My Spring Reading Retreat Reading List

 

I like to do imaginary reading retreats each season and plan my ideal reading list based off how I'm feeling and what the year calls for.  It's spring and while I love seeing the flowers start to bloom and everything turning green again spring is always a bit of a struggle for me.  Between the time change, allergies, and allergy meds I am dragging and foggy brained.  For my imaginary reading retreat I'd stay in a little cottage on the grounds of a large estate with beautiful gardens to walk through and maybe a water feature or two to sit near - and of course lots of comfortable benches and hammocks.  And unlike where I am now, in my imaginary garden cottage mosquitos don't exist.  Here's what I'm reading -

1. But Have You Read the Book? 52 Literary Gems that Inspired Our Favorite Films by Kristen Lopez - I love classic movies and am frequently surprised what was based on a book.  I also love a good flip through book

2.  The Self-Care Year: Reflect and Recharge with Simple Seasonal Rituals by Alison Davies  - This may not end up being for me but it does look interesting and I love the idea of it.

3.  How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis - Drowning is a bit of an overstatement but there are definitely times I feel overwhelmed and I've heard good reviews of this one.

4.  Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery - After some nonfiction I want to reread one of my very favorite Montgomery books.  

5.  The Healing Season of Pottery by So-Min Yon - This looks like a nice soothing read and would be perfect for my reading retreat.

6.  A Morbid Taste For Bones by Ellis Peters - After some healing reading a historical mystery sounds like a perfect next step.

7.  Every Single Secret by Christina Dodd - It wouldn't be a reading retreat without a fast paced thriller!

8.  Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman - I loved the last book I read by this author which had all the warm fuzzy feelings and found family goodness so this one is on the list.

9.  The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart - Now that the retreat is winding down I'm digging into some light fiction from a favorite author.

10.  The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai - For my final read I'm picking up this book that's been on my TBR since it came out. I've heard fantastic things about it as well.

What would you read during your reading retreat?

Who Will Remember - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads: Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20) by C.S. Harris

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  August 1816.   England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent’s boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. His brutal murder shocks the Palace and panics the already troubled populace.

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, learns of the murder from a ragged orphan who leads him to the corpse and then disappears. At first, everyone in the dead man’s orbit paints Lord Preston as a selfless saint. But as Sebastian delves deeper into his life, he quickly realizes that the man had accumulated more than his fair share of enemies, including Major Hugh Chandler, a close friend who once saved Sebastian’s life. Sebastian also discovers that the pious Lord Preston may have been much more dangerous than those he sought to redeem.

As dark clouds press down on the city and the rains fall unceasingly, two more victims are found, one strangled and one shot, with ominous tarot cards placed on their bodies. The killer is sending a gruesome message and Sebastian is running out of time to decipher it before more lives are lost and a fraught post-war London explodes.

Genre:   Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really enjoyed the previous books in this series.

My Impression:  I really enjoy this series and the last few have really worked for me.  This latest mystery was no exception.  This isn't a quick and cozy read but one where the setting and time period are a heavy presence throughout the book.  The hardships in post-Napolean London are a major plot-point both for Sebastian and Hero and appear on every page in someway or another.  I love Sebastian and Hero's relationship and how they treat each other as equals.  

The mystery was an interesting one and did a good job of showing the danger of "do-godoers" without being heavy handed.    I love the at times gritty gloomy feel of this series and this book and how it compares with the cold power of Hero's father's world and the family coziness of the St. Cyr household.  This isn't the fastest paced read but it is a good one and one I really enjoyed from beginning to end.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I'm really looking forward to going back and reading the earlier books in the series and look forward to seeing how this series progresses.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like historical fiction or historical mysteries with a look at multiple sections of society this is a good pick.  It is a series best read in order though you can start with this one.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

This Week in Reading - April 13

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel - This sounds fascinating and heartbreaking and I've really been wanting to read this author.  (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli and Seeing Darkness by Heather Graham

Listening:  The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene

Two Fun Things I Did This Week:

1.  Sat outside on a pretty day with my dog and listened to my audio book

2.  Tried a new restaurant with friends and had such a good time!

Have a great week and happy reading!

The Seven Dials Mystery - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads:  The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  A practical joke goes chillingly, murderously wrong in Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie’s classic detective story, The Seven Dials Mystery.

Gerry Wade had proved himself to be a champion sleeper, so the other houseguests decided to play a practical joke on him. Eight alarm clocks were set to go off, one after the other, starting at 6:30 a.m. But when morning arrived, one clock was missing and the prank then backfired, with tragic consequences.

For Jimmy Thesiger in particular, the words "Seven Dials" were to take on a new and chilling significance...

Genre: Mystery - Classic 

Why I Picked This Book:  This was the April pick for the Read Christie 2025 Challenge

My Impression:  While the plot isn't exactly the strongest in this mystery it's always been one of my favorites because it's so much fun.  Bundle Brent is one of my favorite Christie heroines and the time period is pretty much a character on its own.  I adore Bundles' father, Lord Caterham, and his absolute dedication to avoiding conflict and really any kind of activity. 

The mystery is a fun one and my enjoyment was enhanced by just finishing Lucy Worsley's biography of Christie before I started this book.  This is one of the books Christie considered a "thriller" and I couldn't help but wonder if Bundle's love of driving fast was a reflection of Christie's enjoyment of the same thing.  

This was a quick entertaining read with fun characters and a 1920s feel.  It's also a bit different from the standard Christie mysteries.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I can't wait to pick up the May pick.

Would I Recommend this Book? Definitely!  This is a bit different from the classic Christie mysteries and is a fun read if you enjoy a 1920s setting.

Friday Fives - Five Non-Bookish Things That I'm Loving Right Now

 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.  This week I'm looking at 5 Non-Bookish Things I'm Loving Right now.

1. Duolingo - Will has been using the highest level of Duolingo for awhile for his language and I decided a few weeks ago to give the freebie version a try and I'm having so much fun with it!  I picked Irish to learn and added in math review and I enjoy both every day.  And it helps keep me from mindlessly scrolling with is always good.  

2.  Strawberry-Vanilla and Cherry-Vanilla Ollipop Sodas - I'm a big Diet Coke drinker but have started mixing these in to help with the soda fix and am really enjoying them.

3.  It's a Southern Thing YouTube Channel - I've been subscribed to this channel for awhile and while they don't post as often as I'd like their sketches never fail to make me laugh.  

4.  Murder in Paradise on BritBox - We finally started watching this show and I have really be thoroughly enjoying it.  The mysteries are great and I love the cast - even when they change things.

5. Dr. Teal's Epsom Salts - I'm always a fan of a nice hot bath but I've been having some insomnia and Epsom salt baths are helping so much.  My favorite versions are the Pink Himalayan salt one, the rose one, and the elderberry one.

What non-bookish things are you loving right now?

Books from the Backlog - Northern Lights

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:  Northern Lights by Nora Roberts

Blurb:  The town of Lunacy, Alaska, was Nate Burke's last chance. As a Baltimore cop, he'd watched his partner die on the street - and the guilt still haunts him. With nowhere else to go, he accepts the job as chief of police in this tiny, remote Alaskan town. Aside from sorting out a run-in between a couple of motor vehicles and a moose, he finds his first few weeks on the job are relatively quiet. But just as he wonders whether this has been all a big mistake, an unexpected kiss on New Year's Eve under the brilliant Northern Lights of the Alaskan sky lifts his spirits and convinces him to stay just a little longer.
Meg Galloway, born and raised in Lunacy, is used to being alone. She was a young girl when her father disappeared, and she has learned to be independent, flying her small plane, living on the outskirts of town with just her huskies for company. After her New Year's kiss with the chief of police, she allows herself to give in to passion - while remaining determined to keep things as simple as possible. But there's something about Nate's sad eyes that gets under her skin and warms her frozen heart.

And now, things in Lunacy are heating up. Years ago, on one of the majestic mountains shadowing the town, a crime occurred that is unsolved to this day - and Nate suspects that a killer still walks the snowy streets. His investigation will unearth the secrets and suspicions that lurk beneath the placid surface, as well as bring out the big-city survival instincts that made him a cop in the first place. And his discovery will threaten the new life - and the new love - that he has finally found for himself.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've been in a bit of a slow reading phase right now and am trying to avoid a slump. This is technically a reread but it's been so long since I've read it it doesn't really count.  Roberts' books are always pretty fast reads and seems like a good book to mix in to maybe get me back on pace.

A Proposal to Die For - Mystery Review

Goodreads:  A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Jessamine Bricker loves a plan. Contingency plans and pros-and-cons lists are her love language, and because of that, her proposal planning business is thriving. But with rent costs rising at her office building, Jess jumps at the chance to plan a proposal between her snobby high school classmate, Diana, and her very wealthy boyfriend, Trenton Tillard…the Fourth.

Roped into joining Diana’s ”pre-bridal” retreat at the exclusive Golden Ash resort, Jess hopes to fade into the background, get some work done, and maybe find some time to unwind. Their first day is anything but relaxing: Diana is furious about the mountain spa’s lack of cell phone reception, the couple next door argues constantly, and Jess swears she just saw a drug deal go down. To top it all off, she’s warned to stay out of the woods by the gruff and sexy chef, Dean Osbourne. Is this a retreat or a horror movie?

As Jess tries to do her job while placating the bride-to-be and her increasingly over-the-top demands, she spends more and more time with the resort owners, finding herself much more in tune with the laid-back Osbourne family than her social climbing “boss.” Between a meditation garden-related drowning and Jess’s discovery of a body in a sauna, it's clear that deadly secrets abound at the Golden Ash. Now it’s up to Jess to unravel the mysteries here in the mountains—before all her plans are cancelled…permanently.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've enjoyed other books by this author and this sounded like a fun mystery.

My Impression: I really like this author's writing style, her characters, and her quirky humor and this had all of those in spades.  Jess has an interesting business setting up the perfect proposals and gets pulled into the pre-wedding drama of a high school mean girl.  I liked Jess, Kiki, and the Osbourne family and I enjoyed strongly disliking Diana and Aubrey.  

There's a lot of setup for this book and it made for a bit of a slow start.  Once the first body falls and Jess engages more with the Osbourne family I did feel that the pace picked up and it helped Diana become more amusing.  She's really dreadful so when it was a small group of characters she got to be a bit much.  

I loved the setting and the complications a mountain top remote setting made for the characters and the investigation.  Despite the slow start I overall enjoyed this mystery and will be reading more from this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would.  For the most part I enjoy Harper's books and am looking forward to reading more from her.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy this author's books or enjoy a book with humor and quirky characters and don't mind a slower start this is a fun read.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *