How was your week? We had amazing weather, but I feel like the temps heated up quickly! It was nice to be outside a bit more, go for walks, and enjoy some time on my front porch.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Well, I know I share about track every week, but this really is a fun season (of track…and of life), and I can’t say enough how much I love that track is the one thing they both still do.
Friday night, I got this sweet pic of Hadley cheering Hayden on as he ran the 3200, finishing with a state qualifying time.
Don’t get me wrong…there are many times they don’t get along, but I do think they encourage each other more often than not.
Hadley has had her eye on the prize trying to run a state qualifying time in the 200m, and she’s accomplished that the past couple of meets.
Friday night was a late one, but my mom got this pic of the kids after the meet, and I think it’s a good one!
The last cotillion dance was a fun one! Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she’s worn so far. It’s the “fun is calling”dress from Hello Molly, and it comes in a variety of colors.
The moms of the girls in this group have shared some dress stories…some dresses never arriving, wrong material, not what they ordered, etc.
Thankfully, for these dances, we’ve had lots of luck from Hello Molly and Lulus. (FYI for returns, Lulus will give you a full refund if return within the window of time…but Hello Molly only does store credit. Believe me, I learned that the hard way. haha)
I stopped by Aldi’s for a few snacks, and this “charcuterie party platter” was a hit.
My mom came to visit last week, and we celebrated her birthday a bit early. I was going to order a bundt cake, but I thought an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins sounded good.
It was pretty and tasted delish.
Smiles and ready for cake…
I shared some new book trackers and added them to my Instagram highlight.
These have been a fun and creative outlet for me.
Feel free to use them to share what you are reading! Tag me if you do. 🙂
I ordered this in early spring, and I was excited to wear it yesterday now that the weather is warmer. It’s the “Taylor” dress, and while sizes do seem limited, there are a few colors. I wear my typical size large, so I think they do a great job running true to size with what they design.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Honestly, I am surprised that I don’t feel like we have more laundry than we do. Sunday continues to be laundry day, and everyone usually has one load. One thing that still is an issue is getting the laundry put away! The kids put their own clothes away, but tend to be on their own timelines for that. haha!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I’m sure I share this every year, but the week of Derby is big around here…even at school…especially elementary schools.
The kids made these hats in kindergarten, and were so excited to show them to me when they got home.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:
We have a slight break from sports this weekend, but today is the Kentucky Oaks, and tomorrow is the “most exciting two minutes in sports” is when the Kentucky Derby horses “run for the roses.”
I’m kicking off the month sharing the books that I read in April. After a slow start to 2024, I’ve had a couple of months of my average of reading three books. This month, I loved two of them, and thought one was ok.
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Women:
Summary:
An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Womenis the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
Quick Thoughts:
This book is pretty popular, and I can certainly see why, as it was heartbreaking, inspiring, uplifting, and beautiful. Honestly, I don’t know that I’ve read anything set during the Vietnam War. Of course, with war, we think of the soldiers, but I’d never thought about other heroes of war…the doctors and nurses tending to and trying to keep the wounded soldiers alive. Even more heartbreaking was thinking about the PTSD that these women suffered while having their emotions and concerns brushed aside.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
In reference to the women not being seen for the work they were doing
“The world changes for me, Frances. For women, it stays pretty much the same.”
In a letter to Frances from her mother:
“I imagine it would feel wonderful to be good at something that mattered. That is something that too many of the women of my generation didn’t consider. With love, Your mother”
Rating:
I bet this book will be in my top 5 for 2024!
None of This is True:
Summary:
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.
But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.
Quick Thoughts:
I’ve read and liked Lisa Jewell books in the past, but this book was just odd to me. Of course, it is a psychological thriller…but I just didn’t enjoy the characters and I thought some of the plot was disturbing. I did want to keep reading to see the lies unfold and clarified, but it was just a book that felt odd and flat to me.
Rating:
3.5 stars, to be fair.
The Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI:
Summary:
In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And this was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered.
As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
Quick Thoughts:
I’d heard quite a bit of hype in regards to this movie, so when my friend let me borrow the book, I was interested in reading it. From the first page, I was hooked. What the members of the Osage nation went through was so heartbreaking, but the making of the FBI was so interesting. The book also had so many pictures, and it was neat to put faces to the names.
I’m torn on if I want to watch the movie or not, but the book is definitely one that I will always remember…and for sure another top read in 2024.
Rating:
It’s hard to believe, but I’m going to start working on my summer reading list. Some books I usually want to read in the summer don’t come out until mid-summer or have long library wait lists, so I want to prioritize and get organized for my summer reading!
I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday…and it’s the last week of March. While February tends to feel like a slow month, March has flown by.
Today, I’m sharing the books I read in March.
I saw this on Instagram and laughed. Now, I don’t think I ever really lied on my reading logs in school. I’ve always enjoyed reading. That being said, as a teacher, I know there have been kids through the years who haven’t been fully honest with their reading logs.
I shared this with my brother, and he reminded me of the time I forged my mom’s signature on his band practice card. He remembers the craziest things! 😆
Y’all, your girl finally read her “typical” monthly average of three books. Honestly, I actually thought I might get a fourth book in, but I’ve started one at least.
Looking at this month is interesting. I read a five star, four star, and three star book…at least based on my rating!
Also, coincidentally, all the book I read this month I had added to my reading list thanks to Shay.
This month I read:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Frozen River:
Summary:
A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.
Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.
Quick Thoughts:
This was one of Shay’s book club books, but I didn’t get it from the library in time.
I enjoy historical fiction, but I don’t think I’ve read books that are set in the 1700’s!
I loved Martha’s character. She’s a strong and independent woman. I love that we saw all sides of her…as a midwife, community member, wife, and mom. The plot held my attention from the beginning, covered serious and light-hearted topics, was suspenseful and eye-opening.
Some meaningful quotes:
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write. God only knows what they would do with the power of pen and ink at their disposal”
“The joy of having sons is that they worship their mothers. Until one day, suddenly, they don’t. Then, that boy – once small and sweet – begins the long, hard process of separation, until at last he rips the seam. But the holes where mother and son were once knit together remain.”
“It rains upon the just and the unjust, love. And we no more deserve this than our friends or neighbors do.”
“This is a new, bittersweet milestone of motherhood. They have gotten bigger, as have their problems. But they have also grown wiser, and this is a miracle because wisdom is not a thing you can acquire for your children.”
Rating:
I truly think this will be one of my top reads in 2024!
John Stamos: If You Would Have Told Me:
Summary:
We think we know John Stamos. The beloved actor of television (Full House, ER, General Hospital), film, and Broadway grew up in front of the cameras and drummed his way into our hearts as an honorary Beach Boy. In this candid memoir, readers can peek into the heart of this familiar face. It’s a rollicking insider look at Hollywood, fame, fortune, and failure. It’s a tender treaty on love, friendship, and fatherhood. Throughout it all, Stamos maintains a sense of wonderment captured in the title If You Would Have Told Me.
Quick Thoughts:
Well, “Have mercy!” This book wasn’t on my radar, but the Kindle version was available at the library, and I figured it would be a quick read. I love reading memoirs/ autobiographies as they are “permission to be nosy” 😆. I knew this one would include all about Full House, Stamos’ marriage to Rebecca Romijn, the Beach Boys and more!
It was an easy read that I really enjoyed. John Stamos sure is insightful. 😉 Another book with some favorite quotes:
“Life is both solid and fragile, isn’t it?”
“Not everything that hurts is an emergency. Sometimes we need to test our pain threshold to see how well we heal.”
“Your reward for hard work, more work.”
(On parenting) “At the end of the day, you might not win a trophy or get a ring, but if done correctly, you’ll have a more compassionate, intelligent, and loving version of yourself out there in the world. The essence of it all: Sacrifice.”
Rating:
The Heiress:
Summary:
When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.
But to everyone’s surprise, Cam wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.
Ten years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but a summons in the wake of his uncle’s death brings him and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but coming home reminds Cam why he was so quick to leave in the first place.
Jules, however, has other ideas, and the more she learns about Cam’s estranged family—and the twisted secrets they keep—the more determined she is for her husband to claim everything Ruby once intended for him to have.
But Ruby’s plans were always more complicated than they appeared. As Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will—and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.
Quick Thoughts:
This was another of Shay’s book club books, but again, it wasn’t available at the library when she suggested it.
This was a quick read, but I didn’t love it. I felt like so many of the characters just seemed so crazy. I don’t mind a crazy character, but this was just hard to relate to.
There were surprises along the way, and everything was tied up pretty nicely in the end. I’ve read at least one other book by Hawkins…The Wife Upstairs and really liked it. A friend recommended The Villa, so I’ve downloaded it to my Kindle.
Rating:
Sorry if you read Shay’s blog and mine. This might have been a boring recap. I want to participate in her book club, but most of the books have library wait list, so I’m reading them just whenever they become available for me.
Maybe April will be my four book month! Having spring break should help.
I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday….and it’s already the end of February.
Today, I’m sharing the books I read this month.
Well, unfortunately, my book reading average continues to stay at two books a month.
This month I read:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Berry Pickers:
Summary:
A four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a community, and remains unsolved for nearly fifty years.
July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.
In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.
Quick Thoughts:
I loved this book. I thought the premise was interesting as well as how the Norma’s past and present are woven together. Also, I thought the ending was very fitting and wrapped the plot up nicely.
Rating:
Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education:
Summary:
Maidwas a story about a house cleaner, but it was also a story about a woman with a dream. In Class, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career. Facing barriers at every turn including a byzantine loan system, not having enough money for food, navigating the judgments of professors and fellow students who didn’t understand the demands of attending college while under the poverty line—Land finds a way to survive once again, finally graduating in her mid-thirties.
Classpaints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. Who has the right to create art? Who has the right to go to college? And what kind of work is valued in our culture? In clear, candid, and moving prose, Class grapples with these questions, offering a searing indictment of America’s educational system and an inspiring testimony of a mother’s triumph against all odds.
Quick Thoughts:
This is another memoir by Stephanie Land. I’ve previously read Maid, and I thought it was such an interesting read. (I also enjoyed the Neflix series.) Like Maid, I thought this book was so powerful and again an eye-opening perspective for those who live below the poverty line. Picking up where she left off in Maid, I was interested to see how life was for Land and her daughter after their move to Montana. I think I enjoyed Maid more than Class, but I’m still glad that I read both.
Rating:
Maybe March will be my lucky month, and I will get three books read? I have started Shay’s Book Club Book from February: The Frozen River, and I’m really enjoying it.
Thanks to a suggestion from a reader, every month, I’m going to try and remember to add the books I read to my Instagram stories and then save to a highlight. Also, feel free to use my book trackers to share what you’ve been reading. I have those saved in highlights as well. I liked creating those and will make a couple for March too.
I always like to have a reading goal for the year, and the past couple of years that goal has been to read 40 books. In 2022, I read 41 books, and last year I read 38. So, 40 books a year is a good average for me .
I’m off to a slow start in January, but I liked both the books I read this month.
This month I read:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Last Love Note:
Summary:
Kate is a bit of a mess. Two years after losing her young husband Cameron, she’s grieving, solo parenting, working like mad at her university fundraising job, always dropping the ball—and yet clinging to her sense of humor.
Lurching from one comedic crisis to the next, she also navigates an overbearing mom and a Tinder-obsessed best friend who’s determined to matchmake Kate with her hot new neighbor.
When an in-flight problem leaves Kate and her boss, Hugh, stranded for a weekend on the east coast of Australia, she finally has a chance, away from her son, to really process her grief and see what’s right in front of her. Can she let go of the love of her life and risk her heart a second time?
When it becomes clear that Hugh is hiding a secret, Kate turns to the trail of scribbled notes she once used to hold her life together. The first note captured her heart. Will the last note set it free?
Quick Notes:
I’d never even heard of this book, but Shay mentioned her book club that she was starting, and this was the first book.
I really enjoyed it. It had a little bit of everything: sadness, hope, love, and happiness.
Rating:
All the Light We Cannot See:
Summary:
Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.
From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the stunningly beautiful instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Quick Notes:
This book has been on my list for a while, and when I saw that the drama series was on Netflix, I bumped it to the top of my list. I didn’t want to watch the series before finishing the book.
I enjoy historical fiction books, and this one fits the bill. I loved reading about Marie-Laure and Werner’s lives and how the story goes back and forth between each one. This is definitely a long read, but it’s worth it. I can’t wait to watch the series now.
Rating:
I’m hoping to pick up my reading pace in February. Do you typically set a reading goal every year?
Well, the days have started to run together this week, but it is the end of the weekend…and I have another Bloganuary post.
It’s no secret that reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Today, I’m sharing a few fun book graphics and my answers to an “All About Books” prompt.
I like to think that I’m “lives in the book shop/library” and “the bookworm.”
Pinterest/ @idotdoodle
Via Pinterest, I found this “All About Books” prompt…and here are my answers:
C/o Pinterest @glammtemplates
Favorite book: I remember everyone talking about Where the CrawdadsSing, and for whatever reason, I put off reading it. Once I started to read it on vacation a few summers ago, I couldn’t put it down. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to read it. I think the movie is pretty amazing too.
Book I regret reading: Travis asked me once if I ever start a book and don’t finish it…and I told him I used to never quit a book, but now I do if needed. There are so many books that I want to read, so I try not to feel like I “have” to read a book. Anyway, Block Party was a “hot” book this summer, and I trudged through it. I should have stopped reading when I wasn’t enjoying it, but since it was pretty popular, I kept reading…and I wasted time I could have spent on a good book.
Currently reading: I’ve had All the Light We Cannot See on my list for a while, but I finally made it a priority to read because I also want to watch it on Netflix! I’m enjoying, but it’s a long book…so I hope I can finish it soon.
Books I recommend: This varies based on the person or situation…but the Class Mom series is so funny, and Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of beach reads!
A book I can always reread:To Kill a Mockingbird is one that I could read over and over…and do thanks to my job! haha You would think that I would have read this book in high school, but I never did. The first time I read it was right before I taught the unit my first year teaching. Now, over twenty years later, I can say that I’ve read it at least 12-15 times. The past few years, the students I’ve worked with have read the graphic novel version.
Favorite genre:I used to like chick lit and light, easy reads. A few years ago, I really started enjoying historical fiction.
Least favorite genre: I do not like sci-fi or fantasy…books or movies.
Buy or borrow books? It’s pretty rare for me to buy a book. Again, since there are so many I’d like to read, I’m ok with being on the wait list at the library until it’s my turn to read a book. I do love buying books from time to time though.
Write a book someday? I don’t think that’s something I desire to do. I like being the author of Show Me and Sweet Tea. 😉
Pinterest @becauseallthebooks
What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
I will post this template from @glammtemplates on Instagram today. I’d love to know your answers…and don’t forget to tag me in your responses.
Well, while the temps have turned colder these past couple of weeks, we’re still waiting for the pretty white stuff to fall…and stick…for a snow day!
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite winter movies…maybe by doing so, Mother Nature will get the hint!
Of course during Christmas break, I have a bit more time, and I always want to watch some Christmas movies.
Every year, as a family, we watch:
Home Alone
A Christmas Story
This year we also watched National Lampoon Christmas Vacation.
Bonus is when I find time to watch other Christmas movies too…like…
The Holiday
Love Actually
The Family Stone
I do feel like January and February are slower months for us, so I try to watch a few other faves. It’s nice to have some extra time on the weekend or an unexpected day off to watch some of my (our) favorites.
Some of my favorite “winter” movies are:
Serendipity (fun fact: This was the first movie Travis and I ever saw in a movie theater together…back in 2001.)
While You Were Sleeping (I watch this movie often, but Hadley watched it with me first the first time Christmas break 2022 and liked it.)
Sleepless in Seattle (Hadley and I watched it over break this year…and she said it’s her new favorite.)
Cool Runnings (This is a favorite from my childhood that I loved watching with my kids too.)
The Mighty Ducks (same memories/thoughts as Cool Runnings)
The Cutting Edge (I remember watching this one so often with my brother…He still will randomly say, “toe pick!”)
Little Women (classic!)
Frozen (Oh how I miss when Hadley was obsessed with all things Frozen)
You’ve Got Mail (Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan do no wrong in my book!)
It’s crazy to think a week from today, we’ll be back in school. Ok, enough negative talk…today is all about the positive. One of my favorite posts of the year is sharing the books I’ve read and my top 5 faves.
December Books:
Well, I was on a roll with reading but struggled in November and even December. While I usually read Christmas themed books in December, I was still reading (and finally finishing) Demon Copperhead from November. Then, I read Just Mercy with a group of students at school. I was able to read a couple of winter/Christmas books, and I really enjoyed them too.
This month I read:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Demon Copperhead:
Summary:
Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.
Quick Thoughts:
This book was long, but it definitely sticks with you when you are finished. I did feel like it dragged in parts and was sometimes hard to keep some of the minor characters straight. The David Copperfield connection is an interesting twist on telling this story.
Rating:
Just Mercy:
Summary:
An unforgettable true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to end mass incarceration in America — from one of the most inspiring lawyers of our time.
Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit law office in Montgomery, Alabama, dedicated to defending the poor, the incarcerated, and the wrongly condemned.
Just Mercy tells the story of EJI, from the early days with a small staff facing the nation’s highest death sentencing and execution rates, through a successful campaign to challenge the cruel practice of sentencing children to die in prison, to revolutionary projects designed to confront Americans with our history of racial injustice.
One of EJI’s first clients was Walter McMillian, a young Black man who was sentenced to die for the murder of a young white woman that he didn’t commit. The case exemplifies how the death penalty in America is a direct descendant of lynching — a system that treats the rich and guilty better than the poor and innocent.
Quick Thoughts:
While this book wasn’t on my list, students in a class I work with regularly were reading it, so I decided to as well. I know the movie is popular which is a connection most students had, but the book was very powerful. I liked that Bryan Stevenson shared many stories besides Walter McMillan’s, driving home the message about wrongly condemned, minors in the juvenile justice system, and the death penalty.
Rating:
Meet Me in London:
Summary:
Aspiring clothes designer Victoria Scott spends her days working in a bar in Chelsea and her evenings designing vintage clothes, dreaming of one day opening her own boutique. But these aspirations are under threat from the new department store opening at the end of her road. She needs a Christmas miracle, but one is not forthcoming.
Oliver Russell’s Christmas is not looking very festive right now. His family’s new London department store opening is behind schedule, and on top of that his interfering, if well-meaning, mother is pressing him to introduce his girlfriend to her over the holidays—a girlfriend who does not exist. He needs a diversion…something to keep his mother from meddling while he focuses on the business.
When Oliver meets Victoria, he offers a proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend at the opening of his store and he will provide an opportunity for Victoria to showcase her designs. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes something more tempting as the fake relationship starts to feel very real. But when secrets in Victoria’s past are exposed, will Oliver walk away, or will they both follow their hearts and find what neither knew they were looking for…?
Quick thoughts:
This is a cute Christmas read set in London. What’s not to like?
Rating:
Lovelight Farms:
Summary:
Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.
A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.
In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.
Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.
Quick Thoughts:
This is book #1 in the Lovelight series, and it’s a cute premise for Christmas (although some there are some not so G rated parts).
Rating:
Recap of 2023 Books:
My goal again this year was to read 40 books, and I fell short of that goal…but it was still a solid year of reading.
Here are my Goodreads stats:
38 books read
13, 399 pages read
The shortest book I read (The Sixth Wedding) was 76 pages.
The longest book I read (Demon Copperhead) was 560 pages.
Average book length n 2023: 352 pages
My 2023 Reads:
Another year of reading here, there and everywhere.
This year, I started off strong and I always feel like I read some of the best books early in the year. While three books a month is a pretty good average for me, I had a few months where reading was slow. I always enjoy creating a summer reading list, and seeing what books I can get read with a bit of extra time off.
Before I share my Top 5 reads of 2023, these books deserve honorable mention recognition. Here are they are in the order that I read them:
There’s nothing crazier that school on the day after Halloween. I’m glad we’re a day closer to the weekend!
I’m a bit behind, but today I’m sharing the books I read in October.
I wanted to read so much more this month, but life and just not having a lot of extra time has gotten in the way of reading…haha
That being said, I enjoyed all three books I read this month, and they were all so different.
Here are the books I read this month:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Mad Honey:
Summary:
Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising a beautiful son, Asher—was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in, and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.
Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.
And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can she trust him completely . . .
Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in him, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.
Quick Thoughts:
I read this one on fall break, and two of my friends who were with me had read it. Both of them said, “just wait until you get to the twist.” Holy moly was there a twist.
This book was filled with love, secrets, vulnerability and more! I can honestly say I’ve never read a book like it.
Rating:
Before We Were Innocent:
Summary:
Ten years ago, after a sun-soaked summer spent in Greece, best friends Bess and Joni were cleared of having any involvement in their friend Evangeline’s death. But that didn’t stop the media from ripping apart their teenage lives like vultures.
While the girls were never convicted, Joni, ever the opportunist, capitalized on her newfound infamy to become a motivational speaker. Bess, on the other hand, resolved to make her life as small and controlled as possible so she wouldn’t risk losing everything all over again. And it almost worked. . . .
Except now Joni is tangled up in a crime eerily similar to that one fateful night in Greece. And when she asks Bess to come back to LA to support her, Bess has a decision to make.
Is it finally time to face up to what happened that night, exposing herself as the young woman she once was and maybe still is? And what happens if she doesn’t like what she finds?
Quick Thoughts:
The premise of this book is what first caught my attention. It initially reminded me of Amanda Knox’s story.
I liked that Joni and Bess were so different and handled that life changing period of time in their own way. I loved how this book was organized with flashbacks to what happened ten years before to the present day. I do wish there were more details in some parts of the past….just meaning I felt like there was a gap in time when they were being held for the crime.
Overall, it was definitely a great read.
Rating:
Coronation Year:
Summary:
It is Coronation Year, 1953, and a new queen is about to be crowned. Thepeople of London are in a mood to celebrate, none more so than the residents of the Blue Lion hotel.
Edie Howard, owner and operator of the floundering Blue Lion, has found the miracle she needs: on Coronation Day, Queen Elizabeth in her gold coach will pass by the hotel’s front door, allowing Edie to charge a fortune for rooms and, barring disaster, save her beloved home from financial ruin. Edie’s luck might just be turning, all thanks to a young queen about her own age.
Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer and Holocaust survivor, has come to live at the Blue Lion while she takes up a coveted position at Picture Weekly magazine. London in celebration mode feels like a different world to her. As she learns the ins and outs of her new profession, Stella discovers a purpose and direction that honor her past and bring hope for her future.
James Geddes, a war hero and gifted artist, has struggled to make his mark in a world that disdains his Indian ancestry. At the Blue Lion, though, he is made to feel welcome and worthy. Yet even as his friendship with Edie deepens, he begins to suspect that something is badly amiss at his new home.
When anonymous threats focused on Coronation Day, the Blue Lion, and even the queen herself disrupt their mood of happy optimism, Edie and her friends must race to uncover the truth, save their home, and expose those who seek to erase the joy and promise of Coronation Year.
Quick Thoughts:
Hi, my name is Jen, and I love historical fiction.
You know I’m all about the Royal family and all things British, and this book didn’t disappoint. I loved that the Blue Lion hotel was the central figure for the characters who were so different and meaningful to the plot.
There’s a bit of history along with sadness, mystery and romance with so many great details in between.
I loved this book so much.
Rating:
4.5 stars!
In November, I plan on reading at least one Christmas book, so I can share that with you as we move into the holiday season.
With this month wrapping up, I’m sharing the book I read in September.
I feel like I’m struggling a bit getting into a reading groove lately, but I did read three books this month.
Here are the books I read this month:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Block Party:
Summary:
This summer, meet your neighbors.
The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other.
On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder.
But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold—discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing—and no one—is ever as it seems.
Quick Thoughts:
It has been a long time since I’ve finished a book I didn’t enjoy, but I did finish this one since it was on my summer reading list. Anyway, for whatever reason, I struggled throughout the book. I didn’t really like the characters and couldn’t connect with the writing style or plot. Two different times, I even had two different ladies at the pool ask me about the book, and I told them I just couldn’t get into it.
Have you read The Block Party? If so, what did you think?
Rating:
Look for Me There:
Summary:
In Look for Me There , Luke Russert traverses terrain both physical and deeply personal. On his journey to some of the world’s most stunning destinations, he visits the internal places of grief, family, faith, ambition, and purpose—with intense self-reflection, honesty, and courage.”—Savannah Guthrie, coanchor of Today “Look for me there,” news legend Tim Russert would tell his son, Luke, when confirming a pickup spot at an airport, sporting event, or rock concert. After Tim died unexpectedly, Luke kept looking for his father, following in Tim’s footsteps and carving out a highly successful career at NBC News. After eight years covering politics on television, Luke realized he had no good answer as to why he was chasing his father’s legacy. As the son of two accomplished parents—his mother is journalist Maureen Orth of Vanity Fair —Luke felt the pressure of high expectations but suddenly decided to leave the familiar path behind. Instead, Luke set out on his own to find answers. What began as several open-ended months of travel to decompress and reassess morphed into a three-plus-year odyssey across six continents to discover the world and, ultimately, to find himself. Chronicling the important lessons and historical understandings Luke discovered from his travels, Look for Me There is both the vivid narrative of that journey and the emotional story of a young man taking charge of his life, reexamining his relationship with his parents, and finally grieving his larger-than-life father, who died too young. For anyone uncertain about the direction of their life or unsure of how to move forward after a loss, Look for Me There is a poignant reflection that offers encouragement to examine our choices, take risks, and discover our truest selves.
Quick Thoughts:
I really liked this book. I’d seen Luke Russert promote it when it was published, and added it to my reading list last spring.
I remember when his dad, Tim, was the host of Meet the Press, and when he passed away how that impacted the show.
Anyway, I enjoyed following Luke’s journey through many countries, recalling many amazing places and people while learning life lessons along the way . His mom joined him on a few legs of his journey and their relationship, and what he’s learned from her, was also interesting. I also enjoyed the reflective parts and memories that he shared with about his father.
Rating:
The Senator’s Wife:
Summary:
In this town, anyone is replaceable. . . .
After a tragic chain of events led to the deaths of their spouses two years ago, D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery are finally starting to move on. The horrifying ordeal drew them together, and now they’re ready to settle down again—with each other.
As Sloane returns to the world of White House dinners and political small talk, this time with her new husband, she’s also preparing for an upcoming hip replacement—the latest reminder of the lupus diagnosis she’s managed since her twenties. With both of their hectic schedules, they decide that hiring a home health aide will give Sloane the support and independence she needs post-surgery. And they find the perfect fit in Athena Karras.
Seemingly a godsend, Athena tends to Sloane, and even helps her run her charitable foundation. But Sloane slowly begins to deteriorate—a complication, Athena explains, of Sloane’s lupus. As weeks go by, Sloane becomes sicker, and her uncertainty quickly turns to paranoia as she begins to suspect the worst. Why is Athena asking her so many probing questions about her foundation—about her past? And could Sloane be imagining the sultry looks between Athena and her new husband?
Quick Thoughts:
This book seems to be a popular one right now. I really love a suspenseful book, and this one is definitely a psychological thriller. It hooked me from the first few pages with the deaths of Slone and Whit’s spouses. Throughout the plot, the reader is kind of “connecting the dots” as to what happened while also wondering about motives of other characters.
The chapters are pretty short, and this was a quick read for me.
Rating:
What books have you been reading lately?
Like last year, I set a goal of reading 40 books this year, and I’m up to 31/40 books. I’ve kind of abandoned my “ABC Reading Challenge”…this is also why I fail at book clubs…I just want to read what I want to read. haha
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