The Serial Garden by Joan Aiken #WitchWeek2024

Those who only know Joan Aiken from the beloved The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and later books in the series or her much admired adult regency historicals may not realize she was also a gifted writer of short stories. This collection contains 24 stories about the quirky Armitage family, not published in one place previously, and includes introductions from Aiken’s daughter Lizza and by author Garth Nix. I am not sure how I missed the Armitages. 

Six Degrees of Separation – from Intermezzo to First Lie Wins

It’s time for #6degrees, inspired by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. We all start at the same place as other readers, add six books, and see where it ends up. This month’s starting point is Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, an Irish author who is very popular at the moment, although I didn't care for Conversations with Friends.  This has a cool cover, doesn't it?

Some Sunny Day by Helen Carey, a Lavender Road novel

It’s 1940, and the women of Lavender Road are trying to cope with bombing, rationing, and other stressful situations as the war continues in the second installment of this appealing six book series but even at the most dangerous times their resilience shines through. Katy Parsons, whose father runs a busy pub, is tired of being treated as an invalid because of her asthma. Now that she is 18, she is applying to be a nurse. 

Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

One day, Tessa, a producer for a weekly political radio program at the Belfast office of the BBC, looks casually at a nearby television monitor and freezes when she sees her sister Marian:

She is standing with two men outside a petrol station, by a row of fuel pumps. Her ambulance must have been sent out to a call, though for some reason she isn’t wearing her uniform.

“The police are appealing for witnesses after an armed robbery in Templepatrick,” says the closed caption. A ringing starts in my ears. Only Marian’s face is in view of the security camera, the two men are turned away . . . .

Marian has something in her hands. She is leaning down and pulling it toward her. It takes me a moment to understand what I’m watching, as her hair and then her face seem to disappear. When she straightens, she’s wearing a black ski mask.

The Lost Princess by L. Frank Baum - Ozathon24

The eleventh Oz book begins dramatically – Ozma, the lovely and beloved girl ruler, has disappeared! Dorothy sounds the alarm because she knows Ozma would never intentionally cause worry, so she must have been stolen. The Magic Picture, Glinda’s Great Book of Records, and the Wizard’s black bag of magic tools are also missing, preventing anyone from using magic to find Ozma.

The Dead Sea Cipher by Elizabeth Peters, for the #1970Club

In this romantic suspense novel, a young woman on a trip to the Holy Land finds herself in danger and does not know who she can trust or even who her pursuers really are. Dinah Van der Lyn is an aspiring opera singer who is about to get her big break – filling in for a pregnant soprano at a small opera company in Germany. Well, she knows it is more of a little break, so maybe that’s why she is in no hurry to get there. 

A Bargain for Frances by Russell Hoban, for the #1970Club

Frances the Badger is best known for refusing to go to sleep (Bedtime for Frances), being unadventurous about food (Bread and Jam for Frances), disgruntled about her new sibling (A Baby Sister for Frances), exploring friendship (Best Friends for Frances) and upset that it is not her birthday (A Birthday for Frances) but in this book she deals with something familiar to at least some of us – a sneaky friend.

Alhambra by Madeleine Polland, historical fiction for the #1970Club

In this juvenile historical novel by highly-regarded Irish author Madeleine Polland, a young boy who has lost everything clings to his Spanish heritage. Alhambra is my second book for the 1970 Club, hosted by Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings and Stuck in a Book.