The Women of Wynton's

by Donna Mumma

friend's copy paperback 298 pages plus author's note and acknowledgements

Published: 2024

Genre: historical mystery fiction

 

I would usually list "Christian" fiction as part of the genre for our book club titles, but this one didn't seem to have faith in Jesus as a main point of the story. It was a very fun (and quick) book to read! It's a great summer read and I'm eager to have the discussion tonight.

 

Audrey Penault is the elder Mr. Wynton's glamorous, devoted, hard-working secretary. She is also grist for the store's rumor mill and has earned the nickname "Hatchet" for her cool demeanor and the perception that she gets people fired.

Vivian Sheffield owns and runs the bridal salon within Wynton's and has her friend Mirette at her right hand.

Mary Jo Johnson is working at Wynton's to support her family after her husband's accident lost him an arm. She'd rather be home with her children.

 

Gigi Woodard doesn't like working as a waitress at Wynton's but dreams of someday moving up in the world.

 

We get to know these women quickly. I liked Audrey right from the get-go and felt sad that so many of her co-workers viewed her negatively. I don't like gossip! It's hurtful and unnecessary. *** There are some spoilers below and this is a murder mystery, so proceed with caution!***

 

Page 9: "'It's 1955. Things shouldn't be that archaic.'

'Lotta things not the way they should be right now.'

They shared a long, quiet look before she did the only thing she could. She nodded."

 

I loved that Audrey was on friendly terms with Nelson, the black night security guard. I love that she brought him fresh hot coffee and cinnamon twists each morning.

 

Page  38: "Any store owner worth his grits would have recognized she wore Dior today. Junior wouldn't recognize quality if it came and bit him on his . . . chair cushion."

I like when books make me laugh. Audrey was much too polite and well-bred to use any reference more crude. This was a great observation!

Page 44: "'Age creeps up, then all of a sudden grabs and won't let go.' He groaned as he straightened his knee."

I agree, Nelson! Age does a job on a person! 

Page 48: "But in their alone times, he'd stew over her being the breadwinner. He wasn't a man, he'd say, and then slip into his dark mood and sit for days, staring at nothing and refusing to eat, sleep, or talk to her and the girls."

It's so hard to see someone struggling with depression, low self-esteem, etc. Mary Jo wanted so much to be encouraging and uplifting to her husband, but he didn't make it easy. (I liked that later in the book, she went ahead and ordered a prosthetic arm for him.)

Page 89: "She'd learned her first lesson from Miss Evelyn that day. True ladies remained calm in crises. Kept pleasant expressions on their faces and kind words spilling from their mouths. And no public tears. With lifted chin, she swallowed back the emotions now swelling to a stabbing pain in her chest."

I'm nothing like Audrey and could probably benefit from some lessons in a ladies finishing school. But I would have reacted much more vehemently at the cemetery than she did!

Page 95: "But that was time's and the good Lord's job. She could only support their work, not do the task for them."

I love that Audrey wants so much to help Mr. Wynton over the grief of losing his son, but so much more the fact that she recognizes that she can't do it for him.

Page 122: "'But when my life fell apart, Mirette helped me pick up the pieces and glue them back together. Because that is what we southern women do for one another. We pull up our stockings, forgive one another, and hold our friends close no matter what. Understood?'"

In some ways, Vivien was my favorite. She was no-nonsense and really took some of the younger girls under her wings. She was talking to Mary Jo and Gigi here, and they needed to hear that message.

Page 156: "'Always remember, pretty is as pretty does.'

As she said the words, Audrey came to mind. She'd heard so many ugly things about Audrey, but all she'd ever seen was nice."

I got a little frustrated by how long it took Mary Jo to figure this out. It made me think of the Scripture in Matthew 7:15-20. Verse 20 says, "Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." (New Living Translation)  Everyone's cruel gossip about Audrey and their assumptions about her behavior and attitude were so frustrating! Cissy was so fake and awful.

Page 163: "'God didn't go to the trouble of making people for them to turn around and do such horrible things to each other.'"

This whole conversation between Lilla (black cook) and Gigi is worth re-reading. They're talking about a sheriff who has killed several black people for essentially no reason. Gigi being friends with Lilla is one of my favorite things about her.

Page 199: "'You know all that plastic comes from the oil companies. Nasty, nasty business.' . . . 'I don't care if you tell me it's made of diamonds and trimmed in gold. Burping your bowls is so uncouth.'"

Mirette does not have a filter on her mouth and I love her outspokenness! She and Vivien are heading in to a Tupperware party. This scene made me laugh. (Another person was murdered in the previous chapter, so levity was welcome!)

Page 242: "Her brain latched onto the fact that Cissy's concern for Mr. Wynton seemed to have evaporated. And as a former buyer for Wynton's, she'd misidentified the designer of Audrey's suit."

I did not like Cissy at all! It made me so happy later in the chapter when Joshua said, "Hope that spot on your Lilli Ann dries soon." I'm no fashionista, but I would love to see a movie version of this book!

Page 257: "Audrey allowed Mary Jo to hug her around the neck, while Miss Vivien patted her on the back. Funny how such simple gestures could make a body feel they belonged."

 

Finally, Audrey develops some friendships with other women! And yes, hugs can be therapeutic.

 

Page  264-5: "Gigi wriggled from his grip. Money didn't make you a somebody. Her parents had taught her that, but until this moment she'd not really understood what they meant."

I was so glad that Gigi figured out what kind of man Bobby really was. It took her a while, though!

Page 281: "'I'll be asking for forgiveness for this later, but I hope he gets what's coming to him.'

'I understand. It's hard to be Christian in circumstances like these, isn't it?'"

The conversation between Mary Jo and Vivien is one I could relate to! Sometimes I wish suffering on someone who's done something awful then check myself, because vengeance is the Lord's, not mine. It's just hard sometimes to see innocents suffering and evil-doers going free.

Page 296-7: I actually got teary-eyed at the end when Audrey and Mr. Wynton went into the store! What a lovely ending to the book. I confess, I thought Audrey and Joshua would end up a couple . . . but maybe that will be a sequel. I can only hope!

The Patchwork Bride

By: Sandra Dallas

Libby eBook

Published: 2018

Genre: historical fiction, relationships

As much as I loved the first Sandra Dallas book I read, I disliked this one. Why then, did I finish reading the entire thing? And why did I request it a second time after several weeks' wait? And why didn't I blog this last night before it autoreturned?

I can answer the last question. We hosted a family party last night and it was fun! After everyone left, I was tired and hoped to blog this title this morning before Libby took it back. Now I'm on a six weeks' wait to get it back! Why am I requesting a book that I didn't enjoy and have already finished reading? Because I highlighted some passages and would like to make comments on them. Because I'm apparently a bit OCD with my book blogging. Because I forget details about books I read, which is why I blog about them in the first place.

This entry will be updated after I get the darn book back!

<Above posted 7.21.2024. Below added 8.20.2024.>

It only took four weeks to get it back. Here's what I had highlighted:

Chapter 1: "Then the memories would die with her. Nobody cared about the stories of an old woman."

Initially, I was drawn to the character of Ellen (the grandmother) whose husband Ben is losing his memory. People's stories matter!

Chapter 4: "'He was cultus when he was full of busthead,' Wendell said at the supper table . . .'That means useless when he was drunk.'"

I was so glad that Lucy explained the ranch slang to Miss Nell, because I was confused! 

Chapter 7: "For a moment, Nell was speechless. She had dreamed of this, but she was startled. She'd never thought Buddy would propose at a water tank."

I'm not 100% sure why I highlighted this, but I know I got frustrated with her husband-hunting behaviors. And then I was super irritated at the "surprise" ending.

Chapter 8: "She had lost her sense of direction. But then, she had never seen a storm come on that quickly. It hadn't been five minutes since the snow started, and now it was so thick that she couldn't see five feet in front of them."

Again, not sure why I highlighted this, but dangerous weather can absolutely do this to people.

Chapter 11: :"Nell even quilted with her grandmother's stitching group. They called themselves the Pickles, after a paisley fabric one of the members had acquired."

This made me curious of the order in which Dallas has written her books. I really, really enjoyed The Persian Pickle Club. (Now that I've checked, TPPC was published in 1995 and TPB in 2018.) I'm not sure if I'll read more of her books, though.

 

Chapter  20: "The idea of finding another man scared her, but she needed a husband, and the longer she waited, the harder it would be to force herself to meet men."

This idea permeated the book. For the era and this character, it wasn't a huge stretch, but it bugged me. Especially when she had sex with potential husbands! Seriously, what were you thinking?

Chapter 20: "Then she thought of the quilt she had left behind half finished at the Rockin' A. She had begun it as a wedding present for Buddy, had pieced it and begun the quilting. What had become of it? Had Lucy finished it before she died? Perhaps it had gone into the dog's bed or had been cut in half and turned into a saddle blanket. Maybe one of the cowboys had taken it for a sugan."

This is a quilter's fear! What if someone doesn't value the quilt and uses it as a dog bed or worse? (A sugan is "a coarse blanket used by cowboys and ranchmen." according to Merriam Webster.)

Chapter 22: "Nell didn't care for sherry at all now and would have liked whiskey, but she was afraid the others would disapprove. So instead, she sipped the too-sweet drink."

Yuk. If you don't like it, don't drink it. 

Chapter 24: "The car's an Oldsmobile Curved Dash, and it goes very fast - up to twenty miles an hour."

Why would Wade buy a car when he was so traumatized over his wife and child being killed by one?

Chapter 24: "He wasn't balky like Buddy, and he didn't have another wife, at least not one that was alive, although Nell thought she would always live with the ghost of one."

 

I was really glad Claire ended up with Wade - he was a good guy. 

 

SPOILERS!

 

Chapter 25: When June called out her grandma on being Nell in all her stories. It just wasn't the powerful reveal Dallas made it seem. I didn't get especially attached to any of the characters. Later in the chapter, June does some math and realizes that Ellen / Nell left the Rockin' A already pregnant with June's dad. Buddy / Grandpa Ben married her in 1902. Happy Ever After.

Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds (Reading Log)

By: Jan Davidson, Bob Davidson, and Laura Venderkam

Carver County Library hardcover 250+ pages

Published: 2007

 

Only 280 more titles to move from my old Excel reading log to this blog! :-) 

I finished reading this and wrote about it on 4.10.2007.

My summary: "The authors write about the status of gifted education in America, chronicle specific families' stories of frustration and success and offer advice for different perspectives."

My response: "This was an eye-opener. I never thought about a lot of these points. Especially for highly gifted kids, it seems insane that we are warehousing them (by and large) instead of offering them the best opportunities. Combined with some of the ideas in the World is Flat, it makes me want to DO something!"

 

Hmmm. As a teacher, I never felt as though I was very good at working with gifted kids. I'm sure that working with Lucy LeMay inspired me to push myself as an educator. Having been labelled as a gifted kid, I ought to have been more dynamic, I think.

Shepherds Abiding (Reading Log)

By: Jan Karon

 

I read this in May? of 2006. Since my reading log Excel sheet was sorted by author and that field was blank, this was the last one so I decided to grab it.

 

My summary: "Mitford book - Father Tim refinishes a nativity set. Hope wants to become the owner of Happy Endings."

My reaction: "Kind of confusing to listen to on tape - too many characters, flashbacks, switches from one scene to another."

"Tape"? Did I get this as an audiobook on cassette tape in 2006? Or did I use that as a euphemism for audio? Typically I used CDs in that era. I haven't read a Mitford book in ages! Perhaps I should get those in my queue for summer work listening . . .

All My Secrets

By: Lynn Austin

Dakota County Library hardcover 369 pages plus author's note, acknowledgements, and discussion questions

Published: 2024

Genre: Christian historical fiction (gilded age)

 

Book club met to discuss this three weeks ago (June 24, 2024), but I was up at the lake and not too worried about finishing it on time. I finally finished it today. Austin is a fantastic author, but I couldn't empathize much with these ultra rich women and their dilemmas. Reading the author's note, I completely agree with the decision to have all three generations "heard" and not just telling the story from Adelaide's point of view.

 

Bouncing between "modern day" 1899 and young Junietta's past (1840s and 50s), young Sylvia's past (1870s), and thereabouts, we get to know three generations of Stanhope women. Junietta seems extremely elderly (ready for the grave), but the math says she's 68 years old. (She was 18 when she gave birth and her son is fifty.) She's interested in helping the less fortunate and steering her granddaughter to avoid the mistakes the older women made. Sylvie is Junietta's daughter-in-law and Adelaide's mother. She also has two older daughters who have married well. She is very reserved and her secrets don't come out until the second half of the story. Adelaide is young, pretty, and torn between doing what her mother wants (marry a rich man and carry on life as it has been) and following her dynamic grandmother's advice (follow your heart and live a life that matters).

 

For a book I didn't really enjoy that much, I'm surprised by how many post-it notes I have sticking out of it! 

 

Page 4: "Fear of family disgrace kept Adelaide, her sisters, and all their peers virtuous."

 

Interesting that a fear of family disgrace would be a motivator toward virtue. That's definitely an historic aspect of the book. I don't know that many people worry about disgracing their families any more. Behavior seems to indicate an indifference toward how people will regard them or their family.

 

Page  70: "Junietta was used to charging through life with energy and purpose. Being ill was so frustrating!" 

It is difficult indeed when physical limitations change your life. Junietta had some unspecified heart condition. I was glad when she finally moved from her third floor bedroom suite in the mansion to a first floor room! I couldn't imagine walking up and down all those staircases every day with a bad heart pounding hard!

Page 91: "'Now you can live a forgiven life. I believe Jesus told the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." That's the meaning of the word repentance. We turn and go, walking in a different direction.'"

I love how young Junietta connected with the Reverend Cooper and received his counsel. I love that he spoke life into her. 

Page 108: "'At the moment, not one of them is more important than encouraging Adelaide to think for herself. You only have one life, Addy. The decisions you make today will reap a lifetime of consequences tomorrow. And probably more than a few regrets.'"

Although I probably liked Junietta's character the best of the three women, I did have some sympathy for Sylvia. Can you imagine your mother-in-law living with you and giving your daughter advice contrary to your own?! Not fun.

Page 135 . . . Junietta and Meara found Helmut Steinhaus and learned the truth about Arthur Stanhope's background. It's not really worth quoting here, but I made note of it because secrets were the key theme of the story. Junietta eventually shared the secret with her husband, but he ended up being a ruthless jerk like his dad. Generational awfulness.

Page 138: "'Don't be doing that, Junie. There's no end to hate once it starts growing.'"

This time, it's Meara who offers wise advice. After they learn the truth about the elder Stanhope, Junietta says she hates him even more than before. Hatred is destructive. (I could make a Star Wars "dark side" reference here . . . )

 

Page 148: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole page . . . is a fantastic testimony from Reverend Cooper to young Junietta. I actually put two post-its in here! "Everyone alive is a sinner." "As long as we have breath, there's hope that repentance will bring forgiveness and lives will be changed." I don't have much to add to this. The absolute heart of the story. (Though Junietta blaming herself for David's suicide was heart breaking.)

Page 274: "What had I done? I remembered a Bible verse I'd heard in church about gaining the world but losing your soul and knew I had done that very thing."

 

Sylvia has determined to entrap young A.B. but realizes that he is NOT like his grandfather. I liked the unfolding of her back story.

 

Page 276: "'He was so handsome when he smiled,' Sylvia said. His face became more blurred in her memory with each passing day, obscured by the darkness of time and grief."

Memory is so interesting. Sometimes there are images that are really old but crystal clear. Other times, there are things one wants to remember vividly but they grow vague. Sylvia seemed to genuinely love A.B. and yet forges ahead.

Page 278: "But the stairs were the last straw. I'll be fine if I don't have to go up and down them anymore."

This was the point where I thought, "finally!" Junietta was struggling with her heart and yet going up and down those giant mansion staircases. Crazy! This was also the point where I calculated her age.

Page 287: "'I don't want to talk about dying, Mimi. And I don't want you to die.' 'I know. But if we remember that death comes to all of us, we'll pay better attention to how we live.'"

Junietta and Adelaide had a lovely relationship. I liked that Junietta was very aware of her mortality.

Page 289: ". . . Addy said, 'I can't help thinking about how many, many people's lives you've touched with your love, Mimi. It seems like a much greater legacy to leave behind than houses and possessions and wealth.'"

 

Yes, Junietta's life choices made a difference in other people's lives.

 

Page 299: "'Up until this year, my life has been so uneventful and routine that I'm finding it educational to visit these small villages and quaint churches. It's easy for me to forget that there's a world full of people who don't live the way I do - and yet are quite happy.'"

 

For much of the story, Adelaide seems so lifeless and pointless. It's nice that she finally starts having opinions and perspectives of her own. There's a big world out there!

Page 302: "'I think prayer is always good advice,' Addy said, then realized it was something she should do before deciding her own future path."

Howard Forsythe, the handsome young lawyer and son of a clergyman, is one of the best characters in this story. (I really liked Neal Galloway, too!) When he and Addy are looking for Junietta's son with Neal, they have some great conversations. Howard confesses that when her mother asked him for advice, he told her to pray. Not very lawyerly advice . . .

Page 303: "That's a wrestling match sometimes. I never experienced that struggle until I faced this decision between the law firm and the foundation. But the process of asking and listening and waiting often draws us closer to God. And I think that's what He's really after."

Adelaide is asking about how to know what God wants. Howard has a great answer!

Page 359: "'But one lesson that I had to learn, and that I hope you'll see as well, is that we shouldn't do our work because we pity the poor, or because we feel guilty for being privileged, and certainly not because we want to feel good about ourselves when we go to sleep at night. We must do it because our heart overflows with love for God. And because He asks us to love our neighbors.'"

Yes! Thank you, Grandma Junietta. I needed to hear this. Don't serve out of pity, guilt, or self-congratulations. Serve out of love for and obedience to God.

My goodness. It took me almost two months to read this book and several days to blog about it. The July book club meeting is in less than two weeks and none of my libraries has a copy to check out. (It was just published seventeen days ago . . . ) This does not bode well for my participation again this month. Donna Mumma's The Women of Wynton's sounds good, but between my desire to not spend money AND decrease my possessions, I don't anticipate buying a copy. (Though I could buy it and gift it to a public library . . . with my spending money.)

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche (Enola Holmes #7)

By: Nancy Springer

Libby audiobook 5 hours

Read by: Christopher Bonwell and Tamaryn Payne

Published: 2021

Genre: YA historical fiction, detective mystery

 

This was delightful! Sherlock is both arrogant (intro) and diminished in relation to his little sister Enola. That aspect is what I like least about this series. A young woman shows up at 221 Baker Street while Enola is trying to rouse Sherlock out of his apathy. Miss Letitia Glover (Tish) has just received a letter and ashes stating that her twin sister has died and been cremated. 

Felicity, the Earl (Caddy), Tewkesbury, . . . the cast of characters is perfect for this story. The black barouche is a sign that someone has been carted off to the insane asylum. I love how Felicity left a message in her last painting! And the crazy horse "Jezzy" - Jezebel. Springer has a delightful series in these books.

Ghostcloud

By: Michael Mann

Libby ebook 43 chapters

Published: 2022

Genre: YA fantasy

 

"A riveting, magical escapade about finding friendship and the courage to set yourself free against all odds. Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underground, in a half-bombed power station, 12-year-old Luke Smith-Sharma keeps his head down and hopes he can earn his freedom from the evil Tabitha Margate."

 

Not quite how I'd describe the book, but it's enough to jog my memory. Luke can do a half-human, half-ghost thing where he glides through the sky on his kite-shaped personal cloud. Full ghost Alma taught him how after he rescued her from a vent / trap in the power plant. 

 

Ravi is Luke's closest friend underground. Jess is the new girl who can't shovel coal very well, but she knows a lot about plumbing and pipes.

 

I liked the way Mann writes - the descriptions and details are imaginative.

 

I didn't like the power that Tabitha had over the children, their families, the city, etc. Her level of evil is pretty deep. I wasn't sure what era it was set in . . . the war, destruction, and poverty could have been in any era! But the alternate names for items made me wonder if this is set in the future? Or an alternate London? 

Anyhow, I liked the climax of the story and the children being freed. Tabitha getting away just sets up the sequel.

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God

by Timothy Keller

Libby audiobook 9 hours

Read by: Sean Pratt

Published: 2014

Genre: Non-fiction, Christian faith

I was on the waiting list for this for a LONG time! It surprised me, because it was published a decade ago. Perhaps Keller's death last year has renewed interest in his books. I  don't know what I expected, but my initial reaction was, "it's SO theological!"

Um, yes. It's a theology book about prayer. I love his use of Scripture and his encouragement to readers to seek out Scripture. God's Word has the ultimate say in what prayer is and should be.

One of the questions Keller raises (without his theological words like hermeneutics . . . ) is about the goal of prayer and its benefits. Are we praying for our own self or for God's glory?

He mentioned a book by Anne Lamott. It caught my attention right away! Called Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers, I thought about reading that one next. But Keller pointed out that her book encourages readers to not worry about who or what God might be - to just develop the habit of prayer. He also asks the pointed question: what about confession and repentance? Yes, we pray in adoration of God (Wow), we pray thanksgiving (Thanks), and we ask for his intercession (Help), but we also need to pray confession and repentance!

I'm not 100% finished with the book but it's due in two days. I tried listening to it while working today, but I simply could not pay enough attention to track what he was saying. I may need to add more to this entry later (or get my hands on a print copy of the book!) 

The main things I've appreciated about it so far is the emphasis on being in the Word; praying Psalms; and taking time to read Scripture, meditate, then pray.

I really like Timothy Keller. I'm so thankful for his teaching and preaching. The reaction that the book is "too theological" made me feel as though I'm dumbing down as I get older. Or perhaps I'm more distracted and don't want to think too hard. Or it may be that some books really do need to be read rather than listened to!

The Confession (Reading Log)

by: Beverly Lewis

I read it late July 2oo6

This is from my Excel reading log. I was looking for C.S. Lewis and this was the closest author name.

 

Here's my "review":

Amish gal leaves the roost because . . . I don't remember. She's shunned for something minor. She tries to find her biological mother. She gets a job in her biomom's rich household, but doesn't know how to approach her on her deathbed. The evil husband brought in an actress to play the part of the missing daughter, so  he can inherit everything his dying wife is leaving .  . . yada yada

 

Just didn't work for me. It was on Viv's shelf, and I started reading it while brushing my teeth. Too much smarm, too little real motivation. The romance-y stuff was okay.

(That's what I wrote almost twenty years ago - verbatim.)

The Last Battle

by C.S. Lewis

Libby audiobook 5 hours

Read by: Patrick Stewart

Published: 1956 (this version 2005)

Genre: YA Christian allegory, fantasy

I didn't have an entry for this title, but I've read it before! I've been seeking books to listen to while I'm working and I really prefer YA books that I've read before (like Harry Potter) so I don't have to focus on listening and paying attention as much. I've started and returned a few books that I really didn't care for, so I need to check out a lot of them for next week!

I was kind of eager to see what I had written about it . . . but alas! I don't have record of my earlier opinion.

I was a bit distressed when I started this book. Ape's cruelty to Donkey (I forget their character names), the deceptions and greed, the evil of the opening few chapters were just really upsetting. I didn't remember this!

When the children from Earth came to Narnia and when the stable became a completely different place, I was intrigued by the way Lewis created his story. I probably ought to re-read the entire series in order, but this was the audiobook available for checkout!

It was a bit concerning that the dark skinned people were portrayed as evil. It seemed very, very racist. I thought the part about the dwarves believing they were in a pitch dark smelly pit eating hay even though the reality was so different was a powerful way of showing that some people choose to reject God's grace, glory, and gifts.

The last part of the book didn't seem to fit with the first part. It seemed as though Narnia was ending, but then the killed horses, dogs, etc. were there. It was heaven and eternity . . . ? Perhaps I wasn't listening closely enough. I have the print copy of the book, so I could certainly sit down and read it!

Listening to Patrick Stewart's voice reading it was pure delight!

Beneath the Swirling Sky

The Restorationists, book 1

By: Carolyn Leiloglou

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Michael Crouch

Published: 2023

Genre: YA fantasy

From Libby: "After an experience he'd rather forget, Vincent is determined to be done with art. So when he and his little sister, Lili, spend spring break with their art conservator great-uncle, Vincent's plan is to stay glued to his phone. That is, until Lili disappears into one of the world's most famous paintings and Vincent learns his parents have been hiding something from him."

What I liked about this book:

• the cool love of art
• the prevalence of Vincent Van Gogh works - he's my fave!
• the relationship / growing friendship between Vincent and his "cousin" Georgia
• how their family names everyone after a famous artist
  
• the action
• the descriptions of the paintings and what is behind the visual
• the author's note at the end

 

What I didn't like:

• kids charging off into danger and the unknown without considering other options
• bad people with bad motives making selfish and / or cruel choices
• parents keeping big secrets from kids

 

I won't seek out the next book, but I may recommend this to art lovers.
 

Misfit Mansion

 by Kay Davault

readers advance copy paperback unpaged (about 300?)

Published: 2023

Genre: YA graphic novel, supernatural, relationships

I didn't think I'd like this one, but it surprised me. On its surface, it's a story about a huge house hidden in the woods filled with various monsters, ghosts, etc. A human, Mr. Halloway, goes out to find these misfits and bring them back to the house. Iris isn't happy there. She wants to go out into the world and be with people. 

The part I liked best is that in the midst of this story of weirdos / misfits, the ideas of identity, belonging, and caring relationships is interwoven beautifully. 

There's also a funny / not funny part that made me toss a bookmark into the book. Iris and Mathias are talking about misfits and humans. Iris says of phones, "Humans look at it once, and then their eyes get glued to the screen!" The accompanying picture shows two adults gazing at their screens with a boy saying, "Mom, I'm hungry." The word "addiction" floats in large letters over their heads.

 

There's enough action, conflict, and interesting artwork to keep any reader engaged. My favorite was the vegetable farmer June.

This book is lovely, but I'm going to donate it. I'd love for more readers to be able to enjoy it. It's a wonderful middle school reader's level! I may look for more books by this author.

The Wandering Hour

(The Doomsday Archives book 1)

by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos

Libby audiobook 5 hours

Read by: Ramon De Ocampo

Published: 2024

Genre: children's suspense, supernatural

I'm not sure what I expected, but I did not enjoy this book much. Three kiddos - Emrys, Hazel, and Serena - love horror movies. Emrys is new to town and is a bit of a third wheel to Hazel and Serena's long-term friendship. They get drawn in to a real-life mystery that involves the disappearance of kids but it also involves monsters, magic, and the stopping of time for an hour. The huge hourglass with blood red sand was an interesting detail. It was enough to keep me listening for part of a work shift, but definitely NOT one I'll want to recommend, re-read, or find book 2 when it's published.