Category: updates

On the Sixth Day of Lightfall (Readathon)

~ EMM

I did not end up staying up late last night finishing Manslaughter Park, but I did finish reading it this morning. And… I was RIGHT about whodunit! Ha! It was a very satisfying conclusion, and not just because I guessed correctly. I had lots of thoughts about it during my run today. I think I basically drafted an entire review in my head. But I didn’t write it down and after lunch and a shower, I completely forgot about it. I will now attempt to recreate my thoughts.

I really enjoyed this adaptation. When I read the author’s note at the end, I realized something more about what it was that drew me to Mansfield Park when I initially read it. I really like a story featuring a character with a strong moral code. It doesn’t even really matter what it is, so long as they are consistently driven by it. I equally enjoy paladins and mercenaries, mobsters and military. I like it even better when that character’s moral code and worldview are challenged and they have to decide how they are going to behave in the face of that. For a recent example, take Some Desperate Glory, which I loved.

I think this is also why I don’t like polemics. I want to see the character struggling on the page. I don’t want to be lectured and told how the author wants me to think about the moral or ethical dilemma.

And this is why I like Mansfield Park. Fanny Price is very driven by her morals. She makes decisions that I might not make in her place, because she insists on sticking to her moral code, even when it’s uncomfortable for her. And this adaptation kept that aspect of the story in place beautifully.

Now that I’m done at Old Tails Bookstore, stop one on my Old Favour Pass journey, it’s time to wander over to Wallice’s Wonderful Winter Wanimals to visit the winged winter stoats! In other words, I’ve started A Holly Jolly Ever After. Nothing like a little Christmas smut to get you in the mood for the holidays!

So far, the first few chapters have reminded me how much I enjoyed A Merry Little Meet Cute, and also how much I have completely forgotten most of the details of that story. This starts off very much like a continuation from that book. More than I think you usually get from the standard connected-but-stand-alone contemporary romance novels. I think I’m going to be okay not remembering stuff from the first book, but I also think it might be fun to read them back to back. Something I might consider for next year, if there is a new release in this series and I’m feeling up for a re-read.

Oh, hey! It just hit me that I finished reading my first book for the Lightfall Readathon! I think that means I get a stamp on my punch card! Fun! I’m going to go do that now while I’m waiting for my lemon bars to finish baking. (What? Who’s stress baking? Certainly not me…)

Last thing before I go, if you’re looking for some fantasy new releases to add to your TBR, I’m participating in this 12 Days of Fantasy book sale that starts today. Check it out if you’re interested.

On the Fifth Day of Lightfall (Readathon)

~ EMM

Today was another LONG day of adulting with not a lot of writing. Sigh.

It started in the dark, but the sunrise was pretty great…

sunrise on the ferry

I had to head over to one of the other islands for an annual doctor exam, but the inter-island ferry commute and waiting around allowed me lots of time to read Manslaughter Park! Reading also helped distract me from my irrational doctor visit anxiety. I’m now about two thirds through the book, and I think I know whodunit. I’ve had a suspicion about one character since the beginning (I’ll put my guess at the end of this post since it may be a spoiler). I’m kind of hoping I’m right, because I think that would be an excellent twist.

But, now that I’m done running errands and checking things off my to-do list, I want to try to get at least a little writing / editing done before I collapse into bed and get back to reading. Given where I’m at in the story, tonight may end up being a “bad decisions book club” night where I stay up WAY too late just so I can finish the book.

In other news, I’ve been very preoccupied with organizing the chaos that is currently inhabiting my brain. This is requiring a pinch of journaling, a growing to-do list that needs sorting, and a lot of thinking about how I want to structure my planning system for 2024. I think I have the start of a plan, but it’s not quite fully baked yet. So, I’ll save that for a future blogmas post.

And speaking of baking… I have a somewhat ambitious holiday recipe I want to try. The baking supplies I needed arrived today, so now I can actually get started on this project. The recipe involves multiple steps that need to happen over the course of several days. I’d like to wait to do the baking part over the weekend, so I need to have a look at the instructions again and figure out when I need to get started. Pictures, process, and results to be documented in a future post…

Now, what I really want to do is get back to reading so I can see if my guess is right. But first, a little writing and some dinner prep.

Potential spoiler is in white text below… Stop reading now if you don’t want to know my guess for whodunit. (Alternatively, highlight the text on the next line if you want to know.)

I think Edmond is the killer.

On the Fourth Day of Lightfall (Readathon)

~ EMM

Today has been a busy day, packed with catching up on everything I neglected while I was gone for the weekend. I made a little more progress with Manslaughter Park this morning, and I’m about to read a bit more before I go to sleep. But, other than that, I haven’t had much time for reading today.

I’m beginning to wonder when the Crawfords are going to show up, and what role they are going to play. I have a hunch that they are going to arrive within the next few chapters, and I suspect they are going to probably be debt collectors. A couple of chapters ago, Lizzie Bennett (who happens to be Sir Thomas’s lawyer), said the debt collectors were on their way and would likely take up residence until they were paid.

On the Third Day of Lightfall (Readathon)

~ EMM

Another long travel day today, so this is going to be a very short update. I’m still enjoying Manslaughter Park, but something feels off about Tom’s character at the moment. In the scene where the will is read, Tom is acting like a total jerk. I feel like Maria and Julia were the jerks, not Tom (or Edmund, obviously). And his behavior especially doesn’t sit right with me when he’s leaning on misogynistic arguments with his sister (like she can’t possibly own a business, she needs to get married, etc.). It just doesn’t feel right. Unless maybe the author is setting him up to be the killer? That would be an interesting twist on the Sir Thomas / Tom dynamic from the original book…

I was curious about this book because 1) I love a cozy mystery, but also 2) there aren’t a ton of Mansfield Park retellings out there in the world. I think that’s because it’s generally the least liked of the Jane Austen novels. Mostly because everyone hates Fanny. She’s not my favorite Austen character, either, but I think that’s because she ends up being sort of a tool for the narrative that allowed Austen to make more direct commentary on things like class, society, and politics in Mansfield Park that in her other, more popular novels.

What’s interesting about reading this book is that, in addition to comparing it to the original, I keep comparing it to my own (unpublished) Mansfield Park retelling. I’ve been working on that book on and off for MANY years now. I think I started it back in 2009, maybe? Coincidentally, the Tom character in my book is also gay, but Yates is not his boyfriend. And I also tweaked the family tree so that my Fanny character and my Edmund character were not technically related, just raised in close proximity. But these are, I feel, the obvious choices to make when modernizing this novel.

I’ve been really wanting to get back to that story, and I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do. But first I want to finish the novel I’m currently working on. In the meantime, I’m going to go back to enjoying Manslaughter Park and trying to figure out whodunit (before Fanny does).

On the Second Day of Lightfall (Readathon)

~ EMM

Not a lot of reading got done today because the day started with a very rainy holiday 5k where I set a new best time for myself!

I mean, that little yeti is just adorable! This is possibly the best race shirt I’ve ever received.

So I ran, hung out with friends, ate a lot of delicious Christmas cookies, enjoyed two different fires in fireplaces, got to play with a cat, and went out to dinner at my in-laws’ local tavern. Basically, it was the perfect winter Sunday. Or it will be as soon as I get my pj’s on, climb into bed, and get back to the book I’m reading.

I haven’t made much progress yet, but I will say, Manslaughter Park had me hooked as soon as I read the dedication (“To all the readers who thought Fanny Price deserved better.”). I’m excited to see what this author does with this retelling.

On the First Day of Lightfall (Readathon)

~ EMM

Finished reading Full Moon Over Freedom and now I get to pick my first read for Lightfall!

It’s been a long day. After driving all morning and visiting with my in-laws. I’m finally sitting down near their Christmas tree to squeeze in a little reading before dinner.

I only brought my Kindle on this short weekend trip, so I’ve been trying to decide between heading straight to the Wanimals store and reading the holiday romance on my TBR (A Holly Jolly Ever After), or starting at the Old Tails Bookstore and going with the cozy mystery (Manslaughter Park).

I think I’m not quite ready to start another romance just yet, so I’m going with the cozy mystery! Also, who am I kidding? Of course the bookstore would be my first stop on this festive holiday visit to Old Favor Pass!

Here we go! Happy Lightfall to all who are participating in this fun readathon!

Lightfall Reading Journal Spread

~ EMM

Did I miss yesterday’s post? Yes, I did.

The day got away from me, and then we spent the evening hanging out with my niece while her parents went to a work holiday party. It didn’t help that I hadn’t picked a topic for yesterday’s post, and I didn’t like any of the back-up topics I’d brainstormed.

Then I decided to set up a spread in my reading journal (such as it is, currently), but the color printer that we have refused to print anything from my computer. So, I decorated the pages I intended to use with some wrapping paper scraps, and then I gave up.

This morning, I finally got the map and passport and my TBR printed (using a different computer). Now that it’s all set up, I can finally share it with you.

I printed out the map with the prompts and my TBR as well as the Old Favor Passport. I considered gluing the passport into the spread, but I don’t expect to fill up all those circles this year. Instead, I think I might make a washi backing for it and then keep it in the back pocket of my 2024 planner (which I will also be using as my reading journal next year). I’m also planning to do some doodling in the leftover white space.

Once I have that all set up, I’ll post a picture. Probably as part of my daily Lightfall Readathon updates which will be starting on Saturday! And that’s not all… there will be a second post coming today. This is just a make-up post from yesterday. So, check back later for my actual day eight post…

Pre-Holiday Book Haul

~ EMM

Yesterday was all about the books I haven’t yet bought for myself, so today let’s talk about the books that I HAVE recently purchased. It’s time for a little pre-holiday book haul. Here’s what I’ve bought since the beginning of October:

  • Chasing Holiday Tail — This was a limited availability holiday anthology where 100% of the proceeds went to the authors’ local Humane Society. My friend had a story in it about two dogs falling in love (kind of like Lady and the Tramp), so of course I grabbed a copy before it disappeared!
  • Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa — Book two is here! And it is on my Kindle! Now if I can just squeeze it into my reading plans for the end of this year…
  • Generation Ship by Michael Mammay — You know I love everything by this author. His books have become an auto-buy for me, and I’m really excited to check out this one because it’s his first space opera!
  • Marked by Magic by Lindsay Buroker — The first book in a new series by this author. I’ve only read one other book by her, but the blurb for this one sounded great, and the price was right, so I decided to one-click.
  • Writing the Shadow by Joanna Penn — I definitely do NOT need another writing craft book, but somehow I couldn’t resist buying this one. I’m sneaking it in before my 2024 one-year ban on new writing craft books and workshops goes into effect.
  • The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem — I just purchased this one today because I saw that Orbit was having a sale on books from some of their debut authors. They have been publishing a lot of stuff that I’ve been enjoying recently, so I immediately clicked the link to check it out. I recognized this book from the Goodreads Choice awards (under the new “romantasy” category), remembered thinking that it looked like something I might like, and grabbed a copy.

Have you read any of these? Or do you have any on your TBR? Anything you highly recommend that I push the the tippy top of my TBR? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Books on My Holiday Wish List

~ EMM

Before I begin this post, I will make two disclaimers. #1: Mom, this post is not meant for you. And #2: I don’t really expect to receive any of the books I mention in this post. This post really should be called “books I’ve been tempted to buy for myself while book shopping for other people.” But that’s a very long (and a lot less catchy) title. 🙂

I usually don’t ask for books as gifts. I’m too picky about format. Plus, if it’s something I’m not sure if I’m going to like, or not planning to read immediately, I’d much rather get it from the library than buy it. But I did save a few books (mostly non-fiction) to my Amazon wish list this year.

First up is a cookbook, Run Fast. Eat Slow. by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. I bought their second book (Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.) this year, and it has become my near daily cookbook. Now that I’ve tried most of the recipes in that book, I’d like to see what I missed in their first book so I can add a few new dishes into my meal plan rotation.

As long as we’re on the topic of running, I’ll also mention this running training journal created by Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan-Dumas. Lauren Fleshman mentioned this in her book, Good for a Girl, and it sounded so good that I had to go check it out and add it to my wish list immediately.

I also would love to get a paperback copy of Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell so I can add it to my “keepers shelf” alongside my paperback of Winter’s Orbit.

And, finally, I am always aspiring to do more doodling and sketching. I really like Peggy Dean’s how-to line drawing books (Botanical Line Drawing and Animal Line Drawing). I noticed that she has a new(er) book that is called Mindful Sketching: How to Develop a Drawing Practice and Embrace the Art of Imperfection. That sounds like something I would definitely enjoy and would love to receive this holiday season.

As I said, I do most of my fiction reading on my Kindle, and I get most of what I read from the library. But there are some ebooks that I’d rather not have to borrow. Sometimes it’s because I want to read it now and not wait. Other times it’s because the ebook is only available on Kindle Unlimited and not at the library. And then there are the tomes that I worry will take me longer than twenty-one days to finish. (I used to have a work-around for that, but I believe that loophole may have finally been closed.)

So, I’ll end this post with a few ebooks that I’d love to receive as a gift:

  • The Faceless Mage by Kenley Davidson — I think I heard someone talking about this series on a podcast, and it sounded like something I might like, but it’s only available on Kindle Unlimited (which I don’t have and don’t want).
  • Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky — This one is a tome and very likely to be a slow read for me, but it’s a book (and series) that, the more I hear about it, the more I am convinced that I would enjoy.
  • Paladin’s Faith by T. Kingfisher — This is a new release that comes out tomorrow (!!). I’ve been really enjoying this series and would love to not have to wait until it’s available to borrow from my library.
  • Seven Mercies by L.R. Lam and Elizabeth May — I really liked the first book in this duology, but this book isn’t available at my library, and the ebook is ridiculously expensive.
  • Back in a Spell by Lana Harper — I bought a paperback edition of the first book in this series because I liked it so much. I also really liked the second book, but I listened to that one on audiobook. I’d definitely love to get book two (From Bad to Cursed) in paperback at some point (bonus wish list item). And I’d definitely love book three (this one) and book four in ebook.
  • Jade War (and Jade Legacy) by Fonda Lee — I’ve had the first book in this series (Jade City) on ebook since 2017 and only recently read it. But now that I have, I know I definitely want to continue with the series. The only problem is, books two (Jade War) and three (Jade Legacy) are also tomes. The first book took me almost two months to finish. So, I’d love to have books two and three on kindle so I can continue reading at my leisure without worrying about library due dates.

So there you have it. What’s on your wish list this year?

Currently Reading (Inbox)

~ EMM

I started reading Full Moon Over Freedom last night. This is the second book in a small town contemporary romance series featuring three Mexican-American sisters. They have all recently returned home as adults, each for their own reasons. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and this second book follows the “perfect” (and potentially also witchy) sister in a second-chance romance. I read the first two chapters before bed last night and am excited to be back in this world with a new pair of main characters.

As I mentioned yesterday, I started The Golden Flame about a week before the end of November. This book was one of the YA FairyLoot special edition hardcovers that I got and never read. It’s the second to last of the ones I wanted to read this year for the Adventure in Aeldia challenge.

I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book, because I never heard anything about it, either before or after it was released. The reviews are kind of mixed (3.4 on Goodreads), and out of all my FairyLoot stash, this one seemed most likely for a DNF and donate. That’s how it ended up as my pick for the November prompt (“at risk of an unhaul”). I won’t be making a decision to DNF or not until I get further along (usually somewhere around page 50), but so far, the first couple chapters were interesting enough to keep me reading. I didn’t want to travel with a hardcover, though. So I left this one at home. But I do want to try to finish (or DNF) it before the Lightfall readathon starts next weekend.

Speaking of travel, I also have an audiobook that I’m planning to start tomorrow. I managed to get System Collapse (the new Murderbot book) from my library. It’s due back before the Lightfall readathon starts, so I can’t listen to this for the audiobook and crafting prompt. But that’s okay, because I have a LONG travel day tomorrow, and I think this short book is going to be the perfect thing to listen to during my journey.

But right now it’s time to do some more writing sprints with my friends. I’ll be back tomorrow with the recap of what I read in November so you can see how I’m doing with my end of the year reading TBR.