Four Days, Four Books

 I know this book-a-day trend will not continue. I know this because I am not even close to finishing any of the books I am currently reading. I am 52 percent finished into The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor; 13 percent into both The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens and Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen.

But this post is about the books did finish. 

 

 

 84, Charing Cross Road

by Helen Hanff 

 4.25
Cute, funny, witty. Not as emotional or touching as The Correspondent but an interesting  look into that era (1949-1968), made even more interesting because it’s true.

 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

by T.J. Klune

5.0

I’ll eventually write the review but right now I’m listening to T.J. Klune read his acknowledgements and he broke me. I love him more than I did 2 minutes ago. Just a taste of what he said is that he wants to be the anti-J.K. Rowling.

I will say, the book is delightful & narrator Daniel Henning is very talented.

Well, I haven't written the review yet. I love this book, though, almost as much as love Cerulean Sea. A new character who joins the magical youth, David, is as endearing and quirky as the rest of them, and is running a close second to Chauncey as my favorite. I like the direction Linus and Arthur's character's have taken and I also like that we get more of Arthur's backstory which explains a lot about the hows and whys of what is happening now.

I am looking forward to part three of this captivating and enchanting series, and I do hope he plans on more than a trilogy.

 

Close Your Eyes and County to 10

by Lisa Unger 

 3.25
Not my favorite Lisa Unger book, but it was good.

Usually, it’s the characters that keep me interested in a story, or maybe a mix of characters and plot. In this book, I really didn’t care that much about any of the characters (maybe teen daughter Violet) and the story was too long. However, the theme of social media and technology and how they touch and influence every part of our lives was very interesting, and would make good book club discussions, probably. 

Bottom line: Yes, I would recommend it with the caveat of don’t expect the usual hold your breath, psychological thriller you get from Lisa Unger. I did read it in one day, so it definitely was not boring.

 

 The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club

by Martha Hall Kelly 

4.0

Martha’s Vineyard isn’t the first place that comes to mind (for most people) when they think of World War II but as we learn in this book (or are reminded) there was plenty of war-related activity there. The many ways it affects the Smith family — in particular sisters Cadence and Briar — in their personal lives, their family business, how they view the war are the themes of the book.

It’s told in a dual timeline— 1942 and 2016. Finding out exactly how the two connect (we have an idea) is a slow burn, but it is a satisfying conclusion. 

Challenge: Completed, and Then Some

 I read 115 books last year and, yes, even I was surprised by that. My original goal was 26. When I met that fairly early in the year I increased it to 33. When I met that, I just didn't increase it again. The last five or so books got on the list because of Lake Effect snow.

Yes. Lake Effect Snow. Because of a band of the nasty stuff that cuts through part of my route to work, I was allowed to work from home for two days (an advantage of working for compassionate nuns) -- December 30 and January 2 -- and needed some kind of background noise to keep me awake. Not that audio books are "background noise," but if I had turned on the TV I would have watched Rachel learn the results of the pregnancy test and heard her say, "That's a risky little game," for the 1,463,922 time. It's one of my top five favorite episodes. Anyway, these are the books that got me through those two days of working by myself in my apartment, and the rest of those weird two holiday weeks.

 

The Favorites

by Layne Fargo

 4.5
I listened to the whole thing in one day. Interesting characters. Multi-layered plot. The audiobook has several narrators and is very well done. It’s also not a typical romance with all the mushy gushy, lovey dovey  stuff. I’m not normally a romance reader (although I have read a few this year) but there is so much more to this story than the romance. Highly recommend.

 

The New Couple in 5B

by Lisa Unger 

 3.75
Not as good as I wanted it to be but it’s Lisa Unger, and she’s always worth reading. 

I did like the main character although she was a little naive sometimes, concerning certain characters.

 

Under the Tulip Tree

by Michelle Shocklee 

 

 4

I really liked it. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the “big reveal” or surprise or whatever you want to call it (It’s not really a twist, per se.) seemed too contrived.

I absolutely love Frankie, the 100-year-old formerly enslaved woman who is telling her story - starting at age 6 - to a reporter.

 

The Heiress

 By Rachel Hawkins

 4 

Very twisty & fun. 

(I guess I didn't want to go overboard with the praise.) 

 

 

As for physical books, well, book:

 

Return of the Spider

by James Patterson

 

 4.5
Exactly what you would expect in an Alex Cross book, which is exactly why I have read the previous 33. Well, 32. I didn’t know what to expect with Along Came a Spider, which introduced us to Gary Soneji. Soneji makes a comeback in this book, hence the title.  But didn’t Soneji die in a previous book? No spoilers. You’ll have to read it to find out how he still manages to mess with Alex and Sampson. 

It seems to me that Alex is about to go through some major life changes related to the soul searching he’ll be doing after the Soneji discoveries. It will be interesting to see how, as a mental health professional, he handles the effects this will have on his mental health. And Sampson’s.

In my review of last year’s The House of Cross I mentioned Alex’s grandmother, who has been “ninety something” for the duration of the series while his kids continue to age. Others must have mentioned that, too, because Patterson does address it in a satisfying way.

 

 

 And Kindle:

 

Nineteen Minutes

by Jodi Picoult 

 

 4.75
I decided to read this book because I watched an interview with the author talking about it being banned in some schools. 

This is exactly the type of book that teenagers and their parents should be reading! You want to know how and why school shootings are happening? This book will tell you. And I don’t believe it will give your child ideas about how to be violent or be a bully, but I do believe it may lead them toward being more empathetic or at least not as mean.

Banning books that paint a realistic picture of high school life is not the answer to anything.

 

 

The First Witch of Boston 

by Andrea Catalano 

 

 4.25
I wouldn’t have guessed that the spiciest book I would read this year be set in the 1600s. It was good, though. 

The story is about Maggie Jones, who is tried for being a witch, basically because she’s an intelligent, outspoken, passionate, unapologetic woman in a Puritan community in Massachusetts. 

Several parts of the book made me think, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

 

 

So far this year I have read four books: 84 Charing Cross Road, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, and The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club. Reviews to follow soon (I hope).

 

I am currently reading: The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor (paperback, #over40bookclub),  The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens (audio) and Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen (Kindle).

 

I have been informed that my January Book-of-the-Month Club selection has just arrived (Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston). I haven't started December's yet! I swear, cross my heart, the next book I start will be a hardcover. Now it's in writing. I am obligated to do it. (That's how it works, right?) 

 

 

  

Forgot Some

 

When I got home yesterday I had two packages waiting for me. Yes, more books to add to the 2026 list.

The ever-growing 2026 list is being added to the ever-expanding currently reading (and I use the term loosely) and TBR pile:

Some have been on the pile for a few months and are just on pause. Some have been on it since it was a simple list and not three piles, a basket and a drawer. And looking at Booker D. Penguin reminds me that I have one more piece of book mail coming. 

I haven't gotten mail from Penguin in at least six years (in a previous job). I got so much from them that when I won the aforementioned penguin at a carnival I had to name him Booker. I mean, was there another choice? One of the authors I got to interview in the old days was Shari LaPena and it was for "The Couple Next Door," mentioned on the cover of this book. I remember liking her and the book.

As for giveaways ... I can't even tell you how many Goodreads giveaways I've entered recently but it's been a lot. A lot. I don't know if winners are chosen by the luck of the draw or if there's an algorithm or whatever, but I haven't won in a long time. I have to wonder if it's because of my reviews. One of the conditions of the giveaways is that you write an honest review. I do that but I don't write a synopsis of the book when I write a review. I figure anyone who is reading a review has already read the synopsis and some blurbs and, more than likely, other reviews. They don't need my synopsis, too, so I just get straight to what they came for: My opinion. I do that for all my reviews. If I start getting paid by the word or by the inch, I'll start writing more.  

 

Book Review: A Brilliant Adaptation: How Dissociative Identity Disorder & the Power of the Therapeutic Bond Saved Me

 Fascinating. Best explanation & description I have ever read about how it feels to have many “states” and how she interacted with them and, later, how they integrated. Also, the best explanation I’ve heard — in layman’s terms — about why it’s now DID and not multiple personality disorder anymore.

I appreciate that she focused on how DID kept her as mentally healthy as possible and not how it made her feel like a freak or basket case. Too often people concentrate on the mental "illness" and not the strength it took for the person to survive the unimaginable abuse they endured through any means possible.

Some parts of the therapy sessions were a little confusing and hard to read, but I completely understand why she wrote it that way, and it does give a deeper insight into those sessions. 

Many thanks to Booktrovert (NetGalley) and Harbinger Publications for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Race to the End? Or Save for Next Year?

 I had hoped to get to these three books by the end of the year. Sadly, I will only get to one of them: Return of the Spider. 

My Christmas tradition, for many years, has been to stay up all night on December 25 and read the new Alex Cross, which I had just received (or bought for myself) for Christmas. 

Realistically knowing that I would not get to these books but optimistically thinking I might, on Saturday I bought this book because, not only am I intrigued by it, just about everyone I follow on tik tok has recommended it, and it was one of the picks of one of my local independent bookstore's book club's last month. (It's the book club I like to say I belong to although I've never been to a meeting. I do buy the books, though.)

 

 

 

The reason I believe I will not get to all of those books is that I am currently reading/listening to these: 

I have a nearly one-hour commute (half an hour each way) every day and needed something for the next couple of days so I searched Libby for something "available now." Ann Patchett: Good. Narrator: Meryl Streep. Yes, please! I started it yesterday and had to remind myself to save some of it for today and Tuesday. It's so good! (The reason I had to remind myself is that on Saturday "The Favorites" by Layne Fargo was available on Libby via audiobook. I couldn't stop listening and finished it that day.)

Anyway, I can't remember where I saw a snippet of an interview with Jodi Picoult where she was talking about "nineteen minutes" being one of the most banned books in the country. Of course that made me want to read it. Thankfully, because this was very late on a Thursday night and too late to go out shopping and I wanted it now, it was available on Libby e-reader.

I started "bright lights, big Christmas" a couple of weeks ago because I hadn't read a Christmas-y book in a while. I had been reading some pretty dark stuff lately and needed a change. And, you can't go wrong with Mary Kay Andrews, right? (I might finish before Christmas if I put everything else aside -- other reading, crafting, cleaning -- Tuesday after work and Wednesday.)

But, wouldn't you know it? I belong to a trivia team that plays once a month at the local library. We came in first last week and three books, two of which I had already read, were in the prize package. This was the third:

Well, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this will be my Christmas read for next year.

Don't worry, though. Not finishing those books does not put me in danger of not reaching my goal for the year. My original goal was 26 books. (I had been in a slump for a few years.) I reached that fairly early in the year so I bumped it up to 33. I reached that, too, but didn't change the goal because I didn't want to tempt fate. So far, I have read 108 books (327% of my goal). That could be the most I've ever read in a year. It's the most I've read since I started keeping track.

Next year's goal is 52 (the fate thing again) and I have four picked out already.

Fonts

I prefer Courier.

I'm just sayin'.

https://online-fonts.com/fonts/courier

RIP Sophie Kinsella

 

Sophie Kinsella, the bestselling author of the "Shopaholic" series of novels, has died, her family announced Wednesday, 18 months after she revealed she had an aggressive form of brain cancer.

She was 55.

Kinsella enjoyed extraordinary success, selling more than 50 million copies of her books in 60 countries, with translations into more than 40 languages.

Read more from NBC News: Sophie Kinsella, author of the best-selling 'Shopaholic' novels, dies at 55 

Photo from Sophie's Facebook page.