I am seeing signs of fall everywhere! I’m not usually one to celebrate the end of summer, but the heat this year has been so miserable I say bring on the pumpkin spice. I’ll be the one dressed like a Gilmore Girl taking walks in my neighborhood listening to audiobooks.
This week I’m listening to Sunburn by Laura Lippman. Her books are great on audio.
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Now that it’s “only” in the 90’s I’ve been trying to branch out more. This week I visited a nearby park that is known for its boardwalks. It’s so dry, but I still saw a lot of critters.
I’ve been listening to the second to last Cat In The Stacks Book - Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James. What will I do for a palate cleanser when this series is over?
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My October was filled with cozy mysteries and thrillers, as is bookworm law. I had a lot of fun, but am enjoying the feeling of my brain coming back to life as I re-introduce deeper books this month. I don’t even know where I am with my reading challenges, but at this point I kind of want to just read what’s overflowing on my shelves and start again with the challenges in 2024. I saw a meme the other day that said something like “It’s officially let’s reconnect after the holidays season!” and that’s how I feel about reading challenges at this point.
Here’s the best of the best from what I read in October.
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy -- If you would have told 10th grade me that I would be willingly getting up pre-dawn on a weekend to finish Tess of the D‘Urbervilles I would not have believed you. This book touched me in ways teenage me would never have imagined. This book is wasted on High Schoolers. It hit way differently in my 40’s.
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James -- Once I figured out the characters and the timelines I was really invested in the story of this boarding school for unwanted girls set in the 1950’s and the reporter who wants to learn more in 2014.
Malorie by Josh Malerman -- Bird Box scared the heck out of me so I had been saving this one for a good Halloween scare. I wasn’t expecting to relate so much to the story of a mom just trying to keep her teens alive when they think they are so much smarter and fight you on every damn thing 🤣 The whole blindfold wearing issue was interesting too after the last few years of mask wearing. So, not the scare I was looking for, but a relatable tale of motherhood.
Going Zero by Anthony McCarten -- A fast paced techno thriller. Bigger than life Elon Musk type Cy challenges ten people to evade his surveillance technology for thirty days. If they do they get 3 million dollars. This book moved, and was hard to put down once I started.
A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale -- I enjoyed this novel about Harry- a man who had to flee to Canada in the years before WWI just because of who he was. The author’s note at the end revealed Harry was actually a distant relative of his, and he got the idea for this novel after reading a family member’s memoirs.
Hotel California edited by Don Bruns -- I enjoyed making my way through this mystery anthology last month. My favorite was the last story, and the inspiration for the title. In Hotel California the famous song is told through the eyes of a social media influencer. And it was as creepy as it sounds.
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This is linked to Quick Lit on Modern Mrs. Darcy.
September was a good reading month for me. I enjoyed some end of summer reads, some middle grade, and, of course, Holly. It’s kind of funny now to think how hot it was when I read some of these books. So glad sweater weather is here. (You can tell it’s getting cooler because my two cats will actually spend a few hours sitting next to each other not fighting.)
Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling -- I‘m probably not the intended audience for these books, but I really like them. I love the characters and love cheering them on as they navigate teenage life.
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal -- I loved this book. It was so sad, but also so insightful. 5 stars. Perfect end of summer reading.
Holly by Stephen King -- Holly is such a great character, and I will read anything King writes about her. Great creepy story.
I do understand why some people complained about the politics. It didn‘t seem natural to me that people would bring it into conversation as soon as Holly met them.
Salt Houses by Hala Alyan -- Multi-generational books are my sweet spot. This book about a family over time and what home means was no exception.
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk -- Listened to this MG coming of age story with my daughter and we loved it.
The Butterfly Effect by Rachel Mans McKenny -- I enjoyed this book about cranky mc Greta and her dumpster fire of a year. Grumpy ladies have feelings too. Thanks for the representation.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray -- This book was delightful. Gray brought so many characters together from Jane Austen‘s books for a murder mystery in a way that seemed authentic and humorous at the same time.
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This is linked to Quick Lit on Modern Mrs. Darcy.
This week passed in such a blur I couldn’t tell you what I’ve done. I just know all my food and gas are gone. I’m sure my kids had something to do with that.
Have a great week!
“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.”
Holly by Stephen King -- I’ve been reading this all week and loving it, but am still only about 65% in. I hope I can finish this weekend. I NEED to know what happens!
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor -- I’m reading this for #AuthorAMonth on Litsy. I always look forward to trying a new to me author.
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley -- This is part two of a MG WWII series. I loved the first one.
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Good morning! We had thunderstorms yesterday and overnight. Finally we got some rain! I’m really looking forward to getting some fall veggies into my garden over the next couple of days. Soccer games start this week as well, so its busy, but fun busy.
Have a great week!
“How unfortunate for public morals that being unladylike feels so...exciting.”
Holly by Stephen King -- I have been waiting for this for a long time, and now that it’s here I am loving it! I’m about 30% in.
Deadly Quiet City by Murong Xuecun -- I just started this book, but so far it’s fascinating. It’s a first hand look at early 2020 in Wuhan, China.
Bette and Joan by Shaun Considine -- This audiobook about the feud between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis is so fun. I loved this a few years ago when it first came out, so it was time for a re-listen.
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“At funerals, people lie about the past. At weddings, they lie about the future.”
Every Summer After by Carly Fortune -- I just barely started this one last week and then got distracted. I have high hopes for this week.
The Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien -- This series is so fun.
Saturday Night At The Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal -- We once stumbled upon a supper club in Wisconsin where we ate and then watched a water skiing show as the sun set. I’m hoping this book brings back those vibes.
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It’s still as hot an humid as ever here, but there have been signs of fall on my walks. Bring on the sweater weather. I’m over this summer that seems to want to kill us all.
When walking I’ve been listening to A Bad Day For Sunshine by Darynda Jones. I love starting a new series!
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I read 19 books in June. Four of them were re-reads, which is always fun. A lot of people don’t like to re-read, but to me it’s like visiting old friends. Besides that reading is just better when I’m sitting on the porch with a glass of wine and baseball on the radio.
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu - In 1938 Meilin and Renshu had to flee their home in China. For years they searched for some place to grow roots and finally found it in Taiwan. Eventually they each found stability- Meilin in Taiwan and Renshu in the states. Neither really ever felt safe though until they learned to confront the past. This book was heartbreaking, but in the very best way. You all should read it.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - This audiobook was 31 hours long, and I wish it could have gone for another 31 hours. I loved it so much. It all came together beautifully and I loved the characters. Five stars.
Foster by Claire Keegan - This was a great short story, but I wish I knew more about the families (family?) involved.
The Not-Quite States of America - I read this for a book club, and I wasn’t sure what to expect due to mixed reviews. I ended up enjoying it though I thought some parts were needlessly padded with background information. It seems that this one is better to read than listen from the reviews.
Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid - Yet another book I would have never heard about if not for Litsy challenges! This short book has a lot to say about growing up, the expectations we put on kids, and mother/daughter relationships.
Untangled by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. - This book was excellent. Highly recommend for anyone with a daughter 12 or older.
Our Stories Carried Us Here (Anthology) - A powerful and moving graphic novel anthology about the refugee experience. I‘m going to pass this on to the library at our school’s international academy.
Exiles by Jane Harper - I thought I had figured out the mystery halfway through and I was annoyed that Falk was taking so long to catch up. Then it turned out it was someone I hadn’t suspected at all and I loved the ending.
The Last Word by Taylor Adams - I loved the premise of this book- deranged author goes after lone woman who gave him a one star review on Goodreads. However it seemed to take forever for anything to happen. It was entertaining enough to listen over a busy weekend full of chores though so I’m giving it 3 stars.
Feet in the Clouds by Richard Askwith - Part memoir part history of Fell-Running- aka running up and down mountains in Britain usually in terrible weather. I enjoyed the parts about the author’s pursuits, but wasn‘t as engaged in the historical parts.
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This is linked to Quick Lit on Modern Mrs. Darcy.
It’s officially summer reading season! Here’s to hours spent reading in the sun! I can’t wait. Here’s my summer reading list if anyone is interested. Yes, I know I have high expectations for myself this summer!
Have a great week everyone.
“
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
A Flicker In The Dark by Stacy Willingham - I’m one chapter in on this thriller and I think I figured out who did it. I can’t wait to keep reading to see if I’m right.
The Coal Tattoo by Silas House - I “discovered” Silas House this year, and I am so happy I have his whole backlist to go through.
Thunderstruck by Eric Larson - Having trouble getting into this one. Has anyone read it?
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The weather has been beautiful this week, and I’ve been doing so much reading on my porch. One day I lost my kindle, and it took me about an hour to find it. It was under a cat. Peak cat lady.
Have a great week everyone!
“What was the use of building a legacy if the ones who deserved the fruit never lived long enough for the harvest?”
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert I didn’t get to start this until the end of last week, so I’m still working on it. I really like it so far.
Island Queen by Vanessa Riley This is okay, but I want more. I’m about 3/4 of the way through.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samatha Shannon This might be the week when I finally finish this chunkster.
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April has been a lot of work! I’m trying to recover this weekend. I started last night with a slice of cheesecake and a book on the couch. Today I plan on laying in bed with tea for a while then some puttering in the garden after church.
Have a great week everyone.
“But you want murderous feelings? Hang around librarians,” confided Gamache. “All that silence. Gives them ideas.””
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon -- Still working on this one!
Hidden Moon by James Church -- Another holdover from last week. Hopefully I’ll finish soon.
Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill -- I’m enjoying the audio of this whymsical mystery set in Thailand.
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
We’re slowly getting back into the swing of things after our trip to North Carolina. The weather has been gorgeous (much nicer than the beach!) so my focus has been on the yard. That means the laundry isn’t quite done, and we’re still not unpacked.
In my reading life I have been trying to catch up on my ARCs and reviews, and figure out how to reach my goals this year. I’ve been on a multi-year quest to read a book set in each country in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. (I will probably add Europe in next year.) I started my Scribd account up again, but might cancel after my thirty free days. We’ll see.
March was a great reading month for me. I wrote about my favorites here.
Have a great week everyone.
“Reading is my favorite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read.”
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon -- I’m finally making progress on this one, but I need a few more weeks to finish.
Murdered Midas by Charlotte Gray -- This is my work book club’s pick for April. Scribd had it on audiobook which helped seal the deal on me starting my account again.
Hidden Moon by James Church -- I read the first one in this series a few months ago, and liked it enough to keep going.
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Happy Easter to those who celebrate, and to everyone else have a beautiful Sunday. This is my favorite holiday, and I’m hoping for a peaceful day with my kiddos. Plus a little reading of course.
Have a great week everyone.
“Easter is never deserved.”
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon -- I’ve been trying to read this for months, but its such a chunkster I keep falling asleep when reading it in bed and dropping it on my face. I’m going to try on kindle instead.
Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill -- I was looking for a mystery set in Thailand for the #FoodAndLit challenge, and couldn’t resist this title.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- We watched this mini series on PBS and wanted to give the audiobook a try during a long car trip.
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Much to Daisy’s delight I started reading Down City at around 4 this afternoon, and couldn’t put it down until I finished. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, and I think I can say my reading slump is officially over.
This week I’m going to try to finish up some reading goals I had set for March, and start packing for my vacation coming up in a few weeks. I also need to work on my garden if it ever stops raining.
Have a good week friends!
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?”
In The Quick by Kate Hope Day - I heard this described at The Martian meets Jane Eyre, which as luck would have it are two of my favorite books. How could I resist?
Death By Dumpling by Vivien Chien - I’m reading this as part of a diverse cozy buddy read. So far, so good!
Lark Ascending by Silas House -- I saw this on some list somewhere of best books of 2022, and my library hold came in Friday. I’ve only just started, and I’m looking forward to some dystopia. (Yes this is the third week I’ve has this on my list. This week I am determined because it really does sound good!)
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
Happy weekend! I had a great week. I took a day off and took myself on a field trip to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. It’s been a long time (like 20 years) since I spent a day wandering through museums by myself like that. I went specifically to see a certain bookish display, and I’ll post more about that later this week.
This week it’s back to normal working for the man and reading as much as possible!
Have a great week everyone.
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King -- I’m re-reading this series in anticipation of Stephen King’s new book Holly which is coming out in September.
Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck -- I read and loved this at the suggestion of a friend a few years ago. John Steinbeck is our Author A Month on Litsy this month, and I’m looking forward to re-reading this one.
A Corpse in the Koryo -- This is for my work book club, and it’s actually not bad! Work book club can be hit or miss.
I’ve found that while a grilled cheese won’t solve my problems for me, it makes them a bit easier to manage.
From Rivals by Katherine McGee
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My neighbor’s cat supervised me while i read outside a few days ago
Happy weekend everyone! We’re on another wild weather roller coaster. It was 80 Thursday, and we have snow in the forecast this weekend. I hope the flowers survive.
My daughter’s party was fun last weekend, and we ate so much cake. We all gave up sweets for Lent and we were all so overloaded on sugar no one misses them yet!
This weekend I’m hoping for some quality reading time in between kid’s sports which started again last week. Work has also been a lot which makes it hard to concentrate on reading at night.
Have a great week everyone.
What The Moon Saw by Laura Resau - I’m reading this for a book club. It’s not what I would pick out on my own, but that’s what books clubs are for!
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings - I’ve only listened to about the first 20 minutes of this when I was walking this morning, but wow! I am into it!
Murder With Fried Chicken and Waffles by A.L. Herbert - This cozy mystery takes place about 10 minutes from where I live otherwise I probably would have bailed. Cozies just don’t seem to be my thing any more.
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I’ve had a good start to my reading year, and even made some progress on clearing some space on my to be read shelf.
Here are the best of the best from last month.
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue - My first five star read of the year. I absolutely loved this historical fiction set in Dublin‘s Maternity/Fever ward during the worst days of the Spanish flu. It was written in 2019, but so much of it rang true given our recent experiences since then.
The Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera - This little book about Sri Lanka’s civil war packed a mighty punch. I was a little confused by the characters at first, but I went with it and this book swept me away.
Annapurna: A Woman's Place by Arlene Blum - I was stranded without books and started listening to this just because it was on my phone. To my surprise it was really good! I read a lot of mountaineering books, and this one was so interesting. It was written by a woman expedition leader and she focused on logistics and leadership in a way that others usually don’t. Highly recommend (and I‘m pretty sure I got it for free on audible.)
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng - Sad and hopeful at the same time. Celeste Ng is so good.
The Huntress by Kate Quinn - Kate Quinn is so good at these historical novels. I really enjoyed this one about post WWII war criminals. My only complaint was I thought she could have ended it a bit sooner.
Braver Than You Think by Maggie Downs - It’s always weird rating someone’s memoirs because it’s hard to unravel the person’s life decisions from the writing. The writing here is really good- it will make you want to sell all your belongings and travel the world.
A Study In Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro - This was a fun mystery featuring the descendants of Watson and Holmes solving mysteries at a Connecticut boarding school.
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This is linked to Quick Lit on Modern Mrs. Darcy.
I’ve been reading a chapter a day of Middlemarch with a group on Litsy, and this chapter title last Monday cracked me up. Yup, a cold rainy pre-dawn Monday in January can feel that way!
Oh well, bad weather makes for good reading!
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - I’m still listening to this. 10 hours left. I can do it.
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallard - This is a fun YA that I’ve been reading on the train. I’m enjoying it.
Braver Than You Think by Maggie Downs - It’s been a while since I read a good travel memoir. I’m hoping to sink into this one over the weekend.
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
I took last week off from blogging. My new year hadn’t gotten off to a good start, and I decided I needed a reboot. Now I’m back, rested and refreshed, and just a little bit organized. I’m looking forward to catching back up with you all and talking books!
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng - This has a long wait at the library, so I have to return it next week. From what I’ve read so far that won’t be a problem!
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - I’ve been listening to this on audio off and on, but it is also due back at the library soon. I need to get back at it!
End of the Lane by Sonia Parin - I needed something short and light for kindle reading on my commute. I hope this is it!
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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.
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