A bit disappointed that I was able to figure out the twist early on. I kept reading with the hope that I was wrong. It was well written and still a decent way to spend a few rainy afternoons.

I really wanted to enjoy this. It started out amusing, but then it became clear that I‘d be spending 176 pages reading paragraphs of what are essentially lists. Bailed at pg. 45.

This is a cleverly written short story that brings together two characters, one black and one white. But who is of what race? Like Zadie Smith discusses in the intro, as a reader your assumptions turn with the page. It‘s frustrating to not have the answer, but satisfying when you experience that we are one humanity.

I opened this today because it was within reach, even though I‘m in the middle of two other nonfiction books. Thought I‘d read the prologue and get back to it later. But wow. I‘ll need to finish this first. If you believe in National Parks and find your spirituality in nature, you‘ll want to reach this. #AllTheFeels

Incredibly predictable. I also didn‘t feel a connection with any of the characters. I like suspense novels to have a good twist, and this was lacking that.

Loving this book and our new Baby Jack Fitzgerald (after F. Scott). Was reading it while laboring at 3am on Monday and the joke is that he came out reading at a third grade level. Can‘t wait to see how the story ends!

As a public librarian, I feel guilty for snagging books on their release dates. “Community first” and all that. So I never do. Except this time. I‘m beyond excited to read this new one from my favorite contemporary author (and spent the day like a sad puppy staring out the window waiting for UPS to deliver this order that should have arrived last week).

Grabbed this one because reviews all said it has twists and turns, is gripping, etc. Not so much. It felt underwhelming. The only reason I finished it was because it‘s a breeze to get through. I didn‘t find myself caring much.

Looking forward to this one (if Finny ever lets me have it back. He loves books.). A woman being blackmailed into helping her serial killer sister clean up sounds delightful. But what happens when a second serial killer makes an appearance in the same town?

I can‘t remember the last psychological fiction book that had such great writing. The characters and places were so real. I just checked this back in at the library and am shocked there isn‘t a hold on it. Hope someone snags it from our New Books shelf to start their weekend off right. Highly recommended.

It was alright. Not haunted or suspenseful enough to keep me focused. The police-hate-journalists theme was a bit overplayed, too.

Still sampling recipes from this new book. Here is the Triple Strawberry Cake. Not sure I agree with measuring the internal temp for doneness. It felt a bit too moist. The inside also isn‘t nearly as pink as in the book but I was hesitant to use more red food dye than indicated. I like it in concept and will probably tweak it a bit.

Made it through this one. The story and plot were fine; the prose was exhausting. Verghese could easily have cut out 1/3 of the text by removing the tedious medical details. I found myself skimming after awhile.

“The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don‘t. If you keep saying your slippers aren‘t yours, then you‘ll die searching, you‘ll die bitter, always feeling you were promised more.” (Pg. 286)

This one lives up to the hype. I like that the story was saga-like but entertaining enough to be a poolside read. The interweaving of each character‘s tale and the social issues the author explores make this one of the best books I‘ve read this year.

Featuring a man and his bees, killer hornets, and a revolutionary world removing freedoms under alleged democracy, this was a nice weekend read. It was easy to get through, and yet I‘m left digesting the themes behind this “modern-day parable.”

I‘m not a cozy mystery fan but had to read based on reviews. It was ok. The foodie descriptions felt a bit forced and it was clear who the killer was early on. Other than that, it read like a cozy mystery so I would recommend it for fans of that niche.

I‘m still processing this one. It was difficult to tell if the narrator was going to turn out to be unreliable. A must read for light psychological fiction...but not if you are pregnant or in the first months of motherhood.

I love to bake and this book gives me plenty to test. First up were oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The author uses her pan-banging technique, which requires dropping the pan every couple of minutes at the end to crisp up and almost carmelize the cookies. Library staff loved them. While tasty, I prefer my oatmeal cookies fluffy. Next up: Mixed Berry Crumble Bars.

Known for her historic fiction novels The Orphan Train and A Piece of the World, Kline brings to life the stories of British convicts sentenced to Australia and a young Aboriginal girl in this quick read. I couldn't stop turning the pages to see if hope is restored for these exiles, or if they are destined to forever live brutal, unfair lives.

Oh my. I couldn‘t put it down. It started off a bit funny and then it took a turn in the last half. It was nice to read a suspenseful novel that wasn‘t predictable.

Stuart Turton is officially on my must-read list. While completely different than his The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it was just as amazing. I enjoy his plotting and his originality in each book.

A couple of relatable gems in this one:

“It is so reassuring to know that, somewhere in the world, it is time for cake.”

“I am still a little sad about not being British...”

This one was tough to read. Very sad what happens in the Congo. The first part is told from the perspective of a child, which made it slow going as the writing is choppy. The second part is from the mother‘s perspective and flowed better. Worth a read.

I can‘t put this down! It‘s so addicting. You think you know how to do something and find out experts say otherwise. At least I know how to navigate a four-way stop and all the kitchen/cleaning tasks.

Other than the length and the noticeably high use of the word “monotonous,” it was enjoyable. I love Criminal Minds and history so this was a nice combination.

While the lessons are inspiring and meaningful to anyone seeking a more spiritual life, the story threaded throughout felt a little cheesy. It's a quick read though and worthwhile for anyone seeking to be more selfless.

Easily one if the best books I‘ve read this year. The protagonist, Antonia, is relatable and the plot is timely. Alvarez manages to pack a lot into this short novel without it overwhelming the flow.

An appropriate quote as the court considers the ACA. Loving the unique writing so far.

So excited to finally get my hands on this one! I‘ve always been a big fan of Alvarez.

The writing feels juvenile even when the characters are adults. It‘s a quick read, but here is where I bail.

Not my favorite one-pot book, but it has some classics and nice images. Made the chili con carne last night and this purslane soup today. Definitely need to adjust a few things with each of these recipes, including the salt level for the soup. I don‘t foresee this being a cookbook that I use again.

‘As the British musician Miles Kington said: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”‘

Whenever I see World Trade outside my window, I‘m reminded that life is short. The need to make meaning of it can‘t wait.

Settling in for some storytelling advice while enjoying a seafood stew. I love autumn weather! Perfect for working on my novel.

Yay.

I enjoy wine from a novice level, but I‘m always curious about taste and pairings. This is super approachable and a beautifully, well organized book. This is a library copy; I might buy one to keep at home.

Is Mantel referencing the year of our Lord 1537...or 2020? Because I think we can all totally relate to this.

I was really excited about this book, but I have to bail. The writing is a bit bumpy and at times confusing. I had to keep turning back to make sure I understood who was who, and that previous descriptions lined up with the page I was on. On to The Mirror and The Light!

Really entertaining. The writing is clever and paints a good portrait of a somewhat mysterious character.

“Maybe we are all fire wrapped in skin, trying to look cool.” 46 pages in and devouring it.

A fictional account based on real resistance women. For the length, I was disappointed that the resistance work seemed more of a subplot. Chiaverini doesn‘t really detail their actions until the last 1/5 of the novel. It was a lot of vague mentions of flyers and radios. I would have appreciated more depth to their work.

Was this title naively picked or chosen because of its implications? I mean, sex sells, so I guess it's smart?...

Virtual book club pick for this month. Despite the difficulty of remembering many Vietnamese names, it‘s a winner. Very moving.

Listened to the audiobook. Really great, insightful and quick. One of my tattoos symbolizes Ichigo Ichie and this book is a good reminder of why I chose it.

I‘ve been listening to audiobooks while taking long walks to get out of the house. This one sufficed, although the twist wasn‘t nearly as shocking as reviews suggested. I named the killer before I got halfway. Maybe it was just intuition, but I was only listening to confirm what I already assumed.

“I don‘t ask you to love me always like this, but I ask you to remember. Somewhere inside me there‘ll always be the person I am to-night.”

#standup #stophate

Flew through this one! A little unsatisfied with the epilogue, but it was good house-ridden entertainment. (Finny is waiting very patiently for dinner while I post this.)

Cookbook club has been postponed, but we‘re still enjoying this month‘s pick. Olive oil flatbread (Pg 283), salami, cheddar and olives for dinner. Oh and wine.