What the Wenches are Reading in March!

Pat here, joining the other wenches in bringing you new books and old favorites to fill your days as we watch spring pass by from our quarantines. I hope all of you are staying well and not ready to kill your families yet!

My contribution this month is from a wench favorite, Barbara O’Neal (Barbara Samuels in historicals)—a contemporary women’s fiction titled WHEN WE BELIEVED IN MERMAIDS.

I’ve read Barbara in her very many incarnations from historical romance to contemporary category romance to women’s fiction, and I love it all. She’s an emotion-wrenching writer, and it’s impossible to read her without laughing and crying. It’s also impossible not to be swept into the world of her creation. I’ve saved this book for months. The anticipation of knowing it was in my reading pile for a day when I really needed it made me happy. I finally gave myself permission to open it, and it was well worth the wait. I savored every word.

Keep in mind, these books are heart-wrenching for a reason. In this one, we have two broken women from a destructive family, women who saved themselves, but not without scars and untold damage. Josie, the older, abused, addict sister disappears in a terrorist bombing. Kit, the younger, more sheltered sister, goes on to become a physician who cannot allow herself to love. When Kit sees her sister’s face on the TV news, in a country half-way around the world, her shell starts to crack.

Their stories unfold layer by layer, peeling back the years and the fears and leaving them raw and naked—and in a far better place for recovering what was once lost. This is a gem of a book. The descriptions of Auckland keep the reader grounded in reality while the characters come to life. There’s a love story, and it is rich and wonderful as well. Please, try this book!

Anne’s bit:

Anne here. I've read quite a few books in the last month — it's my main form of relaxation. I've read and enjoyed some of the wenchly recommendations from last month: Pat talked about Sarah Kate Lynch's The Wedding Bees, which was fun and lighthearted, and since I'm a beekeeper, I had to read it. 

Nicola mentioned Louise Douglas and I read and enjoyed several of her books, including The House By the Sea, which was good, but a bit creepy (I'm a wimp) .

Nicola also recommended When Adam Met Evie, and I read and enjoyed that, too. 

I also read Deanna Raybourn's latest, A Murderous Relation -- the usual sort of fun.

And thanks to a wonderful wenchly reader, I was able to read a Mary Balogh novella, Rogues Downfall, that came up in discussion recently -- thanks for the link, Denise.

I read several books by Julie Caplin -- pleasant, lighthearted escapes to different parts of the world. She's written a series, each book with a bakery or similar at the heart of it. I started with The Little Paris Patisserie, in which Nina Hadley is asked to help run a patisserie course with a crush of her youth -- her brother's best friend, Sebastian Finlay, now a high-flying chef and restauranteur. Of course she's over her crush. (Yeah, right!) She finds herself in a once popular but now run down little cafe, which Sebastian plans to demolish, and slowly, with Sebastian's attention elsewhere, she and a motley collection of friends and acquaintances start to restore it. Fun and heartwarming, not to mention slightly mouthwatering. 

Then I discovered that Julie Caplin also writes as Jules Wake, and I glommed her books as well and enjoyed them also.  I started with Notting Hill in the Snow.

Another book I read was Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn. This was a fun read. Meg Mackworth creates beautiful hand-lettered invitations and cards, and sometimes a subconscious (or is it?) message slips in to the design. When analyst Reid Sutherland noticed a pattern in his wedding invitation -- the wedding that was cancelled -- he confronts her. And that's a cute start to a fun book.

And right now I'm deep in the latest Patricia Briggs book, Smoke Bitten.

 

Nicola here. This month I picked up a debut Mills & Boon historical The Warrior Knight and the Widow by Ella Matthews. It’s medieval-set and also a “road trip” story. Sir Braedan Leofric is tasked with escorting Ellena, Lady Swein, back to her father’s castle through various perils and challenges. It’s a well-paced and exciting journey through danger, during which Ellena and Braedan get to know one another, fight to protect each another and fall in love. Both Ellena and Braedan are very appealing characters. She is a strong and determined woman used to running her own household, he is her father’s most trusted knight, battle-scarred and with a terrifying reputation. The relationship between the two of them is particularly well written and multi-layered. Braedan is my favourite sort of hero, honourable beneath a gruff exterior, and his vulnerability as well as his strength is well described. Ellena has to overcome her fears of marriage and there are other barriers keeping them apart in a lovely romance that I really enjoyed.

 

Andrea here, Strangely enough, I haven’t been reading as much as usual this month. I’m not a TV person, but for some reason, decided to start the Miss Fisher mysteries on streaming (I know, I know, what took me so long) and have been glomming them. Watching is very relaxing.

Clearly they put me in a very Aussie state of mind because I’ve also gone and re-read A Few Right Thinking Men, the first mystery in Sulari Gentil’s wonderful Rowland Sinclair series. (Sulari was a recent guest here.) Her cast of characters is so interesting, with richly nuanced personalities, and her writing sharp and engaging. Sinclair is from a wealthy and prominent family, but he’s a free-spirited artist, whose radical friends make him even more of a black sheep to his very straitlaced family. The mystery is very timely, as he’s drawn into investigating the murder of  his uncle, which leads him to infiltrate the inner circle of a rising star right wing politician. It’s a very thoughtful and well done plot and I highly recommend it.

Cavalier, by Lucy Worsley is a fun into the world of William Cavendish and the court of King Charles I. His family had a heritage of building great houses, and the reader gets an inside peek at the process of designing and building one of the great houses of the realm. If you like horses, chivalry and interior design, this will be a delight! Worsley, an expert historian of Britain’s grand houses and palaces, writes with a scholarly yet entertaining tone.

And I’ve just started the The Guns at Last Light, the third book in Rick Atkinson’s wonderful trilogy on WWII and the liberation of Europe. (He won the Pulitzer Prize for the first book, which I loved.) He combines lyrical writing on the people and the ambiance of the actual setting—what it felt like to be on one of the transport ships as the troops crossed before dawn  to the Normandy beaches—as well as detailed accounts of the battle. To me, it’s history writing at its best, giving both the facts and the personal dramas—the difficult decisions, the heartbreaking sacrifices, the moments of quiet heroism—that make the past come alive and have relevance for us today.

Susan here:

Two books about dark forests and entangled mysteries--just a coincidence in my March reading, but worth recommending. I've been wanting to read Ruth Ware, hearing good things, and finally found time for it. In A Dark, Dark Wood was a good place to start. It opens with Nora, a writer, in the hospital, coming out of a coma, injured and amnesiac, unsure what's going on. Flashbacks begin to piece it together for her, but she can't get to the truth, despite police guards outside her room. She remembers being invited to a hen party for a friend she hasn't seen in years and preferred to forget, but she and another friend decide to join others in a house in the woods. Odd tensions in the group and mysterious intruders create a strange atmosphere, but things escalate before Nora can leave. Interspersed with flash forwards to the hospital room as police question her, Nora can't remember killing anyone, but realizes she may have. Ware creates interesting, realistic characters and a twisty, turny, intelligent plot with a quick pace. I enjoyed it quite a bit and will read another of Ware's mysteries soon.

 

By my reading chair is also Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood. Alice and her mother live a nomadic life, going place to place, bad luck following them around, but the mom would never ask for help from Alice's grandmother, now deceased--a famous author of dark fairy tales that have a cult status. When her mother disappears, Alice and her friend, Ellery, a superfan of the grandmother's fairy tales, follow a trail of clues that lead them deep into a mysterious wood that soon doesn't seem earthly at all. Beautifully crafted with gorgeous prose and a very deft hand, this compelling novel gets darker with every step--like entering a very dark and dense enchanted forest, with evil entwined throughout. Along the way, we learn more about Alice and who she truly is, along with the real story of her mom and grandmother. Where that leads--to the next book in the series, The Night Country--seems fascinating. First, though, I might try reading something lighter and then work my way back to the dark woods! 

 

Mary Jo here.  Pat suggested that we could post feel-good reads, and given that fact that we're living in Interesting Times, I've been doing a lot of rereading of books I love. 

Happily, two of my favorite authors (who happen to be Wenches, what a coincidence!) have books coming out soon, and I've been able to read them both early  (Yes, I am smug and entitled. <G>) 

Andrea Penrose's A Tangle of Serpents, #6 in the Lady Arianna Regency mystery series, will be released on April 6th, and it's good twisty fun with old characters and new, and it gave me a desire to reread the first book in the series, Sweet Revenge.  All the books are good, but I'm particularly fond of Sweet Revenge because it's also a romance that is subtle but powerful and an essential element of the series.  The heroine, Lady Arianna Hadley, had a hellacious upbringing and is as shifty, dangerous, and suspicious as a snarling half-grown wildcat.  Sandro, the half-Spanish Earl of Saybrook, is a badly wounded and strung out former British intelligence officer when circumstances force them to seek a common enemy. A great story and lots of chocolate porn.  <G>

Marry in Scarlet, the fourth and last book of Anne Gracie's Marriage of Convenience series, will be out at the end of May, and it's terrific.  It was also a good excuse to reread Marry in Secret, #3 in the series.  Lady Rose Rutherford is an independent and unpredictable heiress, and a passionless marriage of convenience to the cold-blooded Duke of Everingham will guarantee her freedom.  BUT--don't you just love it when a couple standing at the altar are interrupted by a savage looking man blasting into the church to shout, "STOP!"  Well, I do. <G>  Because Rose did marry in secret, and the young naval officer she married turned out not to be dead after all. So now what??? Lots of interesting twists and turns as two near strangers figure out what to do with each other when so much has changed.   

Which brings me to Jennifer Crusie's Bet Me, one of my all time favorite romantic comedies.  Minerva Dobbs is an actuary how to calculate the odds.  Calvin Morrisey always plays to win.  To win a bet, Cal asks Min on a date.  Despite a very good dinner, they pretty much can't stand each other and decide they never want to see each other again. 

Then, to quote the blurb on Amazon: "But fate has other plans, and it's not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon they're dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all---true love." 

Bet Me is also about body image, self acceptance, fairy tales, great shoes, and the horror that can be caused by pursuit of a Perfect Wedding.  Humor is very individual, but I find it one of the funniest books I've read--and reread!  If you haven't read it, maybe it's time.  And if you have--maybe it's time to read it again.  <G> 

 

Joanna here. I've found two books that had me laughing. The first is The Man Who Wrote Dirty Books by Hal Dresner, an epistolary novel and a funny one.

A writer who's been making his living turning out naughty books has taken himself off to a remote cabin in the woods to get some peace and quiet and finally finish a Serious Novel. Unfortunately his past catches up with him. His last book featured an adventurous lass named Bibsy Dibbs. It turns out there's a real Bibsy and her father threatens him with horsewhipping. Also lawsuits. Much correspondence ensues.

The other book is Ben Aaronovitch's Urban Fantasy, False Values, the latest adventures of Peter Grant.

The mixed-race Londoner, policeman and apprentice wizard, is under cover this time, moving through encounters with magical creatures, advanced artificial intelligence, and the labyrinthine office cubicles of the computer nerd. I really love Grant's cynical and observant eye on life and London.

 

Pat again--

Fair trade--now tell us what you've been reading! The recommendations we receive from our readers will keep us fueled for another month, so we appreciate all suggestions!

 

 

Comments

[Susan/DC]

I loved "Love Lettering". The hero is one of my favorites: gorgeous, intense, a bit unsocial, brilliant, and when he focuses all of that energy and intelligence on the heroine, he is totally irresistible. I also very much liked Anne Youngson's "Meet Me at the Museum". It is an epistolary novel of self-discovery and growing love between an English farmer's wife and a Danish museum curator, recently widowed. These unsettling times have led me to find comfort in some good rereads, among them "Alicia" by Laura Matthews, where she handles the issue of prior sexual trauma quite well, I think, especially within the confines of a trad Regency. Some recent books I've read have made the issue too easily resolved by the hero's magic sexual charisma, but this shows that the problem is not solved by a few kisses but take much patience and understanding on the hero's part.

[Mary M.]

Ooh, groan ... I've already maxed out my digital Holds limit ... now mooorre books standing in line. I love it!

I, too, loved Wedding Bees, a real charmer.

Currently reading The Moon in the Palace and Empress of the Bright Moon (The Empress of Bright Moon Duology) by Weina Dai Randel, the story of China"s "only" female Emperor. (I say "only" because, um, Empress Cizi??) These books are stunning, both because of the intimacy and richness of the author's skill and imagination and for some gritty once-read-cannot-be-unread scenes. Highly recommended, but maybe not for the squeamish.

[Karin]

Good morning from the East Coast of the U.S.. I hope everyone is staying well. I have been doing a lot of baking, and not much reading, and apparently so has everyone else! I haven't been out to the stores in 10 days, but I hear flour and yeast are hard to come by. I read "Chasing Cassandra" by Lisa Kleypas. It did not supplant my favorite of her books, but it was nice light fun. I would rate it a solid "B".
The one book that really captured my interest was "Ayesha at Last". It's an homage to Pride & Prejudice, set in the Indian Muslim community of Toronto, Canada. The characters were so engaging that I had trouble putting it down. Some events in the book echo P&P very closely. The hero makes a horrible first proposal that is rejected; he has a troublesome older relative who tries to keep the couple apart, and the heroine has a younger female cousin who gets involved in a scandal. An altogether delightful romantic comedy!

[Jeanette Dilts]

All winter my reading has taken a sharp turn to a differnt genre to thriller/mystery. It started with Blue Heaven by C. J. Box and I went through all of his books esp. enjoying the Joe Picket (WY game and fish officer) series. Some violence. Discussions with my sister led me to the Dana Stabenow series (an Aleut investigator in Alaska) and to Louise Penny and her Chief Inspector Gamache series set in Quebec, Canada where Ms. Penny actually lives. The action in Penny books is nowhere near as fast paced as the other two authors' work but her characters are awesome and her sense of humor has be laughing aloud. I'm about to start The Nature of the Beast. Our lives haven't changed much with the Stay in Place order in Michigan. We shop less and my husband's Drs. visits are conducted over the phone. Praying for the world here with special prayers for those who aren't introverts/hermits like myself. I know how hard this isolation is for them emotionally.

[Patricia Rice]

oh lovely, let the reading begin! I used to scarf up Laura Matthews. I need to dive back into the pile again. I really need the kind of books that drag me into the story and don't let go.

[Patricia Rice]

OK, I'll put off reading those to a time when I can handle gritty. Right now I want soft comfy and amusing!

[Patricia Rice]

I hear ya on the baking. It's butter that's been hard to come by here. And once I run out, I'm trying not to run to the store for more.

I've been disappointed by so many homages to P&P that I've quit reading them. I'll give this one a peek though

[Patricia Rice]

I'm not entirely certain even the hermits are protected from this isolation. I'm an introverted hermit with agoraphobia issues, so I have to get out of the house or never leave. I doubt that I'm the only one, but at least I recognize my problem. Not everyone does. So yes, these times are hard for everyone in one way or another. Glad you're finding the right reading material. I love Louise Penny but I'm always wary of books with tension and violence, so I'm not sure about the thrillers!

[Pamela DG]

I've been attacking my TBR pile and ebook queue. This month I read the fifth Jacqueline Winspear "Maisie Dobbs" book "An Incomplete Revenge." I love that Maisie is healing from her psychological wounds she suffered during WWI as a nurse at a clearing station in France, embracing her heritage, and discovering herself as she investigates her cases. I finished a book I had thrown into my DNF pile because I am interested in the following books in the series. "The Dutchess Project" by Sabrina Jeffries has been a challenge to me. It hit on several of my pet peeves; however, I powered through it and the last half of the book redeemed it for me as an overarching mystery was introduced to pull all the loose plot skeins together in to the beginning into a cohesive series arch. Kelly Bowen is a new author to me. I read her Novella "Lady in Red." It was a good example of the "lady in disguise" trope. I loved how her heroine interacted with her heroine not only as herself, but in her guise as a male artist. I also read Grace Burrowes' "Forever and a Duke," and Johanna Lindsey's "Temptation's Darling," both of which I enjoyed immensely. The TBR contains some "WenchWerks." It looks like next month I'll introduce myself to Andrea's Lady Ariana series, and Anne's "Marriage of Convenience" Series.

[Janet]

Smoke Bitten was great - Patricia Briggs never disappoints! I'm in the middle of Protect the Prince by Jennifer Estep, whose Spider series is an auto-buy. This one is more of a fantasy setting, but there is still magic and shape-shifting ogres!
But last night I interrupted my paranormal streak to read Five Windows by D.E. Stevenson - a comfort read if ever there was one.

[Minna]

I can't tell you how sorry I am this one hasn't been translated in English: at the moment I'm reading Lentsu (Flu) by Veikko Huovinen. It's a humorous story about seasonal flu, hopping from one nose to the next and laughing while it does it. I'm also reading When Cultures Collide by Richard D. Lewis.

[Jeanette Dilts]

We live in the middle of 80 acres so it's easy to get out and interact with the farm critters, wild life, gardens, or just take a walk without other folks about. I know how lucky we are. There are so many people who just need to physically interact with others to keep their emotional energy up. So many are stressed by the isolation. I'm trying to either message or call the family and friends that I know need more outside contacts.

[Kareni]

Sending good health vibes to us all and to the world. I'm enjoying learning what everyone has been reading and have added some titles to my ever-growing list.

Since last time ~

— Stars Beyond (Stars Uncharted Book 2) by SK Dunstall. I enjoyed this; however, the Linesman series is still my favorite Dunstall work.
— the historical romance A Wicked Kind of Husband (Longhope Abbey) by Mia Vincy; this had some amusing dialogue that had me laughing aloud. I’ll definitely be happy to read more by this author.
— enjoyed reading/browsing Drawing and Painting Beautiful Faces: A Mixed-Media Portrait Workshop by Jane Davenport though I did not do any of the projects. I did take away some ideas.
— a new book Kingdomtide by Rye Curtis. This was an interesting and relatively quick read; it had many dysfunctional characters and an abundance of merlot … much merlot … megaliters of merlot.
— Hello Forever by Sarina Bowen which is a contemporary male/male romance; I enjoyed it.
— enjoyed the historical romance novella Transformation by Kim Fielding though it was far less gripping a story than some of her longer books.
— slowly read Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence Book 1) by Max Gladstone over two weeks. The world in the book is complex with magic, gods, gargoyles, and law firms. It’s definitely not this world which made the presence of vodka, cigarettes, and business cards rather anachronistic. I may continue on with the series at some point.
— enjoyed Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore which is a historical romance set in Victorian era England. I’ll happily read more in the series.

— Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn. It’s a contemporary romance which I quite enjoyed. I think those with an interest in calligraphy, design, fonts, or New York City might find this a fun read. I’m likely to reread this.
— the contemporary romance Team Player by Julianna Keyes; I quite enjoyed it and will likely reread it. I also look forward to reading the follow on book about two different characters that were introduced in this book.
— Evergreen: An M/M Sci-Fi Novella by Cari Z. which I enjoyed.
— Murder in Deep Regret: Doyle & Acton #11 by Anne Cleeland is the newest book available in one of my favorite series; I bought it and finished it in one day. I enjoyed it but not as much as some of the earlier books in the series.
— False Value (Rivers of London) by Ben Aaronovitch. I enjoyed it, but I’d forgotten details of the prior books. It would probably help to start with book one and do a reread of the entire series.

— Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds by Brandon Sanderson is a collection of three linked novellas; it was an unusual read that I enjoyed.
— 12:23 by Patrick F. Johnson was a pleasant read that had a Twilight Zone vibe.
— How to Draw without Talent by Danny Gregory was an enjoyable and approachable book.
— Mindtouch (The Dreamhealers Book 1) by M.C.A. Hogarth which I quite enjoyed. As a bonus, this book happens to be currently free for Kindle readers. I would definitely like to read on in the series. This book would be fine for teen readers as well.

— Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate which I read for my book group which met via Zoom. It was a sad, poignant story that is based on some true events. If you’re in the mood for a depressing/cathartic story, I can recommend this!
— Jon’s Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case by AJ Sherwood. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I’ll be rushing to reread it.
— Trinkets by Kayleigh Sky; this had a somewhat dreamy/slightly distant feel.

— a short contemporary romance, Ghostwriter of Christmas Past by TA Moore. Yes, clearly March is the obvious time to read a Christmas inspired story! It was a pleasant story but not something I’ll be quick to reread.
— a couple of science fiction books: Ascending (The Vardeshi Saga Book 1) and Bright Shards (The Vardeshi Saga Book 2) by Meg Pechenick. I enjoyed them both and look forward to the next book in the series.
— Headliners by Lucy Parker. I enjoyed this contemporary romance and imagine I will reread it at some point.

[Vicki L]

Hello....from the yellow green southeast (YUCK POLLEN). As for flour, sugar, etc. That got scarfed up by March 16th here in the Marietta/Atlanta, GA area during the first wave of panic buying. I admit to buying an extra 4 pounds of sugar but it was for making hummingbird food since they are starting to arrive here. Woot woot.

Now for books I've been reading. I haven't started on my eBooks yet, still working on getting the number of physical books reduced. HA!! I've read a mix of new and old. Quite a few were Wench/Reader recommendations.

Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia C Wrede & Caroline Stevermer. Followed by(while the library was still open) Grand Tour and then the last in the trilogy, The Mislaid Magician. They are set in Regency England, France, Italy, etc but somewhat of an alternate reality because of all the magic, sorcery, and wizards. Written in letter form. YA but didn't feel too young. All 3 were good adventures. Really enjoyed the 1st one the best. The 3rd one was a bit confusing at times because there are 4 people writing each other that letters are constantly crossing! (Think this was a Wench recommendation.)

Lady Clementine - Marie Benedict. Novelization about Lady Clementine, Winston Churchill's wife and her life with Winston. It was very fascinating and showed what a stressful, complicated life she had with him. Apparently Winston never felt he had to be restrained, in any of his actions and behaviors so she was always walking a tightrope. Lady Clementine was very involved in his political career. Also in his WWII work politically and boots on the ground during the bombing years in England. She had "nerve" attacks and breakdowns in the first 10 years of marriage. Only their last child ended up as a happy, healthy child and as an adult. Largely due to that child being raised by a very competent Nanny I believe. Read for reading challenge and it was a Wench/reader mention.

House of the Deer by D.E. Stevenson. A sweet little book. The Sequel to Gerald and Elizabeth. Somewhat more of an adventure than a romance but light and fun. Got it from the library as it was written in the 60's I believe.

A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentil. Wench recommendation. It was good and will have to read more...when the library reopens.

Those Castles of Wood by Henry F. Pederson. I don't really recommend it unless you want to know the history of all the lodges and ranches that were inside Rocky Mountain National Park before it became a park in the very early 1900's. It was interesting to read where they were located and then look at a map of the park and go HUH...that area that looks so pristine and natural now was a working ranch, hotel, lodge, etc. Read for reading challenge.

More Than You Know by Jo Goodman. Mid Victorian romance. A mix of tropes. Adventure, Treasure hunt, frenemies. Goes from England to post Civil War S. Carolina to a Polynesian Island. Excellent ending. Written in 2000 but has held up well. Really meaty and really liked the MC. Also read More than you Wished which followed this book. Still like the 1st one best. Does have a Marriage of convenience and Frenemies. Set in 1878 S.C. Not quite as light and fluffy.

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas - had been waiting for it to come out. 1876 Englad. Enjoyable because it was a Lisa Kleypas. But not as light and fluffy as the Wallflowers or Hawthorne Famiy series.

Script of the Heart by Robin D. Owens. Paranormal romance. Enjoyed it just like I always enjoy her books and the Celta world. I always know what to expect but the twists of the special powers, interactions,events, etc are what makes each book different.

Reread a few Jayne Anne Krentz books but especially enjoyed All Night Long. It always surprises me that that book came out so long ago because it seems so current. Love the interaction between Irene and Luke. They are so compatible and there are so many clever little moments between them. It always makes me laugh. Kind of a romantic mystery/suspense but the romance is key and the suspense part is very minor. Not scary scary.

The Christmas Invitation by Trisha Ashley. This was one of the more complicated books character wise. It contained a lot of the same themes as in her other books however this one felt like it had a huge cast of characters. Plus 5 or 6 different threads going through it! The HEA almost felt like an anticlimax compared to all the other revelations. But it was a Trisha Ashley so enjoyed it.

Tightrope by Amanda Quick. It was a reread as well. Of all the 1920's Burning Cove books, I think I like this one the best so far. At any rate I really like the way Amalie and Matthias interact.

There were other rereads as well but I think this enough for now!

[Vicki L]

That book is on my Get from the Library when it reopens list. I'll definitely move it up on the interlibrary loan request list now.

[Anne Gracie]

Mary, I know what you mean about the "moon" books. Brilliant and evocative writing, but I, too found the casual brutality of that society a little too much for this wimp. I stopped reading after the incident with the young girl at the polo match. That haunted me for days.

[Patricia Rice]

You are a thoughtful person. We all need to do this more.

[Patricia Rice]

Oh, you are in for some true delights! I love "WenchWerks." We need to use that. ;)

[Joan Wolf]

Jeanette,
I also adore CJ Box and Louise Penny. I've just finished a gem of a book that you will probably recognize from your American Literature courses. My Antonia byWilla Cather. High schoolers can't possibly appreciate it but it is a lovely lovely book. Her descriptions of the Nebraska prairie are just beautiful. I recommend everyone to give it a try.
Joan

[Patricia Rice]

Adding to my library list... I still haven't received the one I asked for in digital yet. Maybe trying older books will help.

[Patricia Rice]

if you can laugh about flu at a time like this, yes, it is a shame it hasn't been translated!

[Patricia Rice]

I am always in awe of your vast reading experience! It will take me a while to sift through all these. I'm just so picky!

[Patricia Rice]

thank you for your generous list! And the reminder to get out my Jayne Krentzs for re-reads. I need to look into this D.E.Stevenson since I've seen several recommendations now!

[Patricia Rice]

I remember reading that long, long ago! I've completely forgotten it. Will check the digital library, thank you, Joan!

[Vicki L]

D.E. Stevenson is SUCH a comfort read... Gently flowing, frequently hidden emotion. Kind of along the lines of a Rosamund Pilcher book. Character driven versus action books usually.

[Sue McCormick]

Not much to report this month. The SAD news: My e-reader account is having HEAVY problems, so I've haven't gotten Pat's new Malcolm yet – it's driving me wild.

I have done some re-reading of Andre Norton, she truly doesn'e get out of date, although some of her books do get too young. But I've been reading for the downsizing project. I have boxed up the Norton "discards" to send to my great grandchildren down, the road, because the oldest is just comming into the Age for Andre.

I have also reread Mercedes Lackey's Sacred Ground for the fun of it and Nora Robert's Tribute and Birthright, also for the fun of it.

Some of you here may be interested that we have donated 140 books to the library and family in the downsizing project.

[Janice]

I read and kept many Andre Nortons as Sue has, but find there are only a couple of them that I can reread without, as she says, finding them too "young" - however Shadow Hawk and Star Man's Son aka Daybreak 2250 AD have held up very well.

I too am self-isolating, going out of my apartment only to pick up the mail, do laundry downstairs and warm up the car so the battery doesn't die. When I have been out, I've been impressed at how well the stores have organized lines and things and how little friction I've seen.

I have been feeling that faint, aimless feeling I get when things aren't normal, so I've been reading more than usual, and lately they've been mostly rereads of things I haven't reread lately - Georgette Heyer's Friday's Child, The Quiet Gentleman, Cotillion and The Unknown Ajax. Today I'm reading A Regency House Party, a Harlequin anthology with one of Nicola Cornick's stories in it. After that I have the most recent Michael Connolly waiting.

It is painful, not going out and meeting friends for a coffee or lunch, not feeling free to drop in on my family. I grew up with polio and flu scares before there were vaccines for such things, and I remember those times. I am finding that younger people, who have no experience of such things, are having the most difficulty on a day to day basis with remaining patient. I try to help where I can and keep my mouth closed where I can't. But we will get through this.

[Patricia Rice]

oh no, Sue! You know where to find me if I can be of any help at all.

And lovely that you can pass Andre's books on to a new generation!

[Patricia Rice]

Good to hear you're staying safe, Janice. It really is a strange feeling. We need a good Regency cotillion! We could all virtually dress up and talk about books.

[Minna]

Here's the cover of Lentsu: https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/12150788-lentsu

[Minna]

I'm reading it while listening to
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Germs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kgIOWvrssA

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Sing-Along - Monty Python
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrdEMERq8MA

[Minna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAPceUSVLKM

[Pamela DG]

Go ahead, I coined it sometime last year in response to something MJP posted. It's not copyrighted.

[Patricia Rice]

oh, that cover! I think the cover would be worth the price even if I can't read the book! And love your sense of humor. It's one way of getting through the monotony of staying home, thank you!

[Anne Gracie]

Gosh, Sue I'm in awe of your donation. Well done. I find it so hard to give books away, but I know I need to. It's been years since I read Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey. Might be time for a reread.

[Anne Gracie]

Heyer is an excellent companion for times like these. And I like Pat's idea of a virtual cotillion.

[Quantum]

I'm a bit overwhelmed with these long lists of books. For me one or two really outstanding (5 star +) recommendations would be more helpful. Maybe highlight the very best to separate from the rest.

My two outstanding audios this month:
1) Loretta Chase's 'Mr Impossible',recommended by a reader. Daphne Pembroke, a brilliant scholar of Egyptian hieroglyphs hires Rupert Carsington to help rescue her brother who has been kidnapped by a rival ..... you get the picture! My favorite scene is when the two enter a pyramid and are left in total darkness when the guides are murdered. They have to find their way out using touch alone and Rupert unerringly finds very sensitive areas of Daphne's anatomy! Overall a very entertaining listen.

2) Anne's 'Marry in Haste', first in the marriage of convenience series. No need for a synopsis I think. I really enjoyed the Chance Sister series but think that this may be better. There has been some criticism of the narration on Audible but for me it was OK.

[Patricia Rice]

As ever, Quantum, displaying your amazingly good taste! I love Loretta's book and for humor, they're hard to beat. And Anne's books are so clever and comforting I think maybe I'll get one out tonight and re-read. Thanks!