I love this part of the summer when it’s warm but not like sweaty devil’s breath warm. The roses apparently love it too because they’re blooming like mad. It was supposed to rain all week, but we’ve actually had some sunny days.
I’m between audiobooks, but am just about to start There’s Always This Year. I’ve been looking forward to this one since last summer!
Note: links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
This school year is winding up with a bang! Prom is this weekend, plus the last of the league field hockey games, and year two of confirmation prep is almost done. I know I signed up to bring a bunch of different fruit trays to various places, so I need to sit down with my planner this weekend and figure that out. Grateful for Aldi and their wonderful fruit and veggie aisle.
I’m loving the extended evenings with light skies almost until my bed time. Reading on the porch to the sound of frogs signing is a balm in this fraught world.
“She marveled briefly on how hard humans tried to shape the future, herself included, and how much it was really in the lap of the gods.”
Paper book - I finally started Chesapeake Requiem by Earl Swift and it’s really good! Can’t wait to get back to it tonight.
Kindle - I’m working on another mystery - A Muddied Murder by Wendy Tyson.
Audio - Yesterday I started Entitlement by Rumaan Alam. It’s promising so far!
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Until I started growing my own lettuce I never knew lettuce had a taste. When I have lettuce from the garden it’s so good I don’t even need salad toppings- just some dressing and bread on the side. It feels so decadent to eat lettuce I picked that morning. This year I grew Burpee’s heatwave blend seeds, but we haven’t had any heatwaves yet to test it out. It’s still growing well in the cold rain.
April was a great reading month for me. I am really trying to work on cutting back on my social media use, and my progress is showing in my reading time. And in my ability to sleep at night without waking up in a panic to be honest. Win, win, win!
Here’s the best of the best from what I read in April:
5 Stars
Back After This by Linda Holmes - This was a sweet romance but also I LOVED the parts about content creation, taking charge of your career, not waiting for someone to notice you’re working hard, and constantly reinventing your business with shifting markets. Plus bonus, the book takes place in DC and has nothing to do with government and politics. Yes, people do live here, which is apparently a story that needs to be told more.
4 Stars
A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush - This collection was fun and whimsical with a huge dose of unapologetic joy. You may know Lyndsay Rush as Maryoliversdrunkcousin on social media.
Murder on Devil’s Pond by Ayla Rose - This mystery was a step up from the usual cozy mystery. The characters were nuanced and the mystery was interesting. Plus it was set in Vermont and there was a big dog. I’ll be on the lookout for more from this author.
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn - A found family set in a 1950’s DC boarding house. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters (including the house) although I think I would have liked it more if it were based on just one character. That’s just a personal preference though and this was a good read overall.
Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin - Angel is in Rwanda after the genocide while her husband works at the university. She raises her grandchildren and bakes cakes for events in order to make money. The tough topics of genocide and AIDS are not glossed over in this book, but it is full of hope and the power people have when they work together.
How We Learn To Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Budde - I listened to this a chapter a day during Lent and enjoyed it. As others have said it’s more of a memoir than an instruction manual but I liked the stories. I’m almost always interested in stories of women in power and how they got there. I wish she would do an update for the year 2025.
The Sisterhood by Liza Mundy - A very interesting but frustrating history of women at the CIA from the start until about 2018 ish. Recommend.
The Heiress by Molly Greeley - I enjoyed this slowly unfolding novel about Anne de Bourgh. It only briefly touched on the storyline from Pride and Prejudice but I liked the direction it took.
Happy reading!
Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
All of my travels are over for now, so I’m hoping for good weather this weekend. I need to spend some quality time with my garden! I think I should be able to start picking peas and lettuce this weekend which is exciting. Some years it gets too hot before I even can pick those cool weather crops. The big bunny who visits my yard ate all of my cilantro and mint so at least he’s a bunny that enjoys flavor.
I’m excited for all of the summer reading lists coming soon. I also have my own list of books to read before I turn 50, and #CampLitsy on the Litsy app. Again, I ask if anyone knows of any jobs that will pay me to read all day?
“Growing up may be the most remarkable thing that anybody ever does.”
Barnes and noble westport, ct
Paper book - Trying to decide between Chesapeake Requiem by Earl Swift and Good Soil by Jeff Chu.
Kindle - I have Murder Most Royal by SJ Bennett. I love these books, but they’re bitter sweet as the Queen gets older.
Audio - The Parrot and the Igloo by Dave Lipsky - This book is fascinating. I am really into it.
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
I’m back from what hopefully was my last trip for a while. I haven’t laughed as much as I did with my brothers and parents this weekend in a long time. I’m so glad I went, but boy am I ready to get back into a routine. I got a few walks in- we went to the beach, shopping where I saw the fanciest Barnes and Noble I’ve ever seen, and a long tour around the best bookstore ever, The Book Barn.
This week while I wander I’m listening to The Parrot and the Igloo by David Lipsky. It’s sobering.
Links to Bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
I’m hoping that after this weekend things will calm down enough so that I can start blogging regularly again and visiting others. Yesterday was decision day at my son’s high school and it made me really emotional to think that’s what we’ll be doing a year from now. So that’s a whole new thing to think about in the middle of the night. I’m a mess basically. Thankful for cats and books.
“Hannah knew this road like she knew the lines on her sister’s face.”
Kindle - Fixing to Die by Miranda James - Last one in this series and I’m kind of glad. They’re pretty repetitive.
Audiobook - The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny - When life is too much and I can’t focus on anything I always return to Louise Penny.
Paper Book - No Nest For The Wicket by Donna Andrews - I guess I’m on a mystery kick this week. This book is a lot of fun.
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Since I got back from vacation my steps counts have been higher than they have in a long time, but I haven’t been taking many pictures. So I’m going back to more vacation pictures this week.
I just started listening to The Cautious Traveller’s Guide To The Wastelands by Sarah Brooks. This was on my summer reading list last summer!
April Beginning TBR: 474
April Ending TBR: 451
I did some TBR cleaning in anticipation of Summer Reading which for me officially begins May 1. I am so excited for warm nights on the porch with a candle burning and baseball playing in the background.
My May TBR:
Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold by Umar Turaki
Homestand by Will Bardenwerper
Chesapeake Requiem by Earl Swift
The Last Million by David Nasaw
The Mill On The Floss by George Eliot (2nd half)
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
A Muddied Murder by Wendy Tyson
The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neil
Between Two Poles by Christine P Dela Rosa
There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib
Chasing Shadows by Greg Skomal
The Parrot and the Igloo by David Lipsky
Whole: Rethinking The Science of Nutrition by T. Colin Campbell, PhD
The Quest of the Missing Map by Carolyn Keene
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
Fixing To Die by Miranda James
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Happy reading all!
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
We’re just back from our spring break trip to Western North Carolina. It was sad to see how much damage was done by Helene, but hopeful to see the recovery efforts. It was a great trip- we were outside most of the time hiking, riding bikes, or just reading on the porch.
Now we’re back and trying to hold on until the end of the school year. Every minute is packed this time of year, but it’s all fun stuff so I’m trying to enjoy. If only I could kick this cold I seem to have picked up somewhere.
“I wondered exactly where that research had been done. Presumably the University of Unsupported Hunches, where I was guessing she was a tenured professor.”
Kindle - The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray - Never got to this one last week. I’m looking forward to it though.
Audiobook - The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - For a challenge- we’re reading these books in order. I’m not into this one as much as the others, but it may just be my mood.
Paper Book - The Earth Cries Out by Gary Gardner - I think I read the first chapter then forgot to pack it for vacation. Time to dive back in.
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
It’s pasta again this week. I had a jar of pesto from the store, and a few tomatoes that I needed to use up. I tossed it all together with a handful of toasted pine nuts, pasta, and some cheese, and ended up with with an amazing lunch. I happily ate this all week long.
I’ve been working on a little project. In 2027 I turn 50, and I wanted to put a list of books together that I should re-read before then. The result is 50 Before 50. I have a little under two years. Fingers crossed!
Happy Easter if you’re celebrating. It’s my favorite holiday all year. We’ll be eating out and doing some hiking.
“You want me to host a show where somebody teaches me how to get a boyfriend. And it’s going to be sponsored by eating alone, drinking alone, dying alone, and cat toys.”
Kindle - The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray - Very excited to have an ARC of this!
Audiobook - The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Borgh by Molly Greeley - I guess I’m on kind of a Jane Austen inspired books kick.
Paper Book - The Earth Cries Out by Gary Gardner - I have been meaning to read this forever. I am determined to read it this month for Earth Day.
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Sometimes we all need a little treat, so we went out for lunch after a book sale at the library recently. This caprese sandwich inspired me to try making this at home. Unfortunately I bought all the ingredients and the kids ate them before I had a chance to make a sandwich. I’ll try again another week!
It’s been cool here and it seems to be having a good effect on the longevity of these blooms. I can’t stop walking under these trees and taking pictures. I’m not looking forward to the heat and humidity this summer, so every day I get to avoid taking out my summer clothes is a good day in my mind.
Right now I’m listening to The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie. I joined a challenge to read one Christie book a month in order. They’re usually pretty good for walking and listening.
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
March ended up being a really good reading month for me. I was reading along with the 2025 Tournament of Books list as much as possible and found two really good ones right at the end.
Here’s the best of the best from March:
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I went into this buddy read with a bad attitude, but it ended up being amazing. The characters in this one stole the show.
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - I absolutely adored this book. A coming of age story about a possible alien born right around the same year I was? Yes, please. It was the second audiobook in a row that I listened to where I wanted to buy a paper copy so I can underline all of the parts I loved.
The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck - This audiobook hit just right. It’s a set of interconnected short stories each read by a different narrator. Next I want to read the paper version and take notes on how they all relate. I loved the New England settings and the pace of the stories. Really good.
Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor - I enjoyed this book even though I think I‘m going to have to read it again to fully understand what happened.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach - I assumed this would be total fluff (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but it was pretty deep albeit in a fluffy way. I liked what it had to say about taking care of yourself, finding the true you as you get older, loneliness, and grief. I loved how the author handled the pandemic. It made me laugh too.
Untamed by Will Harlan - We visited Cumberland Island last Easter without knowing much about it. Between the beaches, the abandoned mansions, and the wild horses it was like stepping into a novel. I’m now on a mission to learn as much as I can about it. This nonfiction book was a good starting place to learn about some of the history, gossip, and scandals.
Love and Death in Kathmandu by Amy Willesse - It took me a while to get through this book about the massacre of Nepal’s Royal family in 2001, but I ended up liking it. I still have a lot of questions about what happened, but the authors did a good job of setting the scene as best they could. I read a lot of mountaineering books so it was good to get a different sense of the country’s recent history.
Note: links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
We’re finally getting a good rain here. Good for the garden, and good to wash the pollen away. Last weekend there was literally a pollen fog, and clouds of it would fly around when we drove down the street. It was very strange.
I can’t believe it’s mid-April and it’s time to start planning for May! Future me will not be pleased, but I might put off that planning for one more week.
“We often don’t know we have wings until we are forced to fly.”
Kindle - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn - I have to be careful what time I start reading this because once I do it’s hard to make myself stop. So good.
Audiobook - The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women of the CIA by Liza Mundy - A fascinating and frustrating book about women in the CIA.
Paper Book - Extraordinary Insects by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson - I’m still reading this a chapter a day. Just one left! I’ll be sad to be done. Loving these crazy little bugs.
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
I’m back on my salad kick using a little bit of this and a little bit of that from the kitchen. The baby spinach and arugula mix from Aldi is my favorite, and a nearby Middle Eastern grocery sells the best falafel. It’s a really filling lunch mixed all together.
Winter is back this week and next, but the flowers are hanging in there so we’ll just pretend it’s still spring.
I’ve been listening to a fascinating book while I walk - The Sisterhood by Liza Mundy. It’s about women in the CIA. I’d tell you more but then I’d have to kill you, so you’ll have to read it yourself.
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
This week started feeling like Friday on Wednesday morning. Ugh. The world is on fire and I’m driving myself crazy making sure all of the 10 million forms, monetary contributions, deadlines, and commitments are met for my kids. But at least there’s flowers on the trees and baseball on the radio.
“I’m not going to allow my inability to do everything undermine my ability to do something.”
Kindle - I Don’t Care If We Never Get Back by Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster - I’m about halfway through with this one now. It’s more about logistics than baseball.
Audiobook - The Long Walk by Stephen King - I started listening to this on my much shorter walks. I read it when I was a teen so I vaguely remember what happens.
Paper Book - Extraordinary Insects by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson - Reading this a chapter a night and loving it. A great spring read.
This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Over the last two weeks we’ve had covid, flu, stomach bug, allergies, and an arthritis flare up in the family. Not much meal prep has taken place. Luckily Aldi has the makings for easy snack lunches. This week I’ve been eating well with minimal effort.
A blog for all things bookish.
