Crescent Calling

Finished November 17

Crescent Calling by Nicole R. Taylor

This is the first book in The Crescent Witch Chronicles series. The main character is Skye Williams, a young woman from Australia who is dealing with the recent loss of her job and her boyfriend and spending time at her late father's beach house. While there, she is visited by a strange small Irishman who tells her that her estranged mother has died and left her everything she owns, which includes a house and a shop in Ireland. She must go to Ireland to inherit.

In the small town of Derrydun, she finds herself the owner of a successful new age shop with a capable Goth employee and a lovely small house. There is also a cat who seems quite comfortable staying with her every night.

She's still not sure whether she wants to stay or sell up and go back to Australia until she sees the attractive young Irishman who's helpful to all around town change into a fox in front of her. Boone came to town a few years ago and stayed with her aunt until moving into his own place. He gives her some information on her mother and her mother's death and lets her know that she's the last in a line of local witches known as Crescent Witch. He also lets her know about imminent threats to their community and what she might be expected to do to combat them. As she learns how to wield the powers she has inherited, she also finds herself growing roots into the community.

I enjoyed this light fantasy as well as the touch of romance it promises. Skye is strong and open and a woman who is kind at heart. The plot  is a good opener to the fantasy element and promises more in future books. 

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

Finished November 16

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

This novel adds an element of fantasy to our own world. The time is 1983 and Susan Arkshaw, who has lived in the country with her mother has decided to take the time before she starts at art school to look for her father. She doesn't have much to go on. She has a few names, including one who sent holiday cards to her mom and her regularly. She starts with this, a man named Frank Thringley in London. She senses right off that he isn't her father and that things are quite right and determines to leave after staying the night. But during the night she wakes to find that someone has turned Frank to dust by the prick of a silver hairpin. She surprises the man, Merlin and threatens him with the police, but soon finds herself following him out the window as they both flee something else that threatens. 

As she learns of strange creatures such the Shuck, as the two walk through the night, they share their stories. She learns about the booksellers and the differences between the right-handed and the left-handed in skill set, and how they police the interaction between the mythic levels of the Old World and the reality of the human world. They are soon rescued by the police, and Susan is provided with a room in a safe house and finds herself a job. 

As she renews her acquaintance with Merlin, and meets his twin sister, she gradually gets to learn more about the strange elements of the world she hadn't been aware of before and finds herself involved to an extent she didn't expect. 

I really enjoy Garth Nix and his stories, and this one not only has great fantasy elements, but also lots of humour. There is also an attraction between Susan and Merlin and others also notice. I definitely found this novel hard to put down, and I'm interested in reading more of this series. 

Delicate Ink

Finished November 16

Delicate Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

This is the first book in a series around the Montgomery family. Set in Denver, Colorado, the central family has several adult children, and their parents. There are also additional cousins that make a family get-together quite large. For this novel Austin Montgomery is the central male character. He runs a tattoo studio with his younger sister and a close friend. 

New to town is Sierra Elder. She has opened a women's clothing store across the street from the studio. Sierra has some trauma in her past that hasn't been entirely put to rest. She's tried to move on, but hasn't been able to escape certain aspects of it. We gradually learn about this past through the story. She's made friends with the woman that runs the café next door to Montgomery Ink, and has been thinking about getting a tattoo, but she carries herself with elegance and usually opts for higher end clothing like that sold in her shop.

Austin has full tattoo sleeves, as well as other body art and a beard, and his looks leans rougher than the average. He also loves to ride his motorcycle, which adds to that image. When the two meet, there is both attraction and some less positive energy, but they do gradually become more friendly. 

Austin has an ex that is a little possessive, and he is dealing with a family health issue that has him worried. He also has other worries about siblings and cousins that are touched on, and may lead to plots in the other books in the series. There are other plot surprises that add new issues to the story.

There is a subplot of an interest in BDSM sexual practices that is discussed and seen. 

The relationship seems to move quite quickly, and the story seems to jump forward by weeks at times, so I found myself missing the nuances of the relationship development, wondering how they got to this new dynamic. Interesting characters, and the plot kept me interested. 

Sunshine and Spice

Finished November 15

Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit

This romance is set in Kelowna. We see the story from two points of view, the main female character Naomi Kelly and the main male character Dev Mukherjee. Naomi has her own brand consulting business, one she started after working in a larger corporate firm for several years. I wasn't familiar with this business, but it seems to cover a lot more than I would have thought. She proposes a reuse or redesign for space, and works with a construction contractor to bring it to life. It seems to involve a lot of elements of interior design. The story opens with her preparing for a bid on a job, the redesign of what has been for many years a bazaar run by an Indian family, carrying a wide variety of merchandise and rather cluttered at the moment. The owner lost her husband a few months ago and is now ready to face moving forward. 

Dev is the owner's son, who has recently moved back home from Penticton. He hasn't told his mother that he resigned from his job as a corporate accountant to pursue a different dream of his own. But his mother uses his presence to move forward with a different plan, finding him a wife. She hires a matchmaker looking for an Indian bride. She doesn't mind if the woman isn't Bengali, but Indian culture and its practices and traditions is important to her. 

Naomi is Indian, but hasn't been brought up in the culture. Her parents relationship wasn't approved of, and the young couple moved away. Her father moved on when she was just a toddler, and her mother married a local man in the Alberta town they lived in. Naomi is very close to her stepfather, sharing a love of sports with him. She isn't as close to her mother, who is into yoga and meditation and changes her other interests regularly. She has had no contact with her father or other relatives.

When Naomi's plan to remake the space as a family-run café is approved, and she and Dev run into each other while he is trying to escape a meeting with a potential wife, the two decide to help each other. Dev will help her on cultural aspects of the design and introduce her to Indian culture locally. She will pretend to be his girlfriend when they encounter any potential wives. Dev hopes to outlast his mother's plans. 

As they spend time together, they grow closer, but there are still barriers with Naomi's upbringing and Dev's family.

I enjoyed learning more about Indian culture and Naomi's business work, and I liked the plot. Dev definitely needed to grow a bit more backbone when it comes to his family, and Naomi needs to feel less insecure about her cultural knowledge. I liked the Canadian setting and reading a new author. 

Date the Alphabet

Finished November 14

Date the Alphabet by Laura Langa

This romance is the second book in a series set in Tucson. Here the female main character is a teacher in a private school, Ann Powell. Ann excels as a teacher because she really puts her heart into it. Not only does she work hard for her own students, but she offers free tutoring and donates supplies to teachers in the public system who are underfunded. She doesn't date, and doesn't socialize much. Her younger sister Rene is getting married, for the third time, and when they are discussing wedding details tells Ann that she must bring a plus one, and says that if she starts by working her way through the alphabet (by men's names) and finds true love, her sister will give her $4000 for her charitable work. 

Ann really doesn't want to do this, but agrees for the prize at the end. With the help of a fellow teacher who is a friend, Kennedy, she signs up to a dating app and begins. She finds a lot of duds, as well as some who leave her very unsettled. In a moment of desperation, she asks a student's father if he will attend with her and pretend they have fallen for each other. 

Zane West and his wife Tessa separated after her recovery from cancer, but remained great friends. She is about to move in with her new boyfriend Isaac, while he hasn't even dated yet. They both love their daughter Caroline, and worry about how she has dealt with the trauma of her mother's illness and their separation. They knew things weren't working for a while, but had been hanging together for Caroline. After Tessa's recovery they agreed that they deserved happiness and separated. Caroline is a quiet, but observant kid who loves art and draws a lot. 

Zane had been attracted to Caroline's third grade teacher since he first met her, but held back from any move due to worry about Caroline's feelings and about the ethics of dating his child's teacher. When Ann proposes that he be her fake date for Rene's wedding he agrees, but the events that they attend over the next few weeks have them both feeling the attraction.

I liked the plot, the details of their jobs (Zane is an audiobook narrator), and the touches of humour. There are other things influencing their actions and we come to see how and why they do gradually. A very enjoyable read. 

Death on Torrid Ave

Finished November 12

Death on Torrid Ave. by Patricia McLinn

This is the second book in the Secret Sleuth series and the first with the main character Sheila Mackey in her new home in north west Kentucky. She has adopted a rescue dog, collie Gracie, who is about a year old, and Sheila is intent on being a good dog owner. She goes regularly to a dog park near here, one that has four different areas all accessed by gates from a central area. Two are intended for small dogs and two for larger dogs. There are a lot of people who use the park, and among them are two men who have a longstanding disagreement regarding proper dog training, Bob Coble and Dwight Yagos. They argue a lot and both have a group of followers. There are also many people that try to avoid those two factions. 

Sheila has made a friend, Clara, who has a dog Lulu that Gracie loves to play with. She is also working on repairs and changes to her older house. She's looking for a contractor now to add shelving in a couple of rooms, but has been disappointed in the lack of professionalism in the ones that she's contacted, who either come late to appointments or don't show up at all. 

To avoid being outed as the famous author she previously pretended she was, she has come up with a backstory of being an English teacher in upstate New York who has received a small inheritance allowing her to retire. 

When the two women befriend another new arrival in town Teague O'Donnell and his dog Murphy. He's a substitute teacher and a tutor. Sheila worries about whether him also being a teacher might jeopardize her cover story, and he does ask a lot of questions. But when he turns out to be handy, she hires him to do the shelving project in her home. 

Soon, though, there are more things to worry about, when one of the regulars at the dog park turns up dead in the park without their dog. With Sheila and Clara making the discovery, the local law enforcement seems to focus on Sheila as a newcomer. She and Clara decide to do a little investigating on their own. 

I liked the characters, including the details that gradually came out as the story unfolded. I liked the dogs and how the different breeds and individual dogs had their own quirks. The plot worked well, and didn't feel contrived. I like this series.

Elizabeth's Dreams of Egypt

Finished November 11

Elizabeth's Dreams of Egypt by Cassie Miller

This novella is from an unnumbered series of books that reuse characters from the classic Pride and Prejudice in different settings, circumstances, etc. Here, the situation is that Jane has been kidnapped by Wickham, and the family is distressed. Darcy comes to Jane and she confesses what has her upset. As he attempts to trace them, he manages to be partially successful. 

Elizabeth, accompanied by her aunt, goes by ship with Darcy and Bingley to Egypt where the trail takes them. As the ship stops in various locations, Elizabeth enjoys the new experiences, but her focus remains on her sister.

This is a short book, with little explanation or detail, and no real inner thoughts included. Really just a mechanism for reusing the characters and parts of the original story. While I read the book to meet a challenge for a book set in Egypt, and there were some descriptions of historical sites, it feels dishonest to use it for that challenge, so I won't be.

An Academic Affair

Finished November 10

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister

This is a romance novel with its own special setting and the details are so well done. Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been academic rivals since first year university where they argued interpretations during an English seminar. They have also lived in the same large shared house with several other roommates in Sydney since Jonah's master degree time when Sadie was working to save up money. They ended up graduating with their English literature Ph.Ds. at the same time and have both been working at whatever teaching jobs they could since then. I really liked how this novel showed academia for what it truly is, underpaid, lots of unrecognized time spent in prep and marking, and few opportunities for permanent positions. 

When a permanent position is announced at the university in Hobart, both are aware the other will be applying. For Sadie, who specialized in popular fiction, the job mentions this as one of the specialties they are looking for, something that is rare indeed. For Jonah, the permanent position also mentions his specialty as one of the three they are looking for. Plus he has strong motivation to move close to his sister Fiona, who is dealing with the end of her marriage. 

When Sadie is going over the contract, she notes that their is an option for partner hire. This is an interesting detail of academic that definitely shows possibilities, the idea that one's life partner could also get a position, making the move more appealing to couples. 

Sadie approaches Jonah with the idea of getting married so that they both get the job, after all they are already living in the same house, which works to make it look that they've been together for a while.

The personal side of their lives was also something that added to their character. Sadie is very close to her older sister who pretty much raised her. Jonah grew up with a professor father who encouraged debate among his children and pushed them toward academia, something that only Fiona rebelled against. But Jonah knows that this advantage isn't always something he likes in his life, and makes choices about his own wants when he can. 

There is also a storyline around wine, with Sadie's sister having a passion for the national wine industry, and Fiona being close to two brothers who run a winery and restaurant. With Jonah's older brother having his own competitive rival, I can see possibilities for more books involving these characters.

This a read with believable characters with depth, interesting career and personal situations, and both fun banter and serious conversations. A definite winner for me. 

6:40 to Montreal

Finished November 9

6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk

This locked room mystery is quite the page-turner. The narrator is Agatha, a woman who wrote a mystery book featuring a yoga instructor that became a best seller. Now, she's trying to work on a second book, but is coming up short on ideas. She's also been undergoing cancer treatment and as a result has been stuck in a depression. Her husband Teddy has given her a gift of a business-class, round-trip ticket from Toronto to Montreal by train, thinking that she can use the uninterrupted, mostly internet-free journey there and back to write. She's a little disappointed in the gift, which doesn't even include a night in Montreal before returning, and she has planned something on her own that he isn't aware of.

It a day of a winter storm, and by the time Agatha gets down to Union Station the snow is coming down quite intensely. The attendant, Dorcas, seems professional and friendly and then gets distracted by the task of teaching an intern the basics of the job. Agatha is one of the first people on the car, and notices a mother and young adult son, Vivien and Rupinder get on because they are seated in the emergency exit row, and Dorcas explains the emergency procedure to them. 

The car isn't full, yet an older man, Finch Weatherby, sits beside her and tries to get her to give up her seat to him. She takes an immediate dislike to him, and that only increases as he makes some loud phone calls that are abusive and demeaning to the person on the other end. A couple other people get on, but Agatha has been distracted by Finch and doesn't really notice them.

She still has trouble focusing on writing and finds her mind going in other directions. When the train suddenly stops and all but emergency power goes off, the passengers begin to ask questions and worry about how long they will be stopped. When they discover that one of the passengers is dead, they begin to suspect each other. As the passengers begin to get more anxious and the tension increases, they find even more to worry about and tensions continue to build. The doors on their car have been locked in the emergency and they can't move away from each other. 

Fast-moving and dark, this novel offers lots of twisty elements. 

Did one of them kill the passenger, and if so, why? 

A London Year

Finished November 9

A London Year: 365 Days of City Life in Diaries, Journals and Letters compiled by Travis Elborough and Nick Rennison

This collection is fascinating, giving glimpses of life in London from the 16th century to the 21st century. The collection includes journalists, actors, nobility, royalty, writers, poets, musicians and many more. The subjects range widely from food and housing to entertainments, money, sex, friendship, society, geography, architecture, and politics. The length also varies, from single sentences to multiple pages, although most are a paragraph or two. 

The book is arranged by the days of the year, with some days having only one entry while others have several. I enjoyed trying to guess the rough year of the entry by the subject and language before looking to see it. I tended to read a month in a sitting, thinking about the time of year, and researching a little if I wasn't familiar with the diarist or writer. The compilers included occasional notes to explain some references to people or events they thought needed additional explanation.

A fascinating look at a city through the eyes of residents and visitors.

The Midnight Feast

Finished November 8

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

This suspense novel moves between present day and several years earlier in the summer of 2010, with the earlier portion mainly told through diary entries. Set in a coastal English town, the present day is the summer solstice, opening weekend of a luxury resort called The Manor. Besides the main building with its rooms, bar, and restaurant, there are seaside cottages and 'Woodland Hutches' which are small cabins nestled in the surrounding woods. The primary owner is Francesca Meadows who inherited the property from her grandmother. Secondary investors include her two older brothers, Hugo and Oscar. Francesca has also recently married Owen Dacre, the up-and-coming architect she hired for the project. Owen is still working on the newest addition, Treehouse rooms in the woods. 

Most of the staff aren't local, but there are a few. Eddie is one of them. He works as a dishwasher, but has his eye on a bartender position. His parents' nearby farm isn't doing well, and he has plans that don't include it. The locals aren't fans of what Francesca has plans, and talk of the local tales of The Birds that come for those who have done evil or for whom someone has asked for vengeance on has started to grow. Even Francesca's grandfather warned her to be wary of The Birds before his death. 

In the summer of 2010, we see Francesca and her brothers choosing favourites among the summer people and locals, inviting them to the manor, and having select parties. Alison, spending the summer at the local trailer park with her parents and grandparents, is the girl Francesca (known as Frankie back then) has chosen. It is her diary we read. But Alison also meets some locals, at the beach and at the trailer park, and they too become part of the story.

We know something happened back in 2010, something Alison needs closure about, but it is something only revealed later in the story. What we do know, is that the morning after the big Solstice event, the hotel is on fire, and at least one person is dead.

I found the plot compelling and the characters well-drawn. Dark and with lots of surprises. 

Life: A Love Story

Finished November 6

Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg

I love Elizabeth Berg, so when I was given the opportunity to read her upcoming book a little early, I was very excited. It did not disappoint. This story is narrated by Florence 'Flo' Greene, a ninety-two-year-old widow who is nearing the end of her life. She and her late husband didn't have children of their own, but they were very close to a child who lived next door, Ruthie, and Ruthie spent a lot of time at their house growing up. Flo plans to leave the house and its contents to Ruthie and decides to write her a letter explaining some of the contents of the house that are special to her and why. She also worries that Ruthie, who she senses has been going through a difficult time in her marriage, might give up too easily, and so she shares some of the marital issues that she's dealt with and how working through them was part of the normal work involved in a marriage, and would bring the two partners closer. 

The story is told partly through the long letter that Flo writes, over the course of weeks, and partly through Flo's life now as it is happening. 

Flo enjoys visits from her neighbour's aging dog, having loved him since he was a puppy. She sees the people on her street going off to school and work, and greets them from her front porch and on her walks. She notices a woman across the street and begins an ongoing conversation with her that leads to friendship, reminding us again that we can be friends with people of all ages. She goes to the library, and she becomes closer to a woman of her own generation that she always admired.

Flo has loved her home, her garden, her neighbourhood, and believes in kindness and community. She has a secret or two of her own that she feels moved to share with the right person or people when it seems like the right time. 

Flo is a voice that reminds us that we are not alone in this world, that love comes in many forms, and that noticing the people around us and what they would appreciate is one of the most important and kind things that we can do.

Highly recommended.

Fates Divided

Finished November 4

Fates Divided by Jules Bernard

This is the first novel in the Halven Rising series. Set partly in our world and partly in a Fae world called Tirnan, this is a novel that brings the worlds together in an interesting way. Elena is enjoying college, studying chemistry, and becoming friends with her roommate Reese. Her mother left shortly after she was born, and her father died in a farm accident, but she is close to her cousin and grandmother. When she turns eighteen, odd things begin to happen. She sees a classroom where one doesn't exist and her senses seem more acute. When a group of tall blondes take her into an academic area she's not seen before and tell her that she is half-Fae (Halven) and needs to help them with a cure to a deadly disease killing Fae, she is overwhelmed. 

Then she meets Derek, a student who was offered a research opportunity to come to this college, who also has some unusual skills. She finds out that he is also Halven, and he's protective of her in terms of the Fae, who only seem to want what they think she can do.

As Elena discovers who her mother is and feels that going to the Fae world will be the only way to accomplish the task she's been given, she finds that the Fae themselves are divided but most of them seem to agree that Halven are inferior and undeserving of life. 

As Elena and Derek collaborate, others work to come between them and gain power for their own purposes. 

This novel is fast-moving with lots of characters and no clarity on who can be trusted. This series progresses in the combined worlds with each book, but each book is also a stand-alone story around a couple. The world-building is detailed enough for the plot without getting caught up in the details. 

Funny Story

Finished November 4, 2025

Funny Story by Emily Henry

This romance novel was a quick read, as I got totally caught up in the story. Daphne moved to Michigan from Vermont with her fiancé Peter, finding a dream job as a children's librarian in the small town. As the novel opens, Peter returns from his bachelor party only to inform her that he is in love with his female best friend Petra, a tall blonde elegant woman that he's always assured Daphne is just a friend. They are leaving for a couple of weeks to give Daphne time to find a new place to live and move out. Daphne is shattered, and the next person to appear at her door is equally shattered, Petra's boyfriend Miles. So Daphne decides that she will move in with him and he agrees.

At first they grieve their losses separately, but another shared dig at their loss brings them together, Daphne makes a questionable choice in deception, and Miles offers to show her around this area of Michigan, which she hasn't really explored. Daphne also begins interacting more with her co-workers, starting with her adult librarian counterpart Ashleigh. 

I could relate to the librarian side of things, and feel for the sudden change of heart of Daphne's fiancé. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the outings that Miles and Daphne took as they explored the area, and loved Ashleigh's character. The author has written another satisfying and fun-filled read that is great to curl up with and immerse oneself in. 

Always You and Me

Finished November 2

Always You and Me by Dani Atkins

This romance novel has a lot of surprises as the plot unwinds. The story moves around in time, but the chapter headings clearly indicate this. The story opens as Lily is with her husband Adam in hospice and we learn why he is there and the story of his illness and death.

It then jumps forward a year and we see Lily thinking about one of the promises that she made to Adam that she still hasn't followed up on, tracking down her former best friend Josh, hearing his story, and mending their friendship. Lily was very hurt by Josh's action of ending their friendship on the eve of her wedding with Adam, and we gradually learn details of what happened around that time. Since then he's disappeared from her life, and she hasn't even heard anything about him. She's not even sure where to start.

The book jumps back in time then to the beginning of Josh and Lily's friendship and the way that Lily bridged Josh's walls to become an important person in his life. As we see their history unfold, we see the special relationship that they had. 

We also see how Adam came into Lily's life and into her heart, and how special their relationship was. As the real story of these relationships and the rift in Lily's friendship is explained, we see the choices that these people made and the ones that Lily and Josh face now.

A moving novel. 

Aug 9 - Fog

Finished November 1

Aug 9 - Fog by Kathryn Scanlan

This is a very odd little book. It originated from a diary that the author found at an estate auction. The diary in question began when the author, a woman, was eighty-six and covers the years 1968 through 1972. The entries were ones that described life in a small community where the writer had lived for years if not her whole life. She talked about her friends and neighbours, the weather, the nature around her, household chores, social visits, and family.

Scanlan decided to play with the sentences that drew her in, cutting, editing, rearranging, and placing them into this new work. The work is arranged by seasons, with the sentences chosen reflecting their time of year. Each page has only a few sentences on it, and it reads almost like poetry. This is a book that invites reflection.

Mango Muffin Murder

Finished October 29

Mango Muffin Murder by Emma Johns

This novella is the start of a series set in Jamaica, where Petrona McGibben has been coming for years to visit family and has recently decided to move to and open her own bakery. Petrona bought a small bed and breakfast, which a family member runs, and the abandoned bakery next to it, which she fixed up. She lives in a small apartment over the bakery. At first, her usual baked goods were so different from what islanders were used to, she thought she was going to fail. Now she has started acting on suggestions (or dares) from her customers and family. Her newest product is the Mango Muffin, and it appears to be a hit. She's had to make more during the morning as it sells out. But when one of her customers dies shortly after eating one, she becomes a suspect in a murder case.

Luckily her family has a plan to clear her name, even if they don't keep her in the loop at times. She also has goodwill in the community, from her family ties, to her friendly open demeanour. She's a good person, feeding a young man recently kicked out of school for fighting despite his academic success, who now worries about his future.

I liked Petrona, as well as the policeman in charge of her case. I see potential romance in future books. A fun, quick read. Also included is a glossary of Jamaican terms which came up in the novel. 

The Bridesmaid

Finished October 28

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn

This is a dark novel, as seems to be common for this author. The suspense builds as we move through the book, especially when we move from the beginning New York City location to the island of Elysium, a privately owned island off the coast of Colombia. In a hotel in New York, where Adrianna Kensington is gathering with her bridesmaid before a final dress fitting, one of the bridesmaid's is found hanging in a ballroom, posed in a bridal gown, with other gowns hanging beside her. The bridesmaid was an investigative journalist working on a story about the bride's kidnapping, which occurred at her 21st birthday party on Elysium. She was found locked in the estate's panic room three days after going missing, and the case is still unsolved.

Holly, a forensic expert who was mentored by the dead bridesmaid, is brought in by the police and Adriana's fiancé to help with the new murder case. She has also been cast as the replacement bridesmaid to avoid too many people being told her real purpose. As her assistant, a senior police officer accompanies her. 

The original bridesmaids were all former students at the private Kensington School, owned by Adriana's family. The school began on Elysium, later moving to New York. 

As Holly works her way deeper into the case, she also works her way into the family history, and what is currently happening on the island. It also seems that the murder case and kidnapping case are linked in some way. 

I liked the character of Holly who has lots of tricks up her sleeve, but who is also emotional about the loss of her friend. Her police partner is key to her success, calming her down if needed and helping her focus on each situation.  

Fatima's Room

Finished October 27

Fatima's Room by Charlotte S. Gray

This short novel is intense. Fatima is a young woman, a middle daughter in a family of six girls. Her father is strict and often cruel. As the book opens we learn that Fatima is staying in a room by herself at her maternal uncle's. She is there because she has caused her father's death. We gradually learn the circumstances of this, the decision that the family will be undertaking about her fate, and how various other members of her family feel about this.

Fatima was able to be in college because her aunt and grandmother arranged it while her father was away. She longs for a future as a writer, and her uncle has given her a blank book and encouraged her to write while she is waiting. It is the time of Ramadan, and the verdict will come after this time is over.

The novel was inspired by the author's work in Sudan with the education of young women, as they told her of their lives and dreams after growing to trust her. She was aware of the limited lives these woman faced, and of punishments such as honour killings for various rebellious acts. She began to wonder what would happen to someone who struck out in anger, fear, or frustration with such a result. We see her feelings about realizing this is the first time she's had a room of her own.

We see Fatima struggle as she is offered options, and the guilt she feels along with the relief. A very interesting read. 

The Doorman

Finished October 25

The Doorman by Chris Pavone

This novel is a slow build, giving background on the three main characters: the doorman of the Bohemia, a historical luxury apartment building in Manhattan, Chicky Diaz, a widower with two adult daughters, who is still trying to pay off his late wife's medical bills; Emily Longworth, who lives in the penthouse suite at the Bohemia with her husband and two young children and who is facing recent revelations about the sources of her despised husband's income and questioning what she is willing to live with; and Julian Sonnenberg, an art dealer who lives on a lower floor with his wife and teenage daughter, and who is facing both a career and a personal crisis. 

On a larger level, a Black man has recently been killed by the police, resulting in demonstrations and outbursts of violence. Most of the staff of the building are black and are unsettled by the news. 

With Chicky's personal situation facing increasing pressure, along with the wider unease in the city, he opts to bring a gun he has just purchased along to his night shift at the building. 

Emily and her husband Whit, and Julien and his wife Jen are both at an art awards dinner. Emily is active in the arts world, both as a buyer and as a philanthropist. Julien and his business partner Ellington, a black man, have sold pieces to the Longworths. 

There has been information leaked recently about Whit Longworth's business activities and there have been protestors at the building he works at. He is considering his options. 

All three of the main characters, as well as some others, have secrets they'd rather not have widely known. They also have people who would relish in their bad luck. 

Both Emily and Julien have lived at the Bohemia for a while, Julien longer than Emily. Chicky has worked there for several decades. They have people they trust and people they don't. 

I really enjoyed this novel, as I have other of Pavone's books, both the plot and the characters. A great suspense novel with some unexpected situations. 

November Reviews for the 19th Annual Canadian Reading Challenge

 This is where you add links to reviews of the books you finished in November that meet this reading challenge. Comments are always welcome too.