Sister's Choice Quilts

Very Exciting Announcement

Hey, friends! I have a very exciting announcement to make to you all. 

My daughter Sara and I have started a podcast called Reeding Between the Lines!

You can click the link highlighted above, and there are also buttons on the right-hand sidebar that link to our podcast and to our Instagram accounts. We hope you will listen and subscribe (it's free)!

We recorded our first episode last week, and Sara did all the editing and got it uploaded to Apple Podcasts for your listening pleasure. We plan to get better-quality microphones for our next episode, so the sound quality should be better. We hope to upload a new episode every two weeks.

In the first episode, we introduce ourselves, describe our reading tastes, and review three current books we are reading, one backlist book, and one upcoming book we are looking forward to. Our reading tastes are pretty diverse, so you will get a wide selection of recommendations in each podcast. 

This entire endeavor was Sara's brainchild, and she did a lot of work to plan and execute all the technical details.

I do hope you will give it a listen and let us know what you think. Also, if you have any suggestions for content, we'd love to hear about it!

 

Runners Up for the Best Books of 2023

I read so many great books in 2023 I was hard-pressed to keep my "Best Of" list short. These additional 12 books were absolutely excellent reads. They also offer a bit more diversity than my "Best Of" list, which consists totally of historical fiction! 

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan. This is a reliable author for me, having previously enjoyed "The Chilbury Ladies Choir" and "The Kitchen Front", also by her. It is a sweet story of friendship between women in an English village who come together to remake wedding dresses for those who think they may have to do without due to the deprivations of WW2.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry. Also set during WW2, this book is about two young sisters who have been evacuated to the Cotswolds. Older sister Hazel entertains little Flora with made-up stories of Whisperwood, a fantasyland. Tragically Flora goes missing and is thought to have drowned. Years later, Hazel discovers a book of stories exactly like those she told her sister when they were children. Could Flora be alive? A spellbinding story of love and hope.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. This was a beautifully written contemporary family drama with some comparisons to "Little Women". It is the story of the four Padavano sisters and the broken young man who becomes close to the family. The cast of characters seemed so real, and even when some of them made poor choices, the reader sticks with them. The themes of the book are family expectations, depression, love, and loyalty.

The Connelly's of County Down by Tracey Lange. Another contemporary family drama that had me completely engrossed. At the age of 30 Tara Connelly is released from prison and goes back to her family home to start over. Family members holding deep secrets are a roadblock to Tara's plan to move on. The resurrection of a long-lost love interest and complicated family dynamics made this a compelling read. 

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. Some years past, a hugely popular children's author quit writing books under strange circumstances. His hoards of followers have been waiting for a new book for a long while. Suddenly the reclusive author comes out of seclusion with a new book and a competition. He will host four of his fans on his private Clock Island for a game. Whoever wins, will be given the rights to the new book, which is sure to make a fortune. The competitors are compelling and deserving, especially Lucy Hart who is a struggling preschool teacher whose goal is to be able to foster/adopt one of her students. This was a sweet book, about found family, facing your fears, and making dreams come true.

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. On the surface, this coming-of-age novel appears to be a mystery, but it is far deeper than that. The novel has gotten rave reviews for the way the world is seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. Cory Mackenson is growing up in the 1960s in a town called Zephyr, Alabama. One day Cory accompanies his dad on his milk route when they witness an event that appears to be a murder. The townsfolk seem able to put the matter behind them, but Cory and his Dad want to learn more. Themes are good vs evil, ignorance vs tolerance, innocence and growing up, and much more. A truly wonderful book.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Basically, the book is about a college that trains young people to ride dragons to do combat with a neighboring empire that threatens their own. Not only do you need to watch out for the unpredictable dragons, but you better keep an eye on the other students who might want to do you in.  Dragons are very cranky it turns out. Lots of action, good character development, and the plot MOVES. First book in a series.

The Second Mrs. Astor by Shanna Abe. This is a well-researched novel about John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Force and their scandalous romance and disastrous honeymoon aboard the Titanic. Very moving and rich in detail of the Gilded Age in New York. If you enjoy books by Marie Benedict or Jennifer Chiaverini, you will like this one. 

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman. Billy Perkins is a single dad who lives above a record store in Baltimore. He is a happy man who doesn't wish for much more than to spend time with his teenage son and teach piano. His peaceful life comes to a halt when his son Caleb pulls some strings and manages to bring Billy's longtime adolescent crush back into his life. This is none other than reclusive, "retired", rock star drummer Margot Hammer. If you enjoy middle age romance, quirky characters you will root for, and second chances to reinvent your life, you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter. The wonder of this book is the way it is set up. The narrative is done in a mixed media style using tv scripts, emails, text messages, interviews, and newspaper clippings. The premise is that a tv producer is making a documentary about an unsolved murder that happened in his family when he was a kid. He gathers an "A" team of detectives, journalists, and forensic experts together to try to solve the crime, which has been a cold case for decades. The reader learns the facts along with the experts and tries to solve the case along with them. It was pretty brilliant.

Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom. Crow Mary is based on a real-life character, an indigenous Crow woman named Goes First. The book begins in 1863 where we get a close look at the life Goes First lives with her tribe as the daughter of a Chief. In 1872 our main character is married off to a white fur trader named Abe Farwell. He renames her "Mary" and they embark on a journey to Saskatchewan, Canada. Mary comes to love her husband but is conflicted between wanting to retain her own culture and becoming a part of his world. A real event called The Cypress Hills Massacre takes place in 1873, and Mary commits a heroic act that results in her saving the lives of a number of native women who have been abducted and abused by white men. This act of bravery and the subsequent fight to see justice served will take a toll on Mary and her marriage for years to come. If you are interested in historical fiction, the conflicts between cultures, and the suppression of indigenous people, put this book on your "to-be-read" list. 

Don't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino is a romance, but has deeper themes than that label would suggest.  It is set in the early 1960's, and our main character is a feisty 20-year-old gal who wants to live life for herself and not according to her parent's expectations. After an "incident" with the son of the local rabbi, her parents send Marilyn away for the summer to stay with her Aunt Ada, who is not the stern old lady her parents believe her to be. Will Marilyn conform and adopt the life her parents want for her, or will she embrace the unknown and embark on her own path? Aunt Ada is the mentor Marilyn needs in her life right now. The quirky characters in this book will stay with you, and the ending is so, so satisfying. If you want something "light", but also substantive, this could be the book for you.

I read so many good books this past year and wholeheartedly recommend my "Best Of" and "Runners Up" selections to you!

 

My Best Books of 2023

In 2023 I read 146 books. 60 in print, 63 on my Kindle, 23 on audio. I must be choosing my books better because I had a fantastic reading year, with a whopping 24 of them being rated 5 stars, and 56 of them rated 4-4.5 stars. Without a doubt, my preferred genre is historical fiction, and my favorites reflect that. I read a lot of newly published books, but this year I did delve into my backlist, reading books published in years past.

It was hard to pick my favorites, so I have two lists for you. Today I will share my 12 top books of the year. Later this week I will share 12 close runners up. I have tried to keep my synopses brief and encourage you to read more complete reviews on Goodreads or Amazon. I also have more book reviews on my Goodreads account, which you are welcome to follow. 

Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon was my number one book of the year and a perfect read for winter. The story takes place in the winter of 1789 and is based on the actual diaries of Martha Ballard, a midwife in Maine. A despised local man is found frozen in the Kennebec River and 54-year-old Martha becomes involved due to her medical experience and evaluation of the cause of his death. Very atmospheric and suspenseful. 

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. What can I say? Everyone has been raving about this book since it came out last summer. I listened to the Audible version narrated by Meryl Streep, which was incredible. Set in a Michigan apple orchard during the pandemic, three grown daughters gather at home to help with the harvest. Their mother was a former actress and they beg her to tell them more of her past. This book is all about family and making choices that lead to a meaningful life. Masterful storytelling. 

The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook was a dark horse in my library. If you enjoyed Paulette Jiles "News of the World" or Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove", this book has a similar vibe. I adored this book, which is the story of 19-year-old Benjamin Shreve, an innocent bystander living in the Texas hill country in 1868, who gets involved in a whirlwind adventure not of his own choosing. He witnesses a stagecoach passenger being mistreated by the local sheriff, and when the stagecoach leaves with the man's fortune on board, Benjamin agrees to try to help the man catch up to the stage and his belongings. This is a tale of suspense, jeopardy, and unexpected romance that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Benjamin's voice is droll, reasonable, and so sympathetic. 

In Memoriam by Alice Winn. This book begins in 1914 at a boys' school in England and focuses on two friends Ellwood and Gaunt. The boys too young to join up to fight in WWI eagerly read the school gazette for news of their older classmates, many of whom were dying in the fighting. Soon our two main characters are themselves joining up and navigating the horrors of the war and discovering their feelings for one another. This novel is a remarkable portrayal of two young men who put their lives on hold to serve their country in the interest of a greater good and suffered terrible consequences as a result. This was a vivid and compelling read. 

The Trackers by Charles Frazier. This is another winner from Charles Frazier, author of "Cold Mountain". It is 1937 and "Val" Welch has been sent to the small town of Dawes, Wyoming to paint a mural in the post office as part of one of FDRs New Deal projects. A wealthy local art patron and rancher, John Long, and his glamorous wife Eve, offer to put Val up on their property. Eve has a shady "past" and an ex-husband who may not be happy about her new marriage. When Eve suddenly disappears, John Long talks Val into playing private eye and going after her. And soon Val has some no-good desperados after him. Great secondary characters and lots of Yellowstone vibes. Great plot, terrific descriptions, and everyone is slightly unreliable. This was so good!

Weyward by Emilia Hart. This book is the story of three women in the Weyward family. Altha (1619), Violet (1942), and Kate (2019). All three share a strange gift and a strong affiliation with birds and insects. Each of the three timelines is compelling and you will turn the pages as fast as you can to find out what happens next. The book is a combination of historical fiction and magical realism, with gothic overtones. All three women have serious challenges to overcome and all seek refuge over the generations at Weyward Cottage. I loved it!

If We Were Villians by M.L. Rio. The setting of this book is a private arts college that specializes in Shakespearean drama. The book is set up in five parts, like the five acts of a Shakespeare play and there are seven main characters who are typical of the characters you would find in a Shakespearean history or tragedy. The book begins with one of the students being released from prison ten years after supposedly murdering one of his cohorts. The lead detective on the case never truly believed the young man was guilty and finagles an interview with him on his release from prison to find out what really happened. The story is a richly layered tale of obsession, passion, and friendship that pulled me in from the start. 

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is a book I am surprised more people aren't talking about. Set in Cornwall in 1730, a young girl known as "Red" accompanies her father throughout the countryside, telling fortunes with an ancient tarot-style method called the Square of Sevens. Her father dies suddenly after entrusting Red's care to a gentleman scholar they meet while traveling. He is a kind man who raises her as a lady in the town of Bath. As she matures, our main character, now known as Rachel, has a lot of questions: Who was her mother? Who were the enemies her father always warned her were looking for them? A series of circumstances causes Red to go into hiding when her guardian dies, and she must support herself by reverting to her fortune-telling to survive and discover her past. Great mystery, major plot twist at the end, very Dickensian in style and atmosphere.

The Meaning of Night and The Glass of Time are two books by Michael Cox. In the first book, "The Meaning of Night", our main character does some pretty dastardly deeds, but he has his reasons. Our main character, Edward Glyver goes from the grubby streets of Victorian London to Evenwood, a beautiful estate that he has been cheated out of inheriting. Edward is passionate in his quest for justice and revenge against his arch-rival, the dastardly evil poet Phoebus Rainford Daunt. There are plenty of betrayals, treachery, and obsession in these pages. I was totally obsessed to find out what would happen. The atmosphere of Victorian England is masterfully portrayed. 

The Glass of Time continues this story of revenge. The narrative continues with a female main character, Esperanza Gorst impersonating herself as a lady's maid to the Baroness Tansor, the previous fiance to the villain Phoebus Daunt from "The Meaning of Night". Our fake maid soon learns that her mistress has many secrets, but how it all relates to her remains to be seen. I don't want to give anything away, but this book ties up all the loose ends left hanging in "The Meaning of Night". The ending is also enormously satisfying. If you enjoy Victorian drama, great prose, and wonderful characterizations, you might love these two books as much as I did.

Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence Ash is another book I am surprised not to be hearing more raves about. The story begins in 1940 England with working-class Londoners Millie and Reginald Thompson sending their 11-year-old daughter Bea to America to live with another family to keep her safe until the war is over. Her temporary family, the Gregorys, live in Boston and have a summer home in Maine. They also have 2 sons near about Bea's age. As she gets close to her lovely American family, it is a struggle for Bea to have her heart and home on two different continents. This is a powerful book, with deep and complicated relationships between characters you will care for. This is a totally fresh WW2 perspective, taking place in America.

I end my 2023 Favorites list with a re-read, that is completely worth your time to re-visit. 

September by Rosamond Pilcher. This is a book you will immerse yourself in and be sorry to let go of when you finish it. Set in September in the Scottish countryside, it is the story of a group of people who gather to celebrate the birthday of a local young woman. As you meander through the book, getting to know the various characters and enjoying the descriptions of their everyday life, you will not immediately be aware of the tension that is building throughout the story. It is a slow-building family saga, full of secrets and issues begging for resolution. I highly recommend this highly satisfying book. If you read it back in the 80's, give it another go!

 

Christmas Books

Santa was good to me this year when he left a lot of great books under the tree. Actually, the books are from my son and daughter and I am happy to say that they chose so well!

Ahren gave me two books by Irish authors that I love, The Bee Sting by Paul Murray and Water by John Boyne.

The Bee Sting is described as "a thought-provoking tour-de-force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart". It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and has won a bunch of writing awards. 

Water is the story of a 54-year-old woman who escapes to the west coast of Ireland to assume a new identity after a terrible scandal. Her world has fallen apart and she is consumed by reflections on her part in the situation. The author is planning a four-part series on each of the elements (Water, Fire, Air, and Earth) and I can't wait to collect them all. Oh, and my copy is signed by the author!!

This House is Haunted is another book by Irish author John Boyne, one of his earlier works. Set in Norfolk in 1867, the book is described as a "delightfully creepy" ghost story. Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess. When she arrives at Gaudlin Hall, she is greeted by her two charges, and there appears to be no adult present. Ok, I'm in.

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride is described as a murder mystery, but so much more. The story is set in a Jewish/Black neighborhood called Chicken HIll in Pottsfield, PA. The focus starts with the grocery store but comes to encompass many characters and the question of what we value and what we are willing to do for what and who we love. This book was named Amazon's Best Book of the Year. 

I can't wait to dive into The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong. It is an atmospheric gothic mystery set in post WWI Cornwall featuring a rare bookstore, a creepy manor in the countryside, magic, and maybe even a male witch. 

I also got two new cookbooks, both of which look so good. Have you heard of The Lost Kitchen? It is a tiny restaurant in Maine that is so popular the owners have a lottery every April and see who "wins" seatings at the restaurant for the entire upcoming year. There was a documentary "The Lost Kitchen" on tv that was super interesting. Big Heart Little Stove is the story of the owner Erin French. 

Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, or PW, has a new cookbook Dinner's Ready, and the recipes in this one look very doable and tasty. If you like a cookbook with tons of photos and step-by-step instructions for food your entire family will like, you might love this book.

The very best thing about Christmas is getting new books to read! I am looking ahead to many hours of bliss. 

 

Well, That Didn't Go Well

Well, that certainly did not go well. I invited some family members over for dinner to celebrate the holidays and to visit with our son while he is staying with us. I wanted to make something delicious that I could prepare ahead and that would please everyone. I chose a turkey lasagna recipe from Ina Garten's book "Family Style". It got good reviews and sounded really good. It had all the typical ingredients including turkey Italian sausage, goat cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, fresh herbs, etc. 


First of all, Ina Garten has never let me down until now. This recipe wasn't just bad, it was inedible. Can you imagine, inviting people over and proudly dishing up dinner and....yuck?

The flavors just weren't there in spite of lots of cheese, fresh basil and parsley, and Diestel turkey. But the worst thing was the pasta. The recipe calls for NOT boiling the noodles in advance, but pouring super hot water over them and letting them soak for 20 minutes. What bad advice. That pasta was barely softened. I boiled water in my electric kettle and poured it over the pasta in a 7 x 11" pan for 20 minutes as the recipe instructed. The pasta was somewhat softened after 20 minutes, but certainly not "done". I figured the rest would happen in the oven when it cooked in the sauce. That did not happen. 

I am amazed that my guests could even choke down a few mouthfuls. I was so embarrassed. If you have made this recipe, what was your experience? The online reviews are all raves. If I had boiled the noodles as I usually do when making lasagna, it would have been better, but still, it was pretty flavorless. 

Luckily one of my nephews had sent us a box of assorted brownies from the "Killer Brownie" company, which I served for dessert. At least people left with the taste of something good in their mouths.

Have you ever had a major recipe fail when entertaining? Share your experience and help me feel better. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Books of 2023

I have a few last books of 2023 to share, and they are some darn good ones.

I finally finished Covenant of Water, which was excellent, but I can't give it a full five-star rating because at 700 some pages, it was just Too. Long. Good grief I was glad to close that book after the last page. It was excellent, but I was ready to leave that world by page 450. The writing was amazing, and you will be transported to another world in Southern India. You follow a family for many generations (1700-1977), and learn much about the culture of India and the development of modern medicine. Those who came before us certainly went through a lot that ultimately benefited future generations. You will feel all the feels, and this book is totally worth the effort, but man, it is way long. 4.5 stars

Don't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino was so good. If you enjoy "women's fiction" this book will be for you. It is set in the early 1960's, and our main character is a feisty 20-year-old gal who wants to live life for herself and not according to her parent's expectations. After an "incident" with the son of the local rabbi, her parents send Marilyn away for the summer to stay with her Aunt Ada, who is not the stern old lady her parents believe her to be. Will Marilyn conform and adopt the life her parents want for her, or will she embrace the unknown and embark on her own path? Aunt Ada is the mentor Marilyn needs in her life right now. The characters in this book will stay with you, and the ending is so, so satisfying. If you want something "light", but also substantive, this could be the book for you. 5 stars.


The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is historical fiction at its very best.  Based on the real-life of Martha Ballard, a midwife practicing in 1789 Maine, this book is positively gripping. I haven't quite finished it, but I think it could be a contender for the Best Book of 2023 for me! After delivering the baby of a local woman, Martha is called to examine the body of a man found frozen in the Kennebec River. She determines the man was beaten and hung, then tossed in the river which subsequently froze. Her conclusion is undermined by a local physician (who may be under the influence of those who murdered the dead man) and she goes to court to state her findings and allow justice to prevail. Lots of suspense and characters you will both love and despise. The book takes place throughout one winter and is based on the actual diaries and journal entries of Martha Ballard herself. This book is just excellent and I highly recommend it. This is the perfect book to read in January! Potentially 5 stars.

I hope your reading year is ending on a high note. I have big plans for 2024 and can't wait to share them with you. I will also have a post coming very soon on my top books of 2023. I have read a lot of great books this year and will have a hard time coming up with a top-ten list!

 

Nothing But Cooking Going On

Honestly, it seems as if all we have been doing is cooking. I made bread in the bread machine and I am not sure what the special juju was, but it was the biggest and best-formed loaf I have ever gotten out of the thing. 

It was nice that the bread turned out because things went downhill from there. Ahren and I set up the pasta machine to make linguine and oh my, we should have read the instructions just a bit more carefully. We forgot to attach the disk that shapes the pasta and the liquidy flour and water/egg mixture all leaked out before we even got started. After a 15-minute clean up we began again. 

Ultimately, we ended up with a nice amount of linguine for our Linguine and Clam dish, but it was a bit chaotic for a while. Ahren had to excuse himself at one point to run upstairs to his room and have an emergency chocolate bar break. Honestly, I need to use that machine more often and not have to reinvent the wheel every time I use it. 

Our finished Linguine and Clam dish was quite delicious, although it is all a bit of a white meal, isn't it? 

Today we all go to puppy class with Archie, and as far as dinner goes, I am going to let the guys figure it out. I am ready for a break. We made pizza on Monday night and that was quite a production as well. Southwestern Bacon Quiche the night before that, which was delicious.

When I haven't been cooking, I have been reading, and I am ending the year with some outstanding books. Tomorrow I will share my latest recommendations and I think I have some good ones for you!

 

Best Books of November

I think this year I have gotten much better at picking books that I thoroughly love. I have read so many 4, 4.5, and 5 star books this year! It's a new record, for sure. I have read nearly 140 books this year, which is also a record for me. I am happy to say I haven't hesitated to give up on a book that isn't giving me joy. I can get just a bit into it, or more than half finished but if it isn't doing it for me, I can just shut it down and go on to something I like better.  November was a really good reading month and I'd love to share the best of them with you.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio was just excellent. It is in the genre referred to as "dark academia", which typically isn't my favorite, but I did love this book. The setting is a private arts college that specializes in Shakespearean drama. The book is set up in five parts, like the five acts of a Shakespeare play and there are seven main characters who are typical of the characters you would find in a Shakespearean history or tragedy. The blog Literary Lifestyle has a helpful guide for this book that I encourage you to look at if you decide to read it. The book begins with one of the students being released from prison ten years after supposedly murdering one of his cohorts. The lead detective on the case never truly believed the kid did it and finagles an interview with him on his release from prison to find out what really happened. The story is a richly layered tale of obsession, passion, and friendship that pulled me in from the start. Lots of Shakespearean references which (as an English major) I enjoyed. This book is very literary and made me feel like I was spending my time well while I was reading it. 5 stars (Free on Amazon Unlimited)

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is in a new-to-me genre called "Cozy Fantasy". The set up: an Orc named Viv decides to leave her violent and barbaric life and start anew by becoming the owner of a coffee shop in a small village. Viv has her struggles making her dream come true, and I found myself rooting for her throughout her setbacks. This is a book set in a fantastical realm and full of other-worldy creatures and magic, but has at its heart a cozy feeling. Found family, friendship, loyalty, and starting over are all themes in this unusual book full of strange creatures who have never heard of coffee. Viv's coffee shop will have you smelling the beans roasting and imagining the taste of strong brew and hot creamy foam. It was fun. 4.5 stars.  

The next two books are really meant to be read one after the other. They are both long ones, so it is a bit of a commitment. However if you love a Victorian tale of revenge, murder and deceit, this will be your cup of tea, as it was mine. 
The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox had me compulsively turning the pages. Our main character does some pretty dastardly deeds, but he has his reasons. Our main character, Edward Glyver goes from the grubby streets of Victorian London to Evenwood, a beautiful estate that he has been cheated out of inheriting. Edward is passionate in his quest for justice and revenge against his arch-rival, the dastardly evil poet Phoebus Rainford Daunt. There are plenty of betrayals, treachery, and obsession in these pages. I was totally obsessed to find out what would happen. The atmosphere of Victorian England is masterfully portrayed. 5 stars.

The Glass of Time by Michael Cox builds on the story that has been set up in The Meaning of Night. The narrative continues with a female main character, Esperanza Gorst impersonating herself as a lady's maid to the Baroness Tansor, the previous fiance to the villain Phoebus Daunt from The Meaning of Night. Our fake maid soon learns that her mistress has many secrets, but how it all relates to her remains to be seen. I don't want to give anything away, but this book ties up all the loose ends left hanging in The Meaning of Night. The ending is also enormously satisfying. If you enjoy Victorian drama, great prose, and wonderful characterizations, you might love these two books as much as I did.  I had a major book hangover after reading these two books. 5 stars


With The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook, I really switched gears, but it was wonderful. This book is a Western! Did you love Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry or The News of the World by Paulette Jiles? If so, this book will be right up your alley. Set in Texas, 1868, 19-year-old Benjamin Shreve is minding his own business building furniture when he witnesses a bizarre scene in which a stagecoach passenger is stranded, and the coach takes off with the man's fortune on board. Benjamin is persuaded to help this passenger follow the coach and retrieve his valuables and is thereby drawn into a drama beyond his wildest dreams. The story is epic and you will follow Benjamin into much drama and an awakening of his soul. The story was compulsive and I wasn't bored for a second. 5 stars and I can't wait for this author's next book!

Murder in the Family was my first book by author Cara Hunter, who is hugely popular in the UK. This book is so unusual in its construct. It is written as if it were a documentary in a Netflix-type drama. The producer of the drama is a family member who experienced the death of his "step-father", the much younger husband of his wealthy mother. Most family members were home at the time of the murder, but no one saw anything. The now adult son has pulled together a dream team of investigators (detectives, journalists, forensic psychologists) who all come together to try to solve the puzzle of who murdered "Luke Ryder". As the new series "Infamous" unfolds we wonder if this cold case will actually be solved. This book was a completely different format than I have previously experienced and was a definite page-turner, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The fun part was trying to see if I could figure out the outcome along with (or before) the experts! 5 stars. 

Those were my November highlights. If you read any of them, I sure hope you enjoy them as much as I did! 

Hourglass BOM Through Block 11 and Two Book Recommendations

I am all caught up with the Hourglass Block of the Month from The Quilt Spot. I am just waiting for the final block pattern, #12. You can really see the sunshine and shadow effect that is made with the alternate log cabin blocks. 

I am currently reading two books which I am thoroughly enjoying.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. This is a chunker of a book, at over 700 pages. The story covers three generations of a family in Southern India that is cursed with a "condition" in which one person in each generation dies by drowning. It is an Oprah Book Club pick and an Amazon Best Book of the Year. This book is epic in its format, focusing on the evolution of medicine, the interconnected storylines of its characters, intense passion and tragedy, and most importantly the power of family. This book is massive in scope and lyrical in its writing. I am completely immersed in it and hope you give it a try despite its length.

Crippen by John Boyne. This Irish author is a real favorite of mine. Crippen is one of Boyne's earlier novels and is the fictionalized depiction of an actual crime that took place in 1910. Scotland Yard's Inspector Walter Dew is in pursuit of Hawley Crippen, a quack who is presenting himself as a doctor, and who may in fact be a murderer. Dr. Crippen's horrible wife Cora goes missing and her remains are discovered in the basement of their home, while Crippen and his mistress (who is disguised as a young man) escape on a cruise ship headed from England to Canada. In actual fact, Inspector Dew pursued their ship across the Atlantic, intending to make an arrest upon landing. The story is told in flashbacks and shifting points of view.  Even though the author has no actual historical support for his speculations, the characters' motivations are plausible and you will be turning the pages as fast as you can to see where the author takes us. This reimagined murder mystery is free on Kindle Unlimited and is definitely worth your while. Very Dickensian in style, with some ridiculous side characters who will have you laughing despite the subject matter. 

Going Into the Weekend

Going into the weekend I thought I would share with you a few things I worked on this week and a couple of great books I am enjoying.

This quilt block is the 9th in the Moda Blockheads5 sew-along. It is called Candy Stripe Holly Star or some such thing, but I call it Day and Night Star. It is paper pieced and was super fun to make and turned out spot-on perfect. I saw someone on Facebook had pieced four of the blocks and placed them in the center of a table topper so the stars formed a circle. It was stunning. I will sure be making more of these.

I nearly have all the rows pieced together for my Apple Sauce quilt and am still plugging away at the 80 square in a square blocks for the border. 

Not too long ago I got this Courthouse Steps table runner back from the quilter and need to put the binding on it. It will look great on my hall table, my coffee table, or my dining table this Christmas. I can't decide where I will use it! But it sure came out great. I used some reds and greens from a Bonnie and Camille collection as I recall.

Two more Hourglass BOM blocks. These are month 2. I am hoping to speed through making the blocks for this project and get to work on the alternate blocks.

Now for two really good books I am recommending:

Do you love a good mystery? Are you a fan of true crime? This book is fiction, but has such a different approach I think you might love it as I did. Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter is so original and it will keep you guessing right up to the end. I thought I had figured out "who done it" umpteen times and was wrong every time. You will feel as if you are watching a Netflix true crime drama unfold before your eyes as the story is told through the screenplay format of a cold-case crime documentary. It's a puzzle you, the reader, will solve along with the detectives and show producers.

Have the tissues close by if you read The Last Love Note by Emma Grey. This is so much more than your standard rom com. The author takes the reader through love, loss, heartbreak, and back again. Ultimately hopeful, with unexpected moments of humor. Love, hope, and a good future will prevail. This is really good.

Hope you all have a splendid weekend!

September Book Reviews

September was a slow reading month for me. I have had more time for sewing and perhaps that was why. At any rate, these six books were enjoyable for me and you might like them too. Lots of historical fiction this time!

There were two additional books I got about halfway through and decided I wasn't enjoying them enough to continue. Those were Mr. Magic by Kiersten White and The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes. Mr. Magic was in the horror genre, which I need to accept just isn't for me. The Spanish Daughter was historical fiction and had a great premise (Spanish daughter inherits a coffee plantation in Ecuador), but the main character masquerades as a man when she arrives to meet her long-estranged family. It just didn't make sense to me, so I set it aside.

On to the books I did like!

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger. This book is set in Minnesota in the years following WW2. A wealthy landowner everyone dislikes is found murdered and war hero Sheriff Brody Dern has to sift through the loads of possible suspects to figure out who committed the crime. Rumours abound that the killer is Noah Bluestone, a Native American WW2 veteran who has recently returned to town with his Japanese wife. This is a very literary mystery, full of complexity, great depiction of place, and rich language. We get an in-depth look at the after-effects of war and the racial injustice that was (and still is) a part of American life. This book is so much more than a murder mystery. 4.5 stars

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. This author is known for her books set in historic locations in New York. If you enjoy historical fiction, Fiona Davis' books should be added to your list. The Spectacular is set in 1950's Manhattan and features the Radio City Music Hall. Our main character, Marion, is thrilled to have been selected to be one of the Rockettes. She is ready to move on from the slightly boring guy she is engaged to and the predictable and boring life she faces if she marries him. As she embraces her exciting new life as a performer, the city of New York is rocked by a series of bombings by someone the press calls "The Big Apple Bomber". True story! I have no idea why I hadn't heard about this, but it turns out it really happened. Marion is affected by the bombings and is pulled into the search for the Bomber, and an exciting story ensues. 4 stars

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. Set in Cornwall in 1730, a young girl known as "Red" accompanies her father throughout the countryside, telling fortunes with an ancient tarot-style method called the Square of Sevens. Her father dies suddenly after entrusting Red's care to a gentleman scholar they meet while traveling. He is a kind man who raises her as a lady in the town of Bath. As she matures, our main character, now known as Rachel, has a lot of questions: Who was her mother? Who were the enemies her father always warned her were looking for them? A series of circumstances causes Red to go into hiding when her guardian dies, and she must support herself by reverting to her fortune-telling to survive and discover her past. Great mystery, major plot twist at the end, very Dickensian in style and atmosphere. I was immersed in this story and didn't want to do anything until I got to the end! 5 stars.

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff. There is no doubt whatsoever that Lauren Groff is a writer of exceptional talent. Her writing makes you feel as if you are present in the world she describes. In this case, the book is set in colonial America, where a young servant girl has escaped from the disease and famine-ravaged settlement of Jamestown and is being pursued by those who would take her life. She finds herself alone in the wilderness with a warm cape, a flint to start a fire, and the will to survive. This book definitely is a survival story, and the descriptions of the hardship, hunger, injuries, and natural threats from the environment are truly harrowing. This story is pretty much one awful thing after another happening to this girl. No other characters, no dialog, just descriptions of her solitary flight through the wilds. The book is unique and extremely well-written, but you need to be in the mood for nothing good to happen. 3.5 stars

What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline. Don't start this thriller if you have anything else you need to do because you won't want to put it down. Non-stop action ensues from page one until the end. Jason Bennett is driving his family home from his daughter's lacrosse game when he notices he is being tailgated. The other car forces him off the road and two sinister men come out of the car towards him with guns drawn and order him out of the car. During the following moments of violence, something happens that will change Jason's life forever. Later that night the FBI turns up at Jason's home and tells him the carjackers were part of a dangerous drug trafficking organization and that he and his family must go into witness protection immediately in order to save their lives. The Bennetts are then taken away from their full and rewarding suburban lives and placed in completely unfamiliar circumstances. No surprise that the family starts to fall apart at the seams. Then Jason learns something that causes him to take matters into his own hands...Talk about a page-turner. My goodness. 4.5 stars. 

When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash. Sheriff Winston Barnes and his wife are asleep when the noise of a low-flying aircraft awakens them. When he rushes to the nearby airport he is not prepared for what he finds: a completely abandoned aircraft sitting sideways on the tarmac, and the dead body of a local man lying close by. No pilot, no cargo. Everyone seems to be a suspect and racial tensions are high in this mystery set in 1980's North Carolina. Sheriff Barnes is up for re-election and knows the stakes are high for him to figure out what happened. An additional complication is the arrival of his daughter Colleen, who has suddenly come back home after suffering a shattering tragedy. Winston and his daughter have a close relationship, which I really enjoyed. Tension rises quickly in this character-driven and atmospheric mystery, and I found myself engrossed. And I sure didn't see that ending coming. 4 stars Free on Kindle Unlimited right now.

That's it for September! Do you think you might pick any of them up? If you read any of these books, let me know what you think of them.