Beloved by Toni Morrison

 

Title:  Beloved

Author:  Toni Morrison, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers - introduction

Narrated by:  Toni Morrison, Karen Murray

Publisher: Random House Audio

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 33 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible

What is the saddest book you’ve ever read?  I would rate this as one of mine.

Sethe was born into slavery but was able to escape with her children to Ohio.  When her former master finds her and her children, she makes a decision that will haunt her forever.  Now a ghost haunts her home.  When a girl appears with the name Beloved, the only word carved on the tombstone of her baby, is this girl the ghost of her child or an imposter?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was the January read for the Back to the Classics Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  Only two of us braved the cold, but we had a good discussion on this complex book.  I selected this book as I’ve been too scared to read I on my own as I knew it involved the death of a baby.

·       Toni Morrison won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for literature, but this is only the second book of hers that I’ve read.  I really wish we would have studied her when I was in college.

·       This was a deep book that I keep thinking about.  It was written in a very unique way with a variety of narrators and a variety of time periods.

·       I really liked the intro and the ending.  The ending basically said that terrible things happen and are then forgotten.  They need to be remembered so we don’t repeat the terrible things in our history.

·       I was disturbed to find out in the intro that this book was based on a true story.

·       I listened to this book on audiobook.  It was very interesting.  I liked also having a physical copy of the book to read along with it.  I also stopped and looked up chapter summaries on SparkNotes as recommended by a book club member. It did help me to understand what I was reading.

·       This was a very sad novel describing the horrors of slavery.  It was so horrifying that you would kill your own child rather than have them be a slave.  Sexual abuse was used to control the women and it didn’t just break the women, it broke the men as well to see their wives, mothers, and sisters treated this way.

·       Schoolteacher talks about Sethe like she is an animal.  He compares her to a horse and says that you can’t beat a horse too much or you wreck it.  His nephew and others had stolen Sethe’s milk and then whipped her.  She does not want her children to go back to this kind of life.  Other people do not understand this.

·       The house is haunted, and no one will go inside due to what has happened to her.

Overall, Beloved by Toni Morrison was a haunting novel about a terrible part of our history.

A Little Paris Christmas by Jennifer Shirk

 

Do you have a favorite fictional dog?  I loved the dog character is this novel, but growing up, I loved Jack in the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Sophie Dubois is the promotions director in Paris, Pennsylvania.  Tourism is down and the mayor has tasked her to drum up business for the town or risk losing her job.  While she works on a plan to save both her job and the town, she needs her handsome, but grumpy neighbor, bestselling author, Mason Haywood.  Will Sophie and Mason find love?  Will Sophie keep her job and help the town?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       A Little Paris Christmas was my last Christmas read for the season.

·       I won this novel from the TLC Book Tours book club giveaway as part of the Rogue Book Club.  We gave it out at our meeting in November.

·       I loved Mason’s dog, Gingersnap.  Gingersnap is a cute dachshund.  He brings Sophie and Mason together and also forces Mason to leave his home and get to know his community.  Gingersnap was my favorite character.

·       This is a fun, light, and cozy novel.  I loved the humor!

·       The Christmas spirit was great in this novel.

·       There was wonderful chemistry between Mason and Sophie.

·       This novel had the following tropes:  enemies to lovers, grumpy vs. sunshine, and opposites to attract.

·       I thought by the title that this book was set in Paris, France, but it is really set in Paris, Pennsylvania.

·       This was a closed-door romantic comedy.

Overall, A Little Paris Christmas by Jennifer Shirk is a sweet story with fun characters.  The lighthearted romantic comedy was perfect for this time of year.

Book Source:  Thank-you to author Jennifer Shirk and TLC Book Tours for the giveaway copy of this novel.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

 

Title:  The Housemaid

Author:  Freida McFadden

Narrated by:  Lauryn Allman

Publisher: Bookouture

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 46 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible

Have you watched any good movies lately based on a book?  I am looking forward to watching the new Housemaid movie soon!

Millie Calloway has just recently been released from prison and feels lucky to have found a job as a housekeeper to the Winchester family.  On the surface, they appear to have the perfect life, but as things keep getting weirder, will Millie be able to figure out what is going on and stay alive?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The Housemaid by Freida McFadden was the Rogue Book Club selection for January.  We all read the book and enjoyed it.

·       The plot moves along and is very engaging in this book.

·       I really enjoyed that the audiobook narrator has a New York accent.  The audiobook made my drives to work go by fast.

·       I did sad sigh while reading this book about some very poor decision making by characters.

·       There was great suspense this novel that kept me on the edge of my seat.

·       This was great escapism reading.

·       I want to read the rest of the series.

·       There was dark humor in this book.

·       I really liked the ending much more than I thought I would.  I guessed the twist but was pleasantly surprised by the ending.  I don’t want to say too much and ruin the story for someone else.

·       I felt like this was a grown-up version of the Fear Street or Christopher Pike novels I read as a teen.

·       This was my first Freida McFadden novel and I know she is well loved.  Do you have a favorite?

Overall, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden was a fast-paced thriller and good escapism reading. 

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

 

Are you a cat or a dog person? I love both and currently have both a dog and a cat sleeping at my feet.

At a premier female boarding school, Meadowbank, in England, a teacher is found murdered in the Sports Pavilion.  Why was the teacher murdered and what does it have to do with a revolution in another country?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie was the November Read for the Read Christie 2025 challenge.  I’m behind and read it this month.  The 2025 challenge explored Christie’s canon through character and their careers.  November’s theme was Spies.

·       Hercule Poirot does not show up until the very end to solve the case.  I forgot it was a Hercule Poirot book until he showed up!

·       I was kind of disturbed that the school and detectives didn’t really seem to care that the foreign princess may have been potentially kidnapped.

·       This book mixed a school setting with espionage which was interesting and different.  A coup that happened in a fictional middle eastern country ended up impacting the school.

·       I liked Agatha Christie’s dry humor.

·       I liked how one of the students took matters into her own hands, figured out a major part of the mystery and left the school to get Hercule Poirot involved.

·       Poirot says the murderer is a cat among the pigeons, or a murdered among the innocent students and teachers.

·       The plot was very clever.

·       I was annoyed at one point where it seemed racist when the school staff was very concerned how a foreign princess is wearing what I think is a push up bra and how it was inappropriate for a girl her age . . . this did end up being an important plot point for later in the mystery.

·       There was a great surprise at the very end.

Overall, Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie is a clever cozy mystery that combines espionage and an English boarding school.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

Snowbound Regency Christmas by Carla Kelly, Joanna Johnson, and Samantha Hastings

 

Have you ever been stranded by a snowstorm?  I was once stranded at Detroit Metro airport for three days during a blizzard.

Snowbound Regency Christmas is three novellas including:

“A Christmas Houseguest” by Carla Kelly

Sailing Master Andrew Hadfield is back in England after two years being held captive by the French.  He is searching for the widow of a comrade to tell her the details of her husband’s death.  When his mail coach is caught in a snowstorm, fellow passenger, Rosie, takes him back to her family farm to stay and recover.  Will love find a way for two people who have given up on love?

“Their Yuletide Reunion” by Joanna Johnson

In the past, Jane had to say no to a proposal from Lt. Duncan Fitzjames due to family obligations.  Her feeling for him have not changed.  Now that her Great Aunt Deborah has passed away, her future is uncertain.  With Duncan back in town, will there be a second chance for love?

“The Christmas Husband” Charade by Samantha Hastings

On a mail coach, Devin finds himself traveling with a woman he despises. Julia jilted his brother years before.  Julia has been punished and sent away as a governess.  When they are snowed in and trapped at an inn, they must pretend to be married in order to have a safe place to stay and to protect Julia’s reputation.  Will the forced proximity cause them to come to a better understanding and perhaps find love?

My thoughts on these novellas:

·       I loved all three of these stories.  They were cozy and great escapism reading.

·       All three stories were forced proximity romances.  I also enjoyed the second chance romance and shades of Persuasion by Jane Austen in “Their Yuletide Reunion.”

·       This was a clean read.

·       Each story was unique and kept me engaged throughout!

·       The first story also have a PTSD storyline.

·       I read this book quickly. 

Overall, Snowbound Regency Christmas has three great Regency romance novellas that were a perfect comfort read on a cold winter’s night.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

 

Evelina: Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World by Frances Burney

 

Title:  Evelina: Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World

Author:  Frances Burney

Narrated by:  Orson Scott Card, Emily Rankin, Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Length: Approximately 18 hours and 16 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible

What is the oldest published book you’ve read (not counting the Bible)? Pamela by Samuel Richardson (published in 1740) is one of the oldest I’ve read, besides the Iliad and the Odyssey.  But do the Iliad and Odyssey count?

Evelina Anville has left her secluded county home to visit London for the first time. While there, she discovers there is a lot she doesn’t know about proper behavior at dances and in society.  She also finds she has feelings for the handsome and very nice Lord Orville, but she is also pursued by others she finds despicable such as Sir Clement Willoughby.

Evelina has a tragic past as her mother married Sir John Belmont who then cast her pregnant mother off when they returned to England.  She has been raised by Reverand Aurthur Villars per her mother’s request.  Will Evelina ever get her birthright and be recognized by her father?  Will she find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel was the JASNA Northwoods read for January.  The book club enjoyed it, and it prompted a good discussion.

·       This novel was published in 1778 and was a best seller.

·       It is an epistolatory novel, or a novel written as letters.

·       It is a true comedy of manners novel.  It was interesting how Evelina tried to navigate the social rules in London.  I was confused on why no one taught her these rules and left her on her own to figure it out.

·       I think we all feel like Evelina at times, trying to figure out how to not dance with the creepy guy.

·       This novel had romance, comedy, and some melodrama.  It was a “sentimental” novel at times, but it really shone more in the everyday exchanges.

·       Evelina meets her Grandma (mother’s mother), Madame Duvall, who was over the top with her behavior.

·       The characters in this novel were real-world three-dimensional characters with real problems, especially Evelina.  This is in stark contrast to other 18^th century authors such as Samuel Richardson and his novel Pamela.  Pamela is more discussed and exalted in our modern age, but I felt it was an inferior book with cardboard characters and slapstick situations.

·       Evelina by Frances Burney was one of Jane Austen’s favorite novels and our book club first read about it in Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney.  We are hoping to read more of the books mentioned in Romney’s intriguing nonfiction investigation the books that Austen read.

·       I felt like I could see inspirations for Austen in this novel including a villain named Willoughby, eccentric relations, a young girl going to the big city for the first time, etc.

·       I enjoyed this book and would like to read more by the author.

·       The audiobook was great with a different narrator matching the author of the letters, typically letters between Evelina and Rv. Villars.  I did get confused about the different characters at times and had to stop and look them up.

·       There was a great note at the end of Orson Scott Card read by the author himself.  He described his love and admiration for Jane Austen and how that led him to Fanny Burney and Evelina as Burney was Austen’s favorite author.  He said she wrote the best epistolary novel he had ever read.  One that read like real letters with an authentic voice.  He said it is too bad Burney isn’t read on her own merits as she is an excellent author who deserves to be remembered.

Overall, Evelina by Frances Burney is a classic that deserves to be remembered.  If you enjoy Jane Austen’s novel, I highly recommend reading Evelina by Frances Burney.

 

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen

 

If you could travel to a different time period to experience a holiday, which time period and holiday would you chose?  I would chose either a Regency or Victorian Christmas.  A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen is set during the Regency time period. 

Sarah Summers was attracted to widower Callum Henshall on his previous visit to the family’s guest house.  She discouraged his attentions because she felt it was her duty to help her family maintain their living through running the guest house.  Callum lives in Scotland, nowhere close to her family in Sidmouth.  Now it’s Christmas and Callum and his daughter are back for a visit.  Will the two finally be able to find the romance and happiness that alluded them in the past?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a novella and a quick read set during the Regency era from October 1820 to January 1821.

·       I loved that Sarah made the first move by going with her sister Claire on her wedding trip to Edinburgh.  They tried to visit Callum only to discover that he was away.

·       The youngest sister, Georgiana gets a start of a romance of her own, which I enjoyed.  I really want this developed in a book of her own.

·       I loved that Georgiana requested a very festive Christmas and Sarah goes all in to make it so.  I enjoyed the descriptions of the decorations and the twelve days of Christmas festivities.  Great historical detail was included.

·       I also enjoyed the descriptions of the English country dances in the novella.  My husband and I just danced the dances mentioned at Jane Austen’s birthday party put on by JASNA Wisconsin in Milwaukee in December.

·       I have grown to love the Summers family and people of Sidmouth as I have read this series.  I love them all and they are like old friends.

·       I recommend reading the entire series “On Devonshire Shores.”

·       The afterward said this is the last “On Devonshire Shores” or Sea View novel.  NOOOO!!  I was hoping for Georgiana’s story next.  I love these characters.

·       “Reddup” was used in this novel.  We said this in my family growing up all of the time when it’s time to clean up after a meal.  My husband had never heard this term when we got married and had no idea what we were talking about.  I ended up looking it up and it’s an old English term. 

·       This novella is a clean read.

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen is a quick, sweet romance with wonderful characters and great Christmas spirit.  I highly recommend this entire series!

Book Source:  Thank-you to @julie.k.klassen, @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review Copy from NetGalley as part of the Happy Holidays Instagram Book Blast & Giveaway tour through #greatreadsbookpromo.

 

The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan

 

What was the first book you read in 2026?  I read this book on New Year’s Day.

Mirren Sutherland has been hired by Jamie McPherson, a highland Scottish laird, to help find a rare book amongst this late Grandad’s collection, that could help save the estate.  The problem is, he doesn’t know what book it is and his Granddad had a massive amount of books filling the entire estate.  Rival book hunter, Theo Pallister, is also on the case and just so happens to be the man that ghosted Mirren after their last adventure.  Will Mirren find the rare book, and will she find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I started reading this book and realized I was missing the novella, The Christmas Book Hunt, so I went back and read it first.  It was a very enjoyable novella.  In it, Mirren searches for “A Child’s Garden of Verses” as a wish for her dying Great Aunt Violet to see the book she so loved in her childhood.  Mirren is a “quantity surveyor,” but searches across the United Kingdom for this lost book, a decision which changes her career.  Handsome Theo Pallister assister her and sparks fly.  I loved the adventure of the search and the bond between Mirren and her great aunt Violet.

·       I love a good treasure hunt, especially a treasure hunt involving a lost book. The clues were fun, and it was very enjoyable trying to solve the mystery of the lost book.

·       The book and Dr. Who references were a lot of fun.  It is a great book for book lovers.

·       The setting of the run-down castle in Scotland was also magical.  I wanted to visit!

·       Roger the dog was a cute character.  I enjoyed the humor when Jamie said Roger was a working dog and didn’t want to be petted, but Roger loved getting pets from Mirren.

·       I enjoyed the characters, especially Mirren.

·       One of my favorite parts was that Mirren and Theo had their own private rail car to the estate.  It was magical!

·       Everyone is trapped at the estate due to a huge snowstorm and family secrets are also investigated.

·       The romance didn’t go the way I expected it to, but I enjoyed it.

·       I love Jenny Colgan.  Whenever I need escapism reading, I love to grab one of her books.

·       The book didn’t have that much Christmas in it, it was more a winter setting.  It would be a good read any time of year.

Overall, The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan is a cozy book treasure adventure that was a great escapism read.

Book Source:  Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler

 

Title:  A Ruff Royal Christmas

Author:  Karen Schaler

Narrated by:  Hannah Curtis

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 19 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

Do you enjoy books that include animals?  I do! Rambunctious border collie Stormy in A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler was a great dog character.

Princess Ava is working on putting together a charity Christmas Eve event, but things fall apart when she loses her mother’s new border collie, Stormy.  Stormy was going to be announced at the Christmas Eve party as the first royal pet.  Justin, an American dog trainer, and Princess Ava search for Stormy and start to feel attracted to each other.  Ava is already promised to another, Duke Henry, in an arranged marriage.  Will Ava and Justin change the futures laid out for them by their parents?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       I continue to read Christmas books into January as I love them so much!

·       I am glad author Karen Schaler is back.  I enjoy her annual Christmas novel.  She broke her hand Christmas Eve 2023 and was unable to write and publish a new Christmas story in 2024.  I enjoy her annual books and The Christmas Prince series she wrote for Netflix.

·       Princess Ava is a mechanical engineer who graduated at the top of her class.  I loved this STEM representation – it’s hard to find engineers in fiction!

·       Ava is dealing with grief with the loss of her father.

·       This was a forced proximity romance as Ava and Justin search for Stormy.

·       I loved that there was a snowmobiling scene in the story – there aren’t that many stories with snowmobiles!  I enjoy snowmobiling, but don’t get to go that much.

·       This was a sweet, fun, and light Christmas romance.

·       A Ruff Royal Christmas would make an excellent Hallmark or Netflix movie.

·       I liked how the story dove into Ava’s insecurities with the press and her relationship with her mother.  Justin helped her to think about what she wanted to do with life moving forward.  Ava helped Justin to realize that he could make his own way and didn’t need to run his father’s vet office and that he could go his own way as a trainer.

·       This was a cozy read.

·       This was an entertaining book on audiobook, and I enjoyed the narrator.

Overall, in A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler is a cozy Christmas romance that is a comfort read any time of year.

Mayhem on the Marzipan Express by Rebecca Connolly (Great Reads Book Promotion Tour)

 

Have you ever taken a trip on a train?  My Mom put together a trip around ten years ago from Michigan to Chicago with the grandkids.  It was a lot of fun.  I would like to travel by train more!

Claire Walker was previously on Britain’s Battle of the Bakers cooking competition.  She did not win the competition but did catch the attention of famous chef Alan Gables and the love of Jonathan Ainsley.  Claire and Jonathan are taking a train trip across Scotland with Claire serving as Alan’s sous chef.  The historic steam train has been renamed “The Marzipan Express” and is full of Alan’s fans for a unique celebrity experience.  Shortly after the journey starts, a passenger is found murdered.  The passengers also find themselves stranded with mechanical problems with the train. Will Claire be able to solve the mystery before the murderer strikes again?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This the second book in the “A Claire Walker Mystery” series.  I read it as a standalone and it worked.  It did really make me want to go back and read the first book.

·       I enjoyed the cooking details and wanted to eat the treats.  Recipes are included at the end of the book.

·       It reminded me of the classic Agatha Christie tale, Murder on the Orient Express.

·       I loved the Scottish setting.

·       Claire had some insecurities in her relationship with Jonathan, but I enjoyed their growing romance.

·       This was a clean read.

·       It was also a cozy read and perfect for winter.

·       I loved the dedication to David Tennant at the start of the book.  Now I really want to see a TV movie starring David Tennant as Alan!!

·       There are also good discussion questions included at the end that can be used with a bookclub.

Overall, Mayhem on the Marzipan Express by Rebecca Connolly was a very fun cozy mystery with great characters, great setting, and a touch of romance.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @author.rebecca.connolly @shadowmountainpub @austenprose for the review copy of this novel as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.