The Seduction of Lady X by Julia London

Title: The Seduction of Lady X (The Secrets of Hadley Green #3)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Star 2012

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 399

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Monthly Theme - February

The surprising news that dashing steward Harrison Tolly, illegitimate son of the Earl of Ashwood, is the rightful heir to his father’s estate comes at a most inopportune time. With a wedding on the horizon and a baby on the way, a new life of privilege and prestige would be a blessing but for one problem: his heart belongs to another woman.

Harrison keeps his desires for his employer’s wife, Lady Olivia Carey, so hidden that even she does not know of his devotion. Her callous husband, Marquis Carey, went into a rampage after Olivia’s troublesome younger sister returned from her tour of Spain pregnant, and Harrison impulsively stepped in to save the entire family from scandal. Now, like Olivia, he is trapped in a loveless arrangement. When a tragic accident claims the marquis’ life soon thereafter, can Harrison seize his chance and cast aside one sister for another? Or will doing so expose the Carey family’s darkest secret—and ruin his only chance to win Olivia’s heart?

I saw exactly how this book was going to play out from Chapter 3 and yet, I still really enjoyed it. Right now I’m definitely drawn to books where they live happily ever after (hmm, I wonder why…). This one is the perfect Regency Romance involving a handsome lead, a feisty heroine (or two), and a great villain. Throw in some colorful side characters and some ridiculous coincidences and we have the perfect mass market Regency Romance. I was totally on board with this one. Although I think I like the main characters from the previous novel (Lily and Tobias) a bit more than Olivia and Harrison.

The Secrets of Hadley Green

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Story of the World in 100 Species by Christopher Lloyd

Title: The Story of the World in 100 Species

Author: Christopher Lloyd

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing 2016

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

In the retitled paperback edition of his book What on Earth Evolved?, Christopher Lloyd leads us on an extraordinary journey, from the birth of life to the present day, as he explains, in a jargon-free way, the phenomenon we call “life on Earth.” Lloyd starts with the Earth “before humans,” when loose strands of genetic code swarmed over the planet, and moves on to explore the creatures that evolved in the murky deep and crept up on the shore to become pioneers of life on land. He then investigates the world “after humans” and how the coevolution of humans and a range of other key species has transformed the planet over the last twelve thousand years. In the process, he identifies the hundred most influential species that have ever lived--with candidates as diverse as slime, sea scorpions, dragonflies, potatoes, ants, tulips, sheep, and grapes--and reveals those that have most changed life on Earth.

One of the books from the library that I grabbed on a whim but kept putting at the bottom of the To Read stack. With the library closures, I have extended due dates on all books. This one got moved up to the top of the pile. Over about a week I read through the 100 entires detailing very important species to life. I found the sections on early life (pre-human life) to be much more interesting that more modern species. The two entries about bony fish were especially fascinating. I think I gravitated towards those entries that focused on the mechanics of evolution to trace the path of life through the ages. An interesting science book for the week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Met (Well Met #1)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 319

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?

What an utter delight! I read the first 40 pages of this book before bed one night. The next day, I picked it up and could not put it down until the story had ended. I was completely sucked into the Ren Faire setting (I used to do living history!). I loved meeting Emily and her sister and niece. I was immediately taken in by the rest of the cast of characters, especially Chris! I couldn’t wait to see what happened in the hate to love romance brewing over the course of the summer. When Captain Ian showed up, I even swooned a bit! Definitely love a pirate! I’m keeping this one my shelf for when I need a feel-good romance to lift my spirits.

Well Met

#1 Well Met
#2 Well Played
#3 Well Matched

Next up on the TBR pile:

How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

Title: How to Be a Woman

Author: Caitlin Moran

Publisher: Harper 2012

Genre: Nonfiction - Essays

Pages: 323

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Feminism; Monthly Theme - March

Caitlin Moran puts a new face on feminism, cutting to the heart of women’s issues today with her irreverent, transcendent, and hilarious How to Be a Woman. “Half memoir, half polemic, and entirely necessary,” (Elle UK), Moran’s debut was an instant runaway bestseller in England as well as an Amazon UK Top Ten book of the year; still riding high on bestseller lists months after publication, it is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Now poised to take American womanhood by storm, here is a book that Vanity Fair calls “the U.K. version of Tina Fey’s Bossypants….You will laugh out loud, wince, and—in my case—feel proud to be the same gender as the author.”

Another collection of personal essays focusing on feminism. I think this collection was executed better than Bad Feminist. This focused more on Moran’s personal experiences and how they have shaped her worldview and her specific take on feminism. I definitely did laugh out loud many times throughout the essays. My favorite was definitely the story about what to name our private parts. But… then we get lots of casual bigotry and racism throughout the essays. And her complete dismissal of women’s history and those that came before us really got my goat. So while I think this was a better themed collection, I found it lacking in many areas.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden #2)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2012

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 354

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they ran away from. Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, the two press forward, amid threats of being captured again…or worse.

The road they are on is long and perilous—and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and men die at age twenty-five, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price—now that she has more to lose than ever.

Mixed feelings about this one… I definitely wanted to continue reading this series after enjoying the first book. I was concerned about where the second book was going, but thankfully most of the book was good. I really liked being able to change setting from the mansion and explore a bit more of the world. The plot moved at a pretty good pace keeping the action. I really enjoyed that bit. My only issue is with Rhine. She can be very annoying at times and I really wanted her to own up to some things at times. Plus I really wanted to see more her relationship with Gabriel. Guess I might need to read the last book to see how everything ends.

The Chemical Garden

#1 Wither
#2 Fever
#3 Sever

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Title: Bad Feminist

Author: Roxane Gay

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2014

Genre: Nonfiction Essays

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Monthly Theme - March

A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.

I loved every essay that Gay focused on her own experiences and thoughts. Learning her personal take on various aspects of life was eye-opening. I love feminist texts that embrace intersectional feminism. Gay excels as laying out the all the different aspects of life and how feminism affects them. I really fell into those essays. Unfortunately, she also included very academic essay focused on pop culture. Those took me right back to college and not in a good way. I was thoroughly bored with those. And of course, they were very dated 6 years later. I would have loved to delete those essays and just keep the personal ones.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

Title: The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Author: Alix E. Harrow

Publisher: Redhook 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 385

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; TBR Jar Random

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.
Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

I can’t stop smiling a bout this book. I loved diving into the January and Julian and Adelaide’s world of doors and terrors. This was definitely my kind of fantasy. We get some romance, some terror, some adventure, and most of all, a story of growing up. Mr. Locke and the his fellow society members were great villains setting up just enough terror to keep the other characters on their toes. Havemeyer was particularly terrifying. I loved visiting all the other worlds and eventually spending more time in Written. I can just imagine January and her tattoos and words. I will be rereading this one soon I imagine.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen

Title: Queen of Hearts (Royal Spyness #8)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2014

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 306

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Monthly Theme

England, 1934. Georgie's mother, the glamorous and much-married actress, is hearing wedding bells once again—which is why she must hop across the pond for a quickie divorce in Reno. To offer her moral support, Georgie agrees to go along on the all expenses paid voyage across the Atlantic.

While her mother meets movie mogul Cy Goldman—who insists on casting her in his next picture—Georgie finds herself caught up in the secret investigation of a suspected jewel thief. Lucky for her, the lead investigator happens to be her dashing beau, Darcy!

Her mother's movie and Darcy’s larceny lead everyone to Cy’s Hollywood home, where the likes of Charlie Chaplin are hanging about and there’s enough romantic intrigue to fill a double feature. But they hardly get a chance to work out the sleeping arrangements before Cy turns up dead. As if there wasn’t enough drama already...

Oh so much fun! I love this cozy mystery series and am so glad that we get to see more growth from Georgie. She’s definitely not the innocent anymore. I loved the change in setting to a ship and then to California. It was fun to see all the Brits deal with the Americans in a very loose setting. We get major Hearst Castle vibes from Cy’s house including the menagerie. Lots of fun! And then we get the actual mystery (or should I say mysteries). I totally solved both of them about 2/3 of the way through the book. Overall it was very entertaining. Here’s hoping we get to see more of Darcy next book.

Her 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
#13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs
#14 The Last Mrs. Summers

Next up on the TBR pile:

After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

Title: After the Flood

Author: Kassandra Montag

Publisher: William Morrow 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 432

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water.

Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her oldest daughter, Row, who was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Then, in a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra suddenly discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Throwing aside her usual caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there.

On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship and Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers.

I heard great things about this book and the author is from my town. I sped through the pages wanting to see what happened to the characters, but ultimately I didn’t really care about them. Most of the characters had too many flaws and not enough redeeming qualities. The amount of secrets kept really grated on me throughout the book. I was not so enamored with the world setting even though post-apocalypse is one of my go-to settings. And the ending really fell flat for me. I just couldn’t seem to muster any concern for the characters or their futures. I was constantly confused by the tone of the book and still can’t decide if it was optimistic or pessimistic. Definitely not a book for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: After I Do

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Washington Square Press 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 353

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after.

I loved Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six so I thought I would read some of her backlist titles. Unfortunately this one just fell really flat for me. I wasn’t invested in the main relationship at any point in the novel. Lauren and Ryan just didn’t seem like a relationship that I wanted to root for. Plus we only really get Lauren’s perspective which irked me. I wanted to see both sides of the story before attempting some type of resolution. The ending was basically a non-ending to me. Nothing was actually resolved and I was annoyed…

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mythos by Stephen Fry

Title: Mythos: The Greek Myths Reimagined

Author: Stephen Fry

Publisher: Chronicle Books 2019

Genre: Mythology

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Mythos is a modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian Stephen Fry. Fry transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder. This stunning book features classical artwork inspired by the myths, as well as learned notes from the author.

I’m a sucker for retold Greek and Roman myths. There’s something very comfortable about revisiting stories that I first learned as a child. This collection is pretty extensive, covering so many stories and legends in a loose chronological order. I especially loved the stories about the Titans and before. Fry’s trademark snark comes through in random asides and sentences throughout. I really enjoyed this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Vox by Christina Dalcher

Title: Vox

Author: Christina Dalcher

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Monthly Theme

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than one hundred words per day, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial. This can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

Soon women are not permitted to hold jobs. Girls are not taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words each day, but now women have only one hundred to make themselves heard.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.

This is just the beginning...not the end.

I was intrigued by the set-up and the comparisons to The Handmaid’s Tale. Unfortunately, what I read was a book trying way too hard to be relevant in our current political climate filled with unlikable characters and a ridiculous thriller style plot. Shoehorned in there is very surface level commentary about sexism, religion, politics, and science. And don’t get me started on Jean and Patrick’s relationship, their relationship to the children, and Jean and Lorenzo’s relationship. Just no. But what irked me the most was the timeline. This is all supposed to have happened in a few short years and then is undone in less than a year. Um no. I don’t buy it without some catastrophic event like a plague or war. Girly Book Club has once again disappointed me with their science fiction selection. We only get one a year and last year’s was terrible (American War) and this year’s choice is just as bad…

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams

Title: The Secret, Book & Scone Society (Secret, Book & Scone Society #1)

Author: Ellery Adams

Publisher: Kensington Books 2017

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 285

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Monthly Theme

Strangers flock to Miracle Springs hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain. So when a visiting businessman reaches out for guidance, Nora knows exactly how to help. But before he can keep their appointment, he’s found dead on the train tracks . . .

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to earn redemption by helping others. To join, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place. Now, determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cozy bookstore. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .

Meh. After finishing this book, that’s my reaction. Just meh. It was a decent attempt at a cozy mystery, but everything really fell flat for me. I disliked the writing style (it felt very immature at times). The tone was all over the place but definitely too serious in parts. I couldn’t really figure out the motivations of the main characters in solving the murder (why did they care so much?). I felt like the murder mystery was really an afterthought to the main plot of the book. Finally, the book references felt very shoe-horned into the pages. They just didn’t land with me. I don’t think I will be picking up the second in the series.

Secret, Book & Scone Society

#1 The Secret, Book & Scone Society
#2 The Whispered Word
#3 The Book of Candlelight

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lumberjanes Vol. 9, 10, and 11

Title: Lumberjanes Vol. 9:

Author: Shannon Watters, Kate Levh, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooke Allen, Maarta Laiho, Carey Pietsch

Publisher: BOOM! 2018

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When the Yetis are kicked out of their treehouse, it’s up to the Roanokes to win their home back from the Sasquatches that took it over by beating them at roller derby.

You just gotta learn to roll with the punches! When the yetis are kicked out of their humble treehouse abode, it’s up to Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley to get them back where they belong amongst the trees...and not leeching the camp’s power and making all the ice cream melt. To get the sasquatches to clear out, though, the Roanoke girls will have to challenge them to a roller derby match!

Another fun adventure with the campers of Roanoke cabin! I loved the little story at the beginning involving Diana and Barney. But the real action is definitely the roller derby fun.

Title: Lumberjanes Vol. 10: Parents’ Day

Author: Shannon Watters, Kate Levh, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooke Allen, Maarta Laiho, Carey Pietsch

Publisher: BOOM! 2018

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Yetis, greek gods and grootslangs are old news to the Roanoke cabin but now the Lumberjanes face their most harrowing experience yet: their parents! It’s PARENTS’ DAY at the camp, and with all the fun they’ve been having, the Lumberjanes realize that maybe their parents might not understand! Now the Lumberjanes must try to keep their parents away from the supernatural, even as a mysterious force tries to intervene!

Oooohhh this volume was lots of fun! I loved seeing all the parents and getting a new adversary for the Lumberjanes. Super excited to see what happens next!

Title: Lumberjanes Vol. 11:

Author: Shannon Watters, Kate Levh, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooke Allen, Maarta Laiho, Carey Pietsch

Publisher: BOOM! 2019

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Time is freezing at camp, and it’s up to Roanoke Cabin to stop the nefarious and mysterious forces behind it.

When Molly makes a deal with a mysterious Voice in the woods surrounding Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types to slow down time, she isn’t hoping for an endless summer! All she wants is more time to spend with her friends at camp, hiking and doing crafts, and playing music and having fun. What she doesn’t bargain for is time starting to skip, and freeze, and make campers’ ages jump forward and back… It’s up to Roanoke Cabin to to set time right again, and save camp!

Finally we get more information (well sorta) about the mysterious thing in the woods. I'm so excited to learn more about what it going on in the forest. And the sentries were an interesting touch.

Next up on the TBR pile:

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Title: An Unkindness of Ghosts

Author: Rivers Solomon

Publisher: Akashic Books 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 340

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Monthly Theme

Aster has little to offer folks in the way of rebuttal when they call her ogre and freak. She's used to the names; she only wishes there was more truth to them. If she were truly a monster, she'd be powerful enough to tear down the walls around her until nothing remains of her world.

Aster lives in the lowdeck slums of the HSS Matilda, a space vessel organized much like the antebellum South. For generations, Matilda has ferried the last of humanity to a mythical Promised Land. On its way, the ship's leaders have imposed harsh moral restrictions and deep indignities on dark-skinned sharecroppers like Aster. Embroiled in a grudge with a brutal overseer, Aster learns there may be a way to improve her lot--if she's willing to sow the seeds of civil war.

This book has been on my radar for awhile but I somehow never picked it up. I decided to add it to my short list for February and immediately started reading after finishing Kindred. The two books ended up being a great pairing. Both deal with racial issues by using science fiction to highlight the problems. I loved reading Kindred that mainly dealt in the past and how it relates to the modern, but this book took it further in dealing in the future to highlight the present. Plus we get commentary on power structures, gender divides, trans issues, class issues, and even education and knowledge. There are so many layers to this book! There are so many different topics being addressed that I don’t think I caught everything. I may have to reread this book in a few years. Beyond all the interesting topics, we get a great fast-paced plot centering on Aster’s uncovering the meaning behind her mother’s suicide and the overall mystery of the ship and where it’s headed. I was definitely along for the ride! I even loved the ending. I’m still thinking on many of the issues highlighted days later. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Revenge of Lord Eberlin by Julia London

Title: The Revenge of Lord Eberlin (The Secrets of Hadley Green #2)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Books 2012

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 404

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme - February; Goodreads Random

Tobin Scott, otherwise known as Count Eberlin of Denmark, has returned to Hadley Green, the site of his father’s hanging for thievery fifteen years ago. He has but one goal in mind, and that is to avenge his father, who he believes was innocent of stealing the Countess of Ashwood jewels. Now a wealthy man, Tobin intends to exact his revenge by destroying the Ashwood estate and the Countess of Ashwood, who as a young girl testified against his father.

Lily Boudine has become the Countess of Ashwood through a very surprising twist of fate. She is even more surprised when a vaguely familiar looking man calls and tells her he is Tobin Scott, whom she knew as a boy, and that he intends to destroy her or Ashwood. He leaves the choice to her. Because so many people depend on Ashwood, Lily chooses herself, thinking that she can hold him at bay long enough to remove Ashwood from his clutches. But as they play the game of seduction, and she slowly discovers that he is not the cold, heartless man he would like to present to her, she also believes that Tobin is right—his father did not steal the jewels. And if she can find them, she can help restore his family’s honor—but not before she discovers another shocking secret.

An enjoyable Regency romance. I did really like Lily and Tobin as a couple. And the overall mystery of the missing jewels is a great connection. These novels really are my comfort reads. I just wished that we got a bit more of the resolution. But it’s that what I say about all these romance novels? Yes, yes it is.

The Secrets of Hadley Green

#1 The Year o fLiving Scandalously
#1.5 The Christmas Secret
#2 The Revenge of Lord Eberlin
#3 The Seduction of Lady X
#4 The Last Debutante

Next up on the TBR pile:

Frida Kahlo by Maria Hesse

Title: Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life

Author: Maria Hesse Translator: Achy Obejas

Publisher: University of Texas Press 2018

Genre: Graphic Novel Memoir

Pages: 152

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

One of the most important artists of the twentieth century and an icon of courageous womanhood, Frida Kahlo lives on in the public imagination, where her popularity shows no signs of waning. She is renowned for both her paintings and her personal story, which were equally filled with pain and anguish, celebration and life. Thousands of words, including her own, have been written about Kahlo, but only one previous biography has recorded her fascinating, difficult life. Frida Kahlo by María Hesse offers a highly unique way of getting to know the artist by presenting her life in graphic novel form, with striking illustrations that reimagine many of Kahlo’s famous paintings.

Originally published in Spanish in 2016, Frida Kahlo has already found an enthusiastic audience in the Spanish-speaking world, with some 20,000 copies sold in just a few months. This translation introduces English-language readers to Kahlo’s life, from her childhood and the traumatic accident that would change her life and her artwork, to her complicated love for Diego Rivera and the fierce determination that drove her to become a major artist in her own right. María Hesse tells the story in a first-person narrative, which captures both the depths of Frida’s suffering and her passion for art and life.

Such an incredibly beautiful book about Frida Kahlo’s life. I loved turning each page to see what painting Hesse was going to recreate or reinterpret. I loved the little snippets of diary entries and letters sprinkled through more straight-forward biographical information. I adored poring over each illustration. Truly a remarkable work honoring a remarkable woman.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

Title: Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste

Author: Bianca Bosker

Publisher: Penguin Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of flavor. Astounded by their fervor and seemingly superhuman sensory powers, she set out to uncover what drove their obsession, and whether she, too, could become a “cork dork.”

With boundless curiosity, humor, and a healthy dose of skepticism, Bosker takes the reader inside underground tasting groups, exclusive New York City restaurants, California mass-market wine factories, and even a neuroscientist’s fMRI machine as she attempts to answer the most nagging question of all: what’s the big deal about wine? What she learns will change the way you drink wine—and, perhaps, the way you live—forever.

Our book club selection for February. It was entertaining. Sorta like Kitchen Confidential for the wine industry. Bosker mentions the documentary Somm multiple times and it did feel like I was reading a book version of that in some chapters. I liked the chapters that dove into Bosker’s own journey more than reading about random wine people. I enjoyed my time spent reading the pages, but wouldn’t say that it was amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

Title: Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children #4)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 203

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister—whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice—back to their home on the Moors.

But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken.

Again.

What a delightfully dark ending to the series! I loved every single page. McGuire creates such twisted worlds for us to explore. I loved going back to the Moors and revisiting Jack and Jill. Unfortunately this story was over just too soon for my tastes. I want more and more and more from the worlds in the Wayward Children series. For fans of dark fairy tales, this is just perfection. I feel like I need go back and read McGuire’s back catalog.

Wayward Children

Next up on the TBR pile:

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty

Title: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? : Big Questions fromTiny Mortals About Death

Author: Caitlin Doughty

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge of the body and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to offer factual, hilarious, and candid answers to thirty-five distinctive questions posed by her youngest fans. In her inimitable voice, Doughty details lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn colors during decomposition? And why do hair and nails appear longer after death? Readers will learn the best soil for mummifying your body, whether you can preserve your best friend’s skull as a keepsake, and what happens when you die on a plane.

Beautifully illustrated by Dianné Ruz, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? shows us that death is science and art, and only by asking questions can we begin to embrace it.

Another book by Caitlin Doughty! I loved Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and have watched many of her videos and interviews. This book was a collection of questions and answers related to death. Some of the topics were repeats from information presented in her previous book. Some were repeats from interviews she has done. But they were all enjoyable to read and remind myself that Viking funerals are Hollywood creations and illegal and that we routinely wrap bodies in saran wrap to prevent leakage during funerals. Good little collection for an afternoon’s reading.

Next up on the TBR pile: