February TBR
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January has passed in the blink of an eye, so it’s time to plan for February. Here’s my TBR. See anything you like?
Show Us Your Books January 2021
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Goofball cats
December feels like a million years ago, but here are my favorite books from the month of December 2020.
Best of the Month
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle — I loved this book. I stayed up half the night and read it just to see what happened. I thought it would be a fluffy December romance, but it turned out to be about friendship and the cost of perfection.
Five Star Christmas Reads
Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson -- I absolutely loved this book of short stories, recipes, and essays. It’s really hard to explain, but it’s worth reading.
How The Light Gets In by Louise Penny -- My favorite book from my favorite series. It takes place around Christmas time, which adds to my annual December re-read.
Four More Worth Reading
Two Old Women by Velma Wallis -- I read about this thanks to the Show Us Your Books link up! This is the Alaskan legend of how two elder women survived after they were abandoned by their people. Old ladies for the win- you should read this one!
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo -- I feel like I’m the last person on Earth to have read this, but I’ll add to the chorus that it was really good.
Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan -- A wonderful memoir about motherhood and life in the 90’s. I read this before, but it’s totally different now that my kids are a little older.
Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon -- Based on the true story of Nancy Wake aka WWII‘s Socialite Spy. I really enjoyed this book, and was inspired by Nancy. I‘ll have to add more by Ariel Lawhon to my TBR.
Linked to: Show Us Your Books and Quick Lit
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Friday Top Five
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Happy Friday everyone. We made it through the first work week of 2021. How has your reading week been?
First Read
I’m still not sure what I feel about this. Stay tuned for Show Us Your Books in January when hopefully I’ll have figured it out.
2) Chapter A Day
My latest chapter a day read is The Italian by Ann Radcliffe. Catherine from Northanger Abbey loved this book, and while a lot of it goes over my head I love imagining Catherine reading it.
3) Speaking of Jane Austen
I saw this on Litsy and loved it. Basically we’re celebrating Jane’s sister’s birthday because she did all the stuff that allowed Jane to write. I’m in!
4) Yup
5) Cat Pics!
Have a great weekend! Happy reading!
Walking Wednesday - Welcome 2021
/Welcome 2021! Here’s to more walking and reading!
This week I listened to:
And I saw:
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Food and Lit Month 1 - January
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I’m looking forward to starting the Food and Lit challenge from Litsy this month. Basically we read books and eat food from a different country each month. This is a challenge that isn’t really much of a challenge for me!
This month we’re traveling to Brazil. I plan on reading My German Brother by Chico Buarque and I plan on cooking Feijoada and drinking Brazilian Lemonade. YUM.
If you’re on Litsy and would like to join please do. This is a fun group and a fun “challenge”.
Year End Reading Stats And Goals For 2021
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So, I don’t really care about my stats this year. I read 208 books, but for some of them I was so distracted and checking Twitter every 1.5 seconds. It’s a high number, but it doesn’t mean much. Still it is interesting to me to see what my reading year looked like so that next year I can compare.
I like to binge read certain authors
There were 8 authors that I read three or more books from this year. In 2020 these eight authors made up 18% of my reading: Stephen King (8), LM Montgomery (7), Louise Penny (7), Jane Austen (4), Frederik Backman (3), William Kent Krueger (3), Ann M Martin (3), Colson Whitehead (3)
Audiobooks Were My 2H2020 Coping Mechanism
I went crazy with the audiobooks this year, mainly in the 2nd half of the year. When I couldn’t sit still to read I could put my ear buds in and listen while I walked or puttered. In 2020 45% of my reading was via audiobook.
I Felt Like All I Did Was Re-Read, But It Wasn’t As Much As I Thought
My re-reading this year wasn’t as high as I thought it was- only 17%. I don’t take issue with re-reading like some people do, but I am glad to see that more than 80% of the books I read helped take some of the stress off my TBR.
Non-fiction Isn’t That Hard
Again, this stat surprised me. I didn’t think I would have had the patience to read much non-fiction this year, but it was actually 22% of my reading.
2020 Challenges
No I’m not talking about the challenges of a crazy year. I’m talking about the challenges I signed up for.
I read books from 20 countries and 34 states
I read and cooked from 9 different cookbooks (dropped this one when getting groceries got hard)
I read books from 11/12 #AuthorAMonth authors from Litsy. I skipped Mary Roach. One of her books almost made me vomit on metro once. This was my favorite- it was challenging and fun at the same time.
I read books that started with every single letter of the alphabet.
2021 Goals
I set my overall goal for 200 books again, but in 2021 I want to read more chunky books, be more intentional about reading from my TBR, take part in #AuthorAMonth again, and take part in various Litsy challenges like Litsy A to Z, Food and Lit, Reading Asia, and Reading Europe.
I’m looking forward to a better year in all sorts of ways for 2021!
Favorite Reads of 2020
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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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Walking Wednesday
/Just finished up The Third Birds! Any one have any walking goals for 2021? My step goal plummeted when we first went full time remote. I’d like to start building it up again.
This week I listened to:
And I saw:
Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
My Last Two Audie Award Reviews
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I finished listening to all of the nominees for the 2020 History/Biography this month. Here are short reviews of the last two I listened to:
I loved the idea of this book- Theodore Roosevelt goes to court to save his legacy- but in practice this was really bogged down by all of the court transcripts. I wish Abrams had used his words to tell the story instead.
I absolutely loved this book when I read it in print, but then I was disappointed that the audio didn’t really add anything.
So there you have it. Blame 2020, but I didn’t love any of these nominees. I have high hopes for 2021 though!
COOKBOOK REVIEW: Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking
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Still working on my 2020 cookbook project. This slow cooker book by Williams-Sonoma is gorgeous, but the recipes are involved and not really what I cook day to day. I was flipping through the other day though and found an amazing looking recipe for Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff. I decided to give it a try!
It wasn’t as exactly pretty as the picture but it was absolutely delicious as an early winter Sunday dinner. The beef was so tender, and I really liked the sauce. My kids liked it too!
None of this is anything I would make on a weeknight when I need a fast dinner, but I would probably try another recipe on a weekend when I have time to putter.
Show Us Your Books December 2020
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My TBR Shelf
November was a really weird reading month for me. It started with the election (no ability to concentrate whatsoever) and ended with a Covid exposure (complete cocooning with Thanksgiving food for ten people that of course we couldn’t see and tons of reading.) It was really about three months in one. So now it’s December, my house is a complete mess, but at least I have stopped scouring Twitter all night for election news and my reading mojo is back.
Three Great Books
Normally I just pick one favorite book per month, but I liked all three of these in such different ways I couldn’t choose.
Above Us Only Sky by Michele Young-Stone - This book was magical, mystical, and musical. I read it over Thanksgiving and the story of a girl being born with wings tracing the roots of her family with her cranky grandfather was perfect for that holiday.
She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh - Dolly is everywhere these days! This short book about Dolly as a nontraditional feminist and business woman really made me like her even more. They tried to turn her into a boob joke, but the joke is on them.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - This Jane Austen classic is really underrated. It’s funny and Catherine is a heroine you can relate to and root for. If you’re doing a classics challenge in 2021 you can’t go wrong with Northanger!
More Good Reads
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes - This historical novel about a horseback lending library in rural Kentucky had me on the edge of my seat worrying for the ladies in the book. I really liked it, but thought the ending was rushed.
American Royals by Katherine McGee - I surprised myself by how much I liked this alternate history of George Washington’s royal descendants. I didn’t even mind when my dishwasher broke on Thanksgiving and I had to spend hours hand washing because it meant more hours with this on audio. If you read it be ready to turn to part two right away! My copy just came in from Libby and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Savage Summit by Jennifer Jordan - A non-fiction book about the first five women to climb K2. You find out in the first few pages that none survived very long after summiting, and I was left with the question of how someone can be so driven they’re willing to throw their life away to climb a mountain.
That’s it for November reads, but SUYB Best of 2020 is coming on Dec. 29! It’s been such a weird year, I’m not really sure how I can do a wrap up, but I’ll give it my best!
Linked to: Show Us Your Books and Quick Lit
Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Friday Top Five
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I decided to start doing a weekly Friday Top Five to have a place to talk about all of the random bookish nonsense I get up to during the week.
It’s full on Christmastime. It’s a weird year, but there’s still books.
1) Book Ornaments
2) Goodbye Library
I made one last trip to the library before they close again. (Not complaining. I like to see an employer who actually cares about the health of their staff.)
3) Audiobook BINGO
Looking forward to this new Litsy challenge.
4) Successful Thanksgiving Reading Weekend
My to-do list completely went out the window over Thanksgiving. I read so much!
5) Cat Pics!
I had to pick everything left in the garden this week. Daisy inspected the lemongrass.
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading
Stay safe my friends!
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading
Have a great weekend!
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading
Walking Wednesday
/We have a brief return to normalcy this week before the next holiday’s craziness begins. I’m hoping for a lot of salad and walking!
This week I listened to:
And I saw:
Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Serial Reader App
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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?
2020 Gift Guide For Bookworms and a Giveaway
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I say this every year, but books really are the perfect present this year. It’s going to be a long winter in most cases, but we can make it feel a little shorter by supplying our favorite bookworms with books and goodies to help the days go by.
Books
50 Great American Places by Brent Glass - This is the perfect gift for any armchair historian who is planning their first post pandemic road trip. Written by a director emeritus of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution, this book hits all the highlights of what a trip around the US should be.
Tomorrow Will Be Better by Betty Smith - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of my very favorite books ever since I read the Christmas scene in my English text book in 9th grade. I’ve always wanted to read this book too, but have never been able to find a copy. I yelled with joy when I found out it’s being re-released. This will definitely be a gift I buy myself this year.
Devotions by Mary Oliver - This is a wonderful book of poems for afternoons spent dreaming.
11/22/63 by Stephen King - The perfect gift for a long winter’s day. This book is for anyone who loves time travel and history. If you think all Stephen King is all gore and horror think again.
Other Gifts For Bookworms
Audiobook Subscriptions - So this is technically a book, but audiobook subscriptions are a gift I give often. Libro.fm is a great choice because some of the proceeds go to local bookstores, but audible.com also works.
Tea and books also go together. My favorite is Irish breakfast from Tea Dude on Etsy.
Turning pages all day makes a bookworm’s hands dry. This lemon scented hand cream from JR Watkins is my favorite.
And of course everyone loves to take a bath with a book. There’s some recipes for homemade bath salts here.
Giveaway! [NOW CLOSED]
I’d like to give one of you a gift! Comment below to win one copy of one of my favorite reads this year All The Devils Are Here by Louise Penny.
To enter leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite read (so far) of 2020 has been. Make sure you use a valid email! I’ll be choosing one winner on 12/1. (US only please. I will contact the winner by email.)
This is part of a hop hosted by Reading Reality and Caffeinated Reviewer . Stop by for more giveaways and Black Friday fun.
Note: Some links and affiliate and referral links. Thanks for your support!
Friday Top Five
/I decided to start doing a weekly Friday Top Five to have a place to talk about all of the random bookish nonsense I get up to during the week.
It got cold this week, and I can’t wait to spend the weekend reading under a blanket.
1) Audiobooks
Twice this week I’ve had to switch from paper books to audiobooks. It’s just working better for my brain.
2) Warmer Weather
I’ve been enjoying a trip to the Caribbean with Agatha Christie.
3) December TBR
Heavy on the Christmas fluff and the poetry.
4) Hot Drinks Only
Drinking so much tea and journaling this week.
5) Cat Pics!
I had to pick everything left in the garden this week. Daisy inspected the lemongrass.
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading
Stay safe my friends!
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading
Walking Wednesday
/We’ve had all four seasons this week. I don’t love that, but at least the days seem a little different.
This week I listened to:
And I saw:
Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
[REVIEWS] 2020 Audie Awards - History and Biography
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It’s one of my things to listen to all of the nominees from the History and Biography category of the Audie Awards to see if I agree with the winner. I listened to American Moonshot earlier this year, and this week I listened to two more.
The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer - I didn’t love this one, and I think it was because of the audio format. Personally when there are dates and names I need to remember I need to see them. I’m also just tired of learning about the Revolutionary War. I much prefer to listen to books about things I didn’t learn about in school.
The Queen by Josh Levin - This was a really interesting topic. Turns out the welfare queen that Ronald Regan vilified during his presidential campaign did things that were way worse than welfare fraud. I do wish Levin had gone more into the politics of the situation because I think these types of things are still happening today, and a tie in to current events would have enhanced the story.
Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Friday Top Five (Observed on Saturday)
/I decided to start doing a weekly Friday Top Five to have a place to talk about all of the random bookish nonsense I get up to during the week.
Yes, today is Saturday, so sue me. #2020
1) It’s over
I got halfway through Kamala Harris’ book before it just got to be too much with the election and had to put it to the side. Happy to say I finished it this week!
2) Shelf Envy
I saw these shelves at a neighbor’s open house, and I’m scheming of ways to recreate them in my house- not that I should encourage myself to fill more shelves with books.
3) This Week’s TBR
A book club book, some non-fiction, some fluff, and a chapter a day of Jane Austen. Looks like a good week!
4) Taking Breaks
The struggle to remember to take breaks continues this fall, but I did it at least once this week. The November light has been perfect for mid-morning reading.
5) Cat Pics!
Stay safe my friends!
Note: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
Linked to The Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer and It’s Monday What Are You Reading
Walking Wednesday
/We had to leave town unexpectedly last week for a funeral out of town. Hence an already messed up week took on a whole new level of upsidedownedness. Thank goodness for nice weather and trails in the woods. I am so looking forward to getting back to normalcy this week.
Here’s what I’ve been listening to and seeing this week.
I listened to:
And I saw:
Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.