On My Nightstand June 18, 2023

Last week we had a dance recital, two parties at our house, a ton of packing for camp, and a evening talk and reception for a group I belong to. This week there’s nothing. You know what that means! Time to read!

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“A dog lives for you. A cat just lives with you.”

— The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

What I’m Reading This Week

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough - Still working on this - the epitome of summer reading.

Exiles by Jane Harper - I started this during the week, but quickly realized I would need to put it off until the weekend so I could read it all in one sitting.

End of Watch by Stephen King - Re-reading all of the Holly books before the new one comes out in the fall. She’s on of my favorite fictional characters.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand June 11, 2023

It’s been a stressful week here near DC. It started with a mysterious sonic boom, and ended with dangerous levels of air pollution from the Canadian wildfires. The picture above was from my metro trip into DC for work on Thursday. I have no experience with wildfires, and if I had known how much my breathing and sinuses would have been impacted I would have never gone. My thoughts go out to the people of Canada who have had to evacuate. This is just horrible.

We are in the last days of school finally, and are busy prepping for trips and camps. It’s a weird thing to do when it feels like the world is ending outside, but we gotta just keep swimming right?

In good news I have a giant stack of promising summer reading to get to, so I’m looking forward to that!

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“Fiction is the great lie that tells the truth about how the world lives!”

— The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

What I’m Reading This Week

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson - I’m not loving this one. Has anyone read it and loved it? Maybe it’s just a slow start?

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough - This is a re-read for me. It’s a chunkster, but I’m flying through. This book is perfect summer reading in my opinion.

Untangled by Lisa Damour - All of my mom friends have been reading this, and I have it cued up next in Libby.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand June 4, 2023

How is June going for everyone? We’re in the last two weeks of end of school year messiness. Seems like every day it’s a new party or activity to prep for. It’s all fun stuff once we get there, but there’s a lot of logistics involved!

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“The best things that happen in life rarely make good sense.”

— The Coal Tattoo by Silas House

What I’m Reading This Week

Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid - Loving this short book set in the Caribbean so far. I will probably find someplace to hide on this busy day so that I can finish it in peace.

The Not-Quite States of America by Doug Mack - I’m reading this for my work book club, and it’s pretty good. It’s about the US territories - part history and part travelog.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - I love this audiobook so much. It’s really long and I’m glad because I don’t want it to ever end.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand May 28, 2023

It’s officially summer reading season! Here’s to hours spent reading in the sun! I can’t wait. Here’s my summer reading list if anyone is interested. Yes, I know I have high expectations for myself this summer!

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche as quoted by Stacy Willingham in A Flicker In The Dark

What I’m Reading This Week

A Flicker In The Dark by Stacy Willingham - I’m one chapter in on this thriller and I think I figured out who did it. I can’t wait to keep reading to see if I’m right.

The Coal Tattoo by Silas House - I “discovered” Silas House this year, and I am so happy I have his whole backlist to go through.

Thunderstruck by Eric Larson - Having trouble getting into this one. Has anyone read it?

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand May 14, 2023

The weather has been beautiful this week, and I’ve been doing so much reading on my porch. One day I lost my kindle, and it took me about an hour to find it. It was under a cat. Peak cat lady.

Have a great week everyone!

Quote of the week

“What was the use of building a legacy if the ones who deserved the fruit never lived long enough for the harvest?”

— Island Queen by Vanessa Riley

What I’m Reading This Week

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert I didn’t get to start this until the end of last week, so I’m still working on it. I really like it so far.

Island Queen by Vanessa Riley This is okay, but I want more. I’m about 3/4 of the way through.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samatha Shannon This might be the week when I finally finish this chunkster.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand April 23, 2023

April has been a lot of work! I’m trying to recover this weekend. I started last night with a slice of cheesecake and a book on the couch. Today I plan on laying in bed with tea for a while then some puttering in the garden after church.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“But you want murderous feelings? Hang around librarians,” confided Gamache. “All that silence. Gives them ideas.””

— A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

What I’m Reading This Week

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon -- Still working on this one!

Hidden Moon by James Church -- Another holdover from last week. Hopefully I’ll finish soon.

Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill -- I’m enjoying the audio of this whymsical mystery set in Thailand.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand April 16, 2023

We’re slowly getting back into the swing of things after our trip to North Carolina. The weather has been gorgeous (much nicer than the beach!) so my focus has been on the yard. That means the laundry isn’t quite done, and we’re still not unpacked.

In my reading life I have been trying to catch up on my ARCs and reviews, and figure out how to reach my goals this year. I’ve been on a multi-year quest to read a book set in each country in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. (I will probably add Europe in next year.) I started my Scribd account up again, but might cancel after my thirty free days. We’ll see.

March was a great reading month for me. I wrote about my favorites here.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“Reading is my favorite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read.”

— Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

What I’m Reading This Week

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon -- I’m finally making progress on this one, but I need a few more weeks to finish.

Murdered Midas by Charlotte Gray -- This is my work book club’s pick for April. Scribd had it on audiobook which helped seal the deal on me starting my account again.

Hidden Moon by James Church -- I read the first one in this series a few months ago, and liked it enough to keep going.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand April 9 2023

Happy Easter to those who celebrate, and to everyone else have a beautiful Sunday. This is my favorite holiday, and I’m hoping for a peaceful day with my kiddos. Plus a little reading of course.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“Easter is never deserved.”

— Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon

What I’m Reading This Week

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon -- I’ve been trying to read this for months, but its such a chunkster I keep falling asleep when reading it in bed and dropping it on my face. I’m going to try on kindle instead.

Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill -- I was looking for a mystery set in Thailand for the #FoodAndLit challenge, and couldn’t resist this title.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- We watched this mini series on PBS and wanted to give the audiobook a try during a long car trip.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Best Reading Experiences of 2022

Edisto Beach, South Carolina

Normally at this time of the year I would be talking about the best book I read in 2022. I had a really hard time picking one though. I read over 200 books this year, but none of them gave me that swept away feeling you get when you’re reading a really good book. I blame the circumstances more than the books. For one reason or another I was really distracted most of the year, and I’m really only getting over it now.

Despite all of that I did have some really good reading experiences, and that’s what I want to talk about today.

My Top 2022 Reading Experiences

Reading Africa (Litsy Challenge)

I eagerly dove into the #ReadingAfrica2022 challenge on Litsy this year. I learned so much, and really enjoyed the challenge of hunting down books that featured some of our most unread about countries. I got about halfway through this challenge, and plan on continuing next year.

My Favorites from Reading Africa

The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya -- When she was six Clemantine fled her parent‘s house with her sister and just a few belongings. Until she was twelve they lived as refugees. Then they were awarded a visa to live in the US. This book shows that what looks like the happily ever after ending that you might see on the outside isn‘t always reality.

A Fish Caught In Time by Samantha Weinberg -- What a cool book that I would have never run across if it weren‘t for #ReadingAfrica I thoroughly enjoyed this short non-fiction account of the study of the coelacanth.

Matching My Reading To My Travel

Twice this year I accidentally ended up reading a book that took place in the location where I was traveling. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to make this happen, but I will in the future!

The Burning Blue by Kevin Cook -- Before she was America’s teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe was a teacher in Concord, New Hampshire. Listening to those scenes on audiobook really gave a sense of what a change that must have been for McAuliffe.

The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy -- I love coastal South Carolina, and now when I can’t get there I have a new author to read that can take me there. I read this book by the pool of our hotel that was just about a block away from Pat Conroy’s house in Beaufort, SC. I recommend both the town and the book.

Well Timed Graphic Novels

On both the Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox I made a date with myself to read graphic novels that featured those days.

Still looking for books that would fit winter and spring!

Chapter A Day Reads
Last but not least, I must mention all of the chapter a day reads that I took part in on Litsy. Having buddies to read with in manageable chunks makes reading the classics so much more doable for me. I would have never gotten through Villette otherwise!

Looking forward to hearing about everyone else’s favorite reads!

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Show Us Your Books August 2022

This is my normal timing for writing up the previous month’s reads, but for some reason August seems like a million years ago. Lazy days spent reading and napping by the water have quickly been replaced by commuting, car pools, soccer games, and packed lunches. I always forget how rough September is until September happens.

Anyway, back to August. I had a good month, but my only five star reads were re-reads. I don’t know if that’s me not concentrating as well or the books themselves. It’s hard to tell these days!

Five Star (Re) Reads

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - This remains one of my very favorite books. Fitzgerald says so much in this short novel.

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough - I re-read this on a whim after McCullough died. He does such a great job telling about this tragedy I almost felt like the skin on my feet was wrinkled from the flood water.

Four Star (New To Me) Reads

A Fish Caught In Time by Samantha Weinberg - I thoroughly enjoyed this short non-fiction account of the study of the coelacanth.

All The Presidents Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward - I wanted to learn more about Watergate so of course I went to the source. I expected Nixon gossip but this was more a super interesting retelling of all the steps the two men went through to report their story. This version also had a new intro from 2022 which compared Watergate to current events.

The Wife's Tale by Aida Edemariam - This was a fascinating woman who lived almost to 100 in Ethiopia. It was written by her granddaughter and at times was confused, but overall an excellent read.

Three Star Reads

Under The Dome by Stephen King - I think reading about a town suddenly stuck under a mysterious dome was just a little too claustrophobic and 2020 for me because I did not enjoy this one very much. I do appreciate how much research King puts into the details of his books though.

Broken Harbor by Tana French - Another captivating book from the Dublin Murder Squad series. This one was incredibly dark, but good.

Either/Or by Elif Batuman - For the first half of this book I was waiting for something to happen, but by the end the main character had grown on me.

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield - I‘m not even sure what this book was about, but I enjoyed it. I have a thing for books and movies that take place in submarines.

This post is linked to Quick Lit.

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I Feel You Emma

In Emma Mr. Knightley complains about Emma and her long, well developed reading lists created at the expense of actual reading:

“Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen many a great lists of her drawing-up at various times of books that she meant to read regularly through- and very good lists they were- very well chosen, and very neatly arranged- sometimes alphabetically, and sometimes by some other rule.”

— Emma by Jane Austen

For me summer is a great season of drawing up lists of books I will never read. There is so much temptation with summer reading guides stuffing my mailbox every day. But what Mr. Knightley will never understand is that for some of us making these lists is almost as much fun and nearly as rewarding as doing the reading itself.

Here I sit in my office with my shelves literally overflowing with books I bought last summer that I still haven’t read wondering what’s new this summer. And you know what? Mr. Knightley probably wouldn’t like it, but it sure makes me happy.

Friday Top Five

It’s Friday! I know it’s been a while since I have posted. Life took over. I’m hoping things are getting a little back to normal?

Food And Lit

This month’s #FoodAndLit challenge from Litsy focuses on Vietnam. YUM. I got a few cookbooks out of the library, and we all have really been enjoying my efforts. This is my first dinner- hoisin chicken and sweet potatoes. I’m hoping to make pho from scratch this weekend if I can find the ingredients.

2) Yay For Readathons!

This past weekend was a two readathon weekend- my favorite kind!

3) The Best Kind of Valentines

I opened my Valentine’s swap box on Sunday. The candy is all gone, but the books will keep me company for a while!

4) Audio Painting

I needed something to listen to while I was painting my son’s room over the long weekend. I have a ton of books already downloaded, but comfort reading won!

5) Reading Buddies Say Leave Us Alone When We Are Trying To Read

Have a great weekend! Happy reading!

Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading

Favorite Reads of 2020

Usually my favorite books are those that grab my heart and twist it in a good way that keeps me up after my bedtime. This year my favorite books are different. I didn’t have a lot of heart twisting feelings this year. The whole world is a heart twist, and if I stop too long to think about it my heart will be wrung dry. Heart twisting was not what I looked for in my books for most of 2020. Instead I looked for books that explained the world to me.

My favorite was Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. I’ve never read anything that made the Vietnam War feel so real. It wasn’t always a pleasant experience- I had to read it slowly from November 2019 to May 2020. I started it right around the same time I read The Great Alone, and I could see a straight line from the soldiers in Matterhorn to the troubled father in The Great Alone. As a child of the 80’s I felt like I better understood a lot of the men I knew growing up after reading this book.

When I read it in May I wrote:

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes - This novel about the Bravo Company, a unit of young Marines during the Vietnam War, is unforgettable. Karl Marlantes is a veteran himself, and the details he incorporated into this book were visceral and captivating.

Clever Books I’m Still Thinking About

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld - What if Hillary had never married Bill? This book got me through some dark days this summer.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - Two half sisters in Ghana separated by circumstances. Each chapter skips a generation until it all comes together spectacularly in the end.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid - The part that struck me the most was how everyone was talking, but no one accurately heard what the other person was trying to say.

Books That Made It Seem Like Maybe Everything Will Be Okay?

Devotions by Mary Oliver - I never thought I’d be a person who reads poetry, but in the last few years I’ve become one. Mary Oliver is my favorite.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker - There are some hard things in this book, but also beautiful things about found families and purple flowers.

All The Devils Are Here by Louise Penny - This was a really satisfying continuation of my favorite series.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward - Sad, dreamy, and magical. I’m so glad I finally got around to this one.

Even Better The Second (Or Third) Time

11/22/63 by Stephen King - If you think Stephen King is all about horror and killer clowns I invite you to read this book that shows the dangers of political extremism.

A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry - I’ve loved this play since my Mom brought me to see it in high school. Seeing it on stage again is one of my post Covid to dos. Until then I’m glad I got to read it again this summer.

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding - This was a sacred text in my 20’s, and reading it again this year reminded me of how wonderful it is.

So, that’s 2020. I’m hoping for many things in 2021, one of which is that reading feels normal again.

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Serial Reader App

Like many people my reading habits have changed in 2020. I still read a lot, but I read differently. Gone are the days when I would sit for hours and read a novel. Now I need to read in small bites. Short stories, poetry, and chapter a day buddy reads have all been really enjoyable this year. My latest adventure along this line has been downloading the Serial Reader app. So far I’m on day four of Les Miserables - I should finish some time in July if I stick with it.

Have you tried the Serial Reader app? What reads have you enjoyed?

Books To Read In January

It’s A Brand New Year!

Happy New Year! It’s time to get a fresh start on everything- life, work, reading challenges…

My recommendations for January 2020 reading:

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg - This is the book you need if you want to understand how to meet your New Years resolutions. Buy this book - you’ll want to return to it again and again.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman - A book about hockey, but also so much more. This took me about 100 pages to get into, but after that I couldn’t stop.
Leaving Orbit by Margaret Lazarus Dean - A trip back in time to the last days of the Space Shuttle program. It’s a great reminder of why we love space travel, and a reminder to embrace whatever makes us geek out.
Good Cheap Eats by Jessica Fisher - If you want to cook more and/or save money this year this is the book for you. This is good, inexpensive, family pleasing food.
Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay - If you get snowed in this is the perfect book to spend the day on the couch with. It’s a remake of the classic Dear Daddy Long Legs, which in itself is worthy of spending a day on the couch with.

And a few new releases I’m looking forward to reading soon:

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A Bookish Vacation

An amazing sunset in Rocky Mountain National Park

Last week we went on another adventure, and of course half the things I saw reminded me of books.

Kit Carson’s House in Taos, New Mexico

Taos reminded me of Willa Cather and her dreamy novel Death Comes for the Archbishop. Taos isn’t as in your face as Santa Fe; you have to work to find the heart of it. It’s worth the effort though, and nearby hikes in Cimarron Canyon State Park and the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument only sweeten the deal.

View from Black Mesa, the highest point in Oklahoma

Part of the reason I pushed myself to finish The Grapes of Wrath last month is because I knew this trip would bring me to Oklahoma, and through the Comanche National Grasslands. The government created the grasslands in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma in order to stop a dust bowl from happening there again. Oklahoma has a bad rep as a road trip destination, but the sights in the panhandle were stunning. Just get gas and pack snacks before you go. There’s not much out there!

The lights of Estes Park

Our last stop was Estes Park, Colorado which is the home of the Stanley Hotel, and inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. I looked into having dinner at the hotel, but my daughter had a stomach bug on this leg of the trip, so a fancy meal wasn’t in the cards. That’s okay, I’m afraid of ghosts anyway.

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Books That Take Place In 24 Hours Or Less

Someone mentioned to me the other day that they enjoy books that take place in just one day. I had never thought of that as a thing, but then I decided I loved it. A google search, plus a look at my own TBR gave me this list of solid 24 hour books.

Any titles to add?

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2018 Litsy Classics Challenge

This year I joined the Litsy A to Z Classics Reading Challenge (#litsyclassics if you're on Litsy.) I'm excited to finally make a dent in the classic portion of my TBR.

Here are the books on my list.

Are you doing any challenges this year?

My 2017 Five Star Reads

I was looking at my 2017 reads, and it was really clear to me that I wasn't going to be able to pick a favorite. In truth, the books I ranked the highest in 2017 were mostly re-reads. I'm sure this is situational, and not a reflection of the books of 2017.

So, instead of a favorite I bring you all of my 5 star reads from 2017:

In Harm's Way and Apollo 8 were both non-fiction that read like the best on the edge of your seat fiction. A Piece of the World and How The Light Gets In both left me gutted, but in a good way. Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, and The Martian all hold truths universally acknowledged, and are worth reading every few years. The Hate U Give is billed as a Young Adult book, but should be required reading for everyone in the country. I loved reading Ramona The Pest out loud to my daughter; we laughed and laughed.

Here are some honorable mentions (4 1/2 star reads.)

And two books I'm reading right now that I love, but didn't finish in time to include on any 2017 lists.

Happy New Year!

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My Back To School Reading List

I used to love going back to school as a kid. Even now when I only get to put my own kids on the bus I get a big sense of anticipation. I just feel like conquering the world, you know? Even my reading changes. No more breezy summer reads - I'm ready for something deeper. Hence my back to school reading list.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk

How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

Richard Nixon: The Life by John A. Farrell

So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery