A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Title: A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Broadway Books 2010

Genre: Nonfiction - Travel Memoir

Pages: 397

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf Project

Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes—and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods has become a modern classic of travel literature.

Our book club selection for May. We really wanted to get away from historical fiction specifically WWII historical fiction. This definitely delivered on that point. Instead of historical narrative, we get Bryson’s account of his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail. At times I found Bryson and his various hiking companions to be insufferable but at least he can acknowledge that fact. I kept having flashbacks to reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed and how much I hated that book. I finally pinpointed that one of my issues with Strayed was her philosophy of life. Many times it cam across as “everyone should do this to live a fulfilled life.” I just didn’t get that from Bryson at all. He had more of an attitude of “I got this idea of walking the trail, I attempted it, I had some thoughts about my own life, but you do you.” In the end, I found that I really enjoyed this book and need to add some of his other books to my TBR list.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Title: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1)

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Publisher: HarperTeen 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 518

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme - April

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

I have been looking forward to this book for months. I finally fit it into my reading month and was very disappointed. Lou is a great character and I really loved Ansel and Coco. I think the concept of white and red witches. And that’s where the positives ended for me. The readers are constantly reminded that this isn’t our world, but it sure looks a lot like 18th century France complete with the constant use of French words and phrases and that really looks like the Catholic Church. But apparently it’s not our world. I would have liked this better as an alternate history where witches are real. Instead, I kept having to remind myself that this was supposed to be a fantasy world. Second, I quickly grew tired of the constant misogyny present in all the characters. The author could have established that in the beginning and then just dropped it. Instead, we are constantly reminded of how women in this society are worthless at best and evil to the core at worst. I was so tired of reading it over and over. And having Reid keep reminding us was extra annoying. To that end, I totally didn’t buy his love for Lou in the end. Someone doesn’t completely change their entire perspective on life that quickly. Unrealistic… And finally that sex scene between Lou and Reid was a bit much for a young adult novel. We are supposed to believe that Lou is 18 and Reid is 22. It was a bit creepy to read their graphic sex scene (and this is coming from someone who occasionally reads erotica). We really could have done with that. I don’t think I will be reading the sequel when it is released.

Serpent & Dove

#1 Serpent & Dove
#2 Blood & Honey

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Confessions of a Duchess by Nicola Cornick

Title: The Confessions of a Duchess (Brides of Fortune #1)

Author: Nicola Cornick

Publisher: HQN 2009

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

When an ancient tax law is invoked requiring all unmarried ladies to either wed or surrender half their wealth, it's not long before the quiet village of Fortune's Folly is overrun by a swarm of fortune-hunting bachelors. Marry again? Never! Not after what Laura, the dowager duchess, was forced to endure. Even if the arrival of her onetime paramour, Dexter Anstruther, is oh-so-tempting, she knows the secret she's kept from him would destroy any chance at a future together. Young, handsome and scandalously enticing, Dexter suspects Laura has a hidden motive for resisting his charms…and he intends to expose her, by any means necessary.

This one was much more fun than the prequel short story. I really liked Laura and Dexter. The whole hidden child plot in romances is not my favorite, but this one was done better than usual. I was much more interested in the back and forth between the main characters. The subplot involving Lydia was a bit much, but thankfully the book rarely focused on it. What I really want is more from Miles! Here’s hoping the next book stars him and Alice.

Brides of Fortune

#0.5 The Secrets of a Courtesan
#1 The Confessions of a Duchess
#2 The Scandals of an Innocent
#3 The Undoing of a Lady

Next up on the TBR pile:

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

Title: Things in Jars

Author: Jess Kidd

Publisher: Atria Books 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 369

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme

Bridie Devine—female detective extraordinaire—is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, and a peculiar child whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery.

Winding her way through the labyrinthine, sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won’t rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing a past that she’d rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where spectacle is king and nothing is quite what it seems.

Blending darkness and light, history and folklore, Things in Jars is a spellbinding Gothic mystery that collapses the boundary between fact and fairy tale to stunning effect and explores what it means to be human in inhumane times.

This was such a wonderfully strange book. The closest that I can compare to is a mix of Sherlock Holmes and Neil Gaiman’s fairy tale-esque stories. From page one, I was drawn into the story of Bridie and the missing child. Bridie is a great main character with fun quirks. I loved her relationships with Cora, Ruby, and Rose. I really did love the overall mystery of the missing child. I loved the mix of classic mystery and fantastical elements. London became such a great character infusing each page with atmosphere. Beyond the mystery, I wanted to know Bridie’s life and how some of the characters connected to her history, especially Ruby. Kidd’s writing style really brings this story to life. The prose makes this book feel like it was written a very long time ago. I really enjoy the old fashioned style to match with the characters and mystery.

Next up on the TBR pile:

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

Title: All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1)

Author: Adalyn Grace

Publisher: Imprint 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 373

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme - April

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

This was my free birthday month Book of the Month in March. I wasn’t quite sure if I was going to like this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. I immediately fell into the kingdom of Visidia and all the different types of magic. Amora was annoying at first, but I really grew to love her over the journey. She went from a spoiled princess to a fierce protector of the kingdom. I do so love it when characters show grow over the course of a book. Beyond Amora, I loved Bastian and Vataea. Such great traveling companions. Ferrick was less interesting as a character, but I really hope we see more growth from him in the second book. The plot moved quick enough to keep me turning pages. The first book ends on a sorta cliffhanger, but I think it could be read without the second book. I’ll keep a lookout for the publication date of book two.

All the Stars and Teeth

#1 All the Stars and Teeth
#2 All the Tides of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

1776 by David McCullough

Title: 1776

Author: David McCullough

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2006

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 386

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

America’s beloved and distinguished historian presents, in a book of breathtaking excitement, drama, and narrative force, the stirring story of the year of our nation’s birth, 1776, interweaving, on both sides of the Atlantic, the actions and decisions that led Great Britain to undertake a war against her rebellious colonial subjects and that placed America’s survival in the hands of George Washington.

In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence—when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper.

I have a pretty firm grasp on U.S. History seeing as I was a HS Social Studies teacher with an emphasis in U.S. History. As such, I am always a bit hesitant to dive into U.S. History books. I don’t want to spend 300 pages just reviewing everything I already know. Thankfully McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize winning book gave me so much new information that I enjoyed every page. The book follows General Washington and a whole host of characters as they move through 1776 and the colonies. McCullough gives the basics but adds much more with excerpts from primary sources (letters and diaries) and details about many of the players. I especially loved learning more about Henry Knox and Nathanael Greene. They have become known names from the time period, but I didn’t know much more than their most important accomplishments. I loved how McCullough dove into various people while providing a very factual account of movements throughout the year. Even though I knew Trenton and Princeton were coming right at the end of the year, I was compelled by the writing to find out what was going to happen next. Great history book!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Seduction of Lady X by Julia London

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

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Star 2012

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 399

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Monthly Theme - February

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

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

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

The Secrets of Hadley Green

Next up on the TBR pile:

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Met (Well Met #1)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 319

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

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

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

Well Met

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

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lady Mechanika Vol. 4

Title: Lady Mechanika Vol. 4: Clockwork Assassin

Author: Joe Benitez, M.M. Chen, Peter Steigerwald, Mike Garcia, Beth Sotelo

Publisher: Benitez Productions 2018

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 88

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

When a series of brutal murders linked to Mr. Lewis' past leads Detective Inspector Singh to Lady Mechanika's doorstep, the Inspector is finally forced to consider: is Lady Mechanika a crime-fighting hero or a cold blooded killer?

Oooohhhh… this volume was amazing. I loved reading the further adventures of Lady Mechanika. I got really wrapped up in her relationship with Mr. Lewis. I love the interplay between those two. I am also interested in the ongoing involvement of Inspector Singh. I can’t wait to pick up volume 5.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lady Mechanika La Dama de la Muerte

Title: Lady Mechanika La Dama de la Muerte

Author: Joe Benitez, M.M. Chen, Peter Steigerwald, Mike Garcia, Beth Sotelo

Publisher: Benitez Productions 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 88

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

After suffering a tragic loss, Lady Mechanika takes a trip to a small Mexican village just in time for their Día de los Muertos celebration. But the festivities turn truly deadly after the arrival of the Jinetes del Infierno, the mythical Hell Riders. Collects the complete Lady Mechanika Day of the Dead special, La Dama de la Muerte.

Ooohhh… I love this series so much. And this side adventure was perfect. The art was absolutely amazing. We get the trademark action sequences. Plus we learn just a bit more about Lady Mechanika. I must dive into the next volume quickly.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Title: The Family Upstairs

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Book s2019

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

Be careful who you let in.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

First read from my UnRead Shelf and I was a bit disappointed. The story moves along at a fast clip, but I wasn’t super invested in the characters and the ending left much to be desired. I was intrigued by the family mystery and the identity of the baby. wanted to know what happened in the house on Cheyne Walk. I kept reading because I really wanted to find out what happened. And yet, I found myself not really caring about the book after I finished it. Libby was a bit of a limp noodle throughout causing me to not quite care about her. As for the ending, I’m not a fan of the very sinister last chapter. I don’t need my books to always have a happy ending, but this ending was a little too dark. I won’t be keeping this book on my shelf.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Title: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Author: Kim Michele Richardson

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 308

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Literary Escapes - Kentucky

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything―everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she's going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Our book club selection for this month and a definite recommendation. I was immediately intrigued by the back story of the Pack Horse Librarians. I always love learning about the hidden stories from history. And this one is such a good one. From there, the reader gets the added storyline of the blue people of Kentucky. Definitely intriguing. Beyond the storyline, I didn’t know how I was going to enjoy Cussy’s narration of this story. After a few chapters, I got used to the style and it didn’t bother me at all. I think this would be a great book on audio. If the narrator was good, the storytelling would be great.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn

Title: Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham #2)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Romance

Pages: 370

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

Amelia Willoughby has been engaged to the Duke of Wyndham for as long as she can remember. Literally. A mere six months old when the contracts were signed, she has spent the rest of her life waiting. And waiting. And waiting . . . for Thomas Cavendish, the oh-so-lofty duke, to finally get around to marrying her. But as she watches him from afar, she has a sneaking suspicion that he never thinks about her at all . . .

It's true. He doesn't. Thomas rather likes having a fiancée—all the better to keep the husband-hunters at bay—and he does intend to marry her . . . eventually. But just when he begins to realize that his bride might be something more than convenient, Thomas's world is rocked by the arrival of his long-lost cousin, who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham. And if Thomas is not the duke, then he's not engaged to Amelia. Which is the cruelest joke of all, because this arrogant and illustrious duke has made the mistake of falling in love . . . with his own fiancée!

The companion novel to The Lost Duke of Wyndham and it was a good one, even with some repetition. We get the first book, but told from Thomas and Amelia’s points of view. I didn’t love these two quite as much as Jack and Grace. However, I did come to love Amelia as a great foil for Thomas and even for the Dowager. A nice Regency romance for my weekend reading.

Two Dukes of Wyndham

#1 The Lost Duke of Wyndham
#2 Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

Title: The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham #1)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 371

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

Jack Audley has been a highwayman.

A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine . . . until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she's not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have . . .

After some heavy books lately, I had to fall back to one of my comfort genres: Regency Romance. I’ve had this first book of a duology sitting on my shelves since Borders closed years ago. I finally dove in and read it in less than 48 hours! Such a comfort read! I immediately fell for Grace and her highwayman suitor Jack. A great meet-greet. And then we get the big question of whether Jack is the lost Duke of Wyndham… From there the story gallops along until its conclusion. I was here for every single page. The ending was just a great feel-good conclusion with a lovely happily-ever-after. I can’t wait to pick up the companion novel. Thank goodness it’s sitting on my nightstand.

Two Dukes of Wyndham

#1 The Lost Dyke of Wyndham
#2 Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

Title: The Summer Wives

Author: Beatriz Williams

Publisher: William Morrow 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island as a schoolgirl from the margins of high society, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. When her beautiful mother marries Hugh Fisher, whose summer house on Winthrop overlooks the famous lighthouse, Miranda’s catapulted into a heady new world of pedigrees and cocktails, status and swimming pools. Isobel Fisher, Miranda’s new stepsister—all long legs and world-weary bravado, engaged to a wealthy Island scion—is eager to draw Miranda into the arcane customs of Winthrop society.

But beneath the island’s patrician surface, there are really two clans: the summer families with their steadfast ways and quiet obsessions, and the working class of Portuguese fishermen and domestic workers who earn their living on the water and in the laundries of the summer houses. Uneasy among Isobel’s privileged friends, Miranda finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, whose father keeps the lighthouse with his mysterious wife. In summer, Joseph helps his father in the lobster boats, but in the autumn he returns to Brown University, where he’s determined to make something of himself. Since childhood, Joseph’s enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel Fisher, and as the summer winds to its end, Miranda’s caught in a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish Miranda from the island for nearly two decades.

Now, in the landmark summer of 1969, Miranda returns at last, as a renowned Shakespearean actress hiding a terrible heartbreak. On its surface, the Island remains the same—determined to keep the outside world from its shores, fiercely loyal to those who belong. But the formerly powerful Fisher family is a shadow of itself, and Joseph Vargas has recently escaped the prison where he was incarcerated for the murder of Miranda’s stepfather eighteen years earlier. What’s more, Miranda herself is no longer a naïve teenager, and she begins a fierce, inexorable quest for justice for the man she once loved . . . even if it means uncovering every last one of the secrets that bind together the families of Winthrop Island.

Our book club selection for September. I enjoy a good historical mystery and this one was a page-turner. Miranda is a great character to follow through the years. I was rooting for her to find peace and happiness through the years. I was fascinated by Isobel and wished we got to see a bit more from her. But the mystery of death of Hugh Sr. and Joseph’s confession kept me moving through the story. A very intriguing read for this week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Booknotes edited by Brian Lamb

Title: Booknotes: Stories from American History

Editor: Brian Lamb

Publisher: Penguin Books 2002

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 556

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

American history is shaped by great and small events, and in recent years a generation of writers has brought these events to life. They have shared these stories with the viewers of the long-running C-SPAN author-interview program Booknotes, and here some of the best have been collected for readers to savor. In this volume, more than eighty contemporary writers and historians examine seminal moments from American history, celebrated and uncelebrated alike.

Obviously the subject matter of this collection is right up my alley. And it’s been sitting on my shelf for years now. I finally dove in and picked it as my #slowbutsteady read for August. I actually finished it by the end fo the month picking away at the essays one section at a time. I very much enjoyed the stories told in each essay. I even learned a bit about American history. My only complaint is that these are transcripts of a television show. Sometimes, the writing style left much to be desired.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Title: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager

Publisher: Dutton 2019

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

My Book of the Month selection for July and I’m so glad I picked it. I needed a book that was exactly what I was expecting it to be and this one delivered. I wanted an edge of my seat thriller full of suspense, interesting characters, and a satisfying conclusion. I got it! I read this book in less than 8 hours. It was a ride from page one until the very last page. I loved following Jules as she navigates the horror housed in the Bartholomew. Could not put it down! Now I really need to pick up Sager’s other two thrillers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

Title: The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock

Author: Imogen Hermes Gowar

Publisher: Harper 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 496

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Set In Our World

One September evening in 1785, Jonah Hancock hears an urgent knocking on his front door near the docks of London. The captain of one of Jonah’s trading vessels is waiting eagerly on the front step, bearing shocking news. On a voyage to the Far East, he sold the Jonah’s ship for something rare and far more precious: a mermaid. Jonah is stunned—the object the captain presents him is brown and wizened, as small as an infant, with vicious teeth and claws, and a torso that ends in the tail of a fish. It is also dead.

As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlors and brothels, all of London is curious to see this marvel in Jonah Hancock’s possession. Thrust from his ordinary existence, somber Jonah finds himself moving from the city’s seedy underbelly to the finest drawing rooms of high society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of the coquettish Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on—and a shrewd courtesan of great accomplishment. This meeting sparks a perilous liaison that steers both their lives onto a dangerous new course as they come to realize that priceless things often come at the greatest cost.

Another Book of the Month selection that’s been sitting on my shelf for way too long. I picked this one up not really knowing what to expect. Ultimately, I really liked this story involving a merchant, a courtesan, a mermaid, and a real mermaid? However, this really took awhile to get into this story. The first 100 pages are pretty slow moving and are very focused on the Mr. Hancock and Angelica’s separate storylines. Once we get them together, the story really picks up. The writing style is a bit strange. It is written in the style of the late 1800s. Definitely a style that takes some time to get used to, but I did enjoy the writing. Interesting book, but not one that I would recommend to everyone.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips

Title: The Egyptologist

Author: Arthur Phillips

Publisher: Random House 2004

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 383

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf Project; Alphabet Soup - P; Historical Fiction

Just as Howard Carter unveils the tomb of Tutankhamun, making the most dazzling find in the history of archaeology, Oxford-educated Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush is digging himself into trouble, having staked his professional reputation and his fiancée’s fortune on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Meanwhile, a relentless Australian detective sets off on the case of his career, spanning the globe in search of a murderer. And another murderer. And possibly another murderer. The confluence of these seemingly separate stories results in an explosive ending, at once inevitable and utterly unpredictable.

I picked up this book at a library sale a few years back and it’s been sitting on my shelves ever since. I was intrigued by the subject matter and the mystery. Unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of the epistolary style or writing voice. I just couldn’t really get behind any of the characters. The mystery central to the plot was wrapped up too quickly leaving a lot of pages left. This was tough to get through.

Next up on the TBR pile:

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

Title: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

Author: Hank Green

Publisher: Dutton 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Popsugar - Debut; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Alien

The Carls just appeared.

Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship—like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor—April and her friend, Andy, make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day, April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world—from Beijing to Buenos Aires—and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight.

Seizing the opportunity to make her mark on the world, April now has to deal with the consequences her new particular brand of fame has on her relationships, her safety, and her own identity. And all eyes are on April to figure out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.

Finally picked this one up and enjoyed every page of it. I loved the not-relatable main character of April May. She’s not likable and that’s okay. I really enjoyed following her descent into fame along with the unraveling mystery of the Carls. I loved the puzzles and games. This reminded me a bit of Ready Player One. The one thing I don’t like: the ending. Seriously Hank Green!?!?! How could you do that? At any rate, this was such a fun book.

Next up on the TBR pile: