Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

Title: Finding Christmas

Author: Karen Schaler

Publisher: William Morrow 2019

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Keyword - Dec.; Literary Escapes - WA

With all the glittering decorations, twinkling lights, snow angels, gingerbread men and mistletoe, Christmas is Emmie’s first love.

This year, she can’t wait to share her favorite Christmas traditions with her boyfriend, Grant. She thinks he’s “the one.” So when Grant’s hectic work schedule has him more “Bah Humbug” than “Ho, Ho, Ho,” Emmie creates a holiday-themed scavenger hunt to help him find his Christmas spirit. At the end of the journey, Grant will arrive at the charming town of Christmas Point where she’s planned a romantic weekend filled with holiday activities.

But Emmie’s plan backfires when a mix-up has the wrong guy following her clues! Sam, a best-selling mystery writer, thinks Emmie’s clever Christmas riddles are from his agent, who is trying to help him get over his epic writer’s block.

Pretty cute holiday romance that often reads like a movie screenplay. Makes sense as the author writes screenplays also. I loved Emmie and Sam and the setting of Christmas Point. I was let excited about some of the extra long descriptions of settings or scenes. I really want to visit the town of Holiday cheer and experience all the fun activities Emmie planned. Cute little story. Definitely felt like I was watching one of those Hallmark movies.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Title: Shadow of Night (All Souls #2)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 574

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:  Finishing the Series; Monthly Keyword - Night; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Magical Law Enforcement

Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.

The further journey of Diana and Matthew, but this time, we’re in 1590 Europe. Goodness! I was very excited to finally read this second book in the series. Once i dove in, I didn’t want to stop. I loved the larger storyline and all the great characters (both historical and fictional) that we met. I especially loved the various witches Diana meets in London. On a more negative note, I really didn’t like Matthew until about halfway through the book. He was too distant, too much the alpha male, too guarded with all his secrets. He came off as an arrogant asshole and I was not interested at all. Thankfully things turned more positive after their official mating. From there, he started to actually remind me of the Matthew that we met in the first book. All in all, it was a good addition to the series even if I think Harkness could have probably shaved off at least 75 pages.

All Souls Trilogy:

• #1 A Discovery of Witches

• #2 Shadow of Night

• #3 The Book of Life

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

Title: The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus

Author: Richard Preston

Publisher: Anchor 1994

Genre: Nonfiction - Science

Pages: 323

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Keyword - August; Nonfiction - Pre2000

A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret military SWAT team of soldiers and scientists is mobilized to stop the outbreak of this exotic "hot" virus. The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story, giving a hair-raising account of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their "crashes" into the human race. Shocking, frightening, and impossible to ignore, The Hot Zone proves that truth really is scarier than fiction.

How have I never actually read this one? I love reading about infectious diseases. I am fascinated by ebola. But this book has sat on my TBR list for decades… I finally got around to it and loved every page of it. The story of Ebola’s almost outbreak in Virginia is terrifying even more because it’s all true. The book is written in a fictional narrative style throughout most of the chapters, but we really get a sense of time and place with all parties involved. I really enjoyed the chapters that set up our knowledge of ebola at the end of the 1980s. At times, I think the writing got a little too detailed with things like what the participants wore or ate, but overall I was on the hook the entire time.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Title: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Author: Abbi Waxman

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 333

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR; Monthly Keyword - September

Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell.

The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.

Another recommendation from Anne Bogel and I’m completely in love with this book. Nina might be another version of me. At first, Nina is a great quirky character comfortable in her life. I loved seeing her life get up-ended in many ways forcing Nina outside of the box. In some ways, this book is a romantic comedy, but I see it more like a great character study. Just in a light-hearted way. I love Nina’s interactions with her newly discovered family members, especially brother Archie. I would love to read a sequel to this book focusing on Nina’s growing relationships within her new family. I want to see more of Peter and Millie, even Lydia (will she ever come around to Nina?).

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick

Title: The Woman in the Lake

Author: Nicola Cornick

Publisher: Graydon House 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 310

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Keyword - July; Cloak and Dagger

London, 1765

Lady Isabella Gerard, a respectable member of Georgian society, orders her maid to take her new golden gown and destroy it, its shimmering beauty tainted by the actions of her brutal husband the night before.

Three months later, Lord Gerard stands at the shoreline of the lake, looking down at a woman wearing the golden gown. As the body slowly rolls over to reveal her face, it’s clear this was not his intended victim…

250 Years Later…

When a gown she stole from a historic home as a child is mysteriously returned to Fenella Brightwell, it begins to possess her in exactly the same way that it did as a girl. Soon the fragile new life Fen has created for herself away from her abusive ex-husband is threatened at its foundations by the gown’s power over her until she can't tell what is real and what is imaginary.

As Fen uncovers more about the gown and Isabella’s story, she begins to see the parallels with her own life. When each piece of history is revealed, the gown—and its past—seems to possess her more and more, culminating in a dramatic revelation set to destroy her sanity.

Random pick from the library. I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting, but was pleasantly surprised by this dual time line story with a twist crossover. I can’t say that I loved any of the characters, but I was intrigued by their stories. I enjoyed watching the three women navigate the trials and tribulations of life. While I wasn’t a huge fame of Hamish’s role in the story, he grew on me over the pages. And I didn’t quite see the twists come, but they were entertaining. I could have done without the very last reveal.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Title: The Woman in Black

Author: Susan Hill

Publisher: 1983

Genre: Horror

Pages: 163

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Horror; Monthly Keyword - Woman; Horror

Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow’s house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black. Psychologically terrifying and deliciously eerie, The Woman in Black is a remarkable thriller of the first rate.

Finally got around to reading this one. I had seen the movie version featuring Daniel Radcliffe, but found it wanting. Too many ridiculous scenes. Thankfully the book was much better than the movie. We get a novella in the style of a traditional gothic story featuring lots of atmosphere, a creepy house, and towns people with secrets. I definitely got chills during the scene where Arthur hears the pony and wagon lose the path. Creepy creepy! I would have a liked to have had a few more appearances by the woman in black. But overall, a very enjoyable ghost story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Title: Turtles All the Way Down

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton 2017

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 286

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:  Monthly Key Word: All; Modern Mrs. Darcy - Same Author; Literary Escapes - Indiana

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
   
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

I had heard that the main character suffered from generalized anxiety disorder, but wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this book. John Green perfectly describes anxiety and specifically thought spirals. I was uncomfortable in my many parts of this book as Aza’s experiences are very similar to mine at times. I really felt for Aza and her daily struggles. I loved hearing her inner thoughts on a variety of topics but specifically her thoughts on the self. I couldn’t put this book down. I was hooked from chapter one. The plot was okay and the mystery of Russell Pickett’s disappearance kept the book moving, but I was here for the characters. I loved the relationship and ultimately the honesty between Aza and Daisy. I really put myself in Aza’s mom’s shoes in many places through the story. I finished the book and am left with a feeling of understanding. There are others that struggle with anxiety just like me. (Logically I know this, but sometimes my depression brain tells me that I’m the only one.) Most definitely an amazing book and one that I really want to put in many specific people’s hands.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix

Title: Newt’s Emerald

Author: Garth Nix

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 365 Days of YA; Monthly Keyword - Emerald; Alphabet Soup - N

After Lady Truthful's magical Newington Emerald is stolen from her she devises a simple plan: go to London to recover the missing jewel. She quickly learns, however, that a woman cannot wander the city streets alone without damaging her reputation, and she disguises herself as a mustache-wearing man. During Truthful's dangerous journey she discovers a crook, an unsuspecting ally, and an evil sorceress—but will she find the Emerald?

I picked this one for the March Key Word, Emerald, but it was one of those books that I did want to read before. And I delighted in this book so much. I love the world building and the similarities to our world. The little touches of magic here and there were delightful. And then we get to the great characters. Truthful is a fun main protagonist. And the Major is not what he seems of course. This was a delightful adventure story full of Regency era fashions and social interactions. Such fun.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Title: Heart-Shaped Box

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow 2000

Genre: Horror

Pages: 402

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Monthly Keyword - Heart; Horror

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet.

For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts—of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more?

But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing.

And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . .

After reading later Joe Hill, I had to go back into his back catalog. This one was thoroughly creepy. I could only read it during the day time. Night time reading gave me too many weird nightmares. Back to the story, Jude is a great character. His whole aging rock star persona is a great anti-hero. Originally I didn’t like Georgia, but she definitely grew on me. And the side characters were all great additions, especially Bon and Angus. The last 100 pages were a whirlwind.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh

Title: A Precious Jewel (Stapleton-Downes #2)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1993

Genre: Romance

Pages: 338

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Key Word - Jewel; Finishing the Series

She was unlike any woman he’d ever met in the ton or the demimonde. But Sir Gerald Stapleton frequented Mrs. Blyth’s euphemistically dubbed “finishing school” for pure, uncomplicated pleasure–and nothing else. So why was this confirmed bachelor so thoroughly captivated by one woman in particular? Why did he find himself wondering how such a rare jewel of grace, beauty, and refinement as Priss had ended up a courtesan? And when she needed protection, why did Gerald, who’d sworn he’d never get entangled in affairs of the heart, hasten to set her up as his own pampered mistress to ensure her safety–and have her all to himself?

For Priscilla Wentworth, the path leading to Sir Gerald’s bed had been as filled with misfortune as it suddenly seemed charmed. But Priss couldn’t allow herself to believe she’d ever be more to a man like Sir Gerald than a well-cared-for object of pleasure. Now, despite Gerald’s deep distrust of marriage, neither scandal nor society’s censure can keep them apart–only the fear of trusting their hearts.

Another disappointing read. January is really ending up to be a very mixed bag when it comes to books. But anyway… I was not a fan of either of the main characters in this book. Priss was extremely wooden throughout every encounter with other people. I really wanted her to have some kind of personality. And Gerald was a bit of a naive yet pompous ass. For all of Priss’s talk of the worth of Gerald, I just couldn’t really see it. I just really wanted better characters. The previous book, The Ideal Wife, was such a delight. This was the opposite.

Stapleton-Downes:

• #1 The Ideal Wife

• #2 A Precious Jewel

Dark Angel:

• #1 Dark Angel

• #2 Lord Carew’s Bride

• #3 The Famous Heroine

• #4 The Plumed Bonnet

• #5 The Ideal Wife

• #6 A Precious Jewel

• #7 A Christmas Bride

• #8 Christmas Beau

Next up on the TBR pile:

RC 2019: Monthly Key Word

From My Reader’s Block:

Your task is to read at least one book for each month whose title includes one or more of the key words for that month. For instance, for January you might read Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie. A full chart of all key words for the year may be found at the end of this post.

GUIDELINES
*The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31st, 2019. You may sign-up at any time until November 1, 2019. But to complete the challenge you will need to read (or have already read) books with keywords from any months missed by the time of sign-up. 

*The object is to read one book each month--ideally during that month. However, I know that life can get in the way and some folks may not see this challenge until a couple (or several) months have gone by. So, if you get behind or if you sign up later in 2019, you are welcome to post any catch-up reads while the most current month's linky is open. Just be sure to identify your post appropriately. For instance, if posting January's key word (at any time): Bev (Why Didn't They Ask Evans?) January.

*However, our time machine only works one way--to the past. Please do not read ahead and post books for future key words until that month's linky is up or later.

*Key words may be tweaked. If the key word is dance, you may use dancing or danced. You may also be more creative and use "tango" or "ballet" or "waltz."

*Link up below to participate. I will also post a new headquarters site by the beginning of January where this original post and the monthly review links will be housed.

*No blog? No problem! If you have a Goodreads/Library Thing shelf or other link to post, you should be able to link that as well. You may also just add a comment telling me you'll be participating. When the monthly review post goes up, you may then comment with your book and keyword.