Show Us Your Books January 2025

I took a break in December so this is actually a list of 4 and 5 star reads for November and December. Although December was not a great reading month for me so this was mostly great reads from my non-fiction November reads, which was amazing. I’m happy to say January has started stronger than December.

So here they are, the best of the best from November and December 2024 (not including re-reads.)

Five Star Reads

Coming Home by Brittney Griner - This book was something. Russian prison is something I haven’t thought a lot about, but now I will never forget it. And I will always empty my bags before I travel.

Mother, Nature by Jedidiah Jenkins - I loved this memoir. Jedidiah and his mom drive from Louisiana to Oregon to retrace the route she walked in the 70’s. They have fundamentally different beliefs but their love for each other and their willingness to keep talking is inspirational and hopeful, especially at this particular moment in time.

Janesville by Amy Goldstein - This book was excellent. It was about Janesville, Wisconsin and what happened in the 5 years after the GM plant in town closed. I‘m glad I got to this one finally.

The Break by Katherena Vermette - This book was sad and covered some hard topics, but an incredibly good read. I didn’t want the story of these women to end

Four Star Reads

Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn - This was a tough read, especially now, but I wasn’t going to extend my hold after waiting for it since July. The whole book was interesting, but I preferred the parts that pertained to more modern medicine. I wish there was something about how to advocate for myself, my daughter, and my mother

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen - I loved that there was a character that had books just appear when she needed them, and the winter setting let me pretend it wasn’t 80 degrees in November.

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny - The story lines in these later books are kind of off the wall, but I still love every minute of them. This one didn‘t have as much Three Pines action as I like, but I did love revisiting some of the monks from A Beautiful Mystery. Sounds like a new one is already in the works.

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice - I’m so happy Rice wrote this follow up to Moon of the Crusted Snow. This one wasn’t as good as the first, but it was a satisfying follow up. The audiobook had the same excellent narrator as well.

The Healer by Antti Tuomainen - I enjoyed this dystopian crime novel about a man searching for his wife in Helsinki. In the days before Christmas the world is falling apart, climate change is a done deal, and the police don’t have the resources to look for a missing woman. A quick read, perfect for holiday reading when you don‘t want to think too hard.

Happy reading everyone!

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On My Nightstand November 30, 2024

We had a great Thanksgiving, and I am making the most of my five day weekend. The only problem is I have completely lost track of what day it is. It seems as if tomorrow might be December 1st, but can that really be true?

Have a great week everyone.

Barbara Jenkins. Relation: mother. If she lives to be ninety and I’m a solo man in this life, I’ll still write her name. Expecting her to scale Mount Whitney or charter a helicopter to come rescue me from a shipwreck. Something in me will always believe she’ll come find me.
— Mother, Natue by Jedidiah Jenkins

On My Nightstand This Week:

On My Kindle - Between A Flock and a Hard Place by Donna Andrews - Thought this one would be about Thanksgiving. It is not. Still I hope to finish it today.

Paper Book - Pink Slime by Fernanda Trias - This is a weird little book, but I like it. It’s my first new read from the Tournament of Books long list, so starting on a high note.

Audio Book - Janesville by Amy Goldstein - The last of my Non-Fiction November reads. This one is a heart breaker.

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

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On My Nightstand November 24, 2024

It’s already 6:30 am but it is so dark out. Why is it the time of year when I should be most productive is the darkest? Oh well, at least I get to see the sunrise every day.

I plan on listening to all the audiobooks this week while I’m cooking. It’s just the four of us this year for Thanksgiving so no pressure if I try a bunch of new recipes that don’t work out. We can just pretend it never happened.

I’ve also been on a cleaning spree, and am having fun re-connecting with my Buy Nothing group. I love when I find something random in my house that is just what someone else needs. I know some people have had Buy Nothing nightmares, but my group is great and low drama.

Have a great week everyone.

After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.
— A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde

On My Nightstand This Week:

On My Kindle - Mother, Nature by Jedidiah Jenkins - I’m almost done with this one. It’s a good read.

Paper Book - The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny - Another one almost done. I’ll be sad when it’s over. I love this series.

Audio Book - Salem’s Lot by Stephen King - I just started this, but even the author’s forward had me riveted.

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

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On My Nightstand November 16, 2024

My kid and I were running errands this morning and wow, the stores are full on Christmas. I picked up some lights for outside and they were almost gone already! I think if I would have waited for December I would have been too late. I did take a peek at Target’s buy 2 get 1 one free book sale, but didn’t see anything I wanted.

Have a great week everyone.

Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago. Consider the kitchen of a spreading old house in a country town. A great black stove is its main feature; but there is also a big round table and a fireplace with two rocking chairs placed in front of it. Just today the fireplace commenced its seasonal roar. A woman with shorn white hair is standing at the kitchen window. She is wearing tennis shoes and a shapeless gray sweater over a summery calico dress. She is small and sprightly, like a bantam hen; but, due to a long youthful illness, her shoulders are pitifully hunched. Her face is remarkable—not unlike Lincoln’s, craggy like that, and tinted by sun and wind; but it is delicate, too, finely boned, and her eyes are sherry-colored and timid. “Oh my,” she exclaims, her breath smoking the windowpane, ‘it’s fruitcake weather!’
— A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

On My Nightstand This Week:

On My Kindle - Mother, Nature by Jedidiah Jenkins - I bought this when it was on sale in August and I’m about to start it in November. Not a bad turn around for me!

Paper Book - The Break by Katherena Vermette - I had to put this down during the week because the short chapters from multiple points of view were hard to follow when I didn’t have big blocks of time to read. Now that it’s the weekend again I plan to dive in again because this one’s really good.

Audio Book - The Vanderbilts by Anderson Cooper - I switched from paper to audio for this one on the recommendation of another reader. I’m glad I did since Cooper reads it himself. It does add a lot to the story.

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

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On My Nightstand November 10, 2024

I had a couple of days off last week so I took a screen break. I did take some time to start figuring out what I want to study through my reading next year though. I identified 52 books I want to read in order to learn more about the environment, AI, social media, and politics. I’m hoping if I stick mostly to audio books one book a week is do-able. And of course there will be plenty of cozy mysteries in between because aren’t predictable endings exactly what we need right now?

Have a great week everyone.

Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.
— Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

On My Nightstand This Week:

On My Kindle - The Other March Sisters by Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko, and Liz Parker - I have this ARC from Net Galley. It’s a retelling of Little Women that’s no so Jo focused. I love Jo though so not sure how much I’ll like that.

Paper Book - The Break by Katherena Vermette - This book wasn’t what I thought it would be, but I’m liking it more now that I’ve adjusted my expectations.

Audio Book - The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny - I started reading her new book, but when the characters from this book started appearing I had to pause and go back and re-read this one.

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

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Walking Wednesday March 20, 2024

It’s peak cherry blossom week! It’s really cold and windy too though so I’m kind of being a wimp about walking. I’m still walking, but it’s under duress.

I’ve been listening to Give and Take by Adam Grant. It’s a re-read for me, but some situations have made me want to return to it.

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Show Us Your Books March 2024

I can’t believe it’s March already! (Maybe I say that every month. I don’t know.) Either way I’m grateful that I got in the habit of tracking my books on LibraryThing and Litsy so I can go back and see what I read in these months that seem to move at light speed.

February was a great month. I’m still keeping up with my challenges as you can see here- I’m reading about the environment, reading from the Tournament of Books Long List, and reading from across Oceania. All of this has led me to some great reads I wouldn’t have read otherwise, and to some stinkers which we won’t discuss here.

Five Star Reads

On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu - Wow, this book was a punch in the gut. I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about this book about refugees in Australia and Nauru.

Four Stars

The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden - I enjoyed this one- it was a lot more action packed than the first in the series. I also liked the changing relationships between the siblings and loved the horse. I’ll read the 3rd but I’m going to wait until November at least because these are definitely cold weather books.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger - The first 30 pages of this took me two days to read because it was so slow, and then I finished the last 400 or so in 24 hours. I’m glad I didn’t give up! The story of 4 orphans trying to make their way to St Louis by canoe was a good one.

Koala by Danille Clode - A natural history of the koala. I really enjoyed this. Who knew reading about the different types of eucalyptus trees could be so interesting?

The Death of Expertise by Tom Nichols - This book was as depressing as it was interesting. Notably it was written before the pandemic so today’s reader is left feeling like there’s a lot missing from the discussion. However the points made still feel spot on as someone who works for a firm where thought leadership used to be a big part of our business.

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Walking Wednesday March 13, 2024

So a week and a half ago when I said I felt like I was coming down with something and I hoped it was just allergies…it wasn’t allergies. I am so sick of being sick! I’m better now though and I’m recommitted to my walks. Pollen aside this is just a wonderful time to walk in this area. Each day there’s something new blooming.

I’ve been listening to Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall. It’s a bit dated but still interesting.

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REVIEW: Under The Naga Tail by Mae Bunseng Taing with James Taing

The book Under The Naga Tail sitting on a wooden table.

I have always heard about the Cambodian Genocide, but this book really brought it to life. The first hand account of a Chinese-Cambodian family fleeing from the Khmer Rouge showed what terrible things we do to each other as well as a person's ability to keep hope when there seemingly is no reason to.

This is a true story written from the perspective of Mae with help from his son James. Mae faces many harrowing situations at the hands of the Khmer Rouge all while being nearly starved to death. This is not an easy story to read, but it is an important one. I highly recommend this book.

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review through The Library Thing Early Reviewers Program.

Non-Fiction November Wrap Up

What is Nonfiction November? It’s a challenge to read as much nonfiction as possible in the month of November. I track my challenge results on Litsy, but I’m sure it’s done elsewhere as well.

Non-fiction November was really successful for me this year. After not really liking anything I read in October (I didn’t even bother with a reading wrap up), November showed up in a big way.

Here are my top 5 2022 Nonfiction November reads:
(In no particular order…)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot - Wow, why did I wait so long to read this book? I have so many feelings after reading this. I‘m sure there has been a lot written about this amazing book so I won‘t even try, but I am so glad this book is now in my life.

Dear Bob and Sue by Matt and Karen Smith - In this travel memoir couple Matt and Karen write about the time they quit their jobs to visit all of the National Parks. At first they upset me because they didn‘t properly appreciate Cuyahoga National Park (a favorite) but they eventually grew on me. Their travel was interesting but approachable, and I liked that they seemed to keep a budget in mind most of the time.

Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan - I loved what she had to say about grief and parenthood. This book was well worth reading.

Agatha Christie An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley - I absolutely loved this book. Lucy Worsley did an excellent job of making Agatha Christie come to life. I‘ve only read a few Christie books, and liked not loved them so don‘t let that hold you back from reading this biography!

We Had A Little Real Estate Problem by Kliph Nesteroff - This history of Native American comedians was so interesting. I meant to read this last year, and am so glad I finally got to it this year. This was heavier than you might expect a book about comedy to be, but so informative.

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On My Nightstand November 27, 2022

A stack of books - The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich, Maggie-Now by Betty Smith, Broad Band by Claire L. Evans, The Power of Showing Up by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson, The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman, The Measure by Nikki Erlick

Physical Books i pulled out to read in december

Good morning! Did we all survive Thanksgiving? We had a good day. I was feeling really overwhelmed by everything that had to get done, but it all came together. Since then I’ve had some time off, and I’ve been organizing, catching up on letters, and getting ready for December. This has been a much needed rest. Back to work tomorrow!

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

Long Life by Mary Oliver - I meant to read this last week, but was in more of a fiction mood. I do hope to finish this by the end of the month though.

The Next Everest by Jim Davidson - This just came in from the library. I started it, but am not sure I’ll finish it. Would love to know if anyone has read and enjoyed it.

Africa Is Not A Country by Dipo Faloyin - This might be the last book set in Africa I read this year, and what a way to go. This is such a great overview of the continent.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell - I started this years ago, and it’s really time I finish it. It’s a good story. I’m not sure why I keep putting it down before finishing it.

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

On My Nightstand November 20, 2022

Good morning readers! Somehow it’s November 20th. Where do these months go?

I had a good week last week, but I never got around to posting here. Maybe this week I will get my act together.

No big Thanksgiving plans here. We’re hosting a small get together, but I don’t have to cook that much for it. I’m hoping to get a bunch of reading done, and of course the kids want to go shopping on Friday.

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

Long Life by Mary Oliver - Another book I had on my Kindle that I forgot about. I love Mary Oliver and am looking forward to this.

America for Beginners by Leah Franqui - This is for a book club. It looks like a quick and easy read, perfect for a long lazy weekend.

Green Mountain Academy by Frances Greenslade - This middle grade book is from the Library Thing Early Reviewers program. I’m hoping to finish and review it this week.

We Had A Little Real Estate Problem by Kliph Nesteroff - This was on my list to read last year. I’m finally getting to it now!

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

On My Nightstand November 13, 2022

Good morning and happy weekend! How are you all today? It’s cold enough here to turn on the heat and I’m loving it.

I almost don’t want to say it, but if all goes well this will be the first “normal” week we’ve had since September. At least one of my kids has had a day off at least one day each week for some reason, and the lack of consistency in our schedules is kind of killing us. I’ve been having trouble concentrating recently, and I think this week of calm and routine will help a lot.

This week I wrote about what I think you should read in November.

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

Agatha Christie An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley - Never got to this last week. Hoping to dive in later this week!

The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjor - This was billed as a romantic comedy, but I’m finding it deeper than the billing implied.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - I have to return this to the library by the end of the week. That shouldn’t be a problem since I’m loving it!

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

Books To Read In November (Updated 2022)

Driftwood on the shore of Lake Superior

I wrote a list of books to read in November way back in 2019. It’s not a bad list, but I’m a whole new person now if you know what I mean.

Here’s my updated (post-pandemic) list of books to read in November.

Fiction

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 you can’t go wrong with Northanger!

November Road by Lou Berney - Great historical fiction set around the time of the Kennedy Assassination. I loved the characters in this one

Start Without Me by Joshua Max Feldman - One of the few books about Thanksgiving that I know of. This family drama is a good November read.

American Royals by Katherine McGee - A fun contrast to what we go through every two years or so for our elections now. I have enjoyed listening to this series on mammoth cooking sessions in November.

Non-Fiction

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway - Before this my only exposure to Hemingway was reading The Old Man and the Sea in High School and The Paris Wife which angered me so much I swore I would never read his books again. But then I saw the PBS special on his life and decided to give him a chance to redeem himself. I really liked this book, but I re-read The Paris Wife right after.

A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter - This is a memoir from a very brave woman who spent a winter in the Arctic in the 1930‘s. I was really impressed by her attitude and resourcefulness.

The Art of Gathering by Pria Parker - The perfect book to read as we think about what we want our post pandemic gatherings to look like. This was great for personal gatherings, and it was surprisingly insightful for work.

Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck - A quick read about the famous author‘s drive around America with his dog in 1960. It‘s surprising how many issues he noticed then are still around today.

Happy Reading!

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On My Nightstand November 6, 2022

The moon rising in a pink sky

November sunsets make this dark month bearable.

I decided to participate in #NonFictionNovember this month, and I’m loving what I’ve been reading so far. My October reading was kind of blah, so I’m happy to really be enjoying my books again.

I’ve also been having fun signing up for and choosing books for all sorts of challenges next year. This week I should have some time to write about them here. I miss writing more about books!

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan - I’ve always really enjoyed Corrigan’s books, and am looking forward to starting this one. This was on my list last week too, so I’m really hoping this is the week and I don’t have to return this to the library before I get to it.

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai - I heard about this on the What Should I Read Next podcast and immediately downloaded it. I’m really enjoying it so far, and it doesn’t hurt that it fits a prompt for one of my 2022 reading challenges.

Agatha Christie An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley - I think Agatha’s books are just so so, but I am completely fascinated by her life. I can’t wait to dive into this biography.

The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjor - The Food and Lit group is reading and eating from India this year. The book I originally picked was really dense and I read the first two pages three times. I decided to bail, and found this romantic comedy on my kindle instead. Sometimes life is too short, you know?

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

On My Nightstand September 25

Tabby cat with a stack of books

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.

Show Us Your Books August 2022

Yellow sunflowers growing against a blue sky.

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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