• Historical Fiction • Romance • Time Travel • Wales • 4 Stars

"Footsteps in Time" by Sarah Woodbury is the second book in the "After Cilmeri" series, set in medieval Wales. It follows the story of what might have happened had Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the Prince of Wales, survived the ambush in December 1282. In this alternate timeline, two time-traveling teenagers, ⬇️

#OUABC Once Upon a Book Club April 2024 Monthly Box • 3.5 Stars

This is a engaging novel that blends suspense, history, and romance. Set in the 21st century, the story parallels the historical drama of the Tudor era, particularly the reign of King Henry VIII, with a modern twist. The narrative follows a newly married woman, Kate, as she uncovers a series of mysteries surrounding her billionaire husband, Hank Tudor, and his previous wives. ⬇️

3 Stars • McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh is a novella set in the mid-19th century that follows the story of McGlue, a sailor who is dealing with a murder accusation. The narrative is told from McGlue's perspective, starting in a drunken haze, as he tries to piece together the events leading up to his current predicament. Throughout the story, McGlue grapples with his relationship with his friend Johnson, whom he may have killed.

Read in April 2024 (22 Books)
Five 5-Star reads this month:
• The Stranger in the Lifeboat
• Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery
• Notes from the Underground
• Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 2
• The Last Unicorn

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, follows the journey of a unicorn who believes she is the last of her kind. She embarks on a quest to find other unicorns, encountering a cast of colorful characters along the way. Throughout her journey, the unicorn faces challenges that test her strength and courage, ultimately leading to a confrontation with the Red Bull, a powerful creature that is responsible for the disappearance of the other unicorns. ⬇️

I, personally, prefer silence, but soft background music is also nice. 🎶 I also like to read outside, so maybe, nature is my favorite background noise.

📫 Ready ... Set ... Mail! #LMPBC

If you haven‘t already done so, it‘s time to mail your Round 20 book to the next person. If you did, “Well done”! If you didn‘t, “Hurry and do so”. If you are unable to mail it on time, please contact the members of your group to let them know when they can expect it.

4.5 Stars • Clanlands in New Zealand by Sam Heughan & Graham McTavish is a book that follows my two favorite travel guides as they journey across New Zealand. Heughan and McTavish embark on an epic adventure, delving into the country's rich culture, history, and landscapes. ⬇️

3 Short Stories: The Riches of Crummy Street (the title story) is about how children perceive the life happening around them. The second story, Dream House, is a playful escapade into a couple looking to purchase their first home. But my absolute favorite is the last story, Flight of the Hermit, which is about growing up with and believing in superstitions. Brilliant!

3 .5 Stars • Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff delves into the themes of bioethics, motherhood, and the human desire to overcome nature's limitations. A woman named Claire Abrams, haunted by the loss of her son due to a genetic mutation she carried, seeks redemption and a second chance at motherhood. ⬇️

For me it‘s The Push by Ashley Audrain

Advance Reading Copy • Expected publication date is June 3, 2024.

• family secrets • dark magic • murder • Appalachian folk magic • 4.5 Stars

#InTheHourOfCrows by #DanaElmendorf is a Southern gothic novel set in a small town in Appalachia. The story follows Weatherly Wilder, a young woman gifted with the supernatural ability to "talk the death out of the dying," a power that comes with the price of being tied to her community. ⬇️

5 Stars • Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 2 is the second of three volumes, which will present a total of 9 short stories from Murakami's bestselling collections. With their trademark mix of realism and fantasy, centering around Murakami's characteristic themes of loss, remorse and confusion, the three stories in this volume are:
• The Second Bakery Attack
• Samsa in Love
• Thailand

4.5 Stars • This novel revolves around Nell, the youngest of three siblings, who is at her father's bedside as he is dying. Before he passes, he leaves her with a cryptic message, hinting that she was never really his to love. This revelation sets Nell on a journey to uncover the truth about her family's past, especially as her mother, who is suffering from dementia, begins to make cryptic comments of her own. ⬇️

If you could have a sequel to any stand-alone book which would it be?

My answer: Peter Pan

4.5 Stars • Beloved by millions, David Bowie was the ultimate icon, the perfect pop package that united sound with vison. In his 50-year career, and across more than 26 studio albums, Bowie sold more than 140 million records, malking him one of the most successful artists ever. Since his passing in 2016, he has been greatly missed and remembered by those who loved him. We will always remember one of the most innovative artists in music history.

Published in 1864, this novella delves into the psyche of a nameless narrator, often referred to as the "Underground Man." The work is divided into two parts. The first part provides a monologue that critiques society and human nature, expressing his deep-seated bitterness, isolation, and a sense of intellectual superiority. He rejects the idea of a utopian society, believing that suffering and irrationality are inherent to human existence. 5⭐️

3 Stars • "Unquiet Ghosts" is a thrilling novel by Glenn Meade. It's a tale that delves into the disappearance of a plane carrying Jack, an Iraq War veteran, and his family, including his wife Kathy and their two children. Eight years after the plane vanished, Kathy has tried to rebuild her life, but the discovery of the plane's wreckage in the Great Smoky Mountains—far from where it should have been—unravels a series of unsettling revelations.

3.5 Stars • Published in November 2023, this book has garnered attention for its exploration of various contemporary issues, including reproductive rights, medical freedom, and the influence of the Second Amendment. Wolf also delves into the relationship between the FDA and Pfizer, as well as the broader implications of censorship and the erosion of democratic values during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is your favourite book cover?

I can read two books at once as long as they are different genres. In this case one is fiction and one is non-fiction. Do you read more than one book at a time?

4 Stars • Former CIA operative Maggie Bird seeks refuge in the seaside village of Purity, Maine, hoping to leave her tumultuous past behind after a mission went tragically wrong. She now lives quietly on her chicken farm, wary of any repercussions from her former enemies. When a body turns up in Maggie‘s driveway, she realizes it‘s time to turn to her local circle of old friends, all retirees from the CIA and part of the “Martini Club”, for help.

FYI:

#LMPBC Round 20 Group G

@KateReadsYA @jamiearc

@suvata has mailed a book to @jackobotts

Enjoy!

#LMPBC Round 20 - Group G (Gothic Horror)• 5 Stars

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery is a haunting journey set in 1666 colonial New England. The story follows Abitha, a recently widowed woman who struggles against her husband's puritan community as religious fervor escalates into mob mentality. Abitha befriends a forest spirit known as Slewfoot, who awakens hungry and is egged on by other spirits to kill and feed.

⏰ This is a reminder for those participating in #LMPBC Round 20. There are only about two weeks left to read your book, mark it up, and get it into the mail by the end of the month. Can‘t wait to read the next book. 😎

• Historical Fiction • Romance • Time Travel • 4 Stars

This novel revolves around Meg, a young widow healing from the pain of an unhappy marriage. Unexpectedly, she slips through time and finds herself in the Middle Ages. There, she encounters Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the last Prince of Wales. ⬇️

🕷️ 4.5 Stars • In the town of (UNDISCLOSED) the Zombie Apocalypse has begun! From the book: “There exists in this world a spider the size of a dinner plate, a foot wide if you include the legs. It‘s called the Goliath Bird-Eating Spider, or the “Goliath ғȗċҡıṅɢ Bird-Eating Spider” by those who have actually seen one. It doesn‘t eat only birds—it mostly eats rats and insects...”

3.5 Stars • The Night She Disappeared is a whodunnit packed with multiple red herrings and a large cast of characters, This novel offers a contemporary look at domestic abuse, teen moms, dangerous friendships, and the tantalizing call of wealth.

#TheNightSheDisappeared #LisaJewell #Bookstagram

“Grammar Girl” offers 365 lessons on language that are sure to inspire and amuse. Chock-full of bite-sized writing tips, fun quizzes, and efficient memory tricks, The Grammar Daily gives you the tools you need to improve your grammar and become an even better communicator, one day at a time (or week, or month, or whatever pace suits you). • 4.5 Stars

#TheGrammarDaily #GrammarGirl #MignonFogarty

My TBR is driving me crazy. I‘m talking about books that I already own but haven‘t read yet. I hesitate to even say how many because it‘s an obscene amount. So for the rest of April, I am going to concentrate on 2 books that I have already started, 1 book for #LMPBC, and 6 audiobooks that I purchased on #Chirp. Moving forward, I would like to tackle the #KindleUnlimited books that I‘ve download. Being this disorganized makes my brain itch. 🧠

The Stranger in the Lifeboat is about the flaws of humanity and survival which led to Ordinary Human Failings about a teenage mom and a missing child. Not a great connection between the two after all is said, and done. The next book will be The Night She Disappeared which is also about a teenage mom and a missing person. I think it will be much less of an obscure connection.

3 stars • Ordinary Human Failings delves into the issues of class, trauma, and family secrets. Set in 1990s London, the story revolves around the Greens, a family of Irish immigrants. Their lives are marked by a teenage pregnancy, escalating alcoholism, and a dead child on a London estate. As the police close in on a suspect and tabloids hunt their monster, the family confronts the secrets and silences that have trapped them for generations.

The Stranger in the Lifeboat is a must-read novel that was much darker than I had anticipated. It got me pondering the nature of humanity, perseverance, and trust. Next up is Ordinary Human Failings. I don‘t know much about this book, but the title alone made a connection for me.

#BookConnXtions by #suvataOnX, #Litsy, #Facebook, #Intagram and #Bookstagram

• 5 Stars -- Unforgettable!

Adrift in a raft after a deadly ship explosion, ten people struggle for survival at sea. Three days pass. Short on water, food and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves. They pull him in.

"Thank the Lord we found you," a passenger says.

"I am the Lord," the man whispers.

So begins Mitch Albom's most beguiling novel yet.

#TheStrangerInTheLifeboat #MitchAlbom #Bookstagram

I‘m always up for a good conspiracy theory. Titanic or Olympic almost had me believing that these two ships were swapped. Scratch that. I bought it hook, line, and sinker. Either way, get me onto a lifeboat ASAP which brings me to The Stranger in the Lifeboat by fellow-Detroiter, Mitch Albom.

#BookConnXtions by #suvataOnX, #Litsy, #Facebook, #Intagram and #Bookstagram

• 3 Stars • Most of us are familiar with the story of the sinking of the Titanic. But did you also know there was a “sister ship“ that was nearly identical to the Titanic? She was called the Olympic. And, as they do, conspiracy theorists claim that the previously damaged Olympic was swapped out for the Titanic. ⬇️

I just finished Sisters of Fortune by Anna Lee Huber -- a contemporary romance that takes place on The Titanic. This got me wondering, “Which ship really sank?” Leaving me wanting to read Titanic or Olympic: Which Ship Sank?: The Truth Behind the Conspiracy by Steve Hall, Bruce Beveridge, Art Braunschweiger. I wonder where that will lead me. Stay tuned ...

#BookConnXtions by #suvataOnX, #Litsy, #Facebook, #Intagram and #Bookstagram

• 3.5 Stars • Sisters of Fortune is a captivating historical fiction novel set onboard the Titanic in 1912. The story revolves around the Fortune sisters—Alice, Mabel, and Flora—who are based on real people and true events. As they embark on the fateful maiden voyage of the Titanic, each sister faces her own dreams, aspirations, and crossroads. The novel weaves together historical figures, emotions, and unexpected twists.

#OUABC 2024 Reading Challenge: 40 Prompts (18. A book featuring a character over the age of 40)

• 480 pages • Published March 5, 2024 • Ireland • Mystery • My rating: 4.5 Stars

The Hunter is a mystery that revolves around a retired Chicago detective named Cal Hooper who has settled in Ardnakelty, a small village in West Ireland. ⬇️

Read in March 2024...
17 Books
Three 5-Star reads this month:
• The Keeper of Lost Things
• Purgatorio
• Celtic Tales

#Goodreads #Bookstagram #OUABC #Litsy #Libby

It took me over a month, but I finally got through it. Very macabre.

Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer of weird and horror fiction, who is known for his creation of what became the Cthulhu Mythos. Virtually unknown and only published in pulp magazines before he died in poverty, he is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th-century authors of supernatural horror fiction.

📫 Ready ... Set ... Mail! #LMPBC

If you haven‘t already done so, it‘s time to mail your Round 20 book to the next person. If you did, “Well done”! If you didn‘t, “Hurry and do so”. If you are unable to mail it on time, please contact the members of your group to let them know when they can expect it.

Lucky 🍀 number

“The Last Murder at the End of the World” by Stuart Turton is a gripping mystery novel set in a dystopian world. In a world devastated by a deadly fog, a group of islanders find themselves trapped on an isolated retreat. The fog, which kills anyone it touches, is kept at bay by a security system. ⬇️

Introducing Keera Duggan, a former chess prodigy turned defense attorney. Once a Seattle prosecutor, she returns to her family‘s struggling criminal defense law firm after a failed romantic relationship with a colleague. Her chance to shine comes when she‘s retained by Vince Larissa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife. The prosecutor on the case is none other than Miller Ambrose, Keera‘s former lover.

“The House on Harbor Hill” by Shelly Stratton is a captivating murder mystery that weaves together the lives of two very different women. The story unfolds in both the past and the present, primarily in the small seaside town of Camden Beach, Maryland.

Delilah Grey is a generous, kind, and compassionate woman who takes in other women shattered by abuse, poverty, illness, or events beyond their control. ⬇️