3.5 stars. I feel torn about this book. It had a strong start introducing the brainy healer FMC and the MMC assassin who begrudgingly turns to her for a cure to an illness that is slowly sealing his fate in death. The premise has so much promise! I felt like the chemistry was under-delivered and the overarching plot felt rather underwhelming to me. I wanted more adventure and magic but instead there were brothels and boredom. I think I’ll skip future books in this romantasy series.

I first listened to this as an audiobook on Spotify and recently reread the physical book borrowed from the library. I’d definitely recommend listening to the author’s narration over the written version as Sarah Kay is a specialist in spoken word poetry. Overall, I found several of the poems relatable but others forgettable.

I love it because some days you just feel grumpy

The coziest kind of cozy fantasy. Merhorses, cats with wings, a librarian with a talking plant for a best friend who runs a jam shop out of her woodland cottage. Also cloud bears. Pick this one up if you want a book that just feels like a warm hug.

3.75 stars rounded up. I find this book very hard to rate as much of the merit comes from its status as a classic. Mark Twain’s novel is full of adventure, boyhood mischief and depictions of the racist antebellum Southern US. I’m very familiar with the story and probably have the strongest memory of the Elijah Wood portrayal on film. There’s nostalgia that comes with taking that trip down the river with Huck and Jim and revisiting their stops along the way. Yet, during this reading, I was shocked at the preponderance of vernacular and ear-piercing slurs (specifically the n-word) that made it rather hard to listen to on audio. If this book were written today as historical fiction, I’d probably be rounding down the rating, but I can’t ignore where this text stands in history. Tom Parker’s narration felt rather fast-paced, but his voice felt authentic though his occasional vocal clicks stuck out a bit.

After the recommendation of a friend in my memoir writing group, I listened to this audiobook on Spotify. The entire book revolves around the relationship between the author and the young leveret she rescues. Against all odds, the wild hare survives. Chloe Dalton’s meditation on the experience, animal behavior and the impact of humans is moving. Her writing is beautifully descriptive and tender. The book feels timeless in many ways. While listening to Louise Brealey’s narration, I felt calm and free of distraction/outside noise. The book tugs at your heart, gives you hope, and is bittersweet in its honesty. This was lovely!

This was a silly book. I liked when they fell into the water ??

This book is amazing. So many mood swings. I love it!

We love this series! The illustrations are lovely and cute. Bird and bear are such great friends.

For readers who have met New York author (and eventual resident of Maine) Lucy Barton in Strout’s other books, this is an interesting deep dive into her life. It focuses on a period in. Barton’s life where her children were young and she is in the hospital for nine weeks with a severe infection following routine surgery. Not sure if I would have enjoyed this story if I hadn’t read about Barton in Strout’s other books.