Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie

 

Title:  Elephants Can Remember

Author:  Agatha Christie

Narrated by:  Hugh Fraser

Publisher: HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 5 hours and 36 minutes

Source: Checked out with Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

Do you like to read more than one book at once?  I am usually reading a physical book, ebook, and audiobook at the same time.

I read Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie last month for #ReadChristie2024.  #ReadChristie2024 has a theme this year of through the decades.  January – March were books published by Agatha Christie in the 1920’s, April through June were books published by Agatha Christie in the 1930’s, July through September were books published by Agatha Christie in the 1940s and 1950s, and October through December were books published by Agatha Christie in the 1960s and 1970s.   Elephants Can Remember was published in 1972 and was the last novel written to feature Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver.  Curtain:  Poirot’s Last Case was published after this but was written in the 1940s.  This is the December selection for #ReachChristie2024, but my hold came in October so that was when I read it!

Author Ariadne Oliver is at a literary luncheon when a strange woman, Mrs. Burton-Cox states that her son Desmond is engaged to Ariadne Oliver’s goddaughter, Celia.  She wants to know, did Celia’s mother kill her father or did her father kill her mother?  Both were shot with a revolver, found between them, with both of their fingerprints, and none other on them.  This sparks Ariadne’s curiosity, and she starts to investigate the cold case.  Will she be able to solve it using other’s memories from twelve years ago?  Will her friend, Hercule Poirot, be able to help her out?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I like how Ariadne is the primary investigator in this novel with help from her friend, Hercule Poirot.

·       The phrase “elephants can remember” comes up a lot.  People state it discussing how elephants remember everything.  This novel deals with memories and how they play into being interviewed, and oral testimony.

·       Always trust the dog, the family dog bit Celia’s mother the month before her death.  Why?  I liked that the mystery was partially solved by the actions of the dog.

·       This book features twins.  I always like when twins are in a mystery.

·       This book again brings up adoption and “real parents” and “real kids.”  This type of language made me uncomfortable.

·       This time I did mostly figure out the conclusion, but I still enjoyed the journey and explanation from Hercule Poirot.

·       Hugh Fraser is a great narrator for Agatha Christie’s novels.

Overall, Elephants Can Remember was an interesting Agatha Christie mystery dealing with memory set in the 1970s.

The Queen’s Faithful Companion by Eliza Knight (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of The Queen’s Faithful Companion by Eliza Knight.

What is your favorite book featuring dogs?  I have so many favorites.  One favorite is The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford.

The Queen’s Faithful Companion by Eliza Knight is the story of the extraordinary relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and her faithful corgi, Susan.  Susan was a gift from her father, King George VI, on her 18^th birthday.  Susan is with her through her service in WWII, courtship and marriage to Philip, the birth of her first child Charles, and her accension to the throne.  She couldn’t care for her dogs and be Queen without her loyal helpers.  Hanna Penwyck helps to care for Susan when she isn’t with the Queen and has her own ups and downs in life. 

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I really enjoyed the three different viewpoints of this novel – Queen Elizbeth, Susan, and Hanna Penwyck.  It was interesting to contrast and compare Elizabeth and Hanna’s lives.  They were in the same girl guide troop at Windsor as children, but now lead different, but interconnected lives.

·       I thought this was an interesting and unique way to tell the story of Queen Elizabeth’s younger years and Great Britain during that time period.

·       I love dogs and this made me think about whether a corgi would be right for me in the future.  Daisy Beagle says no.  I enjoyed that Susan the corgi had her own viewpoint.  It was also interesting thinking through what life would be like for a royal dog.

·       I was very stressed out with work and getting ready for my oldest son’s graduation party when I was reading this book.  I found this book to be stress-relieving and a pleasant diversion.  It is a great cozy read.

·       I enjoyed the romance between Philip and Elizabeth.

·       I always enjoy a good author’s note.  In this novel, it discusses the writing process in creating this work of historical fiction as well the real person that Hanna was based upon. 

·       It’s interesting to think that Susan was the matriarch of such a long line of royal corgis – 14 generations.

·       Favorite Quote, “Dogs truly are our soulmates, our protectors in things that might harm us from the outside as much as things that harmed us from within.”

Overall, The Queen’s Faithful Companion by Elizia Knight is a wonderful cozy historical fiction read perfect for dog lovers.

The Museum of Lost Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of The Museum of Lost Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini.

Do you quilt?  Quilting is something I’ve always wanted to do, but it is going to have to wait until my kids are out of the house.  

Summer Sullivan has returned to Elm Creek Manor for the summer.  She is hoping the manor will help her with her writer’s block so that she can finish her master’s degree in history.  While there, Summer discovers that antique quilts have been found in the old Union Hall building built in 1863.  The Waterford Historical Society is headquartered there, but a local developer wants to rip down the historic structure.  As Summer researches the antique quilts and history of the town, she discovers unsettling secrets from the towns past.  The local leaders want these secrets taken out of the antique quilt exhibit as they don’t show the community in a positive light.  Will Summer be able to save Union Hall and keep the antique quilt exhibit open, while keeping true to the town’s history?  Will she be able to finish her master’s degree?

My thoughts on the book:

·       This is the 22^nd book in the Elm Creek Quilts series.  I read the last book in this series, The Christmas Boutique, but I haven’t read the rest of the series.  This book can be read as a standalone.  It gives enough background to get into the story, but I’m sure if I read the rest of the series, I would get even more out of it!  I need to start reading this series at book one.

·       Even though I am not a quilter; I find it fascinating and love reading about these women.  The women at the quilting camps at Elm Creek Manor come from all back grounds and range from master quilters to beginning quilters.

·       Elm Creek Manor and all the ladies are very welcoming.  Reading this book makes me want to go on a retreat. It was a very cozy read.

·       I also love historic buildings and the saving of them.  Elm Creek Manor itself was saved and repurposed, but I enjoyed reading about the Union Hall and the history of the antique quilts.  Summer wrote about both historical accomplishments and failures, and it caused strife in the town. I thought it was interesting to think about how sometimes when we find out that history is not all positive that we would like it to be, we want to cover it up.  I’d rather learn all the history and be able to learn from mistakes. 

·       I enjoyed reading Summer’s descriptions of the quilts that was interspersed between chapters.  The historic quilts and her search to find out their history was fascinating.  I especially loved the author’s quilt which had blocks with famous authors’ signatures from the 19^th century.  What a treasure that would be.  It made me wonder, are there quilts stored at museums or by historical societies? 

·       There is a bit of a sweet light romance in this novel as well.

·       This is a clean read.

·       Jennifer Chiaverini is a Wisconsin author based out of Madison.  She also writes wonderful historical fiction novels that I also enjoy, including her latest, The Canary Girls.

Overall, The Museum of Lost Quilts was a perfect cozy read with great characters and message.  I’ve been super busy and stressed lately and this was a perfect escapism read.

Lady Osbaldestone’s Plum Puddings by Stephanie Laurens

 Title:  Lady Osbaldestone’s Plum Puddings 

Author:  Stephanie Laurens

Narrated by:  Helen Lloyd

Publisher: Stephanie Laurens

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 53 minutes 

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Do you have any specific subgenres that are a favorite?  I LOVE regency romance Christmas novels.  This seems like a very specific subgenre, but I love it.  I realized in December that I was lacking Christmas regency romance novels, so I decided it was time to return to the world of Lady Osbaldestone.  Lady Osbaldestone’s Plum Puddings is the third book in this series.

Therese, Lady Osbaldestone, is happy to welcome her grandchildren for a visit during the Christmas season to her estate in the village of Little Moseley.  The children gather donations for plum puddings to be made for the entire village when they discover that some of the coins they collected are ancient Roman coins.  Where did these coins come from and is there more Roman artifacts to be found?  

I love this series and I loved this book.  It’s a sweet and gentle story full of regency Christmas traditions.  The characters are fun, and I enjoyed the star-crossed romance in this book. I feel like I am visiting the village of Little Mosely each Christmas when I read one of these books.  I sadly only have one left in this series.  

I also enjoyed the cozy mystery in this book, and I was intrigued by the ancient Roman find myself.  It was a fun treasure hunt.

Helen Lloyd was a great narrator and I enjoyed listening to this audiobook.

What Would Jane Austen Do? By Linda Corbett (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

What authors do you look to for inspiration?  Like Maddy, the main character of What Would Jane Austen Do?, Austen is an author I look to for inspiration.

Maddy Shaw has just found out two life changing items.  The first is that her “Dear Jane” advice column has been cancelled and she is now out of a job. The second is that her long lost cousin Nigel has left her an estate. Before she can make plans to sell it, she finds out that the will stipulates that she live there for a year and it also provides her a small housekeeping allowance.  She is also now the chair of the local literary festival.  After discovering that a famous author, Cameron Massey (aka real name Luke), that she had an awkward interview with previously lives in this village, will she be able to get over her past prejudice to get to know him?  Why did Cousin Nigel move to America and then back to the UK without telling his family?  Where did he get all of his money?  Why does Cameron’s first best seller match the plot of a news article that Maddy has found amongst Cousin Nigel’s things?

What Would Jane Austen Do? is a lovely romantic comedy novel that kept me entertained.  I loved Maddy’s fish out of water story as she settles into the village and gets to know her new house and all of the people in the village.  I also loved the little mysteries that she needed to figure out and I wanted to know the answers too!  I loved the chemistry between Maddy and Cameron (Luke) with its enemies to lovers vibe.  This was a closed-door romance, which I appreciated.

It's no secret that I love Jane Austen.  I greatly enjoyed how each chapter of this book started with a wonderful (and related to the story) Jane Austen quote.  I also loved how Maddy would often think about her literary heroine, Jane Austen, as she made decisions about her life.

Overall, this is a delightful cozy novel that is a perfect summer (or any time of year) read.

Book Source: Review Copy from author Linda Corbett, HarperCollinsUK, and NetGalley.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: What Would Jane Austen Do?

·       Author: Linda Corbett

·       Genre: Contemporary Romance, Austenesque Fiction, RomCom

·       Publisher: ‎HarperCollinsUK (June 16, 2023)

·       Length: (384) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-0008554583

·       Tour Dates: August 14 – September 11, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

It's a truth often acknowledged that when a journalist and Jane Austen fan girl ends up living next door to a cynical but handsome crime writer, romantic sparks will fly!

When Maddy Shaw is told her Dear Jane column has been cancelled she has no choice but to look outside of London’s rental market. That is until she’s left an idyllic country home by the black sheep of the family, long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel.

But of course, there’s a stipulation… and not only is Maddy made chair of the committee for the annual village literary festival, she also has to put up with bestselling crime author –and romance sceptic – Cameron Massey as her new neighbor.

When Maddy challenges Cameron to write romantic fiction, which he claims is so easy to do, sparks fly both on and off the page…

 

PRAISE FOR WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?

·       “Witty, sharp and beautifully observed – I feel sure Jane would approve.”— Julie Caplin, author of The French Chateau

 

·       “Sparkling romance, secrets from the past…Witty and romantic, I couldn’t stop myself from turning the pages.”— Alison Sherlock, bestselling author of The Village of Lost and Found

 

·       “…sheer fun from beginning to end, beautifully written, and with a real touch of originality.”— Anne Williams, Being Anne

 

·       “What a lovely book! It also fills my need to see British colloquialisms on occasion. Yes! I highly recommend this book!”— Michelle, Tales Untangled

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | HARPERCOLLINS | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

 

AUTHOR BIO

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is treasurer and fundraiser for Shine Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. Love You From A-Z is her first published novel.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

 

Miss Julia’s Marvelous Makeover by Ann B. Ross

 

What is your cozy place to read?  I like to read in my reading nook at home, on a sofa with a big window and my cats nearby.

Miss Julia’s Marvelous Makeover was the August pick for the Page-turners’ Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  It is the fifteenth book in the Miss Julia series and it’s the first book I’ve read.  Miss Julia is a middle-aged woman who lives in a small town in the South.  Her world is shaken up when her husband decides to run for office and her cousin sends her granddaughter, Trixie, to stay with Miss Julia for the summer without asking.  She is hoping that Julia can help make Trixie over.  Will Miss Julia be able to help Trixie?

Miss Julia’s Marvelous Makeover is a cozy read.  It’s life in a small town.  Not much really happens.  It’s a very readable book, but it was a slower read for me as it didn’t really hook me.  I think if I would have read the entire series, I would have cared more about all of the characters, but it was fine as a standalone.

Book Source:  The Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon (Book Tour, Review, and Giveaway)

 Have you ever read a book that captures your mood perfectly?

 I LOVED The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady.  Once I started this cozy read, I couldn’t put it down.  The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry knits together at the church prayer chapel each Wednesday.  They are shocked one Wednesday to discover that the chapel is closed down for painting and their pastor tells them that he wants them to take their ministry out into the world.  How are they supposed to pray at a shopping mall? Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran pack their knitting bags and try it out.  The new people they encounter have problems of their own that could use some prayer.  Will these ladies be able to spread their ministry and also solve their own issues?

 I loved that each character was fully fleshed and had a compelling story of their own.  I loved that the overall message was that making human connections with people and caring for them, makes the world a better place.  We all need that human connection and caring for the greater good.  I also loved the theme of mother and child relationships and being able to take the time to forgive and say goodbye.  There was also a good theme of not judging others as you don’t know their full story.  The story was very well written and engaging.  I need to read more from Sharon J. Mondragon.

 I also really liked that this is a Christian book that is actually a Christian book. Many Christian books are labeled Christian as they have a chaste romance, but do not actually have any discussion of Christianity.  This book actual has prayer, a church, church services, and trying to evangelize in the community to bring in new members.  It also applied Christian teachings such as forgiveness.  I especially loved the description of the Christmas Eve service and the lighting of the candles.  Jane has a moment where she realized that instead of blowing out the candles, you could be the candle that stays lit and brings the message out to your home and community.  I loved this.

 Favorite Quotes:

“Apparently, like most women of a certain age, they were virtually invisible.”

 “Luck is random.  Blessing is from God.”

 Overall, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a truly wonderful novel with great characters and message that will stick with me.

Book Source:  Review copy from Kregel Publications for being a part of the Book Tour.  Thank-you.

From the Publisher About the Book:

 

A knitting group’s change of scenery changes lives in unexpected ways

 Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.

 Uptight Margaret isn’t having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret—grumbling the whole way—to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.

 Without the familiar mold the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community--or will the tangle be too much to unravel?

 Sharon J. Mondragon’s debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.

 To read an excerpt of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady click here.

About the author:

 Sharon J. Mondragón

writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest.

 Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.

 Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.

 Visit Sharon Mondragón’s website and blog at www.sharonjmondragon.com and follow her on Facebook (Sherry Mondragón) and Twitter (@SJ_Mondragón). 

Giveaway:

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