Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens sees the long foretold coming of the Antichrist, which is a big problem, not just for all the people caught in the way of Armageddon, but for the angel Aziraphale, and the demon Crowley, Heaven and Hell’s representatives on the mortal plane. Both have grown rather accustomed to the comforts of the world, and, scheming together, they hatch a plot to stop the end of the world.
There’s a reason this novel makes so many lists of "must read" or, more appropriately, "must listen to" books. The writing in it is wonderful, with colorful characters, hilarious quips, and fantastic imaginings of apocalyptic entities. One would not think of the four horsemen as being fun or funny people, but these writers manage it somehow. It’s not terribly long, either, so, if you have an afternoon, give it a listen! It was also recently turned into an excellent TV miniseries by Amazon and the BBC.
Sophie Beckett, an illegitimate daughter of an earl, plays servant to her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. One night, Sophie sneaks out to attend a masquerade ball at the house of the Bridgertons, a wealthy, popular family within London society. When she meets Benedict Bridgerton, they quickly become enchanted with one another during the magical evening. But when the clock strikes midnight, Sophie disappears, leaving Benedict with no clue what she looks like or who she is.
After many seasons of tiresome London balls, Benedict is immediately captivated by Sophie’s charm and her mysterious demeanor. Determined to find her and vowing to marry no other, he searches all of London-- to no avail. When he begins to develop a romantic relationship with Sophie the maid, he struggles between his vow and knowing he can never actually marry a servant. Sophie, refusing to compromise her principles, struggles between keeping her identity a secret and avoiding her stepmother, who is determined to make her life miserable.
A retelling of Cinderella, Sophie and Benedict’s story is full of passion and longing making for an exciting and sympathetic tale. It is the third book and easily my favorite of the Bridgerton series, although it can also serve as a standalone Regency romance. The Bridgertons have also been adapted into a Netflix series with producer Shonda Rhimes. It is expected to launch sometime in 2020!
Clendenin Hughes was supposed to be Dabney’s one true love, but his dreams of exploring the world outside their Nantucket home compelled Dabney to let him go. Now over twenty years later, he's back, but Dabney has moved on with her life. She’s married, running the chamber of commerce, and seemingly happy with her days. What does his presence mean? Will she respond to his repeated attempts to meet up? And what about their daughter, Agnes, whom he never met? Will he now want to be a part of her life?
Elin Hilderbrand has written an emotionally stirring story that is hard to put down. Fans of Jodi Picoult or Mary Kay Andrews should give this one a try.
