Not book related but I am so proud of this meatloaf! My first Italian style with ground chicken for a “healthier” indulgent dinner.

Detective Kaga is super cool! This is the second book in his series. I wanted to read it this week so I could jump into the latest one, which was released last week. With Higashino‘s books, they seem to be extra special because they take so long to be translated! #hoopla

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This was a pleasant surprise and must-read! Wilkinson wrote this at the onset of the pandemic, a time when no one could have their friends over to discuss literature and world views over sumptuous food.

In this book she writes about “revolutionary” women of the past who she‘s invited to her imaginary dinner party. I learned so much! It‘s not just about food writing.

This was a spontaneous #hoopla selection and it paid off.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

When your Great Dane steals your Shiba Inu‘s tiny “downstairs” bed…he‘s sending a clear message. Guess we‘re going to brave the mall today after all. #shelfie

I‘m really enjoying this series. It‘s really well-written! It‘s nice to see the blossoming friendship between Khattak and his partner, Getty. I also appreciated learning about different facets of Islam. #hoopla

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

This was a good one! Great twist and character study. I also love the dynamics of the budding friendship between Horowitz and Hawthorne. Until next year!

*I can‘t believe Horowitz actually wrote the play at the center of this novel.

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Is anyone else watching the final season of THE CROWN? I‘ve been slowly watching each episode but who am I kidding? I‘m going to binge the rest in about 2 hours!

There have been several book compilations for those that would like more after completing the series. I was surprised this book wasn‘t mentioned. It‘s so good and juicy, and it helped me understand episode 3 100%! Give it a shot while it‘s still on #hoopla

I preordered this months ago and it released today! Prettier than I thought it‘d be. Can‘t wait to start it! #bookmail

An amazing #middlegrade read. It takes place right after the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. Boys as young as 10 were conscripted for military service ideology, much like the Hitler Youth. Cumbo‘s family doesn‘t want that for him, so they arrange for him to get out of the country. The narrator, actor Anthony Rey Perez, is so good! I have to check out more of his work. #hoopla

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My irrational fear is that Bosch, although a fictional character, might not rally again. What‘s the LAPD without Harry?!? Sigh. Another great police procedural!

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I so look forward to the Renee Ballard drop every fall/winter! Can‘t wait to sink my teeth in. Thank you, library system!

This book is an excellent piece of investigative journalism. For sanity reasons, I rarely watch the news, so this book filled in all those details I missed surrounding the Weinstein scandal and fallout thereafter. #pulitzer

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My next book, and I‘m so excited. I don‘t know why I‘ve been hoarding her books but delaying gratification by avoiding them. I plan on being VERY indulgent these last two months of the year. Muhahaha! #currentlyreading

“We all appear to ourselves frustrated in our old age…because we cling to everything so much. But in reality we are still fulfilling our lives.”

A. L. Kennedy wrote: “The eccentric joy and energy of this novel, what may be the rush of the author‘s enthusiasm, her mature passions, is part of what makes a book on an unsupportable subject not just philosophically stimulating but also delightful.” Yup, and I do veer toward the eccentric.

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This is a beautiful literary police procedural–a niche genre amidst countless mysteries. The backdrop of this investigation takes the reader back to unimaginable horrors in Bosnia in the early 1990s. It's a visceral experience that made me cry at various points. This is an author to watch out for, and in light of her new Detective Inaya Rahman series set for release tomorrow (11/1/22), I decided to give her first series a read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

All year, I‘ve been trying to read a book from the country featured each month. I‘ve been so unsuccessful! I even missed Egypt this month. Gah! So I‘m going to focus on getting Iceland books started within the first two weeks so it gets done.

I first saw a documentary on this subject on YouTube that was fascinating. The author of this book contributed a lot to the discussion, so decided to try out his book. It was good! Not too long or information overload. It gave me a new perspective on baffling tactical decisions Hitler made. Link for the documentary listed below. #hoopla

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

I won this in a goodreads giveaway a few months ago but it hadn‘t arrived. I was planning on buying a copy anyway, so was going to give it another week before buying it. Finally arrived today from the publisher and it‘s even prettier than I expected! Yay! #freebooks

Brought Ottto to the dog park for my first outting since last week! Feeling great post-COVID and ready to start a new book. #currentlyreading

I thought I‘d be able to knock this graphic novel out in one day, but it‘s a bit dark! Many breaks needed. #currentlyreading

“Before I can live with other folks I‘ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn‘t abide by majority rule is a person‘s conscience.” —Atticus Finch

My third rereading in the last 20 years. Tom Robinson‘s story has always shaken me to the core. Humanity can be a real dumpster fire. This time around, my heart broke for Boo Radley. It‘s really a sad, sad gem of a book. It‘s got its funny moments but I still ugly cried. 😩

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Intriguing from the first to last page. Besides the gruesome double murder investigation, it was interesting to read about the birth of the “tabloid” and fake news. #truecrime

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I chose to reorganize my office/library a couple of days ago but am now regretting it. Tested positive for COVID yesterday. 😩 Will I ever finish?

The good news is my new Toms arrived in the mail! Glitter black cats I didn‘t know I NEEDED.

Today‘s library haul is all non-fiction. What in the what?

Something about couch time and a documentary in the background = complete happiness. Is it gin o‘clock yet?

This was delightful! I‘ve never had an interest in visiting Paris, but that‘s changed after reading this culinary memoir. This is the experience I had wanted when I tackled Julie & Julia so long ago.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

I agreed nearly wholeheartedly with Montell‘s observations. As people make a mass exodus from organized religion, it stands to reason that they‘re going to try to fill that spiritual need elsewhere.

Also, can we talk about MLM and Direct Selling companies? It‘s why I quit social media. #hoopla

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If you‘re able to hang in until the 45% mark, then you‘re golden when it comes to this book. Stashower spent the first half acquainting us with Elliot Ness, one of the “Untouchables” in American‘s Prohibition era.
He stumbles into the role as top dog in the law enforcement team that will eventually take on The Torso Murders.
As a #truecrime aficionado, I don‘t why I didn‘t know about these. They were gruesome!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

Can we take a moment to acknowledge how “dark and depraved” this book is thus far?! But I can‘t stop! If you thought the Black Dahlia was fascinating, imagine a slew of bodies brutalized in unimaginable ways. #currentlyreading

What a book, and one I‘m positive deserves a rereading! Speechless. Am I in the minority about the ending seeming kind of perfect for an imperfect situation? 😩😩

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I spent two weeks trying to figure out what (2) books to bring to Munich. At the last minute I swapped both books out. So glad I trusted my gut because this book is so good thus far!

This was good! I definitely want to read more about the WWII theater in North Africa, where Josephine did a lot of spying. *The author read the audiobook and he wasn‘t great. Something to consider. 😩*

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The close of summer seemed like a good time to finally pick this up. What a treat, and not at all what I‘d envisioned. Fu‘s a poet, so her prose is lyrical and erudite.

The overarching theme was how traumatic events in our formative years can reverberate throughout the rest of our lives. I loved the way Fu structured the novel to highlight that point.

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Just now getting around to my book journal, and thought I‘d share a pic. The following is an excerpt from PM Chamberlain‘s war address in September 1939:

“…For it is evil things that we shall be fighting against, brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution. And against I am certain that the right will prevail.”

If you were to ask what books I most “enjoy,” I‘d say well-executed books like this. Although most families are uniquely dysfunctional, I find it cathartic when I can relate, in whatever small way, to other people. I long for connection, even if simply to acknowledge that we made it, despite how difficult it was.

Highly recommend. I know I‘ll be thinking about it for a long time to come.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

I think this is becoming a habit. Payday. Bookstore. Taphouse Slushie. 😆

“Can you imagine a more terrible fate than to have to live up publicly to the legend of a love you don‘t feel? To have to face morning, noon, and night, a middle-aged boy with no other purpose in life than a possessive passion for you?”

Truly awful people that were fun to read about! It was always my impression that they were broke because of the cheap stunts they pulled. Alas, no. They were just greedy! #hoopla

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What a great book! I‘ve been in a reading slump or else I think I would have finished this one a long time ago. Instead of a long break in between, I‘m missing the Cazalets and their whole entourage already! I may jump right into the next one.

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Advice needed! Finally going on our first trip Post COVID! Yay! I pulled Munich out of a hat (literally) and was wondering if anyone had some recommendations for food and/or experiences that are off the beaten path?

I found this Sherlock Holmes greeting card at the bookstore yesterday and thought he‘d make a great bookmark. But he stands up all on his own, so he might hang out here until needed.

Getting the weekend started with an adult slushee and this new book from the bookstore across the street.

Finally making some good progress in this one. It‘s so good!! Hoping to finish this weekend.

I had so much fun with this book! I kept putting it off because I knew I‘d love it and wanted to be in the right frame of mind for it.

Glad I opted for the audiobook because it was phenom. Will be adding a copy to my library.

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As a book nerd, it feels strange to realize I‘ve never owned a pair of bookends. 🤔

I present my very first, courtesy of a Tuesday Morning 4th of July sale! I love🍍! Testing them out as a small TBR/books in progress shelf.

This hotel has a lot of book inspired art. I‘d decorate my dining room just like this conference room.

How‘s this for a last minute hotel stay? I chose yellow from the primary color palette. Going to jump in the tub with a book now. 🌞

It took me all day to cook up this Portuguese Bean Soup from this amazing cookbook. We had a bite but the recipe calls for letting it rest thru to the following day. Into the fridge it goes. @Tamra Thanks for inspiring me to check the library for cookbook inspiration.

Link to recipe adapted from this cookbook.

https://leitesculinaria.com/351920/recipes-portuguese-bean-soup.html

Can you imagine being prescribed a drug by your doctor and later finding it was slowly dismantling your life? In an age where stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression are among the leading illnesses, many people (myself included) have at some time been prescribed a benzodiazepine. Melissa Bond, a narrative journalist and new mom, narrates her journey into “accidental addiction” and back. As important a read as EMPIRE OF PAIN.

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So this happened on #storygraph today. What in the what? I‘ve never read more NF than F. I‘m digging this trend!

I am still processing this book! Decided to break in my book journal with it, and had room for a little doodle. For the “what did you learn from this book?” question I wrote:

“That in order not to destroy ourselves, it‘s important to forgive yourself and let go of the hurts. They‘re both heavy burdens. Also, avoidance can only take you so far!”