Homemade gifts for bookworms

Bookworms are easy to buy Christmas gifts for. Shopping list: books. Check. Done. However I love to pair books (or gift cards for books) with a little something homemade to make my gift more personal. Here are some of my favorite ideas.

Bath salts

Luxurious Lavender Bath Salts

Custom Homemade Bath Salts

DIY Calming Detoxing Bath Salts

Bookmarks

25 Creative DIY Bookmark Ideas

How to Make Unique Bookmarks

42 Chic and Playful DIY Bookmarks

Hot chocolate

How To Make Hot Chocolate Mix (Pioneer Woman)

Alton Brown’s Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

Ornaments

DIY Book Ornaments

Hand Made Book Print Ornaments

19 Christmas Ornaments for Book Lovers

Reading journal

Easy DIY Reading Journal

10 Creative DIY Journals For Kids

Happy crafting!

November Show Us Your Books!

I read a lot in October, but because it was mostly dedicated to reading for the Scarathlon on Litsy I fell like just read one long book. I enjoyed the experience, but I glad to be reading with more variety in November. My October reading highlights are below. (And because I’m in a mood, one lowlight.)

I’m Your #1 Fan

Misery by Stephen King - I haven’t read this book since high school, and I forgot how good it is. Plus it didn’t take six years to read like some of King’s other books. I’m one of Stephen King’s constant readers, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a succinct book with a good ending every now and then!

Life Is a Mystery

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - This is only the second Christie book I’ve ever read, and I was surprised by how funny it was. I wasn’t laughing with tears coming out of my eyes, but some of the comments and observations has me chuckling on the metro in a way that made others think twice about sitting next to me.

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny - This is another book that has escaped my re-reading habits until now. I’m glad I went back to this one though because this is the one where a lot of the later, wonderful story lines start to take shape.

Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear - These are serviceable mysteries for when I don’t have any Louise Penny books to read. I’d like to get through the series, but I don’t feel any particular rush. In this one Maisie goes back to France for the first time since WWI, and Hitler is beginning to stir in Germany.

Creepiness

The Family Plot by Cherie Priest - A good old fashioned ghost story. It could have been better if I actually cared about the characters, but the creepiness was definitely there.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware - Ruth Ware writes a certain type of book, and this one stuck to theme. The main character is desperate for money, and thinks her problems are solved when she gets a letter informing her of an inheritance she’s not entitled to. She just has to travel to a creepy old house to pick it up. Not Earth shattering, but a great twisty read for when you feel like crawling under a blanket.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - Another spooky old house in this one. I got this to read with my daughter, but it was a bit too much for her. I liked it though so I ended up finishing it on my own. Coraline wishes her parents paid more attention to her, but realizes that they might not be so bad when she finds another set of parents.

I Give Up

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy - Way too much detail about submarines, and not enough action. I bailed after 50 pages. Should I go back or let this one go?

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Non-Fiction November

I know I was just complaining about theme reading, and now here I’m talking about another monthly reading scheme I signed up for.

But, but, my TBR! I swear this will help.

This month I’m taking part in Non-Fiction November (hashtag #NFNov on Litsy.)

I have so many non-fiction books I have started, but haven’t finished. My planned stack is in the picture above, audio on top and paper on bottom. Plus I might have one or two saved to the kindle app on my phone.

Anyone else taking part in Non-Fiction November?

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Old Dog, New Reading Tricks

Last month I took part in my first ever Buddy Read. Basically it’s like school where the read leader chops a book up into sections, and tells you how much you should read each week. By the end of the month you will have finished the book, and you can discuss it with other readers. By sticking to the schedule you all finish right around the same time, and no one spoils anything for anyone else.

At the same time my 6th grader came home with a notice about his first ever book report. My son is not one to sit down with a good book and read the day away, so I helped him create a reading schedule to hit all of the milestones he needs to, just like with the buddy read.

After that it occurred to me that I have a huge stack of books I’m having trouble finishing, either because they’re long and all of my other books get jealous when I spend so much time away from them, or because the subject matter is heavy and I can’t take them in large doses. I realized that since the buddy read technique worked well for me, I could try it with some of these books.

My first test will be Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. It’s a novel about the Vietnam War, so it’s both full of heavy subject matter and very long. I started yesterday, and will be sure to report back on how it goes!

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Books To Read In November

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen - Cold, and dark, and spooky. It’s everything a November read should be.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - This tenderhearted book is perfect for reading under a blanket.

Start Without Me by Joshua Max Feldman - This is one of the few books I’ve ever read that takes place on Thanksgiving, and it’s a good one.

I’ll Be There For You by Kelsey Miller - This book is filled with nostalgia. Perfect for November!

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin - Complicated families make for great reading this time of year.

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Books About Andrew Johnson

Certain events that you may have heard about in the news have had me wanting to read about Andrew Johnson lately. Turns out there haven’t been a whole lot of books written about him. You’d think he’s boring, but he’s not. He was kind of a disaster as a president- drunk at his vice presidential inauguration, very racist, didn’t play well with others, but he was anything but boring.

I’ve found interesting snippets about him in Accidental Presidents and Where They Stand. The Impeachers is coming up soon on my TBR. I also really enjoyed the Andrew Johnson episode of The Presidential Podcast.

What are you reading in response to current events?

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The Trouble With Theme Reading

This month I’ve been taking part in a reading challenge on Litsy. The goal is to earn points for my team by reading as many books about Halloween and dark and twisty mysteries as I can. It’s been fun, and I’ve met some great people, but boy am I tired of unreliable narrators and psychopaths. There are still 8 days left in October, and I’m not sure I’m going to make it to the finish line.

This isn’t a job, and my team will win nothing but bragging rights, but also I live in fear of letting people down. That said, if I read any more about murder I might never read again. (My solution- re-read the Baby-Sitters’ Club. Not a super good use of my time.)

Does anyone else have these problems reading on theme? Right now I can’t wait for it to be November so I can curl up with something cozy.

Show Us Your Books October

Free image from Unsplash. The water damage to the book upsets me, but the apple and book image suits my mood, so I’m trying to let it go.

So, internet gremlins ate my first attempt at putting up a Show Us Your Books post, and I was ready to just skip this month because those types of things always happen when I have huge projects at work requiring all my brain cells. But September was such an amazing reading month I couldn’t not talk about it.

The best of the bunch

City of Thieves by David Benioff - This is one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to. Two men in Leningrad during WWII set off to find some eggs. It’s horrifying and sad, but also oh so funny. Highly, highly, highly recommend.

A Good Punch In the Guts

The Return by Hisham Matar - A nonfiction book about a man who returns to Libya to find his father who was imprisoned twenty-one years before. Very moving and educational.

American Fire by Monica Hesse - This book was fascinating. A deep dive into a series of arsons that occurred on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I’ve been recommending this to all my book friends this week.

The Kite Runner (Graphic Novel) by Khaled Hosseini - This leaves a few big chunks of the novel out, but still packs an emotional punch. I liked it a lot.

After the End by Clare Mackintosh - What happens when two parents don’t agree on the care of their terminally ill child? So many questions, so few answers. Once I started this book I couldn’t stop.

And A Little Adventure To Keep Things Fun

Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis - Jennifer Pharr Davis set the speed record for hiking the Appalachian Trail a few years ago, but this is the hike before that one. Very interesting to see what she went through alone on the trail.

Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson - In this one Bill Bryson attempts to go all around England using public transportation. It’s not as bombastic as some of his later books, and I appreciated that. He reads the audiobook himself, which I also appreciated.

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REVIEW: Praise Song for the Butterflies by Bernice McFadden

Every year I take myself to the bookstore on Christmas Eve, and buy myself a book. This was my Christmas Eve book last year, and I got around to reading it in early January. I started it in the morning, and all day I was very crafty about avoiding my to-do’s so that I could keep reading this book.

This book is a lot more hopeful than it sounds like. It’s the story of Abeo, a little girl in West Africa, who is left at a religious shrine by her father to atone for the crimes of his ancestors.

The subject is horrifying. Ritual servitude is basically sex slavery, and the tale starts when Abeo is only nine. (Not that it would be an easy subject to take at any age.) You know from the beginning that she eventually escapes, and Abeo’s journey from slavery to healing is truly unputdownable despite reading about the hard things she endures.

I highly recommend this quick and compelling read.

Non-Fiction Books For September

September is for new pencils, graph paper, and non-fiction reading.

There’s something about seeing kids go back to school that makes me want to learn everything all at once. I’m sure I can’t be the only book worm reading my kids’ texts after they go to bed at night. With that in mind, here are 16 non-fiction books that will get you in the September back-to-school reading spirit.

Books That Teach You To Do Things

On Writing by Stephen King - Stephen King writes so much he makes it look easy. In this book though you get the background into the hours and hours he puts into his craft. Part how-to and part memoir of a great American writer, he reads the audiobook himself, and it it superb.

100 Recipes: The Absolute Best Ways To Make The True Essentials By America's Test Kitchen - This book is exactly as promised. The best way to cook almost everything you’d want to cook. I love it, and check it out of the library at least once a year.

The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful by Myquillyn Smith - This book is a good antidote to my personal decorating style which is “It doesn’t have to be beautiful to be good enough.” Give it a try if you need a change in your house, but don’t have tons of time or money.

Random Facts About Things You May Never Have Thought Much About

A Clearing In The Distance by Witold Rybczynski - You may not think you care about the trials and tribulations of Frederick Law Olmsted, but this book is super fascinating. I read it when I was visiting the Biltmore Estate, but that’s not required to enjoy it.

The Residence by Kate Andersen - A look at the presidents that you won’t get anywhere else. You can have feelings about politics and campaign promises, but can you really trust a politician if they don’t teat their pastry chef well?

The Road Not Taken: Finding America in the Poem Everyone Loves and Almost Everyone Gets Wrong by David Orr - A deep dive into one of America’s most quoted poems. It’s a short book well worth the time.

Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens by Steve Olson - One of my earliest school memories was my teacher bringing in a glass jar of ashes from Mt. St. Helens. Then it seemed like I didn’t hear another thing about it until I read this really interesting book. Now I’m obsessed.

Leaving Home

Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery - This is a good one for East Coast hikers who are feeling their years. Anything you’re worried about doing, this lady in her 60’s did it in keds.

Walking With Plato by Gary Hayden - I liked the intermingling of philosophy and walking, and I really liked the relationship of the walkers. This is a nice, soothing book if that’s what you’re in the mood for.

The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau - Everyone needs a quest, and this book will help you realize that. Plus it’s fun to read about what other people are doing in the name of pursuit.

Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger - This is a great book about man’s first Moon orbit, and if you get the audiobook the recordings of the chatter between Houston and Apollo 8 will take your breath away. This was one of my favorite listening experiences ever.

Braving It by James Campbell - This father and daughter adventure story was sweet, and made me realize my kids are capable of more than I give them credit for.

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Reading cookbooks

I love to curl up and read a good cookbook. Some people think this is weird, but a good cookbook can read like a memoir. Here are some of my favorites.

You can click on any of the images above to see a description on amazon.com.

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A Bookish Hike: Mt. Greylock

Tributes to famous authors dot the summit

If you’re a bookish hiker and are looking for a fall foliage pilgrimage you can’t do much better than Mt. Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts.

Mt. Greylock has been an inspiration for many writers over the years. Nathaniel Hawthorne mentioned it in his short story Ethan Brand. Herman Melville was said to have decided to write about whales when he saw the snow covered slope of the mountain out his window. And more recently, J.K. Rowling set Ilvermorny, the North American school of witchcraft and wizardry in the there.

There’s an auto road to the top, but driving means you’d miss out on hiking a beautiful stretch of the Appalachian Trail. There is of course the foliage that New England is known for, but you also get to hike through the only taiga-boreal forest in the state. In English this means there are many beautiful pine and spruce trees.

The War Memorial on top of Mt. Greylock

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September Show Us Your Books

Our chief homework supervisor

We’re back to school now, and I can already feel my reading life shifting. Luckily I had a great reading month in August to sustain me through all of the notices to be read and forms to be filled out ahead.

Here are my top nine from last month:

Best In Show (It’s a Tie)

A Better Man by Louise Penny - I love this series so much that I left my house after my bed time to be around other people. If you know me, you know this is a huge deal. See my book launch report here.

After the Flood by Kassandra Montag - This reminded me of a more feminine version of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. (I mean that in a good way; I didn’t really like The Road.) It starts slow, but then sucks you in. Not everyone liked the ending, but I did, a lot. I got an ARC from William Morrow, and my full review is here.

Sweet Romances Perfect for Hot Days

The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali - This is the story of two Iranian kids who fall in love, but it’s also more than that. It’s about the revolution, living with mental illness, and what it’s like to move to a new country. It’s great as an audiobook.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer - I’m a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, and this was no exception. I just didn’t know it was part of a series, and was frustrated when a whole new set of problems started right at the end.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys - A story about the daughter of a prostitute in 1950’s New Orleans. Hi-jinks ensue. An entertaining and easy read.

Non-Fiction For Fiction Lovers

Furious Hours by Casey Cep - This was about a series of suspicious deaths in Alabama told from the points of view of the suspect, a lawyer, and Harper Lee. I found it fascinating, and wanted to know more about each part, but could see why the author couldn’t give it to me. In a weird way the inability to tell the full story made me appreciate the Harper Lee section more. You’d have to read it to understand, and I suggest you do.

Dead Presidents by Brady Carlson - I visit a lot of presidential historic sites, so this book about traveling to presidential graves was right up my alley.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - I almost never recommend the abridged version of anything, but for this and A Walk In the Woods those are the only versions the author reads himself, and it adds so much.

I Finally Finished This Damn Book

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - This is a good book, a classic. It’s themes are still relevant today, and I’m glad I took time for a post high school re-read. But man, is it slow in parts.

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Out Past My Bedtime: Louise Penny's A Better Man

Last week I made it out for a rare night on my own to see Louise Penny talk about her new book A Better Man. She was so kind, and so funny. If you ever get a chance to see her speak you should do it.

A few notes I wrote into my phone while trying to take it all in:

• She didn’t write her first book until she was in her mid 40’s

• She might be the only one who can get away with writing hopeful murder mysteries

• Some of Ruth’s poetry is actually Margaret Atwood’s

• Forgiveness is possible and goodness exists

• It’s never a good idea to catch a falling knife

I read the book itself in two days. She’s done it again. I’m not sure how, but Penny keeps up the momentum with these books, and I already can’t wait for the next one.

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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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REVIEW: After The Flood by Kassandra Montag

After The Flood by Kassandra Montag

After the Flood by Kassandra Montag was one of those books that started slow, and then before I knew it I couldn’t put it down.

This is a powerful novel about a woman named Myra, and her daughter Pearl, and their struggle to survive in a world that has been ravaged by floods. When Myra hears that her other daughter, who was kidnapped by her husband before the floods, may still be alive far away in Greenland she makes the decision to risk Pearl’s life and her own to find her.

In a flooded world nothing is easy or straightforward, and Myra must cast her lot with a bigger group in order to make it. The twists and turns of the events that take place will take your breath away and keep you on the edge of your seat.

An advanced copy of this book was provided by William Morrow Books. It comes out on September 3rd in the United States.

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The Baby-sitters Club Is Available On Audible Today!

Audible.com is dropping audio versions of all 131 original Baby-sitter’s Club books today! I’m still hoping they’ll record Super Special #4 which was my very favorite childhood read, but that doesn’t mean I won’t indulge in a little Boy Crazy Stacey sometime soon. Dibble!

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REVIEW: Hope Farm by Peggy Frew

Silver is 13 when her mother disappoints her for the last time. The plan had been for the two of them to go abroad and see the world. Instead her mother is taken in by Miller, and the three of them relocate to Hope Farm, a failing commune. At Hope Farm Silver sees things no 13 year old should, but also finds a friend, and finally starts to feel for the first time she has a home.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat, hoping that Silver would be okay. Although this book has very little actual violence the threat and fear is always there, and this story spoke to the mother and daughter in me. This is a powerful coming of age story, and I recommend it.

This book was provided in exchange for an honest review by Library Thing Early Readers. It comes out in the U.S. on August 20th.

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Goal!

My Reading goal was 100 books this year, and some how I hit it a bit early. I’m really happy to be reading so much after my epic 2018 slump.

I think what’s working for me this year is reading a nice mix of what I feel like, and what I need to to meet reviewing and book club obligations. I have my mood reads for when I want to veg on my lounge chair, and my have to reads to keep me going when I might otherwise pick up my phone to play a game.

Writing Prompt: All Things Visible and Invisible

Every time I hear the phrase “all things visible and invisible” in church I think about what a great book subject that would wake. In every given situation there’s so much we can see,and so much more we can’t see. On the bus there’s people riding the bus, and then there’s all the microscopic creepy crawlies left behind from the riders. Look at the ocean and you see the waves. Underneath there are all sorts of creatures ready to eat you. In a meeting there’s an agenda, and then there’s all the hidden agendas.

This is the non-fiction book I would love to read, but no one has written yet. If you write it please send me an ARC!