(That's a net loss; I really need to do better next year!)
# of Classics read:  14
# of Rereads:  11
# of Non-fiction reads:  16
# of Fiction books read:  131

From newly published books to the classics, mysteries and romance, science fiction, young adult, fantasy and suspense, I'd say 2016 was a good reading year for me. I had a lot of fun discovering new authors and revisiting favorite ones. And I already have a long list of books I can't wait to read next year.

Happy 2016!
(And Happy Reading.)

Posted by Lark at 6:00 AM 20 comments: My Top 10 Fiction Reads of 2016:

1.  Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James

2.  Positive by David Wellington

3.  Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham

4.  Alice by Christina Henry

5.  Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson

6.  'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick

10.  The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Posted by Lark at 3:00 AM 18 comments: Seasons Greetings!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Posted by Lark at 12:00 PM 6 comments: Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Shades of Milk and Honey...

9 similarities between this novel and the novels of Jane Austen:

And 1 notable difference:

This Regency romance revolves around Jane Ellsworth and her younger sister, Melody, and their quest to find husbands (although Jane, at 28, has pretty much resigned herself to remaining a spinster). Pretty Melody turns heads while plain Jane spins and fold the ether into skilled glamours. Enter the men:  the young and dashing Captain Henry Livingstone, their eligible neighbor, Mr. Dunkirk, and the artistic and mysterious Mr. Vincent. One of them is a scoundrel of the worst kind, but which one? What ensues is a light comedy of errors with romantic machinations and misadventures, magic and true love. I really liked Jane; Melody. on the other hand, always so selfish and contemptuous of her older sister, I mostly just wanted to slap. (Jane is much more forgiving than I am.) There are a few twists in this book, but pretty predictable ones. I saw most of them coming. And while the antagonistic relationship between Jane and Mr. Vincent hardly rivals that of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, it does have its moments. So even with its flaws, Shades of Milk and Honey is a fun, light-hearted novel. In fact, I'd read Mary Robinette Kowal again, especially if she's writing about these characters.

Similar Reads:
Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett
Posted by Lark at 6:00 AM 8 comments: Labels: book review, England, Fiction, magic, Regency Romance

Sunday, December 18, 2016

5 things you need to know about Jae Hwa Lee:
She's Korean-American.
She's 16.
She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
She's an expert archer with a Korean horn bow.
And the Korean demigod, Haemosu, wants her for his bride. Gilded, by Christina Farley, is a fun YA magical adventure. After Jae's mother dies of cancer, her father decides to move back to Seoul, Korea. There, he enrolls Jae at the International School where she meets a boy named Marc who makes her feel awkward and tongue-tied every time they talk, and whose smile makes her blush a bright fiery red. Jae has one other problem, a much more serious one. She's the oldest daughter in her family and a direct descendant of Princess Yuhwa, the very first girl stolen away by Haemosu generations ago. And now Haemosu has come for Jae. Somehow Jae must find a way to fight him off, free the souls of her dead ancestors, and break their family curse forever. All while keeping up with her schoolwork. Luckily, she has her grandfather's help. The Blue Dragon's magical bow. And Marc.

I think what I enjoyed most about this novel is how Farley is able to mix together modern-day life in Seoul with so many ancient Korean folktales and myths; it makes for a fascinating setting. But I also liked Jae. She's impulsive and makes some dumb mistakes, but she's also a spunky 16-year-old girl dealing with some pretty fantastic stuff. And her hesitant relationship with Marc made me smile. After all, it's hard enough being a teenage girl without also having to deal with destiny and a bunch of mythological monsters come to life. I probably won't read the sequel, but I did enjoy Gilded.

Posted by Lark at 5:00 AM 13 comments: Labels: archery, book review, Fiction, Korea, magic, myths, YA Novels

December's Bookish Art...

Reading is Bliss!
--Nora Ephron

Posted by Lark at 6:00 AM 15 comments: Nightingale Wood by Stella Gibbons

Posted by Lark at 6:00 AM 14 comments: I want a snow day!

Here's to dreaming!
(And happy reading.)

Posted by Lark at 6:30 AM 13 comments: Murder and Mystery...

Posted by Lark at 6:00 AM 16 comments: Saturday, December 3, 2016

Reading England Challenge...

The Goal:  To travel England by reading, and read at least one book per however many counties of England you decide to read.

This was a fun reading challenge hosted by Behold the Stars, and a great literary pilgrimage across England as well. I ended up reading 11 books set in 9 different counties, which means I reached Level 3 -- Reading 7-12 counties. Yay! Here are the books I read for the Reading England 2016 Challenge and the counties where they are set:

Jacob's Room  by Virginia Woolf

Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden

When Falcons Fall by C.S. Harris

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
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