The Year of Having Fun With Reading - 2024 Recap

 

So, at the beginning of the year, I made a list of 5 books on my shelf and 5 library books that I absolutely had to read this year.  They were my absolute top priority, and I'm pleased to say I read them all with somewhat mixed results.  Here are my thoughts for all 10 books.

1. Homecoming by Kate Morton - I really enjoyed this one.  It was typical Kate Morton atmospheric with an interesting mystery.  It makes me wish she wrote faster!

2.  The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont by Shawn Levy - This was okay.  Part of the problem is that I was wanting more old Hollywood glamour, and this was more in the seedy side of things.  The pacing was a bit uneven as well.

3.  Dark Corners by Megan Goldin - This was a solid thriller with an interesting premise.  I need to read more from this author.

4.  The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett - I loved this book - definitely one of my favorites of the year.  Loved the characters and adored how the author played homage to Anne of Green Gables.

5.  Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bolger Hyde - I loved the premise but disliked the main character and the execution was just okay.  

6.  The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman - This was wonderful!  I love a good character coming out of their shell and figuring out what makes them happy and this had that in spades.

7.  The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine - If you are an Agatha Christie fan this is a fascinating look at the forensics side of her books.  If you're not a Christie fan this may not be for you.

8.  Postcards from a Stranger by Imogen Clark - I enjoyed this one and it dealt with some challenging issues especially about dealing with aging parents and parents not being quite who you thought they were.  I need to read more by this author.

9.  Blood Red by Wendy Corsi Staub - This one wasn't as much of a thriller as I expected but it was an interesting mystery with a good premise.  I need to read the next book in the series.

10. Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day - I ended up DNFing this one.  I thought a mystery set at Agatha Christie's home would be a guaranteed win, but I disliked the characters and just didn't care about what happened.  

Did you have any priority reading this year?  How were your results?

Elephants Can Remember - Read Christie 2024 Review

Goodreads: Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie

Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Hercule Poirot stood on the cliff-top. For here, many years earlier, there had been a tragic accident – the broken body of a woman was discovered on the rocks at the foot of the cliff. This was followed by the grisly discovery of two more bodies – a husband and wife – shot dead. But who had killed whom? Was it a suicide pact? A crime of passion? Or cold-blooded murder? Poirot delves back into a crime committed 15 years earlier and discovers that, when there is a distinct lack of physical evidence, it’s just as well that ‘old sins leave long shadows.'

This story is part of Agatha Christie’s murder in retrospect series, a collection of stories which look at a crime several years after the fact, piecing together testimonials and witness reports to finally uncover the truth. This time we see Mrs Oliver’s goddaughter, attempting to find out the truth about her deceased parents – who killed whom?

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:  This was the December pick for the Read Christie Challenge

My Impression: This is one of Christie's last books and while it is not terrible it is definitely not as clean as I expect from an Agatha Christie mystery.   I think I would like this book considerably less if Mrs. Oliver didn't have such a big role as I always love when she has page time.  The mystery concerns someone from Mrs. Oliver's past and I loved her focus on finding "elephants" as it caused quite a bit of hilarity and confusion.  

My issue with this book is the same issue I have with another later book, Postern of Fate, and that is that the timeline never fully makes sense.  This pulled me out of the story quite a bit and kept me from being able to get invested in the story.  The crime happened about fifteen years prior but at times it came across as occurring much farther in the past.  The wife's age is at one point listed as 35 but then is later described as elderly but at the same time has small children.  I never could work out what another character was supposed to be involved with as everyone had heard a different rumor, and no one seemed to know anything.  As well, the focus on wigs got a bit tedious and it felt a bit like a copy of another Christie novel that I've read recently.

I love Poirot and Oliver together and thoroughly enjoyed their page time in this book.  The mystery itself had an interesting premise with an interesting solution but getting from start to finish was a little shaky.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I'm already looking forward to the Read Christie 2025 Challenge!

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you're a Christie fan then this is an interesting read but if you've never read Christie before this is not the book I'd start with.

Friday Fives - Short Reviews for Series I'm Currently Reading

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  I'm working on catching up on series and decided to put a few reviews of them all together here.

1.  Peppermint Barked by Leslie Budewitz - I have really been enjoying this series about a spice shop in Pike Place Market.  This was a fun one with lots of Christmas cheer and yummy sounding treats.  I also really liked that we were able to see a more vulnerable side to Pepper's employee Matt who up until this point has been a bit of a mystery.  There's also some growth in Pepper's personal life and lots of page time from her dog.   As expected, the mystery was solid and kept me guessing from beginning to end.  If you like a foodie cozy this is a fun series with an interesting group of characters and a fantastically brought to life Seattle setting.   My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

2.  The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen - I've been reading the most recent books of this series and really enjoying them but had only read a few books from the beginning.  I really enjoyed this one as Georgie finds an unusual solution to avoiding Christmas in a drafty castle in Scotland and more importantly avoiding Christmas with her very ghastly sister-in-law, Fig, and Fig's even worse family.  Georgie finds herself in a small village in England playing social hostess and token member of the royal family.  This would have been a rather cozy Christmas - especially when Darcy O'Mara appears on the scene - but a rash of murders makes everything much less cozy.  I loved that Georgie's grandfather was involved in the investigation and we got to know a bit more about Darcy's family.  I also thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and was quite surprised by the ending.  This was a fun entry in a good cozy series and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

3.  Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower - This is the third book in the Amish Candy Shop series where distinctly non-Amish Bailey King has come to help her Amish grandmother run her candy shop after the death of her grandfather.  The shop is gearing up for Christmas when Bailey's former boyfriend and a TV crew show up to feature an Amish-style Christmas.  Soon a body is discovered and Bailey is pulled into the investigation with the help of Sheriff's deputy Aiden.  I did figure out a lot of the mystery before Bailey did but I enjoyed the story enough that it didn't bother me.  I really enjoyed seeing Bailey's character and personal growth and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series to see what happens next.  This is a great series if you're looking for a foodie cozy mystery with an interesting twist.  My Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)

4.  Mrs. Jeffries Takes Stock by Emily Brightwell - This was a fun read!  I love the downstairs crew headed by Mrs. Jeffries and aided by Constable Barnes.  Inspector Witherspoon is still a bit befuddled by his success but he's such a nice man I don't mind it though I do prefer the more competent character that appears in the newer books.  I thoroughly enjoyed the lesson the household teaches Witherspoon when he starts penny pinching unnecessarily.  The mystery was enjoyable, and the various characters all contributed.  I was kept guessing until the end and thoroughly enjoyed the reveal.  This series has a large cast and can be a bit confusing at the beginning, but I really enjoy the teamwork element and the mysteries never disappoint.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

5.  Home for the Haunting by Juliet Blackwell - This is the fourth book in a series about Mel Turner a San Francisco contractor who specializes in restoring historic homes with an accidental focus on haunted houses and an extra gift for tripping over dead bodies.  In this book Mel has volunteered for a charity that works on renovating homes for the elderly and disabled.  The home she is assigned is right next to the famed "Murder House" where a family tragedy occurred years before.  Because Mel is Mel she soon stumbles over a dead body in gets involved in a homicide investigation - one current day and one from the past.  I enjoyed the story and following along with the investigation. I liked that Detective Crawford gets involved in the ghost part as it changed the dynamic between the two.   The mystery wrapped up in a satisfying and surprising way and I enjoyed the read - even though Mel's habit of wearing outrageous outfits to job sites drives me a bit crazy.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

Books from the Backlog - Peril at Owl Park

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: Peril at Owl Park by Marthe Jocelyn

Blurb:  Aspiring writer Aggie Morton is looking forward to Christmas. Having just solved a murder and survived her own brush with death in her small town of Torquay on the coast of England, Aggie can't wait to spend the holidays with her sister Marjorie, the new Lady Greyson of Owl Park, an enormous manor house in the country; Grannie Jane and her fellow sleuth and partner in crime, Hector Perot. Owl Park holds many delights including Aggie's almost cousin Lucy, exciting and glamorous visitors from Ceylon and disguises aplenty in the form of a group of traveling actors, not to mention a secret passageway AND an enormous, cursed emerald. Not even glowering old Lady Greyson (the Senior) can interfere with Aggie's festive cheer. But when Aggie and her friends discover a body instead of presents on Christmas morning, things take a deadly serious turn. With the help of a certain nosy reporter, Aggie and Hector will once again have to put their deductive skills and imaginations to work to find the murderer on the loose.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  A middle grade mystery based off Agatha Christie's childhood and set during Christmas.  Now seems like the time!

TBR Tarot - A Book to Kill For

At the end of 2022 Wendy over at Literary Feline posted about these fantastic TBR Tarot Cards she had picked up on Etsy and that sounded too good to resist so I immediately ordered my own set.  So when I'm not feeling strongly about what to read next I pull out my cards and pick a book based on the prompt.  Here is a book the fates chose for me recently.

Prompt:  Choose a Book Where the Author's Surname begins with "L"

Goodreads: A quiet book lover falls for a rugged carpenter... who doesn't even like to read?!?

Maggie Bell loves working at a bookshop in the charming town of Fair Haven, Connecticut. After her beloved boss passes away, his son, Joshua Whitfield, comes into town and turns Maggie’s world upside down. He wants to turn part of the store into a cafe and sell books about vampires and silly romances. Maggie is horrified. But when an electrician is killed in the middle of the bookshop renovations, Joshua is the prime suspect. Maggie must put their differences aside to clear his name. She finds herself becoming more and more attracted to Joshua. Can a mousy bookworm really fall in love with a rugged carpenter who doesn’t even like to read?

My Thoughts:  I had this whole series on my TBR so when the prompt came up, I jumped at the chance to give this series a try.  It's a bookish cozy - what's not to love?  Well, it turned out I wasn't the biggest fan of Maggie.  I love a bookish main character who loves to read but Maggie is so judgmental and narrow minded I was kind of rooting for the bad guy to take her out.  I did like Joshua and the mystery did keep me guessing.  I would probably give this author another try but I don't think I want to spend any more time with Maggie.  My Rating: Just Okay (2 Stars)

Top Ten Tuesday - Winter TBR

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is my Winter TBR.  I love making these seasonal TBRs!  I'm not the best at getting everything read (though I'm getting better) but I always enjoy making the list.

1.  Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass - I've had this author on my TBR for awhile and am really looking forward to reading this one.

2.  Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan - I've read the previous two books in this series about a cryptid hunter and can't wait for this newest one!

3.  Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz - I look forward to Krentz's new book every year and can't wait for this one.

4.  The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly - I've really enjoyed what I've read from Julia Kelly and this one looks gorgeous.

5.  Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis - I'm so behind with Shalvis's books but I'm trying to catch up and this newest book looks like a great read.

6. The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang - This looks gorgeous and wonderful and magical and like perfect cuddling up in a warm house reading.

7.  The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning by Leslie Martino - This one caught my eye, and I'd like to read this soon to start out the next semester of homeschool inspired a bit.

8.  Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh - I read the first book in this series and loved it and really am wanting to continue with it.

9.  Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea - This is the book that brought Donlea to my attention, and I have loved what I've read so it feels like I should finally pick this one.

10. The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay - I've really enjoyed the previous books I've read by this author, and this has been on my radar.  It's another book that looks like it'd be good cold weather reading.

What are you hoping to read this winter?

Overdue Reviews - Made For You + Almost Famous Women

 Goodreads:  Made for You by Jenna Satterthwaite

Blurb:  Hi. My name is Julia. I’m a Synth. And I’m here to find love…
Synthetic woman Julia Walden was designed for one reason: to compete on The Proposal and claim the heart of bachelor Josh LaSala. Her casting is controversial, but Julia seems to get her fairy-tale ending when Josh gets down on one knee.

Fast forward fifteen months, and Julia and Josh are married and raising their baby in small-town Indiana. But with haters around every corner, Julia's life is a far cry from the domestic bliss she imagined. Then her splintering world shatters: Josh goes missing, and she becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

With no one left she can trust, Julia takes the investigation into her own hands. But the explosive truths she uncovers will drive her to her breaking point—and isn’t that where a person’s true nature is revealed? That is…if Julia truly is a person.

Told via dual timelines, Jenna Satterthwaite’s twist-filled debut deftly explores the exhilarating point where artificial intelligence, reality TV and bone-chilling murder mystery meet.

My Thoughts:  I downloaded this one by accident as it is not a genre that I typically read but the cover caught my eye, and the blurb looked interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try.  The premise was definitely interesting and not one I've seen before.  The writing did grab me and I liked Julia as a main character.  That said this was definitely my genre and I had a hard time really getting into the story.  Because of that I'm not going to rate the book but if the premise interests you I definitely recommend trying it.

Almost Famous Women by Megan Mayhew Bergman

Blurb:  The fascinating lives of the characters in Almost Famous Women have mostly been forgotten, but their stories are burning to be told. Now Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of Birds of a Lesser Paradise, resurrects these women, lets them live in the reader's imagination, so we can explore their difficult choices. Nearly every story in this dazzling collection is based on a woman who attained some celebrity—she raced speed boats or was a conjoined twin in show business; a reclusive painter of renown; a member of the first all-female, integrated swing band. We see Lord Byron's illegitimate daughter, Allegra; Oscar Wilde's troubled niece, Dolly; West With the Night author Beryl Markham; Edna St. Vincent Millay's sister, Norma. These extraordinary stories travel the world, explore the past (and delve into the future), and portray fiercely independent women defined by their acts of bravery, creative impulses, and sometimes reckless decisions.

My Thoughts:  This was an interesting concept and I do enjoy short story collections.  I liked exploring a snapshot in time for people who are adjacent to fame somehow.  Bergman is good at capturing a personality and feelings in a moment in time.  That said I think I would have liked a bit of an explanation as to just who was who and who they were connected to as there were times I got lost down that particular rabbit hole and wasn't focusing on the story itself.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

These books were received in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.