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 New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2023.
I always love this TTT topic — it’s fun to look back and appreciate how many new authors I’ve tried, especially when there are more of their books for me still to read!
I actually “met” more than 10 new-to-me authors in 2023, and it’s hard for me to narrow down the list… but here are ten whose books I really enjoyed.
1) Author: Trish Doller. Books read:
2) Author: Elissa Sussman. Books read:
3) Author: Victor LaValle. Book read:
4) Author: Elizabeth Acevedo. Books read:
5) Author: Travis Baldree. Books read:
6) Author: Heather Fawcett. Books read:
7) Author: Annabel Monaghan. Books read:
8) Author: Paul Tremblay. Book read:
9) Author: Colleen Oakley. Book read:
10) Author: Sara Goodman Confino. Book read:
Have you read other books by these authors? Do you have any recommendations?
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’s been a busy week (as usual), but things finally… maybe… are starting to lighten up a bit at work.
On the homefront, we’ve had some nice family time, play time with the kitty, and even sunny weather!
Blogging.
I’ve been doing bits and pieces of clean-up behind the scenes on my blog, just tidying up some directories, trying to eliminate incorrect tags, etc.
One of my pages is my Book Blog Meme Directory, which I’ve let slip a bit — I realize that I haven’t gone through and checked the links and made updates in about a year. Which makes me wonder… should I even bother? I’m honestly not sure how useful it is at this point, so maybe it’s time to just deactivate it.
What did I read during the last week?
The Guncle by Steven Rowley: Loved this so much! My review is here.
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys: Very dark, very compelling. My review is here.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears: Honest and powerful. My review is here.
Pop culture & TV:
I finished season 2 of Dark Winds. It was great! Can’t wait for season 3.
My husband and I are continuing our (very slow) watching of All the Light You Cannot See, and I also watched the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears (on Hulu).
I have a long list of series and movies to watch — the hard part is deciding where to start! And I’ve just reactivated my Hulu subscription after a year without it, so there’s plenty to choose from.
Meanwhile, with the Oscars coming soon, I’m trying to get through the handful of nominated movies and performances that interest me — I’m not planning to watch every single movie just for the sake of watching them, but there are a bunch I do want to see before the awards are given out. I got started over the weekend by watching Rustin (Netflix), and highly recommend it! It’s easy to see why Colman Domingo was nominated for Best Actor for this role.
Puzzle of the week:
I had fun with this one over the weekend:
I did get a little tired of all the sky and sea by the end… but otherwise, it was a good challenge!
Fresh Catch:
No new books this week.
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
The Women by Kristin Hannah: I’m at about 50% at this point, and I’m very, very invested! I just wish I had a day to myself to do nothing but read. Hoping to wrap up in the next day or so.
Now playing via audiobook:
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez: I’ve never read anything by this author before, but after seeing so many great reviews over the last couple of years, I decided to give this book a try. I’m totally hooked! Can’t wait to see how it all works out.
Ongoing reads:
My current longer-term reads:
Outlander Book Club is doing a group re-read of Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2), reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 36 and 37 (of 49). Progress: 62%.
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot: My book group’s current classic read! We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. I’m enjoying the book, although reading at this pace makes it feel like it’ll take forever to finish. Progress: 43%.
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord: My new Classics Club Spin book! I haven’t started it yet — I’m listing it here as a placeholder for now. The target date for this spin is March 3rd, so there’s still plenty of time.
Title: The Woman in Me Author: Britney Spears Narrator: Michelle Williams Publisher: Gallery Books Publication date: October 24, 2023 Print length: 277 pages Audio length: 5 hours, 31 minutes Genre: Memoir Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.
Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
The Woman in Me needs little introduction — I can’t imagine there’s anyone unaware of Britney Spears and her deeply personal memoir, published in the fall of 2023.
In her memoir, Britney takes us through her childhood memories, her early years as a performer, and her rise to pop stardom. But as she describes so clearly and powerfully, there was an obsession with her — her body, her behavior, her sexuality — that plagued her from the start of her massive popularity, objectifying her in ways that are shocking yet sadly not terribly surprising.
A young woman of huge talent, she was subjected to endless questions about inappropriate topics — are her breasts real? is she a virgin? what did she do to poor Justin? — from a very young age, and in a way that was never applied to the male stars associated with her. The paparazzi hounding is scary, and as she explains her experiences having two babies within a year of one another, then being pressure to perform when she was still in the throes of post-partum exhaustion, it’s easy to see that this is a woman who was pushed to the edge.
Britney is candid about her struggles and mental health crises, but it’s also clear that she was never incapacitated to the extent that a permanent conservatorship would have been justified. As The Woman in Me makes perfectly plain, the same people who controlled Britney because she was supposedly incapable of managing her health, body, and finances profited hugely from her during the thirteen years of conservatorship — and it’s amazing to think about the fact that throughout all these years (again, while she was supposedly incapacitated), she performed in sold-out Las Vegas shows and world tours, released new material and new albums, and and made millions of dollars.
Britney reads a short introduction to the audiobook (explaining that it’s all too painful for her to narrate fully); Michelle Williams narrates the book itself, and does a very good job of conveying Britney’s words — so much so that I often forgot that I wasn’t listening to Britney herself. This can be a tough listen. There’s a lot of raw honesty here, and the manipulation, abuse, sexism, and outright misogyny inflicted on Britney is awful to hear about, even while most of it isn’t new, considering how much media coverage (and gossip) the star has always generated.
The Woman in Me is a powerful, emotional book, and I applaud the author for sharing so much of herself. After years of being controlled — physically, emotionally, financially — it’s wonderful to see her taking back her own power and her own voice. All I can say is — I wish Britney Spears joy and health, whatever she decides to do next… and hope the world will someday finally realize how poisonous the media and paparazzi frenzy can become, especially for young women.
A final note: After finishing The Woman in Me, I watched the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears (available to stream via Hulu). The documentary was produced prior to the end of the conservatorship, and there’s a follow-up (Controlling Britney Spears) that I have not watched yet. It was interesting to watch, especially for the sake of seeing archival footage of some of the interviews, performances, and incidents that Britney describes in the book.
(Around the same time the NYT documentary was released, a Netflix documentary (Britney vs. Spears) was also released. This one has pretty harsh reviews and seems to be consider exploitative. I haven’t watched it, but I believe this is the documentary that Britney is upset by in her book, as it involves people she’d confided in spilling secrets and private correspondence, among other betrayals. (Again, I haven’t watched it, so I’m basing this on reviews and commentary by those who have). )
Title: I Must Betray You Author: Ruta Sepetys Publisher: Penguin Publication date: February 1, 2022 Length: 321 pages Genre: Young adult / historical fiction Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.
Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.
Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?
A gut-wrenching, startling window into communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the number one New York Times best-selling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.
I picked up I Must Betray You with some trepidation. Reading a YA historical novel set during the last days of the Ceaușescu regime would not typically have been a go-to choice for me, but because this is my book group’s pick for the month, I decided to commit and give it a try. I’m glad I did.
I Must Betray You is a stark, brutal story of repression, cruelty and suffering, as experienced by 17-year-old Cristian. Cristian is a smart, kind teen living in Bucharest, worn down by the daily suffering and deprivation of life under the Ceaușescus. There’s little food, unreliable water and electricity, and constant fear. Anyone and everyone could be an informer. There are no secrets; there is no safety.
As told through Cristian’s experiences, it’s a terrifying life, and even the small moments of friendship, family connection, and potential romance are weighted down by fear: Can he trust the person he’s speaking with? Who else is listening? Can he believe what he hears?
Cristian’s life falls apart when he’s forced into an informer role. If he complies, his ailing grandfather will be given medicine. If not? Well, as bad as things are for his family, they can get much worse.
Without giving too much away, I Must Betray You follows Cristian through the darkest of days and up through the revolution that overthrew the Ceaușescu regime in 1989. Cristian’s experiences are harsh, scary, and awful to read about, and given the ambiguousness of the book’s opening, it’s very much an open question throughout whether he’ll survive.
I appreciate the storytelling and sensitivity that the author brings to this harsh narrative. The chapters are very short and sharp, and as each ended, I wanted to know more. This is a hard book to put down once started.
For me, the collapse of communist regimes in the late 1980s is something that doesn’t feel like long-ago history, but even so, I really didn’t know much specifically about Romania and what the Romanian people suffered through on a daily basis. I Must Betray You is eye-opening. I can only wonder how this book is received by its target audience of contemporary teens — are they aware of this period of history, and do they connect with the characters and events?
I Must Betray You is powerful and clearly very well researched. Somehow, I can’t quite bring myself to give it 5-stars — possibly because it feels like there’s so much exposition throughout, occasionally at the expense of the characters’ development. Pieces of the outcome (again, trying to avoid giving away details) feel unlikely too me, perhaps a tad too optimistic about survival given the realities of what happened in Romania at the time.
Overall, I Must Betray is a compelling, intense read, and I’m glad I had the experience. I’ve only read one book by this author previously (Out of the Easy, which I didn’t completely love). I think I’d like to read more, although my impression is that her work tends to be about very dark subjects, so I’ll likely hold off for a bit.
If you have any interest in an in-depth look at this traumatic, terrible chapter of history, I recommend I Must Betray You.
If you’ve read other books by Ruta Sepetys, please let me know your recommendations!
Title: The Guncle Author: Steven Rowley Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publication date: May 25, 2021 Length: 326 pages Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.
So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.
After absolutely loving this author’s most recent novel, The Celebrants, I was eager to explore more. The Guncle, released in 2021, charmed me as soon as I saw the cover (I’m easily swayed by great covers!). I’m happy to report that The Guncle delivers in so many ways, and won my heart completely.
In The Guncle, our main character is Patrick O’Hara, a successful TV star (he’s won a Golden Globe!) now living a secluded life in his lovely (but lonely) Palm Springs home. In the four years since his sitcom ended, he’s stayed in the desert, avoiding anything close to real human interaction or connection.
As we learn, Patrick is a man so deeply mired in grief that’s he’s completely walled himself off from the possibility of truly caring — or getting hurt — again. Years earlier, his beloved was killed in a tragic car accident. Making things as painful as possible, Joe’s family refused to acknowledge Patrick’s relationship with their son, and banned him from Joe’ hospital room during his awful final days. Patrick has simply never recovered, and shields himself with quips, banter, fabulousness, martinis, and solitude.
As The Guncle opens, however, Patrick is forced back into the sticky world of human connection when his former best friend (who later became his sister-in-law) passes away after a battle with cancer. Not only does Patrick have to mourn Sarah’s loss, but he’s also confronted immediately with a huge demand: Sarah’s husband (Patrick’s brother) Greg informs Patrick that he’s signed himself into rehab, and that he wants Patrick to take his two children, Maisie and Grant, for the summer.
Patrick loves his niece and nephew, of course… but from a distance. He’s not a family man and has never even considered raising children. Yet within days, he finds himself back in Palm Springs with a 6- and 9-year-old, and with no clue what to do with them.
Silliness and hijinks ensue — everything from teaching them the fine art of brunch to creating cotton candy mustaches to adopting a dog, and we mustn’t overlook (and really, it would be impossible to overlook) the pink Christmas tree in the living room. And yet, there’s seriousness and sadness underneath it all: These children have just lost their mother and been separated from their father. They’re adrift, and it’s up to Patrick to anchor them, teach them how to live again, and show them a way forward through their grief.
But how can Patrick, a man who’s never fully dealt with his own heartbreaking loss, hope to help the children?
Seeing how Patrick evolves alongside the children is part of the beauty of The Guncle. Who would think, with such a cute and silly cover, that this would be a book of depth and emotion? After reading The Celebrants, I really shouldn’t have been surprised at how beautifully the author conveys the full range of emotions, denial, anger, and confusion that comes with terrible loss.
Despite the sadness that permeates so much of the book, The Guncle is also hilarious. Patrick is a trip, who never fails to delight with his quips and snide comments and blazing asides. I think every child could benefit from an Uncle Patrick — he doesn’t coddle and he doesn’t talk down; he may not always be the most age-appropriate, but at the end of the day, he’s supportive and loving and… well… just amazing.
I only have two minor quibbles when it comes to The Guncle: First, the timeline confused me (possibly more so because I listened to the audiobook, so it’s entirely possible that I might have missed soemthing early on). The book states that Patrick has been living his secluded life in Palm Springs for four years, so I’d assumed that this related to Joe’s death… but no, it’s clear later that Joe died twelve years earlier. The timeline for Patrick’s relationship with Joe, his TV career, Sarah and Greg’s marriage… all felt fairly jumbled to me, and I would have prefered greater clarity.
Second, I wish we’d gotten to see more of Patrick and Sarah’s frienship. There are flashback scenes throughout the book, but not enough to make me feel as if I truly understood or was invested in their chemistry and commitment to one another. For that matter, I would have liked a little more about how Sarah and Greg got together, and what the immediate impact was on her relationship with Patrick. We get a little of this, but I felt like I was missing the big picture.
Quibbles aside, I loved The Guncle. It’s piercingly funny, yet also heartbreaking and sweet and even hopeful. The characters are wonderful, the descriptions are vivid, and the depiction of Patrick and the children muddling through a summer together is unforgettable.
I’m delighted that a sequel is on its way! While The Guncle has a completely satisfying ending, I’m happy we’ll have the chance to spend even more time with Patrick, Maisie and Grant. The Guncle Abroad will be released in May 2024.
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 I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To.
At the end of each year, I share a list of all my book purchases that I didn’t actually read (All the Books I Meant to Read), and I don’t really want to repeat myself, so…
I thought I’d focus on the books I listed on my 2023 quarterly TBR posts… but realized that I mainly read them all! So, I’m digging back a little further, and just listing 10 books from the past couple of years that I’ve been meaning to read… and haven’t yet.
My top 10 are:
Akata Woman by Nnedi Okorafor
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Saga, volume 11 by Brian K. Vaughn
Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey
The Thorns Remain by JJA Harwod
Pat of Silver Bush by L. M. Montgomery
A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly
Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco
Gilded by Marissa Meyer
Have you read any of these? Which should I make a top priority?
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.
Another rainy weekend. Why, weather gods, why? Don’t you know that weekends are my only time to get out and walk (and listen to audiobooks)??
Besides complaining about forces of nature…
It’s been a decent week, lots of intensity at work, but some quiet relaxing times at home. We had friends over for dinner on Friday, and it was loads of fun to kick back and catch up.
What did I read during the last week?
Clover Hendry’s Day Off by Beth Morrey: Entertaining, but not amazing. A solid 3-star read. My review is here.
One Girl in All the World (In Every Generation, #2) by Kendare Blake: Book 2 in a new Buffy-verse trilogy. My review is here.
The Guncle by Steven Rowley: Beautiful, funny, and sad too. Review to follow later this week.
I also read two graphic novels:
The Princess & the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz: Cute, but I didn’t find it all that memorable.
Heartstopper, volume 5 by Alice Oseman: Sigh. I love this series so much. 5 stars for volume 5!
And finally, my first DNF of the year:
For the Love of the Bard by Jessica Martin: I read about 15%, and it wasn’t bad… but it also didn’t particularly grab me, so I decided to move on.
Pop culture & TV:
I’m finally watching season 2 of Dark Winds, and it is so good! I highly recommend the series (start with season 1, of course). I didn’t quite have time to finish the 2nd season, but hope to watch the last episode tonight.
Fresh Catch:
I treated myself to hardcover editions of the two Emily Wilde books:
Sadly, they arrived just a tiny bit dented on the upper edge… I’m deciding whether to pursue perfection and return them. (My family thinks I’m ridiculous… the dents really are tiny.)
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys: My book group is discussing this book later in the week (it’s our January pick), but I got a late start. Fingers crossed that I’ll have time to finish before the deadline!
Now playing via audiobook:
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears: Patience pays off! My library hold finally came in. Just starting this audiobook today.
Ongoing reads:
My current longer-term reads:
Outlander Book Club is doing a group re-read of Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2), reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 34 and 35 (of 49). Progress: 60%.
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot: My book group’s current classic read! We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. I’m enjoying the book, although reading at this pace makes it feel like it’ll take forever to finish. Progress: 39%.
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord: My new Classics Club Spin book! I haven’t started it yet — I’m listing it here as a placeholder for now. The target date for this spin is March 3rd, so there’s still plenty of time.
Earlier in the week, I shared a post with my list of books for the newest Classics Club Spin challenge (see it here), and a few days ago, this spin’s number was announced. (For those keeping track, it’s CC Spin #36, and for me personally, #8!)
Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they’d like to read, number them 1 to 20, and then read the book that corresponds to the “spin” number that comes up.
For CCSpin #36, the lucky number is:
And that means I’ll be reading:
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord (published 1955)
Synopsis:
Lord’s classic bestseller, and the definitive account of the unsinkable ship’s fateful last hours
At first, no one but the lookout recognized the sound. Passengers described it as the impact of a heavy wave, a scraping noise, or the tearing of a long calico strip. In fact, it was the sound of the world’s most famous ocean liner striking an iceberg, and it served as the death knell for 1,500 souls.
In the next two hours and forty minutes, the maiden voyage of the Titanic became one of history’s worst maritime accidents. As the ship’s deck slipped closer to the icy waterline, women pleaded with their husbands to join them on lifeboats. Men changed into their evening clothes to meet death with dignity. And in steerage, hundreds fought bitterly against certain death. At 2:15 a.m. the ship’s band played “Autumn.” Five minutes later, the Titanic was gone.
Based on interviews with sixty-three survivors, Lord’s moment-by-moment account is among the finest books written about one of the twentieth century’s bleakest nights.
I am delighted with this spin result! I’ve read my share of Titanic-related fiction over the years, but somehow never got around to this non-fiction book, which is considered (as the synopsis says) the definitive account of the events of that fateful night. As a plus, A Night to Remember is one of my shorter picks this time around — 182 pages for the Kindle edition — so finishing by March 3rd should not be a problem.
What do you think of my newest spin result?
Here’s my list of 20 titles for Classics Club Spin #36:
Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Peony by Pearl Buck
White Fang by Jack London
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Howards End by E. M. Forster
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor’s Son by Sholom Aleichem
Title: One Girl in All the World Series: In Every Generation Author: Kendare Blake Publisher: Disney Hyperion Publication date: January 31, 2023 Length: 352 pages Genre: Young adult fiction Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
New York Timesbest-selling author Kendare Blake takes us back to the demon capital of the world in this highly anticipated sequel to In Every Generation, set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Frankie Rosenberg is coming to terms with the fact that she’s the newest slayer, but that doesn’t mean she has it all figured out just yet. She and her friends are still reeling from the deadly attack on the annual slayer retreat—and the new revelation that some slayers may still be alive. She’s got her own Scooby Gang, but sometimes feels more on the outside than ever. She throws herself into training with her mom, the great witch Willow, and her new Watcher, Spike, but they’ve got demons of their own to contend with (both of the real and metaphorical variety). Buffy made it look easy, but being a slayer is hard—and lonely.
But Frankie doesn’t have time to wander through Sunnydale Cemetery singing about her new responsibilities. With news of Buffy’s possible demise, Demons are making their way back to Sunnydale in droves, called by a Hellmouth that is starting to reawaken. And then an oracle brings news of a new Evil brewing…something called The Darkness. Could this be what attacked the slayers? And is it coming for Frankie?
With a satisfying blend of fresh and familiar, humor and (stakes through the) heart, One Girl In All The World is a breathtaking continuation of the series that Booklist calls “a worthy successor to the Slayer stories” (Starred Review on In Every Generation).
One Girl in All the World is book two in a trilogy — and I’m happy to say that this second book neatly avoids the middle book doldrums, instead raising the stakes (ha!) and providing a fast-paced plot that also includes terrific character moments and plenty of Buffy-esque quips.
One Girl picks up shortly after the events of In Every Generation. Frankie (Willow’s teen daughter) is now more settled into her new role as a slayer, with her very own band of Scoobies to accompany her on patrol and into and out of assorted shenanigans. Although they defeated the Big Bad of the moment in book 1, more badness is on the way.
Specifically, something is calling demons back to the Sunnydale Hellmouth, especially its “greatest hits” — demons who’ve battled there before, back in Buffy’s day, seem especially drawn to the town. Frankie’s nightly patrol battles are escalating, and some disturbingly familiar demons raise all sorts of havoc.
One Girl continues the through-line of the missing Slayers. An explosion at a Slayer gathering apparently killed all Slayers, resulting in Frankie being called, but in One Girl, we learn that many survived, but ended up in alternate dimensions. The Scoobies are desperate to find Buffy, Faith, Andrew, and the rest, but also have to contend with a new threat from a decidedly unexpected direction.
Plus, there’s high school drama involving relationships, friendships, identity, parents, and sneaking out after curfew. The danger is real, but so is the cuteness.
What elevates these books above more standard high school supernatural fare are the character moments. We get to spend time with the younger generation — Frankie and friends — but also get plenty of Willow, Oz, and (be still, my heart) Spike.
Spike walked through the streets of New Sunnydale, carrying a box of cinnamon shortbread. Thursday night. Poetry club meeting. His turn to bring the cookies.
As Frankie’s Watcher, playing the part of school librarian, Spike wears a face glamoured to make him appear in his 40s plus lots of tweed (even though we know his black t-shirts and leather duster are close at hand whenever he needs them).
After all, he was still the Big Bad, still able to beat down the worst of whatever the Hellmouth threw at him. And to prove it, that night he’d traded the tweed for a pair of jeans and a black sweater. Let these poetry ladies get a taste of who they were really dealing with. Someone dangerous. Someone damaged. Someone who had killed, and would kill still more, and would never get the blood off his hands.
But then again, maybe he would, if he put in enough hours teaching the kiddies how to use reference databases and the importance of proper shelving.
There are lots of terrific callbacks to Buffy incidents, characters, and baddies, as well as sweeter moments when we’re reminded of how important Buffy’s circle of friends and family always were.
Having an all-powerful witch as a mother offers some benefits to Frankie, and she certainly doesn’t have to hide her Slayer duties — but conflicts do naturally arise. Can you even ground a Slayer? Who’s going to go out and slay if Frankie is grounded?
“Grounded!” Willow declared. “So, so grounded.” And to drive home the point, she snapped her fingers, and Frankie’s door slammed shut on its own. “So that’ll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!” Willow shouted from the other side.
“Mom,” Frankie growled. “I still don’t know what that means!”
“Neither. Did. She,” Willow said mystifyingly, and Frankie heard her footsteps walk away down the hall.
Willow gets a bit more action in this second book than in the first, and I felt as though more of the “real” Willow came through this time around. Spike is, of course, glorious and wonderful to be around at all times, and it’s especially delightful to see him deal with being perceived as an “old” librarian when he still feels like a 20-something rebel bad boy.
I think I actually enjoyed One Girl in All the World even more than In Every Generation (which I liked a lot). The 3rd and final book in the trilogy, Against the Darkness, will be released in April, and I can’t wait to see how it all wraps up.
This trilogy is a great treat for Buffy fans. If you miss hanging out with Slayers, Scoobies, and assorted demons, check out these books!
Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they’d like to read, number them 1 to 20, and then read the book that corresponds to the “spin” number that comes up. This will be my 8th time participating — although for the Classics Club, it’s spin #36!
Here are the dates and guidelines from the host blog:
On Sunday 21st January 2024 we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by the 3rd March, 2024..
We’ll check in here on Sunday the 3rdMarch to see who made it the whole way and finished their spin book!
What’s Next?
Go to your blog.
Pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club List.
Post that list, numbered 1-20, on your blog before 21st January 2024.
We’ll announce a number from 1-20.
Read that book by 3rd March.
I considered not participating this time around, because I already have a pretty stuffed calendar when it comes to reading commitments between now and March. In fact, I’m still a bit on the fence… but I always enjoy these spins, so I don’t really want to sit out.
To keep myself sane, I’m swapping out the two longest books remaining (David Copperfield and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall). Yes, I do still want to read them, but I’ll add them back to my spin list later in the year when the possibility of landing on them won’t stress me out as much! For now, I’m limiting my list to books under 400 pages (and actually loading it up with even shorter books) — I just can’t see being happy with the results otherwise.
Okay, that’s it for preamble! Now for the good stuff…
Here’s my list of 20 classics for the next Classics Club Spin:
Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick
An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Peony by Pearl Buck
White Fang by Jack London
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Howards End by E. M. Forster
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor’s Son by Sholom Aleichem
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
Wish me luck! I’ll be back on January 21st to reveal my spin result!
Bookshelf Fantasies 