The Heiress of Northanger Abbey by Nancy Bilyeau

What classic novel do you think needs a sequel?

Thank you to @tudorscribe, #admiralroadbooks, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of The Heiress of Northanger Abbey.

Twenty-two years after the events in Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland is a respectable pastor’s wife, married to Henry Tilney.  Catherine and Henry live a happy life with their two daughters in a small village near the family estate of Northanger Abbey.  Henry’s brother Frederick and his wife Aurelia are childless and Henry and Catherine’s oldest daughter Phoebe, is presumed to be their heiress.  When Phoebe runs across the Thorpe family in Bath, Catherine is afraid that history is repeating itself.  When Catherine chaperones Phoebe on a trip to Isabella Thorpe’s estate, is her imagination playing havoc with her again or are they in danger?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is one of the October book club picks for the JASNA Northwoods Book Club.  I look forward to discussing it.

·       I loved that this was a sequel to a Jane Austen novel that does not often get sequels, Northanger Abbey.  I love the original book and it’s fun to see what happened to its characters after the end of the original novel.

·       Author Nancy Bilyeau did a great job of capturing the spirit and characters from the original novel.

·       I felt for Catherine and her trials trying to parent a strong-willed teenage daughter having one myself.

·       The story is told through the first-person point of view of Catherine.

·       I loved seeing that Catherine and Henry have a long and happy marriage.

·       I don’t want to spoil the story, but I also loved the Gothic elements.  It’s a perfect read for the fall.

·       I have enjoyed author Nancy Bilyeau’s novels in the past and have been greatly looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint.

·       Now I want to read The Vampyre by John Polidori as it is part of the plot. It’s an interesting look into how Gothic novels were changing during that time period.

·       Catherine and Phoebe like to discuss books together and I loved their discussion on Mary Shelley.

·       I would classify this book as a sequel, historical fiction, suspense, Gothic, and Regency.

Overall, The Heiress of Northanger Abbey by Nancy Bilyeau is an enjoyable Regency Gothic historical fiction novel that is a sequel to Northanger Abbey.  It’s got great historical elements a well as a good look into the Gothic fiction of that time. 

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

 

What types of books do you like to read on vacation?  I read all sorts of books and especially love escapism reads for vacation.  The Astral Library fit the bill for my vacation in August!

Alix Watson grew up in the foster care system and is struggling with adult life.  She works hard but can barely make ends meet.  Her one safe place has been libraries and her favorite books including classics and fantasy.  One day she stumbles upon a hidden library and a unique librarian which gives her a chance to choose a book world to live in. While Alix is making her decision, the librarian and library come under attack.  Will Alix be able to help save this magical place?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Have you ever wanted to live in a book?  This story answers that question.

·       It’s a love letter to libraries and book lovers everywhere. So many favorite books and characters were mentioned such as Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, etc.

·       I loved the thought of living in a magical world and how it helped vulnerable people to find a safe place.

·       Alix’s friend and love interest, Beau Sator-Jones was delightful.  He is a historical costume expert and designer.  He is fascinating and a good person.  The description of the fantastic costumes was riveting.  I love historical costumes!

·       Alix still has a lot of emotion and feelings about being left by her mother as a child.  She works through this most of the book and how to move on.

·       I liked the mysteries. What happened to Alix’s mom?  Who is trying to take over the library?

·       The Boston Public Library is a gateway to the Astral Library.  I liked the thought and imagery of your public library being the gateway to fantastic worlds.

·       I enjoyed that the librarian for the Astral Library was also a book dragon.

·       I would categorize this book as magical realism, fantasy, and contemporary.

Overall, The Astral Library by Kate Quinn was a wonderful escapism read perfect for book lovers.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 

Title:  The Book Thief

Author:  Markus Zusak

Narrated by:  Allan Corduner

Publisher: Listening Library

Length: Approximately 13 hour and 57 minutes

Source: Checked out in Libby from the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

What makes a book a classic?

Liesel has lost her family in 1939 Germany.  At her brother’s funeral, she picks up a copy of The Gravedigger’s Handbook that was accidentally left behind.  Her new life as a lover and stealer of books has arrived.  She is taken care of by a new foster family and grows up learning the complexity of trying to do good in a world that has forgotten its humanity.  Will Liesel, her friends, and foster family make it to the end of the war?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This is a powerful story.  This was a powerful book when I first read it fifteen years ago and was just as powerful on a reread, this time on audiobook.

·       This was the @dees.reads Classic Buddy Read for May, but I finished it up in June.  I am behind on my buddy reads!  I am still thinking about this book months later.

·       Liesel’s foster father, Hans Huberman, didn’t have much, but his kindness and care for others meant so much in troubled times, especially as so many ignored the suffering of others.

·       It was disturbing how many people blindly followed Hitler, and how many people didn’t want to say anything and rock the boat, even when they knew it was wrong.  It’s disturbing how much this is paralleled in modern times.

·       Allan Corduner was a powerful narrator on the audiobook.  Have your tissues handy as you listen to this one.

·       One major theme was how do you keep your humanity during terrible times?

·       The book was beautifully written and unique to have the story narrated by death.

·       Liesel has everyday cares and friends, but she lives during extraordinary times.

·       This book is classified as a young adult novel, but it is an important story that all adults should read as well.

Overall, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a must-read historical fiction classic that sticks with you long after you turn the last page.

The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie

Title:  The Labours of Hercules

Author:  Agatha Christie

Narrated by:  Hugh Fraser 

Publisher: HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 43 minutes 

Source: Purchased from Audible

Do you read short stories?  Do you have a favorite short story?

In this Hercule Poirot collection, the famous detective takes on twelve mysteries in the twelve short stories.  Each one is related to the Labours of Hercules in Greek mythology.  Poirot wants to solve these cases before he “retires.”  Since he spends fifty years coming in and out of retirement, I’m not sure that solving these mysteries will put him over the edge.  

My thoughts on this collection:

• I read this in June for the #ReadChristie2026 challenge.  “Best short story collection” was the theme for the month.

• I enjoyed this collection and found it to be very entertaining.  I like the links between the stories and how each case was unique.

• I listened on audiobook and Hugh Fraser was a great narrator as usual.

• The stories were very loosely connected.

• In the first story, Poirot finds a missing dog which I enjoyed.

Overall, The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie was an entertaining short story mystery collection.  Was it the best Christie short story collection?  I guess I need to read all the rest of her short story collections to decide for myself.

The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells

 

Do you have a favorite perfume?  I love the smell of perfume but have sensitive skin, so it has been a while since I have worn any.  My daughter loves perfume.

Elodie Limeaux works at her family’s perfume company in the south of France.  She is a lowly assistant chemist but has developed a perfume through the years that she believes will turn the company’s fortunes around. When her father rejects it, she is stunned. She proposes entering the Essence of Paris competition to keep their investor, Monsieur Caspari from sending production to America.  Elodie wants to she follows her late mother’s, Aurore’s, footsteps as a premier perfumer.  With the help of Monsieur Caspari’s son, Marcelo, will she be able to win the contest?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This was a delightful and engaging book that I could not put down.

·       I loved how plucky Elodie was with her love and obsession for perfumery.  It was in her blood, and she couldn’t be happy without it. 

·       There was a great romance between Elodie and Marcelo.  I loved that he shared her passion for perfumery.  He supported her and let her shine in her own accomplishments, unlike her father. 

·       Wonderful Paris setting in 1956.  The descriptions were fantastic.  I felt like I was there!

·       I loved Elodie’s grandmother and how she took Elodie shopping for a complete Parisian makeover.  I also loved the descriptions of the gowns.

·       I didn’t know much about the development of perfumes, and I enjoyed learning more about it.

·       Elodie’s father was a terrible person.

·       I like how Elodie found her mother’s perfume journals and was able to learn more about her.

·       There was a great author’s note at the end that described how women had a hard time establishing themselves in the world of perfume even in their own family companies.

Overall, The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells was an enchanting historical fiction novel with great characters set in the vivid world of 1950s France perfumeries.  I greatly enjoyed it.

Book Source: Thank-you William Morrow for the review copy!

The Silent Women by Tara Lynn Masih

 

Happy #bookbirthday to The Silent Women by Tara Lynn Masih! What is the job of the main character in your current read?

Song Holloway’s life is defined by hardship.  Her family survived Black Sunday in the dust bowl in 1935, but they had to leave their farm to travel east to live with her aunt.  Her father died working for the CCC and as a highschooler, she works on a farm and watches the skies for plans to help in the WWII effort.  When she graduates high school, her science teacher recommends her to work on a top-secret project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  Song meets many new people, learns new skills, and wonders what exact top-secret project she is working on.  When she is asked to spy on her friends, what will she do?  Will the new GI she met turn into more than a fleeting romance?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I liked the look at a life from the dust bowl as a little girl through WWII as a teenager and young adult, and then early married life after the war.  It was a good cross section of a life and showed how the greatest generation had to live through a lot of tough times.

·       I liked the family, friend, and acquaintance that Song met along the way.  She was able to make some deep connections with a lot of interesting people.

·       There is a great authors notes at the end of the novel on author Tara Lynn Masih’s inspirations for this book. She did a lot of great research to put this together.

·       I loved learning about the atomic city, Oak Ridge Tennessee and the unique life that the inhabitants lived.  Song’s job inspecting pipes for leaks is based on real job there.

·       Black Sunday during the dust bowl is vividly described.  One of my favorite quotes, “Song watched the blackening wall, like ballooning mountains, descend on them.  Mesmerized.  It was almost beautiful, with balls of dust in the curtain of what was now all fluffy black.”

·       I loved the theme of being able to heal and move on with life. Scarred, but moving forward.

·       I enjoyed that it wasn’t just a happily ever after story but was realistic look at what returning GIs had to face as well as women who had to leave their important war time jobs.  I would love to read more of Song’s story.

·       This would make a great movie!

Overall, The Silent Women by Tara Lynn Masih is a fascinating historical fiction novel with great characters.

Book Source:  Thank-you Storm Publishing, Tara Lynn Masih, and Get Red PR for the review copy of this book!

 

A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness by Wendy Speake

 

How is your prayer life?  Are you looking for inspiration?

A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving:  30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness by Wendy Speake is devotional that has a unique premise to have an “ask fast.”  Instead of praying to ask for something, this devotional asks you to instead praise God for thirty days.  The inspiration is Psalm 100:

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

A Psalm for giving thanks.

            [1] Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

            [2]       Serve the LORD with gladness!

                        Come into his presence with singing!

            [3] Know that the LORD, he is God!

                        It is he who made us, and we are his;

                        we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

            [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

                        and his courts with praise!

                        Give thanks to him; bless his name!

            [5] For the LORD is good;

                        his steadfast love endures forever,

                        and his faithfulness to all generations. (ESV)

Each day of the thirty-day period has a theme.  It starts with a Bible verse.  Author Wendy Speake describes her thoughts and life experiences on the Bible quote.  There are questions to make you think about your own faith and a great prayer at the end of the devotion.  There is also inspiration for journaling in each devotional.

Author Wendy Speake go the idea for the “ask fast” from a woman that she met on a plane trip who described how an “ask fast” had helped her faith journey.  The conclusion of this devotional had a great description of how writing the book has impacted the author.

This was a positive devotional that made me think about all I must be grateful for and how to not just focus on myself, but on God.  It was a good reminder that God should be praised in both good and bad times. 

A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving:  30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness by Wendy Speake is a positive devotional that will deepen your praise and gratitude for God.  It’s a perfect devotional for fall or any time of year.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @wpublishing @wendy_speake @tlcbooktours for a review copy of this book as part of the TLC Book Tour.

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

 

What is your favorite book/movie/show featuring witches?  I always loved watching Bewitched on reruns growing up.

Lilith has been having strange things happen to her lately including a reoccurring nightmare about being burned at the stake.  She feels called to visit Brackenmere Manor in England.  There she can see and interact with the past.  Her ancestress Sybil has been accused of being a witch in 1645.  She is an educated wealthy widow who helps others with her herbal medicines.  When she refuses to marry the local magistrate who has used violence against her in the past, he accuses her of witchcraft. Will Lilith be able to save Sybil?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I couldn’t put this book down – it was the most engaging book I’ve read in recent months.

·       It is a dual timeline novel set in current day and 1645 England.

·       I would classify this book as fantasy, historical fiction, historical fantasy, witches, Halloween, and magical realism.

·       It was horrifying and scary to see how the women accused of witchcraft were treated.  It seemed to be a way to punish women who wouldn’t do what a man wanted, a way to get your neighbors property, or just a way to punish a woman who used herbal remedies or was an old woman living on her own.

·       I enjoyed the Last Bookshop in London by this author.  I need to read more of her works.

·       There is a wonderful author’s note at the end detailing the real witch trials. Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England was the site of witch trials in 1645.

·       The romance between Lilith and Asher in the present timeline was nice. I liked how they seemed to be fated to be together.

·       The women in prison in the past supported each other through the most difficult of times. I enjoyed their camaraderie.

·       There was a bit of a twist at the end that I enjoyed.

·       I loved the characters such as Lilith’s best friend Cassie, who is always there for her.  She was also part of a plot point that reminded me of Back to the Future as Lilith seems to fade from the present as she can’t get past events changed.

Overall, A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin was a very engaging dual timeline novel that is an especially perfect read for fall.

Book Source:  Thank-you @angelamelamud and Hanover Square Press for the review copy.

Things We Cannot Keep by Amanda Cox

 

Thank you to @amandacoxwrites, @revellfiction, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of Things We Cannot Keep.

Do you have a special item from a friend or relative that helps you remember them?

Tess Holcomb has built a business with a partner, Amos, in Alabama to repair time pieces and other family treasures.  She has kept her past in her past and has moved on with her life. That is until Elliot Sullivan appears at her shop.  Is he looking for forgiveness after eighteen years or does he have an ulterior motive?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I was intrigued by Tess.  I wanted to know more about her past and why she wanted to start a new life.  I like how the story unfolded and gave me all the details.

·       Timeless Restoration was such a unique shop.  The stories of the items that were to be restored were so interesting in themselves.

·       I enjoyed the mysterious package and how they worked together to solve the mystery.

·       This novel had great characters, especially Tess, Elliot, and Amos.

·       I enjoyed the themes of forgiveness, redemption and choosing happiness.

·       I would categorize this book as second chance romance, contemporary romance, road trip, clean read, and inspirational.

·       I loved thinking about the history of the mysterious watch and all the lives it impacted. 

·       There is trauma in this novel from childhood abuse.

·       I think this would be a great book club pick as it would prompt a lot of discussion.

Overall, Things We Cannot Keep by Amanda Cox is a compelling, heartfelt story with great characters.

The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz

 

Title:  The Heiress and the Woodsman

Author:  Christine Hill Suntz

Narrated by:  Cassandra Campbell

Publisher: Tyndale Fiction

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Thank you to, @christinehillsuntz, @tyndalehouse, @crazy4fiction, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of physical version of The Heiress and the Woodsman.  I purchased the audiobook copy from Audible.

What is the setting of your current read?

Charlotte Carruthers is trying to hold her family estate near Toronto together.  Her mother died years ago, and the family fortunes have foundered.  Her brother Simon left, and rumor has it that he has joined the rebels.  Reputation is everything to Charlotte’s ailing father, the famed hero Major Carruthers of the Battle of Waterloo.  Charlotte runs off into the wilderness to find her brother to bring him home to help restore the family’s fortunes and standing.  She hires guide, Joshua Robertson.  Joshua needs the money to buy out his brother’s indentured servant contract.  His farm in the bush is not producing enough to afford this extra expense.  Will Charlotte find her brother?  Will Joshua free his brother?  Will these two find a connection?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I liked Joshua and Charlotte’s relationship through the story.  They slowly grew to know and understand each other.  They are both caring people that like to help others.

·       I enjoyed the novel The Lawyer and the Laundress last year and I liked that some of the characters from that novel made an appearance in this novel.

·       The setting is 1830s Canada near Toronto and the wilderness north. I was very interested in the Canadian history.

·       I would label this book as a historical romance, adventure, clean read, and inspirational.

·       I liked the look at community and how it is important.  I also enjoyed the look at what makes a family.

·       I loved the relationship between Charlotte and Scarlett the horse she raised.

·       This book had great characters.  I liked Fulton.  He works at Charlotte’s family estate and helps to care for her.

·       I listened to audiobook, and it was very engaging.

·       I do wish there was a map in the physical version. I would have liked to track their travels through the wilderness.  I know where Toronto is, but I wasn’t sure where the bush or wilderness discussed where at.

·       I liked the journey in this book and also enjoyed the aftermath.

Overall, The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz is an engaging historical romance adventure set in the wilderness of Canada in the 1830s.  I recommend it!