Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the 2nd book by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I have read.  I have enjoyed both of the books.   The prior read was an audiobook of Daisy Jones and the Six.  I plan to read another one of Reid's books later this year- Carrie Soto is back.  

Evelyn Hugo is a fun book that is based on the life of a Hollywood starlet.   The story is reputed to be loosely based on Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner and  Rita Hayworth's lives.  I enjoyed how on the surface it is a fun and engaging book with snippets of the life of the famous.  There are deeper topics covered within the story.  

Additionally, the format of the book is a somewhat different approach.  Monique is called by Evelyn Hugo to hear her life's story and publish the biography upon Evelyn's death.   The book delves into both of their characters and what drives their personalities.  The reader is not really sure whether they should like Evelyn or dislike her.  Evelyn believes she lived her life as true as possible given the circumstances of her fame.   She doesn't regret her decisions and says she would do it all again.   It is hard to be sure if that would really be the case but it certainly makes for a polarizing character in the story.  

If you are looking for a relatively light read that does address deeper issues and gets you to think this is a great choice for you.  

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

very engaging read. hard to put down

Jenkins Reid certainly addresses some questions about people and how they define their truths to themselves. Evelyn Hugo was viewed by the public as an icon and celebrity this book shows the cost and benefits of this fame. If you ever wish you were famous this book will make you think twice about having the world wanting to know your business. And this was before social media

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  92
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 75  
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #84
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #65
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #6
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #  25 A Fashionable Character
7. 52 books in 52 weeks  #22 book to movie
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #49. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2022 or 2023  
9. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #14. Recommended by a Librarian
10. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #14  a character is lost royalty
11. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #11 A book about or set in Hollywood
12. Pick your Poison  # 67 A book you want to dive into
13. Diversify your reading #DYRC23   August: Contemporary Fiction
14. Read Around the US   Aug California
15. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge  July 19 - Opposites Attract

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been on my TBR list for a while.  I intended to read it last year and never got to it.  I started out reading it and then when I needed to drive to Chicago every day in April I decided to try this one as an audio.  I thoroughly enjoyed the proper British accent of the narrator.  It definitely added to the mood and setting the environment.  

This book was one of the most creative I have ever read.  It is hard to explain but it is a sort of a time loop with different hosts to the narrator in each section.  From the get-go as a reader you figure there is a twist to the story but I had no idea it was going to be what it was.   I definitely felt as though Turton was paying homage to Dante and the rings of Hell.  I really ended up enjoying this book once I got involved in it.  For those struggling to read the book and stay engaged, stick it out, it is worth it in the end!

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very creative thriller/mystery. For those who love a puzzle when they are reading this will be a real treat. The only reason I did not give this a 5 star is the difficulty getting engaged at the beginning of the book. I promise it is worth sticking it out. If you really get stuck, try it in audio format- the British accent will win you over and keep you listening. At times it can be confusing to keep all the characters straight but eventually it all makes sense.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   54
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 14
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #59
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #49
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #51
7. Medical Examiner Challenge 12 Toe Tags
8. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #37 Written in Present Tense
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #40. A book with a full name in the title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #16 here there be monsters
12. HP Quidditch 23 #7 Bludger: A book you think will knock your socks off (or off your broom!)
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #26. Read a book that has time travel in it
14. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #50. HISTORICAL OR FANTASY
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
16. Pick your Poison  # 134 A book with a chess piece on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 12 That Plays With Time:
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #24 Takes Place In A Day
19. Beyond the Bookends  January- Read a book coming to the screen in 2023
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO   May In  it to Win It

the marriage portrait

 The Marriage Portrait is a novel selected by my book club for our April read.   I wasn't really sure what to expect as this is the first book I have read by Maggie O'Farrell.  The group read Hamnet earlier in the year but I was not at the meeting so I did not read the book.  For fans of readers of historical fiction not set around WWI and WWII this is a good pick.  It is set in 1500s Italy.  I did find it a bit difficult to follow at first as there are multiple time points that are bounced between. as well as different narrators.  The story is about Lucrezia Medici and her role in the family's place in Renaissance Italy.  Having visited Florence and seen the Medici palace adds another layer of intrigue to this book for me.  

Free spirited in her youth and suddenly thrust into marriage, Lucrezia plays a vital role in the Medici heritage.  This is an interesting historic fiction novel that is a bit of a suspense work as well.   

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great historical period piece set in 1500s Italy. Even more engaging if you have been to Florence and the Medici palace. There is quite a bit of jumping between 3 time periods so sometimes it is a bit confusing to remember which point in the story you are at. Otherwise a great read

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 55 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  43 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #48
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #4
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #18 Set During a War other than WWI or WWII
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #41. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
7. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #4. With More Than 500 Pages
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #52 picked out by a friend with no context
9. HP Quidditch 23 #46 Weasley is our King: Contains royalty
10. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #44. Read a book set around wartime
11. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 # 37. SELECTED BY FAMILY OR FRIEND
12. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #29 A book your friend recommended
13. Pick your Poison  # 114 A book about our ancestors
14. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  Mar Literary Fiction

Death of a Red Heroine

My experience reading  Death of a Red Heroine is a testament to the powers of participating in reading challenges.  If it were not for the alphabet challenge where I am always trying to find authors that meet the Q/X/Y/Z categories I might not have ever tried this detective story set in Shanghai.  The book is written by Qiu Xiaolong  I ended up really enjoying the storyline and the historical perspective of China as it was transitioning into a more capitalist approach to its economy.  The plot highlights the importance of the Party and the High Ranking Cadres' ability to get things done to their advantage;  something those without the connections cannot readily achieve.   In many ways, it reminded me of the old money influence in the US.  The wealth/power that exists acts as a barrier to newcomers entering the markets.  I did enjoy the book and may give the next in the series a go in the future.

Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I selected this audiobook from my library mainly because it sounded interesting and the author's name allowed me to fulfill some harder letters in the alphabet challenge. I ended up with a pleasant surprise and learned a lot about the history of China from an author who was born there. The intricacies of the Party establishment and the country's situation post-Tiananmen Square protests were a very interesting backdrop to a detective mystery. This is definitely not a cozy and has some very edgy and graphic details about the murder as well as the sexual exploits of the characters. The mystery is well constructed and details the police work involved in solving crimes, particularly with politically connected suspects and victims. I enjoyed the book and will definitely potentially try another in the series.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  51
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  39 
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 6
4. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  China
5. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  X
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #44
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #39
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #40
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
10. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #3
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #41 A Character Who is a Refugee
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #45 more than 450 pages
13. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #24. OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE WORLD
14. Pick your Poison  # 54 A book you expect will expand your initial knowledge of a subject
15. Read with Allison #49 Set in the 1990s:
16. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Longer than 400 pages
17. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge April- Unusual Historical

Larceny in Liverpool

 Who ever thought I would read a cozy mystery starring the Beatles.  Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh is a clever cozy that does just that.  There's a bit of a mystery surrounding stolen lyrics surrounded by a lot of fanaticism in the early days of the Beatles.  There are glimpses of famous locations such as the Cavern Club and plenty of strange fan mail.   The book is clever if not super deep in the clues.  I am not sure how the series will continue but I am willing to give the next installment a go;   particularly since they are in Kindle Unlimited.  

Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

such a fun premise

What a totally unique idea for a cozy mystery. It’s fun to read about secrets within the inner circle as the Beatles first struck out in their career. There are lots of components people will be familiar with but the story and larceny are unique I look forward to reading more of Helen’s story telling

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  47
2. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
3. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #41
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #35
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Historical  #1
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #36
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #32
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #101  Shot #1
10. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book # 2
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #7 A City or Country name in the title
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #29. A book that is light
13. Cozy Mysteries   #22 Cozy without murder
14. HP Quidditch 23 #4 Quidditch Throughout the Ages: A historical fiction
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #23. Read a historical fiction novel
16. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #14. A BOOK YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #34 A historical-fiction book
18. Pick your Poison  # 61 A fiction book with a real person as protagonist
19. Read with Allison #8 Historical Fiction
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge April- Unusual Historic Fiction

Lessons in Chemistry

 My first 5-star read of the year.  I am so glad I finally put this book at the top of my to-read list after seeing so many recommendations online in the various book groups I follow.  As someone who experienced studying engineering in college as the solo woman in my small department and then going to work on Wall Street, I encountered my fair share of doubting males.  But, I also encountered my share of Calvins that didn't differentiate based on my gender.  I was also fortunate enough to have many strong female managers who helped me in my career.  I appreciate the struggles women like Elizabeth endured to enable me to have the career I did in the 1990s.  

I think the aspect of this book I liked the most was although it is a serious topic and the struggles were represented well, they were not in your face like a lecture.  Rather the reader was able to process and intuit the differences in how Elizabeth was treated and the societal rules she was challenging.  I loved her belief that Life is Change and Chemistry is Change which helped her to encourage change and courage in many other women, most of whom she didn't know.  

Readers looking for an empowering read will like this novel.   There are some trigger scenes involving rape and inappropriate interactions in the plot.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book lived up to all the hype in my opinion. It is far more serious than the title would imply. I still felt like there were many light-hearted moments that brought a smile to my face. There is a level of seriousness to the story as well. Elizabeth and Calvin had rough lives before they met, each keeping secrets of their childhood but someone they were able to find each other and related to each other like none before. Both are very logical and pragmatic personalities and anyone that tends to lean toward that in their lives will definitely relate. As someone who feels they have a B****y resting face, I can certainly relate. The underlying story about the struggles women, particularly those working in scientific fields, encountered in the 50s and 60s was well written without feeling like it is a lecture. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially for women who have ever worked in a male-dominated career.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  24
2. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  G
3. What an Animal Book #5
4. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 3
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #1
6. Humor  Book #1
7. 23 in 2023 # 22 A book about the body, medicine, or science
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #43 A Book "Everyone" has read
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #35. A book with a school subject in the title
10. Bookworm # 55 Read a book that takes place in at least two different decades
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #2. Goodreads Winner in 2022
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #11 2022 debut novel
13. HP Quidditch 23 #25 Puddlemere United: With multiple points of view
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #10. Read a book that is hyped online
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #36. CHAPTERS HAVE TITLES
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # 39 A book you wish you could read for the first time again
17. Pick your Poison  # 72 A book whose cover makes you think of a middle school girl
18. Read with Allison #3 Read By #readwithallison in 2022
19. Sci and Nature # 1 About a Scientist
20. Unruly Reader Bingo  #23 Chemistry
21. Beyond the Bookends  February- Read a historical romance

Violeta

 Violeta by Isabel Allende was a selection for my book club this year and it fit several prompts for different challenges perfectly.  This was my first book by Allende and I will be reading more works by her in the future for sure.  Overall I really liked the way she combines character development and story action.  My only real complaint was the ending of the book felt as though she was throwing as many possible social issues into the story as possible rather than sticking to the main plotline that centered around the Chilean political uprising and the general US involvement in Latin American politics.  The story is an amazing saga of the family and all it underwent over the course of Violetta's lifetime.  

Violeta by Isabel Allende
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

fantastic epic historical novel

This is such a beautiful mix of description and characters. The history of Chile and S America that is revisited in this novel is an astonishing reminder of how much has changed in the world and how often it repeats in a different manner. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is the last portion felt as though all the faults in the world had to be thrown into the storyline/Violeta’s reflection letter. It just felt a bit contrived at that point whereas the rest of the book had felt authentic without lecturing til then. I am glad I went back and finished this book after having begun earlier in the year


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  101 
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Chile
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #125
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #13
5. Around the Year in 52 Books # 38. A book by a Latin American author
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  # 23. A Book Everyone is Talking About 
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #30 translated to your native language
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #21 a book you never finished 
9. Pick your Poison #97 a book about a pandemic
10. Beyond the Bookends  December- Read a family drama
11. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  December: Books Spanning Multiple Continents
12. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  Dec Historic Fiction
13. Lifetime of Reading  multi generational
14. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2022  #5 hiking

Adventures in the past

 

This challenge is hosted at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader. I will aim for reading 10 historical fiction books this year.  There is a facebook group to discuss books with fellow challenge participants.

20th Century Reader - 2 books
Victorian Reader - 5 books
Renaissance Reader - 10 books    <====== 

My Goal
Ancient History - 25 books

Prehistoric - 50+ books

#histficreadingchallenge

Historic Fiction Books Read  7

/10

1.  Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 2/18/23
2.  Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh 
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/7/23
3.  Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong 
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/12/23
4.  The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/19/23
5.  The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/21/23
6.   The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 8/9/23
7.  Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reed
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 9/23/23
8.  
9.  

The Night Portrait

 The Night Portrait is an engaging and thought-provoking work of historical fiction.  It combines scenes from DaVinci's 1540s in Milan with WWII time plot.   Each timeframe has 2 story narrators within the era.  Laura Morelli does a wonderful job of merging the 2 narrators' stories without losing their individuality.  There are many subtle connections in the storyline that join the timelines and several times she uses the same final sentence from one narrator as the first sentence to the next narrator's chapter.  

I always appreciate reading WWII books that address the horrors of the war without overwhelming the reader.  In this case, Morelli definitely describes the US soldiers' reactions to the discovery of the trains at Dachau and there is no mistaking the horror as she describes the scene quite graphically across a variety of senses.  Edith's story and how she is torn between survival and being aghast as to the horrors around her is also depicted well and you cannot help but empathize with her.  

The other story arc is in the 1490s and focuses on Da Vinci and his painting of the Lady and the Ermine in Milan.  One of the narrators is the female subject of the portrait.  There are historical explanations of the progressive approach to the painting compared to predecessors of the time.  The story includes references to many of Da Vinci's inventions and works of art.  

Morelli does a wonderful job of presenting facts in a narrative.  Be sure to read the author's note at the conclusion to understand the accuracy of the real characters in the novel.  Additionally, Edith and Dominic, although fictitious, are based upon real people involved in the Nazi art theft and retrieval efforts by the Monuments Men.   I am definitely intrigued to learn more about this group and will watch the movies referenced in her notes soon.  

Any history or art lover will enjoy this book.  I look forward to reading other works by Morelli.  

The Night Portrait: A Novel of World War II and da Vinci's Italy by Laura Morelli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

wonderful historical novel

A fantastic multi timeline story centered around daVinci’s the Lady and the Ermine Morellos does a wonderful job of interweaving the stories of Edith, and Dominic in WWII Poland/Germany and their quest to protect and preserve artwork during the ravages of war. In parallel we learn about the creation of the piece they are trying to save and the painter and subject- Cecilia. There are some very clever ways on interconnecting the storylines and the overall affect is amazing. I highly recommend this book for readers who like historical fiction and a well written story

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   98
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Poland
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #120
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #89
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #12
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #11. Discussion-Worthy Book Club Book
7. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO # 38 Dual timeline book
8. OWLS 22  # 25 Time Turner: A book with dual timelines
9. Pick your Poison #4 a "comprehensive" book
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #33. A social-horror book

Murder at Beechwood

 Murder at Beechwood is the 3rd book in the series by Alyssa Maxwell that centers around Newport, RI in the Gilded era.  The series gives the reader a peek at the lifestyle of the lifestyle of the extremely wealthy American families in late 1890s.    Emma Cross is a cousin of the Vanderbilt family living and as such she interacts with the who's who of the American industrialists.  While being a lesser Vanderbilt relation, she has the opportunity to live independently and without some of the restrictions and expectations placed upon the debutante daughters of the Vanderbilts and their peers.   Her lineage does afford her the opportunity to visit the famous homes of Newport though;  sometimes as a social call and other times as a lifestyle reporter for the local paper.  The books focus on the crimes she finds herself at the center of and uniquely positioned to obtain insight the police would otherwise not uncover.  Although the books can be read alone, it is more enjoyable to read them in order as there are references to past adventures and existing relationships.  

This particular book focuses on the Astor family estate and the summer season kickoff Mary Astor hosts for the 400 Hundred.  Emma finds herself in attendance in her role as the society writer.  But her new friendship with Grace Wilson, due to cousin Niely's courtship of the young lady, provides her inside access to the social events.  This access is important to the investigation of several crimes that appear to be interrelated but not definitively.   Maxwell does a wonderful job of unraveling the details and keeping the mystery engaging.   There is a nice balance of description about the gilded era and the plot lines.  Emma and her household are very likeable characters and Emma's strong will is made apparent through the dialogue, both external and inner.  I enjoy reading about the era but am certainly glad to live in the modern world with all the choices and opportunities provided to both genders.  

If you are looking for a historical cozy mystery this is a great series to try.  In many ways it is the American version of the Rhys Bowen series.  

Murder at Beechwood by Alyssa Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable book set amongst a wealthy society. its fun to read about some of the famous industrialist families we learn of in history books. Maxwell does a wonderful job of creating characters both likeable and easily despised. Emma Cross is a wonderful antagonist and her relationships with her cousins and her childhood friends are quite engaging. The mystery itself is well written and the different subplots fit well together and are resolved appropriately.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 70
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  RI
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 36  Book #1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #83
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #63
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Historical #2
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #78
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #71
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 5 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-road; bluff; ocean; hospital; steamer ship
• Weapon- gun; gun; drown; dagger; fire
• Detectives- emma cross; jesse
• Victims- Charlie; Naomi; Virgil Monroe, Wyatt Monroe, Nate Monroe
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 33 Shot #3
12. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #9
13. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #34. A book set in Victorian times 

The Honeybee Emeralds

  The Honeybee Emeralds is a brand new 2022 release I happened upon at the library.  I am so glad I spotted this book and read it.  It is a fascinating historical fiction book that spans modern time and goes back through different points in history.  Amy Tector does a wonderful job of connecting various famous people in history through an emerald necklace.  While it is probably a stretch to believe this could have touched that many famous lives it was still a great plot line and well constructed.  

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect to the story line as well as the glimpses into modern history.   This is a fun historical fiction book that has characters with depth and dimensions.  While the necklace and the quest to identify its history are the main focus, there are character history and emotions that are included as well.   It was easy to view myself as a member of the Fellowship searching for information.  

Great read for anyone who likes historical fiction and especially lovers of Paris.  

The Honeybee Emeralds by Amy Tector
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an engaging historical fiction book that had a mystery at the center of the storyline. In that sense it reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing. The mystery is important to the story but the characters and their environments are just as important. The characters flaws and histories become part of the story in a slow reveal. Each character has aspects of who they are that are revealed as the story progresses. Many of their issues and concerns are very relatable to readers as I am sure many have backgrounds enable them to relate to the characters' stories. The mystery was intriguing and fascinating and the different points in the necklace's history, although a bit of a reach, were interesting.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #38
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #50
3. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 1  Historical Fiction
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #6
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #51
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #38 Don’t judge a book by its cover! 
7. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #48. Historical Novel
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #24 recommended on social media
9. OWLS 22  #15 Telescope: A book you spotted on social media
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #11. A #BookTok recommendation
11. Pick your Poison #83 a book about a lost treasure

Jackie and Maria

 Jackie and Maria was a wonderful historical fiction novel written by Gill Paul.  The Jackie in the title refers to the most famous Jackie in history- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  The author did a wonderful job in combining story telling with facts about many famous people in this book.  I would never describe myself as a Kennedy fangirl but I definitely find the family intriguing and their appearances in history of the US fascinating.  

I enjoyed how Paul intertwined much of the Kennedy political/policy legacy into the story without dwelling on those facts too much.  It made me think about the Kennedy Center and how it probably evolved from Jackie's passion for the arts which is woven into this story to tie her storyline to Marie Callas in a manner other than Ari Onassis.   

I'm sure Kennedy purists won't like this book and several reviews confirm that, but I thought the author did a wonderful job of using facts to create a well woven story.  This is actually the second story I read in 2022 that involves the  Kennedy; the other being The Kennedy Debutante about Kick Kennedy who has a brief mention in this story.  

 I have always been intrigued by the Kennedys but had only read Clint Hill's account of life as Mrs. Kennedy's Secret Service Agent and his perspectives on the couple who changed much of America's political story.  I also have Jackie, Janet and Lee on my TBR list this year coincidentally as it is a book from TBR list that was selected for my Randomizer challenge.  I am curious to see  how much of the biography confirms the story line content in this novel.   

Coincidentally if you are doing a challenge where the prompt for a book by a different title is included this book will work as it is also titled the Second Marriage.  

Jackie and Maria: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy & Maria Callas by Gill Paul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is very good historical fiction account of Jackie Kennedy and her relationship with JFK and Onassis. It is Interesting to me to learn about parts of her relationships that lead to possible interactions with other famous people in history. The author is very clear in her note on what is based on fact vs her fictional accounts. I didn’t really know much about Onassis except rich Greek shipping magnate that was Jackie’s 2nd husband. I knew nothing about Maria Callas but I am intrigued to learn more. A good read if you like fictionalizes accounts about real historical figures

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #45
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Greece
3. AtoZ   #2022AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  J
4. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  #2  Controversial 
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #55
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #45
7. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #7
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #19 A book that has an alternate title
9. Around the Year in 52 Books # 48. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022 
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #20. Literary Fiction
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #31 features royalty
12. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #30 Read a book that has the friend's to lover's trope
13. Nancy Drew #41. The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (1964) - read a book where the mc plays a musical instrument
14. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #51 multiple perspectives
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #48. A book with two POVs
16. Pick your Poison #82 a book about a legendary hero
17. RAD challenge #aradreadingchallenge #
18. What's in a Name   #
19. While I was Reading  #
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  
21. Monthly Keyword #MonthlyKeyWordGXO
22. Reading Randomizer
23. Beyond the Bookends  
24. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge
25. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  May: History & Biography
26. Lifetime of Reading
27. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2022 
28. Unruly Reader Bingo  #

Mirror Girls

 Mirror Girls is a horror  YA novel by Kelly McWilliams.  This is definitely a book from outside my norm reading selections.  I don't even remember the last time I read a horror book if ever.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book- which I selected purely because the cover intrigued me.  

The author does a wonderful job of centering a book around a difficult topic- Jim Crow in the South without being too preachy about the topic.  There were some references to General Lee that reflected a modern lens being applied to history but for the most part the storyline stuck to the actions of a small town in GA during the 1950s.  It truly demonstrated how far the nation has come even though there are clearly areas we can still learn and improve upon.   

The actual plot of the story was well written and descriptive.  The paranormal aspects were well done and quite interesting.  The existence of spirits and how they came to haunt the area are explained and intriguing.  The book is a nice balance of plot and deeper themes and ideas to reflect upon.  Overall I really enjoyed this book and am glad I read it.  

Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really didn’t know what to expect with this book. The cover captured me when reading a book publication. I am definitely not a normal horror reader. This book was a wonderful read. The story and plot are very good and intriguing but the deeper themes and ideas are amazing. For the most part the book refrains from preaching and guilting about the past wrongs that occurred in this country. I think the stories and the demonstrations of the pervasiveness of Jim Crow laws is much more effective in explaining the past horrors. The symbolism of the mirrors and coming to see herself for who she is and is capable of being adds such depth to Magnolia. I appreciate that this book isn’t all happily ever after but there is hope which is what the world needs to move forward through difficult times and to affect change in a healthy and pervasive way.
This book is a wonderful read

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #31
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes   GA
3. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 14 Horror
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #42
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #50 A person of color as the main character
7. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #43. Spooky Read
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #23 book written for an age group you don't belong to
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #28 Read a YA book
10. Nancy Drew #38. The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (1961) - read a fantasy book
11. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #52 bipoc author
12. OWLS 22  #57 Animagus: Includes a shapeshifter
13. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # 12  A book about the afterlife
14. Pick your Poison #74 a book about a ghost
15. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  Mar  Fantasy
16. 52 books in 52 weeks  #6 Haunted