Starting off my Second Acts of Series-ous Reading with Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet

For this new year of Series-ous Reading, I decided to add an extra challenge to this literary look at books in a series by giving a special spotlight to those rather overlooked entries known as Book Two.

So, my first SR read for 2020 was the first of my Second Acts as I'm calling them with M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet.

Granted, this book was adapted into season one of the British TV series so I had a bit of a heads-up here. Yet, there are always differences from script to screen(this story is episode five of the show), plus I did enjoy reading The Quiche of Death so much that this was a welcome pleasure indeed.


For this outing, Agatha is feeling quite bored after her previous detective adventure, not to mention looking for love with handsome neighbor James Lacey. Since James appears to be more interested in either working on his book of military history or keeping company with another local lady, Agatha sets her sights on the new veterinarian, Paul Bladen.

Many of the ladies in the small town of Carsely are eager to take their pets in to see this potential new bachelor and despite the supposedly good doctor's lack of interest in household animals(especially cats), Bladen has quite a few admirers.

 However, he only seems to have an eye for mature women with plenty of money such as Agatha, who he takes out on a less than exciting date at a bad restaurant. Before she gets too involved with him, Bladen is found dead at Lord Pendlebury's estate while administering a shot to one of his Lordship's prize horses.

The whole incident appears to be a work related accident but Agatha is suspicious and manages to recruit James into investigating the matter with her. Turns out that James is having a bit of writer's block and in need of some distraction, not to mention that he has the social connections to make checking out the scene of the crime that much easier:

As James and Agatha persist in their inquiry, evidence of murder crops up ,causing the police to caution the two of them(mainly Agatha) about getting too close to the case.

However, when a former client of Paul Bladen's, whose cat was unjustly put down, invites Agatha over to talk about what she knows and is discovered dead, there is no turning back for her at all here.

This second outing has more of the lively wit that the first book sets up shop with and stays for the most part in the Cotwolds(with a small exception for a brief subplot about a former friendly rival trying to con Agatha out of her money) which allows for Agatha and James to develop more of a relationship. Despite their initial reluctance in romance-he doesn't like being pursued and she would like him to take the lead-Agatha and James do click together quite nicely.

While Agatha doesn't need to be partnered with anyone, she does seem to like having an assistant on hand ,probably a holdover from her PR firm days. Also, a partner does come in handy in detective tales as back-up for when the lead sleuth is trapped by the bad guys.

 Seeing Agatha and James strike up a few sparks is a nice touch and while it may not be as sassy sexy as Phryne Fisher's love interests are, surely Agatha is equally capable of getting her man in more ways than one:

The only regret I have here is in learning of M.C. Beaton's passing just before the new year. Her actual name was Marion Chesney, who also wrote Regency romances under various pen names and along with Agatha Raisin, her other popular detective series was Hamish Macbeth, who had his books turned into a television show as well.

She had a lengthy writing career, starting in the late 1970s with her Ann Fairfax and Jennie Tremaine novels and by the mid-1980s, creating the Hamish Macbeth series(which grew to 34 books in total, not counting a short story collection and Christmas themed tale) and in the early 1990s, bringing us Agatha Raisin, whose final novel, Hot to Trot, is due out later this year.

From all accounts, Marion Chesney was a warmhearted soul with some of the snarky humor that her leading lady Agatha possessed. It is a shame that such a charming, talented writer is no longer with us yet I am glad to have made her fictional acquaintance and to see more of her characters come to life on the small screen to boot:

Well, this Second Act will be followed by another as February's Series-ous Reading selection is Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson. No, the plot is not centered around Valentine's Day but a candy themed mystery is hard to resist.

I did read the first title in Mott Davidson's series, Catering to Nobody, featuring divorced caterer Goldy Bear who had to take up crime solving in order to get her business back on track. It was an engaging romp and this second helping has Goldy dealing with two potential love interests while fending off her awful ex-husband and finding herself at the center of a murder investigation once again.

Goldy has a sly sense of humor, despite the various trouble tossed her way, which makes me want to see more of her appetizing adventures. Plus, the recipes included are tasty breaks from the action and yes, a sweet treat is on the menu that is hopefully not fatally delicious:

Spending time in Jane Austen TV land at Sanditon

When it comes to adaptations of a favorite author's work, no one is more excited than a Jane Austen fan can be.

Upon hearing about the ITV miniseries of Sanditon, an unfinished novel by Austen just before her death, and that the screenplay would be written by Andrew Davies(best known for his Colin Firth wet shirt take on Pride & Prejudice), most of us North American Austenites stopped short of dancing in the street for joy.

Now, our bookish bliss is complete as the Sanditon series is currently airing on PBS Masterpiece and not only is there a Making of Sanditon tie-in book, which I highly recommend, we have also been blessed with a novelization of the screenplay from author Kate Riordan.

The story,set in the title location, is anchored by Charlotte Heywood, who is visiting the seaside town as a guest of Tom and Mary Parker.

Tom is bound and determined to turn Sanditon into a thriving spa destination that would rival the likes of Bath and Brighton and put quite a bit of his family's finances at enormous risk to achieve this goal.

While he gets some help from his brother Sidney(whose business is in overseas trade) and mostly emotional support from his sweet natured yet overly concerned with his health brother Arthur and like minded sister Diana, Tom mainly relies on the good will of local diva Lady Denham and her considerable purse strings to fund his efforts.

Lady Denham does not mind assisting, provided that everything is according to her wishes. Charlotte makes her acquaintance along with Her Ladyship's flock of eager to please relations, hoping to earn their aunt's favor when it comes to inheriting her fortune.

 While Charlotte finds Lady Denham's companion, niece Clara Brereton, to be somewhat agreeable, she is not sure what to think of her nephew Lord Edward and his stepsister Esther, whose relationship seems rather too close for comfort there. Not to mention that Edward's interest in Charlotte is not too subtle in it's seductive intent:

Another newcomer to town finds herself connected to Charlotte as well. Miss Georgiana Lambe, a very wealthy heiress from Antiqua, is under the guardianship of Sidney Parker, who feels honor bound to keep her safe from London influences.

Miss Lambe, however, is less than thrilled with England to begin with and being taken off to a remote seaside town doesn't make her any more content with her new situation.

 Being placed with a fussy lady chaperone(plus her two other ditzy charges) and made to attend tedious social events such as Lady Denham's pineapple luncheon that allows the locals to stare at her while eligible yet clueless men seek to court her for her vast fortune of a hundred thousand pounds, Georgiana refuses to be accommodating to anyone's demands on her time and attitude and I for one am firmly on her side in such matters:

Charlotte and Georgiana do become good friends, both of them eager to share resentments as Sidney has been rude and overbearing at times to each of them.

Over the course of time, Charlotte finds herself changing her opinion of him, due to several encounters that show a kinder side to Sidney's usual appearance of disdain. In return, he starts to see Charlotte as more than a country girl with too many opinions.

Despite those signs of budding romance, Charlotte and Sidney do not agree at all about what would make Miss Lambe truly happy and that leads to a series of unfortunate circumstances that threaten the one person they do share a sincere interest in.

There are other story lines here, such as Tom's troubles in building up Sanditon, another young man who finds Charlotte attractive but she only sees him as a friend and a chilling war of wills between Esther and Clara. However, it's more fun to explore them on the page as Kate Riordan keeps a lively pace in relying the screenplay's plot points while adding some engaging insights into the characters themselves.

I know that some folks are surprised at some of the goings-on in this version of Sanditon but bear in mind that this was an unfinished work and in truth, this expansion of the story is pretty much in line with the literature of Jane Austen's time.

One of her early works, Lady Susan, was greatly influenced by the popular literature of the Regency/Georgian period, which had plenty of tales involving upper class folks getting into all kinds of mischief. No doubt readers in those days would raise an eyebrow at some of this Sanditon's incidents such as an unexpected glimpse of sea bathing men and a rather forbidden romance but would also pass the book along to eager family and friends for their mutual pleasure.

Novels such as Belinda by Maria Edgeworth, Clarissa by Samuel Richardson and Henry Fielding's Tom Jones(which we know was a favorite of Jane's) were filled with the shocking doings and occasional bawdy humor that was part and parcel for that day and age as well as part of Austen's regular reading. So, in that respect, this rendition of Sanditon is far from out of place with Jane Austen's life and times:

So, if you're watching the miniseries or not just yet, Kate Riordan's novelization of Sanditon is a delightful addition to the adaptation fun. My thanks to Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose for including me on this blog tour for this book and I hope that many of you in Austenland enjoy both versions with great delight.

In fact, I do encourage any and all period drama lovers to watch as well as read the book, since there is a slim yet not entirely impossible chance that Sanditon might get a second season if enough fan love is expressed to the powers that be. At the moment, there are no plans for another season but let us hope for the better in this regard:

A rather mixed goodie bag of Oscar nominations handed out this award season

Earlier this week, the nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced and there were more reasons to sigh than cheer this time out.

Before I get into all of that, let's start off on the one big positive note here which is the multiple noms for the film Parasite, co-written and directed by Boon Joon Ho. It's up for six nominations, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture as well as Best International Feature(the new name for the Foreign Film category).

This is a first for South Korean cinema, to have such major spots among the Oscar contenders and the film has won several awards at other venues, particularly the Golden Globes and the Palm d'Or from the Cannes film festival. Odds are that Parasite will be a big winner on Oscar night and about the only movie that everyone feels good about it doing so well here.

Both the critical reviews and word of mouth have been great for this social horror story where a poor family schemes their way into the household of a wealthier one, only to face unintended dire consequences from an unexpected source for their status elevation. I remember the first time I saw the trailer for Parasite and right away, you could tell that this was a slow burn of a suspense tale that would haunt you for the better:

The only negative about Parasite's nominations is that none of the actors were included in the Best lead or supporting categories. This omission carried out to many of the other Oscar sections-no women up for Best Director such as Greta Gerwig for Little Women(which is up for several other categories, including Best Picture), Lulu Wang for The Farewell and Kasi Lemmons for Harriet.

Only two POC actors were nominated for the acting categories and while Cynthia Erivo and Antonio Banderas deserved the recognition, so did Awkwafina for her work in The Farewell which won her a Golden Globe.

Also, no appreciation for Eddie Murphy in Dolemite is my Name, which is a funny,engaging film about cult movie hero Rudy Ray Moore and one would argue a fitting companion piece to Tim Burton's Ed Wood as cinematic tribute to the offbeat stars of the silver screen.

The biggest disappointment to me(and quite a few others out there) is that Joker earned the most nominations, eleven, including Jouquin Phoenix in the title role. While I don't dispute the acting talents of Phoenix, this film just repulses me and yes, I have not seen it despite being a big fan of DC Comics and Batman lore in particular.

The whole premise of this film is way off as an origin story for this character and I will tell you why; the Joker was created as a major nemesis to Batman, similar to Lex Luthor and Superman, and while they are polar opposites, they are meant to balance each other off. Granted, there is no set backstory for the Joker(one of his aliases is Jack Napier) but some traits are core components-he's deviously smart and skilled enough to create his own chemical weapons, is gleefully sociopathic and driven by impulse and ego. Basically, a formidable menace in his own right.

According to this movie, the Joker is a sad sack of a guy named Arthur Fleck whose mental health issues and emotional abuse from his mother lead to him taking revenge against a rather Martin Scorsese inspired Gotham City. I'm sorry but dressing up a second rate Travis Bickle in clown make-up and having him attack a King of Comedy(Why, Robert De Niro, why?) is a sadly cynical take on this iconic villain that says nothing original at all.

Instead, it seems to play on cheap stereotypes about those with mental health situations and loaded with pretentious preening about how "we live in a society" where white guys feel free to whine about being picked on for bad behavior. I don't know if I will ever watch this movie but it tells you something when the SNL parody of it sounds like a better version altogether:

What disappoints me even more than that is the overlooking of Rocketman, which received only one nomination for Best Original Song. I suppose that the Academy voters thought that honoring Bohemian Rhapsody last time was good enough but they are so wrong!

Bohemian Rhapsody was at best a standard biopic elevated by Rami Malek's performance but Rocketman is a creative autobiographical musical that feels like a Broadway show on the level of Hamilton in terms of quality. Elton John told the story of his life in an emotionally honest way, using his vast catalogue of songs as touchstones for various points in his journey without glossing over any of the messy moments there.

Taron Egerton(who won a Golden Globe for his performance,hello!) was wonderful and egregiously snubbed in the Best Actor category, not to mention Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila,Elton's viciously passive-aggressive mother and Jamie Bell as longtime friend and collaborator Bernie Taupin for the Best Supporting sections.

Also, how could you not nominate an Elton John musical for Best Costume, Best Production Design or either of the Sound categories? I have seen Rocketman three times(once in theaters, twice on home video) with family members and all of us were moved deeply by the themes of dealing with the pains of the past and moving onward. Based on audience response and mostly positive critical reviews, we are not alone in that good feeling.

While I am glad that at least ("I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" will be performed on Oscar night, it's a crying shame that the Academy is ignoring such an artistic cinematic gem like this:

Speaking of Best Song, I did listen to all of the other nominees, as is my usual, and for the most part,  found myself less than impressed.

While "Into the Unknown" from Frozen 2(surprisingly not up for Best Animated Film) is nice enough, in the words of a certain Buffy character, it's more of a book number than a breakaway pop hit.

Toy Story 4's "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" is a throwaway number that barely lasts two minutes. I wouldn't be shocked to learn that composer Randy Newman spent less than half of the song's running time to write it.

"I'm Standing With You" from Breakthough is your standard inspirational piece and while Chrissy Metz has a good voice, this tune is far from being memorable. What is a real contender with the Rocketman song here is "Stand Up" from Harriet, sung by Best Actress nominee Cynthia Erivo.

She is a Broadway singer, having won a Tony, Emmy and a Grammy for her role in the musical version of The Color Purple and she may become the youngest EGOT winner on Oscar night. Ervio's vocals are amazing and having the lead character perform the theme song to her life story is elegantly touching, to say the least:

Just a few other thoughts before I wrap this up:

Did Scarlett Johanssen really need to be a double nominee? Sure, her work in JoJo Rabbit and Marriage Story was well praised but did she really have to take up spots in both of the actress categories?  I suspect not,folks. Hell, Lupita N'yongo could have taken both categories for her duel role in Us (which was out and out ignored by the Academy!) and that would have been a bold creative use of that nomination there!

As much as I appreciate Martin Scorsese, The Irishman sounds like four hours of his greatest hits and hey, Marty-instead of complaining about superhero movies taking up too much attention, how about taking a creative chance yourself? You've done it before, with The Age of Innocence , The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun...instead of grousing about what others are doing, make your own work relevant to old and new audiences again.

I am happy that Renee Zellweger is up for Best Actress in Judy and that the Make-up/Hair Styling category has five nominees(most of the time, it's lucky to get three).

Other wise, the Best Picture nominees are not that exciting-Ford vs. Ferrari, 1917,Marriage Story, Joker,I don't even want to put them on my Netflix queue, let alone watch them at all. I would love to see Little Women and maybe check out Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and Jojo Rabbit but beyond that, a hard pass.

Will I watch the Oscars? Sure, because it's my Super Bowl and even if your team isn't playing, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the show. I do find it amusing that Best Supporting Actress nominee Margo Robbie will have her Harley Quinn on at the theaters with Birds of Prey a few days before the Oscars-when it comes to clown criminals, her royal riot girl act is one worth watching indeed:

My first Library Haul(and LibraryThing prize!) of 2020

Getting settled into a new year of reading can be daunting at first but it does help to take up a regular routine or two to start your bookish engines there.

Having been away from my local library during the holidays, it was wonderful to make my first visit of 2020 this past weekend with at least one book to return(which lead to another loan, that I'll get to momentarily).

What made this trip special was the joy of discovering a new book on the shelf that I've been wanting to check out ever since I first heard about it. The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis has the literary sisters Bronte find themselves  becoming a trio of sleuths as news of a strange death and disappearance at a nearby estate peaks their considerable interest.

With the assistance of their brother Bramwell, Emily, Anne and Charlotte look into what happened at Chester Grange, where the second wife of Robert Chester is missing with only a blood stained bed to suggest a gruesome departure. From hearing the eyewitness account of Matilda French, the current governess of the household and old school friend of sisters Emily and Charlotte, the sisters feel that they have no choice but to use their considerable skills of observation to find out the truth.

This leads them on a search that entails conducting interviews in disguise, finding clues in unlikely places and discovering hidden rooms within the manor house itself. Can the Bronte sisters solve this mysterious situation before another dire event takes place?

This book is intended to be the first in a mystery series and I certainly like this premise. Granted, out of the three Brontes, I'm more of a Charlotte person yet it ought to be entertaining and enlightening to see all of them in crime fighting action here:

During my last library visit, I decided to try a novel by Fiona Davis entitled The Address and it was such an engrossing read that upon my return, I went in search of another one of her works of historical fiction.

Luckily for me, The Chelsea Girls was readily available and quickly added to my pile of  new must reads. The story takes place in New York during the mid-1950s as two ladies of the theater reunite at the title hotel.

Hazel and Maxine became friends during WWII as USO performers on tour to entertain the troops. Now, five years later, they hope to combine Hazel's talent for play-writing and directing with the star power that Maxine has been generating on the Broadway stage to mark their mutual paths to fame and glory.

Unfortunately, their dreams are threatened by official demands to testify about "Un-American activities" as the McCarthy blacklist era begins. Can Hazel and Maxine stay true to their bonds of friendships as well as their professional goals, despite the pressure building from all sides?

This sounds intensely intriguing and I won't be surprised to see a few modern day parallels in this tale of attempted repression of artistic women:

To round out my library loan picks, I went with another debut mystery novel that is starting off a fresh new series and from the looks of it, this is one that I'm definitely going to like.

Marty Wingate's The Bodies in the Library is set in Bath, England as new  curator of The First Edition Society, Hayley Burke, discovers that the world of books is not as safe as one would think.

In addition to not having read any of the classic mystery titles in the collection that she's in charge of, Hayley also has to deal with a cranky co-worker and a local fan fiction writers' group that she has allowed to use the FES quarters who keep fighting among themselves about the proper way to add vampires or zombies to the works of Agatha Christie.

When the group leader is found dead one morning in the FES library, Hayley finds inspiration from Agatha Christie's The Body in the Library to find the killer before things get more out of hand. While she may not be a Miss Marple, Hayley may turn out to be a true detective in the making. I'm already reading this book and it's quite the Christie inspired cup of tea indeed:

When I arrived home, laden with books, there was a nice surprise in my mailbox from LibraryThing. LT does a monthly giveaway of upcoming titles and I won a copy of Little Wonders by Kate Rorick, best known for the Diary of Lizzie Bennet webseries tie-in novels.

When determined super mom Quinn Barrett unleashes her anger at her pre-school age son for not wanting to wear the homemade Halloween costume she created for him in public, she never expected that meltdown to become a viral sensation.

Newcomer Daisy Stone took the video but only meant to share it with her best friend back in California as a private joke. Instead, that slip of Quinn's perfect persona mask has taken on an internet life of it's own, making the once envied suburban diva the talk of the town.

While Daisy's unconventional ways make her reluctant to admit her part in this slow moving mess, she can't help but to reach out to Quinn, who's struggling to regain what sense of self she has left. This take on modern motherhood seems to be mixed with humor and heartbreak yet with a strong dose of unlikely friendship that should make for a solid good read. The book is due out in March and I think it'll be one to watch out for there.

Well, I do have quite a bit of reading on my hands, with the Winter's Respite readathon(reading two books at once for that one!), plus my Series-ous Reading and preparing for a review of Sanditon next week. No rest for the page turning wicked there!

Considering the cold weather on the way and the current news headlines, I think that a good book or two or more is the right choice for my entertainment needs(especially after the disappointing Oscar nominations, which I'll discuss later on) at this time.

For the moment, my first of many library hauls this year is off to a good start and the biggest decision on that score is long book or short book? At least that's a fun choice to make!:

Ringing in a New Year of Series-ous Reading

Welcome back, friends, for another year of Series-ous Reading where I talk about various books from established series and before we begin with the new, I must wrap up last year's list with the last book I read for that purpose.

Mr. Churchill's Secretary is the first title in author Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope novels which are set in England during WWII. Maggie was born there but grew up in America, due to both of her parents being killed in a car crash when she was a baby.

She was raised by her aunt in Boston and encouraged in her studies yet when word came of her grandmother's passing and her house in London in need of selling for any sort of inheritance, Maggie went over overseas to do just that. However, the escalation of the impending war with Germany made her hard for her to find a buyer so Maggie decided to take in a few roommates and see how she could help the war effort.

Despite her incredible math skills, the only solid position she could get in the government(thanks to some help from her good friend David) was as a replacement secretary to Winston Churchill. Seems that the former occupant of that position met with a rather deadly end.

Regardless of her disappointment, Maggie takes on the job and finds that while Churchill is a rough talker, he's also incredibly clever and even has a bit of a sense of humor about him, making those long hours of work at 10 Downing Street far more bearable there:

As the bombing raids in London begin, Maggie and her friends, such as Paige, her favorite roommate and best friend from college back in the US and Chuck, who is engaged to a solider headed for the front lines, do their best to keep their spirits up.

However, when a raid strikes down one of their own, Maggie becomes more determined to be of real use.

She spots a potential secret code in a newspaper ad for women's fashion(the skirt has a strangely sequential design of dots and dashes) and tries to bring this espionage in open sight to the attention of others in the department yet is politely but firmly shut down.

 Nonetheless, she is intent on finding the truth and as it turns out, there is a hidden secret regarding her family's past that leads her down an unexpected path of spies and secret plots that threaten the nation. I don't want to say more than that as this book is an entertainingly engaging adventure with characters that are well rounded and suspenseful plot points that keep those pages a-turning.

What I liked the most about this story was Maggie, a smart, capable woman who stayed on point despite being underestimated by the men around her and who was a good friend even to those who betrayed her trust. In truth, this reminded me of the short lived TV show Agent Carter, which really should've stayed on the air for longer than it did. Fortunately, Maggie Hope seems to have more staying power in print:

So, yes, my last Series-ous Reading of 2019 was a wonderful treat and for this new bookish bout in 2020, the next entry in the Maggie Hope series, Princess Elizabeth's Spy, is part of the literary line-up.

In fact, that book is part of a special category called Second Acts, which will highlight those crucial follow-ups to the debut novel in a book series. The first one may set up shop but the second steadies the balance for more to come.

Along with Princess Elizabeth's Spy, the second book selections include Dying For Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson and A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody, plus another book that I'll get to in a moment.

 Speaking of Frances Brody, I plan to read more of her Kate Shackleton series such as Death of an Avid Reader, A Woman Unknown and Murder in the Afternoon. Having read a later book in her series set in post WWI England about a lady photographer who becomes a detective last year, I thought it would be right to catch up on her other mystery entries as well. Also, I have more of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson stories to read as my mom has gone far ahead of me on that score!

For now, my first Series-ous Reading selection of 2020 is the second book in the Agatha Raisin mysteries from the late great author M.C. Beaton, Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet.

Sadly, Ms. Beaton(aka Marion Chesney) passed away on New Year's Eve at the age of 83. Before the Agatha Raisin books, she was well known for her Hamish Macbeth detective series,which also became a popular TV series in the UK much like the Raisin books are right now.

She also wrote a number of historical romances and mysteries under various pen names such as Charlotte Ward, Ann Fairfax and Jennie Tremaine. In total, she had over 160 books published during her lifetime and many of her colleagues describe her as a witty, warm hearted yet no nonsense lady who they felt honored to know. As a very new reader , I send my condolences to her loved ones and wish them some peace of mind during such a sorrowful time.

I hope to do justice to my write-up on the second Agatha Raisin novel, which I've already started, and perhaps I might try some of the Hamish Macbeth books,too. For now, Agatha's continuing adventures as  the city savvy country sleuth are a great way to get this new year of Series-ous Reading started:

Setting up a New Year's brunch of new books for the start of 2020

It seems that we're just about done with 2019(thank goodness!) and apart from a tasty brunch to look forward to, a new book is the perfect thing to get your brand new year started.

Of course, my preferred brunch would be made up of books and this short yet savory list of upcoming reads for January and February of 2020 promises to be an appetizing menu for good reading indeed:


FEASTING ON HISTORICAL FICTION:

 Marie Benedict brings forth another overlooked lady of history with Lady Clementine, best known to many as the wife of Winston Churchill. Their marriage was a true partnership with Clementine helping her husband weather many a political storm even before he became Prime Minister.

With her assistance, Winston was encouraged to make major social changes such as support for the women's suffragette movement as well as crafting many of the speeches he gave to rally support from the government and the people.

However, balancing her family life with working with Winston was a real challenge, particularly as WWII loomed ever closer. Nonetheless, she persisted for the betterment of all. This engaging novel ought to be an enlightening surprise to those who think of Winston Churchill as a one man show-rather, he was the more prominent face of a dynamic duo that worked together to save the world(January):

In Allison Pataki's The Queen's Fortune, our leading lady is Desiree Clary, whose destiny becomes entwined with that of future ruler of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.

While her sister Julie is engaged to his brother Joseph, Desiree is swept off her feet by Napoleon, who promises to make her his bride. However, during his rise to power, she is supplanted by the older yet glamorous Josephine who eventually takes her place by his side upon the throne.

As Desiree stays within his social circle by marrying one of his  most valuable generals, Napoleon's ascent and ultimate fall from glory is witnessed by her to the bitter end. Pataki does have a flair for royal drama and this look at a potential queen cast aside promises to be a popcorn worthy page turner(February):

RIVETING SLICES OF RESISTANCE:

Gish Jen brings us to a not-too-distant future in her upcoming novel, The Resisters, where teen baseball star Gwen decides to use a golden opportunity to change her status for the better.

 As a member of The Surplus in AutoAmerica, she has no decent quality of life, unlike the ruling class known as The Netted. Her skills at pitching have caught the eye of a Netted recruiter who thinks she's their best bet to beat ChinRussia's team.

That chance would mean Gwen leaving her old friends behind, such as Ondi, who was punished by the government for sharing what they considered to be "forbidden" information online, as well as her family that resists the new way of the world as they sadly try to recall what life was like before. Will she do what is best for her or best for the next generation to come?

Gish Jen seems to be moving in a new direction with her work here and that sounds great, especially if we get an Orwellian take on A League of Their Own out of this creative change-up(Feb).

 
Megan Angelo's debut novel The Followers starts off in 2015 as celebrity reporter Orla makes a new online star out of her vapid roommate Floss. The instant success goes right to their heads but a bizarre accident called The Spill changes their lives, along with the rest of the world, for good.

By 2051, there are state sponsored celebrities whose lives are scripted for the entertainment of the internet masses and one of them, Marlow, decides to do a little research into her own backstory before tackling the pregnancy story line that's been issued to her.

As it turns out, Marlow's past is connected to Orla and Floss, making her rethink everything that her publicly viewed life has become. Will she be able to find her own tale to tell or forced to stick to the script no matter what? Angelo offers us a new way to examine our media obsessed and tech dominated culture with clever use of heart and mind(Jan.):

SAVORING THE FLAVOR OF MYSTERY:

It's nice to be at the start of a new cozy mystery series and Ellery Adams already has the third entry in The Secret, Book and Scone Society series ready for the new year.

In The Book of Candlelight, the residents of Miracle Springs are doing their best with the torrential rains in their area that are causing the local inns to be overcrowded with travelers left stranded by flood waters.

Book shop owner Nora decides to help out, not to mention drum up a little business, and while she's eager to assist, the watery discovery of a dead body has her calling in her trio of good friends to find a killer.

The deceased is Danny, a pottery maker whose accidental death is anything but that. The clues to his demise may be linked to a rather old diary and the mysterious Inn of Mist and Roses, that takes Nora and company down a dangerous lane of inquiry that could put them all at risk. However, even the most sinister situations can be conquered with good, well meaning friends on hand and Adams provides that enchanting element in abundance(Jan):

 

 Happy New Year to all and I'll see you on the other side of the calendar page soon. There are so many wonderful stories to look forward to in 2020, both on and off screen, and while we have quite a bit of strife to go through, books can offer us plenty of hopeful heroes and heroines to inspire our journey together.

Speaking of heroines, I know that one of my all-time favorites will be returning to the silver screen with her golden lasso charged up and prepared for the necessary throwdown to come. With any luck, I'll be among the movie going crowds ready to cheer her on this summer:

Miss Emma Woodhouse invites you to a Jane Austen birthday party!

For many of us, Jane Austen's birthday is an early Christmas present as that good lady was kind enough to enter the world in December of 1775(making this the 244th celebration of her life and works).

As an Austen fan myself, I do enjoy honoring her special day and for this year's party, one of her finest leading ladies who has the distinction of having her particular story named after her, Emma, is the perfectly proper hostess for this occasion.

While I may not be as taken with Miss Woodhouse as many of my fellow Austenians are, I have grown to appreciate her numerous good qualities along with watching the various film/TV adaptations of her tale over the years. For this year's entertainment, let us take a look at some of those excellent visual visits to Emma's home of Highbury:

My favorite of the adaptations is the 1996 made for TV version starring Kate Beckinsale, who fully embodies the headstrong heroine in my mind.

The supporting cast has plenty of wonderful British actors such as Mark Strong who plays a rather firm yet endearing Mr. Knightley, a youthful Samantha Morton as eager to please Harriet Smith and Bernard Hepton makes for a delightfully nervous Mr. Woodhouse.

In fact, Hepton had played an Austen father figure before this production in a BBC miniseries of Mansfield Park(with Samantha Bond as his daughter Maria, who shows up here as Miss Taylor/Mrs.Weston). A nice little bonus there for British TV admirers!

With a script by Andrew Davies, who made a few welcome changes such as harvest dance to wrap the story up, and the film folk who made the quite successful Pride & Prejudice series featuring a certain wet shirted actor, this take on Emma is uniformly charming. I usually watch it around this time of year as I do consider Emma to be a Christmas movie(it does have a pivotal plot point during a Christmas party outing) and a birthday treat all in one:

Also in 1996, a theatrical edition of Emma was released with Gwyneth Paltrow in the title role, Toni Collette as Harriet and Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley.

Granted, I'm not a big fan of this film but I do credit writer/director Douglas McGrath for having a nice flair for the comedic tones of the original novel.

Not to mention that many of the casting choices that were made, with Alan Cumming as the eternally ingratiating Mr. Elton, Ewan McGregor as the deceptively delightful Frank Churchill and Juliet Stevenson as the inevitably obnoxious Mrs. Elton, were well suited for the humorous themes focused on here.

It's also an elegant looking film, with even small scenes being brought to vivid life with rich colors and smartly selected settings that kept your eye most agreeably engaged:

One of the best modern adaptations was the web series Emma Approved, created by the same folks who gave us The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and this online saga also won an Emmy just like LBD did.

Joanna Sotomura's performance as Emma Woodhouse, lifestyle coach, is instantly appealing and her co-stars are a fine fit as well. Brent Bailey as her Mr. Knightley is a real charmer here.

What I really liked about this series(which had a brief revival last year) was how well they updated the story to a 21 century time period, with Harriet being Emma's office assistant, a sweetly shy gal with musical talent, Robert Martin turned into IT guy Bobby and Miss Bates as Maddie Bates , a family friend with a small accounting business of her own.

Out of all of the portrayals of Miss Bates, the well meaning yet incredibly chatty neighbor who can't resist praising her beloved niece Jane Fairfax to the skies, I truly adore this incarnation of her with a oddly flavored jam making hobby and keen financial sense:

While the most recent Emma adaptation in 2009 wasn't everything I hoped for,  I did find great pleasure in seeing  Jonny Lee Miller play Mr. Knightley.

Miller not only has wonderful chemistry with Romola Garai(who does a lovely version of Emma Woodhouse in this series), he is no stranger to Jane Austen country.

He's appeared in two versions of Mansfield Park, the first a small role as one of Fanny Price's little brothers in the 1983 BBC miniseries(the only decent adaptation of the book so far, in my opinion) and the other as Edmund Bertram in the eyebrow raising 1999 movie.

 His talents are better served in this version of Emma, making a perfect partner for Miss Woodhouse to match her considerable wits against here:

 To conclude this Emma themed party, we have the early gift of a fresh new film due out in 2020, with Anna Taylor-Joy as our handsome, rich and clever heroine. With any luck, this movie will set off a wave of Jane Austen interest that will sustain us throughout the year.

Happy birthday, Miss Austen, and thank you ever so much for creating such amazing female characters  in print that generation after generation can't resist reviving for us on screens big and small:

Making a merry meal out of my Christmas Spirit readathon

Yes, I am a bit tardy with this wrap-up of my reading for the Christmas Spirit readathon,hosted by Michelle Miller at Seasons of Reading, but I hope to be forgiven due to the hectic nature of this time of year.

I did at least finished two of the three books that I selected for this holiday challenge and both titles gave me a truly tasty start to the season.

First up was A Cup of Holiday Fear, the tenth entry in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series, where Juliet "Jules" Capshaw is celebrating Christmas with her newly married mother and charming stepdad police detective that everyone calls "The Professor", plus her family of staff members old and new at the beloved family bakery Torte.

The whole town of Ashland,Oregon is more than happy to embrace the holiday spirit(which also helps the local economy) but other than regular grouch Richard Lord, the only other person around who has no interest in the festivities is theater director Lance. Jules is determined to get him into the swing of seasonal things but Lance is not too keen on that, especially since his family ties are rather frayed at the moment.

What does perk him up a bit is a murder that lands right in front of them, as the annual Dickens feast at the Winchester hotel is plagued by a number of mishaps, including the shocking death of Cami, an unwelcome guest planning to buy the hotel and tear the long standing building down. While Jules wants to help the present owners, Mr. and Mrs, McBeth, with their situation, she can't help but wonder if someone much too close to them is the chilly culprit.

I do like how Lance manages to regain the Christmas spirit with the opportunity to solve a case and that Jules didn't have to push him too hard into getting out of Scrooge mode. Their friendship is one of the high points of the series and just listening to their engaging debates is part of the fun here:

The mystery does get solved without too much ruckus, although there are a couple of dramatic twists and turns added in to keep the plot points lively.

What is always on focus is the holiday mood,from the local Christmas parade to the charming details of the Dickens feast that has live carolers, specially chosen ornaments given out by Santa to the guests and of course, appearances by Ebenezer Scrooge(wouldn't be right without that classic character around!).

Plus, this being a foodie mystery, the recipes described here are merrily mouth watering. I'm not much of a cook for many reasons but this is one book that does tempt a person to try making some of these sweetly scrumptious treats.

Or you could just watch Ellie Alexander's 31 Days of Cookies videos online this month as a holiday release special. Since her next Bakeshop Mystery won't be available until June of 2020(Nothing Bundt Trouble, I adore that title!), these videos are a good way to keep your reading spirits bright until then:

I then paired this delicious drink of detection with a nice slice of Christmas Cake Murder, courtesy of Joanne Fluke. Since this story is an origin tale of sorts, I don't have to worry about getting too far ahead of myself with the Hannah Swensen stories.

This book takes place while Hannah is home from college during the holidays, hoping to help her despondent mother Delores deal with the recent death of much loved husband and father , Lars. Thanks to a pair of local ladies, the chance to liven the spirits of a longtime resident of Lake Eden seems to do the trick.

 Elderly widow Essie Granger takes a bad fall and has to stay in hospice until a better living arrangement can be found for her. Her reminiscences of the Christmas Ball, once held at a hotel in need of revival, that also had a Christmas Cake parade inspires Delores to bring that tradition back. She recruits just about everyone about her to take part, especially Hannah who loves to bake.

Hannah is not only happy to see her mother take part in the world again but she's ready to make a major life decision for herself. Upon the disappointing romance that she had with a professor at her school, Hannah wants to leave college to start up a bakery of her own in town. Delores is more than thrilled at that notion and eager to help her daughter in that endeavor. Given their usual tension in the books, it's nice to see Hannah and Delores bond like this.

It's also great to check out the cake recipes that Hannah and friends are looking into for the parade of cakes, with a major one being an "unbeatable" lemon bundt cake. Bundts are perfect picks for this time of year as they make for excellent wreath cakes, if you ask me:

The murder part of the story occurs as Hannah finds a set of notebooks in which Essie was writing a "novel" that she allows Hannah and family to read.

The plot of that work in progress involves a woman on the run as her husband was targeted by gangsters. While Hannah is completely engrossed in the story, she has a sneaking suspicion that what she's reading is more than an attempt at fiction.

The overall story,however, is very laid back and a completely relaxing read for the holidays. It's fun to see Hannah before her official sleuthing days(and boyfriends to choose from!). Fluke does have several Christmas themed Hannah Swensen books and while I haven't read them all, this one may become my favorite, right after Plum Pudding Murder, that is!:

Thanks again to Michelle Miller for setting up this readathon(and again, sorry for the lateness of this post!) and I am making plans for Winter's Respite this upcoming January. In the meanwhile, if you are seeking a Christmas themed movie that hasn't been played over a thousand times on TV by this point, I highly recommend The Man Who Invented Christmas.

Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens plays a charming but not too sugar coated version of Charles Dickens as he struggles to write A Christmas Carol. Plenty of great English actors such as Christopher Plummer in the cast, with a nice whimsical take on the writing process and that old school British vibe makes for a delightful cinematic surprise here. Happy Holidays, folks with good reading to all and to all, a good holiday movie tonight!:

Molly Greeley shows us that Charlotte Lucas is more than The Clergyman's Wife

As any Jane Austen fan would attest to, it is quite the universal truth that Pride & Prejudice is the most popular novel that Miss Austen wrote and as such, there is no shortage of books that expand upon that story.

While many of those works focus on Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, we do occasionally get novels that talk about some of the supporting players(such as Mary Bennet) and it is so refreshing to see where those pivotal characters on the story sidelines end up.

One such tale is The Clergyman's Wife by debut author Molly Greeley. The title refers to Charlotte Collins, formerly Lucas, who was able to help both her friend Elizabeth and herself by accepting the marriage proposal of Mr. Collins, cousin of the Bennet family who is also heir to their estate of Longbourn.

We met up with Charlotte three years after the events of P&P, where she is reasonably content with her lot in life. While Lady Catherine's constant interference is almost a daily occurrence and her husband's eagerness to do his patron's bidding can be a bit much, Charlotte does have her own home to command along with the joy of having a thriving daughter named Louisa and keeping up a correspondence with her dear friend Elizabeth Darcy:

Nevertheless, Charlotte is rather lonely and longs for someone to truly talk to. That much needed friend turns up unexpectedly due to another one of Lady Catherine's endeavors.

A local farmer, Mr. Travis, is prevailed upon by Her Ladyship to assist in planting a set of rose bushes at the Collins' home. During his visits, Charlotte finds his company more than just agreeable as he is a man with a sense of humor and intellectual pursuits beyond his regular line of work.

Despite her reluctance to seek out his companionship, Charlotte decides to increase her role as parish wife and make a few home visits to those unable to attend church regularly. That list happens to include Mr. Travis' father, who was once a gardener for Lady Catherine's estate, and by bringing little Louisa along, she delights both father and son.

However, other occasions occur that throw Charlotte and the younger Mr. Travis together, making her quietly yet steadily nervous that their true feelings about each other may be revealed to the world:

Those emotional struggles come to a head as a not entirely unexpected life event happens, causing Charlotte to seriously consider what the next phase of her life should be and with whom.

This book is written in a lovely contemplative style, giving us clear insights into Charlotte's past as well as her present, all of which are in tune with the source material.

Greeley paints a delicate portrait of not only Charlotte but the small section of the world in which she lives, allowing a larger canvas for those with no choice other than revolving about Rosings, which is beautifully described and easy to see why walking those grounds would be worth dealing with Lady Catherine's vexing whims.

While Elizabeth and Darcy play a small part in this story, having Charlotte's viewpoint on that relationship is great to see and certainly grants the constant P&P reader a very nicely done perspective on that there:

While it does add greatly to the pleasure of enjoying this engaging novel, The Clergyman's Wife can offer considerable delights for those who have not yet read Pride and Prejudice with it's heartfelt depiction of a woman trapped in a social role and making the best of things as she can.

I am very happy indeed to have taken part in the blog tour for this wonderful book (you can find out more about the tour at Austenprose )and this touching tale of what could be is something that I sincerely believe Jane Austen herself would appreciate:

Meg & Jo prove that these Little Women are for all seasons

If you asked me "What is the first book that was imprinted on you as a child?", my instant answer would be "Little Women by Louisa May Alcott."

I still have the illustrated hardcover version that was given to me as a Christmas present low these many years ago(and yes, I do have a couple of other editions besides that one) and make a point of it to reread this tale of the sisters March every so often.

With that in mind, I must tell you that it's been a pure delight this season in reading Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra, a modern day retelling of the LMA classic. As the title indicates, the focus here is on the elder March sisters but Beth and Amy are included as well(plus, they're getting their own book-more on that later!) but instead of New England, this story is set in North Carolina, where Marmee runs a small farm as Father March is a military chaplain who works with displaced veterans during his off hours.

Although all of the girls are grown-up in this novel, we do get some flashbacks to their younger years and even a version of "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents", which you can't leave out of any Little Women themed story, not at all!:

All of the March daughters are living on their own and far from home except for Meg, who is a stay at home mom dealing with rambunctious twins Daisy and DJ. Her husband John was a coach at the local high school but left that job in order to take a better paying one as a car salesman.

Meg was working at the bank, enjoying the use of her practical skills in helping folks get much needed loans, but gave that up to be the traditional mother. It seems that neither of them are completely happy with this set-up and things get more complicated when Meg's mother starts having serious health problems.

While she wants to be all things to all of the people in her life, Meg is beginning to see that boxing herself into too many corners is not the best solution. She needs to be reminded of her innate greatness perhaps with the aid of a certain sister there:

Speaking of Jo, she's in New York pursuing her writing dreams, which have taken an interesting turn.

After her journalism job was downsized, Jo started up a foodie blog that is steadily growing a following. What pays her bills, however, is her prep cook position at Gusto, one of the most popular restaurants in the city.

Owner and head chef Eric Bhaer is as passionate about his food as he is about Jo, as the two of them start up a slowly simmering yet sexy romance. Trouble is, he despises the whole internet food scene with a particular scorn for "hipster bloggers."

While Jo hasn't been forthcoming with her true online identity, she is worried that telling him would cool their intimacy off for good. Yet, it's only a matter of time before that revelation needs to be made and the sooner, the better as it's only fair that Jo be as open about her artistic inspirations as Eric is:

Both sisters soon realize that they have to work together as their parents' situation, with some financial woes making Marmee's ongoing medical problems worse, is in need of all of the March women to make it work as best as possible.

The plot goes between Meg's viewpoint and Jo's, allowing a solid back and forward that anchors the reader nicely. While the settings and situations may be more modern in scope than the source material, Kantra keeps things on an even keel, putting the emotional growth of the characters first which is what makes Little Women such a compelling literary icon in the first place.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a follow-up to this book planned for release sometime next year entitled Beth & Amy, with the former being a singer/songwriter and the latter a fashionista in Paris. Meg & Jo has an excerpt to that book at the end of this one yet don't wait for both of these novels to be available at once as M&J will most assuredly whet your page turning appetite and should not be delayed at all costs!

With the approach of a new cinematic Little Women, it is wonderful to have a great companion book of sorts to enjoy while waiting for movie tickets and popcorn. Meg & Jo is a clever, engaging read that honors the legacy of Alcott while breathing a little fresh life into it's leading ladies, a pleasure not to be denied indeed:

My last Library Haul of 2019, plus a taste of Turkey Day Murder

Welcome back, folks, and I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving celebrations with as little as fuss as possible and plenty to eat.

 After my holiday festivities, the highlight of Thanksgiving weekend for me was making one last visit to the library for this year, at least.

Since this season is going to be rather busy,along with the weather getting more comic book villain chilly(in the aftermath of the first snow storm of the year as we speak), I needed to pick up a couple of titles that could last me until January,due to renewals, and my choices fell into the historical fiction realm.

The Last Tudor by Philippa Gregory takes us to the infamous Lady Jane Grey, whose father placed her on the English throne in order to block Catholic Princess Mary from claiming the crown. While Jane's fate was quickly sealed, we also get a look at what happened to her two sisters, Katherine and Mary, who felt they would be safe from the royal wrath of the new Queen.

However, as Katherine makes a secret marriage and her sister makes similar errors in judgement, it appears that all three siblings may be reunited sooner than expected in a rather tragic way. It's been awhile since I've read Gregory yet I do like her work and watching the Spanish Princess miniseries on Starz earlier this year(which has a Part Two set for 2020!) has whetted my bookish appetite considerably here:

My other selection was a Fiona Davis title, The Address. The residence in question is the Dakota hotel in Manhattan, well known in the best and unfortunately infamous sense of the term.

In 1884, Sara Smythe leaves London to take a job as a maid in the Dakota and becomes professionally and personally involved with Theo Camden, the architect of the place. Her connection to him goes from being somewhat respectable to outright scandalous, taking her to an end that she may not have deserved.

Her story is discovered in 1985 by Bailey, a recovering party girl putting her energy into remodeling the apartment in the Dakota that she inherited. As Bailey digs more into the past, she finds that Sara's secrets have an unexpected link to her present day life. Can this renovation of a former glory bring a bit of closure to Sara's sad tale and show Bailey a new path for her future?

I have heard good word of mouth about Davis' books and thought this one would be a great way to check her out, so to speak. I also like that part of the novel is set in the Gilded Age, giving the story a backstage pass to an Edith Wharton experience vibe:

 Before that library trip, I downloaded a copy of Leslie Meier's Turkey Day Murder to get the spirit of the seasoning happy holiday and it was a fitting appetizer of a read.

Lucy Stone is our detective here, in the small Maine town of Tinker's Cove , and her part time job as reporter for the local paper brings her to a contentious town meeting where Native American activist Curt Nolan is angering opponents and allies of his cause alike.

When Curt is found dead at the local high school football game, there are way too many suspects to consider yet Lucy did promise one of his dear friends to look into the case. Between her sleuthing and Thanksgiving Day preparations, she has quite a lot on her plate but Lucy is determined to find a good solution for all concerned.

The small town setting of the story and Lucy's attempts to cope with the holiday hassles, such as her  fresh from college son Toby dropping in with some uninvited guests, was comfortably charming to read. While this happens to be the seventh title in her Lucy Stone series, Meier makes a new reader like me feel right at home in her little corner of the world.

Although the mystery elements were nicely done, the main appeal of the book is Lucy dealing with her everyday life, adding a cozy old fashioned sitcom feel to the story( her husband's attitude at one point, however, is rather too old school for my taste!). I have no doubt that I will be tuning into this holiday themed mystery series again, sometime soon:

Well, this has certainly been a nice start to my winter holiday season and yes, my Christmas Spirit readathon is doing well,too, with having finished up A Cup of Holiday Fear and taking a piece of Christmas Cake Murder for my next literary serving.

I do like this time of year despite the increasing cold temperatures or because of them, perhaps? After all , it is more comfortable to read indoors than out during December, especially since gloves do tend to slow down your page turning indeed: