Just A Second

Wednesday, March 4

February Bookshelf Review

Seventy million books in America's libraries, but the one you want to read is always out. ~Thomas Lansing Masson

The book I want is either out, or I have the opposite problem - the book I want and is not renewable becomes available right when I have several other books on the go, leaving me with hard choices to make!

It looks like I got more books completed during this short month and part of me wonders how this is possible! To be fair, one of the books was really quite short. All the same, I'm encouraged by this, and I just finished another book that I'll be reviewing very shortly, so perhaps I'm gaining reading momentum.

February's Books Completed and Reviewed

Secrets of the Maison Fournier by Amelia Pine - I finished this one last month but hadn't posted the review when I did the January summary, so here it is: Read my review HERE.

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber - Verity and her husband Sidney travel to France and Belgium, working together but on separate investigations. A witness dies under suspicious circumstances, and when the Kents realize that someone intends to kill them as well, they suspect the two cases may not be separate after all. (Read my review HERE)

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - Julia Wychwood's beauty and dowry draw suitors in London, but she is uncomfortable at balls and making small talk. Captain Jasper Blunt, a war hero with a scandalous reputation, is sent away by Julia's father, but turns out to be Julia's rescuer when she needs to get away from her home. Can this Beauty and the Beast romance have a happy ending, when Julia discovers the truth about Jasper? (Read my review HERE)

Lady Susan by Jane Austen - A novella told entirely using letters written between Lady Susan and members of her circle. Lady Susan is a society widow known for being manipulative and flirtatious. (Read my review HERE)

During February I started reading:

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy - Josie McFarland didn't last very long as a Harvey Girl, but she's been given a second chance as an in-house detective for the Harvey House. A salesman was murdered and it is Josie's task to find the murderer while keeping the Harvey name and reputation clean. I just finished this so the review is coming soon!

Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin - just started this memoir explaining how and why the author embarked on a project of cooking a meal from each of 195 different countries.

Where My Books Took Me in February . . . Here's where I've traveled through the pages during the month, and where each book fits in the reading challenges I'm working on.

A Certain Darkness started in London and then headed to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

It was a book featuring a conspiracy (#5) for the 52 Book Club Challenge, and is a story related to "crime" for Prompt #2 of the February Mini-Challenge

The Belle of Belgrave Square also starts in London, and then moves to the English countryside. The story features a character with a secret identity (#35), and is written by an author whose first and last name start with the same letter (#40).

Lady Susan by Jane Austen takes place in Britain, and was written in the 1800s (#21). It's also related to "letter" for Prompt #1 of the February Mini-Challenge

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy takes place in 1930s Nevada.

Author Sasha Martin lives in the United States, so I would say that is the setting of Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness, but shares about the foods and her travels all over the world.

Coming Up in March!

Of these books, I thought I'd start at least one of them in February. I didn't. So they are still on the stack. And I just picked up a hold at the library, so I've added that to the mix. (Didn't technically start until March, but I did get going on A Tarnished Canvas, but if I need to read that library book on a deadline . . . well, we'll see how it goes . . . )

When the Cranes Fly South: A Novel by Liza Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies)

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Being Henry: The Fonz . . . And Beyond by Henry Winkler

On my blogs recently . . .

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

What I'm Reading - February 15, 2026

And on A Fresh Cup of Coffee:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Everyday Images posts

Hodgepodge posts

WQ - Libraries

Share Four Somethings - February 2026

Monthly Musings - An Easier Week

WQ - Living Responsibly

Five Minute Friday - Benediction

Currently . . . February 6, 2026

This post will be linked at Share Your Shelf hosted by Slices of Life and Not In Jersey.

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Sunday, March 1

Recent Reads - Lady Susan

Lady Susan by Jane Austen - It's been a long time since I wrote anything like a "review" of a Jane Austen novel, though I never tire of re-reading them. However, Lady Susan is one I haven't previously read, so this was new for me. This would be considered a novella, as it is quite short. The entire story is told in a series of letters between Lady Susan and some of her family and acquaintances.

Lady Susan Vernon is a recent widow with a daughter about sixteen years old. She is well-known in London society, and has a reputation as an accomplished flirt and coquette, and this is very soon borne out in the exchange of letters. However, the reader is presented with letters from Lady Susan herself and from other characters, and the possibility that at least one letter-writer could be considered an unreliable narrator.

We learn that Lady Susan has left her daughter at a finishing school while she herself goes to stay with her late husband's brother and wife. The sister-in-law, Mrs Vernon, has a decidedly negative opinion of Lady Susan and her letters to her brother and parents expound on her displeasure at hosting such a flirt. Matters become more complicated when her brother Reginald joins them and develops a close friendship with Lady Susan. Much to the chagrin of his family, as they fear his marrying the woman! Lady Susan's daughter is eventually brought to the house as well, as she is to be engaged to a Sir James that she heartily dislikes. Lady Susan writes with justifications and pride in her manipulations to her friend, while Mrs Vernon and others write with distress and frustration.

In only a slim collection of letters with no additional narration or background, Austen tells a surprisingly complex story of a selfish and ambitious woman, and the norms of the society in which she lives.

From the publisher:

Discover a different side of Jane Austen in Lady Susan, a lesser-known yet equally engaging novella that brilliantly showcases Austen's witty social commentary and keen insight into human nature.

Lady Susan is a unique departure from Austen's conventional style, presenting readers with an unconventional anti-heroine who is as unning as she is captivating. The story unfolds through a series of letters, drawing you into the manipulative world of the charming and scheming widow, Lady Susan Vernon.

Austen's sharp-witted and ironic take on society's norms and the expectations of women make Lady Susan a delightful read. It stands as a testament to her talent as a storyteller and her understandng of human character.

Whether you're a Jane Austen devotee or new to her work, Lady Susan offers a fascinating look into the social machinations of the Regency period that remains as relevant and entertaining today as when first published.

By the same author: Sense & Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, The History of England

This is a book written in the 1800s (#21) for The 52 Book Club's 2026 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2026

This is related to "letter" for Prompt #1 of the February Mini-Challenge

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

Friday, February 20

Recent Reads - The Belle of Belgrave Square

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - Julia Wychwood is enduring another season in London. She is from a wealthy and respected family and has a generous dowry, but she is uncomfortable in ballrooms and dining halls, and would far rather be riding her horse or reading a novel. While her friends are out of town, she makes the acquaintance of Captain Jasper Blunt, a military hero looking for a wealthy wife. His gruff manner and wartime scars, along with the rumours of his haunted estate in Yorkshire and illegitimate children, have scared off most of the eligible young ladies. Julia is surprised to find that he can converse easily with her about books but still tells him that she doesn't think they would suit.

Jasper is captivated by Julia though, and compelled to come to her rescue in a couple of social situations, and they strike up a friendship. He is determined to pursue her, even going to talk to her father, but is rebuffed. However, when he learns of the cruel treatment Julia receives at home, and that she is weak and ill after her parents subject her to bloodletting, he comes to her aid and is shocked when Julia proposes to him a marriage of convenience if he will take her to Yorkshire.

Their friendship and the arrangement they agree to has the potential to grow into so much more, but Julia's trust in him is tested time and again as she finds out more about him and his secrets.

This story is based on the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast and the similarities are easy to spot. Jasper is a brooding hero full of contradictions and with many layers of secrets, and he struggles with how and when to share any of them with his new bride. Julia is a romantic soul with a kind heart, who has been dominated by her parents and her anxiety in social situations, but she begins to come alive once she has a home and some freedom. The development of their relationship is sweet and satisfying, and I liked the balance of the fairy tale trope with enough realism to make it work.

From the publisher:

A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.

For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she's on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can't spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins―she proposes to Captain Blunt.

In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride―and to read―as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own; Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes . . .

By the same author: A Holiday By Gaslight, The Work of Art, The Matrimonial Advertisment, Fair As A Star, The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter

This is a book featuring a character with a secret identity (#35), by an author whose first and last name start with the same letter (#40) for The 52 Book Club's 2026 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2026

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

Monday, February 16

What I'm Reading - February 15, 2026

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

I'm currently reading . . .

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - I'm actually on the final chapter of this Victorian romance inspired by the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. A notorious war hero and a shy bookish heiress agree to a marriage of convenience, but as Julia discovers more about her mysterious husband she is both intrigued and terrified.

Up Next . . . On the TBR stack . . .

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy

Lady Susan by Jane Austen

Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin

I finished reading . . .

Secrets of the Maison Fournier by Amelia Pine - Emma, an American in Paris, falls under suspicion when a department store owner is murdered, and decides to find the real killer herself. (Read my review HERE)

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber - Verity and her husband Sidney are asked to investigate two different cases in Europe, and soon realize the cases are probably intertwined and both involve sensitive wartime information. (Read my review HERE)

I've been watching . . . We had been watching a fair amount of hockey, but with the Olympic break right now, that's on hold. I can't really watch any live coverage from the Olympics because of the time difference, but I'm watching highlights when I can, mostly of figure skating. Now that men's hockey is underway, I'll pay more attention to that. We did watch the SuperBowl, which was a pretty boring game, to be honest. We left the halftime show to play on the TV with the sound almost completely off, because none of us had any interest in Bad Bunny and couldn't understand it anyway, but my son works in media so he needed to have some idea what was happening. I wish we hadn't seen any of it - it was disgusting. We had the TPUSA half-time show playing on my laptop, and really enjoyed what we saw of that! The only movie or show I've watched recently is The Kingsmen: The Golden Circle a few nights ago. I really liked the other two Kingsmen movies and this one was good too, but there were a couple of things that were just too gross for me.

I've been listening to . . . podcasts and a variety of music. Scioto Valley Chorus is getting ready for the International competition in fall, so I'm listening to and learning new music for that!

On my blogs recently . . .

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

January Bookshelf Review

2026 Reading Challenges

On my main coffee break project, A Fresh Cup of Coffee:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Everyday Images posts

Hodgepodge and other Q&A Link-up posts

Five Minute Friday posts

Currently . . . February 6, 2026

WQ - Let's Eat Out!

Share Four Somethings - January 2026

Monthly Musings - Winter Fun and Valentine's Day

WQ - What's My Motivation?

Tell Us About . . . Snow: Snow Globe World

Currently . . . January 8, 2026

WQ - New Year's Resolutions

WOTY and Goals - December Diary

Share Four Somethings - December 2025

WQ - Holiday Memories

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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.

Sunday, February 15

Recent Reads - A Certain Darkness

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber - If Verity and Sidney thought they were going to get some downtime and a refreshing break from investigations and intrigue, they were mistaken. Verity has had a little time to recuperate after the injuries suffered in their last investigation, and agrees to go with Sidney when French authorities contact him saying that a prisoner has requested a meeting with him. A woman that had been an informant during the war had been imprisoned in France and specifically asked to speak to Sidney in an attempt to negotiate her sentence, and claimed she had information she would only pass on to him. Verity's experience in British intelligence comes into play as she recognizes Miss Baverel's ploys and suspects where she is speaking in "code" and where her weaknesses may lie. After their meeting with Miss Baverel, they consider what to do with the vaguely worded claims she made, but before they can see her again, she is assassinated and it's meant to look like a suicide and also casts suspicion on Verity.

Sidney and Verity decide to travel to Miss Baverel's home to follow up on a hunch, and find they are in danger - someone is following them and means them harm. About this time, Verity receives contact from her former British Intelligence superiors, asking her to investigate the murder of a Belgian lawyer who had also worked with British Intelligence. He had been carrying a report with shocking information and evidence of potential treason, and it is missing. British Intelligence wants Verity to find the portfolio and destroy it. Despite many qualms about the investigation, Sidney and Verity take on the challenge, and soon question whether the two situations are actually linked. Was the information Miss Baverel claimed to have related to the missing report, and is their nemesis Lord Ardmore involved in both?

This mystery involves more espionage and secret statecraft than the previous ones and I found it a challenge to follow the different threads and links in the chain as Sidney and Verity unravel it. The personal dangers and impossible choices they face, and the ramifications of the information in the missing report being made public are immense, and this adventure is fraught with suspense and intrigue.

From the publisher:

March 1920: Life has turned unsettlingly quiet for former British Intelligence agent Verity Kent and her husband, Sidney. But even that false calm is about to end. As threats remain, the French authorities soon request Sidney's help with a suspect who claims to have proof of treason―shortly before she is assassinated. And Verity, too, is called to investigate a mystery . . .

The murder of a Belgian lawyer aboard a train seems at first to be a simple case of revenge. But the victim was connected to British Intelligence, and possessed papers detailing the sinking of a gold-laden German ship during the war.

As Verity and Sidney dig deeper, they discover their cases are intertwined―and a lethal adversary persists. Officially, the Great War may be over, but this is a battle of nerves and wits they cannot afford to lose . . .

This is a book featuring a conspiracy (#5) for The 52 Book Club's 2026 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2026

This is related to "crime" for Prompt #2 of the February Mini-Challenge

This is #8 in the Connections Challenge. The cover shares an item from the cover of the previous book (the railing). (I'm continuing the connections from the 2025 challenge)

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

Saturday, February 7

Recent Reads - Secrets of the Maison Fournier

Secrets of the Maison Fournier by Amelia Pine - American Emma Greene is the owner of a small English-language bookshop in Paris, and her shop is in the shadow of the illustrious new Maison Fournier department store. She has heard rumors about the owner of the store, and is rather surprised to receive an invitation to the grand reception celebration Maison Fournier's opening. Along with her new friend Cècile, owner of a neighboring French bookshop, Emma attends the opening. While drinking celebratory toast to the success of his business, Henri Fournier dies, a victim of poisoning. Emma finds herself the most convenient suspect since she is a foreigner, but the detective Inspector Lefèvre also recognizes that Emma is a keen observer of details and a valuable witness. To Emma's great relief Inspector Lefèvre does not believe Emma is the murderer, but the rest of Paris is not so kind and business at her bookshop suffers.

At Cècile's urging, Emma hires an assistant, and soon Luc joins Emma and Cècile in their own investigation of the murder. After all, no one is more motivated to find the real killer than the one wrongfully suspected. Inspector Lefèvre repeatedly warns Emma to stay out of it and to not embark on her own investigation but also seems to understand that his warnings will not be heeded. Luc and Cècile constantly tease Emma that the Inspector's interest is very personal, and Emma admits - at least to herself - that she is drawn to the Inspector and hopes to know him better.

In the meantime, the investigation takes Emma and her friends to the offices of Maison Fournier, the studios of Fournier's associates, and to the opera, collecting valuable information and clues. Can they piece it all together before the murderer silences Emma or the suspicions swirling around her destroy her reputation beyond repair?

I enjoyed these charming and quirky characters, the period details of the mystery and Paris setting, and the simmering attraction growing between Emma and Inspector Lefèvre. Although there's a murder and a bit of darkness, it still has the feel of a cozy mystery. Emma's background, and the circumstances that brought her to Paris, are revealed a little at a time, and Lefèvre's even more slowly, and I really liked him. Cècile is a character that is over-the-top and requires a bit more suspension of disbelief to accept. The writing is done well, though I felt that there were too many personification descriptions, especially in the first half or so. They were lovely and creative descriptors for the most part, but lost their charm when there were several per page for successive pages. This was noticeable to me, but didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. And I will be looking for the next installment, eager to find out what is next for Emma, the brooding Inspector, and Emma's interesting friends.

From the publisher:

Paris, 1888. A city of light, love, and deadly secrets.

When American bookseller Emma Greene opens a small English-language bookshop in the Latin Quarter, she hopes for a quiet life among books, not whispers and suspicion.

After the powerful owner of the glittering Maison Fournier department store dies under suspicious circumstances, Emma becomes a reluctant suspect. To save her reputation, she must untanble Parisian society secrets with the help of a guarded detective, a circle of found-family neighbors, and a slow-burn romantic tension that could be just as dangerous as the truth.

A Belle Époque historical cozy mystery with bookshop intrigue, a clever heroine, and romance under gaslight.

Perfect for fans of Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Rhys Bowen, Deanna Raybourn, and Tasha Alexander.

I received a digital copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a book featuring the literary device personification (#44), and has a diacritical mark on the cover (#47) for The 52 Book Club's 2026 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2026

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

Thursday, February 5

January Bookshelf Review

Such is the effect of the excitement of novel reading upon the nervous system, that the only way to obtain momentary ease, is to plunge into another as soon as one is finished.

~Confessions and Experiences of a Novel Reader, 1855.

So opened one of the novels I'm currently reading, and I enjoyed the quote enough to share it.

January's Books Completed and Reviewed

Secrets of the Maison Fournier by Amelia Pine - Emma Greene is building a new life along with her business, a small English language bookshop in Paris in the shadow of the glittering Maison Fournier shop. When the owner of Maison Fournier is poisoned, Emma is the convenient foreign suspect, but with the help of her new friends, she sets out to find the real killer and clear her name. (Review coming soon!)

During January I started reading:

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - Julia Wychwood is beautiful and has a sizeable dowry but she is uncomfortable at balls and making small talk. She has caught the eye of Captain Jasper Blunt, a war hero with a tarnished reputation. This is a romance based on the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.

During January I continued reading:

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber - Verity and her husband Sidney are working together on two different investigations, but as they dig deeper, they see that the murders and motives may be intertwined.

Where My Books Took Me in January . . . Here's where I've traveled through the pages during the month, and where each book fits in the reading challenges I'm working on.

Secrets of the Maison Fournier is set in late 1800s Paris and I used it for two of the 52 Book Club prompts. It has quite a lot of personification (#44) and there is a diacritical mark on the cover (#47).

A Certain Darkness started in London and is headed to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

The Belle of Belgrave Square also starts in London, and then moves to the English countryside.

Coming Up in February!

Among the contenders for my next read are:

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Being Henry: The Fonz . . . And Beyond by Henry Winkler

On my blogs recently . . .

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

2026 Reading Challenges

2025 Reading Challenges Wrap-up