Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher

 

First line:  They say York is the most haunted city in England, but I'm probably the only person in it named after a ghost.

The plot:  December 1851. Lizzy Grimm and her mother live above their small shop, Grimm Curiosities. For awhile, Lizzy's mother worked as a medium to help pay the rent, but a year ago she was stricken silent. Now it's up to Lizzy to take care of her mother and to keep her late father's antique shop open, but things aren't going well. She finds unexpected help from Antony Carlisle, the oldest son of the local baron. His younger sister has also been stricken silent. He and Lizzie team up to try and discover why. And they think they just might find the answers they're seeking in her father's treasured set of books about ghosts, faeries, doorways, otherworldly creatures, and yuletide myths. Only someone else really wants those books--an older gentleman who is also interested in Lizzy.

My thoughts:  This book is an enchanting combination of mystery & romance with a touch of fairy tale magic. Oh, and ghosts! I loved the Grimm's small curiosity shop and the ghostly atmosphere permeating York. All the old buildings and narrow alleyways called ginnels made for a great setting. And Lizzy and Antony are both very engaging characters. I loved how their cautious friendship deepened into something more over the course of their search. There's even a ball. And the magical elements made this book even more fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading! 

Top Ten Tuesday

 

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

This week's theme:  BOOKISH GOALS FOR 2025.

I haven't actually set many bookish goals this year, at least not any real specific ones. I know I want to read more fantasy this year, and catch up on some series. I also want to allow room in my reading for bookish serendipity...and for rereading when the mood strikes. And I should probably limit the number of Goodreads Giveaways I enter because I think that's what's helped make my Want to Read list sooo long. But those are more thoughts than actual goals. 

I do however have one specific bookish goal:  Read More Nonfiction. I even have a list of the 12 nonfiction books I intend to read this year. Here they are:

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

Patton's Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith and Victory in World War II by Alex Kershaw

The Cave: A Secret Underground Hospital and One Woman's Story of Survival in Syria by Amani Ballour, M.D. 

Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist by Lisa Bailey

The Paranormal Ranger: A Navajo Investigator's Search for the Unexplained by Stanley Milford, Jr. 

Lay Them to Rest: On the Road With the Cold Case Investigators Who Identify the Nameless by Laurah Norton

Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond by Henry Winkler

Twisting in Air: The Sensational Rise of a Hollywood Falling Horse by Carol Bradley

Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy, A Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll Jr.

Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley by Brent Underwood

And I also have an alternate if one of the above turns out to be a DNF. (It's been on my TBR list for awhile, and it's one I do want to read.)  The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World by Shelley Puhak.

Good luck with ALL of your bookish goals this year! 

And Happy Reading.

January's Bookish Art...

 

"...what we read is what we are,

or what we are becoming."

--Lynne Sharon Schwartz, Ruined by Reading 

P.S. I'm still having trouble commenting on Wordpress blogs. So, if you haven't seen any comments from me yet this month and I normally do comment on all of your posts...check your spam box. I think that's where my comments have landed. Don't you just love technology gone wrong? 

Have you met Emma M. Lion?

 

I first heard about The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower last year when one of my co-workers mentioned that they were her favorite novels. But at the time, my TBR list was really long, and I had a stack of library books I needed to read, so I soon forgot about them. Then, last month, my co-worker brought them up again; she'd pre-ordered Vol. 8 and was eagerly awaiting its arrival. So I decided to check one of them out. Only there were over 40 library holds on Vol. 1, and I figured it would take months before I'd get my hands on a copy. When I mentioned this to my co-worker, she not only brought me her copy of Vol. 1 the next day, but Vol. 2 as well. 

I read both books this past week--my first fiction reads of 2025--and they are utterly delightful. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion take place in 1883 in London. As Vol. 1 begins, Emma is twenty, an orphan, and just returning to her family home, Lapis Lazuli, in the heart of St. Crispian's, after several years of being her Cousin Matilde's (unpaid) companion. She's spunky, a little quirky, and honest about her shortcomings. And she loves to read. She's also poor, but hopeful of gaining her home and her independence when she turns twenty-one, despite her Cousin Archibald's stealing and interference. I was completely charmed by her and her journal entries. These books are not very long--only 120 pages or so--they read fast, and are quite entertaining. And I can't wait to read the next six volumes. Luckily, I know my co-worker will happily let me borrow them whenever I want. I really owe her for telling me about these fun books! 

Happy Reading!

Top Ten Tuesday

 

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

This week's theme is MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS RELEASING IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2025. 

And do I have a list! 

Beg, Borrow or Steal by Sarah Adams  (Jan. 7th)

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix  (Jan 14th)

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young  (Jan. 28th)

Nemesis (Orphan X #10) by Gregg Hurwitz  (Feb. 11th)

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett (Feb. 11th)

Cold as Hell (Haven's Rock #3) by Kelley Armstrong  (Feb. 18th)

Broken Fields by Marcie R. Rendon (Mar. 4th)

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (April 1st)

Some Like it Scot by Pepper Basham  (April 8th)

Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes  (April 8th)

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry  (April 22nd)

The Love Haters by Katherine Center  (May 20th)

I'm sure I've missed some, so let me know what books you're eagerly anticipating coming out in the next few months. Especially if you think it's one I'll like, or an author you know I love!

Happy Reading!

The Fun Habit by Mike Rucker, PhD

From the blurb:  "So why fun? If happiness is a mirage, then fun is your backyard oasis. While happiness is a state of mind and a reaction to your circumstances, fun is an action you can take here and now, practically anywhere, anytime. Research has shown that pursuing fun is enormously beneficial to our physical and psychological well-being."

 

3 Favorite Quotes:

"Happiness is a state of mind, but fun is something you can do. It doesn't require education, money, or power. All it requires is intentionality. Fun is immediate. And it is uniquely yours."

  

"When you fill your life with fun and novel experiences and feed your brain lots of new information--learning, traveling, meeting new people, trying new activities--you look back on life in general with greater satisfaction."

"Extraordinary experiences require us to make deliberate choices. Transformative moments don't often fall out of the sky, but there are definitely ways to increase their frequency. Choosing fun every day in small, seemingly superficial ways can, over time, lead you to new patterns of behavior--new and better choices. What starts as a dance of whimsy may lead to you discovering The Mystery, with joy lighting the path. How might your life improve after a month, or a year--or ten years--of making fun a habit?"

My thoughts: I love Rucker's premise and the exercises he suggests, and totally agree that we all need to have a little more intentional fun in our lives. Everyday. Even if it's something small. It's something I intend to work on this year. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading!

P.S.  I've been having trouble getting my comments to go through on some Wordpress blogs; I don't know why. I've never had trouble before. But suddenly my comments are disappearing. Are they lost in the limbo of spam? Who knows. But Helen, Susan, and Lisa...if you don't see any comments from me on your most recent posts, that's why! I'm not ignoring you, I promise. And hopefully it sorts itself out soon. 

Welcome to 2025!

 

For me, the beginning of a new year is always a time for self-reflection. A time to consider if I'm where I want to be, what changes I may want to make, and what goals, if any, I want to set. And it's a time for me to reset my focus for the upcoming year. Because if I don't clarify my thoughts and write down my goals, dreams and intentions, then I won't accomplish anything. And there are definitely some changes I'd like to make in my life, because I am still a work in progress. 

So, here's the short list of things I want to be more Intentional about doing this year:

• Self care
• Being mindful in the moment
• Breathing
• Seeking God, and trusting Him
• Having fun!
• Kindness (towards others, but also towards myself)
• Gratitude and Gladness
• Connecting with others
• Being open to new adventures

Mostly, I hope that 2025 turns out to be a good year for all of us. 

Happy New Year!