Blogger, in all of its wisdom, republished this post. This is old news. :)
A few things I've been reading lately.
The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2023
This was a predictable, but enjoyable installment to this series.
We Three Queens by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2024
In this story, we find Georgie and her husband, Darcy, with their baby, James Albert, at home in the Ensleigh Estate. They end up with her brother and family, the King's secret lover staying with them, along with a Hollywood film crew using the mansion for filming. There are disappearances and eventually a murder.
This was an okay, typical installment to the series. I felt there was too much time spent on the missing child star (it was very obvious what happened) and not much build-up to support the ending. However, I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's always fun to catch up with Georgie and her crew.
* The Royal Spyness books follow Georgie, 35th in line to the British Throne, in the 1930s, as she stumbles onto murder after murder. There are castles, rich people, royalty, and many class restrictions that surround the stories. Despite being royalty, Georgie has no money, which causes a set of problems all its own. The stories are in historically accurate settings, and humorous relief is provided by her inept maid, Queenie.
These books are as much about the characters and settings as the mysteries, and I reach for one of them while I am waiting on a hold or looking for a familiar comfort read.
Seabird by Michelle Kadarusman, Children's historical fiction-middle grades, 2025
Kartini's family was one of wealth and status. Her father was the local Regent. We meet her in 1892 when she is 12 years old. Following old traditions, she has been banished to her home until a marriage is arranged. For the first year, she is locked in her room. After that, she is allowed to move around the family compound, but not beyond its walls.
Unlike her older sister, she was allowed to go to school until she was 12. Here she makes a best friend, Lesty, a Dutch girl whose father is on assignment in Java. When Lesty moves back to Amsterdam, they become pen pals, and each learns about the other's world and shares their different perspectives. Through this, they both come to understand the plight of women and the poor, as well as the difficulties of colonization.
Kartini wants the same privileges as her brothers and eventually convinces her father to give her a chance. From an empowered speech she gives, a movement is started for better opportunities for women.
I wanted to know more about her adult life, but sadly, Kartini died at age 25. Much has been written about her, and a book of her letters has been published. The author tried to be as true to the known facts about Kartini in this book.
I have woefully condensed this fascinating story. I recommend you check it out on your own.
Your Actual Life May Vary by Linda Lenhoff, Adult fiction, 2025
Also, she thinks she has seen a little boy tied to a doghouse in her neighborhood. After multiple failed attempts of getting any action from authorities, she grabs the little boy, along with her belongings, and heads north.
Patty is always looking over her shoulder since she has kidnapped the boy. In addition, she has no parenting experience and has many self-doubts about what she is doing with the boy. The child is non-verbal, so he provides no information about his previous life, including his name. She picks the name Troy for him. He also has a self-soothing practice of biting his hand until it bleeds.
She slowly establishes herself in the community and forms friendships with the owners of the hardware store where she works, her daycare provider, a waitress, and a children's librarian. Some of these people and their children have their own set of issues that they are working through.
The bad guys of the story are the company that is promoting the new town. They have built an amusement park and a new library with hazardous materials that eventually cause serious problems.
I found the book interesting and kept reading to figure out how Patty and Troy were going to find their way. However, I grew tired of all the imagined conversations Patty had in her head. They served the purpose of exploring Patty's self-doubts well, but I think they were overdone. Eventually, I started to just skim them instead of reading them.
While the story wraps up with some happy endings, I was dissatisfied because other parts of the story were left unsolved. Maybe the author is hoping for a sequel?
Tyger by SF Said, Children's fiction (middle grades), 2022
Tyger won the British Book Award for Children's Fiction, along with several other awards. It was a bestseller, has been lauded by many, and has study guides available. If you want to know more than the brief summary I give here, just Google the book. There has been much written about it.
Tyger, a fantasy, takes place in a dystopian London with slavery and evil lords, who are especially cruel to any darker-skinned people. A young Muslim boy, Adam, discovers a wounded mythical tiger in an abandoned warehouse and realizes it needs help getting back to infinity, or it will die on earth. Adam joins a girl named Sadie, and they work together to help Tyger.
The Tyger guides them through different doors, heightening their senses to perceive things others can't. Eventually, there is a satisfactory conclusion to the story. (BTW, I'm often vague here because I don't want to give too much away, because when I read, I don't want to know much about the story.)
The story has a lot of cruelty as well as a tender relationship between the Tyger and the children. And there are plenty of heart-pumping action scenes. While this is not usually the type of book I enjoy, I did like this one, and I understand why it has gotten all the accolades that it has.
Until next time...
