MickyFine Is in the Corner Reading, Thread 3

I'm Micky, 37 years old, librarian, and generally bookish nerd. I usually have a good mix of reads going on every year with strong doses of romance, sff, historicals, and a dash of non-fiction. I'm largely kicking around without any goals this year beyond a list of 12 books off my own shelves that I want to (re)read. We'll see where my reading mood takes me!

I do my best to be chatty on my own thread and in addition to my reading, I'll also discuss highlights of my craft projects (check out my NeedleArts thread if you like more details), board games, what we're watching, and general life goings on often featuring my husband, Mr. Fine, and our two cats, Ash and Smee. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

January
1. Word to the Wise - Jenn McKinlay
2. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald (adapted by Anna Lyse Erickson)
3. No Words - Meg Cabot
4. The Hooktionary - Brenda K.B. Anderson
5. The Confession of Henry Jekyll, M.D. - David Rambo
6. The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan
7. Ten Thousand Stitches - Olivia Atwater
8. A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas
9. Like, Literally, Dude - Valerie Fridland
10. The Road to Roswell - Connie Willis
11. Fantastic Four: Whatever Happened to the Fantastic Four? - Ryan North et. al.
Favourite(s):


February
12. The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan
13. Longshadow - Olivia Atwater
14. A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas
15. The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood (re-read)
16. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
17. The Imaginary Corpse - Tyler Hayes
Favourite(s):


March
18. A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas
19. At First Spite - Olivia Dade
20. The Untold Story - Genevieve Cogman
21. The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan
22. Squirrel Girl: Universe - Tristan Palmgren
23. A Court of Frost and Starlight - Sarah J. Maas
24. Other Birds - Sarah Addison Allen
25. The True Love Experiment - Christina Lauren
Favourite(s):

April
26. An Unexpected Peril - Deanna Raybourn
27. Cat + Gamer Vol. 4 - Wataru Nadatani
28. Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe - Carla Larueano
29. Teach Me - Olivia Dade
30. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
31. A Cup of Silver Linings - Karen Hawkins
32. Cat Massage Therapy - Haru Hisakawa
33. Novel Advice - Jay Bushman
34. Truly Devious - Maureen Johnson
35. Hana Khan Carries On - Uzma Jalaluddin
36. In an Absent Dream - Seanan McGuire
Favourite(s):


May
37. Hook, Line, and Sinker - Tessa Bailey
38. A Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. Maas
39. This Is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
40. Untitled - AK
41. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within - Becky Chambers
42. Sensational She-Hulk #4 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
43. Sensational She-Hulk #5 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
44. Sensational She-Hulk #6 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
45. Sensational She-Hulk #7 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
46. Sensational She-Hulk #8 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
Favourite(s):


June
47. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
48. Come Tumbling Down - Seanan McGuire
49. Of Noble Family - Mary Robinette Kowal
50. The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley
51. Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close - Hannah Carlson
52. Sensational She-Hulk #9 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.
53. Molly of the Mall - Heidi L.M. Jacobs (re-read)
54. An Impossible Impostor - Deanna Raybourn
Favourite(s)

July
55. Beach Read - Emily Henry
56. Girl Abroad - Elle Kennedy
57. Miss Lattimore's Letter - Suzanne Allain
58. An Incomplete Revenge - Jacqueline Winspear
59. Ruined - Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searl, and Niki Smith
60. Canadian Boyfriend - Jenny Holiday
61. The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home - Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor
62. Finding Mr. Write - Kelley Armstrong
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

My only goal for myself this year is to read these books off my own shelves. I'll be aiming for one a month but we'll see how it goes.

From My Shelves
The Galaxy and the Ground Within
Any Duchess Will Do (re-read)
Lost in a Good Book (re-read)
The Love Hypothesis (re-read)
Molly of the Mall (re-read)
Babel
The Switch
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (re-read)
To Say Nothing of the Dog (re-read)
The Dark Is Rising (DNF)
The Golden Key (DNF)
Squirrel Girl Universe

This thread is officially open for business. Come on in and feel free to share what flower(s) you most like to buy for yourself (or someone else).

Happy new thread, Micky

Happy new thread, Micky!

From the last one, it sounds like you had a nice staycation.

I have Hana Khan Carries On on tap for this year.

Happy new thread Micky!

Happy new thread Micky!

Happy new one, Micky!

May Day orisons, Micky! New thread ones, too. *smooch*

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Micky! Love that cozy reading spot in your topper.

>7 ArlieS: Thanks, Arlie.

>8 katiekrug: It was a great staycation but too short. I definitely was not feeling work today. 😝

I'll be interested to see how you like Hana Khan.

>9 quondame: Thanks, Susan.

>10 Owltherian: Thanks, Lily.

>11 drneutron: Thank you, Jim.

>12 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. We woke up to yet more snow to start off May (although it at least had the kindness to turn to rain later in the morning).

>13 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi.

>14 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. I'm definitely having fun looking at reading nooks every time I start a new thread.

>16 MickyFine: ...and I'm here in gym shorts and a t-shirt sweating...

>18 richardderus: Flannel pj pants and wool shawl here. 😝

>19 MickyFine: I overheat even reading the words.

Happy new thread, Micky! >16 MickyFine: Your weather is the exact opposite of what we're getting here. It's been sunny this week and in the 80's. I'd prefer if it stayed a tad cooler for a while.

Happy new thread, Micky!

>6 MickyFine: The bouquet with tulips in the topper are lovely. My favorite flowers to give or get are peonies.

>20 richardderus: My apologies. *hands over iced beverage*

>21 atozgrl: General rule of thumb here is that you're not safe from snow until after May long (third Monday in May in Canada) although it's decidedly spring-like now.

>22 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Peonies are so lovely. I have some in my flower beds that are just starting to send up shoots.

What's been going on lately: First three days back at work after vacation were pretty decent. I came back to 165 emails and 155 customer suggestions, which wasn't too bad for almost a week off. Lots of meetings in the first couple days but a chill day to myself to power through all my catch up on Friday.

Thursday's date night we went to Canadian Brewhouse because they have a pretty wide-ranging menu and all the food is decent (and happily the local hockey team did not have a game that night). I had brisket grilled cheese with salad and we shared their garlic knots (all delicious).

Today we went to church in person although ended up leaving early as the guest speaker was... not great. Dropped Mr. Fine off at the gym and watched a sermon online instead. I'll have a bit of chill time to myself this afternoon with reading and crafting likely. This evening we're off to M&A's for our monthly game night. As it's May the Fourth, we're bringing a couple Star Wars related games.

Tomorrow will be the regular Sunday cleaning and maybe some deep cleaning of the kitchen. We'll see what energy levels are like.

What I'm crafting: The cross-stitch project continues. Now that I'm past the halfway mark, it definitely feels like I'm on the downhill slide.

What we're watching: Some X-Files season 3, the newest episode of The Rookie, an episode of Supernatural, and some Bluey. Our Friday double-feature was the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie (I'd never seen it before and feel no desire to ever see it again either :P) and the first episode of series 2 of Sherlock (my favourite series of the show).

What I'm reading: Mentally girding my loins to start A Court of Silver Flames.

Book 37



Hook, Line, and Sinker - Tessa Bailey

Hannah Bellinger and Fox Thornton have been texting almost daily since she left the small fishing village of Westport, Washington to return to her day job as a production assistant for a small film company in LA. The two have become unlikely close friends and so when Hannah comes back to Westport, this time to work on a film, she's more than happy to stay with Fox as her sister's guest room is full with other family. Being in close proximity again, however, highlights that Hannah and Fox's friendship might be more than that. But Fox's baggage from a lifetime being seen as the town's lady's man may be more than their fledgling romance can take.

Browsing my local library's romance section, I picked this one up on a whim to sample Tessa Bailey's writing. While I'd definitely give another of her books a try, this one didn't quite win me over. Friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes and while that territory often comes with a bit of angst, this one was VERY angst heavy. Fox spends a LOT of time feeling unworthy of Hannah because of his reputation, which is fair as character trait, but didn't make for particularly fun reading. And there's a bunch of waffling about whether they should get together at all. There were some funny moments and Bailey's writing is decent, which is what kept me sticking with the book to the end. However, the epilogue was pretty saccharine, even for someone who loves a sappy happy ending. Ultimately a read that I'd describe as fine enough but there are much better romances out there.

Rating: ***

>25 MickyFine: YMMV, but after trying ~3 of Bailey's romances including this one I've decided she's not for me.

Happy new one!

>23 MickyFine: I'm not really surprised that you get snow so much later than we do, but it's still hard to imagine snow in May.

My peonies are in full bloom right now, except for a couple of early birds that are already spent. I do love peonies.

>26 curioussquared: That's good to know, Natalie. I'll keep my expectations tempered if I try another Bailey.

>27 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>28 atozgrl: To be fair, it's not like there's banks of snow or anything. But temperature fluctuations in May can still be pretty wide. If we get more snow this month (although I'm crossing my fingers we're done), I'll try and take a picture for you. 😆

I think Bailey is pretty angsty. I enjoyed her Window Shopping but that was under 300 pages, so not enough length for the angst to be too drawn out :)

>30 katiekrug: Duly noted. Will approach future Baileys with caution. :)

Hmmm I may not add Bailey to my list of authors to try if it's angsty... I tend to save my angsty books for the YA that I still read occasionally ;)

Hope you have gotten back into the work swing of things and caught up on email.

>29 MickyFine: My sister told me it snowed in Utah yesterday and it was 36 this morning. She was cold!

How nice you can go to a brewhouse for a date. Aaron doesn't drink beer, and there's a new brewhouse in our area. I asked all my mom-friends (since I know what my non-mom friends feel about beer). I finally scrounged up a mom-friend who I hadn't seen in ages because D14 and her daughter don't hang out anymore. So I get to go on the 11th. Yes, I book out that far. 😂🤣

>32 bell7: There are definitely other romance authors I'd put in front of you before this one. And thanks for the work well wishes, I'm largely caught up now.

>33 atozgrl: Thankfully we've been spared snow and instead are getting lots and lots of rain. Not complaining as we need it pretty desperately (lots of talk of likely drought for my part of the country this summer).

>34 The_Hibernator: I don't drink alcohol and Mr. Fine is very picky about beer, so we just go for the food. 😊

Happy new thread, Micky. Definitely drought here and wildfire season has started. It is now 26C.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Micky! *smooch*

>36 Familyhistorian: Yes, we've had our first smoky days of the summer (from fires in northeastern BC, Environment Canada says) this weekend.

>37 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

What's been going on lately: It was my first 5 day work week in ages (April was almost all short weeks due to stat holidays, EDO, and vacation) and it felt so long. I also yo-yoed between WFH and office days so I was perpetually confused as to what day it was since I usually do my in office days in a single stretch.

Work highlights included having amazing luck finding a parking spot near a branch that is notorious for not great parking (I was there giving a presentation) and having an interesting meeting with some other staff to discuss the logistics of building an algorithm to help build some weeding reports for branches.

Due to life logistics, date night was Indian take-out at home after grocery shopping. It was super delicious though. Other life excitement was getting my bangs trimmed, lol.

My Dad has been out of town this week at a birding retreat in the Rockies and my Mom has been saving some Jane Austen themed Hallmark movies on their PVR to watch with me. So Friday I went over after work and we watched the first two, plus she fed me (spaghetti squash with meat sauce and lemon cake for dessert). The movies were just the right mix of ridiculous and sappy, which is all I want from a Hallmark, lol.

Yesterday was church after which I got a bit of reading time. H came over for a visit for a couple hours and it was nice to catch up a bit with her. Mr. Fine then made dinner (a pasta and beef sausage dish that was super tasty) and I finished a book while he cooked. We played a board game after we ate and then I did some yoga as the current smoke levels make outdoor walking unpleasant.

Today my Mom is coming over for mother's day brunch. She's then going to visit my grandmother. Once she's back from that, I'm going back to her house to watch the other two Hallmark films.

What I'm crafting: There has been a decent amount of cross-stitch happening, but I also made some progress on a crochet cardigan (it was a more portable project to take to a work meeting and to my Mom's). Depending on the choice my Mom makes with her gift today, I might have another crochet project on my hands shortly. I got her some hand-dyed yarn and plan to give her the option of either me getting her a pattern and she can work it up herself or I can do the crocheting for her (it could go either way, I think).

What we're playing: Last weekend we played Outer Rim for Star Wars day. Last night we played Wyrmspan, which continues to be really fun.

What we're watching: Finished season 1 of Downton Abbey, still on season 4 of Castle, season 3 of X-Files, and the last season of Supernatural. Plus we watched the newest episode of The Rookie. The Hallmark movies I watched with my Mom were Paging Mr. Darcy and Love & Jane. The first was definitely the better (as these things go) of the two.

On the reading front, I just finished A Court of Silver Flames yesterday. Next up is This Is How You Lose the Time War.

Book 38



A Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. Maas

Nesta's family and friends have had enough of her wallowing and give her an ultimatum: live in the House of Wind where she'll train with Cassian in the mornings and work in the Library for the rest of the day or return to the human lands where she'll essentially be an outcast. Nesta is angry but settles into her new routine finding friends and bonds in the least expected places. But old and new enemies lurk on the borders and threaten everything Nesta holds dear.

The temptation to summarize this as "How Nesta got her groove back" is high. Out of the whole ACOTAR series, this one is the best written (don't get me wrong, there were still some bits that had me sending snarky texts to my friend). Nesta is a complex character and watching her heal is compelling. I also was so pleased to finally see a female character with female friends and Maas writes that really well. There are enough plot threads dangling that if Maas writes another ACOTAR book, I'll probably pick it up because I like the characters enough. But I will NOT be diving into the rest of Maas' bibliography, because there's only so much hate reading one can do, lol.

Rating: ***1/2

>40 MickyFine: It's a real pleasure to see someone say something nice about this series...I've been wondering why it got so popular. Cool!

*smooch*

>40 MickyFine: I enjoyed listening to this one, but you are absolutely correct that they are best enjoyed if you have someone to send snarky texts to while reading 😂 I think there was a bit where she was describing a kiss and Cassian's tongue was against the roof of her mouth? I'm sorry, what???? I was frantically snark texting my friend during that bit, lol.

>41 richardderus: I think if I were a younger and less experienced reader, I'd find these more compelling but as the older curmodgeon that I am they don't hold the same appeal.

>42 curioussquared: Oh, I also was sending snarky texts about the kissing because Maas' descriptions of how both Cassian and Nesta tasted left me wondering, "Do you know what tastes ARE?" Snort.

>43 MickyFine: That's the truth...I found the first one offended me with its encoragement for girls to become fixated on boys. That message does not sit well with me. But you pointed out things I just did not see, like her female friends.

What's been going on lately: I had a full five days in the office which felt interminable but I made it. I did my last weeding roadshow session and it was really a fun group, so that felt like a win. I also had some mild amusement watching my manager move the same meeting around in our calendars 5 or 6 times (it's now booked for next week). It's for a project that I'm not super invested in so I'm not at all upset to postpone the discussion for a bit.

It was rainy and a playoff game night on our scheduled date night so we opted to just order in pizza (tres romance, lol).

My brother came to do some plumbing work for us and after a bunch of troubleshooting has determined that two of our toilets are just old and have stopped working properly. So Mr. Fine and I get to go toilet shopping this week and my brother will come back to install them week after next (joys of balancing his schedule and my work from home days to find a slot that works for both of us). The issue isn't terrible and we can get by from now until then. Grateful that we have 3 full bathrooms these days. :)

It's a long weekend here (Victoria Day on Monday) and other than the aforementioned toilet shopping, we don't have any huge plans. As is often the case with May long weekend, the weather is not spectacular although at least it's rain and not snow.

We did church yesterday and then had a chill afternoon at home. This morning Mr. Fine made me a Belgian waffle for breakfast that I had with raspberries, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream and then started tackling the day. I cleaned out some planters in prep for going to pick up annuals from Costco this week (probably petunias as usual although I'll keep my eyes peeled for other pretties) and I also put some herb seeds in small pots that I'm going to try growing on our deck. I've got basil, coriander/cilantro, chives, dill, and mint all set to go. Stay tuned for updates. The rest of the day is likely to be pretty chill with gaming and Lego assembly likely, in between laundry loads.

What I'm crafting: My mom loved the yarn I got her for Mother's Day and opted for me crocheting the shawl for her so I've been working on that all week. Hoping I can have it finished by her birthday in mid-June. I'm over halfway but as it's a semi-circle style shawl, the rows get bigger the more I work on it so I'm about to start slowing down soon.

What we're watching: We're on to season 2 of Downton Abbey and season 4 of Castle, season 3 of X-Files, and the final season of Supernatural continue on. We also watched the newest episodes of The Rookie and Doctor Who. Our Friday double feature was a feature and a half as I picked the new animated Disney film Wish and only made it 40 minutes through before turning it off. It was just so meh, sadly. Then we watched Iron Man 2 (Mr. Fine has decided to work his way through the MCU again). And of course, there's often a few episodes of Bluey on most evenings.

On the reading front, I'm starting The Galaxy, and the Ground Within today.

Book 39



This Is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Agents for opposing groups in a never-ending war across time, Red and Blue have always been well-matched as opponents. But when one of them finds a letter that reads Burn before reading, it starts a correspondence that will irrevocably alter their lives and have an impact on the war as well.

This book has been on my TBR for ages, even before it went viral a year or two ago. It recently crossed my feed on a list of books described as no plot, all vibes and while it isn't quite without plot the description is apt. El-Mohtar and Gladstone have just as much fun providing brief descriptions of locales across time and space where Blue and Red find themselves as they engage in the war and send letters back and forth. A quick read that will be a particular delight all those who enjoy timey wimey narratives.

Rating: ****

And just a quick note that book 40 was a draft novel I beta read for a friend so no review. Mostly including this so no one wonders why my numbers jump from 39 to 41. :)

Happy for you that there are wastw-disposal options that require no outside trips, and the issue will be resolved since that home appliance is just Not Optional.

Happy Victoria Day to come, Micky! *smooch*

Toilet shopping! What a thrill! Heh heh.

But I do enjoy your updates, Micky. The manager shifting the meeting around made me chuckle. During the last few years of my working life I worked for a difficult boss and couldn't help taking pleasure out of situations like that, when he ran into some sort of snag just trying to accomplish something basic.

Is this your first time watching Downton, or a re-watch? We watched the seasons as they were released and really enjoyed it although I think we stopped watching before it all wrapped up.

Happy (? I'm assuming it's a celebratory sort of day and not a solemn sort of day like our upcoming Memorial Day...) Victoria Day!

Enjoy that toilet shopping, LOL.

>48 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

>49 lauralkeet: Thankfully, I get along with my temp manager well so no schadenfreude here, just the amusement of internally betting with myself about whether it would move again.

I watched the first two seasons of Downton pretty close to when they originally aired but then never made it back to it after that so at this point it's still rewatch for me but all new to Mr. Fine.

>50 katiekrug: Yeah, it's more celebratory although nothing fancy happens locally (in Victoria BC I believe there's a parade, unsurprisingly). Mostly it's the weekend everyone descends on the garden centres as third weekend in May is usually when it starts being safe to put out plants.

And thanks on the toilet shopping front. We're making a date of it and going out for breakfast first, lol.

Yay for Time War and for The Galaxy and the Ground within! Enjoy toilet shopping, lol. And the long weekend :)

>52 curioussquared: Thanks on all fronts, Natalie!

*smooch* just cuz

>54 richardderus: The best kind.

>46 MickyFine: I just listened to and enjoyed this book last weekend. 😊

Hope the toilets are replaced ASAP. Ugh. Enjoy the pre-breakfast. : ) Wishing you happy June with great books, TV, meals and adventures!!!

I hope you enjoyed your toilet shopping day or, at least, picked out some that will work.

>56 The_Hibernator: I'm glad you enjoyed it, Rachel!

>57 Berly: Thanks, Kim. Life has been pretty decent so far this month. :)

>58 Familyhistorian: Actually, the shopping experience was solid and the new toilets are installed and doing their jobs, much to everyone's delight.

Whoops. Unintentional extended absence. Finding time for LT between all my other interests lately has been a challenge and I just haven't been making it here. I'll try and do a bit of a review round up of completed reads soon.

Life is largely solid. Work is decently busy with the big embedded librarian project starting to ramp up. I just reached out to my assigned branches last week to start the process of scheduling visits/sessions. Mr. Fine and I have done some decent adulting including the aforementioned toilet shopping and starting the process of finally getting our will documents completed.

Crafting has been keeping my hands full (pun intended). I've finished one shawl for my mom and have enough yarn left that I'm in the process of making a second, with the colours going the opposite direction of the first shawl. I'll probably still have some yarn left (so much yardage in balls of this weight of yarn) after that so maybe a scarf with the scraps?

Shows on the go still include Downton Abbey (nearing the end of season 2), Castle (on to season 5), X-Files (near the end of season 3), Supernatural (we will finish this last season eventually), Muppet Show (season 3), and Bluey. We've also been watching new episodes as they come out of Doctor Who (the recent Regency episode with Jonathan Groff is going on my list of favourite episodes) and Star Wars: Acolyte.

Currently reading Of Noble Family, which I had to borrow via interlibrary loan as the book is out of print and all copies have gone from my work and local library systems.

>61 MickyFine: Happy Micky-sighting *smooch*

>62 richardderus: Smooches right back.

Book 41



The Galaxy, and the Ground Within - Becky Chambers

A small group of strangers are forced to spend time together when a disaster results in them having to shelter in place. Friendship ensues.

I adore Becky Chambers' style of cozy sci-fi and this final book in her Wayfarers series is really an excellent example of all the best parts of the genre. I also so appreciated that Chambers wrote a COVID novel that engages with the thoughts and themes that were so top of mind during the heights of lockdown, without making this a novel about a pandemic. There is conflict and complexity and also kindness and understanding all wrapped up in this novel and it brought so much joy to me. Highly recommended.

Rating: ****1/2

Books 42-46




Sensational She-Hulk #4, Sensational She-Hulk #5, Sensational She-Hulk #6, Sensational She-Hulk #7, and Sensational She-Hulk #8 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.

Jen deals with the ramifications of saving New York from larger destruction by causing smaller scale destruction and the publicity blowback it causes. She has a girls night that goes awry when demons show up. And she goes on a vacation in space with Jack of Hearts who has some back story show up.

It was all a good time.

#4, #6, #8 get ****
#5 and #7 get ***

Finished May by abandoning two books back to back.

The Bookshop of Second Chances was abandoned due to not enjoying the writing style. The White Lady was abandoned about halfway through when I realized I wasn't enjoying reading it and was constantly picking up other things during my usual reading times. May be great reads for other readers but weren't working for me.

Book 47



The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

This book has been on my radar since it came out and I finally got around to it. I was not disappointed. I loved the world building, the structure of the magic, and the brilliant way that Morgenstern constructed the novel with interweaving timelines and a large cast of characters. I may be the last person on earth to read this one, but I'm glad I did.

Rating: *****

>67 MickyFine: Oh, my dearest dote-book! I'm so pleased to learn that you liked it too, Micky.

>64 MickyFine: - Could this one be read as a stand-alone, do you think?

>66 MickyFine: - Oh, dear. I have The Bookshop of Second Chances on my List...

Hope you're doing well, Micky!

>68 richardderus: I can see exactly why you're so fond of it, Richard.

>69 katiekrug: Yes! You can definitely read it on its own without feeling like you're missing anything.

You might like The Bookshop of Second Chances more than me. Writing style likes and dislikes are very subjective.

>67 MickyFine: Glad The Night Circus is still finding new readers :-)

>67 MickyFine: So glad you liked this one, Micky. It's one of my favorites.

Hello Micky, I hope you're having a good summer. I also have a hard time keeping up with LT but I enjoy it so I'm not ready to bail. Life just gets in the way. Happy summer!

>71 norabelle414: It was a really good time.

>72 bell7: I totally understand why.

>73 AMQS: My summer has had a decent start, Anne, thanks. I hope yours is going swimmingly!

Happy Canada Day, friends!

We've got a crowd coming over late this afternoon to celebrate my parents' birthdays (which were in June). Crossing my fingers the weather improves (it's currently overcast with bouts of rain) so that I don't end up with 20 people in my house.

Mr. Fine and I are good, the cats are snuggly, work is decent, and H has added a puppy to her menagerie. I think those are the major life headlines.

I have 7 books to catch up on here. Will it happen today? *iffy noise*

Wishing you all a lovely start to your July!

Happy Canada Day, Micky :-)

Enjoy your holiday, Micky!

>75 MickyFine: Canada Day orisons, Micky! I'm glad to see you're doing such fun things. *smooch*

Happy Canada day, and hope you have a wonderful time with friends and family!

Happy Canada Day!

>61 MickyFine: One of the kids I am tutoring just told me about Bluey and that very day I noticed display stands at Target and Michael's craft store! I have to watch one of the episodes. : ) Happy Canada Day a week late! (I am so behind on LT, LOL.)

Hi Micky! Hope you're having a nice summer :)

drive-by *smooch*

Thank you to Nora, Katie, Richard, and Anne for the Canada Day well wishes. It ended up being a lovely day and the weather held up so we were able to hold the event outdoors.

>81 Berly: I am behind on my own thread, Kim, so all is well. Bluey is great and if you give it a try, I hope you enjoy it as much as Mr. Fine and I do.

>82 curioussquared: It's been a bit too hot for my liking, Natalie, but I'm keeping well.

>83 richardderus: Snatches the smooch on her own drive-by.

OK, I've got my EDO today and no major plans (other than trying to stay cool) so I'm going to do some long overdue book updates and then I'll do some life headlines.

After my last reading update I abandoned Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop as the writing style just wasn't for me. YMMV.

Book 48



Come Tumbling Down - Seanan McGuire

Jack returns to the School for Wayward Children in the wrong body and recruits a group of students to help her defeat her sister and the vampire that have body-swapped the twins.

This tale was dark but I absolutely devoured it. Jack and Jill's world is deliciously Gothic and creepy, with a logic that I thoroughly enjoyed even as I found it gross and abhorrent. An enjoyable read for fans of the series, but don't start here.

Rating: ****

Book 49



Of Noble Family - Mary Robinette Kowal

In the final book of the Glamourist Histories, Jane and Vincent receive a letter from Vincent's estranged brother, who informs them that Vincent's father and eldest brother have both recently died. As the inheritor of the title, Vincent's brother (who was injured in the accident that killed the eldest brother) asks Vincent to travel to the family estate in the West Indies to review everything that's happening there. However, when Jane and Vincent arrive, they discover that everything is not as it seems and there is much afoot.

A solid final entry in the series, but it delves into some heavy topics including slavery and lingering trauma of Vincent's relationship with his abusive father. Jane and Vincent continue to grow as people in lovely ways and Kowal does yet more interesting expansion of the magic in the universe she created. I also particularly enjoyed Kowal's author's note at the end of the book discussing the history she dove into when setting a book in the West Indies and the individuals she talked to to ensure that the dialogue of enslaved characters was accurate to the time and place. Recommended for fans of the series.

Rating: ****

Book 50



The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley

In a near future, the British have discovered a means of time travel. In order to determine the effect of time travel on human beings as well as any impact on space-time, the government department tasked with investigating the possibilities of the technology have brought forward five individuals from the past who were at the point of death. Amongst them is a member of the Franklin Expedition, Commander Graham Gore, who is assigned to live with the unnamed protagonist of the novel. As the protagonist and Gore spend a year together, exploring things like Spotify and bicycles, greater events spin into motion that threaten everything our protagonist knows.

I added this book to The List after spotting it in a professional review journal and then reading the blurb. Both of those gave the impression that this would be a fun sci-fi romp with a significant romance sub-plot. Instead, this is far more literary fiction delving into the ideas of imperialism, intergenerational trauma, and the choices we make to keep ourselves safe alongside a plot about time travel, with a modest romance plot mixed in. It was a solid read but it took me a bit to adjust to what the book actually was. If the blurb appeals, give it a try.

Rating: ****

Book 51



Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close - Hannah Carlson

A fascinating micro-history about pockets from a professor of dress history and material culture. Carlson crafts a fascinating book with chapters on topics like the introduction of pockets to clothing, ties between the three piece suit and pockets, pockets and sexism, and how fashion designers have played with pockets. Chock full of interesting facts and gorgeous photographs, this was an absolute delight to read.

Rating: ****1/2

Book 52



Sensational She-Hulk #9 - Rainbow Rowell et. al.

Honestly, I can't really remember what happened in this issue but it was a good time. I'm mostly just sad that this series will be ending after issue 10. :(

Rating: ****

Book 53



Molly of the Mall - Heidi L.M. Jacobs (re-read)

I enjoyed this book just as much on the re-read as I did the first time I encountered it. And the ending still made me so happy that there were a few happy tears at its resolution.

You can read my original review here.

Rating: *****

Book 54



An Impossible Impostor - Deanna Raybourn

Veronica and Stoker are asked by Sir Hugo Montgomerie of Scotland Yard to assist his goddaughter, Euphemia Hathaway. Long believed dead during the eruption of Krakatoa, someone claiming to be Euphemia's elder brother Jonathan has arrived at Hathaway Hall. Sir Hugo asks Veronica and Stoker to attempt to determine if this man is truly who he says he is or not. However, when they arrive Veronica encounters someone from her past that she least expected to see again and who threatens to upend her life completely. Plus, while at the estate, one of the family's major jewels goes missing, leaving Veronica and Stoker with two cases to investigate.

After the previous book in this series, I wasn't sure if I'd continue beyond this book. However, Raybourn is decidedly back in form here with a really interestingly constructed heist mystery and significant character development for both Veronica and Stoker. I'll be happily continuing on from here and curious to see what comes next.

Rating: ****

And that's all the books finished in June. On to July reads thus far.

Book 55



Beach Read - Emily Henry

January Andrews is broke, heartbroken after her father's death and the family drama that came to light in the wake of that event, and suddenly finds herself no longer able to write the romance novels for which she's so well-known. In an effort to try and churn out the book she's contracted to write, she retreats to the lake cabin she recently discovered her father owned only to find herself living next door to Augustus Everett, who she knew and kind of hated in college. Augustus is also a bestselling author although he wouldn't know a happy ending if it hit him in the face and he's also struggling with writer's block. Through a confluence of events January and Augustus make a bet, she'll write a book in his style and he'll try to write a romance and to help inform that process they'll each take the other on weekly outings for research. Romance plot ensues.

I really enjoyed this novel and thought Henry did a great job of dealing with the baggage both January and Augustus bring with them, while also crafting a super cute romance. And that's saying something when some of Augustus's research trips involve digging into a suicide cult from the area. I'm starting to run out of backlist for Henry and I'm sad about it.

Rating: ****

Book 56



Girl Abroad - Elle Kennedy

Abbey Bly is eager to get some space from her retired rock star father and couldn't be more excited for her sophomore year abroad in London. Even when she discovers that she'll be living with three guys rather than girls like she thought she'd be (a secret she'll be keeping from her dad). Soon Abbey is digging into a research project for her history class exploring a mystery woman in a painting she found at an estate sale and balancing crushes on two equally unavailable men. One is one of her roommates who is out of bounds due to the no dating roommates rule set up by her flatmates in the wake of a previous break-up. The other is the bassist of a band whose free spirit ways greatly appeal to Abbey but who is already dating someone else. As the year goes on, Abbey will have both the mystery of her history project to explore as well as determining who she is and what she wants from a relationship.

A new adult romance that I think I would have adored when I was in my late teens or early twenties but that at this point in my life I found a little overwrought. I added this one to The List after seeing news that it had been optioned by the folks who adapted Bridgerton. And I do think it'll make great (slightly trashy) TV and I'll definitely watch it if it makes it to air. As a read, it was so-so. The book is a lot of waffling between two boys, which would have been fine if it didn't carry on quite so long (the book is a little over 400 pages), with occasional dips into Abbey's research project. The resolution of the research project subplot is ridiculously farfetched and the ending for the romance a little too cloying for my tastes. That said, YMMV.

Rating: ***

Book 57



Miss Lattimore's Letter - Suzanne Allain

Sophronia Lattimore suddenly gets a reputation as a skilled matchmaker when she's outed as the author of anonymous letter that helped inform the courting of a Lord who nearly proposed to the wrong girl. Now Sophie finds herself being asked by all sorts of people to find them the right spouse, including Sir Edmund Winslow. The only problem is that Sophie thinks the best spouse for Sir Edmund just might be herself.

This was a cute enough Regency romance but I had a major issue with occasional moments where contemporary phrases worked their way into the dialogue and completely pulled me out of the narrative. Allain strives for period accurate sounding language, which makes these phrases jangle even worse. That said, if you're not an Austen fanatic, this romance might work really well for you.

Rating: ***

Book 58



An Incomplete Revenge - Jacqueline Winspear

In the fifth Maisie Dobbs novel, it's the early fall of 1931 and Maisie is asked by the son of her former patron to look into a spate of recent small crimes, particularly fires, that have happened in a small community in Kent as it may influence his decision to buy the local brickworks. Maisie agrees and finds herself immersed in the investigation at the peak of hop-picking season when both Londoners and a group of Roma have arrived in the community as temporary labourers. As Maisie digs into the small crimes that have occurred, she discovers that the roots go much deeper than expected.

Another solid mystery in this series. I continue to appreciate all of the historical detail that Winspear manages to include in these tales, without making it feel like research dumping. There are also interesting personal developments for Maisie in this novel and I'm fascinated to see where she goes as a person from here. Recommended for fans of the series.

Rating: ****

Book 59



Ruined - Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winfred Searle, and Niki Smith

Catherine Benson has lost her virtue and is lucky to marry at all, even if it is Andrew Davener who is only marrying her for her substantial dowry. Soon Catherine finds herself in Andrew's home, which has fallen into disrepair, and growing fond of his aunt and sister all while trying to determine if falling in love with her husband will ruin everything.

This would be a pretty run of the mill Regency romance if it weren't for the art which nudged my rating up a whole star. The graphic novel format really elevates the tale as well as the inclusion of subplots (given substantial space) that features the stories of characters of colour as well as those of queer characters. A fun read for fans of the romance genre who might like to try something a little different.

Rating: ****

I abandoned this month's book off my shelf, The Dark Is Rising. I was given it in a book exchange by someone I didn't know well so I don't feel particularly bad about it. It wasn't badly written but it just wasn't appealing to me so I Pearl ruled it. However, if you love chosen one narratives that are heavily influenced by King Arthur tales, then it might appeal to you.

Book 60



Canadian Boyfriend - Jenny Holiday

As a teenager, Aurora Evans, briefly met a young Canadian hockey player at the Mall of America and used him as the basis for an imaginary boyfriend she used as an excuse for getting out of social situations. She never expected to see him again. So it complete shocks her when he suddenly walks into the dance studio where she works, the recently widowed father of one of her students. Mike Martin is still reeling from the death of his wife and trying to find a new balance with his daughter, Olivia, and on the advice of his therapist is returning to playing hockey as they adjust to their new normal. When he asks Aurora to help getting Olivia home from class when he's away for hockey, neither of them expect they'll become friends. But will the fact that Mike was once Aurora's imaginary boyfriend upend everything?

I read a few of Jenny Holiday's holiday romance last December and thoroughly enjoyed them, so when I read the blurb for this romance in one of the professional review journals at work, I immediately added it to The List. I absolutely adored this book and devoured it in two days. Holiday crafts a lovely slow burn romance and gives great space to the growth both Aurora and Mike take as Aurora grapples with the eating disorder and anxiety that her failed ballet career left her with and Mike grieves his deceased wife. Also, as a Canadian, there's some great details included here that had great appeal for me. Highly recommended to fans of the genre.

Also, for those who are audiobook listeners, one of my friends informs me that chapters from Mike's perspective are read by Joshua Jackson (Pacey of Dawson's Creek fame) so you may want to get that in your ears immediately.

Rating: ****1/2

And that's it. I am officially caught up on reviews. Life update incoming.

Let's see, what's happened since Canada Day?

After a cool and rainy-ish June, summer has arrived with a vengeance. We're on our second heat wave of the month right now. It feels like day eleventy-billion of daytime highs between 32 and 35C (90 and 95F) and it's also been unusually humid for our area so there have been humidex temperatures nearing 41C (105F) on a few days. Also, since Friday evening we've had wildfire smoke from BC in the area and so while it doesn't always smell smoky, we get to play the fun game of trying to cool the house without exposing ourselves to bad particulates for too long. Yay? The smoke is supposed to dissipate around noon tomorrow and the heat is supposed to break on Wednesday. I can't wait.

Work has been fine, if a little quiet. Ordering continues as usual, I'm taking a course for PD on Microsoft Access (which I'm actually enjoying so far because I'm a data nerd), and I've taken a first stab at drafting a report that I'm working on with a colleague that needs to be done by the end of the year (tackling early because I have the big embedded project starting in September).

Mr. Fine and I are keeping well and have had some really lovely laidback weekends just enjoying each other's company. Last weekend we went with M&A and their kiddo to a Medeival Faire (sort of Ren Faire-esque) in Vegreville. There was jousting and a cute Scottish man leading traditional Scottish dances, which was fun. We also took Mr. Fine to the giant Pysanka (picture below) as he'd never been to Vegreville before.



Last week Mr. Fine and I officially booked our first thing for our trip to Scotland in September 2025. We're going to do a 6-day tour around some of the highlands and islands. I'm super psyched as the tour includes a lot of our major wants including stops at Loch Ness, a visit to standing stones, a distillery tour (a Mr. Fine ask), a couple days on the Isle of Skye (this Outlander fan definitely wants to be able to say she's gone over the the sea to Skye, lol), and a ride on the steam train that goes over the viaduct bridge featured in the Harry Potter films. The plan is to do a few days in Edinburgh before the tour departs and we'll start looking at booking other things in the coming months. Lucked into a deal with the tour company where you could book 2025 tours at 2024 rates, so we jumped on that, thus the super early booking (also I'm chronic advance planner). Do I already have a countdown on my phone to this trip? You bet!

This past weekend I went to see the filmed version of the recent National Theatre production of Present Laughter starring Andrew Scott which was highly enjoyable. They made a few tweaks to the plot including gender swapping a couple characters and also making the ending more melancholy than the original but I really enjoyed all their choices. If you get an opportunity to see it, I recommend it.

Last night we also roughly drafted an itinerary for our friend A who is staying with us in late August for almost a week while she's out here for the 2-day Metallica concert (Mr. Fine and H are also going to the concert). We've plotted a fun mix of things to do (some more tourist-y than others) and I'm psyched for the staycation it'll be for us.

On the crafting front, after wrapping up the second shawl for my mom in June, I made a half dozen or so coasters with leftover yarn from that (and there's still quite a bit leftover, still). This month, I've largely been focused on my cross-stitch piece and odds are good I'll finish by the end of the month or early August. Which will give me time to put it in a frame and get it up on the wall in the guest room before A arrives.

Today is my EDO and as I mentioned there's no big plans on my agenda. I have a one-week loan copy of Anyone But You checked out from the library that I'll probably give a watch and I've toyed with the idea of going to the pool, although that's less fun doing solo. We'll see what I feel like.

I am going to try and find some time to make the rounds on threads this week. I've missed you all and really need to figure out fitting LT into my life again.

>90 MickyFine: Wayward Children, Glamourist Histories, The Ministry of Time, and Pockets are all already on my list! Glad to hear they're good.

>100 MickyFine: The Dark is Rising is the second book in the series, if you ever want to try again I would recommend starting with Over Sea Under Stone. It's much less "lonely boy chosen to save the world" and more "kids + dog summer adventure"

>103 MickyFine: So many heat waves in so many places this year! I hope yours is over soon.
Planning your Scottish adventure sounds so exciting!

Hi Micky! It's so nice to hear from you. Glad your summer reading has been mostly enjoyable. I'm psyched for you about your trip to Scotland, that will be so much fun!

>89 MickyFine: I heard Kaliane Bradley speak about this book at the Hay Festival in May - by mistake! She was being interviewed by Francis Spufford, whom I had expected to hear, but she was very good and the book sounded good, too, so I have a copy on the TBR pile.

>103 MickyFine: Enjoy your EDO. I'm so amazed at your preplanning for Scotland's scope. It will be a great trip. (Especially the distillery bits.)

That Vegreville pysanka is...amazing. I'm wildly impressed. The filmed version of Present Laughter must just restore the original genders of the dramatis personae, given Coward's gaiety.

Grateful again for life to your South because of our mandatory aircon. I'd die in those heats without it. You'll get your LT balance back. Things always change. *smooch*

It was nice to catch up with your reading and life, Micky! Especially jealous of your Scotland trip :)

>89 MickyFine: My hold on The Ministry of Time just became available. Thanks for the heads up re expectations.

>102 MickyFine: That is a lot of reviews. You are making good use of the EDO!

Good to see you, Micky! Your trip to Scotland sounds like it will be fabulous :) I picked up a copy of The Ministry of Time on one of my recent bookstore trips -- thanks for the expectation setting!

>104 norabelle414: I hope all of the books already on your list are enjoyable when you get to them, Nora. We usually get a couple heat waves every summer but having them so close together has not been a fun time.

>105 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. With well over a year to plan, I get to have lots of fun figuring out what we want to do. I'm such a planning nerd, lol.

>106 CDVicarage: Sounds like a happy accident, Kerry! I hope you enjoy the book whenever you get to reading it.

>107 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Mr. Fine is very excited for the distillery stop. And as I'm teetotal he'll get all my samples too.

The pysanka was built in the 70s and it's always fun to visit. They even have handy squares on the sidewalk up to it that tell you the perfect spot for selfies with it.

And yes, the changes to the Coward play feel like they wouldn't have been out of line with what he'd written in a more accepting age.

I'll get A/C at work tomorrow and by the time I'm back to the WFH life on Thursday we're supposed to be back to more tolerable temperatures

>108 katiekrug: Aww thanks, Katie. Were you successful in placing a hold on Canadian Boyfriend?

>109 quondame: I hope you find it a rewarding read, Susan.

It's been a very warm but solidly enjoyable day off.

>110 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. I am thoroughly excited for the Scotland trip.

I hope Ministry of Time is an enjoyable read for you, whenever you pick it up!

>89 MickyFine: Interesting, both you and Richard both mention that the actual reading experience is different from what the descriptions make it out to be. I do have it on my TBR list, but will do my best to go in with no expectations and hope I enjoy myself ;)

>90 MickyFine: Oooh, that sounds interesting!

Kudos on all your review catch up.

>115 MickyFine: - I was able to add it to my WL! I only get 3 hold slots and those are currently filled...

I meant to mention that I saw Present Laughter in New York with Kevin Kline several years ago, and it remains one of my favorite theater experiences. I wasn't familiar with the play at all, but I've always loved KK, so The Wayne got us tickets to see it on my birthday.

>112 MickyFine: I love planning too, Micky, especially when there's plenty of time to do it. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your itinerary as it takes shape.

>119 katiekrug: ONLY 3 HOLD SLOTS?! The horror!

>120 lauralkeet: - Ooops, I misremembered. My local system allows 5 holds (this is just on Overdrive/Libby where I get all my library e-books and audios). NYPL only allows 3.

How many do you get?!?!

>120 lauralkeet:, >121 katiekrug: I'm also horrified! I get 10-20 holds on OverDrive, depending on which library I'm using. Poor Katie!

>120 lauralkeet: >121 katiekrug: >122 norabelle414: Echoing the horror! My local system just downgraded us from 25 to 10 holds due to rising costs, but the three reciprocal systems I use most often all allow 20-25 holds each.

>118 bell7: I think if you go in with minimal expectations, it should be a good read for you. I'll definitely be interested to see your thoughts whenever you tackle it.

And Pockets was great! If it appeals, I highly recommend picking it up if only to flip through.

>119 katiekrug: 3 hold spots is tight! Well whenever it makes it to the queue, I hope it's a good time.

Ooh, I can imagine it would be a great time with KK in it. My first exposure to Noel Coward was a local production of Private Lives, which made me laugh so hard I cried. My library has a BBC Radio collection of 6 of his plays. You miss some of the physical comedy in the audio format, but they're still a ball.

>120 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. I'll be sure to share tidbits for that vicarious planning joy. 😊

>120 lauralkeet: >121 katiekrug: >122 norabelle414: >123 curioussquared: I'm finding this Overdrive/Libby holds cap discussion fascinating. My work library currently caps holds for the platform at 30 although we're in preliminary discussions about bringing that number down. We maintain a hold ratio of 10 holds per copy so having less holds total might help our budget go a little further without exploding wait times further like adjusting the ratio does.

I can imagine in a massive system like NYPL, 3 holds at once goes a long way to managing that math.

>121 katiekrug: ohhhh the limit is for Overdrive! My library does limit those hold requests to 6. I don’t use Overdrive as much as you do so this hasn’t affected me.

>115 MickyFine: >120 lauralkeet: slightly belated echo here. I whine about only having 10 hold slots - I don't know how I'd cope with only 3.

>127 MickyFine: Hmm, isn't that a case of optimizing a target number that doesn't reflect reality. If J Random Customer wants 6 books, all constantly in use, they'll wait just as long - maybe longer - for the 6th one if they only get to place holds on the first 3. Your system will only *see* half their waiting time, so the statistics will appear to improve - but from J Customer's point of view, things are worse.

OTOH, reducing the number of holds will tend to make things relatively better for customers who rarely want more than one unavailable book at a time. (Basically it will be better for those who wouldn't use more than the new limit, at the expense of those who would.)

Also, on the same topic - at any one time, half of my holds tend to be on books that are in the acquisition process. It can take months from can-place-hold to book-finally-loaned-to-someone. They tend to get in the way of short term holds, where I merely want a book that someone else keeps renewing rather than returning, with no other competition.

>130 ArlieS: In this case, I was talking specifically about digital content. At my library, we typically don't order until a few days before release (usually the Friday before the Tuesday release) so you're only in the holds queue for a few days before release for this format.

And yes, the customer does end up waiting longer when they can only place holds on a few titles at a time, but the other side of the equation is the financial side. We need to balance wait times and number of holds with ordering copies sufficient to meet the demand. Given the significantly higher prices for eBooks and eAudiobooks for libraries, it's a tricky balance.

Book 61



The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home - Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor

If you listen to the Welcome to Night Vale podcast, you'll have encountered the title character of this novel. Here Fink and Cranor dive into her background exploring her childhood in the Mediterranean, the choices that led to her becoming a bandit and pirate, and how she eventually became the faceless old woman who secretly lives in all the homes of Night Vale. It's largely a fun, swashbuckling tale, with a heist or two included. However, this is a Night Vale novel so, of course, there's also the occasional dark and vaguely creepy moment interwoven. It's been several years since I listened to the podcast and this made me want to go back to it. Obviously best recommended to fans of the podcast, but if you like Lovecraftian fiction and pirate stories, the novel does stand well on its own without any experience with the podcast.

Rating: ****

>132 MickyFine: I've always contended that all women want to grow up to become pirates, so this sticks its landing on my TBR.

Fiend.

>133 richardderus: I hope you have a good time with, Richard!

What's been going on lately: It was a largely quiet last week. Work was chill and a little boring (the calm before the storm, I think). I did spend a lot of the week keeping tabs on the heartbreaking news about the fires in Jasper National Park. Living where I do, I've been to Jasper many times and it's so sad to see the footage of burned out houses and businesses. If you're Canadian and want to donate to wildfire relief, both the federal and provincial governments are currently fund matching. You can donate to the Canadian Red Cross for this effort here.

On Saturday night, we had our monthly game night with M&A and played a bit of a round robin of Dice Throne. I lost both my games, lol. Sunday Mr. Fine went to see Deadpool and Wolverine in the morning with a friend (Deadpool flicks are a little too violent for me to watch without a friend who can tell me when to look away for the really gory bits) and got started on trimming the lilac hedges in our front yard (feeling that in my forearm muscles today). Otherwise, largely chill weekend at home and while it's been warm, it hasn't been so hot that we couldn't go for walks during the day.

What I'm crafting: I only have 3 and half squares left to complete on the current cross-stitch project. Starting to really ponder what project I want to tackle next and if I can balance having both crochet and cross-stitch projects on the go at the same time.

What we're watching: Shows currently on the go include DS9 season 4, Downton Abbey season 3, Castle season 5, X-Files season 4, Lost season 1, and As Time Goes By series 5 (or maybe 6? I've just been popping discs in, lol). Our Friday evening double feature was the second half of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (Megan Follows will always be my Anne) and Guardians of the Galaxy.

I started Finding Mr. Write in print on the weekend. The Stephen Fry narrated versions of Harry Potter audiobooks are finally available in North America (via Audible) so I've been acquiring those. Currently listening to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

My former boss and his wife were visiting Jasper and had to evacuate due to the fires. They ended up spending the night in their car when they couldn't find any accomodations outside the evacuation zone. So scary.

>136 katiekrug: Yeah, the photos of the lines of vehicles evacuating out were stressful to look at. I'm glad they made it out safely, even if there was car sleeping.

Book 62



Finding Mr. Write - Kelley Armstrong

When Daphne McFadden wrote her debut novel, she was utterly frustrated by the lack of attention she got from agents and publishers. On a whim, she creates a male pseudonym to see if the reaction will be any different and lands both an agent and a lucrative publishing deal. Now she just has to find a man to pretend to be her male alter ego for the promotion of the book. Enter Chris Stanton who is normally an accountant but could use the funds Daphne is offering to be her imaginary male author. What neither of them expect is to fall hard for each other. But when Daphne's book explodes in popularity, the increased attention is a threat to the author persona they've created for Chris and their nascent relationship.

Kelley Armstrong's strong writing skills are in abundant evidence for her debut rom com (Armstrong normally writes mystery and fantasy), as she crafts a cute and funny romance. Both Daphne and Chris are well-rounded characters and Armstrong does a great job of describing the Yukon landscapes for the early part of the novel. I really loved the growth both characters go through and the fact that they're very good about talking to each other - no drawn out conflicts due to misunderstandings here (yay!). Recommended for fans of the genre.

Rating: ****

The wildfires are so heartbreaking. We're keeping an eye on the one in WA near Stehekin. It rained pretty hard yesterday -- hoping that helped somewhat.

>138 MickyFine: This looks cute! Adding to the list :)

>138 MickyFine: - "they're very good about talking to each other - no drawn out conflicts due to misunderstandings here (yay!)."

Welp, that immediately goes onto my list!

>138 MickyFine: ...oh no...not a straight-people romance I want to read...*shakes a furious fist northwestward*

>138 MickyFine: Adding that one to the TBR list - sounds like fun, and extra bonus points for communication between the leads!

>139 curioussquared: There are so many fires in Alberta and BC (again) this year that it's hard to keep track of them all.

Happy to add to the list.

>140 katiekrug: Yay! I think you'll like it.

>141 richardderus: Always happy to get more people reading a Canadian author. And the male lead is pretty dreamy no matter your orientation, I think, so you can definitely enjoy the bits describing him. 😊

>142 bell7: Yay. There were several points where I was like, "Is this the miscommunication that will be the big final conflict?" and every time it was resolved in a reasonable amount of time by having adult conversations. It's great!

>138 MickyFine: I'm all in for this one. Just what I need. Off to find it. : )

>147 Berly: I hope you have a great time with it, Kim!

>131 MickyFine: I've been wondering why libraries persist in getting some titles *only* as e-books. I regard that as them not having the book at all. It's particularly annoying when they own the initial books of a series on paper, and decline to purchase paper copies of sequels. I'm currently waiting for two physical books to be shipped from another library for me to borrow in order to finish one such series - and mildly surprised the system let me do this, rather than demanding that I read the local library's virtual copy.

At any rate, I've presumed the reason is financial - i.e. that the virtual books are significantly cheaper. Of course part of the cost of physical books comes as shelf space and human handling - but how much does that really cost per title - i.e. how much more can a publisher charge for an e-book than the corresponding paper book while still keeping e-books cost effective for the libraries?

>149 ArlieS: A lot of that is determined by your local library system so I can't speak to their policies. If you're truly curious about how your local library makes their decisions, you can always talk to the staff and they'll be able to talk with you about their local policies.

I can say that for the vast majority of popular titles, the copies for library are VERY expensive. For example, in Canada, the audiobook edition of Stephen King's newest, You Like It Darker is $180 for a 2 year license (for a copy that can only be borrowed by one customer at a time).

Come on over to the new thread, the water's fine!