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Monday, March 27, 2023

Blogger-Inspired Wishlist Ep. 4



Blogger-Inspired Wishlist is a feature where I post recent additions to my wish list, which had been inspired by reviews from my fellow bloggers. It includes some synopsis, as well as some excerpts of the review which have intrigued me, complete with a link to the blogger's original post.

Blogger-Inspired Wishlist has been into 4th episode. I've started it only to keep record of books that are interested me, as well as the sources (reviews of other bloggers). However, I began to see that others have also benefited from my posts; finding random books which they haven't heard before but interested them. I'm so glad that this blog-feature also serves you, readers, as much as it does me! It encouraged me to keep doing it.

At first I planned to do it once a month, but lately you all have reviewed many good books that I have to post the 4th eps. on the same month with the 3rd one. Here they are:

Five more books are added for the fourth episode:

Murder Before Evensong by The Reverend Richard Coles
Inspired by: Cath @ Read-warbler 



Synopsis:
Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother - opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey - and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda. When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village. And then Anthony Bowness - cousin to Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton - is found dead at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs. As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer.

From Cath's review:
"If you like old fashioned 'English villagey' type crime stories then this might be up your street. I found it well written, rich in background detail, and fun to read: I didn't guess the culprit."

๐Ÿ”น️ A reverend turns sleuth - might this be as good as Father Brown's? We'll see! ๐Ÿ˜‰



Castle Shade by Laurie R. King
Inspired by Gypsi Reads



Synopsis:
A queen, a castle, a dark and ageless threat--all await Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes in this chilling new adventure. When Queen Marie calls, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are as dubious as they are reluctant. But a young girl is involved, and a beautiful queen. Surely it won't take long to shine light on this unlikely case of what would seem to be strigoi? Or, as they are known in the West...vampires.

From Gypsi's review:
"Russell is genuinely likable, Holmes garners respect and admiration, and their relationship is as believable as possible, given the circumstances, and immensely entertaining. Actual facts are woven in with the fiction nearly seamlessly, with the personalities of the historical figures being convincing, and the supporting cast, as it were, seeming lively and realistic. Castle Shade is closer to 4.5 stars technically speaking, but it's worth the higher rating for the pure pleasure and satisfaction it gives."

๐Ÿ”น️ I haven't followed this series for quite a long time, I think catching up with the latest of the series would be a good idea - don't you think?



Still Life by Sarah Winman



Synopsis:
Tuscany, 1944: As Allied troops advance and bombs fall around deserted villages, a young English soldier, Ulysses Temper, finds himself in the wine cellar of a deserted villa. There, he has a chance encounter with Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian who has come to Italy to salvage paintings from the ruins and recall long-forgotten memories of her own youth. With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a richly drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms.

From Malika's review:
"Still Life is a heart-warming novel about art, Italy, and really, about life and its many colours. What stands out ultimately is how important love and support are in life—not romantic love but love of friends, those whom one can bond with, those that stand by you unconditionally, unquestioningly, those who have always got your back.

From a not so great start (though even that made sense later), this turned out to be a lovely, warm, read, full of hope, and about all that is good about human beings."

๐Ÿ”น️ Sounds like a warm, soothed, and affectionate book!



The Patience of a Saint by G.B. Stern



As I could not found any summary from Google, I had to rely on Simon’s review:

"This is exactly the sort of novel I love and hunt out. St Cedric was martyred a thousand years earlier, and there is a legend that he will return on that anniversary – firmly believed by Lady Eileen Francis, who patiently waits at the ruins of Abbey where St Cedric once served. Seeing an opportunity for money (which, for slightly complicated reasons, he needs for a friend – I suppose to make him more sympathetic to the reader), Ceddie Conway decides to impersonate him. Stern has created a lovable character in both Cedric and Ceddie, and this slim book plays out the conceit just long enough to keep it entertaining and tense."

๐Ÿ”น️ Sounds a hilarious book, does it not? It’s a pity I couldn’t find a copy yet. The book seems to be missing from surfaces.



Until We All Share Joy by Heather Wood



Synopsis:
This warm, standalone Christmas novella highlights a lesser-known member of the beloved Dinsmore family in the Finding Home series. With all the charm of a Victorian Christmas and yet the realistic challenges of navigating difficult relationships in a Christlike manner, this book is one to be savored throughout the holiday season and beyond.

From Hamlette's review:
"This book is not so much a romance as a coming-of-age story for Titan as he matures into manhood after feeling he's never taken seriously by his family since he is the youngest.  Taking on responsibility and stepping out into a life of his own helps him to grow and change, and I liked getting to watch that happen."

๐Ÿ”น️ A Christian fiction, Victorian Christmas novella; how can I resist?...


Have you read any of these books? Or do you find any new interest?
 

9 comments:

  1. I enjoy your 'wishlist' posts very much! And thank you for the mention as regards Murder Before Evensong. Like you, I'm very behind with the Mary Russell books, my next is Justice Hall but I've not read one for probably 5 or 6 years. I must get back to them as they're very good. I have Still Life on my tbr pile so I must try to read it this year, people say it's wonderful!

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    1. Thanks, Cath! I'm glad you enjoy them.
      Mary Russell's: I don't even remember the last book I've read. It might be Justice Hall, or that might be the one I supposed to read next. Well... I might as well re-start from the latest! Then, if the series still excite me, I'd start again from where I've left it.

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  2. Thank you for the mention!
    The Richard Coles book sounds good fun (there's a second one coming out as well), as does the Mary Russell (The other two do too, but I really shouldn't be adding 4 more to my TBR pile should I? :P)

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    1. What, a second Richard Coles' already? I heard the first one made it to best-sellers, so no wonder.
      Adding 4 more to your TBR pile? Why shouldn't you? *innocent face* ;)

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  3. I really like the Russell/Holmes series! It started off like fan fiction, but King developed into quite a good writer, in my opinion. If you try this one, I hope you'll like it too!

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    1. Gypsi, I also enjoy the Russell/Holmes series! King takes it some really creative directions.

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    2. I'll definitely try this one, but maybe next year...
      Totally agree with the Russell-Holmes series, it gets better along the way.

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  4. I hope you like Until We All Share Joy as much as I do!

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What do you think?