Marching into spring with some new reads

There are many reasons to look forward to spring and not just for the warmer weather.

Granted, the chilling winds howling outside my window right now seem to be announcing March's arrival(soon to be followed by April) yet my keen interest in the new seasonal cycle is for the books.

This set of upcoming titles have plenty of spring fever vibes; love in the air, a touch of history and something tasty to savor:

LADIES OF FICTION MAKING HISTORY:

Lissa Evans brings forth the early struggles of  twentieth century feminism in her latest novel,Old Baggage.

Living in 1928 London, Mattie Simpkins is no longer on the front lines of the suffragette movement. Instead, she and her good friend Flossie are leading calmer lives, although she does miss some of the excitement from those days.

However, Mattie finds herself called back into action as an encounter with a former ally alerts her to a new generation being manipulated into supporting the cause of fascism. Teaming up with Flossie, she forms a group who call themselves Amazons, determined to encourage young women into seeking higher education rather than getting the traditional "Mrs." degree.

While this new group revives Mattie's spirits, one of their latest members, a woman named Inez, threatens to quickly undo all of her fresh efforts. This look at the old school fight for women's rights sounds as if it can teach us modern gals a little something about our struggles today(April):

First Daughter Alice Roosevelt is the leading lady of American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton, a young woman who makes quite the impact on Washington D.C. society with her independent ways.

Alice may not be as prim and proper as some might expect her to be but her offbeat approach to life made her relatable to others. From livening up a diplomatic mission by jumping into a pool fully clothed to taking an empress of China out for a good time,she proved to be a formidable asset to her family's political ends.

The one thing that came close to tripping Alice up was love,particularly her charming rogue of a husband whose ambitions in Washington didn't get in the way of his straying from his wife's side. Despite those personal heartaches, she continued to keep her head up and fight whatever good fight came her way.

Thornton's take on this Roosevelt diva offers us a new look at a woman who forged new paths for those that came long after her and promises to be a fun ride in the bargain(March).

BOY MEETS WORLD AND THEN SOME

Trent Dalton's debut novel, Boy Swallows Universe, is set around the outskirts of Brisbane during the 1980s where 12 year old Eli is doing his best to figure out life.

That's not as easy as it sounds, given that his mom and her boyfriend Lyle are small time drug dealers, his older brother August can only communicate by writing odd phrases in the air and Eli's best friend is Slim, a career criminal.

Nevertheless, Eli does his best to roll with the punches and life gives him plenty such as his mother landing in prison,leaving him and August to live with their alcoholic father. Over the years, Eli uses the lessons that experience and Slim have taught him to seek a way out of the dead end route set before him and comes close to breaking free.

The price for that ,however, is strongly connected to his past and might take away more than just his own future. Dalton made quite a splash with this blend of humor and pathos back in his homeland and should be well appreciated in this corner of the world as well(April):

 THE STORY OF A GIRL OR TWO IN LOVE

In Tracy Garvis Graves' The Girl He Used To Know, the woman in the title is Annika, who runs into her former college sweetheart and wonders if this is a second chance for both of them at love.

Annika's status as a person on the autism spectrum made it hard for her to connect with people during her childhood but finding a good friend at college and playing chess opened up the world to her.

Jonathan was smitten with Annika at first sight during their first game(which he lost) and their relationship grew by degrees. Upon his taking a job in New York after their senior year, the two of them broke up but was that the real reason for their romance to end as it did?

With Jonathan newly divorced, the way seems clear for them to try again but is that an opportunity worth taking or was their reunion at the local grocery store simply a chance encounter at best? Graves gives his heroine the proper emotional respect that her condition deserves and gives the reader a compelling tale of modern love to appreciate(April).

We get a blast of the past with My Very '90s Romance, courtesy of Jenny Colgan. When florist Holly finds herself having to take a new roommate situation, she gets more than she bargained for with the likes of snarky Kate, Josh with his complicated love life and Addison, a sweet computer bound soul.

Holly manages to reassess her issues in life but is determined to get Addison away from his online isolation,where only his possessive girlfriend Claudia is in control of his choices. With some help from their mutual friends, Holly and Addison might make a cute couple in the best sense of the term.

Colgan is pretty much an expert at creating engaging characters with quirky charms and slightly grand schemes at improving their lives and loves, so this sounds like a truly sweet treat from her playful pen. It also has the flavor of a charming romcom from the era that gave us My Best Friend's Wedding as well as Four Weddings and a Funeral, one of which is better due to Hugh Grant, if you ask me(March):

A GOURMET FEAST OF WORDS

 Living legend Ruth Reichl serves up another tempting memoir with Save Me The Plums that focuses on her ten year stint as editor in chief at Gourmet magazine.

Her intent was to bring the high end foodie magazine into the modern world of food by making their features old school elegant yet appealing to regular folks by offering internet accessibility and highlighting new trends such as food trucks and street eats.

Reichl's periodical tales include making a Thanksgiving Turkey chili for firefighters dealing with the aftermath of 9/11, publishing a controversial article on the most humane way to prepare lobster and dealing with writers of foodie fact and fiction.

 Her work gives you the feeling of being by her side as she dishes up a delicious taste of life with the added bonus of sampling some glossy great page turning goodness to boot(April):

It will be good to have some decent outdoor weather again, especially since that will be the best excuse to go out and get new books. Yes, going to the library counts as you might make a mysterious new friend while you browse,just as long as that person doesn't bite down on your bookmark!:

Revving up for the Oscars with some royal reads

With the Oscar race well under way and plenty of bad vibes about the omitting of certain honors on the awards show, it might be good to clear the negative air by reading a few books that highlight some of the major nominees.

For example, we have two cinematic contenders that feature British royalty in very different ways. The Favourite focuses on the reign of Queen Anne and the influence that certain select friendships made upon her decisions. The fight over who gets to be Her Majesty's best friend,fueled by jealousy,greed and love, has earned the movie plenty of praise for it's examination of female power dynamics with doses of snarky humor.

This dark satire is up for several Oscars, including Best Actress(Olivia Coleman) and two Best Supporting Actress spots(Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone) as well.

Meanwhile, we also have Mary, Queen of Scots, a more conventional costume drama which stars Saoirse Ronan as the title matriarch who clashes with her English counterpart Elizabeth I(Margot Robbie).

The movie has received mixed reviews at best, with many critiquing the historical accuracy of the script and debating which of the two leading ladies gave the better performance. To be honest, I would see both of these movies and enjoy them for completely different reasons, which is how it should be.

What is bothersome is that one of the two categories that Mary, Queen of Scots is up for(Hair and Make-Up) won't be shown during the Oscars live broadcast. At least some of this movie's work will be featured in Best Costume Design that evening.

*UPDATE: over the past weekend, the Academy has changed it's mind about not airing those four categories(Cinematography,Editing,Hair & Make-Up,Costume) and hopefully this will be the last of the last minute changes that the Oscars make this year.


Anyhow, since three UK queens are being represented on Oscar night, I thought that finding a fictional representation for each of them would make for nice bedside reading as we wait for the Academy Awards:

THE LADY ELIZABETH: Author Alison Weir is a historian whose vast knowledge of the period is artfully woven through her novels featuring royal subject matter. This take on Elizabeth, the unexpected Tudor heir to the throne, follows her childhood and early days as a lady of her turbulent father's court.

From living down the legacy of her executed mother Anne Boleyn to being accepted at times and rejected at other due to the whims and/or political schemes of those vying for Henry the VIII's favor, Elizabeth proves herself to be a formidable survivor.

Yet, the emotional cost of hardening her will does take a toll on her. Watching the rise and fall of her father's regal brides, Elizabeth prefers not to be placed in such a precarious position as any man's future wife, despite having a few romantic longings herself. Weir does adore this period and it shows in her writing while making such facts come to page turning life for readers and offers a good introduction to this most iconic queen:

THE OTHER QUEEN: When it comes to female focused  novels about royal families, Philippa Gregory is certainly a true literary queen indeed.

Her novel about Mary, Queen of Scots is set during the period when she is held as a "guest" of George Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and his wife, Bess of Hardwick. Bess hopes to earn herself a better place on the influence ladder by having Mary held on their estate while George finds his loyalties being slowly but surely divided.

Mary does what she can to use those standing in her way to escape from the trap her regal cousin has placed her in but to no avail as time drags on. Gregory tells the story from each of their points of view and captures the steadily growing twists and turns that fate has in store for all of them in the rather bitter end:

COURTING HER HIGHNESS: Renowned writer Eleanor Hibbert had several pen names for her work over the years and one of those was Jean Plaidy, who wrote this 1966 novel about Queen Anne as the last of a series chronicling the reign of the House of Stuart.

Fortunately, it's still readily available and can no doubt be read separately from the other titles in that series(although you might want to try a couple more).  The original title was The Queen's Favorites and yes , it does cover that point in Anne's reign when the influence of her best friend Sarah Churchill was challenged by the arrival of Abigail Hill.

While this novel may not have the sharp edges that the current film possesses, Plaidy/Hibbert was an author with strong narrative skills who knew how to make period pieces feel lively and engaging. I've read some of her work as Victoria Holt(gothic romances for the most part) and her take on royalty should be just as riveting and perhaps historically enlightening as well:

Well, this trio of books ought to be as entertaining as these Oscar nominated films are and hopefully one or two of the onscreen queens will be crowned with Academy Award gold that evening. As for more fictional film looks at British ladies in charge, you'll have to wait for the small screen as Starz plans to have a new Philippa Gregory adaptation on it's spring schedule.  

The Spanish Princess combines two of Gregory's books to bring a fresh face to the story of Catherine of Aragon, the first of the Tudor Queens to start off the pivotal path that the other wives of Henry VIII have had to follow. With any luck, maybe this miniseries might earn some Emmy love for next year, we shall see:

A freezing set of new reads fit for February

Despite the lack of snow at the moment, it's rather chilly in my neck of the woods which makes a few fear filled books seem all too perfect to curl up with.

My latest library haul had me grabbing a couple of literary fright fests that came out earlier last year. As much as I like Stephen King, sometimes it is best to catch up with him this way and The Outsider does have quite the spooky set-up.

Police detective Ralph Anderson is dead certain that well liked teacher and Little League coach Terry Maitland is the one responsible for the gruesome death of a young boy, with all of the evidence pointing right smack in that direction. Trouble is, there is also plenty of proof that Terry was nowhere near the victim and it's just as reliable as Anderson's case.

Before long, Anderson has to seek outside help in order to figure this strange situation out and things go from bad to worse to what the hell in no time flat. Can he and his new consultant Holly,a woman who is no stranger to unusual criminal doings, be able to solve this murder and perhaps others that have yet to happen?

King does enjoy genre blending and this mix of supernatural with straight forward police work does sound intriguing, to say the least. There are plans to turn this story into a HBO limited series in the near future but I would like to read the book first this time around.

Unlike some folks who vehemently dislike changes from script to screen(the big one for the upcoming Pet Semetery remake is not that bad, in my opinion), I'm at the stage in my entertainment life where a little compare and contrast is a good thing. Also, as time goes by,Stephen King continues to challenge his audience with newer sets of mind games and he should be appreciated for that effort indeed:

I paired that book with The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware, the second novel of hers that I've borrowed from the library. Our leading lady is Harriet, a fortune teller who is barely keeping her head above financial waters as a loan shark is breathing down her neck.

When a letter arrives saying that she's listed as a heir from a grandmother that she never knew, Harriet decides to take a chance and see if she can claim some of this fortune that fate seems to have tossed into her lap.

However, the matter proves to be more complicated than that and along with deceiving those assembled at Trepassen House who are actually family, she soon discovers that a tale of a trapped girl from the past may be a big part of what's going on with this remote estate. Solving this mystery could lead to riches or take Harriet down the path to ruin of a permanent sort.

Ware has been compared to Agatha Christie(The Woman in Cabin 10 did have some of that vibe) and this particular story feels as if Christie and Daphne Du Maurier decided to team up there. I do like a modern thriller with old fashioned themes,plus tarot cards play a huge part here and once upon a time, I dabbled in those as well. Fortunately, my tarot readings never stirred up the trouble that Ware's heroine finds herself in and hopefully can see a way out of before it's too late:

In addition to that deadly duo, a couple of upcoming thrillers arrived in my mailbox that should prove to be seasonably chilling as well.

I do have to admit that Serena Kent's Death in Provence may be more of a mild mystery sauce that a spicy suspense story. Penelope Kite decides to recover from divorcing her cheating husband David by buying an old house in need of repair that's located in the French provincial town of St. Merlot's

While settling in, Penelope stumbles across the body of one of her more disagreeable neighbors in the very swimming pool that they were disputing the ownership of. While the local police are doing an investigation, she can't help but use her resources as a former forensic assistant to get to the bottom of the matter before another body is fished out from the bottom of the pool.

Serena Kent happens to be the joint name of a husband and wife team who are planning to make this book the start of a lively new series. This combo of Miss Marple meets Under The Tuscan Sun could be one to watch for,especially as the warm weather returns.

Freshly out in paperback, The French Girl by Lexie Elliott has it's title maiden's body discovered after a ten year long disappearance, which sets off a number of fear factors for the six Oxford students who were the ones to last see her alive during a week spent at a remote farmhouse.

Out of that group, Kate feels the most tense, due to her jealousy of the girl named Severine back then which to Kate breaking up with her boyfriend Seb, and is reliving that time emotionally to the point of possibly seeing the ghost of Severine pop up in her current life.

Is it stress over the new business that she's starting up or does Kate know something about the death of Severine that she ought to confess? Reuniting with her old friends might aid her memory yet other forgotten remembrances might also return that could implicate them all?  While this does seem like poolside reading, The French Girl might be a good way to feel the heat of a murder yet unsolved during these frosty midwinter days:

So many mysteries to explore this early in the year and I'm still making plans for Spring Into Horror this April. At least that readathon will include mystery titles as well from one more than one subgenre there and while a mystery reading group might be fun to join, it also might be scarier than any page turning terror I've yet to encounter:

To play or not to play the list of Best Song Oscar nominees?

This year's Oscars are a bit shaky in their set-up, what with the whole "host-less" deal and talk about cutting down the number of awards being presented during the TV broadcast.

There were even plans to only have two out of the five Best Original Song nominees perform on stage(the two being preferred are the numbers from A Star Is Born and Black Panther).

Fortunately, Lady Gaga used her considerable clout to have the other nominees included, although there is still talk of them being only allowed ninety second versions. What is this nonsense? Bad enough that this is one of the categories that gets short changed regularly by the Academy with lackluster nominations(one year, only three songs were selected for consideration!) but shortening the time for the tunes that are not major hits is insulting to say the least.

In case they do go through with the mini version of these songs, I'm going to give all of the Best Song nominees a full outing here:

"THE PLACE WHERE THE LOST THINGS GO"

One of the things that amazes me about this attempt to limit the Best Song performances is that a tune from Mary Poppins Returns is on the chopping block.


Uh, folks, you do remember that this show is airing on a network owned by Disney,right?  Not a smart move to knock one of their major releases out of contention here,plus you ticked off Lin-Manuel Miranda(a pivotal MPR co-star and musical influencer) and he's pretty hard to bring down there.

As to the song itself, this is a melancholy melody that Mary Poppins sings to the new generation of Banks children in order to help them reconcile their grief over the loss of their mother and other changes in their lives. Sad but sweet, which makes me feel as if this is not going to be a winner in this category yet nevertheless it deserves to be heard:

"I'LL FIGHT"

This anthem for the Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary RBG(which is nominated in that category) does have a lot going for it.

It's sung by Oscar winning singer/actress Jennifer Hudson and was written by multi-award winning composer Diane Warren, not to mention it's a solidly strong tribute to all people striving for a better tomorrow.

However, wins in the Best Song arena for documentaries are few and far between. The last time was back in 2006 for Melissa Etheridge's contribution to An Inconvenient Truth. Hudson has agreed to perform on Oscar night and she must be given a full amount of time to do proper justice to this song:

"WHEN A COWBOY TRADES HIS SPURS FOR WINGS"

This tune from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is the true underdog here. While the movie has gotten two other Oscar noms(Best Adapted Screenplay and Costume Design), it's mostly been available on Netflix, with a very limited theatrical run at best.

The song does have a hokey charm mixed with a touch of humor(as I suspect the movie does as well) and is nicely done. Yet, even with fans of the Coen brothers on board, I don't see this number riding home with the big prize.

It should provide a nice change of pace during the Oscar performances and yes, it needs to be given it's full running time. This is a less than three minutes song, come on, guys!:

"ALL THE STARS"

There was no doubt about this song from Black Panther being showcased on Oscar night and rightly so.

 Director Ryan Coogler(who was robbed of a Best Director nom, in my opinion) chose Kendrick Lamar as the producer of the Marvel movie soundtrack and having SZA as one of the singers along with Lamar brings a perfect harmony here.

This song is also up for the Grammys, which will be awarded this upcoming weekend, and a win for either Record or Song of the Year will heighten it's chances for that Oscar gold. Regardless of that, this is a beautifully engaging number that captures the spirit of the film it was created for elegantly:

"SHALLOW"

Yes, this signature piece from A Star Is Born is the front runner and also a big nominee at the Grammys as well. Honestly, I'll be happy with either this or All The Stars getting the Oscar(third choice would be "I'll Fight").

Yet, this song has struck a serious chord with audiences and even those of us who haven't seen the movie yet. The lyrics perfectly encapsulate the doomed romance between our leads and Bradley Cooper has a damn good range that compliments Gaga's powerhouse vocals to the extreme.

At the moment, Cooper has agreed to perform with Gaga at the Oscars but word is that he's feeling a bit shy about doing this song live. Since he did sing in Vegas with her recently, I think that Cooper will manage just fine that night. Academy, do not try and cheat anyone out of their performance time or he might suddenly get too tense to sing and we know you don't want that!:

So, Academy, let the songs be sung and stop trying to cut what you think is boring short. Plenty of people are just as invested in seeing who wins Best Sound Editing, Best Short Film and the other technical awards. Instead of worrying about how long the show is, commit to giving your international viewers some incredible entertainment which is appropriate for a night that's supposed to celebrate the best in cinema! Quality over quantity , that's the ticket.

To wrap things up, I'd like to give an honorable mention to The Hate U Give, which had a wonderful theme song that deserved consideration. "We Won't Move" by Arlissa is well suited to this heartfelt yet realistic cinematic reflection of the times we live in now and it's a shame that it won't be among the Oscar contenders that night:

Wrapping up a thrilling Winter's Respite of reading

With today being February 1st, that marks the official end of Seasons of Reading's first big readathon of the year known as Winter's Respite. 

Overall, I did pretty well despite replacing one of my intended reads with another. That last minute choice was a real winner as Kiersten White's Slayer brought back those delightful memories of watching new episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This YA novel is set well after Season 7 and dovetails with an event in the BTVS comics where Buffy had to destroy the Seed of Wonder,the source of all magic in our world. As that fateful act occurred, the last Slayer was chosen and she happens to be the daughter of two Watchers.

Nina(short for Athena) is also a twin and while her sister Artemis trains to be an active Watcher, Nina is fine with her role as a Healer. They are living with what remains of the Watchers Council in a transported castle in Ireland,wondering what the future holds for their ancient legacy as the majority of Slayers out there(including the elusive Buffy) have no need for them.

When a hellhound attacks their compound, Nina's powers emerge and to say that she is less than thrilled is an understatement. She has no love for Slayers, especially Buffy, and Artemis is shocked that she wasn't the one tapped for this honor. Things get more complicated when their stern mother shows up, along with a mother and son Watcher team that Nina has a complicated relationship with.

As Nina ventures outside the protective zone that her family and friends have arranged for her, she discovers that not all demons are evil,that the powers granted to her are both a blessing and a burden and that people can not be easily judged. She even gets to the point where her long running resentment towards Buffy(who only appears in shared dream experiences) simmers down and Nina starts to understand why the break between Slayers and Watchers came about:

White really recreates the vibe of the original series while adding a few new twists of her own(you have to love a bright yellow happiness demon who's a huge Coldplay fan). The emotional hurdles that Nina faces with determination and a sense of humor make her a suitable Slayer as well as a very relatable teenage girl.

For new fans and older ones, Slayer is a fresh new start to this series and is the first of a trilogy, which is a nice bonus to boot! I do like getting an inside look at the Watchers and a few inside jokes along the way are fun.

.My edition of this book came with a short story featuring Faith,that other outsider of a Slayer,which had a few hints of things to come. I hope that either Faith or Buffy appear directly in the next couple of books as two Slayers are always better than one in facing off challenges from without and within:

Around the same time, I finished The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie which is one of her Hercule Poirot stories.

Here, Poirot is being taunted by a killer who sends him warning of his intended crimes and leaves a gruesome calling card at each scene; a copy of the ABC railway guide that also brings him to each victim in alphabetical order.

Not only is Poirot working with the authorities, he also has the aid and support of Arthur Hastings, an old friend eager to stop this rash of murders before the body count grows higher.

 By the two of them looking into those connected with the recently deceased, ties between any of those targeted appear to be remote at best yet by the time a crime is announced for the letter D, those links begin to slowly but surely appear.

As I read more of the Poirot books, I can see why he's such a favorite among Christie fans(although I still prefer the subtle sleuthing skills of Miss Marple) and this particular story divides itself between Hasting's point of view and the third person, a necessary narrative move. I did enjoy the way the plot came together by the end and while I probably won't see the recent BBC adaptation of this book, I might check out the version featuring David Suchet,which ought to be just as engaging if not more so:

I rounded things off with Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. This particular group of title characters meet up at a remote spa run by the strangely charismatic Masha who,along with her devoted assistant Yao, have a ten day treatment in mind for this bunch that switches tracks on them in more ways than one.

This story has plenty of twists worthy of a M. Knight Shymaylan movie(think more The Visit than The Sixth Sense) but is richly abundant with character development that enhances the up ending of their situations.

 One of my favorite characters is Frances, romance writer at a turning point in her career who is also dealing with the aftermath of a online scam that targeted her  heart along with her purse strings. Her forthright style comes in handy during certain tricky moments but her vulnerability about not only the crisis at hand, but where her path in personal and professional life is going, makes her truly endearing.

Also, the dynamics of the Marconi family, where daughter Zoe feels as if she has to always give more of herself to her parents during the anniversary of her twin brother's death, are strongly compelling. Not everyone has a dire tale to tell, as one couple deals with adjusting to unexpected wealth via a lottery ticket, a vain divorce lawyer has to decide whether or not to fully commit to his partner and a newly divorced woman is determined to remake herself in order to impress her ex-husband and his younger new wife.

This was quite the page turner and if it follows the adaptation route that Moriarty's Big Little Lies did, this story would make one hell of a miniseries there. At the very least, NPS is a good example of not diving into an intense intimate experience without looking into things a little further. However, it also showcases the notion of taking new chances on life and love, no matter what form those opportunities come in:

While I put aside The Clockmaker's Daughter(it just wasn't the time,pun slightly intended), I did finish up a couple of other books this month-The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes and The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli. That puts my monthly total at eight books, which is a good start to my new year of reading if you ask me!

A huge thanks to Michelle Miller of SOR for another great readathon and I'm already making plans for the next one, Spring Into Horror. So far, a nice stack of scary reads are being piled up with a mix of cozy mysteries and female focused thrillers,plus a killer mermaid. So let us cheer for the fear to come with the warm weather and hopefully no real reader nightmares:

Preparing some literary Valentine's Day treats

With February just around the corner, Valentine's Day is not far behind and when it comes to gifts, a good book will certainly last longer than the traditional candy and flowers(although it's nice to get those,too).

For your holiday planning, I have a trio of fresh new novels that will be more than ready to entertain you on that day. First up is The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli, where our leading lady is Raina, a young woman who promised her Nani(grandmother) that if she wasn't married by the time she was thirty, she would let her do a little matchmaking.

On her twenty-ninth birthday,however, Nani surprises her with the first of many eligible men for a first date and gives her a list of others to check out. From that first encounter(where her set-up suitor rejects her,then later calls for a date but is taking calls from another woman) to the next(a guy who is seeing someone his parents don't approve of) and such charmers as a man who takes her to eat "gluten free raw bread" and is dismayed that Raina doesn't have a dehydrator, this list has more minuses than a math class.

As much as she wants to please Nani, Raina is still not over Dev, her former boyfriend but with her best friend Shay getting married right on Raina's thirtieth birthday, the pressure is on and then some. Can Raina make both herself and Nani happy without a compromise that would compromise her heart?

I'm reading this book right now and so far, this is a charmingly engaging debut novel that offers food for thought and a few laughs along the way. This lively read has much to recommend it and the pages turn harmoniously in tune with the themes of modern love and emotional independence:

Next up is Sophie Kinsella's latest, I Owe You One. Fixie Farr is the one member of her family that is always relied upon to make things right and when her widowed mother takes a trip to Spain, Fixie is left in charge of the hardware store that they've run for years.

She gets little to no help from her brother Jake, who wants to turn the place into an overpriced posh shop, or sister Nicole, who thinks it should be a yoga center instead. With the added burden of a former love back in love and the promise of a new romance with investment banker Seb Marlowe, Fixie finds herself in need of some personal maintenance and repair.

Not only does this book sound as delightful as many of Kinsella's stories are, it puts me in mind of Persuasion, my favorite Jane Austen novel with it's put upon heroine needing to find her own way to true happiness. I don't know if that's what Kinsella had in mind here but the comparison sound letter perfect to me:

Speaking of Jane Austen, Soniah Kamal gives us Unmarriageable which, as the subtitle says, is Pride and Prejudice set in Pakistan.

Alys Binat is the Elizabeth Bennet of this story, a schoolteacher satisfied with her life and not looking for a husband. much to the chagrin of her marriage minded mother. Despite the downfall of the family fortunes(due to a swindle) and four other sisters on hand, she feels that her life is all the better for being single.

When an invite to the wedding of a family friend brings her sister Jana into the path of potential romantic partner Fahad "Bungles"Bengla, Alys is happy for her but not enough to put up with the rude manners of Valentine Darsee, Bungles' best friend. This blend of classic story telling with the still well kept traditions of a modern society has garnered plenty of praise from contented readers already and should spark more interest in new takes on P&P indeed:

 These books ought to be a treat to read no matter what time of year it is,yet it is nice when your reading embraces the themes of the season. The love of reading is a lifelong affair, one that you can't help sharing with others and what better occasion than the celebration of romance is there for such literary joy?:

My first Library Haul and Book Buy of 2019

As this was the first weekend of the new year, I decided to celebrate by making my first library visit of 2019.

There were books that needed to be returned(as well as a couple that were renewed) and yes, I have plenty to read at the moment but it never hurts to take a look around to see what's new , or new to me at least, on the shelves.

My destiny was sealed as the first and second mystery novels in a brand new series were available. The Mitford Murders is the fictional debut of author Jessica Fellowes, best known for several behind the scenes books about Downton Abbey.

The story is set in 1920, as young Louisa Cannon seeks a better life away from London,along with a means of escape from her corrupt uncle Stephen, by taking a position as a nanny to the countryside Mitford family. While fleeing from the criminal scheme that her uncle was forcing her upon, Louisa happened to be on the train the same day as the vicious murder of Florence Nightingale Shore took place further down the line.

Eldest daughter Nancy is keenly interested in Florence's death and manages to drag a reluctant Louisa into an investigation, one that comes close to being a real threat to both their lives. As much as she wishes to avoid any connection to her past, Louisa can't be but hope to run into Guy, the friendly railway policeman who helped her out that fateful day. Will he be able to lend his assistance to solving this case before things get truly out of hand?

The follow-up to this is Bright Young Dead, where Nancy and Louisa team up again with Guy in London of 1925 so that they can track down a ring of female criminals known as the Forty Thieves.

Louisa is able to make contact with a former member of the gang, a maid named Dulcie but the price of that acquaintanceship proves to be rather high and deadly for one unfortunate soul.

I've already started reading The Mitford Murders and the writing is lively and crisp, with a good blend of Upstairs,Downstairs characterization combined with the heartfelt drama of a good Downton Abbey episode.

 Fellowes gives the reader a great deal of invested interest in Louisa and Guy as they go forth on their separate but soon to be mutual paths that are enhanced by such real life figures as the Mitford sisters(yes, that Nancy!) and with revived interest in Downton Abbey,thanks to the upcoming film later this year, I suspect that I was blessed by the good book fairy to find this delightful pair indeed:

Apparently, the good book fairy found me worthy of a double tap from her tasseled bookmark(what else would such an enchanted entity use as a magic wand, after all?) as the two books that I had ordered from an after-holiday sale online arrived in the mail that day.

Josie Silver's One Day in December follows the long term romantic pursuit of  Laurie and Jack, two London strangers that happened to catch each other's eye during a bus ride yet fail to connect right away.

Through various means, Laurie hopes to find him but tends to just miss that special moment to meet Jack, with one of her best friends happening to find him first and have her own relationship with him. Over time, it seems that these two are never going to be a couple yet fate may have something to say about that......

This book sounds like a great Nora Ephron movie set in England, which would be nice to curl up with and on top of that, it's a Reese Witherspoon book club pick(I'm really enjoying her taste in books there).  A sweet bookish sundae like this ought to be a tasty read even in the cold weather days to come:

Speaking of England, The Gown by Jennifer Robson is subtitled "a novel of the Royal Wedding", the wedding in this case being of future queen Elizabeth II to  future Prince Phillip.

The narrative of the story is centered on the women who worked hard to make that fabled wedding dress ready, as modern day Heather seeks to find out where her recently deceased grandmother Ann got a set of pearl encrusted embroidered flowers from to leave as her legacy.

Turns out that Ann was one of the many seamstresses at Hartnell House, the top fashion designer in the country who specialized in dresses fit for royalty and the upper class. Ann befriends one of her fellow workers, Miriam,a refugee from the terrors of occupied Paris, and they even become roommates as well.

While able to find love on their own, Ann and Miriam must join forces to prevent industrial spies from learning of the intended design of the regal wedding dress to prevent any knock off versions from spoiling the big day, which is a much needed moral boost for the post-WWII nation still in recovery and knee deep in rations.

Granted, I'm not a major Royal Family watcher but the time period is interesting and perhaps this book can get me to finish watching the second season of The Crown,particularly before the new one without Claire Foy begins. Of course, such a novel will have plenty of it's own merits to enjoy and looking at such a historical occasion from a mostly unseen viewpoint promises to be memorably page turning:

So far, this year has gotten off to a good reading start and my Winter's Respite readathon is going along smoothly as well. One of the best things about this time of year, I hate to say, is being able to focus more on books that I want for me, myself and I.

 As much as I do like buying books for others, it was distracting to see so many wonderful books that I desired for my own pleasure. Perhaps the good book fairy will bless me with patience and literary concern toward those readers in my life that are in need of engaging reads in order to reward me with more opportunities to find great bookish delights for myself in the months to come-we shall see!:

My new year of reading resolutions

Happy New Year, everyone and I hope that 2019 has gotten off to a good start for you.

As for me, a lot of great books were under my Christmas tree and late last night, I finished my first read of the year(Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine) and it also counts as the first book in the Winter's Respite readathon to be completed-bonus points!

While most people do make resolutions for the new year, I'm at the point in my life where I find it best to make ones that I truly have a good chance at keeping,so these are all reading related promises to myself(and one for the blog).

Now, I try not to get too overly organized about this because that can take the fun out of things(not to mention ruin the opportunity for spontaneity reads there). However, there is some method to my literary madness that allows for some wiggle room,especially as far as my library visits are concerned:

SERIES-OUS READING 3: So far, I've been doing these year long catch-ups and /or dives into books from various series for two years now and renewing this blog project for a third term just felt right.

Mind you, this year will get off to a late start, due to my still being in the midst of a Poldark title from this past December(and yes, I do intend to read yet another one in this series but I just can't quit Cornwall and Demelza just yet).

A good portion of the Series-ous Reading will be in the cozy mystery category, including Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen stories. In a weird way, this is not much different than when I was into paranormal romances back in the day.

 Both genres have strong minded ladies solving crimes and proving those pesky yet sexy men folk wrong when it comes to a woman's intuition and intelligence. The main difference is one has deadly demons to battle while the other has devil's food cake to conquer.

In addition to that, I do have a couple more of Rhys Bowen's Her Royal Spyness books(do so adore Georgie's maid Queenie!) to explore and a lovely omnibus edition of the first three mysteries in the Phyrne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood. I loved watching the Miss Fisher adaptations and reading the books should be a blast.

What should also be a blast are Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries, with such tasty titles as Caught Bread Handed(I'll be starting the new year with that), A Crime of Passion Fruit and Another Bites the Crust. To sweeten the deal, Alexander has a fun Youtube channel with plenty of updates about her latest works and insights into her writing. A real box of video treats to savor indeed:

DIVING INTO DICKENS: Some time ago, I started to read War & Peace as a way of coping with the chaotic times that we're living in and granted, Tolstoy does not sound like mellow out type of reading, nonetheless, it's done the trick for me.

I'm happy to report that not only have I finished W&P, I'm halfway through Anna Karenina(highly recommend the Maude translation for both) and it will soon be time to pick up another classic read.

For my next selection, I am going back to Charles Dickens, who happened to be a major fan of Leo Tolstoy's work. I have read a good number of his books but there are plenty that I haven't gotten to and intend to remedy that situation right soon.

The Pickwick Papers was the first of Dickens' bestsellers, weaving a set of tales from the notes of the famed Pickwick Club, with such distinguished members as ladies' man Tracy Tupman, the artistically inclined Augustus Snodgrass and of course, Samuel Pickwick with his fateful bumbling valet Sam Weller. These fine gentlemen found themselves in various silly situations, most of which they manage to escape relatively intact but not without some unexpected help from Sam Weller at times.

This big book has been adapted into film and TV miniseries(the most recent being in 1985) over the years and even inspired a series of novels by present day author Van Reid called The Moosepath League. With the headlines getting stranger and more absurd by the minute these days, it's more than time for a good laugh which Mr. Pickwick and his friends can certainly provide.

Not to mention that the Pickwick Papers are a main influence on one of my favorite novels of all time, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The March sisters had their own version of that illustrious group and now I'll be able to appreciate that section of the story all the more:

THE ELLROY/MURAKAMI CONNECTION: There are some authors whose works you really want to get into but for one reason or another, you just can't quite make that pivotal turn into their respective territory. It may be bad timing or too many other things on your personal plate at the moment but the urge is still there.

Well, I am going to try reading at least one book by two such writers on my list who are an odd pairing to say the least.

 No doubt that many of the devoted fans of Haruki Murakami's novels would give me a through list and suggestions on what to read first but I'm choosing to tackle The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle here. I did attempt to read IQ84 but that may have been too big of a bookish slice to sample as an introduction. If all goes well with WUBC, I will gladly go back to that one indeed.

For the other, it's James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential. I did actually meet Ellroy at a book convention signing(for a different book) and he's a strange duck to be sure. Nevertheless, his writing style is amazing to behold yet has such a zig zag style of energy that it's not easy to settle down with.

However, I have seen the celebrated 19997 film adaptation(which is hard to watch now, due to a certain disgraced actor's presence) and recall enough of the central plot line to be confident in getting a firm grip on this story of old school scandal and corruption. I know there will be differences between the movie and it's source material but I suspect that many of the main points and character development details will be well featured on the page:

This sounds like a good set of goals to head off into 2019 with and I hope that all of you with bookish New Year's resolutions(and non as well) find much success with yours. Anything's better than the one by Ross from Friends with his "new thing to do!" every day which resulted in bad pants choices and other hilarious catastrophes before January was over and done with. Make reasonable resolutions, my friends, and you'll be much better off for it:

Taking a Winter's Respite to ring in the new year of reading

Happy New Year's Eve, folks and hope your celebrations to say farewell to this past year go off without a hitch. As for me, I'm checking my list of books set aside for the Winter's Respite readathon  over at Seasons of Reading.

Thanks to hostess Michelle Miller, this month long readathon gives us a chance to catch up with our TBR piles,dive into those books gifted to us during the holiday season(or picked up at an end of year sale!) and generally relax with some good reads. Most of my selections were Christmas presents and I'll be happy to open them up indeed:

ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE: This debut novel by Gail Honeyman has become a much talked about book, recommended highly and chosen as a selection for Reese Witherspoon's book club(she's also turning it into a movie).

The leading lady of the title is living a very quiet life, going from office to home and not much else. Part of the reason that she keeps to herself is due to a rather troubled childhood which gave emotional as well as physical scars.

However, someone from work decides to befriend her. Raymond works in the IT department and appears to actually see Eleanor as a person instead of a figure to be avoided or mocked. Slowly but surely, she starts to join the outside world and begins to learn of the options out there in order to discover the type of existence she truly wants.

I have high hopes for this book but am willing to take it on it's own terms. Hype can work both for and against a novel but I have a feeling that this story is worth taking a chance on, much like it's heroine:

NINE PERFECT STRANGERS: Liane Moriarty's latest story is set at a wellness retreat, where a mixed bag of guests such as romance writer Frances, worried about her continuing career success, and young Zoe, staying with her parents as a means of coping with the anniversary of a tragic event.

As everyone gets to know one another, concern arises about the agenda of Masha, the director of Tranquillium House. Her odd requests and isolating programs for the attendees are certainly a distraction from their everyday woes but is there a method to her supposed madness or not?

I've enjoyed Moriaty's work in the past and like that she added a writer into the mix here for a bit of meta fun. From what I've heard about this book, some of the story is meant to be a bit satirical about the spa craze, which puts me in mind of T. C. Boyle's The Road to Wellville(a better book than the movie makes it out to be)set in modern times-should be interesting to see where Moriaty takes this concept there:

THE ABC MURDERS: My interest in Agatha Christie's works continues and yes, also spurred on by the news of a new adaption. This Poirot tale has him hunting down a killer who uses the alphabet to target his victims, placing all of London in a state of fear.

Poirot teams up with Inspector Japp, the official head of the investigation with his co-horts including Dr. Thompson a forensic psychiatrist determined to reveal the killer's motive and Inspector Crone, a man that harbors doubts about the effectiveness of Poirot's methods. Along for the ride is Poirot's old friend Arthur Hastings, eager to lend a hand as well.

While I am a Miss Marple lady, Hercule Poirot has grown on me a bit and even though I won't be able to see the current BBC version starring John Malkovich, it is a timely excuse to explore this engaging mystery:

In addition, I have Jasmine Guillory's The Proposal(thank you, Stacy, for that Bookish Secret Santa gift!) and a couple of titles released earlier this year, The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes-Gower and Kate Morton's The Clockmaker's Daughter.

The latter takes place in an old English estate known as Birchwood Manor, a home lived in by many yet has only one true resident. Lily has walked the halls of Birchwood for decades as a protective spirit, looking to intervene when necessary for such folks as Edward, an artist dealing with a diamond theft on his property and Jack, a newly arrived photojournalist.

When an archivist named Elodie discovers a photo of Lily among her research into the history of Birchwood, that find leads to a reveal that brings more than one hidden story to life. Morton does love to weave elaborate yet emotional drawn tales and this winter may be a good time to dive into this one:

The Winter's Respite starts at midnight this January 1st and ends on the 31st of the month, so there is plenty of time to get those pages a-turning. Best wishes for a Happy New Year to Michelle Miller and all of the other reading friends who are signing up for this bookish beginning to 2019.

Also sending a Happy New Year to anyone taking part in any of the other wonderful readathons out there as well as all who are hoping for a fresh start on so many fronts in the year about to arrive. The coming cold season should be a grand time for bundling up in a cozy spot and diving into a good book that will keep your spirits warm and bright:

Ringing in a New Year of reading for early 2019

The end of 2018 is fast approaching and while there's plenty to look back on(for both good and ill), the time to focus on what lies ahead is here and now.

Out of the numerous pop culture arrivals many are eager to check out in 2019(including seeing which of the theories about Jordan Peele's upcoming horror movie Us will be correct!), books are definitely in the forefront,especially if you have a gift card or two to spend.

This set of new releases due on bookshelves near you for January and February are a mix of fiction, from magical history to murder mystery and emotional affairs of the heart. Hopefully, one or more of these literary delights will be a welcome sight for readers ready for a new read in the new year:

SISTERS IN SORCERY AND SLAYAGE:

 The Witches of St. Petersburg: Author Imogen Edward-Jones highlights a lesser known pair of historical figures in this novel set in Czarist Russia and endows them with magical abilities that go further than they expected.

Sisters Militza and Anastasia,aka Stana, managed to marry well as princesses of Montenegro but are snubbed by upper class Russian society due to the humble origins of their home country.

 However, when Militza takes a prime opportunity to move up the regal social ladder by connecting herself with new czarina Alexandra, she does not neglect to bring her sister along for the climb.

Aided by their combined talents in dark magic,  Stana and Militza are easily able to make themselves powerful players in the court of Nicholas II. Yet, when a royal heir is in need of medical care, the sisters cast a spell to find a powerful healer which summons Rasputin, a man who proves to be more trouble than he's worth. Ridding themselves of him tests the limits of their skills and may prove to be the undoing of everything they've ever wanted.

Edward-Jones did a good amount of solid research into the real life  members of the Russian court to enhance her creative vision of magic and ambition that ought to make readers wonder the what ifs of that time very well(January):

 Slayer: In this YA tale from Kiersten White, the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is expanded on by the discovery of a new Chosen One, she alone who can fight vampires and go against the forces of darkness(yes, I am a fan if you didn't already know).

Starting from the time after the seventh season of BTVS as well as an event in the Buffy comics that lead to the wiping out of magic, the last of the Slayer line is to be found among the last of the Watchers, those who protected the world from mystical enemies.

Nina and her twin sister Artemis were happy in their training as the next generation of Watchers but when Nina realized that she was tapped to be the Slayer as well, her choices in life become more important than ever before. Magic may have died but that doesn't mean all threats from that realm are gone for good.

Having enjoyed White's take on the Frankenstein legend(The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein), I am thrilled to see what she does with vampires and their slayers in the hopes that a whole new audience will be happily introduced into this fandom fold(January):

LIFE AND LOVE ONLINE AND OFF:

 When You Read This: The leading lady of this Mary Adkins novel is Iris, a dying woman who writes a moving blog about her end of life experiences. She does this with the help of Smith, her boss at the small PR firm they had hoped to launch to great heights.

Instead, their dark sense of humor about the blog only serves to bind them together, making it hard for Smith to follow up on Iris' last wishes by using the printout of the blog content to publish a book. He decides to consult her sister Jade about the matter but Jade is less than thrilled with the whole idea.

Smith and Jade do wind up talking about Iris, who they both miss terribly, and soon discover much in common,including the need to find a way to deal with their mutual loss and find joy in life again. A blend of humor, heart and pathos told in modern day epistolary form, Adkins is giving us a smart yet sentimental shoulder to laugh and cry on(February):

 Big Little Love: In this mother and son tale, author Katy Regan first introduces us to Zac, whose biggest wish for his eleventh birthday is for his long since gone father Liam to show up to his party.

Zac's unhappiness is made worse by the constant bullying from his fishing village school mates, causing his mother Juliet to recognize a similar sadness in her self. By trying to improve both of their lives, she hopes to avoid dealing with some of the real truths about why Liam left in the first place.

However, Zac is bound and determined to find his father and with the help of his buddy Teagan, not only finds a few clues about the location of Liam but a look into the past that could change his views about his mother as well as his maternal grandparents for good.

 Such a story promises to go down a certain road but Regan offers a new fork in that fictional path that proves to be worth taking(February).


 SAVORY AND SWEET CRIME SOLVING:

The Suspect: Best selling author Fiona Barton brings us another thriller with  reporter Kate Walsh on the case. This time around, she's looking into the disappearance of an eighteen year old girl named Alexandra in Thailand.

While the police seem to feel that Alexandra and the friend she was traveling with are simply being neglectful in updating their families about their current location, Kate has a more personal stake in feeling that there is something more sinister about this vanishing act.

As she recruits a few journalist companions to accompany her to Thailand, Kate soon learns that there is more than meets the eye here and it's quite a rabbit hole that she goes down in search of the truth. Barton is a rather intense storyteller and those seeking such a twisty tale will be well rewarded indeed(January).

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder: In Joanne Fluke's latest Hannah Swenson mystery, our leading lady is hoping that a TV special highlighting her beloved bakery The Cookie Jar will take the spotlight off of her personal woes.

Alas, things wind up going from batter to worse(sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity for a pun!) and Hannah seeks shelter at her mother's penthouse apartment with an old friend at hand, looking to solve yet another murder that fell into her lap at the least opportune time.

It's no secret that I've become a fan of this cozy culinary series yet I'm a long ways away from this deliciously titled entry. However, if you are wondering why books like this have such a sweet following, the answer is this: in a world of turmoil and what seems to be unending chaos, visiting someone like Hannah and sampling a few of her fictional wares is such a well earned relief. It's good to know that even murder can be made as sensible as a recipe for a good comforting pie(February):

 

Do have a Happy New Year and I will try to check in with you all before that clock strikes midnight next week(I do have a readathon starting on January 1st to talk about, after all!). Until then, keep a few good thoughts and a few good books on hand as we head into 2019 and a much better beyond :

 

Have yourself a Merry Christmas of Music

With Christmas being on a Tuesday this year, I have no intentions of blogging on Monday as the day before the holiday is best enjoyed with family.

Therefore, my annual holiday music playlist will be up today for your Yuletide pleasure and should carry LRG through the first half of next week(will be back before New Year's Eve with a book preview for 2019 and my reading list for Winter's Respite).

Let's get this party started off right with the modern day classic, Run D.M.C's "Christmas in Hollis"that holds the double distinction of being featured on the first A Very Special Christmas album and the soundtrack for the original Die Hard movie(celebrating it's thirtieth anniversary this year).

Yes, Virginia, Die Hard is a Christmas movie as is Batman Returns, however the latter does not feature any real seasonal tunes unlike John McClane's holiday hijnks,more good reason to bust some Christmas carols:

Next up is "Let It Snow" from nineties R&B group Boyz to Men, with the song being reimagined by singer Brian McKnight.

This particular tune was the only single released from their 1993 holiday album, Christmas Interpretations. It also received a Grammy nomination in 1994 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group w/ Vocals(Sade won that year).

It's truly a cool take on a song that is routinely sung around this time with a lot of enthusiasm but not much more than that. Turning this tune into a sweet mellow jam is peppermint perfect indeed:

One of my all time offbeat favorite holiday songs is "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses and this year, I found a great cover version sung in style by Kylie Minogue.

It's one of the tracks from her first holiday album, A Kylie Christmas , that came out in 2015(which has an expanded version entitled The Snow Queen Edition that was released in 2016).

She also did a concert for this album at the Royal Albert Hall that December and this video is from that performance. You just have to watch, it's a total holiday party riot:

Our next number is from the soundtrack of the 1996 holiday movie The Preacher's Wife(a modern version of 1947's The Bishop's Wife) which starred Whitney Houston, who also generously contributed her musical gifts to the production.

"I Believe in You and Me" was the single released for the album and the film, with the song being nominated for a Grammy(as it was a cover version of a Four Tops song, it wasn't eligible for an Oscar nom). To this day, the soundtrack is considered to be the best selling gospel album of all time.

I know a lot of folks will be interested in seeing this movie right now due to the recent passing of director Penny Marshall(a very underrated talent,in my opinion) and I feel that this is a fitting tribute to both of these remarkable ladies to showcase this heartfelt melody:

Before this playlist is done,I'd like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and yes, as we speak, there is a whirlwind of chaos growing in strength out there in the headlines that we should be concerned about for the future of our country. However, we should not let that sordid mess ruin one of the few times of the year where friendship, love and family are the elements that bring us together.

Misery loves company but that doesn't mean you have to accept it's invitation to dinner. Now is the moment to embrace the true spirit of the season and make a concerted effort to share what's good in our lives with others.

That doesn't mean that we're ignoring what's going on,instead we chose not to let ourselves be dragged down into that particular pit of woe. Like the Whoville residents who went out to sing in the town square regardless of the Christmas eve raid by the Grinch, we know that this holiday is more than just the shiny tree, brightly wrapped gifts and dazzling decorations.

No, Christmas is meant to be much more than that. So in that spirit, let's strive to put a little more love in our hearts this holiday season and all the days afterwards. That will do much to help us all get through this thing together: