I have nothing to talk about right now, as everything ground to a halt this past week. My Sweet Babboo came down with covid, and has been confined to the house. This meant we had to miss two holiday events, and postpone dinner with friends. He has a mild case, just a stuffed up nose, some muscle aches and tiredness but no fever. When he tested positive, we immediately separated ourselves from each other. I have tested myself every day that I wanted to leave the house to be sure I was negative before seeing other people. Other family issues are making this holiday more stressful than I would like. Long time readers may recall I lost someone very dear to me just before Christmas two years ago (My Heart Is Broken), and that pain is still with me. These days which should be full of joy are frankly somewhat depressing this year. But my reading time in the early morning is a respite, so here are my latest finishes. If you are in the mood for a Christmas story, see my book post last month – Heartwarming Holiday Reading. Links to Amazon provided for you to read the publisher synopsis. Thank you for using my links when you can.
Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks – New Yorker, Harper, is living with her best friend, working part time gigs after losing two jobs, and broke. Her parents cannot help anymore as they have financial issues of their own. She is desperate for a job that would be a steady paycheck and cover her bills, so when she answers an ad for an inspirational blogger and self help guru, she jumps at it, even though it means a move to Nashville. She finds out that not all is rosy, and the upbeat Charlotte may be a tiny tyrant. The storyline is different, although somewhat predictable. It is billed as a Devil Wears Prada style story, and it does seem to follow that kind of line, even to the extent of pretty well copying a scene where the Harper has to tell the senior assistant, Bella, that Bella isn’t going to an event she’d been looking forward to. A light read, not great, but not bad. Available in paperback, on Kindle and Audiobook.
Watchers by Dean Koontz – A lonely man, Travis, hikes into the woods to find some solace in his life but instead finds a golden retriever who blocks his path, saving him from violent monster. The dog and the monster are both genetically engineered beings, escapees from a government laboratory. Travis comes to learn that this dog is not like any other, with intelligence far beyond a normal dog’s capacity. As he tries to unravel the secret of the dog’s origin, and the threat to its existence, Travis’ Delta Force training comes into play. More than the government is after them both, and it will take all of his wits, and the caring heart of a gentle woman for them to fight the forces that would kill them all. Written in 1987, this book reads just as well today, a timeless masterpiece set before cell phones and the internet. Taut writing, suspenseful until the very last page. Highly Recommend! Available in paperback, on Kindle and Audiobook.
The Thread Collectors by Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman – In 1863, in the midst of the civil war, and unlikely friendship develops between Jacob, a white, Jewish man from the north, and William, a black man from the south as they both share a love of music. They fight on the Union side and play for the troops. Back home in the north, Jacob’s wife Lily writes letters of support and helps the war as she can, while in the south, William’s love Stella endures the hardships of slavery. It is a story of struggle on both couples in different ways. Stella uses her needlework to help slaves escape, pulling thread from pieces of clothing for colors. Fair warning, there is a great deal of gritty and horrible imagery of war and its devastation on people. When the two women come together to locate Jacob after he was hurt, there is a feeling of hope for the future for Stella and William. This is not a light read, but well worth the time. Available in paperback, on Kindle and Audiobook.
The next two books are not published yet, but I include them here so you can get on the list at your local library before they come out. Both are historical fiction, grounded in fact and surrounding the lives of real people. If your library isn’t showing them as coming, you can ask for the library to purchase a copy. This is a great way to support authors, as the more people that ask for a book, the more copies the library will buy.
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl – No one writes food fiction like Ruth Reichl. Acclaimed cookbook author, food critic and magazine editor, she has written several non-fiction books and one previous fiction novel, Delicious. Her prose is easy reading and full of descriptive passages that are so well written, you can almost taste the dish. This historical fiction story is set in the 1980s, when the top chefs in Paris were redefining how to prepare dishes, with new techniques like sous vide. She incorporates the worlds of fashion and art into her story of a young woman coming to grips with her mother’s passing, and trying to find a way forward in her life and career. As she meets new people, she gets drawn into the lives of two patrons who want to help her find a direction. Be sure to read the authors note at the end, as you may be surprised how much is based in research and fact. Beautifully written, with a compelling story, highly recommend. The book will publish on April 30, 2024, so get on your library list for it now. Thank you to NetGalley for an advance review digital copy for review.
The Lost Dresses of Italy by M.A. Mclaughlin – Historical fiction story of a trunk of dresses discovered in a damaged building in Verona, Italy after the Second World War. The dresses belonged to an English Victorian poet, Christina Rossetti, a real life poetess who lived in London in the 1800s. Rossetti is the poet writer of the song In The Bleak Midwinter, a well known Christmas carol. The novel imagines a reason for her to travel to Italy, and to write some of her real life poems. The 1800s timeline references real events and people in the life of Christina. The 1940s timeline references real events in the reconstruction of Italy after the war. The storyline of the dresses, Christina’s visit to Italy and her reason for never marrying is fiction. The novel is engaging and well written, with twists that were interesting and surprising. It is a mystery novel, as the modern historian is trying to discover details about the poet, as well as discovering a tie between a murder and a long lost emerald pendant that was worn with one of the dresses. There is a bit of romance as well. Overall an enjoyable read, and recommended. The book will publish on February 6, 2024, so get on your library list for it now. Thank you to NetGalley for an advance review digital copy for review.
These last two project books have links to C&T Publishing. These are the two new releases I recently added to my ebook library.
Simple Patchwork by Kim Diehl – A project oriented book of simple designs using traditional blocks. There are sixteen projects using simple techniques like half square triangles. The quilts are shown in traditional colors reminiscent of Thimbleberries, with easy to finish designs, but would look equally great done in modern brights or batiks. Combine star blocks with churn dash, create the mini sampler and more.
100 Whimsical Applique Designs by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins of Piece ‘O Cake designs – Provides 100 applique block design patterns with four applique border designs with flower pots, garden flowers, birds, butterflies, animals, houses and farm scenes. Charts are given for enlarging to the size you need, and yardage tables are also supplied. Detailed instruction on methods of applique are given. With this many block designs, ideas for combining blocks into projects are endless!
What are you reading now?
From My Carolina Home 
So sorry to hear of the screeching halt in your days. Hope your husband gets better soon. Wasn’t it John Lennon who said, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.” That’s happening here these days, too. And yet we go on. I love historical fiction and The Lost Dresses of Italy and The Thread Collectors pique my interest. Thanks for the recommendations. Hope there is some peace for you in the coming days.
I’m so sorry that the pain of loss is visiting you right now. This is a tough time of year to lose someone dear to you and even many years later I know it can still be hard.
Praying your heart can be at peace and your sweet baboo heals quickly.
Thank you for the book recommendations. The Thread Collectors caught my attention. I will probably seek that one out at the library today. I just finished The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek and the Bookwoman’s Daughter this week. Both were so good I had a hard time putting them down.
Holidays are a blessing & a trial. When you miss people who are longer with you it’s hard to paste on a smile & pretend you enjoy the event. I’ve found escaping in a book or doing something for others redirects my negative feelings. It’s good to hear your husband’s bout of covid is mild & hopefully you’ll emerge unscathed. My husband didn’t catch my covid last year & I didn’t catch the cold he just contracted, amazing considering we didn’t do a good job isolating from each other.
An Invisible Thread (by Laura Schroff) is an unforgettable true story of a woman who befriended a young boy who needed stability in his life.
We just had a nurse give a talk on several diseases. Covid and RSV are communicable before you have symptoms. I didn’t know that!
I used to read all of Dean Koonz’s books back in the late 80’s and early 90’s and then I just kind of lost track. I did love the book you reviewed and remember I loved it. There was another one either right before that one or after it that was very good too but the name of it escapes me at the moment. I hope you do not get covid and hope your husband recovers quickly.
Oh Carole, I’m so sorry to hear that Covid has invaded your house. Just what you guys don’t need right now. Sounds like your hubby has a pretty mild case, so I hope that continues to be the case , and that he recovers quickly. Mike had it a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, but I never did get it – fingers crossed for you to be the same way. The holidays can definitely be an up and down time. Thanks for your book recommendations – I always think a good book is the best escape! ❤️
I’ve recently read “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus, “The Maid” by Nita Prose, “The Engineer’s Wife” by Tracy Enerson Wood, and “Someone Else’s Shoes” by Jojo Moyes. All four books were good and I’d recommend. Currently I’m reading “Simply Lies” by David Baldacci.
These things happen..Hang tight and “this too has end”.
Oh dear….our week after Veterans day and leading up to Thanksgiving week our family in 2 out of 3 households went through this. It’s frustrating. My hubby was a slow one to stop with the cold symptoms of C-19. Our doc said to follow CDC guidelines, but I kept him “house bound” for an extra week because he was still sniffling. Thanks for the new book list. Last week I finished “A Wish for Winter” (Viola Shipman) and The Things we Leave Unfinished (Rebecca Yarros). Both on audiobook. I give the later a 5 star. I loved the hopping back and forth from WWII to “now”. The ending(s) were a treat. Hoping you can avoid the germs. My thoughts are with you as your heart aches.
I’m so sorry that on top of everything else, you are dealing with Covid — both with your husband and your concerns about having to be particularly careful yourself. I can’t believe your stress load and of course the anniversary of the loss of a dear one. I’m glad you can take a bit of a break and escape the real world with some wonderful sounding books — I’m especially interested in the upcoming Reichl. Take care, my friend.
Speedy Recovery to him! Luckily he has you to see him through this. Good food and Books will get you though EVERYTHING! Thanks for the books suggestions. The Dean Kootz looks intriguing! Finished the “12 Dogs of Christmas” – as a rescuer/transporter myself, I understand (although I don’t ever remember meeting a handsome stranger! – just my wonderful, patient husband who did all the driving!)
This time of year can be difficult, I hope you find some joy and that you stay well and your sweet Baboo are soon well. “Watchers” was the first Dean Koontz book I read, it was definitely not the last. The Odd Thomas series is excellent. Thank you for your lovely posts, I look forward to them and especially enjoy the pictures.
Carole, I am sorry to hear that your husband came down with Covid. My husband came down with it last Sunday, two days before his birthday (so yeah, happy birthday!) and then I came down with it on Wednesday. Both of us had the dreaded Covid headache which lasted for several days, along with congestion, coughing, and sore throat. We also had to cancel several holiday gatherings, along with a visit from our son who lives in NC. All three of our sons are working on Christmas, so we were already facing a weird Christmas. When Covid struck, it was a wake up call that while life is sometimes disappointing, we need to count our blessings. I am reminded not to take our health for granted and that we can just extend Christmas into January this year if we need to. Please take care Carole and stay healthy. Wishing your husband a speedy recovery.
Hope your hubby feels better soon and that you don’t catch it. The holidays can be tough without sickness added.
The Watchers is one of my favorite Koontz books. Lightning is another, both over 20 years old. The stories are compelling without all the technology advancement over the years.
Merry Christmas
I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing the depths of your sadness because some of us feel that way, too, but don’t want to tell anyone because no one else around us seems to feel that way. You are a wonderful example of how to move forward with life even when you are overwhelmed with sorrow. Thank you for all that you do in your blogs because it keeps us all grounded in hope and love.
And I sure hope your husband feels great soon and you don’t get it!
Wishing your husband a quick recovery. I enjoy historical fiction, thanks for the reviews! Take care, Carole!
Hope your Sweet Baboo is feeling better. It is hard when this happens. I do hope you find unexpected ways to enjoy the schedule disruption. You bring a lot of joy to us, hope you can feel our love through the internet!
Carole, I am so sorry to hear of your struggles. Grief has no timetable. You are such a giving and caring person, it is time to direct your attention to your own needs. Take the time to care for yourself and know that your readers are listening to you and care.
Speedy recovery to your hubby, and hope you don’t get it too! Some interesting reads for you at least. I am in the middle of a mystery right now, that is pretty good. It is set in the 1790’s, based on the diary of Martha Ballard. I have only been reading a chapter or two in the evenings, (working on Christmas sewing during free time) but would be reading longer if it weren’t time to turn out the lights! The Frozen River by Ariel Lawton.
Things do feel a bit empty this year…my dad would have been 96 on Wednesday…I know how you feel. Sending you a virtual hug.
So sorry you are not having a Merry December Carole, I hope things are looking up now…Thank you for the reviews, I need to get back to reading, I have lapsed lately. I put the book by Ruth R on my to read list, can’t wait!
Jenna
My husband had COVID for a week with the similar symptoms. He found out by asking me why the dinner tasted metallic. He’s fine. Hope our Sweet Baboo feels good soon and you stay healthy. 😊