pickThis series is a sheer delight! These installments cover Betsy‘s freshman and sophomore years at Deep Valley High School, and all of the angst and excitement involved in coming of age. (Surprisingly, I don‘t find Betsy‘s angst annoying, unlike that of more modern protagonists. 😆) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I know I‘m a bit late to the party re: this title, but count me among those eagerly awaiting the next book. I loved the characters and Ross‘ writing style.
so-soThat was a crazy ride that got bogged down at the end. A journalist fixated on an avante garde film director goes in search for evidence to support his belief that said director is evil. Is the occult involved? Is our perception of reality actually real? At the end, I‘m not sure I had any concrete answers, but maybe that was the point? #50in50
pickFantastic HF exploring the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. She was a fascinating person in her own right, although she was usually overshadowed by her husband.
This was my first Melanie Benjamin novel. I found her writing to be quite excellent. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickI had a delightful time getting to know sisters Belinda and Harriet as well as all the characters in their English village. Pym understands human nature so well. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Perkins encourages adult readers to explore several children‘s classics for inspiration in living a better life. She also tackles the problematic aspects of many of these novels, & includes suggestions on how to address these issues with young readers. #50in50
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bittersweet story of two middle-aged women suddenly finding themselves agreeing to pilot an elderly lady‘s narrowboat for the summer. They are all at a crossroads in their lives, & take this time to figure out their next steps. #50in50
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Such a unique & thought-provoking read. Fantastical elements of Other Worlds and magic, but also an exploration of philosophy, faith, and reason. I honestly wasn‘t sure what was happening during a lot of the book, but I think maybe that was the point? Regardless, I enjoyed every minute of it. #50in50
so-soI purchased this ebook years ago, based solely on the setting of the Biltmore Mansion. I wasn‘t sure what I expected, but MG gothic horror was not on my radar. The writing and story-lines were okay, but definitely not my taste. #50in50
pickBrookner‘s at times poignant but usually scathing prose brilliantly tells this tale of a spinster just trying to be a person, whilst she endures the judgment of those around her. My 3rd Brookner to date, and I‘ve loved them all. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #50in50
My final 😔 Book Depository order arrived a few days ago. I believe the tagged was a previous #Furrowedmiddlebrow group pick. The other I chose mainly for the cover, although I do love E.M. Delafield. #buybuyBookDepository
And the bookmarks are adorable!
pick(Catching up on my #50in50 reviews!) Gritty, occasionally bleak, well-told story of a man‘s rise from rural poverty to becoming financially successful in “rising Asia.” Hamid uses the conceit of a self-help book to weave his tale.
I like how Hamid tries different styles & techniques in his books. So far, they‘ve all worked for me. 😁
pickI loved this sweeping, well-written, complex multi-character study of a Yorkshire town and its inhabitants. Love, loss, vice, virtue - Holtby covers it all and then some. I enjoyed my time with these characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #50in50
pickThoughtful, bittersweet stories of people traveling through time for one last conversation with a loved one. I love Kawaguchi‘s style and the way he makes me think. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #50in50
pickA charming story of two young girls, Harriet & Lalla, navigating the ups & downs of competitive skating and friendship. Streatfeild‘s writing is lovely, and her humor is dry and witty. My daughter & I read this one together, and she currently places this one on her top-5. ☺️ #50in50
pickA dual timeline historical fiction following two women struggling with grief after losing loved ones in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire and 9/11, respectively. The earlier heroine‘s story features more prominently, and we learn a lot about the hospital on Ellis Island. Meissner‘s character development is very well done, and I love her writing style. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (50-in-50)
pickEnjoyable and easy to read story of a Southern family with magical abilities. Difficult issues, including domestic violence, are addressed, so definitely not a fluffy book, but still hopeful.
This is another of my “50 for 50” challenge books.
pickI made a reading challenge for myself as I turned 50 this year - to read 50 books from my shelves I‘ve been meaning to read. I‘m also hoping to review each of them and get back into that habit.
The first book I finished from my list is tagged. It actually contains two novellas, the titular one & “Moonlight Shadow.” Both concern how we work through grief, particularly young people. Lovely writing & insights into human nature. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1. No traveling for us.
2. It‘s not expected to snow on Christmas Day, but we‘re supposed to get snow on Thursday, followed by frigid temperatures, so the snow will stick around until Christmas. ❄️🎄
#TwoforTuesday
1. Peppermint mocha
2. I‘m not sure I can pick just one. I love Christmas music! Some favorites are Winter Wonderland (Andrews Sisters version), O Come O Come Emmanuel, & Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
#Two4Tuesday
@TheSpineView
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another excellent multiple-timelines novel from Kate Morton. Love, loss, grief - those universal human experiences - are explored within an atmospheric ghost story. Recommended!
And now I‘m caught up on Morton‘s backlist! Looking forward to her new book in the spring.
Thanks for the tag! 😊
1. Tagged. A time travel, nonstop action MG read-aloud with my daughter. We both enjoyed it!
2. Years ago, I subscribed to Book Riot‘s Quarterly box. My experience with it was overall positive, but I don‘t believe it‘s available anymore.
3. My daughter & I love rereading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever each year.
#WondrousWednesday @Eggs
pickEngaging and beautifully written story of a mother‘s dreams for her girl group daughters, and what happens when the daughters‘ own dreams diverge from hers. I enjoyed getting to know Vivian, Ruth, Esther and Chloe, and their friends and family in 1950s San Francisco. The author noted in her acknowledgments that she wrote this book as an homage to Fiddler on the Roof. As soon as I read that, I could see how she did that. 🤯
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jones explores the joys and pains of fifth grade when there‘s child kidnapping and murder happening in your city. Beautifully written yet heart-wrenching.
pickA seemingly simple story of a family‘s annual holiday to the seaside, wrapped in a melancholy blanket. A novel of expectations - for ourselves and others, & what happens when they aren‘t met. Do we become disillusioned and bitter, or do we resolve to carry on and make the most of it? Highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August was a great reading month! Here‘s hoping for an equally awesome September!
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thoughtful, atmospheric exploration of family, love, loyalty, guilt, & redemption focused on foreign emigrés‘ experience in WWII-era Hollywood. Marra is a master of balancing dark stuff with humor. Loved every second of it!
In other news, we adopted a kitten earlier this month! This is Cinderella (Ella). She‘s added much cuteness to our household. ? #Littenkittens
1. Yes, I think I have done this, if I couldn‘t find a piece of paper. 😄
2. I‘m a total mood reader, so naming the exact next book I‘m going to read is tricky. I‘ve tagged my book club‘s September pick, which I know I‘ll get to sooner rather than later.
Thanks for the tag @EadieB !
#TwoforTuesday @TheSpineView
1. Fairly frequently. The tagged is one I remember.
2. Generally, Fridays are my favorite and Mondays are the worst.
Thanks to @Eggs @Kdgordon88 @EadieB for the tags!
#wondrousWednesday
pickThis novel explores the lives of a group of young women who live in a boarding house for “girls of slender means” in post-WWII London. Spark tackles themes of duty, politics, faith, feminism (probably more I didn‘t catch). All packed into less than 200 pages. Her style is darker and edgier than I‘m typically drawn to, but I‘m really enjoying her work.
A good month, reading-wise. My favorites were the tagged book, Mrs. Lorimer‘s Quiet Summer, and Middlemarch.
#JulyReads
Loved this one!
Thanks for the tag @PageShifter 😊
#AlphabetGame #LetterA
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another delightful Furrowed Middlebrow read. 😊 Mrs. Lorimer‘s summer is not quite as quiet as she would like, having to deal with the relationship shenanigans of her grown-up children. Luckily, she has her best friend, Gray Douglas, to lean on.
Clavering and D.E. Stevenson were apparently good friends, and this novel is supposedly based, in part, on this friendship.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I can always count on Beatriz Williams for a fun, page-turning read. Lots of twists in this one, with WWI and 1920s Florida as the background.
I finished the book on the Disney Fantasy 🚢. My little Cinderella is on the staircase for her post makeover photo sesh. 😁
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Finally got around to a classic I have been wanting to read for years. (In fact, I believe I started it once before, decades ago, but quickly abandoned.) I loved this exploration of duty, faith, marriage and friendship. Big themes in a small village. Eliot‘s prose is also beautiful. This book is worth the time investment.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Finally got around to a classic I have been wanting to read for years. (In fact, I believe I started it once before, decades ago, but quickly abandoned.) I loved this exploration of duty, faith, marriage and friendship. Big themes in a small village. Eliot‘s prose is also beautiful. This book is worth the time investment.
pickMy June reads. Tagged was my only 5-star read, but overall, another good month.
I know this one isn‘t timely, but I just decided I‘m going to try to do monthly wrap-ups.
May was a great reading month for me!
pickMy first Gill Paul! The story of Lady Evelyn Herbert, the daughter of the Earl of Canarvon who was involved in the discovery of King Tut‘s tomb. It goes back and forth between the 1920s and 1970s, with a bit of a mystery thrown in. Very well done historical fiction. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickWhat a lovely, warm cuppa of a book. I loved every minute I spent with the MacAlveys and all of the people who populated their lives that summer. Adored Ferguson‘s comedic timing, too. Must try to hunt down more of her work! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickIt had been a while since I had read Kate Morton. Her storytelling always sucks me in. This one is very gothic in its story, with its crumbling castle, inherited madness & secrets upon secrets. Loved it.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Well-told story of three African-American friends in early 20th century New York, trying to achieve their own ambitions while bearing the burdens of their families‘ dreams for them, all under the increased burden of racism.
1. I enjoy both, but I really do love multiple POV when it‘s done well. (Tagged my current read-aloud with my daughter that has multiple POV)
2. No, unfortunately
3. Although I like the idea of lists, I‘m a mood reader all the way.
#WondrousWednesday
If you‘re reading this, please consider yourself tagged. 😁
pickThis novel is the definition of epic, covering hundreds of years of Georgian history through the lens of a single family. Cruelty, brutality, & much loss, but also love, duty, and a touch of magic. The prose was beautiful; kudos to the translator(s).
And with that, I‘ve completed my #chunksterchallenge2022! Woot!
![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}
