250 years of the United States of America… WOW!

This post is going to be all about some of my favorite books about American history and historical periods.

I hope y’all enjoy this post! :)

1. In My Father’s House by Ann Rinaldi

One of my favorite books about the Civil War, In My Father’s House follows the family who witnessed the war being started literally on their front lawn, to ending in their parlor (seriously!!).

As with all of Ann Rinaldi’s books, this one is very well-written and extremely well-researched.

“Love is like light and there are two kinds, the bursting fireworks of the moment and the solid, fixed stars that sometimes become obscured in the heavens, but are always there, year after year, for a lifetime.”

“He knows the most important language of all. Human compassion.”

~In My Father’s House by Ann Rinaldi

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

While I referenced Atticus Finch in my Father’s Day post (which you can read by clicking the button below), this book is about so much more than the Finch family.

It’s about the Deep South during one of the saddest parts of U.S. history.

A story that is ultimately about human dignity and values, it is masterfully written, and such a gripping tale!

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

“People generally see what they look for and hear what they listen for.”

“The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”

~To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Read my Fathers' Day post!

3. A Ride into Morning by Ann Rinaldi

This is a wonderful retelling of one of the lesser-known Revolutionary War stories - Tempe Wick, the girl who outsmarted mutineers in the winter of 1781, and saved her horse from being confiscated by them.

“My heart stopped beating, I know it did. Hearts do that sometimes, for just a beat or two. Then they start up again. But they never regain those missed beats, and nothing is ever the same afterwards. Life proceeds to a different cadence, and never again as harmonious as before”

~A Ride into Morning by Ann Rinaldi

4. Cheaper By the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

What an amazing picture of typical life in a large American family during the early 1920s!

This book is so hilarious, and if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend that you do so!

The sequel, Belles on Their Toes is also quite good. :)

“Some simpleton with pimples in his voice wants to speak to Ernestine,” he grumbled to Mother when he answered the phone.

“Although a graduate of the University of California the bride is nonetheless an extremely attractive young woman.”

~Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

5. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

This wonderful story about one of the most persevering and determined Americans ever is such an excellent read.

Helen Keller did not let being deaf and blind stop her from pursuing her dreams and becoming one of the most influential Americans of her time.

“Literature is my utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourses of my book friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness.”

“I wonder what becomes of lost opportunities? Perhaps our guardian angel gathers them up as we drop them and will give them back to us in the beautiful sometime when we have grown wiser and learned how to use them rightly.”

“Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow.”

~The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

6. The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

If this series isn’t the best portrait of the prairie settler mindset during the 1860s, then I don’t know what is.

It is such an excellent series that really captures this whole historical period so well.

“We start learning the minute we're born, Laura. And if we're wise, we don't stop until the Lord calls us home.”

Ma sighed gently and said, “A whole year gone, Charles.”

But Pa answered, cheerfully: “What's a year amount to? We have all the time there is.”

~Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

7. So Far from Home: The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl by Barry Denenberg

One of my favorite series for 10–13-year-old girls who love history?

The Dear America series.

They’re fictional journals written from the perspective of girls living in different historical periods, from the landing of the Mayflower to stories of the Great Railroad Race, to World War II.

I picked Mary Driscoll’s diary to highlight because it shows so excellently the mindset of the early immigrants and also, sadly, the overwhelming prejudice against the Irish Catholics in the mostly Protestant New England.

We should never forget our immigrant roots, or the hardships that our ancestors endured to get us where we are today.

I am worn. Standing all day has caused my feet to ache terribly. Nothing relieves the pain. Weariness has crept into my bones. My eyes feel as if they will burst from my head thanks to the endless noise. The lint flies everywhere. Breathing itself is a burden.

-So Far from Home: The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl by Barry Denenberg

8. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is one of the most famous works of American literature, showcasing the dripping wealth and material success that equated to “happiness” in the flapper era.

A somewhat confusing read but a very vivid portrait of the 1920s in New York.

“And so, with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”

“Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

~The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

9. The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories by O. Henry

O. Henry has such a genius for catching the authentic spirit of the lower- and middle-class working Americans of the early 1900s.

Some of my favorite stories in this collection are “The Gift of the Magi”, “Springtime a la Carte”, “The Last Leaf”, and “A Retrieved Reformation”.

“Life is full of sniffles sobs and smiles. With sniffles predominating.”

~The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

10. Love Stories of World War II compiled by Larry King

I found this in a thrift store for $1 and it was such a good purchase!

A wonderful anthology that was especially interesting to me, as my great-grandparents met through the letters they exchanged throughout World War II.

This is quite an amazing snapshot of this time period in American history!

Please Comment!! :)

What is your favorite time period in American history?

Happy 4th of July & Happy Reading! 🎆🦅

-Mia Grace ✨

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Recently I had the opportunity to read this amazing book, Living your Strengths: Discover your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community.

I also took the CliftonStrengths assesment which goes along with the book.

Wow.

This was the most accurate “personality” test I’ve ever taken. The descriptions for each of my five top traits sounded so accurate and so exactly like me!

Of course, I immediately started to reccomend this book to everyone I know.

Synopsis:

Even in a country as religious as the U.S., many people feel disengaged from their faith communities. More than half report that they really don't get the opportunity in their congregation to do what they do best. People just feel disconnected.

Maybe it's because those faith communities make unwitting missteps: Pastors ask shy people to be greeters or recruit innately disorganized people to coordinate church events.

The problem is simply this: Too many people's talents are going unappreciated. But it doesn't have to be this way. Living Your Strengths Catholic Edition shows readers how to use their innate gifts to enrich their faith communities.

My Notes:

• I don’t typically go in for self-help books (which is what I’m categorizing this as), but this book really went above and beyond my expectations.

• It really helped me to understand the different traits I have and why I respond to circumstances a certain way.

• I especially liked the way that the authors broke down all 34 categories into simple, easy-to-read snippets, with those epic Bible verses for each category.

• Also, the checklists of the things you could do with your traits to deepen your faith was very clear and easy to follow.

• Overall, I’d say it was a really wonderful book that helped me quite a lot. If you decide to read it, I hope it does the same for you!

Happy Reading!

-Mia Grace ✨

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I hope y’all are having an amazing Saturday so far!

Tomorrow is Fathers’ Day, so I thought I’d celebrate by making a post about all of my favorite literary fathers. (And celebrating with my dad too, of course!)

(FYI the post mayyyy be too long for email. So you’ll have to read it on my substack 😅)

1. Atticus Finch

“Heck,” Atticus’s back was turned. “If this thing’s hushed up it’ll be a simple denial to Jem of the way I’ve tried to raise him. Sometimes I think I’m a total failure as a parent, but I’m all they’ve got. Before Jem looks at anyone else, he looks at me, and I’ve tried to live so I can look squarely back at him… if I connived at something like this, frankly I couldn’t meet his eye, and the day I can’t do that I’ll know I’ve lost him. I don’t want to lose him and Scout, because they’re all I’ve got.”

-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Atticus Finch is one of the most famous fathers in literary fiction. I really need to re-read this book - even just skimming through it before writing this post was enough to make me want to re-read it.

The movie (with Gregory Peck) is a wonderful adaptation of the book, and I highly reccomend it.

2. Jean-Valjean

When he saw Cosette, when he had taken her, carried her away, and rescued her, he felt his heart moved. All that he had of feeling and affection was aroused and vehemently attracted towards this child.

-Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

What other literary characters fo you know of who go in search of and later adopt an eight-year-old simply because the dying mother (whom he barely knew) asked him to?

I’ll wait.

The genuine love and care that Jean-Valjean showers upon Cosette is so beautiful and touching. He’s truly a masterfully drawn character.

3. Frank Gilbreth

Dad was a tall man with a large head, jowls, and a Herbert Hoover collar. He carried himself with the self-assurance of a successful gentleman who was proud of his wife, proud of his family, and proud of his business accomplishments.

-Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth, Jr; and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Featuring one of the funniest fathers in my book collection, I absolutely adore Cheaper by the Dozen! It’s one of the only books that makes me laugh every single time I read it.

4. Mr. Bennet

Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.

After listening one morning to their effusions on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly observed, “From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but now I am convinced.”

-Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mr. Bennet has long been one of my absolute favorites of Jane Austen’s many characters.

You find yourself wondering how such a supremely sarcastic, intelligent man ever fell for the supremely silly Mrs. Bennet.

5. Matthew Cuthbert

“Well now, I’d rather have you than a dozen boys, Anne,” said Matthew, patting her hand. “Just mind you that — rather than a dozen boys. Well now, I guess it wasn’t a boy that took the Avery scholarship, was it? It was a girl — my girl — my girl that I’m proud of.”

-Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Matthew is always there as Anne’s silent supporter.

Who can forget that he bought Anne her first really pretty dress “with puffed sleeves”?! (Especially after that intensely awkward scene in the store? 🤣)

Matthew as a father figure will always have a special place in my heart.

Read my full review here

6. Carson Drew

“I believe you can,” her father replied, his eyes twinkling. “I’d say this is more your kind of mystery than mine, Nancy.”

He looked affectionately at the slim, blue-eyed girl. Mr. Drew was proud of his eighteen-year-old daughter, who had gained a reputation of her own by solving many mysteries.

-The Secret in the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene

The only complaint I have against Mr. Drew is the amount of life-threatening danger that he allows his daughter to get herself into.

To be fair… he never really knows about her near escapes until after they’re over… but you would think that after three or four “coincidences,” he would give her some practical life advice, like “don’t sneak into the shady-looking nursing home by yourself” or “stay away from shady Russian men,” but noooo he never gives advice of that type.

I suppose that’s why there are over 80 Nancy Drew Mysteries. 😂

7. Charles Ingalls

“Well!” he said to her. “You’re only a little half-pint of cider half drunk up, but by Jinks! you’re as strong as a little French horse!”

“You shouldn’t frighten the children so, Charles,” Ma said. “Look how big their eyes are.”

Pa looked, and then he took down his fiddle. He began to play and sing.

-Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

One of the most stubborn men in my book collection, Charles Ingalls moves his family almost every-other-year because he dislikes crowds.

So they end up “a hundred miles from civilization” more times than Ma can possibly count!

Michael Landon just personifies Pa in the Little House series. I absolutely love his character arc.

8. Alec Campbell

“I wonder people are in such haste to ‘bring out’ their daughters as it’s called. To me, there is something almost pathetic in the sight of a young girl standing on the threshold of the world, so innocent, and hopeful, so ignorant of all that lies before her, and usually so ill prepared to meet life. We do our duty better by the boys, but the poor little women are seldom provided with any armor worth having, and sooner or later they are sure to need it, for every one must fight her own battle, and only the brave and strong can win.”

-Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

Rose’s beloved uncle Alec, who becomes her father figure and guardian after her own father dies has some revolutionary ideas on how girls should be raised that makes all of his many sisters gasp in shock several times.

Rose profits by her unusual upbringing, however, and becomes quite the beautiful and experienced young lady.

9. Clark Davis

“I have a little ‘un, not much more’n a mite — and she be needin’ a mama. Now as I see it, if we marries, you an’ me —” he looked directly at her then, squatting down to put himself more on her level, “we could solve both of those problems. I would have waited but the preacher is only here fer today an’ won’t be back through agin ‘til next April or May, so’s it has to be today.”

-Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

How many fathers do you know who would remarry simply to provide a mother for their daughter, and nothing else (and be willing to send said daughter “back east” with the surrogate mother)?

The only thing I dislike about this book is the wording… like okay we get it; they talk like that.

Other than that, it’s quite the heartwarming read.

10. Bob Ray

“It won’t do Betsy any harm to learn about commas,” Mr. Ray said. “I’ve noticed myself that she scatters them like grass seed.”

-Heavens to Betsy & Betsy in Spite of Herself by Maud Hard Lovelace

Everyone in Betsy’s “Crowd” adores her easygoing father and heartily enjoys his special “Sunday Night Lunches”.

His character is so well drawn!! One of the best humorous father figures.

Please Comment!! :)

Who is your favorite father figure from a book?

Happy Reading and have a Happy Fathers’ Day!

-Mia Grace ✨

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I recently discovered that National Brothers’ Day is celebrated every May 24th.

Although May 24th has most certainly passed already… I still thought that a post on my favorite brother duos in books would be fun to do!

(Especially since I have four crazy brothers of my own…)

Peter and Edmund Pevensie

Edmund said to Peter, “if you’re not still too high and mighty to talk to me, I’ve something to say which you’d better listen to.”

“What is it?” asked Peter.

-The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

“I suppose you don’t believe we won the Battle of Beruna?” [Edmund said] “Well, you can say what you like about me, because I know—”

“There’s no good losing our tempers,” said Peter.

-Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Peter and Edmund are that classic big-brother, little-brother duo. They may bicker incessantly over the smallest trifles, but when it comes to the bigger issues - such as battle plans or protecting their sisters - they stand staunchly together.

Walter and Jem Blythe

“See — there is a great golden palace over there in the sunset,” said Walter, pointing. “Look at the shining towers — and the crimson banners streaming from them. Perhaps a conqueror is riding home from battle — and they are hanging them out to do honour to him.”

“Oh, I wish we had the old days back again,” exclaimed Jem. “I’d love to be a soldier — a great, triumphant general. I’d give everything to see a big battle.”

-Rainbow Valley, by L.M. Montgomery

Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe’s sons are about as different as two brothers could possibly be. Jem, the eldest, is a very practical boy who leads his merry band of siblings and their assorted friends into all sorts of escapades.

Walter, by contrast, is the imaginative, shy, poet of the family, often discovered daydreaming while the other children are playing.

You might say that Walter tells the story, and Jem wants it to actually come true.

Siegfried and Tristan Farnon

“Sorry about the way things turned out,” I said awkwardly.

“No, no, that’s all right.” [Tristan said] “It could have been a lot worse, you know.”

“Worse? Well, it’s bad enough, isn’t it? What are you going to do?”

“Do? What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve been kicked out, haven’t you? Where are you going to sleep tonight?”

“I can see you don’t understand” Tristan said. He took his cigarette from his mouth, and I saw the gleam of very white teeth as he smiled. “You needn’t worry, I’m sleeping here and I’ll be down to breakfast in the morning.”

“But how about your brother?”

“Siegfried? Oh, he’ll have forgotten all about it by then.”

“Are you sure?”

“Dead sure. He’s always sacking me, and he always forgets.”

-All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

With Siegfried and Tristan, we still have the Edmund-and-Peter dynamic, but it’s Edmund-and-Peter with the added awkwardness of Edmund being financially dependent on Peter.

Siegfried and Tristan argue quite often, and quite loudly, but deep down (VERY deep down), they do actually like each other, crazy as it might seem.

Frank and Joe Hardy

“He’s probably halfway across the state by this time” Joe remarked.

“Unless he’s in jail or over a cliff,” Frank added.

-The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon

“That would be great!” said seventeen-year-old, blond-haired Joe, his blue eyes flashing in anticipation.

Frank, a year older than his brother, and less impetuous, asked in a serious tone of voice, “Dad, have you any ideas about the identity of the smugglers?”

-The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon

The most unrealistic thing about the Hardy Boys is that they barely ever argue. Sure, they tease each other, and their friends, but rare is the moment when they actually out-and-out disagree with each other.

Aside from that, they are certainly very accurate depictions of two very close brothers during the early 1920s (oh yes, I only read the older books. I’m sorry, but these new “updated” ones are so wishy-washy).

(Sidenote - you’ve got to love the “subtle” character descriptions that only appear in like EVERY SINGLE BOOK 🤣😆)

Dan Bell

On Monday morning Dan opened his sleepy eyes to see his sister standing beside his bedside with a tray in her hands.

“Great snakes!” he exclaimed. “What’s the time? I meant to get up and help you!”

“You were tired, so we let you sleep in” Dinah told him.

-Young Mrs. Savage by D.E. Stevenson

One of my favorite aspects of this book (Young Mrs. Savage) is that fun grown-up twin-brother-and-sister angle.

It’s also very funny seeing Dan try and figure out how to interact with his sister’s four children… and try and make out their characters at the same time.

The Campbell Cousins

“Don’t be frightened. This is the clan come to welcome you; and I’m the chief, Archie, at your service.”

[a few sentences later…]

“We came out in full rig, for we always turn out in style on grand occasions. Hope you like it. Now I’ll tell you who these chaps are, and then we shall be all right. This big one is Prince Charlie, Aunt Clara’s boy. She has but one, so he is an extra good one. This old fellow is Mac, the bookworm, called Worm for short. This sweet creature is Steve the Dandy. Look at his gloves and top-knot if you please. They are Aunt Jane’s lads, and a precious pair you’d better believe. These are the Brats, my brothers, Geordie and Will and Jamie the Baby.”

-Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Although they are mostly cousins, and not all brothers, they behave as the most rambunctious pseudo-brothers to their extremely shy cousin, Rose.

The adventures and scrapes that they get into throughout this book are hilariously fun.

Jo’s Boys

Franz was with a merchant kinsman in Hamburg … Emil was the jolliest tar that ever “sailed the ocean blue” … Dan was a wanderer still … Nat was busy with music at the Conservatory … Tom was studying medicine and trying to like it … Jack was in business with his father, bent on getting rich. Dolly was in college with Stuffy and Ned reading law.

-Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott

The sequel to Little Men, this book follows the students from Jo Bhaer’s school as they navigate the waters of adulthood.

It’s a delightful conclusion to the series that began with Little Women.

Please Comment!! :)

What is your favorite book about brothers?

Happy Reading! 👦📖

-Mia Grace ✨

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Recently I was recommended the author Rosanna M. White by one of my friends, so I checked out a couple of her titles from my local library.

I immediately fell in love with this beautifully woven story, and I was so excited to learn it has sequels (which I immediately added to my TBR!)

A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

Synopsis:

Edwardian Romance and History Gains a Twist of Suspense

Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family's history, their very name?

Peter Holstein, given his family's German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.

But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors' scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he's more than his name?

My Notes:

• I love that family matters more than anything. It’s a theme that I think is sadly left out in most modern literature.

• Rosemary’s character was probably my favorite. It was so delightful to follow her character growth throughout this novel.

• It was also cool to see the young King Edward VIII when he was still a prince… we get to see a bit of a hint of the man he will eventually turn into when he says that people should marry whomever they want, regardless of social status. (He would later abdicate the throne of England to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson.)

• Also, the character of the “villain” and later “good guy” was very masterfully drawn.

• Gryff’s character was one of my favorites. He was so gruff and sarcastic.

• The library description!! I wanted sooo badly to go into the library (and help organize it of course. *cue hair flip*)

• I did NOT know that during World War I the monarchy of England paid the popular novelists - especially those novelists who had a large readership in America - to put pro-patriotic, pro-war, pro-British “propaganda” into their novels, thus preparing the everyday citizens for the eventual alliance between the United States and England.

• All in all, this was an excellent, well-crafted book, and I would definitely recommend it!

Quotes I liked:

• “Fiction is a way to express mankind’s deepest heart. His fears. His hopes. His failings. His successes. Fiction is truth . . . in a pretty wrapping.”

• “And the best sort of villain is smart and subtle and so very tricky that you don't even know he's the villain, because he thinks himself the hero in his own story.”

• “Above all, Peter, we must be gentle. Self-controlled. This is how others see the love of Christ in us.”

Please Comment!! :)

Do you have a favorite time period to read about?

What is it?

Happy Reading! 📚💙

-Mia Grace

Last week I was FINALLY able to get some new library books!

The first one I read was The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill.

This book was such a completely and utterly amazing read. I started it in the late afternoon and ended up finishing it that same night close to midnight (I took breaks in between, obviously 😆). It was just that riveting.

Also, it was a mystery, and I hate going to bed and leaving a mystery unsolved.

Technically, as a rule, I never read mystery novels at night, because I have a tendency to freak myself out over them, and then I can’t sleep. (The first time I read a mystery at night I did not sleep at all for the rest of the night. I was also ten years old at the time. The book was Nancy Drew: The Mysterious Mannequin in case you’re wondering.)

Anyway, I just could not help myself- this book completely sucked me in (sidenote- I love it when that happens :). I don’t think I’ve been that deep into a mystery book since I read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie two or three years ago (I also finished that one in the middle of the night… what is wrong with me?!)

So, without further ado, let’s dive right into this book. 😁🙌

The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill

featuring my super non-aesthetic blur on the library’s barcode 😆

Synopsis:

To most people, Piper Sail looks like a rich girl with little potential, but she surprises everyone, including herself, when she starts investigating her best friend’s disappearance. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Maureen Johnson, The Lost Girl of Astor Street combines the allure of Jazz Age Chicago with a twisting mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Lydia has vanished. Lydia, who’s never broken any rules, except falling in love with the wrong boy. Lydia, who’s been Piper’s best friend since they were children. Lydia, who never even said goodbye.

Convinced the police are looking in all the wrong places, eighteen-year-old Piper Sail begins her own investigation into Lydia’s disappearance. With the reluctant help of a handsome young detective, Piper searches for answers in the dark underbelly of 1924 Chicago. Did Lydia get abducted by one of the city’s most notorious gangsters? Or does the trail lead back to their own affluent neighborhood?

Piper must decide if she’s willing to risk her life to find out the truth.

My Notes:

• This story has a little bit of everything… a mystery, delightful 1920s style, the mafia, and even an annoying stepmother.

• Can I just say that I absolutely loved Piper’s character. She was very well-written and I really enjoyed the narrative style of writing.

• Aaaaand I just looked up the author on my library’s website and there’s a SEQUEL?! WHAT?! I guess I know what I’m reading next… 😆

• The overall mystery elements - they kept getting crazier and crazier. Every chapter more information would keep coming out, and just when you thought everything was getting back to normal (FINALLY), then YIKES! Four new developments would appear.

• Mariano was also a great character. I loved the police/detective angle, and Ms. Morrill really wrote him as quite a real-life character, instead of some of those wishy-washy male leads we usually find in YA novels (cough cough - Peeta Mellark. Sue me, but I really dislike his character.)

• The romance wasn’t played up too much at all, which I really liked, because there’s nothing I hate more than a good detective story turning into “oh wait half a second, we need like three and a half chapters all about these characters falling in love”. I really liked how in this book it’s the mystery that’s in the foreground, with the romance bits just barely threaded throughout.

• This is also a 100% clean read by the way! There is one reference to a guy having an affair, but it’s just mentioned in passing. There are also one or two references to prostitutes, but after all they are in the worst parts of Chicago in the 1920s. There’s nothing mentioned outside of the word “prostitute.”

• Overall, it was quite an on-the-edge-of-your-seat type of read and I did stay up wayyyyyyyyyyyy past my bedtime to read it (mom if you’re still reading this… again, I’m sorry! lol) and I would (obviously) highly recommend it!

Quotes I liked:

• “To love anyone is to risk.”

• “What does a girl have, really, if her word cannot be trusted?”

• “Grief is not weakness”

• “I am many things, Detective Cassano, but safe isn't one of them.”

Please Comment!! :)

What is your favorite mystery novel and why?

Happy Reading! 🔎📝

-Mia Grace ✨

Today’s post is all about some of the books I read this April.

With the exceptions of Ella Enchanted which didn’t make it into the photo because I had already returned it to the library, and The Giver because I already wrote a post about it last week.

I hope y’all enjoy this post!

1. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

As I mentioned in my Magician’s Nephew post, I’ve been re-reading the Narnia series to my younger brother. We finished this book rather quickly (mostly because he wanted to watch the movie…) and we are now working our way through Prince Caspian (we skipped The Horse and His Boy because (and who else agrees with me) it is the “boringest” Narnia book.)

2. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

   

I’ve already reviewed this book in more detail in this post; but I will say, if you’re looking for a heartwarming and quite funny read, look no further! This book is simply delightful.

3. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

As you can see from the cover (or absence of one…) this is an older book. I picked this book up mostly because I remembered it being a funny read, but quite frankly I was pretty shocked at the amount of anti-Catholic sentiment in this book (I obviously forgot that Mark Twain was a die-hard Presbyterian.)

It is, however, a hilarious portrait of what might happen if the 19th Century collided with Medieval times.

4. Messenger by Lois Lowry

This was my first time reading this book and I really enjoyed it! I love that we get to see a glimpse of Jonas as a young adult.

It was funny reading the description of Jonas’ house… it sounded an awful lot like The Giver’s house from the movie, with all the books and swirly staircase.

Matty was a wonderful character and really felt real to me.

5. Heavens to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace

I’ve been re-reading the Betsy-Tacy series to my cousins and we all really enjoyed this book!

Seeing Betsy grow up a bit but also remain the same girl within was really a treat.

Joe Willard also appears for the first time in this book… 👀😁

6. Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

This modern re-telling of Daddy-Long-Legs is just chef’s kiss! 🤌🤩🙌

I adore this bittersweet story, with all the wonderfully flawed characters.

It’s also a beautiful redemption story.

7. Son by Lois Lowry

The fourth and final book in The Giver series, I started out by disliking it, but I grew to like it by the ending.

I love that Lowry pulled all the characters together - finally.

It’s lovely to see who Jonas ends up becoming and reading about Gabriel as a teenager is really quite something.

8. Just Patty by Jean Webster

The prequel to When Patty Went to College this book describes Patty’s escapades in boarding school with her closest friends.

I especially loved the ghost and burglar chapter - that scene had me in stiches.

9. When Patty Went to College by Jean Webster

This book follows Patty through her final year of college, describing her most crazy schemes and lovely dreams.

It also has a ‘moral of the story’ chapter in the final chapter when she meets the Bishop.

I really enjoyed this book! It was quite a breezy read.

10. Dear Enemy by Jean Webster

(Can you tell I’m in a bit of a Jean Webster phase right now?)

This book is the sequel to Daddy-Long-Legs. It describes Judy’s best friend, Sallie McBride, as she struggles to run the John Grier Orphanage.

How will Sallie survive the inefficient staff, her annoyed boyfriend, and the taciturn Scotch doctor whom she christens her “Enemy”?

Please Comment!! :)

What have you been reading this April?

Happy Reading! 📖🙌

-Mia Grace ✨

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I’ve just finished the latest Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, and that’s all I can think to say…

just…

wow.

The range of emotions that I went through while reading this book were crazy. I was alternatly on-the-edge-of-my-seat, shocked, suspenseful, and saddened by the time I closed the book.

After making my way through about 90% of the book, I was like “okay, phew, things should be calming down…” and then BAM! The craziest, most shocking thing happens literally less than twenty pages from the ending.

What is this shocking thing you ask?

Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis:

When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

My Notes:

• Okay, I loved that we got to see Haymitch’s backstory. This book really made him so much more relatable than the often-drunk boorish man that we see in the original trilogy.

• There’s that little bit of mysteriousness around Lenore Dove’s parantage… is it at all possible that she might just be Lucy Grey Baird’s daughter?

• I loved that there were all those “easter eggs” from Lucy Grey’s songs, to a glimpse of Katniss’ parents, to finally understanding the significance behind the mockingjay pin and the “sweetheart” nickname.

• Also, seeing some of the former-victors-turned-tributes in the second book (Catching Fire), such as Mags, Wiress, and Beatee, was interesting. It’s nice that we got a bit of their backstory as well.

• Effie Trinket managed to make it into the book! LOL

• I actually really liked the haunting vibes from Edgar Allen Poe’s poem. That was quite nicely done.

• Now I finally get it why Haymitch is the way he is. This book made him such a 3-D character!

Quotes I Liked:

• “I love you like all-fire.”

• “The snow may fall, but the sun also rises.”

• “And that’s part of our trouble. Thinking things are inevitable. Not believing change is possible.”

• “But she was smarter than me, or luckier. She's the one who finally kept that sun from rising.”

• “Sometimes she cries because things are so beautiful and we keep messing them up. Because the world doesn’t have to be so terrifying. That’s on people, not the world.”

Please Comment!! :)

Have you ever read the Hunger Games series? Which book is your favorite?

Happy Reading! 🏹☀️

-Mia Grace ✨

Recently I’ve been trying to get my youngest brother more interested in books and in reading in general. We decided to start C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series together!

I’d forgotten how very epic and wonderful this series could be! There’s so much meaning in it, even though it is technically classed as a “children’s” series.

I believe that any age range can read and be delighted by the sheer awesomeness in this series.

Today’s review is about the first book in the series, The Magician’s Nephew.

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Synopsis:

Witness the creation of a magical land in The Magician’s Nephew, the first title in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, which has captivated readers of all ages for over sixty years.

On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the lion Aslan’s song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible.

My Notes:

• I absolutely loved re-reading this book! There are so many deeper lessons that we can learn from it, if we only take the time to look.

• Also. Uncle Andrew. How have I never realized before what a total creep he is?! That scene where he locks the kids into his study is so creepy and weird.

• The housemaid sidenotes!! As the events in this book are unfolding (such as Aunt Letty being thrown halfway across the room by Jadis aka the White Witch), there are these humorous sidenotes from the housemaid’s point of view:

“While Aunt Letty was still hurtling through the air, the housemaid (who was having a beautifully exciting morning) put her head in at the door and said ‘If you please, sir, the ‘ansom’s come.’”

• This book is so beautifully allegorical! Especially in the scene where Digory goes to pick the “apple of eternal life” and the Witch tempts him to take some for himself. If that isn’t a retelling of the Genesis story, I don’t know what is.

• It’s so interesting how we learn the origin of the Wardrobe- made from the wood of a Narnian apple tree planted in England!

  ---

  Who was C.S. Lewis?

  

C.S. Lewis, author of The Magician’s Nephew

His real name was Clive Staples Lewis, but all of his friends called him “Jack.”

He was close friends with the author of The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tolkien and he were a part of a literary group called “The Inklings”.

He also was a BBC radio broadcaster.

He died on the same day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, November 22, 1963.

He wrote almost all of his books by hand, preferring that to a typewriter.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (his first children’s book) was inspired by the evacuee children he had staying with him during World War II.

Quotes I liked:

• “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”

• “No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.”

• “You know me better than you think, you know, and you shall know me better yet.”

• “Things always work according to their nature.”

  ---

  Please Comment!! :)

  Have you ever read The Chronicles of Narnia? Which book is your favorite?

Happy Reading! 🍎🦁

-Mia Grace ✨

First of all, I’d like to give a huge shout-out to who is the reason I am writing this post.

For Christmas Jane sent me the first two books in what I can now call one of my new favorite series.

I’d had these books recommended to me by multiple people, but I was unable to find them at my library and I kept forgetting to order them on Thriftbooks or Amazon.

So I was super excited when I received them as a Christmas gift!!! Thank you so much Jane!!

Without further ado, let’s dive straight into this book review!

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Volumes 1 & 2 by Beth Brower

Synopsis

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

My Notes:

(Volume 1)

• I love the mystery angle… like who is Maxwell?? Why were Emma’s diaries burnt?

• Emma’s character is simply perfect. I love how sarcastic and utterly truthful she is about everything.

• Also, all the English author references!! (I’m taking a British Literature class so I really appreciated all the references, lol)

(Volume 2)

• This series gets more and more interesting as you go on!

• Who exactly is The Tenant? And why on earth is he so unusual?

• Aunt Eugenia is such an amazingly hilarious character!

• The Jane Eyre Society meeting is for sure one of the best and funniest diary entries.

• Ahhhh I need to go buy the other books!!

Quotes I liked:

• “It takes a courageous man to marry a woman with a mind.”

• “There are realities we must face”

• “Dreams are not reality.
  UNTIL THEY ARE.”

• “I have found that on occasions of high absurdity, one either discovers a great friend or someone to never speak with again.”

“You must be fighting fit, Emma, whatever else. Most of life is the ability to be ready for what comes your way.”

Have you ever read The Unselected Diaries of Emma M. Lion? What did you think?

Happy Reading! 💗📖

-Mia Grace ✨

I’ve just realized that I have never written a review about any of my favorite-author-of-all-time’s books!

GASP 😱

How can this be?

To remedy this, I bring you…

*drumroll please!*

Yet another book review 🥳🥳🥳

Celia’s House by D.E. Stevenson

Synopsis:

Celia Dunne may be an old spinster, but she’s no fool. She knows that changing her will to leave the grand family estate, Dunnian, to her grand-nephew will ruffle feathers within the family. But Celia also knows that Dunnian has stood solemn and empty for far too long, and she intends for that to change after she’s gone. Humphrey’s children will turn the creaky old house back into a family home―just the way it was meant to be.

As Humphrey’s young family grows and expands within the walls of Dunnian, the house seems to welcome them with warmth and a wonderful feeling of belonging. Following the Dunnes through youthful antics, merry parties, heartbreaks, love, and marriages, Celia’s House is an enchanting family novel that begs to be read and savored over and over again.

My Notes

• I’ve loved D.E. Stevenson’s books ever since I first found Miss Buncle’s Book while re-organizing my family’s bookshelves. Her books are just so cozy and such good comfort novels.

• I love how this book spans such a large amount of time (1905-1932)… it really gives you a chance to grow along with the characters.

• It actually reminded me a lot of Mansfield Park, with the play production, the love triangle, and especially in the character of Tessa, who is like a more modern Mary Crawford.

• The landscape descriptions in this book are simply superb. It really makes it feel like you are actually there.

• Out of all the couples, Debbie and Mark were my favorites. (Again, I was getting Mansfield Park vibes).

• Although this is technically a stand-alone novel, D. E. Stevenson does this really unique thing (which she does with quite a few of her books) of crossing characters or places mentioned in one book over to another book.

• Other books that include some of the characters from Celia’s House are Listening Valley, Anna and her Daughters, and Sarah’s Cottage.

Who was D.E. Stevenson?

D. E. Stevenson, author of Celia’s House

Her father was Robert Louis Stevenson’s cousin!

She began writing when she was quite young, but hid her work from her parents, because they disapproved of writing and intellectual women.

After she got married, she published her first book Mrs. Tim Christie, which is based off of her actual diary as an officer’s wife.

Her novels were best-sellers at the time, with over seven million copies being printed.

Quotes I liked:

• “People are apt to take you at your own valuation . . . I mean if you lie down on the floor and look like a doormat people can't be blamed for wiping their boots on you.”

• “If strangers see you behaving like lunatics, it doesn't matter, because they don't know who you are. And if your friends see you behaving like lunatics, it doesn't matter, because they know who you are.”

  ---

  Who is your favorite author?

Happy Reading! 📖🦋

-Mia Grace ✨

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I’ve just finished the Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery!

It is simply the best series of 19th century books, ever! If you haven’t read them all, I would definitely make it one of your reading goals!!

Earlier this year I posted about the first book in this series, Anne of Green Gables, and this post will be about the last book in the series, Rilla of Ingleside.

Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery

Synopsis:

Anne's children are almost all grown up, except for spirited and fun-loving Rilla. With her sparkling hazel eyes and infectious smile, Rilla is impossible to ignore. At almost fifteen, all she can think about is going to her first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from the handsome Kenneth Ford.

But life takes an unexpected turn when a distant war threatens their peaceful world at Ingleside. Rilla's brothers head off to fight, and she finds herself caring for an orphaned newborn she discovers in the most unlikely place—a soup tureen! Suddenly, Rilla is thrown into a whirlwind of challenges that will test her bravery and change her in ways she never imagined.

My Notes:

• It’s so beautiful to follow a fictional family through so many books!! Anne, who was eleven in the first book, is now in her forties, and Rilla, (whose first appearance was in Anne of Ingleside as the new baby), is a lovely young girl of fifteen.

• This book really is a coming-of-age novel. I never realized it before, but it really is. Rilla is so much more relatable now that I’m a teenager than when I was eleven.

• I absolutely love the humor of naming the cat Dr.-Jekyll-and-Mr.-Hyde because of his changing moods. That was such a humorous touch.

• Also… wow. Nicknames in those days were on another level. “Spider” for gangly Rilla, and an unfortunate neighbor gets the very descriptive nickname of “Whiskers-on-the-moon”.

• This is such a great book showing how World War I affected the “home front,” and how people lived in constant day-to-day fear that the dreaded telegram would come… but somehow people still kept that “stiff upper lip” and tried to write their boys down “at the front” the most entertaining letters possible.

Who was L.M. Montgomery?

Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Rilla of Ingleside

I know I already wrote a lot about L.M. Montgomery in my earlier post on Anne of Green Gables, but here’s a few more facts about her and her book!

Rilla of Ingleside is the only Canadian novel written from a woman’s perspective about the first World War by a contemporary author!

This book is dedicated to the memory of Maud’s best friend and cousin, Frederica Campbell MacFarlane, in Maud’s own words “a true friend, a rare personality, a loyal and courageous soul.”

Quotes I liked:

• “I will keep faith, Walter,” she said steadily. “I will work and teach and learn and laugh, yes, I will even laugh through all my years, because of you and because of what you gave when you followed the call.”

• “The body grows slowly and steadily but the soul grows by leaps and bounds. It may come to its full stature in an hour.”

• “Even when you’re unhappy, it’s better to think of others than of yourself.”

• “Nobody whom this war has touched will ever be happy again in quite the same way. But it will be a better happiness, I think, little sister - a happiness we’ve earned.”

What is your favorite book by L.M. Montgomery?

Happy Reading! 📖🌹

-Mia Grace ✨

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I had some different ideas for this article, but I just so happened to see these books on the shelf in my living room, and I just had to share how wonderful they were and still are!

This series was one of my favorite series as a 9 to 13-year-old, and I still love re-reading it!

“The Mitchells” Series by Hilda Van Stockum

Synopsis:

In The Mitchells: Five for Victory (the first of three books about the Mitchell children’s adventures), Daddy has just gone off to World War II. One of his final words to his daughter Joan is, "No dogs!" She would dearly love such a pet, but life is full and so many new friends-pets as well as people-join the Mitchells, she hardly has time to think about dogs. The children form a club to do their part for the war-effort-first and foremost helping Mother, of course. Humorous and tender incidents combine with delightful illustrations to make the Mitchells truly unforgettable.

In the second book, Canadian Summer; the large and growing Mitchell family, transferring their location to Montreal, can’t find a house to buy or rent. They settle, over Mother’s protests, for a remote, rickety summer house in the woods near a lake. The dangers, antics, quarrels, and fun which now unroll bring each member of the family into vivid characterization. Meanwhile we meet some delightful French Canadians and taste the special qualities of rural Quebec in the late 1940’s.

In the third book, Friendly Gables; it is two years after the events in Canadian Summer. The Mitchells are settled in their new home, Friendly Gables—and twins have just been added to the family. With Mother recovering from the births and with other changes in the household, the children must come to terms with themselves in new ways. Joan’s first dance; Patsy loses her glasses; Peter’s disastrous fight; Angela’s misadventure in the woods; Timmy’s “good news”; and Catherine’s brush with fire —are only a few of the incidents in the life of this busy, growing family. With her usual humor and compassion, the author brings the Mitchell “trilogy” to a satisfying close.

My Notes:

• I love how the siblings have such a strong bond and always have each other’s backs!

• It was an interesting move… making the family move from D.C. to Canada. I found that very unusual.

• I love all the siblings so much!! They’re all so unique.

  • Joan - conscientious, responsible, with an early love of animals. She’s the ringleader and comes up with all the best schemes.

  • Pasty- the dreamer of the family. The biggest bookworm with a heart of gold. She’s the fanciful little girl who becomes the awkward but well-meaning teenager.

  • Peter- the oldest boy, who feels responsible for the rest of his family. He’s mostly chummy with Pasty, as they are the closest in age.

  • Angela - in the first book, a naughty and sassy toddler who always gets her way, and in the later books a wistful girl with a heart big enough to hold all the stray animals that she finds.

  • Timmy- first the adorable baby of the family, and later on, the precocious and adventurous boy.

  • Catherine- the semi-spoiled youngest who still wants all the attention even after she is no longer the youngest.

  • Jimmy and Johnny - the baby twins!

• All of the scrapes that the Mitchells get into are so hilarious. From finding a “princess” living in the house next door, to learning to “rough it” in the Canadian wilderness, to creating a special attic hideout where they hide from the nurse-on-the-warpath, you will heartily enjoy their adventures, and laugh and cry along with them.

Who Was Hilda Van Stockum?

Hilda Van Stockum, author of The Mitchells’, Canadian Summer, and Friendly Gables.

Hilda Van Stockum was born in the Netherlands, and grew up in Ireland, but immigrated to the United States with her family in 1935, and became a citizen in 1936.

She is well known for her children’s chapter books about World War II, especially The Winged Watchman, which is a story about the Dutch resistance under Nazi occupation.

Some parts in The Mitchells are autobiographical, taken from Hilda’s life with her six kids.

Her books are so unique and funny, and simply a joy to read.

Fun fact: She drew all the illustrations for her books!

Quotes I liked:

From The Mitchells: Five For Victory:

• “I think we ought to have a club. We’re a rather special family, you know.”

• When your head is full of fairies who get things done by magic, it’s hard to imagine yourself in a world at war where vulgar effort is required.

• “Sh! You don’t say ‘Hi ya’ to a princess.”

From Canadian Summer:

• “Do you think they have Christmas and Easter in Canada?”

• Peter only wished the other children would behave better. It’s hard to be proud of your family when it keeps wriggling around and licking the windowpanes.

• When you have younger brothers and sisters and see how carelessly they act sometimes, you begin to understand your parents better.

From Friendly Gables

• “Where are my glasses?” she asked, “What did I do with them?”

  “They’re in your hair,” announced Joan, disentangling them with difficulty. “You must’ve been reading in bed again.”

• “Joan is washing Angela’s hair,” said Peter in a resigned voice. “Timmy wiped his hands on it after eating bread and jam. It was a mess.”

What was your favorite series as a child?

Happy Reading! 📚😁

-Mia Grace ✨

Today’s review is all about the wonderful Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. It’s a timeless classic, and I believe that everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime. (And yes, if my brothers are reading this, this does include you.)

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Synopsis:

Anne of Green Gables is the beloved classic story of an orphan girl, Anne Shirley, who is adopted by the Cuthberts, a family living on Prince Edward Island in Canada. With her wit, charm, and strong spirit, Anne quickly wins the hearts of everyone she meets and learns to navigate the world around her, eventually growing into an independent young woman. Along the way she experiences the joys and sorrows of growing up and develops meaningful relationships that last a lifetime.

My notes:

• Re-reading this book is like stepping right back into my life as a 13-year-old. Ahhhh the nostalgia XD

• Oh. My. Goodness. The wonderful, so completely beautiful descriptions of Prince Edward Island and the seashore!! L. M. Montgomery always paints such beautiful and vivid pictures with her words.

• I never have fully appreciated the Anne x Gilbert enemies-to-friends storyline as much as I do now… it’s such a dynamic storyline!

• I think L. M. Montgomery must’ve known someone like Rachel Lynde in her life… how else could she have gotten the description of the bossy and annoying neighbor so spot-on?

• I love how Marilla’s character gets developed over the course of the novel… we see her go from the super stern older lady to a lady who is developing a sense of humor and is very fond of Anne.

  ---

  Who Was L. M. Montgomery?

I thought it would be cool to add something like this to my posts… who was the author? So, without further ado (and with a little help from Wikipedia ;) let’s learn more about L. M. Montgomery!

Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables

Lucy Maud Montgomery, known to her friends as “Maud” and her fans as “L.M. Montgomery”, was a Canadian author who is best known for her first novel, Anne of Green Gables (although her other books are really awesome, too!)

She grew up in Cavendish, on Prince Edward Island, and the home where she grew up looks a lot like the “Green Gables” in her stories!

She was inspired to write Anne of Green Gables when she found an old note she made about a story idea - two siblings who requested an orphan boy to raise and were sent a girl instead.

And thus, a classic novel was born.

Quotes I liked:

• “I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

• “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”

• “People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them, haven't you?”

• “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it... yet.”

  ---

  Have you ever read any books by L. M. Montgomery? Which one was your favorite?

Happy Reading! 📖🌹

-Mia Grace ✨

I hope you all had a wonderful and very Merry Christmas!!

Today, in my last post of 2025 (wow, that year went by SO fast!), I would like to tell you about my absolute favorite series of 2025. 😁

The “Skymar” Series by Pepper Basham

This series was absolutely wonderful!! It’s told almost entirely through text messages and emails. If you’re a fan of epistolatory novels, this series is your dream come true.

The series starts out with Authentically, Izzy; in which we follow Izzy Edgewood, a shy and awkward librarian, whose best friends are her cousins. Thanks to a snoopy and matchmaking cousin, Izzy meets a wonderful and surprisingly perfect-for-her man. He even owns a bookshop! However there is one catch… he lives a seven-hour plane ride away, in a small European country called Skymar!

In the next book, Positively, Penelope; we learn about Izzy’s sunshiny cousin, Penelope, as she interns in Skymar. Her goal is to rescue a beloved theater- but she must enlist the help of grumpy theater owner Matt Grey in order to do it.

The third and final book, Loyally Luke; follows Penelope’s only brother Luke. He’s a rough-and-tumble guy with a heart of gold, who is helping to renovate an orphanage in Skymar. He’s not on the lookout for romance, but soon he meets a princess with a past. Luke soon finds that (to his disgust) he is literally living in a Hallmark movie.

We re-visit the Edgewood family in Mistletoe Season (a short story compilation that Ms. Basham does with two other authors), where Luke’s wayward brother-in-law Arran shows up in North Carolina to spend Christmas with his sister and Luke. What Arran most certainly is not looking for is a romance… but that view changes when he meets Luke’s tomboyish cousin Charlotte “Charlie” Edgewood.

My highlights:

• Ohhhhh… this series was simply perfect!!! It has all the characteristics that make a book popular- witty banter, several movie references, and even a sprinkle of romance. (Okay, more than a sprinkle, but that sentence was so nice I hated to change it, XD)

• Luke was my favorite cousin. He reminds me so much of my own brothers.

• Authentically, Izzy was my favorite of the three books.

• I love how Pepper Basham utilized different romance tropes, like grumpy X sunshine and enemies-to-lovers.

• Okay, it was so cute re-visiting the Edgewoods in Mistletoe Season. I really enjoyed that

  ---

  Stuff I didn’t like:

• Sometimes in the non-epistolatory parts, the dialogue was a bit… stilted.

• Some of the stuff in Luke’s book was pretty Hallmark-y. Not that that is a bad thing… it’s just kind of cheesy.

  ---

Quotes I liked:

From Authentically, Izzy:

• “Why are we always so surprised when God gives us something we’ve been praying for? It’s like we don’t believe He’s actually listening.”

• “... I’ve always found a lot of truth in romantic fiction. What’s wrong with expecting a man to treat a woman well? To share excellent conversations? To have similar like - even unusual ones? To experience mutual respect and humor? What do these kinds of things seem more frequent in popular novels and Hallmark movies than in real life? Is it wrong to wait for a relationship like that?”

From Positively, Penelope:

• “But don’t let all those big dreams in your head stop you from seeing that sometimes the best adventures can still be in the simplest things. Like home and family.”

• “I can’t say a man has ever made me swoon, but if I were ever tempted, I think Gene Kelly would do the trick.”

From Loyally, Luke:

• “Perhaps your type of magic begins with wearing overalls and carrying a hammer but ends with making other people shine or find where they belong.”

• Luke: “Thanks for speaking sense. I needed it after the Penelope love-tornado just blew up my phone”

Have you ever read an epistolatory series? What was your favorite series of 2025?

Happy Reading! ✉️✏️

-Mia Grace ✨

I’m here today to tell you about yet another AMAZING Agatha Christie novel I have just finished. In fact, this is one book that I said I was planning on reading in my Spooky Fall Books post!

They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie

Synopsis:

In Agatha Christie’s classic crime adventure novel, They Came to Baghdad, a bright, young adventure seeker in the Middle East finds more excitement than she bargained for when a wounded spy expires in her hotel room.

A secret superpower summit is being held in Baghdad, but the word is out, and an underground organization in the Middle East is plotting to sabotage the talks.

Into this explosive situation appears Victoria Jones, a young woman with a yearning for adventure who gets more than she bargains for when a wounded spy dies in her hotel room.

The only man who can save the summit is dead. Can Victoria make sense of his dying words: Lucifer…Basrah…Lefarge. . . .

My Highlights:

• Oh, this book was simply superb! It kept me guessing as to who the real villain was until the end of the novel.

• Victoria Jones’ character is delightful. I love her detecting skills!

• The premise (two world powers, which I found out were supposed to be the President of the United States and the Leader of the USSR) was very interesting, and I actually looked into who the historical figures at the time (1950) were. The president would’ve been Harry Truman, and the Leader of the USSR was Joseph Stalin.

• I very highly recommend this book to all Agatha Christie aficionados!

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  Some things I didn’t like:

• The only thing I didn’t like was that this was a stand-alone novel! There are no more books about Victoria Jones. 😢

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  Quotes I liked:

• “Of course she did not like the police,” said Marcus. “Nobody likes the police. I do not like the police. But I have to stand well with them because of my hotel.”

• “You get mad, perhaps, if you try and act the part of God. They always say humility is a Christian virtue—now I see why. Humility is what keeps you sane and a human being….”

• “Though I know I tell an awful lot of lies, I wouldn’t really like to do anything that was dishonest.”

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  Have you read any Agatha Christie mysteries? Which is your favorite?

Happy Reading! 🕵🏻‍♀️🔎

-Mia Grace ✨

I have just re-read one of my most favorite books of all time. It is written in epistolary form, and is just such a delightful read!

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Synopsis:

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb. . . .

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

This. Book. Was. Amazing.

I know I say this for a lot of the books that I review, but this book really was amazing. The characters are superb and the storytelling is just lovely. This book is firmly on my “Top Favorites” shelf, and it will stay there forever. This book will make you laugh, cry, and experience every emotion in between.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society is also a movie from Netflix, but sadly is not very true to the novel. It’s still an amazing movie, however! Lily James stars as Juliet Ashton and does a marvelous job.

My Highlights:

• All the characters were wonderful. Just beautifully described and wonderfully drawn. Reading this book makes you want to live in their world.

• The Elizabeth McKenna storyline 😩😭, it’s just so bittersweet!

• Ah, Dawsey Adams! ✊😍🥰 Wonderful character.

• Just the whole book was phenomenal. There really is no way to describe it, you just have to read it for yourself!

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  Some things I didn’t like:

• There’s no sequel! It’s a standalone novel. I really wish there was a sequel…

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  Lady Montgomery-Stevenson’s Favorite Aesthetic Collage:

  

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  Quotes I liked:

• “Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.”

• “Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life.”

• “All my life I thought that the story was over when the hero and heroine were safely engaged -- after all, what’s good enough for Jane Austen ought to be good enough for anyone. But it’s a lie. The story is about to begin, and every day will be a new piece of the plot. ”

• “Humor is the best way to make the unbearable bearable.”

What is your favorite World War II-era novel? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Reading! ✒️📚

-Mia Grace ✨

My literature class just finished reading Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, and I just had to give y’all my take on it.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Synopsis:

Taken from the poverty of her parents’ home in Portsmouth, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with her cousin Edmund as her sole ally. During her uncle’s absence in Antigua, the Crawfords arrive in the neighbourhood bringing with them the glamour of London life and a reckless taste for flirtation. Mansfield Park is considered Jane Austen’s first mature work and, with its quiet heroine and subtle examination of social position and moral integrity, one of her most profound.

This book was SO good! I’ve read it once before, but the second time was definitely better, as I knew what was going to happen, and I could pick up on finer details in the story.

My highlights:

• I really ended up liking Fanny, and how beneath her timidity she can stick up for herself when she has a mind to.

• I also loved just the wordplay throughout the entire book. It’s so quaint and beautiful!

• I LOVE how this book is so long, and it takes you a good 3 and a half weeks to finish. It’s a nice thick book.

• The ending!!! 😍

• I highly, highly recommend this book!!! Especially if you have never read any Jane Austen before.

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  Some things I didn’t like:

• MRS NORRIS. Fanny’s awful aunt. She’s the worst character in the whole book.

• Maria Bertram Rushworth. What a snobby, stuck-up, whiny girl.

• The Crawfords. Classic example of “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

• Edmund’s attitude in most of the book. Why is he so besotted with Miss Crawford???

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  Lady Montgomery-Stevenson’s favorite memes!

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  Quotes I liked:

• “A fondness for reading, properly directed, must be an education in itself.”

• “Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. I quit such odious subjects as soon as I can, impatient to restore everybody not greatly in fault themselves to tolerable comfort, and to have done with all the rest.”

• “If this man had not twelve thousand a year, he would be a very stupid fellow.”

• “She was feeling, thinking, trembling about everything; agitated, happy, miserable, infinitely obliged, absolutely angry.”

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  Have you ever read any Jane Austen novels? Which one was your favorite?

Happy Reading! 🏘️🎩

-Mia Grace ✨

Today’s review is about one of the books that I tagged in my Cozy Fall Books post! I really enjoyed re-reading it, and I hope that you will enjoy my review!

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

Synopsis:

Told through letters, this classic coming-of-age tale captures the ups and downs of young womanhood with humor and heart.

A trustee of the John Grier orphanage has offered to send Judy Abbott to college. The only requirements are that she must write to him every month and that she can never know who he is. Judy’s life at college is a whirlwind of friends, classes, parties and a growing friendship with the handsome Jervis Pendleton. With so much happening in her life, Judy can scarcely stop writing to ‘Daddy-Long-Legs’, or wondering who her mysterious benefactor is...

My highlights:

• First off, I absolutely ADORE Judy Abbott! She’s witty, headstrong, and loves to read.

• The way the novel is told (in epistolary form) is just perfect! I love reading epistolary novels, so this was a fun read.

• I liked how every so often in the letters, there was little drawings.

• The suspense! Who is Daddy-Long-Legs?

• Ahhhhhh just the whole book was AMAZING!!

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  Some things I didn’t like:

• There wasn’t much I didn’t like… the age gap is kind of weird at first, but it was much more common for marriages at those times to have larger age gaps.

• I actually didn’t like how short the book was! I think I finished it in three hours! I wish there was more of the book to read.😆

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  Lady Montgomery-Stevenson’s Favorite Memes!

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  Quotes I liked:

• “I think that the most necessary quality for any person to have is imagination. It makes people able to put themselves in other people’s places. It makes them kind and sympathetic and understanding.”

• “Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,
  You never answered my question and it was very important.
  ARE YOU BALD?”

• “It’s much more entertaining to live books than to write them.”

• “Getting an education is an awfully wearing process!”

• “Don’t you think it would be interesting if you could read the story of your life - written perfectly truthfully by an omniscient author?”

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  Have you ever read any of Jean Webster’s books? What is your favorite Edwardian Era book?

Happy Reading! 👒✒️

-Mia Grace ✨

I’ve just finished a wonderful Agatha Christie mystery, and I couldn’t wait to share my review with you!

The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie

Synopsis:

‘‘The Secret of Chimneys” is an unforgettable classic from legendary British author, Agatha Christie. Marking the first appearance of Agatha Christie’s character Inspector Battle, it was first published in 1925 and went on to be a hit among readers. This mystery novel follows Anthony Cade, a man who unknowingly finds himself in the middle of an international conspiracy and a murder investigation after accepting a simple delivery job from an old friend. As Cade slowly begins to realize his predicament has potentially put him in danger, he begins his own investigation into the strange series of events just as Inspector Battle of Scotland Yard begins the main, official investigation. As more and more clues begin to pop up—along with even more mysteries—Inspector Battle and Anthony Cade search diligently for the true murderer and uncover the answers to multiple conundrums that plague the characters within the novel.

This book started out a little slower than usual for a Christie mystery… but it really picked up in the middle and the ending had that authentic Agatha Christie plot twist!

My highlights:

• I really liked the character of Virginia Revel… I didn’t really know what to think of her at first, but by the end of the book, she was one of my favorite characters.

• I thought that it was interesting how neither of Agatha Christie’s most well-known detectives (M. Poirot and Miss Marple) were featured in this book! (Although on the PBS show, this mystery is solved by Miss Marple). Instead, the mystery is solved by some “amateur detectives” and Superintendent Battle.

• It was so interesting how the mystery kept getting deeper, and deeper, like there were more layers being added to it in every chapter.

• That plot-twist totally unexpected ending!!! I never expected that, and it totally threw me off.

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  Some things I didn’t like:

• George Lomax’s character. He just rubbed off as such a pompous man and a “society climber.”

• I also disliked how slow the book started… it took a few chapters to really pull me in.

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  Lady Montgomery-Stevenson’s Favorite Meme!

Quotes I liked:

• “What a lot of funny people it does take to make a world.”

• “As far as it is possible for one upright Christian gentleman to dislike another upright Christian gentleman, Lord Caterham disliked the Hon. George Lomax.”

• “But, mind you, very few people would understand that point of view. Most people, you see, haven’t got any imagination”

• “No woman respects a man when he’s doing a thing thoroughly badly.”

Have you read any Agatha Christie mysteries? Which one is your favorite?

Happy Reading! 🕵🏻‍♂️🔎

-Mia Grace ✨