The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

Title: The Dreamers

Author: Karen Thompson Walker

Publisher: Random House 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 303

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar - College Campus; Alphabet Soup - W

One night in an isolated college town in the hills of Southern California, a first-year student stumbles into her dorm room, falls asleep—and doesn’t wake up. She sleeps through the morning, into the evening. Her roommate, Mei, cannot rouse her. Neither can the paramedics, nor the perplexed doctors at the hospital. When a second girl falls asleep, and then a third, Mei finds herself thrust together with an eccentric classmate as panic takes hold of the college and spreads to the town. A young couple tries to protect their newborn baby as the once-quiet streets descend into chaos. Two sisters turn to each other for comfort as their survivalist father prepares for disaster.

Those affected by the illness, doctors discover, are displaying unusual levels of brain activity, higher than has ever been recorded before. They are dreaming heightened dreams—but of what?

I had heard so many great things about this book, but didn’t really know what to expect. What I got was a beautiful story of life past and present. The book is about a mysterious dreaming illness that infects a small town in California, but really that’s just a plot device. We focus on a few different families and see how they react to the illness and then later how some of them react to waking back up. I loved Sara and Libby'‘s story as well as Annie and Ben. We get such interesting characters packed into very little space. When I first started reading, I thought the quick cuts and almost unfinished passage would bother me, but instead they feel more like dreams. There is a stream of consciousness quality to the writing that I actually really enjoy. After reading this one, I want to pick up Walker’s previous work: The Age of Miracles.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Title: Five Feet Apart

Author: Rachael Lippincott

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 276

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Book Becoming a Movie; Women Authors; Romance

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

I’ll admit that I needed a bit of sweet romance in my life after the super heavy books I’ve read lately. That’s not to say that this is all rainbows and butterflies. The story does revolve around teens with cystic fibrosis, so not a light-hearted story. But it does have a lot of hope and humor throughout. I really enjoyed Stella and Will. I loved reading about their burgeoning friendship and romance. But most of all, I loved the ending. Big things happen, but they are all plausible. Everyone does not get magically better and they live happily ever after. They still have the disease, things just change for the better. Now I really do want to see the movie…

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Title: Lilac Girls

Author: Martha Hall Kelly

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 487

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebooks; Popsugar - Plant in Title; Women Authors

New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.

An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.

For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.

The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.

This one was such a disappointment to me. It’s gotten great reviews and my book club picked it for April. My strongest reaction to this book was “meh.” The writing was clunky in certain parts. The story definitely needed to be edited down in sections. But my biggest complaints center on the characters. I just didn’t care about them. There was no emotional connection for me. Were we supposed to feel something for Herta? Or even Kasia when she was struggling with her anger? And Caroline was so flat at times, I just couldn’t. I didn’t really get the message we were supposed to ascertain. I know WWII was horrendous and terrible things were done to people, but beyond that, what?

In finishing the book, I read the afterward from the author. Caroline and Herta were real people. She researched them, Ravensbruck, and the horrors of WWII to create this fictionalized account what happened during and after the war. Okay, so they were real people? I would have rather read biographies of them than this imagining of what went on. And apparently Caroline’s romance with Paul was completely made up. I knew I didn’t like that storyline for a reason. It was so unbelievable and flat to me. Turns out it wasn’t real. That makes me feel better. Overall, I was really disappointed in this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Title: P.S. I Still Love You (TATBILB #2)

Author: Jenny Han

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 2014

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Pages: 337

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Popsugar - “Love”; Alphabet Soup - H

Given the way love turned her heart in the New York Times bestselling To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which School Library Journal called a “lovely, lighthearted romance,” it’s no surprise that Laura Jean still has letters to write.

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

This second book wasn’t as much of a slam dunk as the first one was, but I still really enjoyed. I loved continuing the story of Lara Jean and Peter. I did get a little annoyed at both of them in various parts of the story, but they pulled their heads out of their asses by the end of it. I wonder what the third book is going to be about? Whatever it is, I’ll read it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Title: The Cabin at the End of the World

Author: Paul Tremblay

Publisher: William Morrow 2018

Genre: Horror

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Multiple POVs; Literary Escapes - New Hampshire; Horror

Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake. Their closest neighbors are more than two miles in either direction along a rutted dirt road.

One afternoon, as Wen catches grasshoppers in the front yard, a stranger unexpectedly appears in the driveway. Leonard is the largest man Wen has ever seen but he is young, friendly, and he wins her over almost instantly. Leonard and Wen talk and play until Leonard abruptly apologizes and tells Wen, "None of what’s going to happen is your fault". Three more strangers then arrive at the cabin carrying unidentifiable, menacing objects. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, Leonard calls out: "Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world."

Goodness. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is intense. The action is graphic at times. But even more, the emotions are so high in this book! I was riveted to the spot while reading. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around the actions of the four intruders and those of the family thrown into the situation. The only part that I really didn’t like was the ending. I’m all for ambiguous endings or even open-ended endings, but this one was just too blah after the actions of the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

Title: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Author: Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

Publisher: Dutton 2018

Genre: Nonfiction - Memoir

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Popsugar - Same Letter Name; Nonfiction Bingo - Essay Collection

The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter said he would assay a supporting role in the selfsame pageant. At the first rehearsal she surveyed her fellow cast members, determining if any of the men might qualify to provide her with a satisfying fling. Her gaze fell upon the carpenter, and like a bolt of lightning the thought struck her: no dice. Moving on.

I love these two so much, I had to read their joint memoir/essay collection. I really enjoyed the single essay sprinkled throughout the book. Very funny! The larger chapters with dialogue between the two were slightly less fun. It was the back and forth. I had to really pay attention to understand who was talking. Those portions would have been better in audio form. But I still really enjoyed learning more about them.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Hollow of Fear (Lady Sherlock #3)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 335

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar- Amateur Detective; Cloak and Dagger

Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't. 

Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.

With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram--and a number of malevolent forces...

This volume was such a thrill ride! The prologue sucked me in with the reveal of who Charlotte met in the carriage. And then Lady Ingram’s misfortune was revealed and the story picked up speed. I loved more story from Livia and Lord Ingram’s points of view. A nice change of pace from just Charlotte. And we get more insight into the inner works of the agents of the Crown and those of Moriarty’s crew. The resolution to the mystery was very satisfying, but I must say I was disappointed in Lord Ingram and Charlotte. The tension between those two could set fires roaring without any kindling.

Lady Sherlock

• #1 A Study in Scarlet Women

• #2 A Conspiracy in Belgravia

• #3 The Hollow of Fear

Next up on the TBR pile:

Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

Title: Craven Manor

Author: Darcy Coates

Publisher: Black Owl Books 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 300

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Popsugar - Ghost Story; Horror

Daniel is desperate for a job. When someone slides a note under his door offering him the groundskeeper’s position at an old estate, it seems too good to be true.

Alarm bells start ringing when he arrives at Craven Manor. The mansion’s front door hangs open, and leaves and cobwebs coat the marble foyer. It’s clear no one has lived there in a long time.

But an envelope waits for him inside the doorway. It contains money, and promises more.

Daniel is desperate. Against his better judgement, he moves into the groundskeeper’s cottage behind the crypt. He’s determined to ignore the strange occurrences that plague the estate.

But when a candle flickers to life in the abandoned tower window, Daniel realises Craven Manor is hiding a terrible secret… one that threatens to bury him with it.

This one had a lot of promise. I loved the set-up and the initial time at the manor. Once Daniel met Bran, I felt like the suspense started to go out of the story. I wasn’t as intrigued or scared. I feel like the story lost a lot of steam at the end and the final conflict wasn’t as fraught as I would have liked. But I will say that the scene where Daniel first encounters Annaliese is amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Code Girls by Liza Mundy

Title: Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II

Author: Liza Mundy

Publisher: Hachette Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar - Puzzle; Nonfiction Bingo - Science and Technology

Recruited by the U.S. Army and Navy from small towns and elite colleges, more than ten thousand women served as codebreakers during World War II. While their brothers and boyfriends took up arms, these women moved to Washington and learned the meticulous work of code-breaking. Their efforts shortened the war, saved countless lives, and gave them access to careers previously denied to them. A strict vow of secrecy nearly erased their efforts from history; now, through dazzling research and interviews with surviving code girls, bestselling author Liza Mundy brings to life this riveting and vital story of American courage, service, and scientific accomplishment.

Wow! How did I not know about these amazing women and their contributions to the war effort? Oh right, the military kept most of this information classified for years. Thank goodness many of these women have now been encouraged to tell their stories. The book is information heavy, but great at telling the story of code-breaking both before WWII and during. We make connections to many specific women following their stories through specific units and projects. I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative even when it covered topics or events that I have a fair bit of knowledge of. It was still nice to put everything together into one story. I even took pages of notes about the story. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Zorro by Isabel Allende

Title: Zorro

Author: Isabel Allende Translated by: Margaret Sayers Peden

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 390

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Alphabet Soup - A; Popsugar - Clothing on Cover

Born in southern California late in the eighteenth century, he is a child of two worlds. Diego de la Vega's father is an aristocratic Spanish military man turned landowner; his mother, a Shoshone warrior. Diego learns from his maternal grandmother, White Owl, the ways of her tribe while receiving from his father lessons in the art of fencing and in cattle branding. It is here, during Diego's childhood, filled with mischief and adventure, that he witnesses the brutal injustices dealt Native Americans by European settlers and first feels the inner conflict of his heritage.

At the age of sixteen, Diego is sent to Barcelona for a European education. In a country chafing under the corruption of Napoleonic rule, Diego follows the example of his celebrated fencing master and joins La Justicia, a secret underground resistance movement devoted to helping the powerless and the poor. With this tumultuous period as a backdrop, Diego falls in love, saves the persecuted, and confronts for the first time a great rival who emerges from the world of privilege.

Between California and Barcelona, the New World and the Old, the persona of Zorro is formed, a great hero is born, and the legend begins. After many adventures -- duels at dawn, fierce battles with pirates at sea, and impossible rescues -- Diego de la Vega, a.k.a. Zorro, returns to America to reclaim the hacienda on which he was raised and to seek justice for all who cannot fight for it themselves.

My UnRead Shelf Project pick for January. This has been sitting on my shelf, not for years only months, but for whatever reason, it keeps gets passed over. I finally picked it up and really enjoyed Allende’s style of writing. I love her construction of the story, focusing on different time periods during Diego’s life. I enjoyed the flow of the narrative. Definitely done well! And yet, I wasn’t completely engrossed in the story and and characters. Something about all the characters created a big gap for me. I just didn’t love it. But, a really good historical fiction.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Open House by Elizabeth Berg

Title: Open House

Author: Elizabeth Berg

Publisher: Random House 2000

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 240

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar - Meant to Read in 2018; Women Authors

Samantha's husband has left her, and after a spree of overcharging at Tiffany's, she settles down to reconstruct a life for herself and her eleven-year-old son. Her eccentric mother tries to help by fixing her up with dates, but a more pressing problem is money. To meet her mortgage payments, Sam decides to take in boarders. The first is an older woman who offers sage advice and sorely needed comfort; the second, a maladjusted student, is not quite so helpful. A new friend, King, an untraditional man, suggests that Samantha get out, get going, get work. But her real work is this: In order to emerge from grief and the past, she has to learn how to make her own happiness. In order to really see people, she has to look within her heart. And in order to know who she is, she has to remember—and reclaim—the person she used to be, long before she became someone else in an effort to save her marriage. 

Quite a disappointing read for me. This was recommended by Oprah and a few other bloggers that I follow. I had previously read another of Berg’s novels, Tapestry of Fortunes, and found it fairly charming. This one just fell a bit flat for me. I could not stand the main character and wasn’t all that inspired by her boarders. Struggled to finish this one. Just not for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Title: The Wife Between Us

Author: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar - Two Female Authors

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. 
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing. 

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies.

One of the book club selections for January. This one definitely kept my attention in terms of wanting to find out what happened. I sped through to the ending. Immediately I was interested in Vanessa’s story as well as Nellie’s story. I had sympathetic thoughts towards each women through the first half of the book.. And the twist happened and I was slightly disappointed, but stuck with it. I still wanted to see how the story played out. And then the coincidences and twists kept coming and I started to lose interest. I don’t mind a twist, but there were just too many in this book. And the whole reveal from Emma and her origin family just made me want to put the book down. No thank you. Too much.

Next up on the TBR pile:

RC 2019: Popsugar

1. Book becoming a movie in 2019

2. Book that makes you nostalgic

3. Book written by a musician

4. Book you think should be turned into a movie

5. Book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads

6. Book with a plant in the title or on the cover

7. Reread of a favorite

8. Book about a hobby

9. Book you meant to read in 2018

10. Book with “pop,” “sugar,” or “challenge” in the title

11. Book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover

12. Book inspired by mythology, legend, or folklore

13. Book published posthumously

14. Book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie

15. Retelling of a classic

16. Book with a question in the title

17. Book set on a college or university campus

18. Book about someone with superpowers

19. Book told from multiple character POVs

20. Book set in space

21. Book by two female authors

22. Book with a title that contains “salty,” “sweet,” “bitter,” or “spicy”

23. Book set in Scandinavia

24. Book that takes place in a single day

25. Debut novel

26. Book that’s published in 2019

27. Book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature

28. Book recommended by a celebrity you admire

29. Book with “love” in the title

30. Book featuring an amateur detectice

31. Book about a familuy

32. Book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America

33. Book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title

34. Book that includes a wedding

35. Book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter

36. Ghost story

37. Book with a two-word title

38. Novel based on a true story

39. Book revolving around a puzzle or game

40. Fave prompt from a past challenge

Advanced

1. “Cli-fi” (climate fiction) book

2. “Choose-your-own-adventure” book

3. “Own voices” book

4. Read a book during the season it is set in

5. LitRPG book

6. No chapters/unusual chapter headings/unconventionally numbered chapters

7. Two books that share the same title (1)

8. Two books that share the same title (2)

9. Book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom

10. Book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent

2018 Reading Challenge Roundup - Completed

Oh my goodness! Check out all the reading challenges that I actually finished this year. So happy with my reading stats for 2018!

Popsugar 2018
Goal: 40/40 Books  100%

1. Made into a movie I've already seen -- Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (3/23/18)

2. True Crime -- The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall (2/18/18)

3. Next book in a series I started -- Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell (1/26/18)

4. Involving a heist -- Sourdough by Robin Sloan (5/15/18)

5. Nordic noir --

6. Based on a real person -- Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (1/23/18)

7. Set in a country that fascinates me -- The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (3/21/18)

8. A time of day in the title -- Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (7/6/18)

9. About a villain or antihero -- The Gunslinger by Stephen King (2/25/18)

10. About death or grief -- As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (3/1/18)

11. Female author who uses a male pseudonym -- Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (7/31/18)

12. LGBTQ+ Protagonist -- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (7/14/18)

13. Also a stage play or musical -- Dracula by Bram Stoker (10/24/18)

14. Author of a different ethnicity than me -- Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (9/12/18)

15. About feminism -- Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (2/7/18)

16. About mental health -- The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (4/13/18)

17. Borrowed or was give as a gift -- The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman (5/4/18)

18. By two authors -- The Passion of Cleopatra by Anne Rice and Christopher Rice (3/7/18)

19. Involving a sport --

20. Local author -- A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell (2/9/18)

21. Favorite color in the title -- Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (11/24/18)

22. Alliteration in the title -- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (2/9/18)

23. Time travel -- No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor (1/16/18)

24. Weather element in the title -- Strange Weather by Joe Hill (12/22/18)

25. Set at sea -- The Great Halifax Explosion by John Bacon (4/7/18)

26. Animal in title -- Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow (5/12/18)

27. Set on a different planet -- Artemis by Andy Weir (9/18/18)

28. Song lyrics in the title -- Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (11/7/18)

29. About or set on Halloween -- The Elite by Kiera Cass (6/11/18)

30. Characters who are twins -- Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (7/20/18)

31. Mentioned in another book -- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (5/29/18)

32. From a celebrity book club -- Open House by Elizabeth Berg

33. Childhood classic I've never read -- Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (5/30/18)

34. Published in 2018 -- The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (3/24/18)

35. Goodreads Choice Awards winner -- Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (8/22/18)

36. Set in the decade I was born --

37. Meant to get to in 2017 but didn't -- NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (4/17/18)

38. Ugly cover -- Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien (5/23/18)

39. Involves a bookstore or library -- 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (3/30/18)

40. Fave prompt from 2015, 2016, or 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge -- The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (6/26/18)

Advanced 

1. Bestseller from year I graduated high school --

2. Cyberpunk --

3. Being read by a stranger in a public place -- Florida Lauren Groff (10/17/18)

4. Tied to my ancestry --

5. Fruit or vegetable in the title -- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer (10/23/18)

6. Allegory --

7. Author with the same first or last name as you --

8. Microhistory -- College Girls by Lynn Peril (8/28/18)

9. About a problem facing society today --

10. Recommended by someone else taking the Popsugar Reading Challenge -- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (12/11/18)

What's in a Name?
Goal: 6/6 Books  100%

1. Word "the" used twice -- The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell by Mira Grant (2/2/18)

2. Fruit or Vegetable -- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer (10/23/18)

3. A shape -- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (7/14/18)

4. Begins with Z -- Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (12/15/18)

5. A nationality -- The English Wife by Lauren Willig (2/1/18)

6. A season -- A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh (3/10/18)

A to Z
Goal: 26/26 Books 100%

1. The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark (2/4/18)

2. The Bostonians by Henry James (1/30/18)

3. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (3/23/18)

4. The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/9/18)

5. The Emerald City by Jane Yolen (4/29/18)

6. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (5/26/18)

7. The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/8/18)

8. A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell (1/24/18)

9. If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell (4/4/18)

10. Jennifer Government by Max Barry (4/26/18)

11. Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell (6/28/18)

12. Literary Wonderlands edited by Laura Miller (2/23/18)

13. Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke (4/11/18)

14. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (1/23/18)

15. The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels (1/12/18)

16. The Poet and the Murder by Simon Worrall (2/18/18)

17. The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter (5/18/18)

18. A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/10/18)

19. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2/26/18)

20. Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (5/6/18)

21. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (8/26/18)

22. A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair (10/3/18)

23. Washington Square by Henry James (8/18/18)

24. eXtinct by Ike Hamill (10/19/18)

25. You’re the Rogue that I Want by Samantha Holt (10/13/18)

26. Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (12/15/18)

Seasonal Series Autumn
(September - December)
Goal: 25/25 Books. 100%

1. Read a book from a sci fi series - What Could Possibly Go Wrong by Jodi Taylor (10/6/18)
2. Read a book (partly) set in fall - Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/22/18)
3. Read a book with PoC characters - Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha (12/4/18)
4. Read a book with orange on the cover - Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/28/18)
5. Read a suspenseful/ scary/ creepy book - Dollhouse by Anya Allyn (10/12/18)
6. Read a book while eating candy - Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair (10/5/18)
7. Read a book set in the real world - A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (10/10/18)
8. Read a first book in a series - A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair (10/3/18)
9. Catch up on a series - A Magical Match by Juliet Blackwell (11/14/18)
10.Read a book with rain in the background - You’re the One that I Want by Samantha Holt (10/13/18)
11. Read a book with red on the cover - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (10/31/18)
12. Read while eating soup - Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen (10/16/18)
13. Free Space: read any book of a series - My Name is Markham by Jodi Taylor (11/28/18)
14. Read a book that's part of a duology - Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (11/7/18)
15. Take a walk while listening to an audiobook - The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (12/7/18)
16. Read a book that scares you (b/c of size, hype,...) - Lies, Damned Lies, and History by Jodi Taylor (11/13/18)
17. Read a book while wearing a sweater - Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen (11/23/18)
18. Read a book while drinking a tea - The Great St. Mary’s Day Out by Jodi Taylor (11/17/18)
19. Read a book that you think will break your heart - Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (12/15/18)
20. Read a book that's not YA - Death by Diamonds by Annette Blair (11/26/18)
21. Read a comic or graphic novel that's part of a series - Monstress Vol. 3 (11/21/18)
22. Read bonus content from a series (novella/ prologue,...) - Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings by Jodi Taylor (10/9/18)
23. Read a book while eating an apple or apple pie - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (9/29/18)
24. Read a book with creatures of the night - Extinct by Ike Hamill (10/19/18)
25.  Use a leaf as a bookmark - Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand (12/14/18)

Modern Mrs. Darcy
Goal: 12/12 Books  100%

1. Classic I've been meaning to read -- The Bostonians by Henry James (1/30/18)

2. Recommended by someone with good taste -- The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (3/16/18)

3. In translation -- How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson (8/8/18)

4. Nominated for a 2018 award -- Florida by Lauren Groff (10/17/18)

5. Poetry, Play, or Essay collection -- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2/27/18)

6. Read in a day -- Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2/26/18)

7. More than 500 pages -- The Arabian Nights (1/19/18)

8. Favorite author -- The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen (4/29/18)

9. Recommended by librarian or indie bookseller -- The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (1/4/18)

10. Banned book -- Looking for Alaska by John Green (12/12/18)

11. Memoir, biography, or book of creative nonfiction -- The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (6/26/18)

12. Author of different race, ethnicity, or religion than me -- Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (9/12/18)

Mount TBR
Goal: 48/48 Books 100%

1. The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels (1/12/18)

2. No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor (1/16/18)

3. A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell (1/24/18)

4. The English Wife by Lauren Willig (2/1/18)

5. The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell (2/2/18)

6. The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall (2/18/18)

7. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2/27/18)

8. As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (3/1/18)

9. A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh (3/10/18)

10. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (3/23/18)

11. The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (3/24/18)

12. Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser (3/28/18)

13. The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (4/13/18)

14. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (4/17/18)

15. Slightly Married by May Balogh (4/25/18)

16. Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh (4/25/18)

17. Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh (4/25/18)

18. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (4/27/18)

19. Circe by Madeline Miller (5/5/18)

20. Slightly Tempted by Mary Balogh (5/16/18)

21. Slightly Sinful by Mary Balogh (5/16/18)

22. Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh (5/16/18)

23. For Darkness Shows the Stars Short Stories by Diana Peterfreund (5/27/18)

24. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (5/29/18)

25. Murder on the House by Juliet Blackwell (6/2/18)

26. The Stanforth Secrets by Jo Beverley (6/20/18)

27. The Anomaly by Michael Rutger (6/29/18)

28. Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed by Jo Beverley (7/10/18)

29. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (7/28/18)

30. The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley (8/10/18)

31. Daisy Miller and Washington Square by Henry James (8/18/18)

32. Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (8/22/18)

33. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (8/26/18)

34. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (9/5/18)

35. Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready (9/14/18)

36. I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel (9/21/18)

37. What Could Possibly Go Wrong by Jodi Taylor (10/6/18)

38. Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings by Jodi Taylor (10/9/18)

39. Dollhouse by Anya Allyn (10/12/18)

40. You’re the Rogue that I Want by Samantha Holt (10/13/18)

41. Extinct by Ike Hamill (10/19/18)

42. Dracula by Bram Stoker (10/24/18)

43. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (10/31/18)

44. Spinning Straw into Gold by Joan Gould (11/6/18)

45. Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (11/7/18)

46. The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian (11/9/18)

47. On a Cold Dark Sea by Elizabeth Blackwell (11/25/18)

48. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (12/11/18)

Graphic Novel
Goal: 52/52 Books  100%

1. The Walking Dead Vol. 27 (1/8/18)

2. The Walking Dead Vol. 28 (5/9/18)

3. The Walking Dead Vol. 29 (7/11/18)

4. The Walking Dead: Here's Negan (7/7/18)

5. Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1 (1/7/18)

6. Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 2 (1/7/18)

7. Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 1 (1/6//18)

8. Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 2 (1/6/18)

9. Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 3 (1/6/18)

10. Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 4 (1/6/18)

11. Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire by Neil Gaiman (2/1/18)

12. Saga Vol. 8 (2/3/18)

13. Moonshine Vol. 1 (2/10/18)

14. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2/13/18)

15. Low Vol. 1 (2/14/18)

16. Monstress Vol. 2 (2/16/18)

17. Revival Vol. 4 (2/17/18)

18. Revival Vol. 5 (2/17/18)

19. Revival Vol. 6 (2/20/18)

20. Revival Vol. 7 (2/20/18)

21. Revival Vol. 8 (4/6/18)

22. ApocalyptiGirl by Andrew MacLean (2/21/18)

23. Jane by Aline Brosh McKenna (2/25/18)

24. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 6 (3/9/18)

25. One Week in the Library (3/13/18)

26. Penny Dreadful Vol. 1 (4/6/18)

27. Creatures of the Night by Neil Gaiman (6/8/18)

28. The Haunted Mansion (6/9/18)

29. March Vol. 1 (6/10/18)

30. March Vol. 2 (6/19/18)

31. March Vol. 3 (6/19/18)

32. Paper Girls Vol. 1 (6/13/18)

33. Paper Girls Vol. 2 (6/13/18)

34. Paper Girls Vol. 3 (6/14/18)

35. Paper Girls Vol. 4 (6/25/18)

36. Moonstruck Vol. 1 (6/16/18)

37. Wayward Vol. 1 (6/26/18)

38. Wayward Vol. 2 (6/26/18)

39. Wayward Vol. 3 (6/26/18)

40. Wayward Vol. 4 (6/27/18)

41. Wayward Vol. 5 (6/27/18)

42. Giant Days Vol. 1 (6/28/18)

43. Giant Days Vol. 2 (6/28/18)

44. Giant Days Vol. 3 (6/2818)

45. Giant Days Vol. 4 (6/28/18)

46. Giant Days Vol. 5 (6/29/18)

47. Giant Days Vol. 6 (6/29/18)

48. Giant Days Vol. 7 (6/29/18)

49. Locke and Key: Heaven and Earth (7/7/18)

50. Rat Queens Vol. 4 (9/7/18)

51. Black Magick Vol. 1 (9/8/18)

52. East of West Vol. 8 (11/10/18)

Library Love
Goal: 60/60 Books 100%

1. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (1/4/18)

2. The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/8/18)

3. The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/9/18)

4. A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/10/18)

5. Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell (1/26/18)

6. The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark (2/4/18)

7. A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell (2/9/18)

8. The Gunslinger by Stephen King (2/25/18)

9. Literary Wonderlands edited Laura Miller (2/23/18)

10. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2/26/18)

11. Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins (3/8/18)

12. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins (3/14/18)

13. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (3/16/18)

14. Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal (3/30/18)

15. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (3/30/18)

16. If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell (4/4/18)

17. Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell (4/6/18)

18. The Great Halifax Explosion by John Bacon (4/7/18)

19. Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke (4/11/18)

20. Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman (4/13/18)

21. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (4/20/18)

22. River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey (4/24/18)

23. Lost San Francisco by Dennis Evanosky (4/24/18)

24. Lost Worlds of the San Francisco Bay Area by Sylvia Linsteadt (4/25/18)

25. Jennifer Government by Max Barry (4/26/18)

26. The Emerald City by Jane Yolen (4/29/18)

27. Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (5/6/18)

28. The Little Book of Feminist Saints by Julia Pierpont and Manjit Thapp (5/11/18)

29. Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow (5/12/18)

30. Sourdough by Robin Sloan (5/15/18)

31. The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter (5/18/18)

32. A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (6/3/18)

33. A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter (6/4/18)

34. The Selection by Kiera Cass (6/6/18)

35. The Elite by Kiera Cass (6/11/18)

36. The Selection Stories by Kiera Cass (6/12/18)

37. The One by Kiera Cass (6/12/18)

38. Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (6/15/18)

39. Home for the Haunting by Juliet Blackwell (6/16/18)

40. Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass (6/22/18)

41. The Heir by Kiera Cass (6/24/18)

42. The Crown by Kiera Cass (6/24/18)

43. Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell (6/28/18)

44. Symbiont by Mira Grant (7/4/18)

45. Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (7/6/18)

46. Chimera by Mira Grant (7/13/18)

47. Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell (7/18/18)

48. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (7/20/18)

49. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (7/21/18)

50. A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell (7/25/18)

51. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine (8/4/18)

52. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (8/14/18)

53. Pox Americana by Elizabeth Fenn (9/8/18)

54. Cocktails Across America by Diane Lapis and Anne Davis-Peck (9/11/18)

55. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (9/15/18)

56. Artemis by Andy Weir (9/18/18)

57. Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/22/18)

58. Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/28/18)

59. A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair (10/3/18)

60. Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair (10/5/18)

Share-A-Tea
Goal: 20/20 Books  100%

1. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (1/4/18)

2. The English Wife by Lauren Willig (2/1/18)

3. As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (3/1/18)

4. The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (3/24/18)

5. No That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser (3/28/18)

6. Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke (4/11/18)

7. Circe by Madeline Miller (5/5/18)

8. Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow (5/12/18)

9. A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (6/3/18)

10. Parasite by Mira Grant (6/20/18)

11. The Anomaly by Michael Rutger (6/29/18)

12. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (7/21/18)

13. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (7/28/18)

14. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (7/31/18)

15. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine (8/4/18)

16. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (8/14/18)

17. Daisy Miller and Washington Square by Henry James (8/18/18)

18. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (8/25/18)

19. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (9/5/18)

20. I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel (9/21/18)

Picture Books
Goal: 88/88 Books  100%

1. Title beginning with A - Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty (January)
2. Author beginning with A - And the Tide Comes In by Merryl Alber (May)
3. Title beginning with B - Boo, Bunny! By Kathryn O. Galbraith (March)
4. Author beginning with B - Arthur Goes to Camp by Marc Brown (February)
5. Title beginning with C - Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman (January)
6. Author beginning with C - Pug in a Truck by Nancy Coffelt (January)
7. Title beginning with D - Duck by Randy Cecil (February)
8. Author beginning with D - The Conductor by Laetitia Devernay (February)
9. Title beginning with E - Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker (February)
10. Author beginning with E - Rain Fish by Lois Ehlert (March)
11. Title beginning with F - Friendshape by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld (April)
12. Author beginning with F - Lunch by Denise Fleming (February)
13. Title beginning with G - Good Night Planes by Adam Gamble (March)
14. Author beginning with G - Chu's Day at the Beach by Neil Gaiman (February)
15. Title beginning with H - Half a World Away by Libby Gleeson (January)
16. Author beginning with H - Duck & Goose Let’s Dance by Tad Hills (March)
17. Title beginning with I - Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty (January)
18. Author beginning with I - I Hear a Pickle by Rachel Isadora (June)
19. Title beginning with J - Joshua's Masai Mask by Dakari Hru (January)
20. Author beginning with J - The Incredibly Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers (March)
21. Title beginning with K - The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright (March)
22. Author beginning with K - It's Vacation Time by Lerryn Korda (February)
23. Title beginning with L - Lovely Old Lion by Julia Jarman (March)
24. Author beginning with L - Thumpy Feet by Betsy Lewin (February)
25. Title beginning with M - Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin (February) 
26. Author beginning with M - Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson (February)
27. Title beginning with N - A Night at the Zoo by Kathy Caple (March)
28. Author beginning with N - If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff (June)
29. Title beginning with O - One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote by Bonnie Worth (March)
30. Author beginning with O - Little Billy-Bob Eats It All Up by Pauline Oud (March)
31. Title beginning with P. - The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems (January)
32. Author beginning with P - Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette (March)
33. Title or Author beginning with Q - Quest by Aaron Becker (May)
34. Title beginning with R - The Rise and Fall of Oscar the Magician by Matthew Porter (January)
35. Author beginning with R - Ten Sleepy Sheep by Phyllis Root (February)
36. Title beginning with S - South by Daniel Duncan (March)
37. Author beginning with S - Big Choo by Stephen Shaskan (May)
38. Title beginning with T - Train by Elisha Cooper (January)
39. Author beginning with T - Tumford the Terrible by Nancy Tillman (June)
40. Title or Author beginning with U - The Quiet Book! by Deborah Underwood
41. Title or Author beginning with V or W - This is Not a Good Idea by Mo Willems (January)
42. Title or Author beginning with X or “Ex” - Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison (August)
43. Title beginning with Y - You Can Do It, Bunny by Pamela Kennedy (August)
44. Author beginning with Y - Meow! By Victoria Ying (August)
45. Title or Author beginning with Z - Zootopia The Essential Guide (May)
46. An alphabet book - 123 Versus ABC by Mike Boldt (March)
47. A counting book - 1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman (February)
48. A color word in the title - Little Green Peas by Keith Baker (January)
49. A number word in the title - Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems (January)
50. Concept book of your choice: picture book - Patterns from Nature: The Art of Klimt by Myeong-Hwa Yu and Seung-Beom Yu (January)
51. Concept book of your choice: board book - Crocopotamus by Mary Murphy (January)
52. Bedtime book: board book - Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin (February)
53. Bedtime book: picture book - The Wrong Side of the Bed by Lisa M. Bakos (July)
54. Book that rhymes: picture book - And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss (January)
55. Book that rhymes: early reader OR board book - Hide and Seek Harry at the Playground by Kenny Harrison (March)
56. Holiday of your choice: board book or early reader - Happy Holidays Blaze (June)
57. Holiday of your choice: picture book - Little Mouse’s Big Valentine by Thacher Hurd (March)
58. Wordless picture book - Wave by Suzy Lee (May)
59. New to you author - Fins, Fluff, and Other Stuff by Bruno Merz (February)
60. New to you illustrator - The Perfect Hug by Joanna Walsh, illustrated by Judi Abbot (February)
61. Favorite author - The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems (January)
62. Favorite illustrator - Duck and Goose by Tad Hills (January)
63. Free choice - I Love You Like a Pig by Mac Barnett (February)
64. Fairy or folk tale adaptation - Little Red Riding Hood by Trixie. Bell (January)
65. Fairy or folk tale traditional - The Tortoise and the Hare by Jerry Pinkney (February)
66. A title with the word “first” in it - First Steps by Lee Wardlaw (February)
67. A book set in the state you live - Hello, National Parks by Martha Day Zschock (June)
68. A book set in a place you’d like to visit - Lily's Garden of India by Jeremy Smith (January)
69. A book set in an imaginary place - Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery by David Gordon (February)
70. A book set in the past: fiction or nonfiction - Madeline and the Old House in Paris by John Bemelmans Marciano (May)
71. A book set in the present -- Emma and the Whale by Lee White (March)
72. One word title - Pirasaurs by Josh Funk (January)
73. Long title (four or more words) - The Problem with Not Being Scared of Kids by Dan Richards (January)
74. A book about playing (hide and seek, tag, or peekaboo, etc.) - The Monsterator by Keith Graves (February)
75. A book about school - Steve, Raised by Wolves by Jared Chapman (May)
76. A book about hobbies (art, dance, music, crafts, sports) - Good Morning Yoga by Mariam Gates (March)
77. A title that is a question - The Duckling Gets a Cookie? by Mo Willems (January)
78. A title that is an exclamation -- There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! By Lucille Colandro (March)
79. An award winner or an honor book -- Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni (March)
80. A collection (of poems OR stories) - The Rooster Grows by Maud and Miska Petersham (March)
81. A book with animals (fiction) - You Can Do It Bert by Ole Konnecke (February)
82. A book with animals (nonfiction)  - Apatosaurus by Charles Lennie (March)
83. A book about books or reading - Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk (March)
84. A book celebrating family - My Mommy Hung the Moon by Jamie Lee Curtis (February)
85. Book with an adventure or misadventure - This Book is Out of Control by Richard Byrne (January)
86. A book about a pet - Looking for Luna by Tim Myers (February)
87. Impulse Pick -- Land Shark by Beth Ferry (March)
88. Picture book published in 2018 - Go Go Cars by Jennifer Liberts (May)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Washington Square Press 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 389

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Recommendation

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

I’ve heard such great things about this book from blogs, podcasts, and articles. I’m so glad that I did pick it up and am joining in this month’s book club discussion about it. I know that Evelyn isn’t supposed to be a great person, but I found that I really really liked her. I loved following her life story through her seven husbands. I loved the big twist that came in the middle of the book. (Although to be fair, I did see it coming; hello foreshadowing!) I especially loved seeing many of the side characters come and go throughout her life. And yet, I’m not totally in love with the ending. The big twist regarding Monique felt a little too contrived for me. I would have preferred to keep the story about Evelyn instead.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Title: Purple Hibiscus

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2003

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 307

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 21st Century Women Authors; Popsugar - Fave Color

Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating.

As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father's authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins' laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together.

A very powerful story about family. I was rooting for Kambili and Jaja throughout the novel. I just want them to have a good life aware from hardship and strife. Of course, that wasn’t to be, but it was nice to see them gain strength over the course of the story. Adichie crafts a richly descriptive world. I especially loved the descriptions and passages about food. I wouldn’t say I loved this book, but I really enjoyed the journey.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant

Title: Rolling in the Deep (Rolling in the Deep #0.5)

Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit

Genre: Horror

Pages: 128

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR: Popsugar - Lyrics; Seasonal Series - Duology

When the Imagine Network commissioned a documentary on mermaids, to be filmed from the cruise ship Atargatis, they expected what they had always received before: an assortment of eyewitness reports that proved nothing, some footage that proved even less, and the kind of ratings that only came from peddling imaginary creatures to the masses.

They didn't expect actual mermaids.  They certainly didn't expect those mermaids to have teeth.

This is the story of the Atargatis, lost at sea with all hands.  Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.  Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the bathypelagic zone in the Mariana Trench…and the depths are very good at keeping secrets.

A lovely, horrifying prequel to Into the Drowning Deep. Anyone who has read the main novel knows how this prequel is going to end, but I was still on pins and needles waiting to find out the fate of the crew on the Atargatis. And the sirens were just as horrifying (maybe even more so than the novel). A great read!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Title: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

Publisher: 1897

Genre: Horror

Pages: 488

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NPR Horror); Popsugar - Play or Musical; Mount TBR

Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so he may find new blood and spread undead curse, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing. 

A fun spooky reread for my October. I think it’s been at least 5 years since I last read this book and have forgotten how much I really enjoy it. I love the rich descriptions of Transylvania and The Count. I always forget the journey to the castle and the foreshadowing we get about the horror that awaits. So good! And then we get an expansion of characters featuring some truly memorable ones. Renfield! My favorite! I love every encounter with him. I sped through the rest of the book just to get to the demise of The Count. Love it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Author: Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

Publisher: Dial Press 2009

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 21st Century Women Authors; Popsugar - Vegetable; What’s in a Name - Vegetable

“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb. . . .

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

I finally picked up this raved about book and absolutely loved it! The first 25 pages were a bit slow as we introduce the characters and the backstory. Once Juliet arrived on Guernsey I couldn’t stop reading. It was just too engaging! I fell for every single inhabitant on the island and even the ones not on the island. I love the epistolary structure of the book. It adds just a bit of fun and novelty into a great storyline. At times I was almost in tears learning about the characters. But at other times, I was laughing at the jokes and misadventures. This is a book that is going to be kept on my read and loved shelf for years to come. I’m certain I’ll be rereading this in the coming years.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Florida by Lauren Groff

Title: Florida

Author: Lauren Groff

Publisher: Riverbed Books 2018

Genre: Short Stories

Pages: 275

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Stranger Read; Modern Mrs. Darcy - 2018 Award Nominee

In her thrilling new book, Lauren Groff brings the reader into a physical world that is at once domestic and wild—a place where the hazards of the natural world lie waiting to pounce, yet the greatest threats and mysteries are still of an emotional, psychological nature. A family retreat can be derailed by a prowling panther, or by a sexual secret. Among those navigating this place are a resourceful pair of abandoned sisters; a lonely boy, grown up; a restless, childless couple, a searching, homeless woman; and an unforgettable, recurring character—a steely and conflicted wife and mother. 

I had heard great things about this collection of stories and decided to read it after loving Groff’s The Monsters of Templeton. Although I must say that I did like Fates and Furies at all. And so I dove into this story collection, but just couldn’t find myself loving these stories at all. I’m not a fan of Groff’s writing. Her vagueness in plot and insubstantial characters can’t keep my attention. I finished this collection, but I think I’m done with Groff’s writing…

Next up on the TBR pile: