The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde (2020)

 At some point in the near past in this alternate world tale, some animals anthropomorphized into bipedal beings (something that may or may not have been satire induced). Peter Knox, our narrator, works for the government's RabCoT division (Rabbit Compliance Taskforce) as a rabbit spotter, someone who helps hunt down members of the rabbit underground/resistance. He's divorced and lives with his daughter, Emma. His life has been rather routine, until Connie moves in next door. Peter knew Connie back at university (and had an unacknowledged attraction to her). Connie's family includes a husband, Major (rank, not name) and a son. As Peter and Connie renew their acquaintance, Peter keeps his job secret and how it was his mistake that caused the death of Connie's first husband, Oliver. This proves a bit tricky, since Peter's boss is a fox and Emma has started dating Connie's son. Peter has a positive ear ID on a player in the Underground; something that could lead to the collapse of its courier network. Additionally, he works with a grouchy rabbit who loves hunting his own kind. 

Unlike with Fforde's Thursday Next series, I struggled to remain engaged in the story, most likely because of the story's structure (*cough* It's moving so slowly!). At the halfway point, I was fighting DNF'ing it. As usual, the world building is spot-on and well-developed. Unfortunately, it seems like there's too much world building and not enough action. 

Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I Mason (2021)

1995. Jenny Waters is about to start her senior year in high school. (So, close to my senior year in West County, St. Louis.) She's returning from visiting her grandparents in New York City, with a plan to persuade her parents to okay studying journalism at Columbia University. She's eager to see her best friend, Angie, and finally kissing her boyfriend, Steve.  Things don't quite work out that way. After a slight light flicker, Flight 236 lands in 2020.

All of the passengers and crew have a hard time adjusting to 2020. Not just because of the changes in technology, but also because everyone they know is 25 years older. Three out of four of Jenny's grandparents have died. Her boyfriend and her best friend ended up married. And it gets worse: best friend, Angie, wrote a memoir about her -- "Jenny and Me" -- cue the embarrassing anecdotes and references to bird sex. The memoir was a best seller, read by all her family, and the paper's mean girl is nice enough to share its existence with the entire school. Jenny's relationship with Angie is further complicated when Jenny starts liking Angie's son, Dylan, and Angie's daughter, Jo Jo just might be Oscar the Grouch. The Springs, an elderly couple, have outlived all their friends and their children are not their age. Another passenger's husband had her declared dead and is happily remarried with kids. A flight attendant left behind a fiance. The pilot, Captain Reynolds, lost pretty much everything because his sister had to fund her meth habit.

The Maid by Nita Prose (2022)

Twenty-five-year-old Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills, has a hard time reading verbal and nonverbal cues (like sarcasm or a smile that doesn’t reach someone’s eyes). Her gran used to help her interpret the world and to figure out simple rules that Molly could follow. But Gran died a few months ago, and Molly’s a bit adrift. Life is tolerable because of her job as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a historic, 5-star hotel. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with her supplies, and returning the rooms at to a state of perfection. She’s meticulous and polite no matter what. She embraces Mr. Snow’s “we’re all busy worker bees in the hive that is the Regency Grand.”

Molly’s work ethic and skill earn her excellent tips (note to self: tip housecleaning staff) — when her supervisor Cheryl isn’t stealing them, that is. She also makes friends with the other maids, the doorman, Mr. Porter, the hotel’s dish washer, Juan Miguel, and guests like the Chens and Giselle Black, the socialite wife of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black. As we jump into the action, Molly arrives at the Blacks’ suite to clean, only to be shoved aside by an angry Mr. Black as he’s leaving. Giselle spends the entire time Molly’s there in the bathroom (Is she crying?). When Molly returns later to clean the bathroom, Giselle is gone and the suite looks like she never cleaned. She decides to clean again and when she enters the bedroom, she finds Mr. Black dead in his bed. She has to call the front desk twice before they get the manager and call the police. 

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2) by Ilona Andrews (2008)

This world can be really gross. Some of the descriptions in this book had me stopping my imagination to avoid triggering my gag reflex. Props to Ilona Andrews for the imagination and grittiness of this world.

This time around, a Flare is coming (when Magic swells and strengthens the magical). During a Flare, gods and goddesses can manifest and battle for power. Now Kate's going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one. When the Pack hires Kate to retrieve a set of stolen maps (they can't do it because of saving face), it quickly leads to discovering that much more is at stake. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug of war between 2 Celtic gods. Since their rebirth is mutually exclusive of one another, Atlanta is caught in the crossfire and if Kate can't stop the cataclysmic showdown, Atlanta may not survive... Add to that a missing coven of the Divine Crow, a sensate (see: street rat named Julie), wraithlike creatures hunting them, and the Beast Lord declaring she's his future lover and feeding her soup, Kate’s life has gotten a lot more complicated.

3 out of 5 stars.

Diamond Fire (Hidden Legacy #3.5) by Ilona Andrews (2018)

Catalina Baylor’s sister, Nevada, is getting married and her family is in charge of security. No big deal, right? Sure. After all, the family runs one of the best security firms in the world. In a world where magic is commons and powerful Primes run things, Nevada and billionaire Connor Rogan are a power couple in every sense of the word. The Baylors have recently formed their own House, so the world is watching to see if they flop. 

Rogan’s extended family overruns his mother’s home, the Warehouse, as they countdown to the big day. They’re obnoxious and have many secrets. Things come to a head when the wedding planner is ejected, someone steals the lucky tiara Nevada is supposed to wear and delinquents break in to the catering bakery to poison the cake fondant.

Affairs, greed, blackmail. People unsatisfied with an annual stipend of $2M. Will murder be next? Luckily, being a Prime — whose gift is making people like her — is going to aid Catalina in ensuring that Nevada’s special day goes off without a hitch… Even if it kills her. 

3 out of 5 stars

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews (2007)

First of the Kate Daniels series. 

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. Then Kate’s former guardian, Greg Feldman, a powerful Knight Diviner who works for the Order of Merciful Aid, is murdered and her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles: the Masters of the Dead, necromancers who control vampires (the People), and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shifters. A series of bizarre and truly gruesome killings (which includes Greg) have the Masters and the Pack ready to start a war, because it looks like the other is behind it. Pressured by both sides to find the killer and temporarily deputized by the Order, Kate sets out to bring Greg’s killer to justice and stop the violence before it spills over into the unmagical world. 

Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business) by Tabitha Brown (2021)

If you're looking for something to combat pandemic-fatigue, look no further. If you're looking for uplifting insights that will help you to carry on in the face of challenges, this is the book for you. Tabitha's no-nonsense attitude and charm make the nuggets she's sharing go down like a fine wine. Every chapter contains personal anecdotes that are so relatable and builds on the warm feeling you get as you read (or listen to) her words. It's all about self-acceptance, perseverance, and being true to yourself. She tells us, "You do you." and I find myself refreshed every time. This book is full of humor and heart and has become one of my favorites of 2022. (Even though it's only February, I've no doubt that it will make my list at the end of the year.) The audiobook is narrated by the author, and I loved it so much that I bought a copy.  An enthusiastic 5/5 stars. 

Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune (2021)

I loved this story about a man, Wallace Price, who finally learns how to live after he waits to move on after his death. He’s finicky like Felix Unger, a lawyer whose life *was* his law firm. After he drops dead of a heart attack at 40, he’s collected by Mei, a Reaper, and taken to Charon’s Tea and Treats Shop, a supernatural way station that doubles as a popular out-of-the-way teahouse in small rural town. It's run by a Ferryman named Hugo, Wallace's opposite in almost every way. Wallace is stuck at Charon's until he’s ready to go through the Door. No one knows what will happen after the Door shuts; the residents of Charon’s believe it will be positive, but there’s no guarantee. Sometimes people are so stuck, they don’t want to leave. It's Hugo's job to help them get there. The teahouse is also inhabited by the ghost of Hugo’s cane-wielding grandfather, Nelson, and Apollo, Hugo’s dog/ghost. While Wallace can interact with the dead, only Mei is able to physically interact with Wallace – something that is increasingly problematic as Wallace and Hugo bond. As Wallace becomes part of this family, the Manager arrives, objecting to the settled, comfortable existence that Wallace has found. The Manager gives Wallace a week to put his affairs in order before he has to go through the Door.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan (2021)

This is the story of 2 sisters, one a happily married lawyer with 3 kids and another on the way, the other a single department clerk still living with her parents. 

Carmen Hogan has always felt overshadowed by her older sister, Sofia. Sofia excelled in school, became a successful lawyer, and lives a perfect life in Edinburgh with her handsome lawyer husband and their three children. Carmen, on the other hand, did not go to university, is not thriving professionally, is boyfriendless and still living in the small town where they grew up. She’s recently unemployed and dodging her mother's questions about Christmas. For heaven's sake, it's still summer! 

When their mother asks Sofia to help Carmen, Sofia thinks of a client in need. Mr. McCredie owns a bookshop that is failing spectacularly due to neglect. Mr. McCredie is more interested in finding literary treasures than actually selling books. His stock is mostly obscure tomes covered in thick dust. Unless he can show a profit by Christmas, he will lose everything. Carmen, with her department store experience, might be able to turn the business around.