What I Read November

 Well my reading has slowed to crawl.  But I did manage to do some reading. I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading.

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

Annika Rose is a English Major at the University of Illinois. She is awkward in social situations. Her roommate helps her out a lot. She enjoys the chess club and meets a boy there she likes. This boy Jonathon brings out the best in her but something happens (read the book) and their relationship is severed.  This is a book about a female character with Asperger's - high functioning autism. I thought the story was told well. It is a bit steamy so if that isn't your cup of tea this book isn't for you.

Booking It September Edition

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading.

Well, it has been an interesting reading month. I read two books at the opposite end of the spectrum. One was fiction and one was non fiction.

My not so secret guilty pleasure is the Twilight Series. I usually read this series once a year. So if you were a Twilight fan, Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer did not disappoint. It was interesting to hear Edward's side of the story.

I found Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker really interesting. The Galvin family lives on Hidden Valley Road. Hidden Valley Road is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I grew up in Colorado so many of the references were to places I have been. The Galvin's are a large family with 12 kids. Of the 12 kids, six of the kids end up having schizophrenia. Because such a large amount of siblings have schizophrenia, their DNA is studied and assists in the research of schizophrenia. It is there story of their family but it also the story of how mental illness effects the whole family. There is a lot of discussion and examples of nature vs nurture. I love how the Galvin's story is interspersed with the research . There is such a long way to go in research of mental illness especially in the regards to schizophrenia.

What I Read August

I am linking up to Quick Lit hosted by the wonderful Modern Mrs Darcy. Check out what everyone else is reading. 

I received another hold from Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer Reading List. I actually had forgotten that I requested it.

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon
This work of fiction is based on the real life of Nancy Wake. Nancy was an Australian expat living in France who bluff her way into a reporting job for Hearst publishing. She married a wealthy Frenchman and when the war came became part of the resistance and later part of the British Special Operations. The book is broken down by all her code names. Nancy is amazing and fearless. This was a great compelling read. You can't but help but root for her. The operations she ran were complicated.  She was the most decorated woman of World War II. Perhaps the best read of my summer.

What I Read July

I managed to read 3 books from Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer Reading Guide. All of them were great summer reads and bit on the quirky side. I think I got my reading mojo back! I am linking up Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading.

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

I didn't move during High School and I wish someone would have anonymously offered to be my guide though it wouldn't of been through text or email.  I liked this book. There is a lot of relatable stuff teenage and otherwise. This book was on Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer Reading Guide

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

This book will have you looking at all the signs. This quirky romance was an interesting read. This book was on Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer Guide. I kept looking at signs everywhere and noticing the lettering. I follow several lettering people on Instagram. I found it fascinating. I follow Stefan Kunz on Instagram who is amazing at lettering. I have done quite a bit of chalkboard lettering

The Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

This one was a quickie which was good as my e-book was about to expire. How can you not love a character whose business is called the "Tech Hermit".

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
This has been sitting on my TBR pile for a while. Nonna passed it on to me. In some ways it is a hard read. The setting is based on a real reform school that operated for 111 years and it deals with how blacks are treated differently. This book unfortunately is closer to truth than fiction.  I didn't see the last twist at the end coming. Despite the atrocities written about the story is so compelling I kept reading. It was just announced the Colson Whitehead is to be  awarded the Library of Congress Award.

I read Dreamland Burning back in 2018(my review). I guess I am revisiting this book because it was pointed out that this was written by a white writer.  I have always read a book because it was a good story. I have given zero consideration in the past of the author's race.  Tulsa is a story that needs to be told and it is going to take all of us to tell it. Before I read this book I was really unaware of the Tulsa Race Massacre. I think I called it a race riot in m review but it truly was a race massacre. I know if I had read this in 2020 I would have probably had some different insights. I might of even considered the own author's bias(privilege?).

What I Read June

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading.

Reading this month has been a challenge. Our library has only doing e-books until June 8th. There was a considerable wait on most e-books as you can imagine.  I had a reading slump during most of this pandemic. I was ready to read again but availability was an issue as my main source of books is the public library.

Thirst; 2600 miles to Home By Heather Anderson

This was written by a somewhat local author to me. Heather has done much hiking and has hiked the triple crown of long distance trails - Appalachian, Continental Divide, and Pacific Crest Trail. This book is about how she set the fastest time to hike the Pacific Crest Trail(60 days, 17 hours, 12 minute). I just find all the books about long distance hiking fascinating and I want to know what motivates someone to want to hike long distances and what they discover about themselves. Great Article in Outdoor about Heather 

I also wanted to highlight 2 other books that I read in the past that really influenced my views on racism and discrimination.

Just Mercy (My Review) This has been made into a movie and is streaming for free. The movie was excellent as well.

Evicted by Matthew Desmond (My Review)

Antiracist Reading List - This is quite the list. Personally I have more reading and learning to do.

Thinking About Summer Reading

Well my reading has stalled out BUT  I am super excited about Modern Mrs Darcy Summer's Reading Guide.  I couldn't wait to check out her list. Last year, I read several books from the guide. My favorite from last year was The Gown. 

I find my reading picks up during the summer as my world slows down a bit. Things are going to be real slow this summer I have a feeling. Check out what everyone else is reading at Modern Mrs Darcy

Since we all are staying home,we all could use a good adventure. I love a good arm chair adventure travel reads that involve women and true life adventure. Check some good true adventure reads below

Wild by Cheryl Strayed - You probably live under a rock if you haven't heard of this one. It is about her adventures of the Pacific Crest Trail. There is also a movie. This is probably the most well known book about the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Lost Girls - Three Girls leave their high pressure jobs and travel around the world.

A Blistered Kind of Love  by Angela and Duffy Ballard- A couple and their adventure's on the Pacific Crest Trail. I actually liked this one better than Wild.

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven - What to do when your travel companion becomes undone mentally? This coming of age novel about 2 college grads and how IHOP (International House of Pancakes) inspired them to travel.

No Baggage by Clara Benson - Travel 3 weeks in Europe with just the clothes on your back. 

What I Read April

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading.

I don't know about you but my reading life has been put on hold. At this beginning of this quarantine I was a single parent as my husband was away on a work assignment and my general anxiety has made reading hard. But I think I am adjusting and ready to get back to reading. I mainly get my books from the library. Our library is shut down and only e-books are available.

A Killing in Amish Country by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris. Nonna (MIL) has been reading everything by Gregg Olsen that she could get her hands on. I read Starvation Heights a ways back and this was the only Gregg Olsen book that I could get my hands on at the time. This is a sad true story but well told. Barbara Weaver's husband was living a double life with internet, sexting, and girlfiends. It is a true story about domestic abuse and the death of  Barbara Weaver. Anyone else fascinated by the Amish?

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor is a shared Community Read for our library system. This book was made available with unlimited downloads as an e-book. It is a young adult book. Mason Buttle is an interesting character who has dyslexia and has a very interesting home life. He lives in a orchard that is surrounded by new developments. He also sweats a lot. He doesn't fit in and other kids bully him. It is a good story and fairly fast pace. I read it in one day. I think this would make a good family read for families with tweens and teens. It covers neurodiversity, class, grief, bullying, and unintended consequences.

What I Read March

After a month sabbatical I am back to reading. I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit link up. Check out what everyone has been reading.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Interesting Book about a plane crash and one lone survivor, Edward. I actually read this on a plane. I don't know if that was great idea.I thought this was an interesting read and I like how the trauma that Edward experienced was explored.

Yale Needs Women by Anne Gardiner Perkins - I started reading this on International Women's Day which seems appropriate. This book explores how Yale became an co educational institution. Told mainly through the eyes of the women who were the first women in the co educational class. One of the take-away I got from this book was how political this idea was. Yale was known way before Ivy institutions for admitting Jews and Blacks but even after admitting women it was a struggle to admit them in significant numbers. It was also very isolating being one of the first women admitted. I love that this story was told. It makes me appreciate those first ladies contributions. This is well written and researched.

New Year, New Reads

Well, I wish I was starting off the year stronger having read more. Definitely more of quality over quantity in the books I have read this month. I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading.

This is Where You Belong - The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live by Melody Warnick

This book was a recommendation by Modern Mrs Darcy. I enjoyed immensely. I find myself contemplating a move and finding myself asking myself why my town didn't cut it anymore. I also found out according to the book that the average American moves 11.7 times before they die. I would be considered a mover in that I above that average even though for the last 15 years I have been rooted in one place. I loved the story telling in this book. I can totally relate to Melody. I think most of the research in Melody's book points to people being engaged in the place they live the more attached they are to that place. She breaks down the ways to be engaged. I also learned about place making and I can see several places where my current town is trying that out - summer activity series including a giant scavenger hunt, new parks, and lots of places to become involved in community art.

I recommend this to anyone moving to a new place, been a place a long time, or considering a move.

Liking where you live is satisfaction. Never wanting to leave is attachment .- Katherine Loflin

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict

The latest book by Marie Benedict is about Lady Clementine who is Winston Churchill's wife. To be frank, I never consider that Winston Churchill had a wife. I love how Marie Benedict digs into the story of the people behind the powerful people. Lady Clementine was a force in her own right. This book was great.  I was the first one at my library to get to check this out. That was a first for me.