November reads

 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2015

Narrated by Jim Dale

Junior fantasy, magic, series

Recommend: yes

I've read and seen all the Harry Potter books and movies, but I have never listened to a narration. This was a welcome listen as I was working and I realized I had forgotten many of the details that the movies leave out. The books have many rich details that make the story and the characters have a depth that reminded me how much I enjoy reading this series.  

A Christmas Memory by Richard Paul Evans

Read my daughter's copy

Published in 2022

Realistic fiction, Christmas, childhood

Recommend: yes

While at my daughter's house for Thanksgiving I picked up this book she was given and read it in an afternoon. This is a bit biographical as the author explains and tells the story of a Christmas of his youth and how amid some really hard times he was able to feel hope and love from others. I really enjoyed the quick inspriational read. 

October reads

 Everything She Wants by Sarah Alva

Read my daughter's copy

Published in 2018

Romance, LDS, proposals

Recommend: yes

My daughter left this at my house when she was visiting and I picked it up for a quick read. It has the typical LDS vibe romance ingredients, but the characters were not as cringy as some I've read so it was enjoyable. In a nutshell Lucy decides at the last minute to accompany a cousin and her friend to London to escape her boyfriend who keeps proposing to her. While there she meets a handsome pilot and they spend a few days hanging out together in London. She arrives back in the states and has to make a decision about the proposal when, of course, the handsome pilot comes back into her life. 

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

Listened to on the Libby App

Published in 2018

Narrated by Nora Hunter and Rob Dircks

Fantasy, junior fiction, Australia, wells, fairy tale creatures

Recommend: yes

Both of these authors have many awards next to their names, including a Newbery Medal winner. Livy is 11 and travels to Australia to spend time with her grandmother whom she hasn't seen since she was 5 on a previous visit. She is reintroduced to "Bob", a green creature she thought was a zombie that has been waiting for her to come back for 6 years. Livy slowly starts to remember her interactions with Bob and picks up her mission to help him find his home as she was doing when she was 5 years old. 

A very sweet fantasy story with lovely characters. 

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

Personal copy

Published in 1959

Mystery, Hercule Poirot, boarding school, England

Recommend: yes

I've owned this book for years and wanted to immerse myself in Hercule Poirot's world for a few days. This murder mystery takes place at a girls boarding school in England and the famous detective doesn't enter into the story until the last few chapters. I never tire of Christie's descriptions and plot twists and turns. After I finished reading the novel I watched one of the film adaptations with David Suchet playing Poirot and enjoyed that as well.

Being Henry...the Fonz and Beyond by Henry Winkler

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2023

Narrated by Henry Winkler, with some sections by his wife, Stacy

Autobiography, biography, acting, televison, movies

Recommend: sure

I have always liked the Henry Winkler's movies and tv shows. And it seems like he's a nice guy in his private life, which I believe he is after listening to his autobiography. I did have a hard time finishing the book, partly because of the shear number of names he throws out, most of whom I have never heard of, which could be the result of me not watching a lot of movies or tv shows. I liked the sections narrated by his wife, it gave it another depth and point of view. I am glad I finished listening to it, however, because it gave me a look into actors and actresses lives and the complexities that they deal with as they work hard to be in the right places at the right times to get the right jobs to expand their abilities and interests. 

September reads

 The Lovely War by Julie Berry

Listened to on the Libby App

Narrated by Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner, Julie Berry, Dion Graham, Fiona Hardingham, John Lee, Nathaniel Parker, and Steve West

Historical fiction, mythology, World War I, romance

Recommend: yes

This is a wonderful tale about romance and war told from the perspective of the Greek gods: Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Hades, and Hephaestus. The latter is holding a trial of sorts to prove that Aphrodite is an unfaithful wife. To defend herself she tells stories of love and war and hope and sadness. Each of the gods has their own perspective and involement in these people's lives and the stories alternate narrators. The audio version has a separate voice for each god and really leant depth to this story. It was a great insight into WWI and the ending surprised me and made me smile. 

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, 1st book in the trilogy Rebel Belle

Listened to on the Libby App

Narrated by Amy Rubinate

Young adult fantasy, paranormal, romance, high school

Recommend: yes

This book is based in the south at a private high school that is steeped in southern tradition. Harper Price is a Southern belle with her sights on being crowned Homecoming queen. Things take a turn when she witnesses the death of what she thought was a custodian at the school, but who turns out to be a sort of protector or guardian for another student. With his dying breath he transfers his powers to her. Her life will never be the same as she is thrown into a world she didn't know existed. There are lots of plot twists and romance and high school drama along with ninja like fighting scenes. What more could you want out of a book? It was a fun listen!

August reads

 The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews, #3 in the Belles of London series

Listened to on the Libby App

Narrated by Samuel Roukin and Elizabeth Knowelden

Regency romance, fiction, horses

Recommend: yes

There are four books in this series and I don't believe they have to be read in order since I've never read one and two. This is a typical regency romance story with plenty of missed opportunities and opinionated people that don't believe the main characters should be in love or get married. The series follows 4 single women who bonded over their horsemanship. All four appear in each book and they support and help each other through many troubles and even perils to end up in a "love match" as they put it instead of marrying the right person for all the reasons society places upon them. They are fun to read and listen to. 

The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews, #4 in the Belles of London series

Listened to on the Libby App

Narrated by Stewart Crank and Zara Hampton-Brown

Regency romance, fiction, horses, artists

Recommend: yes

This last book was just as enjoyable as #3. Ms. Matthews has a nice balance between angst and resolution and these books are clean romances as well. The first two are The Siren of Sussex and The Belle of Belgrave Square.

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson, #2 in The Stormlight Archive series

Read on the Kindle App

Published in 2014

Fiction, fantasy, war, world building, series

Recommend: Yes

After reading the first book I wanted to tackle this second book and even though it took me a couple of months to get through all 1000+ pages, it did not disappoint. Sanderson has a gift of weaving details throughout the story that at first don't seem to impact characters but come together in a satisfying way as the plot unfolds. Kaladin and Shallan have difficult choices to make and don't always do things the easy way which makes this epic novel never boring and pushed me to finish it. There are 3 more books in the series as well as 2 novellas. 

Glass: A Cinderella Tale by Kathryn Lasky

Read on the Kindle App

Published in 2024

Fantasy, junior fiction, fairy tale, Cinderella

Recommend: Yes

I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings and I needed a short book to read on my recent flight. Kathryn Lasky is a prolific children's fiction writer and has a Newbery Honor Award under her belt. 

This retelling takes a bit of a different twist and tells the back story and beginings of the fairy god mother. I enjoyed the different view point. It is a quick read, a little over 200 pages, and worked perfectly for my travels. 

July reads

 Ali Cross by James Patterson

Listened to on the Audible app

Narrated by Zeno Robinson and Andre Blake

Children's fiction, crime, family, detectives

Recommend: Yes

Ali wants more than anything to become a stellar detective likes his father, but he's only in middle school. His mind loves mysteries and figuring out clues. He has a big opportunity to practice these skills when his good friend goes missing and his house gets broken into and robbed just before the Christmas holidays. His father is encouraging and firm, telling him to keep out of serious situations where he could be harmed. Ali sometimes listens and other times does not. 

I enjoyed this fast paced novel and especially liked the narrators, they really made the characters come alive. 

The Maid by Nita Prose

Listened to on the Libby App

Narrated by Lauren Ambrose

Mystery, murder, hotels

Recommend: No

Molly is a maid and a good one. She loves her job at an upscale hotel and wants nothing more out of life. She lives with her Grandmother and when she passes away her life is empty. Molly struggles to read people's emotions and meanings. She's socially awkward and slow to catch when others are deceptive. Yet, she notices things and she's brave and resilient among her co-worker's unkind comments, betrayals and unjust condemnation. 

This mystery started out intriguing. Molly is a wonderful character who is strong and kind even when she has every reason not to be. Without giving away the plot too much, she is arrested and framed for a murder she did not commit. She has good people in her corner and because of them the truth comes forth. At least what the reader thinks is the truth. The very last chapter reveals some things that I did not like and because of that I can't recommend it. 

June reads

 The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson, 1st book in The Stormlight Archive

Borrowed my son's copy

Published in 2010

Fiction, fantasy, war, world building, series

Recommend: Yes

My son received the 5th book in this series as a gift and since it had been a while since he had read the first four, he started over so he could remember them before reading #5. I had picked up Sanderson's books previously and hadn't finished any of them because they take a bit to get into the story. My son bet me that I couldn't finish all 1000 pages of the first book before he finished the second one. Game on. I lost! But really I didn't because I enjoyed this book. It's been forever since I've read an intense world building fantasy series and I forgot how much I liked them. It took the entire month of June for me to finish it, but it was well worth it. And yes, I will be reading the next book as it's already on my Kindle!

May reads

 Vows of Murder by Lynn Cahoon, #17 in the Tourist Trap Mystery series.

 

Listened to on Audible App

Released in 2025

Fiction, mystery, weddings, California, cults, murder

Recommend: Sure

These quick reads, or listens in this case, are fun and relaxing for me. It isn't stellar writing, but I've come to love the characters, Jill and her finally husband, Greg, and the nice cast of characters that live in fictional South Cove, California. In this installment Jill and Greg finally make it to the altar and get married. Several things have derailed this momentous occasion in the previous books. In addition to wedding plans and festivities Greg, the chief of police, and Jill who has a knack for seeing clues, have to deal with a religious organization that has purchased many acres and established a compound of sorts for their members. When one of their leaders ends up dead and family members come searching for their loved ones Jill fears it is a cult that has marred their small peaceful coastal town. But no worries, Greg and Jill solve the case, get married and leave for their honeymoon with all the bad guys taken care of!

Alma 1-29, a brief theological introduction by Kylie Nielson Turley

Gift from my sister

Published in 2020

Non-fiction, Book of Mormon, religion, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Recommend: Yes

This book has been on my shelf for a few years. I saw it as I was moving my bookshelf and remembered I hadn't read it when my sister gifted it to me. She teaches at Brigham Young University and the author is a friend of hers. It's a short book, only 129 pages, with beautiful wood cut illustrations by Brian Kershisnik. This book is part of a series of short books that cover the books in the Book of Mormon; there are 12 in total each written by a different author. I appreciated the author's research and thoughtful conclusions on the stories and characters that are in Alma chapters 1-29. I left with a greater appreciation of these historical figures and especially with a gratitude and reverence for the Savior Jesus Christ and how His infinite mercy carried them through difficulties and catastrophes. Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger, Amulek, Abish, and the people of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi are all a little more real to me after this reading this inspiring book. I now read the Book of Mormon with more love and compassion for these people and see with more clarity the help, hope, and love I receive from the Savior in my daily life. 

The Superteacher Project by Gordan Korman

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2023

Children's fiction, school, A.I., robot, middle school

Recommend: probably not

I always enjoy Gordon Korman's book and he often writes school stories. This school story is told from multiple perspectives, mostly students plus the principal and a "student teacher" at Brightling Middle School. As the school year starts the class clown and rule disruptor finds a new teacher who he can't trick and who almost knows what shenanigans he and his friend are going to pull before they happen. This new teacher, Mr. Aidact, is a bit stiff, but very knowledgable. The students soon get past his quirks and he becomes very popular. What the students don't know is that Mr. Aidact is not a person at all, but an A.I. generated robot. The principal of Brightling Middle School and the teacher are all in the know, but the students and parents are not. Soon Mr. Aidact is doing all the chores the other teachers hate: lunchroom duty, recess duty, detention, etc. He doesn't mind, he can't mind, he's not human. He has a "student teacher" that follows him everywhere who is really the engineer in charge of the program. This governmental experiment from the Department of Education turns out very differently than the engineers and scientists could have imagined and some of the students sleuth around and find out who he really is.  In the end the students are convinced Mr. Aidact is much more than just a computer program, maybe he really is like them, a human being with feelings. 

This was an engaging story, well told, and with well developed characters. I found myself buying into the "robot has a soul" feeling the story had and that was a bit disconcerting. It reminded me of years ago when Star Trek: The Next Generation was was on tv and so many people identified with "Data" and thought he must have feelings and have a conscience when in reality, he was just a computer program. I wouldn't want a child to misunderstand what technology can and cannot do and for that reason I'm not sure I would recommend this to young readers. 

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

Bought at Barnes and Noble

Published in 2021

Children's fiction, story telling, kingdoms, goat, monks, kings

Recommend: Yes

When I read Kate DiCamillo's books I find myself smiling. I picked this one up as I was browsing at Barnes and Noble for my birthday. The characters are endearing, quirky, and resilient. A small child suddenly shows up asleep with a goat at a monastery. No one knows how she ended up there, including Beatryce herself, but one monk is alarmed when he finds out she can read and write. Only the monks are allowed to learn to read and write and so to keep her safe she must pass as a monk. He shaves her head and she dresses in monk garments. Soon other people join the story and Beatryce remembers who she is and what she must do to make a change in the kingdom. Her seemingly  mismatched companions, a head strong goat, a monk, a wanderer who was a king, and a young boy, set off to change the world and miraculously are successful.