“The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner

Title: The Lost Apothecary
Author: Sarah Penner
Publisher: Park Row Books
Year: 2021
Genre(s): historical fiction, contemporary
Part of a Series: No
Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Time book club selection

Summary: Heartbroken after discovering her husband’s infidelity, Caroline takes their planned anniversary trip to London on her own. When she finds a little vial with a tiny bear etched it, her old love of history is rekindled. She works to find the story behind the vial and discovers one buried for almost three centuries. In the 18th century, Nella uses her training as an apothecary to help women dispatch the men in their lives who have wrong them. When little Eliza comes to her door asking for a poison on behalf of her mistress, it sets off a series of events that will change everyone’s lives – including Caroline’s.

“The Night She Disappeared” by Lisa Jewell

Title: The Night She Disappeared
Author: Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Atria Books
Year: 2021
Genre(s): thriller, mystery
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: One night, young lovers Tallulah and Zach go out for a nice evening away from their young son. But when they fail to come home the next morning, Tallulah’s mother Kim begins to frantically search for the two. She finds out that they spent time with some local teens their age, including the mysterious Scarlett Jacques, whose wealthy family owns the ominous manor house called Dark Place. Scarlett and her friends insist Tallulah and Zach left the night before and don’t know what happened to them. Everyone believes Tallulah and Zach ran away from the pressures of being young parents and would return in good time. Kim believes otherwise but is stuck waiting and hoping she will find her daughter.

The following year, Sophie moves into a local boarding school with her boyfriend, the new headmaster. She ends up drawn to Tallulah and Zach’s disappearance when a mysterious sign appears that says “Dig Here.” What she finds reignites the case and could reveal the truth about Tallulah, Zach, Scarlet and what happened that fateful night.

“Not the Witch You Wed” by April Asher

Title: Not the Witch You Wed

Author: April Asher
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Year: 2022
Genre(s): paranormal romance, fantasy
Part of a Series: Yes .Book 1 of the Supernatural Singles series
Rating: 

Why I read it: Goodreads recommended it and it looked interesting. 

Summary: Violet Maxwell is a member of the most powerful family of witches and should be next in line to inherit her grandmother’s title of Prima. But her own magic is a dud and so she lives a relatively unremarkable life in the magical side of New York City that makes her happy. Her life and happiness though is threatened when the council that governs all magical creatures decide that since she is the first born of a Triad, she still needs to get married in accordance with ancient law even though she has no magic. Enter Violet’s old friend and former boyfriend Lincoln Thorne, the leader of the North American Pack of shapeshifters. He is working to make the pack system more democratic while also facing his own decree to get married. Despite the hurt that still lays between them, Lincoln and Violet agree to date each other to buy themselves time to get around the laws governing them. But will their romance always be fake or will it become very, very real?

“A Thousand Roads Home” by Carmel Harrington

Title: A Thousand Roads Home

Author: Carmel Harrington
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 2018
Genre(s): contemporary fiction
Part of a Series: No.
Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: When Ruth Wilde and her son DJ lose their home and have to move into a hotel provided by the council, she feels like an absolute failure. Dr. Tom O’Grady has chosen to live outside, finding it allows him to escape into his happy memories and ignore the painful ones in his life. Their worlds collided once and when they collide again, Ruth and Tom find out that changing the world can start with one person.

“Meet Me in Paradise” by Libby Hubscher

Title: Meet Me In Paradise

Author: Libby Hubscher
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2021
Genre(s): contemporary fiction, romance
Part of a Series: No.
Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club selection

Summary: Marin Cole is not adventurous. But when her sister Sadie convinces her to go on a her first vacation in years, Marin first gets a disaster. She is ultimately rescued by Lucas Tsai, the charming owner of a resort on the tropical island of Saba. Thanks to Lucas, Marin finally starts to open herself up to new things and adventure but when she learns her sister’s real plan, everything changes and Marin finds herself having to confront an uncertain future.

“The Long Flight Home” by Alan Hlad

Title: The Long Flight Home
Author: Alan Hlad
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
Year: 2019
Genre(s): historical fiction, romance
Part of a Series: No
Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: As Nazi bombs rain down on London, Susan and her grandfather Bertie are pulled into the war effort when Source Columbia recruit their pigeons to carry important information between Britain and occupied France. A young American volunteer named Ollie Evans joins them and a relationship blooms between him and Susan. But when a mission goes wrong and Ollie ends up behind enemy lines, he and Susan only have her beloved pet pigeon Duchess to share messages between each other. Will they be able to make it back to each other? Or will their relationship be another casualty of the war?

My Books of 2021

 

I did not achieve my goal for 2021. Rather than reading 12 books, I only managed half - 6. But I'm going to try again this year. Can I do it? 

Let's find out!