Alien abduction, lovable characters, a goofy roadtrip romp through the Southwest. All SO Roswell! As a Connie Willis fan, I give her leeway when the book goes on a bit long…but she skillfully writes a nonverbal alien that resembles a tumbleweed into such a heartwarming lil buddy of a character. It‘s all about connection & learning to communicate. With some men in black level conspiracy theorists along with playing slots in desert casinos. 👽

This #Persephone was not a romp of childhood fun & almost a so-so. When the parents disappear while traveling, the kids are resourceful taking care of themselves & with the help of kinder adults in town, keep together in the face of the adults trying to send them off to an orphanage.
While an image of 1930s-ish village-life, there were just SO many chores & eldest Susan had SO much work to do as The Girl. That plus the meddling ladies angered me.

My first Elizabeth Fair, but not my last!
1950s village England with gossipy busybodies, rivalries, romantic crushes, mixed in with urgent worries (based strictly on rumor!) of being overrun & turned into a smoggy New Town. Likable oddballs abound. My favorite: seeing their internal monologues directly contradict their outward words/actions. Enjoyable read with satisfying endings.
And the cover is 💯😉
Read with the #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

A delightful batch of quirky voices (some narrators reside in the town graveyard🪦) make this a fun/funny yet moving novel of a family and town going through some heavy stuff. The interspersed historical excerpts add depth, the role of the animals and town ghosts add heart and quirk. Lovable characters all. Not light subjects treated in a very fresh way. Suspend your disbelief and jump in! 🦊🐶🐻

In playing eenie-meenie-minie-mo for my next read on the TBR, a charming map will tip the scale every time!
#bookswithmaps #mapsinbooks

Book 6 in the #MaisieDobbs series hits a new level of peril for both our MC as well as society at large with a madman with chemical weaponry skills on a threatening rampage at Xmas 1931 in London. Yikes. Also a higher level of govt secrecy and intro of govt agencies using yet also thwarting our Maisie. This will take her and the series in new directions, of course, but is not cozy per the usual Maisie murder vibe…

The 5th in the #MaisieDobbs series of between wars mysteries was heartbreaking several times over. A current case uncovers a tragedy from WWI in small-town Kent. So many themes and connections, lots of growth for our favorite characters. Thoughtful consideration of what being labelled outsiders can lead to. Any book that makes me cry is doing its job drawing me in! By far the best one yet.

Grabbed this from my library on a quick 7-day loan special so tore through it fast—which was easy! It is what it says: across genres it is spy thriller, scifi time travel, romance, workplace comedy. It is a lot, but it works. High point: the 3 primary time travelers to modern day are The BEST! I love them SO much. And their reactions to modern life! Awesome. The time travel elements can be a bit wibbly-wobbly, per usual. Well worth the read.

Book 3 in the #MaisieDobbs series had SO much going on! There were many many storylines and maybe things line up really conveniently for Maisie‘s solves, but I am still digging the between wars vibe and mix of Maisie‘s personal history and professional adventures. The stakes are high in this one.
And you can tell by the pic I raided my library and am diving straight into the next one…

Moving through the #MaisieDobbs series - this is book 2. A very interesting mystery blooms from a case brought to Maisie having to do with women who were once friends in their youth prewar. This is more than 10 years postwar but WWI looms large with guilt, regrets and leftover pain of all kinds motivating our characters. Even better than book 1 since we have the set-up and can focus in on meatier mysteries. Already started book 3…📚

Where have I been that #MaisieDobbs is new to me? Well, the timing is perfect & this book hit my current sweet-spot mood-wise mixing mystery, WWI, and a smart female MC. While plot starts with Maisie setting up her investigative office 10 years post-war, much of the book covers her backstory from maid to Uni to frontline nurse. War/postwar topics/feelings are well done. The best part of being late to discover a series? Tons of books ahead of me!

Such a satisfying sequel to The Searcher! Slow vibe beautifully focusses on Trey with her anger and trauma coming to a head when her father returns with a scam underway. Closes up threads from the first book - taking up 2 years after those events (that were clearly smoldering…) Visceral, hot-summer atmosphere & nefarious goings-on are gripping. Relationships of Cal, Trey, Lena are perfect. At this point, I will read anything Tana French writes.

This was a cozy mystery with 2 timelines-modern characters solving an old mystery & old diary plays a huge part. I am not sure why there is SO much buzz though-it was good enough I have no regrets reading it, but am very glad I libraried & did not buy. The past characters were most interesting so would only continue if becomes a series if focus again on past.
If you like TONS of red herrings, this is for you! This will not strain your grey cells.

This month‘s #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub read was a gentle, comfy DE Stevenson read about Jane and her sisters. It very much was a 2 parter where the 1st half was a nice resettling of the fam to a cottage in Scotland & everyone finding their way. Part 2 was a rushed fairly hot mess. A year abroad covered in a few paragraphs! Anyhoo, loved our MC and just wanted the best for her. Many characters fell quickly into happy endings. Cute but not her best.

Amazing thriller in the Dublin Murder Squad series (this is no. 4)
Had me SO deeply invested that for the last 100 pages I had 3 versions going (audio, ebook, physical book) so I had access to it wherever I was.
I could not not find out wtf was happening asap.

#dublinmurdersquad

An intense book about a smart, ambitious woman‘s experience working at Amazon corp from 2006-2018. She is drily witty & brutally honest.
The fact that a woman THIS accomplished could not get promoted made me want to tear my hair out.
The men who need a good kick in the 🍒 enraged me. The harshness of ‘femaling‘ in that environment!
But it is just as much about her—her smarts, ambition, and lovely husband. But no wonder AMZ drove her to drink…

Let‘s turn the tale of Sleeping Beauty on its head!
With a main character (who can turn into a toad) and her mild magic and a kind knight wondering what the thornhedge is hiding, see why the story isn‘t what you always thought—learn why Toadling the changeling is protecting the world FROM the sleeping girl in the tower…
And yes, @rubyslippersreads - you would like this!
For anyone who likes a fairy tale retelling, this novella is a treat. 🐸

Cute chapter illustrations 🐸

This left me unsettled. Not cozy, by any means!
Told through text msgs, emails, & interview transcripts (as is Hallett‘s MO) it is a riveting read about true crime authors investigating a mysterious cult-ish crime that has taken on mythic qualities in pop culture. Love the way we learn info via the messaging format & the story is enthralling. I have mixed feelings RE: the ending…maybe because I didn‘t expect to feel disquieted by the ethics posed…

Book 3 in the #DublinMurderSquad series by #TanaFrench was another engaging mystery. LOVE how she takes a character from previous book to be the narrator in the next. Keeps the series fresh and interesting.
Faithful Place tackles Frank‘s backstory. I didn‘t love him in Likeness but this did an excellent job of showing us who he really is and care about him.
Also fun to be introduced here to the narrator of the next in the series😉

This was a cracking good read!
Intense & with fascinating characters.

On to book 3 in the #DublinMurderSquad!
#TanaFrench

Plan your bookish vacations #PersephoneClub!

https://persephonebooks.co.uk/collections/the-persephone-festival

#persephonebooks

Wow. Read this on recommendation of a friend who said bk 2 after this in the series changed her life. I loved this. So atmospheric & riveting. With an unreliable narrator—that snuck up on me! She delves into detectives‘ psyches/history as much as the suspects while investigating current crime possibly connected to a historical case. The characters feel REAL. French‘s writing shows where others just tell.
I am SO part of the #TanaFrench cult now.

Not my favorite #Gamache and plot was pandemic-related (and madness of crowds regarding support for terrible ideas/people) so not what I was in the mood for. But I am one step/book closer to being caught up now that bk 17 is in the rear view! This cover is beyond gorgeous.

Progress in the #Gamache series - finished bk 16! Very much enjoyed this mystery set in Paris instead of Three Pines. Change of scenery (a break from the Pines residents) plus lots of Gamache backstory + of course descriptions of Parisian food! A personal crime leads to corporate espionage (which gets complicated). Was engaging and one of the fastest reads in the series for me.
Plus I love how much we see Reine-Marie and her investigative input!

Book 8 in the #WaywardChildren series (read in order for the best experience!) delivers a twist to an already fantastic (literally) portal fantasy series. More Doors, yes, but also amazing magical-world backstory to propel the series forward. Antsy‘s adventure and the revelations regarding the Shop Where the Lost Things Go make this one of the best installments to date. I can hardly wait to see what is next.
Speaking of…book 9 pubs this week 🙌🏻

A rollicking read for our first #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub book of 2024! The MCs have meet-cute in the very first pages, we get to know Judy‘s situation at her billet (where she is discouraged from staying by everyone) and meet interesting characters in the wartime factory town. The Who of the dunnit is not in doubt but the How + Why are riveting. The investigation is engaging and the real danger palpable.
Different vibe for a S.Scarlett bk but 👍🏻

Just posting the summary for our next #Furrowedmiddlebrowclub read since Litsy has no info. I have read that this is Susan Scarlett‘s only foray into mystery - that plus the wartime factory setting make this different from our previous Scarlett reads set in department stores and clothing shops! Loading ebook now…

This was a complete #blameitonLitsy! After putting a library hold that said I would def not get it before xmas, it popped up yesterday and I zipped right through it. Novella told via group chats and police reports reveals a local theatre group‘s existing dramas boiling under the small town surface long before the body shows up. I actually laughed out loud more than a few times. Quick, funny, xmasy, told in a delightful format. Thumbs up.

An enjoyable #MissMarple though I always wish for more of her - she did not show up until after the 100 page mark! It is as expected - big house, deaths, suspects, and though I have no clue, she solves it no problem. What WAS a nice surprise was how proof came to light in the last pages. Gave me all the warm feels from justice being served to a baddie.
Thumbs up again, #AgathaChristie.

Here are my picks for the vote on our Sept 2024 #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub read. Both are WWII tales described as poignant and humorous/hilarious - I am trying to make up for my dark war choice for the last #PersephoneClub read!
Spam is an autobiography. I posted the back cover summary to help and will tag in comments.

First step in my posting for our September #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub read vote is to post the back cover for this title since Litsy has very few words for a description!

Such a fast and fun lighthearted read for this month‘s #FurrowedMiddleBrowClub! Beth‘s foray into dept store worklife is a delight - from warm fuzzy family homelife to frantic sales days and mild dramas throughout. Her junky cousin plays the villain trying to annoy everyone but especially interfere in Beth‘s love story - but happiness prevails after (more than) a few misunderstandings. As it should.

Such a fast and fun lighthearted read for this month‘s #FurrowedMiddleBrowClub! Beth‘s foray into dept store worklife is a delight - from warm fuzzy family homelife to frantic sales days and mild dramas throughout. Her junky cousin plays the villain but happiness prevails after (more than) a few misunderstandings. As it should.

Most of the #Persephone books I have read are set in Britain and between #PersephoneClub and #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub I feel we have read a good number of WW2 novels set in the UK. So I was interested to see Persephone published this title of a German woman‘s letters during the war and am excited to dive in with the group read. Afterward, maybe I will finally tackle the fatty in this pic that is a British staple of the war as well: Few Eggs 🥚🍊

Totally enjoyable book to dip in & out of with amusingly written but informative short pieces on various cursed objects worldwide. I loved the atmospheric illustrations and the way it was organized by types of objects. Whether you want to believe or not, this is a fun romp with historical info, slightly wacky characters (real people are often more outlandish than fictional!), and a light-hearted tone even when subject matter gets dark. Enjoyable.

This #persephoneclub read was astonishing. SO ahead if its time! A brilliant portrayal of a 1920s family where ‘home-maker‘ is flipped on its head with father taking the role on. The result = previously unhappy parents finding utter fulfillment in the role reversal. Absolutely beautifully written showing so many viewpoints (even Stephen!) of their now flourishing family life. Imagine the sadness/bitterness if they continued as they were!

Best. Description. Ever.

Oh, bebe Stephen you are a big little character!

#persephonebookclub #persephone #persephoneclub
#impofdarkness

Book 12 in the #ThreePines series was fantastic! So much backstory of characters old & new + enjoyable uncovering of township lore. Don‘t want to give away any spoilers but know this gets us back into the cleanup of Surete corruption as well as some really engaging #Gamache backstory. New characters, exploration of 3 Pines history, insight into our recurring old friends, all excellent. Kept me up WAY past my bedtime on a work night!

A village with a rash of poison pen letters that lead to death. The narrator is rehabbing in the country and quickly becomes embroiled in the community of interesting characters and tries his hand at sussing out the culprit.
Most enjoyable was the humor peppered throughout - some LOL comments, for sure!
But while this IS a Miss Marple, fair warning she plays a small part. She sweeps in to put the final pieces together. As we need her to!

I have seen several reviews that this is a ‘least favorite‘ in the #Gamache series but I found it just as riveting as usual. My suggestion is to read the historical note at the end first though! Knowing the real origin of a major plot point helps tons IMO. Otherwise one might think Penny jumped the shark😉 Trigger warning for offscreen death of a child. Fascinating puzzle, historical, Gamache & team growing in new roles. Book 11 = well worth it.

This self-described bit of ‘frothy fun‘ was an enjoyable light read with the #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub. A vivid view of a 1930s era clothing shop as well as the delightful home life of the Brown family. I have to admit Annabel the MC was basically the least interesting character so it was not unputdownable for me. I was also not smitten by the male lead. I AM glad to have read my first Susan Scarlett and look forward to more!

I ‘may‘ have gone a tad overboard immediately buying a stack of new Susan Scarlet novels when Dean Street Press pubbed them a few months ago…so am VERY glad the #FurrowedMiddlebrowclub is nudging me to pick up my first one and read Clothes-Pegs this month.
Thanks, team!

(at least I only bought 6 of the 12? Such self control!🤦🏼‍♀️)

Book 3 in this series was even better than its predecessors! Small town witches in the British countryside routinely harassed by WWII dogfights overhead find themselves pulled directly into the war effort while searching for a traitor in their midst. Evil Nazi warlock from book 2 reappears, Faye deals with a ghostly airman, and tries to access her mum‘s destroyed notes to learn what she needs to know. Magic abounds, ending was gorgeous.

October choices for #PersephoneClub voting!

Since Litsy has no descriptions for these, thanks to my predecessors who posted the catalog link/pages inspiring me to plop the descriptions in the image for you! Get out your 🔍

After loving Milton Place, I wanted to read de Waal‘s Exiles Return. Paired with On the Other Side you have the choice between the exile story in post WWII Vienna or the German wartime experience in Hamburg via letters. Vote!

An absolutely wonderful body swap novel from 1930s Britain! An aristocratic Lady & a middle class housewife find themselves swapping consciousness with each other at random times. Comedy ensues with interesting insights RE: thinking the grass is always greener for others. Instantly a favorite of 2022 and one that checks all the boxes for an excellent read: eye-opener that will stick with me, made me both chuckle and tear up. (+ pretty cover😉)

I love McGuire‘s Wayward Children series and have had my eye on this Hugo-nominated urban fantasy series for a bit. Even though most reviews say it doesn‘t get great until a few books in, I enjoyed this as is! Might be the fae fiefdoms being set in my native SF Bay Area, but I thought the world set-up totally fantastic & intriguing. Toby is complicated and situations can get dark. I look forward to tearing through the series now that I am hooked!

I usually like my fiction pure fantasy or pure realism, but this novel convinced me a mix could win me over. I loved the alternating narrators + timeline jumps to flush out the story—the writing held together perfectly. A few times I was worried if/how it could be brought together but the ending was beautifully done. The characters reveal themselves subtly so we feel like we know them—and most importantly, like them. The nature-based magic was A+

Apologies for being slow to finish this #PersephoneClub pick! A lovely if melancholy portrait of an English country house past its prime and the people connected to it who are jolted to life by a foreign visitor. The writing was beautiful, the descriptions of the house and grounds eloquent, and Waal brilliantly portrays complex characters subtly and perfectly. I hoped for a happy ending though I knew that was unrealistic…

#Persephone

Perfect read for the season! Grisly dark fairy tales from all over the world. Beautifully illustrated (just look at the shiny gold accents on the cover!) - and at just over 100 pages it is a delightful dip-in-dip-out of 14 quick tales.
SO dark and every one of them properly grim.
Love that each has the country of origin listed for each tale and the art reflects it.
FUN!