Tuesday, September 23, 2025

10 MOST RECENT BOOKS ADDED TO MY TBR

  


I have a hard time planning my reading. Instead:
10 Most Recent Books Added to My TBR

At Last ~ Marisa Silver
Two strong matriarchs are at odds after their children marry


The Book of Kindness ~ Stephanie Butland

I loved Stephanie Butland first two novels and I'm sure this one will charm me


Buckeye ~ Patrick Ryan

The indomitable duo of Anne Patchett and Nemo van Devender told me to read Buckeye. I do what those two tell me to without question



A Crown of Stars ~ Shana Abe

I must wait til February  2026 for this, but Shana Abe + 🛳 (The Lusitania) = me 👩‍🏫 (why isn't there a "this book is so good I cannot put it down!!" emoji?)


Daughter of Egypt ~ Marie Benedict

Lady Evelyn Herbert, daughter of Lord Carnarvon, traveled with her father and Howard Carter to uncover the tomb of King Tut.  Their family estate was Highclere Castle, aka THE Downton Abbey



Julia: A Novel Inspired by the Extraordinary Life of Julia Child ~ Heather B. Moore

I love anything that tells of Julia Child.  Now I'm craving Boeuf Bourguignon and gateau Reine de Saba


L.A. Women ~ Ella Berman

This one is based on Eve Babitz and Joan Didion, two powerful literary frienemies



The Last Spirits of Manhattan ~ John A. McDermott

Spoooooky ghosts partying down in an old hotel? Yes please a jillity-illian times



The Moonshine Women ~ Michelle Collins Anderson 

History covered up the fact that most bootleggers during prohibition were women



The White Octopus Hotel ~ Alexandra Bell

I'm not sure if I will like this, but I'm going to see what I think 



Monday, September 15, 2025

LITERARY CANDLES

 


BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL 


SCENT PROFILE : BEAUTY AND MONEY 

(PINK CHAMPAGNE / DAISIES)


"I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."


(The Great Gatsby ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BEE CHARMER 


SCENT PROFILE : FORBIDDEN LOVE 

(HONEY / FRIED GREEN TOMATOES)


"When Idgie had grinned at her and tried to hand her that jar of honey, all these feelings that she had been trying to hold back came flooding through her, and it was at that second in time that she knew she loved Idgie with all her heart."


(Fried Green Tomatoes ~ Fannie Flagg)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BREAK THEIR HEARTS


SCENT PROFILE : BROKEN PROMISES (WEDDING CAKE)


"Break their hearts, my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!"


(Great Expectations ~ Charles Dickens) 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FALL IN LOVE WHENEVER YOU CAN


SCENT PROFILE : SORROW AND MAGIC  (ROSEMARY AND BLACK PEPPER)


"There are some things, after all, that Sally Owens knows for certain: Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can."


(Practical Magic ~ Alice Hoffman)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIKE PEOPLE IN NOVELS 


SCENT PROFILE : REPRESSED EMOTIONS

(PAPER / YELLOW ROSES )


"We can't behave like people in novels, though, can we?"


(The Age of Innocence ~ Edith Wharton)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LITTLE GREY CELLS 


SCENT PROFILE : MYSTERY

(BELGIAN HOT CHOCOLATE)


"If the little grey cells are not exercised, they grow the rust."


(Hercule Poirot ~ Agatha Christie)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONLY CONNECT 


SCENT PROFILE : CLACISSIM / EDWARDIANS vs. VICTORIANS (TEA IN AN ENGLISH GARDEN)


"Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its highest. Live in fragments no longer"


(Howards End ~ E. M. Forster)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR 


SCENT PROFILE : MARMALADE SANDWICHES (ORANGE MARMALADE) 


 "A wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in his hat in case of emergency"


(Paddington ~ Michael Bond)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS MOMENT IN JUNE  


SCENT PROFILE : ANTICIPATION (FRESH CUT FLOWERS)


"Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself"


(Mrs. Dalloway ~ Virginia Woolf )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WE ARE SO HAPPY


SCENT PROFILE : SISTERLY LOVE

(SUGARED BERRIES AND TEA)


"I put it in the sugar."

"I know. I knew then." 

"You never used sugar."


(We Have Always Lived in the Castle ~ Shirley Jackson)