Just A Second

Monday, April 6

March Bookshelf Review

I meant to post this several days ago and forgot. So that's embarrassing. Also I only completed ONE book in March, and I'm having trouble understanding how that was the case, but I guess that's how March went. We had a lot going on, and I started off the month with a week's worth of jury duty, during which I don't think I read anything. The next little while looks to be pretty busy too, so I guess I'll have to lower my already ridiculously modest expectations as to how much I'll be able to read. LOL At any rate, here's the summary for the last month.

March's Books Completed and Reviewed

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy - Josie McFarland lost her job as a Harvey Girl, but she gets a second chance as an in-house detective for the Harvey House after a salesman was found murdered in a room and Josie is tasked with finding the murderer while keeping the Harvey reputation clean. (Read my review HERE)

During March I started reading:

Oracle of Philippi by Catherine Ensley (ARC) - This New Testament setting novel is based on the story in the book of Acts, where the apostle Paul casts a demon out of a slave girl, leading to Paul's arrest. But that's just the beginning of the story! What part might this slave girl have played in the early church in Philippi?

During March I continued reading:

Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin - I have a feeling I will wind up skimming much of this memoir of Martin's growing up and the experiences that led her to a project of cooking a meal from each of 195 different countries.

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage are invited to an estate sale and auction of art pieces, and part of the building collapses. It turns out it wasn't entirely an accident, and they take on the investigation of who sabotaged the building and why.

During March I shelved . . .

When the Cranes Fly South: A Novel by Liza Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies) - I got invested in this novel quickly, but I wasn't able to get far enough before the library told me I had to return it, so it got shelved. I hope I'll remember to borrow it again and finish!

Where My Books Took Me in March . . . 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.

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy took place in Las Vegas, New Mexico in about 1929.

So far, Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness has taken place in United States.

A Tarnished Canvas is set in Victorian Scotland, mostly in Edinburgh.

Oracle of Philippi is set in the New Testament time period, and takes place in the Roman colony city of Philippi, which is in modern-day Greece.

Coming Up in April!

Goodness, I'm not making much progress on my TBR stack! Pretty sure I'll get to at least one of these before April is over. I sure hope so, anyway!

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

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 - March 20, 2026

And on A Fresh Cup of Coffee:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Everyday Images posts

Hodgepodge posts

Currently . . . April 2, 2026

WQ - Simplicity

Share Four Somethings - March 2026

WQ - Perseverance

Currently . . . March 9, 2026

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

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Friday, March 20

What I'm Reading - March 20, 2026

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

I'm currently reading . . .

When the Cranes Fly South: A Novel by Liza Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies) - I haven't even got very far in this novel about the experience of aging and it's already tugging at my heart strings. It's a library book, so I hope I can finish before I have to return it - I think it's still very much in demand.

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage attend an estate sale of art, and part of the building collapses, injuring many. And there's reason to believe that the collapse may not have been an accident, so they are called upon to investigate.

Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin - If you're familiar with Sasha's blog (Global Table Adventure) about cooking a meal from every country in the world, this memoir tells about her childhood and growing up, and the experiences that led to her love of cooking and the decision to embark on that culinary world tour.

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

I have an ARC that just arrived for my review, so I will start that one straight away. Other than that, contenders for next up are:

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

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

I finished reading . . .

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - This is a Victorian era romance, inspired by 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. (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)

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy - Josie gets a second chance as a Harvey House employee, this time as a detective. She's tasked with investigating when a guest is found murdered in a Harvey House, and to handle it all discreetly. (Read my review HERE)

I've been watching . . . We've been watching hockey games, on TV and at the arena. I watched a couple episodes of Jury Duty with my husband but I didn't find it as amusing as he did, possibly because I actually was on the jury of a murder trial at the beginning of the month so everything unrealistic about the show stood out to me. I'm pretty sure we've watched some other shows and maybe even a movie or two recently, but the only one I can think of was the final Kingsmen movie - The Golden Circle or something like that. It was good, and Elton John's cameo bits in it were hilarious, but I think the other two movies in the series were better.

I've been listening to . . . my usual selection of music and podcasts.

On my blogs recently . . .

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

February Bookshelf Review

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

WQ - Perseverance

Currently . . . March 9, 2026

WQ - Libraries

Share Four Somethings - February 2026

Monthly Musings - An Easier Week

WQ - Living Responsibly

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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.

Tuesday, March 10

Recent Reads - An Unsuitable Job

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy - Josie MacFarland is getting a second chance with the Harvey House, and in an unusual position. She was let go as a Harvey Girl, but she's been asked to return to the Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico as a Harvey House detective after a travelling salesman and regular guest was found murdered in his room. Josie hopes she'll have the chance to make things right with the friends she abandoned when she had to leave abruptly just a short time before.

The sheriff has a dangerous sort of charm, but he dismisses Josie as an unserious amateur. Josie wonders how hard he is really trying to solve the case, or if he is protecting someone else. The Harvey House matron was never a favorite of Josie's to begin with, and treats her and her friend Lily with disdain, but is there something more to her meanness? Josie has only her instincts and courage to recommend her, but she's determined to find out exactly what happened, and when Lily is falsely accused of the murder, Josie doubles down on her efforts to save her friend and get to the bottom of the whole story.

I enjoyed the setting and story, and the straightforward narrative style. It's definitely more in the cozy mystery style, and a mostly fun read, but I felt there were some holes and some places where the story was disjointed or would have benefited from more character development. We don't really find out why Josie was let go, and while it's not really necessary to the story, it's a huge part of her need to prove herself so it seems relevant. We also don't really find out why she was chosen as a house detective, other than some hints that as a woman she could blend in with the Harvey Girls and have access behind the scenes, which felt a little unsatisfactory. At a few places, the narrative jumped abruptly from one setting to another in a way that made me wonder if I'd missed a page. To be fair, this could be partially due to formatting since I was reading an ARC - a visual break in the text could easily solve this problem, and I hope that's all it was.

One other aspect I didn't care for was that when Josie dressed as her alter ego, Joe Mack, the narrative immediately shifted the description as if she had indeed become "him" with the male pronouns. Readers can follow the story quite easily and understand that this is still Josie, just in disguise. The shift in pronouns did not land for this reader and seemed like an effort to tell a story set in 1929 with a nod to the preferred pronouns trends of the 2020s. I did like Josie's independent spirit and her spunk, and that the story doesn't rely on a romance to move the events along. The historical notes at the end were very interesting, and introduced some insights about the setting and the way Harvey House Girls, and women in general, were viewed at the time.

From the Publisher:

In 1930s New Mexico, a Harvey Girl takes on a job she was never meant to survive.

In this multiple award winning historical mystery, readers find themselves immersed in 1929 Las Vegas, New Mexico. When a man is murdered at the Castaneda Hotel, Josie MacFarland is given an impossible role: the first Harvey House Detective. Armed with only her determination, Josie faces a dismissive sheriff, the cold shoulder of old friends, and the hardships of the Great Depression.

She can either return home in disgrace―or fight to prove she belongs in a world determined to shut her out.

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

This is a book with an uneven number of chapters (#24), published in 2026 (#52) for The 52 Book Club's 2026 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2026

It's my first case in the March '26 Mini, kicking off the full Mystery Genre Challenge with Case #12 - An amateur sleuth.

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

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)

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