When Mary Stewart died in May I was terribly sad, but so grateful that she’s left us a legacy of charming, sophisticated, witty and intelligent suspense novels (and her Merlin series) to feast on for generations to come. I enjoyed last year’s Mary Stewart Reading Week so much and I thought it would be a wonderful tribute to Stewart to once again read her novels and celebrate her work during the week of her birthday. So, I invite you all to join me in reading Stewart’s fantastic novels from September 14 through the 21 of this year.
I’d also like to invite anyone who’d be interested in writing a guest post for the week to let me know. You can write about your discovery of Stewart’s novels, your favorite of her books, her heroines, anything you’d like. Please email me if you’re interested at gudrunstightsatgmaildotcom.
Thanks to my friend Charles for creating the badge again this year. Feel free to use it on your own blogs to let others know about the event.
I’m really looking forward to the week! I think it’s a great way to honor Stewart’s legacy. You can see all the posts from last year here.
The winner of a copy of The Mountain Lion is Michelle. Congratulations!
Have a beautiful Sunday.
A Certain Fondness 
I really like the button! I have this on my calendar, and I’m looking forward to it. I still have quite a few books of hers to choose from. I can’t remember, have any of her books been made into films?
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Yes, The Moonspinners was, but I gather that it is very different from the book. It stars Hayley Mills and is a Disney film from 1964.
I’m glad you’ll be joining in in September!
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I have a few books to choose from too, I’m leaning towards Airs Above the Ground or The Moon Spinners. I hope you’re having a beautiful Sunday too.
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I loved The Moonspinners – my second favorite I think. I will probably read The Ivy Tree and The Gabriel Hounds.
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I have just come back from what turned out to be a very long break and look forward to joing you again for Mary Stewart week.
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Welcome back, Cat! I’m happy to have you for Mary Stewart Week.
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I am really looking forward to taking part in this event. I have The Gabriel Hounds and Airs Above the Ground to choose from.
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I’m glad, Jessica! I think I’ll read The Gabriel Hounds myself.
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I’m looking forward to this, but I’m not sure what I’m going to read. It will probably be either My Brother Michael or Airs Above the Ground – though I’m also tempted to try the Merlin books.
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My Brother Michael is so good – I love her Greek settings. I want to try the Merlin books, too, but I’ll probably stick to suspense this year.
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Yes I’m hoping to join in. I think I am swaying towards Rose Cottage. But being fickle I may well change my mind, as I type this in bed I’m not sure if there is a Mary Stewart book unread on my shelf.
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Great Jo, glad to hear it! I keep changing my mind as well.
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I just discovered Mary Stewart this year through other bloggers and am looking forward to the reading week! I want to continue my reading of the Merlin trilogy as well as devouring more of the suspense novels. I’ll see what I’m in the mood in come September.
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Great, Lory! I’m glad that you’ll be reading along with us.
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I have loved Mary Stewart since my teen years when I found her Airs Above the Ground which I quickly followed with The Crystal Cave, the 1st of her Merlin/King Arthur series. I read the others as they came out. But after that I can’t remember which ones I did read. I will say that until this summer I had not read her for a very long time but I came across This Rough Magic. It happily took me back to my much younger years when I read her so I began actively seeking out her books. Over the summer I managed to collect most of them, often for a penny plus 3.99 S & H.
I am looking forward to Sunday and beginning this week of reading Lady Mary Stewart. I plan to read Touch Not the Cat, Rose Cottage and perhaps the Y/A A Walk in Wolf Wood.
Thank you for planning & setting of this Mary Stewart Reading Week. I am so looking forward to it.
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I’m so glad you’ll be joining in! Her books do seem to be very nostalgic for lots of people. I only started reading her a couple of years ago but I know I would have loved her books as a teen.
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Last evening I finished Rose Cottage which I quite enjoyed. I just find Mary Stewart’s books to be such soothing reads.
Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart; (3*)
This is a rather typical Stewart cosy with a bit of the intrigue and a touch of romance. It was a smooth and comfy go until the very end when it got rather busy but all in the way the reader desired and all a nice little tale.
It takes place in the late 40s. Our protagonist is a young lady who has lost her husband in the war and she is called home from London by her Scottish gran. Her gran raised her when her mother, Lilias, ran off with a gypsy lad. Kathy/Kate’s gran is ill though she is now out of hospital and recovering nicely. She wants Kathy to go to the cottage where the family lived for many years while working as domestics for the property and hall owners. Her gran cooks for them still when she is healthy. But at Rose Cottage years ago her gran and gramp made a hidden safe in the wall for little family treasures and important papers. Kathy’s gran now wants them and she cannot go herself.
When Kathy gets to the cottage she finds that the safe has been broken into and is empty. A rose bush has been dug up. As she grew up here she knows all of the villagers quite well and visits several of them to see if they can give her any answers as to whether anyone has been seen at the cottage. She finds out that someone has been to the cemetery and visited the graves of her gramp and her bitter old auntie, leaving flowers still fresh on their graves.
Davey, a childhood friend, helps Kathy to uncover all she can about the goings on at Rose Cottage. All comes together happily at the end. (I did say it was a typical Stewart, did I not?)
This was an enjoyable little read as are all of Mary Stewart’s books. So nice to read when one just wishes to relax with a novel.
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I’m reading this one right now and it is delightful – I’m really enjoying it. Soothing is just the perfect word for Stewart’s books!
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Oh, and I just wanted to add that I finally found Stewart’s The wind Off the Small Isles which I have been seeking all summer. WOOT WOOT~!
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Oh, wonderful! Very happy for you – I’ve noticed that copies are very hard to find.
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And spendy.
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Thus far during the Mary Stewart Reading Week I have read: Rose Cottage; (3 1/2*), Madam, Will You Talk?; (3*), Wildfire at Midnight; (4*) and A Walk in Wolf Wood; (4 1/2*). I loved this last one so much. It’s one of her children’s/Young-Adult fairytales that hooked me right from the get go. I would imagine that it is one of those she mentioned in her wonderful interview here:
A big thank you to Liz1564 for providing us with the link.
I think I may have time for one more today. I hope everyone is enjoying this week as much as I am.
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How wonderful that you’ve been able to read so many of her books this week! I particularly love Madam, Will You Talk?. I’ve never come across her YA books, but I think they sound great. Thanks so much for participating this week. I’ve really enjoyed meeting new readers. And thanks for the link to that interview!
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I did manage to get one more in but was unable to finish it until last night. I was excited to find that I have a new favorite Mary Stewart: Thornyhold. What a marvelous tale and I loved that Stewart gave the romance in this one a bit of time to bloom rather than rush it through at the very end. This one is a perfect cosy, comfy read.
Thank you so much for hosting this event. I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed this past week’s reading.
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