2024 Jane Austen has won my heart

I started 2024 with Jane Austen. Although I did not love all her books she pulled me into the world and all year I have been watching films and shows of the 19th century. And I must confess I have become quite fond of Mr. Darcy and his shy manner. I watched all versions of Pride and Prejudice I can find and rewatched quite a bit throughout the year.

Books I read so far in 2024:

• Jane Austen Books read: 

1. Emma - 3 stars
2. Northanger Abbey - 3 stars
3. Mansfield Park - 3 stars
4. Persuasion - 2 stars
5. Pride and Prejudice - 3 stars
6.  Pride and Prejudice graphic novel by Nancy Butler - 3 stars
   
7. Lady Susan - 2 stars
   

• Puerto Rican Cookery by Camen Valldejuli - 4 stars
  no i have not made these recipes yet but i am looking forward to some of them
  
  
• Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
  1. To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgerton #5)  - 5 stars
  2. When He Was Wicked (Bridgerton # 6 & 6.5)  - 4 stars
     
  
  
• Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee - 4 stars
  
  
• Elite (Hunter #2) by Mercedes Lackey - 2 stars
  
  
• A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissener - 4 stars
  nice retelling of the life of a 911 witness
  
  
• What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman - 4 stars
  This was very interesting and a favorite for this year read in May and it is still with me.
  
  
• Disney Encanto: The Deleux Junior Novelization by Angela Cervantes - 3 stars
• Made for Love - 2 stars
  this has to be the oddest i've read.
  
  
• The Bishop's Bedroom by Piero Chiara - 4 stars
  
  
• Eve by William Paul Young - 3 stars
  I like the telling of this story it' s not in your face religious.
  
  
•  The Somerton Series by Leila Rasheed
  
  1. Cinders & Sapphires (#1) - 5 stars
  2. Diamonds & Deceit (#2) - 4 stars
     
     
• Ice Planet Barbarians Series by Ruby Dixon
  These books are HOT. My husband does not complain when I read these. They ranked lower than the first book I read because I feel like book 6 story line was stronger. I'm excited to continue and watch the Not-hoth world expand.
  
  1. Ice Planet Barbarians (#1) - 3 stars
  2. Barbarian Alien (#2) - 3 stars
     
  
  
• The Three Body Problem series by Cixin Liu
  I like Liu's writing style and how the scifi is mixed with chinese culture and history. For me it's a bit hard to follow the scientific side so it take me a bit longer to finish each book but I am enjoying the series.
  1. The Three-Body Problem - 3 stars
  2. The Dark Forest - 3 stars
     
     

Books I just could not finish & don't plan to

• Single & Single by John le Carre
  i was just too bored i could not continue. Stopped at chapter 8.
  
  
• A Good Day to Marry a Duke by Betina Krahn (#1 of Sin and Sensibility)
  it felt like it wanted to be a julia quinn book but the writing just did not do it for me. I stopped at chapter 13. 

 Books currently reading

• I still have Winter's Tale on my list to finish
• I started The Pope's Last Crusade  by Peter Eisner with my husband but I might continue without out him to finish it by end of year.'
• The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder - the writing style is slower than i like but i do plan on finishing this. 
• The Near Witch by Victoria E. Schwab
• Emeralds & Ashes (Somerton #3) by Leila Rasheed
  

wraping up 2023

 The remaining graphic novels I read since my last post in June till the end of December 2023.

• 1984: The Graphic Novel by Fido Nesti - 3 stars
  
  
• Animorphs: The Graphic Novel by K.A. Applegate & Michael Grant adapted by Chris Grine
  The Invasion - 4 stars, The Visitor - 3 stars
  
  
• Las Brujas by Roald Dahl adptado por Penelope Bagieu - 3 stars
  
  
• Red Scare: A Graphic Novel by Liam Francis Walsh - 4 stars 
• Descendants series adapted by Robert Venditti
  The Isle of the lost - 3 stars
  Return to the Isle of the Lost - 3 stars
  
  
• The Lost Carnival : A Dick Grayson graphic Novel by Michael Moreci - 3 stars
  
  
•  Zoo: The Graphic Novel by Andy MacDonald - average 4 stars
  
  
•  A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel by Daniel Abraham - average 3 starts
  Volume One, Two, Three and Four
  
  
• Speak: The Graphic Novel
  
  
• 
  

non-Graphic Novels:

• Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes- 4 stars
  
  
• A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria - 3 stars
  
  
• Barbarian's Mate by Ruby Dixon - 4 stars
  pretty hot this was #6 in the series, going back to start from #1.
  
  
•  Rise of the Isle of the Lost (Descendants #3) by Melissa de la Cruz- 3 stars
  
• The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs - 2 stars
  I enjoyed the movie more than the book
  
  
• The Wild Mermaid by Mel Braxton - 2 stars
  
  
• Queen of Snow: A Snow Queen Retelling (Fairy Tales Re-imagined #1) by Laura Burton - 4 stars
  
  
• Lupe Lopes: Reading Rock Star! by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo - 2 stars [Children's picture book]
  
  
• My Brain is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration by Prasha Sooful - 2 stars  [Children's picture book]
  
  
• Don't Be Scared! Bilingual Children's Picture Book in English and Chinese - Learning Chinese for Kids by Ingo Blum - 2 stars
  
  
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo - 4 stars 

 

Never got to finish:

• Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
  Plan to but not a priority.