If the last few months have proven anything to me it’s that you need to enjoy what you are reading and do it at your own pace. I think sometimes, with blogs and vlogs, we put pressure on ourselves to perform for our audiences. I have been enjoying the last couple of weeks when I have been able to read what I want and when I want. There has been no pressure to complete a book within a certain time or read what someone else has wanted. It’s kind of refreshing.
May is finally here. The flowers are in bloom, the animals are waking up from their winter slumber and the weather is finally turning consistently warm. I couldn’t be happier. Yet it is bittersweet as this is my last full month on leave so I am taking advantage of every minute that I can. I have been getting a lot of reading in while I try to get the baby to sleep so that has been a positive. It has gotten me out of my reading slump. I am looking forward to the books I want to read this month.
This was actually the May title for the Modern Library Book Club. While I am not going to the discussions at this time, I have been wanting to read this book for awhile. I have already started reading it and I am enjoying it so far.
I received this book at Christmas. It’s one of the books that I have been wanting to check out due to the hype about it from you all. I have heard nothing but good things about it and it just looks like fun. I wanted something light on my TBR list and I couldn’t think of anything better.
It’s been a hot minute since I have read anything by John Green. This book has been staring at me for weeks, demanding that I read it. And who am I to ignore this request. haha. I think this will be a fast read, though one that might stay with me. I still remember “Fault in Your Stars” though it’s been years since I read it.
This is another book that has been calling to me from my TBR shelves. This book is based in Egypt and definitely has some “Mummy” feels to it. Though a historical fiction, it seems to be filled with adventure and mystery. Sign me up.
I picked up this book a year or so ago intending to read it for book club, but just never got around to it. I know that this is a heart breaking book (at least that is what I’ve heard), but I still want to check it out. This book reminds me of “Orphan Train” in some ways, with the dual story lines focused on an elderly character in the past and in the present. I always enjoy these stories and how they end up merging at the end.
This is the Modern Library’s pick for June, which is when I expect to go back to book club discussions. We read “Song of Solomon” last year and we all really enjoyed it. “Beloved” was also on a member’s recommended list so it made it on for this year. I read “Beloved” when I was in high school, but barely remember it. It will be nice to reread it.
I thought that with a newborn I was not going to have the time to do anything but tend to the baby’s needs, but that hasn’t been the case. With the baby on a three-hour cycle of feeding and sleeping in-between, I have been able to get a lot of stuff done, including reading. In fact, my most productive reading times were when the baby was awake and didn’t want to do anything but be held. I would just snuggle with him on the couch and pop open a book until he fell asleep. And so this month I was able to read five books.
“Frozen River” was my book club title for March, but at the time I only got a quarter of the way through it. I managed to finally finish it and loved it. This book is based in 1789 Maine and is loosely based on the historical figure of Martha Ballard, a midwife who delivered hundreds of babies and tended to the ailments of others. In this novel, Martha is called to examine the body of a man who is pulled dead from the river and though she declares the death a murder, another doctor disagrees. This sets off a chain of events that brings Martha into scrutiny, not only on her abilities but also other cases that she is involved in. Her diary, which she writes in daily to note things that she has been witness to as a midwife, gets called into evidence and may be the key to unearthing the truth. Martha is one of those strong women characters that is inspiring and makes the reader root for throughout the book. It was perfect for a book club discussion. However, it may have some triggers as there are birth tragedies, rape and assault depicted in the book.
This book had so much potential to be great and I felt that it was lacking in the end. The premise is about a women named Rose who wants to make a better life for her mother so she agrees to travel to Camp Zero in Canada to spy on its developer. The book hints at something lurking behind the scenes, that not everything is as it seems, but when that thing is finally revealed, I didn’t think it was that surprising. In fact, I felt that the idea of camp Zero was seriously under developed and the author missed a chance to make this a bit more thrilling. I felt like some of the themes that the author was portraying could have been fleshed out a bit more throughout the plot. The ending was a bit random and didn’t fit with the overall storyline, unless I missed something.
“Annie Bot” is an interesting concept of a robot that is used as a sexual partner for a male, but as it learns more and more human like, it begins to become more independent and challenge what it was created to do. I was immediately captured by this book but the characters bothered me, especially the male character who seemed to be a bit harsh to the robot, almost bordering on abusive. However, I appreciated what Sierra Greer was doing with this story line.
“Yours Truly” was an entertaining read. Dr. Brianna Ortiz is just getting by, as she deals with her upcoming divorce and the remnants of what happened as well as trying to find a kidney donor for her brother. All this while trying to maintain a career, which she finds out may be on the outs after a promotion to department chief may be given to a young new doctor, who everyone dislikes. That doctor, Jacob, has his own issues including a failed relationship due to his paralyzing anxiety and now his ex marrying his brother. The two don’t like each other after their first encounter but then when Jacob begins writing letters to Dr. Ortiz and decides to donate his kidney, Brianna begins to think that there is more to the young handsome doctor then she first thought. I really liked the plot for this story in terms of how they characters got to know each other but there was A LOT of miscommunication between the characters that was unnecessary and became infuriating. I loved the letter writing in this book, but I felt that it ended as quickly as it began and made it all the more frustrating when they misunderstood each other.
I am not done with this book at the time of writing this post but I am enjoying it so far. I am still too early in the book to completely know what is going to happen, but the idea of novel is unique – a secret line of people who survive on books as food, gaining the knowledge within, not by reading but eating them. However, within their community lies a darker secret, another group of people who are born with a hunger for human minds. This book goes between the past of our female protagonist Devon and how she grew up as a book eater and present day, where she is on the run with her son who happens to be a mind eater. I can’t wait to find out how her past catches up with her present and what ends up happening to her son.
What did you read this month? Have you read any of the books on this list? Let’s discuss!
This month is quickly flying by but I am happy to say that I am out of my reading slump. It helps that the baby likes to sleep on me and the only thing I can do when he is like this is read. I have been reading a lot since the birth and have finished more books this month than I have for the entire length of my pregnancy.
Hello my book admirers! It’s been a while since you have heard from me and you have probably wondered where I have been. Despite my best efforts at the beginning of the year, reading just fell to the way side. As I neared the end of my pregnancy, I was more focused on what I had to get done, not to mention just dealing with the side effects of being in my third trimester.
I am happy to announce that at the end of March, we welcomed our beautiful baby boy Logan into the world. We are all doing good, and I now find myself in a new world. With me being on maternity, and Logan already on a good routine between feedings and naps, I now find myself with some time on my hands. I have actually finished a book the other day, something I haven’t done in quite some time, and I started another. I realized that I haven’t logged on here in a few months so I thought now would be the time to resurrect what I left behind.
With my focus primarily on the baby, I am not holding myself to any strict standard when it comes to reading. I do it when I can. I am not going to book clubs for a few months so I am enjoying just reading what I feel like at that moment. However, there are some books I do want to get to so this month’s reading list are the books that I hope to get to.
Upstate New York is having a very weird spring this year, with more snow than what we had during the winter. I still have some wintry vibes so I decided to kick off my reading during maternity with this futuristic dystopian novel by Michelle Min Sterling. I am not far into it yet but I am really enjoying it.
I really enjoyed Michaelides’ novel “The Silent Patient” and while “The Maidens” didn’t really do anything for me, I am still excited to read his newest novel. The premise promises a thriller that involves a murder on a private Greek Island among a group of friends. Hmmm. I am in.
I have enjoyed everything Ng has written so far and I finally picked up her third novel while I was at the bookstore. I was first introduced to Ng a few years ago with “Everything I Never Told You” which became one of my favorite novels, especially for that year. It was heartbreaking but at the same time, Ng has a way of pulling out the raw emotion from characters to weave a story that is truly insightful. I can’t wait to read this latest one.
I picked this title from my Book of the Month for March because it sounds so interesting. While obviously sci-fi, it doesn’t seem so far off. It is about a female robot who has been made to be a girlfriend for her human owner and their relationship. But it also sounds like this novel delves into what the robot is actually thinking and “feeling”. It is a short novel but I think it is going to pack a powerful punch.
These are just a few of the titles that I am looking at right now. I don’t want to get my hopes up that I can read more than this, but if I do that would be the ultimate win.
What are you reading during April? Have you read any on this list? Let’s discuss!
In this week’s Top 10 Tuesday, by That Artsy Reader Girl, we were asking for our bookish goals but since I already covered that in my new year’s post, I decided to do the prompt I missed last week. There are many new books coming out this year that I am excited for. These are the ones coming out in the first half of the year.
January
I have read both of Alex Michaelides books and while the “The Silent Patient” was better than “The Maidens”, I am still open to read more of his works. He is a good writer and definitely knows how to put a twist into a story. His books keep me captivated so I am curious what his latest has to offer.
The same goes for Kiley Reid. I enjoyed “Such a Fun Age” and didn’t even realize I was anticipating another book by her until I saw it on the list of upcoming new releases. I immediately remembered how her debut novel made me feel. Time to see what she has come up with now.
February
I have yet to read “There, There” by Tommy Orange but it has been on my TBR for ages. However, with the followup book coming out, I think that book may get bumped up higher on my TBR. Maybe I will make it a dual post about my reading experience of both books. hmm.
March
These are two books I wasn’t anticipating being interested in but then I read the summaries and I had to put it on the list. I loved Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Normally I shy away from retellings because I love the classics all too much but I am interested to see how Everett tells the story from Jim’s point of view.
I loved Marquez’ “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and though I have yet to read his other works, I am intrigued by this one. I am just hoping that this isn’t another “lost” book of an author that should have never been published, like so many I have read that were “found” after the author’s death.
April
Having just read Leigh Bardugo’s “Ninth House” again and “Hell Bent”, I am familiar with her writing. Her newest book seems very interesting, as it is a historical fantasy. I like it when authors put a twist on historical events to make a completely original story.
The attack on Salman Rushdie is still fresh in my mind and I am a little surprised that he was able to write it about it so quickly after it happened. It was a horrific attack but I am interested in what he has to say about it, especially since he hasn’t really talked about it.
I have only read “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson but I have all of his books on my TBR to get through. This is newest one is about the start of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, one of the presidents that has always interested me.
“The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians” is a book about books and true stories about the magic of reading. Need I say more? It was written by James Patterson so I have no doubt that this is going to be a good read.
May
I am always looking for a good celebrity memoir to read and Whoopi Goldberg is definitely a celebrity I want to know more about. I am sure she has an interesting story to tell. So of course this memoir is going on my list.
Hope everyone had a good week. We had a bunch of snow days here in upstate New York. Winter has definitely come. I am counting down the days until Spring. While I do like the serenity of snow, I don’t like driving in it, which makes for my long commutes even longer. However, it does make for the perfect reading days. I have been really enjoying the audiobooks on my commute to and from work and I am finally making headway on my physical TBR.
Recently Finished
Currently reading
Japan
Reading next
What are you reading this week? Have you read any on this list? Let’s discuss!
As we go into 2024, I am a little sad that I won’t be able to participate in my book clubs as much as I have in the past. With the coming of a newborn, I am expecting to miss at least April and May’s discussions but I am hopeful that I won’t miss more than that. However, I still plan to read the books that were picked, if only because they all sound so good.
Usually I write this post in a series because I have been a member of as many as four book clubs. That has dropped over the years to a more manageable two. However, this year, we are not as much ahead in picking titles as normal so I decided to just lump both groups into one post.
This year, the reading list for the Modern Library Book Club is as follows (January – December, left to right):
In the Capital District Book Club, so far the following have been selected:
Genres for the remain months:
April – Books set in foreign lands May – Memoir June – Sci-Fi/Fantasy July – Beach Reads August – Local Author September – Classic October – Pop Culture/Current Events November – Anything Goes December – No Book (Annual Meet and Greet)
I am feeling good as we kick off the first reading list of the year. I feel caught up in life and have renewed energy on how I am approaching things this year. This reading list is a mix as I am starting to get back into audiobooks again to listen during my ride to and from the office while also being realistic with the physical books I am going to read. So let’s get into it.
I am so excited that my book club is reading this in January. I am all too familiar with this book, having read it 2-3 times in the past, but it’s been a long time. I am excited to revisit this story again. It will be interesting to see how the book affects me now compared to how it has in the past. This is one of my top favorites, so it will be interesting if that changes.
I don’t know much about this book except that it focuses on life in a blue-collar town. I know that it was a Pulitzer Prize winner and was made into a movie, but I never saw it. I have heard about it over the years but didn’t have any plans to read it until a member of the Modern Library Book Club put it on the list.
I had put this book on my Winter TBR and then another blogger had recently posted a review about this book after her book club had read it. So now it’s been moved up to the top my TBR list. It’s one of those stories where people have a choice and follows them as they decide what to do. In the Measure, society is changed after everyone receives a mysterious box that reveals the number of years they have to live.
This book sounds so interesting about a female detective in Victorian London, a kidnapping of a secret daughter and a peculiar child with alleged supernatural powers. What else could you want? Sounds like a fast-paced book to me.
Ok this may seem like a total random pick but it’s actually not. My mother and I just got done watching the most recent exorcist movie The Pope’s Exorcist, which is fictional but the character is based on the real Father Amorth. It mentioned that he had written some books about his experiences, which I thought was incredulous considering how tightlipped the Vatican usually is about these things. Then I was looking up audiobooks to line up for the month and this popped up. So I figured it was meant to be. I am intrigued.
Dirty Dancing has always been my favorite movie, ever since I was a little girl, and I can quote it practically line by line. My father used to have the cassette tape that he used to play in his truck for me and I knew the music well before I was six. My parents have several video tapes of me dancing with my teddy bears as I watched the movie. I have seen the Dirty Dancing concert and know most of the behind-the-scenes dirt about the movie. Of course I know Jennifer Grey from her other films but when the lead actress in my favorite movie comes out with a memoir I am going to want to read it. Better yet, listen to the audiobook she narrates. I so cannot wait for this.
Whenever I do a Top 10 Tuesday, by That Artsy Reader Girl, more often than not, I am surprised by the answers that I come up with. For example, when looking back at the books I read in 2023 in anticipation of this post about our favorite books from last year, there were so many that I had forgotten that I had read. I seemed to have lost track of time because some of the books I thought I had read so long ago. It was a pleasant surprise to refresh my memory on those books.
“The Attic Child” blew me away. It was such a beautiful, well crafted story about two children, separated by century, that are locked up in the same attic and share a secret. As most stories with dual plot lines, the author weaves two narratives that eventually merge to the present and it never fails to leave me in awe. There are parts of this book that are truly heartbreaking and you can’t but cry over the pages, but then it becomes more heartwarming and there are tears of relief, love and joy. This story stuck with me for a long time.
For those who don’t know the story of “Schindler’s List“, it is about a German industrialist who ends up saving thousands of lives of Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factory so they didn’t go to labor camps. I had seen the movie years ago, but the book is just as good, though the movie’s soundtrack and the girl in the red dress will forever haunt me.
“The Wishing Game” was just a fun, magical experience as the characters who are lovers of a children’s books series of clock island get invited to the author’s estate on an island of the same name. The author, who had mysteriously disappeared years ago, suddenly announces that he has written a new book and those who have been invited to the island embark on a contest to win the highly coveted manuscript. This was just pure magic through and through and made you remember the magic of reading when you were a child.
For the nerds out there like me who are interested in words and how they came to be, would probably like “The Dictionary of Lost Words” which is fictional story centered around how the Oxford Dictionary gets to be printed. The parts of the book that I particularly like were when the characters were working on the dictionary itself. It was interesting to learn how certain words didn’t make it into the dictionary and one women’s quest to ensure that they weren’t forgotten.
“Beach Reads” was perhaps the book that surprised me the most this year. I don’t often read romance because they can be predictable but this book was hardly that. Emily Henry had my attention from the first page and I didn’t put it down until I finished it. Definitely deserving of the praise that it has received.
“Song of Solomon” was one of the few books that I did manage to finish for the Modern Library Book Club this year and it was well worth the read. The symbolism and the emotional depth that Toni Morrison writes about made this books stick with me for quite a while. It also made for a very good book club discussion. I think everyone enjoyed this book.
Given that I live in Upstate New York, I was quite familiar with the story of Keith Raniere and NXIVM, but it was interesting to read “Don’t Call It a Cult” and find out the extent to which he affected the women involved. It was definitely a shocking story and hard to believe that it happened so close to home.
“Redemption” is a fast paced thriller about political corruption, but the detail that Will Jordan provided was surprising. He definitely did his research and had me at times wondering if the events in the book really happened. I mean it’s a fictional story but each of the characters were so well developed that I could relate to each of them. I wouldn’t mind reading the rest of the series but trying to get the books in the U.S is proving to be more difficult than anticipated, as my husband forlornly found out when he tried to get them for me for Christmas.
Stanley Tucci’s memoir is not your conventional memoir. Like conversation at the dinner table, his memoir shares anecdotes that are connected in some way to food. “Taste” was an enjoyable read and even better audiobook with Tucci as the narrator. I was surprised by how relatable I found his upbringing and delighted in some of the experiences he shares.
Jacqueline Woods also approaches her life story in a unique way, writing in poetic verse rather than a narrative in “Brown Girl Dreaming“. It actually worked here and made her story all the more compelling, hitting the right emotional tones in the right spots.
Book Admirer 