Foreign Circus' Folio Fete

I'm back in the U.S. and back to this challenge after a couple of years away. I'm hoping to do a better job this year than in the past - I always seem to begin strong on tracking my reads and then peter out after a few months. Here's hoping 2024 is my year to succeed!

First Quarter reads:

January 2024
1. Someone to Romance by Mary Balogh (re-read)
2. Someone to Cherish by Mary Balogh (re-read)
3. Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh (re-read)
4. Payback in Death by J.D. Robb (re-read)
5. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
6. The Winter Guest by W.C. Ryan
7. Alias Emma by Ava Glass
8. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman
9. Always Remember by Mary Balogh
10. Random in Death by J.D. Robb
11. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

February 2024
12. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (re-read)
13. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (re-read)
14. Gossamer Axe by Gael Baudino (re-read)
15. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
16. The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
17. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor

March 2024
18. The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
19. The Liar by Nora Roberts (re-read)
20. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey (reeread)
21. The Old Place by Bobby Finger
22. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
23. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Second Quarter reads:

April 2024
24. The Proposal by Mary Balogh (reread)
25. The Arrangement by Mary Balogh (reread)
26. The Escape by Mary Balogh (reread)
27. Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh (reread)
28. Only a Promise by Mary Balogh (reread)
29. Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh (reread)
30. Only Beloved by Mary Balogh (reread)

May 2024
31. The Price of the Stars by Debra Doyle (reread)
32. Starpilot's Grave by Debra Doyle (reread)
33. By Honor Betray'd by Debra Doyle (reread)
34. The Gathering Flame by Debra Doyle (reread)
35. The Long Hunt by Debra Doyle (reread)
36. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (reread)
37. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (reread)
38. An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (reread)
39. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (reread)

June 2024
40. Pretend You're Safe by Alexandra Ivy
41. Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams
42. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths (reread)

Third Quarter reads:

July 2024
43. The Buried Book by David Damrosch
44. The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay (reread)
45. The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay (reread)
46. The Darkest Road by Guy Gavriel Kay (reread)

Aug 2024
47. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
48. The Appeal by Janice Hallett
49. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (reread)
50. The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (reread)
51. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (reread)
52. Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (reread)
53. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (reread)
54. They Do it With Mirrors by Agatha Christie (reread)
55. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (reread)
56. At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie (reread)
57. 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie (reread)
58. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agatha Christie (reread)
59. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie (reread)
60. Nemisis by Agatha Christie (reread)
61. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
62. Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens
63. The Masterful Mr. Montague by Stephanie Laurens

Sept 2024

64. The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman (reread)
65. The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman (reread)
66. Passions in Death by J.D. Robb
67. The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman
68. What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
69. For the Roses by Julie Garwood (reread)
70. One Pink Rose by Julie Garwood (reread)
71. One Red Rose by Julie Garwood (reread)
72. One White Rose by Julie Garwood (reread)
73. Come the Spring by Julie Garwood

Fourth Quarter reads:

October 2024
74. Evans Above by Rhys Bowen
75. Evan Help Us by Rhys Bowen
76. Evanly Choirs by Rhys Bowen
77. Evan and Elle by Rhys Bowen
78. Evan Can Wait by Rhys Bowen
79. Evans to Betsy by Rhys Bowen
80. Evan Only Knows by Rhys Bowen
81. Evan's Gate by Rhys Bowen
82. Evan Blessed by Rhys Bowen
83. Evanly Bodies by Rhys Bowen
84. Cold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas

November 2024
85. A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore
86. Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
87. A Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore
88. Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
89. Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
90. Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
91. Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas
92. Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
93. Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas
94. The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
95. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh (re-read)
96. A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh (re-read)
97. Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh (re-read)

December 2024
98. Still Life by Louise Penny
99. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
100. The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White
101. By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey (re-read)

The Wishing Game was a wonderful book to be my first new read of the new year! This is a delightful story about an eccentric author, his worried illustrator, and the island that inspired his magical books and dedicated readers. I devoured this story in a day; I love books about books and this is one of the best. Lucy and Christopher, Hugo and Davey, Jack Masterson and the Mastermind - all truly engaging and wonderful characters. The author also made me wish that the Clock Island books were real because their stories were also so very engaging. Highly recommend this book about wishes and dreams and the magic of childhood literature!

Welcome back!

The Winter Guest is a strangely atmospheric murder mystery set in post-WWI rural Ireland. Sent down from Dublin to investigate the death of a hero of the Easter Rising (who was once his fiancee), Harkin finds himself struggling with shellshock as he tries to unravel the crime against a backdrop of complicated familial relationships and political turmoil. Reminiscent of Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge books, this book deftly handled the brutality of the Irish Civil War and captured the slow demise of a way of life. All in all, an engaging read - 4 stars.

>1 ForeignCircus: Welcome back and happy reading in 2024!

Apart from some flashbacks (which do help advance the plot), Alias Emma takes place entirely in one very exciting day. The relentless pace of action calls to mind a thrilling movie - fans of Alias or Covert Affairs are bound to enjoy this introduction to Alex (Alias Emma). I found the characters and story engaging (perhaps a bit farfetched at times but that is par for the course with this type of espionage thriller). The book is well-written and I loved that London is essentially another character in the story. All in all a enjoyable face-paced spy thriller with a delightful heroine - 4.5 stars!