On My Nightstand October 2, 2022

October is here! I am so excited. I pulled all of my decorations and flannel PJs out of the attic last night. I had planned on reading for a good chunk of the time yesterday, but then I fell asleep. Now that I’m caught up on rest I’ll try again today!

A few of the challenges I’m participating in the month are:

• #Scarathlon on Litsy

• Fraterfest 2022

• Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon

Who ever said reading wasn’t a team sport??

I also have my very own October Bucket List that I’m trying to complete.

Happy reading this week! Here’s what’s on my nightstand:

All the Queen's Men by SJ Bennett - I loved the first book in this series about Queen Elizabeth solving mysteries, and turned to the second after watching so much news coverage of her amazing life last month. You really can believe that she solved mysteries in her spare time.

Cooking The Books by Chelsea Thomas - I’ve read a few from this series featuring murders at an upstate New York apple orchard. They’re good for fun, easy reads.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - The latest chapter a day read with the Pemberlittens on Litsy. This is one of my favorite Austen books, and I’m really looking forward to it.

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

My October Bucket List

The #Scarathlon2022 challenge on Litsy had us create an October Bucket List. I loved the idea and went a step further to create an October Reading Bucket List!

2022 October Reading Bucket List

• Read by the fire pit

• Read while drinking a pumpkin spice latte in a bakery or cafe

• Read while eating pie

• Listen to an audiobook while raking

• Read on the front porch while drinking something warm

• Read a graphic novel

• Read a mystery all in one day

• Listen to an audiobook while on a left peeping walk

• Read while wearing a sweater

• Read while eating candy

• Listen to an audiobook while doing a craft

• Read while drinking a seasonal cocktail

• Read while wearing fuzzy socks

I can hardly wait for this weekend and all things October!

On My Nightstand September 25

Friday is the last day in September, so Daisy and I pulled out the rest of the books on my September stack. I don’t think I can really read three books in six days, but you never know. Maybe I’ll miss my train some day and have an hour to kill at the station. It can happen!

I am so excited for October reading. I am basically signed up to join every readathon, event, and challenge I have seen over the last few weeks. From now until January is basically reading Olympics to me. I have an October reading bucket list that I’ll post later this week.

Deacon King Kong by James McBride - I’ve had this on my shelf forever, and everyone loves it. Why has it taken me so long?

Wanderers by Kerri Andrews - Another one I’ve left on my shelf for way too long, although if I run out of time this week I might punt this one to Non-Fiction November. Yes, I have issues

The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani - It’s been a while since I’ve read one of her books. I usually find these hot or cold, so we’ll see.

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

On My Nightstand September 18

This week major work started on our local public transportation leading to a lot of time spent commuting. Not fun, but I have been much more focused on my reading!

If you’re looking for some short reviews of what I read last month here you go! I post the highlights on the 15th of every month.

I’m getting a flu shot this weekend which always knocks me for a loop. (I know they say this isn’t true, but it happens to me every year.) So, I’m planning on some lighter reads.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Still reading this one a chapter a day! I hope to be done by November 1.

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny - I’ve been re-reading these in anticipation of the new one coming out at the end of November.

Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy - I got this from a Little Free Library a few months ago, and it’s time to read it so I can release it back into the wild.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center - Looking forward to settling down with this one. I usually like her books.

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

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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On My Nighstand September 11

Thanks everyone for your commiseration on my dependence on reading glasses last week! Honestly at the beginning of the year my reading pace was down and I thought it was just that I had no attention span. Took me an embarrassingly long time to realize it’s hard to concentrate when you can’t see the words.

I don’t like to preach, but on this day I always like to remind myself to hold your love ones tight. Life can change in the blink of an eye.

Wishing you all a great week!

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - We started reading this a chapter a day on Sep. 1 and I forgot how dark the beginning is.

The Bright Continent by Dayo Olopade - Getting close to finishing this one. Parts are dry, but I’m so glad I read it.

The Final Case by David Guterson - I really loved Snow Falling on Cedars, and am looking forward to this one as well.

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

On My Nighstand September 4

I continue to become more and more dependent on my reading glasses. It’s just one more thing they tell you that you will have to deal with in your 40’s that you don’t believe until it happens to you.

I have a light reading week coming up. We have Labor Day travel, and kid’s sports are going to start again. I’m going to keep my expectations low!

The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World by Tom Roston - This is for my work bookclub.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - I’m joining a group on Litsy in reading this a chapter a day.

The Bright Continent by Dayo Olopade - For #ReadingAfrica2022 I’m really looking forward to this!

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

September Reading Plans

I just did a big clean out of my bookshelves and realized just how bad my unread books problem has gotten. So, my September reading plans include really trying to read some books I already own instead of getting more from the library. That said I really want to read the Three Pines series again, in order, before the next one comes out in November. I’m also running out of time on my 2022 challenges, and gearing up for Scarathalon reading next month.

So many books, so little time!

On My Nighstand August 28

Back to school means reading in the pick up line.

Hiroshima by John Hersey - We’re reading from Japan this month for #FoodandLit on Litsy and a friend recommended this one.

Lightfoot by Nicholas Jennings - Still slowly working my way through this one. It’s so fun matching music with a book.

Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway - I love reading about Hemingway but have had mixed results when reading his actual books. I’ll give this one a try.

Show Me A Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte - This was recommended to me after I asked for recommendations for books like True Biz.

I also have a stack of gardening books and cookbooks from the library. I hope to spend some quiet time flipping through them this weekend.

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

REVIEW: Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgeman

Word of Honor by Hallee Bridgeman- great for a lazy morning’s read

I have been reading a lot of non-fiction lately, but over my birthday weekend I needed something lighter to read out in the back yard. I was thrilled when publisher Revell sent me a copy of this romance/suspense novel through LibraryThing Early Reviewers just in time. Government agents/exes with a past fight ecoterrorism in the Middle East? Happy birthday to me!

This romance about federal agents chasing a group of ecoterrorists was a great escape after a busy week. I enjoyed the story, and the romance was just enough to add interest without taking over. Parts were a little unbelievable, like being dropped in the Middle East without training and just fitting in. But I really didn’t read this story because I wanted believable. I wanted suspense and romance, and I got that.

Here’s the official blurb from the editor:

FBI Special Agent Lynda Culter is investigating an ecoterrorist organization in the Alaskan wilderness when her partner is taken captive and murdered before her very eyes. The only person who can identify the key players, Lynda gets assigned to take part in a joint operation in Istanbul to take the organization down.As a woman in a Muslim country, she'll find it much easier to move around undetected with a fake husband. Unfortunately for her, the man assigned to play the role is none other than US Army weapons specialist Bill Sanders--the man who crushed her heart into a million pieces back in college.With a cargo bay's worth of hurt and baggage between them, these two consummate professionals must play their parts perfectly if they hope to stop those responsible for bombing oil pipelines, killing innocent civilians, and threatening to destabilize the oil markets. But love long buried has a way of resurfacing at the most inopportune times--and protecting Lynda has become Bill's primary focus.

Give this one a try if you’re looking for something fun!

On My Nightstand August 21

The view from my reading chair last weekend.

Now that the kids are going back to school I’m looking forward to getting back into a routine. I also want to get back to posting here. I love having this record of my reading life! (This isn’t a complaint about my kids. They’re great. It’s just we travel a lot when they’re out of school, and when we’re not traveling any sort of routine I would develop is blown out of the water by needing to drive them places. So any hour not spent with logistics is spent working.)

Last weekend was wonderful- I spent a good part of it in my reading chair on the back patio catching up with my books. I’m hoping to carry on that momentum this weekend!

Here’s what’s on my nightstand:

Lightfoot by Nicholas Jennings - I picked this up when I was in New Hampshire and have been reading it slowly because I need to keep stopping to listen to the music referenced. I’m really enjoying this one.

A Fish Caught in Time: The Search for the Coelacanth by Samantha Weinberg - I picked this up as part of the #ReadingAfrica challenge. It looks super nerdy and I’m looking forward to it.

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield - This is part of a buddy read on Litsy. It’s a bit odd and I’m still waiting for something to happen.

All The President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward - This is my current audiobook. I started this to get all the dirt on Nixon, but I’m staying for the fascinating working relationship between Woodward and Bernstein.

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

Show Us Your Books August 2022

It used to be that I would read a lot more when I was traveling, but now I read a lot less. My kids are older, and we’re out a lot later. I’m loving spending time with them as tweens and teens, but my reading definitely takes a hit on travel heavy months.Still, what I did read last month was really, really good. So, I traveled a lot, my kids are still talking to me, and I spent some time with good quality books. So what if my counts aren’t as high this year?

5 Stars

American Made by Farah Stockman - This was an incredible book. The author followed three people from a closed factory in Indiana made famous when President Trump tweeted about it. The book which covered the former president‘s administration really looked at the issues faced by factory workers in a way you won‘t see on the news no matter what channel you watch. Highly recommend.

Four Stars

Black Water Lilies by Michel Bussi - I could not stop reading this mystery set in France until I found out what happened and then my mind exploded.

Empire Falls by Richard Russo - This was a good, slow read to get lost in. The ending was devastating.

The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper - This was an excellent book about growing up in Liberia, and later leaving as a refugee in the 1980‘s. I highly recommend the audiobook read by the author.

When A Crocodile Eats The Sun by Peter Godwin - This was a very emotional memoir written by a journalist in the US who was also trying to care for his aging parents in Zimbabwe. It was a story that was both un-relatable and completely relatable all at the same time.

The Burning Blue by Kevin Cook - A comprehensive but sad book about the Challenger disaster. You just want to yell into the book and tell them not to get on that shuttle.

The Great Stewardess Rebellion by Nell McShane Wulfhart - A well researched book about the fight for flight attendants to be seen as professionals and not just a pretty face. With everything going on in the US right now it was a good reminder of how women used to be treated and how hard they had to fight.

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COOKBOOK REVIEW: Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

So glad my library has a good collection of cookbooks!

In July we did France for #FoodAndLit on Litsy. I didn’t even have to think about it- I was finally going to cook from Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Despite being a devoted fan of the Julia and Julie project back in the 00’s I’ve never cracked the spine of the book that inspired that brief national obsession.

Tomatoes from a stranger’s garden

I expected this to be hard to cook from, but it was actually really approachable. I marked several recipes that I had stuff on hand to try, but ended up going with Sauce Tomate because of the big bag of beautiful tomatoes someone gave us. I’ve never before put bacon in my tomato sauce, but it sounded amazing.

It was! I cooked the sauce down all day and then froze it with some beef strips. I reheated the whole thing yesterday in my crockpot. This will be a repeater!

For the Lit part of this #FoodAndLit challenge I ended up with two books. I re-read All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (holds up), and and in the middle of Black Water Lilies by Michel Bussi (gripping so far.)

Next month we’re on to Japan!

Show Us Your Books July 2022

Even though Steph and Jana have decided not to continue with the Show Us Your Books tradition (understandably, it’s a big job and they’ve been doing it a while,) I have decided to keep going. Don’t judge me. That’s a long sentence, and I have just sprinkled punctuation throughout. There’s a reason I’m a reader and not a writer!

June was a fairly good reading month despite the general chaotic nature of June when you have kids in school. I didn’t read anything completely mind blowing, but read several books I enjoyed a lot while sitting in my yard. That, to me, is what summer reading should be.

Five Stars

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian - I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller. It‘s been a while since I‘ve started a book and had trouble putting it down. This one is perfect for summer.

Wandering In Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins - This book was fascinating. It‘s part history and part genealogy, written by a woman from New Jersey with a family that moved there during the Great Migration. I thought I was pretty well educated about that chapter of American history but I learned so much. I read this for a book club and it was a great discussion.

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner - This was my third of fourth time reading this one. I just love it so much, and I get something new from it each time. I think it’s one of the best descriptions of long term adult friendship that I’ve ever read.

Four Stars

Last Summer At The Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland - A fun and nostalgic summer read.

The Purpose of Power by Alicia Garza - This was another book club read for a different book club. I came for the history of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and stayed for the organization and management tips. These was so much in this book.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry - A great book for sitting outside and reading on a beautiful summer day. I thought this was her best yet.

The Great Gatsby Graphic Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Fred Fordham - I appreciated this graphic adaptation of one of my favorite novels. Reading this on the longest day of the year might become a tradition for me. Next year I‘ll have to get some champagne.

Three Stars

Mrs. March by Virginia Feito - Once I realized this was not the modern retelling of Little Women I thought it was I settled in and enjoyed the messed up tale told by the unreliable narrator, Mrs March. The weirdest thing was how she referred to herself as Mrs March even in childhood flashbacks.

True Biz by Sara Novic - This was yet another book club read. (Covid is terrible, but I’ve joined some really good online book clubs!) I enjoyed this novel about life at a boarding school for deaf kids right up until the off putting ending.

Bleaker House by Nell Stevens - This was a pleasant enough memoir about a writing student on a fellowship to write a novel in the Falklands. I could have done without the chapters of her failed novel, but I liked learning about what it was like to write when you‘re truly alone.

This post is linked to Quick Lit.

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My Reading Year (So Far)

Strangely enough, by the end of June I had read exactly 100 books. That’s 16 fewer than this time last year, but I love the even stopping point. Now that we’re halfway through I like to look at my goals and see what I would have to do to meet them all. (Note: I never meet all of my goals. All the fun is in setting them.)

Goal: Read one book that begins with each letter of the alphabet.
I’ve done pretty well with this. The only letters I have left are the hardest ones: ‘J’, ‘U’, ‘V’, ‘X’, ‘Y’, ‘Z’. I should finish this one so long as I have the fortitude to force myself to read one of the few books that begins with ‘X’.

Goal: Read one book from each state.
I’ve read from 23 of 50 states. I’m almost halfway on this one! I met this goal last year and I’d like to do it again. That said I’ve done it once before, so if it comes down to a choice between meeting two goals I’ll prioritize the other one.

Goal: Read a book from each country in Africa.
I’m at 12/52 countries. I really need to step it up here! This has been a really interesting challenge, so I’m hoping to finish this one. It’s going to be tough though!

I was going to do a post on my favorite books so far this year, but I don’t really have one yet. I’m hoping for something that blows my mind in 2H22!

Back To The Library: The Essential New York Times Cookbook

I’ve had so much fun taking a deep dive into this book, but alas it’s due back at the library this week. I never even got to desserts! That’s a sure sign I should buy my own copy at some point.

All in all I made 14 recipes from this book. None, except for the mint julep, were terrible, but there are three that I really can’t wait to make again:

1. Yette’s Garden Platter

2. Boston Baked Beans

3. Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken

Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken

My love of recipes from the New York Times remains strong!

Next month I’m Mastering The Art of French Cooking!

Show Us Your Books June 2022

The Book Barn in Niantic, CT

May was a cold month here so I decided to start my summer reading early. I have a whole list of books I want to read, but for me summer reading really means just reading what makes me feel good - usually mysteries, thrillers, and sweeping family dramas set in hot climates. Summer reading is all about ignoring my reading goals and having fun.

Here are my favorites from the month of May!

Five Stars:

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.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel - I‘m not even sure what to say about this other than it was amazing and the less you know about it going in the better off you‘ll probably be.

Four Stars:

(Just realized these are all non-fiction- not normal for me!)

Broken (In The Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson - This book made me laugh and cry and gave me a lot to think about.

Walking The Nile by Lev Wood - I enjoyed this travelogue about walking through Africa along the Nile. I truly knew very little about the path of the Nile, and since I had two small children in 2013-2014 when he walked I also appreciated the refresher on what was happening in Africa during those years.

No Good Men Among The Living by Anand Gopal - A non-fiction account of the everyday lives of three people living in Afghanistan after 9/11. This book changed what I thought I knew. It was a hard read, but a really good one.

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Legumes, Legumes, The Magical Fruit: The Essential New York Times Cookbook

The New York Times Essential Cookbook Five Bean Salad

We’re a bean eating family. Even the meat eaters expect some kind of bean and cornbread meal once a week. It’s just what we like. And then come to find out that Amanda Hesser has a whole chapter on Potatoes, Corn, and Legumes? Be still my carb loving heart.

We tried three recipes from this chapter. Italian Roasted Potatoes were a good, basic potato dish. My son put them together for us one night when we were having sausages and peppers. He didn’t complain so they were probably pretty easy to make. We ate the five bean salad with sandwiches. I think I liked it more than anyone else. I made it with the garlic scapes that my friend rejected from her crop share instead of the scallions the recipe called for. Last but not least was the Boston Baked Beans which we all loved! I made it half with meat and half veggie. There was not a complaint that night. These beans were so good, flavorful without being syrupy. These will be on repeat for the rest of the summer. We ate them with hot dogs and corn bread - a cheap meal if you’re feeling pain at the grocery store like I am!

Note: This recipe is part of a long look at Amanda Hesser’s 2010 The Essential New York Times Cookbook. See all posts here. Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Eat Your Vegetables! The Essential New York Times Cookbook

Yette’s Garden Platter from The Essential New York Times Cookbook

Amanda Hesser said that the first half of the 20th century was a black hole for vegetables in the New York Times food section. I can see that she struggled because there wasn’t a lot in this chapter. HOWEVER! I “discovered” Yette’s Garden Platter, a casserole of various vegetables on a potato base, and I will definitely be cooking this ALL SUMMER LONG. It was so simple and good. This is definitly one worth looking up. I cooked most with sausage to make it a main meal, and cooked about 1/3 as written for my vegetarian. Next time I’ll add chickpeas for her to give it some protein. There was not a single speck of food left in either dish after dinner that night.

NOTE: I used cherry tomatoes instead of the whole peeled tomatoes. You know I look for shortcuts wherever I can. I am not peeling tomatoes.

I also made the tomatoes vinaigrette from 1963, and they were nothing special. Just tomatoes in dressing. I did appreciate that the recipe used some of my capers though. I have a lot of capers for some reason.

Note: This recipe is part of a long look at Amanda Hesser’s 2010 The Essential New York Times Cookbook. See all posts here. Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

My Summer Reading List: e-Books

I usually only read on my Kindle when I’m traveling, but since I’m traveling so much this summer it’s good timing to read a chunk of the free e-books and library books I have clogging my e-reader.

If I was able to get a free or inexpensive version I bolded my tips in the notes below.

Here’s what I have going on:

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews - This was a Litsy award winner last year, so of course I bought it for $1.99 on Kindle and promptly forgot about it.

The Bennet Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi - I am all about this P&P retelling set in the dorm of a boarding school. This is free for Prime Members on Kindle.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - I’ve read this before, but now that I know what happens at the end I want to read it again.

The Tanglewood Tea Shop by Lilac Mills - This seems like a Hallmark-like small town romance perfect for summer. This was free on Kindle.

Last Summer Boys by Bill Rivers - The cover of this coming of age story reminded me of The Body, one of life’s most perfect summer reads. Free with Kindle Unlimited.

Where The Desert Meets The Sea by Werner Sonne - A book about post WWII Palestine is heavier than what I usually go for in the summer, but I was drawn in by this cover. This is free for Prime members on Kindle.

The Last Summer At The Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland - I am currently racing to finish the e-book copy of this I checked out from the library. It is so good and very reminiscent of Dirty Dancing.

Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds by Paul Farmer - This is another book I checked out from the library when I was in the midst of my Ebola obsession. I’ve been reading it a few pages at a time because it is very heavy.

Wandering in Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins - I picked this up for my book club a few weeks ago when it was on sale. I’m really looking forward to this travelogue/ social commentary book about the American South.

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