Book #1:
My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (Length: 178 pages) I’ve had this book on my TBR for years, so I decided to knock it out at the end of the year because it’s so short. This is a collection of humorous essays written by one of England’s most famous humorists (like America’s Mark Twain). The majority in this first volume (of 16!) focus on a butler/servant, Jeeves, who is quietly in the background surveying and judging his employer’s sartorial and lifestyle choices. Jeeves helps Bertie Wooster (and his friends) get out of various social scrapes in 1920s New York City by using his clever mind. I enjoyed the stories focused on Jeeves the best here. This is easy to pick up and read a few essays at a time, and I’d give it 4 stars. Jeeves is the best!
Book #2:
The Caretaker by Ron Rash (Length: 252 pages). This is another short novel (can you tell I’m trying to reach my annual reading goal?!) that is a wonderful read. Set in 1951 in a small town in North Carolina during the Korean War, the main characters are Blackburn Gant, a cemetery caretaker who suffered from polio as a child, his childhood best friend Jacob Hampton and Jacob’s young bride, Naomi Hampton. The writing is beautiful, and this literary novel is also very accessible to every reader (my favorite combo). There is a bit of a twist in the plot, and I couldn’t put this novel down after I started it. I adore this book and it’s going to land on my top 10 books of 2023.
Book #3:
Meow If It’s Murder by T.C. LoTempio (Length: 306 pages). This cozy mystery is the first in a series of 6, called the Nick and Nora Mysteries series. Nora is a retired investigative reporter who returns to the CA coastal town of Cruz to run her departed mother’s sandwich shop and Nick is a cat with eerily human qualities who has a nose for solving murder cases. The mystery at the center of this novel is pretty straightforward and easy to figure out. There is a large cast of characters/suspects but it’s a cozy mystery so just go along for the ride and don’t stress about following the plot. The cat is the best part of this book and it’s an adorable set up. The series is apparently very popular and the next time I’m in the mood for a cozy mystery, I’ll definitely reach for the second book here to spend more time with the cute and sassy Nick.
Book #4:
Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar (Length: 287 pages). I am a bit embarrassed to admit to have read this but having watched the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting for several years, I grabbed this memoir from the library to see if it, indeed, containing any “shocking” revelations. Jill is the second oldest daughter of this evangelical Christian family and has “left” the show and the nuclear family, along with her husband Derick. This memoir is HORRIBLY written and edited and there’s little new information here that hasn’t already been divulged by various websites and tabloids. I do appreciate that she recognizes the cult of Bill Gothard (a pastor the family followed for child-rearing advice) is harmful to children and families, and that she publicly disowns her pedophile, child abuser brother Josh, but on balance, I’d recommend skipping this one!
Book #5:
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See (Length: 357 pages) I LOVE this book! This is a sweeping family saga set in 15th century China. The protagonist, Yunxian, is a young woman who was raised by one of the only female doctors in China, her grandmother, and becomes one herself. This is a fascinating exploration of women in China via the interplay of concubines and the original wife as well as the process of foot binding and of births. Yunxian also has an opportunity to visit the Forbidden City which is fascinating. There is a bit of a mystery in the background of the story here and I found the reveal to be excellent. The plot isn’t propulsive because of this mystery, however, but it’s hard to put down because you’ll be so invested in Yunxian and you’ll want to see what happens to her and her life. This is a 5 star book for me!
Lora Terrill 