Donna (828) Reads in 2025

Hello Fellow Readers! I have spent many joyful hours in this group the past 17 years and I look forward to more book talk in 2025. The time I spend reading is precious to me. It's fun to travel the world without leaving home. My comfortable chair has been the starting point of amazing experiences and even some learning. My cozy library is truly my Happy Place.

Welcome to my new thread. It may be quiet around here, but visitors are always welcome.

Happy Reading to All in 2025!

I love doing this every year as it gives me a chance to revisit the books that touched my heart.

YEAR END MEME:

Describe yourself: The White Lady
Describe how you feel: Force of Nature
Describe where you currently live: A Place in the World
Your favorite time of day is: In the Morning I’ll Be Gone
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Land of Wolves
Your favorite form of transportation: Horse
Your best friend is: The Grand Sophy
You and your friends are: Dinosaurs
Describe your job: Becoming Madame Secretary
What are you eating: Funny Things
What’s the weather like: North Spirit
You fear: The Vaster Wilds
What is the best advice you have to give: Tell Me Everything
Thought for the day: What You Are Looking For is in the Library
How you would like to die: Immortal in Death
Your soul’s present condition: The Comfort of Ghosts
What is life for you: Walking: One Step at a Time

Top Ten of 2024:
Playground by Richard Powers
James by Percival Everett
Chenneville by Paulette Jiles
Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshanathan
Time of the Child by Niall Williams
Clear by Carys Davies
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
My Friends by Hisham Matar
God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Go As A River by Shelley Read

📖📖Some thoughts on reading…and life in general.📖📖

Although I did not make my reading quota of 100 books this year, I am very happy with the books that I read. The last month of the year was a hard one. I had two funerals to attend, and I got the nasty virus that’s been going around. I sure hope this new year will be better.

I wrote a little blurb about what reading means to me and I can’t find it anywhere (that’s the way my life is going these days) so I’ll just put a few quotes here to sum up my thoughts:

“To read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one.”
(Chinese proverb)

“Books are delightful society. If you go into a room and find it full of books, even without taking them from the shelves, they seem to speak to you, to bid you welcome.” (Wm. Gladstone)

Finally, I sure liked the Year in Review that Library Thing provided. It was no surprise to me that Historical Fiction was my top genre, having read 25 books. It was closely followed by Mystery with 23 books read. My average rating was 3.8 stars which sounds about right to me.

Rating Scale:
5* Superb
4.5 Outstanding
4* Admirable
3.5 Good
3* Satisfactory
2.5 Fair

First Quarter Books:
January...
1. Two Old Women by Velma Wallis. 3.8 stars
2. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. 4 stars
3. Jane Austen: Her Heart Did Whisper by Manuela Santoni. 3.2 Stars
4. Long Island by Colm Toibin. 3 Stars
5. All Our Names by Dinaw Mengestu. 3.4 Stars
6. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. 3.8 Stars
7. Orbital by Samantha Harvey. 3.8 Stars
8. Small Rain by Garth Greenwell. 3.3 Stars.

Eight books read in January. 1,926 pp., 3 mine.

February...
9. Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves. 3.8 Stars
10. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. 4.5 Stars
11. Roots by Alex Haley. 4.5 Stars
12. Under the Glacier by Halidor Laxness. 3.2 Stars
13. Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. 4.3 Stars
14. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson. 3.5 Stars.

I only read six books in February, but two of them were chunksters!
2,511 pp., one was mine.

March...
15. The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman. 3.3 Stars
16. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. 4 Stars
17. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. 3.6 Stars
18. How to Read A Book by Monica Wood. 4.3 Stars
19. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. 4 Stars
20. The English Major by Jim Harrison. 3.5 Stars
21. Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. 4 Stars.

Seven books read this month. 3,073 pages read. Two books were mine.
7,546 pages read in First Quarter. 8 are owned by me

Second Quarter.
April…
22. The Night of the Scourge by Lars Mytting. 4.7 Stars
23. Solito by Javier Zamora. 4.2 Stars
24. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. 3.6 Stars
25. Isola by Allegra Goodman. 4.3 Stars
26. The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins. 3.3 Stars
27. Police at the Station and They Don’t Look Friendly by Adrian McKinty. 3.5 Stars.

Six books read in April. 2,444 pages. One owned by me.

May…
28. Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy. 3 Stars
29. Dead Water by Ann Cleeves. 3.5 Stars
30. The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami. 4 Stars
31. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. 3 Stars
32. Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. 4 Stars.

I read five books in May. 2,422 pages. One book was mine.


June...
33. Thin Air by Ann Cleeves. 3.5 Stars
34. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. 4.3 Stars
35. The Women by Kristin Hannah. 4 Stars
36. The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler. 3.5 Stars
37. Three Days In June by Anne Tyler. 3.5 Stars.
38. The Life Impossible by Matt Haig. 3.5 Stars.

I read six books in June. 1,923 pages. One book mine.
17 books and 6,789 pages read in Second Quarter. Three were mine.

>3 Donna828: Playground was one of my top 2024 reads too. I'll read anything by Richard Powers I can get my hands on. I've read all his books except his first (I think)--Three Farmers on the Way to a Dance. Of the others on your list I've also read and really liked James and Clear, but there were others ahead of them on my list of favorites.

Happy 2025, Donna.

Great to see you already here. I always enjoy and normally find myself nodding to your reviews.

Happy New Year, Donna. Happy New Thread. Looking forward to spending another bookish year with one of my longtime and favorite LT friends.

>6 Donna828: What did you do?? 😜

Welcome back, Donna!

Hope you have a great year of reading! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Donna. No surprise that we share a couple of favorites from last year. I hope 2025 is a great year for you.

>7 arubabookwoman: Deborah, it’s so good to see you here. Thank you for being my number one poster. As soon as I catch my breath, I will be over to check out what your favorite books were from last year. I always get good recommendations from you.

>8 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. That is a beautiful skyline. I’m wondering if any of those buildings could possibly be ones you were working on. Thanks for checking in with me and a Very Happy New Year to you.

>9 msf59: Mark is here! The party can start. We do go back a long way. It has been fun discussing books with you over the years. I hope you have a wonderful year of good reading.

>10 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. And an even bigger THANK YOU for getting us set up again. Happy reading in 2025.

>11 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I’m glad you found me. We lost touch last year. I take full responsibility for dropping out. Mea Culpa.

>12 BLBera: Beth, we do seem to read a lot of the same books. You are a good influence on me. Can’t wait to see what you’ll be reading this year. Happy 2025!

Happy New Year, Donna! I'm quite sure that my library thing in review was the same as yours, my favourites are mysteries and historical fiction.

HI Donna, I have starred you right away and put some of your best books on reserve for 2025 reads. Thank you!

>14 vancouverdeb: Happy New Year! We know what we like, Deborah. Haha. I'm going to try and sneak in some fantasy this year. My 14-year-old granddaughter is a big reader of that genre and I would love to connect with her on some of her favorites.

>15 mdoris: Thanks for the star, Mary. I do enjoy following your reading as well. As I mentioned to Deborah, I'm going to dabble in new reading areas. I know you love your non-fiction books with a social justice theme. I'll be looking for some recommendations from you, too. Hope all is well with you.

Happy new year! May it be filled with excellent books

A little late but completely sincere Happy. Ew Year, Donna. May you have some great reads in 2025

>17 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. I just finished a good one! I hope you read lots of good stuff in the months ahead.

>18 Matke: So good to see you here, Gail. Not late at all. I am still adjusting. Happy Reading to you in 2025.

Book No. 1. Two Old Women by Velma Walls. Mine, 140 pages, 3.8 stars.

This was a solid little book to begin a new year of reading. I bought it back in 2008 at Title Wave Books in Anchorage, Alaska. That was back when I enjoyed traveling and searching out new book stores.

It was a predictable story about a starving group of Native Americans who abandoned the two oldest women to fend for themselves...which they did with gusto. The author had a great story, too. She was one of 13 children and had to drop out of school to help the family. She loved to read and made the effort to pass her high school equivalency exam. Good for her! This story passed down by her mother was her first book.

>13 Donna828: Donna, I stayed behind so much that I was never caught up last year. Hoping to do better this year.

Happy New Year! I love the book meme, and may have to add that to my thread asap!

Looking forward to some more good books this year!

Happy New Year, Donna!

Haley can't go wrong with Robin McKinley (try The Blue Sword for starters), Diana Wynne Jones (Howl's Moving Castle) or Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Is she more at the Gail Levine and Jessica George level of fantasy or into the YA fantasy series?

Happy new year, Donna!

>2 Donna828: I always love seeing the year end memes, Donna. I love the 'thought for the day' answer!

>3 Donna828: I really must get Playground read! Thanks for the reminder - and for posting your top ten of the year.

>20 Donna828: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Donna.

Happy New Year to you and yours!!

Happy New Year, Donna! I cannot believe that Haley is 14! Has she read Tress of the Emerald Sea? I read that recently and loved it.

Hello Donna! Happy New Year!

I love the way that Lori put it in >21 thornton37814:: I stayed behind so much that I was never caught up last year. Hoping to do better this year.

It's my goal for this year, too.

Happy New Year, Donna!

I see James and Playgound atop your ‘24 Favorites list. They were my top two favorites. I unfortunately was not as taken by God of the Woods as you and so many others have been.

I’m currently enjoying Orbital and a D-Day oral history called When the Sea Came Alive.

I hope you have a wonderful ‘25 with plenty of satisfying reading.

Happy New Year, Donna! Love your top 10 list from last year. I haven't had time to do mine yet. Many of yours are on my list for this year!

Happy New Year, Donna! Ever since my husband retired, I've been pathetic at keeping up with my LT friends' threads and can't imagine I'll ever get any better at this point. But I wanted to at least get a glimpse of how people are faring by reading their new 75 threads opening posts. I'm glad you continue the Past Year's Reads Meme. I used to love doing that one, and I still love to see everyone's answers.

I enjoyed reading your Top 10 of 2024. Book Bullets galore! Go As a River was one of my favorite books in 2023. I just finished Chenneville last month, and haven't even gotten it cataloged yet, but it was a favorite, as are all of Jiles' books I've read so far. I read Two Old Women eight years ago, rated it 4 stars, and since it has stuck with me yet, I guess that starrage is accurate for me.

I hope you have a lovely year of reading in 2025!

>21 thornton37814: I echo those exact thoughts, Lori.

>22 LovingLit: Megan is here! I've missed you my "down under" friend. I'll pay a return visit soon. I hope you have pictures of your boys (teenagers?) on your thread.

>23 ronincats: Thanks Roni. I am making a list for Haley. Like I said, I may try and read some fantasy, too, so we can bond over books. We were in KC for Thanksgiving and went to IKEA so she could get bookshelves for her room. She has a beautiful set up. So glad she loves reading.

>24 bell7: Thank you, Mary. I will get my favorite librarian starred!

>25 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. I hope you love Playground as much as I did. I will be reading more by Richard Powers this year. Two Old Women was short and predictable, but I loved it. Save it for when you need a quick read.
Thank you for those Happy New Year Wishes. Right back at ya!

>26 Crazymamie: Mamie, you have made me (and others) so happy to be back in the fold. I will be over for a Mamie hug soon. These kiddos grow up too fast, right? I will add your book to Haley's list and tell her it comes highly recommended. Thank you and Happy New Year to you.

>27 karenmarie: Karen, it seems like several of us struggled with keeping up last year. I hope all our good intentions for this year work out. I really do LOVE this group.

>28 jnwelch: Hiya Joe. I think Mark had the same two books as his Top 2 as well. We need to get more people on that Richard Powers bandwagon. His books make me think, which is always a good thing. Orbital is slowly edging up on my library hold list. Too bad about God of the Woods. It must have been the "right book, right time" for me.

Thanks for all the good wishes. I hope to keep up with you better this year.

>29 AMQS: Hi Anne. Such a busy time of year, it's no wonder you haven't compiled a 'favorites' list yet. I get so many good recommendations from you. You probably have lots of wonderful titles for 14-yr-old Haley and her Fantasy kick. I wish she would branch out a tiny bit but am so grateful to have another reader in the family. Coincidentally, she and I both read 90 books last year!

>30 countrylife: What a lovely surprise, Cindy. How are things in OK? A newly retired husband could keep you very busy. My DH is 80 and has no retirement plans!

By the way, the Joplin meetups are still happening with a much smaller group. We changed the month to October for better weather and more distance from the holidays. I missed last year because of a Covid shot reaction. We would love it if you were able to join us again for old time's sake. :-)

Happy New Year, Donna! Hope 2025 is kind to you!

Happy first thread 🧵 for 2025 and Happy New Year, Donna. What fun to have a young reader in the family!

>34 Familyhistorian: Thank you for those good wishes, Meg. Five out of my six grandchildren enjoy reading, but Haley is like the wonderful readers in this group. Reading helps define who she is. She is also a good singer in her school choir and is on the track team. She will be in high school next year.

Book No. 2: Brooklyn by Colm Tobin. Mine, reread, 262 pp., 4 stars.

I first read this book in 2011 and liked it well enough to keep it in my permanent library. I was glad when Tobin came out with a sequel to continue the story of Eilis and her immigration to the U.S. from Ireland.

The story is about an Irish girl in the mid-1950s whose talents are being wasted by the stagnant economy. A New York priest is visiting her hometown and offers to help her get a new start in America. Eilis is pretty passive about it, but her mother and older sister convince her that it is a great opportunity to make her mark in the world. It is a slow-moving and thoughtful novel that changes suddenly when Eilis is called back to Ireland after her sister's sudden death.

I was not fully convinced by the ending of the book so I am glad to continue her story in Tobin's new book Long Island.

>33 ChelleBearss: Oops. Chelle, I think I missed you up there. Sorry about that. Welcome back to LT.

Starred again. : )

>39 lauralkeet: I was not fully convinced by the ending of the book so I am glad to continue her story in Tobin's new book
Happy New Year, Donna! I'm eager to see what you think of Long Island. I really enjoyed it.

Hi Donna! Happy New Year! Now that I've found you, I hope to be more active this year. It's a hope many of us LTers carry. hehe

>38 Berly: Hi Kim and thanks for the star!

>39 lauralkeet: I will probably like it as well. I've been hearing mostly good things about it. I will start on Wednesday. Tomorrow is Duplicate Bridge all afternoon and then my library group meets in the evening.

>40 Carmenere: Hi Lynda. It's good to be found. "Hope Springs Eternal" on keeping up around here. We will do our best...(wink!).

Hi Donna and Happy New Year! I love your favorites list and your meme answers. I wasn't around much last year but hoping to spend a little more time here in 2025.

I'm glad you enjoyed Brooklyn, Donna. I did too , I think more so than I enjoyed the sequel, which was still very good.

>4 Donna828: What a wonderful way of describing what reading means to you! I always enjoy your reviews and your ability to write so very clearly, and beautifully.

I added Playground to my tbr list. I own a copy of Brooklyn. Your review prompts me to read it soon.

>36 Donna828: there's a sequel to Brooklyn!? I tried so hard to read the book before seeing the film, and then I caved and saw the film. Now I fear that reading the book will only conjure up images of actors in my head :(
My mistake (even though I loved the film!).

I'll have to look for the sequel. I read the first one.

Hi Donna! Looking forward to sharing reads with you again this year!

>3 Donna828: Totally not surprising that 3 of my top 5 books were included in your top 10. I'm still waiting for my library to get their copies of Time of the Child. I don't know why I haven't read Go As a River yet. I have it on my Kindle.

I loved your thoughts on reading in >4 Donna828:.

You've reminded me of the end of year meme - thank you. I will copy yours and figure out my answers!

>42 AnneDC: Hi Anne, it's so good to see you here. I always enjoy following your reading adventures. I'll be over to pay you a visit soon.

>43 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I agree that Brooklyn was better than the sequel. I was actually rather put out with Long Island. I may have to tone down my thoughts on it...

>44 Whisper1: Linda, you are very kind. I have trouble expressing my thoughts on subjects close to my heart and do the best I can. I am just so grateful to be a reader and a small part of this wonderful group. I do hope you read and enjoy Brooklyn. And Playground as well. It is in a category of its own. Soooo marvelous.

>45 LovingLit: Megan, it's good to know that Brooklyn was made into a movie. I may try to locate a DVD and watch it at home. There are advantages to both ways of interacting with a book/movie.

>46 thornton37814: Lori, you may want to skip over my comments on Long Island. Ha-ha.

>47 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. The end-of-year meme is a lot of fun. I enjoy reading others' responses and will be over to check it out on your thread. Please do read Go as A River. There are some wonderful descriptions of Colorado in it. It made me "homesick".

Book No. 3: Jane Austen: Her Heart Did Whisper by Manuelo Santoni. Library, 96 pages, 3.3 Stars

This was a fun little graphic novel about the young Jane Austen and her first love, Thomas Langlois Lefroy, a young Irish man studying law. Things were just beginning to get serious when his family made him return to school in London. When he returned to Austen's home in Steventon, she had immersed herself in her writing and seemed to have no time for romance in real life.

Graphic novels are not my "thing" but I did love the informative essays and timeline at the end of the book.

Book No. 4: Long Island by Colm Toibin. Library, 294 pp., 3 Stars

I was looking forward to this sequel to Brooklyn which I have read twice now, but alas sometimes the sequel doesn't meet expectations. Eilis and Tony, her husband, hit a very rough time in their marriage so Eilis decides to retreat to Ireland and visit her mother after a 20-year absence.

This was a book of secrets and contradictions. Most of the main characters were selfish and conniving. I know people make mistakes; however, they usually show some kind of remorse. These people seemed confused about how to deal with problems and only made matters worse by lying and pretending that things would work themselves out.

The best explanation for their bad behavior was the comparison to "a man standing at the bar knowing that he should not have another drink but utterly determined at the same time to forge ahead, his last pound note face up on the counter." (Pg. 221) To say I was disappointed is an understatement.

>36 Donna828: For some reason, that one just did not work for me. I was very disappointed because the Toibin that I had read up to that point - The Master and The Magician - were very good. I am glad to see that you liked the book better than I did.

>49 Donna828: Congratulations on spreading your reading wings a bit and trying a graphic novel, Donna!

>50 Donna828: Since I did not care overmuch for the first book, I am not even going to try that one. I am sorry to see that you did not enjoy it more.

Have a fantastic Friday!

>50 Donna828: Sorry to see Long Island didn't work for you, Donna. I tended to see the characters as self-centered, yes, but also confused about what they wanted from life. I guess I'd agree that Nancy was conniving. Eilish was much the same in the first book and I was disappointed she didn't grow out of it. And why don't these people just have frank, open conversations with each other?! Despite the flawed characters I liked the book more than you did. Hope your next read is better!

Happy Friday, Donna. I liked Long Island more than you but I agree with you on the behavior of these characters. Glad you were able to read the books back to back. It had been a few years since I read Brooklyn.

>50 Donna828: I was also disappointed with Long Island, Donna. Even with all their faults, I still liked all the characters in Brooklyn, but in Long Island, I really just wanted to leave them behind.

>51 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. I try to read at least one graphic novel per year. Maybe I will shoot for two this year! Haha.

I really wanted to like Toibin’s Long Island. I didn’t mention it in my review, but the ending left the reader hanging. Now I will have to face the tough decision about whether or not to read the third one. That is if there is a third one! There certainly needs to be some closure. I will probably have plenty of time to think about it and my memory, being the way that it is, may allow me to read further.

My Friday was fantastic. I got to watch the neighborhood children sled down our hill.

>52 lauralkeet: Laura, I probably would have been more forgiving if I had let a little more time elapse before I shared my thoughts.

“Why don’t these people just have frank, open conversations with each other?” That would have saved a lot of grief in the long run for sure.

>53 msf59: I first read Brooklyn in 2011, Mark. With my poor memory, I knew a reread was in order. I just hope we don’t have to wait another 14 years for the next installment. And I know there is no guarantee of a trilogy. If Toibin doesn’t complete the story, I will be very disappointed.

>54 Copperskye: VERY well said, Joanne. I really tried to like this book. It was one of my biggest disappointments in a sequel.

Hi Donna!

Hmm on Long Island. Like you, I'm not sure I remember Brooklyn well enough to read a sequel without a reread and from your review, I'm not anxious to read LI. I know other people have enjoyed it. It will be interesting to see if there's a third book.

Hi Donna. I read Brooklyn late last year (you know, 2024 lol) in preparation for reading Long Island a couple weeks later. I had read the first a few years ago but didn't remember it that well. I'm glad I read the two in fairly close proximity to one another. The reread was worth it as the characters and storyline held together better for me that way.

I'll read Brooklyn but will stay away from Long Island.

It looks like Long Island is getting mixed reviews on LT. I kind of like it when that happens as it makes for interesting discussions.

>57 streamsong: Janet, I sure hope there’s another installment in the Toibin books.. I need some closure. I’m sure by the time he comes up with another one, I will have forgotten my disappointment with the second book and be ready to jump in again.

>58 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, thanks for chiming in on the Brooklyn, Long Island books. I agree that they are better read close together. I just wish that I understood the dynamics behind the crisis in Eilish and Tony’s marriage better. I needed more details!

>59 Whisper1: That sounds like a good plan, Linda. I really liked Brooklyn and wish I had passed on the confusion of Long Island with its cliffhanger ending.

I'm just checking my stars for Brooklyn vs Long Island. I gave Brooklyn 3.5 stars, but Long Island 4 stars, but I'm sure I recall preferring Brooklyn.

>61 vancouverdeb: Deborah, I think ratings are difficult to get quite right. I try to be fair to the story and author, but, ultimately, it is my impression of a book that I am rating. And yes sometimes I’m not quite sure…so I can understand the confusion between your rating and your memory. ;-)

Book No. 5: All Our Names by Dinaw Mengestu. Library. 258 pp., 3.4 stars.

I've been wanting to read this author for a while and his newest book wasn't available at the library, so I picked this one up on a whim.

Set in two countries on two continents with two narrators, it was a bit hard to keep track of. It is in the 1970s and Uganda is having some kind of uprising. Two young men are heavily involved, one named Isaac and the other one unnamed. The hijinks they create on a college campus soon turn ugly and they are fighting for their lives. Isaac arranges for his friend to go to the U.S. and gives him his identity cards.

The "new" Isaac arrives in the Midwest as a foreign exchange student and a social worker named Helen is assigned to his case. The rest of the book is told in alternating narratives between "Isaac" and Helen.

It's an interesting concept but as I said above, it was difficult for me to follow the story and make sense of it...so I am just thinking of it as a story of great friendship between two men and the new beginning one of them has in a free country.

I may try another one of the author's books. Any recommendations?

Hi Donna, I am presently reading Time of the Child and it is so good! I love the language and the story telling.

>64 mdoris: Hi Mary. Lucky you. I am eager to hear your thoughts about it when you finish.

I love all of the Niall Williams's books I have read. There were a lot of secrets in this one and I thought it was a little slow, but I ended up liking it very much. Being a patient and persistent reader pays off!

I did finish The Frozen River and posted a short review of it on my thread. I really loved it, and I think you will too. I am on the waiting list at the library for Time of the Child. That will be my first book by Niall Williams, so I hope I will enjoy it .

>64 mdoris: I added Time of the Child to be tbr list.

>66 vancouverdeb: Deb, I'll visit your thread and read what you posted about The Frozen River. I'm sure I'll be adding it to the every growing '25 pile of books accumulated.

>66 vancouverdeb: I will check out your thoughts, Deborah.

>67 Whisper1: Thanks for dropping in, Linda.

Well, we did it. The Christmas tree is wrapped and stowed away for another year. It’s the longest we’ve left it up….and still had to dodge a few patches of ice in the yard. Most of the snow and ice from the 7 inches we got late last week is finally gone. Too bad the “S” word is in this weekend’s forecast along with more one-digit predictions for temperatures.

Congrats on getting the Christmas tree wrapped up and put away!

I think you will love The Frozen River. I am glad that I am not the only one with a stubborn, sometimes seemingly illogical Dave, Donna. I love him very much as I am sure you do your Dave, but sometimes.... :-)

Found, starred and trying to follow through 2025. Happy new reading year, Donna!

Hi Donna, I finally read Go as a River and loved it. Thank you for the gentle nudge!

Well, it doesn't take long to fall behind here on Library Thing. It's fun to check in and see that I had some visitors.

>69 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, and thanks for the kind words. I hope to get things "wrapped" up earlier next year after Christmas.

>70 vancouverdeb: Maybe we should be swapping "Dave" stories, Deborah. Haha.

>71 Deern: Hi there, Nathalie. Just do your best to keep up. We are a pretty mellow group as you recall. I'm just so thrilled to see you posting. Happy Reading to you!

>72 Copperskye: I knew that Go As A River would resonate with you, Joanne. Even if it didn't have that Colorado connection, it would still be a great story. I hope more people in our group read and enjoy it.

Book No. 6: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Mine, 365 pp., 3.8 Stars.

Well, I read this one a long time ago but when I joined LT I added all the classics I knew I had read and so I just stuck with the rating I gave it back then.

We had a great discussion at the library earlier this week. Fifteen or so were in attendance. It was a good mix of ages, and we even had a token brave male reader who added a different dimension to the discussion. I think I mentioned that this is an ongoing book study. We will read and discuss the six major works of Austen in alternating months to correlate with the 250th Anniversary of her birth. In the "off" months, we will have a guest speaker. This time period is not my favorite; however, I am looking forward to keeping up with the group even though they will all be rereads for me.

Book No. 7: Orbital by Samantha Harvey. Library, 207 pp., 3.8 Stars.

What a gorgeous book and what a difficult one to rate. I loved the beautiful writing and amazing descriptions of earth from the International Space Station. Two women and four men from five different countries were onboard doing various research projects. They were strongly advised to keep in mind upon awakening each day that "this is the morning of a new day". Good advice as things changed quickly onboard as they went through 16 sunrises and sunsets while circling Earth 16 times during the 24 hour time period the book covers. It makes me dizzy thinking about it!

Although we get some background of the various characters and a great deal of descriptions of mundane tasks, there wasn't a plot which is surprising in a Booker Award Winner. It was an interesting book with top-notch writing, and I'm glad I read it. I'm also glad it was a short book. ;-)

Just stopping by for a quick hello and to drop a 🌟.

I’m late getting aboard the 2025 LT train (I got a nasty bug (maybe like the one you had last month) the first week of the year and couldn’t shake it for two weeks). I’m finally feeling human again. Sort of.

Happy Friday and hope you have a good weekend!

>76 Storeetllr: Hi Mary and a quick hello back to you. Thanks for finding my quiet thread. Sorry you had the crud, it does sound like what I had. I know it lasted way too long.

I am having a busy weekend. We had a women's basketball game Friday night, Haley was in a school play last night, and another bb game this afternoon. I am not used to going out three days in a row! My reading is suffering...

I hope you continue to feel better and that life in general is being kind to you.

I think a year of rereading Austen is a great idea. I might add that to my list...

I am glad you liked Orbital; it is an unusual book, but I loved it.

I was just stopping in to say I, too, am glad you liked Orbital. I probably wouldn't have read it had it not been for a) the Booker Prize and b) a number of recommendations in this group, from people I trust.

Hello, Donna! Another who liked Orbital! Beth and Laura have already hit me with that one, but it's great to know that you also enjoyed it.

Hoping this week is kind to you.

>77 Donna828: I understand what you mean about going out in the evening affecting your reading! I generally read between 7-9:30, and if anything else happens at that time, my reading suffers. Good luck on getting more reading done soon!

>75 Donna828: I recently added this to my library. Good review.

Not seen you for a while, Donna. Hope all is well, dear lady. x

Hi Donna, Guess what! I am about to pick up the third in the Lars Mytting trilogy from the library The Night of the Scourge. Can hardly wait! I seem to remember that you were a fan of his books. Hope this find you well!

Donna, I'm simply stopping by to say hello and check what you are reading. All good wishes to you!

Happy Wednesday, Donna. I am so glad you got to Orbital and I liked your comments. I agree that it is a tough one to give a star rating but I had no problem with giving it 4.5.

Just catching up here, and saying hi!

WOW! Visitors!! I am delighted to see everyone who is keeping my thread warm.

>78 BLBera: Hi Beth. I can't stop thinking about Orbital. That is the sign of a really good book. But then you already know that, right?

>79 lauralkeet: Laura, you are so right about the recommendations from "people I trust". You are certainly one of those people for me. ;-)

>80 Crazymamie: Life has been kind to me, Mamie. It is just keeping me on the busy side. I can't seem to find the right "window" for LT these days. My reading has suffered along with my lack of keeping up with my Book Buddies.

>81 The_Hibernator: I am determined to make more time for reading, Rachel, even if I have to lose a little sleep time!

>82 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. You will very likely enjoy your time in outer space! Orbital is very thorough in its descriptions.

>83 PaulCranswick: Thanks for checking on me, Paul. All is well in my world...except that I am missing my LT friends. Today is "catch-up day".

>84 mdoris: You made my day, Mary. I put in an inter-library request from my local branch for a copy of The Night of the Scourge. I do love the Lars Mytting books.

>85 Whisper1: Thanks for those good wishes, Linda, and I'll send some of my own right back to you. I'll soon be over to see what is new in your world.

>86 msf59: Hi Mark. You were one of the "influencers" who got me to read Orbital. It was a good change-of-pace book.

I am reading a chunkster now for Black History month. Yet another reason to keep me away from the social side of Library Thing... (P.S) The book is Roots, an oldie for sure. I have strong memories of the mini-series, but I haven't read the book until now.

>87 ronincats: Hi Roni and thanks for stopping by. XO

>89 Donna828: Hi Donna - glad to see all is well with you. I'm another Lars Mytting fan and hope to read the third novel in the Hekne series this year. I'll be eager to read your thoughts!

Donna the new Mytting book is a chunkster and husband grabbed it when we got home from the library. ARGH. Hope I can get to it before the due date!

>91 vivians: Hi Vivian, I have to get the book first. Our library has a new system for borrowing books that we don't own. If it's too long a wait, I may break down and buy a copy.

>92 mdoris: Mary, I like the big books when I'm not under time constraints. I may have to call in a sick day from my duplicate bridge game when I get the book. That is one of my biggest time drainers lately.

Book No. 8: Small Rain by Garth Greenwell. Library, 304 pp., 3.3 Stars

This book was on one of those end-of-year "best" book lists. I saw it at the library and took a chance. It was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I thought the writing was fine and I got caught up in the drama of a youngish man coming down with a serious but unknown disease that landed him in the hospital for an excruciating few weeks of tests and more tests. Of course, his significant other was bereft and wasn't able to help the situation. I wanted more of an ending but I guess not every story needs closure and there was a terrific dog scene that made me happy.

Book No. 9: Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves. Library, 359 pp., 3.8 Stars.

Number 4 in the Shetland Series starts out with a visit to Fair Isle where our protagonist Detective Jimmy Perez is visiting his parents so they can get acquainted with Fran, his fiancé. There is also a group of avid bird watchers soaking up the atmosphere. Things get dicey when a storm seals the island off for several days and (of course) a murder occurs. The isolation adds to the tension as Jimmy works overtime to find the killer before he or she strikes again.

Book Number 9 already , Donna! I'm still reading book number 7. Great to see you here on LT. I've never read Roots but best of luck with that big chunkster.

>96 vancouverdeb: Thanks for the encouragement on reading Roots, Deborah. I am past the halfway point and look forward to some concentrated reading time later today and on Saturday. Today is an "at home" day but I need to spend some time catching up on LT and doing some housecleaning. I also think my husband might appreciate a hot meal on this cold day...so goes my life these days.

Book No. 10: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. Library, Book Group, 233 pp., 4.5 Stars

This book is 35 years old and is still relevant today. War is Hell and always will be! I read it 15 years ago and gave it 4 stars because I was so affected by the "hard to read" parts. Well, it is still a graphic look at war, and I will never understand the Vietnam War, but I knew what to expect so I upgraded my rating to 4.5 Stars. Several people in my group probably would have gone the full 5-star route. It was an excellent discussion on a very cold evening two days ago here in Southwest Missouri. One of the comments I read online said this may be the best book about war ever written. I'm not sure about that, but it is an important look at an unpopular war and O'Brien has a wonderful way with words. Very moving!

I'll keep The Things They Carried in mind, Donna. Though I am not a big fan of short stories. I am enjoying Isola so far. I hope you get Isola and The Frozen River fairly soon, though number 13 on both sounds like you have a bit of a wait.

>55 Donna828: Two graphic novels in one year sounds like a great reading challenge to me! Lol

Since I do not even want to read the second book there is no way I am going to read a third one, assuming that it is ever written :)

I want to go sledding down your hill! I am just a big kid at heart. . .

>63 Donna828: I have only read one of Dinaw Mengestu's books, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, which I enjoyed.

>74 Donna828: I read all of Austen a couple of years ago. I wish I had had a group like yours to go through it and discuss with. Sounds like a great plan that you all have in place with books and guest speakers in place.

>75 Donna828: I was very surprised when Orbital won the Booker. I know there are a lot of people in the group who enjoyed it more than I did.

>95 Donna828: I am slowly but surely making my way through Cleeves' Shetland series. I think the books are improving from one to the next.

>98 Donna828: Dodging that BB as I have already read it. I am glad to see that you enjoyed it so much, Donna!

>98 Donna828: I remember reading that many years ago and I'm glad to hear that it has held its relevance and impact. I remember it as a really good read.

>90 Donna828: I don't think I've ever read Roots either, Donna, although I own a copy of the book. I know I saw the series because that was back in the day when everybody watched the same thing and talked about it the next day. Maybe I should pull my copy of the book out for a read.

>98 Donna828: I love that book, Donna. I think it will always be relevant.

>98 Donna828: Rated it only at 3 stars because of the relentless torture of the baby water buffalo as a way to deal with grief...

>98 Donna828: I too greatly admire The Things They Carried. Have you ever read Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes? It is also excellent. And a few years ago I read Under Fire by Henri Barbusse which is about French soldiers in WW I. It uses a similar narrative technique to The Things They Carried--vignettes about individual soldiers, and their equipment, the paraphenalia of war.

>99 vancouverdeb: I'm very patient waiting for books, Deborah, as I have so many of my own that need attention. There's just something about those shiny new library books that call out to me.

>100 alcottacre: Stasia, tomorrow's forecast is predicting 4 to 14 inches of snow. I'd say the weather people have all the bases covered! It is sunny and cold right now.
I think our Austen program tomorrow night will be canceled. I do love the group so hope we have a makeup day. Thanks for stopping in and commenting on my slow thread.

>101 EBT1002: The Things They Carried is definitely a memorable book. I got even more out of it the second time around. I see O'Brien has a newish book out. I'm slightly tempted.

>102 Familyhistorian: I have so much to say about Roots, Meg. It made a big impact on me. I'm still mulling it over. I know any review won't do it justice.

Dang, I miss the good old days of having just a few TV channels to watch. I am so overwhelmed that I seldom watch television these days.

>103 BLBera: Agreed, Beth.

>104 m.belljackson: I am also agreeing with you Marianne. That torture scene was over the top. I skimmed it...

>105 arubabookwoman: Thanks for the book tips, Deborah. I own the Marlantes book and will read it when I'm ready to go back to Vietnam. It will be a while.

Hooray for The Things They Carried! What an amazing read. I am also due a revisit. I will also be joining the Shetland series group. I will start White Nights (book 2) in a week or so.

Keep warm down there in MO.

>108 msf59: Thanks, Mark. It looks like some sub-zero temperatures for a few days. I don't think that even Penny will want to go for a walk when it's that cold. Not to mention the 12 to 16 inches of snow they are now predicting. It seems like the total goes up every time I check the weather forecast.

I will resume the Shetland Islands books in another month or so. I've read the first four of them. Pretty good reading!

Book No. 11: Roots by Alex Haley. Mine, 688 pp., 4.5 Stars

Two gut-wrenchers in a row. I haven't read this one before but who could forget the series from the 1970s? The book has its faults and there are some controversies about the author's research. Still, it kept me up for some late nights of reading and reminded me just how cruel people can be to each other. In a nutshell, it is the story of a young Gambian man named Kunta Kinte who was captured by slave traders and transported across the ocean to be a slave for the rest of his life. His humanity and dignity may have been stolen from him, but he did survive and adjusted himself to a new life, eventually marrying and having a daughter.

As the new generations continue, they kept the story of Kunta Kinte alive giving a sense of who they were and where they came from. There is a lot of American history described through the eyes of those who lived and worked behind the scenes. I'm so glad I challenged myself to read a book I have owned for many years. It was a good way to spend part of Black History Month.

Good for you, reading Roots. It's a long book. I've never read it, and back in the 1970's , I guess I was not really watching much TV. I would have been between 9 and 19, so I think I was just busy with school, part time work etc. At least I never watched the series of Roots either. Nice review! I did finish Isola a couple of days ago, but have yet to create a review. But is a gut wrencher too . Not too bad that way, but it will tug at your heart strings.

I enjoyed Roots, too, but do believe the controversies.

>111 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I forget that not everyone on LT is as old as I am. Haha. I was a stay-at-home mother with 3 children in the 70s, so TV was my biggest link to the world. It's a wonder I survived those days! I am so looking forward to Isola. I'm patiently waiting my turn at the library.

>112 The_Hibernator: Rachel, I tend to read with my head in the sand sometimes. Alex Haley does call this book fiction so I chose not to put much stock in the plagiarism claims, some of which he acknowledged. I tend to believe about 80 percent of what I read and hear through the news media...and that figure is on the low side when it comes to politics. That's just my way of making life easier to understand. Lol.

Book No. 12: Under The Glacier by Halldor Laxness. Mine, 252 pp., 3.2 Stars.

I've read 3 other novels by Laxness. I've loved two of them (Independent People and The Fish Can Sing) and been perplexed by the other two. This one was way out there in two respects: a remote location in Northwestern Iceland and an assignment by the Bishop of Iceland for a young theologian, who happens to know his way around a tape recorder and can write in shorthand as a backup, to probe into the lapse of Christianity by the local pastor.

There is a lot of satire, humor, and philosophy to think about. The Emissary of the Bishop, known to us only as Embi, does his best to probe into why the boarded-up church is literally falling apart and why the pastor is shoeing horses instead of preaching the gospel. These are only two issues on a long list of oddities.

Being the stubborn reader that I am, I hung in there despite my confusion. As I persevered, I began to admire the wit and mysticism of Pastor Jon who believes that "the lilies of the field" preach a better sermon than he can.

I think this would be a good book for a group discussion. Reading some of the reviews here on LT shed a little light on the Magic Realism used to tell the story. I read this one for Paul's European Challenge to read Nordic literature this month.

>107 Donna828: What I miss is everybody being tuned into the same things so it became a topic of conversation the next day. Now it's not the same and sometimes I have no idea what people are referring to.

>110 Donna828: Nice review of Roots. I really should take it off the shelf.

Hi, Donna! You’re reading so many good substantial books! I didn’t read Roots but did watch the TV series. I’m afraid I’m stuck on mostly fluff these days. I hope I can get stronger soon, because I’m tired of feeling fragile and hopeless.

>115 Familyhistorian: Funny story about TV watching back in the day. It was in the early-to-mid 90s, and I worked with a bunch of TV fans, while I seldom watched TV. One day, I walked into the break room, and they were talking about someone who had experienced a terrible tragedy. I was ready to offer my sympathies, thinking it was a real person, when I realized they were talking about a popular nighttime soap. I felt so out of it. Haha. Those were the days.

Happy Day. Visitors!

>115 Familyhistorian: "sometimes I have no idea what people are referring to"
Meg, you are not alone. I watch so little TV these days that I can't participate in conversations about the newest show on Netflix or Hulu, etc. I pretty much only watch the local news since our newspaper is only available online now.

That is another change that rankles. I liked getting newsprint on my fingers as I turned actual pages. I sound like my Grandmother these days. ;-)

Oh, and regarding Roots. I read it over the course of several weeks and didn't lose the thread of the story. It's basically a history lesson through the eyes of the people that lived through it.

>116 Storeetllr: Well, there's nothing wrong with fluff, Mary. Whatever feels right to you is what you should be doing. I need to check out your thread. I'm concerned about those fragile and hopeless feelings.

Book No. 13: The Labyrinth of the Spirit by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Library, 803 pp., 4.3 Stars.

There is no way I can summarize this book. There is an excellent Description on the main page along with over 50 reviews that will whet your curiosity. I'm just glad I had a few lazy days in a row so that I could focus on the intricate plot. I admit to reading past my bedtime last night to finish this historic thriller. I also took some notes to keep the good guys straight from the evil characters. I probably would have rated it higher if it hadn't been so darn convoluted.

My favorite of the four books in The Cemetery of Lost Books series remains the first one I read, The Shadow of the Wind. I read and loved it when it came out in 2001 and then reread it in 2019 for my book group. As a whole this is an excellent series about the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. It was made even better with the literary subthemes.

Edited to add a quote that doesn't give away anything from the book, but it's a fine example of the philosophical writing of the author.

Most of us mortals never get to know our real destiny; we're just trampled by it. By the time we raise our heads and see it moving off down the road, it's already too late, and we have to walk the rest of the way along the straight and narrow ditch that dreamers call maturity. Hope is no more than the belief that that moment hasn't yet come, that we might still manage to see our real destiny when it draws near and jump on board before the chance of being ourselves disappears forever, condemning us to live in emptiness, missing what should have been and never was. Pg. 302

>119 Donna828: Good review, Donna! I read the first book back in the early 2000s, but never got around to reading the rest in the series. You’ve inspired me to try the second book. Thanks!

>120 Storeetllr: Mary, I'm that way with reading series, probably because I like to space them out a bit. And then I forget about keeping up. I have a list somewhere of series I have started. I should check it once in a while so that I can keep up with myself!

Book No. 14: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson. Library, 176 pp., 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this whimsical little book about the summer that 6-year-old Sophia spent with her father (who stayed in the background) and grandmother on a small, isolated island in the Gulf of Finland. Sophia was big on imagination and bossiness, while Grandma was accommodating and patient...when she wasn't being cantankerous.

The island provided interesting flora and fauna as a backdrop to their adventures. I enjoyed the easy companionship between these two strong personalities of different ages and a look back to a time when people used their creativity to make the best of their situations.

This was another one I read for Paul's challenge to read Nordic literature in February.

>119 Donna828: I really loved these books as well, Donna, but you are right; they are hard to describe.

>122 Donna828: This sounds like one I would like. I've never read anything by Jansson.

I hope you have a great Sunday.

>123 BLBera: Hi Beth. This was my first Jansson book. It was short and didn't have much of a plot, but it made up for it with plenty of atmosphere. Pretty certain you will read it with grandmother eyes and enjoy it as I did. I hope so.

Book No. 15: The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman. Audio, 448 pp., 3.3 Stars.

I was desperately looking for a book that would put me in a "Spring" state of mind. This one popped up on Hoopla and I was instantly put into a world of flowering gardens in my home state of Michigan. Sigh... It totally reminded me that winter would end, and I could go out and dig in the dirt once again.

There were some more serious things going on in the book about a reclusive neighbor and a returning soldier from the Iraq War. Lots of drama read by two adequate (but not my favorite) readers. There was a lot of sadness and drama in this book. I might have rated it higher if I had been reading rather than listening. It did fill me with hope that Spring will come so I can't fault it too much.

Book No. 16: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Library, 432 pp., 4 Stars.

I enjoyed this chilling mystery based on the diaries of Martha Ballard, who lived and practiced as a midwife in Maine in the late 1700s. Life wasn't easy back then and Lawhon doesn't mince words as she delves into both the hardships and the heartbreaks in her world. It was just a wee bit on the "too much information" scale for me when she describes the gritty details of depravity that took place in the community. Just saying that there are some tough passages to read.

The author took some leeway with the facts which she details in the 12 pages of notes at the end which I appreciated. I'm always curious about the author's mindset, and she is very open to sharing this information. I think I need to look into her previous work.

>126 Donna828: Glad you liked it. It's scheduled for my RL bookclub sometime this year.

>99 vancouverdeb: Glad to see you're enjoying the Shetland series, Donna!

>122 Donna828: I read The Summer Book several years ago and remember liking it a lot but little about it. I should reread it!

>126 Donna828: The Frozen River could have been 50 pages shorter, I feel. No one asked me though...:)

>127 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba. This book will make for a great discussion. Thanks for stopping by.

>128 Copperskye: “No one asked me, though.” Haha. I’ve been known to speed read over passages that go on and on. This author was very thorough. ;-)

>126 Donna828: This sounds like it would be a hard book for me because I can imagine hard things that a midwife would witness.

Happy Sunday, Donna. I am so glad you got to The Labyrinth of the Spirit and loved it too. Why haven't I got to it? I have no stinkin' idea. Like you, I really liked the first two books. Sad, that we lost this author at such a young age.

I also had a good time with The Frozen River. Looking forward to this BIG warm-up that is on its way.

>114 Donna828: You may not have liked it all that much, but it sounds like something I might enjoy.

>125 Donna828: I liked that one more than you did. Perhaps I should be grateful I read it instead of listened to it?

I really enjoyed The Frozen River, Donna. I think it would make for a good dispossession too.

The Frozen River is my RL bookclub pick for April so I will be reading it soon :)

Hi there! Happy Wednesday. : )

Sorry for my absence. Life interferes! I've been reading a bit and will share after I catch up with my welcome visitors. It's always good to know I'm not forgotten in this large and well-read group.

>130 The_Hibernator: Oh you are so right, Rachel. I definitely would not recommend it to a pregnant woman! There were some nasty side issues as well that made this a tough book to read.

>131 msf59: G'Day Mate! I hope you are loving Australia and that the kangaroos don't scare the birds away! When you get home and settle down, you will have plenty of time to return to the Cemetary of Forgotten Books series. I wish I still had some to look forward to. Yes, it's a shame that we lost Carlos Zafon at age 55. That is just too young...

>132 thornton37814: Hi Lori. I think I was comparing Under the Glacier to Independent People so I wasn't as dissatisfied as I sounded. It just didn't measure up to some the other works I've read by Laxness. Also, I probably would have liked The Heirloom Garden better if I'd read it. Audio books don't always resonate with me. Thanks for stopping in. I need to catch up with you and others. It is so easy to fall behind.

>133 vancouverdeb: Well, you are one of the people who recommended The Frozen River to me, Deborah. Thank you very much. I had my eye on it but wasn't quite sure until you sealed the deal. ;-)

>134 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, I think you will find lots to discuss in The Frozen River. And, here it is, almost April. Time is flying by for me these days.

>135 Berly: Well, that Wednesday is far behind me, Kim. although I thank you for thinking of me. I will be paying you a visit shortly. I am determined to get caught up on Library Thing today.

Book No. 17: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. Read for Book Group, 398 pp., 3.6 Stars.

I was the outlier in my book group on this book. I'm not a big fantasy reader and couldn't get over the "children" in this isolated orphanage who were more like mythical creatures. Let's see...there was Talia, the garden gnome (263 years old), Theodore, a wyvern who likes buttons and only chirps, Phee, a winged forest sprite, Sal, the newest resident who can change shapes and becomes a small dog when he is nervous, Chauncey, species unknown but was called a Blob, and Lucy, short for Lucifer, an actual 6-year-old boy who thought he was the Antichrist.

I did get over my surprise and the slow beginning. I enjoyed the Found Family trope and the clear message of kindness and acceptance of diversity. Still, it wasn't my kind of book. The discussion was very interesting even though the book was too fantastical for me. I prefer a more subtle approach to fantasy.

>110 Donna828: I really need to read that one! Thanks for the review and recommendation, Donna.

>119 Donna828: I strongly considered doing a year of his books because I love Shadow of the Wind so much and own a bunch of his others. Maybe next year I will do it!

>122 Donna828: Dodging that BB as I have already read it.

>126 Donna828: Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again!

>138 Donna828: I hope you enjoyed that one. I know I did :)

Book No. 18: How to Read A Book by Monica Wood, audio narration by Eileen Stevens, 288 pp., 4.3 Stars.

I think Beth was the first one I saw who read and loved this book, although Joanne and Katie also recently read and enjoyed it. I needed something to listen to and discovered a wonderful narrator and a feel-good story about a book club held in a women's prison. It was so much fun (and very enlightening) to follow this group and their amazing teacher.

One of the younger prisoners, Violet, is paroled after two years and she is set up in Portland, Maine, a town where she doesn't know anybody. Well, at least that is what she thinks, but she meets her book club leader, Harriett, in a bookstore under unusual circumstances involving a handyman whom she also knows in a different context. The book was fairly predictable but such a heartwarming story that I gave it the "low" 4.5 Star rating of 4.3. It made me smile!

Book No. 19: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Mine, Read for Book Group, 352 pp., 4 Stars.

Well, that two months went by quickly. I mentioned upthread that I had signed up for a year-long study of Jane Austen's major books, reading one every other month. We are going by publication dates. I enjoy the group immensely. All ages and careful and interesting readers who like to talk so I don't have to so much!

This is the third time I've read P&P. It was assigned in my advanced English high school class and then I read a lot of Austen about 20 or so years ago. I get something new each time, probably because my memory is failing in my old age. ;-)

The first or working title was First Impressions so I will not review the book so much as give a few of my impressions of it and the protagonist Elizabeth Bennett.

She was often irreverent and not afraid to speak her mind or mock the handsome and very rich Mr. Darcy. He was proud and arrogant and refused to dance with anyone at their first meeting. Elizabeth doesn't always make the best choices, but I really liked that she has the capacity to right her wrong thinking and made amends. This isn't my favorite Austen book, but I did like it.

>139 alcottacre: Well, look who slipped in here while I was trying to play catch-up. It's always good to see you, Stasia. I think you would love Roots as much as I did. It's not an easy read due to the subject matter but covers slavery in so much depth. And those Zafon books are very good, too, although my favorite is still The Shadow of the Wind. Okay, I am heading over to see you and some others. I sure have missed LT in the past week or so.

>119 Donna828: SHADOW OF THE WIND was so great as an inspiration to read the whole series.

I just today finished PRISONER OF HEAVEN which went darker than expected, yet I read on to be sure that Fermin survived,
then today ordered LABYRINTH OF THE SPIRIT and can't wait for the predicted arrival next Tuesday.

Went to the biography of Zafon and am so sad that he died - and so young.
His books were working toward a Nobel...

>140 Donna828: Reading How To Read A Book for my next month bookclub!! Glad you liked it so much.

I read How to Read A Book earlier this year and really enjoyed it, Donna. I think it was Beth that sent me that BB. I read a number of books by Jane Austen, including Pride and Prejudice, but that was a long time ago. I think I read them in my late teens and early twenties. Good books.

I'm glad you enjoyed How to Read a Book, Donna. It did make me happy.

I keep thinking I should do a reread of Austen this year! Too many books.

>140 Donna828: I really need to get to that one! Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>141 Donna828: Dodging that BB as I have read it several times including my read of all of Austen a couple years back :)

>142 Donna828: Yes, I am going to have to buy a copy of Roots as I am pretty sure it is one I am going to one to keep. Thanks for visiting my thread and helping to keep it warm!

>140 Donna828: So glad to see you liked How to Read a Book, Donna! I’ve read some other books by Wood that I really enjoyed. When We Were the Kennedys, which is a memoir, comes immediately to mind - have you read it?

Sense and Sensibility is my favorite. I just love Colonel Brandon.

>143 m.belljackson: I hope you are enjoying The Labyrinth of the Spirits, Marianne. There are a lot of characters and harrowing scenes to keep track of in this one. I'm glad I read it, but Zafon's first in the series is still my favorite.

I agree that a brilliant career was cut short far too soon.

>144 Berly: Oh, wow, your group is in for a real treat, Kim. Enjoy!

>145 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. How to Read A Book has stuck with me more than some of the other books I've read this year. Great characters will do that. I am enjoying my revisit to Jane Austen's world, although I'm glad to books are spaced out over the course of a year. I lucked into a good group which makes for some fun evenings of discussion.

>146 BLBera: Thanks for your recommendation of a happy making book, Beth. I've told some friends how good How to Read A Book is, and they are surprised that a book group in prison makes for a fun read!

Too many books for sure. I am grateful for that small problem. Haha.

>147 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. I don't keep up with the threads very well, but yours is one that I follow regularly as we tend to like the same books. I wish I didn't require so much sleep so that I could read as many as you do. "Smile"

>148 Copperskye: I've only read the latest Wood book, Joanne. I do enjoy a good memoir so I will search out a copy of When We Were the Kennedys. You have never steered me wrong with your recommendations. Thank you.

>149 The_Hibernator: "Swoon" for Colonel Brandon, Rachel.

It will be interesting to see if my favorite Austen work holds up. I'm probably in the minority for liking Emma so much. She is spoiled and a deeply flawed character in the beginning which probably turns most readers off. I like characters who learn from their mistakes and are willing to change.

>151 Donna828: I do not keep up very well with threads these days either, Donna, so you are not alone there. Sleeping is another matter altogether - good days I sleep 4-5 hours, bad days I sleep 12-16 hours. . .

Sooo, I've been in a bit of a book slump. I recently returned 3 unread books to the library which is quite unusual for me. I couldn't engage with any of them for some reason. Maybe Spring fever?

I tried an old favorite...the author, not the book. For some reason Jim Harrison's books resonate with me. Maybe it's the Michigan connection. I picked up this one at a library book sale for $1. It's not in great shape and will be recycled, however it got me back in the reading groove again and I am grateful.



Book No. 20: The English Major by Jim Harrison. Mine, 255 pp., 3.5 Stars.

This combination of quirky writing combined with a road trip across the USA appealed to me. Cliff (yes, he is an English Major and ex-teacher) is having a post mid-life crisis after his wife kicks him out for another man and her new life as a real-estate tycoon.

His road trip from Northern Michigan to the west coast and south to Mexico is his way to find himself again. It is not my favorite of the six books I've read by Harrison, however, it was amusing and got me over my reading funk. Thank goodness!

>153 Donna828: I hate book slumps! I hope this read pulls you out, Donna!

I do not believe that I have read any of Jim Harrison's books. Any specific recommendations? Thanks!

>152 alcottacre: Almost missed you, Stasia. I am going to pay a few thread visits and then look for another book that can keep me out of that slump. I was not happy!

Regarding sleep...I am a very good sleeper...most nights. I tend to require 8 to 9 hours! I have always loved sleeping even as a child. Luckily I am hit with the middle-of-the night insomnia only occasionally. I don't fight it and am usually able to return to my crazy dreams after a fairly brief interval. I feel your pain about intermittent sleeping; however, 5 hours of sleep would not be a "good day" for me!

>154 alcottacre: According to my ratings, Returning to Earth is my "favorite" Jim Harrison book. It was in my Top Ten of 2007.

>155 Donna828: My local library does not have Returning to Earth, but luckily for me, Hoopla does. Thanks for the recommendation!

As far as sleeping goes, I am on the weird ends of either scale. I wish my body would decide one way or the other, but hopefully not on the side of CFS!!

Go away book slump!!

Book slump be gone!! : ) And my sleep pattern has been a mess since I had Covid. Oh well, enjoying the good days!

Sleep and aging do not seem to go well together!

I am glad you got over your book slump. Sometimes I think we are just picking up the wrong books for our mood.

Hi Donna! Happy end of March! Happy Saturday.

Skippety-skip…

>126 Donna828: Stopped right here at the mention of Martha Ballard. Your review of this book of fiction reminded me that I have had A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 on my shelves for a mere 15 years, as yet unread. Sheesh.

>151 Donna828: Ah. Emma is your favorite. Strangely enough, I’ve started it 3 times over the decades and never finished it. I watched the 2020 movie and loved it, though.

Glad you found a book to end your slump, Donna. May the slump remain away!

Ahhh, more visitors. I am happy to see that my LT friends have not given up on me. I tend to go quiet at times and appreciate my patient followers.

>156 alcottacre: I hope you enjoy the Harrison book, Stasia. Hoopla has quite a few of his books, all of which are duly "favorited" by me. I need to go on a road trip so I can listen to them.

>157 Berly: "Enjoying the good days". I love that attitude, Kim. I know you have health issues. I just seem to have laziness issues. :-) So glad the slump is done with me. Covid messed up so many things. I hope your sleep pattern goes back to normal (whatever that is) soon.

>158 mdoris: Well said, Mary. Thanks for popping in!

>159 BLBera: Yes indeed, Beth. I know I'm a moody reader. I may return to some of the "rejects" another day and be completely satisfied.

>160 karenmarie: Hi Karen, what a lovely surprise. Happy Saturday to you! For some reason, I neglect books that have been on my shelves for a long time. One year I may just read the "oldies" and hope they are the "goodies"! It will be interesting to see if Emma retains her place in my heart. I love my Jane Austen book group.

>161 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I am glad my book slumps are few and far between. Thanks for stopping by.

Book No. 21: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Library, 450 pp., 4 Stars.

I don't read many books by Jodi Picoult because I know I, an innocent reader, will fall into the manipulative spell of a seasoned author. Picoult's books suck me into places I don't normally want to inhabit. I'm just glad I took the plunge, and this one has totally broken my above-mentioned book slump.

I could pick this book apart about the uneven writing (2 authors) and the overabundance of plot twists. It was too long and repetitive; however, I am very glad I read it and got educated about a controversial topic...and learned more than I needed to know about beekeeping! I have so many mixed feelings about this book. My favorite line came at the end of the Authors' Notes: "Sometimes making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it."

>164 Donna828: Dodging that BB as I have already read it.

Have a wonderful weekend, Donna!

ETA: Road trip coming up in October? You can wait until then, right?

HI Donna, i know the feeling of having to return unread books to the library. I've been doing that too these days. Glad that that you found something to pull you out of the book slump.

>164 Donna828: Hurray for taking a chance on Picoult and enjoying her book! Loved that one. : )

Well, you have finished book 21, Donna, whereas I have only finished book 14, I think, so you are doing just fine! But book slumps are no fun.

>164 Donna828: I loved Mad Honey -- read it more because it was co-authored by Jennifer Finney Boyland than because of Ms Picoult but I too found it informative and was glad to have read it.

Good to see your book slump is over, Donna. I hope you have found more books to keep it away.

>165 alcottacre: I am definitely planning to be in Joplin this year, Stasia. It is a road trip, although not a very long one for me. It used to be about an hour away, but it takes longer with all the traffic on I44 these days. I usually try to find a truck that is going less than 80 MPH and stay behind it rather than weaving in and out of traffic.

>166 mdoris: Mary, I'm just glad I didn't purchase the books that didn't work for me. I do love my library.

>167 Berly: Mad Honey was much deeper than I expected it to be, Kim. I won't forget those characters for a long time.

>168 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. It's not about how many books we read, right? I think I am going to stick with the name of the group and aim more toward reading 75 books rather than the 100 I've been doing for so long. Book pressure certainly takes the fun out of reading.

>169 RebaRelishesReading:: Reba, I wasn't familiar with Jennifer Finney Boylan and was unsure about reading a book written by two authors. I totally get it now and appreciate her experience and expertise. Do you have a favorite book of hers to recommend?

>170 Familyhistorian: Thanks for refreshing my thread, Meg. It's been a busy week here in the Heartland of the USA. The book slump is gone. My problem now is real life interfering with my life in books. My husband will be traveling a few days in the upcoming week which should help in getting caught up with the books I want/need to read.

Book No. 22: The Night of the Scourge by Lars Mitting. Library, 536 pp., 4.7 Stars.

The three books that made up the amazing Sister Bells generational family drama made me glad to be a reader. The title of No. 3 in the series is a reference to Judgement Day, and it did seem like the end of the world was imminent after the horrors of World War II. However, the Norwegians, like other countries, managed to carry on after the invasion by the Nazis. I am proud of my ancestry.

I particularly admired the role of women in the resistance movement. Astrid was a descendent of the original Astrid of the 1600s who died after giving birth to the conjoined twins Halfrid and Gunhild for whom the mythical Sister Bells were named. There is a lot of history in these three volumes along with faith and folklore. I had to take a few days off from reading the conclusion to the series to recover, which is always the sign of a good book.

>172 Donna828: Jennifer, Finney Boylan has written two others (on her own) that I have read (maybe more I don't know about). One is the story of her journey, She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders, and Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders is about her life with her wife (who was her wife before transition and chose to stay with her) and their children. I thought they were both excellent (should be read in that order).

Hi Donna, I am very glad you liked the sister bells final book. I did too!

>154 alcottacre: Another hater of book slumps and occasional sufferer of their afflictions.

Glad to see you are past the slump, Donna. xx

>I'm really looking forward to the last Sister Bells installment and am glad to hear it lived up to the other two for you. I read the first two with my book group and they were both resounding successes.

>174 RebaRelishesReading:: Thank you for sharing your experience with Boylan's books, Reba. I will see what my library has.

>175 mdoris:: Like minds, Mary. I can't wait to see what Mytting will come up with next.

>176 PaulCranswick:: Hi Paul, I guess book slumps are fairly normal, although I haven't had that experience before. So glad it is over.

>177 vivians:: Hooray for another fan of the Sister Bells. I predict you will be happy with the third book. I wish I had read it with a group as there is so much to think and talk about.

Book No. 23: Solito by Javier Zamora. Library, 385 pp., 4.2 Stars

I really enjoyed this memoir about a young boy's journey from El Salvador to be reunited with his parents in California. It was quite a trip for a 9-year-old on his own. Luckily, he connected with a woman and her daughter, and they became a family unit. They all went through hunger, thirst, and surviving the harshness of a desert crossing. I won't spoil the story.

It reminded me of Enrique's Journey which I read with my book group in 2016. Both books were read on the edge of my seat while biting my nails. Well, not really, although they were both incredible journeys filled with danger and hope. Both are recommended.

Happy Friday, Donna. Still trying to catch up with my pals after our epic trip. Great to see the continuing love of How to Read A Book. it looks like we were both reading it around the same time. I also recommended it to Joe and he joyfully ate it up too.

You landed a solid BB with The Night of the Scourge. Somehow, I missed this trilogy. Fortunately, I have Solito on my audio TBR.

>179 Donna828: I have this one on hold at the library. I can't wait until it's my turn

I have heard a lot of good things about Solito, Donna. One of these days...

I think I would love the Mitting books. They are on my ever-expanding wishlist.

>172 Donna828: It would be nice to get lost in a book and ignore real life altogether these days!

>182 BLBera: Hi Beth. I know what you mean about the "ever-expanding wishlist". There are so many books I want to read... I highly recommend the Three Bells Trilogy by Mitting. It would be fun to read them as one epic trip to historical Norway.

>183 Familyhistorian: Meg, I've been doing a pretty good job of ignoring real life and getting lost in my books, although it does make Donna a dull girl! :-)

I haven't been feeling well lately but I can still read, thank goodness.



Book No. 24: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. Mine, 496 pp., 3.7 Stars.

Well, I goofed and read this book a month ahead of time. I told you I wasn't feeling well! Haha. I hope I can remember details about it because I don't want to reread again for my book group's May discussion. This is my second time around with Mansfield Park. I'm cheating and using part of my review from 2008 when I did my last Austen marathon:

Fanny Price seems to be an unpopular character with some readers. She is a bit lackluster until you consider how she definitely knew her mind when it came to her choice of a husband, and she wouldn't settle for less. She held out for her first choice despite the pressure from her uncle and lack of encouragement from Edmund. I admire her gentle strength, although I deplore her taste in men.

Book No. 25: Isola by Allegra Goodman. Library, 346 pp., 4.3 Stars.

This was a very good historical fiction novel set in France and a wild unsettled Canada in the mid-1500s. Marguerite was born into a wealthy family but unfortunately her parents died, and she became the ward of her older cousin who had a loose screw. I'm not certain what his problem was. He was a religious man in that he studied his bible, especially the Psalms, but he had a volatile and extremely controlling relationship with Marguerite. Most of the time he was absent and left her with her loving nurse Damienne.

Spoilers ahead...
All was good until Roberval, the guardian, took his cousin and her nurse aboard his ship. He was probably up to no good (my thoughts) until Marguerite formed an attraction for his secretary, Auguste, and Cousin Roberval got jealous. He could have thrown them overboard, yet in his "mercy", he thought of a worse punishment and abandoned the young lovers and Damienne on a remote island (Isola) in New France (Canada).

Thus begins a tale of starvation, extreme cold, and the will to survive.

Book No. 26: The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins. Library, 304 pp., 3.3 Stars.

This book suffered because of the timing. It was another atmospheric book with lots of twists and psychological madness, kind of like Isola on a much smaller scale. This one was set in England in modern times and had an art theme which I enjoyed. Too bad it was another dark book.

That's the trouble with reading library books. I checked these out at the same time and the due dates came around too quickly.

I need to read a Happy book now!

>186 Donna828: I just read Isola too, Donna, and like you I really enjoyed it. I liked the way the author was able to take tiny fragments from history and turn it into such a compelling story.

You definitely deserve a happy book now!

I am really looking forward to Isola, Donna. Great comments.

Thanks for the review of Isola. It's on my library hold list but good to be reminded of the story. Good luck finding a happy read, Donna!

I'm glad you enjoyed Isola, Donna. I read it shortly after Mark sent me that BB ,and enjoyed it very much.

Well, here I am after a month's absence. I wish I could say I have been busy having fun; however, life has been not so much fun lately. I was diagnosed with a Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Breast Cancer) on April 14 and had a Lumpectomy and 3 Lymph Nodes extracted on Monday, May 5. Waiting patiently to recover completely so I can have my Radiation treatments. It hasn't been fun but could have been so much worse. I'm grateful for good medical care and fantastic support from family and friends. I'm getting stronger each day.

I debated about talking about it online but wanted to explain my absence. I also now know why I have lost so much weight without trying and have had problems concentrating on reading. The brain fog is lifting, although I have become a slow reader these days.

>188 lauralkeet: Compelling indeed, Laura. As for "happy" books, we'll see. I am just so drawn to those dark stories. ;-)

>189 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. I hope by now you have had a chance to read Isola. It is a memorable book for sure.

>190 Familyhistorian: Meg, I'm just glad to be able to a follow a plot line these days. My reading is improving and I'm looking forward to catching up with friends and getting some good recommendations.

>191 vancouverdeb: Mark is a great Book Warbler, Deborah. He never fails us with his recommendations. I'm glad you are another Isola fan.

Book No. 27: Police at the Station and They Don't look Friendly by Adrian McKinty. Library, 315 pp., 4 Stars.

More Troubles in 1980s Belfast, Northern Ireland. The book starts out with Sean Duffy digging his own grave!
His home life is looking optimistic with a serious girlfriend and an adored daughter; however, he's getting worn down by the constant threats from the IRA and ongoing mayhem.
This is #6 in the series and was another engrossing read. I look forward to more Sean Duffy adventures.

Book 28: Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy. Mine, 446 pp., 3.2 Stars.

It has been a long time since I've read a book by Maeve Binchy. This one had an overabundance of characters. Some I liked, some I didn't. The main theme was the proposed highway that would cut through the scenic Whitethorn Woods and destroy the beloved Shrine of St. Ann's Well.

Change is hard, especially in a small Irish village whose inhabitants derived much comfort from this secluded place of prayer. I gave up trying to keep track of the characters. I'm just glad there was some plot gratification at the end.

Book 29: Dead Water by Ann Cleeves. Library, 400 pp., 3.5 Stars.

Another dark story about life in the Shetland Islands. Jimmy Perez is slowly coming out of the fog of his heartbreak and takes a role in the solving of two related deaths. As usual, there are many twists and turns in the plot.

Book 30: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami. Library, 450 pp., 4 Stars.

Young love turns into lost love. Our protagonist goes from the age of 17 into middle-age, longing for the love of his life. The action moves from Tokyo to a small mountain village where he becomes Head Librarian in the small local library.

This is a very poignant and mystical story with plenty of surprises like a secret walled town where nothing changes. It's a typical Murakami where it is best just to enjoy the ride and try to follow along with his quirky imagination. Not everyone will like this book, but it was perfect for the state of my free-floating brain these days. ;-)

Sending you best wishes for strength and continued recovery!

Hello Donna, well that >192 Donna828: entry was a difficult one for me to read. I am so sorry that you have been dealing with so much but it is so good that you are getting the excellent care that you need. I had been wondering about your absence and just wish it had been for happier circumstances. I am glad that you decided to share your diagnosis and treatment plan with us as we will all be adding you to our prayers I am sure!

>192 Donna828: 40 year B.C. survivor wishing you the best through a challenging time...

>192 Donna828: Love, prayers and best wishes from across the oceans from me to you, dear Donna.

Praying that you make a full and lasting recovery. xx

>192 Donna828: That's a lot to be going through, Donna. I hope your recovery continues to go well and that radiation goes as smoothly as it can.

I am very sorry to read of your health difficulties, Donna. I hope your recovery continues to go well, and that the radiation goes as easily as it can. It looks like you have read quite a few good books. I'll be thinking of you.

Thinking of you, Donna. It sounds like you're in good hands with your medical team and I hope your progress continues.

Happy Saturday, Donna. I hope you are all doing well. As usual, you are reading some mighty fine books. Glad you got to Isola. I loved that one. I did not realize you were reading Uncertain Walls. I recently finished it myself and we had similar feelings toward it.

Have a nice holiday weekend.

>192 Donna828: Thank you for the update. I am sorry to hear about the diagnosis. May your recovery go smoothly and may strength follow you on the next part of treatment. (( hugs))

Thank goodness for a good health team and a close family to help you through this, Donna. I hope your recovery is going well and its continuation goes smoothly. Thank goodness, as well, for books to get lost in! Sending healing mojo and all good thoughts your way!

>195 Donna828: One of these days I’ll start this series. I recently read Ken Bruen’s, The Guards, and plan to at least read the second in that series.

>197 Donna828: I loved the Shetland series and I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Never could really get into Vera, though.

>192 Donna828: Thank you for sharing. It sounds like treatment is going well and that you have lots of support (no great surprise there). Take care of yourself and post when you can.

🙏🙏❤️❤️

I am very grateful for the support of this group. It is good to have friends who care...

>199 vivians: Thank you for those kind words, Vivian.

>200 mdoris: Mary, it was difficult for me to share my diagnosis here, but friends share both the good and bad times, right? I know you've gone through your own health issues with strength and grace. It's good to have your example to follow. Thank you.

>201 m.belljackson: Wow, Marianne, you went through that at a young age. Thank you for sharing your experience and the kind wishes.

>202 PaulCranswick: I'll take all the love and prayers I can get, Paul. Thank you so much.

>203 bell7: I am enjoying my healing time before the Radiation, Mary. My surgeon is starting me out with 16 treatments which he thinks will be enough as we caught the cancer in its early stages. Not quite sure at this point when that will happen...
Thanks for your concern.

>204 vancouverdeb: I appreciate your thoughts and good wishes, Deborah.

>205 lauralkeet: Laura, I like and have high confidence in my team of doctors. Things are progressing slower than I wish, but the body heals at its own timing. If nothing else, I am learning patience from this experience. Thanks for your message.

>206 msf59: Hi Mark. The City and its Uncertain Walls was a little like putting a puzzle together. I do like Murakami and appreciate the time he put in on this.
>210 msf59: Thank you, Mark.

>207 figsfromthistle: I appreciate those virtual hugs, Anita.

>208 Copperskye: Wow, "healing mojo" is just what I need, Joanne. And, yes, I am grateful for some good books to read, although I am becoming a very slow reader as I have some "brain fog" to deal with. Probably a medication issue. I'm on a strong Hormone Blocker for the next FIVE years!

I think you will like the Sean Duffy series by Adrian McKinty. I am reading it along with the Shetland series and like it a "tiny" bit better. I may take a pass on the Vera series.

>209 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you for your support, Reba. I am totally babying myself these days. I cooked two meals this week and announced that leftovers or "make your own" was now on the "table" for the next few days! My husband (and my greatest supporter) knows his way around the kitchen so he will be fine.

Sending you best wishes for your recovery from your cancer surgery, Donna. Be kind to yourself. A friend told me that radiation therapy was really exhausting, so take care of yourself.

>213 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. I am being kind to myself these days. I am starting to feel better and it's tempting to do more than I probably should at this point so I have to remind myself to take plenty of R&R breaks...Rest and Reading! I have my first appointment with the Radiation Oncologist on Thursday and will hopefully start the process soon. I am almost exactly one month out from the surgery. It will be 4 weeks tomorrow.

Book No. 31: Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. Library, 385 pp., 3 Stars

Benny and Byron are siblings who have lost contact after Benny revealed she is bisexual. they are reunited through their mother's attorney after her death. She leaves them with an extensive recording that reveals a plethora of family secrets...along with a frozen black cake, a traditional dessert celebrating their Caribbean Islands heritage.

I liked the premise of the book, but, honestly, the family secrets were such a complicated jumble of different places and times that it became a difficult read for me.

Book No. 32: Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. Library, 352 pp., 4 Stars

I can't remember the last time I read two books in a row by the same author. I grabbed them from the library so I would have something to read over our rainy Memorial Day weekend.

I'm glad to report that the sophomore book resonated better with me, although the plot centered around a family tragedy could have been tighter. I related to the characters more than the ones in the first book and got caught up in the unsolved crime. Ms. Wilkerson is a very wordy author, although I might be interested enough to read what else she comes up with.

Interesting comments on the Wilkerson books, Donna. I felt as you did about the first novel, but now you have tempted me to pick up her latest.

Hi Donna, I'm really glad you're taking care of yourself, Donna. I understand the temptation to do more but sounds like you're being smart about it. I hope your appointment this week is fruitful.

Hi Donna. I am thinking of you!

Take care, Donna. I am thinking of you. I'm glad you are getting some reading done. I've not read anything by Charmaine Wilkerson, but I will keep the latter one in mind.

>214 Donna828: Indeed a good idea to baby yourself. The body needs to direct its strength to recovery...so maybe make "R&R" the regular state of things with only tiny "not R&R" breaks instead. Be well.

Donna - Sending Healing messages every day...and...

Last week, into my rural mailbox, courtesy of a coffee company we never heard of,
came a copy of the May 2025 BAZAAR Magazine.

Fashion ranks below zero on my interest level and how can there be so many rich people
buying all that jewelry and clothes when there are so many people barely getting by,
getting arrested and deported, and living in poverty?

So... I was totally unprepared for two powerful and revealing articles featuring famous Women Dealing with Cancer!

Inspiration and support?

>192 Donna828: oh dear, that is bad news for you and your family.

I'll have a look over my shelves and try recommend some shorter books for you. I have a few good ones from when I was pregnant and couldn't concentrate for too long.

ETA: three good'uns for you, each of which I loved.

Le Bal by Irene Nemirovsky
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

>217 BLBera: I thought the plot was tighter in her second book, Beth. Or maybe I just liked the characters more. Who knows?

>218 lauralkeet: I am so tired of doctor appointments, Laura. The "fun" ones are ahead of me. I start radiation treatments on Wednesday. That will be my last big hurdle...I hope.

>219 mdoris: Thank you for your thoughts and support, Mary.

>220 vancouverdeb: Greetings, Deborah. I'm not reading as much as I would like these days. So hard to concentrate. I hope that will improve as my treatments wind down.

>221 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you for your kind words of advice, Reba. My energy levels are slowly improving. Now if I could get rid of this brain fog, I would be very happy.

>222 m.belljackson: What a "bizarre" experience! I will look for a copy of the Bazaar magazine at the library. I find comfort in reading others' experiences with cancer. Thanks for the healing message and the heads up, Marianne!

>223 LovingLit: Hi Megan. I appreciate the short book recommendations. I've read the Steinbeck and Wharton ones but am not ruling out rereads...and I happen to have both of them on my bookshelf.

Book No. 33: Thin Air by Ann Cleeves. Library, 389 pp., 3.5 stars.

Once again we are transported to the captivating Shetland Islands of Scotland, this time to attend a wedding. Not surprisingly the happy day turns into a search party as Eleanor vanishes into “thin air”. Jimmy Perez is called in along with Willow and Sandy to solve the crime. There is lots of atmosphere in these books. The plot is convoluted as usual which calls for careful reading.

Book No. 34: In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. Mine, 376 pp., 4.3 Stars

I took my time with this book from 1969 as I learned about the monastic life. It was my mother's copy and apparently well-loved because pages were falling out of it.
I loved Philipa's story of her life with the English Benedictine nuns and how they managed their piety while dealing with the problems of living in the modern world.

Book No. 35: The Women by Kristin Hannah. Library, 471 pp., 4 Stars.

I'm not a big KH fan, although I do get wrapped up in her stories and I appreciated her writing about the women nurses who had the courage to serve during the Vietnam War. Frankie follows her brother into war after learning the basics of nursing. Her real teaching was on-the-job and so much more than she was expecting. This was a fast read for me because I could not put it down.

>226 Donna828: Donna - If you are still looking for lighter reading, there's always Wendy Wax Ten Beach Road series and Abbi Waxman The Garden of Small Beginnings!

For a good solid time, check out Mark's recent review of THE LAND REMEMBERS.

>225 Donna828: I'll be sending good mojo your way on Wednesday. Hope the process goes smoothly and leads to great results!!

>229 Donna828: Thanks for the recommendations, Marianne. I rather enjoyed The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and will look at some of her other books. I am way overdue for a catch-up with Mark and so many others in this group. I always get great suggestions from this group of amazing readers.

>231 RebaRelishesReading: I think it will be fine, Reba. I went to a breast cancer support group and got some great tips. I just want to get my life back along with more energy to get back on track.

>229 Donna828: My RL bookclub read that last year and I liked it a lot. It helped that the domestic side took place in San Diego/Coronado...areas I know well...but I also appreciated her highlighting the role women nurses played in that conflict.

>234 RebaRelishesReading: That certainly increases the love for a book when you are familiar with the territory. I too really liked the book. I just wish Hannah would stick more to the historical aspect and less on the romantic side. That's just me...

>235 Donna828: You've got a point there, Donna :)

Hi Donna. I hope your radiation treatments go well. Make sure you get plenty of rest.

I recently read In This House of Brede as well, and once I started to get to know the nuns, it was a great read. I got confused at the beginning; there are a lot of nuns. :)

>237 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. I remember when your book group read "Brede", and I dug it out of the hidden stash of books that never get attention. And, yes, there are a lot of nuns in that book.
I really do need to start reading more of my own books.

Hmmmm, I wonder why I have two messages labeled #236. Perhaps LT wants me to begin a new thread???

Edit: Well, they got it fixed.

I haven't got anything specific to add, Donna, other than continued prayers and good wishes for you, dear lady. Hopefully you are on the road to full recovery. xx

I am on that road, Paul, and plugging along. I will be glad to see the last of my radiation treatments so I can heal in earnest. Thanks for stopping by. I have missed my Library Thing friends.

>240 Donna828: And I'm sure that I speak for many of our friends in saying that we have missed you too.

Hello Donna, sending lots of positive thoughts your way. I know what you are saying about the energy levels. When you are regularly so full of beans the lack of energy is a hard one. I know it will return! Thinking of you my friend! I agree with your KH analysis completely! (>229 Donna828:)

Hi Donna, we'll be thinking of you Wednesday (and always).
I've been waffling about reading The Women, because I have the same issues with the author. I'll probably take a pass rather than wait in a very long library queue.

Donna, I am catching up here and I am so sorry to read your heavy news. Wednesday is just around the corner and so many of us are loving you and cheering you on. I will be keeping you in my thoughts.

I have been wanting to read In This House of Brede for ages - still looking for a copy, but books do mysteriously find their way to me when I want to read them.

I recently read The Women for my book club and we had an outstanding discussion. It hadn't been that long since I had read Angels of the Pacific on your recommendation, and that was also a terrific read.

Thinking of you as Wednesday nears. Sending mojo for a successful day.

I can't tell you how much the support of this group means to me. Radiation is just something else to be gotten through. I will be fine. This too shall pass! I'm more annoyed about the drive across town for a short (less than 30 minute) treatment for so many days in a row. I'm glad to start mid-week so I can get that week-end break in there.

>241 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I hope to have a more active presence here the second half of the year.

>242 mdoris: Hi Mary, thanks for the moral support. You've had your share of health concerns, and I am using you as one of my role models. Also, appreciate the backup to my thoughts on Kristin Hannah's writing. I will probably keep reading her books, but I can't stop my eyes from rolling from time to time. ;-)

>243 lauralkeet: Surprisingly, Laura, I picked off the K. Hannah book from the shelf...and I could even renew it. The Vietnam info seemed spot on, and it was worth the read for that much. Really an eye-opener. I think she did her research and conveyed the mood of the times well. I just skimmed over some of the personal stuff...

>244 AMQS: Thanks for the "cheers", Anne, and for those kind words. I wish I could have listened in on your discussion of The Women. There was certainly lots to talk about. It's good to see you posting on LT again.

>245 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. I need all the mo-jo I can get.

One more book to report and then I will be off LT for a while. After my radiation treatments are over, our son and family from Denver will be here. It's good to have that to look forward to. I will do some more catching up later in July. Who knows? Maybe I will even get a new (and happier) thread started.

I appreciate all of you!!!

Book No. 36: The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler. Mine, 198 pp., 3.5 Stars.

Hooray for quick reads! I like Tyler's books. They usually have just enough quirkiness to make them interesting. Even though the subject matter--losing a spouse in a freak home accident--was heavy reading, the author kept things on the light side as Aaron adjusts to his loss.

I have Three Days in June checked out from the library, which will be a good one to get me through some of my treatments. Then it's Party Time!

I'm glad your radiation treatment is finished, or will be shortly and sorry for the long drives, Donna. It will be great to have your son and family visiting. Enjoy!

Donna - Sending more healing thoughts and prayers on this day.

>246 Donna828: I'll be thinking about you (and sending mojo) this week. I'm glad your family will be visiting afterwards -- that's a nice "reward" to look forward to.

I'm just catching up with your news now, Donna. All the best in your recovery journey and may the brain fog dissipate soon.

Hello Donna, thinking of you today on your treatment day and the endless daily driving. Your attitude is exemplary....."this too shall pass". Loved your comment of the rolling eyes!

Thinking of you today and hope everything went smoothly! We're here whenever you manage to get back, but in the meantime take all the time you need for yourself and your healing.

>229 Donna828: I’m also not a fan of the author but both your comments and Anne’s may have me giving The Women another look.

>247 Donna828: Anne Tyler is a wonderful distraction. Enjoy Three Days in June!

Thinking of you this week and look forward to your return here. Enjoy your family!!

>248 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. Yes, looking forward to visitors, although they are coming a bit later than I first thought. Probably a good thing as I am still trying to get my strength back.

>249 m.belljackson: Thanks so much, Marianne. Your prayers are working!

>250 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba. Just feeling a little better each day is a nice reward. I'd like to put this cancer thing in the "over and done with" file!

>251 Familyhistorian: That brain fog comes and goes, Meg. Thank you for the kind wishes.

>252 mdoris: Mary, once I got used to the routine, radiation isn't the Big Bad Wolf I was expecting. The technicians are kind, and the treatment goes by quickly.

>253 bell7: I am ready to put all this behind me, Mary. I appreciate you stopping by with your encouragement. I think the worst (surgery, etc.) is behind me now and I will get in the groove of recovery soon.

>254 Copperskye: I'm kind of glad Mike and family's trip is delayed a little. I should be in much better shape when they come the middle of July.

Joanne, I think if you skim the icky stuff, that you will enjoy the main story of Vietnam in The Women. And, yes, I did like Three Days in June. I seem to be specializing in short books recently.

Book No. 37: Three Days in June by Anne Tyler. Library, 165 pp., 3.5 Stars

What could be more fitting than reading about a June wedding in June? In typical Tyler fashion, there are a few glitches to Gail and Max's wedding and her parents have their own set of problems to overcome. Nothing too serious, of course. As expected, things tend to work out even if the ideal perfection of a wedding isn't realized. Hey, it's life and even book characters need to roll with the disruptions. This was another fun and quick read for me.

Book No. 38: The Life Impossible by Matt Haig. Library, 324 pp. 3.5 Stars.

What can I say? I like books about old people. 72-year-old retired math teacher, Grace, is the heir to a small villa on a gorgeous Spanish island. She leaves evertyhing behind in England and begins a new life.

I'm not a big fan of magic realism; however it worked fairly well in this book. It got pretty convoluted toward the end, and I had to just go with it for a while until the payoff. I did enjoy the underwater scenes. they reminded me of my favorite part of Playground by Richard Powers.

This book won't appeal to everyone. I'm not going to try to change any minds about Haig's writing. I will take the "easy road" and share a few of my favorite quotes:

*"You are not here to be perfect. None of us are. You are here to live."
*All reading is telepathy, and all reading is time travel. It connects us to everyone and everywhere and every time and every imagined dream."
*We are all stardust. the whole universe is inside us."
Pg. 73 "We are all mysteries, even to ourselves".
Pg. 139 "If you want to visit a new world, you don't need a spacecraft. All you need to do is change your mind".
Pg. 140 "Everything can be beautiful with the right eyes and ears".

>257 Donna828: I loved Three Days in June, Donna. I'm glad it was a winner for you too. And of course I'm also happy to see you're doing well.

>255 Donna828: Donna - So Great that you have the strength of your Family and Friends to support You!

>258 Donna828: "72-year-old retired math teacher, Grace, is the heir to a small villa on a gorgeous Spanish island. She leaves everything behind in England and begins a new life" -- you had me ready to start reading with that but then I found the "magic realism" part and...guess not :(

Hope you're having a good summer -- full of books and family.

Hello! I've been gone quite a while now. Finished my radiation treatments and slowly getting my strength back to where it was before cancer rudely interrupted my life. I still need to meet with my Medical Oncologist to see about my weak bones. That will happen a week from Monday, so I plan to think happy thoughts this week of freedom and get my life back on track.

We had family here the third week in July which was both exciting and exhausting. I loved meeting my new grand-dog, Toast, a 6-month-old Boxer puppy. Penny liked him the first day...and then she was done with his silliness.

I was happy to see visitors when I logged on. Thanks to Laura, Marianne, and Reba for keeping my thread going. I am going to attempt to make a new thread. Very daunting for someone with brain fog due to the medication I need to take for the next 5 years. Yikes! I hope my newest doctor can find a gentler drug or give me some coping tips.