Realm Breaker

Realm Breaker

By Victoria Aveyard
HarperTeen, 2021. 576 pages. Fantasy

A strange darkness grows in Allward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea. She soon discovers the truth. She is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won't be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions: a squire, forced to choose between home and honor; an immortal, avenging a broken promise; an assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty; an ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight; a forger with a secret past; and a bounty hunter with a score to settle. Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.

I picked up this book because I previously read and enjoyed the Red Queen series by Aveyard. Realm Breaker is her foray into high fantasy. The story is told through multiple characters’ perspectives, many of which are through the eyes of strong, kick-butt female personas. The book begins with an action-packed prologue which felt unemotional to me, despite the sad event that was depicted. This event is frequently mentioned or reflected on by many characters which can be repetitive and uninteresting to the reader. Because this pinnacle event occurs before any emotional connections are built with the characters, it becomes difficult to care about the people later on.

I felt some of the characters lacked depth; I craved more personality and less archetypal individuals which are often seen in high fantasy novels.

The plot twists and unpredictable characters’ actions keep the reader curious. I sense the next book will reveal more about the characters’ motivations and histories. Despite this book’s shortcomings, I will probably give the next book a try in the hopes that my expectations for Realm Breaker will be realized in the sequel.

If you like Realm Breaker, you might also like:

The Cruel Prince
By Holly Black
Little Brown & Co, 2018. 384 pages. Fantasy

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
By Rae Carson
Greenwillow Books, 2011. 448 pages. Fantasy

A fearful sixteen-year-old princess discovers her heroic destiny after being married off to the king of a neighboring country in turmoil and pursued by enemies seething with dark magic.

Furyborn
By Claire Legrand
Sourcebooks Fire, 2018. 512 pages. Fantasy

The stunningly original, must-read fantasy of 2018 follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it.

When assassins ambush her best friend, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing herself as one of a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light, and a queen of blood. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven elemental magic trials. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.

One thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a fairy tale to Eliana Ferracora. A bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, Eliana believes herself untouchable—until her mother vanishes. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain and discovers that the evil at the empire's heart is more terrible than she ever imagined.

As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world—and of each other.

JC

Love from Scratch

Love from Scratch

by Kaitlyn Hill

Delacorte Press, 2022. 358 pages. Young Adult Fiction

This summer, Reese Camden is trading sweet tea and Southern hospitality for cold brew and crisp coastal air. She's landed her dream marketing internship at Friends of Flavor, a wildly popular cooking channel in Seattle. The only problem? Benny Beneventi, the relentlessly charming, backwards-baseball-cap-wearing culinary intern--and her main competition for the fall job. Reese's plan to keep work a No Feelings Zone crumbles like a day-old muffin when she and Benny are thrown together for a video shoot that goes viral, making them the internet's newest ship. Audiences are hungry for more, and their bosses at Friends of Flavor are happy to deliver. Soon Reese and Benny are in an all-out food war, churning homemade ice cream, twisting soft pretzels, breaking eggs in an omelet showdown--while hundreds of thousands of viewers watch. Reese can't deny the chemistry between her and Benny. But the more their rivalry heats up, the harder it is to keep love on the back burner ...

If you like Rom Coms and The Great British Baking Show, then this is the book for you. The fun banter between Reese and Benny will make you think of quippy conversations in You’ve Got Mail and Pride and Prejudice. Hill’s description of the food industry and the rampant sexism that exits is the backdrop for this character driven, issue-oriented love story. The main characters are well developed, but Benny seems at times almost too good to be true, the ultimate good guy. But who doesn’t need more good guys out there? Ultimately, the novel will have you cheering on these amateur chefs with hearts of gold.  

If you liked Love from Scratch, you may also like:

A Taste for Love

by Jennifer Yen

Razorbill, 2021. 322 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Both high school senior Liza Yang and her mother share a love and talent for baking but disagree on the subject of dating, especially when Mrs. Yang turns her annual baking contest into a matchmaking scheme.

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

by Laura Taylor Namey

Atheneum, 2020. 308 pages, Young Audlt Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Lila Reyes, furious when her parents send her to the English countryside to recover from grief and heartbreak, unexpectedly falls in love with a teashop clerk--and England, itself.

AG

The It Girl

The It Girl

by Ruth Ware
Scout Press, 2022. 422 pages. Mystery 

April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they cultivated a group of devoted and inseparable friends -- Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily -- during their first term. By the end of the year, April was dead. Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Hannah is relieved to have finally put the past behind her, but her world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April's death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide ... including a murder.

Ruth Ware’s mysteries, like The Woman in Cabin 10 and One by One, consistently earn rave reviews for a reason. Her Agatha Christie-esque plots, modern settings, and class commentary weave together into a who done it that will truly leave you guessing. Ware’s vivid characters each have unique backstories, personalities, and motives, and there were a few I both suspected and connected with enough to desperately hope weren’t guilty. A great pick for thriller and mystery fans, narrated perfectly in audiobook form by Imogen Church.

If you like The It Girl, you might also like:

The Club
by Lloyd Ellery
Harper, 2022. 320 pages. Fiction 

Envisioned as a luxurious home-away-from-home for Very Important People, The Home Group is a collection of celebrity members clubs dotted across the globe where the rich and famous can party hard and then crash out in its five-star suites, far from the prying eyes of fans and the media. But behind the scenes, tensions are at breaking point. As tempers fray and behavior worsens, as things get more sinister by the hour and the body count piles up, some of Home's members begin to wish they'd never RSVP'd at all. 

Survive the Night
by Riley Sager 

Dutton, 2021. 336 pages. Mystery 

It's November 1991. Nirvana's in the tape deck, George H. W. Bush is in the White House, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer. Josh Baxter, the man behind the wheel, is a virtual stranger to Charlie. They met at the campus ride board, each looking to share the long drive home to Ohio. Both have good reasons for wanting to get away. For Charlie, it's guilt and grief over the shocking murder of her best friend, who became the third victim of the man known as the Campus Killer. For Josh, it's to help care for his sick father--or so he says. The longer she sits in the passenger seat, the more Charlie notices there's something suspicious about Josh, from the holes in his story about his father to how he doesn't want her to see inside the trunk. As they travel an empty, twisty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly anxious Charlie begins to think she's sharing a car with the Campus Killer.

SGR

 

The Hazel Wood
By Melissa Albert
Flatiron Books, 2018. 359 pages.
YA Fiction

Alice only has her mom, and they seem to be always on the road. Alice has a secret from her mother. She is obsessed with her estranged grandmother who lives in a place called the Hazel Wood. Her grandmother wrote a rare book that no one can seem to get a hold of. When Alice’s mom goes missing, Alice will need to investigate more into her grandmother’s life and the book she wrote in order to find clues to where her mother might be.

This book seemed really intriguing at first but it moves rather slow. It was spookier than expected. The main character is likeable and so are the supporting characters (except those you are supposed to dislike). Those who are wanting a book that feels different than most fantasy books, and also like horror, will like this book. 

If you like The Hazel Wood, you might also like:

Caraval
By Stephanie Garber
Flatiron Books, 2017. 407 pages.
YA Fiction

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their ruthless father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over. But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor who she has just met, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

The Book of Living Secrets
By Madeleine Roux
Quill Tree Books, 2022. 380 pages
YA Fiction


No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they've always had in common is their love of a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira. So when the girls are tempted by a mysterious man to enter the world of the book, they hardly suspect it will work. But suddenly they are in the world of Moira, living among characters they've obsessed about for years. Except & all is not how they remembered it. The world has been turned upside down: The lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs are now interlaced with unspeakable horrors. The girls realize that something dark is lurking behind their foray into fiction--and they will have to rewrite their own arcs if they hope to escape this nightmare with their lives 

-ALS

  

The Art of Sushi

The Art of Sushi

by Franckie Alarcon

NBN Graphic Novels, 2021. 159 pages. Graphic Novel

Fly to Japan and come discover all there is to know about sushi. After revealing the secrets of chocolate to us, Franckie Alarcon offers a gourmet panorama of this exceptional dish that has conquered the planet! But do you really know sushi? The author traveled to Japan to meet all the players involved in the making of this true work of culinary art. From the traditional starred chef to the young cook who is shaking up the rules, including all the artisans and producers involved, this book covers the most emblematic of Japanese products from A to Z. A fascinating journey of discovery that, along the way, tells a lot about Japan itself. You'll never believe the precision and detailed obsession with quality ingredients involved.

I love that the author took the time to discover the history of sushi and write in detail about how each ingredient of sushi is developed, chosen, and integrated into sushi dishes. The art allows the reader to have a more personal connection with the people we meet in this book, which is a special touch. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sushi and food.

If you like The Art of Sushi, you might also like...

The Secrets of Chocolate

by Franckie Alarcon

NBM Graphic Novels, 2021. 112 pages. Graphic Novel

Following Jacques Genin for a year, Franckie Alarcon hobnobbed with one of the biggest chefs of Chocolate. Former chef and pastry chef for prestigious restaurants, this super-talented autodidact shares all his passion and knowledge of chocolate and his process for creating recipes. In this docu-comic, we travel with the starry-eyed author, satisfying many a craving from the chef's amazing atelier above his store, trying his hand as an apprentice, all the way to the Peruvian cocoa plantations where another chef shows how one carefully chooses the beans.

The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food

by Joseph Tychonievich

Ten Speed Press, 2021. 169 pages. Graphic Novel

Like having your own personal gardening mentor at your side, The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food is the story of Mia, an eager young professional who wants to grow her own vegetables but doesn't know where to start, and George, her retired neighbor who loves gardening and walks her through each step of the process. Throughout the book, "cheat sheets" sum up George's key facts and techniques, providing a handy quick reference for anyone starting their first vegetable garden, including how to find the best location, which vegetables are easiest to grow, how to pick out the healthiest plants at the store, when (and when not) to water, how to protect your plants from pests, and what to do with extra produce if you grow too much. If you are a visual learner, beginning gardener, looking for something new, or have struggled to grow vegetables in the past, you'll find this unique illustrated format ideal because many gardening concepts--from proper planting techniques to building raised beds--are easier to grasp when presented visually, step by step. Easy and entertaining, The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food makes homegrown vegetables fun and achievable.

NS

El Hombre Que Movía las Nubes

El Hombre que Movía las Nubes
Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Random House Spanish, 2022. 440 páginas. Memorias

La autora de «La fruta del borrachero» nos entrega una deslumbrante historia caleidoscópica que recupera el legado místico de su familia.

A Ingrid Rojas Contreras la magia le corre por las venas. No era una niña fácil de sorprender: creció en medio de la violencia política de los años ochenta y noventa en Colombia, en una casa siempre atestada de gente que venía a que su madre le leyera el futuro. Su abuelo materno, Nono, era un curandero de renombre, dotado de lo que la familia llamaba «los secretos»: el poder de hablar con los muertos, predecir el futuro, tratar a los enfermos y mover las nubes. La madre de Ingrid, la primera mujer en heredar los secretos, era igualmente poderosa. Mami disfrutaba su habilidad de aparecer en dos lugares a la vez, y era capaz de expulsar al más terco de los espíritus usando apenas un vaso de agua.

Rojas Contreras solía creer que este legado pertenecía solo a su madre y a su abuelo, hasta que un día, en sus veinte y viviendo en Estados Unidos, sufrió una herida en la cabeza que le provocó amnesia. Mientras recuperaba la memoria, su familia le contó que esto había sucedido antes: décadas atrás Mami había tenido una caída que también le había provocado amnesia; y cuando se recuperó, descubrió que tenía acceso a los secretos.

En 2012, urgida por un sueño compartido con Mami y sus hermanas, y por la necesidad imperiosa de volver a aprender la historia familiar tras su pérdida de la memoria, Rojas Contreras decidió acompañar a su madre en un viaje a Colombia para exhumar los restos de Nono. Con la guía impredecible, testaruda y casi siempre divertida de Mami, rastrea sus orígenes indígenas y españoles, revelando la violenta historia colonial que, con el paso del tiempo, separaría a su familia mestiza en dos grupos: los que piensan que los secretos son un don y los que creen que son una maldición.

Si le gusta «El Hombre Que Movía las Nubes» le recomendamos:

Solito
Zamora, Javier
Random House Spanish, 2022. 592 páginas. Autobiografía 

«En esta conmovedora autobiografía que no podrás soltar, un joven poeta relata la inolvidable historia de su desgarradora migración hacia Estados Unidos desde El Salvador a los nueve años, considerada 'el viaje mítico de nuestra era'.» --Sandra Cisneros

Viaje. Mis padres empezaron a usar esa palabra hace más o menos un año: «un día vas a hacer un viaje para estar con nosotros. Como una aventura.»

La aventura de Javier es una travesía de tres mil millas desde su pequeño pueblo en El Salvador, a través de Guatemala y México, hacia la frontera de Estados Unidos. Dejará atrás a sus queridos abuelos y su tía para reunirse con una madre que se fue cuatro años atrás y con un padre al que prácticamente no recuerda. Al viajar solo, a excepción de un grupo de extraños y un coyote contratado para guiarlos a salvo, Javier debía tardar solo dos semanas en llegar.

A los nueve años, todo lo que Javier puede imaginar es correr a los brazos de sus padres, acurrucarse en la cama entre ellos y vivir bajo el mismo techo otra vez. No puede prever los peligrosos trayectos en bote, las interminables caminatas por el desierto, las armas apuntándole, los arrestos y los engaños que le esperan. Tampoco sabe que esas dos semanas se alargarán hasta dos meses y le cambiarán la vida, junto a un grupo de extraños que acabará por cobijarlo como una familia improvisada.

Una autobiografía tan apasionante como emotiva, «Solito» no solo nos ofrece un recuento íntimo e inmediato de un viaje sinuoso y casi imposible, sino la milagrosa bondad y el amor que se entrega en los momentos más inesperados. «Solito» es la historia de Javier, pero es también la historia de millones más que no tuvieron otra opción más que irse de casa.

Llorando en el Baño: Memorias
Erika L. Sánchez
Editorial, 2022. 288 páginas. Memorias

De la autora de «Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana», bestseller del New York Times, nos llegan estos originalísimos ensayos autobiográficos, profundamente conmovedores y de una comicidad que desarma.

Hija de inmigrantes mexicanos y criada en Chicago en la década de los noventa, Erika L. Sánchez se ha descrito a sí misma como paria, inadaptada y un chasco: agitadora melancólica y malhablada que se pintaba las uñas de negro, pero también disfrutaba la comedia y tenía el sueño improbable de ser poeta. Veinticinco años más tarde se ha convertido en una galardonada novelista, poeta y ensayista, pero no ha perdido la risa incontrolable, su áspero ingenio y sus singulares poderes para percibir el mundo a su alrededor.

En estos ensayos, que tratan de todo --desde la sexualidad hasta el feminismo blanco, pasando por la depresión debilitante y las búsquedas redentoras de la espiritualidad, el arte y los viajes--, Sánchez revela una vida interior rica en ideas, autoconciencia y percepción: la de una mujer que trazó un camino enteramente de su propia factura. Atrevido, perspicaz, incorregible y brutalmente honesto, Llorando en el baño es Sánchez en su máxima expresión: un libro que te hará sentir ese subidón que resulta de revelaciones íntimas y horas de plática con tu mejor amiga.

MEB

Labels: Español, MEB, No Ficción, Autobiografía, Memorias

Message Not Found

Message Not Found 

By Dante Medema 

Quill Tree Books, 2022. 391 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Mourning the death of her best friend Vanessa, seventeen-year-old Bailey creates a chat bot using their text messages and emails, but, unsatisfied with the result, Bailey seeks out more data for the app and uncovers Vanessa's secrets, forcing Bailey to reconcile what she thought she knew about her friend with what Vanessa kept hidden. 

Set in Alaska this emotionally intense story had me devouring it in one sitting. It was easy to become invested and sympathetic towards Bailey’s quest to find out what exactly Vanessa was doing the night she died, and how some ethical boundaries were crossed along the way. It is delightfully suspenseful as pieces of information layer upon each other allowing Bailey, and the reader, to come organically to new understandings along the way. This book is LGBTQ friendly and themes of underage drinking and sex are mentioned. 

If you like Message Not Found, you might also like: 

The 9:09 Project 

By Mark H. Parsons 

Delacorte Press, 2022. 376 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Seventeen-year-old Jamison finds hope after the loss of his mother, and recognizes the role that family, friends, and even strangers can play in the healing process if you are open and willing to share your experience with others.

Goodbye Days 

By Jeff Zentner 

Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017. 404 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Looks at a teen's life after the death of his best friend and how he navigates through the guilt and pain by celebrating their lives--and ultimately learning to forgive himself.

RBL

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures

by Shelby Van Pelt

Ecco, 2022. 360 pages. Fiction

When 70-year-old Tova Sullivan's husband dies, Tova knows that the best way to cope is to keep busy. She's been doing this since her 18-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat on the Puget Sound over 30 years ago. Tova takes a job cleaning the local aquarium at nights, where she meets Marcellus, a rescued giant Pacific octopus who likes to escape from his tank to eat his neighbors and explore. As Tova faces the reality of her ever-shrinking circle of friends and acquaintances, she comes to appreciate her time with Marcellus and finds new connections to the outside world through his interference.

If you like quirky books with a mixture of sadness, happiness, and hope, this book is for you. Having an octopus as one of the main characters can be seen as a little gimmicky, but for me Marcellus was one of the best parts of the book. His self-important attitude, and the bond he and Tova eventually build gave this book a little extra life, meaning, and spunk.

This story is told from three different perspectives: that of Tova, Marcellus, and Cameron, a man who is trying to find his birth father. The tone and pacing of Tova and Cameron's stories intersect nicely, with Marcellus narrating some short occasional chapters. While this book isn't exactly like the popular documentary My Octopus Teacher, this book is an entertaining and heartwarming read.

If you like Remarkably Bright Creatures you might also like:

A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman 

Atria Books, 2014. 337 pages. Fiction

A curmudgeon hides a terrible personal loss beneath a cranky and short-tempered exterior while clashing with new neighbors; a boisterous family whose chattiness and habits lead to unexpected friendship.

The Reading List

by Sara Nisha Adams

William Morrow, 2021. 373 pages. Fiction

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life after losing his beloved wife. Working at the local library for the summer, Aleisha discovers a list of novels that she's never heard of before. Intrigued, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list. When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.

MB

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight

By Riku Onda

Bitter Lemon Press, 2022. 204 pages. Fiction

Set in Tokyo over the course of one night, Aki and Hiro have decided to be together one last time in their shared flat before parting. Their relationship has broken down after a mountain trek during which their guide died inexplicably. Now, each believes the other to be a murderer and is determined to extract a confession before the night is over. Who is the murderer and what really happened on the mountain? In the battle of wills between them, the chain of events leading up to this night are gradually revealed. 

This is a fascinating study of character, atmosphere, and metaphor. For such a short book, it's still a slow burn and you meander through flashbacks and old memories to understand more about the characters. It's got complex emotions, discombobulated memories, and tangled motivations, which all add to the suspense and speculation. This is a great choice for those who enjoy psychological thrillers. 

If you like Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight you might also like

Disorientation

By Elaine Hsieh Chou

Penguin Press, 2022. 403 pages. Fiction

A struggling PhD student makes a shocking discovery about a famous Chinese American poet that sets into motion a series of escalating events, both humorous and fraught, that culminates in an incendiary reckoning of her relationships, beliefs, and identity. 

Survive the Night

By Riley Sager

Dutton, 2021. 324 pages. Mystery

When her best friend is the third victim of a serial killer targeting college students, Charlie decides to leave campus and take a trip home. She accepts a ride from a stranger she met at the campus ride board, but the longer she sits in the passenger seat, the more Charlie notices that there's something suspicious about him. As they travel an empty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly anxious Charlie begins to think she's sharing a car with the Campus Killer. 

We Were Never Here

By Andrea Bartz

Ballantine Books, 2021. 305 pages. Fiction

After a backpacking trip in Chile with her best friend Kristen goes horribly wrong, Emily is forced to confront their violent past and wonders if she can outrun the secrets they share or if they will destroy her relationship, freedom and even her life.

sr

Gaudy Night

Gaudy Night: Lord Peter Wimsey #10 

By Dorothy L Sayers

Bourbon Street Books, 2012. 528 pages. Mystery

Harriet Vane's Oxford reunion is shadowed by a rash of bizarre pranks and malicious mischief that include beautifully worded death threats, burnt effigies and vicious poison-pen letters, and Harriet finds herself and Lord Peter Wimsey challenged by an elusive set of clues.

This has long been my favorite novel, and I read it once a year. All of the Peter Wimsey mysteries are delightful, with an impressive eye to detail, and the stories that feature Harriet Vane (#8 on) are especially good. These are from the "Golden Age" of mystery, the first Peter Wimsey novel was published in 1923. Gaudy Night is a mystery, but it is so much more: a discussion of women's roles, academia vs. domesticity, as well as an intelligent romance. It also provides a fascinating glimpse into Oxford of the 1930s. I recommend the whole series, but if I had to pick just one, this would be it! 

If you like Gaudy Night, you might also like

An Oxford Murder

By G.G. Vandagriff

Orson Whitney Press, 2019. 253 pages. Mystery

When Catherine Tregowyn, poet, and Dr. Harry Bascombe, her bête noire, discover a body in the Somerville College chapel, they are declared suspects in a murder inquiry, and must launch their own investigation.

Maisie Dobbs   

By Jaqueline Winspear

Penguin Books, 2004. 294 pages. Mystery

Maisie Dobbs isn't just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence--and the patronage of her benevolent employers--she works her way into college at Cambridge. When World War I breaks out, Maisie goes to the front as a nurse. It is there that she learns that coincidences are meaningful and the truth elusive. After the War, Maisie sets up on her own as a private investigator. But her very first assignment, seemingly an ordinary infidelity case, soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind.

MGB

The Family Game

The Family Game

By Catherine Steadman 

Ballentine Books, 2022. 319 Pages. Fiction 

Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. Even though Edward has long tried to severe ties with them, news of the couple’s marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives. As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. So, when Edward’s father, Robert, hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen. But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t just a novel. It’s a confession. A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. Suddenly, the game is in motion. Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty or something far darker. 

This book is so much fun! It reminds me of the movie, Ready or Not, with a sinister family game as the major plot point. It even reads like a suspenseful movie which could be because the author, Catherine Steadman, is an actor. Steadman does an amazing job of building Harriet’s character as someone resilient, pragmatic, and likeable. Truly a character to root for...even with her dark past. The book takes us between Harriet’s present-day interactions with Edward’s family and the narration of the disturbing tape she receives from his father, Robert. A narrative device that is particularly impactful in the telling of this truly twisted family game. 

The Wife Upstairs 

By Rachel Hawkins 

St. Martin’s Press, 2021. 290 pages. Fiction 

Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates--a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. Her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates' most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend; their bodies lost to the deep. As Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie's heart before her past--or his--catches up to her? 

Every Vow You Break 

By Peter Swanson 

William Morrow, 2021. 308 pages. Fiction 

Abigail Baskin never thought she'd fall in love with a millionaire. Then she met Bruce Lamb. But right before the wedding, Abigail has a moment of uncertainty. The drunken one-night stand from her bachelorette weekend didn't really mean anything, she keeps telling herself. She now believes she wants to be with Bruce for the rest of her life. Their honeymoon on a luxurious, secluded island in Maine will be the beginning of their blissful lives together. Then the mysterious stranger suddenly appears and Abigail's future life and happiness are turned upside down. He insists that their passionate night was the beginning of something much more. Something special. Something real. And he's tracked her down to prove it. Does she tell Bruce and ruin their idyllic honeymoon—and possibly their marriage? Or should she handle this psychopathic stalker on her own?

BW

Nettle & Bone

Nettle & Bone
By T. Kingfisher
Tor Books, 2022. 256 pages. Fantasy 

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra - the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter - has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself. Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning. On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last. 

This is a slightly dark, witchy, fairy-tale inspired read. Nettle & Bone starts slowly but gains momentum and charm as Marra meets a cast of colorful secondary characters. Though this is an adult fantasy novel that that deals with serious issues like abuse and miscarriages, it is also a clean read with a sweet, slow-build romance.

For the Wolf
by Hannah F. Whitten 
Orbit, 2021. 480 pages. Fantasy

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose--to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured gods. Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can't control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can't hurt those she loves. Again. But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn't learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood--and her world--whole 

The Bear and the Nightingale 

by Katherine Arden 
Del Rey, 2017. 336 pages. Fantasy

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, a stranger with piercing blue eyes presents a new father with a gift -- a precious jewel on a delicate chain, intended for his young daughter. Uncertain of its meaning, Pytor hides the gift away and Vasya grows up a wild, willful girl, to the chagrin of her family. But when mysterious forces threaten the happiness of their village, Vasya discovers that, armed with the necklace, she may be the only one who can keep the darkness at bay.

Spinning Silver 

by Naomi Novik 
Del Rey, 2018. 480 pages. Fantasy

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father is not a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has left his family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem intercedes. Hardening her heart, she sets out to retrieve what is owed, and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. But when an ill-advised boast brings her to the attention of the cold creatures who haunt the wood, nothing will be the same again. For words have power, and the fate of a kingdom will be forever altered by the challenge she is issued.

SGR

Best-Laid Plans

Best-Laid Plans: A Huntresses Regency Romance

By Sarah M. Eden

Covenant Communications, 2022. 125 pgs. 

Newton Hughes has long dreamed of pursuing a career in law, an acceptable choice for a gentleman of status and wealth. His parents, however, disapprove of his ambition, urging him instead to take his rightful place as a gentleman of leisure. Ellie Napper would like nothing more than for her parents to abandon their incessant efforts to marry her off to the greatest possible advantage. When Ellie and Newton are introduced through their mutual acquaintance, Charlie Jonquil, they commiserate over their shared plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan: Ellie and Newton will feign an interest in each other--enough to convince their parents not to push them toward unwanted matches but not enough to cause whispers or expectations. Their plan quickly spirals out of control, especially once they start to fall in love for real. 

This was a fun, quick read! Sometimes a novella is the perfect thing when I'm short on time, but need to escape the real world for a little bit. The side characters in this book are actually main characters from Sarah Eden's Jonquil and Lancaster series. It's always fun to go back in to this world and get to see the characters from a different perspective. Although this was a short novella, it still was a very satisfying story. 

If you like Best-laid Plans, you might also like

All Hearts Come Home for Christmas

By Anita Stansfield, Esther Hatch, Sarah Eden, & Joanna Barker

Covenant Communications, 2019. 290 pgs. 

This collection of short stories is perfect for the Christmas season. The stories were long enough to get to know the characters but short enough that I could fit them into my crazy Christmas schedule. This would be great for anyone looking for a collection of feel good Christmas romances. The best thing is that they can be read any time of the year!

Proper Scoundrel

By Esther Hatch

Diana Barton is a single woman who owns two railroad lines. She doesn't have patience for all the suitors who waste her time and are only after her wealth. She comes up with a plan to ask the most notorious rake in London, Lord Bryant, to ruin her reputation to scare off all the suitors. 

Otherwise Engaged

By Joanna Barker

Rebecca Rowley feels stifled by society and finds ways to quietly and not so quietly rebel. Riding bareback is one of her secret joys but she soon has a much bigger secret as she tries to hide her engagement to the one man her family would never approve of. After saving the life of a young girl on a neighboring estate, she draws the attention of the older brother, Lieutenant Avery. Since he is a naval man and not interested in marriage, Rebecca and Lieutenant Avery form a friendship that turns both their worlds upside down. 

AL

And We Rise

And We Rise

By Erica Martin

Viking, 2022. 153 pages. Young Adult Nonfiction

Erica Martin's debut poetry collection walks readers through the Civil Rights Movement, including both the well-documented events and lesser-known moments that were just as crucial to the Movement and our nation's centuries-long fight for justice and equality. A poignant, powerful, all-too-timely collection that is both a vital history lesson and much-needed conversation starter in our modern world. 

Wow this little book packs a powerful punch. While difficult to read at times (it is quite emotional), it is a necessary history lesson. Martin masterfully commands each page and the visual art of the poems is stunning. Every single word, down to the last letter, is placed exactly where it is meant to be. This would be a great collection to read and listen at the same time so that you get the full impact of the repetitions, rhythm, and visual imagery. Whether you're a teen or adult, this book is an excellent choice. 

If you like And We Rise you might also like: 

African Town

By Irene Latham

G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2022. 438 pages. Young Adult Fiction

In 1860, long after the United States outlawed the importation of enslaved laborers, 110 people from Benin and Nigeria were captured and brought to Mobile, Alabama. At the end of the Civil War, the survivors created a community for themselves they called African Town, which still exists to this day. Told in 14 distinct voices, this powerful novel-in-verse recreates a pivotal moment in US and world history. 

Ain't Burned All the Bright

By Jason Reynolds

Atheneum, 2022. Unpaged. Young Adult Fiction

A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW. And so for anyone who didn't really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you'll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is. 

Hollow Fires

By Samira Ahmed

Little Brown and Company, 2022. 404 pages. Young Adult Fiction

After discovering the body of fourteen-year-old Jawad Ali in Jackson Park, seventeen-year-old journalism student Safiya Mirza begins investigating the murder and ends up confronting white supremacy in her own high school.

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