As expected, the number of books I read dropped dramatically in a month where I have had both writing work and editing clients! All fiction this month, and I did have a DNF (Did Not Finish) as well. I’ll mention that one at the end.
The Sweet Remnants of Summer by Alexander McCall Smith
If you follow my reads, you know I love his books. This is the latest in the Isabel Dalhousie series, which is set in Edinburgh. The most fun part of reading this was now knowing some of the Edinburgh streets and sites mentioned! It was almost like visiting the city again, all while in the company of old friends Jaime and Isabel.
To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano
I love how Jen’s books make me laugh—although this one got quite serious and heavy near the end. But the story also does a great job setting up the cast for the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency series. The main characters in this book were just so lovable, in spite of their less than stellar childhood profession. I can’t wait to read Daphne’s story in the next book!
Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin
I confess this wasn’t my favorite Lynn Austin book. It felt like it was trying to tell too many stories at once. But I still enjoyed it. I always love learning about a different nook of history (The Netherlands) during a familiar time period (WWII).
A Tangled Mercy by Joy Jordan-Lake
I have had this on my kindle for almost a year—so long that I don’t even know what first prompted me to get it! When I opened the book, I had no idea what it was about. I was overjoyed to discover it was set in both past and present Charleston, a place I have visited several times. A hard but redemptive story that I am so very glad I finally read.
The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe
The story of the second Mrs. Astor has intrigued me since we took a walking tour of Bar Harbor, Maine, back in August of 2020 and she was mentioned. This novel did not disappoint in that it took us into that loving yet tragic relationship. Glad I now know more of the story! And good news—you can read the kindle version free through Prime Reading.
Archer by Camille Elliot
I soooo wanted to love this book. I mean, Regency spies. But I didn’t love it. I finished it, but it still wasn’t enough to motivate me to want to read the others in the series. My go-to for great Regency spy novels is still Rebecca Connolly’s The London League and Agents of the Convent series.
DNF—Colleen Hoover’s The End of Us
This was our book club book for October. In spite of my commitment to myself to finish all the book club books, I finally abandoned this one around the halfway point. Lots of language and sex scenes.
That’s it for September! With some travel coming up in October, I’m hoping to read a bit more. But then again, I have work to do . . .