Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Book Review - Lauren Willig's The Garden Intrigue

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: February 16th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

There's only so many times you can throw yourself at someone's feet till you start to fall for the owner of said feet. Augustus has been throwing himself at the feet of the Pink Carnation for over a year now. Working with her as an undercover agent in Paris and using his horrible poetry to foil the French has made him invaluable to the British Government for over a decade now, but really, he only wants to be invaluable to one person; Jane, the Pink Carnation. Despite his flowery poetry that goes beyond the ridiculous, his sentiments of love are becoming more and more real. Jane though does not share these sentiments. She would gladly throw a distraction in his path for the good of Britain, and if said distraction happens to result in true love, well, so be it. Emma Delagardie is an American living in Paris. She spent most of her life in France, going to school with Napoleon's stepdaughter, then eloping with a man whom she didn't quite get, becoming the scandal of society, resulting in her parents cutting off the fifteen year old. Widowed young, she flung herself back into life, even making a few mistakes along the way. One in the attractive yet despicable form of Georges Marston. Yet her new favorite pastime is heckling Augustus. She is ever by the side of Jane and Augustus is ever by Jane's feet... he makes a very logical target. Jane thinks though that perhaps Emma's taunting is a deflection of her true feelings for Augustus. Emma does talk about his tight breeches a lot. Throwing the two of them together to write a masque for Napoleon's house party seems the perfect way to see if these two crazy kids might not find a way to work things out and hopefully foil whatever that wacky emperor is doing next... Because declaring himself emperor seems a pretty big step onto the crazy train for Napoleon. One that Emma can not reconcile with the world she knew.

Augustus is perhaps the most beloved character we have been waiting to get his happily ever after. That is after Turnip. I'm sorry Augustus lovers, but Turnip will always be my man. On the plus side, Turnip got his happily ever after so now it's time to spread the love. Ever since this absurd poet flung himself at the feet of the Pink Carnation speculation has been running wild as to whether this would be the man to win the heart of the elusive spy. As is the case in fiction as reality, the course of love never runs smooth. While busy admiring "The Princess of the Pulchritudinous Toes", the Princess's short little American companion heckling him has never left a good impression. She's American, for a start. A little too gaudy, a little too sultry, and a little too much "the Grand Inquisitor for Poetical Excellence, Greater Paris Branch." Emma Delagardie is the perfect foil for Augustus. Until this book I have always pictured Augustus as one of those over the top, Byronic poets, like Shelley, Byron and Coleridge, but as depicted in Blackadder III, laying about prostate in Mrs. Miggins' Coffee Shop half dead of consumption, but with a very puffy shirt on. Never discount the puffy shirt! AKA, a stereotypical poet ensemble, which for Augustus is the perfect disguise. Lauren does a wonderful job though of showing what playing this stereotype for so long might do to one's mind. Like all deep undercover agents, sometimes it can be too much, and sometimes you just can't get away from the bad rhymes, even in your head. I felt an empathy towards Augustus and his muddled mind. Are his feelings for Jane even real, or has the job just fully taken over control of his senses? He is far more tragic and dark than one might expect... A true romantic poet, not just some parody, with the bubbly Emma as the perfect counterpoint. She too has inside turmoil, but there's an exuberance about her that is undeniable. I can never get enough of this series. More!

Monday, June 27, 2022

Tuesday Tomorrow

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Secrets. Lies. Super-bad choices. Witchcraft. This is Our Crooked Hearts, a darkly gripping contemporary fantasy from Melissa Albert, the New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood.

The suburbs, right now...
Seventeen-year-old Ivy’s summer break kicks off with an accident, a punishment, and a mystery: a stranger whose appearance in the middle of the road, in the middle of the night, heralds a string of increasingly unsettling events. As the days pass, Ivy grapples with eerie offerings, corroded memories, and a secret she’s always known - that there's more to her mother than meets the eye.

The city, back then...
Dana has always been perceptive. And the summer she turns sixteen, with the help of her best friend and an ambitious older girl, her gifts bloom into a heady fling with the supernatural. As the trio’s aspirations darken, they find themselves speeding toward a violent breaking point.

Years after it began, Ivy and Dana's shared story will come down to a reckoning among a daughter, a mother, and the dark forces they never should've messed with."

I'm always here for witchcraft and super-bad choices!

Blood and Moonlight by Erin Beaty
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Erin Beaty's fantasy mystery-thriller, Blood and Moonlight, an orphan with a secret, magical sight gets caught between a mysterious genius and the serial killer he’s hunting.

Rising above the city of Collis is the holy Sanctum. And watching over its spires is Catrin, an orphan girl with unique skills - for she alone can spot the building’s flaws in construction before they turn deadly.

But when Catrin witnesses a murderer escaping the scene of his crime, she’s pulled into a dangerous chain of events where the only certainty is that the killer will strike again. Assigned to investigate is the mysterious and brilliant Simon, whose insights into the mind of a predator are frighteningly accurate.

As the grisly crimes continue, Catrin finds herself caught between killer and detective while hiding her own secret - a supernatural sight granted by the moon, destined to make her an outcast, and the only thing that might save her and those she loves from becoming the next victims..."

Magic just adds the extra dash of special to everything, even the hunt for a serial killer!

The Path of Thorns by A.G. Slatter
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A lush and twisted dark fairy tale suffused with witchcraft, dark secrets and bitter revenge from the award-winning author. Exquisite, haunting and at times brutal, readers of Naomi Novik and Erin Morgenstern will be entranced.

Asher Todd comes to live with the mysterious Morwood family as a governess to their children. Asher knows little about being a governess but she is skilled in botany and herbcraft, and perhaps more than that. And she has secrets of her own, dark and terrible - and Morwood is a house that eats secrets. With a monstrous revenge in mind, Asher plans to make it choke. However, she becomes fond of her charges, of the people of the Tarn, and she begins to wonder if she will be able to execute her plan - and who will suffer most if she does. But as the ghosts of her past become harder to control, Asher realises she has no choice.

From the award-winning author of All the Murmuring Bones, dark magic, retribution and twisted family secrets combine to weave a bewitching and addictive tale."

Governess and revenge? You didn't even have to name-check famous authors I love with that handle!

Taproot by Keezy Young
Published by: Oni Press
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Blue has been living as a ghost for a year when he meets Hamal, a beautiful and sweet gardener who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Together, their friendship develops into something more, but being a ghost, Blue can never truly be connected with Hamal.

When Blue realizes Hamal’s strange ability may be putting him in danger, Blue has to find a way to protect him - even if it means leaving him."

I can't be the only one who wants to read about ghosts and gardeners?

Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Those who see the dead soon join them.

From the author of the critically-acclaimed Blackwing trilogy comes Ed McDonald's Daughter of Redwinter, the first of a brilliant fantasy series about how one choice can change a universe.

Raine can see - and speak - to the dead, a gift that comes with a death sentence. All her life she has hidden, lied, and run to save her skin, and she’s made some spectacularly bad choices along the way.

But it is a rare act of kindness - rescuing an injured woman in the snow - that becomes the most dangerous decision Raine has ever made.

Because the woman is fleeing from Redwinter, the fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, warrior magicians who answer to no king, and who will stop at nothing to reclaim what she’s stolen. A battle, a betrayal, and a horrific revelation force Raine to enter the citadel and live among the Draoihn. She soon finds that her secret ability could be the key to saving an entire nation.

Though she might have to die to make it happen..."

Come on, necromancer or those with necromantic abilities are damn cool.

City of Magic by Avi
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Newbery Medalist Avi comes a richly imagined, action-packed companion to his bestselling medieval mysteries Midnight Magic and Murder at Midnight.

When King Claudio sends Mangus the Magician and his faithful servant, Fabrizio, to Venice to steal a manuscript that explains a magical method of making money, they must succeed in their mission or risk death. The manuscript is key to obtaining great profits for the king - and a secure future for Mangus and Fabrizio.

But Venice in 1492 is a dangerous place, full of foggy canals, cunning informers, and harsh punishments for those who steal its secrets. Before long, Mangus is snatched away into prison, and it’s up to Fabrizio and his secretive new friend, Bianca, to navigate the city, find the manuscript before their enemies do, and keep Mangus alive!"

My mom would have been so happy this series is continuing.

Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances by Aliette de Bodard
Published by: JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Kindle, 148 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of the critically acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen trilogy comes a sparkling new romantic adventure full of kissing, sarcasm and stabbing.

It was supposed to be a holiday, with nothing more challenging than babysitting, navigating familial politics and arguing about the proper way to brew tea.

But when dragon prince Thuan and his ruthless husband Asmodeus find a corpse in a ruined shrine and a hungry ghost who is the only witness to the crime, their holiday goes from restful to high-pressure. Someone is trying to silence the ghost and everyone involved. Asmodeus wants revenge for the murder; Thuan would like everyone, including Asmodeus, to stay alive.

Chased by bloodthirsty paper charms and struggling to protect their family, Thuan and Asmodeus are going to need all the allies they can - and, as the cracks in their relationship widen, they’ll have to face the scariest challenge of all: how to bring together their two vastly different ideas of their future...

A heartwarming standalone book set in a world of dark intrigue."

Anyone else adore this cover because it looks like an extra sexy Grant Imahara with horns?

For the Love of the Bard by Jessica Martin
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"To go for it or not to go for it? That is the question when two former high school flames return to their Shakespeare-obsessed hometown for a summer of theater and unexpected romance, in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author Jessica Martin.

Literary agent and writer Miranda Barnes rolls into her hometown of Bard’s Rest with one goal in mind: to spend the summer finally finishing her YA novel, the next installment in her bestselling fantasy series. Yet Miranda’s mother, deep in the planning stages for the centennial of the town’s beloved annual Shakespeare festival, has other ideas.

Before you can say "all’s fair in love and war," Miranda is cornered into directing Twelfth Night - while simultaneously scrambling to finish her book, navigating a family health scare, and doing her best to avoid the guy who broke her heart on prom night.

When it comes to Adam, the veterinarian with a talent for set design and an infuriating knack for winning over Miranda’s dog, the lady doth protest too much. As any Shakespeare lovers knows, the course of true love never did run smooth, and soon Miranda realizes she’ll have to decide whether to trust Adam with her heart again."

A rom-com reminiscent of Slings and Arrows!

Harlem Sunset by Nekesa Afia
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A riveting Harlem Renaissance Mystery featuring Louise Lloyd, a young Black woman working in a hot new speakeasy when she gets caught up in a murder that hits too close to home...

Harlem, 1927. Twenty-seven-year-old Louise Lloyd has found the perfect job! She is the new manager of the Dove, a club owned by her close friend Rafael Moreno. There Louise meets Nora Davies, one of the girls she was kidnapped with a decade ago. The two women - along with Rafael and his sister, Louise’s girlfriend, Rosa Maria - spend the night at the Dove, drinking and talking. The next morning, Rosa Maria wakes up covered in blood, with no memory of the previous night. Nora is lying dead in the middle of the dance floor.

Louise knows Rosa Maria couldn’t have killed Nora, but the police have a hard time believing that no one can remember anything at all about what happened. When Louise and Rosa Maria return to their apartment after being questioned by the police, they find the word GUILTY written across the living room wall in paint that looks a lot like blood. Someone has gone to great lengths to frame and terrify Rosa Maria, and Louise will stop at nothing to clear the woman she loves."

A period mystery not to be missed.

In Place of Fear by Catriona McPherson
Published by: Mobius
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gripping new crime novel set in 1940s Edinburgh at the birth of the NHS, In Place of Fear is perfect for fans of Dear Mrs Bird and The Ninth Child. We follow newly appointed Medical Welfare Almoner Helen Crowther who, when a young woman mysteriously disappears, stumbles across something dark in the heart of Edinburgh's medical community."

Catriona McPherson always has the best covers. Just look at that cover! LOOK AT IT!

Death on Gokumon Island by Seishi Yokomizo
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A fiendish, classic locked room murder mystery, from one of Japan's greatest crime writers.

Loosely inspired by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, the brilliant Gokumon Island is perhaps the most highly regarded of all the great Seishi Yokomizo's classic Japanese mysteries.

Detective Kosuke Kindaichi arrives on the remote Gokumon Island bearing tragic news--the son of one of the island's most important families has died, on a troop transport ship bringing him back home after the Second World War. But Kindaichi has not come merely as a messenger - with his last words, the dying man warned that his three step-sisters' lives would now be in danger. The scruffy detective is determined to get to the bottom of this mysterious prophesy, and to protect the three women if he can.

As Kindaichi attempts to unravel the island's secrets, a series of gruesome murders begins. He investigates, but soon finds himself in mortal danger from both the unknown killer and the clannish locals, who resent this outsider meddling in their affairs."

I was sold with "loosely inspired by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None."

The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths
Published by: Mariner Books
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pandemic lockdowns have Ruth Galloway feeling isolated from everyone but a new neighbor - until Nelson comes calling, investigating a decades-long string of murder-suicides that’s looming ever closer.

Three years after her late mother’s death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious relic: a decades-old photograph of Jean’s Norfolk cottage with a peculiar inscription. Ruth returns to the cottage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk’s first cases of COVID-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance. But when Nelson breaks quarantine to rush to Ruth’s cottage and enlist her help in investigating a series of murder-suicides he has connected to an archeological discovery, he finds Zoe is hardly who she says she is. The further Nelson investigates these deaths, the closer they lead him to Ruth’s friendly neighbor - until Ruth, Zoe, and Kate all go missing, and Nelson is left scrambling to find them before it’s too late."

Last year I read my first Elly Griffiths books and now I'm hooked. I can't wait to catch up with all Ruth Galloway has to offer!

Friday, June 24, 2022

Book Review - Rafael Sabatini's Scaramouche

Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
Published by: Public Domain Books
Publication Date: 1921
Format: Kindle, 438 Pages
Rating: ★★
To Buy

Andre-Louis Moreau "was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad." But all in all it's an uncomplicated life. So his godfather Quentin de Kercadiou is rumored by all in his small town of Gavrillac to actually be his real father, he has no complaints as that good man has educated him to be a lawyer and set him up nicely. But Andre-Louis's life is soon to change because of one man, the Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr. The people of Brittany are suffering at the hands of the aristocrats and Andre-Louis's good friend Philippe de Vilmorin plans to remonstrate the Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr for his latest crime, killing a poor man for poaching. Instead the Marquis tricks Vilmorin into a duel he will lose and lose he does. Vilmorin wasn't killed because of a dead poacher, he was killed because his views and his way with words was a threat to the Marquis's way of life. As Andre-Louis cradles his dead friend he vows to use himself to get Vilmorin's words to the masses. He might not be a revolutionary himself but he owes it to Vilmorin to fulfill that man's purpose on this earth which was cut short. In Rennes and Nantes he works the crowd up into such fury that he must go on the lam or risk the gallows. He falls in with an acting troupe that uses the old tradition of the commedia dell'arte lead by an M. Binet. Within days he's elevated himself to the role of Scaramouche, and not long after he's writing all their scenarios and is half owner in the troupe. That all comes crashing down in Nantes because of the Marquis. The Marquis is not only wooing Quentin de Kercadiou's niece Aline, but he has taken up with Andre-Louis's fiance, M. Binet's daughter Climene. In an attempt to destroy the Marquis he creates a riot at the theater the troupe is performing at and flees into the night, ending up reinventing himself as a fencing master in Paris. Because if there's one thing that is certain, Andre-Louis lands on his feet. What isn't so certain is if he will ever avenge Vilmorin's life. As the atmosphere in Paris reaches the boiling point Andre-Louis and the Marquis de la Trou d'Azyr will face each other for the last time.

There are some books that the pages just fly by. You can't believe it when you reach the end of a chapter so quickly or that you devoured the whole thing in record time. Scaramouche is not one of those books. While it took me a week to read this book it felt like a million years. I kept wondering at my lack of progress. Was this book secretly set in eight point type? I guess I will never know. I will also never know what makes so many people hold this book near and dear. I was expecting some swashbuckling epic and instead I don't even know how to quantify this book. The affectation of a detached narrator culling the best stories out of the life of Andre-Louis is too contrived. You either get pages of dialogue wherein the characters are posturing or you get the narrator droning on. But at least when it's Andre-Louis's voice speaking there is some connection between the reader and the book, when the narrator tries to tackle the start of the French Revolution in their ham-fisted attempt to distill large issues down to manageable insights you are just lost in a morass of verbiage. Though if you read a little between the lines you get this sinking feeling that Sabatini is really for the aristocrats. Yes, the book starts out trying to avenge Vilmorin by bringing down the class system that caused his death but by the end it's kind of, maybe we should have left things as they were. Yes, what happened in the French Revolution was horrific, but I don't think the system that was in place was sustainable. I just felt like Sabatini was talking too much as someone from the future knowing what the revolution became and not staying in the moment with his characters. There was too much foresight even for someone looking back on the life of Andre-Louis. And yet...I might have been able to forgive all these issues had I actually liked Andre-Louis. I didn't. He's not likable. His morals will shift to whatever suits him in the moment. He never has any true hardship. All call him heartless, and I agree. Not just because of how he behaves but because he lacks that breath of life that would make him someone I wanted to read about. And never forget his desire to avenge Vilmorin just comes and goes depending on how he's feeling that day. Why should I devote my time to someone who can't even fully commit to revenge?

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Book Review - Lauren Willig's The Orchid Affair

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: January 20th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 496 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Laura Grey has had it being a governess. She has just graduated from the Selwick Spying Academy and is off to France to do her bit to fight the revolution. Of course she just happens to be going to France in the very role she was trying to escape, that of governess. Laura, or more precisely, Laure Griscogne, has been away from her homeland since her parents died and left her orphaned and having to take care of herself in the only way possible, by rearing other people's children. Though when she started she was but a child herself. Now she has two new charges, the children of Andre Jaouen, a man the Pink Carnation is desperate to know more about, especially because he works in the Abbaye Prison with that most odious of men, Delaroche. But when you spend most of your time taking care of the children in a large and desolate house and rarely spying at keyholes and sneaking messages to the Pink Carnation through various booksellers, it's hard to see the value in your work. But there is more to Jaouen than meets the eye. He has connections within the artistic community that Laura's family was once in the center of. Laura was once the child of a somebody, a great poetess. Andre is having a hard time rectifying this stern, prim governess, with the loose and wanton Paris saloons of pre-revolutionary France. All the while Laura is herself having a hard time rectifying this rather attractive bespectacled man with that of a hardened revolutionary who wants to kill all the aristos he can find. But when both their missions unexpectedly collide around a man who could restore the French monarchy they have to decide whether it is best to let animosities and allegiances fall by the wayside and trust their instincts and growing attraction to each other. Plus sneaking through the countryside as travelling performers can't be as hard as it sounds...

The eighth installment in Lauren Willig's cannon of Pink Carnation books takes us right back to the heart of what this series is about; spying. Even if with a little Commedia it's, as the author puts it so well, "like The Sound of Music… meets Mata Hari." We are back within the courts of Napoleon and the streets of Paris, where blood might run at any moment, and the reality of the horrors that await in the Abbaye Prison are a real threat, not comfortably located on the other side of the channel. While the previous books have all had spies in various locals with various flower monikers, this one feels the closest to the legacy of the Scarlet Pimpernel; with our heroine in enemy territory, with barely an ally, and no ally that she can get to without a bookstore or an effusive poet. Speaking of said poet... we get nice little cameos from some of the Pink cast, but they are just the icing on the cake, what makes this book soar are the new characters of Andre and Laura, which even readers new to the series can enjoy without the previous installments. Every book since the first has been a pairing off of a previous hero or heroine with someone new or some old friend, but not in this case. Here we have a blank canvas ripe for the painting. Miss Grey has only had a few brief and enigmatic references which have given her no illumination. Laura has a rich and complicated past that was filled with sumptuousness and luxury and is now contained within harsh grey stays. Andre has also had a life that was once filled with love and an artistic wife, instead he now has to change ideals and live a sparse and paired down life. Both these two have spent a life hiding who they really are and masking what they want and feel. I felt such an instant connection with both of them, just waiting with baited breath for Laura to realize this man could not possibly be evil, even if he is French, they aren't all Delaroches. How Lauren is able to continually expand her Pink universe with each subsequent book astonishes me. One day we wonder who is that lady at the Selwick Spy School, books later, she is flesh, she is whole and wonderful. While the books do build on each other to form a perfect shelf in my library, they also are wonderfully contained little jewels of stories that you just want to go back to again and again, which I am so happy to do with Lauren this time. I didn't want the book to end. It is a feeling I am used to with Lauren's books.

Monday, June 20, 2022

Tuesday Tomorrow

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The New York Times bestselling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night is back with his most unexpected thriller yet.

Be careful what you watch for...

Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family's lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of bourbon, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing - a tech innovator, Tom is powerful; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.

One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other - and the longer Casey watches - it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey immediately suspects Tom of foul play. What she doesn’t realize is that there’s more to the story than meets the eye - and that shocking secrets can lurk beneath the most placid of surfaces.

Packed with sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy plot twists, Riley Sager's The House Across the Lake is the ultimate escapist read...no lake house required."

To me summer doesn't begin until I have a new Riley Sager book in my hand. Happy Summer!

A Crochet World of Creepy Creatures and Cryptides by Rikki Gustafson
Published by: Page Street Publishing
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: HPaperback, 168 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Create the Monster Menagerie of Your Dreams.

Who says creepy can’t be cute? With this impressive amigurumi collection you can unlock a whole new world of creatures and cryptids in all their scaryadorable glory. From classic cryptids like Cthulhu, Nessie and Mothman to paranormal paragons like Zombies, Werewolves and Nosferatu himself, there’s no end to the delightful terrors you can create.

These 40 unique patterns capture each creature’s quirks like the majesty of dragons’ wings, Medusa’s snake hair and the horror of Slender Man’s tentacles. While you’re creating, you can follow helpful tips on making your own colored eyes and pattern customization for color and sizing. Whether you’re looking to add some spooky new additions to your own plushie collection or are hoping to surprise the horror fan in your life, there’s a loveable monster in here for everyone."

OMG! Look how cute! OK, so who's going to succeed in finally teaching me how to crochet? The only other option is you make all of these for me!

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
Published by: Bloomsbury YA
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate to save the ones you love?

Briseis has one chance to save her mother, but she'll need to do the impossible: find the last fragment of the deadly Absyrtus Heart. To locate the missing piece, she must turn to the blood relatives she's never known, learn about their secret powers, and take her place in their ancient lineage.

But Briseis is not the only one who wants the Heart, and her enemies will stop at nothing to fulfill their own ruthless plans. The fates tell of a truly dangerous journey, one that could end in more heartache, more death. Strengthened by the sisterhood of ancient magic, can Briseis harness her power to save the people she loves most?

Bestselling author Kalynn Bayron continues the story of Briseis and her family's unique magic in the sequel to This Poison Heart."

I wonder if Owlcrate is going to do a limited edition again...

Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From highly acclaimed, bestselling author Ava Reid comes a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her abusive wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.

A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites.

Marlinchen and her two sisters live with their wizard father in a city shifting from magic to industry. As Oblya’s last true witches, she and her sisters are little more than a tourist trap as they treat their clients with archaic remedies and beguile them with nostalgic charm. Marlinchen spends her days divining secrets in exchange for rubles and trying to placate her tyrannical, xenophobic father, who keeps his daughters sequestered from the outside world. But at night, Marlinchen and her sisters sneak out to enjoy the city's amenities and revel in its thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theater, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart.

As Marlinchen’s late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father’s rage and magic. And while Oblya flourishes with culture and bustles with enterprise, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power. Caught between history and progress and blood and desire, Marlinchen must draw upon her own magic to keep her city safe and find her place within it."

Yes, two of my favorite authors have been namechecked, but more importantly, I adore that cover! It has serious Tarot vibes.

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 576 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage trilogy, comes the first novel in the Glass Immortals series, In the Shadow of Lightning, an epic fantasy where magic is a finite resource - and it’s running out.

Demir Grappo is an outcast - he fled a life of wealth and power, abandoning his responsibilities as a general, a governor, and a son. Now he will live out his days as a grifter, rootless, and alone. But when his mother is brutally murdered, Demir must return from exile to claim his seat at the head of the family and uncover the truth that got her killed: the very power that keeps civilization turning, godglass, is running out.

Now, Demir must find allies, old friends and rivals alike, confront the powerful guild-families who are only interested in making the most of the scraps left at the table and uncover the invisible hand that threatens the Empire. A war is coming, a war unlike any other. And Demir and his ragtag group of outcasts are the only thing that stands in the way of the end of life as the world knows it."

I'm always intrigued by worlds that have magic but are losing it.

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The secret is hidden within a collection of Dior dresses...

London, 2017. There's no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille's assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.

Paris, 1952. Postwar France is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all. As the wife to the British ambassador to France, Alice's job is to see and be seen - even if that wasn’t quite what she signed up for. Her husband showers her with jewels, banquets, and couture Dior dresses, but his affection has become distressingly elusive. As the strain on her marriage grows, Alice’s only comfort is her bond with her trusted lady’s maid, Marianne. But when a new face appears in her drawing room, Alice finds herself yearning to follow her heart...no matter the consequences.

The City of Light comes alive in this lush, evocative tale that explores the ties that bind us together, the truths we hold that make us who we are, and the true meaning of what makes someone family."

Dior! Need I say more?

A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After a decade of silence, Dee and Ben reunite for a road trip they once promised to take. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Dee Matthews is the cohost of the smash-hit podcast Did I Forget To Tell You?, where she interviews family, friends, and past lovers. Nothing is off limits, except for one man (known on the show only as Name Redacted) who happens to be her high school best friend Ben. During their senior year spring break, Dee and Ben took a road trip to visit Ben’s grandma. They buried a time capsule in her backyard, pledging to return in ten years to open it. Then their friendship fell apart in spectacular fashion. They haven’t spoken to each other since.

Ben Porter’s life since that moment has been unexciting but comfortable, until his grandma reveals a family secret that flips his whole world upside down. Her dying wish is for him to stop doing what is safest and go after what he really wants. He starts by showing up on Dee’s doorstep with every intention of fulfilling their long-ago promise. Despite her reservations, Dee can’t say no. This trip could be her chance to give her listeners the Name Redacted interview they’ve been begging for - and finally put her unresolved feelings for Ben to rest.

As the miles fly by, Dee and Ben's friendship reignites. But the closer they get to reaching their destination, the more apparent it becomes that their attraction to each other cannot be ignored. Their last adventure ended in disaster, and they’re about to find out if any hope of a future together is in the rear view mirror."

ALL about the awkward road trip!

Vera Kelly Lost and Found by Rosalie Knecht
Published by: Tin House Books
Publication Date: June 21st, 2022
Format: Paperback, 228 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Everyone’s favorite sleuth - Vera Kelly - is back and put to the test as she searches for her missing girlfriend.

It’s spring 1971 and Vera Kelly and her girlfriend, Max, leave their cozy Brooklyn apartment for an emergency visit to Max's estranged family in Los Angeles. Max’s parents are divorcing - her father is already engaged to a much younger woman and under the sway of an occultist charlatan; her mother has left their estate in a hurry with no indication of return. Max, who hasn’t seen her family since they threw her out at the age of twenty-one, prepares for the trip with equal parts dread and anger.

Upon arriving, Vera is shocked by the size and extravagance of the Comstock estate - the sprawling, manicured landscape; expansive and ornate buildings; and garages full of luxury cars reveal a privileged upbringing that, up until this point, Max had only hinted at - while Max attempts to navigate her father, who is hostile and controlling, and the occultist, St. James, who is charming but appears to be siphoning family money. Tensions boil over at dinner when Max threatens to alert her mother—and her mother’s lawyers - to St. James and her father’s plans using marital assets. The next morning, when Vera wakes up, Max is gone.

In Vera Kelly Lost and Found, Rosalie Knecht gives Vera her highest-stake case yet, as Vera quickly puts her private detective skills to good use and tracks a trail of breadcrumbs across southern California to find her missing girlfriend. She travels first to a film set in Santa Ynez and, ultimately, to a most unlikely destination where Vera has to decide how much she is willing to commit to save the woman she loves."

Southern California in the seventies? Yes please!

Friday, June 17, 2022

Book Review - Julia Quinn's When He Was Wicked

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: June 29th, 2004
Format: Paperback, 404 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Francesca Bridgerton made a perfect match. She and John Sterling, the Earl of Kilmartin, were made for each other. And Francesca got her dream come true, her own home, her own family. John's cousin Michael even became her best friend. Michael is a notorious rake and she loves to ask him about his wicked ways. Little does she know that he would give it all up for her. The second he set eyes on her he was lost. She was his everything, but he knew he could never have her. And when John dies suddenly he can't help thinking that some greater power is playing the world's cruelest trick on him because yes, he wants Francesca but not like this, never like this. He never wanted John's life or his title so bad to live in a world without John. So he leaves for India and doesn't look back, and in one fell swoop Francesca lost her husband and her best friend. Therefore she did what she had to do, she took up not only the mantel of Countess but that of Earl and runs Kilmartin for the husband and friend she lost. Four years later Francesca comes to a realization. She wants a baby. Of course for that to happen she needs a husband. She's not even sure she can have a baby, John and her were together for two years and she miscarried after his passing. It seems a hassle to go to the work of getting a husband when she just wants a baby, but she has made up her mind and therefore sets off from Scotland earlier than usual to London to go husband hunting. As it happens Michael arrives in London at the same time as Francesca and despite the years that have passed he still loves her as he ever did. Why did she have to come to London early? Why does she have to be on the marriage market? Why can't she be his? He searches his soul and the bottom of a lot of bottles but oddly it's Colin Bridgerton who breaks through when he explains that Michael has the right to be happy. What's more, doesn't Francesca? He could give her the child she wants and she wouldn't even have to love him just be his wife. But what if they could have it all?

With a long running series it's hard to keep it fresh. Just look to Lisa Kleypas's wallflower series. She started with a set four books in mind and by Scandal in Spring had obviously run out of ideas. Here Julia Quinn has set up a series double Kleypas's in length in order to make sure all the Bridgertons get their happily ever afters and yet with the sixth book she has created perhaps one of the strongest and most unique entries in the series so far. In the previous two volumes we have gotten hints about what has been going on in Francesca's life, perhaps the least discussed Bridgerton, and it was quite shocking to find out secondhand that she had not only gotten married by that she was already widowed. Where do we go from here? We go into perhaps the most relatable and affecting of the Bridgerton series. When He Was Wicked is about love and loss and guilt and it was a melancholy tale about taking a second chance at life and love. It was about coming to terms with what has passed and finding a way to forgive yourself for wanting to move on and find happiness. At times I was moved to tears by the way Francesca and Michael handled their grief over John and their desire to love again. Romance is usually just escapism and wish fulfillment, but here I found something more, something relatable. But of course no book is perfect so there was one aspect I really didn't relate to and that's Francesca's desperate need for a child. Children are a complicated issue, as Daphne saw with her Duke. There are people who want them, people who have them and don't want them, people who can't have them, people who choose not to have them, so many different kinds of people, and yet romance tends to lean very heavily to people wanting babies. I'm sorry, but I don't feel that my entire purpose on this planet is to breed and sometimes, just sometimes, it pisses me off that romance books think that I am wrong because it's not what I want. And I get Francesca and I are in different situations, she grew up in a large family and there's the familial bond and it makes sense that she wants a baby. I just want it acknowledged that not everyone wants one. Or can be talked around to wanting one, like the Duke.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Short Story Review - Lauren Willig's Away in a Manger: A Very Turnip Wedding Night

Away in a Manger: A Very Turnip Wedding Night by Lauren Willig
Published by: Amazon
Publication Date: July 25th, 2011
Format: Kindle, 14 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Turnip and Arabella are tra la la-ing their way to Parva Magna. They have just been married from Girdings, with the Dowager Duchess of Dovevale as witness no less, and Turnip is taking his hours old bride home. There's only one problem. It's started to snow. A lot. Then there was a fork in the road. They chose the wrong road. Things are looking bleak when they spot a barn. This wasn't the wedding night Turnip wanted for Arabella but at least she won't freeze to death. Especially as she's so industrious she uses all the warm bricks and blankets Turnip had enrobed her in for the ride to make a fire and a bed. And that's the worst part. Hay could technically be construed as a bed, or at least a bed in it's composite parts. Turnip wanted a real bed and a roaring fire for his bride's first time. He didn't want to have to keep running out of the barn and sticking his head in a snowbank just to bank the flames of his own desires. At the rate things are going he's going to actually have to freeze his limbs to keep them away from Arabella. But Arabella is also feeling the flames of desire. Turnip working up a sweat while chopping wood, eventually with the correct end of the ax, was almost more than she could bare. His shirt clinging to his well toned body has her ready for her wedding night, even if it is in a barn. Plus, Turnip has always had a thing for milkmaids, it seems almost destiny that a Christmas romance would end in a barn. Plus, the barn is so comfortable, who could object to them staying other than his sister Sally and his valet Gerkin?

The books in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation oeuvre have never shied away from having a little sexy sexy in them. In fact, Lauren herself has said that when writing her first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, she was under the delusion she was writing a romance, not historical fiction. So there's a little steamy, a little sexy sexy, in boats no less! As each of the succeeding volumes came out there where varying degrees of steam, some, like The Mischief of the Mistletoe, nary a naked body in sight. There was some steamy kissing, but fully clothed, drat those clothes, and a desk, and everything else that got in their way, including puddings. The Mischief of the Mistletoe with Turnip Fitzhugh has become my favorite book Lauren has written and it has easily made itself mandatory Christmas reading. Some people might say though we where denied the wedding night, being only given the "happily ever after." Well, at the RITA awards she had stuck a bargain to write Turnip's "Amorous Addendum" if she won. And she won. This chapter picks up after Turnip has hastily married Arabella before even leaving Girdings, he doesn't want her coming to her senses, and he valiantly heads forth into an oncoming blizzard. The blizzard that makes them lost and snowbound, but luckily there's a barn. And nice warm hay... And of course, pudding. You can imagine there's much sexy sexy, but Turnip being Turnip, there's prevarication and talking and much jumping into snowbanks and finally, she doth stop his mouth with a kiss. Despite the steam, this was nothing but sweet. Even if Sally would disagree. They ate the entire hamper of food that she was looking forward to! And Gerkin is despondent about Turnip's coat.

Monday, June 13, 2022

Tuesday Tomorrow

Trouble with the Cursed by Kim Harrison
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rachel Morgan must keep her friends close - and her enemies closer - in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison.

Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon, has one unspoken rule: take chances, but pay for them yourself. With it, she has turned enemies into allies, found her place with her demon kin, and stepped up as the subrosa of Cincinnati - responsible for keeping the paranormal community at peace and in line.

Life is...good? Even better, her best friend, Ivy Tamwood, is returning home. Nothing’s simple, though, and Ivy’s not coming alone. The vampires’ ruling council insists she escort one of the long undead, hell-bent on proving that Rachel killed Cincy’s master vampire to take over the city. Which, of course, Rachel totally did not do. She only transformed her a little.

With Rachel’s friends distracted by their own lives and problems, she reaches out to a new ally for help - the demon Hodin. But this trickster has his own agenda. In the end, the only way for Rachel to save herself and the city may be to forge a new understanding with her estranged demon teacher, Al. There’s just one problem: Al would sell his own soul to be rid of her...."

Why don't they have like book holidays from work? Like if a book you've been waiting for forever is coming out you can take the day off and just read. I think it would catch on. Really I do.

Go Hunt Me by Kelly Devos
Published by: Razorbill
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For Dracula lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets, this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.

Alex Rush is ready for the trip of a lifetime.

She and her friends have made some creepily awesome films together throughout high school, so with only a few months left before they go their separate ways for college, they’re determined to make the best one yet: an epic short film that reimagines the story of Dracula, filmed on location at a remote castle in Romania.

But when they get there, it’s not quite the majestic setting they planned for. Menacing weapons line the walls, the twisted halls are easy to get lost in, and with no connection to the outside world, the group is unexpectedly off the grid. After just a few hours spent under its roof, Alex and her friends have no trouble imagining how this dark, terrifying castle inspired one of the most enduring horror novels of all time.

Only soon they no longer have to use their imaginations to understand the location’s terrifying history - just as they get the film's first shot rolling, one of Alex’s friends disappears, and she’s nearly certain she saw a cloaked stranger lurking in the shadows. As more members of the group begin to meet an untimely demise, Alex is desperate to stop the bloodshed, even if it means facing a monster she never thought would be let loose."

Romanian murder mystery with a bite? Yes please!

Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
Published by: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"They’ll lure you in with fruit and gems and liquor and dancing, merriment to remember for the rest of your life. But that’s an illusion. The market is death itself.

Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett women - the family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the market - until May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. The market learned her name, and even when she and her sister left York for Boston to escape it, the goblins remembered.

Seventeen years later, Lou, May’s niece, knows nothing of her magical lineage or the twisted streets, sweet fruits, and incredible jewels of the goblin market. But just like her aunt, the market calls to her, an echo of a curse that won’t release its hold on her family. And when her youngest aunt, Neela, is kidnapped by goblins, Lou discovers just how real and dangerous the market is.

To save her, both May and Lou will have to confront their family’s past and what happened all those years ago. But everything - from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves - is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. And if Lou isn’t careful, she could end up losing herself to the market, too."

A goblin market tale? Oh yes.

The Midwife by Tricia Cresswell
Published by: Mantle
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A haunting and moving debut, The Midwife by Tricia Cresswell is perfect for fans of The Familiars and The Binding.

1830. After a violent storm, a woman is found alone, naked and near death, on the Northumberland moors. She has no memory of who she is or how she got there. But she can remember how to help a woman in labour and how to expertly dress a wound, and can speak fluent French. With the odds against her, a penniless single woman, she starts to build her life from scratch, using her skills to help other women around her. She finds a happy place in the world. Until tragedy strikes, and she must run for her life...

In London, Dr Borthwick lives a solitary life working as an accoucheur dealing with mothers and babies in the elegant homes of high society together with his midwife, Mrs Bates, and volunteering in the slums of the Devil’s Acre alongside a young widow, Eleanor Johnson. His professional reputation is spotless and he keeps his private life just as clean, isolating himself from any new acquaintances. But he is harbouring a dark secret from his past - one that threatens to spill over everything."

Dark secrets and a dark past mean I will be reading this long past dark.

Alchemy and Rose by Sarah Maine
Published by: Hodder
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A beautiful and sweeping historical novel that takes the reader from the west coast of New Zealand, to Scotland and Melbourne in the 1870s.

1866. Will Stewart is one of many who have left their old lives behind to seek their fortunes in New Zealand's last great gold rush. The conditions are hostile and the outlook bleak, but he must push on in his uncertain search for the elusive buried treasure.

Rose is about to arrive on the shores of South Island when a storm hits and her ship is wrecked. Just when all seems lost she is snatched from the jaws of death by Will, who risks his life to save her. Drawn together by circumstance, they stay together by choice and for a while it seems that their stars have finally aligned.

But after a terrible misunderstanding they are cruelly separated, and their new-found happiness is shattered. As Will chases Rose across oceans and continents, he must come to terms with the possibility that he might never see her again. And if he does, he will have to face the man who took her..."

Ever since reading The Luminaries I might be New Zealand gold rush obsessed.

Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter by Lizzie Pook
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For readers of The Light Between Oceans and The Island of Sea Women, a feminist adventure story set against the backdrop of the dangerous pearl diving industry in 19th-century Western Australia, about a young English woman who sets off to uncover the truth about the disappearance of her eccentric father.

Western Australia, 1886. After months at sea, a slow boat makes its passage from London to the shores of Bannin Bay. From the deck, young Eliza Brightwell and her family eye their strange, new home. Here is an unforgiving land where fortune sits patiently at the bottom of the ocean, waiting to be claimed by those brave enough to venture into its depths. An ocean where pearl shells bloom to the size of soup plates, where men are coaxed into unthinkable places and unspeakable acts by the promise of unimaginable riches.

Ten years later, the pearl-diving boat captained by Eliza’s eccentric father returns after months at sea - without Eliza’s father on it. Whispers from townsfolk point to mutiny or murder. Headstrong Eliza knows it’s up to her to discover who, or what, is really responsible.

As she searches for the truth, Eliza discovers that beneath the glamorous veneer of the pearling industry, lies a dark underbelly of sweltering, stinking decay. The sun-scorched streets of Bannin Bay, a place she once thought she knew so well, are teeming with corruption, prejudice, and blackmail. Just how far is Eliza willing to push herself in order to solve the mystery of her missing father? And what family secrets will come to haunt her along the way?


A transporting feminist adventure story based on Lizzie Pook’s deep research into the pearling industry and the era of British colonial rule in Australia, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is ultimately about the lengths one woman will travel to save her family."

And since I'm already in New Zealand, how about I stop off in Australia too?

The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 14th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In The Grief of Stones, Katherine Addison returns to the world of The Goblin Emperor with a direct sequel to The Witness for the Dead...

As a Witness for the Dead, Thara Celehar can speak to the recently departed: see the last thing they saw, know the last thought they had, experience the last thing they felt. It is his duty to use that ability to ascertain the intent of the dead and to find the killers of the murdered. Celehar’s time in the city of Amalo has brought him both friends and enemies - and no little notoriety. Now, when solving the murder of a marquise raises more questions than it answers, he finds himself exploring Amalo’s dark underside.

His investigations lead him to the Cemchelarna School for Foundling Girls, where all is not as it seems. Discovering the truth about its headmistress will lead Celehar deep into the city’s history - and into the shattering depths of the loss he fears the most."

A DIRECT sequel you didn't have to wait years and years for!

Friday, June 10, 2022

Book Review - Lauren Willig's The Mischief of the Mistletoe

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: October 28th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Arabella Dempsey has been thrown back onto the bosom of her family. Her Aunt has made a bit of a to-do, marrying a man closer in age to her niece than herself, who might have been a little too close to her niece's heart. Arabella's years being raised as her Aunt's companion and nominal heiress have been brushed aside with one wedding vow. She must now return to her family, whom she barely knows, and be a burden on their already strained income. But Arabella is determined to make her way in the world and not go back to be her Aunt's lapdog while the man she loves can never be hers. She is for teaching. Which, according to her old family friend Jane, should really be reconsidered. Has she ever even seen the inside of an all girls school? But Arabella is hired by Miss Climpson, of Miss Climpson's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, and promptly bowled over by one Mr. Reginald Fitzhugh, Turnip to his friends. Turnip has been at the school visiting his sister Sally and her new very "peculiar" particular friends, Lizzy Reid and Agnes Wooliston, who replace the now shunned Catherine Carruthers, she did take Sally's most favorite ribbons after all. Turnip quickly realizes that being in a small room with three very rambunctious teenagers is the last place he wants to be, let alone in a building full of them. Taking the proffered Christmas Pudding, he walks out the door and straight into Miss Dempsey. Despite having met her many a time on the dance floors of the ton Turnip has no memory of this slightly begrimed girl. But then again, Arabella and him never quite occupied the same side of the dance floor, she being more there to wait on her aunt and balance out the numbers. Turnip, always the cheerful gentleman, profusely apologizes and takes his leave of her and his Christmas Pudding. Arabella rushes after Mr. Fitzhugh with his forgotten Pudding only to be attacked by a man outside the school desperate for the pudding. After Mr. Fitzhugh once again picks Miss Demspey out of the gutter, she does have a talent for falling at his feet, they find the deuced oddest thing. A secret message in the pudding! Well, written on the pudding's muslin wrapper to be precise. The message says to meet at Farley Castle, where there is to be a Frost Fair the next day. In a time of spies and the terrors in France, secret messages in puddings are not to be taken lightly, even in all girls schools. Especially if those messages are written in French! But hopefully with an earnest and loving root vegetable all will turn out just as it should, with a kiss under the mistletoe.

Rarely has a book made me smile from ear to ear and laugh aloud as I have reading after reading of The Mischief of the Mistletoe. Loosely based on the skeleton of the story The Watsons by Jane Austen, Lauren has taken Austen and amped it up to farce level in the best possible of ways. She has taken Austen, and dare I say, improved it for a modern audience. Austen, while humorous, has a staid and classical voice to her narration, while Willig lets her characters loose, losing hair pins and perhaps their reputations in the process in a hilarious page turner that isn't above adding in a few modern Blackadder references. The hero of the hour, while, according to Willig, is based on Bertie Wooster, is perhaps the most lovable root vegetable hero in history, even if this means you start confusing Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent, I can't but help love Turnip more than Bertie and Hugh. Sorry Hugh! He may not be smart, he doesn't overthink things, but he has the biggest heart to match the biggest smile, that you will find yourself sporting one as you race towards his happy ending. While fans of Willig love that Turnip finally got the girl, despite his overly florid taste in waistcoats, I have to say, that I think this novel could easily stand alone. In fact it's the one I pick up most often as a reread, especially around the holidays because I can't get enough of the world Lauren has created, and in particular, Turnip. I want to have young adult novels of the three little sisters. I want to know if Turnip and Arabella ever decided to try some Strawberry jam to replace the standard Raspberry. And I need to know why Sally is scared of chickens. Austen created a memorable world, but each of her six novels are in a rarefied and finite world, whereas the world is messy. Love has complications and pudding and torn sleeves and missed moments and kisses that could have been. All of this needs mess with the tears and the joy, and Austen might not be messy enough to reflect how life is. Not that we still don't get the fairy tale ending, as Austen was wont to do, but the ride is a little more boisterous, as Deanna Raybourn said, it's "frothy with an edge of cynicism."

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Book Review - Jane Austen's Sanditon and Other Stories

Sanditon and Other Stories by Jane Austen
Published by: Everyman
Publication Date: March 28th, 1996
Format: Hardcover, 502 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Due to a geographical mistake and an accident Charlotte Heywood has been given the extreme pleasure of visiting Sanditon with it's chief cheerleader, Mr. Tom Parker. A seaside resort unlike any other. The water is clearer, the sand cleaner, and the prospects endless, as long as one or two large groups were to take homes for the summer. But not to worry, it's just the beginning of the season and Sanditon's year round inhabitants are characters enough for Charlotte. Especially when all the Parker siblings descend on the town and Mr. Arthur Parker shows Charlotte the joy of a perfectly toasted piece of bread. Well buttered. While in another part of England altogether Emma Watson has be thrust back on her family after being raised by her wealthy Aunt and Uncle. Her Uncle tragically died and her Aunt remarried, thus making Emma superfluous and no longer an heiress. She and her family make the best of this sudden reversal in fortune, but it is very odd being thrust back on one's family who now seem more like strangers. Whereas in another section of England entirely Lady Susan is concocting a scheme. Being recently widowed she was rather too open with her feelings and flirtations at some friends she was visiting and therefore has taken refuge with her brother-in-law and his wife, a wife that Lady Susan did her best to make sure he didn't marry. But Lady Susan is so eloquent with her words that she soon smooths over any reservations that anyone might have. She has been ill used and isn't the villain everyone makes her out to be. Or that is what she loudly proclaims while secretly scheming to get her daughter Frederica off her hands and carrying on her affair with a married man. Sadly for Lady Susan her sister-in-law soon starts to suspect that her first opinion of her was the true one and she works to disentangle her family from Lady Susan's copious affairs while also keeping her ill used daughter Frederica within the bosom of her true family. Will Lady Susan be found out or will she somehow slither her way free of scandal once more?

If you are someone who views Jane Austen's output as her canonical six books you are missing out. While yes, if you read this book you might forever be scarred because she was unable to finish Sanditon, once you get beyond this disappointment, made easier by the television adaptation, you will be delighted by the humor and wit of her unfinished works. These aren't polished, these aren't perfect, but that's what makes them genius. This is Jane Austen unfiltered. Her books are perfectly polished gems, these are the uncut rhinestones that will just delight you with their sheer absurdity. Here gentlemen of good fortune aren't in want of a wife, they are in want of animal traps to ensnare women who dare to come too close to their homes, as one does. And yes, I literally snorted out loud at that remark. And don't worry, the young lady's leg which was mangled ended up perfectly fine. I think. She might have fainted a time or twenty. And that was my impression over twenty-five years ago when I first read Austen's juvenalia and it still holds true. Women are passing out left and right, poisoning rivals, carrying on with married men, having husbands die in the most outrageous manner, and hating on Queen Elizabeth. Anything and everything was skewered by Austen and she took obvious delight in doing so. The novella Lady Susan is included in this collection and while many people sadly only know this story because of the subpar adaptation of it a few years back staring Kate Beckinsale confusingly called Love and Friendship, because Love and Friendship is an entirely different story, no one ever talks about how Lady Susan is a brilliant parody of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Seeing as at seventeen I had not read Les Liasons Dangerueses, though I was familiar enough with the story thanks to the Glenn Close/John Malkovich adaptation being omnipresent, I didn't get how Austen's writing style was aping Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. She was a beautiful mimic when she wanted to be, and she got right to the heart of everything I hate about that book and mercilessly poked fun at it. Seriously, if there's one thing rereading Austen's unfinished and early work all these years later has taught me is that I think she would have been the best and funniest friend a person could ask for.

Monday, June 6, 2022

Tuesday Tomorrow

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A STUNNING NEW WORK OF HISTORICAL FANTASY, J. M. MIRO'S ORDINARY MONSTERS INTRODUCES READERS TO THE DARK, LABYRINTHINE WORLD OF THE TALENTS.

England, 1882. In Victorian London, two children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness - a man made of smoke.

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Ovid, despite a brutal childhood in Mississippi, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When Alice Quicke, a jaded detective with her own troubled past, is recruited to escort them to safety, all three begin a journey into the nature of difference and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.

What follows is a story of wonder and betrayal, from the gaslit streets of London, and the wooden theaters of Meiji-era Tokyo, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh where other children with gifts - like Komako, a witch-child and twister of dust, and Ribs, a girl who cloaks herself in invisibility - are forced to combat the forces that threaten their safety. There, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, Komako, Marlowe, Charlie, Ribs, and the rest of the talents will discover the truth about their abilities, and the nature of what is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts.

Riveting in its scope, exquisitely written, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world - and of the gifted, broken children who must save it."

THIS is exactly what I wanted from The Nevers! That didn't deliver, THIS does.

The Maker of Swans by Paraic O'Donnell
Published by: Tin House Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It is no small matter, after all, to create something - to make it so only by setting down the words. We forget the magnitude, sometimes, of that miracle.

In the dead of night, shots ring out over the grounds of a sprawling English estate. The world-weary butler Eustace recognizes the gunman - his longtime employer, Mr. Crowe - and knows he must think and act quickly. Who is the man lying dead on the lawn? Who is the woman in his company? Can he clean up his master’s mess like he always has before? Or will this bring a new kind of reckoning?

Mr. Crowe was once famed for his gifts - unaccountable gifts, known only to the members of a secretive order. Protected and privileged, he was courted by countesses and great men of letters. But he has long since retreated from that glittering world, living alone but for Eustace and Clara, his mysterious young ward. He has been content to live quietly, his great library gathering dust and his once magnificent gardens growing wild. He has left the past behind. Until now.

Because there are rules, even for Mr. Crowe and his kind, that cannot be broken. And this single night of passion and violence will have consequences, stirring shadows from the past and threatening those he now cares for. He and the faithful Eustace will be tested as never before. So too will Clara, whose own extraordinary gifts remain hidden, even from herself. If she is to save them all, she must learn to use them quickly and unlock the secret of who she is.

It is a secret beyond imagining. A secret that will change everything."

Secrets on a sprawling English estate, sqwee!

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.

Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her - and who she may have left tied up a few hours before...

A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?

As they flee across the country - stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats - they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together."

High Georgian times where blackmail could lead to love!

Edward and Amelia by Karen Thornell
Published by: Covenant Communications
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The last thing Amelia Kennington wants is to participate in the London Season. But the daughter of a duke is not afforded such opinions. She must put forth a subdued facade, but beneath it is a well-hidden fire that surfaces only when provoked - such as when an overly familiar gentleman startles her and she falls into the Serpentine.

Edward Drayton, the Earl of Norwich, has gained a reputation as Society’s most decorated rake. And while there are benefits to such a reputation, it no longer gives him the satisfaction it once did. This Season, he plans to find a wife - except she seems to find him instead. And she is nothing like he expected.

Scandal is inevitable following Edward and Amelia’s ill-conceived meeting, forcing them to marry. Amelia’s disdain for this man she hardly knows is more than clear, and Edward’s pride is wounded before their marriage has even truly begun. Yet, against all odds, the two slowly let their guard down, discovering the truth of who they married. But when Society gossip, a sister’s jealousy, and long-held secrets threaten their budding relationship, the unlikely couple must determine if their unconventional love is strong enough to withstand the opposition they face."

Ah, Regency Romance, you know it's my jam!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Lost Apothecary meets Dead Dead Girls in this fast-paced, STEMinist adventure. Debut author Kate Khavari deftly entwines a pulse-pounding mystery with the struggles of a woman in a male-dominated field in 1923 London.

Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to blaze a new trail at the University College London, but with her colleagues' beliefs about women's academic inabilities and not so subtle hints that her deceased father’s reputation paved her way into the botany department, she feels stymied at every turn.

When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn’t expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professors' wives, to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin.

Dr. Maxwell, Saffron's mentor, is the main suspect and evidence quickly mounts. Joined by fellow researcher - and potential romantic interest - Alexander Ashton, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons to clear Maxwell's name.

Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer's list, in this entertaining examination of society's expectations."

You know, I might have been more willing to embrace STEM as a child had I been allowed to focus on poisons. Just saying...

Lasy Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 302 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"First in a captivating Jazz age mystery series from author Katharine Schellman, Last Call at the Nightingale beckons readers into a darkly glamorous speakeasy where music, liquor, and secrets flow.

New York, 1924. Vivian Kelly's days are filled with drudgery, from the tenement lodging she shares with her sister to the dress shop where she sews for hours every day.

But at night, she escapes to The Nightingale, an underground dance hall where illegal liquor flows and the band plays the Charleston with reckless excitement. With a bartender willing to slip her a free glass of champagne and friends who know the owner, Vivian can lose herself in the music. No one asks where she came from or how much money she has. No one bats an eye if she flirts with men or women as long as she can keep up on the dance floor. At The Nightingale, Vivian forgets the dangers of Prohibition-era New York and finds a place that feels like home.

But then she discovers a body behind the club, and those dangers come knocking.

Caught in a police raid at the Nightingale, Vivian discovers that the dead man wasn't the nameless bootlegger he first appeared. With too many people assuming she knows more about the crime than she does, Vivian finds herself caught between the dangers of the New York's underground and the world of the city's wealthy and careless, where money can hide any sin and the lives of the poor are considered disposable...including Vivian's own."

Lately I've been all about the speakeasy lifestyle!

Spineless by Samantha San Miguel
Published by: Union Square Kids
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This exciting middle-grade adventure is Hoot for the Gilded Age - with scientific discoveries, secret plots, and surprisingly enormous fauna.

When his asthma lands him at a health resort in the wilds of Gilded Age South Florida, twelve-year-old Algie Emsworth is over the moon. The scientific treasure trove of unexplored swamps may launch his dream career as a naturalist. But even Algie is startled when he happens upon a brand-new species and her brood in the karst springs surrounding the resort. Algie quickly realizes he must keep his discovery a secret: a famous collector of exotic animals is also staying at the hotel, and the new species is threatened by his very presence. An apparent curse has also descended upon the hotel, bringing with it a deadly red tide. But when the pool starts filling with ink and guests start getting mysterious, sucker-shaped wounds, Algie must pluck up his courage to find the truth about the goings-on at the Grand Hotel - and save the new species from destruction."

Florida during the Gilded Age? Oh yes!

We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first book in a dark fantasy YA duology by Rose Szabo, the author of What Big Teeth, about the power and danger of stories and the untold costs of keeping magic alive, perfect for fans of Aiden Thomas and Marie Rutkoski.

In River City, where magic used to thrive and is now fading, the witches who once ruled the city along with their powerful King have become all but obsolete. The city's crumbling government is now controlled primarily by the new university and teaching hospital, which has grown to take over half of the city.

Moving between the decaying Old City and the ruthless New, four young queer people struggle with the daily hazards of life - work, school, dodging ruthless cops and unscrupulous scientists - not realizing that they have been selected to play in an age-old drama that revives the flow of magic through their world. When a mysterious death rocks their fragile peace, the four are brought into each other's orbits as they uncover a deeper magical conspiracy.

Devastating, gorgeous, and utterly unique, We All Fall Down examines the complex network of pain created by power differentials, even between people who love each other - and how it is possible to be queer and turn out just fine."

I would also say for fans of Leigh Bardugo!

Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor
Published by: Headline
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"BOOK 12 IN THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING CHRONICLES OF ST MARY'S SERIES,

For fans of Jasper Fforde, Doctor Who, Genevieve Cogman and Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club.

'It's time, Max.' And so, a whole new chapter opens up...

It's long been known that if a thing can go wrong, it will. With knobs on, usually. Disasters start to pile up. A new colleague with no respect for the past and a great deal to prove. Historians lost in time. And - worst of all - Rosie Lee on her very first jump. Then there's the small matter of Max's dishonourable discharge.

From Tudor England to the Tower of Babel - it's all going horribly wrong.

Jobless and homeless, Max receives an offer she can't refuse. Another time, another place. A refuge, perhaps.

She's got that wrong, too."

The series I am literally recommended to read by everyone all the time.

Witch 13 by Patrick Delaney
Published by: Oblivion Publishing
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 354 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the eve of her resignation, Sheriff Sterling Marsh prepares for a bleak winter in Drybell, Connecticut, after a string of bad decisions leaves her life in shambles. Two weeks before Christmas and expecting a long night of paperwork and quiet celebration with the friends she's grown to know and love, she's surprised when an unnerving stranger appears in the form of a witch.

A silent, menacing figure, the witch appears to be ripped straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a tall, pointed hat, and black clothing. But when strange things begin happening all over town, Sterling begins to suspect that there may be more to the witch than meets the eye.

As she works to maintain order as the world crumbles around her, the witch's mysterious presence throws her world into a frenzy, threatening to send the sleepy town spiraling face-first into the darkest night it's ever seen."

A witch who is a harbinger of bad tidings, yes please!

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In every person's story, there is something to hide...

The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning - it just happens that one is a murderer.

Award-winning author Sulari Gentill delivers a sharply thrilling read with The Woman in the Library, an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all."

THE BOOK everyone is talking about right now, probably even those four strangers in the library!

A Secret About a Secret by Peter Spiegelman
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Looming high above the cliffside along a remote coastline, Ondstrand House is the headquarters of the shadowy biotech firm Ondstrand Biologic. When the body of the organization’s most gifted young scientist, Allegra Stans, is discovered in a walk-in refrigerator - her neck has been broken - Agent Myles is called in to investigate. Myles works for Standard Division, the most feared element of a vast state security apparatus, and he’s been dispatched to the brooding manor, a massive stone campus that once housed a notorious boarding school, to do what Standard Division agents do best - complete the task at hand.

As his investigation proceeds, Myles discovers that "gifted scientist" is only one thread in the complicated fabric of Allegra’s life. There are darker strands as well - of ambition, manipulation, and bitter grievance - all woven into a pattern of secrets, each presenting a reasonable motive for murder. It appears everyone has something to hide, including Allegra’s colleagues, lovers, and former lovers - even the very halls of Ondstrand House itself.

Questions continue to pile up: What interest does Standard Division, an organization best known for intelligence gathering and clandestine international operations, have in this seemingly straightforward case? Could the killing have anything to do with the sprawling estate’s sordid past? And what, exactly, is this research facility researching? Before long, another murder is discovered, and Myles finds himself an increasingly unwelcome presence in an ever more hostile landscape with few allies and fewer answers."

A sprawling estate's sordid past that now houses a biotech firm? Michael Crichton meets Agatha Christie!

Cold Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Finn’s search for his memory of one fateful night leads him to Iceland - only to be followed by an unhinged assassin intent on stopping him - in the riveting follow-up to Steel Fear, from the New York Times bestselling writing team Webb and Mann, combat-decorated Navy SEAL Brandon Webb and award-winning author John David Mann.

Disgraced Navy SEAL Finn is on the run. A wanted man since he jumped ship from the USS Abraham Lincoln, he’s sought for questioning in connection to war crimes committed in Yemen by a rogue element in his SEAL team. But his memory of that night - as well as the true fate of his mentor and only friend, Lieutenant Kennedy - is a gaping hole.

Finn learns that three members of his team have been quietly redeployed to Iceland, which is a puzzle in itself; the tiny island nation is famous for being one of the most peaceful, crime-free places on the planet.

His mission is simple: track down the three corrupt SEALs and find out what really happened that night in Yemen. But two problems stand in his way. On his first night in town a young woman mysteriously drowns - and a local detective suspects Finn’s involvement. What’s worse, a SEAL-turned-contract-killer with skills equal to Finn’s own has been hired to make sure he never gets the answers he’s looking for. And he’s followed Finn all the way to the icy north."

ICELAND!!!

The City Inside by Samit Basu
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The City Inside, a near-future epic by the internationally celebrated Samit Basu, pulls no punches as it comes for your anxieties about society, government, the environment, and our world at large - yet never loses sight of the hopeful potential of the future.

"They'd known the end times were coming but hadn’t known they'd be multiple choice."

Joey is a Reality Controller in near-future Delhi. Her job is to supervise the multimedia multi-reality livestreams of Indi, one of South Asia’s fastest rising online celebrities - who also happens to be her college ex. Joey’s job gives her considerable culture power, but she's too caught up in day-to-day crisis handling to see this, or to figure out what she wants from her life.

Rudra is a recluse estranged from his wealthy and powerful family, now living in an impoverished immigrant neighborhood. When his father's death pulls him back into his family's orbit, an impulsive job offer from Joey becomes his only escape from the life he never wanted.

But as Joey and Rudra become enmeshed in multiple conspiracies, their lives start to spin out of control - complicated by dysfunctional relationships, corporate loyalty, and the never-ending pressures of surveillance capitalism. When a bigger picture begins to unfold, they must each decide how to do the right thing in a world where simply maintaining the status quo feels like an accomplishment. Ultimately, resistance will not - cannot - take the same shape for these two very different people."

Surveillance capitalism will never not be a relevant topic.

Tracy Flick Can't Win by Tom Perrotta
Published by: Scribner
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Tracy Flick is back and, once again, the iconic protagonist of Tom Perrotta's Election - and Reese Witherspoon’s character from the classic movie adaptation - is determined to take high school politics by storm.

Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal, Jack Weede, abruptly announces his retirement, creating a rare opportunity for Tracy to ascend to the top job.

Energized by the prospect of her long-overdue promotion, Tracy throws herself into her work with renewed zeal, determined to prove her worth to the students, faculty, and School Board, while also managing her personal life - a ten-year-old daughter, a needy doctor boyfriend, and a burgeoning meditation practice. But nothing ever comes easily to Tracy Flick, no matter how diligent or qualified she happens to be.

Among her many other responsibilities, Tracy is enlisted to serve on the Selection Committee for the brand-new Green Meadow High School Hall of Fame. Her male colleagues' determination to honor Vito Falcone - a star quarterback of dubious character who had a brief, undistinguished career in the NFL - triggers bad memories for Tracy, and leads her to troubling reflections about the trajectory of her own life and the forces that have left her feeling thwarted and disappointed, unable to fulfill her true potential.

As she broods on the past, Tracy becomes aware of storm clouds brewing in the present. Is she really a shoo-in for the Principal job? Is the Superintendent plotting against her? Why is the School Board President's wife trying so hard to be her friend? And why can’t she ever get what she deserves?

In classic Perrotta style, Tracy Flick Can't Win is a sharp, darkly comic, and pitch-perfect reflection on our current moment. Flick fans and newcomers alike will love this compelling novel chronicling the second act of one of the most memorable characters of our time."

Because I'm sure just like me everyone else has been wondering what happened to Tracy Flick!

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An American woman and her son stumble upon the dark history of a rambling English manor house in this "masterful, riveting, and atmospheric" (Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist) novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Belfer.

When a close relative falls ill, Hannah Larson and her young son, Nicky, join him for the summer at Ashton Hall, a historic manor house outside Cambridge, England. A frustrated academic whose ambitions have been subsumed by the challenges of raising her beloved child, Hannah longs to escape her life in New York City, where her marriage has been upended by a recently discovered and devastating betrayal.

Soon after their arrival, ever-curious Nicky finds the skeletal remains of a woman walled into a forgotten part of the manor, and Hannah is pulled into an all-consuming quest for answers, Nicky close by her side. Working from clues in centuries-old ledgers showing what the woman’s household spent on everything from music to medicine; lists of books checked out of the library; and the troubling personal papers of the long-departed family, Hannah begins to recreate the Ashton Hall of the Elizabethan era in all its color and conflict. As the multilayered secrets of her own life begin to unravel, Hannah comes to realize that Ashton Hall's women before her had lives not so different from her own, and she confronts what mothers throughout history have had to do to secure their independence and protect their children.

"Infused with the brooding, Gothic atmosphere of Jane Eyre or Rebecca" (Melanie Benjamin, author of The Children’s Blizzard) and rich with female passion, strength, and ferocity across the ages, Ashton Hall is a novel that reveals how the most profound hauntings are within ourselves."

The ghosts within ourselves and our roles in society taking place within a manor house!?! YAS!

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