Happy 2023! I hope you’ve all been doing well and enjoying the holiday season. Here we are with a new year and tons of reading possibilities! As usual, I like to start of the year with a new book. I have so many books that I acquired in December that no doubt I’ll be adding more new books to the mix (and more on all of those later!) but for now here’s what I decided to start off the year with:
“But for now, as she and Maud set off to walk to Glaine, she wondered anxiously if Con was right. For Maud did look ridiculously young in her schoolgirl’s blue raincoat, and of course it was true that she had no experience. Fresh from secretarial training, from a delicate childhood and a silly but solicitous stepmother, how on earth would she stand up to old M.?”
From A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair
Young Maud has moved to the countryside with her cousin and companion in hopes of becoming independent from her stepmother. She’s acquired a job as a secretary to Mr. Feniston but will she do? She’s heard he scared away the previous secretary and she was a woman of experience. Only time will tell if Maud is up to the task.
I wanted something a bit cozy to start off the year and the story sounded interesting, the back cover describes this as a comedy of manners, and the cover was also what swayed me to this book.
This is my first book from the Dean Street Press, Furrowed Middlebrow imprint, which specializes in twentieth-century women’s fiction.
What book are you starting off your year with?
I’ve been admiring Furrowed Middlebrow editions for a while, but haven’t read one yet… love the covers! Hope this is the perfect book for you to start the year.
I saw some mentions of Dean Street Press reading challenge, it seemed pretty good and I obviously missed it. But I did find some comfort reads there which I have added to my 2023 TBR. Hope 2023 is a better reading year for all of us — and Happy New Year to you! 🙂
Your book has a nice seasonal cover on it, Iliana. Hope you enjoy it a lot. I’m reading THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn right now in preparation for a book group this coming Thursday. It’s a bit long, so I’m hoping I get it finished. Ha!
This one does sound like a fun book. I’m starting off with a bookish book: The Last Chance Library. Happy reading! And Happy New Year. 😀
Happy New Year, Iliana! A Winter Away sounds like an interesting read and I love the cozy cover. I’m trying a different genre for my new year read – romance instead of suspense thriller, ha. Titled “Love in the Time of Serial Killers” and I’m enjoying it so far.
I got a bunch of books this past December, too, Iliana. I can’t wait to dive into them, but first to finish my HUGE Rosamunde Pilcher read (Coming Home). A Winter Away sounds like a delightful story. The cover art is pretty, too.
Joann @ Gulfside Musing – Their covers are so charming aren’t they? I have a few other titles from them on my radar and will no doubt add a few more to my shelves! So far this is turning to be a great first read of the year!
Lex @ Lexlingua – I had no idea there was a challenge around DSP! How cool. I’m with you, hoping 2023 is a better year all around. Happy New Year!
Kay – I love the idea of a snowy day but clearly not hear in Texas as 2021 proved we can’t handle it! You know I don’t think I’ve read anything by Kate Quinn but I see her books around quite a bit. Hope you enjoy the novel and have a great book group discussion!
Lark – Is that the one by Freya Stark? I read it last year (still need to review it!) and it was so cute. How can you not like books about books!
Melody – Happy New Year! It does have a cozy cover doesn’t it? Ooh, I love the title of the book you are reading! I hope it’s a great one and can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
Lesley – I can’t wait to see what all you got last month! I think I went overboard but oh well. I still haven’t read Rosamund Pilcher! Looking forward to hearing what you think of her book.
I hope you enjoy your first read of the new year, I like the cover too. I read Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover to start the year off. Happy New Year!
Bookworm – I’m going at a slow pace but so far this is really a charming read. Oh, I really want to read more by Colleen Hoover – I’ve only read her book “It Ends with Us” and loved it so I want to read more for sure!
A Winter Away sounds like a good book to start the year off with! I likely will finish a carryover book first–A Darker Shade of Magic–but I also have a couple of other books going right now.