Show Us Your Books January 2024

Is everyone used to writing 2024 yet? It still takes me a minute. It sounds so in the future.

My December reading was heavy on the re-reads. It’s not Christmas to me without my favorite books. I did have a few new winners though:

Five Stars

Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas - Wow, what a ride. I usually avoid books about teenagers and/or 9/11, but my library had this one and it‘s on the #LitsyTOB24 list. I really enjoyed it after all. My last read of 2023- love ending on a high note!

Four Stars

Lights by Brenna Thummler - The third book in a trilogy of graphic novels. I didn’t like it as much as the other two, but I was glad to get closure on Wendell’s story.

Nora Webster by Colm Toibin - Nora is a new widow and mother of four when we meet her. Not only is she dealing with grief she must make changes to support her family. This book was a quiet look at life in Ireland around the 60’s. The audiobook was beautifully read.

March by Geraldine Brooks - Little Women told mostly through the eyes of Mr. March. A friend recommended this knowing Little Women is a favorite, not knowing that I really can’t stand Mr March. BUT this book did such a great job of explaining why he was such a pompous know it all without making him sympathetic. I loved it. Warning this book largely takes place in the south during the Civil War so it’s not a gentle book.

Happy reading everyone!

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October 2021 Show Us Your Books

September was a great reading month. I read not one but two five star books, got back into the swing of train reading, and devoured the new Louise Penny. So, so satisfying.

Five Stars

The Only Plane In The Sky by Garrett M. Graff - On Sep. 11 I was living just a few miles from the Pentagon and my husband was working at the US Capitol. In the end nothing happened to us personally, but the day was so chaotic and scary that I’ve avoided reading about it since. I decided this year I was ready for it so listened to this audiobook. It was really hard to re-live that day, but in a way really healing to hear everything laid out in chronological order.

We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker - I absolutely loved this book. Parts of it were so grim, but the characters melted my heart. READ THIS BOOK.

Four Stars

The Guide by Peter Heller - Peter Heller is a must read for me. I loved The River and I loved its follow up The Guide just as much. Poor Jack maybe he should pursue indoor hobbies.

Abigail Adams by Woody Holton - I had a hard time getting into this but ended up really loving it. Abigail Adams was so interesting- part time feminist icon part time mother in law from hell, this book showed all sides. Given the times I was fascinated by the description of John Adams‘ smallpox inoculation and his subsequent confinement. I really recommend this one.

The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny - Another good one from Louise Penny. Set in a post pandemic world someone is using lessons and statistics from the pandemic to forward evil ideas, and Canada is starting to listen.

Who Is Maud Dixon by Alexandra Andrews - This was messed up in the best possible way. Two morally corrupt women take their talents to Morocco and craziness ensues. You have to be in the right mood for something like this which I totally was over Labor Day weekend.

Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah - I liked this book. Operation Desert Storm from the Saudi perspective was not something I had read about before, and Muneer was the first Arabic man I‘ve read about who believed in restrictions against women but who wasn‘t portrayed as a villain. I wish the author had gone more into the motivations of Saeedah, and the ending was a little bumpy. Overall a good read, and I hope there will be more by this author.

Three Stars

Sovietistan: Travels in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan by Erika Fatland - This was between a pick and a so-so. I really loved the first half but towards the end she stopped talking about the logistics of traveling in Central Asia and more about the politics and I lost some interest. Overall though it was an interesting introduction to several countries I knew nearly nothing about.

The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman - I don‘t always love magical realism, but the characters in this one grew on me and I liked it more than I expected to.

This post is linked to Show Us Your Books and Quick Lit.

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