July’s Reading

July 31, 2024Leave a comment

I read 12 books this month. An amazing feat considering I was on vacation for 7 days and a girls weekend for 2 and a half and I NEVER OPENED A BOOK! I’m at 87 books for the year.

4 romances, 3 fantasy, 2 non-fiction health, 2 kids fiction, 1 kids picture

4.5–5 stars

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. 4.5 stars, Romance, 352 pages, 2023

Clementine is publicist for a New York publishing company. James is a famous young chef. They’ve just met, haven’t they?

What happens when you meet in different times, 7 years apart. I loved this story of heartbreak and waiting, acknowledging that a person is never the same moment to moment. In love and life timing is everything. Romantic and sweet.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. 4.5 stars, Fantasy, 419 pages, 2015

This book has been everywhere for so long and I was finally double dared to read it this summer. This is book one of a 4 book fantasy series about Feyre, a 19 year old young woman who supports her family by hunting. One day she kills what she thought was a wolf but was actually a fairie and Tamlin, a high lord, comes looking for her to seek reparations. She is taken to the fairie lands and faces danger and love with equal bravery. Loved it and am reading the second book now.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. 4.5 stars, Fantasy, 396 pages, 2020

I finally read the House in the Cerulean Sea. I’m not sure what took me so long? From the descriptions I was reading it just didn’t seem like something I’d like. I was so wrong. But apparently I read it at the perfect time so it fresh in mind for the sequel coming in a few short months.

Linus Baker and his transition from company man who asked no questions to man defending magical children was a delight. I loved all of these characters so much and the story is hopeful and joyful at such a time when we could all use a bit more of that in our daily lives.

4 stars

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory. 4 stars, Romance, 320 pages, 2022

In a tale as old as time, a book editor inspires a behind deadline famous person to write the book of his life. All she has to do is move into his magical mansion in Santa Barbara and be taken care of by cooks and cleaners, and lazy days by the pool. It’s a hard life.

This is supposed to be a modern story based on Beauty and the Beast and while there were nods to it, it wasn’t enough to really feel like Belle and the Beast and crew. BUT, I did like it!

If you take away the B&B expectation, I found it to be a sweet romance. Sure Beau has some issues, but what we came to know about him made those issues seem like they could be overcome. Because this series is sponsored? by Disney the spicy stuff was behind closed doors.

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinley. 4 stars, Romance, 435 pages, 2023

❤️ The main character had a learning disability- dyslexia- and it was a big part of her story.
❤️ Learning more about how dyslexia affects not only reading but executive function.
❤️ Hot librarian.
❤️ Bad mothers exist and many cannot be magically made into caring matriarchs.
❤️ Love returning home story where you reconnect with family and friends.

😐 Hot librarian guy was a little too perfect.
😐 This led to a lack of tension.

It was a solid beach read, but missing a spark 🔥 I was looking for, even though there were spicy scenes.

My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner. Middle Grade Fiction, 261 pages, 2020

Ben hates everything to do with potatoes, considering himself cursed. When his family moves from California to Idaho and a potato is the school mascot things look sketchy. But he’s made friends and the most popular girl in school likes him, so things aren’t all bad. Until…

I’ll say no more. Middle schoolers who like to laugh or have a thing for mascots will love it. There are even a few small illustrations thrown in once in awhile for fun. Gage’s favorite book of the summer so far.

Practical Ayurveda. 4 stars, 224 pages, 2018

How familiar are you with Ayurveda?
Practical Ayurveda follows the vision of renowned Indian yoga master and medical doctor who wrote over 200 books.

Covering a wide range of topics in its 224 pages this is a beautifully laid out and edited book that made it easy for a beginner like me. I loved the inspiring quotes included. There was a quiz and a set of questions to answer to help you fine tune what you’re looking for in life.

This covered the health of the body and the mind and there are many things I’ve already started (or restarted) while reading this book and so many things to consider for the future. The yoga poses and what each does for the mind and body is something I will be working on. I’ve also started my morning tai chi again. I’m not sure how I ever let that go. Life gets in the way and I forget, and that’s why I need to be consistently reading books that remind me of what I know works for me.

The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung. 4 stars, Health, 304 pages, 2016

This is a great book, especially when read after the Ayurveda book which touches on fasting. Fasting has been around forever. Fung focuses on the history, the studies, the ailments it can help control (diabetes being the big one), and how to get started. I have fasted at different times in my life and am going to focus on it for the next few months and see if I can feel the benefits. He suggests a 24 or 36 hour fast 2-3 times a week. I just finished my first one today.

3-3.5 stars

The Parrot and the Merchant by Marjan Vafaian, 3.5 stars, Kids Picture Book, 24 pages, 2019

Based on a Persian tale by Rumi a merchant has a parrot who was captured and very unhappy. She promised to talk to his friends when she travels and the message they send back sets him free. Interesting illustrations and a fun story.

The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts. 3.25 stars, Dystopian Fantasy, 464 pages, 2019

I finally finished the Chronicles of One trilogy. The first two were fast, addicting reads, but this third one was a bit of a slog with so. many. people. It was too much and it took me forever to finish it. It was a fine ending, when it finally came, but getting there felt somewhat tedious.

The Doom virus wipes out most of the world’s population (this is before Covid) and the people who are left are divided by people with magical powers and those without. But it’s the fight between light and dark that is the heat of the series. Fallon is The One to lead them all to victory, but she must be born and trained first.

The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye. 3.25 stars, Kids Fiction, 336 pages, 2022

This is an upper elementary, lower middle school read. Aref is 7 in the book the language feels somewhat young. It was a great in many ways. It was a love letter to Michigan, Oman, and immigrants. Aref is forced to move from Oman and his grandfather to Ann Arbor so his parents could attend UofM and his welcoming is warm.

It’s a gentle story, one that was slow, but also one that is uplifting for kids. They see the best of people in this book and that’s a nice find. If only we could all live up to the love and acceptance shown to Aref and his family.

Captive by Brenda Joyce. 3 stars, Time Travel Romance, 448 pages, 1996

I love Brenda Joyce’s romances. They are romantic and steamy. This one, however, suffered from an insufferable heroine. She was a ‘modern’ 23 year old woman who went to Turkey to find a ghost of a man she considered herself in love with. Somehow she gets thrown back in time and enslaved as a second wife at the palace. She was ridiculous. What saved it was the palace political intrigue, her personal slave and best friend, and the hero who does eventually show up and unfortunately falls for this woman.

Women Who Won: 70 Extraordinary Women Who Reshaped Politics

June 20, 20243 Comments

Women Who Won by Ros Ball. 4.25 stars. YA Bios, 272 pages, 2023

Such an inspirational book. These are some amazing women! Geared to YA, but great for adults too.There are amazing women in here and reading their stories is powerful. Each woman had a portrait page and 2 pages of bio with addition room for sources used for each one. Loved it!

Though some disregarded her, she had an inner confidence, saying, ‘I’ve never underestimated myself. There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious.’ —Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany

When asked what qualities have underpinned her leadership, Jacinda singled out being ‘really driven by empathy… when you think about all of the big challenges that we face in the world, that’s probably the quality we need the most’. —Jacinda Arden, prime minister of New Zealand

“I hear it all the time, it changed everything…Women thought, if she can, I can.” —Vigdis Finnbogadottir, president of Iceland

And, since I’m reading these stories, some showing how fragile democracy can be, this has been the most powerful statement so far by a woman whose own husband was killed by the previous president…

Cory served only one term, and, when President Fidel Ramos took over, Cory said it was ‘one of the proudest moments of my life… This was what my husband had died for… This moment is democracy’s glory: the peaceful transfer of power without bloodshed, in strict accordance with law.’ —Corazon Aquino, president of the Philippines

Agathe Uwilingiyimana, in 1993 became 1st woman to serve as prime minister of Rwanda. She was raped and killed along with her husband in their own home by Hutu soldiers.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus. Her story is ongoing. Look her up and push back on anyone still romanticizing dictators.

Constance Markievicz, in 1918 was the 1st woman elected to British Parliament. She was elected from jail! And refused to swear allegiance to the king. What a story she has.

Diane Abbott, in 1987 she was the 1st black woman to be elected to the Uk House of Commons. “The thing that enabled me to go further and higher was entirely my education. Education is a liberating force.”

Berta Pipina, in 1941 she was the 1st woman elected to the Latvian Saeima. There was a coup from an authoritarian regime and she was sent to a Siberian gulag where she died. Between 1930-1953 1.5 million died in those Soviet camps.

Golda Meir, in 1969 she was the 1st woman elected prime minister of Israel. “There is a type of woman who cannot let her husband and children narrow her horizon.”

Dilma Rousseff, in 2011 she was the 1st woman to serve as president of Brazil. “The fact that I was the first woman president was a factor in what happened to me…I think it will be easier for the next woman president.”

Lessons- don’t vote for anyone who has attempted a coup, don’t vote for anyone calling for violence for political opponents, don’t vote for anyone who doesn’t think you have autonomy over your own body. And, if you’re living in one of the 70% of countries that have still have only been run by men, go forth and elect women.

May Reads

May 31, 20243 Comments

May was a great reading month! I read these 9 plus a picture book. That brings my 2024 total to 57.

❤️

The Women by Kristin Hannah. Historical fiction about the women nurses that served in the Vietnam War. 480 pages, 2024

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey. Romance between a king crab fisherman and movie director’s assistant with a nod to the comfort of music. 353 pages, 2023

Nat Turner by Kyle Baker. Nonfiction graphic novel about Turner and the slave rebellion of 1831. 213 pages, 2006

⭐️

The Secret Place (541 pages, 2014) and Broken Harbor (450 pages, 2012) by Tana French. Books 4 & 5 in the Dublin Murder Squad mystery series.

Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Romance murder mystery between a sports agent and a baker. 384 pages, 2024

Toxic Prey by John Sandford. Latest thriller in the Lucas Davenport series that also features his daughter Letty who has her own series. 400 pages, 2024

👍🏻

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer. A romance set in a Jewish bakery in Brooklyn. Learned a lot about Jewish traditions and living with a chronic illness. 432 pages, 2023

🤷🏻‍♀️

How To Walk Away by Katherine Center. Fiction set in the aftermath of a plane crash that leaves one half of a couple without a scratch and the other partially paralyzed. This has been my least favorite of hers so far. 302 pages, 2018

And a fun picture book too…

I Want to Be a Vase by Julio Torres. This is so colorful it demands to be reads. A delightful book about accepting people for whoever or whatever they want to be.

Which ones have you read?

Broken Harbor and The Secret Place by Tana French

May 23, 20243 Comments

Broken Harbor, #4 in the Dublin Murder Squad series. 4 stars, mystery, 450 pages, 2012

This story begins with a young family murdered in their home. Well there was one survivor, but it wasn’t either of the young kids. This was an especially hard one and when I finished it on Mother’s Day it felt especially wrong.

Families can look glossy on the surface, but once you rub a bit of that shine off there’s usually something more interesting going on and in this case it was deadly. Bizarre revelations, old friends, and financial instability make the mystery of this family a tough one. This hasn’t been my favorite of the series, but they’re all so good that it didn’t need to be to be good.

The Secret Place, #5 in the Dublin Murder Squad series, 4/5 stars, 452 pages, 2014

You don’t need to read these books in order, but I’d recommend it if you can. My favorite of the series so far, Faithful Place, featured Detective Frank Mackey and he and his daughter make another appearance here. Stephen Moran is also back.

This one takes place at a boarding school for girls. A year after a boy from a neighboring school was murdered on school grounds the detectives have a new lead and it comes from inside the school. Oh, to be amongst all of that teen angst and those friendship circles again!

The book spans one day of investigation, but it goes into the past investigation and events in depth. I wasn’t crazy about it at first, boarding school stories are iffy for me, but it grew on me and Frank Mackey appeared at just the right time to reel me in for the somewaht surprising finish.

Tana French is such a talented writer! Both books had a paranormal element that mostly worked, even if I think it could have been avoided altogether in The Secret Place and been fine, or even better.

Have you read any of this series? I love the Ireland setting.

April Reads

May 1, 2024Leave a comment

April was the slowest reading month for me in at least 4 years! I read 8 books with two clear favorites, a few I really liked, and a couple that were just okay.

Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins, the third book in the Gideon’s Cove romance trilogy. 5 stars!

The Decomposition of Jack by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, a great book for middle schoolers who are into gross things or science. 5 stars!

Feeding Dangerously: On the Ground with Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen by Jose Andres, Steve Orlando, and Alberto Ponticelli. A terrific graphic novel about the heartwarming organization that is making the world a better place. Read it and donate. 4 stars!

Things Past Telling by Sheila Williams. Our book club pick this month. A fresh take on the harrowing and horrific journey of the people stolen from their homes and brought to America as slaves. 4 stars!

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict. Just because you’re a genius doesn’t make you a good husband or father. 3.5 stars!

Life without Nico by Andrea Mariana and Francisco Javier Olea. A sweet kids picture book about a friend moving away and how you can move on and still have a place for them in your life. 3.5 stars!

Trust Me by Hank Phillippi Ryan frustrated me, but it was a long thriller and I made it to the end so that’s something. 3 stars.

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn. I love romances, but just couldn’t get into this one. 3 stars.

What was your favorite April read?

These Weeks – Spring?

March 26, 20243 Comments

I hate missing too many Sunday updates. When I get too behind I keep putting it off, making the update a bigger project, vastly increasing the probability that it won’t get done at all. This happen to anyone else? So, it’s not Sunday, but I’ve got 30 minutes so we’re doing a quick book /movie update. Too busy to try and give a life update too so we’ll save that for next time.

Currently Reading

Finished

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. 5 stars, YA, 312 pages, 2025

Maddy is turning 18 and her life is confined to her home because of an immunodeficiency disease. She’s never had any kind of normal existence and it’s not until a new family moves in next door that this is a problem. Soon, her books are not enough and Olly becomes her hope.

A book about risk and bravery and finding your person.

I loved this book, just as I loved Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Star. Everything Everything was her debut and I’m only sad it’s taken me so long to read it. I’ll read anything she writes.

Every note Played by Lisa Genova, 4.25/5 stars, Fiction, 317 pages, 2018

Richard, a renown concert pianist, and Karina, a pianist who put her career on hold, are divorced. It wasn’t amicable, but they do share a daughter now in her 20s. Richard is diagnosed with ALS and in that instant his whole life changes. These changes are not limited to Richard and Karina finds herself making a surprising life change because of it.

I loved Still Alice by Lisa Genova. That book tackled early onset Alzheimer’s just as this one shows ALS bringing down someone in their prime. This book is detailed and heavy and shows that forgiveness shouldn’t wait. I was moved to tears by it. I’ll read anything she writes.

The Forest by Thomas Ott. 5 stars. graphic novella, 32 pages, 2020

I picked this up because of that gorgeous cover and this slight book didn’t disappoint. There are no words, just 25 beautiful illustrations showing a young boy sneaking away from a funeral. It will touch your heart. I highly recommend for children going through the grief process.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. 3.5 stars, Fiction, 400 pages, 2023

Our book group liked (not loved) this one and it had some great discussion points. It’s about the closeness of the four Padavano sisters. What can drive a wedge between the sisters? At what point is forgiveness and moving on the only real option? How many great loves does each person get? Do we ever really get past our relationships with our parents?

It was a little slow, but still worth reading, especially if you like family sagas spanning decades.

Bloodlust & Bonnets by Emily McGovern. 3.5 stars, Graphic Novels, 205 pages, 2019

What a hoot! Lucy is an early 19th century debutante who is approached by Lady Violet Travesty about joining a vampire cult. Just as she’s about to go over to the dark side, Lord Byron, in very dramatic fashion, saves her and whisks away to his magic castle on his psychic eagle Napoleon. They are soon joined by Sham to make a team of very inept vampire hunters.

It’s very funny, especially the first half. It gets a tad bogged down by the end with a meandering plot, but overall a fun graphic novel. I enjoyed my hour or so with this silly trio.

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley. 3 stars, Historical Fiction, 480 pages, 2021

I LOVE Susanna Kearsley! Her books are such comfort reads. I’ll be doing a post on her soon, so I won’t belabor my thoughts on this one. If she hadn’t written it I would have given up on it before the halfway point. There was a nice twist at the end that was a reward for making it that far, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

The Janitor’s Boy by Andrew Clements. 4 stars, Tween Fiction, 140 pages, 2020

Gage and I read this together after having read and loved Frindle by the same author. Jack was a hard character to root for, at least at first. He’s in middle school and he’s embarrassed that his dad is the school janitor. He plans a nasty trick for his dad, but pays the price and it better for it.

As a side note, when I was in elementary school my grandpa was the school janitor and I got to say hi to him every day as I left to get on the bus to go home and as he got ready to clean the school after everyone went home. It’s a bond that I’ll always treasure. I was too young to be embarrassed and as I grew older it never once occurred to me to want to hide that fact from anyone. He worked as a janitor for the schools his whole life.

Movies watched

Saltburn was buzzy for awhile and when Jason and I sat down to watch it, we can see why. It seems normal, normal, eh, oh, definitely not normal, the end. If you like strange movies, this is for you! I do like strange and appreciated it.

Set It Up kept getting recommended to me by Netflix so I finally broke down and watched it. It was a cuter than expected rom-com with a fun cast. If Netflix is also recommending it to you I’d say give it a go!

The Hunt is pure political drivel meets ridiculous violence. I have no excuse for watching it, except that Jason and I were watching it in bed and making fun. Jason fell asleep and I, regrettably, made it til the bitter end.

Have you read or watched any of these? Which ones?

This Week – Calm

March 10, 20246 Comments

These past two weeks have been just what I needed. No travelling, no huge projects. Just my usual happenings. April is a nightmare month for me time wise, so I am trying to soak in every quiet moment. I did have a parent-teacher conference that went very well, and Gage, Jason, and I toured a school together and loved it for Gage. Now I need to schedule testing to see if we can get him in. I did spend an excessive number of hours volunteering at the library, but that’s just fun. I told the library manager this week that sorting and selling donations was my form of therapy.

Posts

February Favorites

Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Books Finished

I’ve read 30 books so far this year.

Judgement Prey by John Sandford, #33 in the Lucas Davenport series, thriller/mystery, 400 pages, 2023

I started this series with book one and haven’t looked back. I realized I was a few behind so I’m making quick work of the last few. If you like police procedurals you should definitely give this series a look. He started as a Minneapolis police detective, but is currently a US Marshal still based in Minneapolis. He has a recurring partner, Lucas Flowers, and an adopted daughter, Letty, who each have their own spin offs.

Too far From Home by Naomi Shmuel, tweens, 4.5 stars, 96 pages, 2020

Set in Israel, it’s a great fiction book that touches on so many issues that kids are going through, moving from home, trying to make friends, racial bias, embarrassment, defiance…. I’d recommend reading it with your preteen.

Meskerem was born and grew up with her parents, sisters, and grandmother in Golan Heights, but the family had to move to Herzelia for her mother’s new job. Mezkerem was sad to leave her friends and grandmother behind.

On the first day of school kids started ridiculing her by calling her, ‘an Ethiopian’. Mezkerem’s mom had been born in Ethiopia and her dad was American. Meskerem became embarrassed by her heritage.

This story is only 89 pages but packs a lot of discussion into those pages.

Walking in Ava’s Shoes by Kathi Howard-Primes, picture book, 22 pages, 2022

Ava has ADHD. The first line of the book…”Just because I act and learn differently-doesn’t mean something is wrong with me.” It goes through her days showing some of her struggles, like trouble listening and the constant need to move, and ways to help, like eating well and getting enough sleep.

The author based this on her now grown daughter and it’s one I’d recommend for elementary classroom read alouds. And school libraries too! The illustrations are cute and it even has an ADHD checklist in the back.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley, 5 stars, historical romance, 364 pages, 1994

This was a re-read for me.

Here were my first thoughts on Goodreads when I finished this one, “My love affair with Susanna Kearsley continues. This was one of her first books and it may be my favorite so far. I didn’t want it to end. I was worried that the ending would be all wrong. But it wasn’t. It was perfect.” There is something so magical and romantic about her stories. There is history, romance, and a perfect sense of place in all of her books. This one also felt a little like a ghost story.

Julia was sure she’d found her house and she packed up and moved from London to a small English village without a second thought. She was a children’s book illustrator and was able to make a few friends right away just as she was being transported back in time at unpredictable times.

It’s tricky when you are going back and forth between time periods and characters. Inevitably, you are drawn more to one story than the other. This one did a great job of tying the two together so I was invested in both. Was this book, the first time she tried the time travel travel romance, perfect? No. Was it perfect enough to have me rereading the last few chapters again and again because I wasn’t quite ready for it to end? A resounding YES!

Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney, 4+ stars, current events, 372 pages, 2023

I posted my thoughts this week here.

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom with Elizabeth & John Sherrill, 5 stars, memoir, 272 pages, 1971

This was a re-read. I posted my thoughts this week here.

Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon by Megan Hess, 4 stars, graphic novel/biography, 218 pages, 2015

The illustrations by Megan Hess in this 200+ pages book are whimsical and fun.

Coco spent much of her childhood in an orphanage in France after her mother died and her father wanted nothing to do with her. She created for herself the life she wanted. “My life didn’t please me so I created my life.” She never married but the love of her life helped her get her start in 1908. She opened her own millinery boutique in Paris.

Everything she touched turned to gold until 1939 when she shut down her 3000 staff salon. She stayed in Paris at the Hotel Ritz with her lover, a German officer, to ride out the war. She fled the country for a number of years after the war before making her comeback.

It’s a beautiful graphic novel for fashion lovers. It wasn’t until after I read this that a friend showed me that Coco had actually been a spy for the Nazis.

Frindle by Andrew Clements, 4.5 stars, kids fiction, 128 pages, 1996

5th grader Nick Allen gets into a war of words with his language arts teacher and it goes further that he could have ever have imagined. Gage and I read it together and had a few laughs and talks about unintended consequences.

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams. 4.25 stars, romance, 343 pages, 2020

Naya, a professor who is 3 years out of an abusive relationship, is convinced by her best friends to open herself to new experiences. She meets Jake at a bar and the two make a connection. I loved this story with two very likeable people. It was a very realistic story with a lot of spice! The domestic abuse is a significant part of the story and some may find it triggering.

On the Screen

Jason and I like all of the Batman movies and we finally saw 2022’s The Batman with Robert Pattinson. We liked quite a bit. Are you a Batman fan? Christian Bale is still my favorite.

Jason and I finished Oppenheimer just in time for the Oscars tonight. I don’t know if I preferred it to Killers of the Flower Moon, but I get the hype.

Plans for the Weekend

Watching the Oscars!

This Week – A week late!

February 25, 20248 Comments

We took a lovely road trip the Lake Norman in North Carolina last week, our third February in a row. Jason has clients in the Charlotte area so he always works a few of the days leaving Gage and I to our own devices. This week we were able to be away for 6 days, even though that meant Gage missed 2 days of school. On our way home we stopped in Wytheville, Virginia and toured the Edith Bolling Wilson First Lady Birthplace Museum, even staying in the hotel dedicated to her history in the town. I considered this a 2 day field trip. Once a homeschooler…

Posts

I posted about one of my favorite books, The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende.

Books Finished

You can read my thoughts here.

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, 4.5 stars, historical fiction, 359 pages, 2022

We had a great book club discussion this month. Take My Hand is historical fiction that drew its inspiration from a real 1973 court case. It found that government family centers were sterilizing girls of color as well as those in poor neighborhoods reliant on government help.

Well written and a shocking part of this country’s not so long ago history. I really liked this one. Highly recommend.

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas, 4.5 stars, historical romance, 373 pages, 1994

This is the sequel to Then Came You that I finished a few weeks ago. An innocent author comes to London to research her next book, only to shoot a man and fall in love with the owner of a gambling club. Loved it.

The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times by Pema Chodron, 5 stars, Buddhism/Spirituality, 176 pages, 2001

I’ve read a few other books by Pema Chodron and I always finish feeling inspired and content. She is an American Buddhist nun and writes about Buddhism in such a welcoming and relatable way. I take a lot from Buddhist teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh being my introduction. I’m a Christian, but I’ve really grown personally from books like these. Maybe you will too if you give one a try. This one deals especially with some life strategies that all can benefit from.

“The most straightforward advice on awakening bodhichitta is this: practice not causing harm to anyone- yourself or others- and every day, do what you can to be helpful.”

“Buddha was pointing out that the fixed idea that we have about ourselves as solid and separate from each other is painfully limiting.”

“Our personal attempts to live humanely in this world are never wasted. Choosing to cultivate love rather than anger just might be what it takes to save the planet from extinction.”

Masked Prey by John Sandford, Lucas Davenport series #30, 4 stars, Mystery/thriller, 406 pages, 2020

Who Is Malala Yousafzai? by Dinah Brown, Andrew Thompson, illustrator, 4 stars, kids biography, 112 pages, 2015

Most people are familiar with Malala by now. The girl was shot in the face by the Taliban on her way to school in Afghanistan. But there is a backstory if that’s all you know. I already knew everything in this book, but it’s an easy one hour listen on a road trip with your kid!

*I’ve read 22 books so far this year.*

Currently reading

Watching

Jason and I watched Season 1 of White Lotus. What a crazy, beautiful trip. Any other fans out there?

Plans for the Weekend

There are a few hours left that will be spent on Friends of the Solon Library duties. I need to connect with a few members about Facebook stuff and I need to start finding volunteers for our next big book sale. Anyone want to help out in April?

This Week – Busy, Busy

February 11, 20246 Comments

It’s been a busy two weeks. I took a road trip with a friend, celebrated my parent’s 55th anniversary, my dad’s 77th birthday, sat through my son’s IEP meeting and helped with a luncheon at his school, and even did a minimal amount of planning for an upcoming trip and possible high schools for the boy. Gage had a day off of school and I took him with me to sort donations at the library and he worked hard without complaint!

Posts

January Favorites

Books Finished

The Talk by Darrin Bell. 5/5 stars, Graphic Memoirs, 352 pages, 2023

This graphic memoir is SO good!

Bell has a white mother and black father and it’s his mother who is the one to first tell him that when world will see him as different. She embarrasses him when she causes a scene calling out bias and yet his father remains largely silent when he needs to hear from him the most. This book starts when he is 6 and has a run in with police and they take his water gun and ends after the George Floyd murder when he has to decide if it’s the right time to have the talk about race with his own young son.

Bell was the first Black editorial cartoonist to win the Pulitzer Prize. Highly recommend. Its’s engaging, touching, honest, brave.

Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets For Helping Kids on the Spectrum by Temple Grandin and Debra Moore. 4/5 stars, Autism, 384 pages, 2021.

This book manages to do many things well. It will benefit parents, teachers, or anyone who knows or works with a kid with an autism diagnosis. In the 9 mindsets it also has something for every stage of the child, from child to older teen. I especially like the section on the medical comorbidities, too often treating the medical issues is completely overlooked.

Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas. 4.5/5 stars, Historical Romance, 371 pages, 1993

I loved this book, but both main characters did some horrific things to each other. I will read and most likely love anything she writes.

Michelle Obama: Her Essential Wisdom. 4/5 stars. Quotes, 128 pages, 2019

“That is the power of our differences to make us smarter and more creative. And that is how all those infusions of new cultures and ideas, generation after generation, created the matchless alchemy of our melting pot and helped us build the strongest, most vibrant, most prosperous nation on the planet, right here.”

The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter. 4/5 stars, Menopause, 400 pages, 2021

I’m not in menopause, yet, but I am of a certain age so I wanted to prepare myself. In many ways I wish I hadn’t 🤣. I wish I could say reading this made me feel empowered, but mostly it just depressed me. I’m glad I read it and I’m glad I’m done reading it. I took some useable knowledge and am better off for it. Make sure you’re taking extra calcium ladies!

Currently Reading

Movies

On my weekend road trip we went to the grand old theater in town and finally saw Killers of the Flower Moon. Yes, it was 3 1/2 hours and I had to get up for a 10 minutes break in the middle, but I really liked it. Lily Gladstone was phenomenal.

We watched Little Italy on Netflix. It had a fun cast and some laughs.

Plans for the Weekend

The SUPERBOWL!

A Favorite Series – Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith

January 13, 20246 Comments

Like most readers of Harry Potter, I love JK Rowling books and when I started seeing the reviews for this series I knew I’d have to give her a post HP chance to win me over. And she did. I love this series.

I love Cormoran Strike. I loved him in the first of the series and I’ve loved him in every one since. He’s smart, grumpy and a hero who came back to London after losing a foot in Afghanistan. He could have milked the media because of his being the (illegitimate) son of a famous rock star, but he chose, instead, to live a life of purpose. He’s a bit of a mess but an honest and earnest one. He and his partner Robin’s relationship is the heart and soul of this this series.

I love the narration by Robert Glenister. He became Strike for me so I’ve listened to all 7 books (so far) on audio. I totally recommend trying the first one and seeing if you like it.

Read if you like– well plotted thrillers, disability front and center, the possibility of a workplace romance, grouchy yet smart private detectives, big big books, or mysteries set in London.

I do think that you need to read these in order to appreciate them.

#1 The Cuckoo’s Calling

#6 The Ink Black Heart

#7 The Running Grave

Eagerly awaiting more in the series!

Any other Cormoran Strike fans out there?