Courtenay's bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 13 Apr 2025 07:45:17 -0700 60 Courtenay's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg A Gambling Man (Archer #2) 54334352 Aloysius Archer, the straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison, returns in this riveting new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.

The 1950s are on the horizon, and Archer is in dire need of a fresh start after a nearly fatal detour in Poca City. So Archer hops on a bus and begins the long journey out west to California, where rumor has it there is money to be made if you’re hard-working, lucky, criminal—or all three.

Along the way, Archer stops in Reno, where a stroke of fortune delivers him a wad of cash and an eye-popping blood-red 1939 Delahaye convertible—plus a companion for the final leg of the journey, an aspiring actress named Liberty Callahan who is planning to try her luck in Hollywood. But when the two arrive in Bay Town, California, Archer quickly discovers that the hordes of people who flocked there seeking fame and fortune landed in a false paradise that instead caters to their worst addictions and fears.

Archer’s first stop is a P.I. office where he is hoping to apprentice with a legendary private eye and former FBI agent named Willie Dash. He lands the job, and immediately finds himself in the thick of a potential scandal: a blackmail case involving a wealthy well-connected politician running for mayor that soon spins into something even more sinister. As bodies begin falling, Archer and Dash must infiltrate the world of brothels, gambling dens, drug operations, and long-hidden secrets, descending into the rotten bones of a corrupt town that is selling itself as the promised land—but might actually be the road to perdition, and Archer’s final resting place.]]> 438 David Baldacci 1538719673 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.95 2021 A Gambling Man (Archer #2)
author: David Baldacci
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Ministry of Time 199798179 A time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all:

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats� from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.

She is tasked with working as a “bridge�: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as �1847� or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machines,� “Spotify,� and “the collapse of the British Empire.� But with an appetite for discovery, a seven-a-day cigarette habit, and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts.

Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a horrifically uncomfortable roommate dynamic, evolves into something much deeper. By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.]]> 339 Kaliane Bradley 1668045141 Courtenay 3
The book was OK. Her lyrical and poetic language was what kept me reading. It moved me. But the plot could get confusing. At least it did for me. It did not move me. But it did move. The characters were interesting, but I did not feel close to them or like them a lot.

When I read a book, and its characters are people I want to know better, I want to keep reading. When the place and events are places and events I want to know about or experience, I want to keep reading. As I said earlier, I really didn’t want to keep reading. So this is a 3 for me. And it’s a generous three.]]> 3.54 2024 The Ministry of Time
author: Kaliane Bradley
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/12
date added: 2025/04/12
shelves:
review:
I didn’t want to finish this book. It was more of a drudge than a pleasure. But I have never left any book undone unless it was truly and completely miserable - like the GOLDFINCH, which I had to stop reading to save my sanity.

The book was OK. Her lyrical and poetic language was what kept me reading. It moved me. But the plot could get confusing. At least it did for me. It did not move me. But it did move. The characters were interesting, but I did not feel close to them or like them a lot.

When I read a book, and its characters are people I want to know better, I want to keep reading. When the place and events are places and events I want to know about or experience, I want to keep reading. As I said earlier, I really didn’t want to keep reading. So this is a 3 for me. And it’s a generous three.
]]> Hunting by Stars 56969519 A new story about hope and survival.

Years ago, when plagues and natural disasters killed millions of people, much of the world stopped dreaming. Without dreams, people are haunted, sick, mad, unable to rebuild. The government soon finds that the Indigenous people of North America have retained their dreams, an ability rumored to be housed in the very marrow of their bones. Soon, residential schools pop up—or are re-opened—across the land to bring in the dreamers and harvest their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old French lost his family to these schools and has spent the years since heading north with his new found family: a group of other dreamers, who, like him, are trying to build and thrive as a community. But then French wakes up in a pitch-black room, locked in and alone for the first time in years, and he knows immediately where he is—and what it will take to escape.

Meanwhile, out in the world, his found family searches for him and dodges new dangers—school Recruiters, a blood cult, even the land itself. When their paths finally collide, French must decide how far he is willing to go—and how many loved ones is he willing to betray—in order to survive.]]> 400 Cherie Dimaline 1419753479 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.29 2021 Hunting by Stars
author: Cherie Dimaline
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Let Them Theory 216351768
If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words�Let Them—will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands—and this book will show you exactly how to do it.

In her latest groundbreaking book, The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins�New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's most respected experts on motivation, confidence, and mindset—teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life.

Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions and how you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact. Within a few pages, you'll realize how much energy and time you've been wasting trying to control the wrong things—at work, in relationships, and in pursuing your goals—and how this is keeping you from the happiness and success you deserve.

Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way.

Learn how

Stop wasting energy on things you can't control Stop comparing yourself to other peopleBreak free from fear and self-doubtRelease the grip of people's expectationsBuild the best friendships of your lifeCreate the love you deservePursue what truly matters to you with confidenceBuild resilience against everyday stressors and distractionsDefine your own path to success, joy, and fulfillment. . . and so much more.

The Let Them Theory will forever change the way you think about relationships, control, and personal power. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential.

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory now and discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words.]]> 311 Mel Robbins 1401971377 Courtenay 0 currently-reading 4.20 2024 The Let Them Theory
author: Mel Robbins
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Hate That Cat (Jack, #2) 2930911 Room 204—Miss Stretchberry

February 25

Today the fat black cat
up in the tree by the bus stop
dropped a nut on my head
thunk
and when I yelled at it
that fat black cat said
Murr-mee-urrr
in a
nasty
spiteful
way.

I hate that cat.

This is the story of
Jack
words
sounds
silence
teacher
and cat.

]]> 160 Sharon Creech 0061430927 Courtenay 5
PS Read the poems in the back first to truly appreciate Jack’s comments about them. ]]> 3.91 2008 Hate That Cat (Jack, #2)
author: Sharon Creech
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves:
review:
I love love love Jack and his words that become poems. He is a student with whom I identify. A student like Jack reinforced my reasons for teaching. I had many students like Jack for my 35 years of teaching, but they became fewer and fewer and by year 35 it was time to retire. I don’t HATE THAT CAT. I love this book and the cats Jack immortalized in his poetry. I hope you do, too.

PS Read the poems in the back first to truly appreciate Jack’s comments about them.
]]> Moo 28217808 Love That Dog and Hate That Cat will love her newest tween novel, Moo. This uplifting tale reminds us that if we’re open to new experiences, life is full of surprises. Following one family’s momentous move from the city to rural Maine, an unexpected bond develops between twelve-year-old Reena and one very ornery cow.

When Reena, her little brother, Luke, and their parents first move to Maine, Reena doesn’t know what to expect. She’s ready for beaches, blueberries, and all the lobster she can eat. Instead, her parents “volunteer� Reena and Luke to work for an eccentric neighbor named Mrs. Falala, who has a pig named Paulie, a cat named China, a snake named Edna—and that stubborn cow, Zora.

This heartwarming story, told in a blend of poetry and prose, reveals the bonds that emerge when we let others into our lives.]]> 288 Sharon Creech 0062415271 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.84 2016 Moo
author: Sharon Creech
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Walk Two Moons 53496 Instantly, Phoebe Winterbottom came to mind. "I could tell you an extensively strange story," I warned.
"Oh, good!" Gram said. "Delicious!"
And that is how I happened to tell them about Phoebe, her disappearing mother, and the lunatic.

As Sal entertains her grandparents with Phoebe's outrageous story, her own story begins to unfold � the story of a thirteen-year-old girl whose only wish is to be reunited with her missing mother.

In her own award-winning style, Sharon Creech intricately weaves together two tales, one funny, one bittersweet, to create a heartwarming, compelling, and utterly moving story of love, loss, and the complexity of human emotion.]]> 280 Sharon Creech 0060739495 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.99 1994 Walk Two Moons
author: Sharon Creech
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Love That Dog (Jack, #1) 53498 look like a poem
when you see it
typed up
like that."

Jack hates poetry. Only girls write it and every time he tries to, his brain feels empty. But his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, won't stop giving her class poetry assignments—and Jack can't avoid them. But then something amazing happens. The more he writes, the more he learns he does have something to say.]]> 112 Sharon Creech 0064409597 Courtenay 5
The young man writing the entries from the start of school to the end of the school year reminded me of my boys. His poetry about his dog Sky will be in my heart long after reading this book & writing this review. “I love that dog.� ]]> 4.03 2001 Love That Dog (Jack, #1)
author: Sharon Creech
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves:
review:
Bought this book for my niece. She’s not a big poetry lover. Decided to read it before giving it to her. I LOVED IT! Brought back memories of teaching poetry to 8th grade boys and girls. I used some of the poetry in the back of the book, which should be read first, as another reviewer recommended.

The young man writing the entries from the start of school to the end of the school year reminded me of my boys. His poetry about his dog Sky will be in my heart long after reading this book & writing this review. “I love that dog.�
]]> <![CDATA[The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19)]]> 203578881 The nineteenth mystery in the #1 New York Times bestselling Armand Gamache series

Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in Three Pines. Though the tiny Québec village is impossible to find on any map, someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide at the Sûreté, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. Reine-Marie watches with increasing unease as her husband refuses to pick up, though he clearly knows who is on the other end. When he finally answers, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.

That's only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin The Grey Wolf, the nineteenth novel in Louise Penny's #1 New York Times bestselling series. A missing coat, an intruder alarm, a note for Gamache reading "This might interest you," a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list—and then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching.

Armand Gamache; Jean-Guy Beauvoir, his son-in-law and second in command; and Inspector Isabelle Lacoste can only trust each other, as old friends begin to act like enemies, and long-time enemies appear to be friends. Determined to track down the threat before it becomes a reality, their pursuit takes them across Québec and across borders. Their hunt grows increasingly desperate, even frantic, as the enormity of the creature they’re chasing becomes clear. If they fail, the devastating consequences would reach into the largest of cities and the smallest of villages.]]> 421 Louise Penny 1250328136 Courtenay 5
Characters and events from previous books resurfaced, and having read the books, I knew immediately what was going on. Had I not read the books, Penny did an excellent job of bringing the reader up to date. My favorite characters live in 3 Pines, and I would have loved visiting with them more, but they were simply background in this story. ]]> 3.95 2024 The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19)
author: Louise Penny
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/27
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves:
review:
Reading a Louise Penny Book is like visiting an old friend with the promise of adventure and as much love as there is heartache. This latest book transported me back to Three Pines, and then ripped me from the arms of old friends into a world of conspiracy and hopelessness. It was slow and methodical at first, but towards the end I felt like I was on a runaway train that i knew must be saved by Armand.

Characters and events from previous books resurfaced, and having read the books, I knew immediately what was going on. Had I not read the books, Penny did an excellent job of bringing the reader up to date. My favorite characters live in 3 Pines, and I would have loved visiting with them more, but they were simply background in this story.
]]> <![CDATA[The Wise Woman and Other Stories]]> 349560 182 George MacDonald 0802818609 Courtenay 2 4.18 1875 The Wise Woman and Other Stories
author: George MacDonald
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1875
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/25
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves:
review:
I am so glad that George McDonald influenced Tolkien and CS Lewis. But he did not influence me. His stories were OK. But they were nothing that I will remember for years to come. In fact, as I write this review two weeks after I finished the book, I really am having a difficult time remembering how any of them ended. But I’m glad they did. It was a task to read this entire book of stories. It was not a pleasure. But as I said, I’m glad he has influenced two of our greatest writers and I’m wondering if he has influenced anyone in this modern era.
]]> <![CDATA[The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration]]> 8171378
Wilkerson tells this interwoven story through the lives of three unforgettable protagonists: Ida Mae Gladney, a sharecropper’s wife, who in 1937 fled Mississippi for Chicago; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, and Robert Foster, a surgeon who left Louisiana in 1953 in hopes of making it in California.

Wilkerson brilliantly captures their first treacherous cross-country journeys by car and train and their new lives in colonies in the New World. The Warmth of Other Suns is a bold, remarkable, and riveting work, a superb account of an “unrecognized immigration� within our own land. Through the breadth of its narrative, the beauty of the writing, the depth of its research, and the fullness of the people and lives portrayed herein, this book is a modern classic.]]> 622 Isabel Wilkerson 0679444327 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.45 2010 The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
author: Isabel Wilkerson
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)]]> 5821978 276 Jenny Han 1416968237 Courtenay 3
My reviews are mostly about feelings, because it’s how a book makes me feel that makes it memorable. Belly reminded me of the people in my life who tried so hard to please me, but I wanted more. Like Belly. She wasn’t satisfied. Belly liked two boys, and couldn’t decide between them. But young people should be friends with boys and girls so as to learn about life and what makes them happy or sad. They shouldn’t become someone else just to get someone to like them. That was a hard lesson to learn for me. Once learned, I was happier.

I won’t read the next books in the series. And I won’t watch the show. But I will try to be a better person because of Belly. ]]> 3.77 2009 The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)
author: Jenny Han
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/23
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves:
review:
The best thing about this book was how it reminded me of the summer I turned pretty - 1967, and I was 16. It also reminded me of what a shallow, insensitive, and tease I was. Those were not pleasant feelings to resurrect, but it happened. I grew out of that selfish teenage stage, but not without pain and lessons learned the hard way. The biggest lesson learned, that I wish I could convince young women of, was that I was always pretty - inside more than out. And when that pretty showed through, my life was more genuine & happy.

My reviews are mostly about feelings, because it’s how a book makes me feel that makes it memorable. Belly reminded me of the people in my life who tried so hard to please me, but I wanted more. Like Belly. She wasn’t satisfied. Belly liked two boys, and couldn’t decide between them. But young people should be friends with boys and girls so as to learn about life and what makes them happy or sad. They shouldn’t become someone else just to get someone to like them. That was a hard lesson to learn for me. Once learned, I was happier.

I won’t read the next books in the series. And I won’t watch the show. But I will try to be a better person because of Belly.
]]> <![CDATA[The House (Mason Falls Mysteries)]]> 35799974 104 Raelyn Drake 1541501179 Courtenay 0 2.77 The House (Mason Falls Mysteries)
author: Raelyn Drake
name: Courtenay
average rating: 2.77
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves:
review:
A charming haunted house story involving high school seniors daring underclassmen to spend an hour in the haunted house. It’s a modern take with technical gadgets and smartphones. It also touches on local history.
]]> One Good Deed (Archer, #1) 44016314 The #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci introduces an unforgettable new character: Archer, a straight-talking former World War II soldier fresh out of prison for a crime he didn't commit.

It's 1949. When war veteran Aloysius Archer is released from Carderock Prison, he is sent to Poca City on parole with a short list of do's and a much longer list of don'ts: do report regularly to his parole officer, don't go to bars, certainly don't drink alcohol, do get a job--and don't ever associate with loose women.

The small town quickly proves more complicated and dangerous than Archer's years serving in the war or his time in jail. Within a single night, his search for gainful employment--and a stiff drink--leads him to a local bar, where he is hired for what seems like a simple job: to collect a debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman.

Soon Archer discovers that recovering the debt won't be so easy. The indebted man has a furious grudge against Hank and refuses to pay; Hank's clever mistress has her own designs on Archer; and both Hank and Archer's stern parole officer, Miss Crabtree, are keeping a sharp eye on him.

When a murder takes place right under Archer's nose, police suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes that the crime could send him right back to prison . . . if he doesn't use every skill in his arsenal to track down the real killer.]]> 416 David Baldacci Courtenay 4 4.08 2019 One Good Deed (Archer, #1)
author: David Baldacci
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/27
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves:
review:
David Baldacci‘s mysteries are always satisfying. He has just enough twists and turns to make the reader squirm, and not know who the real bad guy is until the very end. This one is not in present day. He sets it after World War II. The characters are believable in the way they treat one another. The language seems appropriate. The lack of technology adds a certain mystique to the story. The character of Archer is well developed. I feel for him when he is stereotyped by the people he meets. He is a ladies� man, but he does not take advantage of the women. He has an empathetic character. I will probably try to read the next book in the series and hope that the character remains believable.
]]> <![CDATA[The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #6)]]> 8519822 The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it.

San Francisco:
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and one job left to do. They must defend San Francisco. The monsters gathered on Alcatraz Island have been released and are heading toward the city. If they are not stopped, they will destroy everyone and everything in their path.

But even with the help of two of the greatest warriors from history and myth, will the Sorceress and the legendary Alchemyst be able to defend the city? Or is it the beginning of the end of the human race?

Danu Talis:
Sophie and Josh Newman traveled ten thousand years into the past to Danu Talis when they followed Dr. John Dee and Virginia Dare. And it’s on this legendary island that the battle for the world begins and ends.

Scathach, Prometheus, Palamedes, Shakespeare, Saint-Germain, and Joan of Arc are also on the island. And no one is sure what—or who—the twins will be fighting for.

Today the battle for Danu Talis will be won or lost.

But will the twins of legend stand together?

Or will they stand apart—one to save the world and one to destroy it?]]> 513 Michael Scott 0385735359 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.24 2012 The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #6)
author: Michael Scott
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Warlock (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #5)]]> 8458018 The twins of prophecy have been divided—the end has begun.

Alcatraz
Although their ally Dr. John Dee has been declared utlaga, Machiavelli and Billy the Kid will follow the plans the Elders have laid before them: they will loose the monsters of Alcatraz on the city of San Francisco, thereby triggering the end of the human race.

Danu Talis:
The Shadowrealm that Scatty and Joan of Arc have entered is far more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. And they haven't landed here by chance—the warriors were called for a reason. So were Saint-Germain, Palamedes, and Shakespeare. The group was summoned because they must travel back int time to Danu Talis to destroy it. For the island of Danu Talis, known in humani myth as the lost city of Atlantis, must fall if the modern world is to exist.

San Francisco
The end is finally near. Josh Newman has chosen a side, and he will not stand with his sister, Sophie, or with the Alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel. He will fight alongside Dee and the mysterious Virginia Dare.

Unless Sophie can find her twin before the battle begins, all is lost—forever.]]> 400 Michael Scott 0385735332 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.18 2011 The Warlock (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #5)
author: Michael Scott
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #4)]]> 6693332 San Francisco:
Josh and Sophie Newman are finally home. And they're both more confused than ever about their future. Neither of them has mastered the magics they'll need to protect themselves, they've lost Scatty, and they're still being pursued by Dr. John Dee. Most disturbing of all, however, is that now they must ask themselves, can they trust Nicholas Flamel? Can they trust anyone?

Alcatraz:
Dr. Dee underestimated Perenelle Flamel's power. Alcatraz could not hold her, Nereus was no match for her, and she was able to align herself with the most unlikely of allies. But she wasn't the only one being held on the island. Behind the prison's bars and protective sigils were a menagerie of monsters, and now Machiavelli has come to Alcatraz to loose them on San Francisco.

Perenelle might be powerful, but each day she weakens, and even with Nicholas back at her side, a battle of this size could be too much for her. Nicholas and Perenelle must fight to protect the city, but the effort will probably kill them both.

London:
Having been unable to regain the two final pages of the Codex, Dee has failed his Elder and is now an outlaw.

But the Magician has a plan. With the Codex and the creatures on Alcatraz, he can control the world. All he needs is the help of the Archons. But for his plan to work, he must raise the Mother of the Gods from the dead. For that, he'll have to train a necromancer.]]> 416 Michael Scott 0385905165 Courtenay 4 4.13 2010 The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #4)
author: Michael Scott
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/26
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves:
review:
Each book in this series is getting more and more intense. I like the good guys, and I despise the bad guys. The twins are a challenge, one being skeptical & untrusting. The other is more forgiving and understanding. I want to continue reading the series, but it’s not one of those things that I have to do. I will continue it, as soon as I finish a few more books.
]]> <![CDATA[Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight (Stephanie Plum, #28)]]> 56898191
Turns out Diesel and Stephanie are on the trail of the same fugitive: Oswald Wednesday, an international computer hacker as brilliant as he is ruthless. Stephanie may not be the most technologically savvy sleuth, but she more than makes up for that with her dogged determination, her understanding of human nature, and her willingness to do just about anything to bring a fugitive to justice. Unsure if Diesel is her partner or her competition in this case, she’ll need to watch her back every step of the way because Oswald is a killer.]]> 286 Janet Evanovich 198215487X Courtenay 4 3.89 2021 Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight (Stephanie Plum, #28)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/26
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves:
review:
Stephanie Plum books are like a warm blanket & a cup of cocoa on a cold night - satisfying, and no unpleasant surprises. The characters are fun, the mystery is one I can’t solve on my own, and the suspense is real. I’d forgotten about Diesel, but it was easy to catch up with his exploits. Joe Morelli is always a welcome romantic lead, and I’m glad Stephanie & he are more and more serious with each new book. There is another romantic couple in this book, which is sweet. The online shenanigans are in line with the way the world is going. I liked that, and Stephanie’s approach to dealing with them.
]]> The Seven Year Slip 62926938 An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.]]> 336 Ashley Poston Courtenay 0 to-read 4.18 2023 The Seven Year Slip
author: Ashley Poston
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Brass Verdict (The Lincoln Lawyer, #2; Harry Bosch Universe, #19)]]> 2761626
Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together.

Bringing together Michael Connelly's two most popular characters, "The Brass Verdict" is a thriller which reaches for, and then surpasses, the highest level!]]> 422 Michael Connelly 0316166294 Courtenay 5 4.15 2008 The Brass Verdict (The Lincoln Lawyer, #2; Harry Bosch Universe, #19)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2011/07/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders, #1)]]> 203956647 A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve...

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job...

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 059365322X.]]> 400 Richard Osman Courtenay 4 4.07 2024 We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders, #1)
author: Richard Osman
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves:
review:
A retired detective, his daughter in law security officer and an author all get mixed up in a world of murders that seem to frame one of them. At times I lost the thread of the story as there were so many characters and I had a difficult time keeping them all straight. But as I continued reading, I was able to figure out who was who, and I definitely could not solve the mystery until the end.
]]> <![CDATA[Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs]]> 203931805 From beloved CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Mo Rocca, author of New York Times bestseller Mobituaries, comes an inspiring collection of stories that celebrates the triumphs of people who made their biggest marks late in life.

Eighty has been the new sixty for about twenty years now. In fact, there have always been late-in-life achievers, those who declined to go into decline just because they were eligible for social security. Journalist, humorist, and history buff Mo Rocca and coauthor Jonathan Greenberg introduce us to the people past and present who peaked when they could have been puttering—breaking out as writers, selling out concert halls, attempting to set land-speed records—and in the case of one ninety-year tortoise, becoming a first-time father. (Take that, Al Pacino!)

In the vein of Mobituaries, Roctogenarians is a collection of entertaining and unexpected profiles of these unretired titans—some long gone (a cancer-stricken Henri Matisse, who began work on his celebrated cut-outs when he could no longer paint), some very much still living (Rita Moreno, the EGOT who’s still got it). The amazing cast of characters also includes Mary Church Terrell, who at eighty-six helped lead sit-ins at segregated Washington, DC, lunch counters in the 1950s, and Carol Channing, who married the love of her life at eighty-two. Then there’s Peter Mark Roget, who began working on his thesaurus in his twenties and completed it at seventy-three (because sometimes finding the right word takes time.)

With passion and wonder Rocca and Greenberg recount the stories of yesterday’s and today’s strongest finishers. Because with all due respect to the Golden Girls, some people will never be content sitting out on the lanai. (PS Actress Estelle Getty was sixty-two when she got her big break. And yes, she’s in the book.)]]> 384 Mo Rocca 1668052504 Courtenay 4 3.96 Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs
author: Mo Rocca
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.96
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed learning about so many talented individuals who are older.
]]> The Book of Lost Names 52762903 The Book of Lost Names.

The accompanying article discusses the looting of libraries by the Nazis across Europe during World War II—an experience Eva remembers well—and the search to reunite people with the texts taken from them so long ago. The book in the photograph, an eighteenth-century religious text thought to have been taken from France in the waning days of the war, is one of the most fascinating cases. Now housed in Berlin’s Zentral- und Landesbibliothek library, it appears to contain some sort of code, but researchers don’t know where it came from—or what the code means. Only Eva holds the answer—but will she have the strength to revisit old memories and help reunite those lost during the war?

As a graduate student in 1942, Eva was forced to flee Paris after the arrest of her father, a Polish Jew. Finding refuge in a small mountain town in the Free Zone, she begins forging identity documents for Jewish children fleeing to neutral Switzerland. But erasing people comes with a price, and along with a mysterious, handsome forger named Rémy, Eva decides she must find a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember who they really are. The records they keep in The Book of Lost Names will become even more vital when the resistance cell they work for is betrayed and Rémy disappears.

An engaging and evocative novel reminiscent of The Lost Girls of Paris and The Alice Network, The Book of Lost Names is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of bravery and love in the face of evil.]]> 388 Kristin Harmel 1982131896 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.41 2020 The Book of Lost Names
author: Kristin Harmel
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Demon Copperhead 60194162 "Anyone will tell you the born of this world are marked from the get-out, win or lose."

Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father's good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens' anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can't imagine leaving behind.]]> 560 Barbara Kingsolver 0063251922 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.46 2022 Demon Copperhead
author: Barbara Kingsolver
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fortune and Glory: Tantalizing Twenty-Seven (Stephanie Plum, #27)]]> 49779612 From “the most popular mystery writer alive� (The New York Times), the twenty-seventh thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series isn’t just the biggest case of Stephanie Plum’s career. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.

When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune.

But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts—and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Stephanie may be in over her head, but she’s got two things that Gabriela doesn’t: an unbreakable bond with her family and a stubborn streak that will never let her quit.

She’ll need both to survive because this search for “fortune and glory� will turn into a desperate race against time with more on the line than ever before. Because even as she searches for the treasure and fights to protect her Grandma Mazur, her own deepest feelings will be tested—as Stephanie could finally be forced to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger.]]> 315 Janet Evanovich 1982154861 Courtenay 4 4.05 2020 Fortune and Glory: Tantalizing Twenty-Seven (Stephanie Plum, #27)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/17
date added: 2025/01/31
shelves:
review:
It’s January 2025. I read this book 7 months ago and I didn’t write a review. Reviews help me remember how the book made me feel. I can always see what it’s about in the synopsis or other’s reviews. But I did give it 4 stars, so it was good. But it didn’t leave me feeling like I needed to read the next one. But I will. Because I do remember that the bequeathed car and the recliner were the keys to a fun, madcap mystery - which is what Stephanie Plumb is all about. I’m getting ready to read her 28th adventure, and I do hope it has the humor I expect in this series.
]]> <![CDATA[Twisted Twenty-Six (Stephanie Plum, #26)]]> 44906255 Stephanie Plum's career has taken more wrong turns than a student driver on the Jersey Turnpike, and her love life is a hopeless tangle. In order to save someone dear to her, she'll have to straighten things out in Twisted Twenty-Six the latest, novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich.

Grandma Mazur is a widow...again. This time her marriage lasted a whole 45 minutes. The unlucky groom was one Jimmy Rosolli, local gangster, lothario (senior division) and heart attack waiting to happen...well, the waiting's over.

It's a sad day, but if she can't have Jimmy at least Grandma can have all the attention she wants as the dutiful widow. But some kinds of attention are not welcomed, particularly when Jimmy's former "business partners" are convinced that his widow is keeping the keys to their financial success for herself.

As someone who has spent an entire career finding bad guys, a set of missing keys should be no challenge for Stephanie Plum. Problem is, the facts are as twisted as a boardwalk pretzel with mustard.]]> 312 Janet Evanovich 0399180206 Courtenay 5 4.11 2019 Twisted Twenty-Six (Stephanie Plum, #26)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/04/05
date added: 2025/01/31
shelves:
review:
Better than the last one, this one has more plot than slapstick. It also has more intrigue & scary moments. Grandma is the star, transitioning from newlywed to widow in the first chapter. The delightful Betty White played her in the movie based on the first Stephanie Plum book, so I don’t mind thinking of her when I read the Stephanie Plum series. Lula is not over the top in this one, and she definitely adds levity. Both love interests -Ranger & Joe - are evenly portrayed, professing love in all directions & complicating Stephanie’s life - as well as saving it. This one was fun, and a lovely treat after reading some heavier subject material. If you haven’t read a Stephanie Plum story in awhile, give this one a try. No backstories are needed.
]]> The Big Orange Splot 63322 32 Daniel Pinkwater 0590445103 Courtenay 5 4.39 1977 The Big Orange Splot
author: Daniel Pinkwater
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1977
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/30
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves:
review:
Short. Easy to read. Spoke to my inner Hippie. I love the neighborhood created by the neighbors after the orange splot messes up one of their homes. Perfect for children with inner dreams wanting them to be free.
]]> Stargirl (Stargirl, #1) 22232
Leo Borlock follows the unspoken rule at Mica Area High School: don't stand out--under any circumstances! Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes--for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body.

But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different. Somewhere in the midst of Stargirl's arrival and rise and fall, normal Leo Borlock has tumbled into love with her.

In a celebration of nonconformity, Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the fleeting, cruel nature of popularity--and the thrill and inspiration of first love.]]> 186 Jerry Spinelli 0439488400 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.76 2000 Stargirl (Stargirl, #1)
author: Jerry Spinelli
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> We All Live Here 213243915 The #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose books so many love, brings us a fresh, contemporary story of a woman and her unruly blended family

Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Her career is in freefall and her love life is . . . complicated. So when her real dad—a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago—suddenly appears on her doorstep, it feels like the final straw. But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach about love, and what it actually means to be family.]]> 450 Jojo Moyes 1984879324 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.88 2025 We All Live Here
author: Jojo Moyes
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile� humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 665 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.56 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Peking Duck and Cover (Noodle Shop Mystery, #10)]]> 195790646 Lana Lee and friends return for a fiery Chinese New Year celebration that rattles their quaint community. After all, an Asia Village party wouldn't be complete without an explosive finale.

Chinese New Year is supposed to be a time of fresh beginnings and celebrations of good fortune to come. Naturally, the shop owners of Asia Village jump at the chance to support property manager Ian Sung when he suggests creating a memorable holiday event that will bring positive light to the plaza, and prosperity for all those involved.

With Lana Lee as his right-hand woman and head event planner, Ian orchestrates an extravagant evening filled with music, live entertainment, and generous giveaways. But at the end of the night, during an elaborate firework show in the parking lot, a member of the lion dance performance team is found dead backstage with a single bullet hole through the heart and a red envelope in their pocket containing four one-dollar bills--an omen of death.

Ian Sung takes it upon himself, again enlisting Lana's help, to find out who could have killed the talented dancer right under their nose.]]> 304 Vivien Chien 1250338778 Courtenay 5
The narrator of the audio version is perfect. She is engaging and varies her voice just enough that you know which character is which. I get swept into the book, feeling like an s rive observer. ]]> 3.94 2024 Peking Duck and Cover (Noodle Shop Mystery, #10)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/14
date added: 2025/01/16
shelves:
review:
I admit it. I’m in love with all of Lana Lee’s family and friends. They are interesting and real to me. No matter who gets murdered in this series, Lana does her best to find fhe guilty party, even though she puts her own life in danger. Adam, her boyfriend, is the perfect match for her, and in this book, he helps her more than in the past.

The narrator of the audio version is perfect. She is engaging and varies her voice just enough that you know which character is which. I get swept into the book, feeling like an s rive observer.
]]> <![CDATA[The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore]]> 201751300 An affectionate and engaging history of the American bookstore and its central place in American cultural life, from department stores to indies, from highbrow dealers trading in first editions to sidewalk vendors, and from chains to special-interest community destinations

Bookstores have always been unlike any other kind of store, shaping readers and writers, and influencing our tastes, thoughts, and politics. They nurture local communities while creating new ones of their own. Bookshops are powerful spaces, but they are also endangered ones. In The Bookshop, we see those stakes: what has been, and what might be lost.

Evan Friss’s history of the bookshop draws on oral histories, archival collections, municipal records, diaries, letters, and interviews with leading booksellers to offer a fascinating look at this institution beloved by so many. The story begins with Benjamin Franklin’s first bookstore in Philadelphia and takes us to a range of booksellers including The Strand, Chicago’s Marshall Field & Company, Gotham Book Mart, specialty stores like Oscar Wilde and Drum and Spear, sidewalk sellers of used books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon Books, and Parnassus. The Bookshop is also a history of the leading figures in American bookselling, often impassioned eccentrics, and a history of how books have been marketed and sold over more than two centuries—including, for example, a 3,000-pound elephant who appeared to sign books at Marshall Field’s in 1944.

The Bookshop is a love letter to bookstores, a charming chronicle for anyone who cherishes these sanctuaries of literature, and essential reading to understand how these vital institutions have shaped American life—and why we still need them.]]> 416 Evan Friss 0593299922 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.93 2024 The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore
author: Evan Friss
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gone to Hot Pot: A Noodle Shop Mystery]]> 210578735 While Lana Lee is away at a restaurant convention, her friends at Asia Village do their best to keep things running smoothly in this behind-the-scenes look at the Noodle Shop Mystery world.

While Lana is away on a business trip, Megan Riley, best friend and roommate, is on doggie duty. Things between Kikkoman—Lana’s loveable black pug—and Megan go smoothly, except they both have a case of cabin fever, thanks to another treacherous Cleveland winter. When Megan comes up with the idea to take Kikko to Asia Village after a grooming appointment, she never imagined that the wrinkly little dog would disappear right under her nose.

Megan enlists the help of Kimmy Tran who is more than willing to help with the task. She even goes as far as naming their recovery Operation Pu Pu Plunder. Kimmy quickly involves—to Megan’s dismay—many Asia Village shop owners, employees, and even a few regular customers to assist in tracking down clues in search of Lana’s missing dog.

And though Megan begrudgingly appreciates the help of Lana’s beloved work community, she has just one rule for all of Don’t. Tell. Lana.

THE FIRST RULE OF OPERATION PU PU DON’T TALK ABOUT OPERATION PU PU PLUNDER.]]> 55 Vivien Chien 1250358760 Courtenay 4 3.85 Gone to Hot Pot: A Noodle Shop Mystery
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves:
review:
Short, quick read that introduces all the characters in Asia Village, and how they fit into Megan & Lana’s lives. Kiko is missing. & Megan & Kimmee look for her all over the village, before Lana (who is in California) finds out. Cute half book before #10.
]]> The Lost Bookshop 65137920 The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

‘The thing about books,� she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.�

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found�

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder� where nothing is as it seems.]]> 432 Evie Woods 0008609209 Courtenay 5
This story is filled with love and heartbreak, as well as deception and revelation. Each was either plainly visible or a surprise to me. I didn’t want stop listening/reading, but life called and I had to stop. But for the last 2 hours, I found time to simply listen/read, and was richly rewarded.

I loved this book!!]]> 4.04 2023 The Lost Bookshop
author: Evie Woods
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves:
review:
Talking Books did an incredible job creating this audio book. The 3 readers are magical & wonderful. Each one brought the story to life. I enjoyed hearing each individual story from the voices of Henry, Martha and Opaline. I believed them to be real.

This story is filled with love and heartbreak, as well as deception and revelation. Each was either plainly visible or a surprise to me. I didn’t want stop listening/reading, but life called and I had to stop. But for the last 2 hours, I found time to simply listen/read, and was richly rewarded.

I loved this book!!
]]> <![CDATA[Misfortune Cookie (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #9)]]> 61884751
Lana, now officially manager of her family’s restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, is headed to sunny Irvine, California to attend a restaurant convention with her sister, Anna May, along for the ride. The girls� very Americanized Aunt Grace has asked them to stay in her posh rental, and as the trip begins, it seems to be just what they both needed. Even the restaurant convention proves to be worthwhile and entertaining, especially when Lana witnesses a dramatic cat fight between a fortune cookie vendor and a journalist.

Lana and Anna May can’t imagine things getting any better until they learn their aunt has yet another surprise in store for them―a swanky cocktail party hosted for the freelancers of Southern California. But on the night of the party, things go south when a close journalist friend of Grace’s mysteriously plunges from the roof top of the hotel. Even more suspicious is the fact that Aunt Grace’s friend is the same journalist Lana saw getting into a screaming match with the fortune cookie vendor at the convention.

The police rule the death a gruesome accident, but Aunt Grace refuses to accept that explanation and begs Lana for her help uncovering the truth. Lana, Anna May, Aunt Grace attempt to keep up appearances as they search for answers, but unwanted attention from suspicious colleagues and convention attendees starts to surface, causing Lana to wonder if they’ll find the killer in time…or if they’ll be the next ones pushed over the edge.]]> 326 Vivien Chien 1250782635 Courtenay 5 3.86 2023 Misfortune Cookie (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #9)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/19
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves:
review:

]]> My Friends 217163697 #1New York Timesbestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an artist herself, knows otherwise and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.]]> 448 Fredrik Backman 1982112824 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.59 2025 My Friends
author: Fredrik Backman
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Suicide Run (Harry Bosch, #14.5; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.4)]]> 11885509 In "Suicide Run," the apparent suicide of a beautiful young starlet turns out to be much more sinister than it seems. In "Cielo Azul," Bosch is haunted by a long-ago closed case -- the murder of a teenage girl who was never identified. As her killer sits on death row, Bosch tries one last time to get the answers he has sought for years. In "One Dollar Jackpot," Bosch works the murder of a professional poker player whose skills have made her more than one enemy.

Whether investigating a cold case or fresh blood, Bosch relentlessly pursues his quarry, always on the lookout for the "tell." In this first collection of Harry Bosch stories, Michael Connelly once again demonstrates that he is the master of "fast-paced, brilliantly plotted crime fiction.... Harry Bosch is back on the case, and not a moment too soon" (Chicago Sun Times).

]]> 100 Michael Connelly Courtenay 0 to-read 4.11 2011 Suicide Run (Harry Bosch, #14.5; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.4)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Angle of Investigation (Harry Bosch, #14.7; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.5)]]> 11799627
In “Christmas Even,� the case of a burglar killed in mid-heist leads Bosch to retrace a link to his past. In “Father’s Day,� Bosch investigates a young boy’s seemingly accidental death and confronts his own fears as a father. In “Angle of Investigation,� Bosch delves into one of the first homicides he ever worked back as a uniformed rookie patrolman, a case that was left unsolved for decades.

These stories were previously published in print in various short story anthologies. “Christmas Even� was written for the web site’s mailing list in 2002. It was first published in a collection in 2004. “Angle of Investigation� was first published in 2005. “Father’s Day� was first published in 2007.]]> 92 Michael Connelly Courtenay 0 to-read 4.07 2011 Angle of Investigation (Harry Bosch, #14.7; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.5)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Waiting (Harry Bosch, #25; Renée Ballard, #6; Harry Bosch Universe, #39)]]> 206119050 LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a terrifying serial rapist whose trail has gone cold, with the help of the newest volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Unit: Patrol Officer Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter.

Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The arrested man is only twenty-three, so the genetic link must be familial. It is his father who was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the city of angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun, and ID are stolen—a theft she can’t report without giving her enemies in the department the ammunition they need to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her solo mission leads her into greater danger than she anticipates. She has no choice but to go outside the department for help, and that leads her to the door of Harry Bosch.

Finally, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit. Bosch’s daughter Maddie wants to supplement her work as a patrol officer on the night beat by investigating cases with Ballard. But Renée soon learns that Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city’s library of lost souls.]]> 407 Michael Connelly 031656379X Courtenay 0 to-read 4.17 2024 The Waiting (Harry Bosch, #25; Renée Ballard, #6; Harry Bosch Universe, #39)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill]]> 77286260
In the early 1900s, two sistersmust navigate the magic and the dangers of the Fae in thisenchanting and cozyhistorical fantasy about sisterhood and self-discovery.

There is no magic on Prospect Hill—or anywhere else, for that matter. But just on the other side of the veil is the world of the Fae. Generations ago, the first farmers on Prospect Hill learned to bargain small trades to make their lives a little easier—a bit of glass to find something lost, a cup of milk for better layers in the chicken coop.

Much of that old wisdomwaslost as the riverboats gave way to the rail lines and the farmers took work atmills and factories. Alaine Fairborn’s family, however, was always superstitious, and she still hums the rhymes to findalost shoe andtoensure dry weather on her sister’s wedding day.

When Delphine confidesher new husband is not the man she thought he was, Alaine will stop at nothing to help her sister escapehim. Small bargains buy themtime, but a major one is needed. Yet, the price for true freedom may be more than they’re willing to pay.]]> 400 Rowenna Miller 0316378577 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.65 2023 The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill
author: Rowenna Miller
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Hello Beautiful 61771675
But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters� unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?]]> 416 Ann Napolitano Courtenay 4
I liked all of the sisters with their faults and assets. I enjoyed reading about William and how he grew from one type of man to another. I didn’t want the book to end, but I knew it had to. And now I’m off to find another consuming love story - a love story about t family, friends, and life. Like this one!! ]]> 4.14 2023 Hello Beautiful
author: Ann Napolitano
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/07
date added: 2024/12/07
shelves:
review:
Yes, it’s another tearjerker, and yes I enjoyed it. Growing up in a Catholic family helped me identify with the saints mentioned in the book. But I didn’t have disinterested parents like William, nor did I have parents who were totally into their daughters� wellbeing or future lives. So these parts of the book were interesting to me, and brought back memories of my own childhood, teen years and college days.

I liked all of the sisters with their faults and assets. I enjoyed reading about William and how he grew from one type of man to another. I didn’t want the book to end, but I knew it had to. And now I’m off to find another consuming love story - a love story about t family, friends, and life. Like this one!!
]]> <![CDATA[Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda]]> 203579009 A new essay collection by adored comedian and NYT bestseller Randy Rainbow Randy Rainbow has a few things on his mind that he wants to talk about. As a savvy social commentator tuned into the public discourse, his unfailing intuition tells him that the perspective everyone in America is clamoring for is that of a privileged white male complaining about a bunch of shit. While writing his NYT bestseller Playing With Myself, Randy saw an America in crisis. He knew that what the country needed to get back on its high heels was a hard-hitting gay agenda and here it is - Low Hanging Fruit - a book filled with sparkling whines, a few flutes of champagne problems and a Birkin bag of the most pressing issues facing the US, from dancing TikTok grandmas, to Elon Musk, the GOP, and Donald Jessica Trump. On the down low, Randy dishes up some sex talk about life on the dating apps, Craigslist hookups and more. (“Gurl, wait till you hear the story about the fireman and the goggles...�) Randy’s longtime companion, the glamorous Chinchilla Silver Persian cat Tippi, makes an appearance as she dishes about her life Chez Randy. And, in the most highly anticipated sequel since Top Maverick, Randy continues the conversation with his mother, Gwen, because who knows better than the Jewish mother of a gay man about how to solve America’s problems? Randy Rainbow’s Low Hanging Fruit � a bold manifesto for a nation desperately in need of a makeover.]]> 224 Randy Rainbow 1250327148 Courtenay 4 3.71 Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda
author: Randy Rainbow
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/03
date added: 2024/12/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hot and Sour Suspects (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #8)]]> 56268817
When Lana Lee’s best friend, Megan Riley, asks her to help host a speed dating contest at Ho-Lee Noodle House, she doesn’t see the harm in lending a hand. The night goes better than anticipated, and both Lana and Megan are beyond thrilled with the results. But before they can break out the champagne, Rina Su, fellow Asia Village shop owner and speed dating participant, calls to inform Lana that the date she’s just matched with has been murdered. Under suspicion of foul play, Rina enlists Lana’s help in finding out what really happened that night.

Without hesitation, Lana begins to dig into the man in question. To her dismay, she quickly finds that Rina’s date has a rather unsavory past. There’s a long line of slighted women, angry neighbors, and perturbed co-workers—all of whom seem to have a motive.

As Lana continues to spiral down the treacherous path of scorned lovers and mistreated acquaintances, she can’t help but dwell on how quickly an innocent evening filled with hope and positivity could turn so sour. When the media gets in on the case, Lana must rush to find the killer before more dates turn deadly.]]> 306 Vivien Chien 1250782619 Courtenay 5 3.80 2022 Hot and Sour Suspects (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #8)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fatal Fried Rice (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #7)]]> 53138056 Lana Lee returns for another delectable cozy set in a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio in Vivien Chien's Fatal Fried Rice...

Lana Lee runs her family's Chinese restaurant in Cleveland's Asia Village like nobody's business. When it comes to actual cooking, however, she's known to be about a step up from boiling rice. So Lana decides to go to culinary school on the sly--and prove that she has what it takes in the kitchen after all. But when course instructor Margo Chan turns up dead after class, Lana suddenly finds herself on the case, frying pan in hand.

Since she was the one who discovered the body, Lana must do double duty in finding the killer and clearing her name. Now, with or without the help of her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau, Lana launches her own investigation into Margo's life and mysterious death. Doing so leads her on a wild goose chase to and from the culinary school--and all the way back to the Ho-Lee noodle shop, where the guilty party may be closer than Lana thinks.]]> 320 Vivien Chien 1250782597 Courtenay 5
This mystery centers around the death of an Asian cooking teacher. Lana gets involved because she’s in the class, which leads to embarrassing moments since she’s Asian and should know how to cook Asian dishes. This particular book made me hungry - especially for Chinese dishes! She’s also in hot water with a new detective, who is convinced she’s the killer!

I liked this book and I’m looking forward to the next one. ]]> 3.84 2021 Fatal Fried Rice (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #7)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/24
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves:
review:
I’m a huge fan of this series. The writing is so easy to read & I read this one since no audio version was at my library. The people who are in the life of the central figure of the series - Lana Lee - are back, and more complex and just as endearing as in the previous books.

This mystery centers around the death of an Asian cooking teacher. Lana gets involved because she’s in the class, which leads to embarrassing moments since she’s Asian and should know how to cook Asian dishes. This particular book made me hungry - especially for Chinese dishes! She’s also in hot water with a new detective, who is convinced she’s the killer!

I liked this book and I’m looking forward to the next one.
]]> The Life Impossible 198281740
“What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet…�

When retired math teacher Grace Winters is left a run-down house on a Mediterranean island by a long-lost friend, curiosity gets the better of her. She arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook and no plan.

Among the rugged hills and golden beaches of the island, Grace searches for answers about her friend’s life, and how it ended. What she uncovers is stranger than she could have dreamed. But to dive into this impossible truth, Grace must first come to terms with her past.

Filled with wonder and wild adventure, this is a story of hope and the life-changing power of a new beginning.]]> 324 Matt Haig 0593489276 Courtenay 5 3.45 2024 The Life Impossible
author: Matt Haig
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/18
date added: 2024/11/18
shelves:
review:
So much to love about this book. Most importantly, I finished it and felt a great deal of hope for the world and the people in it. I love how the characters seem so familiar yet are foreign to me. Grace is 72, younger than me, but we have so much in common. I have her guilt and skepticism. But after reading this book I’m ready to give up both. Alberto is funny and sweet. He is determined to save the island and everyone and all the animals. Marta is intelligent and passionate. Christina is a big part of why Grace is on the island and why both are truly special. Loved this book!!
]]> <![CDATA[Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow]]> 58784475 In this exhilarating novel, two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.

On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn't heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won't protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.]]> 401 Gabrielle Zevin 0735243344 Courtenay 5
I am not a big gamer, but I did play console games when I was younger. The games in this book reminded me of those days as well as stories that I love to read. There is a love triangle, which was fascinating to me. It was a work affair, love affair, as well as a personal love affair among three people. The characters were endearing, but could be frustrating, just like real people in the real world. The apex of this book is not something I will spoil for you, but it did hurt me and the subsequent story (aka game) afterwards.

I loved this book more than I enjoyed it. It could be painful at times, and therefore I couldn’t really enjoy it. But I loved the characters, I loved the games they invented, and I loved the friendships. I hope you agree.]]> 4.12 2022 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
author: Gabrielle Zevin
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/10
date added: 2024/11/10
shelves:
review:
I write reviews to help me remember how the books made me feel when I read them. If I want a synopsis of the book, all I need to do is look at other reviews or the book publisher’s blurb. This book made me feel so many emotions. I was sad with the deaths of some of the characters in the games, as well as the deaths of those in the real world. I was happy for the successes of those who played the games and those who made the games. I enjoyed the references to Macbeth, especially the title of the book which came from Macbeth.

I am not a big gamer, but I did play console games when I was younger. The games in this book reminded me of those days as well as stories that I love to read. There is a love triangle, which was fascinating to me. It was a work affair, love affair, as well as a personal love affair among three people. The characters were endearing, but could be frustrating, just like real people in the real world. The apex of this book is not something I will spoil for you, but it did hurt me and the subsequent story (aka game) afterwards.

I loved this book more than I enjoyed it. It could be painful at times, and therefore I couldn’t really enjoy it. But I loved the characters, I loved the games they invented, and I loved the friendships. I hope you agree.
]]> <![CDATA[Camino Ghosts (Camino Island #3)]]> 199550833 292 John Grisham 0385545991 Courtenay 5
Camino Island & Camino Winds were road trip books to TN. So it was natural to choose Camino Ghosts for this trip. The story of Dark Isle, whose inhabitants were slaves, is so real! Grisham is skillful in creating it, its backstory, and the last survivor of this island, Lovely Jackson. She writes a book about the island, and Camino Island’s local book dealer, who sells it, is friends with a woman who wants to know more about the island & Lovely for a book she is writing.

Grisham’s narrative about the slave trade is so real and believable. One might insist it is fiction, but is it?? Aren’t all tales based in truth? This one seems more fact than fiction. The subplot of big money developers wanting to buy Dark Isle for a resort is so close to reality as well. Remember Gov DeSantis wanting to create Pickle Ball courts and golf courses in state parks during the summer of 2024? No, he doesn’t remember that either. But it was fact.

The resolution in Camino Ghosts is satisfying. It was so good that when we shared our thoughts about this book with friends, they thought we were talking about actual events that had happened in our home state! We hope Grisham continues this series. We like the characters! ]]> 3.92 2024 Camino Ghosts (Camino Island #3)
author: John Grisham
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/23
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves:
review:
This was the perfect book for a Florida to Tennessee road trip. We started it in our FL driveway, and finished it as we pulled into our friend’s driveway in TN the next day. Whoopi Golderg, the narrator, was excellent.

Camino Island & Camino Winds were road trip books to TN. So it was natural to choose Camino Ghosts for this trip. The story of Dark Isle, whose inhabitants were slaves, is so real! Grisham is skillful in creating it, its backstory, and the last survivor of this island, Lovely Jackson. She writes a book about the island, and Camino Island’s local book dealer, who sells it, is friends with a woman who wants to know more about the island & Lovely for a book she is writing.

Grisham’s narrative about the slave trade is so real and believable. One might insist it is fiction, but is it?? Aren’t all tales based in truth? This one seems more fact than fiction. The subplot of big money developers wanting to buy Dark Isle for a resort is so close to reality as well. Remember Gov DeSantis wanting to create Pickle Ball courts and golf courses in state parks during the summer of 2024? No, he doesn’t remember that either. But it was fact.

The resolution in Camino Ghosts is satisfying. It was so good that when we shared our thoughts about this book with friends, they thought we were talking about actual events that had happened in our home state! We hope Grisham continues this series. We like the characters!
]]> Dear Edward 45294613
Edward's story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place for himself in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a piece of him has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery--one that will lead him to the answers of some of life's most profound questions: When you've lost everything, how do find yourself? How do you discover your purpose? What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?

An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.]]> 340 Ann Napolitano 198485478X Courtenay 5
Ann Napolitano creates Edward, an amazing young man, who is one of many passengers on the doomed flight. She also tells us about several of the other passengers on this flight, including Edward’s family. They all become real people, with good and bad past lives, and hopeful futures. The author tells us about them in between chapters detailing what happens to Edward after the crash. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

How the book got its title is apparent when Edward finds duffle bags his Aunt & Uncle hid from him. That duffle bag’s contents also made me cry and laugh. Truly the author is a gifted writer, and now I want to read other books she’s written. I hope they are as good as this one, no matter the subject matter! ]]> 4.03 2020 Dear Edward
author: Ann Napolitano
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/23
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves:
review:
As someone who flies often I was hesitant to read this book about a young man who survives a horrific plane crash. I put it off for a couple of years, but finally succumbed when the audio version became available at our library. The narrator was wonderful. She added to my enjoyment of the story - if one can really enjoy reading about people who do and do not survive a tragic accident.

Ann Napolitano creates Edward, an amazing young man, who is one of many passengers on the doomed flight. She also tells us about several of the other passengers on this flight, including Edward’s family. They all become real people, with good and bad past lives, and hopeful futures. The author tells us about them in between chapters detailing what happens to Edward after the crash. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

How the book got its title is apparent when Edward finds duffle bags his Aunt & Uncle hid from him. That duffle bag’s contents also made me cry and laugh. Truly the author is a gifted writer, and now I want to read other books she’s written. I hope they are as good as this one, no matter the subject matter!
]]> <![CDATA[The 6:20 Man (The 6:20 Man, #1)]]> 59586621
Then one morning Devine’s tedious routine is shattered by an anonymous email: She is dead.

Sara Ewes, Devine’s coworker and former girlfriend, has been found hanging in a storage room of his office building—presumably a suicide, prompting the NYPD to come calling on him. If that wasn’t enough, Devine receives another ominous visit, a confrontation that threatens to dredge up grim secrets from his past in the Army unless he participates in a clandestine investigation into his firm.

This treacherous role will take Travis from the impossibly glittering lives he once saw only through a train window, to the darkest corners of the country’s economic halls of power…where something rotten lurks. And apart from this high-stakes conspiracy, there’s a killer out there with their own agenda, and Devine is the bullseye.]]> 593 David Baldacci 1538719878 Courtenay 5
Travis has 3 very different roommates who figure prominently in the plot. One in particular, and then a second one, help Travis with email problems encountered at work. He’s a little bit of a loner at work, but because of a suicide in his building, he is friendly with a custodian and security guard, who also move the plot along. His prior military service and women who are as smart as they are beautiful are part of solving who really murdered the suicide victim once it is ruled NOT a suicide.

By the time the road trip was done and the book ended, we were both stunned to learn the identify of the murderer. We were also saddened by the deaths of characters we had come to really like. To us, they were alive and enjoyable people. ]]> 4.17 2022 The 6:20 Man (The 6:20 Man, #1)
author: David Baldacci
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/30
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves:
review:
This was a fantastic road trip book: first in a series, well developed characters, and an intriguing murder mystery. We haven’t read a Baldacci book in a long time, and forgot how good a writer he is. Everything is plausible in this world of high finance and the commuters who travel to their jobs in the big city on the 6:20 train. One man in particular, TravisDeVine, takes this train, and like his fellow commuters, likes the eye candy spied as they leave the station.

Travis has 3 very different roommates who figure prominently in the plot. One in particular, and then a second one, help Travis with email problems encountered at work. He’s a little bit of a loner at work, but because of a suicide in his building, he is friendly with a custodian and security guard, who also move the plot along. His prior military service and women who are as smart as they are beautiful are part of solving who really murdered the suicide victim once it is ruled NOT a suicide.

By the time the road trip was done and the book ended, we were both stunned to learn the identify of the murderer. We were also saddened by the deaths of characters we had come to really like. To us, they were alive and enjoyable people.
]]> <![CDATA[Egg Drop Dead (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #5)]]> 45046645 The Ho-Lee Noodle House takes its business to the next level―only to end up in hot water.

It was supposed to be a fancy, intimate dinner party by the pool. Instead, Lana Lee’s first-ever catering event turns into full-course madness when a domestic worker is found dead. Is the party’s host Donna Feng, the sweet-and-sour owner of the Asia Village shopping plaza where Ho-Lee is situated, somehow to blame? That’s what Lana―whose plate is already plenty full with running the restaurant, pleasing her often-disapproving mother, and fretting over her occasionally-serious boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau―must find out.

Before the police arrived at the crime scene, Donna had entrusted an odd piece of evidence to Lana: a thumb drive shaped like a terra-cotta soldier. Now it’s up to Lana to lead her own investigation, digitally and in real life, into a world of secrets involving Donna’s earlier life in China, whether the victim had a dark agenda, and if the killer is still out there. . .and plans to strike again.]]> 320 Vivien Chien 1250228328 Courtenay 5
Adam tries to solve the murder and keep Lana safe. Peter’s girlfriend Kinmy is new to the mix, wanting to help Lana and Lana’s roommate Megan figure out who did it. These characters are interesting and endearing. And even though I try to second guess them and figure it out myself, I never do. It’s a real mystery for me, and I love the big reveal at the end. ]]> 3.88 2020 Egg Drop Dead (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #5)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/31
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves:
review:
This time in Lana’s novel world she caters a dinner party, solves a murder mystery involving a stoic maid who didn’t do it (even though she suspects her), and interviews each rich woman who has a nanny AND secrets to hide from her. It’s an entertaining read, with many characters trying to lead normal lives when someone dies unexpectedly.

Adam tries to solve the murder and keep Lana safe. Peter’s girlfriend Kinmy is new to the mix, wanting to help Lana and Lana’s roommate Megan figure out who did it. These characters are interesting and endearing. And even though I try to second guess them and figure it out myself, I never do. It’s a real mystery for me, and I love the big reveal at the end.
]]> <![CDATA[Killer Kung Pao (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #6)]]> 49127362 Vivien Chen's Lana Lee returns for Killer Kung Pao, another delectable cozy set in a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio!

Is life at the Ho-Lee Noodle House becoming too hot to handle?

Lana Lee’s plate is already plenty full. Running her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village is challenging on the best of days. But just when Lana thinks she might be able to catch her breath before the weekend—which she’s eager to spend with her equally overworked boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau—Lana witnesses a car accident in the parking lot. And now she has no choice but to get involved.

June Yi, of Yi’s Tea and Bakery, is a serious businesswoman well-known for her heartlessness. But June meets her match when she rear-ends the Cadillac belonging to Mah Jong lover Mildred “Millie� Mao. As each woman curses—and threatens—the other, it becomes clear to Lana that trouble lies ahead. Still, who could have imagined that Millie would end up dead at the beauty salon? The evidence suggests that she was electrocuted while having a foot bath, and all eyes are on June. Can Lana find a way to solve this case before another fatality occurs in Asia Village?]]> 304 Vivien Chien 1250228301 Courtenay 5
I color my hair pink, so the variations of colors Lana chooses inspires me. This time the seemingly safe salon is the location of the latest death. Since this is a mystery, of course it is NOT of natural causes. Like the other books, I have no idea who did it. Even with Lana’s snooping and boyfriend Adam’s help, I still do not know the culprit until the end. And that suits me just fine. ]]> 3.85 2020 Killer Kung Pao (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #6)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/03
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves:
review:
I admit it. I’m hooked. This series is fun, easy to read, and Lana is a supremely likable character. The Asian Village is one I’d enjoy frequenting. The menu of Lana’s restaurant & Peter’s cooking make me salivate. As in the past novels, the customers are a hoot - especially the Ma Jong ladies.

I color my hair pink, so the variations of colors Lana chooses inspires me. This time the seemingly safe salon is the location of the latest death. Since this is a mystery, of course it is NOT of natural causes. Like the other books, I have no idea who did it. Even with Lana’s snooping and boyfriend Adam’s help, I still do not know the culprit until the end. And that suits me just fine.
]]> Hello Beautiful 207599286 Can love make a broken person whole?

William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it's as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family's dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos.

But then darkness from William's past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia's carefully orchestrated plans for their future but the sisters' unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?

An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott's timeless classic Little Women, Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.]]> 387 Ann Napolitano 0593243730 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.05 2023 Hello Beautiful
author: Ann Napolitano
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Chow Maniac (Noodle Shop Mystery, #11)]]> 211004086 Asia Village is in peril when Private detective Lydia Shephard returns to enlist the help of Lana Lee to solve a rash of unsolved murders and thefts.

When Lydia brings Lana onto the case, three of the members of an elite Asian order known as the Eight Immortals have already been murdered. Each member of the order holds one item that represents their immortal counterpart, and someone is dying to get their hands on them all. Lydia's client insists he—and only he—knows who will be next and wants the murderer captured before there is another victim.

Riding below the line of three cities of law enforcement and Lana’s own boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, the two women must tread lightly as they infiltrate a secret organization that even the Mahjong Matrons know nothing about. And somehow protect the next victim without letting on that she’s in danger.

As they dig deeper into the case, Lana finds there are unexpected associations within Asia Village and potential ties to her own family that could be devastating. With the stakes raised on the toughest case she’s ever worked, will Lana be able to keep her own emotions out of the investigation? And will the murderer be found before they become the ultimate “immortal�?]]> 336 Vivien Chien 1250338832 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.22 The Chow Maniac (Noodle Shop Mystery, #11)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.22
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/01
shelves: to-read
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]]> Brave New World 5129 Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order–all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls. “A genius [who] who spent his life decrying the onward march of the Machine� (The New Yorker), Huxley was a man of incomparable talents: equally an artist, a spiritual seeker, and one of history’s keenest observers of human nature and civilization. Brave New World, his masterpiece, has enthralled and terrified millions of readers, and retains its urgent relevance to this day as both a warning to be heeded as we head into tomorrow and as thought-provoking, satisfying work of literature. Written in the shadow of the rise of fascism during the 1930s, Brave New Worldd likewise speaks to a 21st-century world dominated by mass-entertainment, technology, medicine and pharmaceuticals, the arts of persuasion, and the hidden influence of elites.

"Aldous Huxley is the greatest 20th century writer in English." —Chicago Tribune]]> 268 Aldous Huxley 0060929871 Courtenay 4 3.99 1932 Brave New World
author: Aldous Huxley
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1932
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves:
review:

]]> Need (Need, #1) 4070493 Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen.


Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.]]> 306 Carrie Jones 1599903385 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.73 2008 Need (Need, #1)
author: Carrie Jones
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Within Arm's Reach 203019737 A tender and perceptive debut novel about three generations of an Irish American family jarred into crisis by an unexpected pregnancy—from the bestselling author of Hello Beautiful

“This stunning . . . exquisite, skillfully written gem addresses serious issues–e.g., guilt vs. loyalty, the past vs. the present—[but] remains hopeful and includes ample doses of humor and wit.”—Library Journal (starred review)

No one in my mother’s family ever talks about anything that can be categorized as unpleasant or as having to do with emotions. . . .

This spellbinding debut by bestselling author Ann Napolitano is a poignant reminder of how connected we are to those we love, even when we cannot find the words to say it. The unforgettable story of three generations of a large Irish Catholic family, Within Arms Reach is another rich and deeply satisfying novel from the author who captured the many dimensions of grief in Dear Edward and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood in Hello Beautiful.]]> 352 Ann Napolitano 0593732499 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.41 2004 Within Arm's Reach
author: Ann Napolitano
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> A Good Hard Look 9949524
Crippled by lupus at twenty-five, celebrated author Flannery O'Connor was forced to leave New York City and return home to Andalusia, her family farm in Milledgeville, Georgia. Years later, as Flannery is finishing a novel and tending to her menagerie of peacocks, her mother drags her to the wedding of a family friend.

Cookie Himmel embodies every facet of Southern womanhood that Flannery lacks: she is revered for her beauty and grace; she is at the helm of every ladies' organization in town; and she has returned from her time in Manhattan with a rich fiancé, Melvin Whiteson. Melvin has come to Milledgeville to begin a new chapter in his life, but it is not until he meets Flannery that he starts to take a good hard look at the choices he has made. Despite the limitations of her disease, Flannery seems to be more alive than other people, and Melvin is drawn to her like a moth to a candle flame.

Melvin is not the only person in Milledgeville who starts to feel that life is passing him by. Lona Waters, the dutiful wife of a local policeman, is hired by Cookie to help create a perfect home. As Lona spends her days sewing curtains, she is given an opportunity to remember what it feels like to be truly alive, and she seizes it with both hands.

Heartbreakingly beautiful and inescapably human, these ordinary and extraordinary people chart their own courses through life. In the aftermath of one tragic afternoon, they are all forced to look at themselves and face up to Flannery's observation that "the truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."]]> 326 Ann Napolitano 1594202923 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.87 2011 A Good Hard Look
author: Ann Napolitano
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wonton Terror (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #4)]]> 43263161 Amateur sleuth Lana Lee returns for another charming cozy Noodle Shop Mystery in Vivien Chien's Wonton Terror...

The Asian community is kicking off summer with the return of its popular Cleveland Night Market festivities, and Lana Lee is excited to represent the Ho-Lee Noodle House booth with her favorite chef, Peter Huang. Lana is confident that the evening marks the beginning of a great season to come. Not only is she looking forward to the warm temperatures, but her birthday is only weeks away, her handsome boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, is planning a romantic get-away. Life couldn't be better.

But before she can get too accustomed to the idea of a carefree summer, an explosion involving a nearby food truck, Wonton on Wheels, kills one of the proprietors and injures several others in the nearby vicinity.

When the authorities discover that this was no accident, the family members of the dead man become the number-one suspects in a front-page murder story. Lana and her best friend, Megan Riley, fall back into detective mode. But as they uncover family secrets of abuse and angry costumers, Lana's own family drama raises its head. Will Lana be able to juggle everything the universe is throwing at her, or has she jumped from the frying pan to the fire?]]> 294 Vivien Chien 1250228344 Courtenay 5 3.77 2019 Wonton Terror (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #4)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/12
date added: 2024/10/12
shelves:
review:
I love this series. The characters are fun and engaging. The restaurant business seems challenging, as well as entertaining - especially the Mah Jong ladies. The murders are not easily solved by me, the reader, or the police. Listening to this series while I work in the yard or do my physical therapy exercises makes tedious chores bearable.
]]> The Mayfair Bookshop 58510725
1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.

Present Day: When book curator Lucy St. Clair lands a gig working at Heywood Hill she can’t get on the plane fast enough. Not only can she start the healing process from the loss of her mother, it’s a dream come true to set foot in the legendary store. Doubly exciting: she brings with her a first edition of Nancy’s work, one with a somewhat mysterious inscription from the author. Soon, she discovers her life and Nancy’s are intertwined, and it all comes back to the little London bookshop—a place that changes the lives of two women from different eras in the most surprising ways.]]> 432 Eliza Knight 0063070588 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.62 2022 The Mayfair Bookshop
author: Eliza Knight
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder Lo Mein (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #3)]]> 39863347 Everyone agrees that the food at Ho-Lee Noodle House is delicious—unless it happens to be deadly.

Lana Lee’s stake in her family’s Chinese restaurant is higher than ever now that she’s been made manager. So when she enters Ho-Lee into Cleveland’s Best Noodle Contest, Lana makes it her business to win—at all costs. But when a local food critic receives a threatening note in a fortune cookie and is later found dead, face-down in a bowl of lo mein, all bets are off. . .

Now, along with her sweet-and-sour boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau, Lana decides to take matters into her own hands and dig into the lives of everyone involved in the contest. But when she receives an ill-fated fortune, Lana realizes that in order to save the reputation of her restaurant, she needs to save herself first. .]]> 304 Vivien Chien 1250129192 Courtenay 4
Lana has spunk and is determined to help her police boyfriend solve murders that take place in her Asian community. She and her family are interesting and likable. Even the murderers aren’t THAT horrible. The audio books are well narrated and have made housework and walking enjoyable daily tasks. I’m looking forward to reading (listening to) the fourth book in the series.]]> 3.74 2019 Murder Lo Mein (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #3)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/04
date added: 2024/10/04
shelves:
review:
It won’t win literary prizes, but this series will win lots of readers who love cozy mystery stories. The characters are likable, the situations plausible, and the mysteries aren’t that easy to solve. At least, not for me. And I like that. I don’t want to know HOW the magician pulls the rabbit out of a hat. I want to be entertained and have fun - like this series. This latest one involves fortune cookies with quotes from ART OF WAR. That’s pretty heavy reading for a light mystery! In the end, as Lana muses about the ART OF WAR, she realizes that “books have always saved my life.� I like that.

Lana has spunk and is determined to help her police boyfriend solve murders that take place in her Asian community. She and her family are interesting and likable. Even the murderers aren’t THAT horrible. The audio books are well narrated and have made housework and walking enjoyable daily tasks. I’m looking forward to reading (listening to) the fourth book in the series.
]]> <![CDATA[The Book Woman's Daughter (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, #2)]]> 58803339 New York Times and USA Today Bestseller

Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free.

In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.

Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive, but the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way. If Honey wants to bring the freedom that books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.]]> 336 Kim Michele Richardson 1728242592 Courtenay 5
In this story, Honey Lovett is the Book Woman, just like her mother. She lives with her grandmother, makes friends with a young woman who is a forest fire lookout & another who is a coal miner, and she valiantly tries to help a woman abused by her coal miner husband. Honey is a truly remarkable character, and I don’t want to give away any of the secrets of this book. So if you want to find out more about her job as a Book Woman, and how hard her life is and how positive she tries to be, read this book. ]]> 4.16 2022 The Book Woman's Daughter (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, #2)
author: Kim Michele Richardson
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/30
date added: 2024/10/04
shelves:
review:
I loved the first book, and I loved this sequel. It could stand alone, but I’m glad I’d read the first one & knew the back stories. I couldn’t help but think of Smurfs when I read of these remarkable, enterprising, brave blue women. They had no control over the color of their skin, but they did have control over how they felt and lived. They contributed to their community by distributing books with positive, good cheer.

In this story, Honey Lovett is the Book Woman, just like her mother. She lives with her grandmother, makes friends with a young woman who is a forest fire lookout & another who is a coal miner, and she valiantly tries to help a woman abused by her coal miner husband. Honey is a truly remarkable character, and I don’t want to give away any of the secrets of this book. So if you want to find out more about her job as a Book Woman, and how hard her life is and how positive she tries to be, read this book.
]]> Fill in the Blank 33851444 182 Mark Anthony Linton 0998528005 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.33 Fill in the Blank
author: Mark Anthony Linton
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Many Daughters of Afong Moy]]> 59429066 AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick

The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet returns with a powerful exploration of the love that binds a family across the generations in “one of the most beautiful books of motherhood and what we pass on to those that come after us� (Jenna Bush Hager, Today).

Dorothy Moy breaks her own heart for a living.

As Washington’s former poet laureate, that’s how she describes channeling her dissociative episodes and mental health struggles into her art. But when her five-year-old daughter exhibits similar behavior and begins remembering things from the lives of their ancestors, Dorothy believes the past has come to haunt her. Fearing that her child is predestined to endure the same debilitating depression that has marked her own life, Dorothy seeks radical help.

Through an experimental treatment designed to mitigate inherited trauma, Dorothy intimately connects with past generations of women in her Faye Moy, a nurse in China serving with the Flying Tigers; Zoe Moy, a student in England at a famous school with no rules; Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined in San Francisco during a plague epidemic; Greta Moy, a tech executive with a unique dating app; and Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America.

As the painful recollections affect her present life, Dorothy discovers that trauma isn’t the only thing she’s inherited. A stranger is searching for her in each time period—a stranger who’s loved her through all of her genetic memories. Can Dorothy break the cycle of pain and abandonment to finally find peace for her daughter and love for herself? Or will she end up paying the ultimate price?

“For Jamie Ford fans both old and new, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is an unmitigated pleasure� (Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author) and a lyrical love story unlike any other.]]> 384 Jamie Ford 1982158239 Courtenay 4 4.00 2022 The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
author: Jamie Ford
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/04
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> Remarkably Bright Creatures 59710157 For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.]]> 362 Shelby Van Pelt 0063204177 Courtenay 5 4.51 2022 Remarkably Bright Creatures
author: Shelby Van Pelt
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/28
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> Nocturne 61167445
“Culturefly� Grace has always wanted to be a ballerina, ever since she first peered through the windows of the Near North Ballet company. The elegance of the dance seemed transcendent to an immigrant child of the working poor, and so, when she is orphaned, it is to the ballet that she flees.

Years later, Grace is on the verge of becoming the company's new prima ballerina - though she is beginning to realise that achieving her long-held dream may not be the triumph she once envisioned. Then Grace attracts the attention of the enigmatic Master La Rosa, and realises that the world may not be as small or constricted as she had come to fear.

But who is her mysterious patron, and what does he want from her? As Grace begins to unlock the Master's secrets, she discovers that there may be another way entirely to achieve the transcendence she has always sought.]]> 240 Alyssa Wees 0593357477 Courtenay 3
Read the synopsis of the story and you know it is a fantasy that could be Beauty and the Beast or Phantom of the Opera with a benefactor that is beast or monster or man depending on where you are in the book. Grace is a ballerina who also plays a violin and her best friend is Amelia. I preferred Amelia to Grace, and since Grace is in 100% of the story, I could not get myself to warm to her or her story.

Why did I keep reading if I felt so disenchanted? I wanted to know how it ended. Since I listened, I could skip to the end and get satisfaction. Actually the last 40 minutes of the book were captivating, but that didn’t save the book. I can now discuss this book with anyone who read it, and hopefully they will help me see how incredible it is. For now, it’s just a good story worth 3 stars. ]]> 3.22 2023 Nocturne
author: Alyssa Wees
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.22
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/18
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:
Two friends recommended the book, and I wanted to be able to discuss it with them so I listened to the audio version. The narrator was good, and her voice was better than the story’s voice. The story itself was riddled with poetic prose and language that might have forced me to use a dictionary if I hadn’t been an English teacher & librarian. That prose got in the way of the story and character development.

Read the synopsis of the story and you know it is a fantasy that could be Beauty and the Beast or Phantom of the Opera with a benefactor that is beast or monster or man depending on where you are in the book. Grace is a ballerina who also plays a violin and her best friend is Amelia. I preferred Amelia to Grace, and since Grace is in 100% of the story, I could not get myself to warm to her or her story.

Why did I keep reading if I felt so disenchanted? I wanted to know how it ended. Since I listened, I could skip to the end and get satisfaction. Actually the last 40 minutes of the book were captivating, but that didn’t save the book. I can now discuss this book with anyone who read it, and hopefully they will help me see how incredible it is. For now, it’s just a good story worth 3 stars.
]]> <![CDATA[Dim Sum of All Fears (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #2)]]> 37638040
Lana Lee is a dutiful daughter, waiting tables at her family’s Chinese restaurant even though she’d rather be doing just about anything else. Then, just when she has a chance for a “real� job, her parents take off to Taiwan, leaving Lana in charge. Surprising everyone―including herself―she turns out to be quite capable of running the place. Unfortunately, the newlyweds who just opened the souvenir store next door to Ho-Lee have turned up dead. . .and soon Lana finds herself in the midst of an Asia Village mystery.

Between running the Ho-Lee and trying to figure out whether the rock-solid Detective Adam Trudeau is actually her boyfriend, Lana knows she shouldn’t pry into the case. But the more she learns about the dead husband, his ex-wives, and all the murky details of the couple’s past, the more Lana thinks that this so-called murder/suicide is a straight-up order of murder. . .]]> 291 Vivien Chien 1250129176 Courtenay 4 3.74 2018 Dim Sum of All Fears (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #2)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/13
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves:
review:
This is my second helping of the Noodle Soup Mystery series, and I enjoyed it. I’ll probably read more, but I’m stopping here to read another book I had on hold. The characters and situations are funny & totally believable. I like the audio book’s narrator, who distinguishes between characters with inflection and tone.
]]> <![CDATA[Death by Dumpling (Noodle Shop Mystery, #1)]]> 34964916
The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family’s restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that a return to the Cleveland area to help wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband.

Lana’s love life soon becomes yesterday’s news once the restaurant’s property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead―after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng’s severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy―to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out―it’s up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng’s killer order. . . before her own number is up.]]> 328 Vivien Chien 125012915X Courtenay 4 3.62 2018 Death by Dumpling (Noodle Shop Mystery, #1)
author: Vivien Chien
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/13
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves:
review:
Entertaining escapism and an inside look at Cleveland’s Asian community make this a comfy cozy mystery. It’s engaging and captivating. I like the characters, and the natural rhythm of conversations. I enjoyed listening to the adept narrator of the audio book, her accents and varying tones. Made my walks go more quickly!!
]]> <![CDATA[It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)]]> 27362503
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up � she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating� rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan � her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.]]> 386 Colleen Hoover 1668021048 Courtenay 3
I’ve been married to a generous, kind, loving man for 43 years who gives me confidence in myself & everything I do. This book reminded me that I would never have found this man if my abusive ex had not left me. I was weak, confused, and had not confided in any of my friends about the abuse. But my ex wanted to move to Iowa, I refused, and he left me. I was destroyed and felt horrible for months after. It was only after confessing to friends and family about the prior 3 years that I learned to love myself again and move forward.

Lilly is a strong female character, who survived a difficult childhood & helped Atlas survive a childhood similar to hers. Meeting Ryle, years later, Lily thinks she’s found a “normal� man & relationship. But is anyone really “normal� in life?? This love triangle makes all of their lives complicated, especially since both men love Lily and she loves them. They are in their 20s, and as a woman in her 70s, I now know that those were my emotional years - the heart would lead my head. So they - and I - are more reactionary than logical. That’s what was maddening to me.

I liked the portrayal of Lily’s mom, but she reminded me of my mom - also married to an abusive man. Atlas� sister is a wonderful person and reminded me of my best friend - who I only confided in during the divorce. She is still my best friend.

I was going to see the movie, now that I read the book. But I think I’ll wait until it’s on a streaming service and I have nothing else to watch.]]> 4.11 2016 It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/03
date added: 2024/09/03
shelves:
review:
When I read, I read to escape reality, or discover new worlds, or challenge my brain. Unfortunately, this book did none of that for me. It reminded me of 3 years of marriage to an abusive man who destroyed my self confidence, gave me bruises I didn’t deserve, and left me questioning every decision or preference in my life. We went to counseling, and he quit after one session because I “needed it more.� I kept going to this female therapist and learned that he would never change and that it was up to me to leave or continue with a man who did not value me. Before the final divorce, I was told I had to go to counseling again to see if the marriage could be saved. This male counselor told me that I was needy and would never find someone to give me the inordinate amount of love I needed.

I’ve been married to a generous, kind, loving man for 43 years who gives me confidence in myself & everything I do. This book reminded me that I would never have found this man if my abusive ex had not left me. I was weak, confused, and had not confided in any of my friends about the abuse. But my ex wanted to move to Iowa, I refused, and he left me. I was destroyed and felt horrible for months after. It was only after confessing to friends and family about the prior 3 years that I learned to love myself again and move forward.

Lilly is a strong female character, who survived a difficult childhood & helped Atlas survive a childhood similar to hers. Meeting Ryle, years later, Lily thinks she’s found a “normal� man & relationship. But is anyone really “normal� in life?? This love triangle makes all of their lives complicated, especially since both men love Lily and she loves them. They are in their 20s, and as a woman in her 70s, I now know that those were my emotional years - the heart would lead my head. So they - and I - are more reactionary than logical. That’s what was maddening to me.

I liked the portrayal of Lily’s mom, but she reminded me of my mom - also married to an abusive man. Atlas� sister is a wonderful person and reminded me of my best friend - who I only confided in during the divorce. She is still my best friend.

I was going to see the movie, now that I read the book. But I think I’ll wait until it’s on a streaming service and I have nothing else to watch.
]]> <![CDATA[Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books]]> 53 148 Gary Paulsen 0385326505 Courtenay 4 3.89 2001 Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books
author: Gary Paulsen
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/31
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves:
review:
Not as riveting as his Brian series, but it did provide a great deal of information about the author’s personal life and how he used those experiences to create the character of Brian & his survival skills in 3 books.
]]> <![CDATA[It Starts with Us (It Ends with Us, #2)]]> 60393672 Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching� (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding� (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover� (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).]]> 323 Colleen Hoover 1668001225 Courtenay 2 3.80 2022 It Starts with Us (It Ends with Us, #2)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/08/15
date added: 2024/08/21
shelves:
review:
I’m not a fan of romance novels. They are usually unrealistic and exasperatingly syrupy sweet. This one also has the downer element - abusive, manipulative ex-husband, single mom/ex-wife making excuses for everyone including herself, and hunky, perfect ex-boyfriend who seems unattainable. The writing wasn’t particularly memorable and the story was forgettable. So why am I now reading the sequel/prequel? Curiosity.
]]> <![CDATA[The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)]]> 45047384
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.]]> 394 T.J. Klune Courtenay 4 4.37 2020 The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)
author: T.J. Klune
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/21
shelves:
review:
I savored this book as I read it slowly and surely. It is a fantasy with realistic roots. Different acting and unusual children are orphaned due to their abilities. The gentleman who supervises one of these orphanages with unusual children must welcome an inspector to his facility. THIS is the story I fell in love with: the supervisor’s interaction with the children, the people near the Cerulean Sea, and the inspector. And then I didn’t want the story to ever end when the inspector evolved into a wonderful human being as he interacted with the children, the people near the Cerulean Sea and the supervisor.
]]> Rules of Civility 10054335 335 Amor Towles Courtenay 4 4.06 2011 Rules of Civility
author: Amor Towles
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/21
date added: 2024/08/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac 317282
But Naomi picked heads.

After her remarkable debut, Gabrielle Zevin has crafted an imaginative second novel all about love and second chances.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.]]> 288 Gabrielle Zevin 0374349460 Courtenay 4 3.68 2007 Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
author: Gabrielle Zevin
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/11
date added: 2024/08/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables, #8)]]> 433533 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780553269222

Anne's children are almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. No one can resist her bright hazel eyes and dazzling smile. Rilla, almost fifteen, can't think any further ahead than going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from handsome Kenneth Ford. But undreamed-of challenges await the irrepressible Rilla when the world of Ingleside is endangered by a far-off war. Her brothers go off to fight, and Rilla brings home an orphaned newborn in a soup tureen. She is swept into a drama that tests her courage and changes her forever.]]> 277 L.M. Montgomery Courtenay 5 4.22 1921 Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables, #8)
author: L.M. Montgomery
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1921
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/21
date added: 2024/07/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Selected Shorts: Lots of Laughs! (Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story)]]> 96879 Lots of Laughs includes, among others, John Updike's "Farrell's Caddie," read by Charles Keating; Neil Gaiman's "Chivalry," read by Christina Pickles; Ron Carlson's "On the USS Fortitude," read by Laura Esterman; Etgar Keret's "Fatso," read by John Guare; and David Schickler's "Jamaica," read by Isaiah Sheffer.
]]> 3 Symphony Space 0971921822 Courtenay 3 3.44 2005 Selected Shorts: Lots of Laughs! (Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story)
author: Symphony Space
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/21
date added: 2024/07/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Shakespeare for Squirrels 52216445 New York Times Bestseller!

Shakespeare meets Dashiell Hammett in this wildly entertaining murder mystery from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore—an uproarious, hardboiled take on the Bard’s most performed play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring Pocket, the hero of Fool and The Serpent of Venice, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff.

Set adrift by his pirate crew, Pocket of Dog Snogging—last seen in The Serpent of Venice—washes up on the sun-bleached shores of Greece, where he hopes to dazzle the Duke with his comedic brilliance and become his trusted fool.

But the island is in turmoil. Egeus, the Duke’s minister, is furious that his daughter Hermia is determined to marry Demetrius, instead of Lysander, the man he has chosen for her. The Duke decrees that if, by the time of the wedding, Hermia still refuses to marry Lysander, she shall be executed . . . or consigned to a nunnery. Pocket, being Pocket, cannot help but point out that this decree is complete bollocks, and that the Duke is an egregious weasel for having even suggested it. Irritated by the fool’s impudence, the Duke orders his death. With the Duke’s guards in pursuit, Pocket makes a daring escape.

He soon stumbles into the wooded realm of the fairy king Oberon, who, as luck would have it, IS short a fool. His jester Robin Goodfellow—the mischievous sprite better known as Puck—was found dead. Murdered. Oberon makes Pocket an offer he can’t refuse: he will make Pocket his fool and have his death sentence lifted if Pocket finds out who killed Robin Goodfellow. But as anyone who is even vaguely aware of the Bard’s most performed play ever will know, nearly every character has a motive for wanting the mischievous sprite dead.

With too many suspects and too little time, Pocket must work his own kind of magic to find the truth, save his neck, and ensure that all ends well.

A rollicking tale of love, magic, madness, and murder, Shakespeare for Squirrels is a Midsummer Night’s noir—a wicked and brilliantly funny good time conjured by the singular imagination of Christopher Moore.]]> 271 Christopher Moore 0062434020 Courtenay 5
By the way, the audio version is fantastic. Eutan Morton makes each character come alive, and indistinguishable from one other.]]> 3.85 2020 Shakespeare for Squirrels
author: Christopher Moore
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/14
date added: 2024/07/14
shelves:
review:
This was an excellent choice for our 12 hour drive home. Our favorite Shakespeare play is MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM which we have seen a number of times. So the irreverent, raunchy reworking of this play was easy to follow. It was also very funny. My husband says this is now his favorite rendition of MND!

By the way, the audio version is fantastic. Eutan Morton makes each character come alive, and indistinguishable from one other.
]]> The Exchange (The Firm, #2) 123285511 #1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham delivers high-flying international suspense in a stunning new legal thriller that marks the return of Mitch McDeere, the brilliant hero of The Firm.

What became of Mitch and Abby McDeere after they exposed the crimes of Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke and fled the country? The answer is in The Exchange, the riveting sequel to The Firm, the blockbuster thrillerthat launched the careerof America’s favorite storyteller. It is now fifteen years later, and Mitch and Abby are living in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at the largest law firmin the world. When a mentor in Rome asks him for a favor that will take him far from home, Mitch finds himself at the center of a sinister plot that has worldwideimplications—and once again endangers his colleagues, friends, and family. Mitch has becomea master at staying one step ahead of his adversaries, but this time there’s nowhereto hide.]]> 338 John Grisham 0385548958 Courtenay 4 3.39 2023 The Exchange (The Firm, #2)
author: John Grisham
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/13
date added: 2024/07/14
shelves:
review:
This was an excellent book for our roadtrip. It was easy to follow along, so when we would stop and start the book, we were able to keep up with the plot. We enjoyed being reacquainted with The Firm’s characters. We also liked the narrator.
]]> <![CDATA[The Bookstore Wedding (The Once Upon a Time Bookshop, #2)]]> 214128304
Isabel, the long-lost Gibson sister, is finally back home on Brinkley’s Island, Maine. With Sophie and Violet, her sister and her niece, she’s got the family bookstore—and with Johnny Lenox, she’s got something even more special.

But even as life settles, not everything is falling into place. Isabel and Johnny have set the date three times, baked three wedding cakes, invited the whole island to three parties, only to have each attempt at matrimony fall apart at the last minute. Disasters seem to be conspiring against their happy ending, and Isabel is starting to wonder if their love is meant to be.

When family history comes back to haunt the Gibson sisters, Isabel knows that if she wants to make it down the aisle with Johnny, first she and Sophie will have to face the pain of their past and their present, and decide what it means for their future.]]> 39 Alice Hoffman 1662522037 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.93 2024 The Bookstore Wedding (The Once Upon a Time Bookshop, #2)
author: Alice Hoffman
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom]]> 386482
� A New York Times bestseller for over a decade
� An international bestseller published in 52 languages worldwide

“This book by don Miguel Ruiz, simple yet so powerful, has made a tremendous difference in how I think and act in every encounter.� � Oprah Winfrey

“Don Miguel Ruiz’s book is a roadmap to enlightenment and freedom.� � Deepak Chopra, Author, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

“An inspiring book with many great lessons.� � Wayne Dyer, Author, Real Magic

“In the tradition of Castaneda, Ruiz distills essential Toltec wisdom, expressing with clarity and impeccability what it means for men and women to live as peaceful warriors in the modern world.� � Dan Millman, Author, Way of the Peaceful Warrior]]> 140 Miguel Ruiz 1878424319 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.23 1997 The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
author: Miguel Ruiz
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)]]> 51901147
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.]]> 541 Suzanne Collins Courtenay 0 to-read 3.99 2020 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Berry Pickers 123036004 A four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a community, and remains unsolved for nearly fifty years.

July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.

In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.

For readers of The Vanishing Half and Woman of Light, this showstopping debut by a vibrant new voice in fiction is a riveting novel about the search for truth, the shadow of trauma, and the persistence of love across time.]]> 307 Amanda Peters 1646221958 Courtenay 3 4.04 2023 The Berry Pickers
author: Amanda Peters
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/08
date added: 2024/07/08
shelves:
review:
I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it for the various complex characters, who were mostly good, but lead sad or tragic lives. They had moments of joy, but not enough for me to be satisfied overall with the book. Life is difficult enough without sad and tragic stories added to the mix. I read to escape, and this was not a book that served that purpose.
]]> Mulan: Before the Sword 46207914
Family is important to Hua Mulan―even if her parents don’t understand why she would rather ride her horse, Black Wind, than weave, or how her notorious clumsiness can be so different from the graceful demeanor of her younger sister, Xiu. But despite their differences, Mulan has a deep love for her family, especially Xiu. So when her sister is bitten by a poisonous spider, Mulan does everything she can to help, including seeking out a renowned healer. However, it quickly becomes apparent that there is more to both the mysterious spider bite and the healer than meets the eye.

On a quest with the Jade Rabbit of legend, Mulan visits extraordinary places, meets Immortals, and faces incredible obstacles while searching for an antidote for her sister. And the danger only rises when Mulan learns of a prophecy foretelling that a member of the Hua family will one day save the Emperor . . . and of the powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to prevent it from coming to pass.]]> 384 Grace Lin 136802033X Courtenay 4
I love the rabbit. Being born in the year of the rabbit I have an affinity for these long eared fluffy creatures. And the one in this story is remarkable. ]]> 4.20 2020 Mulan: Before the Sword
author: Grace Lin
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves:
review:
The best thing about Grace Lin books are the stories within the story. She makes her books a compilation of stories that are intrinsic to the main story. Mulan is not a warrior at the beginning of the book, but through her journey, her adventures & people she meets along the way, she changes.

I love the rabbit. Being born in the year of the rabbit I have an affinity for these long eared fluffy creatures. And the one in this story is remarkable.
]]> <![CDATA[Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank (Finlay Donovan, #3.5)]]> 194490015 A hilarious short story diving into Finlay Donovan's partner-in-crime Vero's past.

Anyone can spot a window of opportunity, but not everyone can manage to fall straight through one.

Veronica Ruiz is on the run for the first time in her life—though certainly not the last. After being falsely accused of stealing money from her college sorority, she packs up and heads to her cousin Ramón's apartment, planning to change her name and rebuild start over away from backstabbing girls and university drama (and far, far away from her arrest warrant in Maryland).

At the local bank on the first morning of her new life, it occurs to Vero that she'd be a better bank teller than most of the current employees: she may not have much money, but what little she does have, she knows how to manage. Unfortunately, the only available position is a cleaning job and so, desperate for a fresh start, she takes the bank manager’s offer.

But nothing in Vero's world has ever been simple, so of course shortly after she begins work, she overhears a conversation between her new boss and a security guard: someone who works there has been stealing. Seeing a window of opportunity, Vero sets out to find the identity of the thief, present the evidence, and then push for the perfect job. All of which would be easier if her irresistibly infuriating childhood crush Javi wasn’t living in the same damn town.

Offering the insight that listeners have been craving into fan-favorite Vero's past and a closer look at the moment Finlay and Vero first meet, Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a can't-miss addition to the Finlay Donovan series.]]> 107 Elle Cosimano 1250343313 Courtenay 3 3.51 2023 Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank (Finlay Donovan, #3.5)
author: Elle Cosimano
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/28
date added: 2024/06/28
shelves:
review:
This was a fast, fun, and not totally memorable audio book that helped me enjoy my hot, sweaty walks in the neighborhood. I need good diversions when I walk, and this filled the bill. I liked knowing a little more about Veronica before she hooked up with Finley. I laughed at the funny parts, and groaned at the absurd, illogical parts.
]]> <![CDATA[Rainbow Valley (Anne of Green Gables, #7)]]> 77395 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780553269215

Anne Shirley is grown up, has married her beloved Gilbert, and is the mother of six mischievouschildren. These boys and girls discover a special place all their own, but they never dream of what will happen when a strange family moves into an old mansion nearby. The Meredith clan is two boys and two girls—and a runaway named Mary Vance.Soon the Merediths join Anne's children intheir private hideout, intent on carrying out their plans to saveMary from the orphanage, to help the lonelyminister find happiness, and to keep a pet rooster fromthe soup pot. There's always an adventure brewingin the sun-dappled world of Rainbow Valley.]]> 225 L.M. Montgomery Courtenay 5
The antics of the children are harmless but earn the scorn of some adults. I could not believe that going to church without socks was such a scandalous affair!! And when Faith is brutally honest with one curmudgeon and in a letter to the newspaper, I applauded her in my heart.

I’m reading all of Montgomery’s books as I’ll be visiting PEI this summer and I want to have them fresh in my mind as I explore the Island! ]]> 4.01 1919 Rainbow Valley (Anne of Green Gables, #7)
author: L.M. Montgomery
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1919
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/26
date added: 2024/06/26
shelves:
review:
I love these books. They are easy to read (or in my case, listen to). They are about a simpler time, with problems encountered then as well as now. Religion is important. Family is MOST important. When an orphan comes into the lives of the Gilbert & Meredith progeny, of course they must help!

The antics of the children are harmless but earn the scorn of some adults. I could not believe that going to church without socks was such a scandalous affair!! And when Faith is brutally honest with one curmudgeon and in a letter to the newspaper, I applauded her in my heart.

I’m reading all of Montgomery’s books as I’ll be visiting PEI this summer and I want to have them fresh in my mind as I explore the Island!
]]> <![CDATA[108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan: A String of Pearls (Tai Chi Treasures)]]> 373896 128 Michael Gilman 1886969582 Courtenay 5 4.26 1998 108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan: A String of Pearls (Tai Chi Treasures)
author: Michael Gilman
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/26
date added: 2024/06/26
shelves:
review:
I took my time reading this small book, letting each insight sink in. I practice tai chi twice a week, and each time I read a part of this book, I put what I read into action: the breathing, the posture, the meditation. It is a book I will share and reread.
]]> <![CDATA[Lou Gehrig: Pride of the Yankees]]> 6526089 A touching tribute to one of the greatest ballplayers of all time

For seventeen seasons, Lou Gehrig was the heart and soul of the New York Yankees. The power-hitting first baseman donned the pinstripes for 2,130 consecutive games, a streak that earned him the nickname “the Iron Horse� and went unbroken for more than five decades. World Series champion, All-Star, American League Most Valuable Player, Triple Crown winner—the list of Gehrig’s on-field achievements is spectacular. But he is best remembered for the grace and the strength with which he faced an insurmountable challenge off the field: the disease that ended his career and which now bears his name.

When he retired on April 30, 1939, Lou Gehrig called himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.� His words continue to resonate more than seventy-five years after they were spoken. In this heartfelt biography, which was the basis for the Academy Award–winning filmThe Pride of the Yankees, starring Gary Cooper, legendary sportswriter Paul Gallico tells the story of how a son of German immigrants rose to the pinnacle of greatness in America’s pastime and inspired the nation as no other athlete ever has.]]> 185 Paul Gallico 1199282510 Courtenay 4 3.98 2015 Lou Gehrig: Pride of the Yankees
author: Paul Gallico
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/26
date added: 2024/06/26
shelves:
review:
I didn’t know much about Lou except that the disease that killed him was often linked with his name. And I did see the movie, and thought him quite heroic. The book talks about his tough childhood, love of his mother, and greater love for his wife. I’m glad I read the book because it was more factual than the movie. I like reading books that inspire and motivate. That was this book.
]]> <![CDATA[OM Yoga: A Guide to Daily Practice]]> 650133 128 Cyndi Lee 0811835138 Courtenay 4 4.11 2002 OM Yoga: A Guide to Daily Practice
author: Cyndi Lee
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/23
date added: 2024/06/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s by Jennifer Worth (2012-01-01)]]> 136202403 Jennifer Worth Courtenay 0 4.14 2002 Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s by Jennifer Worth (2012-01-01)
author: Jennifer Worth
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/13
shelves: to-read, recommended-by-others
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Anne of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables, #6)]]> 77391 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780553213157

Anne is the mother of five, with never a dull moment in her lively home. And now, with a new baby on the way and insufferable Aunt Mary Maria visiting—and wearing out her welcome—Anne's life is full to bursting.

Still, Mrs. Doctor can't think of any place she'd rather be than her own beloved Ingleside. Until the day she begins to worry that her adored Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. How could that be? She may be a little older, but she's still the same irrepressible, irreplaceable redhead—the wonderful Anne of Green Gables, all grown up. She's ready to make her cherished husband fall in love with her all over again!]]> 274 L.M. Montgomery Courtenay 4 4.04 1939 Anne of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables, #6)
author: L.M. Montgomery
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1939
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/12
date added: 2024/06/12
shelves:
review:
So many children. But they love their parents and vice versa. So much to learn. But good parents make the learning easier. Simple times and letter writing. I really enjoy these books and the ways people live in them.
]]> <![CDATA[Anne's House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables, #5)]]> 77394 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780553213188

Anne's own true love, Gilbert Blythe, is finally a doctor, and in the sunshine of the old orchard, among their dearest friends, they are about to speak their vows. Soon the happy couple will be bound for a new life together and their own dream house, on the misty purple shores of Four Winds Harbor.

A new life means fresh problems to solve, fresh surprises. Anne and Gilbert will make new friends and meet their neighbors: Captain Jim, the lighthouse attendant, with his sad stories of the sea; Miss Cornelia Bryant, the lady who speaks from the heart—and speaks her mind; and the tragically beautiful Leslie Moore, into whose dark life Anne shines a brilliant light.]]> 227 L.M. Montgomery Courtenay 4 4.17 1917 Anne's House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables, #5)
author: L.M. Montgomery
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1917
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/07
date added: 2024/06/08
shelves:
review:
Anne is married, and with marriage come trials and tribulations we married women know first hand. This is a wonderful introduction for young unmarried women. It shows how we can be friends with married and single women, have children AND a life AND a loving husband, and though our adventures may not seem wild or winsome, they are memorable and lovely. Anne has sad and tragic moments, balanced with happy and enduring ones. The audio book kept me entertained while I walked and worked outside in Florida’s blazing sun and in 90° temperatures.
]]> <![CDATA[Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables, #4)]]> 65840 they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty--and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her delicious triumphs.]]> 288 L.M. Montgomery 0808516965 Courtenay 5
This book was dear to my heart as it was about her teaching and living in Windy Poplars. It brought back memories of teachers with whom I worked and the camaraderie we shared - or didn’t. The students either loved me or tolerated me and some hated me - just like Anne’s students. Gilbert is in her letters and with her on vacation, but this is Anne’s book.

I also loved the letters! Remember writing them before cell phones and the internet??? I do. This book is a treasure trove of yesteryear and love.

By the way, I listened to the audiobook. It made my 2 mile walk and gardening in 90 degree weather more tolerable. The narrator is very good. ]]> 4.04 1936 Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables, #4)
author: L.M. Montgomery
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1936
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/03
date added: 2024/06/08
shelves:
review:
It’s been over 20 years since I read the first 3 books. I’m so happy to be back in PEI with Anne! I’m going to PEI in August, and I will have read all 8 books by then. I want to visit the places LMM wrote about.

This book was dear to my heart as it was about her teaching and living in Windy Poplars. It brought back memories of teachers with whom I worked and the camaraderie we shared - or didn’t. The students either loved me or tolerated me and some hated me - just like Anne’s students. Gilbert is in her letters and with her on vacation, but this is Anne’s book.

I also loved the letters! Remember writing them before cell phones and the internet??? I do. This book is a treasure trove of yesteryear and love.

By the way, I listened to the audiobook. It made my 2 mile walk and gardening in 90 degree weather more tolerable. The narrator is very good.
]]> <![CDATA[Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone (Ernest Cunningham, #1)]]> 60879779
I'm Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I'd killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it's a little more complicated than that.

Have I killed someone? Yes. I have.

Who was it?

Let's get started.

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE

My brother

My stepsister

My wife

My father

My mother

My sister-in-law

My uncle

My stepfather

My aunt

Me]]> 371 Benjamin Stevenson 0063279029 Courtenay 4 3.75 2022 Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone (Ernest Cunningham, #1)
author: Benjamin Stevenson
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/26
date added: 2024/05/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #3)]]> 4588949 Book Three in the New York Times bestselling series.

Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.

But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.

If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 502 Michael Scott 0385735294 Courtenay 4 4.11 2009 The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #3)
author: Michael Scott
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/20
date added: 2024/05/20
shelves:
review:
It’s getting much better! I loved the introduction of 3 warriors from the past: a prolific writer, a warrior and a king. The action jumps between Alcatraz and London, and both places brought about much nail biting and edge of my seat excitement. The stranding of 2 characters in another time and place has me wondering how the author is going to reunite them to the modern world. I’m also wondering about how the nightmarish creatures on Alcatraz will figure into the next book. But I’ll read another book before I start that one.
]]> The Husbands 193781998 An exuberant debut, The Husbands delights in how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options?

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actuallyliving?]]> 352 Holly Gramazio 0385550618 Courtenay 0 to-read 3.50 2024 The Husbands
author: Holly Gramazio
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #2)]]> 2402971 here

After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenelle is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is teeming with enemies. Niccolo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He’s after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenelle. For every day spent without the Book of Abraham the Mage, they age one year-their magic becoming weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophecy is becoming more and more clear.

It’s time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic: Fire Magic. And there’s only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel’s old student, the Comte de Saint-Germain-alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world’s only hope-if they don’t turn on each other first.]]> 464 Michael Scott 0385733585 Courtenay 4 4.10 2008 The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #2)
author: Michael Scott
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/15
date added: 2024/05/15
shelves:
review:
This is not the best fantasy book I’ve read, but it’s engaging and fun. The narrator of the audio book enhances the reading experience. At the exciting points of the book, I walked faster as I listened on my morning walk. Josh is a little irritating and his twin Sophie is more bearable. Joan is my favorite of all of them!
]]> The Gargoyle 2595138 468 Andrew Davidson 0385524943 Courtenay 0 3.97 2008 The Gargoyle
author: Andrew Davidson
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/15
shelves: to-read, recommended-by-others
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30)]]> 101144259 _______________
Stephanie Plum, Trenton’s hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered a freelance assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds out of his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day.

With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Stephanie is taking care of Bob, Morelli’s giant orange dog who will devour anything, from Stephanie’s stray donuts to the upholstery in her car. Morelli’s absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie’s life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there.

To complicate matters, her best friend Lula is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie’s mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions.

As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won’t be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It’s a good thing Stephanie isn’t afraid of getting a little dirty, too.]]> 336 Janet Evanovich 1668003090 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.01 2023 Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Now or Never (Stephanie Plum, #31)]]> 207299449
While Stephanie stalls for time, she buries herself in her work as a bounty hunter, tracking down an unusually varied assortment of fugitives from justice. There’s Eugene Fleck, a seemingly sweet online influencer who might also be YouTube star Robin Hoodie, masked hero to the homeless, who hijacks delivery trucks and distributes their contents to the needy. She’s also on the trail of Bruno Jug, a wealthy and connected man in the wholesale produce business who is rumored to traffic young girls alongside lettuce and tomatoes. Most terrifying of all is Zoran—a laundromat manager by day and self-proclaimed vampire by night with a taste for the blood of pretty girls. When he shows up on Stephanie’s doorstep, it’s not for the meatloaf dinner.

With timely assists from her stalwart supporters Lula, Connie, and Grandma Mazur, Stephanie uses every trick in the book to reel in these men. But only she can decide what to do about the two men she actually loves. She can’t hold Ranger and Morelli at bay for long, and she’s keeping a secret from them that is the biggest bombshell of all. Now or never, she’s got to make the decision of a lifetime.]]> 320 Janet Evanovich 1668003139 Courtenay 0 to-read 4.05 2024 Now or Never (Stephanie Plum, #31)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: Courtenay
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum, #21)]]> 19004663 Catch a professional assassin: top priority. Find a failure-to-appear and collect big bucks: top score. How she’ll pull it all off: top secret.

Trenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger—resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation—has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day’s work for Stephanie Plum. The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur’s wild bucket list. A boob job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what’s number one on the list—but that’s top secret.]]> 305 Janet Evanovich 0345542924 Courtenay 4 3.82 2014 Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum, #21)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2016/04/18
date added: 2024/05/07
shelves:
review:
Murder, mayhem, and a typical Plum novel that would be a fantastic movie. Between Morelli and Ranger, Stephanie is in the middle of action and humor. The chihuahuas are the best! I really enjoyed this one. Evanovich has found the magic, and weaves a spell over all who read this one!
]]> <![CDATA[The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1)]]> 17402605 An alternate cover edition exists here.

Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on 28 September 1330. Nearly seven hundred years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty and Nicholas Flamel lives. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. And that's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it. Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.]]> 390 Michael Scott 0552562521 Courtenay 4 3.90 2007 The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1)
author: Michael Scott
name: Courtenay
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/05
date added: 2024/05/05
shelves: what-to-read-after-harry-potter
review:
It’s not one of the best fantasy books I’ve read, but it’s a quick read with some interesting characters. The action moves quickly, and I was engaged the entire time. I did enjoy it, and now I’m reading book 2.
]]>