My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
I’m on a vacation countdown! My husband and I are taking a week away starting this coming Sunday, and I can’t wait. Just need to get through this workweek, pack my bags, and I’ll be ready to go! Once I decide which books to bring, of course.
What did I read during the last week?
Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong: This book made me so happy! My review is here.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan: On the other hand, this book brought on the waterworks. Very powerful and emotional. My review is here.
My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows: The 2nd book in a really fun series. Classic fiction + ghosts + heavy doses of silliness. My review is here.
Pop culture & TV:
I finished season 3 of The Bear this past week, and it was… okay? A few great episodes, but not a lot actually happened to move the overall story forward. Still, very artistic production throughout, and it’s great to see the characters again.
And now, I’m watching My Lady Jane! I’ve seen three episodes so far. It’s cute and really fun, but I’m not sure I love all the changes from the book… Let’s see how the rest of the episodes go!
Fresh Catch:
No new books this week.
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest: This is the follow-up to a book I read a few months ago (The Neighbor Favor) — it happened to be available for an immediate borrow as I was scrolling my library ebook site, so I grabbed it! I’m almost done — review to follow in the next day or so.
Now playing via audiobook:
The Way Home by Peter S. Beagle: This book is two novellas set in the world of The Last Unicorn, and it’s lovely so far.
Ongoing reads:
Two longer-term reading commitments:
Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 33%. Coming up this week: Chapter 10, “On the Other Hand”
The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare: My book group is reading and discussing two scenes per week. Progress: 16%. Coming up this week: Act II, scenes 1 and 2
Title: My Oxford Year Author: Julia Whelan Narrator: Julia Whelan Publisher: William Morrow Publication date: April 24, 2018 Print length: 352 pages Audio length: 9 hours 58 minutes Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Set amidst the breathtaking beauty of Oxford, this sparkling debut novel tells the unforgettable story about a determined young woman eager to make her mark in the world and the handsome man who introduces her to an incredible love that will irrevocably alter her future—perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks.
American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.
When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret.
Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.
Warning: Do not listen to My Oxford Year in public. I can’t be responsible for what happens. (But embarrassing ugly crying is a strong possibility…)
I’m a little baffled as to how to write this review. I had a major plot point spoiled for me ahead of time, and I wish I hadn’t known to expect it. So, on the one hand, I don’t want to give spoilers here… on the other hand, it’ll be hard to discuss this book in any meaningful way without it.
But here goes… I’ll give it a try.
(But first, a further note: The content could be upsetting for someone to encounter without forewarning… so I’m going to put content warnings over on my Goodreads review, under a spoiler blur. Check if out here if you want to know.)
24-year-old Ella Durran heads to Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, something she’s dreamed of all her life. As her magical, longed-for year kicks off — literally as she’s arriving at Heathrow — she’s also offered a dream job opportunity, working as the education consultant for the woman who stands a good chance of becoming the party nominee for President in the next election. Ella’s future lies in political organizing, and while she’ll be studying literature at Oxford, she also has her eye on what happens after Oxford. Ella’s return ticket is already booked for June 11th of the next spring, and she works out a deal with the campaign: She’ll work remotely while at Oxford, then return next June and commit full-time to the race.
Initially, Ella experiences fish-out-of-water mishaps at Oxford — such as nearly getting run over due to looking the wrong way while crossing the street. The “posh prat” at the wheel ends up being Ella’s literature lecturer, and their unfortunate first meeting leads to attraction, and eventually, a no-strings hook-up plan that’s hot, exciting, and low commitment. It’s good for as long as it’s good, and that — they both agree — will be that.
Meanwhile, Ella also settles in, forms a handful of close friendships, and starts to truly relax into and appreciate her Oxford experience. And as things with Jamie continue to be thrilling, Ella’s having the time of her life.
All is not as perfect as it seems, though… and then Ella’s life (and the book) become more intense and complicated. One of Ella’s go to responses is “It’s a plan” as a form of agreeing or making a commitment, but what happens when life gets in the way of well thought-out plans?
I really can’t say more, but trust me when I say this book packs an emotional punch. There were times when I wanted nothing more than to give Ella a good shake, but her visceral responses to certain challenges, as well as her unwillingness or inability to see what’s right in front of her, feel real and true to life. It makes sense that Ella takes so long to acknowledge what she truly wants, or to recognize that having a plan doesn’t mean that the plan is actually the right course of action. As frustrating as she can be, Ella is a character who clicks precisely because she doesn’t always make perfect decisions or react the way we’d want her to react. She’s definitely flawed, and that helps us root for her.
And what can I say about Jamie? He’s sheer perfection, an absolute cupcake, and I challenge any reader not to be absolutely mad about him.
The larger cast of characters is terrific as well, rounding out Ella’s life in a way that gives her experiences more depth and connection. I loved getting to know the various people in her and Jamie’s lives, and seeing each of their journeys as well.
Author Julia Whelan narrates the audiobook. For any audiobook fans, you’ll know that this means the listening experience will be fabulous. Julia Whelan is the queen of audiobook narration, and hearing her narrate her own book is a chance to be transported into the feel of of the story and utterly absorbed.
My Oxford Year puts the reader through the emotional wringer in a way I hadn’t anticipated (until I was told a spoiler). At first, when I thought I was just reading a book about a year in a rarified academic setting, I didn’t feel entirely engaged. Do I care about stuffy universities and lecture halls and dissection of poetry? (Maybe just a smidge…) But when the more personal aspects of the plot kicked in, I was hooked, heart and soul.
I was a mess by the end of this book, but also uplifted and moved and satisfied. My Oxford Year is lovely and powerful, and should not be missed.
PS – My Oxford Year is coming to Netflix! No information yet on exactly when, but a preliminary casting announcement was recently shared… good stuff!
Title: My Plain Jane Series: The Lady Janies, #2 Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows Publisher: HarperTeen Publication date: June 26, 2018 Length: 447 pages Genre: Young adult Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)
Or does she?
Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.
Long live the Lady Janies! Which are, for those wondering, a series of silly, imaginative books that turn history and classic fiction inside out and upside down. I adored My Lady Jane, the first book in the series, and finally picked up #2, My Plain Jane… and had a smashing good time reading it.
Poor Jane Eyre, an impoverished orphan who has endured a cruel aunt, hard years of cold and starvation at the awful Lowood school, and seems destined for a life as a governess — really the only option available for a young woman of her circumstances. It’ll be sad to leave her good friend Charlotte Brontë behind when she leaves Lowood, but Jane is ready to start the next chapter of her life — and fortunately, her best best friend Helen Burns can go with her. Helen is a ghost, you see, and Jane has the rare gift of seeing and communicating with ghosts.
When Alexander Blackwood, an agent of the Royal Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits, arrives at Lowood to dispense with a troublesome ghost, he recognizes Jane as a fellow Seer, and tries to recruit her for the Society. Jane is determined to stick to her plan of becoming a governess, but Charlotte is intrigued. She spends her days writing and dreaming of excitement, and she wants more than anything to join the Society too.
Once Jane arrives at Thornfield Hall for her governess gig and meets her employer, Mr. Rochester, her priorities start to shift. It’s not just devotion to her student that keeps her at Thornfield — Mr. Rochester is dreamy… despite being kind of rude, broody, and much older than Jane. (The authors take a great deal of delight in mentioning Mr. Rochester’s… um… maturity… at every opportunity.)
Mr. Rochester, due to age, was falling farther behind.
Hijinks ensue. You don’t really want to know the details, do you? Let’s just say, there are ghosts and ghostly possessions, a madwoman in the attic who may not be what she seems, sword fights, getting lost on the moors, and royal confrontations, among other adventures.
My Plain Jane is oodles of fun, and so very, very silly. The writing sparkles with good-natured wit and sly humor. I lost track of how many times it’s mentioned that Jane is plain… it gets ridiculously funny after a while.
Here are just a few little tastes of My Plain Jane:
“I assure you, sir, I am no one worth noting,” she said, although this did nothing to stop his obvious noting of her in his notebook.
From the ad for a governess that Jane finds:
WANTED: A GOVERNESS FOR ONE ADORABLE CHILD.
THE YOUNG LADE IN QUESTION SHOULD BE AT LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE, WELL EDUCATED, PROFICIENT IN THE PIANOFORTE, ABLE TO CONJUGATE LATIN VERBS, AND WELL VERSED IN CLASSIC LITERATURE. MOREOVER IT IS PREFERRED THAT SAID YOUNG LADY HAVE A CHEERY DISPOSITION, ROSY CHEEKS, AND ABSOLUTELY NO WARTS. SHE SHOULD BE AMENABLE TO PLAYING GAMES (ALL SORTS).
Everything turned out exactly as Charlotte had planned. (Just kidding. As skilled as Charlotte was at concocting wild-but-ingenious schemes, they almost never turned out as she planned. Remember this for future reference, dear reader.)
She threw the door open, propriety be darned. But right before she did, she made sure her nightgown was buttoned all the way up, because propriety shouldn’t be totally darned.
(Reader, your narrators understand Jane has fallen for Mr. Rochester rather quickly. The reasons for this could be threefold: first, it was pre-Victorian England, and courtships could last the length of an egg timer. Second, Jane’s lack of experience with men. And third, Jane’s perception of men, which was gleaned mostly from books and art that tended to glorify tall, dark, and brooding ones. The broodier the better. And Mr. Rochester was among the broodiest.)
Finding the intersections between Jane Eyre (the classic novel) and the antics of Jane Eyre and Charlotte Brontë as characters makes My Plain Jane extra fun. The plot itself is entertaining, and it’s cute to see all the ways in which (fictional) Charlotte uses her (fictional) friend Jane’s escapades as fodder for her work-in-progress novel (working title Jane Frere), which will of course become the (real) classic novel Jane Eyre.
As it’s been a few years since I last read Jane Eyre, I’m sure there are references and lines in My Plain Jane that went right past me. Still, I had a great time readingthis book. I loved it maybe a smidge less than My Lady Jane (so awesome!!), but still thought it was clever and enjoyable, and a great way to spend a few summer days.
I’m looking forward to the next Lady Janie book, My Calamity Jane — I’ll aim to start it a bit later this summer, and I’m extra excited to get to the next book after that (which is actually a Mary book) — My Contrary Mary, about Mary, Queen of Scots. How great does that sound? After which, there are still two more books to look forward to… and given how much I’ve enjoyed the Lady Janies so far, I’m pretty sure I’ll end up reading them all.
A fun romantic comedy about a woman writing under a male pseudonym and the man she hires to play the role in public.
Daphne McFadden is tired of rejection. After submitting her manuscript to dozens of agents, she’s gotten rejection after rejection, and now it’s time for something drastic. And so, Daphne submits her manuscript again… under a man’s name.
Imagine her surprise when it sells for big money at an auction and soon becomes a publicity darling. Only she needs a man to play her super macho alter ego Zane Remington. Enter Chris Stanton, who absolutely looks the part of a survivalist and has a talent for pressing her piss‑me‑off‑I‑dare‑you buttons while somehow being endearing at the same time. But Chris has a few secrets of his own, including the fact that he’s really an accountant who has no idea how to chop wood or paddle a canoe. When Daphne’s book becomes a bestselling sensation and they’re forced to go on tour together, Daphne finds herself wondering if this city‑boy geek is exactly what she needs to push her to claim her dreams.
Author Kelley Armstrong writes books I’ve recently become practically obsessed with, including two amazing timeslip series: A Stitch in Time (romantic timeslip with supernatural elements) and A Rip Through Time (timeslip focused on Victorian police procedurals — with a smidge of romance too). Finding Mr. Write is quite a departure — this is the author’s first rom-com… but have no fear! In the hands of this talented author, it’s fun and sassy and just a wee bit outside the norm for the genre.
In Finding Mr. Write, Daphne is a trained architect with the heart of a novelist. She’s been writing stories all her life, but is beyond frustrated. Her novel gets rejection after rejection, leading her to declare to her best friend, in one of the more memorable opening lines of the year:
After reading about a woman author who got five times the response when she submitted her manuscript with a man’s name, Daphne tweaks her book synopsis (“more survivalism, more zombies, less romance”), sticks on a fake man’s name (Zane Remington… hilarious), and sends it off. Lo and behold, she (Zane) gets a book deal, and a big one at that.
The problem is, the publisher wants an author bio and photo. Daphne enlists her best friend Nia (conveniently, a lawyer) to help her find an actor to play Zane, and to ensure that the legal documents are on the up-and-up in terms of her pseudonym. Nia finds a seemingly perfect guy for the role of the swaggering, outdoorsy author — Chris is gorgeous, hard-bodied, and has plenty of game and attitude.
He’s also a fake. Yes, he did a bit of acting way back when, but he’s actually an accountant who’s a client of Nia’s, and nothing warms his heart more than a well-structured spreadsheet. He sprouted from nerdy mathlete to hottie over the years thanks to determination and gym hours, but in his heart of hearts, he’s no more a Zane than Daphne herself is.
All goes well, until Daphne’s book is released (complete with sexy Zane photo on the back cover). When it becomes an instant bestseller, the publisher insists on TV interviews and a full tour schedule, not something Daphne and Chris planned for. A camera crew is scheduled to profile Zane at his Yukon home (i.e., Daphne’s Yukon home), and the unlikely duo have to do a crash-course on learning about each other… and teaching Chris some basics like paddling a canoe, splitting firewood (just don’t!), and what to do when confronted by a grizzly.
Daphne and Chris start with playful banter via text and email. At first, he fully embraces the Zane persona (no, he hasn’t read her book and no, he doesn’t actually read books), but bit by bit, he lets the real Chris come out (who does, in fact, read — and loved her book). They develop a lovely chemistry, but Chris is clear that a fling isn’t what he’s looking for, and Daphne is wary of relationships. Not to mention, he lives and works in Vancouver and she’s loving her solitary life in the Yukon — any sort of lasting connection seems highly unlikely.
Without going much further into the plot, it’s clear that there are two central conflicts looming: First, can Daphne and Chris work through their differences and allow themselves to explore their feelings and mutual attraction? And second, what will happen when, inevitably, the truth about Zane/Chris/Daphne and the authorship of Daphne’s book gets exposed?
Both elements are handled extraordinarily well. We get plenty of goofy scenes of Chris learning to get along in Daphne’s world, and get to see both of them learn that their first impressions and surface-level expectations aren’t the true picture of who they each are underneath. Their time together is flirty, sexy, steamy (some explicit scenes await), and sensitive.
The publishing drama feels realistic, although I had a bit of a hard time buying into the initial setup. Daphne’s book is about a teen girl surviving in the wilderness after a zombie apocalypse. She knows in her heart that it’s YA, and she thinks lovingly of all the YA books she read growing up that inspired her to become a writer. Yet with Zane’s name on the cover, it’s branded as a survival/zombie/action story and placed on the general fiction shelves — but no one seems to question too deeply how this “man’s man” author managed to create such a compelling teen girl protagonist. I’d think someone would have twigged to this anomaly along the way.
In any case, Daphne and Chris have woven a complicated web that starts to unravel once fans start trying to track down Zane’s true identity, and then the race is on: Can Daphne reveal the truth before she’s outed, and how can she step forward without destroying her own reputation and losing all credibility?
One thing I really loved is that the point of view bounces back and forth throughout, with “Chris” and “Daphne” sections alternating frequently, even within the same chapter. When Chris jumps in to try to fix things for Daphne, we understand why he does what he does, and pretty much immediately also get Daphne’s take, letting us know just how badly he’s misinterpreted what she needs. It’s fun and smart — and very clear that despite her public shyness, Daphne is capable of making her own decisions and speaking up when it’s right for her, without needing to be pushed or rescued.
Finding Mr. Write is a total treat. The writing is spirited and clever, the romance zings, but there’s real content here too about women’s treatment in the publishing industry and beyond. Daphne and Chris are both great characters, and I loved seeing how they challenge and complement one another.
Also, kudos to Finding Mr. Write for a totally awesome use of a PowerPoint presentation — something I never expected to mention in a review of a rom-com!
PS – Can someone please explain to me what’s going on with the name Daphne? This is the 3rd book I’ve read within the space of a month — no exaggeration!! — with a Daphne as the lead character. Is Daphne the new Jennifer/Brittany/Emily/insert-whichever-decade’s-hottest-name-here?
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books with My Favorite Color on the Cover.
I don’t know if this is my favorite color… but at this time of year, it’s the color I most yearn for: The blue of a beautiful sea!
Summer sea blue… I don’t know if that’s an actual color name, but it’s something I love. I guess I’m just dying for a beach vacation!
Here are ten books with shades of sea blue:
Don’t these book covers make you want to head to the beach?
What color did you choose for this week’s TTT? Please share your links!
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
How did it get to be July already? Feels like I blinked, and suddenly half of 2024 has zipped by! This has been a mostly quiet week, but I did get to do more dancing than usual, and even had time plus cooperative weather for outdoor reading over the weekend.
What did I read during the last week?
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson: I’m not a prime target for a baseball book… but this contemporary romance about unexpected connections was a delight! My review is here.
Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson, #14) by Patricia Briggs: Not my favorite in the series… but the series remains a favorite. My review is here.
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows: This audiobook was amazing! The book itself was a reread for me, but it was my first experience with the audio version, and I just loved it. My review of the book from my first time reading it is here.
Pop culture & TV:
I finally got around to watching Gen V, which is a spin-off of The Boys. OK, if you’ve watched The Boys at all, then the level of over-the-top gore and violence and “oh my god, can they do that on TV?” will be totally expected. Gotta admit, I thought it was lots of fun… and now I’m ready to start the new season of The Boys.
I started season 3 of The Bear over the weekend, and… it’s intense. As expected. Somehow, I didn’t remember feeling this anxious during each episode during previous seasons. Still great, of course.
Also, how did Interview with the Vampire go from a dull first episode this season to having stellar episodes by the end? Every single one of the last four or so episodes have absolutely slayed. Exciting to hear that season 3 is definitely happening, and that it’ll be picking up with storylines from The Vampire Lestat, the 2nd book in the series. Rockstar Lestat? Sign me up.
Fresh Catch:
Two characters in a book I read last week were discussing Mandy by Julie Andrews, and I realized that (a) it’s been too many years since I read it, and (b) I don’t know where my old copy went. Sadly, this book doesn’t seem to be available in e-book format — but I went ahead and bought myself a paperback, and it just arrived over the weekend. Can’t wait to read it again!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong: I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author so far — this is her first romance, and while it’s a big departure, it’s also a lot of fun. I should be done today or tomorrow.
Now playing via audiobook:
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan: The author is also the narrator, and since Julia Whelan is in a league of her own when it comes to audiobook narration, this is sure to be a great listen. I’ve had this book in my Audible library for quite a while now — I’m glad to finally be starting it.
Ongoing reads:
Two longer-term reading commitments:
Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 29%. Coming up this week: Chapter 9, “My Darling Clementine”
The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare: My book group will be reading and discussing two scenes per week, starting this week.
Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must stop a disaster of world-shattering proportions in this exhilarating entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.
My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It’s a hard job, and it doesn’t leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.
But I’m not alone anymore.
Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother’s issues are a tiny part of a problem much bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . . .
Mercy Thompson has been one of my favorite fictional heroines since the moment I read the very first book in the series, Moon Called. I love this series and the world Patricia Briggs has created, with its complex characters and dynamics, dangerous supernatural beings and mysterious powers, and deep, meaningful personal connections too.
You can imagine how much it pains me to give a Mercy book fewer than four stars. Not that Winter Lost isn’t a good book — it just doesn’t measure up to how great I know this series can be, and it left me feeling uninvolved for far too long of the story.
Probably needless to say, but the 14th book in a series is not a good starting place. I’ll talk about this book, but I’m not going to explain the entire backstory of the series. (But seriously, give yourself a treat and pick up Moon Called, if you haven’t read it yet!)
The events of Winter Lost feel quite separate in many ways from the main through-stories of the series, especially given the way the plot unfolds. The series as a whole is very firmly rooted in the Tri-Cities region of Washington State. Community matters a lot in Mercy’s world. And yet, in Winter Lost, Mercy and her husband Adam spend most of the book away from home, journeying to the wilderness of Montana to remove a curse from Mercy’s brother (and, along the way, try to stop the world from ending).
In “interludes” sprinkled in between the main chapters, we get glimpses of what’s going on back at home, as well as the actions of other (new) characters who have a part to play in the central action of the story. The chapters focus on Mercy and Adam as they travel to the mountain lodge, learn more about what they’re dealing with, and then (of course) save the day.
Beyond the action of this particular quest, Mercy and Adam are also dealing with the fallout from the last book, Soul Taken, which left Mercy with a cosmic sort of damage that’s slowly eating away at her soul and her magic. She has a mystical band-aid of sorts, thanks to the intervention of a fae who cares for her, but long-term, this damage will kill her if they can’t fix it… and fixing it seems like something beyond the skills of anyone in their sphere. This fear underlies every moment, adding a sense of urgency to everything Mercy and Adam do, but especially to their more private moments together.
The plot of Winter Lost just didn’t captivate me the way I’ve come to expect from Mercy books. The plot is an adventure story, but it happens far from home, isolated from much of the ongoing story threads of the series. The adventure concludes at the end of the book, and the pieces are mainly reset — so except for one key element, nothing is all that different from where we picked up at the start of the book. (Keeping it vague… no spoilers here!)
I think one reason I didn’t love Winter Lost quite as much is the distance from Mercy and Adam’s home. I love them as characters and will follow them anywhere, but their stories are always much richer when they’re set amidst the world of their pack, their extended family, and their various and sundry allies and acquaintances. Mercy and Adam can carry the story by themselves, but I missed being around all the rest of the characters we’ve come to know and love.
Winter Lost is a quest story, and I was much more engaged for the last third or so… but still, I can’t wait for the series to move back home and let us see the entire pack back together and back in action.
Despite my 3.5 stars for this particular book, my love for the Mercy-verse remains strong! According to the author’s website, next year will bring a new book in the spin-off Alpha & Omega series (yay!), and so I assume it’ll be 2026 until we see the next Mercy book… and I have a feeling I’ll be doing at least a little rereading between now and then.
Title: The Art of Catching Feelings Author: Alicia Thompson Publisher: Berkley Publication date: June 18, 2024 Length: 384 pages Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for.
Daphne Brink doesn’t follow baseball, but watching “America’s Snoozefest” certainly beats sitting at home in the days after she signs her divorce papers. After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler, who quickly proves there might actually be a little crying in baseball. Horrified, Daphne reaches out to Chris on social media to apologize . . . but forgets to identify herself as his heckler in her message.
Chris doesn’t usually respond to random fans on social media, but he’s grieving and fragile after an emotionally turbulent few months. When a DM from “Duckie” catches his eye, he impulsively messages back. Duckie is sweet, funny, and seems to understand him in a way no one else does.
Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen. When he finds out the truth, will it be three strikes, she’s out?
Let me get this out of the way to start with: I am not a baseball fan. I’ve watched my share of games, but I don’t seek them out, and if pushed, would probably agree with Daphne’s opinion (America’s Snoozefest). So I certainly started this baseball-themed romance with, oh, just a smidge of hesitation… but I needn’t have worried. Alicia Thompson hits it out of the park with The Art of Catching Feelings! (Sorry, I’ll try to avoid indulging in baseball puns from here on out…)
You’re the book I want to reread. For the rest of my life.
Have more romantic words ever been spoken?
In The Art of Catching Feelings, newly divorced Daphne — who couldn’t care less about baseball — attends a home team game courtesy of her brother, who works for the team. And because the seats are so good, when Daphne (very drunk) decides to get into the spirit of things by heckling a player, her words hit her target very directly. Not only does the heckled player not laugh it off, he seems to be injured by her words to the point of tears. The moment goes viral, of course, and while he is subjected to an awful lot of public criticism (mainly by trolls), she’s also considered a villain. Who does that to a player on their own home team?
Once Daphne sobers up, she’s horrified by what she’s done, and impulsively DMs the player, Chris Kepler. Chris is usually a great hitter and rock solid at third base, but he’s not having a great season. Daphne works on her apology draft, but somehow in copying and pasting it into the DM, the piece where she identifies herself as the heckler gets deleted. What Chris actually receives is a very nice message from a person known as Duckie, who’s sorry for what he experienced and offers care and concern. He responds back, and soon, the two are exchanging messages that grown deeper and more personal.
Unfortunately for Daphne, her professional life is about to intersect with Chris’s, as she’s asked to step in as a sideline reporter to temporarily replace her sister-in-law who has to take an earlier-than-expected pregnancy leave. At first, having Chris’s heckler step in as a reporter seems like a publicity gimmick, but she’s actually good at this, and soon she and Chris develop a tentative friendship… all the while, continuing her DM relationship with him under her online ID.
The closer she and Chris get in real life, the deeper the hole she’s dug for herself becomes. She knows she needs to be honest with Chris, but can’t see any way to do so without losing him forever. And as their feelings deepen beyond friendship, she really can’t stand the idea of losing him.
The Art of Catching Feelings conveys this dilemma with sensitivity and emotion, while also showing the chemistry and connection between Daphne and Chris. It’s clear from the start that she needs to come clean and set the record straight — but we spend enough time in her head to understand all of her fears and what’s at stake. We may not approve of her decision-making, but we can at least sympathize.
Chris is a lovely character, laser-focused on baseball but dealing with a terribly painful loss that he’s kept hidden from his team until now. He thinks if he pushes past it, he’ll make it through the season, but he’s fraying at the edges and his emotions are raw. Getting to know Duckie is a huge step forward for him in terms of opening up, but the hurt he feels when she ends their connection sets him back quite a ways… until he starts getting closer to Daphne. Confusing, right? He doesn’t know that he’s ended up falling twice for the same person.
This book is such a joy to read, even when things are difficult. The connection between Daphne and Chris is apparent right from their start, and their communication is full of both silly banter and meaningful sharing. Of course we readers know that Daphne is making a huge mistake by not owning up to her true identity, but as she wonders each time she thinks about their situation, if she’d done things differently, would they have ended up connecting the way they did?
Chris’s loss is handled sensitively, as is Daphne’s divorce and the pain associated with her unsuccessful marriage. The author provides content warnings at the start of the book, so the information is easily available for those who prefer to know in advance.
In terms of Chris and Daphne’s chemistry, the sex scenes in The Art of Catching Feelings are explicit (open door). There’s nothing left to the imagination. Personally, I’m tend to prefer these scenes more on the implied side — door slightly ajar or a nice gauzy curtain in between in the action and the reader — but given how much I liked these two characters, it didn’t end up bothering me.
Sure, a couple of elements feel less than completely believable — especially Daphne getting drafted for the reporter role based on her family connection and the fact that she’d been a communications major in college. She ends up growing into it, but it’s a very silly plot contrivance that we just have to accept and roll with.
On the plus side, I love how much of a reader Daphne is, and over the course of their relationship, she and Chris discuss some of their more foundational books, including The Phantom Tollbooth, Catch-22, and Mandy (the lovely children’s book by Julie Andrews). Maybe that’s a piece of why I liked the characters so much — their book talk absolutely made my heart sing.
I’ll be honest — if I’d come across a book with this cover by an author I didn’t know, I’d probably skip right by it. However, I read and loved Alicia Thompson’s two previous novels (Love in the Time of Serial Killers and With Love, from Cold World), so I knew I’d be in for a treat… despite the focus on baseball.
The Art of Catching Feelings is engaging, emotional, and funny, and its main characters are two good-hearted people stumbling their way toward one another. This is a feel-good, absorbing read — a perfect choice for when you want to curl up and get lost in a good book.
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024.
But oops – last week’s topic was Books on My Summer 2024 to-Read List, and since I didn’t look at upcoming topics, I focused my list only on new releases for summer 2024… which means for this week, I have to come up with 10 more!
Fortunately, I never lack for books to look forward to (although the books already on my shelves are giving me some serious side-eye as I write this)… but I couldn’t quite come up with ten more must-read new releases, so…
Here are NINE new releases — coming July through December 2024 — that I can’t wait to read:
Listed in order of release date:
Drop Dead by Lily Chu (8/1/2024)
The Life Impossible by Matt Haig (9/3/2024)
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (9/10/2024)
Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari (9/10/2024)
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison (9/10/2024)
I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong (10/1/2024)
Rough Pages(Evander Mills, #3) by Lev AC Rosen (10/1/2024)
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman (10/8/2024)
The Naturalist Society by Carrie Vaughn (11/1/2024)
What are your most anticipated new releases for the 2nd half of 2024? Please share your links!
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
It was nice to have a day off midweek, even if I didn’t do much… or I guess, especially since I didn’t do much. I appreciated de-stressing, fiddling around with household projects, going for a walk, and just… being a bit more chill than usual.
What did I read during the last week?
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler: My book group’s June pick is a fascinating look at first contact between species, with plenty to think about in terms of consciousness and humanity. And if that sounds perhaps dull or a bit too philosophical — it’s an exciting sci-fi story with plenty of action too! My review is here.
One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin: I gave this book more than one star… but not by much. My review is here.
Funny Story by Emily Henry: I really enjoyed the audiobook — the story itself is terrific, and the narration by Julia Whelan is just as fantastic as you’d expect. A great summer read. My review is here.
Pop culture & TV:
I ended up watching the second batch of Bridgerton (season 3) episodes again this week… still terrific! And sure, I have quibbles, but I love how much the show manages to deliver. Sadly, it’s now a 2 year (ish) wait for the next season.
I was really sad to hear about the passing of Donald Sutherland this week. From Animal House to the Hunger Games movies, he’s always been a favorite, with such a unique screen presence.
My book group finished our massive reading project last week — Daniel Deronda by George Elliot — and this past week, I watch the 4-part TV miniseries (available via Hulu and probably elsewhere too). Overall, I thought it was a good adaptation with a terrific cast. Some plot points — and of course, much of the deeper elements — get lost in the transition to screen, but the characters and conflicts are depicted fairly faithfully. For those who don’t have the patience to get through the book, this is a good way to at least somewhat experience the story.
Fresh Catch:
It’s the new Mercy book!!
I’m much more selective these days when it comes to buying hardcover books… but I always buy the new Mercy book right on release day. The covers are so gorgeous! (Artist Dan Dos Santos is incredibly talented — check out his website). I’ve loved this series from the start, and I love that it’s still going strong, 14 books in (and counting!).
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
I’d planned to start Winter Lost right away, but have had such hectic days that I never ended up with a big chunk of time to just relax and read, and I want to be able to savor it. So, hopefully, I’ll dive in later this week, and meanwhile, I’m reading…
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson: I am not a baseball person AT ALL, so this is not an obvious pick for me, except I really enjoyed the author’s previous two books. This is light and fast-moving, and I should wrap it up pretty quickly.
Now playing via audiobook:
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows: With the Prime Video series starting later this week, I decided I needed to do a reread via audiobook, and I’m loving it. This book is so funny and delightful, and the narration is terrific. Plus, it’s good prep for me to get back into the series and finally continue onward.
Ongoing reads:
Just one at the moment, until my book group starts a new classic read next month:
Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 27%. Coming up this week: Chapter 8, “Whither Thou Goest”
Bookshelf Fantasies 