Author: Book Girl

The Enchanted Greenhouse

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The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

A fantasy novel as cozy as a warm hug, this is connected to The Spellshop. Terlu awakens on a cold, snowy island, alone. She is stunned, because her last memories are in the Great Library of Allysium, where she’s been a wooden statue. Before that, Terlu was a lonely Fourth Librarian who cast a spell from a library book on a spider plant, and later ended up a statue.

An unlocked door on Belde Island reveals an amazing greenhouse, leading to more and different greenhouses. One has singing plants; another has a sunflower maze protected and pollinated by tiny dragons. There is a greenhouse dedicated to garlic, others to roses, even one with a sea turtle! These are enchanted, and are cared for by Yarrow, the single remaining gardener, who grew up on Belde. Yarrow is mostly silent, very busy, grumpy, and an excellent cook and baker. A winged cat and a talking rose plant are the only other island residents. Yarrow was hoping for someone to help the greenhouses that fail, going cold and dark with broken glass, and is very disappointed to get a talkative librarian instead of a sorcerer.

The greenhouses are simply amazing, and Terlu, Yarrow, and Lotti (the sentient rose plant) are very good company. More people arrive on the island, with startling news from Allysium, and Yarrow and Terlu look for ways to repair the broken greenhouses. This story would make lovely reading in a warm, bright room on a cold, wintry night. Fans of The Spellshop will be pleased, and look forward to more cozy fantasy from Durst.

Brenda

Dear Miss Lake

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Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce

Another Emmy and Bunty book! This is the fourth novel set in wartime London, where journalist Emmy Lake is trying her hardest to help the readers of Woman’s Friend magazine cope until peace arrives. Starting in July 1944, the war in Europe is being won by the Allies, but times are still tough for the soldiers, nurses, and everyone on the homefront.

Emmy and her brother-in-law move the staff of the magazine, along with their spouses and three children to a country estate owned by Bunty’s grandmother. Emmy gets her dream work assignment, as an official war correspondent, and travels to Belgium. Bunty’s sweetheart proposes, a wedding is planned, but Emmy’s husband has to leave England on a secret assignment. Emmy connects with other women who are waiting and waiting for their husbands, sweethearts, or sons to come home. Will the war ever end? And when one of the magazine’s younger staff is overwhelmed by events and leaves without giving a forwarding address, there is plenty to worry about.

This doesn’t sound like a very cheerful read. And yet, this is heartwarming, sad, joyous, and funny in turns. The characters are the stars of this series, from best friends Emmy and Bunty, to their partners, coworkers, and the children in their lives. If you’re up to a few tears, this is an absolutely lovely and charming read for fans of historical fiction set in England. The first book is Dear Mrs. Bird, and the others are Yours Cheerfully and Mrs. Porter Calling.

I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

Brenda

Outlandish

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Outlandish: Walking Europe’s Unlikely Landscapes by Nick Hunt

I enjoyed reading this combination of hiking memoir, geography, nature, history, culture and more. In 2019 Nick, a British travel writer, hikes through arctic tundra to visit two tiny glaciers, in Scotland. Wintry weather makes the hikes quite challenging. But maybe he’ll see the Gray Man, or reindeer.

Next, he travels to Poland and Belarus to walk through parts of the Białowieża rainforest, which is threatened by logging and road building like so many forests, as well as disease. Bison and wolves might be glimpsed here. The border area is quite militarized, yet Nick feels the urge to stray from the paths. Sometimes he camps in a tent during his adventures, other times in motels or guest houses.

In Spain, Nick travels thru the Tabernas desert, made of rock, not sand, during the 2nd hottest summer on record. The desert is near the Mar de Plástico, the Plastic Sea, which is made of polytunnels where more than half of the fruit and vegetables sold in Europe are grown. Many of the workers are migrants from Northern and Saharan Africa who endure sauna-like conditions. In the Spanish desert, many western movies were filmed, and there is still entertainment styled after the wild west. Nick finds the light dazzling, and while having stored several days of water at his camp in a slot canyon, has to remind himself to return each day before running too low on water. Ibex are frequently spotted on the heights of the canyon walls.

The final adventure is on Hungary’s grassland Steppe, almost completely flat, except for ancient burial mounds. He sees native horses, wallowing water buffalo, and miles and miles of grassland. A festival of Europeans and Asians of the grasslands celebrates horses, unusual alcoholic drinks, and even remembrances of Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan.

Vivid writing, great armchair travel writing, and thoughtful explorations of places that are remnants of the past, and how changing climates affect them. A memorable read.

Brenda

The Adventure of the Demonic Ox

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The Adventure of the Demonic Ox by Lois McMaster Bujold

This is a Penric and Desdemona fantasy novella. The first novella is Penric’s Demon, the most recent title is Penric and the Bandit.

Penric goes on an adventure with his children who are 8, 9, and 12, and are starting to think about their futures. Wyn is spending the summer as an errand boy with an engineer uncle, who’s rebuilding a nearby bridge. Wyn comes home with an incredible story about a white ox, who may have a demon. Penric travels back to the work site with Wynn, Rina, and his adopted daughter Otta while Penric’s wife Nikys and her mother Idrene stay behind, for a very good reason. Rina, 12, knows that she doesn’t want to teach small children. She is already talented at weaving and being a scribe, but is looking for a more exciting career. Otta has a lot of schooling ahead of her, as does her companion Atto. Wynn might want to be an engineer, too.

Penric is a scholar, a sorcerer, and a physician. Desdemona is his demon. There is quite the adventure with the possessed ox, even turning a bit scary, but with a lovey, cozy ending. Some humor and memorable characters make these fantasy novellas a treat to read.

Brenda

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

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A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Mandanna’s first book for adults, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, has been very popular with cozy fantasy readers since it was published in 2022. Fans will rejoice with this new book, not a sequel, but set in the same version of England. The British Guild of Sorcery in Northumberland has a council packed with conservative white witches from the top ten British witch families. They run a school for young witches, but fortunately also offers a homeschooling option.

We learn more about magic and witches, including some from Iceland. Witches have varying amounts of power, curses may backfire, and magic can be lost. Some old books of spells are in a restricted section of the Guild’s library, and Sera Swan has lost access to it.

Sera and her formerly late great-aunt Jasmine run the Batty Hole Inn, and the inn is largely held together with Sera’s magic. A recent spell lets only those who need the inn find it. Currently lodging with Sera and Jasmine are two non-magical guests: Matilda, who is obsessed with mushrooms and Nicholas, who works as a Knight at the nearby Medieval Faire. Theo, a young relative, is living there while homeschooling. Luke, a witch scholar, unexpectedly arrives with his young sister Posey, who has magic and autism. Roo-Roo, a zombie rooster, and Clemmy, a fox, also live at the inn. Found family is a major theme, and Sera tries to make the inn as welcoming as possible when apple tea may rain down on any given Sunday.

There are two possible romances developing, an ex-friend seeking forgiveness, a power-hungry wizard who will do anything to thwart Sera’s plans, and some adventure and danger in store. A delightfully creaky old house and a charming cast of characters greatly add to the story’s appeal.

Brenda

Atmosphere

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Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Read

It’s great when a popular new book lives up to the hype. Atmosphere is a thrilling ride, and a compulsive read. Joan Goodwin is an astronomer, a professor of physics and astronomy, when she applies to be a NASA astronaut at the beginning of the space shuttle program. She doesn’t get an interview the first time, but is selected for the second group of astronaut candidates, along with several other women. Her class of astronaut candidates includes pilot Hank, brilliant mission specialist Lydia, Griff, Donna, and Vanessa, an aeronautical engineer and pilot. Vanessa wants to fly a space shuttle, but only military pilots were eligible and, like almost all women pilots at the time, Vanessa was a commercial pilot.

A couple of the characters are inspired by NASA astronauts Sally Ride and Anna Fisher. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, kept her personal life very private until she died of cancer in 2012, then had her obituary include recognition of Tam Elizabeth O’Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years. Anna Fisher married another astronaut candidate, waited months to announce her pregnancy, went back to work the week after giving birth, and flew on space shuttle Discovery when her daughter was 15 months old. One female character in the book conceals a pregnancy, and another has a secret girlfriend, which could lose her the necessary security clearance to be assigned a shuttle mission.

The only really unlikable character in Atmosphere is Joan’s sister Barbara, who demands frequent backup from Joan to care for her daughter, Frances, and doesn’t come to her first launch. Fortunately, Frances and Joan are very close. Joan is challenged by motion sickness, but perseveres, goes into space, and later becomes a CapCom, communicating with astronauts from NASA’s Mission Control Center. As we learn at the beginning of the story, Joan is the CapCom when several members of her candidate class fly aboard the (fictional) shuttle Navigator, and all does not go well for their mission. Joan cares deeply about everyone on board, making the crisis even more challenging for her. Exciting and moving, this fast-paced thriller has a big heart. I’ve read Reid’s Malibu Rising, and appreciate how all of her novels are very distinct from each other.

Brenda

Best of All Worlds

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Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

This teen science fiction thriller is a compelling read. Xavier, known as Zay, is 13 and is spending the weekend at the family lake cottage with his dad and pregnant stepmom, Nia. His brother Sam has a soccer tournament and didn’t come along. He did put a couple of new albums on Zay’s phone. Zay’s favorite hobby, besides listening to music, is creating Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

One morning the Oak family wakes to the bleating of goats needing milking. Nearby is a chicken coop, an orchard, and farm fields. The lake has vanished, as has their vehicle. There are lots of tools, some useful books, and soon, a crib for the coming baby. Zay narrates messages to his brother Sam on his phone, until eventually it won’t charge anymore. As no phone means no music, he is very unhappy.

When Zay is 16, new neighbors appear in the night. Their kids are similar ages to Zay and his little sibling. The dad, Riley Jackson, has a good idea about how to get back home, and thinks they are still on Earth. But whoever brought the two families to their new homes clearly wants them to farm, and to cook food from scratch, not eat frozen pizza and junk food. They are clearly not meant to try leaving, as threatening animals appear when they do.

Zay, finally having another teen to connect with, isn’t sure about the escape attempt, and is shocked by some of the beliefs that Riley reveals. This is a fast-paced, memorable story that reminds me just a little of Nation by Terry Pratchett, even though Nation is set on a tropical island. Quite a few years back, I remember enjoying Oppel’s Airborn, a teen steampunk novel set aboard a zeppelin.

Brenda

Knave of Diamonds

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Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King

In 1925, Mary Russell encounters her uncle, Jacob Russell, for the first time in many years, after a Holmes family celebration near Paris. Jake is the family black sheep, and is looking for the Irish Crown Jewels that were stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907. The Jewels are known as the Order of St. Patrick. Jake may or may not have been involved in the theft.

The first mystery novel featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, was published 30 years ago, and there are now 19 novels and a collection of short stories. I’ve read and enjoyed most of them, and thoroughly enjoyed this adventure of Mary and Jake Russell and Sherlock Holmes, bouncing between England and Ireland, somewhat to Mary’s distress, as she does not care for sea crossings. They travel by train, car, donkey cart, and afoot as they trace the people and places connected with the Jewels, including The O’Mahony, and find that they are not alone in their search. Along the way, Mary and Sherlock acquire a housekeeper to replace Mrs. Hudson at their Sussex house. Mary, Sherlock, and Jake take turns narrating the chapters, which makes for entertaining reading. Uncle Jake, the possible jewel thief, is rather nervous to be under the close scrutiny of Sherlock Holmes. Mycroft Holmes also has a brief appearance, but the brothers are not seeing eye to eye here, and Sherlock mysteriously gives Mycroft an address in France to check out. Great fun, and a fairly low stakes mystery. What the reader doesn’t know until very late in the story is what plans Jake has for the Jewels if and when they’re found.

Brenda

The Witch Roads

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The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott

Elen is a deputy courier, delivering messages to small towns and settlements along the same route each month. For part of the month, she’s back home in Orledder Halt, with her teen nephew Kem. Elen can detect and root out new irruptions of Spore. This time Kem is accompanying her on the route, to see if he also wants to be a courier. His Declaration Day is just around the corner. Kem’s mother Aoving died two years ago during an avalanche, while working as a midwife at the Heart Temple. The avalanche has cut Orledder Halt off from travel to the north, except for a secret pathway through the hills and across a canyon.

Two groups of important travelers arrive in Orledder Halt. From one, Kem learns that his father is a lord. The second group includes Prince Gevulin, who’s heading north. Kem, considering being a Warden, joins Prince Gevulin’s group, as does Elen, who knows the hazardous route. Kem is angry with Elen for keeping secrets from him, even after his mother’s death. A guardian statue’s spirit, or haunt, secretly joins the group. Elen has the lowest status of the group and often has to sleep and eat separately from the others. But a simple bed and a full belly remind Elen of the hungry years when Ao and El, orphaned child atoners, were always in danger of the Spore until their daring escape.

This is a memorable journey through an amazing world with many dangers, wonders, and not-quite-human beings. The land is so ancient that much of its history has become myth. Elen and the haunt have some very interesting conversations. I eagerly await Elen and Kem’s further adventures. Epic fantasy readers will likely enjoy this duology, to be concluded this November with The Nameless Roads. The author has two dozen other fantasy works, which I don’t think I’ve read, but look forward to sampling.

Brenda

Two Novels by Nevil Shute

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Ruined City and In the Wet by Nevil Shute

Little Bear kitty wanted to help with this post. I have access to the collected works of mid-20th century novelist Nevil Shute. I’ve read many of them, and was surprised to find that both Ruined City and In the West were new to me. An engineer and aviator, Nevil Shute Norway loved writing books set in England, Australia, and occasionally, the future. He is most famous for two of his most dramatic books, On the Beach and A Town Like Alice. My favorite of his novels is Trustee from the Toolroom. The books, in some respects, feel a bit dated, but still make for good reads, and it can be fun to read older books.

Ruined City, also called Kindling, was published in 1938, and is set during 1933-1937. The United Kingdom was just coming out of the Great Depression and unemployment was very high. Henry Warren, a London financier, is unwilling to make even slightly risky loans. His advice on investments is highly respected. Working long hours and traveling throughout Europe for his work, Warren often dines alone at home, served by his butler, as his wife is very social and rarely home in the evening. She meets someone else and they plan to divorce. For his health, Warren goes on a long walking tour and ends up in the north of England after he’s taken ill on the road. Recovering from surgery in the hospital in Sharples, he meets a kind almoner (sort of a social worker) and takes walks through the town, discovering a closed shipyard. Deciding that sometimes the ends do justify the means, he makes a slightly shady deal in a fictional Balkan country to help reopen the shipyard, which just might revitalize the town. Warren makes the deal knowing it may come at a high personal cost. A very satisfying read.

In the Wet was published in 1953. This is one of Nevil Shute’s speculative novels, in which he wonders about possible futures. The beginning of the book is set in Queensland, Australia in the early 1950s, but most of the book is set in the early 1980s. It’s fascinating to look back at the 1980s to see how the author’s ideas of the future did or did not resemble our timeline. Wing Commander David Anderson, one-quarter Aborigine, is stunned to be assigned to the Queen’s Flight. In this version of the 1980s, Canada and Australia are more prosperous than Great Britain and have commissioned two very modern airplanes for the Queen that travel at very high altitudes and have a long range. This will enable Queen Elizabeth or her two children, Charles and Anne, to reach anywhere in the Commonwealth in only a couple of days.

David falls for one of the Queen’s secretaries, Rosemary, and they share a love of sailing. He wants to make his home near Canberra, Australia while life in London and Oxford is all Rosemary has known. There is a government crisis that result in several long flights for David. David’s unfortunate nickname and a very cliched Asian character in the 1950s Australian portion of the book make parts of this book feel dated, but it’s a remarkable, thought-provoking story.

Brenda