Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Title: Cranford

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Publisher: 1853

Genre: Classics

Pages: 257

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Movie I've Already Seen; A to Z - C

Cranford is an affectionate and often moving portrait of genteel poverty and intertwined lives in a nineteenth-century village. One of Elizabeth Gaskell's most beloved works, it centres on a community dominated by women and governed by old-fashioned ways. The formidable Miss Deborah Jenkyns and the kindly Miss Matty's days revolve around card games, tea, thriftiness and an endless appetite for scandal, until change comes into their world - whether it is the modern ideas of Captain Brown, a bank collapse, rumours of burglars or an unexpected reappearance from the past.

Classic that has been sitting on my shelf for too long. I enjoyed this one, but it's definitely not for everyone. I love how Gaskell has structured the book as more of vignettes than cohesive consecutive chapters. The reader gets little slices of life in Cranford filled with colorful characters and insights into relationships. I see this as a mix between Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. I'm not a huge fan of Dickens, but I adore Austen. This was a good mixture of the genres. While the book is very good, I loved the BBC miniseries starring Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty. She is a treasure!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

Title: The Birth of Venus

Author: Sarah Dunant

Publisher: Random House 2003

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 426

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Pile; Popsugar - Set in a country that fascinates me;

Alessandra Cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern Europe to decorate the chapel walls in the family’s Florentine palazzo. A child of the Renaissance, with a precocious mind and a talent for drawing, Alessandra is intoxicated by the painter’s abilities.

But their burgeoning relationship is interrupted when Alessandra’s parents arrange her marriage to a wealthy, much older man. Meanwhile, Florence is changing, increasingly subject to the growing suppression imposed by the fundamentalist monk Savonarola, who is seizing religious and political control. Alessandra and her native city are caught between the Medici state, with its love of luxury, learning, and dazzling art, and the hellfire preaching and increasing violence of Savonarola’s reactionary followers. Played out against this turbulent backdrop, Alessandra’s married life is a misery, except for the surprising freedom it allows her to pursue her powerful attraction to the young painter and his art.

Hmmm... So I think this is a perfectly fine book with a fine plot and gorgeous setting. I just couldn't find myself connecting to anything or anyone in the book. I finished it, hoping to make a connection t some point, but I just didn't. Possibly this book just wasn't for me. I must say that the setting in Florence is perfect! I usually love stories set in Italy. I just didn't love this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Passion of Cleopatra by Anne Rice and Christopher Rice

Title: The Passion of Cleopatra (Ramses the Damned #2)

Author: Anne Rice

Publisher: Anchor Books 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 399

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Anne Rice); Popsugar - By Two Authors; Finishing the Series

Ramses the Great, former pharaoh of Egypt, is reawakened by the elixir of life in Edwardian England. Now immortal with his bride-to-be, he is swept up in a fierce and deadly battle of wills and psyches against the once-great Queen Cleopatra. Ramses has reawakened Cleopatra with the same perilous elixir whose unworldly force brings the dead back to life. But as these ancient rulers defy one another in their quest to understand the powers of the strange elixir, they are haunted by a mysterious presence even older and more powerful than they, a figure drawn forth from the mists of history who possesses spectacular magical potions and tonics eight millennia old. This is a figure who ruled over an ancient kingdom stretching from the once-fertile earth of the Sahara to the far corners of the world, a queen with a supreme knowledge of the deepest origins of the elixir of life. She may be the only one who can make known to Ramses and Cleopatra the key to their immortality—and the secrets of the miraculous, unknowable, endless expanse of the universe.

I finally got to read the long-awaited sequel to The Mummy. Overall I really enjoyed the continuation of the story. We get to see how the relationships between Ramses, Julie, Alex, and Cleopatra evolve. We get to see and hear the backstory of the elixir. We get to hear about the long-lost kingdom of Shaktanu. I even loved the inclusion of a few new characters from the past. When they first appeared, I was concerned that they would muddle the storyline, but in the end they were good additions. I loved traveling around the world with all the characters. What I wasn't a huge fan of was a few of the long philosophical passages about the soul that appeared towards the end of the novel. To me, they got a bit preachy in tone.

Ramses the Damned:

#1 The Mummy
#2 Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra

Next up on the TBR pile:

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

Title: As Bright as Heaven

Author: Susan Meissner

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 387

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - About Death or Grief; Share-a-Tea

In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters--Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa--a chance at a better life.

But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without--and what they are willing to do about it.

I really enjoyed the other book I've read by Susan Meissner, so I had high hopes for this Book of the Month selection (from January, but shhh.... I'm a bit behind). This book had a very different field, but I really did enjoy this story. Taken as a whole, the story is a beautiful exploration of death and grief within one family. The story takes us on a journey that I wasn't quite expecting. The level of tragedy surprised me, but I was completely on board. The switch between chapters narrated by the four Bright women added another level of interest. At times I was drawn out of the story by the youngest daughter's voice, but for the most part I was right there with all of the characters.

I enjoyed this book while drinking multiple cups of Stash's Acai Berry Herbal Tea. It has a very strong berry flavor, but was a good choice before bed. No caffeine to keep me up all night, but warm tea to comfort me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Title: The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1)

Author: Stephen King

Publisher: Scribner 1982

Genre: Horror

Pages: 251

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi; Popsugar - Antihero; I Love Libraries

A #1 national bestseller, The Gunslinger introduces readers to one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations, Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which mirrors our own in frightening ways, Roland tracks The Man in Black, encounters an enticing woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the boy from New York named Jake.

This series has been on my lists for years, years I tell you! I don't know why I waited so long to start this one. I finally did and it's amazing! I have enjoyed some of King's writing and this one seems to be the kind of King that I enjoy. We get a big world(s), some spooky happenings, cryptic messages, an antihero, a villain, an audience connection point, and plenty of atmosphere. The first book isn't super long, but even then, I sped through it in two days. I just couldn't stop myself from reading about The Gunslinger's walk getting him closer and closer to the man in black... On to the next book soon!

The Dark Tower:

#0.5 The Little Sisters of Eluria
#1 The Gunslinger
#2 The Drawing of the Three
#3 The Waste Lands
#4 Wizard and Glass
#4.5 The Wind Through the Keyhole
#5 Wolves of the Calla
#6 Song of Susannah
#7 The Dark Tower

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: Disney Hyperion 2010

Genre: YA Paranormal

Pages: 323

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (YA of US); Popsugar -- Alliteration; Finishing the Series

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father—an elusive European warlock—only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium

I have School Spirits sitting on my unread shelves and put it on my TBR list for this year, but didn't realize that this was a spin-off series. So I decided to start at the beginning with Hex Hall. I sped through this book, not that it was life-changing or super emotional, but because it was highly enjoyable and easily read. I immediately loved Sophie and the assortment of side characters at Hecate Hall. I was drawn into the world and loved discovering the secrets locked within. I will definitely be continuing on with this series. In fact, I've already put the other two books in the trilogies on hold at the library.

Hex Hall:

#1 Hex Hall
#2 Demonglass
#3 Spell Bound

Next up on the TBR pile:

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Title: Herland

Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Published: 1915

Genre: Classics - Feminism

Pages: 128

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Feminism); Reading Assignment; Popsugar - About Feminism

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) was an American sociologist, writer, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist. Her best remembered work today is her short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper".
"Herland" (1915) describes an isolated society comprised entirely of women who reproduce via parthenogenesis. The result is an ideal social order, free of war, conflict and domination.

I've read and loved Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", but somehow I never picked this one up. Thankful that I did as it's an interesting bit of feminist history. I immediately fell for the account of this utopian society populated only by women. Gilman allows the reader to feel the wonder and confusion along with her three main male characters. Her thoughts of motherhood and societal worth are interesting if a bit outdated. But reminding myself that she wrote this in 1915 gives me the correct lenses to read it through. I don't expected 21st feminist critique from her, but am fascinated by her early 20th century approach.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell

Title: Spellcasting in Silk (Witchcraft Mystery #7)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Berkley 2015

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Popsugar - Next in a series I've started; Library Love

Lily would like nothing better than to relax, enjoy her friends, and take care of business at her store, which is booming thanks to San Francisco's upcoming Summer of Love Festival. But as the unofficial witchy consultant to the SFPD, she is pulled into yet another case.

A woman has jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and her apparent suicide may be connected to a suspicious botanica in the Mission District. When the police investigate the shop, they ask Lily to look into its mysterious owner, whose granddaughter also appears to be missing. As Lily searches for the truth, she finds herself confronted with a confounding mystery and some very powerful magic…

Oh my I loved this volume so much! I think this series has really progressed with lots of growth from Lily and more big interactions between her and the side characters. I cannot wait to see where Lily's relationships with Sailor and Adrian go in the next book. This should be interesting...

As to the storyline of this volume, I loved the inclusion of new witchy characters and lots of San Francisco locales. I did not guess the perpetrator at all! So yeah, for unpredictability. Definitely a fun little cozy mystery. Can't wait to read the next one.

Witchcraft Mystery

Next up on the TBR pile:

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Title: Nefertiti (Nefertiti #1)

Author: Michelle Moran

Publisher: Three Rivers Press 2007

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 474

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Pile; Popsguar - Based on a real person; A to Z - N

Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped that her strong personality will temper the young ruler’s heretical desire to forsake Egypt’s ancient gods.

From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people but fails to see that powerful priests are plotting against her husband’s rule. The only person brave enough to warn the queen is her younger sister, Mutnodjmet.

Observant and contemplative, Mutnodjmet has never shared her sister’s desire for power. She yearns for a quiet existence away from family duty and the intrigues of court. But remaining loyal to Nefertiti will force Mutnodjmet into a dangerous political game; one that could cost her everything she holds dear. Teeming with love, betrayal, political unrest, plague, and religious conflict, Nefertiti brings ancient Egypt to life in vivid detail.

One of those books that I was super excited to read, but let it sit on my shelves for years. Don't know why I waited so long as this was a very good book. I really enjoyed diving into ancient Egypt and the life of Nefertiti and Mutnodjmet. The book started slow, but quickly drew me into the world. I loved Mutnodjmet and many of the side characters. Nefertiti is portrayed as a major bitch, however I'm not completely certain that she wasn't. Either way, the book kept me under its spell. After finishing it, I realized that Moran wrote a sequel! I must pick that one up for February.

Nefertiti

#1 Nefertiti
#2 The Heretic Queen
#3 Cleopatra's Daughter

Next up on the TBR pile:

2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge

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I've done this challenge for the past two years. Joining in yet again!

Made into a movie I've already seen --
True Crime --
Next book in a series I started --
Involving a heist --
Nordic noir --
Based on a real person --
Set in a country that fascinates me --
A time of day in the title --
About a villain or antihero --
About death or grief --
Female author who uses a male pseudonym --
LGBTQ+ Protagonist --
Also a stage play or musical --
Author of a different ethnicity than me --
About feminism --
About mental health --
Borrowed or was give as a gift --
By two authors --
Involving a sport --
Local author --
Favorite color in the title --
Alliteration in the title --
Time travel --
Weather element in the title --
Set at sea --
Animal in title --
Set on a different planet --
Song lyrics in the title --
About or set on Halloween --
Characters who are twins --
Mentioned in another book --
From a celebrity book club --
Childhood classic I've never read --
Published in 2018 --
Goodreads Choice Awards winner --
Set in the decade I was born --
Meant to get to in 2017 but didn't --
Ugly cover --
Involves a bookstore or library --
Fave prompt from 2015, 2016, or 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge --

Advanced

Bestseller from year I graduated high school --
Cyberpunk --
Being read by a stranger in a public place --
Tied to my ancestry --
Fruit or vegetable in the title --
Allegory --
Author with the same first or last name as you --
Microhistory --
About a problem facing society today --
Recommended by someone else taking the Popsugar Reading Challenge --

2017 Reading Challenge Round-up -- Failed Edition

Goal: 56/60 93.3%

The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (1/11/17)
Buffering by Hannah Hart (1/20/17)
The Bargain by Jane Ashford (1/21/17)
A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron (1/22/17)
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (2/6/17)
The Very First Damned Thing by Jodi Taylor (2/18/17)
Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier (2/19/17)
The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell (3/24/17)
The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean (3/24/17)
When a Child is Born by Jodi Taylor (3/27/17)
So Wild a Heart by Candace Camp (4/3/17)
Tuscany for Beginners by Imogen Edwards-Jones (4/7/17)
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (4/12/17)
The Bust Guide to the New Girl Order (4/12/17)
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor (4/13/17)
You're Doing a Great Job by Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn (4/28/17)
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman (5/14/17)
The Hidden Heart by Candace Camp (5/15/17)
The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto (5/26/17)
Roman Holiday by Jodi Taylor (6/3/17)
Secrets of the Heart by Candace Camp (6/3/17)
Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol.2 by Danielle Paige (6/9/17)
A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor (6/24/17)
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (7/8/17)
Christmas Present by Jodi Taylor (7/12/17)
Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel (7/29/17)
Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh (8/4/17)
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (8/9/17)
Simply Love by Mary Balogh (8/22/17)
Simply Magic by Mary Balogh (8/25/17)
Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh (8/27/17)
One Night for Love by Mary Balogh (9/4/17)
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (9/15/17)
Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine (9/16/17)
Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine (9/29/17)
8.4 by Peter Hernon (10/6/17)
Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell (10/8/17)
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (10/20/17)
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (10/20/17)
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff (10/24/17)
Reading People by Anne Bogel (10/25/17)
The Gates by John Connolly (10/27/17)
A Cast Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell (10/30/17)
Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell (11/2/17)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (11/7/17)
In a Witch's Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell (11/14/17)
The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen (11/22/17)
The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark (11/28/17)
A Vision in Velvet by Juliet Blackwell (12/1/17)
Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor (12/6/17)
Bonk by Mary Roach (12/12/17)
The Water Witch by Juliet Dark (12/13/17)
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (12/16/17)
Christmas Magic by Ginny Baird (12/19/17)
The Sometime Bride by Ginny Baird (12/20/17)
A Christmas to Remember by Lisa Kleypas, et al (12/22/17)

Goal: 7/10 70%

A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron (1/22/17)
Burning Bright by Tracey Chevalier (2/19/17)
The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean (3/24/17)
Tuscany for Beginners by Imogen Edwards-Jones (4/7/17)
The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming
Dearly Departed by Lia Habel (7/29/17)
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (8/9/17)
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (DNF)
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin
Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor (12/6/17)
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl
Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens (DNF)

Goal: 39/40 97.5%

Recommended by a librarian — Buffering by Hannah Hart (1/20/17)
On my TBR for too long — A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron (1/22/17)
Book of Letters —
Audiobook — Tarnished and Torn by Juliet Blackwell (11/27/17)
Book by a person of color — Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (6/23/17)
One of the four seasons in title —
Story within a story — Haunted Castles by Ray Russell (10/25/17)
Multiple Authors — The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany (1/11/17)
Espionage thriller —
Cat on the cover — We are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby (8/11/17)
Author who uses a pseudonym — The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey (3/9/17)
Bestseller from a genre i don’t normally read — And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (4/12/17)
By or about a person who has a disability —
Involving travel — A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor (2/28/17)
With a subtitle — Unmentionable by Therese Oneill (3/29/17)
Published in 2017 — Zombies: A Brief History of Decay (6/20/17)
Involving a mythical creature — Atlanrtia by Ally Condie (4/13/17)
Makes me smile — A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor (4/13/17)
About food — Voracious by Cara Nicoletti (10/4/17)
Career advice — Reading People by Anne Bogel (10/25/17)
Nonhuman perspective — Anno Dracula by Kim Newman (5/14/17)
Steampunk novel — Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine (8/21/17)
Red spine — Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine (9/29/17)
Set in the wilderness —The Lost City of Z by David Grann (9/23/17)
Loved as a child —
Author from a country I’ve never visited — Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh (8/4/17)
Title with a character’s name -- Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (5/27/17)
Set during wartime — Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine (9/16/17)
Unreliable narrator — Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (9/15/17)
With pictures — Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs (2/19/17)
Main character with an ethnicity different than me —
About an interesting woman — Dead Feminists by Chandler O'Leary and Jessica Spring (7/27/17)
Set in two different time periods — Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (1/30/17)
Month or day in title —
Set in a hotel — A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner (11/18/17)
Written by someone I admire — The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (11/7/17)
Becoming a movie in 2017 — Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (7/19/17)
Set around a holiday (not Christmas) —
First in a series — A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas (2/10/17)
Book bought on a trip — The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto (5/26/17)

Advanced

Recommended by an author I love —
Bestseller from 2016 — Hamilton The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (3/21/17)
Family member term in title —
Takes place over a characters life span — The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton (11/25/17)
About an immigrant or refugee — Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor (12/6/17)
Genre/Subgenre I’ve never heard of —
Eccentric character — The Mummy by Anne Rice (10/18/17)
More than 800 pages — Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (12/16/17)
Got from a used book sale — Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier (2/19/17)
Mentioned in another book —
About a difficult topic —
Based on mythology — The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark (11/28/17)

Goal: 3/6 50%

A number in numbers – 50 Great American Places by Brent D Glass (7/19/17)
A building –
A title which has an ‘X’ somewhere in it – Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell (11/2/17)
A compass direction –
An item/items of cutlery –
A title in which at least two words share the same first letter – alliteration! – Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell (10/8/17)

Goal: 1/12 8.3%

The Colour of Magic (Rincewind) (2/6/17)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind)
Equal Rites (The Witches, The Wizards)
Mort (Death)
Sourcery (Rincewind, The Wizards)
Wyrd Sisters (The Witches)
Pyramids (Discworld Cultures – Dielibeybi)
Guards! Guards! (The City Watch)
Eric (Rincewind)
Moving Pictures (Misc. – Holy Wood; The Wizards)
Reaper Man (Death, The Wizards)
Witches Abroad (The Witches)

Goal: 4/6 books. 66.7%

A 19th Century Classic –
A 20th Century Classic – The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (10/20/17)
A classic by a woman author – And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (4/12/17)
A classic in translation –
A classic published before 1800 –
An romance classic – The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton (11/25/17)
A Gothic or horror classic – The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (8/9/17)
A classic with a number in the title –
A classic about an animal or which includes the name of an animal in the title –
A classic set in a place you’d like to visit –
An award-winning classic –
A Russian Classic –

Wired into Scifi

Goal: 0/10 0%

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Tau Zero by Poul Anderson
1984 by George Orwell
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement
Ring Around the Sun by Cliffard D. Simak
The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett
When Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie
The Death of Grass by John Christopher
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard
Make Room! Make Room! by Henry Harrison
Logan’s Run by William F. Nolan
The Female Man by Joanna Russ
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Life by Gwyneth Jones

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Title: Voyager (Outlander #3)

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Publisher: Dell 2001

Genre: Historical Romance/Fantasy

Pages: 912

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - More than 800 Pages

Sweeping us from the battlefields of eighteenth-century Scotland to the exotic West Indies, Diana Gabaldon weaves magic once again in an exhilarating and utterly unforgettable novel....Their love affair happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her ... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.When she discovers that Jamie may have survived, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face what awaits her ... the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland ... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that lies beyond the standing stones.

I am not kidding when I say that it has taken me almost a year to get through this one. I started reading it way back in March (??? I think) and just finished it. I just got stuck in the middle for the longest time. I really enjoyed the first about 200 pages detailing Jamie's time after Culloden and Claire traveling back to Scotland. Once they were reunited, I just lost a bit of interest. The pace really slowed down and I just didn't have the burning desire to keep reading. Once I passed page 600 or so, everything starting moving a lot faster and I sped to the finish. There were so many twists and turns in that last 1/3 of the book. I was right along for the ride. Definitely a good read, just took me a year to finish. Here's hoping it doesn't take me all of 2018 to finish The Drums of the Autumn.

Outlander

#0.5 Virgins
#1 Outlander
#2 Dragonfly in Amber
#3 Voyager
#4 The Drums of Autumn
#5 The Fiery Cross
#6 A Breath of Snow and Ashes
#7 An Echo in the Bone
#7.5 The Space Between
#8 Written in My Own Heart's Blood
#8.5 A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows
#9 Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone

Next up on the TBR pile:

Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor

Title: Star of the Sea

Author: Joseph O'Connor

Publisher: Harcourt 2002

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 401

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Read Your Book Shelf; Popsugar -- About an Immigrant

In the bitter winter of 1847, from an Ireland torn by famine and injustice, the Star of the Sea sets sail for NewYork. On board are hundreds of refugees, some optimistic, many more desperate. Among them are a maid with a devastating secret, the bankrupt Lord Merridith, his wife and children, and a killer stalking the decks, hungry for the vengeance that will bring absolution.

This journey will see many lives end, others begin anew. Passionate loves are tenderly recalled, shirked responsibilities regretted too late, and profound relationships shockingly revealed. In this spellbinding tale of tragedy and mercy, love and healing, the farther the ship sails toward the Promised Land, the more her passengers seem moored to a past that will never let them go.

Another one of those "It's been on my shelf way too long" books. I really don't have much to say about this book. It was interesting, but it felt like I was reading this one for forever. I just wasn't super engaged in the storyline or the characters. I kept reading to find out what happened, but I wasn't super excited. I'm sure there are many people who would love this book. I'm just not one of those people.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

Title: The Demon Lover (Fairwick Trilogy #1)

Author: Juliet Dark

Publisher: Ballantine 2011

Genre: Paranormal Fiction

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Based on Mythology; New to Me

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly sensual dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart.

Random read off my shelf. Don't know why I haven't read it before as I really really enjoyed this volume. I fell right into this collection of odd characters and beings. I immediately connected with Callie and her search for self. I loved the fact that Honeysuckle House became a character in its own right. I loved the slow unraveling of the world into a full-fledged reality. I especially loved the short but fascinating scenes featuring Adelaide. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Fairwick Trilogy:

#1 The Demon Lover
#2 The Water Witch
#3 The Angel Stone

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tarnished and Torn by Juliet Blackwell

Title: Tarnished and Torn (Witchcraft Mystery #5)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Berkley 2013

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Audiobook

When Lily arrives at an antique jewelry fair, her bargain sensors go off left and right—but she also picks up a faint vibration of magic. Could the hard-bargaining merchant Griselda be a fellow practitioner? It certainly seems that way when a sudden fire sends panic through the crowd, and Lily discovers Griselda murdered in a way that nods to an old-fashioned witch hunt…

A crime that hits close to home turns into an unwelcome flash from the past when the police bring in their lead suspect—Lily’s estranged father. Though he may not deserve her help, Lily is determined to clear her father’s name and solve a murder that’s anything but crystal clear.

Grabbed this one in audiobook form as I thought it would be easy to listen while driving everywhere and I needed an audiobook for the Popsugar challenge. Unfortunately the audio version wasn't super enjoyable to me. Overall, I really enjoy these books. They are fun little supernatural mysteries that can speed through in between heavier books. While reading then, I often skim through the sections where Lily talks about her background (stuff I've already learned by reading the previous books in the series). With the audio version, I had to listen to all those passages (can't fast forward while driving) and there are many of those passages. It really got annoying after awhile. However, I really did enjoy the characters and the storyline in this one. The opening at the gem fair was especially fun. Definitely a good read. I'll just stick to the print versions for the rest of the series.

Witchcraft Mystery

#1 Secondhand Spirits
#2 A Cast Off Coven
#3 Hexes and Hemlines
#4 In a Witch's Wardrobe
#5 Tarnished and Torn
#6 A Vision in Velvet
#6.5 A Haunting is Brewing
#7 Spellcasting in Silk
#8 A Toxic Trousseau
#9 A Magical Match

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

Title: The Custom of the Country

Author: Edith Wharton

Publisher: 1913

Genre: Classics

Pages: 224

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Classics - Romance; Popsugar - Takes Place Over a Character's Lifetime

Undine Spragg is an exquisitely beautiful but ferociously acquisitive young woman from the Midwest who comes to New York to seek her fortune. She achieves her social ambitions—but only at the highest cost to her family, her admirers, and her several husbands. Wharton lavished on Undine an imaginative energy that suggests she was as fascinated as she was appalled by the alluring monster she had created. It is the complexity of her attitude that makes The Custom of the Country—with its rich social and emotional detail and its headlong narrative power—one of the most fully realized and resonant of her works.

I must say that I was a bit disappointed in this one. I really enjoyed Wharton's The Age of Innocence, but this one felt flat in comparison. Undine is one of the most unlikable characters in literature. No one is rooting for this spoiled brat of a teen in the beginning and no one is rooting for her at the end. I could see Wharton's social commentary, but I just couldn't really get into the characters and storyline to really care.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner

Title: A Bride Across the Ocean

Author: Susan Meissner

Publisher: Berkley 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 363

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Set in a Hotel; New to Me

February, 1946. World War Two is over, but the recovery from the most intimate of its horrors has only just begun for Annaliese Lange, a German ballerina desperate to escape her past, and Simone Deveraux, the wronged daughter of a French Résistance spy.

Now the two women are joining hundreds of other European war brides aboard the renowned RMS Queen Mary to cross the Atlantic and be reunited with their American husbands. Their new lives in the United States brightly beckon until their tightly-held secrets are laid bare in their shared stateroom. When the voyage ends at New York Harbor, only one of them will disembark...

Present day. Facing a crossroads in her own life, Brette Caslake visits the famously haunted Queen Mary at the request of an old friend. What she finds will set her on a course to solve a seventy-year-old tragedy that will draw her into the heartaches and triumphs of the courageous war brides—and will ultimately lead her to reconsider what she has to sacrifice to achieve her own deepest longings.

I randomly picked this up at the library after hearing about it on What Should I Read Next?, Anne Bogel's podcast. And I'm so glad I did. The premise sounded intriguing and it's a different kind of WW2 novel than I have read. I immediately fell in love with all of the historical character. Annaliese, Phoebe, and Simone were great. I loved learning more and more about their stories and speculating on where they ended up. I loved the mystery of "she" aboard the Queen Mary. The transitions between time periods and characters were well done. I never felt ripped out of the storylines. I ended up speeding through this one because it was so good. Definitely a fan. Must check out more of Meissner's works.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: William Morrow 2013

Genre: Fantasty

Pages: 181

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Someone I admire

A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys.

This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real...

I first read and reviewed this novel in September 2013. Upon rereading my review, I think everything I said still holds true so I am going to reprint it here today. "I love how all of Gaiman's books and stories start out fairly normal. You think you're in the world we know. But then, a few pages or a few chapters in, something happens that is not normal. Something appears to throw off our balance. And we find ourselves in a world not quite like ours. This story is no exception. The first chapter lulls you into a sense of normalcy and then bam! you're thrown into something completely different. I loved this little novel about a boy's adventures with "other" things. Since it is told in flashback, I can even imagine the man sitting beside the pond recollecting long forgotten memories of childhood. It's such a peaceful and yet disturbing moment. And as with all Gaiman stories, I could not predict the ending. I had no idea what was going to happen. That made the story all the more fascinating and engaging. Overall, a short but powerful piece.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Haunted Castles by Ray Russell

Title: Haunted Castles

Author: Ray Russell

Publisher: Penguin Classics 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 235

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsguar - Story within a Story; New to Me

Haunted Castles is the definitve, complete collection of Ray Russell's masterful Gothic horror stories, including the famously terrifying novella trio of "Sardonicus," "Sanguinarius," and "Sagittarius." The characters that sprawl through Haunted Castles are frightful to the core: the heartless monster holding two lovers in limbo; the beautiful dame journeying down a damned road toward depravity (with the help of an evil gypsy); the man who must wear his fatal crimes on his face in the form of an awful smile. Engrossing, grotesque, perverted, and completely entrancing, Russell's Gothic tales are the best kind of dreadful.

How have I never heard of Ray Russell? And to find out he is one of Guillermo del Toro's favorite authors? Holy cow this was a great find on the random library shelf. I love love loved every single story included in this collection. But I have to say that my favorite was "Sagittarius" involving Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, and Jack the Ripper. The way Russell crafts his stories fascinated me. I loved the story within a story format for a few of the stories included. I loved the throwback to Gothic storytelling. And I loved the stories themselves. There were thoroughly scary. Perfect pick for my spooky October reads.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Reading People by Anne Bogel

Title: Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything

Author: Anne Bogel

Publisher: Baker Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 217

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar -- Career Advice

For readers who long to dig deeper into what makes them uniquely them (and why that matters), popular blogger Anne Bogel has done the hard part--collecting, exploring, and explaining the most popular personality frameworks, such as Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, and others. She explains to readers the life-changing insights that can be gained from each and shares specific, practical real-life applications across all facets of life, including love and marriage, productivity, parenting, the workplace, and spiritual life. In her friendly, relatable style, Bogel shares engaging personal stories that show firsthand how understanding personality can revolutionize the way we live, love, work, and pray.

I'm a huge fan of Anne Bogel's podcast What Should I Read Next and was intrigued by the entire premise of her new book. I ended up preordering this one so I would get it when it released, but life got in the way of me reading this when it arrived. I ended getting this book this week and really did enjoy it. I read through all the various personality frameworks Bogel discusses but probably only really absorbed about 60% of the information presented. This book will definitely need a reread in a few weeks to continue my understanding of personality framelworks and how they apply to our lives.

Next up on the TBR pile: