Manufacturing a Duchess by Tracy Wise
Subtitled "A Novel of the Regency Era," I'd classify this as Regency historical romance, in that it's not a Traditional Regency romance in the vein of the genre's pioneer, Georgette Heyer. Wikipedia's description of Regency historical romances notes that they
may include more social realism, or, conversely, anachronistically modern characterization, ... their general setting is in Regency England, but the plot, characterization, or prose style of the work extends beyond the genre formula of the Regency romances published by Heyer and her successors. Characters may behave according to modern values, rather than Regency values.
That's certainly the case with Manufacturing a Duchess (clever title, by the way), especially with the main (title) character. Aurora Hardcastle is the only child of a country doctor turned cloth manufacturer, and, although a heiress, is not your typical duchess-to-be. Alec Raeburn is a widowed Scottish duke with a young daughter and no money. He's looking for an heiress who can also be a mother to his beloved daughter. Aurora's parents send her to London for the season and put her in the care of the parents a former classmate of Aurora's, the gorgeous Millicent ("Missie") Wentworth, whose family needs the money Aurora's parents provide - Lord Wentworth is a gambler. Meanwhile, Alec is accompanied by his wealthy cousin, Finlay ("Finn," aka Lord Henry, Duke of Galloway), as they are all entering the "marriage mart." The four, along with Alec's precocious daughter Marjorie, all meet early on at the Tower of London, where Aurora and Marjorie bond. Both men are smitten with the beautiful Missie, but Alec knows he should focus on Aurora, needing her money.
This was predictable, but still a light, fun, summer beach or vacation read.
I think my mother read every single book written by Heyer - at least, I seem to remember seeing hardbound copies of her other books on our bookshelves when I was a kid (1960s and early 1970s), and I probably read at least one of them. My mother asked for Cousin Kate (originally published in 1968) for Christmas sometime after it was republished in 2009, and I know I read that one. It is described as "one of only two Heyer Gothic Regency romances," because of its elements of suspense and horror. I'm not a fan of either Regency romances or the Gothic genre.
Lost Treasures of Houston by William Dylan Powell
In late February 2025, I was contacted by author William Dylan Powell, requesting permission to use a couple photos of the long-gone Peppermint Park (a kiddie amusement park) in Houston in his upcoming nonfiction book, Lost Treasures of Houston. He found the photos in a post I wrote about the park for my genealogy and family history blog, and I really appreciate his asking my permission first before using them.
In January 2026, Powell sent me a copy of the book in gratitude. As he said in his email, the book "celebrates 200+ beloved places, people and phenomena around town that are now sadly gone." I'm finally getting around to reviewing it.
Lost Treasures of Houston has 176 large-format pages (9" x 12"), and each page covers two items at most. The book is divided into five large sections, which are designated with different colors along the head and top of the fore-edge (opposite the book's spine). The sections are Food and Drink, Entertainment, Retail, Media, and Community, and a table of contents further subdivides these. (The book also has an index.)
Lost Treasures of Houston has 176 large-format pages (9" x 12"), and each page covers two items at most. The book is divided into five large sections, which are designated with different colors along the head and top of the fore-edge (opposite the book's spine). The sections are Food and Drink, Entertainment, Retail, Media, and Community, and a table of contents further subdivides these. (The book also has an index.)
My mother's roots in Houston go back to 1897. Although I'm not a native, I lived there from infancy in 1958 through 1976, and visited a lot in following years, as I still have family and friends living there. The book covers places and people that had come and gone both before I lived there and after I moved away, but I found plenty of memories. There's something in this book for Houstonians of all ages, current and former, and it would be a great gift and/or coffee table book. It's attractive and easy to read.
The photo I contributed is on page 57, and I'm also credited by name. Powell also listed all the contributors in the acknowledgements section at the front of the book (page vii). My one little gripe is that he also should have indicated that the abbreviation HHRC refers to the Houston History Research Center (part of the Houston Public Library), as that is the source for many of the great old photographs in the book.
The Paper Princess by Elisa Kleven
This is an inspiring story about a little girl who creates a paper doll that is blown away by the wind and has a number of adventures, before returning to the little girl. Elisa Kleven's mixed-media illustrations (watercolor, colored pencils, ink, crayon, collage) are wonderfully colorful and detailed. This story was originally published in 1994, and my review copy is the beautiful deluxe gift edition being published in June 2026, featuring gold foil stamping and an embossed image of the originally-blank side of the paper princess. In a 2015 interview, Kleven discussed the origins of the book, and how it helped her make sense of the early losses of her mother and brother. Recommended - I look forward to giving this book to my great-granddaughter.
The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang
I'm not a big fan of the Gothic subgenre and haven't read much of it. I've read a couple other historical fiction books by Janie Chang, so I decided to request this one from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program, as it was the only book that appealed to me in the February 2026 offerings. I just received it this month.
The book is set in Old Shanghai, China, in 1911. The story opens with nineteen-year-old Lisan Liu, an orphan whose guardian since childhood is the wealthy Master Liu, applying for a job as secretary to Caroline Vessey Stanton, an heiress American who has moved into the remote Lennox Manor with her husband Thomas. The Manor belongs to Thomas' uncle Mason Burnett, with whom Thomas is investing in a Chinese railway venture.
Lisan gets the job and goes to live at the manor, with Master Liu requiring that she come home on her days off. At the manor, Lisan is haunted by her dreams, and by a vision of a woman in a red dress that she often spots on the manor grounds. However, her days are brightened by the presence of Yao, a former gardener of Master Liu's now working for the Stantons.
It soon becomes apparent that all the main characters have secrets - or, as in the case of Lisan, others have secrets about her. Perhaps because I read so few Gothic novels, I have to admit I was surprised by some of the turns of events in the story.
In an author's note at the end of the novel, Janie Chang admits that the Gothic subgenre required that she:
In an author's note at the end of the novel, Janie Chang admits that the Gothic subgenre required that she:
... really had to hold back on history. During the first iteration of the book, it just didn't seem gothic enough, and I realized that there was too much about what was going on in China outside Lennox Manor. It's 1911 and the Qing empire is on its way out (China becomes a republic in 1912), there is talk of revolution, China is fragmenting into a nation carved up by warlords, and political intrigue abounds. My characters are aware of all the tumult around them, but in gothic fiction the focus has to be the danger from within: the location and/or its residents. One revision later, less history, more atmosphere, and the story was starting to feel like a gothic novel.
I guess I would have preferred more history, less atmosphere. The author's note does go on to explain some of the history, as well as other aspects of the novel.
James by Percival Everett
I've been wanting to read this book for some time, given that it was the National Book Award winner for fiction in 2024 and the Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction in 2025 (among other awards). It's a sort-of retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain from the point of view of the slave Jim (the James of this title). If I read Huck Finn, it would have been back in high school, and I don't remember it. So that's next on my list to read. Regardless, I know enough about Twain's novel to know that James stands on its own. Incredibly thought-provoking, and a short, easy read (I finished it in thirty-minute increments over six days).
