So much to read

February has gone and we are seeing glimpses of spring.  Daffodils are sprouting, tulips are trying to come up and the pussy willow catkins are swelling, and the snow is melting.  Another sign of spring is the plethora of books that appear as spring publications.  Where WILL it end!  I have divided some of the February reads into subjects for you, Historical novels, odd books with magical happenings, and some humor to spice up the  fare.  Dana Precious has penned a fast paced and rather humorous look at one woman's crazy, loving, unconventional, and overwhelming family.  BORN UNDER A LUCKY MOON (William Morrow 978-0-06-187687-5) is the story of Jeanne Thompson, a successful Hollywood film executive who has trouble with commitment as well as with divas, rivals, and family.  past experiences include a mother who takes charge of everything even the planning of a second wedding for a daughter who married without telling them the day after another sibling is getting married.  Jeanne's long suffering lover wants to marry her, but she can not face returning to the Midwest to have him meet her family. They do tend to frighten, intimidate, and swallow up people willynilly. If you enjoy Sarah Elizabeth Phillips, you should enjoy this as well. It is witty, urbane, and fun.  Another book that is billed as humorous is THE REVENGE OF THE RADIOACTIVE LADY by Elizabeth Stuckey-French (Doubleday, 978-0-385-51064-6).  It does have its humorous moments, but they are rather dark.  The premise? A n\rather unassuming Midwestern  woman , Marilyn Ahearn,of a certain age heads to Florida to track down the doctor who gave her way too much radiation as a guinea pig in a government test and the results were less than gratifying.  Disastrous is a better term.  Her goal is to find him and kill him.  I said it was dark.  Well, she finds him.  Living with his family,the rather dysfunctional Spriggs.  The Spriggs have three children who all have problems. ADD is only one of them. Ahearn takes the name of a science fiction heroine, Nancy Archer, as her new identity and puts her plan in motion.  If you can find black humor is disabilities and stupidity, the book is really funny. Otherwise, it is a clever plot that can make you laugh as you follow the Spriggs family through crises and Ahearn and the doctor as they become acquainted and the results are anything but murder.  Quirky and decidedly offbeat.  Historical novels have always been some of my favorite reads.  These two I really enjoyed.  EXIT THE ACTRESS by Priya Parmar (Simon and Schuster 978-1-4391-7117-2) and THE RAVEN QUEEN by  Jules Watson (Spectra 978-0-553-38465-0).   EXIT...is the story of  the famed English actress, Nell Gwyn and her life and loves as she rose from a girl selling oranges at the theater in London to the toast of the town as an actress and a favored  mistress of King  Charles of  England.  The book seems well researched and provides a sympathetic look at Nell, King Charles, and the Queen.  Nell's family comes off not so well. 
Her mother has turned drunken after the death of her captain husband and Nell's sister Rose is portrayed as a wanton prostitute for gentleman who does reform and marries well.  The author sets the stage, if you well, for the plot by using playbills, gossip sheets and court letters and official announcements of the times. 
The book really catches the feel of the era and  the ugliness of life as well as the intimacy of the fact that royalty was easier to access in those days.  This is a charming look at another era that, I suspect, has hidden a few warts, but never the less presents a love story for the ages.  THE RAVEN QUEEN is set in ancient Ireland and is the tale of the warrior queen Maeve who was as fierce a competitor as any man and who was a rebel in her time.  She had been sent to another kingdom as a bride, but came home to fight for and rule her father kingdom no matter at what cost.  This book lays the groundwork for much of what we know of Irish legend.  The glossary or terms is a must read to understand the book and the characters.  The book is well researched. The life and loves of Queen Maeve border on the mystical and contain the larger than life legends that are attached to ancient Ireland,  Conor, Cuchulain, Cormac, the Sidhe, as well as the ancient places and festivals that we are familiar with.  If you enjoy bloody historical romance with a trace of fey, you will enjoy this. A couple of books with magical overtones are Cecelia Ahern's THE BOOK OF TOMORROW ( Harper 978-0-06-1780630-1) AND MR. CHARTWELL(Dial Press 978-1-4000-6940-8) by Rebecca Hunt.  Ahern's book takes a spoiled young girl whose parents are dead from her fabulous life in the city and places her with relatives in a small country village that has few amenities  and her life it turned upside down,  It appears the only contact with the outside world as she knew it is through traveling lending library and the young lad who who drives the bookmobile. She checks out a book that looks like a journal but it  begins to tell   her what will happen the next day.    This leads to some odd and harrowing events that involve her relatives, a nun, some peculiar people and much danger.  She eventually sorts out what the book is telling her and finds out the truth about herself and her family.  This is a charming story from a best selling author who is also the daughter of a former prime minister of Ireland.  She also wrote the novel that became a movie starring Hilary Swank, P.S,I Love You.  This is a charming, melancholy, but magical story.
 If you recall history, you may remember that Winston Churchill suffered from depression.  He was also known to call his depression a black dog.  Well. Mr.Chartwell is that black dog.  And supposedly he is not visible to those who are not afflicted, but I am not too sure of that.  Mr.  Chartwell appears to rent a room from one Esther Hammerhaus on London in 1964.  She is surprised that a dog wants to rent, but takes it in stride and decides to rent the room to him.  She finds that the longer he is there the more he takes over her house.  She is a librarian at the House of Commons and just happens to be assigned to transcribe  notes from the retiring Winston Churchill.  Yes, everything is coming together quite nicely. Evidently, Mr. Chartwell is going to afflict both Esther and Churchill.  But there are other complications.  The librarian, while being intrigued by "Black Pat" has a new interest in her life that might pull her away. And Churchill's wife is too clever by far not to be able to see  and hear Chartwell herself.  You need to suspend your disbelief and imagine that Mr. Chartwell is really real - and he is to many-and enjoy the many ways people can go from despair to joy and find life worth living. Connections are everything and perhaps so are coincidences.
More later on the March book fare.
Remember, no one pays me for my opinions - they probably would not want to.