This was my second read of Prince Caspian and I still didn't quite enjoy it. I was thrilled to see the Pevensies back in Narnia and loved seeing the small band of mythical creatures hiding from the current King. I just found this one difficult to get through, despite how short it was. On to the next in the series!

This book seemed like it was something I'd be interested in, but I ended up being bored by it. The author does a ton of research and has a lot of anecdotes to describe the theories he's discussing, but maybe too much for my taste. I was looking for a more straightforward guide to building habits into my day to day life. The first section was about individuals building habits, which I found much more interesting than the subsequent two sections (companies and societies).

I wasn't able to finish this book. I disagree with many of Tolle's ideas about how to define spiritual enlightenment, so I abandoned this book. Also - I listened to it on audio and found it extremely difficult to stay focused and even hear the author's voice, despite turning up the volume.

I tried listening to this on audio and found it too difficult to follow in this format. Perhaps I'll give a paper copy a try in the future, but I need to move on to something else for now.

I had to abandon this one and I just might abandon the whole Wallander series. Hard to put my finger on why, but it just hasn't been holding my attention. It might be that the stories are a bit dated at this point (written in the early 90s), but that's a disappointing thought! I'm moving on for now, but maybe I'll become interested in Wallander again at some point!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Catherine House was The Secret History meets The Stepford Wives, with a little bit of Us (Jordan Peele's recent movie) thrown in. I've only been able to describe this as weird. It's weird, but kind of fun. Kind of.

Ines is a college freshman running from her past. Surprisingly, she's accepted into Catherine House, a secluded and isolated college where everything is paid for - tuition, room and board, clothes, books. The students aren't paying money for their education, but the school gets payment in other ways. Although Ines is usually drunk, sleeping, or engaging in a lot of sex with a lot of people (nothing graphic in this novel though), she's also determined to figure out what in the world this school is up to.

This novel is written almost like a dream. It's fuzzy, the dialogue is strange, and nothing seems like it's quite real. I'm not sure what was going on in that school and I guess that was the point. This book has left me with a lot of unresolved feelings and I can't even say if I liked it or not. I'm glad I read it and I feel like I just emerged from the rabbit hole back into real life. So if you want to be steeped in an alternate reality, this book might be for you!

This was a creepy book that I couldn't put down! It reminded me of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Rebecca, and The Turn of the Screw. It's set in a rundown mansion in the countryside of England, which is its own character. This book had surprises that kept me on my toes and it felt like reading a classic, despite its recent publication date. It was fantastic!

This was the antidote to my disappointment with The Starless Sea. The premise is so similar: a child finds a door but doesn't go through it. Little did that child know, that door was the answer to all of the questions that she didn't know she had.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January was a wonderful adventure. It was about the power of books, writing, and words. January Scaller is already one of my favorite characters of all time. Alix E. Harrow dreamed up a fantastic world(s) that has thrilled me!

This was a beautifully written book. It follows a family of Spaniards fleeing General Franco's war. They find refuge in Chile, A Long Petal of the Sea. While in South America, political unrest continues as nations experiment with different styles of government. The Dalmau family experiences upheaval and persecution, but the miracle of love and life keeps them moving forward.

This is an incredibly moving story and I'll remember this family for quite a while!