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Alphabet Challenge – Update 6

Posted in Books, Reading Challenges on May 15, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Welp, Book Riot’s gone and done it. An alphabetical list of queer lit recommendations, just in time to start stockpiling for Pride Month in June. Or, you know, to read any time throughout the year, especially in places where administrators and lawmakers and other nefarious busybodies want to pretend LGBTQIA+ folks don’t exist.

Anyway, an update on my own alphabet project.

For the main list of book titles I’ve finished for this challenge, see this post. For reviews on specific books, see previous posts:

Update 1

Update 2

Update 3

Update 4

Update 5

A

Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 

B

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

C

The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood 

The Postmistress of Paris by Meg Waite Clayton 

D

Dear Bob and Sue by Matt and Karen Smith  

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz 

E

Excuse Me While I Disappear by Laurie Notaro 

F

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland 

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney 

G

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman 

Winter Recipes from the Collective by Louise Glück 

H

How To Be Perfect by Michael Schur 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris 

I

The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne

J

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry 

The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez 

K

Writers & Lovers by Lily King 

L

Lucky Turtle by Bill Roorbach 

Bright Dead Things by Ada Limón – This was one of my favorite poetry collections I read during April. A lot of them center around grief over a parent’s death, but the images extend to other types of grief as well. I need to buy it to have in my own collection to revisit later. 

M

Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home – If you’ve been here awhile, you know how big a crush I have on Marie Kondo. She infuses kindness into every book she writes. I never knew tidying could be kind. This one has gorgeous pictures, and that alone would have made me love it. The main takeaway I got was setting a project deadline for my bulk tidying (November 18. I think I’ll put up the Christmas tree in celebration), and I also set smaller deadlines for each room/section of my apartment so that I don’t get to November 11 and discover I’ve done nothing.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

N

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik – How dare you, Naomi Novik. How. Dare. You. *immediately puts the next in the series on hold at the library*

O

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

P

The Pisces by Melissa Broder 

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath – I first read this during grad school, so it had been a few years. What drew me to revisit it was that the audio version is read by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Not only did the book itself stand the test of time with me, but Gyllenhaal’s voice is perfect for it. I loved it.

Q

Queen of the Flowers by Kerry Greenwood 

R

A Rhythm of Prayer, edited by Sarah Bessey

S

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle 

T

Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby – I loooove Hannah Gadsby and their humor, and I love this book. Highly recommend the audio, read by the author. It’s basically a glimpse into their formative years and the start of their success as a comedian. This is easily one of my top five favorite reads so far this year. 

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

U

V

Verity by Colleen Hoover – The pace of this story is amazing. That was what took it from the 3.5 stars that I gave it for the writing (which was fine…but it had been hyped up so much that I expected better) to a solid 4. My copy didn’t have the bonus chapter (if yours ends with Chapter 25, neither does yours, and you NEED IT). Thankfully, my book club leader had it. I have never read a chapter so fast in my life. 

W

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

X

Y

Z
Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian

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May 2023 TBR

Posted in Books, Home, Reading Challenges, Resolutions on May 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Welcome to May! My allergies are at war with nature, and we are closing down most of our residence halls for on-campus housing and transitioning to summer housing/conferences. Both sound like excellent reasons to use the downtime I have to stay inside and read and not talk to anyone at all.

Here’s the plan for the month!

Book Clubs

TBR

The section of my TBR that is the longest is the series section. This is where I list not only all the series that I’ve started (and all the books still left to read in them) but also all the series I’m interested in. That number is constantly expanding, and I’m becoming resigned to the truth that it is probably infinity. This group is listed only by the first book on my TBR spreadsheet, though. I’m not going to commit to the series unless I really like the first one. 

[This is a new rule that I’ve made for myself this year as part of my commitment to learning to accept that it’s OK not to finish books/series when I realize I’m just not that into them.]

So most of this month’s selections in this category are helping me whittle down that section-within-a-section of my TBR (can you whittle down infinity? I’m not sure that’s a thing). A couple of the following selections are from series I already know and love, but the first five are first installments that I have been meaning to try out for a while.

  • Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo – One of my friends gave the book this ringing endorsement –  “It’s like Hogwarts and Buffy had a baby and sent it to Yale.” OF COURSE I NEED TO READ THAT.
  • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – I think I have the boxed set in ebook form somewhere, but I’ll have to look. If not, I’m sure the library or friends who love historical fiction have a copy I can borrow.
  • The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie – You know I love a detective story. Can you believe I’ve never read any Hercule Poirot mysteries?!
  • Fable by Adrienne Young – I don’t remember who suggested this one, but their recommendation clearly made enough of an impression that I immediately put it on hold at the library, and now it’s in my borrowed pile. It does sound like something I’d like, so we’ll see.
  • The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay – This is a judging-a-book-by-its-cover/title situation. I have high hopes for this one.
  • The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman – Have I gushed thoroughly enough about the Thursday Murder Club yet that you want to read it? Excited about getting to know these characters a little better in the third book.
  • Tricked and Trapped by Kevin Hearne – More of the Iron Druid Chronicles!
  • Why Design Matters by Debbie Millman – Not a series selection, but I’ve been waiting for it at the library for forever, and it’s finally my turn! It’s also a good choice for this year’s home theme.
  • The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg – Also not a series selection, but very “on brand” (as the capitalists say) for me. So…also a good home theme selection. Thus, I started it immediately after picking it up at the library and will probably be finished with it early this month. I’m probably going to end up buying it.

Collection

  • The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King – This is the first Stephen King book I ever read, but that was in 6th grade. I remember loving it, so it will be interesting to see what I think of it now. Bonus – it fulfills the prompt for Girlxoxo’s Monthy Key Word Reading Challenge (keyword “dragon”). 
  • A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews – After reading Women Talking last month, I’m interested in how this one compares.
  • Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro – I loved Never Let Me Go, so I pick up any Ishiguro I see at a book sale. Looking forward to reading this short story collection.
  • Placemaker by Christie Purifoy – This has been on my nightstand for a few years. Hoping to tuck into it as another home selection this month, if time allows.
  • Cook, Eat, Repeat by Nigella Lawson – continuing my Audible countdown with one of my favorite cookbook writers narrating her own book. It is delightful to have it read to me, and I’m already planning to buy the hard copy as well.
  • Laziness Does Not Exist by Dr. Devon Price – I enjoyed Dr. Price’s presentation last week, so I immediately used an Audible credit to pick up this gem to listen to this month.

Whew. That’s a lot. I probably won’t finish them all, but hope springs eternal!

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Friday Five – Poetry

Posted in Beauty, Books, Friday Five, Home, Mental Health, Poetry, Reading Challenges, Resolutions on April 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This week’s recap is going to be a little different. As you know, it’s National Poetry Month, and I’ve read a lot of poems! There were a few collections that were just meh for me and one that fell so flat that I couldn’t even bear to make it through, but I finished and enjoyed most of the ones I planned on:

I have also been bookmarking poems to share with my beloved Follow the Reader friends. I only shared a few snippets that night because I’m misfiring all over the place this week, so transporting from the page to my brain to my mouth is hard. But here are five of my favorites from the month:

  1. “A Song for the Status Quo” by Saeed Jones (Alive at the End of the World) – This whole collection is amazing. I also like this interview about his work. 
  2. “The Noisiness of Sleep” by Ada Limón (Bright Dead Things). I love the concluding line – “I want to be the rough clothes you can’t sleep in.”
  3. Elizabeth Wilder (Balefire) – “There is not much I trust so wholeheartedly as the musty-scented pages of a book.”
  4. “Perhaps the World Ends Here” by Joy Harjo (Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light). Of course, the line about coffee charmed me – “Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children.”
  5. To continue the celebration of poetry (does it ever end, really?), I’m currently reading and enjoying Clint Smith’s Counting Descent. 

And finally, a little something to start your weekend off right. For your aural enjoyment, half an hour of Tom Hiddleston reading poetry. You’re welcome.

Have a good one, friends!

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Alphabet Challenge – Update 5

Posted in Books, Poetry, Reading Challenges on April 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This update is a special occasion. With 30 books finished and reviewed, I am officially past the halfway mark! I may celebrate with a little treat tonight. 

For the main list of book titles I’ve finished for this challenge, see this post. For reviews on specific books, see previous posts:

Update 1

Update 2

Update 3

Update 4

A

Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones – My favorites were “A Song for the Status Quo,” “Saeed, How Dare You Make Your Mother Into a Prelude” (along with the alternative titles proposed on the following page), and “the Trial.” Also all the ones with the collection’s title. And “Against Progeny.” And the odes/letters/notes to all the songwriters, singers, and writers. You know what? They’re all good. Just read them all. And then read his memoir How We Fight for Our Lives.  

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 

B

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

C

The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood 

The Postmistress of Paris by Meg Waite Clayton 

D

Dear Bob and Sue by Matt and Karen Smith  

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz – God, this collection is sexy. That was my reaction to the first reading. The second, slower reading had me holding the book open on my lap with one hand while searching all the words I didn’t know on the laptop with my other. The pieces that connected rivers with the body were my favorite parts. This should (and never will be…stupid Texas legislature) required reading.

E

Excuse Me While I Disappear by Laurie Notaro 

F

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland 

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney – I like a book with twists and turns that you can sort of see coming but don’t really know how it’s going to turn out. This was a quick read because once I got started I couldn’t stop reading. It was fast-paced and ominous from the start. Definitely recommend.

G

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman 

Winter Recipes from the Collective by Louise Glück – What a lovely collection! This is the first time I’ve read Louise Glück on my own (I’ve had her poems read to me, which is also lovely and I also highly recommend), and I adore her and this exposition of the joys and sorrows of close relationships. Also, there are gems such as “If you can’t read, my sister said, can you be happy?” Highly recommend for National Poetry Month or literally any time.

H

How To Be Perfect by Michael Schur 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris 

I

The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne

J

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry 

The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez 

K

Writers & Lovers by Lily King 

L

Lucky Turtle by Bill Roorbach 

M

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

N

O

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

P

The Pisces by Melissa Broder – I’ve never read anything that made me make so many different faces and exclaim for so many different reasons. Part superb dry wit, part “no no no no no that’s a terrible idea,” part “Ugh punch him in the throat,” part “WTF did I just read,” with a few minor sweet moments scattered throughout. I don’t know how Broder stacked the commonplace so neatly against the surreal, but I think she pulled it off. I’m still mad about the dog, though.

Q

Queen of the Flowers by Kerry Greenwood 

R

A Rhythm of Prayer, edited by Sarah Bessey

S

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle 

T

Women Talking by Miriam Toews – I picked this one up because my friend Brenda likes to go to Oscars Week at the movie theater, and she really liked this movie. I think I would like the movie better, as it was difficult for me to keep most of the characters separate, but their discussions were interesting. I think it would be a good book club selection (but I am not going to suggest it because I don’t think I’ll read it again).

U

V

W

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

X

Y

Z
Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian

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April TBR – Happy National Poetry Month!

Posted in Books, Getting It Together, Reading Challenges, Resolutions on April 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

It is National Poetry Month, and the book stack in the office is ready!

In my quest to read 180 books this year, I am consistently lagging behind by a count of two. This is encouraging, because it means that I have at least found the pace that’s necessary to meet my goal – I just need to sneak a couple of extras in there somewhere. And I know there are several pockets of time throughout the year when I typically finish more books than usual.

April is the first of those times. 

I know the list this month looks long, but all of the ones listed under my collection section and most of the TBR section are poetry books that I can easily read in a few hours, even as I savor them slowly, recite them out loud, and re-read poems I particularly love three or four times.

Book Clubs

Collection

TBR

Audible (an extension of TBR, really)

One of the things I’ve been doing to streamline my finances this year is looking at all the subscriptions I have and evaluating which ones I use enough to justify the cost. I do use Audible frequently, as I do all my bookish apps and subscriptions, but it doesn’t offer anything extra that I can’t get from:

  • Libro.fm (which gives a kickback to my favorite local bookstore) 
  • Kobo (which is about 2/3 the cost of Audible) 
  • Scribd (which I love and use the most often) 
  • The audio apps through the public library (which have limited selections but also the shiny, winning element of being free)

Factor in the delight I will experience by putting fewer dollars into the Amazon machine, and Audible is the obvious choice for the chopping block. So for the next few months, I’m focusing a lot of my audio selections on listening to the unfinished books in my Audible library so that I can dump it altogether without losing what I’ve already bought.

So that’s the plan for reading this month.

What have you read and loved lately?

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Alphabet Challenge – Update 4

Posted in Books, Reading Challenges, Resolutions on March 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This challenge is slowing down a bit due to its structure, as many of the books I read don’t fit into the spots that are still left. So it may not be long before I have to become a little more intentional about which of the many items on my TBR list and collection I read – particularly concerning the latter half of the alphabet, apparently – so that I end up finishing it. 

I’ve had quite a few days off (good for tucking up under a blanket with a good book) and long drives (great for audiobooks) this month, though, so we’re ready for a new update!

For the main list of book titles I’ve finished for this challenge, see this post. For reviews on specific books, see previous (1) review (2) posts (3).

A

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 

B

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

C

The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood 

The Postmistress of Paris by Meg Waite Clayton 

D

Dear Bob and Sue by Matt and Karen Smith 

E

Excuse Me While I Disappear by Laurie Notaro 

F

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland – I liked this book overall, but it took me forever to get through it. There wasn’t a lot of plot – just a whole lot of waiting around for something to happen. Which is what the characters were actually going through, so in that way I suppose it made it easy to empathize with them. I fell asleep reading it a lot, and I had decided last night that if I couldn’t manage to finish it before bedtime I would give up on doing so altogether, but I managed to push through. 

G

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman 

H

How To Be Perfect by Michael Schur 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris – I liked this one, but not as much as I expected to. The premise is intriguing and something I don’t think those in outgroups (i.e., me) understand a lot about, so I was excited to read it. I think most of my disappointment was just editing preferences. I would have preferred either a fuller prologue that handled all the past scenes or a more regular chapter-by-chapter exchange where the past relationships were flushed out a little more. Also…it feels like two different genres. The first two-thirds of the book is strict realism, but then something is revealed that I would have liked to see incorporated earlier in the story. 

I

The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne

J

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry 

The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez – I used to say without qualifier that I am a sucker for a sappy romance with a happy ending (hence my membership in Nowhere’s Happy Endings book club). But this series has driven home for me that in order for them to be more than meh for me, I need certain things from my rom-coms. Especially with books like these where all the main characters – and even most of the secondary ones – are stereotypically attractive. I mean, come on. The main guys in the first book? Ex-Marine firefighters. And the first scene with the main guy (Hot Rock StarTM) in the second book opens with the two thirsty ladies seated next to him on a plane ogling (perhaps even fondling? Ahem. MA’AM.) his biceps. Now I enjoy ex-Marine firefighters/hot rock stars as much as the next person (and maybe a little more than the next person re: the rock star or just musicians in general), but I prefer meet-cute stories featuring those who…well…aren’t. Acknowledge that good things can happen for people who don’t always get second glances with positive appraisals before they even open their mouths to speak, and the story is automatically more interesting for me.

I also need to see them struggle. That sounds rude, but hear me out. Life is hard in some way for most people, and it’s difficult for me to connect to characters who have nothing more than small hiccups along their way to alleged forever bliss. Physical or mental health issues, career overhaul or loss, major identity crisis, grief, systemic oppression, etc. Show me the big bad they’re up against and how they’re dealing with it (even – or sometimes especially – if they’re not dealing well), or I just don’t care.

All this is to say that, as Jimenez definitely leans ALL the way into the typical “oh god she’s so gorgeous and fit and he’s so chiseled and my, what a big penis he has” trope, I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed these books. And it’s mostly because the author is excellent at showing her characters’ humanity. I don’t have a lot in common with any of them, but I felt like I understood where they were coming from, and thus I wanted them to be well and secure and loved and just have it all.

I liked The Happy Ever After Playlist more due mostly to personal preferences overall and also because some of the things that the female lead in the first one found hot about the main dude bordered on problematic for me. Also I hate the concept of the friend zone and all its implications, which is the reason it took me so long to pick the book up in the first place, but I begrudgingly admit that the title is a decent fit for the story. I’m looking forward to listening to the third one, Life’s Too Short, later this month.

K

Writers & Lovers by Lily King 

L

Lucky Turtle by Bill Roorbach 

M

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

N

O

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

P

Q

Queen of the Flowers by Kerry Greenwood – If you haven’t read or watched Phryne Fisher, you’re missing out (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is a gorgeous portrayal of Greenwood’s series). They’re quick reads, and if you like unlikely detectives or historical mystery fiction, you might get a kick out of them. This one was not one of my favorites of the series, but it was still enjoyable. 

R

A Rhythm of Prayer, edited by Sarah Bessey – I listened to these prayers on my way to and from work for about a week and a half, and it was so good. I love Sarah Bessey, and it’s no surprise that she was able to put together such a rich liturgy collection. I’m glad I have it on audio, but I think I’m also going to have to buy a print copy for use at home.

S

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle 

T

U

V

W

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

X

Y

Z

Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian 

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Alphabet Reading Challenge – Update 3

Posted in Books, Reading Challenges, Resolutions on March 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

For years, I have tried to keep track of notes I have made on each book I read, but all my efforts tend to fizzle out. So far, this process seems to be working *knocks on wood* and I’m so pleased. 

As with the last update, those listed as just titles were reviewed in a previous post. 

For the main list of book titles I’ve read for this challenge, see this post.

A

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 

B

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley – This book has everything I typically like in a mystery. Unlikely/unexpected sleuth with a spunky personality and clever wit. Idyllic setting. Family secrets/character(s) with a secret history. It was all there. But the book was still just meh to me. The plot dragged so slowly for at least half of the book. Once it picked up, it was more interesting, but I was already over it by the time that happened.

C

The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood

The Postmistress of Paris by Meg Waite Clayton 

D

Dear Bob and Sue by Matt and Karen Smith 

E

Excuse Me While I Disappear by Laurie Notaro 

F

G

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman – I’m so glad that I watched the show before I read this. Because while I’m sure the book would have been just as clever without David Tennant as Crowley in my head, it stands to reason that just about anything is better with him (or at least the thought of him). I was happy that the high expectations I had going in were met when I read it.

H

How To Be Perfect by Michael Schur 

I

The Iron Druid Chronicles (10-ish books in the series plus a lot of short stories published separately) by Kevin Hearne – OK, technically, this is way more than one book, but one thing I wish review sites let you do is post one review for the whole series, because while occasionally one book will stand out above the rest, I typically think of them as one long story. So I’m going to do what I want here. Anyway…ancient immortal druid, living in today’s world. Has a vampire for a lawyer and werewolves as allies. Mind-melds with his dog. You know, as you do. The writing is clever, and the premise is fun. I’ve sailed through the first three and am currently listening to the fourth in the series. The story and characters are great; the reader is fantastic. I especially like Oberon. 

J

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry – It took me a couple of chapters to get into this one, but I could hardly put it down once I did. The way Berry ties in events from Jayber’s early life to cast meaning on what happens later is nothing short of masterful. I’m often critical of endings, but the last sentence of this book is perfect. This is the first novel of Berry’s that I’ve read, and I’ll definitely be reading others. 

K

Writers & Lovers by Lily King 

L

Lucky Turtle by Bill Roorbach 

M

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

N

O

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

P

Q

R

S

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle – If I could host a dinner party with various characters in literature (a term I use broadly), Sherlock Holmes would definitely be on the guest list. I read a lot of this series when I was younger, and I enjoyed the re-read just as much if not more than I did then.

T

U

V

W

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

X

Y

Z

Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian 

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March 2023 TBR

Posted in Books, Home, Reading Challenges, Resolutions, Work on March 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s Staff Appreciation Month at my job, and I’m choosing to be appreciated in the form of taking a lot of fun classes and a lot of time off. Yay – more time to read!

Book Clubs

In my Rise and Shine book club this month, the theme is science and technology, so I’m mostly gathering suggestions rather than choosing a specific book to read. I mean, I have some science fiction recommendations…but I’m not sure that’s what they mean.

TBR

I start compiling these posts two or three months in advance, so there’s plenty of shifting by the time I actually post it. And by shifting, I do mean the occasional “no, on second thought, I don’t really have any interest in reading that at all” but mostly “hey – I want to read that, too!” And thus the TBR expands. This section was four books…until the last couple of weeks.

Collection

I have multiple Girlxoxo selections for this month, and they are all from the collection at home. 

Have you read anything exciting lately? Tell me about it!

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Alphabet Challenge – Update 2

Posted in Books, Reading Challenges on February 3, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Time for another update! Here are some micro-reviews of the books I’ve read recently. Those listed as just titles were reviewed in my previous post. 

For the main list of book titles I’ve read for this challenge, see this post.

A

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo – So good! Such a hopeful story, and I love the audio version. The main character won me over early, and I loved cheering her successes throughout the book. Also, it made me so hungry and inspired me to cook, which to me is the ultimate mark of good foodie fiction. 

B

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 

C

The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood

The Postmistress of Paris by Meg Waite Clayton – It was OK. Disclaimer – I have read a lot of wartime historical fiction, due to one book club’s proclivity toward such things and the fascinating discussions they lead to. It’s not one of my favorite genres, though. But since I have read so many, I was disappointed that this one didn’t really stack up to the rest of them. There were good moments and some interesting elements, but overall? Meh. If historical WWII fiction is your jam, you’ll probably like it. If you just want to dabble, stick to things like The Nightingale and Code Name Verity. 

D

Dear Bob and Sue by Matt and Karen Smith – This memoir recounts the couple’s visits to all 58 (now 59, as they added in one of the last chapters) national parks, as told to their friends Bob and Sue through emails. If you enjoy visiting national parks or hiking or being outdoors a lot, I think you’d really enjoy this book. My favorite part was their humor and their relationship. Reading it reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books about running – My Life on the Run by Bart Yasso and Kathleen Parrish. Both books were full of a whole lot of entertaining stories I am content to hear someone else tell and never, ever personally experience. 

E

Excuse Me While I Disappear by Laurie Notaro – I mentioned in the January TBR post that I feel like I grew up with Laurie Notaro because I read and resonated with a lot of her books in my twenties. This one is no exception. I wheeze-laughed. There were a few parts that I could have done without (e.g., I often bristle at kids-these-days commentary, so those small sprinkles fell flat for me), but most of it? I howled in solidarity. Recommended for anyone whose body is starting to betray them or who is now or will ever go through perimenopause.

F

G

H

How To Be Perfect by Michael Schur – If you loved “The Good Place,” you’ll probably also enjoy this book, as it addresses the same general topic and is written by one of the show’s creators and thus employs a lot of the same type of humor. Added bonus? Some of the cast members read the audiobook. I was taking notes for book club through most of it, so I stuck with the ebook version. It also gives you a pretty decent overview of Philosophy 101 without having to slog through Aristotle and Kant and Sartre (no offense to those dudes, but Schur works in TV. It’s basically his job to be entertaining.). And it sparked a really lively book club discussion, so…solid read!

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Writers & Lovers by Lily King 

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Lucky Turtle by Bill Roorbach 

M

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire – Oh my gosh, the author reads the audiobook, which I usually don’t like, but it’s fantastic. I love the back story of these characters that we met in the first book of the series. Excellent character building, and I’m very excited to read the next one. 

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O

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki – I actually started this one a few months ago. It took longer to finish because I savored it, which takes a little while to do when a book is 500+ pages. Perfect story for book lovers and mental health advocates with some charming magical realism elements. I gave it five stars on Goodreads.

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A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

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Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian 

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February TBR

Posted in Books, Home, Reading Challenges, Work on February 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This is Day 3 of this year’s (hopefully only) Icepocalypse. So far this week, I’ve slept in, talked to my mom and dad on the phone, made biscuits, submitted several articles for my writing job, started cleaning out the coat closet, and done some strength training. Right now, I’m cozied up with a cup of tea in my most comfortable chair. We have already received notice that the university is closed tomorrow as well. 

I’m so glad I bought coffee on Sunday.

I have also finished three books and plan to finish two more by the end of tomorrow. So I’m making an early dent in this month’s list!

Book Clubs

An issue that I vaguely foresaw when I made my reading goals this year is where to categorize the ongoing massive overlap of titles. Technically, everything in my collection that I haven’t already read is on my to-be-read list. That’s why I own them – for reading. So really, they’re all TBR. And I’m never sure whether to include ebooks and audiobooks as part of my TBR or my collection. I mean, I have purchased them, but I still think of them as TBR, as they’re not physically in the limited space of my home, with their own spot on the shelf. 

I guess the deciding factor is “Can I loan it to you (without violating the stingy fine print I agreed to when I signed up for the subscription)?” Collection – yes. TBR – probably not. So there we go.

Of course, all of this is a moot point this month anyway, because except for three of the books listed above that I will own as soon as they arrive, I’m focusing solely on the TBR.

TBR

I have a lot of library books out, and they’re all just sitting there on my shelf, begging for attention. Reminding me that someone else could be reading them if only I wasn’t selfishly hoarding them (someone else could also put a hold on them if they really wanted to let me know they’re dying to read them right away, so it’s possible this is all just a problem I’ve made up in my head). When Rory Gilmore chastised herself for not taking a book back to the library on time because it robbed someone else of the pleasure of reading it that week? I felt that. Anyway, this month is going to be a heavier focus on reading through most of those and getting them back into circulation where they belong. Fortunately, they’re all on my TBR list (which is why I checked them out to begin with), so I can do this without it pausing my goals for the year.

I’m so excited about this month’s reading list. Never fear, library books – I’ll be with you shortly!

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