Audiobook Review: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Posted on January 13, 2024 13 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (January 9, 2024)

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrators: Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, Patti Murin

Oh wow! So many layers, so many secrets, so many twists! The Heiress is my third book by Rachel Hawkins but it may already be my favorite. This novel is so complex and clever, and the audiobook completely absorbed me with its brilliant narrators and excellent pacing.

The story follows a young couple, Camden and Jules, who live an average, modest life near the mountains of Colorado. He is a teacher, and she a reenactor in a historical theme park, but the truth is, Camden is actually the adopted son of a wealthy heiress named Ruby McTavish—and when it comes to old money, her family is the oldest there is, having practically built the North Carolina town where the famous Ashby House stands. After Ruby died, her entire estate went to Camden, but for some reason, he wanted nothing to do with the money. Meanwhile, the surviving McTavishes including Ruby’s sister and her descendants seethed at this turn of events, seeing Camden as the outsider who simply chanced upon his inheritance. But while they were allowed to remain in Ashby House, as stated in Ruby’s will, Camden himself decided to move out and never look back, wanting nothing to do with the family ever again.

Then one day, Camden receives word from his cousin Ben, reaching out to him about the death of his Uncle Howell and the sorry state of Ashby House which requires extensive repairs. After much deliberating, and with some words of support from his wife, Camden finally decides to make the trip back to North Carolina to take care of business, as loathe as he is to return to his childhood home. In contrast though, Jules is excited to finally learn more about her husband’s past, which he has always been tight-lipped about, and also can’t wait to finally see Ashby House, the site of so much tragedy and scandal involving Camden’s adoptive mother.

At just three years old, a young Ruby made headlines in the early 1940s when she became lost in the nearby woods. Everyone believed the girl to have perished, but her family never gave up looking, and after nearly a year, they received the miracle they’d been hoping for—their daughter found alive and well, living with a family who had taken her and kept her all this time. And yet this was far from the end of the drama surrounding Ruby McTavish. As an adult, she became the subject of many news reports and rumors after a string of marriages ended with all her husbands meeting untimely ends. Might she just be the world’s unluckiest woman in love? Or was there more to the story of how her four husbands died?

The Heiress is a story told through multiple viewpoints, with one main narrative that takes place in the present, while a secondary plotline is revealed in the form of correspondence written by Ruby McTavish to an unnamed recipient in the days before she was found dead. So, while the novel may feature themes of family drama like so many other mysteries and thrillers, in fact it is in no way typical; the way the story is structured means readers get to enjoy this slowly unraveling web of secrets as, layer by layer, answers are revealed in an experience that goes beyond the usual conventions of the genre.

Here, the characters are also the main event. When the book opens, Ruby McTavish has already been dead for around a decade, but her presence is felt both in the boldness of her voice in the letters she leaves behind (which her narrator portrayed perfectly) as well as the weight of her legacy in the current timeline. Getting the details about her tumultuous relationships from Ruby herself, readers get to find out what really happened to her husbands and learn if there is any truth behind her nickname, “Mrs. Kill-More.” And in the alternating chapters featuring Cam and Jules, contrasting motives are presented for dealing with Ashby House and the nine-figure inheritance Ruby left behind. Both characters are sitting on bombshell secrets, leading to a number of shocking reveals in the end. The rest of the cast is filled out by the other McTavishes—from Ruby’s resentful sister Nelle to Cam’s cousins Ben and Libby, they are all rather horrible people.

Ultimately though, all the elements came together for a killer climax and the stunning revelations that follow. These final twists are evidence of Hawkin’s talent in storytelling and building intrigue, and she’s only getting better and better. Recommended highly for mystery readers and thriller fans who appreciate suspenseful, satisfying tales, The Heiress is a stellar achievement and her best work yet.

Waiting on Wednesday 01/10/24

Posted on January 10, 2024 3 Comments

Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (June 25, 2024 by Del Rey)

“A chilling horror novel about a haunting told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box

To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every “Can I go inside your heart?”

When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, over and over . . . Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay.

Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe but other incidents show cracks in her parents’ marriage. The safety Bela relies on is on the brink of unraveling.

But Other Mommy needs an answer.

Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror told by the child Bela. A story about a family as haunted as their home.”

Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Posted on January 8, 2024 7 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of Emily Wilde

Publisher: Del Rey (January 16, 2024)

Length: 342 pages

Author Information: Website

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries was one of my favorite books the year it came out, and my expectations were extremely high for Heather Fawcett to kill it again with the sequel. Happily, she succeeded with flying colors! While I still think the first book was just slightly better—after all, matching the enchanting novelty of a series opener is no easy feat—but Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands proved to be equally whimsical and adventurous.

The story picks up once more with our resident expert on faerie lore, the eponymous protagonist who has just completed the world’s first comprehensive encyclopaedia of faeries. This accomplishment has earned Emily Wilde much fame but also more than a few detractors at Cambridge where she works with her colleague and former academic rival, Wendell Bambleby. The truth is though, Wendell is more than just a brilliant scholar and the sometimes object of our main character’s affections. He’s also faerie royalty, albeit one who is on the run from his evil stepmother who had stolen his realm from him.

But while Emily may not have accepted Wendell’s proposal of marriage because she knows better than to involve herself in faerie matters, she has been dedicating herself to helping him regain his rightful place in his kingdom by finding another way in. Their quest takes them to an isolated village where she can start on a new project to map the faerie realms, as well as to avoid the assassins that Wendell’s stepmother has sent on their tail. Accompanying them is Emily’s niece Ariadne as well as the curmudgeonly head of the Dryadology Department who has insisted on tagging along. However, danger has a way of following the group wherever they go, and soon they will all face the consequences of meddling with the mysterious forces of the Fae.

This sequel jumps right in, assuming the reader is already familiar with the setting and its characters, thus allowing those that loved the first book to immediately and seamlessly reacquaint themselves with Emily’s world. Our wonderful protagonist has also effortlessly recaptured my heart with her quirky ways, reminding all of us that she is first and foremost a scholar, though of course it’s also nice to see that prolonged time spending with Wendell has thawed her attitude towards him considerably. The chemistry between them continues to be one of my favorite aspects of this series, seeing how their unique dynamic is evolving over time.

Which brings me to their romance! Admittedly, I was nervous to see how this element would be dealt with initially, as many a sequel have been ruined by overeager authors mishandling the delicate balance by pushing things too eagerly, too quickly. Fortunately, Fawcett handled it perfectly. The growing attachment forming between Emily and Wendell felt natural and authentic, avoiding the common pitfalls used solely to create drama. Quite honestly, while this gradual deepening of their emotional connection may be a more subtle approach, over time I feel its results would be more effective, rewarding, and impactful.

It is also interesting to note the shift in style from the first novel, as Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands moves away from the character’s more serious tone that she uses for her encyclopedia entries and instead adopts a more traditional, user-friendly narrative even though it still follows a journal format. The change allowed for more insight into Emily’s personality as well as an avenue to introduce a whole new side of the Faerie realms, meaning even more creatures, places, and magic for readers to discover. I simply can’t get enough of this gorgeous world-building.

In short, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands retains all the wonder, charm, and heart of its predecessor, offering another cozy fantasy with loveable and memorable characters. Those who enjoyed the first book will find this continuation of the series a great read as well, and I can’t wait for more Emily and Wendell!

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Book 1)

Bookshelf Roundup 01/06/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on January 7, 2024 12 Comments

Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.

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Received for Review

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey): Early 2024 finished copies are coming in, and I received the gorgeous hardcover of the second book of the Emily Wilde series, which I recently finished. I hope to get a review up in the coming days.

The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (Tordotcom): Very soon I’ll also be starting this novella about mammoths being brought by from extinction and the strange challenges about keeping a resurrected species alive. Releases in the first couple weeks of January are pretty light, but the arrival of this finished copy is a reminder that my TBR will be packed again before long.

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne (Bramble): Who can resist a title like that? This one sounds super cozy, and the new Tor SFF romance imprint Bramble is releasing it later this spring.

Unbound by Christy Healy (Blackstone Publishing): A Celtic inspired, gender-flipped retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Why a I always such a sucker for these things?

The Glass Box by J. Michael Straczynski (Blackstone Publishing): I remember reading JMS’s comics a lot as a kid, but he’s also been a filmmaker and television writer and done lots of other stuff. When I saw his name attached to his novel, a project that only came to my attention recently, I just had to check it out.

Reviews

This week was about rounding up some of my final reviews for 2023 reads. Even though I’ve got a couple more I still have to write, pretty soon the 2024 book reviews will begin in earnest.

Recent Reads

This week was a weird one. While everyone went back to school or work, it felt like my time off had just begun. I think I worked more during the Christmas break! And yet it seemed like there was always something going on, and I constantly fell behind on things I was supposed to do. Maybe it was the post-holiday blues because motivation was low too, so I was only able to finish one review book, The Heiress (but it was really good). On the bright side, I also got to read Gwendy’s Button Box which was a “just because” mood read, and I did make a resolution to do more of that this year.

Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!

Novella Review: The Pale House Devil by Richard Kadrey

Posted on January 6, 2024 10 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Pale House Devil by Richard Kadrey

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Titan Books (October 10, 2023)

Length: 123 pages

Author Information: Website

I’m always a little leery of novellas, but Richard Kadrey has pulled off something rare, treating readers to a supernatural rollercoaster which combines dark fantasy with elements of mystery, action, and humor. It’s been a while since I read the author’s Sandman Slim series, but The Pale House Devil definitely evokes a throwback feel to that tone and style.

In this story, we follow protagonists Ford and Neuland, a paranormal mercenary duo with an unconventional skill set—the former is alive and the latter is undead, and Ford can only kill the undead while Neuland can only kill the living. Their differences aside though, they have a longstanding partnership that’s based on a rough, trusted camaraderie. After their latest job goes south in Manhattan, the two of them decide on a quick change of scenery, hastily departing for the sun, surf, and sandy beaches of California.

They have barely arrived, however, when they are approached by a young woman named Tilda Rosenbloom who comes to them with an intriguing proposition. Her great-grandfather, whom she refers to as Mr. Shepherd Mansfield, has heard of Ford and Neuland’s services and is willing to pay the pair of them big bucks to solve his problem. The old man claims that an evil entity has set up shop in his mansion and wants the two killers-for-hire to come up to his estate and dispatch the interloper, who he believes is the devil himself.

The Pale House Devil is the best kind of novella—one that is short but doesn’t feel short. There was just enough to make the world, the characters, the plot feel robust and coherent. Kadrey’s storytelling packs every page with interest and plenty of quirky moments with our memorable protagonists. Individually, both Ford and Neuland are given room to develop and grow on readers, making it a pleasure to tag along with them on their adventure. The story was also well-paced, even when the setting abruptly changes from New York to Los Angeles.

This was also accomplished without sacrificing the depth of the world-building. The Pale House Devil feels firmly rooted in horror, with just the slightest touch of cosmic horror, done in a way that is rich and immersive. However, the overall tone is also light-hearted enough to feel like a buddy comedy, complete with the easy ribbing and back-and-forth banter between our memorable protagonists, which even non-horror fans might find appealing. Best of all, when stepping back to look at the full picture, what shines through is a captivating and well-balanced narrative that is at once suspenseful, mysterious, and entertaining.

Since this was a short book, I’ll be keeping this review short as well. Ultimately, Kadrey leaves his readers engaged and satisfied while working within the confines of the novella format. I’ve found that few writers can manage such a feat, and I highly recommend this for readers looking for a quick romp into the realm of paranormal and horror.

Book Review: Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Posted on January 4, 2024 9 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Del Rey (September 26, 2023)

Length: 640 pages

Author Information: Website

I read Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig as part of my catch-up challenge for the month of December, and this chonker of a book proved to be a perfect one to settle in with during the holiday break. That said, I won’t deny the novel’s length ended up trying my patience at times, making me wish for a swifter resolution towards the end.

The story begins with an introduction to Dan Paxton, a man with ambition and a desire to revive the legacy of his family’s orchard. An apple farmer, he has come by the branches of an exotic and exceedingly rare variety of the fruit by mysterious means, grafting them onto his own trees in the hopes of creating a delicious and lucrative new breed. Taking his daughter’s suggestion and naming it the Ruby Slipper, the new apple takes off years later when Dan sells his first harvest at the farmer’s market, and soon the whole town of Harrow is clamoring for more of his product.

However, what no one knows is that the Ruby Slipper has a bloody past, and the apples have a powerful and sinister effect on those who eat them. At first, the results are euphoric. Those who consume a Ruby Slipper experience enhanced strength, feeling happier and healthier. But then comes the more insidious consequences, as the apples also awaken the worst impulses and darkest desires in a person. They are also addictive, so that you can’t stop with just one taste. Strangely though, Dan’s own teenage daughter Calla has not succumbed to the temptation of the apples, and that was even before she saw how they changed her father and her boyfriend for the worse. Dan is becoming meaner by the day, relishing the hold he has over the town as he alone controls the supply of Ruby Slippers.

Meanwhile, Emily is a newcomer to town, having just moved here to reconcile with her wife following trouble in their marriage. After taking a tumble into the river, she unwittingly discovers a dead body, thus making the acquaintance of John Compass, a Quaker and war veteran who identifies the dead man as his friend Walt. The two men had been apple hunters together, and with Emily’s help, John sets out on a quest to find out how the search for an elusive variety of apple had gotten Walt killed.

Black River Orchard is a fast-paced and suspenseful read, at least initially. The setup of the novel contains plenty of twists and turns, as Wendig builds upon the eerie and claustrophobic atmosphere by layering the plot with multiple points-of-view and interludes, also weaving in facts and history. The amount of research that must have gone into this book is astounding, as you will learn more about apples than you’ll ever want to know. As for the story elements, the book is full of vivid descriptions and imagery (and for readers like me who may have a sensitivity for anything to do with teeth—it can and WILL get uncomfortable at times, fair warning).

In terms of criticisms though, Wendig does have a habit of letting his left-leaning views color his writing and characterization. As a rule, I don’t give a crap what an author’s political beliefs are; I may agree or disagree but generally do not let it affect my experience with their work unless it leads to poor writing. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I’ve felt that Wendig includes diversity for the sake of diversity which negatively impacts authentic or meaningful characterization, and this very shallow view of the world is reflected in his stories.

It’s also true that Black River Orchard is quite a tome, sitting at nearly 650 pages. While the early momentum carried me through the first three quarters of the book, towards the end I did feel it start to wear out its welcome. It happens sometimes, when a story starts to lose its grip due to excessive length, and I think we missed the sweet spot in finding the balance between depth and brevity, thus my enjoyment took a bit of a hit.

Overall, I can’t say I’ve ever read a book like Black River Orchard, and I won’t lie, reading about evil apples was kind of fun. But ultimately, it’s probably not one of my favorites by Chuck Wendig. While the unique concept added an interesting twist, it seems the execution did not resonate as strongly with me as I would have liked, though I appreciated the author’s approach to unconventional ideas.

Waiting on Wednesday 01/03/24

Posted on January 3, 2024 5 Comments

Mogsy’s Pick

Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi (June 4, 2024 by Titan Books)

“Five childhood friends are forced to confront their own dark past as well as the curse placed upon them in this horror masterpiece from the bestselling author of Come with Me.

Maybe this is a ghost story…

Andrew Larimer thought he left the past behind. But when he receives a late-night phone call from an old friend, he finds he has no choice but to return home, and to confront the memories—and the horror—of a night, years ago, that changed everything.

For Andrew and his friends, the past is not dead, and the curse that has befallen them now threatens to destroy all that they’ve become.

One dark secret…

One small-town horror…”

Most Anticipated Releases of 2024: January to March

Posted on January 2, 2024 11 Comments

Happy 2024! As we dive into another year, it’s time to look ahead to the Science Fiction and Fantasy reads I’m most excited about. I love making lists and I also find it helps me plan my reading schedule by focusing my attention on my review books and highly anticipated releases, so every quarter I’ll be putting together a post of my must-reads. While I’m under no illusions that I’ll be able to read them all, hopefully I can get to most of them, and also put some new books on people’s radars. I’ve gotten started on a couple January reads already, but how about you? What are you most excited for in early 2024?

January

January 1 – Scorpio by Marko Kloos

January 2 – That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Demon by Kimberly Lemming

January 9 – The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

January 16 – The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett, Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham

January 23 – No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall, Faebound by Saara El-Arifi, Exordia by Seth Dickinson

January 30 – The House of Last Resort by Christoper Golden, City of Stardust by Georgia Summers, The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

February

February 6 – Bride by Ali Hazelwood, Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine, The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Trial of Empire by Richard Swan

February 13 – The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden, The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond, An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson

February 20 – Night for Day by Roselle Lim, Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa, The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong, The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert

February 27 – A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke, Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan, A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

March

March 5 – Murder Road by Simone St. James, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano, Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison, The Hidden Queen by Peter V. Brett

March 12 – Dark Dive by Andrew Mayne, Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner, Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

March 19 – A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock, Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland

March 26 – The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones, Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

Bookshelf Roundup 12/31/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on December 31, 2023 10 Comments

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Wishing everyone a fantastic New Year’s Eve as we bid farewell to 2023 and usher in the promise of a brand new year! Who knows what 2024 will bring, but may your celebrations be filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. Happy New Year to all!

Received for Review

My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan (Tor): I love the sound of this one. The premise is giving me strong Lies of Locke Lamora vibes, and as we’re likely not going to see a new Gentleman Bastard book for a long while, I could really use some more thieves and magic in my fantasy. Besides, I’m so shallow, I would have picked this up based on the epic cover alone.

Heroes by Alan Gratz (Scholastic Press): I put in a request for this one because my daughter is a huge fan of the author and has learned so much from his World War II novels. Still, he’s a pretty big name in MG fiction so I didn’t actually think I was going to get a copy, so imagine my surprise when an ARC showed up! My kid’s excited reaction made me feel like mom of the year. Once she reads this, I’ll probably make her guest review it.

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan (Orbit): A siren story inspired by East Asian mythology and British folklore? I very much like the sound of this fantasy debut and was very excited to receive an ARC of this first book of the Drowned World series.

Reviews

Recent Reads

On the bright side, I finally got to The Temple of Fortuna which was one of my goals before the end of the year, and the ending of the Wolf Den trilogy was everything I’d hoped it would be. The bad news is, I had wanted to get more of my early 2024 books started, but I only managed to finish Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands this week. My verdict is that it’s not as amazing as the first book but still quite good.

Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!

Best of 2023 and the Year in Review

Posted on December 30, 2023 18 Comments

It’s once again that time of the year where I look back at the last twelve months and do a round up my favorite reads and goals, and what a year 2023 has been! As I’m sure many readers can relate, it’s hard enough to narrow a whole year’s worth of reading (this year, that’s close to 150 books) down to a “Top 3”, or heck, even a “Top 10.” What I usually do is highlight each genre category and all the books that 1) were my favorites of the year, 2) I thought were most memorable, or 3) I think should be getting more love and attention. The one thing they have in common? I loved them all!

Fantasy

Science Fiction

Horror

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

As you can see, 2023 was dominated by horror, and it wasn’t even close – most years I feel like publishers push all their big horror titles around the autumn months, but this year I was reading amazing horror books all year long. In contrast, science fiction releases felt a bit sparser, reflected in the fewer sci-fi titles I read in general.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books!

Reading Challenges Update

Again, I have been neglectful of my Audiobook Challenge updates this year, but I have been keeping track! Looks like I only did a midyear update, so today you’ll get my full year report. At the begining of the year, instead of scaling back as I should have done, I stuck with my usual goal of Marathoner which was 50 books, but then in July I came to my senses and downgraded my soft goal to My Precious, which is 30. Let’s see if I made it…

The final tally came to 41, which means I made a good call with my decision. Until I step up my audio game, looks like next year My Precious will be the way to go, since I was already padding my numbers to include the books where I listened to the audio edition for at least a part, even if it’s just a few chapters I fit in here or there.

Overview: Books Read in 2023

And now for my favorite part of end-of-year roundup posts: the Goodreads stats and the pretty Year in Books collage!

Since we only have one day left in 2023, these are pretty much my final numbers, minus maybe one or two books I can squeak by past the finish line. I have no complaints, it’s been a pretty productive year!