April Reads: Lots of Magic and Make Believe

 April definitely was the month for me to read books that had an element of the mystical. Whether it was a young woman working to keep her witchy gifts, or a cozy mystery involving a tea house, I found comfort in the magical. I suspect I'll keep reading magical novels all throughout the summer!

It is May 1st (!) and I'm working through the half-begun books that are littering my living room. Vacation is coming up in another week or so, and I've begun thinking about what to take with me to read. I cannot wait to sit on my plane, open a book, and relax!

Here's what I read in April:

Love Sarah Jio. This novel asks the question: how different could my life be if I made other choices? 

A historical novel set in the late 1960's in Ireland, where contraception is illegal and women have no financial rights. Fascinating read!

A cozy fantasy about a young woman who has 30 days to reclaim her magical abilities or lose them forever. 

A cozy mystery set in small town Georgia, centered at a beloved bookstore. 

Second in a series about a family of women, their magical abilities, and the special flower farm in Mexico they call home. 

First in a cozy mystery series set on the coast of California. A young woman inherits a mystical tea shop, but someone wants her gone. What are her ties to the shop? 

As I said, a month of cozy reads. May is shaping up to be a very busy month, but I'll find the time to dive into some of the newer books I've bought, as well as what's waiting on my shelves at home. 

Enjoy the warmer weather, and happy reading!

The Bookalicious Babe

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April Reads: Lots of Magic and Make Believe

December Read: Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart

 

I picked this up last minute at the library as I was reshelving new books and just finished it a few minutes ago, on Christmas Eve. Just before I turn on the tree and start preparing our eats for the evening. 

This is three cozy mystery short stories, all centered around a scarf or yarn as the murder weapon. I haven't read any of the authors; but quickly understood each story was part of cozy mystery series: the Irish Village Mystery series; the Country Store Mysteries, and the Knit & Nibble Mysteries. I didn't have any issues diving into each short story and catching up pretty quickly on characters. 

Christmas Scarf Murder takes place in Ireland. A retirement community is rocked by some unusual robberies just two weeks before Christmas, and in the course of investigating, married police officers Siobhan and Macdara get involved in a murder of one of the suspects--caused by a scarf wrapped around his neck becoming entangled in a tractor wheel. There's lots of suspects for sure, and two mysteries to solve: who stole from the retirement home, and why? And who killed Michael? Are the two connected? Travel to Ireland for the holiday season with this enjoyable mystery that has a twist or two.

Scarfed Down by Maddie Day features Robbie Jordan, owner of Pans 'N Pancakes restaurant in Indiana. Christmas is just a short few days away, and Robbie's Aunt is implicated in the murder of a local knitter who was poisoned by yarn. Yes, poisoned by yarn soaked in a toxic chemical deadly to human skin. Robbie's Aunt Adele raises her own sheep and produces special yarn from their wool; Robbie sells the yarn in her small gift shop at her restaurant. Who would want to kill Vicky, and in such a cruel way? As Robbie keeps busy at her restaurant, she's trying to put the pieces together, knowing Adele's future is on the line if she doesn't figure out who put the poison on the yarn. This was a fun mystery that was chock full of tasty food, lovely folks, and a clever who-done-it. 

Finally, there is Death by Christmas Scarf by Peggy Ehrhart. It takes place in New Jersey, and involves a knitting group that is tied to a recent murder just days before Christmas. The group knitted scarves for an auction to support the local library, and one of those scarves was a murder weapon used to kill local sour puss Carys. The winner of the auction for that scarf, Laurel, is hauled into the police station and arrested for murder--she found Carys and her explanation that she didn't pick up the scarf at the auction falls on deaf ears. Now Pamela and her best friend Bettina are determined to discover just who is behind the murder of Carys and why. 

Full of, yes, again, delicious food, good friends, and small town holiday feels, this is another interesting cozy mystery that will keep you guessing. 

I enjoyed all three mysteries, and was really happy to read short stories over the last day--easy to put down in between cooking, running errands, and braving the wind and blizzard! 

Rating: 4/6 for entertaining short cozy mysteries that were perfect to read leading up to Christmas Eve. You don't have to be familiar with these authors or their cozy mystery series to read these; you may just find another author to read!

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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December Read: Christmas Scarf Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Apparently I need to read a thriller about a wedding and a murder on an island to get into my reading groove. But it worked, and I discovered a new author I like. Win win. 

The Guest List is Lucy Foley's latest novel; her previous novel The Hunting Party (which I will read as soon as I can), which was published last year, got a lot of buzz. I received an advanced copy of The Guest List from Willian Morrow (HarperCollins) and wow am I glad I did--it was a quick read and full of twist and turns. 

Guests are gathering on a small island off the coast of Ireland for the wedding of digital magazine creator Jules and her devastatingly handsome fiancé, Will Slater. He's a rising star in television with his survival series (think Bear Grylls). Jules picked this location to honor her Irish roots, and also because it will make good copy--and she got it at a bargain price. The first wedding to take place on this remote island, it's run by wedding planner Aoife and her partner Freddy. It could make her career, too. 

The story unfolds over two days; the day before the wedding, and the wedding day. Told through a host of characters: Aoife, Jules, Olivia, Jules' sister; Hannah, a guest at the wedding, and Johnno, the best man. The narration flips back and forth between all of these characters, and as you read, it becomes pretty obvious very quickly that all is not sun-shiny and grand for this wedding. 

Each character has a whole mess of issues, and in the course of two days they all come out one after another, to a final aha! moment. We start at the beginning, with a big storm, the lights going out in the reception tent, and a horrific scream. Boom. Then we go back and forth, between characters and the two days on the island. Some may find this hard to keep track of, but I didn't have an issue. It made the build up that much more of a bang. 

My only issue, after thinking about this for awhile, is that the person who is the ultimate baddie is so bad it's kind of hard to believe someone could get away with that much for so long. Until the wedding. 

You won't be able to put this down. I was up until past midnight finishing it because I just couldn't stop. It will be published in the U.S. on May 5th in hardcover.  

Rating: 5/6 for a fast paced thriller that kept me up way past my bedtime!!

Thank you William Morrow for the advanced copy.  

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The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Well, I finally finished a book this month! It's taken me a ridiculously long few weeks to complete a novel. Part of my problem is that I am reading four at once and making slow progress in each one of them. I started NaNoWriMo, and after a few weeks, I've had to throw in the towel. Just not feeling inspired enough to get past my 5100 words. I'd much rather read! 

Summer at the Garden Cafe snuck by me and I saw it by chance while picking up the next book in this delightful series, The Mistletoe Matchmaker.  So I had to buy it before I could read MM for December. I reviewed the first in the series, The Library at the Edge of the World  in 2017. Set in a small town in Ireland, I loved it and looking back at my review, I couldn't wait to read more. Well, it fell off my radar until I happened to see the holiday novel sitting on a table in my local bookstore. I'm happy to say Summer at the Garden Cafe had me settling back into the small town of Lissbeg and getting familiar with Hanna Casey, her daughter Jazz, and the many folks who make the town of Lissbeg come to life. Everyone's stories continue, after the library sees some exciting growth, and Hanna has settled into her cottage. She finds an old journal, buried near her cottage, written by her great aunt Maggie. Written in 1920, it hints at secrets and troubles that led Maggie to leave her beloved Mother and travel to London. Maggie does finally return, decades later, to settle back into the family cottage, but she is a changed person. Hanna, who inherited the cottage from Maggie, is intrigued by the journal, and it makes her wonder about her family dynamics, and how the woman she knew as Aunt Maggie became such a curmudgeon in her final years. 

Meanwhile, Jazz is working through some anger issues with her father, and figuring out just what she wants to do with her life. Conor, a young farmer from the first novel who works part-time at the library, is deeply involved with a local young woman and contemplating marriage. But oh gosh, they have some bumps in the road! 

I don't want to give too much away, because you do need to read the first in the series to understand the second. It's definitely not one to pick up and read on its own. It took me a good chunk of the novel to remember what had gone on in the first novel, but once I did figure it all out, I was sucked in all the way to the last page. I can't wait to read The Mistletoe Matchmaker in a few weeks.

If you are looking for a Debbie Macomber-type novel, or something that takes you away from home and whisks you to the beautiful hills of Ireland, oh, this is the series for you. The people who populate Lissbeg and the surrounding areas are just solid, down to earth folks, but so enjoyable to read about. Characters evolve at a nice pace, and it will all leave you with a thirst for a cup of tea and a cozy cottage. Yes, there is romance, but it's not overdone at all, and it is actually pretty realistic, too, as Hanna and Brian navigate how to begin a relationship after some bad luck at love. 

This novel was exactly what I needed these first few weeks of November. The three would make a lovely present for someone in your life--or you! 

Rating:  4/6 for a smooth continuation of a series that doesn't fall flat. Life continues at a steady pace in Lissbeg, and characters make some bold choices in their journey to happiness. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

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Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

It's been about 13 years since I visited Ireland, but I can still remember the stunning beauty:  the intense colors, the fresh air, and the small towns and villages. Someday I'll return for another visit, but in the meantime, I was lucky to read The Library at the Edge of the World and be reminded of that special time in Ireland.  

Hanna Casey has returned to live with her mother in a small home set just outside of Lissbeg. She's newly divorced, with a grown daughter (Jazz) who's off on her own as a flight attendant. Hanna's ex-husband had been carrying on a years-long affair with a family friend behind Hanna's back. Very angry, Hanna only wanted out, and left behind the chance to be compensated for supporting her husband's career during their long marriage. So broke, she's living with her mother, working as a librarian in the Lissbeg public library. Not where she expected to be; after all, her dreams were to work in one of the great libraries of  London, helping to preserve and showcase history. Hanna is a bit of a wet blanket; she doesn't allow her library to have much going on for the public. People go to the library to check out books and none of that nonsense about classes, programs, or groups meeting in the library. She's cranky, which doesn't quite jive with the description of her rather youthful appearance. Her relationship with her mother is combative, as well.  

Hanna decides to remodel a crumbling little stone cottage she inherited from a distant relative.  It's a huge mess, but Fury, a local colorful character, decides he is the one to tackle this rather large project.  He's a man unto himself; he won't answer his phone, makes decisions for Hanna, and has his own reasons for wanting to restore the cottage.  What starts out as a prickly relationship becomes one of friendship, and it was fun to read the scenes between Hanna and Fury.  

Meanwhile, the local council has decided to push forth a large project that will benefit part of the Finfarran Peninsula:  a larger port to welcome cruise ships, a bigger center for activities, and a huge push to welcome more tourists.  Only problem with this is that it leaves a huge portion of the peninsula (and Lissbeg) out in the cold, with no access to services and no chance to survive.  If the Lissbeg library and local businesses hope to survive, they've got to come up with a plan and fight the council.  Hanna finds herself smack dab in the middle of this project with the help of an elderly nun and Conor, her part-time library assistant.  They've got to pull the community together and showcase all the wonderful people, places, and services the whole Finfarran Peninsula has; but have they run out of time?

I have to say this novel started out slowly for me.  I had to keep reminding myself that it was contemporary, because I felt like I was reading a novel that took place in the 60's or 70's. Hanna took a bit to warm up to; she has a lot of emotional baggage to work through, and it took up much of the first half of the novel. I'm happy to say the second half of the novel was much more interesting and picked up speed as the fight for Lissbeg's survival took center stage.  It is through this that Hanna begins to find her strength and looks at her library position as something more, rather than a drudgery.  As her home nears completion, she's finding her place. There are sufficient loose ends to hope for a sequel. Hanna has a budding romance; her home isn't quite finished (but is thisclose), and where does Lissbeg go after the surprise Fury pulls off?  I want to see what happens next! 

This novel was published outside the U.S. in 2016; it will be out in paperback by HarperCollins in the U.S. in November, 2017.  I was lucky to have a chance to read an ARC through Edelweiss and it was a great way to kick off my summer reading list. Add it to your TBR list now!

Rating:  3/6 for an entertaining read about a small Irish village, a librarian, and how they need one another.  The first half is more angsty relationship stuff, but the second half was delightful and makes me want to read a sequel. I  enjoyed getting to know the people who surrounded Hanna; a great job in building an enjoyable cast of characters.  

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The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Don't Worry, Life is Easy by Agnes Martin-Lugand

I was thrilled to be able to read this sequel to Happy People Read and Drink Coffee (click on the link to read my review from 2016), because quite frankly the tale of Diane and Edward was so powerful I couldn't wait to find out what happens next.  If you haven't read Happy People, I'm going to probably spoil a few things for you, so beware.

Translated from French, this sequel picks up a year after Diane returns to Paris from Ireland.  Her bookstore is doing well after Diane renews her commitment to making it a success.  Her life has a routine; her grief has subsided.  Her feelings for Edward, however, are still pretty strong, and her time in Ireland and the people she met remain on her mind.  Felix, her best friend, is still a delightful character who can be counted on to keep things light.  

Diane has been going out on dates, and they're all pretty horrible.  Listening to the tales my dating friends tell me, it's amusing to read about similar experiences in Paris, the City of Love.  Bad dates happen everywhere!  But Diane does meet Olivier...a kind, quiet, handsome man who is very patient with Diane.  He's safe, and doesn't stir her wild emotions as Edward did in Ireland.  And who's to say safe is a bad thing, after the emotional devastation Diane has gone through?  

One night out, Diane and Olivier run into Edward, who's visiting Paris for a photography exhibition.  Diane is shaken, and her feelings for Edward are still strong.  She finds out his Aunt Abby is ill, and decides to travel back to Ireland to visit her.  

I'll stop there.  I won't give any more away.  I will tell you that this sequel is just as good as the first novel.  Agnes succeeded in reducing me to a sobbing mess more than once.  She writes so beautifully; simply said but so impactful.  Spare, but packs a punch.  You are wishing so much for Diane and Edward to find a way; can two people who live in different countries, are both emotionally damaged, and so wary find happiness together?  

It's a quick read, but one that will stay with you for quite some time after you've turned the last page.  It is one of my favorite reads for 2017. Both novels remind us that life can be so very painful, unfair, and dark.  But if we are brave enough, it can also be pretty wonderful, too.  

Thank you to Hachette Books for a chance to read this book ahead of publication.  Also a huge thank you to Roslan & Campion for giving me the opportunity to talk about this wonderful author once again.   

Don't Worry, Life is Easy will be available May 2nd in the U.S. in hardcover and ebook.  But you must read Happy People first!

Rating:  5/6 for a sequel that is just as good as the original novel about  finding the sunshine in life after devastating loss. 

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Don't Worry, Life is Easy by Agnes Martin-Lugand

Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand

I'm a sucker for a book title that marries coffee and reading.  This novel, translated from French, was completely not what I was expecting; it was an excellent read that packed an emotional wallop.

Diane lives in Paris.  She smokes cigarettes, drinks wine, and doesn't leave her apartment.  Her husband and young daughter were killed in a car accident the year before, and since then she has been incapable of doing anything.  Her literary cafe, Happy People Read and Drink Coffee is suffering in her absence and under the terrible management of her best friend, Felix.  She is simply not functioning at all and pretty much lives in her pajamas.  Life has no meaning to her and she simply doesn't care.  

Felix's announcement that they are going to take a trip somewhere, anywhere to help reset her life spurs Diane into deciding that she will take a trip, but not with Felix.  His idea of a trip involves lots of parties, drinking, and people.  Diane settles on Ireland, and a small town where nothing happens.  Her husband had wanted to go to Ireland, and so that's where she will move for the next few months.  To be alone, to mourn, and to try and move out of her grief.  She packs her possessions, says goodbye to her apartment and life in Paris, and flies to Ireland.  

In Ireland, Diane settles into a small cottage near the beach.  There's another cottage right next door, and an incredibly grumpy and unfriendly photographer lives there.  Edward is pretty pissed there's a neighbor.  Like Diane, he wants nothing to do with anyone else.  The two of them dislike each other the first time they meet.  Edward has no idea why Diane is there, and she's not willing to share her story with anyone.  She truly is in the depths of the worst grief that I've ever read about or experienced.  This is a woman who will sit in a chair and stare out the window for hours.  She smokes like a chimney and barely eats.  

Slowly, Diane and Edward work towards a friendship.  That is the bulk of this novel.  It may not seem like much happens, but so much does!  It's not an action-packed story, but emotionally it is so full.  Your heart just aches for Diane, but at the same time you just want to shake her.  And in the end, she makes a decision that just kills you, but you know it's the best one she can make.  

Good news, though.  There is a sequel coming out next year.  It's already out in French, but the U.S. version Don't Worry, Life is Easy isn't slated to be published until 2017.  I will be first in line to read it.  This was a short novel, but really touched me and is one of my top reads so far for 2016.  I guess because grief has been a constant companion in my life for the past 4 years that it hit home:  we all grieve in different ways, and there is no time limit on it.  But there comes a time where you have to start living and stop feeling guilty and regretful.  The best thing you can do is live a happy, full life in memory of those you've lost.  

Available in hardcover and e-book.  

Rating:  8/10 for a book that has just a few characters and is simply told, but is unforgettable.  You will not soon forget Diane and Edward. 



 

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Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand

Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim #2) by Juliet Marillier

Juliet Marillier writes fantasy that makes for a great transition from early teen fantasy into adult fantasy.  She combines an alternate Ireland and mythical tales with contemporary issues.  For this, her second Blackthorn and Grim novel, the theme of PTSD continues.  Blackthorn, a wise woman who survived the murders of her husband and child, then a cruel imprisonment by a sadistic King, and her companion Grim--also a victim of King Mathuin, find themselves in Dalriada, quietly tending to the community and trying to find some peace.  Blackthorn is still under the edict of the fey, and must help everyone who asks her for help for seven years.  Only then is she free to take revenge on Mathuin.  

Blackthorn and Grim reluctantly leave their home to travel with the Prince of Dalriada and his pregnant wife to another village, and there they meet Lady Geileis and hear her tale.  Lady Geileis has traveled from her village to ask for help in ending a curse that has taken a toll on the land and her people. A creature lives in a tower surrounded by impassable gnarled hedges of thorns, and every day this creature sends out howls that are driving everyone mad and slowly killing the land.  Just what or who is this creature, and how is it tied to Lady Geileis?  She's not telling the whole story.  And yet, Blackthorn must help end the curse.  

Meanwhile, a friend from the past reenters Blackthorn's life, and gives her an opportunity to exact revenge on King Mathuin.  Does she take the chance and leave Grim, who has only shown kindness and love towards Blackthorn?  Dare she defy the fey, give in to her desire for revenge, and run away?  

This is the second novel I've read of Juliet Marillier, and I am happy to say she's a definite go to author when I want to read some fantasy.  Her characters certainly grow and develop as the plot moves along, and her storytelling compels you to keep moving towards the end.  Her characters are not perfect, and most of the time are vulnerable to their worst human qualities:  revenge, anger, jealousy.  But each has so many good qualities that you keep hoping good will win out.  I would say this author is comparable to Kristin Britain in writing style and storytelling.  Both mingle ancient myths and legends, entertaining characters, and a plot line that will satisfy your fantasy sweet tooth.  

Thank you to Penguin/Random House for a review copy of this novel.  Can't wait to read more in this series, and read through Juliet's backlist titles.  If you'd like to check out Dreamer's Pool I wrote a review on it in September, 2014.  

Rating:  7/10 for a satisfactory second novel in a new series that explores love lost, curses, and betrayal.  And the cover is gorgeous!

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book.  

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Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim #2) by Juliet Marillier

Reading Off The Bookshelves: The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy by Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts pretty much takes up a huge area in the romance section of my bookstore.  This is a woman who has written so many books that all her new titles have to have a "NR" on the front to indicate the first time they've been in print.  Years ago, I would have customers complain that they'd purchased a book, only to find they'd already read it before.  Publishers like to re-issue titles when an author gets popular, and pretty much always change the format from mass market to trade paperback and of course change the cover art.  If you're ever unsure, just read the publication information and you'll see the original publication date.  That has saved me from re-reading many books over the years.  If it's a favorite author, and I've read most everything they've written, looking at the publisher date assures me that yes, I probably did read it ten years ago, and eventually I'll remember the plot--but move on to a new book!

Sorry for the digression--let's get to the meat of this review.  I asked for this trilogy for Christmas and am pretty proud of myself for actually reading it within a year of receiving it.  Plucking books off my bookcase is a lot of fun and helps me not only make space for new books, but helps me rediscover books I've completely forgotten about.  I've read a few Nora Roberts books over the years; enough to know they're enjoyable and have a pretty good story line.  I've never had any qualms recommending her to customers looking for a contemporary romance that is enjoyable, well written, and satisfying.  

 Ireland, magick, romance.  Not a bad combination, in my mind.  Good vs. evil, the power of light over dark.  Sign me up.  

I was disappointed, dang it!  What the heck, Nora Roberts?  What happened to you?  

This trilogy wasn't horrible, and there were elements that I did enjoy.  The three O'Dwyer Cousins:  Iona, Connor, and Branna, as well as their love interests:  Boyle, Meara, and Finbar are lovely people.  Connor and Branna are brother and sister; Iona comes from America in search of her cousins and her roots.  Her grandmother has told her that she is a witch, and must join forces with her cousins in order to defeat Cabhan, an evil witch who has stalked the O'Dwyer family for centuries. Iona has a connection with horses, Connor's gift is with hawks, and Branna shares a gift with her dog.  These three are all descended from the Dark Witch, Sorcha.  In this trilogy, the dark witch isn't evil but a witch that uses the power of light to help others.  Sorcha and her three children live in 1263 in the same place as the modern day O'Dwyers.  Each battles Cabhan, who wants all of their magick in order to create havoc and bring darkness to the world.  Quite frankly, Cabhan is a pain in the ass.  Now the time has come for the three to finally come together to defeat him once and for all.  But they will need the help of the other three.  Oh, and did I mention that Finbar is also a witch, and has the blood of Cabhan running through him? 

So what didn't I like about these stories?  They seemed to go around and around with the same lines; I got tired of reading about how much they all loved each other, and how defeating Cabhan depended on all of them staying strong together.  And Branna cooks a lot.  And isn't happy about it, either.  Each of them are ridiculously beautiful and handsome, and I found the dialogue written as such to be stilted and irksome:   "Sure like Branna and me, for they're as close as brother and sister and never been otherwise."  Usually this stuff I can overlook, but that, as well as repeated references to Iona's "shining cap of hair" had me annoyed at fictional people.  I get that I'm in Ireland, and I appreciate Nora Roberts not sprinkling the writing with "Americanisms", but golly I got tired of the awkward dialogue.  

I have to say there isn't much romance.  Enough to satisfy, but mostly these are light on what a typical romance has loads off:  hot and heavy love scenes.  I've read some other reviews that say this whole trilogy feels like a repeat of another Nora Roberts trilogy (the Three Sisters Island Trilogy), but since I haven't read them, I can't verify that at all.  Somehow the Cousins O'Dwyer lead a perfectly perfect life, with the exception of the evil Cabhan.  And I guess I got weary of that.  


Rating:  6/10 for characters that keep you reading all three stories, but too much awkward dialogue and what felt like too many repeated reassurances of the power of magick between the three witches and the power of family and friends.  A bit of a yawn fest for me.  Too picture perfect. 

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Reading Off The Bookshelves: The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy by Nora Roberts

Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill

Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill is a novel with a bit of romance, a bit of self-empowerment, and a large amount of fairy dust.  

Kate McDaid lives and works in Dublin.  She's just had her 26th birthday, and with that comes a letter stating that she's the sole benefactor to her great-great-great-grand aunt's will.  But there's a catch:  Kate has to publish seven poems called The Seven Steps in order to inherit the estate.  The letters claim to be a call from the fairies for the modern world to recognize them again and be kind to the natural world we've abused and neglected.

No big deal, right?  At first they seem pretty harmless.  Kate puts the first poem on an abandoned web page, but it's quickly discovered and word spreads around Ireland and the world about the Seven Steps.  Kate is called a witch, a spiritual guru, the answer to everyone's prayers.  Her life becomes one of hiding out in her apartment, being stalked by paparazzi, and watching her parents go on every talk show on TV to talk about the Seven Steps.  Her parents are a kick--they're embracing their newfound fame and even hawking self-tanning lotions (even if they do turn you orange).  

But is there a darker spin to the Seven Steps?  And what of the original Kate McDaid, the one called the Red Hag? What starts out as an innocent plea from the fairies to be kind to nature and each other takes an ominous turn the closer Kate gets to publishing the seventh letter.  With so many people waiting breathlessly for a life changing seventh letter, what will Kate do?  

This was a fun and very different kind of read. It was refreshing to read a "chick-lit" story set in Ireland and involving the mythology of fairies and village tales of magic and mystery.  A great mix of contemporary life and the underlying ribbon of culture that keeps us all tied together.  

Those of you who love anything Irish will enjoy this novel.  I fondly remember spending 10 days in Ireland in 2005 and can't wait to go back, sit in a pub, and relax a bit with a pint of cider.  Just don't get your Disney fairies confused with the Irish fairies.  

Rating:  7/10 for a completely different and refreshing chick-lit novel that blends cultural mythology with contemporary social media and our obsession with the latest "fad". 

Available in paperback and e-book.

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Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

I've come late to the Maeve Binchy party, but I say better late than never.  This was Maeve's last novel; she died shortly after finishing it in 2012.  Lucky for me and for everyone else she left us many wonderful novels about life and all its ups and downs--and they take place in that magical place called Ireland.  

A Week in Winter was a perfect read for a January that has seen below zero temps pretty much every day, snow storms that have just enough snow to make you shovel, and lots of snow melting/turning into ice to make driving difficult and full of anxiety.  Maeve Binchy took me away for a few days and she'll do the same for you.

This novel centers around Chicky Starr, who leaves her family to move to New York City with a young man who promises her the world.  Instead, he leaves her after a few months, and she stays in America, spinning a tale of a wonderful marriage and life for her family back in Stoneybridge.   They never know Chicky actually lives in a boardinghouse and works all the time, with no man in her life.  

Chicky returns to Ireland every year to visit her family, and on her last visit decides to make a change and buy Stone House, a lovely but crumbling home on the coast of Ireland owned by Miss Queenie, the last of three sisters who lived their whole lives there.  Miss Queenie knows Chicky will save the home from developers and turn it into a place for people to escape for a vacation by the sea.  

Chicky is a bit magical herself; she knows just what to say and do to get people involved in renovating Stone House, coming to work for her, and knowing just what to do to make it a welcoming place for troubled souls.  

Chicky's first week in business has a full roster of people from around the world who find themselves at Stone House carrying secrets and scars from their lives. Can a week in winter help rejuvenate and revive their lives?  

I am so glad I read this Maeve Binchy novel first.  It will be hard to beat.  What a sweet, gentle, engaging novel about the power of nature, rest, and kind people.  It shows that sometimes we all need to remove ourselves from the crazy in our lives and be quiet and still.  Amazing things can come out of it.

And it makes me want to go back to Ireland.  It truly is a magical place.  

Rating:  8/10 for a great strong character in Chicky; a magical place in Stone House, and a story that moves along and explains each visitor's backstory.  

Available in paperback and e-book.

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A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

2013 Read Off The Shelves: How's It Going?

Well.  I am happy with my progress. 4 titles read off my first list of 25 titles.  I find the challenge occupying my brain more than I thought it would.  I itch to pick another book off my list and whittle that number down to zero.  

It will happen.  

I'm still having a hard time concentrating on any one book.  I guess this will improve over time, as my brain calms down and quite frankly, when I'm not so damn sad and my grief isn't so present every day.  Sitting on the couch and staring at nothing still has a strong appeal over my reading.  But, I'm getting better.  I promise.  Fun, funky, contemporary novels seem to be keeping my interest over anything historical.  And books about family sagas  and particularly sisters are just too painful for me to pick up.  I'll take this as an opportunity to delve into books I've dismissed before as "not my type".  Maybe they'll be my type for this period in my reading life.  I will have to make an exception to my historical novel ban for The House Girl by Tara Conklin.  The South is calling me...

So:  what's up next?  I've had to dig into my boxes in the basement to find a few titles that I packed away on a cleaning binge and promptly forgot I had them:  

ARC of this one--dual time storyline

Now out in paperback.  Pride & Prejudice + murder.  Plus I'm reading a mystery!!

ARC about chocolate, romance, and Paris

British comedy.  Right up my alley

Small town in Ireland.  Enough said.

So I've got a few up my sleeves.  Will I read them all, or take a huge diverting path into non-fiction?  Dunno.  Right now I'm consumed with which one to start first.  **Sigh**.  Life as a book lover can be so darn hard. 

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2013 Read Off The Shelves: How's It Going?

Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley

The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley is one of those books that caught my eye at the bookstore because it kept selling out.  That always gets my attention and had me reading reviews and deciding I should probably add it to my reading list.

Two families are at the center of this novel, which mostly takes place in contemporary Ireland, with a side story taking place in Ireland and England during and after World War I.  Grania Ryan is a young woman who has fled New York City and her boyfriend, Matt, after suffering a miscarriage.  She's arrived home in Ireland to stay with her parents on their farm.  Her refusal to talk to Matt has left him confused and completely at a loss in New York.  His hesitation in coming to Ireland to talk to Grania sets in motion a huge shake up in Grania's life.

Grania meets a young girl, Aurora on the cliffs near Dunworley House, a magnificent home owned by Aurora's father, Alexander.  It has been in Aurora's family for decades, and holds many secrets and much unhappiness.  Lily, Aurora's mother, jumped from the cliffs a few years before, and Aurora claims to see her mother wandering on the cliffs every night.  Grania quickly becomes involved in Aurora's life, and finds herself agreeing to stay at Dunworley House while Alexander travels for business.  

But all is not as it seems, and Grania's mother, Kathleen, soon tells the story of her great grandmother Mary, and her connection to Dunworley House and Aurora's family.  It has brought nothing but pain to the Ryan family, and Grania is quickly finding herself unable to separate herself from Aurora despite warnings from her mother.

This was an interesting story about two families, their history, and what people do for love--both between a man and a woman, and between a woman and a child.  Lucinda Riley combines ballet, Russian history, World War I, and contemporary New York together in a story that keeps you reading.  Aurora is not your average child, and she is the one who moves the story along.

An entertaining story, with some sad moments, some uplifting moments, and I have to say some kind of sappy moments.  But overall, it's an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about World War I, England, Ireland, and has an interest in family sagas.  

Rating:  3/5 I found Grania a bit irritating in her desire to throw away her life in New York so easily; and Aurora--while a lovely character, was a bit too much to take sometimes.  

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Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley

The Pub Across the Pond by Mary Carter

The Pub Across the Pond is a fun read and will keep you entertained for hours.  Carlene is an American who wins a pub in the small village of Balleybeog.  Once there, she quickly falls in love with Ireland and the people of the small village, but the people aren't too fond of her.  And someone is trying to sabotage her pub--stealing kegs, nailing plywood over the bathrooms, and leaving a goat in the pub.  And then there's Ronan, the previous owner of the pub, who's gambling problems caused him to lose the family pub to Carlene.  Their attraction is instant and red hot, but can they make it work?  


I enjoyed this book a lot.  Perfect for anyone who wants to read about Ireland and wants a fun read that is not strictly romance.  The characters are well written and lively, and Carlene's journey from Ohio to happiness in Balleybeog makes this book hard to put down until the very last page.  


Perfect for Moms, Grandmas, and you! This was a nice break from my October reads so far--they're full of dark, dangerous people.  This book is like a warm hug and a cup of hot tea--or a pint :P

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The Pub Across the Pond by Mary Carter

Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

This is not your usual "foodie" novel.  Most of the novels I've read involving food usually revolve around Italian, Greek , or the world of desserts.  This was very different for me, and was a very charming book.  Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran takes place in the sleepy little town of Ballinacroagh in Ireland.  The three Aminpour sisters, Marjan, Bahar and Layla arrive and after renting a shop from Estelle Delmonico, they open The Babylon Cafe, serving Middle Eastern cuisine made by hand.  After a slow start, a visit from the local priest spurs the interest of the townspeople, and their business takes off.  It also helps that Marjan has a bit of magic in her fingertips, and creates dishes that will soothe the customer's appetite and their problems.  


There is trouble, of course, in the shape of Thomas McGuire, who's the unofficial town bully and a successful  businessman.  He owns three pubs and a hotel and dreams of opening a disco--his hidden passion.  He is fiercely angry that someone, especially a foreigner, has dared to buck the system and become a success.  He has half the town against the Aminpour sisters, and they are oblivious to it.  The sisters  fled Iran during the Revolution, and after many years of struggling in England, they hoped to make Ireland their home.  Each sister has a gift of her own, and haunting memories that have followed them to Ballinacroagh.  


Can they keep their cafe open and win over the town?  Will they find happiness in a sleepy little Irish village?  
Well, there's a sequel:  Rosewater and Soda Bread continues the story one year after the sisters arrive and open their cafe.  A mysterious woman washes up on shore, and she may be a link to their past in Iran.  

I throughly enjoyed Pomegranate Soup and have started on Rosewater and Soda Bread.  Marjan is captivating as the cook who works out her problems through her dishes;  Layla's forbidden romance with a local boy, and Bahar's struggle to overcome her past are all what make this novel a treat.  Each chapter has a recipe included, and a book discussion guide at the back of the book makes this ideal for a book club.  Or, just for your enjoyment.


Can I say how happy I am that pomegranate season is upon us?  I've been waiting for months, and now can enjoy those little bursts of flavor through the chilly months ahead.  If you're ambitious, you can try some of the recipes in the book that use pomegranates.  I prefer a pomegranate martini!

  

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Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran