Going Back to 'Back in My Day ...'

 

I decided I’m going back to how I used to choose books when I was 9-years-old. 

Pull one off the shelf at the library (or the Scholastic Book Fair), look at the cover, maybe a couple of pages on the inside. If it gives me good vibes I check it out (or buy it, or have a parent buy it). If I don’t feel anything, I put it back.

I have a vague recollection of knowing what a book review was in Scholastic News and book “information” in Highlights magazine, but I don’t remember putting much weight on either of those factors when choosing books. It wasn’t until 6th grade when Nancy Drew entered our atmosphere that word of mouth meant anything to me when choosing books. Even then, it was more of an image or status thing than a book quality thing. My mom bought me a couple of Nancy Drew books but all of the cheap, knock-off Robin Kane books. Know what? Robin Kane was much better. Sadly, the girls reading Robin Kane (I wasn’t the only one) were teased relentlessly. Sorry, but, “The quality of the writing is far superior in the Robin Kane books, so we’re getting the better deal in every way” just doesn’t cut it coming from an 11-year-old.

Nancy Drew to Freida McFadden is a long and odd jump, but here we go.

So many books and authors these days are over-hyped. I don’t even know how to define or describe over-hyped in a way that it would make sense in this context other than you hear so much about a book or an author that you feel as if you have no choice but to read the book because it’s the best thing that was ever written. But you started reading it and it’s just OK at best. Is that because your expectations were too high? Is it because the book really isn’t as good as people say it is? Is it good, but there’s something seriously wrong with you? Is it good, but just not your cup of tea? 

For example, if I hadn’t heard or read anything about Freida McFadden would I have picked up a few of her books just because the covers intrigued me? You bet. And I still would have stopped reading after I realized most of her plots are the same. The last book of hers I read, I figured out the ending on page 5. But people love her. In my opinion she’s over-hyped but, because people know I’m an avid, voracious reader I felt almost pressured into reading a few (OK. Seven.) of her books. 

But now? Well, Give me Karin Slaughter or any of the Lisas* any day. 

(I should point out that I’m not a book snob. James Patterson is one of my favorites and he churns ‘em out just as fast as Freida does. I only read two of the New York Times 100 Most Notable Books of the Year. Only 31 others are on my TBR list.)

I’m not just picking on Freida because she’s an easy target. Some books that are supposedly the best ever written are big snoozefests as far as I’m concerned. 

One example: “Moby Dick.” I listened to it on audible and literally used it as a bedtime story. It would put me to sleep in less than five minutes. I don’t remember if I ever got through the whole thing. Frankly, I don’t care.

Definitely not a snoozefest, but also definitely not for me: If “Mrs. Dalloway” is the best thing Virginia Woolf ever wrote, I won’t be reading anything else of hers. That thing gave me such anxiety I returned it to the library (via Libby) after about ten pages and seriously considered taking a Xanax.

A more current book I DNF’d is “All the Colors of the Dark.” Someone told me it gets better after about 100 pages. Sorry, but if you can’t grab me in the first ten pages, I’m out.

Usually.

I will stick with an author I like, but that’s another story for another time.

The point is, although I love to give my opinion on books and I think every person who reads is entitled to give their opinion on books, I’m not going to listen to anyone’s opinion to choose the books I read anymore. 

I will read reviews and discussions and watch tik toks and reels afterward, though, because discussing a book with a like-minded reader is almost as fun as reading the book.

*Gardner, Jackson, Jewell, Scottoline, Unger

Book Review: The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

 This book started very slow for me and then when I saw that the next chapter would take an hour (I read it on a kindle) I almost DNF'd it because I don't like long chapters, and I wasn't sure how I felt about the
house. Saying anymore about that would be somewhat of a spoiler. However, I do like Kate Quinn, so I put it aside for a couple of weeks and went back to it when I felt more ready to concentrate on longer chapters.

I'm glad I did.

The book is filled with interesting characters, most of whom are given their own chapters, and interesting situations, some of which one normally does not think of when thinking of the 1950s. A few times, I did wonder what the point of the story was, and why these diverse characters are brought together, but the author ties it all up in a satisfying and beautiful way.

Book Review: The Faraway Inn by Sara Beth Durst

From Penguin Random House:

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn—but the fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret—in this cozy and irresistable new YA fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.

To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B—and its guests. Something almost . . . otherworldly.

The inn is hiding a magical secret—but secrets are like doors. Once Calisa opens this one, she won’t be able to go back 

My Review:

(Note: You just read the book description. You don't need me to go over it again, right?)

I love the characters, and the story is addictive. I want to stay at the Faraway Inn, or at least work there. This book totally immersed me in the story and made me forget about what’s happening in the world, at least for a little while, and I sure do need that. 

Thanks to Booktrovert and Penguin Random House for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Faraway Inn is scheduled for publication on March 31, 2026. 

November Reading Wrap-Up

 

RIP Fern Michaels

 

"Kensington Publishing mourns the loss of Fern Michaels, legendary bestselling author, animal lover, and dear friend. Fern was a wonderfully spirited and generous woman, granting scholarships and donating bullet-proof vests to K-9 dogs across the country, all while writing the romances and thrillers readers have cherished for decades. It has been our honor and joy to share her stories and warmth with you for more than 30 years.

Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones."

 

 I had the pleasure of interviewing her once. She was just as delightful as you would expect her to be.

 

Out of My Slump

 I have been in a reading slump for several years.

It was so bad that for the last three years my goal in the Goodreads Challenge was only 12 books a year. And in 2023 I didn't even make it! I read only nine books that year; 14 in '22; and 16 last year.

The highest number I have ever read was 90. That was in 2014.

I will at least tie that this year. Tonight, in fact, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

I started out with a goal of 12 and passed that pretty early in the year so I decided to be really adventurous, choose a new goal and shoot for something way out there. Thirty-three. 

I'm at 89 with 10% left in one of the three audio books I currently have going. (Don't ask how many kindles and physical books are in progress. It's more than I will admit.) 

There is a kind of irony to how I have come out of the slump. It's audio books. I have an hour-ish commute to work five days a week (30-ish minutes each way) and, no offense to my pals on the radio, I'm really sick of radio. All of it. The "witty banter," the ads, the music, news. Especially the news. And it takes me too long to decide which of my playlists, favorite podcasts, or Substackers I want to listen to. As long as I only give myself one to three choices of audio books, I'm good.

According to Storygraph, so far this year the number of audio books I have listened to has surpassed the number of physical books I have read, 43% to 37%.  The other 20% is digital in case you're doing the math.

Back to the ironic part. When I had jobs that had me living paycheck to paycheck and books were my biggest luxury purchases I dreamed of having a job where I could buy a book without having to budget for it. Now that I have that job, I use my library card more than ever. I have eight "holds" on the Libby app and they're all audio books. 

One other cool thing about the number of books I've read this year is that I've expanded my interests. I discovered that I enjoy magical realism. I like some fantasy. (I should have realized that much sooner. "The Wizard of Oz?" Hello!)

I haven't been this excited about reading in a long time. Even longer ago than 2014. Although I read 90 books that year, most were by authors I was going to be interviewing (Oh, poor me!) and the reason these best-selling authors enjoyed coming on my little show is that I actually read their books. I did get to interview Sue Monk Kidd about what is now one of my all-time favorite historical fiction books, The Invention of Wings. And I did one of my favorite interviews in all of my nearly 16 years in radio: Jim Beviglia on "Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs." We agreed to disagree on Rosalita vs. Born to Run.

As I tie my highest finished book count in more than a decade later this evening, I hope I never forget the feeling I have right now. It's akin to the feeling I had the first time I read a book to my parents and when I got my first library card and checked out a book all by myself. 

Here's to tying, then surpassing, the record, and never getting into another slump!  

 

Reading Wrap-Up for October 2025

 

Life's Too Short to Stick With a 'Bad' Book

 

I really don’t like putting a book on the DNF shelf. I’ve always felt that if someone put in the effort to write a book the least I can do, after picking it up, is finish reading it.

But over the last few months I’ve come to the realization that life’s too short to stick with books that aren’t touching me in some way. I’ve DNF’d more books in the last 6 weeks than I have, probably, in the last 6 years. (I’m not including “paused” books in this note. I’ll touch on that some other time.)

Before I DNF a book, though, I do go to a site or two to see what other people think of it, and I usually go to the one- or two-star reviews to see if any readers are picking up the same vibe I am. It makes me feel better (kind of) when I discover that they are.

It’s especially hard to DNF a best-seller or anything that’s beloved by readers. I start to think something must be wrong with me if I don’t like it. Then I remember that not everyone has the same taste in books. I also try to remind myself that if someone challenges me on why I didn’t like or didn’t finish a book, “not everyone has the same taste” is all I have to say.

Wouldn’t the literary world be boring if we all like the same thing?

(I have finished all the books pictured.) 

Let's Try This Again ...

I've read 57 books so far this year and, I'm confident that by the end of the week that number will be 60. It was not that ago that I couldn't even read 26 books a year. That's only 2 books a month, which makes me feel much better about the only 7 I read last month.

I do have an excuse for September, though. I was without a car for most of the month, meaning my audio book "reading" was cut by 40 minutes per workday. Also, my Bona Girl Trip was in September so my nighttime reading was cut down by a little. 

At least the majority of the books were good, though. 

For the first time ever I was disappointed with a Lisa Gardner book. I love Frankie Elkin but One Step Too Far just didn't do it for me. I will keep reading Lisa's books, though. And, after all, 3.75 is not a bad rating. I just thought the last 1/3 was too slow-paced.

I've never read Stacy Willingham before but had read good reviews of her books so I chose the audio book of Forget Me Not for my Book of the Month Club selection. (I was not impressed by another selection. For October, I was so unimpressed that I'm skipping this month.) It was OK but -- and sorry for this -- forgettable. It was very slow for the first 3/4 then had too much jammed into the lat 1/4. I might read her again. I'll decide when and if I get to that point. 
 

Mary Higgins Clark (who I still miss) and Alice Feeney haven't let me down yet. (I know All Around the Town is quite old, and I don't know how I missed it when it first came out. I am, however, grateful that I was able to pick it up at the Bemus Point Library book sale.) 

It's very unusual to have more than one 5-star rating in a month. I had 3 in September. Jane Eyre. Need I say more? I was late to the party for Remarkably Bright Creatures but so glad I finally got to it. The Secret Book Society, although historical fiction, is very relevant for the times in which we are living. It's the current selection for the Sounds Novel Book Club. This month's meeting will be my first and I'm looking forward to it.  

I'm keeping track of my reading on Storygraph and Goodreads (Fable, too, but I'm going to leave there after my reading streak gets to 366 days.) I also have a physical book journal. Why I need to keep track here, I don't know (Compilation of everything, I guess). And, I don't know if I'll keep up with it. But I do love reading and books, and looking at books, and talking about books, and writing about books, and going to libraries, and searching Libby for books ... You get the idea. So, we'll see what happens here. I'm hoping I don't go 11 months without posting like last time.

Note: The August graphic is to show that I have been doing better than 7 books a month.