Tuesday, October 14

What I'm Reading - October 14, 2025


Here's a quick update on what I've been reading and watching lately. 

I'm currently reading . . .

While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden - Katherine is a dentist in 1913 New York, and happens to learn about a criminal plot that one of her patients talks about while under the influence of laughing gas. She turns to her acquaintance, policeman Jonathan Birch, for help.





The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year - Margaret Renkl - A collecction of short essays reflecting on the changes in nature and her backyard throughout the year. I'm actually finished but won't get to the review right away. It's coming soon!



The Terrifying Tales by Edgar Allen Poe - well, it IS October, after all! I usually read Dracula or some other classic spooky story during the Halloween month, and Poe is my choice this year. The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven are favorites of mine and both are included in this collection.



Up Next . . . On the TBR stack . . . 

Probably this one, though I'm really not sure at this point.

A Certain Darkness - Anna Lee Huber



I finished reading . . . 

Food For Thought: Essays and Ruminations by Alton Brown - a collection of essays by the Food Network star on topics related to food, cooking, memorable meals, show business and culture, and more. (Read my review HERE)





Before Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Brittany Fichter - A sweet version of the classic fairy tale, in which Isabelle is called upon to help break the curse on Prince Everard before his enemy can conquer the kingdom with dark magic. (Read my review HERE)





I've been watching . . . 

We're watching the new season of Only Murders in the Building, of course! Hockey games when we can find them streaming, and once the MLB playoffs started we also watch Blue Jays games whenever we can stream those. So fun to watch them win over the Yankees, and now we're following their series with the Mariners. The first two games have not gone well for the Jays, so hopefully they can turn that around!

I've been listening to . . .

Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell - a shapeshifter monster develops a relationship with a kind human that she thinks would be a perfect host for her eggs . . . until she realizes that humans have very different ways of expressing love, loyalty, and devotion.


Still lots of plays of Twenty One Pilots "Breach" as well as other music playlists I have on Spotify. I regularly listen to a selection of podcasts including political commentary, Grammar Girl, The Bible Project, and The Bible Book Club. There's a new official Only Murders in the Building podcast hosted by Michael Cyril Creighton (who plays Howard in the show) and I've been listening to that.



An on my "first cup blog", Homeschool Coffee Break:



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What are you reading?


This post may be linked at What's On Your Bookshelf? #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge hosted by Deb's World, and/or at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.

 It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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Saturday, October 4

Recent Reads - Before Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast


Before Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Brittany Fichter - This book takes the familiar fairytale and adds some backstory, twists, and a hint of allegory. Since the tale is set in a fictional kingdom in a world where magical forces exist, it has a bit of a fantasy feel to it as well.

We're introduced to Prince Everard when he is still a child. He feels the weight of the expectations of his father the king, and despite loneliness and the fears of not measuring up, he does his best to develop the stoicism and singlemindedness his father demands so that he'll be ready for the throne one day. A chance encounter with a young girl results in disaster, and Ever is long haunted by the hard-hearted choice his father pressured him into. The eve of his coronation, he makes another foolish and hard-hearted decision that plunges the kingdom into chaos and brings a curse upon the Fortress.

Isabelle is the girl who stumbled into the path of Ever's horse and was injured and crippled as a result of the accident and Ever's temper. We don't get to see as much of her during childhood, but as a young woman she is devastated when her fiance rejects her right before the wedding, saying she is not suitable to be his wife because of her disability. Soon after, Isa's father stumbles into the cursed Fortress and thus Isa is compelled to go live there among the shadows. All she knows is that there is something she must do to break the curse, and her resentment at all the prince has taken from her threatens to overwhelm her. Not that Ever is happy about her presence either - it's a constant reminder of the destructive power of his anger, and he's ashamed of that and of the shadowy monster he has become as his strength is sapped by the curse.

As in the fairytale, Isabelle resolves to make the best of the situation and without even realizing, she begins to bring the Fortress back to life. It's implied that she must discover her strength and her connection to the Fortress power on her own and willingly choose to wield the power for good. And that Ever must learn humility and how to love selflessly before he can be healed and strengthened. Of course, all of this must happen before the enemy, an evil princess of a neighboring kingdom, can destroy them all. 

There's a very sweet love story in all of it, predictable because of the well-known tale on which it's based, but given some new perspectives because of the personalities the author has given these two characters. I liked the shadowy servants of the Fortress, affected by the curse, especially the trusted steward Garin, who is something of a guardian angel. The final resolution of how the curse is broken takes a slightly different route than I expected, and I think it was done quite well.

From the publisher:

Can the accursed prince and broken beauty move beyond their hatred for one another, not only to break the curse and save their kingdom . . . but to find love as well?

Prince Everard's father forged him into a warrior. Upon the king's death, however, Everard loses himself in his pain and brings a dark curse upon himself and the great Fortress that has long guarded the people of Destin.

The prince's sin doesn't solely affect those of his citadel, however. Isabelle, the daughter of a local merchant, has suffered the prince's hasty temper before, and it changed her life forever. So when Everard's curse cuts off his people's source of protection, and he demands that she, a crippled commoner, help him break it, her shock and horror are rivaled only by her indignation and even stronger desire to protect her family.

All the while, Destin's enemy crouches at the foot of the Fortress's mountain, waiting for the right moment to capture the stronghold that has stood for a thousand years.

This is a fairy tale retelling (#20) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.
#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025




This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot.

bookworms monthly linky


©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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Thursday, October 2

September Bookshelf Review


I thought this might have shaped up to be a productive time period for my reading, but I didn't get much further than usual. The books I read were ever so enjoyable though!

September's Books Completed and Reviewed

Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber - Verity's Tante Ilse from Germany shows up in England, and may be in danger, related to Verity's contact with her during the war. Has an enemy followed them, and who was the mysterious 'second deserter' Tante Ilse mentions? There's a lot of family tension in this one as Sidney and Verity go back to her home and reconnect with her parents and siblings. (Read my review HERE)

 


Food For Thought: Essays and Ruminations by Alton Brown - Loved this collection of essays from one of my favorite Food Network stars, with his thoughts on food, cooking, culture, and more. (Read my review HERE)



During September I continued reading:

Before Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Brittany Fichter - Truthfully, I just finished this charming version of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, which follows the traditional storyline but with interesting new twists on the magic and meaning. Review coming very soon!



The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl - a year's worth of observations about nature and the passing of time as observed from the vantage point of the author's backyard.



Where My Books Took Me in September . . . Here's where I've traveled through the pages during the month, along with One Word to sum up the ones I finished.

Murder Most Fair has been located in Great Britain, mostly in Yorkshire.
One Word: Prejudices

Food For Thought: Essays and Ruminations is a collection of essays so it doesn't take place in a specific location, and the essays reference many different places.
One Word: Personality

Before Beauty is set in a fictional fairytale kingdom called Destin.
One Word: Purpose

The backyard referenced in The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year is in Tennessee.


Coming Up in October!

At this moment, I have only one book I'm actually working on, and I'm not sure yet which of the several on my nightstand stack, or the dozens in my Kindle library I'll read next. The Elizabeth Camden book is waiting for me at the library, so that is definitely next. Don't hold me to it, but right now I'm leaning towards the next Verity Kent to be the selected read from my stack.

While the City Sleeps - Elizabeth Camden
A Certain Darkness - Anna Lee Huber

  


On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:



On my 'first cup' blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:



And on A Fresh Cup of Coffee:



This post will be linked at Share Your Shelf hosted by Slices of Life.




©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


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Recent Reads - Food For Thought: Essays and Ruminations



Food For Thought: Essays and Ruminations by Alton Brown - This collection of essays by a Food Network star caught my eye as I was picking up another item from the library and I took a chance on it. We used to watch Alton Brown's show Good Eats regularly, and were always entertained by it, and almost always learned something too. I don't watch cooking shows often, but on the occasions when we turned on Cutthroat Kitchen, it was Brown as the host that I most enjoyed. Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to read some of his thoughts on food and life, and I was not disappointed.

Food and cooking features prominently in the collection of essays, as one would expect. Brown talks about experiences with food and cooking that were especially influential in his life and how his career took shape. His reminisces of his childhood were nostalgic, poignant, yet so humorous, and all featured food in some way. He discusses his education and career, and how he made the leap from directing TV commercials to entering culinary school and then launching his signature show Good Eats. 

It's not just a commentary on food and cooking, however. Brown shares thoughts on movies, fashion, travel, education, and more. I enjoyed the wit and the honesty, and especially enjoyed finding out that Brown shares views of family and culture that are down-to-earth, and it's no surprise that he views the kitchen, the table, and the sharing of meals to be central to healthy relationships and living well.


From the publisher:

This instant New York Times bestseller by Alton Brown, the acclaimed cookbook author, beloved culinary personality, and food science expert, is a "must-read" (Gaby Dalkin, New York Times bestselling author of What's Gaby Cooking) debut collection of food essays, cooking tips, kitchen stories, and behind-the-scenes insights, all infused with his signature wit and flair.

From cameraman to chef, musician to food scientist, Alton Brown has had a diverse and remarkable career. His work on the Food Network, including creating Good Eats and hosting Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen, has resonated with countless viewers and home cooks. Now, he shares exactly what's on his mind, mixing compelling anecdotes from his personal and professional life with in-depth observations on the culinary world, film, personal style, defining meals of his lifetime, and much more.

With his whip-smart and engaging voice, Brown explores everything from wrestling a dumpster full of dough to culinary appropriation to his ultimate quest for the perfect roast chicken. Deliciously candid and full of behind-the-scenes stories fans will love, this "fabulous read" (Michael Ruhlman, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of a Chef) is the ultimate reading experience for anyone who appreciates food and the people who prepare it.

This is a book with a celebrity on the cover (#44) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.
#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025




This is #6 in the Connections Challenge. It has a similar title font to the previous book.



This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot.

bookworms monthly linky

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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Friday, September 19

Recent Reads - Murder Most Fair



Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber - After wrappng up their last investigation, Verity and Sidney are enjoying a bit of a holiday and time to relax. But when Verity's Great-Aunt Ilse shows up on their doorstep, they have to confront the possibility that wartime enemies may still pose a threat. During the war, Tante Ilse lived in Germany and one of Verity's missions involved her, but now Tante Ilse claims a 'second deserter' had come to her home and that there had been threats made against her and her maid. They've come to England to escape the threats, but it seems to Verity and Sidney that the threats may have followed.

They all go to Verity's family home in Yorkshire, but some of their longtime neighbors are antagonistic and mistrustful of Germans and even of Verity. To make matters worse, Verity and Tante Ilse both think they've seen a familiar face and Tante Ilse says it is that mysterious 'second deserter'. As Verity and Sidney reach out to some contacts for more information, they must also continue to keep Verity's wartime service a secret from her family, and Verity fears Tante Ilse's memory is going. Then Ilse's maid is murdered, and it is up to Verity and Sidney to find the murderer before the people of the town take matters into their own hands in a vindictive search for a stranger that they claim is German. 

In addition to the mystery and worries for Tante Ilse that are on Verity's mind, this is her first visit back to the family home in five years . . . since early in the war when her brother was killed in action. Verity has avoided the memories and grief and emotion, and her fraught relationship with her mother, and now she can't put off facing it all any longer.


From the publisher:

All is far from quiet on the home front in USA Today bestselling author Anna Lee Huber's captivating mystery series, in which former Secret Service agent Verity Kent receives a visitor - who is being trailed by a killer . . .

November 1919. A relaxing few weeks by the seaside with her husband, Sidney, could almost convince Verity Kent that life has returned to the pleasant rhythm of pre-war days. Then Verity's beloved Great-Aunt Ilse lands on their doorstep. After years in war-ravaged Germany, Ilse has returned to England to repair her fragile health―and to escape trouble. Someone has been sending her anonymous threats, and Verity's Secret Service contacts can only provide unsettling answers.

Even deep in the Yorkshire Dales, where she joins Verity's family for the holidays, Ilse encounters difficulties. Normally peaceful neighbors are hostile, seeking someone to blame for the losses they've endured. When Ilse's maid is found dead, Verity must uncover whether this is anti-German sentiment taken to murderous lengths, or whether there is a more personal motive at work. Could Verity's shadowy nemesis, Lord Ardmore, be involved? And if so, how much closer to home will the blow land when he inevitably strikes again?

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows, Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit, A Wicked Conceit, A Perilous Perspective, A Fatal Illusion, Sisters of Fortune, A Deceptive Composition


This is a book about  title with letter M (#) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.
#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025



This is #5 in the Connections Challenge. It is within 30 pages in length, compared to the previous book.


This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot, and at  the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2025 hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker.
#histficreadingchallenge

bookworms monthly linky


©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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Thursday, September 18

What I'm Reading - September 18, 2025


Here's a quick update on what I've been reading and watching lately. 

I'm currently reading . . .

Food For Thought: Essays and Ruminations by Alton Brown - I'm having a great time reading this collection of essays that is humorous and thought-provoking, and often both at the same time.




Before Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Brittany Fichter - In this retelling of the classic fairy tale, Prince Everard had a somewhat lonely childhood, but learned much about leadership and preserving his kingdom from his father. As Ever becomes king, he struggles with his mastery of the magic that sustains the castle.



The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year - Margaret Renkl - A lyrical journal reflecting on the changes in the author's life, seen in relationship to the changes in her backyard.



Up Next . . . On the TBR stack . . . 

When I stopped at the library a couple weeks ago to pick up The Comfort of Crows, I also spotted the Alton Brown book and couldn't resist. So I'm once again reading more books at once than is really practical. So I'm really not sure what's next. I've got a couple of Anna Lee Huber books on the nightstand, along with the sequel to Killers Of A Certain Age and several other books. Plus a Kindle loaded full of books. One of those options will catch my eye soon.

I finished reading . . . 

No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig - Cara Hamilton arrives in New York City hoping to find her twin brother, but the only communication she has had from him included a cryptic warning not to trust anyone. Would that include the only friend she believes she has, Rourke Walsh? (Read my review HERE)






Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber - Verity's elderly aunt from Germany seeks refuge with Verity and Sidney after being in some danger in her homeland, and Verity wonders about some curious coincidences and connections.When the aunt's German maid is killed, Sidney and Verity investigate, because they fear that the anti-German sentiment after the war will get in the way of true justice. (Read my review HERE)





I've been watching . . . 

It's strange to me that I don't remember what movie we watched a couple weeks ago, but I didn't note it at the time and I'm drawing a blank now. What I do remember is that the new season of Only Murders in the Building is finally here, and we devoured the first two episodes last week. We also watched Kingsman: The Secret Service one evening, and my husband found a documentary type show about the last Frank Lloyd Wright designed house and how it was built. 

I've been listening to . . .

Most recently, the new Twenty One Pilots album "Breach" has been my musical choice, along with the eclectic music playlists I have on Spotify. I regularly listen to a selection of podcasts including political commentary, Grammar Girl, The Bible Project, and The Bible Book Club. I'm disappointed that the Only Murders podcast doesn't appear to be available for the new season of the show.

An on my "first cup blog", Homeschool Coffee Break:



***************

What are you reading?


This post may be linked at What's On Your Bookshelf? #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge hosted by Deb's World, and/or at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.

 It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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