Time to Read

Happy New Year friends!  May the year 2026 allow us plenty of time to read and the means to acquire the books to read.  

This first full week of the year, I have spent down and out with the flu (best guess) including fever, chills, coughing and insomnia.  It has been hard on me, but even harder on the cats.  They so want to cuddle with me, but when I cough that hard neither wants to stay nearby, although Gizzie has resorted to using her claws to keep on me.  

The part about feeling sick has allowed me to read and read more without a lot of visitors.  I have read some great books!  Elise also has been busy and sent in an interview with Catherine Bybee and her newest book Maybe One Day.  The book is a great read and really writes characters that are relatable and down to earth.  

Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen was a wonderful novel about being brave,  finding yourself and allowing yourself to live your life.  The novel starts before WWII with Ellie Endicott being blindsided by her husband demanding a divorce.  She acquiesces but only after she has extracted enough to live on. For me, Ellie and her friends displayed courage and the understanding that they could only move forward.  Their adventures were splendid, but they made them splendid.  I adored the small town they found and the family they forged.  Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen is a fabulous read with wonderful characters.

Woman of the Dunes by Sarah Maine is a novel of three time periods and three main female characters on the same coastal land in western Scotland. It is a wonderful story where each happening in one time shows up in another time as part of the story.  The way everything wraps up into one massive story was fascinating.  This story fed my fascination about ancient peoples (Vikings)  and then layered the subsequent stories on top.  The story includes the family drama of the present and the past.  It includes the pain of loss.  Women of the Dune by Sarah Maine was a good read.

Famous Once by Jane Green 

Famous Once by Jane Green is a short story with two timelines: contemporary and in the 70s.  In the past, Astrid was a famous model who was married to Callum Blake, a famous musician.  Now she is a caterer trying to make her way. She teams up with her daughter Sara to see the 70s introspective about Callum and Astrid’s life, but life continues to move on.  Until one day someone breaks into her house and later she is threatened by an unknown man. Together Zara and Astrid take on the past to have freedom in the future.  Famous Once is a very short story with a positive ending and is a quick read. 

Bluebird Gold by Devney Perry

Bluebird Gold by Devney Perry was the first book in a new series called Lost Legends.  The book took place in Dalton, Montana during the 1980s. The main characters of Cosi and Ilsa were fun to read about!  Some of the tropes were small town romance, opposites attract and single dad/teacher. I loved how the novel takes place in the 80s, as the characters feel more present with lack of technology.  I enjoyed all the characters, especially Cosi’s teenage son.  Bluebird Gold by Devney Perry was a good read. 

Take the time to read this week.