Author: ๐ฟ๐๐ฃ๐ฏ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐
Pub.Date: 12/21/23 in the US
Genre: Mystery
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I ordered this special edition from Watersones in the UK. Swipe๐ to see the beautiful stenciled edges.
๐ About the book: A village of secrets
Itโs December 1952, and a dead stranger has been found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the remote town of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer? Either way, he wasnโt on anyoneโs Christmas wish list.
๐ A mystery that canโt be solved
Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. The victim of some unfortunate misunderstandings, he hopes this case will help clear his name. But as is often the way for Grasby, things most certainly donโt go according to plan.
My thoughts: This was a humorous detective story with very quirky characters. Set in England in the 1950โs, it had an old-fashion style to the writing. Our MC was not the best detective, but he certainly was amusing. The village of Elderby was a quiet and quaint setting, but the strange occurrences gave it a foreboding atmosphere. You never knew what was going to happen next.
This was not your typical who-dun-it, where one killer is found. There was much more going on in this sleepy little town, which made for an interesting story.
I would highly recommend if you like mysteries that are a little different. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series when it comes out.
Can love make a broken person whole?โ
A complex family saga that follows the four Padavano sisters through love, loss, tragedy and grief. This is not a book to read if you want a light, happy story. It is very emotional and made me sad at times.
The story is told through each characterโs point of view and we really get to know them well. It is interesting to see the different perspectives of the same situation and how the past affects how each character reacts to the present.
Ann Napolitano creates a beautifully written, profound, modern day tribute to Louisa May Alcottโs classic, ๐๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ.
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I would highly recommend adding this to your TBR immediately.
A big thank you to @doubledaybooks for my #gifted copy.
This is the incredible true story of โ His Majestyโs Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as โthe prize of all the oceans,โ it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia.โ
When two separate groups of emaciated sailors turn up, months after the Wager was assumed to be lost at sea, they all have an extraordinary tale to tell. Each group accused the other of murder and treachery. The Admiralty convened a court marshal to determine the truth.
This story reveals how human behavior when pushed to its limits, can become unhinged. It was amazing to see how fast the rigid structure of command among the officers broke down under severe distress. How the men even survived under such dire conditions was fascinating to read.
Grann is one of the best nonfiction writers today. If you read his previous book, ๐๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฏ, you know he writes in a captivating way that will have you turning the pages quickly until the very end.
I would highly recommend this one for a wide variety of readers. It was such an interesting look into the secret world of life on a British warship and eye-opening look into human nature. I eagerly look forward to David Grannโs next book.
This is an epistolary novel that follows two women throughout their friendship. Joan Bergstrom first writes to Imogen Fortier as a fan of her magazine column in the 1960s. She shares a recipe and through their love of food, the women become fast friends. The story reveals how food can lead to discussions of culture, relationships and love.
My thoughts:
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I really liked this book. It reminded me of 84 Charing Cross Road. It is a heart warming, easy read with some great recipes. If you love a good epistolary novel and books about the love of food and cooking, this is for you. You will want a glass of wine and bowl of mussels with garlic and saffron when you are done! โค๏ธ
๐บThe Ten Thousand Doors of January๐บ
By Alix E. Harrow
I originally purchased this book at my local bookshop because I thought the cover was beautiful.
January is a precocious seven year old who is the ward of a wealthy man, Mr. Locke. Her father works for him and travels the world in search of artifacts for his collection. In return, January lives at his mansion and is mostly ignored.
We follow January until she is seventeen years old and finds a strange book in a chest at the mansion. She finds a magical world that transports her out of her misery and into another life.
Verdict:โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ.5
The story is slow in the beginning, but it is beautifully written. This can be seen as a fantasy where magical doors take people to other worlds, but it is really a coming of age story of a girl who needs to find out more about her father and missing mother. It is really worth reading just because the writing is so wonderful.ย