2. The Queen's Fool

By Philippa Gregory (500 pp) In December I was trying to weed out my to-read pile and donate stuff I didn't think I would ever get around to. I picked up this book at a rummage sale for a buck several years ago. Before I threw it in the box I decided to read a few pages and here we are. It's about a fictional character, a young girl who has a limited gift the sight who ends up in the Tudor court starting with poor doomed King Edward and the book ends when Elizabeth I takes the throne. It's funny how Hannah manages to be in the middle of all the court intriques. Still fun to read.

1. The Ballad of Black Tom

By Victor Lavalle (157 pp ebook) This book was on my phone and I knew nothing about it. It's set in 1920s New York and is about Tommy Tester, a Black musician/street hustler who is drawn into a creepy supernatural summoning. After I finished I learned that this is a revisiting of an HP Lovecraft story called The Horror at Red Hook which I have never read. Great writing, unsettling atmosphere, spooky story.

2022 Begins!

I hoped to get to 40 books last year -- well, that wasn't a hard goal. I read three Robin Hobb books equalling around 2400 pages so that equals at least 6 or 7 books plus I critiqued a couple of books and there are always some romances or novellas I don't end up reporting. Turns out I did read over 40 books -- and I'll be sure to submit this to, you know, to the Commission on How Many Books You Read. No goals for 2022 except read lots of books. And possibly read more than I buy. (HAHAHA!)