Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings by Jodi Taylor

Title: Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #6.5) 

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 51

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Bonus Content

It's Christmas again at St Mary's and time for Max's obligatory illegal jump. On this occasion, however, they're right up against it. A loaded gun has been left behind in Ancient Egypt and it's up to St Mary's historians to retrieve it before someone accidentally blows their own head off, thus affecting the timeline for centuries to come. And as if that's not enough, Max has inadvertently poisoned Mr Markham. It's hot, they're running out of supplies, they can't find the gun, and it's all going horribly wrong. Again.

I so love these cute little short interlude stories featuring the crazy characters at St. Mary’s. This story is another fun Christmas-time adventure with a visit to ancient Egypt. I love every time Markham shows up to add to the fun.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

• #0.5 The Very First Damned Thing

• #1 Just One Damned Thing After Another

• #2 A Symphony of Echoes

• #2.5 When A Child is Born

• #3 A Second Chance

• #3.5 Roman Holiday

• #4 A Trail Through Time

• #4.5 Christmas Present

• #5 No Time Like the Past

• #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong

• #6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings

• #7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History

• #7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out

• #7.6 My Name is Markham

• #8 And the Rest is History

• #8.5 A Perfect Storm

• #9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? by Jodi Taylor

Title: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #6) 

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 300

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Science Fiction

Max is back! New husband, new job, and a training regime that cannot fail - to go wrong! Take one interim Chief Training Officer, add five recruits, mix with Joan of Arc, a baby mammoth, a duplicitous Father of History, a bombed rat, Stone Age hunters, a couple of passing policemen who should have better things to do, and Dick the Turd. Stir well, bring to the boil - and wait for the bang! Join Max in the sixth instalment in the off-the-wall Chronicles of St Mary's series.

Every time I started a Chronicles of St. Mary’s book, I’m expecting a light and fluffy story. They usually start that way and then Wham! something tragic happens. This volume was no exception. And the tragedies that occurred really hit me. Full of emotion. And yet, I loved every page of this book. I love continuing the adventures of Max and her band of misfits. Such a great series.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

• #0.5 The Very First Damned Thing

• #1 Just One Damned Thing After Another

• #2 A Symphony of Echoes

• #2.5 When A Child is Born

• #3 A Second Chance

• #3.5 Roman Holiday

• #4 A Trail Through Time

• #4.5 Christmas Present

• #5 No Time Like the Past

• #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong

• #6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings

• #7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History

• #7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out

• #7.6 My Name is Markham

• #8 And the Rest is History

• #8.5 A Perfect Storm

• #9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair

Title: Larceny and Lace (Vintage Magic Mystery #2)

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley 2009

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 276

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Eating Candy

Madeira Cutler is busy opening her new vintage clothing store in what was once the town's morgue when she discovers an intruder snooping around a bunch of bones in a body drawer. Now, she'll have to dig up more than the past to solve a crime.

Another fun cozy mystery to bid my time here in Indiana. I really do feel like I read the first book in this series at some point in the past, but the details of this second book really are not familiar. So yeah, I was went into this one with a completely open mind and really enjoyed it. I loved falling back into the hijacks of Maddie and crew. This murder mystery was extra creepy and I was really confused about the whodunit until the big reveal. I think I’ll be putting this series on my official “To Read” pile.

Vintage Magic Mystery:

• #1 A Veiled Deception

• #2 Larceny and Lace

• #3 Death by Diamonds

• #4 Skirting the Grave

• #5 Cloaked in Malice

• #6 Tulle Death Do Us Part

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair

Title: A Veiled Deception (Vintage Magic Mystery #1)

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley 2009

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 246

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: A to Z - V; I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - First Book in Series

The right dress can be magic; the wrong one, murder! From the national bestselling author of Sensation’s Witch series comes the new Vintage Magic mystery series, featuring Madeira Cutler. While opening her own vintage clothing shop, Maddie must clear her family’s name when her sister’s wedding festivities hit a snag: murder.

For some reason, I feel like I’ve started this book before, but I definitely don’t remember finishing it. A cute little cozy mystery featuring a murder and even a dapper ghost. I hope to have more ghostly appearances in subsequent books, but this one was a good start. Maddie is a fun protagonist and I really love the rest of the residents of Mystic Falls. I will have to pick up the next volume while still here in Indiana.

Vintage Magic Mystery:

• #1 A Veiled Deception

• #2 Larceny and Lace

• #3 Death by Diamonds

• #4 Skirting the Grave

• #5 Cloaked in Malice

• #6 Tulle Death Do Us Part

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Title: The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1)

Author: Jasper Fforde

Publisher: Penguin 2003

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 373

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Reading Assignment; Seasonal Series - Eating Apple Pie

Fans of Douglas Adams and P. G. Wodehouse will love visiting Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, when time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously: it’s a bibliophile’s dream. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy—enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel—unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix.

This book was such a delight! I immediately fell for Thursday Next and her motley crew of LiteraTecs, friends, enemies, and family. The characters are all such delights helping the plot to be even more entertaining. The overall world is way too much fun! I love the idea of literature being held to such high regard that people name themselves after various authors and characters. And then you add in the ability to jump into books. Holy moly! I am loving it so much! Way too much fun. I sped through this volume needing to know Hades’s next move and Next’s counter move. I loved visiting Thornfield and meeting Mr. Rochester. Can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Thursday Next

• #1 The Eyre Affair

• #2 Lost in a Good Book

• #3 The Well of Lost Plots

• #4 Something Rotten

• #5 First Among Sequels

• #6 One of Our Thursdays is Missing

• #7 The Woman Who Died a Lot

Next up on the TBR pile:

Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3)

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Random House 

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 370

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Orange on Cover

Kami is linked to two boys. One through a strong magical bond, and the other through unforgettable love. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town. Working with her friends, Kami uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

Lynburn Legacy

• #0.2 The Spring Before I Met You

• #0.5 The Summer Before I Met You

• #1 Unspoken

• #1.5 The Night After I Lost You

• #2 Untold

• #3 Unmade

Next up on the TBR pile:

Masked Ball at Broxley Manor by Rhys Bowen

Title: Masked Ball at Broxley Manor (Royal Spyness #0.5)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2012

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 41

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man—until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad. 

When the prince, dressed as the devil, rescues her from an embarrassing situation at the ball, Georgie is surprised to find her unwanted suitor to be a dashing, charming man—especially when he pulls her aside and gives her the kiss of a lifetime. But as the time comes for the unmasking, Georgie’s rescuer vanishes and the party is thrown into chaos, making it clear that everything at Broxley Manor is not as it appears…

A quick little prequel to Her Royal Spyness. I loved seeing Georgie’s first meeting with Darcy and the hijinks involved. I can’t wait to read more from this series!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Untold (The Lynburn Legacy #2)

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Random House 

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 370

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Set in Fall

On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy little town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission by killing human sacrifices for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so the town can return to the old ways.
 
But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers around. The town must make a decision: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love whomever she chooses. But who should that be?

This picked up right where the first book left off and overall I enjoyed it. I really like Kami, Rusty, Holly, and Angela in this volume. The Lynburns are more of background characters to me. And don’t get me started on everyone’s parents. So clueless! I loved where the story went and the revelations contained in the pages. But I do think this one could have been condensed a bit. Not sure this series needs to be a trilogy. I think it could have been a duology. There’s just so much filler in some of the chapters. But I will continue on and finish this series.

Lynburn Legacy

• #0.2 The Spring Before I Met You

• #0.5 The Summer Before I Met You

• #1 Unspoken

• #1.5 The Night After I Lost You

• #2 Untold

• #3 Unmade

Next up on the TBR pile:

I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

Title: I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life

Author: Anne Bogel

Publisher: Baker Books 2018

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Share-a-Tea

For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time--it's a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can't imagine life without them.

I'd Rather Be Reading is the perfect literary companion for everyone who feels that way. In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads readers to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them the reader they are today. Known as a reading tastemaker through her popular podcast What Should I Read Next?, Bogel invites book lovers into a community of like-minded people to discover new ways to approach literature, learn fascinating new things about books and publishing, and reflect on the role reading plays in their lives.

A delightful slim volume full of celebrations about reading. Many of the sentiments included in these short essays have been expressed on Anne Bogel’s podcast in the past, but it was nice to read them in a prose form. I think my favorite essay was about Anne’s reflection on living next door to a library for many years. Oh my dream! I would definitely be a frequent patron of the library. I savored this book a few pages at a time. It may be short, but it is packed with great stories and insight.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Artemis by Andy Weir

Title: Artemis

Author: Andy Weir

Publisher: Broadway Books 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Another Planet; I Love Libraries

Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich. 
 
Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity’s first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time.
 
So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. Sure, it requires her to graduate from small-time smuggler to full-on criminal mastermind. And it calls for a particular combination of cunning, technical skills, and large explosions—not to mention sheer brazen swagger. But Jazz has never run into a challenge her intellect can’t handle, and she figures she’s got the ‘swagger’ part down. 
 
The trouble is, engineering the perfect crime is just the start of Jazz’s problems. Because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Instead of a survival story, we get a space adventure combined with a heist and corporate intrigue. I immediately fell for Jazz and her general lifestyle. Very fun to read about! She is definitely one of those anti-heroes. Perfect for this kind of book. From there, Weir fills Artemis with other interesting characters to be accomplices or foils for Jazz. The author toned down the science talk from The Martian, but it’s still there. I learned a lot about how you could create and sustain a colony on the moon. I sped through this book over my weekend away and it was definitely an entertaining read.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Title: Her Royal Spyness (Royal Spyness #1)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2007

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 324

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Free Space

London, 1932. Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the English throne, is flat broke. She's bolted Scotland, her greedy brother, and her fish-faced betrothed. London is a place where she'll experience freedom, learn life lessons aplenty, do a bit of spying for HRH—oh, and find a dead Frenchman in her tub. Now her new job is to clear her long family name...

Our book club selection for September. Unfortunately due to moving, I won't be able to attend the meeting, but I did pick up the book and dove in. This a cute fun mystery series set in the 1930s. I immediately fell for Georgie and her cast of friends and relatives. I figured out who-dun-it fairly early on, but still loved reading the progression of the mystery and ultimate reveal. Plus we get the makings of an interesting series and a possible love interest. I will definitely have to continue this series.

Royal Spyness

• #0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
• #1  Her Royal Spyness
• #2 A Royal Pain
• #3 Royal Flush
• #4 Royal Blood
• #5 Naughty in Nice
• #6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas
• #7 Heirs and Graces
• #8 Queen of Hearts
• #9 Malice at the Palace
• #10 Crowned and Dangerous
• #11 On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service
• #12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

Next up on the TBR pile:

Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready

Title: Flirting with Forever

Author: Gwyn Cready

Publisher: Pocket Books 2010

Genre: Romance

Pages: 415

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Seasonal Series - Contemporary series

A door to the past
Ambitious art historian Campbell Stratford is about to make a name for herself with her scandalously sexy biographies of famous seventeenth-century artists. Suddenly she is catapulted back in time and comes face-to-face with one of her subjects: bad-boy painter Peter Lely, portraitist to the king.

Creates chaos of classic proportions
Peter is entranced by his mysterious visitor, and Cam can't resist becoming one of the lovely ladies to pose on his modeling chaise. But Sir Peter knows a lot more than he's telling about time travel in general and art historians in particular. What he doesn't know is that Cam is the one responsible for the very project he's about to sabotage. And when Cam finds she's been tricked, she exacts her revenge on paper...

Overall a pretty boring romance. I usually love fun romance novels and really wanted to love the time travel aspect of this one. But I found the characters pretty boring. I just couldn't really get behind Peter and Cam as love interests. The time travel aspect made the story confusing as opposed to enhancing it. Based off of my reaction to this one, I'm not even going to start to the companion novel. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Title: Their Eyes were Watching God

Author: Zora Neale Hurston

Publisher: 1937

Genre: Classics

Pages: 219

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Pile; Popsugar - Different Ethnicity; MMD - Different Ethnicity

One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years—due largely to initial audiences’ rejection of its strong black female protagonist—Hurston’s classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.

A very powerful story featuring a fascinating female protagonist. I really fell into reading about Janie's struggles and triumphs. At times I had to put the book down because it was so intense. But that intensity is what made the book so amazing. Hurston's book was ahead of its time. I could see this book being published today. It feels so current and modern. This book is not a light fun read, but was definitely enjoyable. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cocktails Across America by Diane Lapis and Anne Peck-Davis

Title: Cocktails Across America: A Postcard View of Cocktail Culture in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s

Author: Diane Lapis, Anne Peck-Davis

Publisher: Countryman Press 2018

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 224

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Nonfiction Adventure; I Love Libraries

The unique cocktail lounges, hotel bars, and other more exotic drinking venues (ice rinks, carousels, and tropical gardens, just to name a few) defined this era of drinking culture and were immortalized in the linen postcards used to advertise them. With over 50 vintage cocktail recipes (including several modern twists), fascinating historical vignettes, and more than 150 pieces of vintage ephemera, you will be transported to an era of unbridled indulgence and distinct glamour.  

Such a fun read! I love that this idea came from the discovery of hotel postcards and evolved from there. I am fascinated by the post-war period of pop culture and cocktail culture fits right in there. I devoured each vignette and cocktail recipe. Some I had a bit of information about already, but most were new to me. I even bookmarked a few new-to-me cocktails to try out this winter.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Pox Americana by Elizabeth A. Fenn

Title: Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82

Author: Elizabeth A. Fenn

Publisher: Hill and Wang 2002

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Nonfiction Adventure; Library Love

A horrifying epidemic of smallpox was sweeping across the Americas when the American Revolution began, and yet we know almost nothing about it. Elizabeth A. Fenn is the first historian to reveal how deeply variola affected the outcome of the war in every colony and the lives of everyone in North America.

By 1776, when military action and political ferment increased the movement of people and microbes, the epidemic worsened. Fenn's remarkable research shows us how smallpox devastated the American troops at Québec and kept them at bay during the British occupation of Boston. Soon the disease affected the war in Virginia, where it ravaged slaves who had escaped to join the British forces. During the terrible winter at Valley Forge, General Washington had to decide if and when to attempt the risky inoculation of his troops. In 1779, while Creeks and Cherokees were dying in Georgia, smallpox broke out in Mexico City, whence it followed travelers going north, striking Santa Fe and outlying pueblos in January 1781. Simultaneously it moved up the Pacific coast and east across the plains as far as Hudson's Bay.

I'm a sucker for a good epidemic book. I really think epidemiology may be my missed calling. This one intrigued me as it combines epidemiology and U.S. history. This book is incredibly detailed and full of names, dates, and facts. It is not for the faint of heart. The book has very graphic depictions of smallpox but also a lot of moving parts. I learned so much about an big event in U.S. history that is glossed over in favor of the battles of the Revolutionary War. I have now added a whole new story to my memory stores. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Black Magic Vol. 1

Title: Black Magic Vol. 1

Author: Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott

Publisher: Image 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 128

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Rowan Black is a detective with the Portsmouth PD... and a witch, two aspects of her life she has struggled to keep separate. Now someone is targeting Rowan, someone who knows her secrets and means to expose her... or worse. Collects BLACK MAGICK #1-5.

I love random comics picks from the library. I will pick up almost anything from Image and Vertigo. I grabbed this one off the shelf and dove into a great story involving murder, witches, the police, and a cast of very sinister beings. I sped through this volume and loved every bit of it. Now to see if I can get Volume 2.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rat Queens Vol. 4

Title: Rat Queens Vol. 4: High Fantasies

Author: Kurtis Wiebe; Owen Gieni

Publisher: Image 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 128

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

The Queens are back! Palisade is still a rat-infested hell hole, and Violet, Hannah, Dee, Betty, and the brand-new Queen, Braga are the only hope of saving it! It’s been a long time since they’ve done a good slaughter, so join them as they get back to the basics of killing monsters and drinking away the profits! This is a fresh, hilarious new take on the RAT QUEENS with new artist OWEN GIENI! Collects RAT QUEENS, VOL. 2 #1-5

Finally! Another fun volume of Rat Queen adventures. This was a great return to Palisade and a reconnection with Violet's brother. The big bad monster was properly horrifying and the action was fast and furious. I loved the scene in the temple with the "frog." Can't wait for volume 5!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Title: Spinning Silver

Author: Naomi Novik

Publisher: Del Rey 2018

Genre: Fantasy 

Pages: 480

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Share-a-Tea

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Finally dove into July's BOTM selection and why oh why did I wait so long? I love fairy tale retellings so much and this was was beautifully layered and new. The first 40 pages were a bit slow, but looking back I realize that Novik was allowing the reader to spend time getting to know the three main female characters. We spend a lot of time in each of their worlds before they really interact with each other. I loved how Novik wove their individual stories into a larger story involving the Staryk and a fire demon. Once I the characters connected with each other I couldn't put the book down. It was just too lovely! I sped through to the end desparately wanting to see how Irina, Wanda, and Miryem dealt with the trials they faced. Definite recommend!

Next up on the TBR pile:

College Girls by Lynn Peril

Title: College Girls

Author: Lynn Peril

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company 2006

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Nonfiction Adventure; Popsugar - Microhistory

A geek who wears glasses? Or a sex kitten in a teddy? This is the dual vision of the college girl, the unique American archetype born when the age-old conflict over educating women was finally laid to rest. College was a place where women found self-esteem, and yet images in popular culture reflected a lingering distrust of the educated woman. Thus such lofty cultural expressions as Sex Kittens Go to College (1960) and a raft of naughty pictorials in men’s magazines.

As in Pink Think, Lynn Peril combines women’s history and popular culture—peppered with delightful examples of femoribilia from the turn of the twentieth century through the 1970s—in an intelligent and witty study of the college girl, the first woman to take that socially controversial step toward educational equity.

Another one of those books sitting on my shelves for much too long. Overall, I was invested in the history of women in college but I will admit that I knew a decent amount of the information presented. Peril does a great job at laying out different areas of the college experience throughout history. I was especially interested in the chapter about sex education. The book was packed full of information an primary sources. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1)

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Random House 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 373

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; A to Z - U; Seasonal Series - Eating Fruit

Kami Glass is in love with someone she's never met—a boy she's talked to in her head since she was born. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she has learned ways to turn that to her advantage. Her life seems to be in order, until disturbing events begin to occur. There has been screaming in the woods and the manor overlooking the town has lit up for the first time in 10 years. . . . The Lynburn family, who ruled the town a generation ago and who all left without warning, have returned. Now Kami can see that the town she has known and loved all her life is hiding a multitude of secrets—and a murderer. The key to it all just might be the boy in her head. The boy she thought was imaginary is real, and definitely and deliciously dangerous.

One of those books that's been on my shelves for way too long (have you been noticing a trend in my book choices lately?). I finally picked it up and found myself enjoying this tale of self-discovery, ancient secrets, possible romance, and real magic. I enjoyed uncovering the secrets of the Lynburns and Sorry-in-the-Vale over the course of the book. I was right there with her in suspecting almost everyone in the town. At times I got a little annoyed at Kami's naiveté but had to keep reminding myself of her age. That made it much more developmentally appropriate. Unfortunately, this volume ended on a huge cliffhanger. Guess I need to go find the second book in the trilogy. 

Lynburn Legacy

• #0.2 The Spring Before I Met You
• #0.5 The Summer Before I Met You
• #1 Unspoken
• #1.5 The Night After I Lost You
• #2 Untold
• #3 Unmade

Next up on the TBR pile: