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The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White

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  Karen White is the author of one of my favorite series: The Tradd Street series. I was a bit heartbroken when that series came to a conclusion last November. However, to my absolute delight, Karen White said she had a new series beginning this year, with some of the characters from the Tradd Street series.  The Shop on Royal Street is the start of that new series, and it features Nola Trenholm, who is the stepdaughter of Melanie and daughter of Jack Trenholm from the first series. Nola was in the first series a lot, and the last few books helped set up this series. My biggest surprise was the time jump: eight years from the end of the Tradd Street series. But it felt seamless, and made perfect sense. Nola is now 26 and has just moved to New Orleans with a new job as a historic preservationist working for a civil engineer business. She's got a Master's degree and has returned to New Orleans to face some issues that happened her first year in college there. I really liked this
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Warming Up Julia Child by Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz

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  Julia Child was the first person besides my Mom that I saw cook food. Of course, it was easier to watch my Mom, standing on a chair in our kitchen and being up close (and if I was lucky, getting to lick the beaters).  Julia Child I first saw on PBS, on a Saturday. I didn't know what to think of this woman who gestured a lot, had an interesting voice, and seemed both incredibly gifted and a bit silly all at once. She made food I'd never heard of, and wasn't sure I'd like, either. My palate was definitely 1970's Midwest child.  It wasn't until I was much older, and my Mom had passed, that I found out she was not a born cook, and didn't really enjoy cooking much. But with eight children, she learned to cook. Julia, however, inspired me to be interested in cooking in a different way--to enjoy the process, to think about the ingredients, and most importantly, to inhale the results. She also taught me it's okay to fail sometimes, and that sometimes the end r
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Spring 2022 Titles on My List

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  Mother Nature teased us last week into thinking we just might be moving into Spring with beautiful days and warmer temperatures. But this week, it's been chilly and the last few days super windy. The sun is shining, so it's not all bad--and I am spotting green things poking out of the ground in my flower beds.  I have to say there isn't a part of the year where I'm not excited about new books. Every month there is something to look forward to, and April is no exception for me. I've been reading a bit more, but still much slower than usual. Right now it's safe to say I have four books all going at the same time, and all completely different than the others.  Here are some of the books I'm eager to see published in April, as well as some titles I plan on reading this month: This book was just released and is a new series about a "recovery" person who finds lost items. This novel introduces characters and sends us on an epic lost treasure adventure.
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International Women's Day: A Few of My Favorite Authors

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  I'm one of those folks who wish they were blessed with an ability to write a compelling, fascinating, and unputdownable novel. Unfortunately, it's just not in my wheelhouse. That doesn't stop me from admiring authors who have that talent and discipline to craft worlds I get to live in, just for a little while.  On today, International Women's Day, I am posting a few of my favorite authors. Over the years, I've noticed I read novels written by women about 90% of the time. It's not a purposeful thing I do; however, it's just what I'm drawn to and enjoy. I have my favorite male authors as well. But today it's all about the women!  Here are a few of my favorite authors, in no particular order. They write historical fiction, science fiction/fantasy, contemporary fiction, mysteries and thrillers. This is by no means all of my favorite authors (I can't have just one!) but they definitely have given me great reading memories: Geraldine Brooks Mercedes
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Looking Back and Moving Forward

  I've been writing this blog since March of 2010. I'm closing in on twelve years, which is unbelievable. I started this blog because I enjoyed talking about books to people and I felt the need to widen my scope--talking to book lovers as a bookseller was great, but just not enough. I wanted to share my thoughts and excitement with more people. I've had some high reading years and months, and really low reading years and months. One thing I've noticed in the past year is my energy to keep going with my blog has been really slowing down. When I say I'm tired it's just an all around tired in body and mind. Trying to keep up with my reading and always thinking about blogging is just tiring. Life has changed a bit recently, and I find it a struggle to read like I used to--which was pretty much anywhere, anytime.  I love to read. It has sustained me all of my life, and kept me company through many tough situations and much grief. Feeling stressed? Grab a fun, lighthe
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A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox

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  To purchase from Amazon, click here Hester Fox returns with a novel that combines history, museum work, magic, and tragedy. It's an interesting combination that all comes together and left me trying to decide if I sympathized with charming and mysterious Margaret Harlowe.  There are two stories, with chapters either labeled Margaret or Augusta, so it is not difficult to switch between the two characters or time periods. Margaret is the only daughter of the wealthy Harlowe family in Tynemouth, Massachusetts in 1876. She's beautiful and restless. She also possesses magical abilities and on the side helps women in town who seek her assistance late at night in the woods. She's got her eye on the handsome Jack Pryce, a shopkeeper's son who can't take his eyes off Margaret. Is it love or lust between the two?  Present day in Tynemouth, Augusta gets her dream job as curator for the Harlowe House Museum. She's got an eating disorder, is in a failed relationship, and f
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The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

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  I had to put the books I've been reading on hold this last week so I could read Heather Gudenkauf's latest--I had a 10 day check out from the library so I couldn't dither! It wasn't hard to do, because this novel grabbed me from the first few pages and I quickly became completely invested in the characters and the plot. Wylie Lark is a true crime writer, and she's come to Burden, Iowa to stay in an isolated farmhouse to finish her latest book. A big blizzard is heading quickly towards town, and Wylie heads to the farmhouse to huddle up and wait out the storm.  Twenty years before, young Josie Doyle and her friend Becky were spending a last summer night together out at Josie's parent's farm. It was hot and hard to sleep. The girls slip out to jump on the trampoline outside, and hear gunshots in the house. Running towards the house, the girls quickly realize their mistake and turn around to flee into the cornfields.  Josie makes it into the field to hide, bu
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