Bookish Thursday - More September TBR

This is what I have finished in the past week. Three of the books were already in progress and the other two were added...just because. Actually they were added because I needed another audio book and they were on my 'Want to Read' list and they were available. And OMG!

Anyway...

This is my second (or third) read-through of this book. It inspires me to do my research. And since I have my new filing cabinet I have gone through some old files and have gotten semi-organized. But this past week as been a lot of 'grape-ness' and haven't done much lately. Now I need to get this book in the mail to a friend.

I really can't say much about this book at this time as it is a read for a blog tour and I will have a full review next month. Needless to say, it was much better than I expected. I love it when my expectations are surpassed.

Now...

Three books which have really thrilled me this week!

I have to say I grabbed this off the shelf at Books a Million without really looking into the book. I think I was in a mood to accept and challenge myself to be more of a Green Witch. It was totally different from what I was expecting. And it's still all good!

Note the page flags sticking out of the book. Those are recipes I want to try - from everything from bone broth and beef burgundy to Brown Sugar/Coffee body scrub. I have recommended the book to Miss Oklahoma as she will really love the recipes. She has promised me comfrey salve already.

What I really enjoy about the book is all the recipes have their ingredients explained as to what they 'do' for you. And the brown sugar/coffee body scrub were things I already had in my cabinet and it smells so good I could eat it. And I actually could, which is nice. 

Now for the audio books which MADE me go out and get the hardback for my shelves!

Next to stories about librarians or writers, I am drawn to ones which have an apothecary as a main character. This book has been on several YouTube videos I watch and received good reviews, so I decided to give it a try as a I needed an audio book and it was available. 

The story is told from three points of view - Nella and Eliza in 1791 and Caroline, whose storyline is modern. Caroline is supposed to be on her 10 year anniversary with her husband in London and isn't. Well, she's in London, but not on an anniversary trip. Nella is the apothecary who has devoted her life to assisting women who have no other recourse in the 1700's to survive abusive relationships. Eliza is a 12 year old servant girl who goes to Nella for her mistress to avail her services. And despite 200 years separating them, their stories weave together. 

While the story held my attention very well, it was the last few chapters which really struck a note with me. Caroline is struggling with a marriage, and a life, which after 10 years isn't what she expected. As she tells her husband...

"At some point along the line, I lost a part of who I am. Ten years ago, I envisioned  something much different for myself, and I'm afraid I've abandoned that vision altogether."

And then...

"It's okay to change," I interrupted, "but it's not okay to hide, to bury parts of ourselves."

"I'm going to stop hiding from the truth, which is that my life isn't what I want it to be."

During the story, Caroline meets and is befriended by a librarian who tells her...

"But if there's one thing I do know, it's the importance of chasing dreams. Believer me, if you want something different, the only person holding you back is you. What is it you love to do?"

That last quote really hit the mark on several layers. This was definitely a 5 star book!

Then...

The book which had me driving down the highway, screaming 'NO' and pounding the steering wheel. More than once! And for once it wasn't the traffic which had me screaming.

Once again, I needed an audio book for the drive to/from work (and during work) and it was available. Actually, I like the UK edition cover of this book better which is a foiled moth on a blue cover. But that's neither here nor there. After making it through part one of the book, I had to go out and buy Strange the Dreamer and the sequel, Muse of Nightmares. 

Lazlo Strange is a foundling who grew up in an abbey and is now a junior librarian in the huge library of his country. He is drawn to the old stories and folk tales and everything about the lost city of Weep. Weep is a city which no one has ever returned from and no one as come from Weep in 200 years. And then things change.

And I can't say anything more other than the last few chapters of this book was where I was close to having a meltdown in the car on the way to work. Not good! 

At least I have Muse of Nightmares on my shelf to read. It will be on my October TBR (if not sooner).

So far I am enjoying having a TBR list and am through 7 of the official 11 on my September list. And I am putting together my October list already - stay tuned!