Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

  is one of the best anthology books I have ever read.  I am not usually a huge fan of this type of book as I would rather read an entire story than stop and start a bunch of short stories.  However, I decided to make an exception because Naomi Novik has written some of my favorite books.  The first couple of stories were my favorite.  There was one that involved pirates and a goddess, another set during Roman times, and ancient Greece.  I absolutely love those time periods and these short stories infused with fantasy were quick, fantastic reads.  I just wanted them to be longer.  There was another story set in the Scholomance world which showed what happened after the last book in the trilogy.  There was also my favorite which was the short version of Spinning Silver.  All of the stories included fantasy with excellent writing.  My only complaint was that many of them ended abruptly and I just wanted to read more.  Overall, I...

If you have ever seen the Sound of Music you HAVE to read this book! As a young girl I watched the Sound of Music many times, so when I saw this book was coming out and it was by one of my favorite historical fiction writers I had to read it.  It was everything I hoped for and more.  I learned so much about the von Trapp family and about Maria's life.  I cried when I read about the difficult upbringing Maria faced and her desire to have a stable home.  Their life in Austria and the struggles Maria faced in becoming a step mother to so many children was nothing I had really thought about when watching the musical.  I had no idea just how much the war had impacted their family or how difficult their real life may have been. The story was fascinating and I devoured it all.   The book also features Fran who is tasked with hearing about Maria's story so Maria doesn't create waves when the musical premieres.  I enjoyed reading about her story and her in...

 Absolutely Delicious!  There was a lot to enjoy in this novel about a swanky hotel's opening night on the summer solstice.  Told from multiple viewpoints, the reader learns about the tragic events that unfold at The Manor and how they affect each of the characters.   The novel is set in the English countryside and the locals are not happy that this posh, luxurious hotel has taken over land and beach access that has been open to the public.  There is another darker, mysterious element to this story.  There are birds who seek revenge and Francesca, the owner of the land and hotel, has been warned about them. As the reader we are trying to connect the dots as to what really happened on this land and why are so many people unhappy.  As well as being told from different characters' point of view, there is a journal from 2009 that tells us more about some of the character's motivations and why things happened.  This was a very good mysterious thri...

  love when I can find historical fiction about a subject I know nothing about.  This story was told in a dual timeline format from the turn of the 19th century and also at the end.  My favorite part of the story was the one that took place in 1909 and featured Ollie.  She is eleven and knows she has to get away from her step-father.  She runs away with a younger Choctaw girl, Nessie,  who has been a ward along with her sister, Hazel. at her home.  Hazel has disappeared  and they fear that Ollie's step father was the reason.  The two of them have to struggle to survive.  Their story was based on real Oklahoma history and even featured an important woman who had a huge impact of the development of the state.   The other story was also interesting as it followed a single mom trying to make a new start for herself and her son.  She knows something is not right as she tries to find a missing person and a cave with three sets ...