This year I want to make a concerted effort to volunteer more. My work for the local library Friends board takes about 4-6 hours a week on average. I don’t want to take time away from that because I love working with the donated books and book sales as well as running the Facebook page. I just want to make a little more time in my day to find new places that could use an extra hand. For the last two Fridays I’ve volunteered at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and helped Clevelanders shop for food that they need – for free! It’s rewarding and I’m happy to have met some very wonderful people and plan to continue helping out a few times a month. As the temperatures are freezing everywhere, I am constantly reminded to be thankful for our warm and cozy home that’s stocked with all the food we need and the books and puzzles that keep my heart purring like like a cat.

On to the books!

Posts

A Top 100 Series post about the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling). I love this series. Have you given it a try?

Books Finished

The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith 4.5 stars, Thriller/Private Detective Mystery, 960 pages, 2023. Cormoran Strike series #7. Robin goes undercover to try and expose a cult. Cormoran deals with Charlotte, again. This series needs to be read in order. Start with Cuckoo’s Calling.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood. 4.5 stars, YA Romance, 352 pages, 2023. I like Hazelwood’s romances and this one set in the chess world for teens was a lot of fun. The ‘couple is 18 & 20, one bisexual and one not having met anyone who has interested them in that way, and both hardwired for chess. This is her first YA romance and I appreciated the behind closed door sex scene.

The Miracle Seed by Martin Lemelman. 4.5 stars, Nonfiction Graphic Novel for Kids, 80 pages, 2023. What a hopeful book in such an uncertain time. This is the true life story of how 2 Israeli scientists brought the Judean Date Palm tree back to life after having been extinct for over 2000 years. (Here’s a link to a magazine article about it) Inspire the green thumb in your life with this inspiring story from Israel.

Currently Reading

Movies

Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022. What in the world? This was a wacky, insane, and thoughtful movie about parallel universes. Jason and I agreed that we’ve never seen anything quite like it. Two hotdog thumbs up.

Plans for the Weekend

Any other Sunday my weekend would be over, but since tomorrow is MLK Jr. Day we get one more day to play. We have some friends coming over tomorrow to hang out and play games before Gage has an orthodontist appointment. I hope your three day weekend brings some good reading and fun!