My 2023 Reading Challenge Wrap Up

I have a confession to make. While I started off on the right foot with my 2023 challenges, I lost my focus early on. It is fortunate I tend to choose challenges and set goals that fit my regular reading patterns or else I might not have done so well with all of them. I am proud to say I did even better than I expected, especially in terms of reading books from my TBR shelves and wish list. 

With an overflowing TBR pile I hoped to whittle down a little more this year, I signed up for the Mount TBR Challenge hosted by My Reader's Block. I kept my goal on the lower side to allow myself room for those shiny new books I have trouble resisting as well. My goal: Pike's Peak (read 12 books I already own - prior to 2022). Final 2023 Count: 27 (Mount Blanc)

 Books Read:
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Shadow and Bone (#1) by Leigh Bardugo
Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School #1) by Jen Calonita
Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre edited by Tracy Chevalier
Speaker of the Lost (Lark Nation #1) by Clara Coulson
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
Well Played (Well Met #2) by Jen DeLuca
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Keeper of the Lost Cities (#1) by Shannon Messenger
Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger
Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger
Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities #4) by Shannon Messenger
Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5) by Shannon Messenger
Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
Falling by T.J. Newman
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
Immortal in Death (#3) by J.D. Robb
Rapture in Death (#4) by J.D. Robb
The Moon Within by Aida Salazar
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton

Much like the Mount TBR Challenge, I decided to tackle The Backlist Reader Challenge hosted by The Bookwyrm's Hoard to get through some of my older TBR and wish list books.  My goal: Read 10 books from my wish list/TBR pile that have been there since 2021. Final 2023 Count: 33

Books Read:

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley
Shadow and Bone (#1) by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows (#1) by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School #1) by Jen Calonita
Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre edited by Tracy Chevalier
Speaker of the Lost (Lark Nation #1) by Clara Coulson
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
Well Played (Well Met #2) by Jen DeLuca
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Keeper of the Lost Cities (#1) by Shannon Messenger
Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger
Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger
Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities #4) by Shannon Messenger
Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5) by Shannon Messenger
Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
Falling by T.J. Newman
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
Immortal in Death (#3) by J.D. Robb
Rapture in Death (#4) by J.D. Robb
The Moon Within by Aida Salazar
A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab
Guts (Smile #3) by Raina Telgemeier
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton

 

I seem to read more nonfiction when I take part in the Nonfiction Reading Challenge hosted by Book'd Out and, wanting to make at least a small dent in my nonfiction TBR stack, I jumped at the chance to take part this year. My goal: Nonfiction Nipper (at least 3 books). Final 2023 Count: 7 (Nonfiction Nibbler)

Books Read: 

Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Guts (Smile #3) by Raina Telgemeier

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith

We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at the Dozier School for Boys by Erin Kimmerle

Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour

Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher: An Autobiographical Manga, Vol. 1 by Kenny Loui and Yamawe

In an effort to get back into reading historical fiction this year, I took on the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by The Intrepid Reader. I love that this particular challenge is fairly broad in scope--any genre works as long as it qualifies as historical. My goal: Victorian Level (at least 5 books). Final 2023 Count: 10 (Renaissance Reader)

Books Read: 

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley
Murder at a London Finishing School (Beryl & Edwina Mystery #7) by Jessica Ellicott
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (#1) by Heather Fawcett
A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #2) by Kate Khavari
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
Playing It Safe (Electra McDonnell #3) by Ashley Weaver
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

The Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted by Bloggin' 'bout Books sounded too good to resist being that I enjoy books with bookish themes! My goal: Toe in the Door (read between 1-10 books with a bookish theme). I feel like I cheated with this one because I read six volumes of a manga series, but if ever there was a manga series focused on books (including the care and repairing of them), this one would be it. Final 2023 Count: 11 (Picking and Perusing)

Books Read: 

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Exes & O's by Amy Lea

Magus of the Library, Vol. 1 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 2 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 3 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 4 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 5 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 6 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

The Fatal Folio (Cambridge Bookshop #3) by Elizabeth Penney

Witch Upon a Star (Witch Way Librarian Series #4) by Angela Sanders

Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop #1) by Samara Yew

I cannot seem to get enough of cozy mysteries these days, and so joined the Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. My goal: Snoop (10 Cozies of my choice). Final 2023 Count: 13

Books Read:

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley
Death by Demo (Renovations Mystery #1) by Callie Carpenter
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #3) by Elle Cosimano
Murder at a London Finishing School (Beryl & Edwina Mystery #7) by Jessica Ellicott
A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #2) by Kate Khavari
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
The Fatal Folio (Cambridge Bookshop #3) by Elizabeth Penney
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
Witch Upon a Star (Witch Way Librarian Series #4) by Angela Sanders
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto 
The Vampire Knitting Club (#1) by Nancy Warren
Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton
Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop #1) by Samara Yew

One of my personal goals this year was to read more poetry than I managed to read the year before, and I decided to join up with the Poetry Reading Challenge hosted by Savvy Verse & Wit again for a little extra motivation. My goal: 3 poetry books and a poem a day from A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year by Jane McMorland Hunter. Well, I did not follow through with reading a poem a day from Hunter's anthology, but I did better with the other half of my goal. Final 2023 Count: 4 poetry collections

Find Her. Keep Her. by Renaada Williams

The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

Mom, Can I Do My Laundry at Your House?: Poems from Your Adult Child by Olivia Roberts

Flutter, Kick by Anna V.Q. Ross

I figured COYER Challenge hosted by Because Reading, Mom With A Reading Problem, and Once Upon a Chapter would be an easy reading challenge to take on, especially the first Chapter: It's a Cold Summer (January through April), in which anything goes. I never officially signed up for Chapters 2 and 3 despite my intention to. I did not set a numeric goal for this challenge. I just wanted to have fun with it. 

Books Read (Chapter 1): 

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley

Shadow and Bone (#1) by Leigh Bardugo

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #3) by Elle Cosimano

Speaker of the Lost (Lark Nation #1) by Clara Coulson

Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Exes & O's by Amy Lea

Guts (Smile #3) by Raina Telgemeier

Find Her. Keep Her. by Renaada Williams

The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern

A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn

The Vampire Knitting Club (#1) by Nancy Warren

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol, 10 by Kamome Shirahama (translated by Stephen Kohler)

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

This past summer, I took part in the Big Book Summer Challenge hosted by Sue of Book By Book. The challenge was to read one, two or however many books I chose that were over 400 pages long between May 25th and September 4th. I did not set a numeric goal. Final 2023 Count: 5

Books Read: 

Keeper of the Lost Cities (#1) by Shannon Messenger (544 pages)

Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger (592 pages)

Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger (609 pages)

Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities #4) by Shannon Messenger (672 pages)

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab (513 pages)

And there you have it! I managed to complete all the challenges I signed up for (at least officially), even surpassing my goals for most of them. At least in terms of reading the books, even if not managing to post all the reviews. For me, that's a win. 

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© 2023, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly Mews: Bookish Mewsings on Mrs. Morris and the Witch & Mother-Daughter Murder Night

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

It has been a busy weekend, and so I am getting this post up later than usual. Our neighborhood has been getting in the Halloween spirit, many decorations going up. Ours are still in the garage, but perhaps they'll find their way out soon. This is one of my favorite times of year. 

I currently am reading Starling House by Alix E. Harrow, which so far is as every bit as good as I heard it would be. 

Next up, I will be picking up the October TBR Winner of my TBR List Poll. 

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn and The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #1) by Laurie R. King tied with 5 votes each, while Yellowface by R.F. Kuang won with 7 votes! I have heard great things about Yellowface and am anxious to start it. Thank you again for all who voted!

My TBR List is hosted by the awesome Michelle  at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

This past week I finished reading Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger and Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton (see below for my thoughts on the latter).

I continue to enjoy the Keeper of the Lost Cities, a middle grade fantasy series, which is one of my daughter's favorites. Although Nightfall got off to a slower start than the previous books in the series, it eventually picked up. Mouse is all caught up with the series, but I still have a way to go. I can see why Mouse adores the series with her love for fantasy and characters she can root for. It's imaginative and action packed. There's tween/teen angst, lots of blushing, magic, animals of all kinds, danger, and kids who save the day. The tenth final book in the series is rumored to be coming out later this year.

Mouse is currently reading Holes by Louis Sachar in school, a book I have not had the chance to read. It seems to be well loved though, and perhaps I will find my way to it at some point. She's been sharing with me what's going on in the story each evening, and so I feel like I am reading it alongside her. 

Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton (Kensington Books, 2020; Mystery/Cozy; 219 pgs)
Source: from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

"All Hallows' Eve--Salem's most celebrated night of the year," Charlene Morris said to Jack Strathmore, seated next to her on the love seat in the privacy of her personal suite. ~ Opening of Mrs. Morris and the Witch

I read the first book in this series, Mrs. Morris and the Ghost, three years ago and enjoyed it. Widowed Charlene Morris bought a mansion sight unseen with plans to turn in into a bed and breakfast. Little did she know it came with its own resident ghost, Jack Strathmore.

Mrs. Morris and the Witch, picks up soon after the events in the first book of this cozy mystery series. Charlene is excited about hosting her first guests over Halloween and has planned an unforgettable evening Halloween night with a tour of Salem and a cemetery, led by a local ghost expert. Unfortunately, the night takes a turn for the worst when Charlene finds Morganna, a local Wiccan, dead in her shop. One of Charlene's guests is a person of interest, and Charlene is determined to clear his name. Charlene's inquiries lead her down the path to find the murderer, learning about the modern day Wiccan community and coven politics in Salem along the way.

It was a pleasure to spend time with Charlene again as well as her friendly household ghost, Jack. She uses him as a sounding board quite a bit in the novel, and he offers some helpful suggestions along the way. Her friend and detective, Sam, seems quite capable at his job, and it's obvious he is frustrated with Charlene's interference--not to mention the way she puts herself in danger. I can't really blame him. There is one scene in the novel in which Charlene does something very dumb, in fact; but I had to laugh because not too long after that scene, Charlene is reading a romantic suspense novel and describes the heroine as "smart and savvy, not the too-stupid-to-live kind, like she'd been the night before." Kudos to authors Traci Hall and Patrice Wilton for calling their own character out! I do like Charlene though even if her curiosity gets the better of her sometimes.

I was along for the ride in this paranormal cozy mystery and did not figure out who was behind the murder until the end. The cast of characters, some familiar from the previous book, and others new, had interesting backstories of their own, and I am enjoying getting to know Charlene's Salem through her eyes. I look forward to reading more of the series. I believe it's set around Christmas time--so perfect for the upcoming winter season!

Challenge Met: COYER / Mount TBR / Backlist / Cruisin' Thru the Cozies

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon (William Morrow, 2023; Mystery/Thriller; 352 pgs)

Source: from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

Beth knew she couldn't leave for work until she dealt with the dead body on the beach. ~ Opening of Mother-Daughter Murder Night 

Earlier this month, I read Mother-Daughter Night and loved it. This was more than just a mystery/suspense novel, but also a novel about mother and daughter relationships, the choices we make as parents-- as humans, really--and how they can impact the other.

Lana Rubicon is as ambitious as they come, putting her career in real estate above all else. She learned the hard way how a person can only depend on themselves. A diagnosis of cancer and the stresses treatment put on her body mean Lana must turn to her daughter, Beth, for help. Lana finds Beth to be an enigma. She seems to be everything Lana is not. Beth lives a quiet life as a nurse in a sleepy coastal town with her teenage daughter, Jack. Jack is fiercely independent and longs for a different life than the one she's living. She loves her grandmother and mother and wishes they got along better.

When Jack finds a dead body while leading a kayak tour, the police are quick to name her as their main suspect. Lana and Beth are beside themselves with the accusations made by the police. Lana is quick to realize the police are not up to the task of finding the real killer, and, in an effort to prove her granddaughter is innocent, she begins to look for other possible suspects on her own. Beth, on the other hand, is not keen on the idea of her mother conducting her own investigation, especially not while she's in such a weakened state and should be focusing on her recovery. It soon becomes clear though that there is no stopping Lana, and Jack and a reluctant Beth lend her a hand.

Lana and Beth's relationship is mired in the past by slights and misunderstandings. I found myself siding with one or the other at various points in the book, but ultimately hoping they would find common ground between them. They are so much alike even as they think they are so different. And I really felt for Jack being in the middle. The relationships between all three women do grow over the course of the novel. I found all of them extremely relatable. (Not to mention I love the idea of a Mother-Daughter Murder Night! Read the book and you'll know why.)

From wealthy ranchers to land trusts, family vendettas and secret deals, Lana, Beth and Jack find themselves in dangerous territory. While not a fast paced mystery in the way some mysteries are, Mother-Daughter Murder Night was a compelling read. The mystery itself was made up of a complex web of conflict and characters that had me wanting to know where each thread would lead. While the final whodunnit was not a real surprise, the fun was in getting there.

Challenge Met: COYER

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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© 2023, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly Mews: September's Bookish Mewsings on The Hating Game and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries / TBR Tarot Cards to the Rescue

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.  

This past week the heat advisories started up again after a few days of much welcome cooler weather. It's not unusual for this time of year to be warm. The surprise was the rain and lower temperatures. Summer is always reluctant to let fall have her way. I believe it's supposed to get cooler again soon--fingers crossed! 

We went with friends to see a local high school production of the musical Little Shop of Horrors last month. The teens put on a great show. We followed it up with a late dinner together, which was a nice way to close out the evening. 

Girl Scouts is in full swing. Mouse spent the day with her troop working on a journey badge all today, in fact. She's had activities almost every weekend. Next weekend there's a bird walk and trail clean up. Last weekend we visited the local no-kill animal shelter with her troop and got to socialize with the cats (my favorite part--I wanted to bring a couple of the kitties home so badly--if only I could!). I think most of the girls would have preferred to play with the puppies, but the puppies were at a Suicide Prevention Walk event in town, hoping to be adopted.

My mom's Masquer's Club put on a program for their community and the general public about the history of music in honor of International Day of Older Persons. The skit they started off with about seniors and computers was so funny. Don't underestimate someone's ability based on their age. My favorite part was my mom's presentation on Buddy Holly and his influence on music. She wore a pink poodle skirt, a Pink Lady's jacket, and, of course, saddle shoes. The entire program was informative and a lot of fun. The audience enjoyed singing along to all the featured songs.

A couple months or so ago my father-in-law was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. He went through intensive radiation treatment in August for cancer found on his brain and began immunotherapy this past month. His condition took a turn for the worse, however, and he passed away a week ago Friday, surrounded by family. my father-in-law always seemed to have a smile for everyone and never hesitated to offer help when he saw someone in need. He led a full life and was well loved. It's been a difficult time to say the least, but we are holding onto the many memories we have of him.

I am currently going back and forth between a middle grade fantasy novel, Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger, and a cozy mystery, Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B #2) by Traci Milton. 

Nightfall is proving to be a bit slower of a read for me than the earlier books in the series, and, while I could blame it on its size, it may be because there's been less action in it so far. But even more likely it is because I have been focusing on other books. Last I checked in with Sophie yesterday, she was meeting with the ogre king, hoping to form an unlikely alliance and get the next clue to finding her human parents who were kidnapped by the Neverseen. 

I am only a couple chapters into Mrs. Morris and the Witch. It's the second in the series and a perfect read for this time of year. The characters and I just finished the ghost tour on Halloween night and have stumbled upon a dead body. I imagine things are about to heat up quite a bit now! 

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List is hosted by the awesome Michelle  at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

I had my daughter pull one of my TBR Tarot cards at random to help me settle on a theme for this month. The instructions on the card read: 

Choose a book . . . 

which has a yellow cover

Evidently I have quite a few books with yellow covers! It wasn't too hard to narrow down my choices to three however. Okay, so maybe a little. These are the three that sound most appealing to me at the moment.  Now I need your help deciding which one of these I should read next!

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

A wise and witty new novel that echoes with timely questions about love, career, reconciling with the past, and finding your path while knowing your true worth.

Longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy has made a career out of putting others before herself. When an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown, Georgie must confront an uncomfortable truth: her own wants and needs have always been a disconcertingly blank page.

But then Georgie comes across a forgotten artifact—a “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. To an overwhelmed Georgie, the diary’s simple, small-scale ideas are a lifeline—a guidebook for getting started on a new path.

Georgie’s plans hit a snag when she comes face to face with an unexpected roommate—Levi Fanning, onetime town troublemaker and current town hermit. But this quiet, grouchy man is more than just his reputation, and he offers to help Georgie with her quest. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side—if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back.

Honest and deeply emotional, Georgie, All Along is a smart, tender must-read for everyone who’s ever wondered about the life that got away . . . [Goodreads Summary]

The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #1) by Laurie R. King

In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees in Sussex when a young woman literally stumbles onto him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes.

Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern, twentieth-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective. They are soon called to Wales to help Scotland Yard find the kidnapped daughter of an American senator, a case of international significance with clues that dip deep into Holmes's past.

Full of brilliant deduction, disguises, and danger, The Beekeeper's Apprentice , the first book of the Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes mysteries. [Goodreads Summary]

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena's a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn't even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

So when June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena's novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song--complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn't this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That's what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But June can't get away from Athena's shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June's (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface takes on questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation not only in the publishing industry but the persistent erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western white society. R. F. Kuang's novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable. [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting!

I am very pleased with all the books I read in September. I finished Lodestar, the fifth book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger, toward the beginning of the month. My daughter refuses to give me spoilers when I ask, but I keep trying. And then there were the two books I read as part of my fiction/nonfiction pairing goal. I will be posting my thoughts on Erin Kimmerle's We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at the Dozier School for Boys and Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys in the near future. Reading the two books back to back made for a richer reading experience. I need to do that more often!

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, narrated by Katie Schorr (HarperAudio, 2016)

I have a theory. ~ Opening of The Hating Game

I actually finished an audiobook in under a month! Barely, admittedly, but I managed it. More time driving last month made that possible. Anyway, you want to know what I thought of the book. Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman work together at the publishing firm of Bexley & Gamin as assistants to the head executives. Lucy and Joshua hate each other (or so they think) and go out of their way to get a rise out of each other. HR is very familiar with their rivalry given the number of complaints they've received. And now they are both up for the same promotion . . .

The Hating Game is an enemy to lovers romance at its core with a few other well known romance tropes mixed in as well. I found the novel to be a bit too predictable, and, as much as I liked Lucy, she could be really oblivious about Joshua sometimes. I guess that's kind of how it goes in real life sometimes though. We get so caught up in our own stuff, we can't always see what's right in front of us.  Joshua definitely grew on me the more I got to know him--just as he did for Lucy. The two have a lot of chemistry and compliment each other well, which is definite must in a romance like this.

Even though I did not love this novel, I did enjoy it and thought it was funny and charming. The ending was very satisfying. Not wrapped up perfectly with a bow, but just enough to leave me satisfied and smiling, knowing Joshua and Lucy will have a good life together. Katie Schorr proved to be an excellent narrator for the audio version of the book. 

I made the mistake of watching the movie version of the book right after finishing it. Remind me next time to put a few days, if not months, between the book and movie. I can easily enjoy a movie based on a book on its own merit generally, even while making comparisons, but I find it harder to do when I still have the book so fresh in my mind. Because then I notice everything.

I have no complaints about the cast. Lucy Hale made a good Lucy Hutton. And while Austin Stowell was not who I pictured as Joshua, he did not disappoint. I liked the Danny version (played by Damon Daunno) in the movie more than the character in the book. The filmmakers held onto many of the more significant elements from the book but often with changes in timing or details.  I did not mind some of the changes, but others I wasn't so happy with. The movie version had added a conflict which did not occur in the book--most likely to make it more climactic for the screen, which impacted the ending. I didn't like it (my poor husband heard all about it).  All in all, I liked the book much better and was sorely disappointed in the film. Would I have felt the same way had I not just finished the book? Unfortunately, we will never know. 

Challenges Met: Backlist, Mount TBR

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (#1) by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey, 2023; Fantasy, 320 pgs) 

Source: from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

Shadow is not at all happy with me. ~ Opening of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries 

Thank you to everyone who voted in September's TBR Poll. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries was the hand's down winner and it was a winner for me too.

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series. [Goodreads Summary]

I am not sure what I expected going into this novel, but the novel turned out to be so much more that whatever I imagined. I couldn't help but think of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (and not just because of the footnotes). The two books couldn't be more different and yet they reminded me of each other. Perhaps it was in the way Mr. Norrell was the mentor to Jonathan Strange just as Wendell Bambleby is sort of a mentor (and rival) to Emily Wilde. Or the depth of study that went into their fields (for one magic and the other faeries). Whatever it was, I loved every minute of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and cannot wait to read more.

Emily Wilde isn't the warmest person. As described in the summary above, she's quite curmudgeonly. But very intelligent and resourceful--at least when it comes to getting out of tight spots. Having traveled to a small village called Hrafnsvik in Arctic Norway for the winter, she hopes to study the local faeries and finish her book. She keeps to herself mostly and at first refuses to lean on the locals for help of any kind, much to their consternation. She is more comfortable in working with the Folk, or faeries, studying their ways and learning as much as she can about them. The last thing she wants is for her rival and colleague Wendell Bambleby to show up, but show up he does. His charm and easygoing nature immediately endear him to the townsfolk and their hosts. His lack of focus and laziness only serve to annoy Emily more. She finds she needs his help more than she wants to admit, especially the more she uncovers about the Hidden Ones, the mysterious faeries who live in the forest outside of the village. I enjoyed the banter between Wendell and Emily quite a bit. I cannot forget to mention Shadow! Emily's dog is perhaps one of my most favorite characters. 

The world building is amazing. The folklore about faeries is extremely detailed and well researched, and the author weaves it seamlessly into her story. I enjoyed getting to know the town folk. The setting itself was a character of it's own, a small Norwegian village in the early 1900's and its surrounding forest and land. Most of the novel is written from Emily's perspective in epistolary style, taken from her journal, and this format worked very well. It was easy to forget I was reading a journal entry. I am glad I finally got the chance to read this book. Heather Fawcett's novel had so many qualities I love wrapped up in one. It was a charming historical fantasy with a touch of the dark, a hint of romance, and quite a bit of mystery and intrigue.

Challenges Met: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge/COYER

Have you read these books? If so, what did you think?

New to my shelves:

Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

Scarlet (#1)  by Genevieve Cogman

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ko Hyung-Ju, and Ryan Estrada

Lavender House (#1) by Lev A.C. Rosen

The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman

Finding Me by Viola Davis

Shanghai Immortal (#1) by A.Y. Chao

Ghost 19 by Simone St. James

The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab

The Thursday Murder Club (#1) by Richard Osman

New to Mouse's shelves: 

Creatures of the In Between by Cindy Lin

The Jules Verne Prophecy by Larry Schwarz and Iva-Marie Palmer

Mr. Villain's Day Off, Volume 1 by Yuu Morikawa

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

Finch House by Ciera Burch

Hooky, Volume 3 by Míriam Bonastre Tur

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

What new books made it onto your shelf recently? 

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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