Christina reads even more series in 2024

2024 Category Challenge


Camille Corot, "A Woman Reading"

Hi, I’m Christina, and welcome to my 2024 category challenge! I've been participating in the category challenges since 2009, so this will be my 16th (!) year doing the challenge. I live in northern Virginia, and by day I work as an editor for an online magazine. Aside from reading, my main hobbies are music (piano, trombone, and singing) and community theater.

This year I’m planning on 6 categories (2 + 4 = 6) with at least 24 book per category, for a total of 144 books. No fancy theme this time, but enjoy the paintings of women reading! Here are my categories:

1. Series from My Shelves: For the past couple years, I’ve been focusing on series I own (in whole or in part). I have a bad habit of reading book #1, liking it enough to buy the rest of the series, but then letting the remaining books languish unread on my shelves. So I’ve chosen a bunch of specific series to fill this category, some of which I’ve owned for more than a decade!

2. Owned but Unread Books: This category will cover physical books I’ve owned since before January 1, 2024, but haven’t read yet (not including the series books from category #1). Gotta keep chipping away at that TBR!

3. Rereads: Last year I didn’t have a designated category for rereads, and I found that I didn’t make much space for them in my challenge. I really like rereading books; if they’re favorites, it’s always a pleasure to revisit them. And if it turns out I don’t love a book as much as I did the first time around, I can rehome it and make some room on my shelves.

4. Bought in 2024: Pretty self-explanatory — this category is for physical books I purchase in 2024. Another bad habit of mine is buying new books and not reading them right away; sometimes they sit around unread for years or even decades! This category will incentivize me, and give me permission, to read those shiny new books right away.

5. Borrowed in 2024: I use my public library a lot, so this category shouldn’t be too hard to fill. It’ll also remind me that I don’t have to buy all the shiny new books; I can borrow them instead!

6. Nook Books: I’ve accumulated a lot of e-books over the years — I get sucked in by the discounts — but I don’t always remember to read them! So this is basically the digital equivalent of category #2, although I’ll also count e-books I acquire in 2024 in this category.

In 2023 I also instituted my first book-buying challenge, limiting myself to just 50 new physical books. This year, instead of capping it at a specific number, I’m going to try a one-in, one-out system (credit to psutto for the idea!). For every new physical book I purchase, I have to remove one from my shelves. I’m hoping this won’t be too difficult — I’ve become a bit more selective over the years about what books I consider “keepers” — but I honestly don’t know how this will go!

And finally, in an attempt to actually read some nonfiction in 2024, I'm setting myself a goal of 12 nonfiction books for the year, or one per month on average. Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

1. Series from My Shelves


Dante Gabriel Rossetti, "Jane Morris (The Blue Silk Dress)"

Nancy Campbell Allen, Steampunk Proper Romance
1. *Beauty and the Clockwork Beast - COMPLETED Jan. 2
2. Kiss of the Spindle - COMPLETED Feb. 6
3. The Lady in the Coppergate Tower - COMPLETED Mar. 4
4. Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts

Martha Wells, Fall of Ile-Rien
5. The Wizard Hunters - COMPLETED Jan. 18
6. The Ships of Air - COMPLETED Feb. 12
7. The Gate of Gods - COMPLETED Mar. 10

Carol Berg, Collegia Magica
8. The Spirit Lens
9. The Soul Mirror
10. The Daemon Prism

India Holton, Dangerous Damsels
11. *The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
12. The League of Gentlewomen Witches
13. The Secret Service of Tea and Treason...

Elizabeth C. Bunce, StarCrossed
14. StarCrossed
15. Liar’s Moon

V.E. Schwab, Shades of Magic
16. *A Darker Shade of Magic
17. *A Gathering of Shadows
18. A Conjuring of Light

Kristen Britain, Green Rider
19. *Green Rider
20. First Rider’s Call
21. The High King’s Tomb…

Genevieve Cogman, Invisible Library
22. *The Invisible Library
23. The Masked City
24. The Burning Page…

* = reread
... = the series continues, but I may or may not keep reading

2. Owned but Unread Books


Pierre-Auguste Renoir, "Femme Lisant"

1. Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder
2. Sharon Shinn, The Truth-Teller's Tale
3. Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder
4. Paula Byrne, The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood
5. Richard Hull, The Murder of My Aunt
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3. Rereads


Luke Fildes, "A Schoolgirl"

1. Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter
2. Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare
3. Robin McKinley, Rose Daughter
4. Georgette Heyer, A Blunt Instrument
5. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
6. Ellis Peters, One Corpse Too Many
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4. Bought in 2024


William Orpen, "Grace Reading at Howth Bay"

1. Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly
2. Theresa Romain, It Takes Two to Tangle
3. Erle Stanley Gardner, The Bigger They Come
4. Anne Gracie, Marry in Scandal
5. Mary Balogh, Heartless
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5. Borrowed in 2024


Gyula Benczúr, "Woman Reading in a Forest"

1. Julia Heaberlin, Night Will Find You
2. Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the Fair
3. Mimi Matthews, The Lily of Ludgate Hill
4. Mary Balogh, Always Remember
5. Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the School
6. Devon Daniels, The Rom Con
7. Sally Nicholls, Yours from the Tower
8. Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to Bath
9. Mariana Zapata, From Lukov with Love
10. Lynn Painter, Happily Never After
11. Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Assistant to the Villain
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6. Nook Books


Torajiro Kojima, "Woman Reading"

1. Josie Silver, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
2. T. Kingfisher, Swordheart
3. Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off
4. Stella Riley, A Trick of Fate
5. Chloe Angyal, Pas de Don't
6. Louise Allen, His Convenient Duchess
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CATs and KITs

As usual, I'll dip in and out of these as the mood takes me. I will try to complete the entire AlphaKIT, plus or minus an X book. :)

January
CalendarCAT (Jan): Josie Silver, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird; Martha Wells, The Wizard Hunters
HistoryCAT (American wars & conflicts):
PrizeCAT (long-running prizes):
AlphaKIT (A, Y): Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast; Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder; Julia Heaberlin, Night Will Find You; Mary Balogh, Always Remember
MysteryKIT (short stories):
RandomKIT (early birds): Josie Silver, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird; T. Kingfisher, Swordheart
*SFFKIT (epic fantasy): T. Kingfisher, Swordheart; Martha Wells, The Wizard Hunters

February
CalendarCAT (Feb): Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off; Nancy Campbell Allen, Kiss of the Spindle; Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly; Devon Daniels, The Rom Con; Theresa Romain, It Takes Two to Tangle; Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare
HistoryCAT (Georgian & Regency Britain): Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly; Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the School; Theresa Romain, It Takes Two to Tangle; Paula Byrne, The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood
PrizeCAT (from your own country):
AlphaKIT (F, E): Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder; Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off; Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly; Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare
MysteryKIT (true unsolved mysteries): Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder
RandomKIT (escape or rescue): Nancy Campbell Allen, Kiss of the Spindle
SFFKIT (critters & creatures): Nancy Campbell Allen, Kiss of the Spindle

March
CalendarCAT (Mar): C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
HistoryCAT (science & medicine): Nancy Campbell Allen, The Lady in the Coppergate Tower
PrizeCAT (new to you):
AlphaKIT (H, R): Richard Hull, The Murder of My Aunt; Stella Riley, A Trick of Fate; Robin McKinley, Rose Daughter; Mary Balogh, Heartless; Georgette Heyer, A Blunt Instrument; Lynn Painter, Happily Never After; Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Assistant to the Villain; Louise Allen, His Convenient Duchess
MysteryKIT (historical): Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to Bath
RandomKIT (World Wildlife Day):
SFFKIT (space opera):

April
CalendarCAT (Apr):
HistoryCAT (riots, revolution & mayhem): Ellis Peters, One Corpse Too Many
PrizeCAT (women’s writing):
AlphaKIT (U, O): Ellis Peters, One Corpse Too Many
MysteryKIT (series): Ellis Peters, One Corpse Too Many
RandomKIT (garden visitors):
SFFKIT (time travel):

May
CalendarCAT (May):
HistoryCAT (Middle Ages):
PrizeCAT (doubling up):
AlphaKIT (N, P):
MysteryKIT (Golden Age):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (archaeology):

June
CalendarCAT (Jun):
HistoryCAT (historians):
PrizeCAT (book lists):
AlphaKIT (J, B):
MysteryKIT (author new to you):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (monsters):

July
CalendarCAT (Jul):
*HistoryCAT (spies):
PrizeCAT (from a country other than your own):
AlphaKIT (I, S):
MysteryKIT (cross-genre):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (first contact):

August
CalendarCAT (Aug):
HistoryCAT (Byzantine Empire):
PrizeCAT (genre):
AlphaKIT (M, G):
*MysteryKIT (amateur sleuths):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (paranormal/space detectives):

September
CalendarCAT (Sep):
HistoryCAT (World War I & II):
PrizeCAT (also fits another CAT/KIT):
AlphaKIT (V, C):
MysteryKIT (upstairs/downstairs):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (gods/mythology):

October
CalendarCAT (Oct):
HistoryCAT (disasters):
PrizeCAT (missed out):
AlphaKIT (D, T):
MysteryKIT (not too scary):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (women authors):

November
CalendarCAT (Nov):
HistoryCAT (ancient & classical):
PrizeCAT (children’s):
AlphaKIT (L, W):
MysteryKIT (noir):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (recommended by a human):

December
CalendarCAT (Dec):
HistoryCAT (religions & religious festivals):
PrizeCAT (your choice):
AlphaKIT (K, Q):
MysteryKIT (culinary):
RandomKIT ():
SFFKIT (bookish fantasy):

Year-Long
AlphaKIT (X, Z): Mariana Zapata, From Lukov with Love

* = I'm hosting the challenge

BingoDOG

As usual, I'll aim for a blackout Bingo and see how far I get!



1. Something themed around food or cooking:
2. A book with an ugly cover: Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder
3. A book with nothing on the cover but the title and author: C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
4. A book featuring twins: Sharon Shinn, The Truth-Teller's Tale (narrator is a twin)
5. A book about a topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise: Paula Byrne, The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood
6. First published in a year ending in -24: Mimi Matthews, The Lily of Ludgate Hill (2024)
7. Epistolary or diary format: Richard Hull, The Murder of My Aunt (diary)
8. The words "Big" or "Little" in the title: Erle Stanley Gardner, The Bigger They Come
9. A book from one of the "Similar Libraries" featured on your LT profile page: Robin McKinley, Rose Daughter (shared with barefootsong)
10. A book about friendship: Sally Nicholls, Yours from the Tower
11. A three-word title: Martha Wells, The Wizard Hunters
12. Features a paper-based item in the plot: Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly (letters between hero and heroine kick off the plot)
13. Read a CAT: Nancy Campbell Allen, Kiss of the Spindle (Feb CalendarCAT, RandomKIT, SFFKIT)
14. A short story collection/anthology:
15. Title contains a person's name: Josie Silver, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
16. Set in the city: Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder (London)
17. A book with fewer than 100 copies on LT: Julia Heaberlin, Night Will Find You (91 as of Jan. 9)
18. Something written by a person of color:
19. Written by an author 65 or older: Mary Balogh, Always Remember (age 79)
20. A book featuring water: Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to Bath
21. Involves warriors or mercenaries: T. Kingfisher, Swordheart
22. Reread a favorite book: Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter
23. A book written in another cultural tradition:
24. Something that takes place in multiple countries: Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off (Russia, USA, Netherlands, Canada)
25. Read a current/recent bestseller: Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Assistant to the Villain

One more for safety...and welcome!

Great to see you all set up and ready to go, Christina! We joined the Category Challenge the same year - it's been a great 16 so far.

Great setup! Also wow, 16 years!!

Love your set-up, as it's pretty close to what I've been thinking, too.😉

And your images are gorgeous, and all new to me. I promise not to steal any🤞

Love the women reading paintings. I see we are going to have some similar categories this year. I am working on finalizing my categories. Good luck with your 2024 reading. I look forward to more BBs from here.

Beautiful pics! Happy reading in 2024!

Well, we seem to have the same reading (or not) habits. I'm still thinking about what to do for next year, maybe I'll get something together this weekend. My major goal will be to get more reading in!

Great pictures, Christina, and that Blue Silk Dress is very striking! Happy reading!

I love the pictures you've chosen for your categories and really like your set-up. I have the same "ebook discount" problem and hope to make ebook progress next year too.

Good luck with you reading next year Christina!

>11 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I can't believe it's been so long and the challenge is still thriving! Very grateful for this community of like-minded book nerds.

>12 rabbitprincess: Thank you! Though now I'm thinking I should have done some kind of "sweet 16" theme -- what a missed opportunity!

>13 kac522: I love a challenge that's broad enough to include any book I read! And thanks re: the images...I just Googled "painting woman reading" or something like that, and I was spoiled for choice!

>14 lowelibrary: Thanks for stopping by, and good luck finalizing your challenge!

>15 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess, same to you!

>16 clue: I think we book lovers all tend to have the same struggles, lol. Good luck with your 2024 goals!

>17 MissWatson: I love Dante Gabriel Rossetti and had to get his work into the mix somehow!

>18 dudes22: Those e-book sales...if it's $1.99 or less, it's basically free, right? I mean, I'm saving money by buying it!

>19 lsh63: Thank you!

Looking forward to many book bullets from your thread in 2024, Christina. Happy reading!

Beautiful pictures! Looks like we have a similar theme going on :)

You are so right about ebooks! They are so easy to buy (free or not). They become a bit like a security blanket.

>21 pamelad: Looking forward to many BBs from you as well!

>22 VivienneR: E-books are definitely a security blanket. I always take my Nook with me when I travel now, even when I've already packed more physical books than I can reasonably get through during the trip. Because what if I run out of stuff to read?

I don't need to look forward to book bullets - I am already stealing some from the list at the beginning. :) Steampunk romance, yes please!
I love series too. According to my spreadsheet, I currently have 110 series on the go. Admittedly, some are waiting for the next instalment to be published but that is not that many! And I am sure I will be adding more when I see what else you will be reading in 2024.

>23 christina_reads: Definitely me too! Last weekend we went away OVERNIGHT and I took two physical books and my Kindle just in case. It would never do to run out of reading material!

Happy reading in 2024.

>24 JayneCM: I have read the first book in the series and remember liking it, but it's been a while...I'm hoping my positive impression will be justified this time around!

Haha, two book and a Kindle for one overnight sounds about right to me!

I like your artwork toppers, especially "Woman reading in a forest" because she looks annoyed.
Happy reading in 2024, and I'll be seeing you around at MysteryKit!

>26 mstrust: I would probably be annoyed if I were reading in a forest, honestly! It's one of those things that looks so nice and picturesque, but really there would be sticks poking you and ants running over your legs and damp ground and so on.

Wonderful pictures! I'll follow along and I already know that I will catch many BBs again!

I have had the Shades of Magic trilogy on my shelf in a beautiful boxset for four years or so, and I haven't even read the first one!

>28 MissBrangwen: Me too. We probably bought it at the same time, when V.E. Schwab was all the rage! I also purchased a gorgeous hardback of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue; still unread.

Let's see which series you catch me with this year! Happy 2024 reading!

>28 MissBrangwen: >29 JayneCM: I read the first two Shades of Magic books but for some reason never finished the trilogy -- and now it's been too long, so I have to start again!

>30 NinieB: Thank you!

A conversation on Lisa's (lsh63) thread reminded me that I would really like to read some more nonfiction in 2024! I'm pretty sure I read only one nonfiction book in 2023, and I want to do better this year. So I'm setting myself a goal of 12 nonfiction books in 2024; that averages out to one per month, which feels doable. I've added a brief explanation and ticker at >1 christina_reads: above!

>32 christina_reads: We have a non-fiction thread going in the 75ers. We're kind of small, but there are a few us muddling through.

Here is our December 2023 thread ("As You Like It"--basically any nonfiction you want), and you can see the suggested monthly topics for 2024:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/355486

>33 kac522: Thank you, I'll check this out!

>32 christina_reads: I'll cheer you on in your non-fiction quest! I join in the 75ers Non-Fiction Challenge too, although I'm not part of that group, there are always loads of really interesting books being read and talked about.

Tomorrow I'll be traveling to spend Christmas with my family and won't have reliable access to a computer for the next week or so, meaning I may not be able to spend much/any time on LT. So I just wanted to wish you all a very happy holiday, and I'll do my best to catch up with everyone's threads before the new year! :)

Safe travels, and have a lovely time with your family!

>36 christina_reads: Enjoy time with your family!

Have a good Christmas.

>37 Jackie_K: >38 Tess_W: >39 hailelib: Thank you all! I had a great holiday and a nice visit with family, followed by a few much-needed days at home to relax. :)

I also spent a chunk of yesterday and today finishing up my 2023 reviews and recaps. Check them out here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351918#8334921. Overall, I'm happy with what I accomplished last year and am looking forward to another year of good books and good LT conversations!

Book #1: Josie Silver, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
CATs: Calendar (January = Janus/portal); Random (early birds = “Bird” in title)
Bingo: Title contains a person’s name (Lydia Bird)

When Lydia Bird’s fiancé, Freddie, dies in a car accident, she’s absolutely devastated. Even mundane daily tasks like bathing and eating feel unbearably difficult, and sleep is out of the question. But when she takes an experimental sleeping pill her doctor prescribes, she has a vividly lucid dream — or perhaps enters a parallel universe — in which Freddie is still alive. Soon her waking life becomes a chore as she waits desperately for the next time she can sleep and be with Freddie. But as time passes, she must decide where she truly belongs. This was an interesting book to start the new year with, since it’s all about exploring what-if scenarios, remembering the past, and making choices about the future. The novel is very slow-paced, but that makes sense, as more than anything else it’s a story about grief and navigating life after a big loss. There’s a slight element of romance that I didn’t find totally satisfying, but otherwise I liked the book and would recommend it if the premise appeals to you.

>41 christina_reads: Taking my second BB of the year for this one.

>42 lowelibrary: I hope you enjoy it!

Happy new year, Christina.
I had no idea there were so many pictures of women reading, I do like the ones you've picked.
Hope you have a good year's reading.

>44 Helenliz: There's definitely a wealth of images out there!

Book #2: Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast
CATs: Alpha (A = Allen)
Bingo: none

In this steampunk twist on the gothic novel, Lucy Pickett travels to Blackwell Manor to care for her beloved cousin, Kate, who is suffering from a mysterious illness after her recent marriage to the earl of Blackwell’s younger brother. At the manor, Lucy experiences many terrors, from ghostly apparitions to the earl himself, whose surly and intimidating demeanor hides dangerous secrets. She and the earl, Miles, eventually team up to discover what’s causing Kate’s illness, who’s behind a spate of vampire attacks in the area, and who murdered Miles’s recently deceased wife and sister. So yes, there’s a lot going on in this book (and I didn’t even mention the werewolf!), but it’s easy enough to follow the narrative. I liked plucky Lucy and brooding Miles, and though the book is steamless, their mutual attraction is clear. I wasn’t as impressed with the book as I remember being when I first read it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and look forward to continuing with the series.

>46 christina_reads: This sounds like just my thing, especially as it is steamless. So many of these books are not now - Kindle Unlimited is riddled with them!

>47 JayneCM: I'm always on the hunt for enjoyable steamless romances, but as you say, they can be hard to find! I'll be sure to share any other discoveries here, and I've gotten several BBs in this genre from pamelad as well.

Book #3: Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder
CATs: Alpha (A = Ames)
Bingo: Set in the city (London)

Jane Hamish, a clerk in a London law office, is writing a mystery novel in which her coworkers and legal clients are the main characters. Her boyfriend, Dagobert Brown, instigated the project and insists that Mrs. Robjohn, an elderly client who’s convinced mysterious men are out to get her, should be the murder victim. But when Mrs. Robjohn really does die — apparently due to an accidental gas leak in her home — Dagobert is convinced she was actually murdered and decides to investigate. This is my first encounter with Golden Age mystery writer Delano Ames, but it won’t be my last because I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Jane narrates the story and has a delightfully witty voice, and I’m intrigued by her relationship with Dagobert (this is book #1 in the series, but there’s clearly some interesting backstory that will hopefully be explored in later installments). The mystery itself is fine but not remarkable; the book’s strengths are its characterizations and style. I’ll be looking out for more in this series.

Happy 16 years! You've posted lovely pictures and have a well organized layout here. I wish you a great year of reading. Thanks for being the group admin, too.

16 years! Wow! This is my 4th.

>46 christina_reads: >49 christina_reads: Taking BBs for these :) Am always on the lookout for good steamless romances :)

>49 christina_reads: Love that cover!

>49 christina_reads: I've read three of the Jane and Dagobert mysteries, which I really enjoyed, and would read more if I could find them. They need to be reissued as digital books! (The paperback of She Shall Have Murder costs $37.60 on Amazon Australia and the others are even more expensive.)

>50 Ann_R: Thanks for stopping by!

>51 bookworm3091: Welcome to the steamless romance book club! :)

>52 mstrust: It's kind of hilarious -- and a bit misleading, since the book is not very action-packed at all.

>53 pamelad: Oof, that is definitely cost-prohibitive. The series isn't widely available here either...I'm basically just hoping to find some of the books at used bookstores and library sales.

Book #4: Georgette Heyer, Faro’s Daughter
CATs: none
Bingo: Reread a favorite book

When Max Ravenscar learns that his young cousin, Adrian, has fallen in love with Deborah Grantham, who works in her aunt’s gaming-house, Max immediately intervenes to prevent the match. He won’t allow Adrian to fall prey to a fortune hunter, no matter how attractive she may be. In fact, Deb has no intention of marrying Adrian, but Max’s interference angers her, and she decides to teach him a lesson. The ensuing battle of wits paradoxically draws them closer and ignites an unlikely romance. A Heyer reread is always a pleasure, and this book has a particularly fun plot, as Max and Deb’s prank war escalates to ridiculous heights. Max is a fictional hero after my own heart, cold and aloof and Darcy-esque until love inspires him to unbend a little. And of course, the intelligent and lively Deb is his perfect match. This isn’t one of my very top favorite Heyers, but it’s definitely near the top, and I’d still highly recommend it!

>55 christina_reads: I am listening to all the Heyers in publication order and I cannot wait until I get to the really good ones, or at least the Regency ones! I feel like the early novels are a bit heavy going. This plot sounds so much more exciting!

>56 MissBrangwen: I can see how reading in publication order would be rough! But rest assured, you have some delightful books ahead of you.

>55 christina_reads: I've got this on my TBR along with several other Heyer's (also thanks to Pam). I just need to get to them!

>58 Tess_W: Heyer is always a treat!

Book #5: Julia Heaberlin, Night Will Find You
CATs: Alpha (Y = You)
Bingo: Fewer than 100 copies on LT (91 as of Jan. 9)

Vivvy Bouchet doesn’t call herself a psychic, but she does have certain unusual abilities. When she was 10, she had a vision that saved the life of a neighbor boy, Mike. Now, 18 years later, Mike is a cop who occasionally asks Vivvy to use her “gifts” to assist his investigations. The latest case involves a girl who’s been missing, presumed dead, for several years — but Vivvy senses she’s still alive. To work the case, Vivvy is paired with another cop, Jesse Sharp, who doesn’t trust her or believe in her paranormal abilities. As they investigate, Vivvy is forced to deal with the ghosts of her own past. This is not the type of book I usually read, and I wouldn’t necessarily say I liked it, but I did find it a compelling read! The mystery of the missing girl is a bit slight, but the plot isn’t really the point. Rather, the book is an exploration of science and faith, of truth and conspiracy, of why we sometimes choose to believe lies. I liked the philosophizing, although I can see why others might not, and I would consider reading more by Heaberlin.

Book #6: T. Kingfisher, Swordheart
CATs: Random (early birds = Kingfisher); SFF (epic fantasy)
Bingo: Involves warriors or mercenaries (hero is a warrior and former mercenary)

Halla has just inherited a small fortune and is at the mercy of her odious in-laws, who want to steal her inheritance by forcing her into an unwanted marriage. Luckily, said inheritance includes an enchanted sword: When she draws it, a warrior named Sarkis appears and declares that he is bound to her service. Together, they escape from Halla’s family and seek to reclaim her inheritance, having various adventures — and falling in love — along the way. I absolutely adored this book! It’s so funny and lighthearted and full of kind people being kind to each other (though of course there are bad guys too, but they’re suitably dealt with). Pragmatic Halla and stoic Sarkis are characters after my own heart, and the supporting cast is lovely as well. My love affair with T. Kingfisher continues, and I’m definitely planning to read her Clocktaur War duology, which is set in the same world, sooner rather than later!

>61 christina_reads: This sounds wonderful! I have not read T. Kingfisher before and have been meaning to. The Seventh Bride is on Kindle Unlimited, so I am planning to start with that one. I do love a Bluebeard retelling - it allows for so much creepiness!

>62 JayneCM: I've only read a few Kingfisher books but have loved them all! That said, I've steered clear of her horror, which is definitely NOT my genre.

Book #7: Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the Fair
CATs: none
Bingo: none

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in the series!***

Lucy Harrington and Major Sir Robert Kurland have finally acknowledged their feelings and decided to marry. But before they can walk down the aisle, they encounter another violent death: Ezekiel Thurrock, a longtime village resident, is found in the church with his head bashed in. He'd been unpopular in the village ever since winning "too many" prizes for his vegetables at the local fair, but could someone have been angry enough to kill him? As Lucy and Robert investigate, they uncover secrets from centuries past that are still influencing the present. I'm continuing to enjoy this series; like its predecessors, this book is a pleasant historical mystery with a hint of romance. I wish the romance were a little more prominent, actually -- we don't get much of Lucy's or Robert's emotional state or much external evidence of their love for each other. Still, I plan to continue with the series and will be interested to see how the protagonists cope with married life!

Book #8: Martha Wells, The Wizard Hunters
CATs: Calendar (Jan = Janus/portal); SFF (epic fantasy)
Bingo: Three-word title

Tremaine Valiarde is a young woman whose world is literally on fire: Her homeland of Ile-Rien is being bombed by a mysterious but implacable enemy known as the Gardier. Ile-Rien’s only hope is a magical sphere in Tremaine’s possession, which is thought to be a weapon. In fact, it’s a teleportation device — when Tremaine and some compatriots test it, they’re taken to another world where they stumble upon a hidden Gardier base. They also team up with Ilias and Giliead, natives of this other world with their own score to settle against the Gardier. This book is well-written, with a creative world and engaging characters, but I also found it pretty slow going. The extensive action scenes, such as those in the caves, are overlong and a bit boring. That said, I did enjoy the book while I was reading it! I just found it put-down-able; I have less patience for these big, beefy fantasy novels than I used to. Still, I’m on board for the sequels — this book doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, but there’s definitely more story to tell — and I hope that Tremaine and her allies will eventually prevail.

Book #9: Sharon Shinn, The Truth-Teller’s Tale
CATs: none
Bingo: Featuring twins (narrator is a twin)

This YA fantasy novel is narrated by Truth-Teller Eleda, who is honest to the point of rudeness and incapable of telling a lie. Her twin sister, Adele, is the opposite: As a Safe-Keeper, she’s entrusted with people’s secrets and valued for her discretion. The sisters are close, even though they often irritate each other, and as they grow up they come to see the value in each other’s skills. I really enjoyed the cozy and charming world of this book, which is centered around everyday life in the girls’ village. I also liked the depiction of Eleda and Adele’s complex but ultimately loving relationship. There isn’t much to the plot—a gentle coming-of-age story with a bit of romance thrown in—but it’s a pleasant read overall. I won’t be keeping it on my shelves, though; I think Sharon Shinn has written much better books!

>63 christina_reads: I love T. Kingfisher too, though I haven't read Swordheart yet. Sounds like I need to get to it!

I love your set up...the paintings are wonderful. I'll be following along this year.

>66 christina_reads: Sounds interesting. Adding it to my wishlist :)

Love your categories and the images you selected! You got me with Swordheart - adding it to The List. I loved A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking but have not read anything else by that author yet.

>67 antqueen: >70 Crazymamie: Swordheart is an absolute delight!

>68 beebeereads: Thanks, great to see you here!

>69 bookworm3091: It was a cute read, especially once the plot picked up a bit in the second half.

Book #10: Mimi Matthews, The Lily of Ludgate Hill
CATs: none
Bingo: Published in a year ending in -24 (2024)

Six and a half years ago, Felix Hartford and Lady Anne Deveril were in love, but they parted after a bitter argument. Hart never stopped loving Anne, though, and now he’s determined to win her back, although he’ll have an uphill battle convincing her to trust him again. Meanwhile, ever since her father’s death, Anne has been consumed with supporting her grieving mother and hasn’t been able to live her own life. Hart attracts her as much as ever, but can she learn to let go of the past? I’m a big fan of Matthews’s intelligent (and steamless!) historical romances, and this book is no exception. I liked both Hart and Anne and bought the connection between them, as well as the obstacles keeping them apart. It’s frustrating that they’ve both martyred themselves to selfish family members and can’t seem to break free, and their hesitation to commit fully to each other goes on too long. Nevertheless, I really liked this one overall and am excited for the next (and final?) installment of the series!

Book #11: Mary Balogh, Always Remember
CATs: Alpha (A = Always)
Bingo: Author 65 or older (age 79)

Ben Ellis, a widower with a young daughter, wants to remarry. He’s not looking for passionate love, just someone with whom he can be comfortable. He certainly shouldn’t be thinking about Lady Jennifer Arden, who’s extremely wealthy and the sister of a duke, whereas he is illegitimate. Meanwhile, Jennifer is convinced she’s unlovable due to a malformed leg that prevents her from walking. A fixer by nature, Ben helps her find various ways to become more mobile. As they grow closer, however, their families express concern about their different social stations. This third book in the Ravenswood series continues to frustrate me with its inclusion of not only Ben’s and Jennifer’s various relatives, but a bunch of random villagers as well. Most of these characters have no relevance to the plot, so why keep mentioning them? I don’t care! That said, I did like both Ben and Jennifer, who aren’t extraordinarily gorgeous or gifted; they’re just two kind people who genuinely like each other. Their relationship is pretty low-conflict; the dramatic tension comes mostly from the individual problems they’re working through. Overall, I do think this is an improvement over the previous two books in the series, but it’s still not one of Balogh’s stronger offerings.

>72 christina_reads: Waiting for the library to buy this one because the paperback is $A36!! and the ebook $A15.

>73 christina_reads: Random villagers as well as hordes of relatives, but the best book in the series so far? Not good! I've quite liked a lot of Mary Balogh's books, but she does waffle on. Always pleased to come across an early, short one.

>74 pamelad: Ouch! Hope your library gets a copy of the Matthews soon.

As for the Balogh, I really love her when she's at her best, so I go in to each of her books with high expectations...but this latest series has been ROUGH. The main family has a ton of siblings, so you know they're all going to get their own book. That's fine; lots of romance authors do that to generate a series. What bugs me is the meticulously named and described people who would basically be extras in a movie -- they don't have any lines, there is nothing remarkable about them, they just exist (I guess?) to pad the book. I honestly don't understand why the editor didn't cut it all out. Maybe Balogh is so famous/prolific she's become one of those un-editable writers?

ETA: I do still think Always Remember is stronger than the previous two books, because at least Balogh remembered it was a romance and spent some time on the central couple! In Remember Me, the main characters felt like an afterthought in the broader family saga.

January recap

I find myself with nothing much to say about this month…the weather has been (mostly) cold and dreary, though we did get a few inches of snow, which is a fun novelty in my part of the world! I’m back in my post-holiday routine of work, band, choir, etc. I’ve also begun doing jigsaw puzzles, which I’m enjoying, and I’ve organized a few board game nights with like-minded coworkers. All in all, nothing too exciting, but a perfectly okay start to 2024. And now, on to the books!

Books read in January:
1. Josie Silver, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
2. Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast
3. Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder
4. Georgette Heyer, Faro’s Daughter
5. Julia Heaberlin, Night Will Find You
6. T. Kingfisher, Swordheart
7. Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the Fair
8. Martha Wells, The Wizard Hunters
9. Sharon Shinn, The Truth-Teller’s Tale
10. Mimi Matthews, The Lily of Ludgate Hill
11. Mary Balogh, Always Remember

And I’m currently reading The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards, which will take me into February.

Favorite book of the month:
Swordheart was an utter delight! I loved the characters, the romance, and the gentle poking and prodding at common fantasy tropes.

Dishonorable mention:
Always Remember wasn’t terrible, but its overstuffed cast of characters really annoyed me. YMMV, but I found myself impatient to finish it.

CATs completed:
- CalendarCAT (Jan): The Roman god Janus is the god of gates, portals, transitions, etc., and both The Two Lives of Lydia Bird and The Wizard Hunters involve portals between worlds.
- AlphaKIT (A, Y): Nancy Campbell *Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast; Delano *Ames, She Shall Have Murder; Julia Heaberlin, Night Will Find *You; Mary Balogh, *Always Remember
- RandomKIT (early birds): The Two Lives of Lydia Bird has “bird” in the title, and the author of Swordheart has a bird for her last name (Kingfisher).
- SFFKIT (epic fantasy): Swordheart isn’t hugely epic in scope but involves an alternate world, magic, and a quest. The Wizard Hunters definitely qualifies as epic, as the main characters use magic to fight for their worlds’ survival.

Bingo squares completed:
- Title contains a person’s name: The Two Lives of Lydia Bird qualifies.
- Set in a city: She Shall Have Murder is set in London.
- Reread a favorite book: Faro’s Daughter, and indeed anything by Georgette Heyer, qualifies!
- Fewer than 100 copies on LibraryThing: At the time I read it, Night Will Find You had 91 copies. Looks like it’s up to 96 as of today.
- Involves warriors or mercenaries: The hero of Swordheart is both a warrior and a mercenary.
- Three-word title: The Wizard Hunters qualifies.
- Featuring twins: The narrator of The Truth-Teller’s Tale is a twin, and much of the book deals with the sisters’ relationship.
- Published in a year ending in -24: The Lily of Ludgate Hill came out January 16, 2024.
- Author 65 or older: Mary Balogh, author of Always Remember, is 79.

Books acquired in January:
- Mary Balogh, Heartless
- Lizzy Dent, The Summer Job
- Rupert Holmes, Murder Your Employer
- Mary Balogh, A Christmas Promise
- Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly
- Cecilia Grant, A Gentleman Undone
- Cecilia Grant, A Woman Entangled
- Chloe Angyal, Pas de Don’t (e-book)
- Jennie Goutet, A Regrettable Proposal
- Delano Ames, Corpse Diplomatique
- Anne Gracie, Marry in Scandal
- Jillianne Hamilton, The Hobby Shop on Barnaby Street (free e-book)
- T. Kingfisher, Clockwork Boys (e-book)
- T. Kingfisher, The Wonder Engine (e-book)
- Martha Grimes, The Man with a Load of Mischief (e-book)

Physical Books In/Out:
10 in, 1 out, so I’m at +9. Not a great start, but I hope to do some shelf-clearing later this year!

>76 christina_reads: Not sure how I missed Beauty and the Clockwork Beast on your thread. Taking a BB for it now.

I’ve made a note of Swordheart.

>77 lowelibrary: I hope you enjoy it! It's not going to change your life or anything, but it's a fun read. :)

>78 hailelib: Yay, I hope you like it!

Book #12: Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder
CATs: Alpha (E = Edwards); Mystery (features accounts of several real-life unsolved murders)
Bingo: Ugly cover

This book is a sprawling account of the lives of the authors of detective fiction in the 1920s and ’30s, particularly the earliest members of the Detection Club. Martin Edwards is the current Detection Club president, and his enthusiasm for his predecessors — and for Golden Age mysteries in general — is both obvious and contagious. He gives biographical information about authors such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Anthony Berkeley. He also speculates a fair bit about their personal lives and sexual proclivities, with varying amounts of supporting evidence. He discusses several Golden Age novels, though never in very much depth, and is pretty good about avoiding spoilers. I found the book a bit scattered and hard to follow at times; the content doesn’t necessarily correspond to the various chapter headings, and Edwards often bounces among several ideas in the course of a single paragraph. The book also has invisible endnotes, which I found a bit irritating, though that’s just a personal preference. Overall, though, I think this is a good read for fans of Golden Age detective fiction, and it’s certainly put several new-to-me novels and authors on my radar!

Book #13: Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off
CATs: Calendar (Feb = Valentine’s Day); Alpha (E = Elizabeth)
Bingo: Set in multiple countries (Russia, USA, Netherlands, Canada)

American pairs figure skater Carrie Parker is facing career death after her partner gets caught in a cheating scandal. So when a Russian coach invites her to Moscow for a tryout, Carrie seizes the opportunity — but is appalled to discover that her new partner is Anton Belikov, a top Russian skater with whom Carrie had a one-night stand seven years ago. Anton doesn’t seem to remember her, and his gruff demeanor intimidates her. But as they train for the upcoming competition season, they grow closer, until secrets from Carrie’s past threaten their budding relationship. This book appealed to the same part of my brain that enjoys sports movies (even though I don’t follow any sports). I got the impression that Harmon actually has some figure skating knowledge; her descriptions of the routines and workouts feel like more than window dressing. I liked the Moscow setting as well. The romance between Carrie and Anton is fine, though a bit angsty/ “it’s destiny!” for my taste. Overall, a decent read that I’d recommend if you like figure skating and/or the ’90s movie The Cutting Edge.

Book #14: Nancy Campbell Allen, Kiss of the Spindle
CATs: Calendar (Feb = Valentine’s Day); Random (escape or rescue = breaking a curse); SFF (critters & creatures = shapeshifters)
Bingo: Read a CAT (Feb CalendarCAT, RandomKIT, SFFKIT)

Isla Cooper is cursed: Every night, she falls into a deathlike sleep from which she can’t be awakened. To find the witch who cursed her and obtain the cure, she blackmails her way onto Daniel Pickett’s airship, which is headed for the city where the witch is rumored to be. Meanwhile, Daniel is illegally transporting shapeshifters out of England, where they’re facing political persecution. He doesn’t have time to help Isla, especially when another last-minute passenger who wants to exterminate all shapeshifters forces his way on board. Eventually, though, Daniel and Isla decide to work together — and fall in love in the process. This is a fun steampunk romance with nods to Sleeping Beauty, and though there’s nothing extraordinary about it, I really enjoyed it! I liked Daniel and Isla’s progression from grudging toleration to mutual attraction, and I also found more than one secondary character intriguing…I kind of hope they get their own books at some point! In the meantime, I’m happy to be reading this series and looking forward to the next installment!

Book #15: Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly
CATs: Calendar (Feb = Valentine’s Day); History (Georgian/Regency Britain = set in 1812); Alpha (F = Folly)
Bingo: Paper-based item in plot (letters)

When Folie Hamilton begins corresponding with Robert Cambourne, a relative of her husband’s who is stationed in India, they soon discover they’re kindred spirits. They fall in love through their letters, but their correspondence ends abruptly just after Folie’s husband dies. More than four years later, Robert is back in England and has summoned Folie and her stepdaughter, who is now Robert’s ward, to his remote country estate. But the cold, troubled, possibly insane man Folie meets is nothing like the man she remembers from the letters. I saw an old review online that said Kinsale writes “extreme romance,” and I definitely agree with that assessment — the drama and all the emotions are dialed up to 11. I don’t normally love high-angst romances, but this book really worked for me. The heavy drama is tempered by Folie’s lighthearted pragmatism, and while Robert is truly awful at times, we get enough insight into his state of mind at least to understand his actions. Despite the uneven and slightly bananas plot, I loved the central romance and will definitely be keeping this book on my shelves!

>83 christina_reads: I really liked this one too. There's no one quite like Laura Kinsale as a writer of historical romances, though some of Sherry Thomas's books come close.

>84 pamelad: I'm definitely curious about Kinsale's backlist now. The only other one of hers I've read is Flowers from the Storm, which I remember liking, but it's been a while. Time for a reread! Thomas's His at Night is also on my shelves, so maybe this will be the year.

>83 christina_reads: I have a few of Laura Kinsale's books on my Audible wishlist, although the list is so long that I don't know when I will try one. My Sweet Folly sounds good though, so maybe I'll start with that one when it's time!

I see you've acquired a few of Kingfisher's books. She's become one of my favorite authors of late.

>86 MissBrangwen: I have heard good things about Nicholas Boulton as the narrator for the Kinsale books! I hope you enjoy My Sweet Folly when you get to it.

>87 majkia: So far I've loved everything I've read by Kingfisher! I'm not a horror person, so I'm avoiding that part of her oeuvre, but I'm definitely on board for the fantasy. Looking forward to reading the Clocktaur War books sometime this year!

Book #16: Martha Wells, The Ships of Air
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This book picks up shortly after The Wizard Hunters left off: Tremaine has commandeered a large luxury ship, the Queen Ravenna, to transport evacuees out of Ile-Rien and try to reach the Rienish government-in-exile. She also hopes to forge a Rienish-Syprian alliance to unite against the Gardier — but she’s surprised when a political marriage becomes part of the bargain. Meanwhile, she and her allies face not only the Gardier threat but also a menacing presence aboard the ship itself. I’m continuing to enjoy this fantasy saga, though the pacing in this book is uneven; things really pick up about 2/3 of the way through, when a few of the characters get separated from the rest. Main characters Tremaine, Ilias, and Giliead get some good development, though most of the other characters remain pretty flat, and we finally learn a little bit about what makes the Gardier tick. Overall, a solid read, and I’m looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

>83 christina_reads: Nice to visit your thread with all the beautiful pictures of women reading! I have a set of notecards featuring women reading that include one or two of these I think.

Taking a BB for My Sweet Folly. I don't read romance that often, but this one sounds like something I would like.

>90 LisaMorr: Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy My Sweet Folly -- it reminded me that I really want to read more Kinsale at some point.

Book #17: Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the School
CATs: History (Georgian/Regency Britain = set in 1820)
Bingo: none

Robert and Lucy Kurland have now been married for three years, but two miscarriages and the ensuing grief have strained their relationship. Lucy tries to distract herself with village activities and soon butts heads with the unpopular new schoolteacher, Miss Broomfield. When Miss Broomfield is subsequently stabbed to death with a hatpin, Lucy and Robert once again investigate. Could her murder be related to a spate of nasty anonymous letters circulating through the village? I’m still enjoying this series and think this book is one of the stronger installments. The conflict between Lucy and Robert feels realistic, and they’re both a bit to blame despite both having good intentions: He’s concerned for her welfare but expresses it in all the wrong ways, while she bottles up her emotions and won’t let him (or anyone else) support her. The mystery is a little lackluster and not really fair play, though I correctly guessed the culprit fairly early on. But the series’ strengths are the central characters and the immersive portrayal of village life. Looking forward to the next one!

Book #18: Devon Daniels, The Rom Con
CATs: Calendar (Feb = Valentine’s Day)
Bingo: none

Cassidy, a reporter for the feminist website Siren, has just ended yet another disappointing relationship. Her grandmother suggests she try a different approach to dating, based on a 1950s list of rules for catching a husband. Cassidy is horrified, but when she meets Jack Bradford — co-founder of Siren’s rival website, Brawler, which Cassidy views as a bastion of toxic masculinity — she decides to use the antiquated rules on him. Once Jack falls for the Stepford Wives version of her, she’ll write an article exposing him as a sexist jerk. But as she begins dating him, she learns he might not be such a jerk after all. I’m of two minds about this book. On the plus side, it’s a fun, quick read with enjoyable banter between the two leads. But Jack is simultaneously too perfect and problematic — it’s never clear why, if he’s such a good guy, he’d continue to be involved with Brawler. There are also a few too many Big Misunderstandings near the end that seem to exist only to drag out the happy ending. Overall, I did enjoy the book while I was reading it, but looking back, I don’t think it totally works.

>92 christina_reads: I enjoyed the first one in the Kurland series but unfortunately there are very few of Lloyd's books in the library system I use. A jump from the first one to "married three years" seems to be too much of a leap.

>94 VivienneR: Too bad! I do think this is a series best read in order -- not only does Lucy and Robert's relationship progress as the books continue, but there are a lot of through-lines in the stories of the various supporting characters too. Things that happened in an earlier book are often necessary context for a later book.

Book #19: Theresa Romain, It Takes Two to Tangle
CATs: Calendar (Feb = Valentine’s Day); History (Georgian/Regency Britain = set in 1815)
Bingo: none

Soldier Henry Middlebrook has just returned to England after Napoleon’s defeat, wounded and unable to move his right arm. Frustrated by his perceived “uselessness” and the pity of his relatives, he decides to court Lady Caroline Stratton, a popular society beauty who he thinks will help reintegrate him into his old life. He enlists the help of Caroline’s companion, Frances Whittier, but complications ensue when he and Frances grow closer. I was intrigued by the setup of this book — Henry’s disability plus a Cyrano-esque plot point in which Frances writes him letters that he assumes are from Caroline. But unfortunately, I wasn’t as enamored of the book itself. Henry is far too slow to see what’s right under his nose, and the obstacles keeping him and Frances apart aren’t important enough to justify the length of the novel. There’s also more steam than I’d prefer, so overall, this just wasn’t the book for me. I was also underwhelmed by Romain’s Season for Temptation, so I think she’s not the author for me either.

>96 christina_reads: I feel much the same. I've started a few by Theresa Romain but haven't managed to finish any because her books are too long and I find her writing lifeless.

>97 pamelad: It's almost a relief to cross off a Regency author, as there are so many options out there!

Book #20: Paula Byrne, The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood
CATs: History (Georgian/Regency Britain = covers 18th- and early 19th-century literature)
Bingo: Topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise (Austen’s work, relationship with theater, adaptations)

In Mansfield Park, Fanny Price disapproves of the amateur theatricals staged by her cousins and their friends. Some critics have inferred from this that Jane Austen herself disapproved of theater, but Byrne argues pretty convincingly that the opposite is true. Austen acted in private theatricals with her family and friends, she frequently attended plays while living in Bath and London, and her letters reveal that she was familiar with the famous actors and theater gossip of her day. The book explains how Austen’s life interacted with the theater; how she used theatrical plots, character types, and conventions in her novels; and why her books adapt so well to the screen. Byrne is obviously an Austen fan, and a very knowledgable one. The book is briskly written and appears well researched. I liked it a lot and would certainly recommend it to Austen lovers!

N.B. An earlier edition of this book was published in 2003 under the title Jane Austen and the Theatre.

>99 christina_reads: Great review, and of course I added this to the WL! What an interesting topic!

>100 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy it! It's made me want to revisit Austen again...might be time to reread Mansfield Park!

Book #21: Sally Nicholls, Yours from the Tower
CATs: none
Bingo: About friendship

This epistolary novel centers around the correspondence between three school friends who are taking their first steps into adulthood. Tirzah is stuck being her strict grandmother’s companion in a remote Scottish village, but she longs for excitement and adventure. Sophia is in London for the Season and hopes to gain financial security through marriage, but she’s soon attracted to a penniless charmer. And Polly loves her job as a teacher in an orphanage, but complications ensue when she tries to find the father of one of her students. This book is wholesome and charming and delightful, and I really enjoyed it! Each girl is vividly drawn, with her own distinctive voice, and I found all three equally compelling. The letters are chatty and wide-ranging, covering everything from the minutiae of daily life to the girls’ deeper hopes and dreams. There are some some dark moments in the book involving alcoholism and depression, but the overall tone is light and hopeful. This is a YA novel, but I’d recommend it to adult fans of light historical fiction as well. I definitely want to read more by Sally Nicholls!

Book #22: Beth O’Leary, The Flatshare
CATs: Calendar (Feb = Valentine’s Day); Alpha (F = Flatshare)
Bingo: none

After moving out of her ex-boyfriend’s London flat, Tiffy desperately needs a new place to live. She sees an ad for a flatshare: The current tenant, Leon, works nights and will only be in the flat from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., while Tiffy’s at work. The rent is cheap, so Tiffy jumps at the chance, even though she isn’t able to meet Leon in person before moving in. At first, they both find it odd to share their living space with a stranger, but as they start leaving notes for each other around the flat, they slowly become friends. When they finally do meet in person, they’re surprised by their mutual attraction, but difficulties arise when Tiffy’s ex reappears in her life. I feel like my summary of the book doesn’t do it justice at all. Both Tiffy and Leon are such endearing characters! Their notes to each other are adorable, and I like that they have jobs and friends and relatives and lives that don’t revolve solely around each other. Tiffy’s experiences with her ex are hard to read — the book does a great job of slowly revealing just how horrible he is — but the central romance is lovely. I’m glad I reread this one and would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance!

February recap

February was another not-very-notable month for me. For Lent I decided to give up buying “stuff,” apart from food and other necessities. That unfortunately includes books — but I still managed to pick up quite a few before Ash Wednesday! :) I’m looking forward to spring, which seems imminent (the daffodils are already blooming), and to the week’s vacation I’m taking in March. But without further ado, on to the books!

Books read in February:
1. Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder
2. Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off
3. Nancy Campbell Allen, Kiss of the Spindle
4. Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly
5. Martha Wells, The Ships of Air
6. Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to the School
7. Devon Daniels, The Rom Con
8. Theresa Romain, It Takes Two to Tangle
9. Paula Byrne, The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood
10. Sally Nicholls, Yours from the Tower
11. Beth O’Leary, The Flatshare

Favorite book of the month:
I really loved My Sweet Folly — it’s a compelling romance, and the heroine in particular is delightful.

Dishonorable mention:
It Takes Two to Tangle wasn’t awful, but I was disappointed that it didn’t live up to the interest of its premise.

CATs completed:
- CalendarCAT (Feb): In honor of Valentine’s Day, I read several romances: Pairing Off, Kiss of the Spindle, My Sweet Folly, The Rom Con, It Takes Two to Tangle, and The Flatshare.
- HistoryCAT (Georgian & Regency Britain): My Sweet Folly, Death Comes to the School, and It Takes Two to Tangle are all set during the Regency period, while The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood discusses literature from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
- AlphaKIT (F, E): Martin *Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder; *Elizabeth Harmon, Pairing Off; Laura Kinsale, My Sweet *Folly; Beth O'Leary, The *Flatshare
- MysteryKIT (true unsolved mysteries): The Golden Age of Murder includes descriptions of several historical murder mysteries that were never solved.
- RandomKIT (escape or rescue): In Kiss of the Spindle, the heroine tries to escape a curse, while the hero rescues people undergoing political persecution.
- SFFKIT (critters & creatures): Kiss of the Spindle features several characters who are shapeshifters.

Bingo squares completed:
- Ugly cover: I’m not a fan of the stylized robots/ninjas on the cover of The Golden Age of Murder.
- Set in multiple countries: Pairing Off is set mainly in Russia, but several important scenes take place in the US, the Netherlands, and Canada.
- Read a CAT: Kiss of the Spindle fits the February CalendarCAT, RandomKIT, and SFFKIT.
- Paper-based item in the plot: In My Sweet Folly, letters between the hero and heroine ignite the romance and kick off the story.
- Topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise: I’m not an Austen expert by any means, but I’ve read all her novels multiple times, plus several biographies and books about her era, so I think The Genius of Jane Austen: Her Love of Theatre and Why She Works in Hollywood qualifies.

Books acquired in February:
- Erle Stanley Gardner, The Bigger They Come
- Louise Allen, His Convenient Duchess (e-book)
- Angela Thirkell, Wild Strawberries
- Theresa Romain, It Takes Two to Tangle (already read and rehomed)
- Loretta Chase, Dukes Prefer Blondes
- Carey Wallace, The Blind Contessa’s New Machine
- Lois McMaster Bujold, Penric’s Labors
- Anne Gracie, Marry in Secret
- Anne Gracie, Marry in Scarlet
- W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman, 1066 and All That (previously read)

Physical books in/out:
Cumulatively for the year, I’m at 19 in and 4 out, so +15 overall. Ouch!

Looks like February was a good month for reading.

>103 christina_reads: I loved The Flatshare and I know it will be one of those books I'll enjoy re-reading.

>105 VivienneR: I was worried I wouldn't like The Flatshare as much the second time around, but I really did!

>103 christina_reads: I saw the cover of The Flatshare there in your thread and was astonished that you hadn't already read it. I was reassured when I saw it was a reread.

>107 RidgewayGirl: Haha, sorry to alarm you! :)

Book #23: Richard Hull, The Murder of My Aunt
CATs: Alpha (H = Hull, R = Richard)
Bingo: Epistolary or diary format (diary)

Edward Powell lives in a small Welsh village with his Aunt Mildred. He hates Wales, the countryside, and everyone around him, especially his aunt. He only stays because she controls his finances; without the allowance he gets from her, he’d have nothing. As Edward broods over his distasteful circumstances, he realizes that his life would be much better if Aunt Mildred were to die. Soon he starts plotting possible murder scenarios, but his plans don’t work out the way he expects. This is both a funny and a grim book: Edward is a magnificently unreliable narrator whose misreading of conversations and events is often amusing, but he’s so snobbish and hateful that it’s tough to spend time in his head. I must admit, though, I didn’t find Aunt Mildred entirely sympathetic either! The ending is a surprise, but a well-plotted and foreshadowed one. Overall, this book isn’t strictly speaking a mystery—and certainly not a detective novel—but it’s worth reading for the narrative style and dramatic irony.

>103 christina_reads: There not many contemporary romance books that interest me, but The Flatshare sounds like a lovely story. Great review!

>104 christina_reads: I am looking forward to your comments of Anne Gracie's books when you get around to them!

>109 christina_reads: I haven't heard about this one before - I have found that some of the BLCC aren't what you expect, but if you adjust your expectations, they can still provide a good reading experience.

>110 MissBrangwen: I definitely recommend The Flatshare if you're ever in the mood for a contemporary romance! I'm looking forward to the Anne Gracie books...I read the first in the series last year, Marry in Haste, and liked it enough to pick up the rest of the series. And I agree with you -- there's a lot of variety among the BLCC books, but I generally enjoy them!

>109 christina_reads: Another BB!

>109 christina_reads: A BB for me too!

>103 christina_reads: Hit with a BB!

>109 christina_reads: Oof!! You got me with The Murder of My Aunt.

>109 christina_reads: That sounds worth an explore. I like the variety of the BLCC series.
Good luck with the Lent abstinence.

>112 LisaMorr: >113 VivienneR: >115 DeltaQueen50: >116 Helenliz: Glad to see so much interest in The Murder of My Aunt! If/when you do read it, I'll be eager to compare notes!

>114 Tess_W: Hope you enjoy The Flatshare! I binged the Amazon Prime series over the weekend and liked it. They changed several plot details from the book, which I wasn't a fan of, but the actors did a great job and were perfectly cast, I thought.

Book #24: Nancy Campbell Allen, The Lady in the Coppergate Tower
CATs: History (science & medicine = hero is a surgeon)
Bingo: none

Hazel Hughes has dreamed of a girl who looks exactly like her for years. So when her long-lost uncle reveals that she has a twin sister in Romania — a sister who appears to be slowly going mad — Hazel isn’t unduly shocked. She agrees to accompany her uncle to Romania in hopes that her skills as a Healer will help her sister. Dr. Sam MacInnes, Hazel’s employer, decides to come along for protection; as the two slowly fall in love, they also realize Hazel’s uncle is hiding something and try to uncover his sinister secrets. I’m continuing to enjoy this series of steampunk fairy tales. This installment is a riff on Rapunzel, but it also contains some clever allusions to Dracula — for example, in this book Hazel and Sam consider and reject the possibility that her uncle could be a vampire. The romance itself is a bit bland, as no real obstacles stand in the couple’s way. While I did like the book overall, I’m pretty sure I won’t be keeping the series on my selves once I read the fourth and final installment.

>109 christina_reads: I also liked The Ghost It Was. Hull's characters are so laughably awful.

>119 pamelad: Good to know! I'd certainly read more by Hull if I came across it.

>99 christina_reads: Thank you for returning the favor! I had not heard of this Jane Austen book, which is now on the Wishlist! :-)

>121 cbl_tn: Haha, more Austen for all!

Book #25: Catherine Lloyd, Death Comes to Bath
CATs: Mystery (historical = set in 1820s)
Bingo: Featuring water (death by drowning)

In this installment of the Kurland St. Mary series, Robert’s injured leg is paining him more than usual, so he and Lucy head for Bath in hopes that the spa town’s mineral-rich waters will provide relief and healing. There Robert befriends Sir William Benson, who’s also “taking the waters” for his health, and the two families soon become acquainted. But when Sir William dies, apparently drowned in the baths, Robert suspects foul play. And between Sir William’s much younger wife, three disappointing sons, and two odious stepsons, there’s no shortage of possible murderers. This is another strong entry in the series, benefiting from a new location and a close focus on the small circle of suspects. I liked Robert and Lucy’s dynamic as well; though they still butt heads occasionally, they work together and recognize each other’s strengths. I’m happy that the series is still so entertaining six books in, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

I've read the Murder of My Aunt twice, but then, I like horrible characters ;-D

>124 mstrust: Haha, I think my tolerance for horrible characters is a bit lower...or at least, I don't want ALL the characters to be horrible. I like having someone to root for!

>125 christina_reads: As long as it's not the victim. I just hate it when you get to know and like a character and someone murders them.

>126 pamelad: Fair point! That's one reason I enjoy vintage mysteries...the victims are almost always horribly unpleasant, so it's not that upsetting when they're murdered.

Hello Christina! I'm finally getting around to saying hello and Happy 2024 thread. The steampunk fairy tale re-tellings sound intriguing, and I really like your reviews of your SFFKit challenge books. Finding books in this genre seems to be harder to do, and the ones you read sound quite good.

Best of luck with your clearing out of shelves - that is an ever-growing challenge for us book lovers!

Oh! And I love the paintings of women reading. They make me smile, especially the Rosetti "Blue Silk Dress."

>128 threadnsong: Hello, glad you found your way here! I'm happy you are finding my SFFKIT reviews helpful and hope that you find some good reads in the genre this year!

Book #26: Martha Wells, The Gate of Gods
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Following the events of The Ships of Air, Tremaine and her allies are in the country of Capidara, Ile-Rien’s ally and the current seat of its government-in-exile. They’re hoping to use their hard-won knowledge of the etheric gates to liberate the Rienish sorcerers trapped inside the besieged city of Lodun. But their plans go awry when half the group — including Tremaine, Ilias, and Giliead — travels to an unexplored world using a new type of etheric gate and can’t get back again. This conclusion to the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy is a fitting end to the series; it answers the big questions of who the Gardier are and what they want, and it sees Tremaine finally deciding what she wants from her life. That said, I did find the ending anticlimactic — some of the answers the book provides don’t feel terribly satisfying. I also wanted more development for the secondary characters such as Florian, Gerard, and Niles, who were a constant presence throughout the trilogy but never really got their own stories. Overall, I’m glad I finally read this series but won’t be keeping it on my shelves.

Book #27: Stella Riley, A Trick of Fate
CATs: Alpha (R = Riley)
Bingo: none

Max Brandon has a problem: Someone has been purchasing expensive goods and running up bills in his name, which he’s now being asked to pay. This minor nuisance becomes a major problem when the thief’s actions harm Frances Pendleton, Max’s first love. Now Max and Frances must team up to find the thief, and their quest leads them on a wild-goose chase throughout England and Scotland. After loving Stella Riley’s Rockliffe series, I had to continue with the spinoff Brandon Brothers trilogy (Max is Arabella’s brother from Cadenza). I don’t think you have to read any of the Rockliffe books to follow this one, but the two series are definitely set in the same universe. The love story in this book is a bit lightweight; while the obstacles originally dividing Max and Frances made sense, there was no reason for them not to be together in the present. But I love Riley’s writing and enjoyed the book anyway — especially since it also provides a peek at Elizabeth and Sherbourne, a couple from Cadenza whose story I’d wanted more of. I’d definitely recommend this book and author to historical romance fans and am eager to continue with the series.

Book #28: Erle Stanley Gardner, The Bigger They Come
CATs: none
Bingo: “Big” or “little” in the title

Most people know Erle Stanley Gardner as the author of the Perry Mason books, but he also wrote another series, featuring private detectives Bertha Cool and Donald Lam, under the pseudonym A.A. Fair. Narrated by Lam, this first book in the series describes how he got the job with Bertha Cool’s detective agency. It also details Lam’s first assignment: He’s tasked with serving divorce papers to an unfaithful husband, but no one seems to know where the man is. As Lam searches, he uncovers various secrets and even a murder — and demonstrates how, using a legal loophole, a person can commit murder and get away with it. This book is an enjoyable noir novel with plenty of fights, femmes fatales, and damsels in distress. The mystery itself isn’t terribly innovative, but Lam’s humorous narration keeps things light, and the book moves at a quick pace. I didn’t love the constant negative commentary on people’s sizes — part of the book’s “humor” comes from the fact that Bertha is a large woman, while Lam is a shrimpy guy — but I suppose that’s of its time. Overall, I liked the book and am interested in trying more by Gardner at some point.

Book #29: Chloe Angyal, Pas de Don’t
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Heather Hays’s dance career is finally taking off when she learns that her fiancé, a world-famous dancer in the same NYC ballet company, has been cheating on her. Desperate to get as far away as possible, she accepts a guest position with the Australian National Ballet. There she meets Marcus Campbell, a dancer recovering from an injury and grieving the recent death of his father. The two are immediately attracted to one another, but the ballet company has a firm no-dating policy. Will Heather and Marcus risk their jobs to follow their hearts? I have absolutely zero dance ability, but I’ve always enjoyed movies and TV shows about dancing, so the premise of this book intrigued me. I might have liked all the ballet background more than the actual romance, which is fine but a bit pedestrian. I did like the third-act conflict between Heather and Marcus, which felt realistic given the setup, and I enjoyed the resolution as well. A sequel is coming out in May, featuring Heather’s best friend, and I plan to get it from my library when it’s available.

Book #30: Robin McKinley, Rose Daughter
CATs: Alpha (R = Robin, Rose)
Bingo: From an LT “similar library” (shared with barefootsong)

Robin McKinley’s Beauty is one of my favorite retellings of Beauty and the Beast; when I last read it in 2020, I called it the quintessential retelling, praising its thoughtful heroine and gorgeous prose. Rose Daughter is McKinley’s other Beauty and the Beast retelling, and until now I’d never reread it, thinking that if I wanted a Robin McKinley take on this story, I’d just read Beauty again. Now, while I still prefer Beauty, I think Rose Daughter is enchanting in its own way. In this version, Beauty is an avid gardener and lover of roses. When she comes to the Beast’s palace, she takes on the task of bringing back to life his overgrown and dying rose garden. Like most of McKinley’s books, this one is quite slow, and I wish we got more of a sense of the Beast’s personality. But Beauty and her two sisters are wonderful characters, and I liked the book’s emphasis on their close sibling relationship. If you like fairy tale retellings, I’d definitely recommend both this book and Beauty; I think they each bring something unique and worthwhile to the story.

Book #31: Anne Gracie, Marry in Scandal
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Lady Lily Rutherford longs to marry for love, but she believes that, between her plump figure and her inability to read, she’ll have a hard time finding a husband. Her large fortune, however, makes her a target for unscrupulous men, one of whom abducts her with the intention of forcing her into marriage. Fortunately, she’s rescued by her brother’s friend, Edward Galbraith — but when she and Ned take multiple days to travel back to London, they soon learn they must wed to avoid a scandal. Lily falls for Ned immediately, but he is reluctant to love anyone, even his beguiling wife. This is a pretty standard marriage-of-convenience setup, and Anne Gracie doesn’t really bring anything new to the table in terms of plot or characterization. I did find the main characters, particularly Ned, appealing and could see why they fell for each other. Overall, this is a solid, engaging historical romance, and I certainly plan to continue with the series, but it’s not doing anything particularly special or exciting.

>135 christina_reads: This one has been on my TBR forever. Will have to bump it up.

>137 lowelibrary: Yes! Hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

Book #32: Mariana Zapata, From Lukov with Love
CATs: Alpha (Z = Zapata)
Bingo: none

Jasmine Santos is a pairs figure skater with no partner, and at age 26, she’s running out of time to win the gold medal she wants more than anything. A surprising solution presents itself when superstar Ivan Lukov — whom Jasmine has known for years and always hated — suggests partnering up. Jasmine reluctantly agrees, but as she and Ivan train together, her feelings toward him slowly begin to change. Whether you like this book or not will probably depend on how you feel about Jasmine. She’s foulmouthed, angry, impatient, defensive, and not particularly kind — but also hardworking, determined, strong, and loyal. I didn’t always like her, but what sold me on the romance is that Ivan admires her toughness and appreciates her for who she is. It’s the slowest of slow burns, which I liked but other people might not, and I do think the book is bloated and repetitive in spots. But overall, I’m glad I read this one and would recommend it to fans of sports romances and the enemies-to-lovers trope.

>139 christina_reads: As someone who rewatches The Cutting Edge more often than I will admit to, this certainly is something I would like.

>140 RidgewayGirl: Toe pick!

Book #33: Mary Balogh, Heartless
CATs: Alpha (H = Heartless)
Bingo: none

For the past decade, Lucas Kendrick has lived in Paris, cultivating a reputation as a man without a heart. Ever since he was betrayed by and banished from his family 10 years ago, he’s resisted any hint of love or vulnerability. Now Luke has inherited a dukedom and must return to England to fulfill his duties. He also needs to marry and decides upon the beautiful, vivacious Anna Marlowe, though he has no intention of actually falling in love with his wife. Their relationship slowly deepens but is tested when Anna’s traumatic past catches up with her. I liked this book fine, but it would have been even better without the suspense subplot. I think romances are most interesting when the obstacles are internal to the people involved — character flaws they need to overcome, fears they need to face, etc. Luke and Anna have plenty of those obstacles, so the external conflict with the villain from Anna’s past felt like overkill. So while this is an enjoyable read, I don’t feel a need to keep it on my shelves.

>135 christina_reads: I should try one of those McKinley books.

>143 hailelib: All the Robin McKinley! She's one of my all-time favorite authors.

Book #34: Georgette Heyer, A Blunt Instrument
CATs: Alpha (H = Heyer)
Bingo: none

When Ernest Fletcher is found dead in his study with his head bashed in, everyone is shocked — he was well-liked and seemingly had no enemies. But as the police begin their investigation, they soon unearth plenty of possible motives and suspects. There’s the dead man’s nephew, Neville Fletcher, who stands to inherit a fortune. There’s neighbor Helen North, whose gambling debts Ernest was using to blackmail her — and her husband, John, who may have been jealous of Ernest. But before the police can arrest anyone, they need to solve two problems: given the evidence at hand, how could anyone have had time to commit the murder? And what did the killer do with the weapon? This is one of Heyer’s best mysteries, in my opinion, with a clever solution and an entertaining cast of characters. My one quibble is that I wanted even more of Neville & co.; frankly, I felt the relationships among the suspects were more interesting than the mystery!

Book #35: C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
CATs: Calendar (March = Lent/Easter)
Bingo: Nothing but title and author on the cover

A small group of people at my church decided to form a book club during Lent and chose this book. I’d read it before, years ago, but I’m really glad I decided to reread it now. Lewis is deservedly famous for his writings on Christianity; he has a gift for explaining complex ideas in a straightforward, accessible way. In this book, he suggests some arguments supporting belief in Christianity, states the religion’s core beliefs (shared by all denominations), discusses various aspects of Christian morality, and delves a bit into theological concepts such as the Trinity. Throughout the book, he emphasizes practical concepts such as what people must do in order to truly follow Jesus, and why it matters. I feel like most people interested in the topic have already read this book, but if it’s been a while since you’ve read it, I’d definitely encourage you to revisit it!

Book #36: Lynn Painter, Happily Never After
CATs: Alpha (H = Happily)
Bingo: none

It’s Sophie’s wedding day, but she doesn’t want to marry her fiancé, Stuart — she recently caught him cheating. But Stuart’s father is her dad’s horrible boss, and Sophie knows that if she calls off the wedding, her dad will lose his job. So instead, she hires someone to object during the ceremony: Stuart’s wrongdoing will be exposed, everyone will sympathize with her, and her dad’s job will remain secure. Her plan succeeds, and after the not-wedding, she ends up befriending the objector, Max. She even proposes an objecting partnership — she doesn’t believe in true love anyway, so she views breaking up weddings as a public service. But as Sophie and Max spend more time together, they can’t deny just how much they enjoy each other’s company. I really liked this book and think it might be Painter’s best yet! (Seriously, can she please write all the rom-com screenplays now?) Sophie and Max have great banter, and I truly believed that not only were they mutually attracted, but they actually liked each other. Yes, the premise is contrived, and the “obstacles” keeping them apart are flimsy at best, but I didn’t mind since the ride was so enjoyable! Definitely recommended for fans of contemporary romance.

>145 christina_reads: Now I need to reread this. I enjoy her mysteries even though the historical romances are even more fun.

>148 hailelib: Totally agree on loving the historical romances even more! I enjoyed most of her mysteries but have only kept a couple, while all her romances are keepers for me.

>123 christina_reads: I liked Death Comes to the Village and have been meaning to get back to this series. I'm glad to hear that it's still enjoyable after 6 books.

>142 christina_reads: I hope this will be republished as an ebook. At the moment only the audiobook is available here. I like Balogh’s oldies.

>150 mathgirl40: I'm definitely still liking the series, and I think it's been pretty consistent in quality so far.

>151 pamelad: Same here -- I think the oldies are usually better than her newer stuff. I hope you can find an accessible copy soon!

>145 christina_reads: I've got a couple of her mysteries and they're pretty good. very different from the romances, but just as convincing.

>153 Helenliz: I like that many of the mysteries have a hint of romance as well!

Book #37: Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Assistant to the Villain
CATs: Alpha (H = Hannah)
Bingo: Current or recent bestseller (#2 on NYT bestseller list in 2023)

Evie is desperate for a job to support her sick father and her little sister — so desperate that she agrees to work for The Villain, the kingdom’s most notorious evildoer. Unexpectedly, she soon falls in love with her job — and maybe with her boss as well. Unfortunately, there’s a traitor in The Villain’s organization, and Evie is determined to find that person before he/she destroys everything Evie holds dear. Apparently this book grew out of a TikTok series, and that doesn’t surprise me, given its quippy tone, uneven pacing, and underdeveloped characters. Evie and The Villain both feel incredibly juvenile, mutually infatuated yet completely oblivious to each other’s feelings. Also, I think the book dismisses The Villain’s villainy too easily…of course he’s not as evil as he appears, yet he still tortures and murders people, which somehow doesn’t seem to bother anyone! All that said, I actually had a good time reading the book; it’s a fun premise with some amusing moments, and I’ll probably read the sequel when it comes out (if only to get a real ending to the story!). The key is not to take it even a tiny bit seriously.

>145 christina_reads: I don't think I have ever seen a review of a Heyer mystery, although I knew that she had written some.

>146 christina_reads: I have just recently started to read more about Christianity and to try and practice my faith more actively after I didn't for many years, so I appreciate your review very much - I have heard about this book before, but never really knew what it was about.

>156 MissBrangwen: I like the Heyer mysteries overall...they're not as good as the romances but are still worth reading! My favorite of the bunch is Envious Casca, which has also been published as A Christmas Party.

Also, I wish you all the best in your faith journey! I definitely recommend Mere Christianity if it sounds interesting to you.

Book #38: Louise Allen, His Convenient Duchess
CATs: Alpha (H = His) — I read this in March
Bingo: none

Marcus has recently inherited an earldom but is dismayed to learn that one of the estates, Chalton Castle, has been sold. The new owner, Rose, is living there with her younger sisters, Chloe and Kat, because their brother is a rake and a spendthrift, and neither they nor their reputations would be safe in his house. Marcus offers to buy the castle from Rose, but she refuses — until her brother threatens to marry Chloe to a much older man with a terrible reputation. In response, Marcus proposes a marriage of convenience to Rose, so that he can protect her and her sisters from their brother’s machinations. This is my second book by Louise Allen, and I really enjoyed it! It’s well-written historical romance that isn’t bloated with unnecessary subplots or extraneous characters. Rather, it’s a quick read that focuses (as it should!) on the central romance. I do think the transition from tentative attraction to love was a bit sudden, for both Marcus and Rose, but overall I liked this one and will definitely seek out more by Allen. It looks like she’s written several books for the Harlequin Historical imprint, so thankfully I have lots of choices!

A new quarter seems like a good time for a new thread, so please join me at part 2 of my challenge! https://www.librarything.com/topic/359729