#rachel linden

[nevinslibrary]

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday

So, yes, there was a movie based on this book on the Hallmark Channel about two weeks ago. It was fun. But, I definitely think that the book was better.

Lolly’s life is not the easiest. Basically she is just trying to keep everything in the air at the same time, not drop anything. Keep her family’s diner going, take care of her sister and father, etc. Then, as she’s about to turn 33 her Aunt gives her three lemon drops, each of them will allow her to live a day in a life that could have been hers.

I love What Ifs. I love Marvel What Ifs, DC Elseworlds (which is the DC What Ifs), and so, this book was right in my wheelhouse, right up my alley. And indeed, it was. There aren’t a whole lot of primarily romance genre books that can fit into the Weird & Wonderful Wednesday, but, this book was definitely filled with wonder, and with things that made me think too. A really fun read.

You may like this book If you Liked: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, A Taste of Magic by Tracy Madison, or One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden

[mercerislandbooks]

A Double Dose of 50 Years of Island Books: Rachel Linden / Martha Brockenbrough

Rachel Linden is a novelist and international aid worker whose adventures in over fifty countries around the world provide excellent grist for her writing. She is the author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie, The Enlightenment of Bees, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, and Ascension of Larks. Currently Rachel lives with her family on a sweet little island near Seattle, WA where she enjoys creating stories about strong women facing big challenges, travel, food, and second chances at love. She promises her readers a happy, or at least very hopeful, ending and infuses each of her stories with a touch of magical realism. Her newest novel, Recipe for a Charmed Life, comes out in early 2024.

Miriam: Welcome, Rachel. Let's start with your first visit to Island Books. Where were you in your career then, and what stood out about the store?

Rachel: When I think of Island Books, I feel I can sum it up best in the word "inviting". I first visited Island Books when my second novel, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, was about to release. If I remember correctly, I came bearing homemade cookies my husband and son had made, and an advanced reader copy of my new book. I was hoping to meet some of the staff and see if they'd be interested in stocking my book. I was instantly charmed by the special Island Books vibe. I love independent bookstores and feel so fortunate that we have so many in our area. Island Books has always been one of my very favorites because of the wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable staff (with fabulous owner Laurie at the helm), the inviting places to sit and stay awhile, and such an excellent and extensive selection of books. They were so warm and welcoming to me on my first visit, and I continue to greatly enjoy and appreciate their enthusiastic support and care for local authors like me! I love every chance I get to be at Island Books because I always feel so welcomed. It's an inviting, enjoyable space with true book lovers, and for a bookworm like me, that's basically my definition of paradise!

Miriam: Rachel, you can't drop a teaser about bringing cookies to Island Books and not share the specific recipe. When many of us think of you, we think, foodie book club, mmmm.....Will you share which cookies you brought to that first event here on the blog? We can make them official "Rachel-Linden's-Take-a-Trip-to-Island-Books cookies" or something. 

Rachel: Absolutely! I can't remember exactly which cookies I brought the first time I visited Island Books, to be honest! But here's a recipe for some amazing lemon bars that I know I brought along with an advanced reader copy of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie!  These delicious lemon bars are super easy and super yummy! I enjoy this recipe from one of my favorite baking sites, Sally's Baking Addiction! I amended it slightly, but mostly it is her recipe. 

Rachel-Linden's-Take-a-Trip-to-Island-Books-Luscious-Lemon-Bars

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD CRUST

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 

optional: you can add a bit of the zest of the lemon to the crust for added lemon flavor

LEMON FILLING

2 cups granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 large eggs

1 cup lemon juice (about 4-5 large lemons)

powdered sugar for dusting over the top of the bars when cooked and cooled

optional: add a bit of the zest of the lemon to the filling for an added kick of lemony flavor 

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Carefully line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 glass baking pan (do not use metal for these bars) with parchment paper, leaving the paper hanging over the sides so you can easily lift the finished bars out. This is an important step and makes cutting the bars much easier!). 

Make the crust: Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be quite thick. Press firmly into your prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even with no holes. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until you see the edges of the crust are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (careful not to poke all the way through the crust). This helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place. Set crust aside.

Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, and then add the lemon juice (and zest if using) and stir until completely combined.

Pour filling over the warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (You can give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test that the filling is set.) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. It is recomemnded to cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until fairly chilled. 

Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust the bars with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving. Enjoy! 

Miriam: Thank you! Okay, one last question, now that I'm thinking about The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie. One of the big messages in that book is that instead of looking backward, we should make the best of things and focus on the road ahead. With that theme in mind, as we head toward our store's 50th anniversary, what do you think the road ahead looks like for indie bookstores?

Rachel: Looking forward, I believe indie bookstores will continue to thrive because of the amazing connections they provide between people and great stories. In an increasingly digital world, to walk into an independent bookstore, talk to smart, book loving booksellers, and walk out with amazing stories in our hands...that personal experience cannot be replaced. For authors, independent bookstores offer wonderful opportunities for us to make personal connections with book lovers—both bookselling professionals and readers. I think Island Books does this so beautifully, and what they offer will continue to be valued by readers and authors alike. 

Miriam: Thanks so much for stopping by our blog, Rachel. We always love hearing from you.

To our community—if you make Rachel's Lemon Bars, send us a picture! In the next installment of Island Books, I'll be talking to...

50 Years of Island Books: Martha Brockenbrough

Martha Brockenbrough (rhymes with broken toe) is the author of Frank and the Masked Cat and more than twenty books for young readers, including YA fiction and nonfiction, picture books, a middle grade mystery, and a chapter book series. Her next nonfiction book for teens, Future Tense, will hit shelves in 2024.

A faculty member at Vermont College of Fine Arts, she's also the founder of National Grammar Day (every March 4), and she's written game questions for Cranium and Trivial Pursuit.

The former editor of MSN.com, Martha has interviewed lots of celebrities, including the Jonas Brothers and Slash. Her work has been published in a variety of places, including The New York Times. She also wrote an educational humor column for the online encyclopedia Encarta for nine years. 

She lives in Seattle with her family. Her favorite kind of food is Indian, although Thai runs a close second. Besides writing, she likes dogs, cats, cooking, weight-lifting, and laughing.

Miriam: I'm so excited to have you here, Martha, especially because my 10-year-old twins LOVED To Catch a Thief and we are big fans of yours. Let's start with your first visit to Island Books. Where were you in your career then, and what stood out about the store?

Martha: That makes my day! The book is set in a slightly distressed Seabrook—if you ever go, the kids will recognize some of the sights!

Meanwhile, I can’t even remember the first time I went into Island Books. I’m a Bellevue native and only a few years older than the store. So let’s just say I have no memories of life without Island Books. As an author, though, I think one of the first events I attended was for the wonderful Jennifer Longo debut novel, Six Feet Over It, inspired in part by her life growing up at a cemetery. My first event with Island Books was a King County Library fundraiser—Garth Nix and I were in conversation with each other. I really love his writing and it was so much fun learning more about how he thinks about storytelling. 

I led here with the people, because in truth the writing and reading life isn’t lived only on the page. I love Laurie (and we share appreciation for a good Old Fashioned). I’ve known Lillian and Caitlin for years and through other stores, and I so appreciate people who make a life out of literature. The store itself is an absolute treat. It’s exquisitely edited and I find something I didn’t know I needed every time I go in. It’s also a place I love to shop for gifts, and not just books—the whole store is full of beautiful and joyful objects.

Miriam: We've been to Seabrook and yes they did recognize the sights, funny you mention that. I think that's half the fun of reading local authors who write about the Pacific Northwest! These are great memories, and for us it's all about the people too, so we love that. Tell me, I know we've offered special pre-orders of signed copies of your books over the years. Do you have any special memories of signing in the store?

Martha: Coming to Island Books is like a visit with old friends. Seeing Lillian and Caitlin at Island Books gathers all of those fond memories from other stores in one place—and it’s a testament to the deep knowledge that the stores booksellers have. They are in this work for life. I was a reader first, and truly I always will be. So to have my reader heart in such good hands means the world to me. 

Miriam: Thanks, Martha. We're so grateful for to have you and your books in our lives too.

To our Island Books community: In the next 50 Years of Island Books installment, I’ll be talking to author Elise Hooper about how she crashed a staff party the first time she visited our store, and why her underdog stories have a special appeal at Island Books.

—Miriam

[dkehoe]

This Chick Read: Recipe For a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

American Chef Georgia May Jackson is close to achieving her goal, running a restaurant in Paris. She’s on the cusp of success when it all falls apart during one very bad day. At the same time, she loses her sense of taste, everything tastes bitter. When her absentee mother reaches out from the West Coast and offers her a place to stay she jumps at the chance of getting to know her mom and somehow…

[thereadingcafe]

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

Author: Rachel LindenPublisher: BerkleyReleased: January 9, 2024Received: Berkley Besties Find it on Goodreads | More Romance Book Summary: Georgia May Jackson may be an American, but she is determined to achieve her goal – running (and owning) a restaurant in Paris. That may be an impossible dream to some, but Georgia believes that hard work can get her there. That is, until she wakes up one…

[therealmrpositive]

Prom Night (2008)

In today's review, I race against the clock for the most killer prom night ever. As I attempt a #positive review of the 2008 remake of Prom Night. #BrittanySnow #ScottPorter #JessicaStroup #DanaDavis #CollinsPennie #KellyBlatz #JamesRansone #BrianneDavis

You don’t need me to tell you that modern life can be terrifying with its deadlines, pressures, and potential stalkers. Typically, these challenges don’t all happen simultaneously, but if they did, it would feel like a perfect storm of anxiety and uncertainty, perfect for a potential slasher film. In 2008, a film successfully rebooted a franchise to confront the terrors of the modern world, ones…

[ur-mag]

A Low-Key Love! Rachel McAdams and Jamie Linden’s Relationship Timeline | In Trend Today

A Low-Key Love! Rachel McAdams and Jamie Linden’s Relationship Timeline Read Full Text or Full Article on MAG NEWS

[pupsmailbox]

1980's ID PACK

NAMES︰ aaron. adam. adding addison. adrian. alex. alexis. ali. alyssa. amanda. amber. andie. andrea. andrews. andy. anne. annie. anthony. april. ashley. aubrey. audrey. babysitters: belinda. bill. billie. billy. blair. bobbie. bobby. bonnie. brad. brandi. brandy. bret. brett. brian. brianna. brittany. caitlin. carey. carla. carly. carol. cary. casey. charlie. chris. christie. christina. christine. christopher. cindy. clare. clarissa. claudia. cody. corey. cory. courtney. crystal. dan. dana. daniel. darrell. david. dawn. devon. drew. dustin. elliott. emily. emmett. eric. erica. erik. erika. fran. francis. frankie. georgie. gloria. greer. greg. harriet. harry. heather. hollis. holly. jackie. jamie. jason. jayme. jeffery. jennifer. jeremy. jessica. jessie. jody. joe. john.zach. jory. joseph. josh. joy. jules. justin. kelly. kevin. kim. kimberly. kit. kristen. kristy. kyle. landry. larissa. laura. lauren. lee. linden. lisa. loren. lou. lucas. lynn. mallory. maria. marie. mark. marlowe. mary matt. matthew. meaghan. megan. melanie. melissa. melody. merit. michael. michelle. mickey. mike. mikey. mindy. misty. mo. morgan. natalie. neil. nick. nicky. nicole. ollie. other ozzie. parker. patrick. paul. paula. paulie. polly. quinn. rachel. randall. randell. randy. rebecca. rees. reese. richard. rob. robbie. robert. rory. royce. ryan. sabrina. sam. sarah. scott. sean. seth. shannon. shea. shelby. skyler. stacey. stacy. stephanie. stephen. stevie. taylor. the tiffany. tim. todd. tonya. tracy. tyler. valerie. victoria. will. wyatt. xavier. zack.

PRONOUNS︰ arc/arcade. arcade/arcade. arcade/arcem. beam/beam. beep/beep. bling/bling. bo/booth. boom/box. bop/bop. bou/boutique. bright/bright. buzz/buzz. ca/car. cartoon/cartoon. cass/cassette. cassette/cassette. class/classic. color/color. cor/vette. dated/dated. dazzle/dazzle. dine/diner. disc/disc. disco/disco. elec/electric. flash/flash. gae/game. gli/glitch. glitter/glitter. glow/glow. jazz/jazz. juke/box. light/light. loud/loud. neon/neon. nostal/nostal. pac/man. par/parlor. pattern/pattern. phone/phone. pin/ball. po/pop. polybi/polybius. pop/pop. rain/rainbow. ret/retro. retro/retro. rock/roll. salon/salon. ska/skate. star/star. synth/wave. text/text. vin/vintage. vintage/vintage. vivid/vivid. walk/walkman. 🌈 . 🍭 . 👾 . 💥 . 🕹 . 🧩 .

[busstop]

Maison Margiela Artisanal 2024: ‘Nighthawk’ (1h14:23)

Based on an Original Concept by John Galliano. Directed by Sasha Kasiuha.

Artistic Image Director - Alexis Roche. Styling Défilé - Olivier Rizzo. Casting Director - Jess Hallett.

Make Up & Make Up Concept - Dame Pat Mcgrath. Hair & Hair Concept - Duffy.

Défilé Movement Director - Pat Boguslawski. Défilé Shoes By Christian Louboutin For Maison Margiela Artisanal

Invitation Design Direction – Olu Odukoya. Nighthawk Poster - Tom Kan

Sound Direction And Design - Jeremy Healy With Tom Linden & Cheekypaul

Production / Paris - 109. Film Premiere Production - La Mode en Images. Livestream and Défilé video direction - Bureau Future

Voice-over Of Mr. Galliano Conducted By Anders Christian Madsen

Voice-over Of Mr. Galliano Recorded By Tayo Popoola

Voiceovers By Joseph Bader (Soho Voices)

Voiceovers By Jamiyla Ocasio (Damn Good Voices)

Cast:

Abdrahamane Tambadou

Achol Ayor

Alvar Af Schulten

Anna Iris Dobson

Antoine Brabant

Canlan Wang

Charlotte Hommes

Chuol Khan Dak

Colette Kanza

Daimy Van Betuw

Dara Gueye

Diya Zhang

Dugyeong Kim

Elise Schmidt

Eliza Petersen

Emeline Hoareau

Finlay Robinson

Frederic Bittner

Gwendoline Christie

Hamin Yu

Hannah Motler

Jill Kortleve

Jordan Barrett

Julia Nobis

Jum Kuochnin

Kim Kardashian

Léa Julian

Leo Levy

Leon Dame

Lina Zhang

Lucky Love

Lulu Tenney

Lydia Celesta

Maggie Maurer

Mamuor Majeng

Maya Sieron

Michael Zielinski

Monica Bellucci

Naomi Apajok

Natasha Poonawalla

Nyaduola Gabriel

Nyakier Buong

Olga Sherer

Rachel Renou

Rejoice Chuol

Rezi Simonova

Sanija Dalecka

Sascha Rajasalu

Sherry Shi

Tess Mcmillan

Thomas Riguelle

Tish Weinstock

Valentine Charrasse

Vika Shoom

Yeray Allgayer

Yilan Hua

Yulia Bezryadina

[dailyunsolvedmysteries-movedd]

The True Story of the Boise Murder House

805 W Linden Street in Boise, Idaho, its covered in a layer of soot, with windows broken and boarded up and trash strewn about the yard, the 2-story, 2,728 square-foot Craftsman-style home looks like an abandoned horror movie set. 

Known commonly as the Boise Murder House, the home is also sometimes referred to by locals as the Chop-Chop House, a glib reference to the gruesome homicide that took place there more than three decades ago. In the early morning hours of June 30th, 1987, 37-year-old Daniel Rodgers and 31-year-old Daron Cox shot and killed 21-year-old Preston Murr in the basement of Rodgers’s home at 805 W Linden Street. The two men then used an axe and knife to dismember his corpse, wrapped the pieces in plastic bags, and drove to the Idaho-Oregon border to dump the body parts in the Brownlee Reservoir. Horrifying as the facts of the crime are, there is one detail more haunting than the rest: Murr almost escaped.

According to court documents, an altercation broke out around midnight between the three men and Murr was shot in the shoulder by one of the two others. Having somehow managed to flee the home, he ran to a nearby house and banged on the door begging for help, but no one answered. The neighbor inside did call the police, however. He reported hearing pounding on his door, as well as someone screaming “let go of me,” followed by an anguished yell. Peeking out his window, he saw someone chasing Murr, eventually catching him and dragging him back into the basement of Rodger’s home, where he was fatally shot in the back of the head.

Though police never responded that night, they were called again the next morning by the same neighbor who asked officials to come investigate blood on his screen door. The blood found throughout the neighborhood—on sidewalks and at least one other neighboring house—further painted a harrowing picture of Murr’s desperate attempt to escape his murderers the night before. While the crime scene has long since been cleaned up, a dark legacy lingers around 805 W Linden Street to this day.

It’s unclear what happened to the house in the immediate years after Rodgers was sent to the Idaho State Correctional Center to serve out a life sentence without parole, but property records available online list a new owner, James Howell, as of 2000. Howell has since rented the house to a number of tenants and, given its proximity to Boise State University, it’s become a popular choice among students seeking off-campus housing. As a result, local lore about the house has a decidedly collegiate flair: One persistent rumor claims that fraternity brothers have reported seeing blood dripping down the walls of the basement for years. While there is no truth to this tale—and 805 W Linden was never an official frat house—many former residents say there is something “off” about the space.

“The basement was creepy and had a weird feel. We would take people down there to scare them. I never saw any ghosts but you could tell something wasn't right,” Joe W., a former BSU student, told a local radio station, 107.9 LITE FM. Another Boise resident, Rachel R., told the station that her family almost bought the house back in 2000, and to this day she still gets anxious when thinking about their tour of the home. “It looked like it had been abandoned and the basement was by far the creepiest part,” she said. But of all the accounts shared with 107.9, the strangest tale, submitted by Dan D., goes well beyond the basement.

According to his story, one night Dan and his friend thought they heard someone trying to break into the house. When they went out to the front porch to check things out, no one was there. After looking around the front yard, Dan turned to face the house and saw a “big black oily looking thing” in the window of a bedroom upstairs. He remembers seeing the shadow-y figure move back from the window and towards the bedroom door before it disappeared. Shortly after, it reappeared outside in a mirror sitting on the porch. Dan watched as the “ball of oily blackness” moved down the large column of the porch, slowly growing in size until it took up the entire reflection of the mirror and moved right through him. “It was the weirdest, most disturbing thing I've ever felt and just typing this makes me feel it again. It's like ice fingers sinking into my shoulders,” he said.

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: Recipe for a Charmed Life

As I type these words, I’m watching the rain/snow come down out of a grey sky and thinking how good it is that so many different books exist. I can choose if I want to complement the day or season, or if I want something to take me away. I’ll have something for you cold-lovers soon, but for today, I’ve got the perfect read to immerse you in the smells of the kitchen and the beauty of the San Juan Islands: local author Rachel Linden’s latest novel, Recipe for a Charmed Life.

We begin in Paris, the city of Julia Child’s culinary heart, where American chef Georgia May Jackson is on the brink of getting the only thing she’s ever wanted: a restaurant of her own. But when a shocking betrayal causes Georgia to snap at the worst possible time, it appears as though she’ll lose everything. It’s at this moment that Georgia receives an email from her mother, a woman who left her family decades ago. "Come home," she says, "I have things to tell you about our family." Her mother’s made a home and life on San Juan Island, and Georgia decides to fly to the Pacific Northwest, take the ferry out to San Juan to regroup, and see if anything can be made of the tattered remnants of her restaurant dream. Because it’s not just Georgia’s lapse in professionalism that’s standing in her way; she’s also lost her ability to taste the nuance of flavor. And what’s a chef without her sense of taste?

Rachel’s writing is light of spirit and not lacking in depth. Georgia, and other characters, are at a moment where circumstances force both a reckoning and a reassessing. The things they’ve worked hard for might be nearly within their grasp, but is that still what they want? How have they changed in the pursuit of their goal? How can they make room for their dreams to change with them? What choices have been made out of fear or protectiveness or a misplaced sense of guilt that need to be faced? Anchoring all this self-discovery is the gorgeous depth of her descriptions, from all the delectable food Georgia makes (and eats) trying to recover her palate, to the picturesque San Juan farmhouse her mother lives in, surrounded by gardens and fields and… well, if you can’t take a trip to the San Juans in person, you can take yourself there in the pages of Recipe for a Charmed Life. The hint of magic Rachel sprinkles deftly throughout gives it a touch of wonder and whimsy. And for those of us who like some romance along with introspection, there’s a grumpy oyster farmer just down the way. 

Join us Wednesday, January 31st at 6:30pm to celebrate Rachel Linden and Recipe for a Charmed Life. She’ll be in conversation with me, and knowing Rachel, she’ll bring some delicious treats along! 

— Lori

[archinform]

George W. Maher, architect - part 3

Oak Park

I spent part of a Sunday photographing five of George W. Maher's works in Oak Park, the largest of which, Pleasant Home, is one of only a handful of the architect's works open to the public.

Maher is considered one of the important Prairie School-style architects who practiced during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He blended traditional American house styles with more progressive European Arts & Crafts-style designs. Many of his residences reflect a broad horizontal character, with overhanging roof eaves, a strong rectilinear massing, and symmetrically placed windows centered on a prominent central entry. Chicago Landmarks

Otherwise known as the world's largest collection of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the village of Oak Park is home to many notable examples of 19th and early 20th century residential architecture.

Herman Mallen House, 1904-5

300 N Euclid Avenue, Oak Park, IL

The Mallen House was built in 1905 in the Prairie style. It features poppy pattern art-glass windows.

Vine and Poppy Front Door Window Panel c. 1905 for the Herman W. Mallen House, Oak Park, Illinois, zinc leaded glass. Auctioned at Bonhams 2021.

Archival view, Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago

Oliver & Amelia Caldwell House, 1909

531 N Linden Avenue, Oak Park, IL

Archival view, Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago

Charles & Rachel Erwin House, 1905 530 N Euclid Avenue, Oak Park, IL

Archival view, Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago

James & Nina Taylor House (Unity of Oak Park), 1912 405 N Euclid Avenue, Oak Park, IL

Pleasant Home (Farson-Mills House), 1897

217 Home Avenue, Oak Park IL

Maher designed Pleasant Home in 1897 for investment banker and philanthropist John W. Farson and his wife Mamie Ashworth Farson. 

Next post: Pleasant Home, George W. Maher, architect

[violettesiren]

Give me my friend, a necklace of beads— My bare throat Longs for smooth, yellow amber, The tears of an old primeval forest.

Their hue is July-day and honey And blossoming linden-branch, Their scent is like distant, forgotten yearning, Like a flower wilting and rare.

They lie on my throat So smoothly, tender and cool, Just like the touch of your fingers Like your word so quiet and still.

My throat is so awkwardly bare, Like a helpless cry in a barren place— Give me, my friend, a necklace of amber, Petrified tears of an ancient tree.

Beads by Rachel Korn (Translated by Mayer Landau)

[keplercryptids]

i think i'm gonna start sharing what books i DNF, cuz idk it might be interesting. i DNF a *lot* (at least as much as i finish) and tbh it's one of the reasons that i read as much as i do. i put down a book as soon as it's not working for me.

the #1 reason i stop reading a book is that I'm not vibing with the writing style, so assume that's probably true for all of these in addition to whatever else i didn't like lol.

books i DNF'ed recently:

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White. it was too fun. lmao. and leaned a little YA-feeling for me.

A Fractured Infinity by Nathan Tavares. again, writing felt YA, and also the book opened by talking about how the love the two main characters had for each other was so powerful it broke the world or whatever, and that's something i would prefer to see over the course of the book rather than being told on page 3. (i am very picky about romances.)

The Wise Hours by Miriam Darlington. i was expecting it to be about owls, but it's more of a memoir. probably a lovely book but not what i wanted in the moment.

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai. i really tried with this one but i felt bored by the writing. can't remember specifically what wasn't clicking.

The Insatiable Volt Sisters by Rachel Eve Moulton. the first chapter was really good and creepy! but then chapter 2 established this as a contemporary horror. i am REALLY picky about horror and i hate when it's too contemporary lol.

The Second Rebel by Linden A. Lewis. i really enjoyed the first book in this series, The First Sister, but this is the third or fourth time I've tried reading the sequel and i get bored/into a reading slump each time. I'm gonna try the audiobook of this one before i must officially give up on the series.

The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison. the beginning was fine, i honestly could have kept going, but i was approaching a reading slump and didn't feel like reading a sherlock retelling. also the reviews are middling. shrug.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro. opened with a long "motherhood is pain" sequence, which i'm not very interested in. also felt like there was too much telling and not enough showing.

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh. okay i really wanted to love this one and i swear it isn't supposed to be YA, but it reads that way soooo much. if you love YA scifi or if you're newer to adult scifi, please try this one, you might love it.

[hope-for-olicity]

November 2022 Reads!

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

The Christmas Letters by Jenny Hale

The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

The Quality Street Girls by Penny Thorpe

The Accidental Christmas Match Up by Rachel John

The White Christmas Inn by Colleen Wright

A Billionaire Inventor for Christmas by Dobi Daniels

The Last Christmas Cowboy by Maisey Yates

A Kiss for Christmas by Caroline Linden

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Gingerbread Kisses by Lucy Eden

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The next couple is Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge are also famous for their outgoing personalities; Gordon Ramsay and Tana Ramsay & Rachel McAdams and Jamie Linden are further on our list, which represents the perfect compatibility between Virgo and Scorpio.