the extraordinarily unpredictable British weather while attempting to make a forecast for D-Day.

Really wonderful. Plenty of drama, strong personalities, and it doesn't hurt that the lead role is Scottish.

Rating: ****

Book 105



Sisters Matsumoto - Philip Kan Gotanda

Three sisters return to their family farm after being released from the internment camps, only to discover that picking everything back up will be far harder than they imagined.

Really beautiful filled with wonderful moments of humour, heartbreak, and reminders of the power of family. This LATW production is followed by a panel discussion with the writer, the director, and George Takei, which was an excellent added bonus.

Rating: ****

Book 106



I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou

A BBC radio dramatization of Angelou's memoir. The casting is excellent and while there is some dialogue between characters, a lot of the drama is done via narration, which is Angelou's gorgeous prose. My only quibble is that the drama ends quite abruptly.

Rating: ***

Book 107



Six Degrees of Separation - John Guare

An uptown New York couple take in a young black man for the night when he's mugged as he tells them that he is both a friend of their children and the son of Sydney Poitier.

Not sure I got everything going on in this play but it was entertaining listening.

Rating: ***

>96 MickyFine: I read Watch on the Rhine in college and loved it and was later very disappointed by The Little Foxes. I don't know why it's so much more popular!

>101 norabelle414: Must be the Bette Davis film that makes it more popular (not that I've seen it).

Book 108



A Streetcar Named Desire - Tennessee Williams

An audio production of the classic play in which Blanche DuBois goes to New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella and Stella's husband, Stanley. Tragedy follows.

I studied this play in high school and it was lovely to revisit it in this format. This production included a brief pre-amble about the play and Tennessee Williams and I'm positive my discussions of the play in school did not include the background that Williams was gay and that his sister was committed to an institution. Fascinating context to add.

Rating: ****

Book 109



Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord - Sarah MacLean

Lady Isabel Townsend has always lived in relative isolation in Yorkshire as the daughter of the "Wastrearl" but has used the isolation to her advantage, taking in women in need of shelter. When the sister of a Duke arrives on her doorstep, Isabel knows it won't be long until someone comes looking but she takes her in anyway. When said Duke hires Lord Nicholas St. John to track down his sister Nicholas jumps at the chance to escape London society where he has recently been dubbed one of the most eligible lords to land. Of course sparks fly when Nicholas and Isabel meet but can their budding romance survive the secrets their both keeping?

I think my enjoyment of this one suffered from my reading being spread out over too long a period. The plot moves at a fine clip but because I was reading it so slowly it correspondingly felt like the plot was dragging. The romance is adequate and it is noteworthy that there's an interracial romance happening between secondary characters in this one, which is nice to see in an historical romance. Probably a solid romance but my opinion of it is coloured by my own slowness at getting through it.

Rating: ***

>104 MickyFine: Oh no, who's going to tell that woman that the dress she's trying to put on is way too small?

>105 norabelle414: Snort! Hmm, maybe I should suggest a romance novel display that's "Can you zip me up?" instead of "Dude, where's my shirt?"

Book 110



Fool - Christopher Moore

A comedic take on King Lear from the perspective of the Fool.

A bawdy, sweary, and thoroughly irreverent send up of King Lear that I think Shakespeare would have enjoyed thoroughly. Moore's expansion of the Fool into the character of Pocket is crude but thoroughly funny and while there are definite liberties taken with the original plot of the play, it's an enjoyable ride. Not for the faint of heart but enjoyable if it falls into the realm of what you find funny.

Rating: ****

I'm pleased to announce that my new nephew arrived on Friday and I got to go meet him yesterday. He's absolutely adorable and we're all pleased as punch at his arrival.

Congrats on the nephew! And I'm glad you liked Fool. I loved it when I read it in 2011 but I worry it's the kind of humor that doesn't age well.

>109 norabelle414: That's fair. I picked it up because the title of the third novel in the series keeps tickling my fancy but of course I have to read them in order.

Aww, a little nephew! I bet his big sisters are thrilled!

>111 aktakukac: From what I hear they are. They were still staying with grandparents when we went to see baby and parents so I haven't experienced the excitement first-hand yet. :P

>110 MickyFine: Oooh I didn't even know there was a third one. Guess I should read the second one, huh?

>113 norabelle414: It's a riff on Merchant of Venice so enter at your own risk, I would imagine.

Yay, congrats on your nephew!

Congrats on the nephew! I haven't read any of Christopher Moore's stuff, though I've been eyeing it for years. I'm not sure if the humor will be my thing. I have lots of friends who love his books, so I should probably give one a try.

Delurking to say congratulations to you and family on safe arrival of small person.

Also, the send up on a King Lear play is great sounding. Ummm... didn't Shakespeare write that when he was locked down due to a small pox epidemic? Explains a lot, huh?

>115 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

>116 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi. The book does have a tongue in cheek warning about the swearing, sex, and occasional grossness right up front and I wasn't sure it would be my thing. Weirdly, I enjoyed the book but I hate movies that have similar gross-out humour tactics.

>117 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks, Sandy!

Book 111



The Viscount Who Loved Me - Julia Quinn

Viscount Anthony Bridgerton is a notorious rake but has decided that it's time for him to finally settle down and sire an heir. He decides on Edwina Sheffield as his prospective bride, the toast of the current season. The only problem is he must get the approval of Edwina's sister, Kate, who suffers no fools. As Anthony tries to charm Kate in order to court Edwina he finds himself drawn to the wrong sister despite himself.

A solid second entry in the Bridgertons historical romance series. There's plenty to enjoy here, including a truly entertaining game of Pall mall (which also crops up in the second epilogue appended to my edition of the novel). I can't gush over this one however as it involves the hate to love trope and while I sometimes I enjoy this (Much Ado About Nothing comes to mind), I wasn't entirely sure how Kate could forgive Anthony for some of the less kind things he says when they're still in the hate phase. However, they are of course very charming once they move to the friendlier end of the spectrum. YMMV.

Rating: ****

Hi Micky! Stopping by to get caught up. Happy to see you continue with your audio plays. I love the LATW productions. So good. Congratulations on the arrival of your nephew!

Oh my, a new 'phew! Yay for you!

>120 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Thanks for the congrats. The LATW productions are great as are the BBC radio productions I've borrowed as well. They work well for this reader who isn't the biggest audiobook listener.

>121 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

Monday-morning question:
My granddaughter found Book 1 of the Bad News Ballet series in one of those "Little Free Library" boxes.
Do any Edmonton libraries carry that series anymore? Or are the 1980's too long ago for kid's paperbacks?

She asked me to find her Book 2 and there isn't a single copy in our provincial system by those authors except some Princessy series written more recently. (Yuck)

I'm hoping the books might turn up in our second hand shop, but it could be a long wait.

>123 SandyAMcPherson: Morning Sandy. The 1980s would unfortunately be too long ago for inclusion our collection in most cases (classics being the obvious exception). I did a quick search on Amazon and they're pretty reasonably priced. You could also check Abe books which pulls from used bookstores - might be faster than waiting for your local used bookstore. :)

Book 112



An Offer from a Gentleman - Julia Quinn

Sophie Beckett grew up knowing she was a bastard, even if she was raised as a ward of the Earl who fathered her. When he dies, she ends up living with her stepmother and forced to do the work of three maids. However, one night, Sophie sneaks in to a masquerade ball and has one magic evening with Benedict Bridgerton. Two years later that single night still holds a special place in the memory of both Sophie and Benedict. But when they meet again, will they recognize each other and can they overcome the class difference between them?

A riff on Cinderella, this historical romance novel was moderately enjoyable but showing its age in a couple spots. While I appreciated that this romance involved an inter-class romance (not super common in historical romances), the power imbalance between Sophie and Benedict feels a little problematic. There's also some lack of clarity around consent. Those issues aside there's some charming dialogue and the ending is a little melodramatic but I did enjoy that the big conflict resolution was done almost exclusively by female characters. My least favourite of the series thus far but still a solid offering.

Rating: ***

>125 MickyFine: - Yeah, that's not my favorite. I *think* you'll like the next one more.

>126 katiekrug: Oh good, I was worried you liked it a lot since you asked about it on IG. Of course, I should have known better since our romance tastes almost always align. So I'll look forward to the next one. Might be a bit of a longer gap until I get to it though. Ended up reading 2 and 3 back to back since my library had a collection of the first 3 books as a single ebook.

>124 MickyFine:, Thanks Micky. I am ever the cheapskate and besides trying to avoid Amazon, hate paying full price new!

Book 113



All Systems Red - Martha Wells

Murderbot is on contract as a security bot for a small group of planetary surveyors, as is required by the contract the surveyors have signed with the Company. Unbeknownst to its clients and the Company, Murderbot has hacked its governor module and doesn't have to comply with every order it's given. So while it does the basics to keep its clients safe, really it just wants to be left alone to watch its shows. But when all hell breaks loose, Murderbot has to get more involved than it really wants.

I know how beloved this novella (and the whole series) is here on LT and when I started it, I wasn't initially certain whether it would be for me. The novella drops you straight into the world and doesn't do any hand holding, making it a bit of an adjustment both to the world and the writing style. But once I adjusted I was just as delighted as I'd been led to believe I would be. How can one not adore a robot who wants to be left alone so it can watch soaps? I look forward to reading Murderbot's further adventures.

Rating: ****

>129 MickyFine: Yay, Murderbot!!!

I know nothing of the book, but you had me at "Murderbot"

>125 MickyFine: Ah! You've crested the 75x1.5 mark, so congratulations!

>129 MickyFine: Whenever someone enjoys Murderbot, an angel gets its wings. Thank you for enabling another flightless mythological benison-bestower to take to the skies!

>129 MickyFine: I currently have this book (novella) checked out. I wanted to start reading it last night. But I have no idea where it is! I've looked all over my house and my office at work, and it's nowhere to be found! It's still checked out on my account, so it has to be around somewhere, and I am determined to find it today or tonight!

>130 curioussquared: Agreed.

>131 Ape: Oh this would so be up your alley, Stephen. And it's very short so it might be easier to squeeze in to your schedule. I read it in less than two hours.

>132 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. If I get a double 75 I'll be pleased but not going to push for it like I did last year. And I'm happy to do my part in spreading the Murderbot word. :)

>133 aktakukac: I'd imagine it's quite slim (I borrowed the ebook) so I hope it hasn't hidden itself too well, Rachel. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you find it!

Ran across a prepub alert today for Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Klara and the Sun and I am excited!

Book 114



Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

Even with my least favourite of the books in the series, Stephen Fry makes this an enjoyable listening experience. And while I'll bemoan many of the things in this book, there's no mistaking that the final chunk of it is some of my favourite bits of the whole series.

Rating: *****

August Summary






Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 16 (114)
Books ditched: 1 (5)

Fiction: 8 (62)
Non-fiction: 8 (52)

Adult: 14 (95)
YA: 0 (9)
Children's: 2 (10)

Library: 15 (100)
Mine: 1 (14)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 1 (14)

Female authors: 10 (64)
Male authors: 9 (53)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 2,790 (20,592)
Hours: 2 days, 6 hours, 8 minutes (8 days, 15 hours, 49 minutes)
Average rating: 3.85
Average time to read book: 3.82 days

Favourite book(s): I had a lot of solid reads this month but I'll give the prize to All Systems Red for being both an excellent read and a great way to cleanse my reading palate.

>129 MickyFine: WRT Murderbot: yay + 1. You're in for some good readin'

>138 swynn: Thanks, Steve!

Book 115



They Called Us Enemy - George Takei et. al.

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge: Read a graphic memoir

George Takei's graphic memoir of the years he spent as a child living in a Japanese internment camp during WWII and the ramifications those years had on his life and those of his parents. Takei's story is beautifully told in this format and while naturally the memories of childhood can be disjointed, the authors turn them into a smooth narrative. The artwork by Harmony Becker is gorgeous with it's black and white drawings, which are beautiful and evocative. Recommended.

Rating: ****

More yays for Murderbot; YAY!! for They Called Us Enemy; and a metric ton of Wednesday-happy wishes.

>141 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Halfway through hump day with a longing eye on the Labour Day weekend. I think I'll make it. ;)

>140 MickyFine: Ooof, that's a good one, isn't it. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>143 scaifea: It was an excellent read. It also made me take a look to see what exists in the way of books about Japanese internment in Canada, as the same terrible decision was made here during WWII.

Book 116



Herding Cats - Sarah Andersen

The third collection of Sarah's scribbles comic strips. As always with these collections, these are quick, funny reads, with which I often relate especially when it comes to her strips about cats, books, and introversion. This volume includes a section on sharing creative works on the internet, which can often be unkind, and while it wasn't applicable to me, it still seemed some solid thoughts on the topic. Recommended if you enjoyed previous collections.

Rating: ****

>144 MickyFine: Oh, I didn't realize it happened in Canada, too. Ooof. In general, it's not a good idea to follow our lead on those sorts of things. Just FYI.

>146 scaifea: Sadly, yes. The Canadian Encyclopedia has a good summary of what happened here in Canada if you're curious.

147 Ooof. Thanks for the link!

Congrats on the new nephew!! Yay :)

>148 scaifea: You're welcome.

>150 ChelleBearss: Thanks! We're very excited to have him.

>145 MickyFine: I've not heard/seen this comic strip before. Surely the front cover doesn't mean that girl is hurling a cat?
I am way out of touch these days with most cartooning. Obvs I follow Wiley Miller's though. It's glowingly sarcastic *grin* .

>152 SandyAMcPherson: No hurling. More victorious lifting. :)

Book 117



Sex and Vanity - Kevin Kwan

Kevin Kwan does his own take on A Room with a View. Lucie is half Chinese and has always felt out of step with her father's affluential New York family who are inordinately proud of being able to trace their ancestors back to the Mayflower. When she goes to Italy for her friend's elaborate wedding week, she takes her older cousin Charlotte as her plus one on her mother's suggestion. While in Capri Lucie meets George Zao who fascinates her in spite of herself. However a single scandalous moment between them is the cause of a multitude of misunderstandings when they bump into each other again five years later.

As with any contemporary retelling of classic novels, there's much joy here for readers who enjoyed the original novel and also enjoy Kwan's take on the richest of the rich. There are beautiful descriptions of Italy, New York, and the Hamptons with several scenes of opulence achievable only for the 1%. There's also the fascinating character interplay as we watch Lucie at nineteen and twenty-four grappling with who she is and who she wants to be. Kwan doesn't hesitate to swap out the class issues of Forster's novel for examining microagressions and racism, even among the family with whom one should feel safe. Kwan also makes multiple subtle nods to his obvious literary influences including my favourite, blink and you'll miss it Pride and Prejudice reference, which made me laugh. Recommended for fans of Kwan's writing who have at least passing familiarity with A Room with a View.

Rating: ****

Book 118



Beneath the Sugar Sky - Seanan McGuire

Cora is a newer arrival at the home from Wayward Children where she ended up after returning from a world where she lived as a mermaid. She isn't quite sure about the school but ends up going on a quest with a few of the other students when a girl falls from the sky and demands to see her mother, a student who died recently.

I enjoyed this third Wayward Children novel more than the previous one, particularly because it's just so dang diverse and accepting of each of these teenagers. The quest arc is satisfying and I loved that most of the novel we experience through Cora's eyes who is grappling not only with missing the world where she was a mermaid but also still dealing with the trauma from the fatphobia she's dealt with her whole life. Recommended for fans of the series.

Rating: ****

>154 MickyFine: - I didn't realize this was a riff on A Room With a View (which I love). I think I'll join the (very) long hold queue at the library :)

>156 katiekrug: Because I almost never read book summaries anymore (too many spoilers) I was a few chapters in before I suddenly realized what was going on. I hope you enjoy it whenever you make it through the queue.

Book 119



Lumberjanes: X Marks the Spot - Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh

While searching for her swimsuit, Ripley discovers a treasure map, which of course the Lumberjanes must follow. What they discover though isn't really treasure and may just threaten the entire camp.

Fun as ever but not much in the way of character development in this volume. Enjoyable especially because ALL THE KITTENS are back but not my favourite entry in the series.

Rating: ***

>145 MickyFine: I see her art everywhere on social media but didn't really know who to attribute it to!

>159 Ape: She definitely has a following. Happy to solve the mystery!

>140 MickyFine: I got this book for my husband, and he didn't find it as interesting as I thought he would. But I loved it. How horrible things like this could happen.

>158 MickyFine: Oh! New Lumberjanes! *scurries off to request it*

>157 MickyFine: I didn't notice the A Room with a View connection at all -- probably because, as I just now realized, I haven't actually read A Room with a View. I think I saw a movie adaptation some time back, and I thought I had read the book, but apparently I was thinking of Howard's End. I should remedy that.

>161 The_Hibernator: It's definitely important to keep history like this front of mind as we so often seem to be at risk of repeating the same mistakes.

>162 scaifea: Woohoo! In theory volumes 14, 15, and 16 are all supposed to come out this year so you may want to place holds on those too.

>163 foggidawn: I'll be interested to see how you like ARwaV, Foggi. Maybe it'll increase your appreciation for Sex and Vanity since I know you weren't wild about it.

Book 120



Love in the Blitz - Eileen Alexander

A collection of letters from Eileen Alexander written to her eventual husband, Gershon Ellenbogen, over the course of WWII. As is evident from the hyperbolic subtitle on some editions of this one, the editors adore Eileen and while I'm not sure these are "the greatest love letters of the Second World War" there's no denying that Eileen is a bright young thing. Her letters are often erudite and sprinkled with her sharp humour, filled with tales of her cronies from Cambridge as well as her friends and family, many of whom are part of the Jewish community in London. There's also ample evidence of Eileen's tremendous love for Gershon. As noted in the introduction, Eileen wrote to Gershon nearly daily when they were separated during the war and while the editors have trimmed the volume for this collection some of the sections still feel a bit long (particularly during Eileen and Gershon's lengthy separation in 1943 when he was in Egypt where it's obvious that she was very depressed by his absence). The book does include a "dramatis personae" but it's at the end of the book and would have made more sense at the beginning. While the letters end in 1946 and the editors provide excellent context for the rest of Eileen's life, I had hoped for a little more information about what happened to the family and friends she wrote about most often. Fascinating for both it's value as a home front perspective on WWII as well as the lovely glimpses of a young couple's courtship. Recommended for those who enjoy letter collections and WWII history.

Rating: ****

>165 MickyFine: I'd never heard of her, or her husband, or her deceased writer-daughter, but they sound like good people to get to know!

Happy weekend ahead.

>166 richardderus: They were an interesting crowd. :)

Book 121



Artificial Condition - Martha Wells

In the second book in the Murderbot Diaries series, Murderbot hitches a lift on an empty research transport doing a cargo run. However, the transport bot is FAR more intelligent than Murderbot anticipated, which is a pain in the ass but ends up working to its advantage as Murderbot investigates its past and takes on a security contract.

Murderbot continues to delight and I love watching this character grow as it comes to terms with its past, what it wants, and who it wants to be. Plus there's plenty of sarcasm and action to go around. Oh and watching TV because, of course, Murderbot would still really just like to hide and watch its shows most of the time.

Rating: ****

Counting the hours until I'm done work today as I'm starting a week's vacation. We'll have a chill weekend at home and then we leave Monday to spend the week in Canmore and Banff to celebrate our second anniversary (on Wednesday). So I may be quiet for a while next week, depending on how much internet time I want in the evenings.

Have a lovely break and happy anniversary!

>168 MickyFine: Yay, I LOVE ART!!!

>169 MickyFine: Enjoy! That sounds like a perfect break. Happy anniversary!

>169 MickyFine: Nice! Happy anniversary, and I hope your trip is lovely!

>170 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>171 curioussquared: ART was wonderful. I'm keeping myself from looking at summaries of the other books in the series but I'm hopeful that ART will come back. And thanks for the anniversary wishes.

>172 foggidawn: Thanks. It's looking like the weather will be decent *fingers crossed* so it should be a wonderful break.

Book 122



Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

My favourite book of the series and Stephen Fry did yet another top notch job narrating. I've always enjoyed this one for all the back story we get via memories. It makes for fascinating glimpses into both Voldemort and Dumbledore. Enjoyable as always.

Rating: *****

I've got Deathly Hallows checked out and it will be our car listening for our trip next week. With all the driving to get there (and back) and driving around to trailheads/towns etc. we should get through most, if not all, of it.

I wish I could get hold of the Stephen Fry reading. That would be worth reading them again, despite my practically memorizing them.

>176 The_Hibernator: They used to be available in Canada (which is why my work library has them) but sadly now we can only get the Jim Dale version. I have seriously considered that the next time I'm in Europe I will just buy them there.

Happy Librarian's Day!

>178 richardderus: Thanks, RDear. *smooch*

Book 123



Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Diana Gabaldon

A collection of three Lord John novellas. All three are excellent pieces of historical fiction full of insights into one of my favourite side characters of the Outlander series. My favourite of the three was the third novella, which looks at the ramifications of events from the previous novel on Lord John's life. All three novels have an element of mystery to them and for fans of the series and/or Lord John, they're a worthwhile read.

Rating: ****

Book 124



Romancing Mr. Bridgerton - Julia Quinn

Penelope Featherington is a confirmed spinster at 28, a fate that surprises no one including herself. However, when Colin Bridgerton returns from yet another trip abroad he finds himself drawn deeper into his friendship with Penelope and wondering if there's something more there.

This fourth volume in the Bridgerton romance series hit several of my favourite romance tropes including a wallflower coming into her own and friends becoming lovers. It's sweet and charming and the mystery that's been floating at the edges of all the previous novels is finally solved and the resolution delighted me. There's definitely some loose threads left hanging with another of the Bridgerton siblings at the end of this novel so I'm eager to see how that one turns out in the next book. Recommended for historical romance fans.

Rating: ****

>181 MickyFine: - Ah, good. I'm glad (relieved!) you liked it, too ;-)

Our trip to the mountains was wonderful. It was anywhere from very smoky to lightly hazy over the course of the week but that didn't stop us from having some excellent hikes (even with the blisters I acquired) and lovely meanders through downtown Canmore and Banff. A couple pictures to make y'all jealous you don't live here. ;)


Lake Louise was smoky and cloudy the day we were there but still that gorgeous shade of blue.


The climb to Lake Agnes was tough but the view at the end of the trail was beautiful.


Technically in BC (it's maybe 15 minutes across the border), the Stanley Glacier trail had some stunning fall vistas.

>183 MickyFine: Oh myyyy

How beautiful the mountains of Alta & BC are! Lucky to have them so close. And Lake Louise Blue should be a paint color, I'd do my room in it in a heartbeat.

I need to get round to reading some Gabaldon soon, I think.

And wow, the photos of your trip are beautiful - thanks for sharing them!

>184 richardderus: We're definitely spoiled with our local travel options.

>185 scaifea: I'd be interested to see how you react to Outlander, Amber, but I have a feeling you'd love Lord John.

>183 MickyFine: Gorgeous! Glad you had a good time on your vacation, hiking and wallowing in all that beauty. What a lovely way to celebrate your anniversary! Congratulations!

Gorgeous pics! I'd like to get up to Banff sometime once borders open again! It's about a 10 hour drive for us and I think it'd be a fun road trip :)

>187 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary!

>188 curioussquared: You'd get a load of great views doing that road trip, Natalie. Some day...

Ditched



In Peppermint Peril - Joy Avon

Abandoned this cozy mystery after four chapters because the writing was pedestrian verging on not very good. I also couldn't buy that the upper class family who were the hosts of the event that opens the novel would openly bicker/fight in front of guests, which included most of the town council (all before the murder is even revealed). The author was trying to do a Christie homage but kept tripping over it and while I enjoy a good cozy mystery, a mediocre at best effort just annoys me. On to better reading pastures!

Rating: /

>190 MickyFine: In. Front. Of.

Oh nay nay nay

That, my dear, is for the hoi polloi.

>191 richardderus: Right?! Even us hoi polloi would avoid such a scene.

I should hope to kiss a pig! No one with a shred of common courtesy would put their ill-will and anger on public display!

Every time I come for a visit to your thread, Micky, I have to stop and marvel at the shoes in your thread topper pic. I LOVE those shoes!

.... Okay, enough about the shoes.

>165 MickyFine: - Excellent review!

>180 MickyFine: - I really enjoyed the Lord John spin-off stories.

Fabulous pictures of your excursion to the mountains. Belated Happy Anniversary wishes to you and Mr. Fine!

>194 lkernagh: They are great shoes, Lori. I don't blame you.

Glad you enjoyed the review of Love in the Blitz. I'm looking forward to reading The Scottish Prisoner and then I'll be through all the Lord John books.

Thanks for the anniversary well wishes. :)

Book 125



Rogue Protocol - Martha Wells

Murderbot ends up entangled yet again with humans on a dangerous mission as it attempts to find evidence against GrayCris. It also has to deal with the most peppy bot in the universe.

Another hit from the Murderbot diaries filled with plenty of action, a healthy dose of sarcastic humour, and growth for the ever delightful Murderbot.

Rating: ****

>196 MickyFine: Yay Murderbot!

Murderbot! Love that series. Can't wait for the next one. OK, I just reread it earlier this year before the novel came out, and now I want to reread it now again.

I missed the shoes in >1 MickyFine:, and, yeah, they are something else! But those hats!

>197 richardderus: Heartily, agreed. Already have my hold placed on the next entry. :)

>198 Storeetllr: I'm going to give Murderbot some space after I finish reading the series if its one I want to own for re-reading purposes. Glad you love it.

1920s accessories are fabulous and should definitely make a comeback. It's just the flapper dress I could never pull off. My body is much better shaped for the fit and flare dresses of the 1950s and 1960s.

Oh yay, glad you're enjoying some Murderbot!

Book 126



To Sir Phillip, With Love - Julia Quinn

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge: Read a romance starring a single parent

Eloise Bridgerton has loved writing notes and letters since she was young. When she writes a condolence note to Sir Phillip Crane after the death of his wife, who was also Eloise's cousin, she expects only a brief thank you in reply. But instead the two strike up a year-long correspondence, which leads Sir Phillip to invite Eloise for a visit to determine if marriage might suit them both. However, when Eloise arrives she discovers that while there's a spark there, there's also quite a few things she didn't learn about Phillip in his letters including the existence of his fraternal twin children who are nothing less than hellions. Will the realities of being together in person be able to hold up to the expectations she built from their letters?

Resolving the mystery of just who Eloise was writing to in the previous Bridgerton novel, this is a solid entry in the series. While Sir Phillip is decidedly more flawed than previous heroes in the series, it is not without cause and it's lovely to watch him grow with Eloise's gentle guidance. The twins provide plenty of comic relief with their hijinks and when other Bridgertons put in an appearance, it's always a delight.

Rating: ****

>201 MickyFine: - Ah, you've now caught up to me in my re-read!

I really enjoyed TSPWL.

>202 katiekrug: I can see why. I devoured it in two days so it's fair to say I did too. I've got about a half dozen library books I want to get through before I pick up the next Bridgerton so you might get ahead of me again. :)

Book 127



Lumberjanes: Birthday Smarty - Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh

The camp will be hosting a birthday celebration for all the Lumberjane Scouts whose birthdays are during the summer, including Jo whose birthday it actually is. But April isn't content to just have a general celebration, she's got massive plans to celebrate Jo.

This entry was super sweet with nice references back to earlier issues, while also exploring Jo and April's friendship. This would have been five stars but there's a different artist this time and I don't love her style (why did Noelle Stevenson have to be so awesome and go do other awesome things?). Otherwise, another excellent volume.

Rating: ****

>204 MickyFine: There's *another* one!? I can't manage to keep up with these... Is this the most recent or are there more?

>205 scaifea: This is the newest one for now. There's another volume due out in December so you've got some time to catch up. :)

Book 128



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (re-read)

BookRiot Read Harder Challenge: Read the LAST book in a series

Harry, Ron and Hermione head on their quest to find horcruxes as they prepare for the final showdown with Voldemort.

Always an emotionally devastating read because while I remember some of the major losses, I forget some of the more minor characters we lose in this one like Colin Creavey *sob*. Stephen Fry was an excellent narrator as always and I'm once again happy to have made it through the series for another year.

Rating: *****

>206 MickyFine: Woot! This one is already waiting for me at the library!

>208 scaifea: Awesome!

Book 129



The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts - Annie Darling

Posy Morland is as surprised as anyone when her recently deceased friend and surrogate mother, Lavinia, leaves Posy her small bookshop in Bloomsbury. While Posy has adored working there for the past few years and feels lucky to live above the shop with her teen brother, Sam, she's not sure she has the skills to be the boss and turn around a bookshop that's on the verge of failure. As Posy tries to save the bookshop by turning it into a shop that sells only romances she's positive she can make it work if only Lavinia's rude and extraordinarily irritating grandson, Sebastian, would just leave her alone. Although some of his ideas for the shop aren't half bad...

A cute British romance that while including one of my least favourite tropes (enemies to lovers) was so fun that I still enjoyed it tremendously. There's lots of humour sprinkled throughout and I frequently laughed aloud and then read passages to my husband. The book does reach a point where the conflict gets a bit irritating (just talk to each other!) but overall the novel is well-paced, sweet, and romantic. Recommended for fans of contemporary British romance particularly those who enjoy Sophie Kinsella.

Rating: ****

September Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 15 (129)
Books ditched: 1 (6)

Fiction: 12 (74)
Non-fiction: 3 (55)

Adult: 9 (104)
YA: 2 (11)
Children's: 4 (14)

Library: 14 (114)
Mine: 1 (15)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 2 (16)

Female authors: 14 (78)
Male authors: 2 (55)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 3,383 (23,975)
Hours: 1 day 20 hours 29 minutes (10 days, 12 hours, 18 minutes)
Average rating: 3.88
Average time to read book: 3.94 days

Favourite book(s): Another month full of solid reads but the prize goes to Artificial Condition because Murderbot and ART.

Agreed re: prize read of the month! Why has no one commented on ART-ificial CON-dition being the title?

Impressive rate of reading, Mickey. Especially 15 in one month! And IIUC, you didn't even count the re-reads, like that HP at >207 MickyFine:.

>212 richardderus: Clever! I hadn't noticed that.

>213 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks, Sandy. I do count the re-reads in my total reads for the month though. :)

My new (and likely final) thread for this year is now open for business. Come on over!