Hudson Bay Bound by Natalie Warren

 "Sometimes a great adventure lands in your lap."

"...everything that happens, good or bad, is a story. And life is just a string of stories that we collect, over time, and we might as well make them good ones." 

This is a true adventure memoir about two women who are best friends and the two thousand mile canoe trip they take from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay the summer of 2011. What a journey! 

I love these kinds of stories: the challenges and life-changing moments they experience, the humorous camping incidents, and the descriptions that immersed me in parts of the country, the rivers and surrounding wilderness I will never get to see in real life. Plus, there's a very cute dog in it that they adopt at Norway house in Canada, along with some moose and polar bear sightings. It's an interesting and fun read. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Similar reads:

Mud, Rocks, Blazes by Heather Anderson

Force of Nature by Joan M. Griffon

The Twenty-Ninth Day by Alex Messenger

Top Ten Tuesday

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme is a COVER FREEBIE...

so I decided to go with 10 Fantasy Covers From Favorite Fantasy Reads. These 10 novels are some of my favorite fantasy reads.... and they are all books I really want to reread this year and next. 

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

(I'd also really like to reread Wishsong of Shannara and The Druid of Shannara.)

The Green Rider by Kristen Britain

Time of the Twins by Weis and Hickman

(Along with the other two books in this fabulous trilogy!)

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip

(Really I could happily reread ANY of her books.)

Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny

(One of the first adult fantasies I checked out of the library...I think I was 11 or 12.)

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn

Happy Reading (or in my case Rereading)!

Randomness...

 I can't believe it's already August. In just a few weeks I'll be back at work...and while I like my co-workers and all the kids in my many reading groups, I've really been enjoying my summer break. And I'm sad to see it coming to an end. 

July was full of fun family events and local excursions...as well as lots of days hunkering down inside where it was nice and cool. Or cooler anyway. 100+ days are not my favorite thing. And this July felt especially hot. 

I did a lot of reading though, and I have a new favorite series: Tim Sullivan's DS George Cross mysteries. I read the first two books in June and July and can't wait to check out the rest. George is on the autism spectrum and great at solving puzzles and focusing on all the small but important details of a crime, but he's not good at social interactions and has to be nudged by his longsuffering partner to remember the niceties. Even when he tries, he still comes across as abrupt, condescending and rude. But I like him. I've got the third book in this fun series sitting in my library bag by my bed, which I'm excited to start reading.

Happy Reading!

Haiku reviews...

 

Out of the Woods by Madison Wright

She never leaves home.

He never stays in one place. 

How can they fall in love?

Romance .... 362 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Cute and clean.)

A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas Didomizio

Mikey, 29, must spend

the summer working at camp

with his 12-year-old aunt.

Mystery .... 350 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Humorous mystery set at summer camp where Mikey and his aunt, Annabelle, try to solve a decade old cold case.)

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

Dolly wants the best

for her son, brother, and dad.

But what does she want for herself?

Romance .... 360 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.

(Similar vibe to Nora Goes Off Script which I also loved.)

Happy Reading!

July's bookish art...

 

Augustus John -- A woman reading

"Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you."

--Louis L'Amour

Wisdom from the Prydain Chronicles...

     "Life is a forge!" cried the smith, as Taran, his brow streaming, beat at the strip of metal. "Yes, and hammer and anvil, too! You'll be roasted, smelted, and pounded, and you'll scarce know what's happening to you. But stand boldly to it! Metal's worthless till it's shaped and tempered."

    "Life's a forge, say I! Face the pounding; don't fear the proving; and you'll stand well against any hammer and anvil."

I've been rereading these classic fantasy novels this month and last, and while I didn't always remember the story line, I definitely remembered all of Lloyd Alexander's unforgettable characters: Taran, Eilonwy, Gurgi, Flewddur Fflam, Doli, Gwydion, Coll and Dalben. This quote is from Taran Wanderer, the 4th book in this series, which is probably my least favorite. But it's still good! It's been fun dipping back into these books that I read as a child. I'm thinking about rereading The Hobbit next. 

I'm home from Bryce Canyon, which was so fun, but still sort of on a blogging break. I'm reading lots and checking in on your blogs, but not doing much reviewing or posting. Which has been nice. Hope you are all enjoying your summer despite the hot weather, wildfires, and floods. 

Happy Reading!

Happy 4th of July!

 

In honor of America's 250th birthday, I thought I would list my 10 favorite books about the American Revolution, and the imperfect yet resolute men and women who fought and sacrificed so much for our liberty and freedom. I think it's important to remember them, especially this year. And these books are great; I loved and would recommend them all. 

Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution by Richard Beeman

John Hancock:  Merchant King and American Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger

American Spring by Walter R. Borneman

(About Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill and the spring of 1775 where it all began.)

Band of Giants by Jack Kelly

(About the amateur soldiers like Henry Knox, Nathanael Greene, Daniel Morgan, and others who helped gain American's independence.)

1776 by David McCullough

The Swamp Fox by John Oller

(About Marion Francis and the Revolutionary battles fought in South Carolina)

Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

(Where the Continental Army was forged in fire.)

Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom by Christopher S. Wren

(About Ethan Allen, Seth Warner and the Greene Mountain Boys.)

Rebels at Sea by Eric Jay Dolin

(About the role privateers played in securing American's independence.)

In the Hurricane's Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick

(About the genius of George Washington and the Siege at Yorktown.)

Happy Reading...

And Happy 250th, America!

(Land that I love so much.)

Summer plans...

 I have a road trip coming up this week; my sister and I are headed to Bryce Canyon National Park for several days. I've been there before, but it's been a long time. My family went the summer I turned ten. I remember being enamored with all the hoodoos, arches, and beautiful stone spires. It was like a magical fairyland. I'm looking forward to going back, doing some hiking and birdwatching and stargazing. And just relaxing.

So I won't be around this week. And then I have lots of family gatherings in July starting with our annual 4th of July breakfast. So I won't be around much then either. I had some posts tentatively planned for July, but now I think I might take a few weeks off, or maybe even the whole month. I could do with a little blogging break. And summer seems like the perfect time to take one. Though I'm sure I'll be around to comment on all of your blogs. 

Have a wonderful July.

And happy reading!

Bryce Canyon National Park

A Fabulous Thru-Hike by Derick Lugo

 "Hiking long trails isn't about ticking off boxes or meeting some arbitrary standard; it's about the journey, the moments that unfold along the way, and the personal growth that comes with each step."

 

I read Derick Lugo's The Unlikely Thru-Hiker, a book about his journey along the Appalachian Trail, two years ago. And it was wonderful. A 5-star read all the way through. So, when I saw this one about his trek up the Continental Divide Trail I immediately bought it. And I'm so glad I did. 

Lugo's hiking memoir is full of adventure, honesty and humor. He is a talented storyteller, and the way he relates his long journey really makes it come to life, with all his struggles and triumphs, and all the friends he meets along the way. I haven't read about any other hiking adventures along the Continental Divide, so it was fun to get a glimpse of this long trail across the spine of America. I'd never want to hike all of it, but parts of it sound pretty fabulous. And I absolutely loved reading this book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here are a few of my favorite inspirational (and wise) quotes from Derick Lugo:

• It's remarkable to think that I now consider nineteen miles a short day, whereas just a month ago, it would have been a full day's hike. Like anything in life, repetition breeds improvement.
• An optimistic mindset will always go farther than a pessimistic one.
• This experience has taught me that the greatest rewards often lie just beyond the edge of my comfort zone.

Happy Reading!

Haiku Reviews...

 

Could've Fooled Me by Jenny Proctor

Deportation looms

for Sarah until her brother's hockey

teammate offers to marry her. 

Sweet hockey romance .... 383 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(Carter Williamson is the perfect guy; he and Sarah are great together, and this clean romance is super fun and cute.)

Miss Winter in the Library With a Knife by Martin Edwards

Six strangers. A mystery

murder game. A blizzard. So many

secrets. And real murder.

(An entertaining murder mystery set in Northern England; I always love that isolated and snowed in kind of setting.)

Miss Newbury's List by Megan Walker

Ten childhood dreams to do;

 then she'll marry the duke. She wasn't

counting on Charlie.

Regency Romance .... 309 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.

(Rosalind's bucket list was fun, and I enjoyed her banter with Charlie.)

Happy Reading!

June's Bookish Art...

 

Joseph Farquharson -- Summertime

"There's no better escape from life than into a book."

--Heather Webber, South of the Buttonwood Tree

The Inklings Detective Agency by John R. Kelly

 

Oxford, England. 1936.

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. "Jack" Lewis, his brother, Warren, and the other members of the literary society known as the Inklings, are called upon to help solve the murders of two members of a secret society headed by Aleistor Crowley before the next full moon. These amateur sleuths take on the case, even though their investigation puts them on a dangerous collision course with a murderer.

John R. Kelly brings these famous authors and the city of Oxford to life in this entertaining mystery. I loved Tolkien's and Lewis's interactions. Jack ends up being the main detective, but it was a lot of fun to 'meet' all the other historical figures in it like Warren Lewis, Hugo Dyson, Charles Williams, Dorothy Sayers, and even Agatha Christie. Their discussion about the rules of writing mysteries made me smile. I also really liked the secret society aspect of this mystery; that's always been a big draw for me. Plus, there are great quotes heading each chapter. And you know how much I like bookish quotes. I really enjoyed reading this one, and I very much hope Kelly writes a sequel to it.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Similar read:

What Rough Beast by H.R. Knight 

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, by Clare Pooley

First line:  "Until the point when a man started dying right in front of her on the 08:05, Iona's day had been just like any other."

From the blurb: 

Every day Iona Iverson, a stylish, opinionated, larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, rides the train to work with her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Mr-Too-Good-to-Be-True. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do.

Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. He’d have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver.

This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people discovers that talking to strangers can teach you quite a bit about the world around you—and even more about yourself.

My thoughts: Charming, humorous, and full of heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's entertaining and fun. I loved all the characters, especially loud, exuberant, witty and wise Iona. I also loved how these six characters who range from a teenager in high school to a solicitor in his 60s, went from being complete strangers who never even spoke to each other to such caring train friends. Found family stories are always  my favs and this one is the best! It has such great writing and so much heart, I could not put it down. (And I want to give a quick thanks to Cath who first put me onto this book with her 2023 review. Though it has a slightly different title in the British version.)

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Summer reading...

My summer vacation has officially started (one of the benefits of working at an elementary school), which means my summer reading begins today as well. And there are SO many books I want to read. My list of mysteries, popcorn thrillers, romance, historical fiction and nonfiction books is long enough for three summers at least, which gives me lots of books to choose from these next two and a half months. The only problem is deciding where to start. 

I just finished reading The Swamp Fox by John Oller, the true story of how Marion Francis fought the British in South Carolina and helped win the Revolutionary War. I did not know anything about the Southern front or what went on in South Carolina during the American Revolution. Needless to say, I found this biography well-written, informative and completely engrossing. And I have new respect for the quiet but determined Marion Francis and his small band of dragoons. I am planning on reading a few more books about the Revolutionary War this summer starting with Band of Giants by Jack Kelly (which I ended up having to buy because my library decided to get rid of its copy last month. It's so annoying when libraries get rid of books you were planning on checking out!) 

As for my first fiction reads of summer I'm trying to decide between Coram House by Bailey Seybolt, A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio and The Inklings Detective Agency by John R. Kelly. At least those are the top three books sitting in my library bag. I might change my mind and dig deeper into the bag for something else. Who knows. I'm just looking forward to a summer of free reading. What about you? What books are you hoping to read this summer?

Happy Reading!

The Labyrinth House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Honkaku mystery:  A Japanese subgenre focusing on intricate "fair play" puzzle-solving designed to challenge readers with logical deduction, locked-room scenarios, and complex mechanical tricks. Inspired by Western Golden Age authors like Agatha Christie, these novels typically provide all necessary clues, diagrams, and maps prioritizing the puzzle over literary prose.

Four mystery authors, a critic, an editor and his pregnant wife, and an amateur sleuth have all been invited to a famed mystery writer's isolated home to celebrate his 60th birthday. But when their weekend begins with a shocking death, they find themselves locked inside the Labyrinth House with a murderer. 

This was an entertaining 'locked-room' mystery. It was a little hard at first to keep all the characters straight, but I soon got them figured out. And I really liked Utayama Hideyuki, the editor, and Shimada Kiyoshi, a fan of mystery novels and amateur sleuth. They worked together on solving the puzzles within the Labyrinth House. I guessed one of the twists early on, but there was another twist at the very end I was not expecting. Which added a layer of fun. As did the map of the Labyrinth House included at the beginning of the book and all the allusions to the Greek myth about Minos and the minotaur. I did think the dialogue felt a little stilted at times, but that might have been because of the translation, or just a difference between Japanese and American fiction. Overall, though, I really liked this one. It's definitely made me a fan of Honkaku mysteries. 

Happy Reading!

Haiku Reviews...

 

Love Catch by Laura Langa

Roommates first. Then friends.

Can Trevor convince Kenzie

to risk her heart on him?

Sweet sport romance .... 297 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.

(He's a professional baseball player; she's an accountant. Together they work. Clean romance with the cutest rescue cat.)

Quiet Bones by Sarah Ward

A missing student.

A strange burial. A college

full of secrets.

Mystery .... 300 pages .... 3.5/5 stars.

(Carla James, an archaeology professor at Jericho College, gets caught up in three separate mysteries...or are they all connected?)

A Study in Secrets by Jeffrey Siger

A retired spy.

A homeless girl. A diner

owner. And murder.

Mystery .... 212 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Great characters and a fun plot. I hope he writes a sequel.)

Happy Reading!

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman

 

From the blurb: 

"The new year barely began when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they're going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.

"When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.

"With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them both uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?"

My thoughts:  Matthew Norman brilliantly captures the up-and-down journey through grief. And though this novel deals with death and loss, it's not a sad book. There are poignant moments, but there are also humorous, heartwarming and fun moments. And so many times I found myself nodding my head at something Grace or Henry said about the grief process. Because I've been there. And Norman gets it. I love the way he writes! And I love these characters and their friendship and shared moments of sadness. And Grace's two kids are awesome. I loved Henry's and Ian's art projects. And all the Christmas movie tie-ins were so fun; they made me laugh. This book is the best!

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

May's Bookish Art...

 

Osman Hamdi Bey -- Young Woman Reading

Books provided a secret door to escape through....Another world she could step into and be surrounded by characters brought to life on the page. She could meet untold people and live a thousand exciting lives through the pages. It was her solace..."

--Bella Osborne, The Library

A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers

 

First line:  "It's good you've finally summoned me," I said. "There's no doubt a spirit torments this house."

Setting:  Victorian London, 1852

The what:  A dead bride. A charlatan. A Gothic mystery. Secrets. Ghostly rumors. And a fake seance meant to find a murderer.

The who:  Genevieve Timmons, a young woman not quite 19, who learned how to perform seances to swindle the rich from her mother; she's got the threat of the noose hanging over her head if she can't get this last seance right.

Gareth Pemberton, the new earl of Somerset Park; he wants justice for Audra Linton, the young woman he was supposed to marry. He's not sure he can trust Genevieve, but he needs her help to flush out a murderer.

The why:  This is an entertaining mystery with atmosphere, a tangled web of secrets and suspects, interesting characters, and a few good twists. Genevieve was spunky, suspicious, stubborn, vulnerable and very alone in the world; I liked her and how she held her own even though everything was stacked against her. She and Pemberton made an interesting team. I would have liked a little more of them together at the end, but all in all I enjoyed this one.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Similar reads:

Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd

Dragonwyck by Anya Seton

The Gilded Cage by Lucinda Gray

Whispers Beyond the Veil by Jessica Estevao

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Happy Mother's Day!

 It's the first Mother's Day without my mom, and I've been thinking about her a lot lately. She was loving, kind, generous to a fault, and an extremely hard worker. She could work rings around my sisters and me. She valued education, family, and her faith. She told me bedtime stories, enjoyed music, and made the best chocolate chip cookies. She loved peanut butter and jam, and chocolate. And she LOVED to read: mysteries, travel adventures, heartwarming stories, biographies, nonfiction books, and thrillers. But she loved historical fiction most of all. So, in honor of my mom, and to celebrate her love of reading on this first Mother's Day without her, I thought I'd share three of her most favorite historical fiction series. 

Bodie Thoene's Zion Covenant series set in WWII:

The Stone of Light series set in Ancient Egypt by Christian Jacq:

And Gerald N. Lund's The Work and The Glory series:

I love you, Mom.

Happy Reading!

Head Fake by Scott Gordon

Father of the Year said that if I didn't get this job, I was back out of the house and living on the street...tomorrow. Based on my interviewing skills, my time indoors was running out.

    "Do you have any experience with mental illness, Mr. Cannon?" Dr. Tambori said, absently tapping her fingernails on the desk.

    Wow. That was a question and a half. I wanted to tell her everything: about how I could hardly pay attention to what she was saying, how at times I had trouble controlling myself, about the negative thoughts, the depression, about wanting to sleep my life away, the horror show that was my father, about living both tired and wired, about how my hands wouldn't stop sweating, how if I didn't get this job I'd die on the streets. But if the floodgates opened, everybody in this building would drown, Besides, she might think it a bad idea to hire a crazy person to drive around crazy people. "Not really." 

Every instinct was telling me to get as far away from this school as possible, but I knew down in my bones that if I had any chance to make my twenty-sixth birthday, I needed to keep this job.

The plot:  With his father's help, Mikey Cannon gets hired as a bus driver at the Mary Friedman Alternative High School for high risk offenders--students grappling with mental health issues from depression and suicidal thoughts to schizophrenia. Despite his own struggles, Mikey connects with these outcast kids, especially when he unexpectedly becomes their basketball coach. And he's determined to help them win at least one game this season...if he can keep them from fighting with each other, or losing their cool, or freaking out during every game. Because Mikey and his team of underdogs could really use a win.

My thoughts:  Quirky. Funny. Poignant. Emotional. And compelling. I loved how Mikey used humor to get through awkward and uncomfortable situations, and how he found ways to connect with all the members of his team despite his own inadequacies. Their stories and struggles were so heartbreaking.  But I loved how they all came together over the game of basketball and became like a family. Which was ironic considering basketball is one of the things that drove Mikey and his own father apart years ago. Their relationship plays a large part in this book, too, and it's an unhappy one. This book drew me in on page one and I did not want to put it down. It's a wonderful read. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

How fun is this bookish tee?

 

I also really love this one: 

(I found both of these on Amazon; and the bottom one will soon be found in my closet.)

Happy Reading!

Now this is a reading nook!

 

Isn't this cool? It's a treehouse reading nook! I could spend many happy hours in a space like this. 

(Free image from StockCake.)

What I've been reading...and viewing

This post was supposed to be a review of one of the many library books I checked out this month. And while I have been reading, I just couldn't make myself actually sit down and write a review. So you get this rambling post instead. 

I've been binge watching the first few seasons of Cobra Kai...and completely loving it! So fun to see Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence back together, still sparring. I also love all the homages to the original Karate Kid movie, which has been a favorite of mine since it first came out. All the 80s music in it is great, too. I'm looking forward to watching the last three seasons soon. 

I also just finished reading Eric Jay Dolin's well-researched book Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. I did not know how big a role privateers played in the American Revolution or their importance in helping to defeat the British armies. This book was very informative, and I learned a lot. I thought Dolin did a good job of making all these facts and historical figures interesting, and the book is very readable, though there were a few long chapters at the end that I found myself kind of skimming. Still a 4-star nonfiction read for me. 

I've been slow reading Hosanna Wong's lovely book Uncomplicate It. It's wonderful. I love her views on how anyone can connect with God in their own way. So many of the chapters seem to speak to me and where I'm at in my life right now. It was Cindy's review that first brought this book to my attention and I'm so glad! It's one I think I need to own and read again and again. 

And in a completely different vein, I just started reading Rob Hart's second Assassins' Anonymous book, The Medusa Protocol. I'm not very far in it yet, but am liking it so far. I also have Nick Petrie's latest Peter Ash thriller, The Dark Time, waiting for me to read next. Along with Her Time Traveling Duke by Bryn Donovan and Love At First Fright by Nadia El-Fassi. So maybe I'll manage to review one of these books next week. But I make no promises. 

Happy Reading!

Haiku Reviews...

 

Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart

One year, no kills. Mark 

is making amends. Then a

killer comes after him.

Action/Thriller .... 306 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(Loved the main character and the dark humor. Can't wait to read the sequel.)

Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs

Sasquatch. Cthulhu.

Black Witches. A missing town.

And werewolves. Oh, my!

Urban fantasy .... 358 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(Anna and Charles head to the mountains in Northern California to investigate an ancient mystery; lots of magic and suspense. I loved it.)

Tell Me True by Carina Taylor

Can this marriage of

convenience take two roommates from

"just friends" to much, much more?

Sweet romance .... 316 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Cute, clean and humorous. While I do not love the cover, I did love Miles's and Lucy's friendship, and their banter. Miles's family was pretty great, too.)

Happy Reading!