December Spotlight Read

 

This caught my attention with the mention of Burke and Hare, then it doubled down with it being a Gothic based around the Resurrectionists. I can't wait to curl up with this one in front of the fire. 

In the tradition of The Alienist and A Love Story, a decadently macabre, dark and twisty gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland – when real-life serial killers Burke and Hare terrorized the streets of Edinburgh – as a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching. Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine for readers of Lydia Kang, ML Rio, Sarah Perry, and C.E. McGill.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver.
For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .   Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice.

Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.
James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .

Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.  

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

On a cold winter day in 1832, Sarah Cornell was found hanging in a barn, four months pregnant, after a disgraceful liaison with a charismatic Methodist minister, Reverend Ephraim Avery. Some (Avery’s lawyers) claimed her death was suicide…but others weren’t so sure. Determined to uncover the real story, intrepid Victorian writer Catharine Williams threw herself into the investigation and wrote what many claim is the first American true-crime narrative, Fall River. The case and Williams’ book became a sensation—one that divided the country and inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. But the reverend was not convicted, and questions linger to this day about what really led to Sarah Cornell’s death. Until now.

In The Sinners All Bow, acclaimed true-crime historian Kate Winkler Dawson travels back in time to 19th century small town America, emboldened to finish the work Williams started nearly two centuries before. Using modern investigative advancements—such as “forensic knot analysis” to determine cause of death, the prosecutor’s notes from 1833, and criminal profiling which was invented 55 years later with Jack the Ripper—Dawson fills in the gaps of Williams’ research to find the truth. Along the way she also examines how society decides who is the “right kind” of crime victim and how America’s long history of religious evangelism may have clouded the facts both in the 1830s and today. Ultimately, The Sinners All Bow brings justice to an unsettling mystery that speaks to our past as well as our present, anchored by three women who subverted the script they were given.

Why I'm Waiting: I was this many years old when I realized there was an actual murder case that inspired the Scarlet Letter. So this very much has my attention.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

After Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to graduate from medical school, more women demanded a chance to study medicine. Barred entrance to universities like Harvard, women built their own first-rate medical schools and hospitals. Their success spurred a chilling backlash from elite, white male physicians who were obsessed with eugenics and the propagation of the white race. Distorting Darwin’s evolution theory, these haughty physicians proclaimed in bestselling books that women should never be allowed to attend college or enter a profession because their menstrual cycles made them perpetually sick. Motherhood was their constitution and duty.

Into the midst of this turmoil marched tiny, dynamic Mary Putnam Jacobi, daughter of New York publisher George Palmer Putnam and the first woman to be accepted into the world-renowned Sorbonne medical school in Paris. As one of the best-educated doctors in the world, she returned to New York for the fight of her life. Aided by other prominent women physicians and suffragists, Jacobi conducted the first-ever data-backed, scientific research on women's reproductive biology. The results of her studies shook the foundations of medical science and higher education. Full of larger than life characters and cinematically written, The Cure for Women documents the birth of a sexist science still haunting us today as the fight for control of women’s bodies and lives continues.

HAPPY READING!!

November Wrap Up

At the start of this month devoured books. End of this month, decided to fly back to Kansas to see my family for Thanksgiving. This meant last week was spent going through all my travel stuff to see what I still had, and what I needed to get, and then trying to figure out what I needed to bring.  I either under-pack or over-pack. So I was trying to be a little better about this trip. Which started with loading up my Kindle with books instead of trying to fly with physical books. I'm going to end up sleeping on the plane either way, I usually do. 

Still, despite traveling extras adding to my life, I had a really good reading month. Lots of short reads, but I prefer those when I'm busy. It does mean I'm crawling toward my pages read goal at a glacial pace, but I feel like I'm not stuck on the same book for weeks. Honestly a win-win for me. Just look at November's Stats.

Books Read: 6
BINGO Books: 1

A to Z Challenge: 0

Pages Read: 977

Every book I read this month was either a library book or a Kindle book, so nothing for the A to Z challenge. As the year comes to a close I don't think I'll do this challenge again. It's not really helping me knock this off my physical TBR. I did manage one BINGO book this month! Considering how hard this year's card is, I'll take that!

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

   

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

The explosive conclusion to the first arc of LySandra Vuong’s hit Webtoon Covenant—collected for the first time in print!

With the exorcists of the Church of Providence badly beaten after an encounter with the powerful demon Belial, Ezra is forced to confront his own shortcomings—and worse, his own lack of conviction. Without it and the power it brings, can he possibly stand against the forces of darkness threatening the city of Los Demonios? Meanwhile, Sunny—Ezra’s mysterious charge—continues to uncover frightening truths about his past. As the One Who Never Fell, is he ultimately more demon than human? Or something else entirely?

With lives on the line, Sunny and Ezra must make a difficult choice. How do you keep your faith when your world is falling apart?

HAPPY READING!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Honestly, I'm just here for the sides the pie, and the leftover sandwich I will be making on the rolls later tonight! But from my family to everyone reading Happy Thanksgiving. I hope your favorite sides are on the table, and you get seconds of dessert! For everyone else have a wonderful Thursday and get yourself a nice little treat!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

In the tradition of The Alienist and A Love Story, a decadently macabre, dark and twisty gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland – when real-life serial killers Burke and Hare terrorized the streets of Edinburgh – as a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching. Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine for readers of Lydia Kang, ML Rio, Sarah Perry, and C.E. McGill.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver.
For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .   Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice.

Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.
James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .

Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.  

Why I'm Waiting: I love the stories around the Resurrectionists, so I'm excited to get my hands this one.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

Over the last century, Betty Crocker has created thousands of well-tested, wonderful recipes, some especially that spark fond memories today, whether they were made by a grandparent, served at holiday meals, or were part of a trend of the time. In Betty Crocker Found Recipes, you’ll find these rediscovered vintage but timeless favorites. Some of these rare recipes were most frequently requested by lifelong Betty Crocker fans, which you'll see in the Found Lost Recipe features throughout the book. Others are ones that rose to the top of the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens recipe boxes over the years. And, during the search for favorite recipes to be included in this book, Betty Crocker fans shared stories of favorite recipes they’ve lost and couldn’t find—so the Betty Crocker Kitchens recreated them for the Recreated Lost Recipes features, along with the fans’ heartwarming memories behind them.

The comprehensive chapters are organized by occasion and course, from Holiday Celebrations, Memorable Main Dishes, and Warm from the Oven Breads, to Irresistible Cookies & Bars, and Better than Ever Desserts, and the specially curated recipes include nostalgic favorites like:

-Eggnog French Toast Strata with Cranberry Syrup
-Hush Puppy–Fried Chicken
-Beef Burgundy
-Coconut Chicken with Chutney
-Parmesan Bread Bowls
-Chocolate Buttermallow Cake
-Peachy Custard Squares
-Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies
-Strawberry-Raspberry Fool

Betty Crocker Found Recipes shares these timeless, rediscovered recipes, with full nutritional information, for the next generation of home cooks and bakers to enjoy for years to come. These tasty dishes are lost no more!

HAPPY READING!!

Book Haul

Listen, some amazing people set up a book fair for local authors to showcase their books, and I was more than happy to hang their posters in the window of work. Mostly so I had a daily reminder of why I needed the afternoon off on Saturday. Which I was a lucky duck and managed. So of course I went to the book fair. It was a book fair, a large room filled with authors selling their books right before the holidays. I went to support them and discover new things to read. Because it's already getting too wet, too cold, and too dark to do things after 5 pm. I had plans to see a movie after work, spent maybe ten minutes driving home to change, and decided that was enough outside time. Curled up and read instead. So, I needed new books!

All of these are brand new authors for me, and two of these are a little out of my comfort zone, they're plays. However, those plays are re-tellings, reimagining, of two of my favorite classics. So I really have high hopes for both of those two. I'm super excited for The Haunting Between Us because just a few days before the fair this one popped up on NetGalley and almost requested, then didn't because I'm getting ready to travel. I'm so glad I talked myself out of it because I was able to Paul Winters, the author, and buy a copy. It doesn't officially release until January, so this is a top-of-the-pile read. 

I'm also really excited about the Dark Lord's Last Call. I work full-time in a kitchen, and I love cooking, and food, so a cozy fantasy set in a tavern with an onion-hating sous chef. Now that has my full attention. 

This was a great event with so many local authors. I popped in maybe an hour after the doors opened and there were enough people there that I wasn't able to check out all the booths. The space was perfect for the number of authors they had, and everything was easy to get to. I really hope they can do this again next year. Because I would definitely attend again!

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

   

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

When the real game begins, who will make it to the count of 10? Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be. Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

A vivid look at the ten key people who are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions.

Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our rarest cultural rites. In Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. And in India, he discovers a family rumored to make a mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self. From shadowing Scandinavia's last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot to seeking out Cuba's last official cigar factory “readers” more than a century after they spearheaded the fight for Cuban independence, Stein uncovers an almost lost world.

Climbing through Peru’s southern highlands, he encounters the last Inca bridge master who rebuilds a grass-woven bridge from the fabled Inca Road System. He befriends a British beekeeper who maintains a touching custom of "telling the bees" important news of the day and crunches through a German forest to find the official mailman of the only tree in the world with its own address – to which countless people all over the world have written in hopes of finding love. These are just some of the last people on Earth still in touch with quickly vanishing rites. Let Eliot Stein introduce you to all of them.

Why I'm Waiting: This sounds like a fun book

HAPPY READING!!