Tag Archives: book group books

The Monday Check-In ~ 6/19/2023

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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.

Getting better, bit by bit! After a couple of weeks of lingering COVID symptoms, I’m feeling mostly better at this point — I still get tired pretty easily, and my tastebuds aren’t quite functioning normally, but overall, so much better! I finally started getting out of the house, and honestly, that feels like a milestone!

I worked from home last week, but this week, I’ll be heading back to the office. Real life, here I come!

What did I read during the last week?

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman: My book group’s pick for June. Wonderful historical fiction. My review is here.

Lion’s Legacy by L. C. Rosen: Really fun YA adventure with positive messages. My review is here.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano: Couldn’t put this one down once I started. Review to follow.

The Expert System’s Brother and The Expert System’s Champion by Adrian Tchaikovsky: A terrific sci-fi novella duology. My thoughts are here.

Pop culture & TV:

I was so sad to hear of the passing of Treat Williams this week. I’ve loved him in so many roles (Everwood was a stand-out), but his portrayal of Berger in Hair will always be my favorite.

In other pop culture moments…

Outlander is back! Season 7 began this weekend, and it’s going to be so good! I’m glad that the show skipped past certain book elements that dragged on for a long, long time and got the story moving forward. This season should be great! It’s supposed to be 16 episodes in total, although these will be split into two halves. No matter — I’m just thrilled that it’s back!

Also, while I love the original version of theme song, I also love that it changes every season. This season’s version is sung by Sinéad O’Connor! Check it out:

As for other viewing — I finished season four of Never Have I Ever (Netflix), and thought the show did a really good job wrapping up the various characters’ storylines. I was floundering a bit trying to find something else to dive into, so I decided to give Manifest a try. I’ve only watched a few episodes so far, but the premise is definitely interesting!

Fresh Catch:

Oh dear… I completely gave in to my obsession with the Green Creek series by TJ Klune and bought all four books on Kindle:

Puzzle of the week:

My third Charley Harper puzzle. I love how many hidden details there are to find that aren’t obvious at the start (like the adorable little bear cub, an owl, and a snake).

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

I’m bouncing between two books right now:

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw: I picked up a paperback edition of this play earlier in the year, after seeing a production of My Fair Lady at a local theater. Just yesterday, I randomly took the book off my shelf and read Act I! I think I’ll read this in small pieces throughout the week.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray: I’ve had this in my Kindle library for a few months already, and decided to give it a try. I’ve only read the first chapter so far, but it looks like it will be fun.

Now playing via audiobook:

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren: I’ve barely had time to listen, but now that I’m feeling better again and able to get back to long walks, I hope to make lots of progress.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 136 and 137 (of 155).
  • Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons: Starting today! My book group’s new classic read — we’ll be reading and discussing two chapters per week, ending late summer. Interesting in joining in? Just let me know!
  • The Tempest by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare edition): I saw a stage version of The Tempest last year, but have never read it. I thought it might be fun to give the “no fear” edition a try.

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Book Review: The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

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Title: The Matchmaker’s Gift
Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: September 20, 2022
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Contemporary/historical fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

From Lynda Cohen Loigman, the bestselling author of The Two-Family House and The Wartime Sisters, comes a heartwarming story of two extraordinary women from two different eras who defy expectations to utilize their unique gift of seeing soulmates in the most unexpected places in The Matchmaker’s Gift.

Is finding true love a calling or a curse?

Even as a child in 1910, Sara Glikman knows her gift: she is a maker of matches and a seeker of soulmates. But among the pushcart-crowded streets of New York’s Lower East Side, Sara’s vocation is dominated by devout older men—men who see a talented female matchmaker as a dangerous threat to their traditions and livelihood. After making matches in secret for more than a decade, Sara must fight to take her rightful place among her peers, and to demand the recognition she deserves.

Two generations later, Sara’s granddaughter, Abby, is a successful Manhattan divorce attorney, representing the city’s wealthiest clients. When her beloved Grandma Sara dies, Abby inherits her collection of handwritten journals recording the details of Sara’s matches. But among the faded volumes, Abby finds more questions than answers. Why did Abby’s grandmother leave this library to her and what did she hope Abby would discover within its pages? Why does the work Abby once found so compelling suddenly feel inconsequential and flawed? Is Abby willing to sacrifice the career she’s worked so hard for in order to keep her grandmother’s mysterious promise to a stranger? And is there really such a thing as love at first sight?

I’m not always a fan of dual timelines in historical fiction, but in the case of The Matchmaker’s Gift, this approach absolutely works.

In one timeline, we follow the story of Sara Glickman, a woman who emigrates to the United States in 1910 with her family, settling on New York’s Lower East Side. Sara realizes at age 10 that she has an unusual gift — she can “see” when two people are a match. First, she helps her sister find her bashert (soulmate, destined true love, the one that’s meant to be), and soon after, realizes she can see these connections for others as well.

The shadchanim (matchmakers) of the New York Jewish community are outraged — a young, unmarried girl has no business meddling in their business and potentially stealing their customers and their income. Sara swears to her father that she’ll give up matchmaking, but she’s unable to entirely ignore her calling and the good that she brings about.

In the other timeline (in the 1990s), we meet Sara’s granddaughter Abby, an associate in a prestigious divorce law firm who grew up scarred by her own parents’ divorce and is determined to make sure other women have the support her own mother lacked. When Abby learns of her beloved grandmother’s death, she’s grief-stricken — but she’s also inspired by Sara’s journals, which provide meticulous records of all the matches Sara made over the years. She’s also a little freaked out, though, when she starts seeing the same sort of connections that her grandmother once saw.

There’s so much to love about The Matchmaker’s Gift. In Sara’s part of the story, not only do we get to know what a strong and dedicated person she is, but we also get a beautifully written depiction of life in the Jewish community of the Lower East Side in the early 20th century. The characters, the environment, the traditions — all are brought lovingly to life.

Abby’s storyline, while more modern and perhaps less picturesque, still vibrates with a sense of New York in that time period. Abby interacts with characters from various walks of life through her work and through unexpected connections that come about after her grandmother’s passing, and it’s fascinating to see all the various ways that these people intersect and overlap.

I was particularly moved when Abby discovers that Sara came back to her matchmaking vocation in the postwar years of the late 1940s, when rabbis came to her to ask her help with making sure the Jewish people could survive after the devastation of the Holocaust. Sara saw it as her mission to bring together refugees and survivors, and it’s so powerful to read about. In fact, I wish this section of the story was explored in more detail — it’s not central to the plot, more something that’s filled in as a piece of Sara’s history, but it’s really beautiful.

Also very powerful is the information that later on in her life, Sara’s gift occasionally led her to see damaged connections, allowing her recognize an abusive marriage and help the woman escape and start over. Again, I might have liked to see more of this element of Sara’s gift, but the fact that’s it’s included at all made a big impression.

On a funny note, reading this book made me think of the Netflix series Jewish Matchmaking, and in the author’s notes, she mentions having consulted with Aleeza Ben Shalom — who is the host of the Netflix series!

Overall, I found The Matchmaker’s Gift to be very readable, engaging, and touching. Highly recommended!

The Monday Check-In ~ 6/12/2023

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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.

On the mend…

Four COVID cases later, my entire household is starting to feel better. I felt close to normal on Friday, then went back downhill on Saturday and Sunday… but I know it’s a slow process, and I’m trying to be patient, get lots of rest, and drink as much tea as possible! I’d planned to go back to my regular work schedule as of today (Monday) — remotely, of course — but that’s looking kind of iffy at this point.

In cuteness news…

We have a new house guest!

Meet Benji! (Formally known as Benji Bean, in case you’re ever looking to be introduced). My son and his girlfriend adopted Benji about a week and a half ago, right as we all started getting sick… so instead of moving back to her place as planned, Benji is staying here until everyone is healthy and ready to be out in the world again.

Look at that adorableness! I’m not hating it.

What did I read during the last week?

One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris: Read the previous week, but just posted a review, here.

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon: Positive contemporary romance with a strong emphasis on women’s friendship. My review is here.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley: Amazing road trip adventure! My review is here.

Wolfsong (Green Creek, #1) by TJ Klune: There are no words for how much I loved this book. I think I’ll be under its spell for quite a while. My review is here.

Ten Thousand Stitches (Regency Faerie Tales, #2): Another fun faerie story. Review to follow.

Pop culture & TV:

Has anyone watched With Love on Prime Video? Somehow it escaped my notice until now, but it’s such a fun, heartwarming series. There are now two seasons (eleven episodes total), focusing on the members of a large Mexican-American family and their ups and downs. It’s funny, romantic, and totally engaging. I hope there’s more to come! (Although I also hope they ditch the love triangle that’s been dragging on… so annoying!)

Fresh Catch:

One new physical review books, plus once again I succumbed to the temptation of adding to my (overwhelmingly huge) Kindle library:

Puzzle of the week:

Really pretty one this week, and it went very quickly too!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman: My book group’s pick for June. Just getting started.

Now playing via audiobook:

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren: The library happened to have a copy available for download right when I was ready for something new. Looking forward to it!

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

With a new group classic read starting next week, I’ll have two ongoing reads to keep me busy:

  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 134 and 135 (of 155).
  • Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons: We’re starting our group read next week, two chapters per week. Sounds like it will be great!

So many books, so little time…

boy1

The Monday Check-In ~ 6/5/2023

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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 not a good week last week…

I guess you could call it the domino effect of COVID. My husband returned from an overseas trip and was experiencing his usual jetlag… until we realized it wasn’t just jetlag. We had an emergency room visit due to COVID complications, but he’s now on the mend, thank goodness. Two days later, my son tested positive, and then over the weekend, it was my turn.

Amazingly, neither my son nor I had had COVID before — but admittedly, we were pretty lax about wearing masks and keeping our distance around the house.

In any case, after a miserable few days, we’re all bouncing back. On the plus side, my head has cleared enough for me to be able to start reading again!

What did I read during the last week?

The Serpent in Heaven (Gunnie Rose, #4) by Charlaine Harris: Such a great series! My review is here.

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn & Shonda Rhimes: A lovely read. My review is here.

The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson: A memoir in graphic novel format, by the author of Nimona. I enjoyed it.

Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales, #1) by Olivia Atwater: Really enjoyable tale with unusual characters. My review is here.

One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris: Review to follow.

And… one DNF:

Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling: I quit at 20%. Grim and confusing — and when I realized I just didn’t care enough to keep going, I felt relieved to put it down.

Pop culture & TV:

Due to the craziness of this week, I did very little streaming of any sort — but prior to all that, I finally got around to watching Downton Abbey: A New Era. Meh. It was basically a family reunion in search of a plot. Nice to see all the familiar faces again, but that’s about it.

Fresh Catch:

No new physical books this week, but I did pick up a few books from my wishlist thanks to Kindle deals:

Puzzle of the week:

This one was a lot trickier than I expected… although I worked on it while I had COVID, so that’s maybe a factor…

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon: I really needed something upbeat this week, and this seems to be a great choice.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley: I got through about 75% of this audiobook before I got sick, and haven’t gotten back to it yet. I’ve been loving it so far! Looking forward to finishing up in the next few days.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

Until our next group classic read starts, I’m down to just one ongoing book at the moment:

  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 132 and 133 (of 155).

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Book Review: The Serpent in Heaven (Gunnie Rose, #4) by Charlaine Harris

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Title: The Serpent in Heaven
Series: Gunnie Rose, #4
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Saga Press
Publication date: November 15, 2022
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Fantasy / speculative fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Charlaine Harris returns to her alternate history of the United States where magic is an acknowledged but despised power in this fourth installment of the Gunnie Rose series.

Felicia, Lizbeth Rose’s half-sister and a student at the Grigori Rasputin school in San Diego—capital of the Holy Russian Empire—is caught between her own secrets and powerful family struggles. As a granddaughter of Rasputin, she provides an essential service to the hemophiliac Tsar Alexei, providing him the blood transfusions that keep him alive. Felicia is treated like a nonentity at the bedside of the tsar, and at the school she’s seen as a charity case with no magical ability. But when Felicia is snatched outside the school, the facts of her heritage begin to surface. Felicia turns out to be far more than the Russian-Mexican Lizbeth rescued. As Felicia’s history unravels and her true abilities become known, she becomes under attack from all directions. Only her courage will keep her alive.

Ah, I love this series, and book #4 is a great addition to the ongoing story! Because I’ve basically read them all in a row, I didn’t bother reading the synopsis before starting The Serpent in Heaven… and was very startled to realize that we’d shifted main character and point of view!

In the first three books in the Gunnie Rose series, all events have been narrated by (and centered around)… well… Gunnie Rose herself. Lizbeth Rose, a sharpshooter/gunslinger from the nation of Texoma, whose skill with guns keeps her and her crew safe and protected, has been the focal point of the series, even as we meet her network of friends, allies, and (in book #1) her previously unknown half-sister Felicia.

The 3rd book ends with Lizbeth happily married and relatively safe with her beloved Eli back in Texoma, after a dangerous rescue mission in the Holy Russian Empire (our California and Oregon), so I suppose it shouldn’t have been a complete surprise to see the focus shift elsewhere. Let Lizbeth have a little downtime!

In this 4th book, Lizbeth’s younger sister Felicia takes center stage. Felicia has always been something of a question mark. When we first meet her, she appears to be about age 10 or 11, raised in poverty in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico by an unreliable father — a Russian grigori (magician) barely getting by, with a very shady past, who also happens to be Lizbeth’s father. When Lizbeth discovers Felicia, she’s on her own and unprotected, and Lizbeth decides to see her safely sheltered in San Diego, where she can get an education at the grigori school… and also fulfill her destiny as a blood donor for the ailing Tsar.

What’s been hinted at, but finally becomes clear here, is that Felicia has a store of great magical power herself, and that she’s also quite a few years older than she appeared to be. With her father’s influence now gone, the anti-aging spells he’d placed on her have dissipated, and Felicia has quickly grown into the size and appearance of her true age, fifteen.

Felicia also becomes the subject of a botched kidnapping plot, and soon learns that her mother was the descendant of a powerful magical family in Mexico, who now want Felicia back. What follows is a dangerous scheme to gain control of Felicia, involving raids on the school and other types of interference and infiltration. Meanwhile, the school and the city are ravaged by the Spanish influenza, and Felicia finds herself needing to draw on her strange new powers in order to survive and protect the people she cares about.

As the story unfolds, Felicia really blossoms as a lead character, and her alliance with the older, powerful grigori Felix as well as her puppy-love first romance with Peter give her interesting characters to bounce off of (and get into trouble with). The involvement of her maternal family adds a huge element of threat and conspiracy, and the action is quite good and unrelenting.

While the main plot threads are mostly tied up by the end of the book, there are many open questions still to be resolved. I really enjoyed Felicia as the main character, although I missed spending time with Lizbeth and Eli and can’t wait to see them back in action.

The series continues with book #5, All the Dead Shall Weep, to be published in September. At this point, I’m totally invested and can’t wait for more (so I may need to read the ARC for #5 early, rather than waiting until the publication date is a little closer).

I’m so glad I was introduced to this terrific series thanks to my book group. Highly recommended!

Up next: All the Dead Shall Weep – #5 in the Gunnie Rose series

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/29/2023

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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.

After two weeks of solitude, people are back at my house! It’s nice to hear other people bustling around once again. (Of course, I did do quite a bit of reading and TV watching while I had the house to myself, but I still prefer it when my family is home.)

What did I read during the last week?

The Woman Beyond the Sea by Sarit Yishai-Levi: A novel about family secrets and trauma that carry down through three generations. My review is here.

The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose, #3) by Charlaine Harris: I’m loving this series! My review is here.

Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert A. Heinlein: My books group’s pick for May. I really enjoyed this classic sci-fi adventure! My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I went out to another movie! This time, I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 3 — and found myself pretty unengaged most of the time. The novelty has worn off, I guess, and the movie seemed to drag on forever. Maybe I’m just done with Marvel at this point?

For streaming this week, I watching XO Kitty on Netflix, which was quick, light, and cute. It’s the story of the little sister from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, now a high school junior who impetuously decides to study abroad in Korea for the year (mainly so she can be with her long-distance boyfriend). It was very entertaining, and it actually went in some directions that I didn’t anticipate!

Also this week, I watched the Survivor (season 44) finale, and definitely had thoughts. You can check out my reaction, here.

Fresh Catch:

I bought used copies of my book group’s next two classic reads:

We’ll be starting Cold Comfort Farm in June, and will likely start Daniel Deronda sometime in early fall.

Puzzle of the week:

I’m back on a roll with doing puzzles! This was a fun, bright 1,000-piece puzzle from Eeboo — and I jammed through it about a day.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes: I’m so excited to start this book!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Serpent in Heaven (Gunnie Rose, #4) by Charlaine Harris: How could I resist? After this book, I’ll be caught up with the series until the new book comes out in the fall.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

Until our next group classic read starts, I’m down to just one ongoing book at the moment:

  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 130 and 131 (of 155).

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Book Review: Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert A. Heinlein

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Title: Citizen of the Galaxy
Author: Robert A. Heinlein
Publication date: 1957
Length: 282 pages
Genre: Science fiction
Source: Purchased

Rating: 4 out of 5.

In a distant galaxy, the atrocity of slavery was alive and well, and young Thorby was just another orphaned boy sold at auction. But his new owner, Baslim, is not the disabled beggar he appears to be: adopting Thorby as his son, he fights relentlessly as an abolitionist spy. When the authorities close in on Baslim, Thorby must ride with the Free Traders — a league of merchant princes — throughout the many worlds of a hostile galaxy, finding the courage to live by his wits and fight his way from society’s lowest rung. But Thorby’s destiny will be forever changed when he discovers the truth about his own identity…

What a treat to “discover” a classic sci-fi that I might have missed if not for my book group. This was an unusual choice for us, but we do like to mix things up on occasion, and I’m so glad Citizen of the Galaxy made this year’s list!

Citizen of the Galaxy is the story of Thorby, a boy captured and enslaved at such a young age that he has no memory of anything else. Alone, mistreated, and hopeless, he’s sold at auction to a beggar named Baslim the Cripple, who is not at all what he seems. Baslim raises Thorby with love, morality, and an education. Upon Baslim’s death, teenaged Thorby must escape from the repressive planet they lived on and find his own way, assisted by subliminal messages implanted in his mind by Baslim. From there, Thorby’s adventures take him to a family of Free Traders, a military ship, and finally back to Terra, where he discovers his true origins once and for all.

This is a fast-paced book, and Thorby is a sympathetic, likable main character. His adventures take us into unusually structured societies which are fascinating to read about. Ultimately, as he reclaims his heritage on Terra and assumes adult responsibilities, he realizes that freedom isn’t about running off to follow his heart’s desire, but taking on the job he knows he needs to do in order to fix at least some of his family’s wrong-doings.

I had a great time reading Citizen of the Galaxy, although the final sections bog down a bit in untangling corporate schemes and dealing with the legal system. Still, this is a top-notch science fiction from an earlier era of sci-fi writing, and I appreciate the messages and themes tucked in amidst the fun and action.

It’s been ages since I’ve read any Heinlein, and Citizen of the Galaxy has sparked my interest in reading more.

Are you a Heinlein fan? Any favorites to recommend?

Book Review: The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose, #3) by Charlaine Harris

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Title: The Russian Cage
Series: Gunnie Rose, #3
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Saga Press
Publication date: February 23, 2021
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Fantasy / speculative fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Charlaine Harris is at her best in this alternate history of the United States where magic is an acknowledged but despised power in this third installment of the Gunnie Rose series.

Picking up right where A Longer Fall left off, this thrilling third installment follows Lizbeth Rose as she takes on one of her most dangerous missions rescuing her estranged partner, Prince Eli, from the Holy Russian Empire. Once in San Diego, Lizbeth is going to have to rely upon her sister Felicia, and her growing Grigori powers to navigate her way through this strange new world of royalty and deception in order to get Eli freed from jail where he’s being held for murder.

Russian Cage continues to ramp up the momentum with more of everything Harris’ readers adore her for with romance, intrigue, and a deep dive into the mysterious Holy Russian Empire.

Call me hooked. I read An Easy Death, the first book in Charlaine Harris’s Gunnie Rose series, just a few months ago when my book group chose it for our January book of the month. Since then, I’ve been dying for more, and this month finished book #2 (A Longer Fall) and now, #3 (The Russian Cage).

For those not familiar with the series, the Gunnie Rose books take place in an alternate history in which the United States no longer exists, having broken up into a handful of separate countries in the early 1930s or thereabouts. Main character Lizbeth Rose is a gunslinger (a profession known as “gunnies”), a sharpshooter who works for hire protecting people or cargos, and using her wicked aim with a Colt when needed to carry out her job. At age 20, she’s wise and skilled beyond her years, and has had more than her share of adventures.

Lizbeth lives in the country of Texoma (the lands formerly known as Texas and Oklahoma), and her life has a distinctly Wild West feel to them. Her adventures in the past two books left her entangled with Russian magicians — grigoris — and here in The Russian Cage, the entanglement continues.

Our California and Oregon, in the world of Gunnie Rose, are the Holy Russian Empire, ruled by the Tsar and filled with an odd mix of Russian refugee descendants and former Americans. The HRE is the home base of most powerful grigoris — and Eli, the man Lizbeth loves, just happens to be one of these.

As The Russian Cage opens, Lizbeth receives word that Eli is in danger. He’s been arrested and imprisoned, but no one in his family seems to know why. Lizbeth is determined to do whatever it takes to set Eli free, and travels to San Diego, the HRE capitol, to carry out her dangerous plan.

Once there, she quickly becomes involved in unraveling the political forces at play, protecting Eli’s family, and ingratiating herself with the Tsar and Tsarina, among other crazy events. Lizbeth is determined to not just save Eli, but to ensure the safety of his entire family, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals.

The action in The Russian Cage is exciting and fast-paced, and I loved the mix of personal connections and perilous escapades that make up the bulk of the story. Lizbeth and Eli continue to have amazing chemistry, and their love story is the true payoff for this action/adventure story.

At this point, I absolutely have to continue! As soon as book #4 is available from my library — tomorrow, perhaps? — I’ll be diving in. I love the world Charlaine Harris has created in these books, and I adore the characters.

Up next: The Serpent in Heaven – #4 in the Gunnie Rose series

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/22/2023

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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 quiet week chez moi, while some family members are away. I’ve been reading, watching TV, and doing puzzles to my heart’s content — but it’s still weird to have so much QUIET in my house.

What did I read during the last week?

The Poisoner’s Ring (A Rip through Time, #2) by Kelley Armstrong: Such a great read! There’s so much to love in this series about a detective misplaced in time. My review is here.

A Passage to India by E. M. Forster: This was my book group’s classic read, which we read in small increments per week over the past several months. I suppose I’m glad to have read it, but can’t say that I loved the story or the characters.

Happy Place by Emily Henry: This book, on the other hand! Loved it. I listened to the audiobook, and it was wonderful. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I finished season 2 of Sweet Tooth (Netflix) — I had my doubts early on about whether to stick with it, but ultimately, it had a satisfying season wrap-up. One more final season to go… but not until 2024.

I finally watched M3GAN, which was creepy and ridiculous — if you like horror, it’s not a terrible way to pass a couple of hours!

And then over this past weekend, I actually ventured out to a movie theater to see Fast X. If you’ve watched the Fast & Furious movies up to this point, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect… and you won’t want to miss it.

Book & author event:

Julia Quinn! Queen Charlotte!

A local bookstore hosted author Julia Quinn for a Q&A and book signing, and it was so much fun! The talk was really interesting, there were yummy samples of Bridgerton/Queen Charlotte-themed teas, and I got my book signed!

Fresh Catch:

Besides my shiny new copy of Queen Charlotte?

No new physical books, but a whole bunch of e-ARCs came my way this week:

Puzzle of the week:

Puzzles are back! I haven’t started a puzzle in almost two months… but this week, I finally opened up a new one, then got obsessed and finished it in two days. This is yet another wonderful literary-themed puzzle from Laurence King Puzzles. It was hard and challenging, and I loved it!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Woman Beyond the Sea by Sarit Yishai-Levi: The new novel by the author of The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem. As of writing this post, I’m at about 80%, so I hope to wrap up today or tomorrow.

Next up: My book group’s pick for May — a throwback science fiction book, which is definitely a departure for us, and I’m really looking forward to it!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose, #3) by Charlaine Harris: Back to the Gunnie Rose series! These books are so much fun.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

Since our group classic week just ended, I’m down to just one ongoing read at the moment! (My book group’s next classic read will be starting sometime in June… but it’s nice to have a bit of a break right now.)

  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 128 and 129 (of 155).

So many books, so little time…

boy1

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/15/2023

Posted in The Monday Check-In by

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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.

Photo by George Dolgikh on Pexels.com

I hope all the moms out there had a special Mother’s Day! Mine was great — my son and I spent the afternoon playing mini-golf. Very silly, very fun.

Other than that…

Things are very quiet chez moi this week, since some family members are away briefly — leaving me with much more time on my own than I usually have. What to do with all this solitude? I mean, the answer is obvious, right?

Books, books, books, gimme more books…

What did I read during the last week?

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli: Sweet, positive YA. My review is here.

Advika and the Hollywood Wives by Kirthana Ramisetti: Let’s just say I had issues with this book. My review is here.

A Longer Fall (Gunnie Rose, #2) by Charlaine Harris: I’m enjoying this series way more than I expected to! My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

Queen Charlotte stole my heart! I loved it. Such a beautiful story, and such a great cast. I think this one will need a rewatch at some point, maybe while waiting for season 3 of Bridgerton.

On a dark note: For anyone watching Yellowjackets (which is so disturbing!), did you catch that the phone number for the wellness retreat was shown? If you want to hear something unsettling, you can call the number (607.478.1033) and see what happens.

Fresh Catch:

A few more new ebooks this week — an ARC and some Kindle price drops:

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Poisoner’s Ring (A Rip through Time, #2) by Kelley Armstrong: I’m loving this time-traveling detective series! The first book, A Rip Through Time, was loads of fun, and #2 is a great follow-up. Hoping to finish in the next day or two.

Now playing via audiobook:

Happy Place by Emily Henry: I still have a lot to go, but I really like this!

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 126 and 127 (of 155).
  • A Passage to India by E. M. Forster: My book group’s current classic read, also two chapters per week. We’re down to the last three chapters! I’m glad to be wrapping things up.

So many books, so little time…

boy1