booked for 2022 - lesmel

First read of the year: Hench
Not exactly what I was expecting; but I'm pleasantly surprised by how it kept my attention for most of the book. The story loses its way a bit about 3/4 or so through the novel.. I'll probably keep my eye out for the sequel in the works.

#2 The Lost Apothecary
The story was engaging; but I find the book wildly unrealistic and oddly one dimensional. I'm not sure that's really an accurate description. Everything about this book seems to be weirdly fixated on pregnant or not pregnant; wronged or not wronged. Like you can only encompass one trait. Plot points that annoyed me:
* It's marriage OR an advanced degree?
* There's only one college/university in the entire world offering advanced degrees in history, apparently.
* No one gets a bachelors in history expecting to get a teaching job. No. One.
* Boring, unfulfilling jobs mean you must put away all your interests (like reading and research) to make sure all aspects of your life are boring and unfulfilled, too.
* You can find a bottle mud larking and suddenly discover a hidden, abandoned apothecary shop from the late 1700s.

I get there's supposed to be magical realism in this book; but there only incident in the entire book that feels like magical realism is the very last scene with Nella and Eliza. Everything else seems just too convenient. Irritatingly convenient.

Hey! Happy New Year! Always interested to hear your take on books.

#3 Cracked up to be
Summers always does an exceptional job with her characters. The fact that this was her first published novel (I think I remember that part correctly from the intro) is pretty amazing. Parker isn't likable, she isn't even pleasant; but I spent a lot of time hoping she would get her shit together.

#4 The Girl in Red
Surprisingly short...it felt longer while reading. This is an interesting spin on post-disaster & fairy tale retelling mash-up. Also, reading about a global virus called The Cough while stuck in the COVID-19 pandemic was just eerie. As a side note, I spent a lot of time wondering if this was the first book in a series; but so far, no news of a sequel.

#5 Binti
I hadn't realized this was a novella until I searched for "short audiobooks for adults." I need some listening material that is 2-4 hours long in the afternoons after work while I sew. This fit the bill perfectly. Binti is an interesting story; but I'm not sure I feel compelled to continue the series.

#6 A Psalm for the Wild-Built
A bit draggy and heavily character-driven. I think if I'd known this was character study rather than adventure story, I probably would have given it a hard pass. I'm glad I didn't know. I can't recommend this to everyone; but if you already like Becky Chambers and/or you like thought pieces set in the distant maybe future...this is something you might like.

My daily read is not going to last. I'm going to run out of short fiction at some point. Until then, I'm enjoying a chance to whittle at my wishlist that is fast approaching 1400 title. That's not even my TBR (which is titles I own but haven't read) at 668 titles (which isn't everything because I haven't added the newest Kindle titles).

#7 Long Way Down
This is an excellent novel in poetry form rather than prose. It's strong, compelling, and fascinating. Reynolds narrators the novel. I highly recommend the audiobook.

#8 Road Out of Winter
Good read; but some of the book could use a little bit better editing. Listened to it while working on my pantry and kitchen.

#9 Emily Eternal
This was really good up until the romance part was introduced. The romance sort of jumped the shark.

#10 Goldilocks
This is...complicated. It's a good "adventurey" story and has some "thrillery" bits. It feels heavy handed in some spots.

FYI, I appreciate your short and sweet reviews.

#11 The Perks of Loving a Wallflower
I'm conflicted about this. It was an enjoyable read; but the characters seem forced. I probably won't read the rest of the series.

#12 I'd Rather Be Reading
Short collection of essays. I'd guess similar to her blog/site but not sure since I've never read it. One or two are interesting. A couple are resonant. The rest are...uninspiring, I guess is the best word.

>15 lesmel: That was my take on it too.

>16 2wonderY: I was a little disappointed. I would have expected a few to not be interesting; but out of 20ish essays, only 4-5 were worth the time?

#13 Last Hit
I needed something a little mindless and slutty tonight 🤣.

#14 I Just Can't Read My Own Mind
This is a family friend that had a debilitating stroke. The book is half pep talk, half memoir. It reminds me that strokes have all kinds of symptoms. (Touchstone to come once LT catches up)

#15 Sunshine
I'm not sure why this book seems to get rave reviews. It's long-winded and the level of angst makes me want to break out in hives.

#16 Convenience Store Woman
Strange little piece of fiction that I really enjoyed. I knowv ery little about Japanese culture and even less Japanese pop culture, so I know I'm missing a lot.

#17 The Red Hunter
This was a good read. A little longer than I'd planned for a Monday night (I stayed up until almost midnight to finish). I think there are some really disjointed bits from the changing perspectives. Also, Unger just randomly throws in the ghost aspect.

#18 The Jewel and Her Lapidary
Eh. This was interesting but really too compressed too make a good story.

#19 Last Breath
Convenient and fast to read because I'm not all that interested in reading today.

#20 On a Red Station, Drifting
Eh. Mostly confusing and felt very disjointed. I think it was a bad choice to dip into the author and her world through this particular piece of short fiction.

#21 A Little Bit of Dirt: 55+ Science and Art Activities to Reconnect Children with Nature
I'm suddenly obsessed with making a jam jar terrarium. I checked out everything I could that had anything to do with terrariums...even tangentially. This is sort of cute and guided way to get kids and parents out in the world. I like the idea of families interacting more than the back to nature message.

#22 Last Kiss
Because I needed something mindless after my dog was sick for days and scared the ever-loving crap out of me.

#23 What Comes After
Bookclub title. It's...good. That sounds damning; but it's 100% character driven and eh. It was fine for having it read to me while I was working on other things.

#24 Make Your Own Indoor Garden: How to Fill Your Home with Low Maintenance Greenery
Short. Simple. Well organized. Easy to understand and follow. One problem, there are no warnings about pets and the plants highlighted. That's a major oversight in my opinion.

#25 The Plant Recipe Book: 100 Living Arrangements for Any Home in Any Season
I love this book. There's something about the photos and the layouts and the similar cookbook feeling. Unlike the book in >29 lesmel:, there's is a very short (two sentences) warning about toxic plants; but there's nothing for the specific plants.

#26 Miniature Gardens: Design and Create Miniature Fairy Gardens, Dish Gardens, Terrariums and More--Indoors and Out
Full of interesting ideas. Some really neat ideas for miniatures. Not as appealing as the book in >30 lesmel:, though.

#27 The Gardening in Miniature Prop Shop
Good for inspiration.

#28 Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden
Also good inspiration

#29 Air Plants: The Curious World of Tillandsias
This is fascinating. I didn't realize there were as many air plants as there are.

#30 Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds
This is interesting; but it gives me weird vibes.

>32 lesmel: This is Calvo’s more recent book. It’s not as good as her first title though.

>36 2wonderY: I have the first book in Libby waiting for me!

#31 Tabletop Gardens: Create 40 Intimate Gardens for the Home, No Matter What the Season
Eh. Not really approachable design. Also, when you think garden, do you think flower arrangement? Because that's really what this book spotlights...arrangements.

#32 The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature
Much better than the book in >38 lesmel:. Heavy on already potted plants.

#33 Mason Jar Crafts for Kids: More Than 25 Cool, Crafty Projects to Make for Your Friends, Your Family, and Yourself!
I needed something easy to read because my brain and my body were throwing in the towel early. Cute book. A wee bit of science (sort of) and a dash of history. Great way to use up a hoard of Mason jars.

#34 Handmade Houseplants: Remarkably Realistic Plants You Can Make with Paper
Never in 5 million years would I attempt a single project out of this book; but, now, I desperately want to take a class on paper plant making. This isn't for the faint of heart, wholly committed, or artistically talented. There's some serious investment for each of the projects. There's also some artistic skill (or dedicated will) needed.

#35 Saint's Gate
A very weak 3 stars. I found the characters more annoying that interesting. I also found the obfuscation for obfuscation's sake to be extremely grating. Also, who has a two week non-affair and then declares they are in love and ready to create a life together? Ugh. Maybe it's really just 2 stars after all.

I'm also annoyed this is the book that I broken my daily reading streak on. I mean, if I'm going to break my streak...at let it be a worthwhile read. *hrmph*

#36 The Nickel Boys
This is not the kind of book you like or enjoy. It's painful and emotional and every minute of reading it is an effort.

#37 The Side Dish Bible: 1001 Perfect Recipes for Every Vegetable, Rice, Grain, and Bean Dish You Will Ever Need
I want to lick the pages. Everything looks good here. For once, I might actually WANT to make asparagus.

#38 Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook: Savor 111 Must-have Recipes Made Easy in the Instant Pot
Typical Taste of Home recipes...but for the Instant Pot.

#39 Cook's Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes: Groundbreaking techniques. Compelling voices. One-of-a-kind recipes
I love just about anything CI, this is no exception. The thing that is weird is there's some contradictory bits about some techniques. Also, as is typical of CI, there are some weirdly complicated recipes that make me want to order the food in a restaurant than attempt their recipe. Sometimes, good enough IS good.

#40 Instant Pot Asian Pressure Cooker Meals: Fast, Fresh & Affordable
The pictures are lovely. The recipes are interesting. I'm not sure I would try a single one; but I did screenshot six recipes of interest.

#41 Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook
You might want a drink before you read my review...
Normally, I find some redeeming quality in most cookbooks. This one just irritates the ever-loving hell out of me.

There's no explanation for which model of IP was used even though the author describes multiple buttons across multiple models.

First two recipes: Hard boiled Eggs and Soft Boiled Eggs. A) The eggs are not boiled, they are pressure cooked. Details matter. B) Magically, when you pressure cook longer, the food loses calories! C) The USDA food database says one 50g egg has ~72 calories (not 55, not 130). D) Even though the soft boiled egg recipe calls for 4 minutes and the hard boiled calls for 8 minutes, the total time for the recipes are both 10 minutes.

3rd recipe: Cinnamon Bread Pudding includes the instructions "...cut the bread into smaller pieces..." Again, details matter. What size pieces? Should they be cut to fit the bottom of the pan I'm supposed to use? Can they be bite size cubes? Also includes the instructions "...allow to stay for about 15 minutes." I'm being snobby about this; but it should say "allow bread to soak in milk-egg mixture for about 15 minutes." Also, who serves bread pudding cold? Is this really a thing? Total time: 1 hour (included timings: 15 minute soak, 25 minutes under pressure)

4th recipe: Tomatoes Poached Eggs. Is this eggs poached in tomatoes? Tomatoes poached in eggs? Maybe it's a choose your own adventure! Instructions include "...break eggs and pour onto the ramekins" and "serve the eggs on the bread slices and top with the tomatoes..." FYI, the recipe serves four and calls for 2 cherry tomatoes. If you like tomatoes, this is not your recipe. Another recipe that calls for total time = 10 minutes.

Just a note about total time. Total time = come to pressure time + cook time + release time. Just taking an average, come to pressure time is minimum 8 minutes. Quick release is minimum 3 min. Natural release is minimum 10 minutes. YMMV depending on the volume of your recipe and/or the size of your IP.

5th recipe: Instant Fresh Fruit Yogurt. This is a freaking hot mess. A) not instant -- yogurt takes time to incubate. B) there is nothing here about sterilizing the jars or using band and lids. C) the recipe calls for 2 cups fresh fruit and then never tells you to use the fruit.

Something that grates my nerves for (nearly) every. single. recipe. The author writes "...cover the pot tightly..." There is zero way to tighten the IP lid. You can align it badly so the lid doesn't seal; but you cannot "cover tightly."

Details matter. Every step can lead to confusion because no two people have the same skill level in the kitchen. This cookbook is such a terrible example of how to write a cookbook. It pains me to see this sort of thing on the market. Some first time owner of an Instant Pot is going to read this cookbook, try the recipes, and get frustrated because they are confused or the recipe fails. Then, they potentially will blame the IP and not the cookbook.

Something I can't figure out is if this is from Instant Pot, the company, or if they just licensed their name/logo. I would be kinda horrified to find my brand attached to such a poorly written and edited product.

This entire cookbook feels like the author just trolled through dozens of IP blogs, grabbed recipes, and edited the recipe just enough to avoid infringement.

I've hit a reading slump. I need to catch up on what I have read; but I'm struggling to read anything. This is part of why I read so much, so fast early in the year!

#42 Good Housekeeping Instant Pot Cookbook
This is a solid cookbook. Nothing spectacular.

#43 How to Bake
Interesting read. Nothing stands out and yells "bake me!"

#44 Nadiya's British Food Adventure: Beautiful British recipes with a twist
I adore Nadiya from GBBO; but this cookbook is just average with really pretty photos.

#45 Abandoned in Death
I read this more to find out about Mavis, Peabody, & others than Dallas and Roarke.

#46 Every Heart a Doorway
Excellent read. I listened to the book. I almost didn't when I realized it was read by the author; but she has a knack. It was almost like listening to a bedtime story.

#47 Seductions of Rice: A Cookbook
I wanted to like this more. I think I would have if I'd been more interested in the narrative. I really just wanted to see the recipes.

#48 Mastering The Art of Southern Vegetables
I want this book. Waaant this book. It has really great recipes. And really decent photography.

#49 After the Dragons
Kinda odd; but compelling. I'd read something else by the author.

#50 Gold Diggers
Book club title. I felt like I was reading an alternate version of Bad Muslim Discount. Some of the story just never meshed with the whole.

#51 Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Trying to space these out so I can read the whole series without feeling like it's just one huge binge that is going to blur.

#52 Beneath the Sugar Sky
This one is just weird and really enjoyable. I may have lost interest in this series for now. I started in on the next book and stopped listening.

#53 The Kitchen Front
Really liked this book. It could be because I really wanted something light and easily digestible; but Jennifer Ryan writes a good story.

#54 Sew4home Bags and Totes: 10 Easy, Fashionable Projects Anyone Can Sew
Interesting projects. Nothing that overly sparks my interest.

#55 Sew What! Bags: 18 Pattern-Free Projects You Can Customize to Fit Your Needs
This is an interesting book. The projects are designed to be 100% customizable in fabrics and sizes.

#56 Sew & Stow: 31 Fun Sewing Projects to Carry, Hold, and Organize Your Stuff, Your Home, and Yourself!
Very detailed intro chapters.

#57 Cute & Clever Totes
Fussier than I would sew; but cute projects.

#58 Early Morning Riser
Book club read. The main character isn't totally likeable; but I think that's fine in books. The story is very relatable and 100% character driven. Not a fan of character driven stories; but this is what book club is for.

#59 Quilting from every angle : 16 geometric designs
Packed full of ideas and projects. I like the book more for the inspiration than the projects.

#60 Sew a Backyard Adventure: 21 Projects Teepees, Hats, Backpacks, Quilts, Sleeping Bags & More
Cute projects if you have kids.

#61 Crafting the Resistance: 35 Projects for Craftivists, Protestors, and Women Who Persist
I like this far more for the short commentary and the references than the projects.

>69 lesmel: We need more pink pussy hats, I think.

*sighs* I have put off commenting about this; but since I picked up her ashes today...

I had to euthanize my cat on the 12th of July. I was on vacation and sick with a cold. 2022 can just go jump in a volcano at this point. I was able to be with her when the vet injected her and the only thing I regret is that she had to be at the vet to die. She hated the vet clinic; but they were the only ones that could handle her medication and medical needs. As it is, her blood sugar crashed and had rapid cycling focal seizures prior to having to euthanize her. The vet thinks an insulinoma -- which are almost always fatal in cats and rare.

I've been reading; but I'm way behind in posting about it here. Also, I'm trying out TheStoryGraph because GoodReads drives me insane more and more.

>71 lesmel: I’m so sorry!! Hugs

>71 lesmel: I'm sorry. We lost our Moonpie June 13th, but he passed on at home. It's not always possible to avoid the vet, though.

((hugs))

>72 2wonderY: & >73 fuzzi: Thanks for the sentiments. I'm not sure what to do with myself now that she isn't around to flirt with my laptop and demand patting.

*sighs* I am so far behind in posting my reading here. I'm trying to decide if I post one per post or if I group them. One per post is nice because then I can get to the magical "continue in new..." link. Apologies in advance. This is gonna get a little ugly.

>75 lesmel: We wait with bated breath. Onward!

#62 Hot and Badgered
I needed something cute and mindless. This fit the ticket. I forgot Laurenston is Aikens & 99% of her stuff is gonzo (as in wildly over the top action and dialog) romance. Is that a really sub-genre?

I went on a borrowing jag from Overdrive trying to find easy recipes to create weekly prep. Overall, I don't like how meal-prep "cookbooks" are written. Just give me the recipes and let me figure out the prep. Instead, 95% of them tell you the shopping list, the cooking and the order of prepping the week of meals. That's not how I operate when I meal prep. Here are the results...

#63 The Ultimate Meal-Prep Cookbook

#64 Good Housekeeping Easy Meal Prep 


#65 Vegan Yack Attack's Plant-Based Meal Prep 


#66 The Autoimmune Protocol Meal Prep Cookbook 


#67 Healthy Meal Prep 


#68 The Everything Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook 


#69 Plant-Based Meal Prep 


All the cookbooks have interesting recipes. Nothing mind blowing; but solid meals that make the weekdays interesting. This experiment taught me I like established, easy to cook recipes; and I don't mind repetition.

#70 Lie by Moonlight 

I used to love Amanda Quick for her witty female leads. While the relationships have improved a lot, her female leads are still witty and strong-minded.

#71 The Spoonflower Quick-sew Project Book 

Eh. It's fine. It's mostly a book to convince you to use Spoonflower the website.

#72 Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead 

This is the 2nd Finlay Donovan book. There's something about outrageous, over the top action and dialog that still respects most of reality. If you haven't read these, start with the first one. These aren't for everyone.

#73 Under the Banner of Heaven 

This book. I had no idea that Mormonism was found by a charlatan. That he had already been in jail for being a con man. I do not trust religion. This makes me trust even less. I can't watch the Hulu series because this book broke something in me.

I'm going to pause here because we have a rain storm and GuestDog (the 60lb standard poodle) is deathly afraid of thunder. She has spent the last 10 minutes trying to climb into my lap so I will protect her.

#74 The Charm School 

I needed something happyish after Mormon shenanigans.

#75 The Deepest of Secrets 

I think this is the last book of this series & it will spin off into a new series.

#76 Hunt the Stars 

I *heart* space operas.

#77 The Horsemaster's Daughter 

This is sort of weird for a romance.

#78 A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking 

Cute read. Middle grade.

I went a little crazy on Overdrive with house plant books. I looked over them mostly for the pictures. I was looking for ideas on plants I might put in the house. There's a mix of them coming up. Also, I have a few more meal prep titles.

#79 Nature Crafts: Japanese Style Plant & Leaf Projects 


#80 Home Sweet Houseplant 


#81 My Sister, the Serial Killer 

Eh. I listened to this. The narration was good. The story is...fair to middling.

#82 Decorating with Plants: What to Choose, Ways to Style, and How to Make Them Thrive 


#83 Terrarium: 33 Glass Gardens to Make Your Own 


#84 A Beginner's Guide to Terrarium Gardening 


#85 Tiny World Terrariums 


#86 The Inspired Houseplant 


#87 Gardening in Miniature 


#88 The Reading List 

This book reminds me why I work in libraries; why I read; why I share what I read.

#89 The World Gives Way 

This isn't an easy book. I listened to it. I am not sure I would have finished it just reading it.

#90 Louisiana Longshot 

I don't like cozy mysteries. I find them inherently, ridiculously unrealistic. As in, I cannot suspend my disbelief for the length of time to read a chapter. Having said that, I'm willing to try one that seem even marginally less unrealistic. Turns out, having a secret agent/spy as a main character doesn't help suspend my disbelief. It also doesn't make me like cozy mysteries any better. Good news, I didn't resent this read!

#91 Finder, Palmer 

Space opera!

#92 You'll Thank Me for This, Siegal 

Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Found it to be mostly weird and trying too hard.

#93 Before the Ever After 

Oh. This. This is soooooo good. Listen to it. It will probably crush your heart just a little.

#94 Upright Women Wanted 

I wanted to like this more than I did.

#95 Hideaway, Roberts 

Queen Nora, as always. Assuming you like her.

#96 From Blood and Ash 

Strong start to a series. Has the same feel as Sarah J. Maas' series.

#97 The Dragonet Prophecy 

Middle grade read. Dragons!

#98 A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire 

2nd in the series is still a strong read.

#99 The Queen's Gambit 

Space opera makes me happy.

#100 The Queen's Advantage 


#101 Taste: My Life Through Food 

Ok. If you like Stanley Tucci -- even in passing -- you need to read this. Better, listen to it. He reads it. He's exceptional at reading it. It's like listen to a very long one-man play while feasting on everything Italian. Then go watch Searching for Italy.

#102 The Workweek Lunch Cookbook 

Oh look! One of my meal prep holds came available!

#103 Little Monarchs 

Graphic novels aren't for everyone; but this is REALLY appealing on a lot of levels.

#104 A Tryst by the Sea 

Not your typical romance. Trigger warning: miscarriages.

#105 The Kaiju Preservation Society 

This was Cthulhu + Jurassic Park + multiverse? I'm not sure that describes this book right; but it's also not a wrong description, either.

#106 The Crown of Gilded Bones 

3rd in the series.

#107 The War of Two Queens 

4th in the series. It wobbles a little. I maybe needed to read a couple books between the 3rd and 4th and would have rated it higher.

#108 The Starless Crown 

As an almost feel as Sarah J. Maas. Really interesting premise. Also feels almost like Erika Johansen's Tearling trilogy.

#109 Tribute 

I swear I read this years ago; but GoodReads and LT say differently.

#110 Stranded, Bishop 

Eh. A set of short stories. Nothing spectacular.

#111 Don't Let Me Go 

No. Just. No.

#112 The Paris Library 

Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. The end felt really rushed.

#113 Crowbones 

It's always interesting to read anything from this series.

#114 Echoes, Caplan 

Eh. It's fine. I got the trilogy for free on Amazon. I don't resent reading it; but I may skim the other two books.

#115 A Wolf in Duke's Clothing 

Regency romance with shapeshifters. Weirdly delightful.

#116 Race Against Time, Sala 

Eh. Ok. Trying too hard.

#117 A Heart of Blood and Ashes 

Interesting start to a trilogy. Fantasy that's heavy on the explicit romance.

#118 A Most Unusual Duke 

Regency romance with shapeshifters. Weirdly delightful.

#119 Troublemaker
If I had read this before I read The Woman Left Behind, I'm not sure I would have even attempted The Woman Left Behind. It's not that the book isn't good (it's fair to middling); but it's...obnoxious? I can't explain it. There is something about the book that rubs the wrong way. Not enough to stop reading; but you get done and you wonder why you didn't just stop reading.

**** pants **** I'm caught up! Yay!

Sucked me in several times. Glad you’ve paused.

>138 2wonderY: Which ones caught your attention? I have more I'll be adding more shortly.

#120 Low Carb High Quality Cookbook: Recipes to Help You Lose Weight and Stay in Shape
Eh. Typical find it in the ebook collections cookbook.

#121 Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans
Michelle Tam was (maybe still is) a darling of the paleo movement. Her cookbook has lots of interesting food and shows off her personality

#122 Libertie
Interesting read. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it.

#123 Ready or Not!: 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes by Nom Nom Paleo
Eh. The food is still interesting; but some of it feels like trying to hard.

#124 Nom Nom Paleo: Let's Go!
Same as the previous "sequel" cookbook.

Well, there are 8 that I’ve marked, from >77 lesmel: to >132 lesmel:.
Please, take your time!

#125 The Cloud Roads
I honestly wasn't expecting to like this series as much as I love Murderbot Diaries. It's maybe not quite as much love; but do like the premise and characters. Also, these may seem like gargoyles or something like...but they are cats with wings. Trust me.

#126 The Serpent Sea
Cats with wings.

#127 The Siren Depths
More cats with wings.

#128 Of Women and Salt
Really good read. It's tough to read in some places; but it's compelling.

#129 The Vela
Eh. No.

#130 The Edge of Worlds
CATS! With Wings! Although, the series is a tiny bit tiring at this point.

#131 The Harbors of the Sun
Still cats with wings.

#132 Stories of the Raksura, Volume 1: The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud
Tiny cats with wings? No. Not really. Just short stories about cats with wings.

#133 The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook: Beloved Recipes from the Family Behind the Purest Fish Sauce
Read the whole thing. Don't just check out the recipes. There's a lot of family food love here.

See, there you did it again. Not the food books. Cats with wings!

>155 2wonderY: Ha! The books are good. There's an interesting story arc through the whole series. I was telling a friend about them and every time I thought about these characters I just couldn't ever shake the feeling Wells just turned cats into gargoyles.

More catch up ahead...

#134 Modern Scot Patchwork: Bold Quilts Inspired by Iconic Tartans
Complicated, but interesting projects.

#135 Just One Charm Pack Quilts: Bust Your Precut Stash with 18 Projects in 2 Colorways
Nothing new; but fun to look through.

#136 Gourmet Game Night: Bite-Sized, Mess-Free Eating for Board-Game Parties, Bridge Clubs, Poker Nights, Book Groups, and More
Interesting concept; but some of the recipes seem fussy.

Most of the following don't offer new patterns; but are still interesting and fun.
#137 Moda Bake Shop - Did Someone Say Cake?: A Dozen Quilts from 10 Layer Cake Squares

#138 Charming Jelly Roll Quilts

#139 Fast & Fun Quilts for Kids: 10 creative designs for kids of all ages

#140 Fat-Quarter Friendly Quilts

#141 Big Block Quilts

Not really a review here; but more an observation. I love what I think of as big block patterns. I think though that I'm not using the right terminology. I like single, large blocks. So, maybe oversized block patterns?

#142 Stack, Slash & Sash: Quilting

#143 Quilted Coasters

#144 Learn to Make Quilted Mug Rugs

#145 Simply Solids: A Twist on the Traditional Use of Solid Fabrics
I like this. I'm not sure I'd make any of the projects, though.

#146 Put Some Charm in Your Quilts: Instructions for Both Paper & Traditional Piecing

#147 Nine Patch Panache: 40+ Nine-Patch Projects

#148 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
Ugh. No. This tries too hard to be witty and smart and unique. It fails in all aspects.

#149 Sew Adorkable: 15 DIY Projects to Keep You Out of Trouble - Quilts, Clothes & Gear for the Chic Geek
When I borrowed this, I think I was expecting something entirely different. However, I can't really say what it is I was expecting.

#150 The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker: 12 Quilt Projects

#151 In Love with Squares & Rectangles: 10 Quilt Projects with Batiks & Solids from Blue Underground Studios
This is a fun book to look through. The projects are interesting and I really like how the authors offer variations in the colorways.

#152 Simply Retro with Camille Roskelley: Fresh Quilts from Classic Blocks
I like this book; but I'm not sure I'd ever make any of the projects. The longer I have spent with modern piecing, the more I love it. I find the more traditional piecing to be fussy and overly piece-y.

#153 Velvet Was the Night
Eh. It's not the style or the writing. It's the story and the characters. The only one I cared about was the cat.

#154 Stories of the Raksura Volume Two
The last of the cat-gargoyles. Duhn duhn duuuuuuuhnnnnnn! I think Wells is stronger as a short story writer. She seems to really know how to cram the right about of characters and plot and detail into that itty bitty space.

#155 Desperation in Death
I think, *gasp* I might be burning out on these stories. I want Peabody and McNab to have a kid and I'll call it good with the series.

#156 Denyse Schmidt: Modern Quilts
I want to like this more. It's not the text. There's a lot crammed in there; but the quilts, frankly, are ugly to me.

#157 Olympus, Texas
There isn't really a character to like in the book...well, maybe Ryan, but we see like 30 seconds of him...but the story is really compelling. I like the weird blend of Greek/Roman god/esses to modern story.

#158 Ombre Quilts
Inspiration for me rather than seeking projects.

Realized last night that I was missing two titles from my list of 2022 reads. That annoys the hell out of me b/c I use entry date here to keep my reading order. I am not deleting 2/3 of my books from 2022 just to get my titles back in the correct order. Also, I'm not going to add finish dates for the same reasons -- it's a pain in the ass.

I made it to 200 title read for 2022. Clearly, I gave up recording everything here. Here are the highlights:

All five-star reads

Convenience Store Woman
English translation from Japanese. It's probably cultural; but this book is weirdly unsettling and still REALLY compelling. I listened to the audiobook.

The Reading List
This book encapsulates my feelings on readership and libraries as community hub.

The Nickel Boys
Really. Difficult. Read.

Long Way Down, Reynolds
the book, audiobook, and graphic novel are all worth the time and each are exceptional

The Plant Recipe Book
Perfect for my cursed black thumb of death. I'll just be a plant lover vicariously.

The Side Dish Bible
I want to make (and eat) ALL. THE. THINGS.

Mastering the Art of Southern Vegetables
ALL. THE. THINGS.

Taste, My Life Through Food
Listen to the audiobook. Then go watch Searching for Italy.

Little Monarchs
Graphic novel. Won't be a hit with everyone; but it's got an interesting premise.

The Starless Crown
Fantasy. Really interesting world building.

Urban Quilting
Loved everything in this book.

Patchwork Essentials, The Half-Square Triangle
This will probably end up on my shelf for reference.

Swatch This
This will probably end up on my shelf for reference, too.

The Quilter's Negative Space Handbook
This made me start to look at quilts and quilt design differently.

The Five, The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
Rubenhold has convinced me that Jack the Ripper was not a killer of prostitutes. Also, she's compelling in her premise that the public fixates on the wrong things in a crime.