So this is the latest book in Meg Benjamin's Konigsburg series. Only a few scenes are set in Konigsburg itself, and only a handful of characters show up, but it's still nice to visit with some old friends, and to speculate on whether any of the new characters will stick around and make appearances in future books.
Also, not to brag, but I did this cover. I created it before I read the book, and I liked it a lot. But now having read the book, I have to say that I think it REALLy catches the mood of the story. So yay, me! lol And obviously, yay, Meg, too!
I love this mug because it reminds me of my grandmother. As you can see from the pic, the rainbow on the mug is very similar to the keychain I've had since the very early '80s. I've kept it all this time because it, too, reminds me of my grandmother. Here's the story...
The night after my grandmother suffered the stroke that would end up killing her, I dreamed that she and I were standing atop a cliff in Ireland. She pointed at a rainbow in the sky and told me that when I saw the rainbow, I'd know that she was all right. Now, I had never seen a rainbow in real life, at that point, but she had often told me that, growing up in Ireland, she used to see them all the time.
So, all in all, this was not a surprising dream for me to have had, at that point. HOWEVER, when I arrived at the hospital the next morning, the first thing I saw, once I walked through the front door, was the big neon rainbow over the hospital gift shop. Thanks to the dream, I found myself comforted by that.
Anyway...tomorrow would have been her birthday.
The characters in this book are layered and nuanced and perfectly imperfect. Neither of them believe in love at first sight. They both agree that they don't/can't/never-want-to do relationships. And yet...
So, last week I posted about a vintage looking mug. Here's an actually vintage mug. I purchased a version of this mug back in the 1970s. I'm a Pisces, so I liked the fish. And the taupe and dark brown color scheme is one I particularly favored back in my earth toned era. In fact, this was the first mug I ever bought for myself--following in my mother's and my grandmother's and my great aunt, and my...first cousin twice removed (I think?) footsteps. We all are (or were) dishware obsessed.
I actually gave that mug away in 1994. I was moving and leaving behind several good friends and decided to gift them each with mugs that I treasured and which reminded me of them.
I won't say I regretted that decision, but I did miss this one more than I thought I would. And when I stumbled across THIS ONE online, I had to buy it.
It makes me insanely happy.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. And I admit I was pulled in by the cover. Sooo cute! So this is a story about a house swap--very much a la The Holiday...for those of you old enough to remember 20 yr old movies. I had some issues with the movie--it was fun but parts of the plot never made sense to me. This book, however, deals with it all brilliantly. I love the ideas of two people trading lives with each other. Having then have them fall in love with each other's lives--and each other!--it was like the whole Country Mouse/City Mouse done RIGHT. Also, having lived in NYC and vacationed extensively in Vermont (MANY years ago, but still) I was very excited for the locations, as well.
And I think those were handled well enough. I find it hard to imagine anyone routinely walking a mile into small town Vermont in December without encountering a daunting amount of snow. And I think that if you drive your truck into Manhattan--for a stay of several weeks, mind you--then a large portion of your day (EVERY day) will be taken up with moving said truck from one parking spot to another.
But these are small matters and this book was very enjoyable.
May this Fire Horse year ignite your dreams and fuel your passions.
I'd like to offer a small gift on this holiday. And yes, it's the wrong year, but what can you do?
My characters were Doc, a drunk veterinarian; Jim, an anxious bounty hunter; and Candy, a picky stripper. My setting was a Hollywood Premier party. And my line of dialogue was, “Why don’t you take off your shirt?”
This was the result…
This mug is new, but it's giving 1960s/1970s peace and love idealism. And I think we need a resurgence of that. I don't really have a lot more to say about that. We're living through interesting times and I really don't like it.
So you know I had to read something Valentine's Day related--although it took me awhile to find something that didn't bore me. But this was such a cute story! It's set in a theater during a performance of Oklahoma! I love theater stories, and Oklahoma! is one of my favorite classical musicals. AND it's a low angst, second chance romance. Where's the bad?
Okay, first thing I want to comment on is this cover--which I absolutely LOVE. I'd buy a print. And I rarely buy or display art that's not by someone I know. This is another NOT NEW book. Although not as old as last week's Heyer, obvs. It's a not-so-cozy, quasi-noir detective story. Sort of. Think Gregory Dunne's True Confessions only gay. And with less gore and more sex. Which is absolutely NOT a criticism. It's a well-crafted mystery. Even upon re-reading it, it took me awhile to remember who the murderer was because all the suspects were so plausible.
Once again, if you're looking for something to take your mind off of current events (and you happen to love not-so-cozy, quasi-noir, gay detective stories) I'd recommend it.
Pro tip: One of the protagonists originally had the last name "North". I know this to be so because when the "find and replace all" feature was (obviously) used to change it, it changed ALL the norths--even the ones pertaining to direction and orientation. I think there were three (?) instances where sections were rendered incomprehensible unless that fact was kept in mind. It's like finding unintentional Easter eggs. Alternately, you could make it a drinking game.
Fifty years ago, a glamorous Hollywood party ended in murder—the only clue a bloody Tarot card. Timothy McShay is not the first journalist to dig into the details of what really happened that long-ago summer's night, and he's not deterred by the grim fate of his predecessor. Tim has a book to write.
But when a Tarot card turns up pinned to his front door, Tim recognizes the warning for what it is. He needs help—and the only person he can turn to is his ex-lover, Detective Jack Brady.
Siobhan Quinn could give the injured officer a lesson or two in living with pain. It's been ten years since her life was changed and her heart critically wounded as a result of the tragic accident that robbed her of her family. She knows firsthand how grief can cripple a soul and drive a sane mind over the edge.
Sometimes it seems like Spring will never come again. Sometimes, the only alternative to living in inner darkness, is death. Your own, or someone else's. In the depths of winter, Ryan and Siobhan will have to make a choice: to help each other heal, or die trying.
Obviously, this is not a new book. Nor is this the first time I've read it. But sometimes, one wants stability, familiarity, a nostalgic return to yesteryear... Okay, that might be overdoing it, but the world's a shitshow at the moment (more so than usual, or so it seems) and I just didn't feel like thinking too hard. Georgette Heyer was an early favorite of mine, and it's interesting because now I find her stories very hit or miss. I don't think we'd get on AT ALL politically. Her books really haven't aged that well. But this one is fairly benign. It's not MUCH of a romance--the hero barely shows up on the page. But it's quirky and farfetched and the heroine's exasperation is very relatable.
I was looking for something to take my mind off the current world situation, and this answered nicely.
https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Widow-Regency-Romances-Book-ebook/dp/B0024CEZS0
A fateful mistake...
When Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach, she ends up not at her prospective employer's home but at the estate of Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and ruined young man on the verge of death.
A momentous decision...
His cousin, Mr Ned Carlyon, persuades Elinor to marry Eustace as a simple business arrangement. By morning, Elinor is a rich widow, but finds herself embroiled with an international spy ring, housebreakers, uninvited guests, and murder. And Mr Carlyon won't let her leave ...
So, this is my daughter's book. It's not fiction. It's a self-help guide to dealing with grief and loss and I am soooo very proud. She's also leading a grief retreat in March. You can find details here:
https://www.embodiedsoul.art/exhale-2026
https://books2read.com/TendBefriend
A compassionate guide for those navigating sacred territory. the liminal space, the subtle space, the place between what is no longer and what is not yet.
So EVERYBODY I know has been raving about this series for months. I mean, they mostly mean the TV series, but I have a healthy amount of Demand Avoidance...
By which I mean a much MORE than healthy amount, to be honest. And also I was busy. And I don't have time for TV anyway. And so, it took awhile for me to pick up this book. But eventually I did, and now of course I'm reading the entire series. It's good. It's set in NYC and the author is Canadian and I never once found myself muttering about how something was NOT RIGHT! in the book. So kudos to the author.
I would recommend it. Still haven't watched the TV series, but I suppose I'll get around to that one of these days.
https://www.rachelreidwrites.com/
New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pre-game rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.
Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.
Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.
Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?
So, it's still the beginning of the year, so here's a Hamsa for protection during the coming months. Hamsa hands always remind me of mudras that you see used in yoga and meditation, and those are good too--especially at this time of year.
It's a good sized mug, with a two-toned, satin finish that I really like. It's got a modern, minimalist feel that should be at odds with the slightly Boho vibe you generally associate with hamsas and yet...I dunno. It seems to work. It feels very zen to drink my morning tea from this mug.
Well, this was a lovely Christmas surprise! Devon Monk has three connected series--Ordinary Magic, Mystic Crossroads and Souls of the Road. The characters move between the series in a way that I just love so much.
Wayward Gods is the 5th book in the Souls of the Road series, and it made me so happy when Cardamom (from Mystic Crossroads) turned up!
As I read this book, I was mostly convinced it would be the last book in the series--Monk has a way of making you think she's wrapping things up. I should know this by now--but I was happy to find out that I was wrong, and that there is one more book to go. AS WELL AS two more Mystic Crossroads book to come AND a short series of mysteries set in Ordinary, OR.
Also, I love these covers.
https://www.devonmonk.com/souls-of-the-road/
It’s ancient, it’s dangerous, and it’s the only weapon they have…
