Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews For Books I've Read Recently

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 sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  The Seventh Sinner by Elizabeth Peters - This is the first book in the Jacqueline Kirby series and I enjoyed it.  Jacqueline is a fun character who always manages to surprise the reader.  There's also an interesting cast of characters with a group of students from all of the world studying in Italy.  This isn't the most memorable read but it is a lot of fun and the audio is a good one.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  Someone to Care by Mary Balogh - This is the 4th book in the Westcott series and focuses on the former Countess of Riverdale, Viola.  After the death of her husband the very proper Viola discovers that her husband was in fact not her husband and her children were illegitimate.  Everything she thought was real was a lie and she and her children are desperately trying to figure out their new futures.  I really enjoyed that this was a bit of a second chance romance with two older characters (she is 42, he is 39) who have some life experience.  While this is a romance and does focus on that there is also a lot of Viola trying to navigate her new life with her family and coming to terms with her feelings.  I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more of this series.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

3.  The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst - I read and absolutely loved the previous book in this series so I was so excited to pick this one up and was not disappointed.  This is a lovely story with lovely people and stunning sounding greenhouses.  Terlu was mentioned in the first book so I was thrilled to see her getting her own story.  She's such a sweet natured person and I loved her relationship with Yarrow and all the sentient plants as well as her increasing drive to save the greenhouse.  This is a fairly quiet story with lots of discussions, trial and error spellcasting, and exploring the greenhouses but I never felt like the story lagged.  The audio is wonderful and I highly recommend going that route if you are interested in this one.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

4.  The Murders of Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Beale by Jill McGown - This police procedural was published in the early 90s so there's a lack of reliance on cell phones and internet which makes for an interesting investigation.  Unfortunately, I didn't love this one.  The mystery is good and the connections are interesting with an interesting twist in the conclusion.  Unfortunately, I really didn't like any of the characters - especially the lead investigators - and the writing style just didn't work for me.  It felt so mired in details that I often missed big reveals.  By the end this was probably because I really didn't care.  This is the 4th in a series so it's possible I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the characters better but by the end of this book I didn't really want to know the characters better so I think I'm one and done with this series.  My Rating:  Just Okay (2 Stars)

5.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - I almost didn't read this one as the premise didn't appeal to me at all but then I saw some good reviews from people who have similar reading tastes so I added it to my Audio TBR jar - and then the jar told me it was time to read it.  I almost DNF'd it in at around 10% as I didn't care for Nora and I just didn't see how this premise was going to work but decided to keep going with it and pretty soon after I was absolutely hooked.  This is a unique premise beautifully executed with a main character who doesn't feel like anything is going right in her life.  As she spends time with in the Midnight Library and with all the different versions of herself she finds herself realizing what really matters in a way that is true to her.  I was surprised with how much I enjoyed this and I'm pleased to see there's a second book coming out in May.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

Books from the Backlog - Letters From Paris

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:  Letters From Paris by Juliet Blackwell

Blurb:  After surviving the accident that took her mother’s life, Claire Broussard has worked hard to escape her small Louisiana hometown. But these days she feels something is lacking. Abruptly leaving her lucrative job in Chicago, Claire returns home to care for her ailing grandmother. There, she unearths a beautiful piece of artwork that her great-grandfather sent home from Paris after World War II.
At her grandmother’s urging, Claire travels to Paris to track down the century-old mask-making atelier where the object, known only as “L’Inconnue”—or The Unknown Woman—was created. Under the watchful eye of a surly mask-maker, Claire discovers a cache of letters that offers insight into the life of the Belle Epoque woman immortalized in the work of art. As Claire explores the unknown woman’s tragic fate, she begins to unravel deeply buried secrets in her own life.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I really enjoy this author's standalones (and her cozy mysteries for that matter) and this one is really appealing to me right now.

Great Big Beautiful Life - Contemporary Fiction Review

Goodreads:  Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

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

Description:  Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad… depending on who’s telling it.

Genre:  Fiction - Contemporary/Women's

Why I Picked This Book:  I really disliked one Emily Henry book (Happy Place) and really enjoyed another one (Funny Story) so I wanted a tie breaker and this one looked interesting.

My Impression:  This seems to be a love it or hate it book and I'm firmly on the love it side of things.  One caveat is that I listened to the audio which was read by Julia Whelan who is amazing but she also read Happy Place which I DNF'd so I don't think that influences my opinions too much.

This is the story of Margaret Ives as she narrates it to Alice Scott who is her potential biographer.  It's also the story of Alice and other potential biographer Hayden Anderson which is a very classic grumpy/Sunshine romance that focuses much more on the two characters getting to know each other than it does on spice.  This is very much my preference but if you're looking for all romance all the time you might be disappointed.  I was hooked on both the Alice/Hayden plot and the Margaret story and really enjoyed them both equally.  I really loved Alice who gets to know herself a bit more as she gets to know Hayden and Margaret more.  

One of the big complaints I saw on Goodreads was that it's too similar to The Seven Husbands of Eveyln Hugo by Tayor Jenkins Reid.  I've read that and really didn't find this to be the case.  The setup is similar with an older celebrity narrating a story to a younger biographer, but the two women have very different voices and very different stories.  Just because they're older women who are from Hollywood (adjacent in Margaret's case) doesn't mean they have the same story.  

This is a story with heart with characters who were maddening occasionally but were always characters I wanted to spend time with.  If you're going in just looking for a romance (or a mystery which for whatever reason this kind of got marketed as being) this might not be what you're looking for but if you're looking for a story about the relationship between people, I think you'll enjoy it. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes definitely!  I very much enjoyed this one and while I know not every book by this author will work for me, I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes but with reservations.  This book doesn't seem to be for everyone and has gotten some fairly polarizing reviews but if your reading taste is at all similar to mine I think you'll enjoy it.

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Romances on My 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 a Love/Valentine's Freebie.  I'm kind of going the easy route and picking ten romances off my TBR.

1.  The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - This is technically a reread but I read this before I realized it was part of a series and remember nothing about it.  I really liked the first book and want to revisit the characters in the second book. 

2.  Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis - This is the second book in the Animal Magnetism series set around an animal rescue/vet clinic in Idaho.  I'm looking forward to reading more from the characters.

3.  Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne - I love Thayne's Christmas stories and this looks like a wonderful one.

4.  Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura - I do love an adventure story and that mixed in with a romance sounds fun.

5. Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage - I've heard good things about this series and I picked up the first one on audio.

6.  Flawless by Heather Graham - I love a good romantic suspense and Heather Graham writes some of my favorites.  

7.  Housebroke by Jaci Burton - I know nothing about this one but it looks fun.

8.  Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young - I've heard good things about this one and I really like that it's about a married couple reconnecting.

9.  The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George - I've heard good things about this author and I've been in the mood for historical romances.

10. Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke - I've read and loved a couple of previous books by this author (and DNF'd a few as well) and this one looks good.

Do you have any romances on your TBR?

Reading What I Love - We'll Prescribe You a Cat

The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read.  There's no real rhyme or reason.  I just go through my library list and my shelves and pick the books that are calling to me.  My focus in 2026 is reading books I think I'll love - or at least really enjoy.

Goodreads:  We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

Blurb:  Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.
Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.

Why I think I'll love this one:  I have really enjoyed the Japanese cozy fiction I've read and the premise and cover of this one made me smile.

My Thoughts:  So the premise is fairly simple - a group of people who are dissatisfied by some aspect of their life one by one come to an out of the way mental health clinic.  There they are met by a cranky nurse, an unusual doctor and given a cat.  The results are interesting and at times unexpected and the cats are effective in different ways.   What made this book stand out from the other books I've read in this genre is the clinic itself.  There's something unusual about it and that takes a bit of time to get revealed.  This is a good slow pace read - one story at a time.  I enjoyed it and found it a calming and entertaining read.  I'm planning on picking up the next book in the series to see just what happens next.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

This Week in Reading - February 8

 

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 Moonsingers by Robin J. Pritzker - The cover caught my eye and I have been loving cozy fantasy.  (Publisher)

The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J.D. Brinkworth - This sounds like a really fun cozy mystery (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly and The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

Listening:  The Spitfire Murders by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley

Slow Read: Stella Mia by Rosanna Chiofalo

Watching:  We are on countdown to Formula 1 starting back up so that will soon take over the bulk of our TV watching but until then we are watching Death in Pardise which we really enjoy though we only have a couple of seasons left.  

I had migraines most of the week which made for not much happening and now has me feeling pretty wiped out.  I'm able to at least get some reading done now which is good. I did take some of the downtime to make a list of places I want to visit or things I want to learn how to do this year so I'm looking forward to getting started on that.

Have a good week and happy reading!

My First Reading Recap of 2026 - My January Reading

Monthly Reading Total: 20 - I was really enjoying my reading in January - especially when it came to my print books.

Type:

Print: 8

Ebook:  6

Audio: 6

Genre:

Mystery - 12

Fiction - 4

Romance - 4

Favorite Books of the Month:

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig tied for my favorite audiobooks

Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan was probably the book I physically read that I most enjoyed (that wasn't a reread)

Rereads:  

I'm trying to make sure I get some rereads in this year as I always enjoy it and I was in the habit of not letting myself pick up some old favorites.  Here is what I reread in January:

Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts - Did not disappoint.  I always love when a group of characters are putting together a team and I'm not sure anyone does it better than Roberts.

The House on Blackberry Hill by Donna Alward - Meh.  It didn't live up to my memory of it.  Love the concept but didn't enjoy spending time with characters.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie - I'm not sure anytime I read Christie counts as a reread as I'm pretty sure I notice something different.  It goes without saying that this was a delight.

This Month's Armchair Travels:

Domestic Travel:  I visited California (twice), Idaho, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maine, and Michigan.

International Travel:  I visited England 7 times, 1940s Bahamas, Japan, Scotland, Greece, and 1960s Lebanon

How was your January reading?   Where did your books take you this past month?