Merry Day after Christmas! We all know I haven’t been reading for the last couple weeks. I’ve enjoyed every minute visiting with my Mom. My youngest sister, Christie, came with her family yesterday, and we had lunch and cookies with them, played pinochle, opened presents. Lots of laughter and conversation. We still have one more cousin we want to visit while I’m here. And, the new baby in the family will be back with his parents.
What about you? Did you enjoy some quiet time, reading time, family time?
What are you reading?
(I do have a full schedule planned for next week, with my favorites, Treasures in the Closet, and more, so I will be back to books soon.)
I hope everyone has had a happy holiday. Ours was very quiet; just the two of us. But we did go all out and fixed a nice traditional dinner – turkey and all the fixings. We’ll be eating leftovers for awhile.
As far as reading, sometimes nothing will suit. That’s when it’s nice to find the next comfort read by comfort author Debbie Johnson (thank you NetGalley).
Description of STARTING OVER IN STARSHINE COVE –
The perfect feel-good read that will have you laughing, crying and everything in between.
Connie Llewelyn is the beating heart of the magical seaside village of Starshine Cove. She runs the local cafe, and is everybody’s friend – always on hand with a kind smile, a listening ear and a freshly-baked scone.
Since losing her beloved husband five years ago, she’s been busy raising her children, supporting her extended family and staying positive. Now, as her kids fly the nest, she finds herself wondering what her own future might look like.
When a face from the past unexpectedly arrives in Starshine, could meeting Zack again give her a second chance at love? Will Connie be brave enough to take a risk on living life for herself?
From the beloved bestselling author of the Comfort Food Café series, this is a heart-warming tale of second chances, self-discovery and the extraordinary healing power of community. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Milly Johnson and Heidi Swain.
You’re right, Kaye. Isn’t it great to have NetGalley to browse when nothing seems to suit?
Sometimes, a quiet traditional dinner for two is just perfect. We had a semi-rowdy Christmas day, and it turns out Mom and I really didn’t even eat dinner. In fact, Mom skipped lunch, too! But, there was plenty of sandwiches, chips, cookies, and candies for the younger people who were here. Some were going on to more traditional dinners at homes of other family members. It was all fun, and a Christmas to remember.
Hello, everyone! It’s Christmas night where I am, and my son and I spent the whole day (starting at 8:30 a.m. with my other son, daughter-in-law, and grandkids. Santa brought them a ping-pong table, and I had a ball playing with 8-year-old Henry. He didn’t have much experience at the game, but he got pretty good pretty fast! I’m sure I’ll be stiff tomorrow after picking up the ball from the floor one too many times, but I enjoyed it. We all got multiple gifts, and we ended the day (just the adults) with one of our favorite, free-for-all, trash-talking card games (I didn’t win). Kaye, I’m reading the very book you mentioned right now, and I’ve enjoyed the whole series so far. Here’s what else I finished this week:
Louise Penny books are a must-read for me. I clearly remember being struck by the author’s skill as a storyteller when I first read Still Life and recommended it to others. It amazes me that she can keep the quality of her books so high after 19 in the series! Having said that, I think I may have a different opinion of THE GREY WOLF than some of my friends. Maybe it wasn’t the right book at the right time for me, but I have to admit that it is not among my favorites in the series. It is certainly suspenseful, and skillfully written, but the pervasive, almost unrelenting feeling of foreboding on every page made my reading experience feel bleak and uncomfortable. It even led me to start skimming in the latter half of the book–sacrilege, I know–because there is such an overwhelming number of characters and I found it exhausting to follow. This book has Inspector Gamache pulled into an impossible situation that forces him to decide whether to reveal a conspiracy that could endanger a large number of Canadian citizens. It’s a lot for Gamache to shoulder, although he has done similar things in previous books. It also takes place mainly outside of his small Canadian town of Three Pines so there is little relief from his usual cast of local characters. Even his wife, Reine-Marie, with whom he has a strong and enviable relationship, is largely absent from the story. I will still look for each of Louise Penny’s Gamache books, but the next one may be an exception because there is a cliffhanger that indicates it will be a continuation of the plot in this book. Among her recent books, 2023’s A World of Curiosities is my favorite.
Hannah Langdon follows up last year’s delightful Christmas romance, Christmas with the Lords, with another charming holiday novel, CHRISTMAS WITH THE KNIGHTS. Fallon owns a London event planning business, where she has a tendency to take on too much rather than letting her two excellent employees relieve her of some of her responsibilities. As a result, she is exhausted and at the point of collapse. So she agrees to join her glamorous soap opera star mother, Jacqueline, in Yorkshire to spend the holidays at her aristocratic beau’s beautiful estate. Fallon and Jacqueline haven’t gotten along for years, as Jacqueline has always put a higher priority on her career than on her daughter. Even so, Fallon finds the change of venue healing, as she voluntarily lends her expertise to help the lord’s handsome widowed son Alexander prepare his new business of artisanal gin for presentation at a Holiday Fayre, and to assist Alexander’s half-sister in breaking into the catering business. Alexander was a prominent surgeon before an accident ended his career, and he is the single parent of a 9-year-old son, Theo, who struggles with some social issues. Naturally, there is an attraction between Fallon and Alexander, but although she also adores Theo, Fallon has convinced herself she can never be a good mother because of the poor example her mother has set. The characters of Alexander, the adorable Theo, Fallon’s coworkers, and others in the Knight family are well drawn and relatable. I also enjoyed other plot details, including a bird sanctuary and a rescue donkey. And the holiday feeling is heartwarmingly described. My only issues are with Jacqueline, who seems to change her attitude toward motherhood too quickly, and the Fallon/Alexander relationship, which isn’t as convincing (particularly during a short time period) as I would have liked. But it is a quick, pleasant read for the Christmas season, and I enjoyed it very much.
I’ve seen the show Come from Away, more than once (although not as often as Lesa!), and it is one of my favorite Broadway musicals of all time. So I’m glad Lesa made me aware of the book, COME FROM AWAY: WELCOME TO THE ROCK, text by Lawrence Maslon. This is the story of how 38 planes were diverted to the Gander (Newfoundland) Airport on September 11, 2001 after US air space was closed following terrorist attacks. The 10,000 or so inhabitants of Gander were suddenly charged with figuring out to to house, feed, and otherwise care for the 6,500+ stranded airplane passengers, including many from countries other than the US and Canada, as well as cats, dogs, and bonobo chimps. It is a beautifully told, imaginatively staged story of selflessness, creativity, and the human spirit, brought to life enthusiastically and realistically by the cast. The script and the music and lyrics are by married Canadian writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein, who started the process at the 10th anniversary celebration/reunion of 9/11 in Gander. The book’s contents include: the complete libretto, annotated with fascinating insider info and accompanied by photos of the cast performing each number; the history of Newfoundland and Gander Airport; what happened each day of that emotional week; the development of the show through workshops prior to Broadway; the real-life characters on which the 12 roles are based and the original cast members who played them; staging and direction, the writers and their background; the onstage musicians; the Broadway opening; and the subsequent outpouring of thanks, kindness, and monetary gifts from the airplane passengers. My favorite chapter is Return to Gander, which features reunions and feedback from the people who saw themselves, or their home town, represented in the show–I definitely shed some tears reading about it. I’ve never spoken to anyone who has seen Come From Away who wasn’t thrilled and enthusiastic about it, so I recommend that you see it when you have the chance. And this coffee table-sized book will help you to appreciate it infinitely more.
Happy Day after Christmas, Margie! Rowdy card games seem a part of some family holidays. We played lots of pinochle yesterday, and enjoyed it. Partnered with my brother-in-law, and we did pretty good together.
I am so glad you loved Come From Away, both the show and the book. I think they did a beautiful job with the book. And, I’m glad to know there were a few happy tears on your side.
I had a great Christmas with family.
This week I read:
Dead Spider by Victoria Houston; In an area of Wisconsin where everybody fly fishes, the richest man in town, a real jerk is murdered. A former dentist, who helps out with forensics helps out with the case, and tries to develop his crush on the female sheriff. Sort of like a Hallmark movie with a male protagonist.
Lethally Blonde by Kate White; A cozy that doesn’t want to admit to being a cozy.
Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay; Reading a Halloween set novel during Christmas week, was actually sort of fun. In this one, Scottsdale is having a zombie event, and everybody is dressed like the undead. The usual dead body is found in a casket by the cupcake booth, and the zombie was dressed a lot like Angie, the sidekick. Of course, her brother is trying a notorious mobster, and everybody tries to keep Angie safe, and Mel tries to solve the mystery, despite all the “help” she gets. More comedy than usual.
I’m glad you had a great Christmas, Glen.
Dark Chocolate Demise is probably the most like Jenn McKinlay herself. She has a wicked sense of humor, and probably enjoyed writing that one.
Hello, Lesa and friends, and Happy St. Stephen’s Day. I hope you’ve all had very happy celebrations. My husband and I are reveling in having our son home for a few days. There are lots of good leftovers in this house after several big family dinners–what we can’t eat, we’ll freeze.
I’m still listening to mysteries: I just finished an excellent Vera Stanhope by Ann Cleeves called THE SEAGULL and started a detailed police procedural (I love getting all the intricacies of how the crime is solved) by another Brit, Peter Grainger, called ON EDEN STREET. But as far as reading goes, I’m celebrating Christmas and good cheer by indulging in a series of Regency romances about a ducal family by Canadian Mary Balogh. One aristocratic sibling after another is narrowly avoiding social scandal on the way to marrying for love.
Happy St. Stephen’s Day, Kim! Enjoy the family time, and the leftovers. (Sometimes, my favorites.)
And, I’m glad you’re finding time in your reading for some Christmas cheer. One of my sisters is a big Mary Balogh fan.
Good morning. I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. I didn’t read anything this week. We spent the week visiting with different family members. Yesterday we visited my mom in her assisted living facility and surprised her with a phone call from my niece who lives in CA.
Thank you, Sandy. What a nice visit with your Mom and niece. Sometimes, it’s just nice to get out of our normal routine, and spend time with family. Sending hugs.
Good morning. I hope Santa was good to you all and brought lots of goodies for those who celebrate in that way. When we went out to pick up lunch and went to the supermarket yesterday, we saw several couples with shopping carts filled with wrapped presents, presumably on the way to grandma’s house (or wherever) to deliver holiday cheer. Here, I read (finished my book) and Jackie read and watched Christmas episodes of THE WALTONS and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. Last night we watched MEET ME IN ST LOUIS (which introduced “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in the third segment) and the new Christmas Special of CALL THE MIDWIFE. I can see why the song was a hit when the movie came out during Christmas of 1944. After three years of war (5 in Europe), the lyrics must have seemed perfect:
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas; let your heart be light. Next year, all our troubles will be out of sight.”
Two people from that movie are still alive 80 years later: Margaret O’Brien, who played the youngest, Tootie, is 87, and June Lockhart, who played the son’s love interest Lucille Ballard in the Christmas dance sequence, is still with us at 99.
But I digress. Oh, one more thing. No presents here, of course, as we don’t celebrate Chtistmas, but I did “gift” myself two books this week:
First, for anyone who has read Gerald Durrell’s wonderful books about his family – or watched THE DURRELLS series on television – you probably know that Lawrence (Larry, the eldest) and Gerald (Gerry, the youngest) became very successful writers. But anyone who watched the show might wonder, as I did, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MARGO?, the somewhat wacky sister. This is Margaret Durrell’s own story, which I found online for $2. She returns to England after WWII and opens a boardinghouse in Bournemouth, only to have more wacky adventures.
The second was highly recommended by a friend as one of the greatest collections of western short stories, Dorothy M. Johnson’s THE HANGING TREE (this trade paperback was $6). The title story was made into a movie with Gary Cooper. Johnson also wrote “A Man Called Horse” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance.”
I always think, books are the perfect gift.
Current reading next post.
Good morning, Jeff! I’m glad you and Jackie had a full day together.
I always liked June Lockhart. I didn’t know she was still alive.
And, you’re right. Books are the perfect gift, especially ones we give ourselves. My great-niece and nephew were thrilled to get sets of books for Christmas.
Jackie is reading A STRANGER IN TOWN, the sixth (I believe) in Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton series, and it sounds convoluted from her description. She said she is setting up the final book (which she has), where – apparently – she launched a spinoff series. I think that’s right.
I read mostly one book this week, plus a glut of short stories. First, Diane Oliver was a young writer who seemed on the brink of success after having a couple of her short stories published, when she was killed in a motorcycle crash at 22, in 1966. A couple of her other stories were published posthumously, but that was it until her sister discovered a cache of unpublished stories and they came out with Neighbors and Other Stories early this year. Several are about the civil rights struggle in the 1950s and 1960s, including the title story, about a 5 year old boy about to integrate an all-white school for the first time. “Before Twilight” is about a 17 year old girl in Alabama who has s a scholarship to the state college, who joins three friends to try and integrate a local restaurant. These stories really bring back the feeling of that time. Some of the later stories are about different times and places. She definitely had talent. Too bad she never got to write more.
I’ve read some conflicting things about Kristin Hannah’s The Women. If you look at Amazon, the book has an astonishing 81% five star ratings with over 200,000 people voting. But Jackie has found some nasty, snarky things online about it. The story is this: in 1966, young nursing student Frankie McGrath is inspired by her brother joining the Navy to go to Vietnam, plus a friend of his telling her that “girls can be heroes” too, to join the Army as a nurse and go to Vietnam. Needless to say, probably, she has no idea of what she is getting into. The first half of the book (roughly) is her adventures and growth in Vietnam, and the two women who become her lifelong best friends. The bad stuff starts when she comes home and sees the reaction she and the returning soldiers are subjected to. Some of it is obvious and predictable, as there are several places where you say to yourself “I see where this is going” (and you are mostly right). But for the most part, I thought it was pretty good (no, I wouldn’t give it ***** but I liked it), as you do keep turning the pages to see where Frankie ends up after all the travails. Some things are infuriating, even to a man, as she is told twice, in two different VAs in two different places, that “there were no women in Vietnam.” Really? For someone who was alive back then and remembers the times, yeah, it is worth a try if you are interested in that period. I wouldn’t call it deep, but is that what you are reading it for, or to be entertained? For the most part, I was.
Also reading OUR STRANGERS, the Lydia Davis short stort stories, and AGENTS OF TREACHERY, the collection of spy stories edited by Otto Penzler. I hope to finish both by the end of the year. I’m just about th reach 900 short stories read this year. I read 920 in 2021.
Just as I finished the Hannah, I got a notice from the library to download the new SHelley Burr mystery set in the wilds of Australia, MURDER TOWN. I liked her first so will see about this. There is one character (a journalist) carried over from the first book, though I really will have to refresh my mind about what happened in that book. Jackie has the second in the Nora Roberts trilogy, THE MIRROR, to read next.
By this time next week, we should be deep into packing, as we leave next Friday morning for Florida. I’m really not looking forward to all that involves, but I am looking forward to the sunny, warmer weather. One interesting fact: although sunrise times are roughly analogous between New York and Florida (within 10 minutes), sunset is a full ONE HOUR later in North Palm Beach than in Brooklyn.
Jeff, I find the sunrise times and sunset ones interesting. My father used to call these tidbits “nuggets of knowledge”.
I can see why you don’t look forward to preparation for your trip; turning everything off, canceling things. And then you do all the driving. But worth it for that warmer, sunnier weather!
I may have to look for Shelley Burr.
Ah, the day after Christmas – back to the hustle and bustle of daily life’s requirements. I actually worked on a small counted cross stitch craft this past week, something that I hadn’t done in years – so relaxing! I also managed to finish “Holmes Coming” by Kenneth Johnson. A fun reimagining of Holmes reawakening, from a self imposed stasis, into current day society.. I listened to this on audio and truth be told, I didn’t finish it originally so when I borrowed it again, I picked it up half-way through and didn’t remember all that had come before. But the fact that I didn’t finish it initially indicates that it was just okay and not a compelling read.
Oh, that’s nice, Mary, that you found a relaxing project before the bustle of ordinary life.
I’m glad Holmes Coming is fun, even if not compelling.
We had a quiet Christmas at home, re-watched Elf and finished Being Jewish After The Destruction of Gaza by Peter Beinert, a win from GoodReads, It was a tough read so after the review, I am settling in to enjoy Vivien Chen’s Misfortune Cookie which I bought recently. I need a break from sorrow,
You do need a break after a tough book. We know what we need to read.
This was my first Christmas without my husband so it’s been difficult. On the 24 th my brother in law and I went to the movies to see A Complete Unknown the Bob Dylan story and we totally enjoyed it-highly recommend. I finished reading The French Ingredient which someone mentioned here and it was great-loved learning about how the French think and live. I also read a very good mystery All the Way Gone-is there such a thing as a good psychopath? Keeps you guessing and you don’t want to put it down. Author is Joanna Schaffausen and I’m going to look for some of her other books. Having family tonight so I have a busy day ahead!
I imagine it was a rough Christmas, Donna. I’m sorry. I’m glad you could escape into an enjoyable movie for a little while.
Hold that family close. I know I’ve appreciated mine even more in recent years.
Happy Day after Christmas!
Three books for me this week.
Murder in Season by Mary Winters. The third book in this delightful series. Amelia’s impetuous young sister comes to visit and gets accused of murdering one of the guests at the ball held in honor.
Next, I read A Five Letter Word for Love by Amy James. I picked this up because the storyline involved Wordle. Emily has had a perfect Wordle streak for nearly a year. She is 27 and works at as a receptionist at an auto repair shop on PEI. She has an attraction to the young auto mechanic but decides she wants more for herself than being stuck on a small island. This was a cute fun read with some nice moments. I liked reading about how she solved the Wordle puzzles the best.
My last read was just fabulous. After reading too many ho hum Christmas books this December, I finally found the one. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter had it all. A locked room mystery on a remote country estate, and two enemy mystery writers with lots of chemistry and humor. I really cannot say enough about it except I just loved it.
On TV we finished Black Doves on Netflix and watched the Beyond Paradise Christmas special on Britbox. We are still getting through the latest season of Miss Scarlet on PBS Passport and missing the Duke. We loved Lucy Worsley’s Holmes vs. Doyle on PBS and wish we could stream the whole season of Shetland instead of watching one episode every Wednesday.
Best wishes for a Happy New Year. And Happy Reading!
Happy Boxing Day/Second Night of Chanukah! I’m reading an ARC of Kathryn Lasky’s “A Slant of Light,” which has Georgia O’Keefe as a protagonist! (I’ll be interviewing her at her book launch at Porter Square Books in February). Atmospheric and good fun – and how nice to be in the Southwest instead of fridge New England! (Of course, I hope some readers out there are checking out my he said/she said psych suspense “The Butterfly Trap,” also on NetGalley right now.)
I’ve been reading several of the old stories from the Fireside Book of Christmas Stories, published in 1945. Most of the stories were written between 1900 and 1935. Our Christmas celebrations today are much different! Sometimes for the worse, but sometimes for the better–especially in terms of racial traditions of the time, and treatment of children. And every year I read Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory. He was a great writer, and so descriptive of the time and place. Although it takes place in a different state, the story evokes how Christmas was celebrated when I was a child in the rural south.
Yesterday we watched two movies, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and RED (with Bruce Willis, Mary Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman and more). Tonight we will watch BULLET TRAIN (with Brad Pitt), a much newer movie based on a novel by Kōtarō Isaka, also titled BULLET TRAIN in English translation.
Last week I read A BIRD IN THE HAND by Ann Cleeves, the first book in the George and Molly Palmer-Jones, first published in 1986. All I knew about the series was that it was focused on birdwatching and birders. The book is not as good as Cleeves’ later books in the Shetland series or the Vera series, but I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the characters, the setting, and the birdwatching.
Now I am reading TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett; I am enjoying it a lot and have read about half of the book.
Glen is reading THE EARLY TUDORS AT HOME, 1485-1558, published in 1976 by Elizabeth Burton. He is enjoying it, and he has a book she wrote later about the Elizabethan period.
He has also started another short story book, GHOSTS OF THE CHIT-CHAT, edited by Robert Lloyd Parry. Includes stories and more by members of the the Chit-Chat Club at Cambridge University.