LibraryLover23's 2021 Reading

Hi, everyone! I have no hard and fast reading plans at the moment, other than to reduce the TBR pile as best I can and always make reading a part of the daily routine.

Previous Reading Challenges:
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020

2021 Reading List

January
1. Living Lively: 80 Plant-Based Recipes To Activate Your Power And Feed Your Potential by Haile Thomas
2. A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler
3. Finders Keepers by Stephen King
4. Through The Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming
5. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
6. In The Time Of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

February
7. Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts And Minds About Animals And Food by Gene Baur
8. Fortune And Glory by Janet Evanovich
9. Nobody Hitchhikes Anymore by Ed Griffin-Nolan

March
10. City Of Thieves by David Benioff
11. Minaret by Leila Aboulela
12. Dubliners by James Joyce
13. 50 Ways To Save Lancaster County: An Environmental And Social Guide To What You Can Do To Help Save Our County by Philip R. Holzinger
14. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

April
15. Nomadland: Surviving America In The Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder
16. Sixpence House: Lost In A Town Of Books by Paul Collins
17. And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander
18. Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story Of A Teenage Wizard by Echo Brown

May
19. The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
20. The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem For The Country by Amanda Gorman
21. The Cat Who Covered The World: The Adventures Of Henrietta And Her Foreign Correspondent by Christopher S. Wren
22. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Last Interview And Other Conversations by Melville House Publishing
23. The March Of Folly: From Troy To Vietnam by Barbara W. Tuchman
24. Ocean Prey by John Sandford

June
25. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
26. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
27. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
28. Thirteen: 13 Tales Of Horror By 13 Masters Of Horror edited by T. Pines
29. Of Mutts And Men by Spencer Quinn
30. Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella

July
31. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
32. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
33. Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany

August
34. State Of Wonder by Ann Patchett
35. Network Effect by Martha Wells
36. Living Well On A Shoestring by the editors of Yankee Magazine
37. Q's Legacy by Helene Hanff
38. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
39. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
40. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
41. A Drink Before The War by Dennis Lehane

September
42. Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel by George Orwell / adapted and illustrated by Odyr
43. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
44. From The Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury
45. This Is Your Mind On Plants by Michael Pollan
46. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
47. In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

October
48. The Round House by Louise Erdrich
49. The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa
50. A Bad Day For Romance by Sophie Littlefield
51. America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money: Your Guide To Living Better, Spending Less, And Cashing In On Your Dreams by Steve and Annette Economides
52. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

November
53. Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account Of The Death Penalty In The United States by Helen Prejean, C.S.J.
54. The Uncommon Appeal Of Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith
55. Reading Like A Writer: A Guide For People Who Love Books And For Those Who Want To Write Them by Francine Prose
56. Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
57. Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading For Travelers, Vagabonds, And Dreamers by Nancy Pearl

December
58. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
59. A Gathering Of Secrets by Linda Castillo
60. Book Crush For Kids And Teens: Recommended Reading For Every Mood, Moment, And Interest by Nancy Pearl
61. The Haunting Of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale
62. Mitz: The Marmoset Of Bloomsbury by Sigrid Nunez
63. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
64. The City Baker’s Guide To Country Living by Louise Miller

Welcome to Club Read and happy new year! :)

>3 AnnieMod: Thank you! I'm happy to be here. And Happy New Year to you too!

Welcome to CR, and happy 2021!

1. Living Lively: 80 Plant-Based Recipes To Activate Your Power And Feed Your Potential by Haile Thomas (Kindle)
First book of the year is a combination self-help/cookbook. Thomas' family switched to a whole foods, plant-based diet after her father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (a diagnosis which has since been reversed). I think Thomas was 17 when she wrote this, and her youthful enthusiasm shines through with her abundance of exclamation points and sprinkling of slang terms. I don't mean that to sound disparaging, as an activist, she's working to make the world a better place and I certainly can't fault her for that. Also, I just made her Tofu Breakfast Sandwich recipe and it was fabulous. I'd like to try her porridge recipe next.

>5 dchaikin: Thank you, happy 2021 to you as well!

Welcome, and Happy New Year to you, LibraryLover! I'll be checking to see what you are reading. Enjoy it.

>8 sallypursell: Thank you, Sally! Happy New Year to you too!

2. A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler (222 p.)
One of Tyler's earliest books, and I'm afraid it doesn't quite have the same level of brilliance as some of her later ones (her Saint Maybe is in my all-time top five favorites). Tyler's known for her characterization, but unfortunately I didn't warm up to either the main character, Evie, or her musician love interest, Drum. There were also a few surprising turns of events that I didn't see coming at all, but that's also a Tyler trademark. Published back in 1970, it did hold my interest, but this is one that didn't age very well.

3. Finders Keepers by Stephen King (Kindle)
A continuation of the story started in Mr. Mercedes, although this one centers on a young boy finding a trunk with money and a reclusive author's unpublished notebooks. What the boy, Peter, doesn't realize (after secretly giving the money to his parents and taking the notebooks for himself) is that the convict who killed for them will get out on parole and eventually come looking for what he stole. The main characters from Mr. Mercedes took a backseat in this one, although I'm curious to see how their storylines will play out in the next, final installment.

>10 LibraryLover23: interesting. I plan to finally read Anne Tyler this year as I’m working through the 2020 Booker longlist and she has a novel on it. But I’ve been curious a while

>11 LibraryLover23: I’ve tried Stephen King a few times, including Mr Mercedes which I was supposed to read with daughter...but had to give up. Something about his style bothers me. My daughter did read it and enjoyed it.

>12 dchaikin: I've heard that from numerous people, actually, that they're not King fans. Which is completely understandable, to each his own! I've been participating in a group challenge here on LT to read all of his books in order and I'm still trucking along, even if the group itself is no longer quite as active. But I'm having fun with it, I want to do a super-long summarization post someday when I finish, outlining my favorites. :)

Oh, I'm not a fan of King's at all, either. I did admire The Stand and The Shining, but I have been acutely disappointed by several others. And his Magnum Opus truly bothered me. It had a few parts I liked, but most of it was either cliched or irritating.

I ran into him once--literally. He was being interviewed at a bookstore I used to patronize, and I was trying to avoid the crowds, being there for a book. I was walking while looking down at a book, and collided with his chest. He said, "Pardon me, ma'am." and I said that it was my fault. In the meantime I looked up from my book, and it was as if the Rock of Gibraltar was looking down at me. I didn't know about his chin until then. We moved around each other, and he strode out to his motorcycle, got on, and rode away. No more than that, I'm afraid.

>14 sallypursell: Ha! What a great story! Thank you for sharing. It's funny that you weren't even there to see him and yet you ran into him anyway!

I have a King story as well. A few years ago I went to Maine and visited the University of Maine in Orono, and got permission ahead of time from King's assistant to check out his manuscripts (which are currently held there). The librarian was super helpful and nice and she brought all this extra material (you request which manuscripts you want to look at) and I was able to sit and read stuff like Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, which had his notations and scribbles on it. It was really cool.

>15 LibraryLover23: I like your story, too. I'd rather see the texts than the man!

>14 sallypursell: great story

>13 LibraryLover23: that’s a great goal, admiring your efforts. And >15 LibraryLover23: this is just plain cool.

>16 sallypursell:, >17 dchaikin: Thank you both for your comments!

4. Through The Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Kindle)
I adore this mystery series set in the Adirondacks and featuring an Episcopal priest and sheriff teaming up to solve crimes. What sets it apart from others is its characterization, which is always top-notch. My quibble with this entry, though, is that it was a little too action-packed. There were fires, gun battles, broken bones, endless chases of one sort or another, etc. It was all a bit too much. But again, that characterization keeps me invested and it ends on a doozy of a cliffhanger. I also realized that this second-to-last entry was published in 2013, and that the latest entry was published in 2020. Which means that once I catch up with the series I might have to wait seven(!) years for the next entry to come out.

5. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (367 p.)
An oral history of the rise and fall of a 1970's rock band. I really liked the unusual format and got a kick out of how every member of the band perceived things a little differently. An enjoyable, fairly quick read.

6. In The Time Of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (325 p.)
Wow, this one was good. It's a fictionalized take on the real-life Mirabal sisters, three of whom were assassinated for their revolutionary work in trying to undermine the Trujillo dictatorship, a force that was in power in the Dominican Republic for more than 30 years. I admit to sadly knowing nothing about DR history, despite the fact that it's one of the only two foreign countries I've visited. However, I loved this sad glimpse into the lives of these women, and I appreciated how it switched between their viewpoints to paint a full-bodied picture of their lives.

January Books Read
1. Living Lively: 80 Plant-Based Recipes To Activate Your Power And Feed Your Potential by Haile Thomas
2. A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler
3. Finders Keepers by Stephen King
4. Through The Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming
5. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
6. In The Time Of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

January Books Acquired
Early Retirement Extreme: A Philosophical And Practical Guide To Financial Independence by Jacob Lund Fisker
Vibrant Living : A Live Foods Resource And Recipe Book by James Levin, M.D. and Natalie Cederquist (Christmas gifts to myself)

>21 LibraryLover23: Trujillo’s Dominican Republic is somewhat famously captured in The Brief Wondrous life of Oscar Wao. Other places too. Dark history. Noting In the Time of the Butterflies.

>23 dchaikin: I actually have The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao on my shelves already. I owned it for years before I realized it said brief life in the title, which has made me kind of uneasy to read it, haha.

>24 LibraryLover23: well, “brief” isn’t a reference to the book’s length. : ) it’s fun, toying with Dominican stereotypes. Certainly could drive a number of reader types crazy. But not a hard novel.

>25 dchaikin: Thanks for the info!

7. Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts And Minds About Animals And Food by Gene Baur (286 p.)
Baur is a co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, which is a nonprofit organization that works to combat the abuses of factory farming and to promote a more humane society. In this book, Baur talks about the current systems and practices in play in the cattle (beef, dairy, veal), pig, duck and geese (foie gras), and chicken (meat and egg) industries. Let’s just say, it’s not pretty. Baur also talks about how Farm Sanctuary has worked to advocate on animals’ and people’s behalf, and although it’s an uphill battle, it’s a thriving movement that continues to grow.

Interesting quotes:
“There’s one thing that Rudy, Truffles, and Terrin have in common with nearly all the other pigs: they can’t stand the sound of clanking metal. Even though they were very young, they must remember what it was like to be crowded behind metal slats on that transport truck. They hate the very sound of trucks. When the UPS truck drives up to the farm, they run and hide. It’s a reminder of how sensitive and intelligent pigs are and that, while they may forgive, they don’t forget.” (p. 54)

“Numerous public opinion surveys show a vast majority of people in the United States and around the globe are uneasy with industrialized animal farming. It doesn’t sit well on our conscience, leaving exactly two options: we can live in denial, looking the other way, or we can find it in ourselves to confront the cruelty and do something about it.” (p. 186)

8. Fortune And Glory by Janet Evanovich (Kindle)
Just what the doctor ordered: a silly, light-hearted caper with Stephanie and friends. In the previous installment, Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur came into possession of some keys that led to a mobster’s fortune. In this entry, we get the conclusion of that treasure hunt, with lots of laughs and goofiness along the way.

9. Nobody Hitchhikes Anymore by Ed Griffin-Nolan (188 p.)
I won this through LT’s Early Reviewers, which can be hit or miss for me, but this one was a definite hit. In 1978 the author hitchhiked with a friend across America. Forty years later, in 2018, he decided to try it again, despite the protests of family and friends telling him it was too dangerous (including protestations from the friend who hitched with him the first time). Luckily, he lived to tell the tale, which is basically character studies of the type of people who picked him up (most of them had hitchhiked at one time or another themselves), as well as descriptions of the different areas of the country he traveled through. He also freely admits that, as a white man, hitching is a different experience than it is for other races and genders. It was just a fascinating glimpse into people’s lives, and it also helped to slake some of my own currently unrequited wanderlust.

>27 LibraryLover23: I am trying to eat less meat in our diets, incorporating at least a couple of vegan meals into the week’s menus, and usually having several other meals where there is some meat, but in pretty small quantities. In the first lockdown here we started buying from an online meat supplier which is all free-range and grass fed and high welfare standards, and we think we will continue with it as the meat has been consistently better.

>30 SandDune: I think that’s the key, just being a bit more open and aware of where our food comes from. And knowing that it doesn’t have to be “meat and potatoes” at every single meal!

February Books Read
7. Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts And Minds About Animals And Food by Gene Baur
8. Fortune And Glory by Janet Evanovich
9. Nobody Hitchhikes Anymore by Ed Griffin-Nolan

February Books Acquired
None!

>29 LibraryLover23: I’m intrigued by what the author did. As for >27 LibraryLover23:, I definitely has some unresolved denial. Fun month.

>33 dchaikin: Thanks! I was in denial for a long time too. I knew once I started researching some of this stuff there was no going back. But, for me anyway, I don’t regret it for a minute.

10. City Of Thieves by David Benioff (258 p.)
During the siege of Leningrad, Lev (accused of looting) and Kolya (accused of desertion) are given a reprieve if they can locate one dozen eggs for a Colonel’s daughter’s wedding cake. As crazy as that setup is the young men take up the challenge, and the novel follows their weeklong deadline throughout the city and the dangerous scrapes they get into along the way. Benioff is also a screenwriter (I believe he was one of the Game of Thrones TV show creators), and this story reads like an action movie, buddy comedy, and drama all rolled into one. I’ve read several different books on the siege in the past few years, this one might be my favorite of the bunch.

City of Theives sounds excellent. You obviously know your stuff.

>29 LibraryLover23: Oh man, when I think of all the hitchhiking I did in the late '70s/early '80s... I don't think my parents had any idea, or if they did they just chose not to think about it. I was mostly hitching around Vermont, where I went to school, but a few times from Vermont to NYC, and at least one of those alone, as a teenager. Ah well, it was a different time and I was a different person and I'm here to tell the tale.

>35 LibraryLover23: I've had that on my shelf for ages—it's one I definitely intend to get to. I've always heard good things about it.

>36 Jiraiya: Oh, I wouldn’t go that far. :) I just happened to read several books set in that time and place. But what a fascinating place it is.

>37 lisapeet: It’s funny how hitchhiking is no longer really an accepted means of travel, a point the author went into in that book. He talked about how it’s yet another way we’re more fearful and divided today. But it’s cool you got to experience it!

11. Minaret by Leila Aboulela (Kindle)
This one begins with devoutly religious Najwa taking on a job as a nanny/maid to a wealthy family in London in the early 2000’s. Then it flashes back to Khartoum, Sudan in the mid-1980’s, when Najwa was the pampered daughter of a government official, more interested in boys, parties, and her friends than religion. How she makes such a drastic change from “then” to “now” is shown through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, all believable, but not all pleasant. I thought this one was compulsively readable, I had a hard time putting it down between sittings. I also thought the ending was sad, but pitch-perfect.

12. Dubliners by James Joyce (223 p.)
My St. Patrick’s Day/Irish reading. If there were deep, hidden meanings in these stories, I’m afraid they went right over my head. But as slice-of-life vignettes showcasing Dublin in the early 20th century, they worked very well. Like any short story collection, some were better than others.

13. 50 Ways To Save Lancaster County: An Environmental And Social Guide To What You Can Do To Help Save Our County by Philip R. Holzinger (212 p.)
A reduce/reuse/recycling guide with a local bent. This is a reread for me; it’s helpful to have a resource like this, with contact information all in one handy place.

>38 LibraryLover23:

Can you share some of the other books you've read about the topic, kouki no sensei :)

>42 Jiraiya: Sure! I had to go back farther than I thought, but other books I've read on the subject are The Madonnas Of Leningrad by Debra Dean, The Siege by Helen Dunmore, and Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah.

I've been told that the best book to read on the topic is The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison Salisbury. It's a non-fiction account, and I guess if I ever get around to reading more on the subject that's maybe what I would go for!

>43 LibraryLover23:

I love nonfiction works of WW2. It's quite unsurprising to me that The 900 Days has a higher score than the other books you mentioned on this very site. Thank you for the recs!

>44 Jiraiya: You’re welcome!

14. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines (256 p.)
Set in the 1940’s in Louisiana, this story centers on Jefferson, a young man who is sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit. Devastated by the news, his godmother enlists the help of the local schoolteacher, who reluctantly agrees to impart some wisdom and help Jefferson face death with dignity and courage. It’s a powerful, moving story that’s very well told.

>46 LibraryLover23: Taking note of that one - sounds interesting.

>47 AlisonY: I’ve read one other book by this author, The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman, and it was also very good. He’s an author worth checking out, I think!

March Books Read
10. City Of Thieves by David Benioff
11. Minaret by Leila Aboulela
12. Dubliners by James Joyce
13. 50 Ways To Save Lancaster County: An Environmental And Social Guide To What You Can Do To Help Save Our County by Philip R. Holzinger
14. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

March Books Acquired
None! (And I'm feeling the book-buying itch.)

>40 LibraryLover23: I too felt a bit indifferent about Dubliners. I was in the minority as most people in CR loved it, but it didn't do it for me.

>50 AlisonY: Yeah, I agree. I liked it, just didn’t love it.

15. Nomadland: Surviving America In The Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder (Kindle)
I greatly enjoyed this one, a look at people who through choice or circumstance are “houseless” and live in their cars, vans, trucks, and campers. It’s a transient existence, going from town to town for a place to park and for temporary, low-paying jobs like Amazon warehouse workers (the irony was not lost on me that I read this on a Kindle). The book is best when the focus is on Linda May; it was fascinating learning about her background and plans to ultimately settle down. I also tried watching the movie version, in which a lot of the people interviewed for the book show up as some version of themselves, but I found the movie to be soul-crushingly bleak. I didn’t get that vibe from the book, though.

16. Sixpence House: Lost In A Town Of Books by Paul Collins (246 p.)
The author, his wife, and their baby move from San Francisco to Hay-on-Wye, Wales, with plans to open a bookshop. As with most stories of this nature, not everything goes according to plan. This was another good one, with lots of bookish references and some laugh-out-loud bits.

>41 LibraryLover23: This prompted me to combine my book with your book for a total of 2 catalogued. :-) Author lives about a mile from me.

>54 qebo: qebo! Thanks for adding your book! That’s awesome that he lives nearby. Do you know him personally? If you do, you can feel free to tell him I’m a fan. :)

17. And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander (321 p.)
An interesting historical mystery set in Victorian England. The main character, Lady Emily, was recently widowed from her wealthy husband, whom she didn’t know very well at all as they were only married for a short period of time. Being a wealthy widow in that time and place affords Emily with a certain degree of freedom, which she promptly uses to further her education, but also to entangle herself in a mystery involving her late husband and some stolen ancient Greek artifacts. I liked the setup a lot, that Emily could do as she pleases without the same constraints that would have been in place if she was single. This is the first in a series, but I don’t know if/when I’ll get to the others. I have so many other books clamoring for my attention...

>56 LibraryLover23: That sounds like a book I'd enjoy a lot. Definitely adding it to my list.

>55 LibraryLover23: We've crossed paths, but I don't really know him.

>57 Julie_in_the_Library: I hope you like it, Julie!

>58 qebo: That’s cool, though. I wonder what he thinks about the state of things today, compared to when he wrote the book.

18. Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story Of A Teenage Wizard by Echo Brown (Kindle)
Echo uses her fantastical wizard’s powers to transcend a life filled with poverty and abuse. It’s a YA book and very well done, despite the difficult subject matter.

April Books Read
15. Nomadland: Surviving America In The Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder
16. Sixpence House: Lost In A Town Of Books by Paul Collins
17. And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander
18. Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story Of A Teenage Wizard by Echo Brown

April Books Acquired
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Twice-Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Simple, Healthy, Vegan: Everyday Plant-Based Recipes by Gili Kieffer (gifts)
The Twelfth Transforming by Pauline Gedge
Beneath The Sands Of Egypt: Adventures Of An Unconventional Archaeologist by Donald P. Ryan (travel book subscription/Ancient Egypt theme)

>61 LibraryLover23: My oldest son is an Archaeologist. He studies the Woodland Indians and the culture involved in Mound-building in the South-East and Central United States. Like Cahokia Mounds, if you know of it.

>62 sallypursell: That’s awesome! I’m not familiar with the Cahokia Mounds, but that sounds like a fascinating profession.

19. The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (315 p.)
I adore the Flavia de Luce series and seeing what hijinks she gets up to next. I don’t want to summarize the plot of this one, because it ties into a twist at the end of the previous book, but I will say, I think these get better and better. And Dogger is my absolute favorite, bar none.

>64 LibraryLover23: I read that Flavia book recently myself, and I love them. Most people seem to like her, though.

>63 LibraryLover23: For your education, you should take a look at Cahokia. It will tell you on the homepage an amazing fact, that Cahokia had a greater population in 1250 than London, England! My son Dr. Corin Pursell, teaches the field school for Archaeologic Method at Cahokia Mounds, under the auspices of Washington University in St. Louis. The site is in Illinois, near the Mississippi river, so very near St Louis, MO. I believe the Mounds at St Louis may have been substantial, as well, but we don't know a lot because they were largely dismantled.

In Cahokia you can find exotic materials imported from many miles away--shells and clays, for instance. Corin wrote his Master's Thesis on the use of the clays imported for the express purpose of coloring the entire Mound, so that the purpose of the city could be discerned from a distance--from the Mississippi, for instance. They had different colors than we did--that is, they named them in groups different than we would. His dissertation had to do with the layouts of the towns, and especially the cardinal directions relating to spiritual matters. He proposed a novel interpretation of a mysterious burial found, and how it could be a symbolic story of the creation myth they are known to have had. (I hope I have that all right.) I am very proud of Corey, and my other three kids, who are really cool, each in her or his way.

https://cahokiamounds.org/

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20210412-the-us-lost-ancient-megacity

>66 sallypursell: That's fascinating, Sally! Would love to know more.

>66 sallypursell:, >67 wandering_star: Fascinating indeed! Thank you for sharing, Sally.

20. The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem For The Country by Amanda Gorman (29 p.)
The book form of the poem the author read at President Biden's inauguration. It looks like there will be a full poetry collection, including this poem, coming out later this year.

>67 wandering_star: What do you want to know more about? I will tell you myself, or have Corin contact you.

21. The Cat Who Covered The World: The Adventures Of Henrietta And Her Foreign Correspondent by Christopher S. Wren (204 p.)
The author, who worked as a foreign correspondent for The New York Times, relates his experiences with his family and their lovable cat, Henrietta, as they lived and traveled in Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, Ottawa, and Johannesburg. In some ways, the cat helped them break barriers, but in others she could be a hindrance when it came to moving between countries with the proper paperwork. It was an interesting read, and if you're an ailurophile, as I am, you'd probably enjoy this one.

22. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Last Interview And Other Conversations by Melville House Publishing (191 p.)
Just as it says in the title, this is a collection of interviews with RBG, including her final one. There wasn’t anything particularly earth-shattering here to me (although she’s awesome regardless), but I was surprised to learn that she went to Cornell with Vladimir Nabokov and that he greatly influenced her legal writing style.

>70 sallypursell: Hi - sorry for slow response, I have been having problems posting (still can't post when using Chrome, but working for the moment in Safari).

Thanks for the offer! After I posted I actually discovered I have a book about Cahokia so maybe I should read that first, and remember that I can call on an expert if I have more questions!

23. The March Of Folly: From Troy To Vietnam by Barbara W. Tuchman (447 p.)
Tuchman looks at four events that she characterizes as “folly” throughout history: the fall of Troy, how the decadence of the Renaissance popes helped bring about the Protestant Reformation, Britain losing the American colonies, and America losing the Vietnam War. Her definition of folly is “the pursuit of policy contrary to the self-interest of the constituency or state involved” (p. 5). (She goes into more specific parameters, but that’s the gist of it.) Why do people act in their own worst interest? Well, that’s one for the ages, really. Tuchman doesn’t answer it, necessarily, but she does illustrate how it stretches to pretty much everyone, everywhere, for all of history, and her illustrating how it can come about was particularly illuminating. It made me look at some things in a new light, which is the goal of any good reading experience. I will say, though, that it’s not the most exciting book. She nearly lost me in the “British Lose America” chapter, but the overall message is clearly stated and it’s a fascinating subject to study.

24. Ocean Prey by John Sandford (423 p.)
Newest in the Lucas Davenport series finds U.S. Marshals Lucas and Virgil Flowers trying to take down a Mafia drug ring operating out of Florida. These are great mystery books. The tension is ratcheted up so high, you hardly breathe as you fly through hundreds of pages in one sitting. It’s the perfect type of read to start off the summer right.

May Books Read
19. The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
20. The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem For The Country by Amanda Gorman
21. The Cat Who Covered The World: The Adventures Of Henrietta And Her Foreign Correspondent by Christopher S. Wren
22. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Last Interview And Other Conversations by Melville House Publishing
23. The March Of Folly: From Troy To Vietnam by Barbara W. Tuchman
24. Ocean Prey by John Sandford

May Books Acquired
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem For The Country by Amanda Gorman
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Last Interview And Other Conversations by Melville House Publishing (gifts)
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Plant-Based On A Budget: Delicious Vegan Recipes For Under $30 A Week, In Less Than 30 Minutes A Meal by Toni Okamoto (freebies)

Stopping by to catch up. Enjoyed your posts and the trivia they bring up - a comment on archeology leading the the Cahokia mounds (new to me), and Nabokov’s influence on Ruth Bader Ginsburg (>72 LibraryLover23: ) - had no idea.

>77 dchaikin: Thanks for stopping by! I know, it’s amazing the things that pop up!

25. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
26. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
27. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (Kindle)
Since all the cool kids are doing it (i.e. everyone on LibraryThing), I decided to jump on the Murderbot bandwagon. These are a lot of fun, Murderbot just wants to be left alone to watch serials, but it can’t help getting dragged into humans’ problems. I’ll have the next few lined up from the library soon.

28. Thirteen: 13 Tales Of Horror By 13 Masters Of Horror edited by T. Pines (343 p.)
This is a collection of 90’s-era teen horror stories. (I was the target audience for these back in the day.) Some of them were ridiculous, others were decent. My two favorites were the first and last stories; the last one being about a girl who lets a boy she knows into her work after-hours (big mistake). The other was by my man, Christopher Pike, who was my gateway author to all the horror, fantasy, and sci-fi novels to come in my life. Overall, a fun read that was also a bit of a walk down memory lane.

29. Of Mutts And Men by Spencer Quinn (299 p.)
One of the Chet and Bernie mysteries. Bernie is a PI who runs his own detective agency consisting of himself and his canine partner, Chet. As the narrator of the series, Chet is endlessly endearing. He also tends to be a few steps ahead of Bernie when it comes to solving the case. Usually, his sense of smell clues the reader in to what's going on, but Chet's not-very-great memory and lower intelligence level means he tends to not realize it. I thought this entry was a return to form, as the previous one left me a bit unimpressed.

30. Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella (352 p.)
Shopaholic Becky Brandon returns from her honeymoon to learn that she has a half sister she never knew about. Becky is thrilled, until she meets Jess and realizes they have nothing in common. However, Becky has an eternally sunny outlook that helps her not only overcome that problem, but also that her best friend has moved on to someone else in her absence, her husband Luke is aggravated that she bought so many honeymoon souvenirs, and her attempt to help Luke with his job backfires. All this to say that Becky would be a very annoying character if it weren't for her can-do attitude. That redeems her and makes you root for her throughout the book.

June Books Read
25. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
26. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
27. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
28. Thirteen: 13 Tales Of Horror By 13 Masters Of Horror edited by T. Pines
29. Of Mutts And Men by Spencer Quinn
30. Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella

June Books Acquired
America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money: Your Guide To Living Better, Spending Less, And Cashing In On Your Dreams by Steve and Annette Economides
Blue Highways: A Journey Into America by William Least Heat-Moon
The Call Of The Wild and White Fang by Jack London
In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
The Girl Who Takes An Eye For An Eye by David Lagercrantz
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry
Reading Like A Writer: A Guide For People Who Love Books And For Those Who Want To Write Them by Francine Prose
Glass Houses by Louise Penny (I went to my first library book sale since before the pandemic. It was just as much fun as I'd remembered.)
Later by Stephen King
A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles
Hamnet by Maggie O' Farrell (used gift cards from my local indie)

31. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (389 p.)
Now leading the Sûreté Academy, and trying to rid it of its long-simmering corruption, Armand Gamache is dismayed when not only does one of his professors get killed, but he himself is considered a suspect. What I appreciate most about this series (apart from the food descriptions, setting, and characters), is that previous plotlines are carried over from book to book, sometimes picking up several volumes later. Which is why I think it’s best to start this series at the beginning. You’ll get more out of it that way.

32. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (Kindle)
Fourth book in the Murderbot series. It’s hard to summarize the full plot of these, but this one involves Murderbot coming to the rescue of Dr. Mensah, whom we met in book one, All Systems Red. Murderbot seems to be becoming more human-like, particularly in appearance, but also emotion-wise. It’s necessary for disguise purposes, but Murderbot is not totally comfortable with the fact. Another good entry to the series.

33. Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany (312 p.)
Cozy mystery set on Cape Cod. Lily owns a tea shop next door to her grandmother Rose's B&B, and when a much-disliked property developer who Rose was feuding with winds up dead, Rose and Lily work to solve the case. Enjoyable, typical of the genre, and I liked the setting.

July Books Read
31. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
32. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
33. Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany

July Books Acquired
Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany
Death By The Sea by Kathleen Bridge
Death At High Tide by Hannah Dennison (cozy mystery subscription/travel theme)
The Sound Of Wings by Suzanne Simonetti
The Outer Beach: A Thousand-Mile Walk On Cape Cod's Atlantic Shore by Robert Finch (travel book subscription/East Coast seaside theme)
Food for Life: How The New Four Food Groups Can Save Your Life by Neal Barnard, M.D. ($1 at the thrift store)
Instead Of Chicken, Instead Of Turkey: A Poultryless "Poultry" Potpourri by Karen Davis (part of my monthly charity giving)
Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins
A Fatal Finale by Kathleen Marple Kalb
Dead Dead Girls: A Harlem Renaissance Mystery by Nekesa Afia (cozy mystery subscription/historical travel theme)
The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman
The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton
Savage Season by Joe R. Lansdale
Dead Simple by Peter James
Back Of Beyond by C.J. Box
Mystery Walk by Robert R. McCammon (freebies)
Vegan Chocolate Treats: 60 Indulgent Sweets To Satisfy Your Inner Chocoholic by Ciarra Siller (bought at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, DE)

34. State Of Wonder by Ann Patchett (353 p.)
Beautiful, evocative writing, and an unusual setting in the Amazon jungle, but I'm afraid this one didn't really work for me. The premise involves a woman traveling to the Amazon to check on the progress of a fertility drug that's being developed, and also to learn more about the circumstances of a colleague's death after he recently traveled to the area. Unfortunately, I didn't particularly warm to any of the characters, and as a result, I wasn't too invested in their various outcomes. Great writing, but not a favorite overall.

35. Network Effect by Martha Wells (Kindle)
A full-length Murderbot novel, as opposed to the previous novellas. Murderbot and some of its crew get recruited by ART to help with a mission. The last third in particular with Murderbot having to be in two places at once was particularly good.

36. Living Well On A Shoestring by the editors of Yankee Magazine (392 p.)
Okay collection of money-saving tips that are rather dated now. It was pre-ubiquitous internet days, and some of what was suggested just isn’t viable anymore.

37. Q's Legacy by Helene Hanff (177 p.)
Because Hanff was unable to complete college, she endeavored to further her own education through reading. One of the authors she studied was named Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, or "Q," and it was by searching for books that he recommended that she ended up striking up a decades-long pen-pal friendship with the staff of a bookstore in London at 84, Charing Cross Road. Hanff then went on to publish those letters, which eventually also became a movie and various plays. This book also details how the success of 84 changed Hanff's life in various ways, and how she finally managed to visit England.

38. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (97 p.)
Of course, once you read a book like Q's Legacy, it's only appropriate that you go back and read Hanff's best-known work. This collection of letters, primarily between the author and Frank Doel, is utterly delightful and sad and completely worth the third or fourth reread.

Now you need to read/reread The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street to complete the trifecta :)

>91 Yells: I know, right? :) I didn't realize until I was reading Q's Legacy that there was another book!

>90 LibraryLover23: and >91 Yells: Sigh. I wonder how likely I am to find either of these books in-person.

>93 rhian_of_oz: Good luck! I hope you get a chance to check them out sometime, because they are pretty great.

39. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells (Kindle)
After a great run of Murderbot stories, this one fell flat for me. For a novella, I thought it dragged, and I didn't find the storyline (Murderbot trying to solve the murder of someone we've never met before on Preservation Station) all that compelling. I'm all caught up with the series now, so we'll see what happens when the next entry comes out.

40. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky (484 p.)
A micro-history about the only rock we eat. Its main focus was on the uses of salt. For most of the time, salt's primary function has been to preserve and pickle foods, although in the last few centuries, it's shifted to include manufacturing and chemical uses. There were plenty of interesting facts throughout, but nearly 500 pages felt way too long on a subject that isn't overly compelling.

41. A Drink Before The War by Dennis Lehane (351 p.)
The first Patrick Kenzie/Angie Gennaro novel, which is part of a mystery series that follows two PIs as they investigate the grittier, seamier side of Boston. I've read other books in this series randomly and out of order, but it was interesting to go back and see the origin of these two characters. The mystery was good, too, albeit dark.

August Books Read
34. State Of Wonder by Ann Patchett
35. Network Effect by Martha Wells
36. Living Well On A Shoestring by the editors of Yankee Magazine
37. Q's Legacy by Helene Hanff
38. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
39. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
40. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
41. A Drink Before The War by Dennis Lehane

August Books Acquired
None!

>95 LibraryLover23: That's interesting, I am reading Much Depends On Dinner and just finished the chapter on salt. The line about 'the only rock we eat' occurs there too. There was also quite a lot about the symbolic/mystical power of salt, did that also come up in Kurlansky's book?

>97 LibraryLover23: no books acquired - well done!

>98 wandering_star: Actually, no, it didn't. That's an interesting angle, though, that I didn't even consider. This one was very heavy on the food uses of salt, which was interesting, but a little repetitive.

>90 LibraryLover23: Funny, I just read 84 Charing Cross Road / The Duchess of Bloomsbury a week or two back. Definitely try and find the latter, as I found it even more delightful as a sequel to the letters.

>100 AlisonY: I think one of my local library branches has it, I'll definitely check it out sometime! I love her writing. :)

42. Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel by George Orwell / adapted and illustrated by Odyr (175 p.)
The animals at Manor Farm decide to overthrow their human owner and turn the property into Animal Farm, where everyone will practice Animalism and all animals will be equal. However, over time, we learn that some animals are more equal than others. I’ve read the novel version of this one before, and when I saw there was a graphic novel adaptation, I knew I wanted to check it out. I don’t remember my previous read being quite so depressing, although I suspect some of the symbolism went over my head last time. The illustrations were cool, though.

43. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (431 p.)
Just amazingly good. The story begins with Abdullah and his beloved sister, Pari, in Afghanistan in 1952. It then spins off to follow other characters in their orbit, from their stepmother, to their stepmother’s brother, to the brother’s neighbor, etc. It was more like linked short stories than a novel, but it all works. While I was reading, I had to have it at hand at all times, so if I had a spare moment, I would think, “Well, I have time for a page or 10.” So, so good, and easily one of my top books for the year.

>103 LibraryLover23: It's a while since I read this one, but I do remember enjoying it too.

>104 AlisonY: I’m glad! I’ve liked all of his books so far.

44. From The Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury (267 p.)
A collection of stories about the Family, made up of vampires, ghosts, mummies, and the human boy, Timothy, all together in one big ramshackle house. Appropriate Halloweenish reading.

45. This Is Your Mind On Plants by Michael Pollan (274 p.)
Pollan looks at three plant-based drugs: opium (a sedative), caffeine (a stimulant), and mescaline (a psychedelic). The first section was a reprint of a magazine article he did in the 90's about the legalities of brewing poppy tea (it's legal to grow poppies, but once you start harvesting them, things get murky). The section on caffeine was a little bit about the history of coffee and tea and also about how this drug can affect our sleep. The final section on mescaline was the most interesting, I thought, and focused on how peyote (which comes from a cactus) is sacred to Native Americans and how it's been legalized as a sacrament in the Native American Church, but it's also in trouble of becoming endangered for a variety of reasons.

This was the kind of book that sent me down about 15 different rabbit holes, and I now have a whole other list of books and subjects I'd like to learn more about. I also thought it was laugh-out-loud, hysterically funny at times, particularly when he engaged in taking (or in the case of caffeine, not taking) the drugs discussed.

46. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth (309 p.)
Enjoyable thriller centered on two sisters, Rose and Fern. The chapters alternate in perspective between the two, and as you're reading, you realize that only one of the sisters is a reliable narrator. I also thought that Fern's sensory-processing issues were handled in a respectful way, and it added another interesting layer to the story.

47. In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (308 p.)
Another thriller, this one about a murder at a remote house during a bachelorette party weekend. The story flashes back and forth between the party and a hospital, where the protagonist is trying to remember everything that happened after suffering from a head injury, which was a plot device that worked for me. I’m also terrible at figuring out whodunit, so I was surprised at the denouement. Another atmospheric read for the spooky season.

>107 LibraryLover23: I adore Michael Pollan. He's definitely going down the psychedelics road these past few years. I wasn't expecting that. This latest one reminds me a lot of The Devil's Picnic by Taras Grescoe, which I read last year.

>109 LibraryLover23: In a Dark, Dark Wood was a fun read. The only other Ruth Ware I've read is The Turn of the Key (a play on The Turn of the Screw), and I liked that one even more

>109 LibraryLover23: I really enjoyed In a Dark, Dark Wood, as well. I really need to look for more of her books.

>110 Nickelini: This was the first Pollan that I've read, although I also have The Omnivore's Dilemma on my shelves. He does seem to be more into psychedelics these days, and in the book I just read he made some interesting points regarding the legality of them. I look forward to checking out more of his stuff. And The Turn of the Key, too, that sounds great!

>111 NanaCC: I also read The Woman In Cabin 10, but I don't remember liking that one as much. Just FYI!

>112 LibraryLover23: the Omnivore's Dilemma changed my life (well, the way I eat, anyway. And that's a pretty big part of life)

>113 Nickelini: Wow, high praise indeed! Now I'm definitely looking forward to it. :) I love it when a book gets you to see things in a new light.

>110 Nickelini: He's definitely going down the psychedelics road these past few years. I wasn't expecting that.
Except I think in The Omnivore's Dilemma, or maybe an essay he wrote at the time he published it, he waxed very envious of his cat's rapturous encounter with catnip. So... maybe a hint there. I still want to read This Is Your Mind on Plants—my psychedelic-ingesting days are long over, but I'm very interested in the mechanics of mind/mood-altering substances and how they work on the brain.

>115 lisapeet: There was a lot of good info there, I hope you like it!

September Books Read
42. Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel by George Orwell / adapted and illustrated by Odyr
43. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
44. From The Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury
45. This Is Your Mind On Plants by Michael Pollan
46. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
47. In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

September Books Acquired
The Book Of Life by Deborah Harkness
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give A F*ck by Thug Kitchen (library book sale)

48. The Round House by Louise Erdrich (321 p.)
Joe is thirteen during the summer of 1988 when his mother is attacked on their reservation. It brings an end to his childhood, in a sense, but also starts him on a quest for vengeance. This was the kind of story that gripped me from page one, although I thought it lost a bit of steam about halfway through. It picked up again towards the end, though, and the ending itself literally gave me chills. A very good book, and highly recommended.

>118 LibraryLover23: I've had this on my shelf for years and still haven't gotten to it. Thanks for the push!

>119 japaul22: You're welcome! ;)

49. The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa (222 p.)
Japanese crime fiction that I picked up on a whim from a used bookseller's going-out-of-business sale. The book follows Ichiro Honda, who, after engaging in a string of one-night stands, realizes that all the women he had affairs with are being murdered. Also, the killer is setting it up to look like Honda is the culprit. It's a great premise, but, unfortunately, I found it lacking in execution. For a crime novel, I thought it was pretty boring, and I'm still puzzling over the ending. I had also never heard of this author before picking up the book, but the author bio sounds fascinating:

"Born in Tokyo, she worked as a cabaret performer before beginning to write crime fiction backstage, during her breaks..."

"...Togawa went on to become a hugely successful author, while continuing to lead a colorful parallel life as a singer, actress, feminist, nightclub owner, and gay icon."

With a bio like that, I'm sorry I didn't like the book more!

>121 LibraryLover23: Classic Japanese mysteries have their own internal logic and if you go for them expecting the western style narration or speed (golden age or more modern), they can sound boring. They are half novels of moral norms/half crime novels with a sprinkle of something very Japanese and indescribable. I like the style - but it does not work for everyone. I’ve read another of her novels earlier this year and lived it. Need to track this one down as well.

Sorry it did not work for you :(

>122 AnnieMod: No worries! You brought up some good points there, especially the morals aspect, because that definitely came into play here. If nothing else, it was an interesting glimpse at a different time and place. I hope you can find/enjoy it!

50. A Bad Day For Romance by Sophie Littlefield (Kindle)
The conclusion to the Stella Hardesty series. I enjoyed all of the previous entries, but this one fell flat with a resounding thud. A weak mystery, obnoxious characters that I previously liked (I'm looking at you, Chrissy), and a wrap-up of a love triangle that was pretty obvious from the start. It's too bad because like I said before, I enjoyed the previous entries very much.

51. America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money: Your Guide To Living Better, Spending Less, And Cashing In On Your Dreams by Steve and Annette Economides (280 p.)
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this one. I thought it would be a rehash of the most well-known frugal tips and tricks, and it was, to a point, but I still gained some new insight and it made me rethink some of my savings goals. Their plan for divvying up their kids' allowance was crazy, though.

52. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (546 p.)
An American Christian missionary family (mom, dad, and four daughters) travel to the Congo in 1959. The chapters alternate between the characters’ perspectives, except the father, who is purposefully kept at a remove. I thought this was very well done, the culture shock the characters experience is realistic and I liked how it went on to do some forward jumps in time, which allowed the reader to see the different life paths each family member took. I also liked how each character was distinct with her own clearly defined voice.

>126 LibraryLover23: I enjoyed this one too. It's been a while, but I remember I thought it was very well crafted.

>127 AlisonY: It was. It was also the first Kingsolver that I've read, and I can see why she's so well-regarded.

October Books Read
48. The Round House by Louise Erdrich
49. The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa
50. A Bad Day For Romance by Sophie Littlefield
51. America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money: Your Guide To Living Better, Spending Less, And Cashing In On Your Dreams by Steve and Annette Economides
52. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

October Books Acquired
Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke
Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey
Dragondrums by Anne McCaffrey
The Visitor by Christopher Pike
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained by Lao Tzu
The King Of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes To Glow From The Inside Out by Angela Liddon (library book sale...again!)

>129 LibraryLover23: Dragonsong is the book I consider my introduction to the fantasy genre. I think I was about 11 or 12 and I thought Menolly was awesome - so brave! Have you read them before or are they new to you?

>130 rhian_of_oz: Glad to hear it! No, I haven’t read them before. I’m just a sucker for when each entry of a trilogy is all together at a book sale, as these ones were.

53. Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account Of The Death Penalty In The United States by Helen Prejean, C.S.J. (276 p.)
Sister Helen Prejean befriended a few men on death row, which led her to becoming an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, an eventual organizer of a victims’ families’ assistance group, and to the writing of this book. Overall it’s an interesting, yet depressing, read. I’m sure the statistics are a bit dated now, too, as this was published in the 90’s. I also admit to having no idea what the current state of the death penalty is in the U.S. today (although a quick Google search tells me it’s still authorized in 27 states and by the federal government). There’s a lot to unpack here, though, and lots of food for thought.

54. The Uncommon Appeal Of Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith (Kindle)
Number nine in the Isabel Dalhousie series. Isabel is a Scottish philosopher who solves minor mysteries while also puzzling over thorny ethical or philosophical issues. The mystery in this series often takes a backseat (in this one, a man's painting is stolen). Isabel's ruminations, thought tangents, and the characters are what take center stage.

55. Reading Like A Writer: A Guide For People Who Love Books And For Those Who Want To Write Them by Francine Prose (273 p.)
Prose (isn't it funny that that's her last name?) looks at "the rules" of writing. What are the rules? There are none! As long as a writer is skillful enough to get away with it, they can pretty much do whatever they want, and she goes through examples of how it can be artfully done. I also really liked her recommendation to slow down and engage in more close reading. I can definitely get into a skimming mode sometimes, and this was a good reminder to slow down and enjoy the ride. Anyway, a good book for both readers and writers alike.

>134 LibraryLover23: Loved this book. I borrowed it from the library, and I must get around to buying it some day as it's a book that needs reread, several times.

>135 AlisonY: I really liked it too; I got some good ideas from it.

56. Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle (352 p.)
Three interconnected holiday YA romance stories. It was...okay. Maybe not totally my thing. (I picked it up from the "free" table at the library one time.) It did help to bring about a little holiday cheer, though.

Catching up:

57. Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading For Travelers, Vagabonds, And Dreamers by Nancy Pearl (301 p.)
A comfort reread that I was hoping would pull me out of a book funk. It seems to be working.

58. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (219 p.)
A boring children's story about a guy who has to steal a rock or something, I don't know, it was so boring. The only reason I finished it is because it was for my TBR Challenge. I've never come across a main character in fiction who slept so much. I even flipped to the first page of the second book in the series to find that it begins, "He was asleep..." which tells me everything I need to know.

59. A Gathering Of Secrets by Linda Castillo (Kindle)
Number 10 in the Kate Burkholder series. This one was pretty good, but I'm still annoyed that there isn't more character growth. I waffle on whether or not I should quit this series.

60. Book Crush For Kids And Teens: Recommended Reading For Every Mood, Moment, And Interest by Nancy Pearl (288 p.)
See #57 above.

61. The Haunting Of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale (349 p.)
I’ve enjoyed all of the Summerscale books I’ve read so far, and this was no exception. In fact, I spent the morning planted on the sofa until I finished it because I found it so gripping. It’s the story of Alma Fielding, a British woman who was haunted by a poltergeist in the 1930’s and the Hungarian ghost hunter (Nandor Fodor) who helped her. At first, Fodor is convinced that she’s really being haunted, then he becomes skeptical, and then it morphs into something else, with other schools of thought coming into play. Although not everything is wrapped up neatly in a bow at the end, it still made for a fascinating page-turner.

62. Mitz: The Marmoset Of Bloomsbury by Sigrid Nunez (Kindle)
I loved this one - a mini biography of Virginia and Leonard Woolf's pet marmoset. Of course, by learning about Mitz, we also get a window into Virginia and Leonard's daily life of writing, reading, walking, visiting with friends, and traveling. Makes me want to drop everything and read whatever I can get my hands on related to the Bloomsbury Group. If only real life didn't have to intrude!

63. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (80 p.)
A story about what happens when the worst-behaved kids in town take over all the major roles in the church’s Christmas pageant. One of my favorite, feel-good Christmas reads.

>141 LibraryLover23: That's a fun book!

>142 Nickelini: I love it! I think I read it every year…

64. The City Baker’s Guide To Country Living by Louise Miller (342 p.)
The blurb on the front of this one compared it to Gilmore Girls, so of course I was all over it. It was nothing like that show, however, other than that the main character worked at an inn. It had more of a Virgin River feel actually, with the main character moving from a big city to a small town, working for an irascible boss, and finding an immediate love interest. Overall I liked it, but it was a little heavier than all the “cozy” and “comforting” shoutouts on the cover led me to believe.

December Books Read
58. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
59. A Gathering Of Secrets by Linda Castillo
60. Book Crush For Kids And Teens: Recommended Reading For Every Mood, Moment, And Interest by Nancy Pearl
61. The Haunting Of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale
62. Mitz: The Marmoset Of Bloomsbury by Sigrid Nunez
63. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
64. The City Baker’s Guide To Country Living by Louise Miller

December Books Acquired
Alive In Shape And Color: 17 Paintings By Great Artists And The Stories They Inspired edited by Lawrence Block
Unsolved Mysteries Of American History: An Eye-Opening Journey Through 500 Years Of Discoveries, Disappearances, And Baffling Events by Paul Aron
Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change The World by Kathy Freston (gifts)
The Simple Path To Wealth: Your Road Map To Financial Independence And A Rich, Free Life by JL Collins (gift card)