Door Stop: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

Happy New Year! And welcome to a review of the first (and possibly only) door stop of 2026. My copy of Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is actually just shy of 500 pages, but I placed it under the 'door stop' category anyway because certain editions do go a bit over that limit. As the lesser known Bronte sister, Anne offers up a story of a mysterious woman moving to a new town, where the inhabitants can only guess at her background, until she offers up her story to someone she hopes she can trust.

The Situation: In a letter to a friend, Gilbert Markham tells the story of a time when a mysterious woman moved into his hometown, bringing with her a young boy and one servant. Helen Graham moved into the long neglected Wildfell Hall, managing to have just enough of the residence fixed up to make it inhabitable. Gilbert's friends and family immediately begin to make guesses as to the woman's story and where her husband may be. Many attempt to visit the woman, only to come back with a strong and strange sense that she wants to be left alone, and will not let the young boy out of her sight. It is not long before Gilbert becomes infatuated with her and her situation, which causes his irritation to grow towards those that would speak ill of her.

The Problem: Despite Gilbert's best efforts, Helen remains reserved and releases few details about her life before her move to Wildfell Hall, until she decides to let the young man read her diary. In it, Gilbert learns of her life growing up with her uncle and aunt, and the disastrous marriage to the man that the latter had attempted to warn her about. He is the reason Helen has retreated to Wildfell Hall, and Gilbert reads all about what caused the young wife to abandon her husband. Gilbert is happy to be trusted with this information, but distressed to know what Helen has had to deal with, and now wishes he may be trusted to remedy every situation for her to protect her and her son's future.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is a work of fiction set primarily in the late 1820s, early 1830s, when Helen's story takes place. Truly, the book is a story within a story as Helen's diary is read by Gilbert, who is a writing a letter to a friend. The bulk of Helen's story involves her troubled marriage to a Mr. Huntingdon, whose proposal she accepted over much older, though well-established and possibly better-behaved men. Though there is gambling, drinking, abandonment, and even infidelity, it is ultimately for the benefit of her son that Helen wishes to be done with her husband, but as a woman in the early 19th century, her options are limited. 

My Verdict: While this is a thoroughly entertaining read, I can understand why it is not as popular as Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights. Sure, there is a strong and willful heroine, plenty of conflict, and societal pressures that make it difficult for several of the characters to either act as they please, or even simply in their own best interest. But the story itself is oddly paced, and the characters are more than a little tiresome, Helen and Gilbert included. And for me, I had to allow for more than a little suspension of disbelief when it comes to the issue of a grown woman allowing a man she does not know all that well to read her private diary, even if it does help explain her situation. 

Favorite Moment: Helen is nothing if not resolved, and there are a couple of moments where she must dismiss the supposed assistance of the most seemingly well-intentioned people. 

Favorite Character: The character of Mr. Lawrence does not truly come into focus until the story is nearly at its end, but he proves to be both helpful and honest.

Recommended Reading: This is a recommendation I know few will take, if only because this book is so incredibly long, but I adore Charles Dickens' Bleak House. 

And all the rest...2025 edition

We have reached the end of another year, and hopefully your year was as full of new books and new discoveries as mine was. Below are the books that I managed to fit into my schedule, but not the blog. As I have mentioned in previous years, there are various reasons why a book I read does not manage to get its own moment in the spotlight, but at least here they receive a brief mention.

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami: I do so love Murakami's work. I have more books by him in my personal collection than any other author, and I look forward to eventually reading and having them all. Men Without Women is a collection of short stories that essentially take a look at men who, for various reasons, find themselves alone. The writing is that same mysterious, engaging, though also often confusing storytelling that always managed to draw me into Murakami's work. I may not connect with every story or every book, but I am always glad I read it, and that proved true for this collection as well.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Frederik Backman: Backman is another author whose work I have begun to make my way through. But I do have to say, out of the five books that I have read by the Swedish author, this one may be my least favorite. It is told with the same honest humor as the others, and with a myriad of eccentric but still relatable characters, but something about it simply did not connect for me. It may have been the fact that it is told from a child's point of view. However, it is connected to Britt-Marie Was Here, and I do still recommend it to lovers of Backman's Work. 

The Bookshop by Evan Friss: The audiobook of Friss' The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore was my choice for the road trips I took in the first half of the year. Friss carefully, lovingly, and thoroughly explores the history of several famous bookstores across the U.S. I am sure there are many readers who took offense when they discovered that Friss did not include their own favorite local bookstore, but I still thoroughly enjoyed hearing the history of the bookstores that were covered, along with their often fascinating owners and clientele. 

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams: Once I added Williams' Audre & Bash Are Just Friends to the DSN schedule, I decided to go ahead and pick up Seven Days in June, since the latter book focuses on the mother of the protagonist in the former. Single mom and bestselling erotica author Eva Mercy is doing her best to manage it all, including a hidden disability. The last thing she needs is for Shane Hall to come back into her life. But here he is, and while they both pretend everything is fine, neither is talking about the time 20 years ago that they spent inseparable, until Shane broke Eva's heart. Eva is not sure if she wants him to stick around, or to go ahead and leave her again so her 'normal' life can resume.

The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks: I had always wanted to do one of those "Blind Date With A Book" things, and finally decided to while visiting a Barnes & Noble with my mom in Austin, Texas. The book I picked up was said to be a fantasy novel involving magic and trains. I am pretty ambivalent towards magic, but I love trains, so I picked up the nondescript brown package and now have Brooks' novel in my possession. I enjoyed the mysterious and dangerous train ride across the wastelands in the Trans-Siberian Express, and the descriptions of the strange danger that lurks outside of the train, but something about the narrative did not quite pull me in. It felt as it the story had a lot of potential but did not quite follow through.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: I found my copy of this book while volunteering to sort books for a local school district. One of the perks of volunteering is that we could keep any books we wanted, and since I had previously read Adichie's Americanah, and was planning to read Dream Count, I picked it up and it became my airplane book on a trip to San Diego. Set in Nigeria, Kambili and her older brother Jaja may live a privileged life, but it comes at a price. If they do not come first in their class at school, or dare to break away from any of the many rules their father has for them, the punishment is severe. This is the only life they know, until they are allowed to stay with their aunt outside of the city, and see what freedom feels like.

And with that, I close the book on my 2025 reading adventures and continue to prepare for 2026. Every year ends up having its own surprises, and I am sure 2026 will be no different.

Contemporary Fiction: The Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida

Hard to believe, but we have reached the last Friday of 2025. I try to put a little (and only a little) more thought into my selection for both the last post of the year, and the first. So for 2025, the last post will be all about Sonoko Machida's The Convenience Store by the Sea. I first spotted this book during a Barnes & Noble visit with my mother, and the cover image stayed with me long enough that I eventually had to buy it.

The Situation: In the small seaside town of Mojiko in Japan, there is a 24/7 convenience store that is quite popular, if also a bit odd. The Golden Villa branch of the Tenderness convenience store has a loyal local following, especially with its proximity to a senior living complex, but its customers also know it has the best food any convenience store can offer. And if its exemplary food and customer service were not reason enough to visit regularly, there is also its incredibly charismatic manager, Shiba. It seems there are very few who are immune to his charms, and the man even has his own fan club made up of some of the older women who live in the attached building. Everyone who enters and works there has a story, and it does seem that Shiba genuinely cares for each one.

The Problem: Shiba's fan club can be a bit overwhelming, even for the people who work at Tenderness and are used to it. Mitsuri works there part-time now that her son is older, while also working on her manga series at night. Her son may currently be in his sullen teenager phase, and is even a bit embarrassed about his mother's interest in manga, but for the most part he is a good kid. Yoshiro is a teacher who has no passion for his job, something that is obvious to his students, one of which is Azusa, a young woman who is attempting to decide if she wants to be like the other popular girls in her class, or chart her own path and do what makes her happy. And Takiji is proud of the life he has built that led to his comfortable retirement, though there is a loneliness he cannot explain, until he meets a young boy with a loneliness of his own. They each have their own feelings about Shiba the store manager, but the Tenderness convenience store ties them all together.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is a work of fiction, and most of the action centers around a Tenderness convenience store located in the small town of Mojiko, Japan. While each of the six chapters focuses on one customer or employee of the store, Shiba and his brother Tsugi feature in all of them in some way. The customers of the store range in ages from still in school, to already retired. The youngest is wrestling between the desire to do what is expected, and the chance to do what she wants. While the oldest is realizing he may have always done what he believed was best for his family, but now he is not sure if this is the life he and his wife really want to have in their old age. Each character ends up making a connection through the convenience store, where the manager genuinely enjoys serving his customers, and it shows in the convenience store's popularity.

My Verdict: While I enjoyed the book quite a bit, there is something a bit disjointed about its structure and the way it ended. With only six chapters, each one focuses on someone different, with the first and sixth chapter following Mitsuri, a wife and mother who works at the convenience store. The store's manager, Shiba, features in each chapter, but this is not quite enough to bring each chapter in to make one cohesive story. There is something still lacking after the final page, even with the small reveals that the last chapter and the epilogue give to the reader. I suppose for me it was more of a short story collection than an actual novel, but still made for an interesting read.

Favorite Chapter: "Chapter Three: A Melancholy Strawberry Parfait," is my favorite chapter, as it follows a young school girl named Asuza who is not sure if she still wants to follow the path of her popular, but not very nice friend, Mizuki.

Favorite Character: Tsugi is known as the "Whatever Guy," and is also Shiba's brother. He proves to be a strange ally to many of the customers and workers of the store.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Haruki Murakami's After Dark.

Young Adult Fiction: The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

Author Tiffany D. Jackson has returned with another young adult thriller, this time taking place on a college campus during a young girl's first semester of her freshman year. During a time of new experiences and people, in a new and exciting, though unfamiliar place, she will find herself finally feeling like she fits in, until another newcomer soon has her questioning every part of herself.

The Situation: Jordyn Monroe arrives in Washington, D.C. ready to start her first semester of college. After attending a predominantly white prep school in Connecticut her entire life, she is excited to be attending Frazier University, one the most established HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in the U.S. It may go against her parents wishes, who are still furious with her for turning down her spot at Yale, but Jordyn is determined to make her plan work. When she is immediately embraced by her three roommates, Vanessa, Loren, and Kammy, Jordyn wants to believe that fitting in here will be much easier than it was in high school.

The Problem: While finding a rhythm with her three roommates proves to be fairly easy, and a welcome development, having Vanessa's brother, Devonte, appear in their common living room, needing a place to stay, certainly throws things off balance. The older man is fresh out of jail on a false charge, and the last thing Jordyn wants is to have to say no to Vanessa. It helps that Devonte is charming, intelligent, and helpful around the dorm, but the longer he is around, the more reasons Jordyn has to suspect that something is up. As Devonte continues to impart his wisdom on his young audience, the number of people hanging around the dorm continues to grow, as do Jordyn's suspicions. And when a roommate goes missing, Jordyn reaches out to an likely source for help.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel set in and around the campus of the fictional Frazier University, an HBCU that Jordyn chose to attend over Yale, despite her parents' obvious disappointment. It is her first semester in college, living on campus with three other roommates, all from different places around the country. What Jordyn wants more than anything is to make friends and fit in, making it that much harder to risk being the only one to object to Devonte's continued presence, despite his heavy and incessant lectures, and intense attention. His ability to make himself the center of their world is as troubling as it is insidious, and breaking his spell will not be easy.

My Verdict: This book is intense. I could use all of the cliche adjectives to describe it: roller-coaster, wild ride, action-packed, page-turner...you get it. It is the first book that I have managed to finish in one morning in a long time. But I did it, because I had to know how it all turned out, even though there were many moments that were hard to stomach. Sure, the villain is terrible and does terrible things, but there are some decisions Jordyn makes that were hard to accept, even as I turned to the next page or moved on to the next chapter. This one is great for lovers of thrillers, true crime, and also people who love watching documentaries about cults. It is Jackson doing what she does best.

Favorite Moment: Jordyn gets the opportunity to go home with a friend for Thanksgiving, and their family is easily the most delightful group of people in the entire novel.

Favorite Character: Nick is the lone white student on Frazier's campus, but he manages to hold up under the inevitable scrutiny that comes his way.

Recommended Reading: Earlier this year, Jackson published her first middle-grade novel, Blood in the Water. 

Nonfiction: Vagabond by Tim Curry

Fans of legendary actor Tim Curry can remember what role it was from his long career that first introduced them to his voice, his range, and his talent. In his memoir, Vagabond, the British actor talks candidly about his life and career, including the stroke that nearly ended everything in 2012. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a memoir in which Curry starts at the beginning, with his early life in Britain, and continues on through his childhood; his early career; his experience with the roles his fans know and love; and into modern-day when a serious stroke almost took his life, but his recovery has allowed him to continue acting almost exclusively through voice work. Curry explores the effect his father's death had on him and his outlook on life, as well as his relationship with his mother, and how his older sister was one of the most important people in his life. He details the full extent of his role as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, both on stage and in the film, and how it led the way to him playing other memorable characters, Pennywise the Clown, and Wadsworth the Butler among them. 

My Verdict: Despite having a career that has extended over 40 years, Curry manages to tell his story in less than 300 pages, and seems to leave very little out (besides what he very pointedly tells the reader he is leaving out on purpose). Curry is open about the events of his life without being tacky, and without exposing those he may not have gotten along with as he went about his career. There is some occasional mention of another actor or perhaps a director he may not have gotten along particularly well with, but Curry simply speaks of what happened, gives a few reasons for why he believes it was the way it was, and then moves on to the next chapter. In fact, if there is a phrase that could be used to sum up how the actor has approached most things in life, it is to 'get on with it,' as he finds whining to be useless and boring. And one thing he is certainly glad to have held onto is his sense of humor, which comes through clearly on the pages of this book.

Favorite Quote: "Even so, whining is a f*cking bore for everybody involved - and it's highly unproductive. I'd rather spend my time focusing on other things."

Recommended Reading: Either of Stanley Tucci's books would be a great follow-up. Both Taste and What I Ate in One Year are fantastic reads. 

Young Adult Fiction: The Book of Anansi by Angie Thomas

The second book in the Nic Blake and the Remarkables series is here! Author Angie Thomas is continuing her middle grade series with The Book of Anansi, and once again, Nic and her brother Alex, along with her best friend JP, must do their best to outsmart and outrun very real dangers, while a troubling prophecy hangs over her head, making her question every decision she makes. 

The Situation: Life is indeed now very different for Nic than it was for her first ten years. Not only does she have a present mother, and twin brother, but she now lives in the hidden city of Uhuru and is about to begin attending a school only for Manifestors such as herself. Nic is glad to be around her mother and brother, and more than relieved that the punishment for her dad is not more severe than it is, and she still gets to see him whenever she wants. But the truth still remains that she is prophesied to be the Manowari, the person who will bring about the destruction of the Remarkable world. It feels like a truth everyone is tiptoeing around. Well, everyone who knows anyway.

The Problem: Nic's former favorite author, Tyran Porter, knows about the prophecy, and is determined to fulfill his part of it as the one who is supposed to stop the Manowari. While he is currently in exile, it has not stopped him from starting his own podcast, one that was initially dismissed as the rantings of a conspiracy theorist, but is gaining listeners by the day. If that was not enough, a mysterious but powerful group has tracked Nic down, and demands she locate a powerful artifact, or they will reveal the truth about her. It feels as if Nic has no choice but to do what they say, but every adventure brings more problems, as well as opportunities for her to use this new power that she is terrified of. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a book geared more towards middle grade readers, and is the second book in Thomas' Nic Blake and the Remarkables series. Having survived the events of the first book, and finding out she has a mother and twin brother, Nic now finds herself living among other Remarkables in Uhuru, and about to attend a school for Manifestors. She cannot help but make comparisons between this world and the Unremarkable world she grew up in, and it does not take long for her to realize that they both have issues regarding class and discrimination, no matter how much her grandmother insists that everything is for 'the greater good.' And then there is the prophecy she wishes she could outsmart, but despite everyone's attempts, it seems Nic is on track to become something she is not sure she wants to be.

My Verdict: This is a wonderful follow-up to 2023's The Manifestor Prophecy. Nic is now in a new place, attending a new school, complete with five different kinships that the students are sorted into (think the houses in Harry Potter). And while her brother Alex and best friend JP have returned for more adventures, there are still plenty of new characters to get to know, as well as a few new villains. Plus, readers get a look into the wider world of the Remarkables, which includes fairies, mermaids, werewolves, shapeshifters, even giants who are known for their ability in a sport closely resembling basketball. The story is complicated, but not overly so, and deals with identity, as well as what it means to protect those you love.

Favorite Moment: I love any mention of JP's life back in the Unremarkable world. 

Favorite Character: It is a tie between Ms. Lena, one of Nic's good friends from her previous life, and Mami Wata. Both women have no time for nonsense, but ultimately want to be helpful.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Tiffany D. Jackson's first middle grade book, Blood in the Water, also published earlier this year.

Winners of the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards

The day has come! The winners of the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards have been announced, and as usual, there a few surprises, as well as a few 'of course' reactions. 

And immediately, with the first category, a DSN has won for Favorite Fiction. Fredrik Backman's My Friends has taken the top prize in one of the most competitive categories. And for my first 'of course' reaction, we have Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid winning for Favorite Historical Fiction. 

And another 'of course' goes to Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins winning for Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Sci-Fi. And while I am thrilled that John Green's Everything Is Tuberculosis won for Favorite Nonfiction, I did not think it was a given due to the other competitive entries.

So four DSNs managed to win in their respective categories, which is about right, though there were five that won in 2021. As usual, this only makes me look forward to next year, while I also research those books that I missed in 2024.