April reads

 A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee, book #1 in The Agency

Read on the Libby App

Published in 2009

Mystery, regency England

Recommend: yes

The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee, book #2 in The Agency

Personal copy

Published in 2010

Mystery, regency England

Recommend: yes

The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee, book #3 in The Agency

Read on the Libby App

Published in 2012

Mystery, regency England

Recommend: yes

Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee, book #4 in The Agency

Read on the Libby App

Published in 2014

Mystery, regency England

Recommend: yes

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2020

Narrated by Fenella Woolgar

Short stories, mystery, murder

Recommend: yes

The Dreadful Debutante by M.C. Beaton

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2014

Narrated by Lindy Nettleton

Regency Romance

Recommend: yes

Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2008

Narrated by Dylan Baker

Realistic fiction, children's fiction, loss, childhood

Recommend: yes

March reads

 Gorgon's Fury: Tales of Newel and Doren by Brandon Mull

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2025

Narrated by Will Watt

Children's fantasy, fiction, short stories, satyrs, magical creatures

Recommend: yes

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2019

Each book is narrated by a separate narrator: 

Kenneth Branagh, Alex Jennings, Michael York, Lynn Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Jeremy Northam, Patrick Stewart

Children's fantasy, talking animals, religious, magic

Recommend: yes

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews, book #1 in the Crinoline Academy Books

Read on the Kindle App

Published in 2025

Regency romance

Recommend: yes

Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews, book #2 in the Crinoline Academy Books

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2025

Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden and Will Watt

Regency Romance

Recommend: yes

February reads

 The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter by Mimi Matthews

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2018

Narrated by Justine Eyre

Regency romance, fiction

Recommend: yes

Champion of the Titan Games and Wrath of the Dragon King by Brandon Mull. Books #4 and #5 in the Dragonwatch series. 

Personal copy

Published in 2020

Junior fantasy, magic, dragons, series, action

Recommend: yes

Read on the Kindle app

Published in 2021

Junior fantasy, magic, dragons, series, action

Recommend: yes

British Isles Collection by Sarah M. Eden

Read on the Kindle app

Published in 2015

Regency romance, short stories

Recommend: yes

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. #1 in the Emily Wilde series. 

Listened to on the Libby app

Released in 2023

Narrated by Ell Potter and Michael Dodds

Fantasy, fiction, fairies, romance

Recommend: yes

The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews

Listened to on the Libby app

Released in 2018

Narrated by Justine Eyre

Regency romance, fiction

Recommend: yes

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett. #2 in the Emily Wilde series.

Listened to on the Libby app

Released in 2024

Narrated by Ell Potter and Michael Dodds

Fantasy, fiction, fairies, romance

Recommend: yes

January reads

 Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull. Book #5 in the Fablehaven series.

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2013

Narrated by E. B. Stevens

Junior Fantasy, magic, series, magical creatures, dragons, action

Recommend: yes

The last book in the Fablehaven series ended nicely and was packed with adventure. All in all a fun listen to a familiar series for me. 

Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull. Book #1 in the Dragonwatch series.

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2017

Narrated by Kirby Heybourne

Junior Fantasy, magic, series, dragons, action

Recommend: yes

This series starts up where Fablehaven left off. There are still lots more adventures for Kendra and Seth and their friends and family. There are 5 books in this series and it contains much more intense adventure scenes than the first series of books. I really enjoyed listening to Kirby Heybourne narrate, he does a fine job. 

Hunger by Donna Jo Napoli

Checked out at local library

Published in 2018

Junior historical fiction, Ireland, potato famine

Recommend: yes

It's been a long while since I've read one of Napoli's book, but I've always enjoyed them. She has a wonderful story telling flow to her books that makes it  a joy to read. 

This centers on the potato famine in Ireland in 1846-1847. The events surrounding the story are true, but the families in the story are fictional. This story paints a good picture of the hardships and sadness that came with this plague of hunger and famine at the same time showing the grit and determination of the people who lived through it. 

Wrath of the Dragon King by Brandon Mull. Book #2 in the Dragonwatch series.

Personal copy

Published in 2018

Junior Fantasy, magic, series, dragons, action

Recommend: yes

I have enjoyed reading this a second time and abandoned the audio versions since I own copies of the entire series. It's gratifying to see Seth mature and grow and learn even when he takes a circuitous  path to do so. 

Master of the Phantom Isle by Brandon Mull. Book #3 in the Dragonwatch series.

Personal copy

Published in 2019

Junior Fantasy, magic, series, dragons, action

Recommend: yes

One of the main themes of this series and especially this book is being true to who you are and that no one can really make you bad or good, that is your own choice. Watching Kendra and Seth make hard and brave choices illustrates this theme extraordinarily well. 

December reads

 Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Book #1 in the Fablehaven series.

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2013

Narrated by E. B. Stevens

Junior fantasy, magic, series, magical creatures

Recommend: yes

I've read the entire Fablehaven series aloud to my kids when it came out years ago and loved it. My daughter had listened to the audio books with her young son and I remembered how much I enjoyed the series. The narrator does all the voices very well, and there are a lot of them. But the main character, Kendra, he doesn't quite get and her voice ends up sounding very whiny which irritates me, but not enough to stop listening. Fablehaven is one of the best series and stories I've picked up and I especially like the character development of Kendra's younger brother, Seth. I listened to all four fairly quickly and am currently on the final book. 

This series follows Kendra and Seth as they are introduced to a magical world held on preserves around the world, one of which is run by their grandparents. They are in a constant state of fighting the evil magical creatures who want to overrun the sancutaries and destroy the world. 

Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull. Book #2 in the Fablehaven series. 

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2013

Narrated by E. B. Stevens

Junior fantasy, magic, series, magical creatures

Recommend: yes

Grip of the Shadow Plaque by Brandon Mull. Book #3 in the Fablehaven series. 

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2013

Narrated by E. B. Stevens

Junior fantasy, magic, series, magical creatures

Recommend: yes

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull. Book #4 in the Fablehaven series

Listened to on the Audible App

Released in 2013

Narrated by E. B. Stevens

Junior fantasy, magic, series, magical creatures

Recommend: yes

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.