tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293708722024-03-18T14:29:02.203-05:00Bookfoolery All kinds of foolery, with focus on books, life and regular kitty reportsBookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comBlogger3374125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-75353609199467356142024-03-03T16:05:00.000-06:002024-03-03T16:05:49.031-06:00Everything I Read in February, 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2VJtsBxEANFsxfje7_3Nlp5Rqo-x-EJIWBnM0zTN71ZxSR_BjJ8djFyBG0cesbbMMHoFrlx0_Lf5ofgu46bxkh3c0SBzW_pBo1UHTp5GwrtmDeTQYSYYw1WHbU3Wxz60MXSxrGN_SrkAZMiXWeNF2ioK3Tc9gl7BxoU11iGBnNrOVTlU_mIXFA/s2048/February%20stack%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2045" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2VJtsBxEANFsxfje7_3Nlp5Rqo-x-EJIWBnM0zTN71ZxSR_BjJ8djFyBG0cesbbMMHoFrlx0_Lf5ofgu46bxkh3c0SBzW_pBo1UHTp5GwrtmDeTQYSYYw1WHbU3Wxz60MXSxrGN_SrkAZMiXWeNF2ioK3Tc9gl7BxoU11iGBnNrOVTlU_mIXFA/w400-h400/February%20stack%202024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>February</b></p><p>17. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 7</b> by Kousuke Oono - When I picked up my copy of the 7th book in the <b><i>Way of the Househusband</i></b> manga series, I noted the cat on the cover and hoped it meant there would be plenty of cat stories in this particular volume. And, there were! In the first story, a woman wears sunglasses because she doesn't want to be seen as she enters a cat cafe. Inside, Tatsu is working and shows her how to give a cat a meat tube treat then she lets her guard down. There are several other cat-centered stories and at the end of the book, the author's note tells you why. He had recently adopted a cat. This is by far my favorite in the series, although they are all wickedly funny. The cats made it blow to the top of the list. </p><p>18. <b>How to be Both</b> by Ali Smith - There are two sections in this book and I found out after reading it that they're reversed in some books. Half of those printed had one section at the beginning and half the other. In my copy, the part at the beginning of the book is about a girl who is a bit precocious and has quite a clever rapport with her mother. Her mother becomes obsessed with a fresco in an Italian castle and books tickets to go see it. Then, the mother tragically dies and George (short for Georgia) is grieving. In the second section, a very talented child (who also loses her mother) is the child of a bricklayer who builds walls. When her talent is discovered, the father agrees to help her get art training. But, in order to do so, she'll have to pretend to be a boy because it's the 15th century. There's a lot of word play and what I've read indicates that the use of "both" is quite ingenious. But, that went right over my head. I liked the book better when it was about a special rapport between a mother and child and then her grief and that of her family. The art bits . . . at some point Francesco views and follows George as a spirit so George is brought back and there is a bit of a conclusion to her story but it's from a distance and kind of vague. I liked George enough to want to finish her story out <i>with </i>her, so that was disappointing but I've found most of Smith's books are a bit of a head trip. </p><p>19. <b>The Lilies of the Field</b> by William E. Barrett - The movie made from this book in the 1960s is one that I watched over and over again as a child but, like my recent discovery that <b>The Ghost and Mrs. Muir</b> was a book first, I had no idea there even <i>was</i> a book. So, I was excited when I found a copy in the book sale. It's only 127 pages long and illustrated, so <b>The Lilies of the Field</b> is a very quick read, which I appreciated after finishing <b>How to be Both</b>. Homer Smith has decided to see the West. He's from South Carolina but learned some skills in the Army and that's freed him up to travel and occasionally stop to earn enough money to keep going. When he sees some women working in a field, he pulls in. They are nuns who escaped from East Germany and they're trying to get a farm up and running with the ultimate goal of taking in city boys who need guidance. Mother Maria Marthe thinks Smith (whom she calls Schmidt) has been sent by God and she puts him to work, first on the roof of their house and then building a chapel. Smith doesn't even know why he's staying. She's not going to pay him. But, he likes the nuns, eats and works with them and occasionally brings them food, sings with them, and teaches them a bit of English. Just a lovely story. I need to see if I've got a copy of the movie. Must watch it, again!</p><p>20.<b> Olive Kitteridge</b> by Elizabeth Strout - I would probably not have read this book if not for friend Carrie sending it to me and when I did, I was quite surprised. I'm not sure what I expected. Maybe a coming-of-age story? And, once I got into it, I was a little confused. Why was it called <b>Olive Kitteridge</b> when the beginning of the book seemed to be about her husband, Henry? When the second chapter had an entirely different focus from the first, I finally looked at the cover blurb. Ooooh, it's a book of interconnected stories in which Olive is always present in some fashion but not really a book about Olive. From then on, I read the book like I do short stories, giving each separate story/chapter time to roll around in my head before I moved on to another set of characters and their challenges. Gradually, you get to know Olive as a complex character who has both good and bad characteristics. Some people are afraid of her or find her unlikable. But, Olive is just Olive and at times she can be an incredibly understanding and soothing soul. It didn't take long for me to appreciate both the writing and the character, once I understood the format of the book. A 5-star read and a Pulitzer Prize winner. I often dislike award-winning books but I loved<b> Olive Kitteridge</b>. Thank you, Carrie!</p><p>21. <b>The Memory Police</b> by Yoko Ogawa - I tried to read <b>The Memory Police</b> a year or two ago, but couldn't wrap my head around the concept of things disappearing but still existing in the world, so I set it aside. This time, I knew what was coming: a world in which it's the <i>perception</i> of objects that disappears but there are people who don't lose that perception and if they're discovered, they're taken away by the Memory Police. It's the kind of world building that requires you to simply let go of reality and accept that something weird is happening. When the heroine, an author, is asked to shelter her editor, who hasn't lost his memories, she and an elderly friend accept the challenge. But, while she is working on her novel and protecting her friend, things continue to disappear and life becomes more difficult. Meanwhile, there is a story within the story as the author/protagonist continues to write her novel, which has parallels to her own reality, with something crucial disappearing forever. I'm glad I gave this book a second chance. While I never was fully able to let go of disbelief, the dystopian island where memories disappear was an unusual and fascinating concept and I found Ogawa's writing quite lovely. </p><p>22. <b>Asleep</b> by Banana Yoshimoto - Three novellas in which sleep plays an outsized role. In the title story, "Asleep", a young woman is having an affair with a married man whom she refers to simply as "my boyfriend" or by his formal name with "Mr.", never by his first name. His wife is in a coma and he didn't start dating the heroine until after his wife had been comatose for a while. She has quit her job and he's paying to keep her in an apartment and unemployed. But, she's constantly sleeping; her level of sleep mirrors the unconsciousness of his wife. In another story, a woman describes how the cousin who had become her brother's lover is sleepwalking after his death has sent her into a spiraling grief. This is my first book by Banana Yoshimoto and it's been sitting on my shelf for probably at least 2 decades. I didn't love it but at the same time I appreciated her unique word choices, to the point that I found myself rereading lines. I would definitely read more by this author. </p><p>23. <b>The Loved One</b> by Evelyn Waugh - I couldn't find my personal copy of <b>The Loved One</b> when I looked for it, hoping to join in on a group discussion. But, after the discussion had ended, I managed to locate a copy at the library sale. It's a large print and quite thin, so it was perfect for stationary bike reading. In <b>The Loved One,</b> a British poet named Dennis is unsuccessful at selling his poetry so he gets a job at the local pet mortuary and cemetery, The Happy Hunting Ground. When his roommate loses his job and then passes away, Dennis handles the funeral and burial details and meets Amy, a makeup artist who pretties up corpses. They fall in love, although she's uncertain that a poet is necessarily the right man to marry when Mr. Joyboy comes calling. Amy is Mr. Joyboy's protégé and he is helping her to work her way up in the funeral home. A wickedly funny and kind of stomach-turning satire with a love triangle. </p><p>24.<b> Go Tell It on the Mountain</b> by James Baldwin - A book about religion (Pentecostal), racism, sex, desire and sin, poverty, and how these things all fit together in the world of 1950s Black life. Having read <b>The Fire Next Time</b>, I presumed that <b>Go Tell It on the Mountain</b> was at least partially autobiographical and after reading the book I found out I was correct, but there were things I totally missed, like the fact that the characters all had Bible names. A very slow and somewhat difficult read but written with such detailed description of emotional and physical sensations that it's almost painful yet pretty damned impressive. What I read indicated that critics have difficulty determining whether it's an attempt at scathing rebuke of religion or the opposite. I lean toward rebuke. </p><p>25. <b>The Wild Robot</b> by Peter Brown - When a hurricane sinks a ship and most of its cargo goes down with it, a few crates float to a nearby island. There, a single crate is left mostly intact with a robot inside. Roz is activated by a romp of otters (I looked it up; a group of otters on land is a "romp"). Roz explores the island and introduces herself to the animals but they think she's a monster until . . . well, that's probably a spoiler. I liked the way the book unfolded so I won't mess it up for anyone who reads this. However, I will tell you that I found <b>The Wild Robot</b> slow in the beginning, but once something happened to soften the hearts of the animals and allow Roz to make friends with them, the book became a pure delight and actually quite heartwarming. By far the sweetest robot story I've ever read but with some heart-pounding moments, as well. </p><p>26. <b>You Are Here</b> by Thich Nhat Hanh - A reread. The first two books I read by Thich Nhat Hanh were excellent but I didn't read him again for a long time. Recently, I've been reading his books with some regularity and I think I've finished 6, now. What I've found is that reading his books regularly helps me to keep my eye on the ball, so to speak, to stay grateful for the present moment and learn to take joy from little things. "Mindfulness" is such a wonderful concept. There is a particular poem in this book that I've been reciting to myself when needed, since I first read it. It doesn't rhyme so I gave it a tune (admittedly a terrible one but it helps me recall the words) and when I need to calm down, deal with anger or hurt or frustration, it helps immediately. I can't recommend Thich Nhat Hanh enough. </p><p>27.<b> Rabbit-Proof Fence</b> by Doris Pilkington - One of my Aussie Instagram friends mentioned this book amongst her Australian favorites before the end of the year and <i>all</i> of the others on her list that I'd read were books I enjoyed, so I grabbed a copy before the start of my book-buying ban without knowing a thing about it (I have never seen the movie, either). For those who don't know, <b>Rabbit-Proof Fence</b> is the true story of three half-caste Aboriginal/White girls who were taken to have their native language and knowledge replaced by the White immigrant's preferred methods and the English language. There's some history leading up to their forcible removal from Jigalong Station to the "school" North of Perth, then the journey they were taken on, followed by their observation that the place was more jail than school and their escape back home, which took 9 weeks and was done with such cleverness and skill that even professional trackers couldn't locate them. An amazing story but so depressing to find that natives in Australia experienced the exact same kind of forced removal to horrible so-called schools that Native Americans went through. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw57_2s-rOpFQEac1sH5F_75d-M_BgY6J7GRasmLI_V2CdAr_qGJt09QH9gnLS8xJw9iL2OGEGFYELVZAIPpxbeVR4SaxKk75W0iCmupslXHYr6U3l5wt9a7aQQNWpx6OoBWM2SlSo-9ArIvbHfjPV9zGs4anyTt9KldCfmM_bkXUk1Jfc-bWJtg/s2048/February%20flatlay%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1687" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw57_2s-rOpFQEac1sH5F_75d-M_BgY6J7GRasmLI_V2CdAr_qGJt09QH9gnLS8xJw9iL2OGEGFYELVZAIPpxbeVR4SaxKk75W0iCmupslXHYr6U3l5wt9a7aQQNWpx6OoBWM2SlSo-9ArIvbHfjPV9zGs4anyTt9KldCfmM_bkXUk1Jfc-bWJtg/w330-h400/February%20flatlay%202024.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2024 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos. </span></p><div><br /></div>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-61366291390309443422024-02-03T11:59:00.000-06:002024-02-03T11:59:01.037-06:00Everything I Read in January, 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKo5uerf3ERZ31il_Gzb6nqtDA-xhkPQ9WKiZ4P067SNk-fRtE4skyJbTdyRSVcok548XBg1Cs4PJEkyuRhT_5CusuirX9xtgI6H24Q8MPdUTLCLn9_D2cUfHl3oulfpk0ahWZjUHxWJqD__WKniIf3jnqaFKOMH8iuqM1sedWPWyNUF8WkzDjuA/s1440/January%202024%20stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKo5uerf3ERZ31il_Gzb6nqtDA-xhkPQ9WKiZ4P067SNk-fRtE4skyJbTdyRSVcok548XBg1Cs4PJEkyuRhT_5CusuirX9xtgI6H24Q8MPdUTLCLn9_D2cUfHl3oulfpk0ahWZjUHxWJqD__WKniIf3jnqaFKOMH8iuqM1sedWPWyNUF8WkzDjuA/w400-h400/January%202024%20stack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>January:</b></p><div>1. <b>Owls and Other Fantasies</b> by Mary Oliver - Last year, I deliberately began the year with a volume of Mary Oliver's poems and a book by Thich Nhat Hanh because I consider both writers "uppers". They always make my spirits soar. So, I returned to Oliver, this year. Owls and Other Fantasies is a mix of poetry and essays and her essays are every bit as poetic as her poems. I persist in saying that Mary Oliver was at her best when she wrote about nature and this is definitely a nature-focused book, so it became an instant favorite. Great way to start a new year!!</div><div><br /></div><div>2. <b>The Ghost and Mrs. Muir</b> by R. A. Dick - The old black and white movie <b><i>The Ghost and Mrs. Muir </i></b>was a childhood favorite of mine, so when I saw a friend's Instagram post saying she was rereading the book and then planning to watch the movie, I was excited. There was a book? I had no idea! I ordered both the book and movie and planned to do the same as friend Robin. The story is about a widow in England. Her husband left her fairly poor so she and the children have been living with her in-laws. But, Lucy Muir is tired of being told what to do and when to do it. She longs to be independent and live by the sea. After finding a reasonably-priced and furnished home, she moves in. It's haunted by the ghost of a seaman, Captain Gregg, but Lucy and Captain Gregg come to an understanding and there she stays. A story of determination and a uniquely lovely romance with an absolutely perfect ending. Bonus: husband loved the movie! </div><div><br /></div><div>3.<b> The Unteachables</b> by Gordon Korman - Mr. Kermit is marking time till he can take early retirement in June. Ever since he was blamed for a scandal early in his career, he's lost interest in teaching. Now, he's been put in charge of SCS-8, a group of middle school misfits known as "The Unteachables". All he cares about is getting through the school year. But, as he gets to know his students and spots injustice, he steps up to fight for his students. In response, they step up for him, learn to work together, become friends, and set out to right a decades-old wrong that's turned into a cruel power move on the part of the superintendent. Hilarious storytelling, wonderful characterization, and a surprisingly moving ending. I'm such a sap. I laughed, I cried. I loved this middle grade story. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. <b>The Art of Living</b> by Thich Nhat Hanh - A guide for living, as the title says, <b>The Art of Living</b> is about living with mindfulness in every part of your life, whether it's walking, eating, breathing, brushing your teeth, or anything else you do. Mindfulness is a pretty easy concept, just about being aware of the fact that you're alive, taking the time to appreciate the sun beating down upon your shoulders or the taste of your food, etc. Some of the basic principles of Buddhism are a little harder to understand, but I particularly liked the way Hanh describes what he calls "interbeing," which is simply the fact that everything is interconnected. If our planet suffers, we suffer. If we take care of Earth, we thrive. That kind of thing. I need more of this. You don't have to be a Buddhist to appreciate the way the spiritual principles can enhance your life and make you more compassionate, relaxed, and connected. </div><div><br /></div><div>5. <b>In a Flash</b> by Donna Jo Napoli - Simona and Carolina are young Italians girls, aged 8 and 5. When their father gets a job in the Italian Embassy in Tokyo, in 1940, he thinks they'll be safer in Japan than Italy as war rages in Europe. They miss their Nonna, but the girls go to a Japanese school where they quickly learn to adapt, although they'll always be considered foreigners. But, a year into their stay, Japan attacks the United States. As the war continues, food becomes scarce, attacks come closer to their home, and being foreigners becomes even more dangerous. When they're separated from their father, will the girls manage to survive and will they ever be reunited with their beloved Papá? For a middle grade book, this was quite long (nearly 400 pages) and very educational, as well as quite a rollercoaster ride. I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I will say that <b>In a Flash</b> is very gripping, at times, and I really enjoyed it. </div><div><br /></div><div>6. <b>Cats in Hats</b> by Jo Clark - I struggled to figure out how to define this book (in my head) after finishing but eventually decided "humor" works. Along with illustrations of cats in silly headgear are descriptions that are often quite funny. I love the illustrations. Every one of the cats looks slightly irritated, which is fitting from the perspective of a cat owner whose kitties are literally paralyzed with horror if I dress them up (I no longer try; it was too upsetting to them). I have particular favorites of the illustrations but my absolute favorite is the cat in a bunny hat. </div><div><br /></div><div>7. <b>I Hope This Finds You Well</b> by Kate Baer - In this second volume of poetry by the wildly popular author of What Kind of Woman, Baer uses news articles, letters/emails, and other documents, many negative about her personally, and turns them into blackout poetry with her usual focus on feminism and being who you choose to be, unbent by the dictates of others. </div><div><br /></div><div>8. <b>Before Your Memory Fades</b> (<b><i>Before the Coffee Gets Cold</i></b> #3) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - The third in the series of stories about a café from which people can time travel takes place in a different city but the strict rules for time traveling are the same. Nagare has traveled to his mother's café to keep it open while she's in the United States. There is a table with a ghost, just like the one in Tokyo. The change of location allows for descriptions of the changing seasons shown through the window, which looks down onto a bay. There are four interconnected stories in <b>Before Your Memory Fades</b>, each with someone who desires to see someone in the future or past. The stories are consistently heartwarming and I've loved every one of the books, so far. </div><div><br /></div><div>9. <b>Siam</b> by Lily Tuck - My latest stationary bike read, the story of a newlywed couple living in Thailand in the 1960s. James is in the military. His new wife Claire entertains herself by learning Thai history, taking lessons in the language, and obsessing over the disappearance of a wealthy silk merchant. I found Claire annoying, although I appreciated her curiosity about the country and language. James was wrapped up in himself and the servants were inscrutable. At times I enjoyed <b>Siam</b> for the author's descriptive power but eventually I grew tired of the characters and I found the ending very disappointing. TW: There's a very disturbing rape scene. </div><div><br /></div><div>10. <b>A Canticle for Leibowitz</b> by Walter M. Miller, Jr. - An epic sci-fi novel about a post-apocalyptic Earth told in three parts, beginning with 600 years after nuclear apocalypse has wiped out most of the population, left about a third with genetic mutation, and led to the eradication of knowledge. An abbey has been built from the rubble and the monks are the few who worked to save any scraps of knowledge they could find and hide. It's a dark age but some documents are found in a fallout shelter and the monks are continuing to study and copy old documents in the hope that understanding will return. In the second part, knowledge is growing, the population has rebounded, but nation states have formed and war is brewing. It's basically the beginning of the Industrial Age. In the third section, knowledge has caught up and surpassed the pre-apocalyptic science, new planets are being inhabited, and it's a new nuclear age but a rocket has been fired. Was it deliberate or accidental? Will negotiations prevent a second nuclear annihilation? Seriously, epic. Just so much to discuss. I fortunately have been able to read <b>A Canticle for Leibowitz</b> while my husband listened to the radio play, so I've had someone to talk to about it. I definitely recommend it for group reading or buddy reads. </div><div><br /></div><div>11. <b>Once Upon a Tim</b> by Stuart Gibbs - For a palate cleanser after reading about nuclear annihilation, I turned to one of my favorite middle grade authors.<b> Once Upon a Tim</b> is for the younger end of the middle grade spectrum, heavily illustrated and with "IQ BOOSTER" notes in which Gibbs uses an above-level word and then defines it. The story is about a peasant named Tim who decides to become a knight, along with his best friend Belinda, when a princess is kidnapped by a skinx. The dashing prince is actually a coward, so he recruits the two children and the village idiot to help him rescue Princess Grace. But, in order to save her, they'll have to go through the Forest of Doom, over the River of Doom, across the Chasm of Doom, and into the lair of the skinx. Very adventurous and funny, as are all of Gibbs' books. He's a favorite for good reason. </div><div><br /></div><div>12. <b>Juliàn is a Mermaid</b> by Jessica Love - A frequently-banned picture book for ages 2-6, this title popped up when I was scrolling through the Hoopla offerings. Unfortunately, it was only available in audio format, so I didn't get to see the illustrations. Juliàn has a passion for mermaids and dresses up as one, using ferns for a headdress and a curtain for his tail. It's probably banned because he puts on lipstick (that's just a guess), but it's the story of a little boy who finds something he likes and plays dress-up. I flipped through some reviews and one says it has beautiful watercolor illustrations of New York. I'll check the children's section, next time I'm at my library. I loved the story so I'd like to see the illustrations.</div><div><br /></div><div>13. <b>Silence</b> by Thich Nhat Hanh - Another new favorite from the Buddhist monk, <b>Silence</b> is not just about being quiet. It's also about calming the hamster wheel inside your head, how learning to shut off outside noise to meditate, sitting or walking quietly, turning off social media and TV, all can help you learn to be present and really appreciate life. I can think of a lot of friends who I'm sure would enjoy this title. My son has been very stressed and when I told him about how it helps you quiet your mind so you can relax, he said, "Oh, I need that!" Side note: I had a great deal of trouble silencing my Energizer Bunny brain when I started reading but I gradually improved at focusing on the book. So, it really does work for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>14. <b>Shubeik Lubeik</b> by Deena Mohamed - <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">What a fascinating book! This graphic novel imagines a world in which wishes are a commodity, there are three classes of wishes (3rd class wishes often go wrong), and each class of wishes has very strict rules and regulations for their use. </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Shokry has inherited three 1st class wishes. He's been trying to sell them from his kiosk in Cairo for years, but has had no luck. Eventually, Aziza finds out about his wishes for sale and because they're expensive, she works for years saving the money to buy one. Things go horribly wrong when she goes to register her wish. Years later, Nour buys a wish and goes into therapy to learn how to use it properly to help with their depression. Finally, Shokry wants to give the last wish to a friend but she's adamantly opposed to taking it or having someone use it on her and she tells her story. Where the final wish eventually goes is a hoot. I bought this book for group discussion and the discussion was a good one, a surprising but excellent choice. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">15. <b>The Labyrinth of Doom</b> by Stuart Gibbs (<b><i>Once Upon a Tim #2</i></b>) - I decided to go ahead and read the only other book I have in the Once Upon a Tim series (there are two more out there, but I don't have copies of either) in case I decide to pass them on together, soon, which seems likely. Tim and Belinda, aka "Bull" are now being trained in knighthood as employees of Princess Grace. When one of the knights working as a sentry falls asleep on the job and Princess Grace makes the mistake of buying poisoned apples from a vendor who shouldn't have been allowed in, she is once again kidnapped and this time placed in a dangerous labyrinth. Tim and Bull must rescue her. Another exciting adventure. I confess that the endings of both books felt a little like a cop-out (too easy) but after all the danger and humor . . . eh, whatever. Definitely a series I'd like to continue. These are for the younger middle grade crowd with lots of illustrations. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">16. <b>Faraway Places</b> by Tom Spanbauer - Everything goes wrong during the summer of the Chinook on Jacob's family's Idaho farm in <b>Faraway Places</b>. Jacob is a lanky teenager (near as I can tell). His father has told him to stay out of the river and there are some forbidden places on the farm, as well. But, it's a hot summer, so Jake starts going to the river to cool off. While there, he witnesses a murder, and that's just the beginning. A bleak, brutal, but compelling story that's well written but unsettling and sometimes very disturbing or offensive. This was my most recent stationary bike read. I can't say I enjoyed it but there was definitely something magnetic about Spanbauer's writing that kept the pages turning. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OIQRdU9Ylg3bjYBTXgAN7NtfCEtrSbRsy2QF6czePasHI9JTV7RnuEMrHH2r663P4WV6riIKQkAMjCjr5Sfs2RU2FlZzyx5QXL81jk0ZpjWn43vWJswW7_uUEYbaAo-_LzhE__KBv6fq6Q3E9yPXPs42mjQyoHNld7GCqUTKS4H7oOhXFCT1NQ/s1440/January%202024%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1440" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OIQRdU9Ylg3bjYBTXgAN7NtfCEtrSbRsy2QF6czePasHI9JTV7RnuEMrHH2r663P4WV6riIKQkAMjCjr5Sfs2RU2FlZzyx5QXL81jk0ZpjWn43vWJswW7_uUEYbaAo-_LzhE__KBv6fq6Q3E9yPXPs42mjQyoHNld7GCqUTKS4H7oOhXFCT1NQ/w400-h351/January%202024%20flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Not pictured in either photo is <b>Juliàn is a Mermaid</b> because it was a Hoopla audio. </div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2024 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos. </span></p><p><br /></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-41642981866541071272024-01-03T14:43:00.005-06:002024-01-09T15:19:47.591-06:002024 Reading Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwQ0BbsImaDjs7xYeP07OsBc0SGhHYXnORFd83tS41PvBlB1p8QOGIvfDcB6zmiNnyRiEy4RD62IkFrVmNgHvvEcY8HgsmpdtS6F49YQJ_K-rNXCas5nkL1yc29ppjaa7iOnd70XVMmyf1c4ueqv55iJPPg_td7tsOtDuXET4GXho8OzmZRGM2g/s1470/open%20book%20image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1470" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwQ0BbsImaDjs7xYeP07OsBc0SGhHYXnORFd83tS41PvBlB1p8QOGIvfDcB6zmiNnyRiEy4RD62IkFrVmNgHvvEcY8HgsmpdtS6F49YQJ_K-rNXCas5nkL1yc29ppjaa7iOnd70XVMmyf1c4ueqv55iJPPg_td7tsOtDuXET4GXho8OzmZRGM2g/w400-h266/open%20book%20image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>My goals are pretty simple for 2024 but I like to write them down so that I can look back, at the end of the year. So, here goes:</p><p>1. 2024 brings the <b>return of the full-year book-buying ban</b>. I have two exceptions, books for book group discussion and library sale finds. However, I can only bring home as much as I donate. So, if I take a single book to donate when I work in the library sale (I'm a volunteer!), I can only bring one home. If I'm miserable, mid-year, I will allow myself one Book Outlet purchase, but only one. And, I'm going to do my best to avoid even that.</p><p>2. <b>Read from my own collection, particularly the floor piles.</b> I have too many books, hence the buying ban. There's no longer any remaining shelf space (partly because I gave my son 3 bookshelves, last year — that's one way to force yourself to go through your books!) I do also plan to work on thinning the many remaining titles on my shelves. </p><p>3. <b>No floor piles by the end of the year.</b> Good luck to me. </p><p>4. <b>Read what calls to me.</b> The only exceptions will be books read for my book group and any unsolicited arrivals that appeal to me. I still occasionally get a book in the mail and I will always read those in a timely manner if they interest me. </p><p>My numerical goal is set to 100 at Goodreads because that's usually an easily achievable number (I don't want my book goal to become something stressful) but I'd like to try to read more novels. I have a handful of remaining manga and graphic novels and I always have a nice stockpile of middle grade books, so I have books to turn to if I'm feeling bogged down and need something light. But, I felt like I read a bit too many <i>very short</i> books in 2023, so I want to stretch myself a bit. </p><p>I usually choose one or two classic chunksters to try to read (last year, I read one of the two I chose). This year, nah. If I feel like reading a classic chunkster, I will. But, I'm not going to make any particular title a goal. </p><p>The same is true of genres. I have some things I'm letting float around in my head that I'd like to focus on: more classics, some Japanese and Australian titles. But, I find that if I let books call to me rather than making a plan, I enjoy my reading more. Challenges, in particular, seem to bog me down, which sucks but it is what it is, so I'm just going to let my own needs dictate how I read. </p><p>By the way, is that image above beautiful, or what? It was taken in Poland by someone called @freestocks and I found it at <a href="https://unsplash.com" target="_blank">Unsplash</a>, a great place to find free images. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2024 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos. </span></p><div><br /></div>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-72853511220604492672024-01-03T14:03:00.006-06:002024-01-03T14:03:54.267-06:00Books Read in 2023<p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> [All links for each month lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></p><p><b>January: </b></p><div style="text-align: left;">1. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">How to Connect (Mindfulness series #8) - Thich Nhat Hanh (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">2.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank"> Foster - Claire Keegan (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">X. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Scout Stories - Nick Carr (zine)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">McSweeney's, Issue #69</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">No Surrender: My Thirty Year War - Hiroo Onoda </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Space Cat Visits Venus - Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">7.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank"> Marshmallow - Clare Turlay Newberry</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">8. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Before and After - Andrew Shanahan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">9. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Solutions and Other Problems - Allie Brosh</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">10.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank"> Dodsworth in London - Tim Egan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">11. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Call of the Wild and White Fang - Jack London</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">12. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">McSweeney's, Issue #68</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">13. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Anatomy - Dana Schwartz</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">14. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/02/everything-i-read-in-january-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Life Sentences - Billy O'Callaghan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>February:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">15. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Reunion - Fred Uhlman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">16. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Ghost Boys - Jewell Parker Rhodes</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">17. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Space Cat Meets Mars - Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">18. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">A Man and His Cat #1 - Umi Sakurai</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">19. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">McSweeney's, Issue #51</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">20. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The 1619 Project: Born on the Water - Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, Nikkolas Smith</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">21. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Uncharted Territory - Connie Willis</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">22. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Postman Always Rings Twice - James M. Cain</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">23. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Beautiful Struggle (Adapted for YA) - Ta-Nehisi Coates</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">24. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Biased - Jennifer M. Eberhardt, PhD</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">25. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">My Monticello - Jocelyn Nicole Johnson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">26. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Sneakers, the Seaside Cat - Margaret Wise Brown and Anne Mortimer</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">27. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Walk the Blue Fields - Claire Keegan (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">28. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/03/everything-i-read-in-february-2023-in.html" target="_blank">American Primitive - Mary Oliver</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>March:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">29. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Man and His Cat #2 - Umi Sakurai</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">30. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Tales from the Inner City - Shaun Tan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">31. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Space Cat and the Kittens - Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">32. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Charlie Savage - Roddy Doyle</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">33. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Lost & Found - Shaun Tan and John Marsden</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">34. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Nala's World - Dean Nicholson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">35. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Nanny - Evelyn Piper</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;">36. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy School at Sea (Spy School #9) - Stuart Gibbs</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;">37. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London's Lost Treasures - Jason Sandy and Nick Stevens</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">38. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Woman in the Window - A. J. Finn</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">39. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Cicada - Shaun Tan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">40. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Ball Lightning - Cixin Liu</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">41. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/04/everything-i-read-in-march-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Last Thing He Told Me - Laura Dave</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>April:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">42. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">43.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">44. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Urban Sketching Handbook: Drawing Expressive People - Róisín Curé</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">45. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Man and His Cat #3 - Umi Sakurai</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">46. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Tell Me the Truth About Love - W. H. Auden</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">47. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost - Ed. by Gary D. Schmidt, Illus. by Henri Sorensen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">48.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly - Murray Bail</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">49. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">I Felt a Funeral in My Brain - Will Walton</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">50. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Cats of Roxville Station - Jean Craighead George</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">51. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson, Ed. by Frances Schoonmaker Bolin, Illus by Chi Chung</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">52. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">53. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Scout Stories #2 - Nick Carr (zine)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">54. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Toast - Nigel Slater</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">55. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Cat Massage Therapy #1 - Haru Hisakawa</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">56. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Poetry for Young People: African American Poetry, Ed. by A. Rampersad and M. Blount</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">57. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">16 Words: William Carlos Williams and "The Red Wheelbarrow" by Lisa Jean LaBanca Rogers</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">58.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/05/everything-i-read-in-april-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> Dom Casmurro by Machado de Assis</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>May:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">59. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Wished - Lissa Evans</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">60. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Lost Apothecary - Sarah Penner</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">61. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">On the Horizon - Lois Lowry</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">62. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Island of Adventure - Enid Blyton</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">63. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The United States of McSweeney's: Ten Years of Lucky Mistakes and Accidental Classics, ed. by Nick Hornby and Eli Horowitz </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">64. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">An Astronomer in Love - Antoine Laurain</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">65. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Man and His Cat #4 - Umi Sakurai</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">66. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Exquisite - Suzanne Slade and Combi A. Cabrera</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">67. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">68. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Maizy Chen's Last Chance - Lisa Yee</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">69. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Aliens in Underpants Save the World - Claire Freedman and Ben Court</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">70. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">And Tango Makes Three - Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, and Henry Cole</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">71. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">What About Will - Ellen Hopkins</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">72. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #9 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">73. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/06/everything-i-read-in-may-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Cafe - Toshikazu Kawaguchi </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>June:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">74. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Bright Side of Disaster - Katherine Center</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">75. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Did I Ever Tell You This? - Sam Neill</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">76. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Dead of the Night - John Marsden</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">77. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Shadow Hero #1 - Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Lieu</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">78. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Expanse graphic novel - James S. A. Corey et al. </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">79. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again, Today - Hitsuji Yamada</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">80. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Arrival - Shaun Tan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">81. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Adventures of Little Tiger - Marielle Sohier</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">82. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle - Matt Cain</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">83. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Firefly: The Unification War, Part One - Greg Pak, Dan McDaid, Marcelo Costa</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">84. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-june-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Heartstopper, Vol. 1 - Alice Oseman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>July:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">85. Harry and Sue - Larry Baker</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html" target="_blank">86. The Railway Children - E. Nesbit</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">87. Heartstopper, Vol 2 - Alice Oseman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">88. Eloise and the Big Parade - Lisa McClatchy</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">89. Firefly: The Unification War, Part Two by Greg Pak, et al. </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">90. Heartstopper, Vol 3 - Alice Oseman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">91. The Castle of Adventure - Enid Blyton</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">92. Whistling in the Dark - Lesley Kagen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">93. The One - John Marrs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">94. Hearstopper, Vol 4 - Alice Oseman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/07/everything-i-read-in-july-2023-in-brief.html">95. Firefly: The Unification War, Part Three by Greg Pak, et al.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>August:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">96. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">97. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Way of the Househusband, Vol 1 - Kousuke Oono</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">98. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">A Man and His Cat, #5 - Umi Sakurai</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">99. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Way of the Househusband, Vol 2 - Kousuke Oono</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">100. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Way of the Househusband, Vol 3 - Kousuke Oono</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">101.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank"> The Dirty Dozen - E. M. Nathanson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">102. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The River of Doubt - Candice Millard</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">103. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Felicity - Mary Oliver</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">104. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">He Started It - Samantha Downing</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">105.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank"> The Duke Gets Desperate - Diana Quincy</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">106. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/09/everything-i-read-in-august-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Way of the Househusband, Vol 4 - Kousuke Oono</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>September:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">107. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">If Beale Street Could Talk - James Baldwin</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">108. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The House Next Door - Anne Rivers Siddons</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">109. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Breaking Away (aka, French Leave) - Anna Gavalda</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">110. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Chelsea Girls - Fiona Davis</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">111. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Mirror - Marlys Millhiser</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">112. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Bird King: An Artist's Notebook - Shaun Tan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">113. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">The Little Island - Margaret Wise Brown (writing as Golden McDonald) and Leonard Weisgard</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">114.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank"> Poetry for Kids: Carl Sandburg - Ed. by Kate Benzel, Illus. by Robert Crawford</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">115. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Immigrant and Artist Tyrus Wong - Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">116. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Charlie Thorne and the Lost City - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">117. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">What Kind of Woman - Kate Baer</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">118. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">A Man and His Cat, Vol 6 - Umi Sakurai</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">119. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">In the Lives of Puppets - T. J. Klune</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">120. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/10/everything-i-read-in-september-2023-in.html" target="_blank">Less - Andrew Sean Greer</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>October:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">121. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">We Are the Water Protectors - Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">122. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">The Borrowers - Mary Norton (#1 of The Borrowers series)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">123. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">Moon Over Soho - Ben Aaronovitch (#2 in the Rivers of London series)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">124. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">The Museum House Ghosts - Judith Spearing </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">125. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">So Late in the Day - Claire Keegan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">126. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">She's a Killer - Kirsten McDougall</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">127. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">Jane and the Final Mystery - Stephanie Barron (#15 in the Jane Austen Mystery series)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">128. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 5 - Kousuke Oono</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">129. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">McSweeney's Issue 71: The Monstrous and the Terrible, ed. by Brian Evenson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">130. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today, Vol. 2 - Hitsuji Yamada</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">131. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/11/everything-i-read-in-october-2023.html" target="_blank">The Premonitions Bureau - Sam Knight</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>November:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">132. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">Tunneling to the Center of the Earth - Kevin Wilson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">133. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">The Kaiju Preservation Society - John Scalzi</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">134. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">Step Ball Change - Jeanne Ray</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">135.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank"> The Borrowers Afield - Mary Norton (#2 of The Borrowers series)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">136. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">Fing - David Walliams</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">137. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family, Vol. 10 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">138.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank"> Women Heroes of World War II: The Pacific Theater - Kathryn J. Atwood</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">139. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">The House at the End of Hope Street - Menna Van Praag</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">140. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo - Jill Twiss and E. G. Keller (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">141. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">Raymie Nightingale - Kate DiCamillo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">142. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">A Christmas Memory and Other Stories - Truman Capote</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">143. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/12/everything-i-read-in-november-2023.html" target="_blank">The Worst Noël: Hellish Holiday Tales (essays) - Various Authors</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>December:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">144. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html">The Little Reindeer - Nicola Killen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">145. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 6 - Kousuke Oono</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">146. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">147.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank"> How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr. Suess</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">148. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The Night Before Christmas - Clement C. Moore</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">149. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">Spy School: Project X - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">X. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">Scout Stories #3: New York Issue - Nick Carr</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">150. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold - Evelyn Waugh</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">151. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio - Amara Lakhous</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">152. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The View from Saturday - E. L. Konigsburg</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">153. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The Story of the Snow Children - Sibylle von Olfers</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">154. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">Ollie's Ski Trip - Elsa Beskow</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">155. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">A Child's Christmas in Wales - Dylan Thomas</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">156. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">Miracle on 34th Street - Valentine Davies</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">157. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree - Robert Barry</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">158. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">A Christmas Memory - Truman Capote</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">159. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">2023 Short Story Advent Calendar - Various Authors</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">160. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">What Are You Going Through - Sigrid Nunez</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">161. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2024/01/everything-i-read-in-december-2023.html" target="_blank">The Complete Illustrated Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-69857850117380889662024-01-03T13:55:00.005-06:002024-01-03T13:55:56.315-06:00Everything I Read in December, 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfi_wHQsEqCa1Xc0mYgFHsJ-MWFj653568_rpI-oFwxhVVCfhqDfg-bjElWH6uPPYGB92PQDAYR6S3tSqhK3_Gy9KvBbkdm4XXePR3IkKZeUYdbisPHFRDo8t7_WXcw8NS9RjUkYLV3vlatSrroh4dFfor_Qhp0Hd5XT1wVqNC6-BuS6CuYaYlRQ/s2048/December%20Reads,%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="2048" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfi_wHQsEqCa1Xc0mYgFHsJ-MWFj653568_rpI-oFwxhVVCfhqDfg-bjElWH6uPPYGB92PQDAYR6S3tSqhK3_Gy9KvBbkdm4XXePR3IkKZeUYdbisPHFRDo8t7_WXcw8NS9RjUkYLV3vlatSrroh4dFfor_Qhp0Hd5XT1wVqNC6-BuS6CuYaYlRQ/w400-h395/December%20Reads,%202023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>December:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>144. <b>The Little Reindeer </b>by Nicola Killen - I bought a copy of<b> The Little Reindeer </b>after reading the review of a friend who has a knack for choosing children's books with wonderful illustrations.<b> The Little Reindeer</b> is the story of a little girl (who is herself dressed like a reindeer). When she looks out the window and sees that it's snowed, she decides to go investigate. In the forest, she finds a collar and then the reindeer who lost it. She helps the reindeer, putting the collar back on him, and then he flies her home. It's a basic story but the illustrations are lovely, as expected. I especially liked little touches like the cut-outs that allow the reader a peek at the following page and the bits of pretty foil highlights, here and there. While not exactly a Christmas book, it has a Christmasy feel to it and I may add it to my annual Christmas book rotation. </div><div><br /></div><div>145. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 6</b> by Kousuke Oono - Aaargh, I only have one book left in this series! Volume 6 has Tatsu and his wife helping a friend with her finances with some helpful hints on how to save money. They also do some dog-sitting (the cat is not thrilled), and Tatsu is shown trying to remember a key phrase that will help him get a bonus item for his wife, among other stories. As usual, I found myself smiling a lot while I read the book. This is such a fun manga series. I'm going back on a full book-buying ban in January so I might do the sneaky thing and buy a few before the end of the year. Update: I did the sneaky thing. There may have been other last-minute panic buying. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>146. <b>The Polar Express</b> by Chris Van Allsburg - Believe it or not, I have never read this book or seen the movie till this year. But, I was in the mood for some new Christmas reads, so I bought a copy. If you haven't read<b> The Polar Express</b>, the tale is about a young boy who is watching for Santa Claus when a train comes along. He throws on his robe and slippers and goes on the train to the North Pole with other children in their pajamas. There, he meets Santa and is given the first gift, a bell. But, there's a hole in his pocket so he loses it. The next morning, it's in a box under the tree. But, only the children can hear it when it rings. I liked it! I can't believe it took me so long to get to this one. </div><div><br /></div><div>147. <b>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</b> by Dr. Suess - An old favorite, I read <b>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</b> aloud to the cat (Fiona). She wasn't particularly interested so she came and went while I continued to read aloud. Sometimes, I miss the fun of reading aloud to small children and I just read aloud for the joy of it. It didn't matter if only the trees were listening. I still love the Grinch. I have never seen the live action movie because I love the cartoon too much and can't bear the thought of seeing a completely different version. I get stupidly weepy when the Whos down in Whoville begin to sing and the Grinch's heart grows 3 sizes. </div><div><br /></div><div>148. <b>The Night Before Christmas</b> by Clement C. Moore - I can't find the copy of <b>The Night Before Christmas</b> that my aunt and uncle sent to us when my sister and I were young so, again, I bought a new copy. The wonderful thing about children's books is that if you ever find the original, kids' books are <i>always </i>in demand so it's easy to find them new homes. My new copy has lovely illustrations, the best I've found since I misplaced the childhood copy, but nothing beats the original, which was brilliantly illustrated -- by far the prettiest I've ever seen. Hopefully, I'll locate it someday. Still love this beautiful poem. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>149. <b>Spy School: Project X</b> by Stuart Gibbs - In this latest installment of the <b><i>Spy School </i></b>middle grade series, author Stuart Gibbs pokes fun at the ridiculous conspiracy theories of QAnon. Bad guy Murray creates conspiracies including that hero Ben is a lizard person and then offers a reward to whoever assassinates him. With a price on his head and everyday people who read X's conspiracy website able to recognize Ben, danger is all around him. Will Ben and his friends be able to escape the assassins and find Murray to put a stop to the lies before it's too late? I can't say it enough; I love this series. Action, adventure, thrills, and even a little romance make it loads of fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>X. <b>Scout Stories #3: New York Issue</b> by Nick Carr - I followed <i>Scouting New York</i> for years (before Carr relocated and changed his screen name to "Scout Stories") and now location scout Nick Carr is gradually releasing some of his stories in zines. This third issue is by far my favorite of the three, stories about his favorite places in New York City and histories of those locations or details spotted, complete with photographs. He has updated many of the stories to include what's happened since he originally wrote about the locations or objects. I remembered several from his early posts and was happy to see updates. The rest were new to me and equally fascinating. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>150. <b>The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold</b> by Evelyn Waugh - Gilbert Pinfold is a moderately successful author. He has a lovely wife and a large family living in a farm house. They've had a spot of bother with a man who used their fields but otherwise life is pretty decent. But, Gilbert has had trouble sleeping. To combat this difficulty, he drinks alcohol and a couple of potions. His doctor prescribes him some gray pills. He looks awful. His wife decides that he needs to go on a journey for the sake of his health. But, once he's onboard ship, he believes the wartime communication system has been tangled up as he's overhearing voices from various parts of the ship. I found this one pretty weird, to be honest. But, I like Waugh's writing so I was never tempted to give up. Also, I selected <b>Ordeal</b> for my Zoom book group so I kind of had to finish. Update: A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvtjUt0GzKg" target="_blank">video of an interview</a> with Evelyn Waugh clarified a lot about the book and made it so much more interesting and revealing. </div><div><br /></div><div>151. <b>Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio</b> by Amara Lakhous - My most recent stationary bike read is a translation (probably from the Italian) about the residents of an apartment block who have differing opinions about each other, theories about who is peeing in the elevator, and thoughts about whether or not Amadeo is an immigrant and responsible for the murder of one of the residents. The story goes from one voice to another with Amadeo's the one that reappears throughout. Amadeo's real name is an Arab name and he's from Algeria. But, he speaks Italian so fluently that everyone just assumes he's Italian. He is also the kindest of men. So, when one of the residents turns up dead and Amadeo disappears, the residents are certain he did nothing wrong. But, who is Amadeo, really, and what has become of him? A fun read. </div><div><br /></div><div>152. <b>The View from Saturday</b> by E. L. Konigsburg - In this middle grade classic, a teacher returns to her classroom 10 years after a car accident has left her paralyzed. She has chosen the four students who will compete in the local academic quiz competition and everyone wants to know how she selected them. They aren't, after all, necessarily the students you'd have expected her to choose based on their academic success. Slowly, the author reveals details about each of the students, how they met, how they became not just a team but the best of friends, and how she knew that The Souls, as they call themselves, were the right people for the competition. This was my "emergency book for when the cat wants to make biscuits and I'm stuck" and it was so good that I second the little golden Newbery award stuck to its cover. </div><div><br /></div><div>153.<b> The Story of the Snow Children</b> by Sibylle von Olfers - A very short children's book about a little girl who thinks she sees snowflakes and then realizes they're snow children. Her mother is away and the children invite her to go along to a castle, where she eats and plays with the princess and the snow babies until she's worn out and then is driven home by polar bears. It's super short but such a sweet little book that's become part of my Christmas book rotation. I doubt I'll read it every year but I liked it even better this year than last because I was less focused on the fact that a child wandered off while left home alone, which sounds like horror from a Mom perspective. Beautiful illustrations and, as I said on Goodreads last year, there's a "timeless sense of transport to a magical other world". I agree with myself. </div><div><br /></div><div>154. <b>Ollie's Ski Trip</b> by Elsa Beskow - Another tiny book, this time 30 pages long, the story of a child who gets a set of skis and then waits impatiently for snow. When it finally arrives, he skis into the forest and meets Jack Frost. Mrs. Thaw is rudely chided for trying to melt things too early and Jack Frost takes Ollie to meet King Winter in his palace. There, he gets to make snow forts and go sledding during break time for the children who are making Christmas gifts. There's something very warm and nostalgic about this story. It's lovely.</div><div><br /></div><div>155. <b>A Child's Christmas in Wales</b> by Dylan Thomas - Since I first read this book, I've felt obligated to reread it every Christmas season (even if I manage to read nothing else Christmasy). It's funny and a word lover's delight, the story of what it was like to be a small boy in Wales, waiting for cats at whom to throw snowballs (they never show up), calling for the fire brigade when a neighbor has a kitchen fire, opening fabulous gifts and watching as the aunts buzz around, one of them drinking a little more than she should, while the uncles all smoke and fall asleep in their chairs. You can hear Dylan Thomas reading this poem online via YouTube if you don't own a copy. Mine is getting fairly beat up but I love the black-and-white illustrations that are every bit as comical as the prose. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>156. <b>Miracle on 34th Street</b> by Valentine Davies - I've only seen the movie a single time and didn't really remember it at all but I thought it would be fun to read this Christmas classic about Santa on the verge of being kicked out of his nursing home and bringing Christmas cheer before being taken to court to determine if he's a lunatic who needs to be institutionalized or, in fact, the real Kris Kringle. Honestly, I can see why I forgot the movie. I found the story average. I liked it and might reread it in the future but it will never be a favorite. </div><div><br /></div><div>157. <b>Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree</b> by Robert Barry - A lifelong favorite, I bought a new copy of <b>Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree</b> in 2022 because I haven't seen my childhood copy in ages (it's probably packed away in the attic). It's made it onto the yearly rotation. I love this wonderful rhyming story about a wealthy man whose tree is too tall so the top, chopped off to make it fit, goes through many more choppings of its top until the final, tiny bit ends up in a mouse hole in Mr. Willowby's home. </div><div><br /></div><div>158. <b>A Christmas Memory</b> by Truman Capote - I read Capote's Thanksgiving collection of three stories about childhood memories after Thanksgiving but I missed the illustrations in my older copy of just <b>A Christmas Memory</b>, so I opted to read it a second time. I reread <b>A Christmas Memory</b> annually; it's another favorite. </div><div><br /></div><div>159. <b>2023 Short Story Advent Calendar</b> by Various Authors - This will be my last<b> Short Story Advent Calendar</b> because it's a bit pricey and I don't feel like I'll be able to indulge when my husband retires but it was a good selection to go out on. There were a lot of contemporary stories and a few by well-known authors like Chekov and Cather. Surprisingly, there was one story I recently read in this year's selection. As always, I took note of favorites so that I can look up the authors' other work, although I won't be buying in 2024. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>160. <b>What Are You Going Through</b> by Sigrid Nunez - The narrator, a writer, has a friend who is dying of cancer and an ex who is convinced that there's no way back from the impending climate change apocalypse. A neighbor of the narrator has a son who would like someone to look in on his mother but it quickly becomes unbearable as the elderly woman has become an angry, round-the-clock, right-wing news viewer. And, when the narrator's dying friend asks an uncomfortable favor of her, it sends her into a bit of a tailspin. But, what can you do when someone is going through the worst time in their life and asks for help? I bought this book because I was curious to read something by the author. This story bounced around a lot and was a bit triggering for me, although it was provocative, with some interesting and very discussable topics, like whether or not one should bring a child into a potentially disastrous world and the pros and cons of euthanasia. I found it compelling enough to finish but it was just an average read. </div><div><br /></div><div>161. <b>The Complete Illustrated Sherlock Holmes</b> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I found my gorgeous leather copy at the library sale and may have emitted a little squeal because I've been looking for a complete edition (or set) for literal decades. I spread the reading of this book out over the entire year, just dipping in for a story or two, now and then. My conclusion is that there's good reason <b>Sherlock Holmes </b>is an enduring classic. I enjoyed every minute of the reading. I had read random <b>Sherlock </b>stories in no particular order, in the past, but I found it much more satisfying to read the entire works. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are the flatlays (so many children's books that it required two separate photos)!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJDuYJkdrj8DrW4MdCLRecH-Wk4zqPbpC2k453N87vEyHYgNypRkB_WSoI7AT7-h2-hUif0bXlmmPJyA-f1N5Li_bOwwjmw0OsATEy-eyhcmf6AuRKycEx5AYcVCwT9C1UAqdNXz6wfPlQj5pKec2ggMAWGYx-_eyI8ywxwLAjmxyUhBtNw1W3A/s2048/Flatlay%201%2012:23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1673" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJDuYJkdrj8DrW4MdCLRecH-Wk4zqPbpC2k453N87vEyHYgNypRkB_WSoI7AT7-h2-hUif0bXlmmPJyA-f1N5Li_bOwwjmw0OsATEy-eyhcmf6AuRKycEx5AYcVCwT9C1UAqdNXz6wfPlQj5pKec2ggMAWGYx-_eyI8ywxwLAjmxyUhBtNw1W3A/w326-h400/Flatlay%201%2012:23.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ALdJbnuZl75MZX6LT8l8Mlb-H1ISGi4iA-9yIl8_IDIVYvjDq6oLXmbYl-esZGsx0kXM7n2nQNgv-chks1dEwOMMu2fwejNQ08XjHE74K0vKlG8nd1-nN4c85yYq1Dsnn6xmd1zcGfS5xraAbSAQL7PX8mlzFGHrFUMcENUSO6wscbbWhXj2pg/s2048/Flatlay%202%2012:23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1923" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ALdJbnuZl75MZX6LT8l8Mlb-H1ISGi4iA-9yIl8_IDIVYvjDq6oLXmbYl-esZGsx0kXM7n2nQNgv-chks1dEwOMMu2fwejNQ08XjHE74K0vKlG8nd1-nN4c85yYq1Dsnn6xmd1zcGfS5xraAbSAQL7PX8mlzFGHrFUMcENUSO6wscbbWhXj2pg/w375-h400/Flatlay%202%2012:23.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><span><p><span>So, that ends 2023! I had two more books that I expected to finish and then I decided to ditch one, a series book so I'm getting rid of every one of the books in that series, which I bought (oh, well), and I chose to take my time with the other and let the reading continue into the new year. Ending with <b>Sherlock</b> is not a bad thing. It was a wonderful set of stories and I'm happy to have finally found and read a complete edition. </span></p><p><span>Happy New Year! My complete list of books read will be posted shortly. </span></p><p style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: small;">Bookfoolery </a><span style="font-size: x-small;">or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com" style="font-size: small;">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></span><p></p><br />Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-58765895190753226652023-12-01T12:31:00.000-06:002023-12-01T12:31:53.123-06:00Everything I Read in November, 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSR2o8Ck_oWgiH8nGTHFeLsWMncWs5vdRHHiPyfnIS7EbKcyAiuFlZ8k_7BbHy42DgAuBxElPZ6GzddLJ4LgDJiXZf0mpTSzgPTQG9VFkRRIYwS8LB-rMQNdtF2_ta7LEDunITbYtR8yq_kmcMtZP9sPC9SxxzI3gBlFK_1N8X70aEfpaZJ-Zyg/s2048/November%202023%20Reads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1350" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSR2o8Ck_oWgiH8nGTHFeLsWMncWs5vdRHHiPyfnIS7EbKcyAiuFlZ8k_7BbHy42DgAuBxElPZ6GzddLJ4LgDJiXZf0mpTSzgPTQG9VFkRRIYwS8LB-rMQNdtF2_ta7LEDunITbYtR8yq_kmcMtZP9sPC9SxxzI3gBlFK_1N8X70aEfpaZJ-Zyg/w422-h640/November%202023%20Reads.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><p>132. <b>Tunneling to the Center of the Earth</b> by Kevin Wilson - I'm a fan of short stories, in general (although I like them to feel complete), but particularly quirky ones and Kevin Wilson's writing is nothing if not bizarre. In the title story, "Tunneling to the Center of the Earth," for example, three recent college grads are unable to decide what they should do with their lives, having chosen their degrees badly. Then, one day they come to the mutual decision to start digging. For months, they dig tunnels and chambers while the protagonist's parents drop food down to them. It's compelling because you have no earthly idea where the story is headed. In "The Museum of Whatnots," a 30-something woman with almost no possessions lives above her workplace, a museum of odd collections. She's not interested in much of anything or anyone, apart from a doctor who comes in to stare at a collection of random spoons. And, these wonderful stories were written while the author was still in college. Amazing, mature writing for a man who was so young. I want to read everything Kevin Wilson has ever written. His writing reminded me of George Saunders, another author whose work I've been trying to read in its entirety. </p><p>133. <b>The Kaiju Preservation Society </b>by John Scalzi - Jamie loses his job during the pandemic and ends up delivering food. When one of his customers offers him a mysterious job with significantly better pay, he accepts. But the new job is on a different Earth with Godzilla-like creatures and it's both dangerous and smelly. A very silly book but fun reading. My only complaint is that everyone sounded alike to me; they all had the same sense of humor and verbal quirks. I was fine with that. While not Scalzi's best, I can appreciate <b>The Kaiju Preservation Society</b> for what it is, a light-hearted multiverse sci-fi. </p><p>134. <b>Step Ball Change </b>by Jeanne Ray - <b>Step Ball Change </b>was my most recent stationary bike read and it was perfect for the purpose! The text was large enough to see, the story is lighthearted, and it was an older book so it fell flat in its little book holder. What a fun read. Caroline and Tom have been mostly happily married for over 40 years and have four grown children, a house that's falling apart, a contractor who practically lives with them he's there so often, and busy lives, she in her dance studio and he as a lawyer. When Their only daughter, Kay, gets engaged to a son from the town's wealthiest family and then Caroline's sister Taffy comes to visit because of her impending divorce, things get a little wild. Taffy's dog is a nuisance and her soon-to-be-ex won't stop calling. Kay's fiancee's family expects them to pay for half of a wedding for at least 600 guests, son George keeps bringing Kay's former fling Jack for dinner. It's a madhouse. But, it's a very fun madhouse and I loved this book. It's an older title I once passed on to a friend, thinking I'd never get to it. She handed it back saying, "I laughed so hard I spit in it. Sorry about the spit, but you really must read this book." She was right. </p><p>135. <b>The Borrowers Afield </b>by Mary Norton - The second in the <b><i>Borrowers</i></b> series begins shortly after the disaster of the first book. Driven from their home beneath the floorboards, Pod, Homily, and Arrietty must traverse the fields, hedges, and orchard to find the badger's set to which their relatives moved long ago. While searching, they find a temporary home and meet another tiny person who is called Spiller. He's dirty and fiercely independent; he can't bear to be asked questions. But, he's also very helpful to the Borrowers because they are accustomed to living in a home with people from whom they can easily borrow food and other supplies. But, even Spiller isn't enough to stop the fight against the elements and, eventually, some dangerous humans. This series is so much better than my vague memories. </p><p>136. <b>Fing </b>by David Walliams - I've been curious about why the comedian from <i>Little Britain</i> is such a wildly popular children's book author for ages, so I tossed a couple of his books into my cart when I broke my book-buying ban to load up on Kevin Wilson's older titles (yep, did it again). <b>Fing</b>'s reviews are pretty polarized and I fall into the middle. The story of a terrible child who is always asking for more, more, more till one day she asks for a "fing" and her librarian parents must plumb the depths of the library to find out what exactly that is. Then, the father goes to the deepest, darkest, jungliest jungle to obtain a fing, which is nasty and mean and bitey. Because the parents are total wimps, so they give her everything she desires. There's a bit of bathroom humor, an overload of onomatopoeia, and the "world's worst child" trope that's been done to death. But, Walliams gave the trope his own unique spin and I did like the moral at the end of the story. This one would probably be best loved by 10-year-old boys who like all things gross. I didn't hate it enough to say "never again" but I'm hoping my second Walliams book is a little less yuck and more story. </p><p>137. <b>Spy x Family, Vol. 10 </b>by Tatsuya Endo - I think this may be the best of the <i>Spy X Family</i> books, if not the funniest, as it goes into Twilight's (the spy father's) origin story but it also has plenty of fun things going on. For example, Anya gets a dreaded Tonitrus Bolt, a form of punishment. It is her second and Twilight is so upset that he passes out. When her bus is delayed, Anya is asked to help the headmaster carry some things. I think Anya's attitude in this particular story is pretty funny. Yor goes shopping and it's a sign of how different she is, not knowing exactly what Anya's referring to when she asks for "crunchy cakes". She stops a disaster from happening when a woman almost falls down a flight of stairs with a pile of boxes and the woman is so happy that Yor is invited to join a mother's group for tea and later volleyball. These things make Yor very uncomfortable but she's hoping to learn how to fit in and act like a mother. So fun. </p><p>138. <b>Women Heroes of World War II: The Pacific Theater</b> by Kathryn J. Atwood - I won a copy of this book from the author via a Facebook drawing and started reading it practically the moment it hit my mailbox. A Young Adult set of historical bios, not in-depth but enough to make you feel like you knew each of the women and understand how stunningly courageous they were. I have read more about WWII in Europe, Eastern Europe, and Great Britain than the Pacific, so I learned some answers to some of my questions about the Pacific Theater, the reason Japan initially attacked China, and how the Japanese occupation spread, in addition to what these women did, at risk of their lives. I appreciated the clarity of the writing. The author warns readers that there are some disturbing descriptions of torture and rape and I'm glad I was prepared for that as they are definitely hard to read. But, you need to read the hard parts in order to understand just how much the heroes in this work of nonfiction risked. I had about a week-long book slump before this book arrived. One note: I read about the Bataan Death March right before bed and that triggered one whopper of a nightmare, so I advise not reading right before you go to sleep. </p><p>139. <b>The House at the End of Hope Street </b>by Menna Van Praag - This story about a magical house that appears only to those who are drawn to it and the women who come there to heal is absolutely wonderful. I feel like saying much more would be to give too much away. But, it is reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen's writing, with its magical touches, set in Cambridge, England, and loaded with literary references. I've already found a new home for my copy. I feel like this is a book worth sharing. </p><p>140. <b>A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo</b> by Jill Twiss and E. G. Keller - A sweet, silly, and surprising story about a bunny named Marlon who meets another boy bunny. They play all day and decide they want to get married so they can continue to be together all the time. But, a few of the animals tell them that two boy bunnies can't get married. No biggie, there are plenty of others who think it's fine, so they are married by a cat. I've been curious about this book for some time because it's a banned book and I always want to see for myself whether or not a book is worth banning. As usual, there's nothing rude, sexual, or offensive, in my opinion. And, I liked the storytelling. It was a little on the quirky side, which you know I love since I already said so in regard to book #132. </p><p>141. <b>Raymie Nightingale</b> by Kate DiCamillo - Raymie's father has left her mother for a dental hygienist, so she's decided to learn how to twirl a baton in order to try to win a local talent competition to catch her father's attention. Louisiana is poor and lives with her grandmother. They steal food in order to survive and she wants to win the same competition to pay for food so they can stop stealing. Beverly has been in competitions all her life and she just wants to sabotage the whole thing. When they end up taking twirling lessons together, what starts out as an unexpected trio competing for the same prize ends up as three girls banding together, a sweet tale of how friendship makes difficult times more bearable. I got a little teary, at the end. Side note: I bought my copy of <b>Raymie Nightingale</b> at the Mississippi Book Festival about 7 years ago when Kate DiCamillo was a featured speaker. She is hilarious. If you ever get a chance to see her speak, go!</p><p>142. <b>A Christmas Memory and Other Stories</b> by Truman Capote - If you've been following me for any length of time, you know I reread several favorite stories every year during Christmas season. "A Christmas Memory" is one of them and I have a lovely children's version. Last year, I found out there was a Thanksgiving story, as well, so I ordered a copy I saw on Instagram of a book with both stories and one additional Christmas story and read the Thanksgiving story on Thanksgiving Day and the two Christmas stories the day after. I enjoyed all three but the two that were new to me are particularly bittersweet. "A Christmas Memory" is the most tender and joyful of the three. I missed the illustrations so I'll probably reread the children's version of "A Christmas Memory," as well, in a couple weeks. </p><p>143.<b> The Worst Noel: Hellish Holiday Tales</b> (essays) by Various Authors, including Ann Patchett, Louis Bayard, Marian Keyes, and Elizabeth Noble - I meant to reread <b>The Worst Noel</b> in 2022 but didn't get around to it so it's just been sitting out, waiting for a year to pass. Published in 2005, I apparently read the book before I became a blogger in 2006. Some of the essays are, indeed, about hellish experiences but some are not so bad. The point is that it's a book in which the authors try to make light of bad experiences, although some just wallow in them. The first time I read this book, I recall laughing a lot. This time, I found them a little sad. So, apparently, your mood has a lot to do with how this book lands. It has gotten terrible reviews at Goodreads. I gave it a 3.5/5. It's nothing great. I enjoyed some of the essays and I don't think it deserves such a low rating (less than 3) but I don't plan to keep it for another reread. </p><p>This month was pretty good but not brilliant, as reading months go. My one bad reading week was due to busy-busy things wearing me out. But, then <b>Women Heroes of WWII</b> arrived and it broke the spell. </p><p>As to the best and worst,<b> Tunneling to the Center of the Earth</b> and <b>The House at the End of Hope Street</b> were my absolute favorites. But, there was only one book I could have done without entirely, <b>Fing</b>, and two I enjoyed but didn't love as much as expected, <b>The Worst Noel</b> (because I found it funny the first time and not so much, this time around) and <b>The Kaiju Preservation Society</b> (there were brief moments that I found a bit dull, although I love Scalzi's sense of humor and that got me through the repetitive bits). The rest were varying shades of wonderful. </p><p>I completely forgot to do a flatlay photo and had already started distributing books to their places (library donation stack, classics shelf, shelves where the rest of a collection lives) before I realized I'd forgotten. Oh, well. A stack photo will do. </p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-65302537202032109002023-11-01T16:19:00.002-05:002023-11-09T15:44:39.713-06:00Everything I Read in October, 2023<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgcxT0JEbIq1FqdLk9tufAQs99UTf4kG6DVrfNVEi3Pl0YMs4yAWBrfaoXpJc6C0v0E5NEXQsNz8zR5WjA_l_QJsuOwuDweEJMHskf1tSYJgnHkf0T8leLffU9l3gQg2hnA0QBcvaieSMEzFoDPYv0dcTgNydzwr6qpYGv1KZMq7BhbXzAOrpkw/s2048/November%202023%20stack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1773" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgcxT0JEbIq1FqdLk9tufAQs99UTf4kG6DVrfNVEi3Pl0YMs4yAWBrfaoXpJc6C0v0E5NEXQsNz8zR5WjA_l_QJsuOwuDweEJMHskf1tSYJgnHkf0T8leLffU9l3gQg2hnA0QBcvaieSMEzFoDPYv0dcTgNydzwr6qpYGv1KZMq7BhbXzAOrpkw/w346-h400/November%202023%20stack.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><br /></div><div><b>October:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>121. <b>We Are the Water Protectors</b> by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade - I've wanted to read this children's book for ages and knew it was available at Book Outlet, so when I went there to make a birthday purchase, this children's book was the first to be tossed into my cart. <b>We Are the Water Protectors</b> is about Native American beliefs that require them to be stewards of the Earth and how those beliefs led them to protest (unsuccessfully) the Dakota Pipeline, which began leaking even before it was finished. Spectacular illustrations and meaningful, lovely text make this book a winner. Reading about the Dakota Pipeline took me back to the cruelty protestors experienced. I'm still sad that they were not able to protect their water. </div><div><br /></div><div>122. <b>The Borrowers</b> by Mary Norton - Another purchase for my birthday was the boxed set of <b>The Borrowers</b> books, chosen so I could revisit my childhood. As a child, I was so fascinated by the story of <b>The Borrowers</b> that I would often dream (at night) and imagine (during the daylight) that there were little people living in our house. But, as it turns out, I pretty much remembered nothing about this first book, apart from the fact that the Borrowers were very small and used everyday items like matchboxes and spools to furnish their house. This first book is narrated by an older woman remembering her brother's story about seeing the Borrowers when he was sent to stay with an elderly relative in the English countryside after becoming ill while in India. The ending is quite harrowing and a bit on the cliffhangery side, so I'm pretty eager to read on and hope I'll be able to fit the next book in, soon. </div><div><br /></div><div>123. <b>Moon Over Soho </b>by Ben Aaronovitch - The second in the <b><i>Rivers of London</i></b> mystery series begins with the suspicious death of a jazz musician. Cyrus Wilkinson died of an apparent heart attack. But, when both Dr. Walid and Constable (and magician-in-training) Peter Grant hear the sounds of the jazz classic "Body and Soul" while observing his body, they know this was no ordinary death. Peter sets to work cross-referencing the deaths of other jazz musicians while also dealing with an unusual murderer he calls the Pale Lady. There's a lot going on in the <b><i>Rivers of London</i></b> mysteries and I found that in both of the books I read, I had a little trouble keeping track of all of the characters and threads of the various magical things happening, but Peter Grant is such a fun, witty character that I think what I'll do in the future is just try to slam through the books as fast as possible so that I don't forget elements. I will definitely keep reading this series. </div><div><br /></div><div>124. <b>The Museum House Ghosts</b> by Judith Spearing - This story is the second in either a series or duology about a family of ghosts. In the first book the children (the entire family was apparently killed by lightning) went to school and made friends, so in the second book the living children are unfazed by the fact that their ghostly friends fade in and out. Now, the house they live in is going to be turned into a museum and the ghosts will continue to live in the house as caretakers and run the museum after a parade and dedication. Hijinks ensue as the family accidentally keeps driving away contractors working on preparing the house and the children occasionally spook people while playing with their friends. I'd love to read the first book but this was a 50-year-old library discard so it may be difficult to find the previous book. A fun, silly, entertaining read. And, it had an actual card in the library pocket with signatures dating back to 1972. Cool!</div><div><br /></div><div>125. <b>So Late in the Day </b>by Claire Keegan - The story of a single day in the life of a man in Ireland begins with a mistake made while he is working. He's clearly flustered and upset. As he finishes his work day and spends the evening alone, the story of a former relationship unfolds and you understand why this particular day is having such a profound effect on him. I'm a Claire Keegan fan but this 47-page story is a bit on the depressing side so it wasn't my favorite. However, I found myself wanting to discuss it with someone, especially one scene that I found very disturbing. I wondered if it was the key to the entire story or I was just mistaking it for being so because it was so unsettling. I will continue to read Claire Keegan, in spite of not really enjoying this novella, which I gave a slightly above average rating on Goodreads. </div><div><br /></div><div>126. <b>She's a Killer</b> by Kirsten McDougall - Things are changing rapidly for Alice and her countrymen in New Zealand. With the world in the midst of a climate apocalypse, wealthy refugees known as "wealthugees" are buying their way into the country, using up resources and buying stolen land with the help of a corrupt government. Alice is a genius and easily bored. She and her mother don't get along well so they communicate by Morse code. And, her one and only friend is getting ready to move to a protected compound where they'll grow their own food and hopefully stay safe as things decline. When Alice meets a wealthugee and then he offers to pay her to watch his teenager, she finds that there is more to the story of 15-year-old Erika than she could have imagined. Now, she's caught up in events that are quickly spiraling out of control, her only friend wants nothing to do with her, and she's not sure she's going to get out of this mess alive. Not that she cares; Alice is a bit of a sociopath, as well. A very dark, twisted satire that will make you think about what could happen if we don't get climate change under control. </div><div><br /></div><div>127. <b>Jane and the Final Mystery </b>by Stephanie Barron - The 15th and final mystery in the Jane Austen Mystery series takes place with Jane's health in decline. When her nephew informs her that there has been a death at Winchester College and her dear friend Elizabeth Heathcote's son is implicated, Jane summons her strength and goes to stay with her friend. After attending the inquest, where young William Heathcote is accused of murder and taken away, Jane is determined to prove his innocence. I have <i>got</i> to read this entire series. I've only read the last two and they're fabulous, both with a convincing Jane as heroine and sleuth but also a learning experience as each story is placed in the historical context in which Jane lived. In both cases, there was familiar information (I've been to some of the locations in the two books I read) and plenty of info that was new to me. I spent a lot of time looking up photos of locations and particular sites described. A great series for fans of cozy mysteries, Jane Austen, and Anglophiles in general. </div><div><br /></div><div>128. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol 5 </b>by Kousuke Oono - Tatsu is left alone with the cat when his wife goes away on business and has big plans till his young friend shows up. In another story, he has a rap battle with a butcher. And, when he and his wife visit family, they get a little too enthusiastic about cooking hot pot. I can't remember which of the stories made me laugh out loud, but if you make me laugh, you're likely to get 5 stars and this series is such fun that it's difficult not to go with 5 stars, anyway. Another great entry in this hilarious series. </div><div><br /></div><div>129. <b>McSweeney's Issue 71: The Monstrous and the Terrible,</b> ed. by<b> </b>Brian Evenson - Like it sounds, the 71st issue of <b><i>McSweeney's Quarterly Concern</i></b> is a collection of short horror stories that range from a little funny to the mildly creepy to gruesome. My favorite was "The Haunting of the Wilsons by Me and That Bitch Todd," a funny ghost story about a couple who died by murder-suicide and are stuck haunting their old house together. As always, there were a few stories that didn't work for me and I even abandoned one halfway (very unusual) but the vast majority of the stories were surprisingly entertaining to a gal who is prone to nightmares and usually avoids horror. I love <b><i>McSweeney's</i></b>. </div><div><br /></div><div>130. <b>The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today, Vol. 2 </b>by Hitsuji Yamada (ebook) - The second in this manga series was a surprise as I found the ebook on sale and had enough credit to cover it — I had not planned to read on, due to my book-buying ban. Saku's boss has a niece who adores Saku's giant cat, Yukichi, and she has invited them to her birthday party. But, very few people have seen Yukichi and there's really no way to disguise a giant cat. What will they do? Saku feels obligated to go. You'll have to read to find out their clever plan. This is the first of the stories, some of which are told as flashbacks to when Saku found Yukichi freezing in the snow and took him in. I laughed a couple of times and loved the fact that each chapter is called a "can" with a sketch of a can of cat food. </div><div><br /></div><div>131. <b>The Premonitions Bureau </b>by Sam Knight (nonfiction) - '<i><b>The world is full of people who claim to have seen something coming but they always speak out after the event,' Fairley said.</b></i> This man, quoted in <b>The Premonitions Bureau</b>, was a science and math journalist who got involved with two psychiatrists interested in premonitions and whether they could be used to prevent tragedy. The idea came about shortly after a disaster in which a coal mining tip (dump) slid down a mountain and killed over 100 children in Aberfan, Wales. Dr. John Barker worked in a mental hospital and wrote a book about the possibility of being frightened to death while his concept, The Premonitions Bureau, was collecting data. Did collecting predictions to prevent tragedy work? That would be telling. I read about this book on Instagram and bought it because I wanted to find out if other people had the same kind of premonitions I have had most of my life. The writing is jumpy and sometimes frustrating but what I wanted to hear about was other people who've had similar experiences to my own and I enjoyed it for the descriptions of some of their premonitions and the actual events that they were tied to, so I'm glad I read it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Looking at this list, it appears that the only book I was kind of disappointed with was the Claire Keegan. But, even that was a book that is worth rereading and discussing, so I'm going to declare October a very fine month. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jane and the Final Mystery</b> and <b>She's a Killer</b> were ARCs. The rest came from my personal library, although they all arrived or were purchased within the past few months. <b>We Are the Water Protectors </b>and <b>The Borrowers</b> were in the most recent Book Outlet purchase, which led to my current book-buying ban. <b>The Premonitions Bureau</b> broke the ban and so did <b>So Late in the Day</b>, but I have no regrets. My book-buying ban is causing the desired result in that I'm buying very few books and I'm choosing with greater care. </div><div><br /></div><div>In November, I'm hoping to finally get one of my 2023 goal books, <b>East of Eden</b> by John Steinbeck. We're doing a lot of packing and shifting in this house as we're repurposing a room and have emptied it almost entirely (wow, that's been a job) so I need to figure out what I've done with another of my goal books, the <b>Complete Illustrated Sherlock Holme</b>s — one of my all-time favorite library sale discoveries. I've just dipped into it and read a story on occasion, thoughout the year, so I'm only halfway into it. I'd like to finish it before the end of 2023. </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Reading to all!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDiB6GE4HjF6rktMpz4n1OS3RHEEZm9Kc0SqpbirxACtuL-_oE39SW3NBl-e7a0sU4r-WJGoXwtNfbtWLtpr3VS5Btwq2PKwJILAs82eVf03dPbr1MOU7ep_OG_QVmPTyGguTBZrTkqqqqxsOfXZ5WquDfXMC4a4Jxuztr_6rxvE6vEKzVHv9uw/s2048/November%202023%20flatlay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1679" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDiB6GE4HjF6rktMpz4n1OS3RHEEZm9Kc0SqpbirxACtuL-_oE39SW3NBl-e7a0sU4r-WJGoXwtNfbtWLtpr3VS5Btwq2PKwJILAs82eVf03dPbr1MOU7ep_OG_QVmPTyGguTBZrTkqqqqxsOfXZ5WquDfXMC4a4Jxuztr_6rxvE6vEKzVHv9uw/w525-h640/November%202023%20flatlay.jpg" width="525" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a><span>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-20536535675336318872023-10-03T13:54:00.002-05:002023-10-03T13:55:55.298-05:00Everything I Read in September, 2023 (in brief)<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oqorO_PTPJY5hzMA39Rz1CLhVoUpKkVcCeWqaarv0bf4dWhAboFUNl1U1D3kV0m5p0pWu4LgAkJfCHtMcOI-fbzlb4VmYUsas6qzEL_v1Z851eBtKhMb8-2SS2avcYyfbSzlcuklJIqBrNAxUfZjQ6kbWC2CjiPGISmxeLFr0gwhAR4A7HMasg/s2048/September%202023%20Stack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1876" data-original-width="2048" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oqorO_PTPJY5hzMA39Rz1CLhVoUpKkVcCeWqaarv0bf4dWhAboFUNl1U1D3kV0m5p0pWu4LgAkJfCHtMcOI-fbzlb4VmYUsas6qzEL_v1Z851eBtKhMb8-2SS2avcYyfbSzlcuklJIqBrNAxUfZjQ6kbWC2CjiPGISmxeLFr0gwhAR4A7HMasg/w400-h366/September%202023%20Stack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>September:</b></p><p>107. <b>If Beale Street Could Talk</b> by James Baldwin - My first fictional work by James Baldwin is a heartbreaker. Fonny and Tish have been together forever, first as friends and then gradually they fell in love. Fonny is in jail and Tish has brought him the news that they're expecting a baby, that her family is working hard to get him out of jail for a crime he didn't commit. Then, the storyline goes back to the beginning of their friendship and you get to know Fonny and Tish's characters and friendship, the unique quirks of their family members (for better or worse), how their relationship developed, and how Fonny came to be accused of a crime he didn't commit. A distressingly realistic tale of poverty and the consequences that can come of being Black, even when one has done everything right. This story will definitely stick with me for a long time. Incredible writing and character development for a book of just under 200 pages. Published in 1974.</p><p>108. <b>The House Next Door</b> by Anne Rivers Siddons - My first creepy read for<b><i> Readers Imbibing Peril</i></b>, Colquitt and Walter live in a quiet, upscale Georgia subdivision. Next door, there is a forested lot that they've been told is not suitable for building. So, they're surprised when it's sold and a modern house slowly takes shape. They become friends with the architect but weird things begin happening during the building. After a quick succession of families occupy and leave the house, all under tragic circumstances, the architect decides the house is evil. When Col and Walter decide he's right, is it too late to keep the evil from spreading? Published in 1978, I feel like I've just taken a trip from the poor side of the 70s to the upscale and wow, what a contrast. In the James Baldwin, the era inserted itself mostly through language; clothing certainly wasn't a priority. In <b>The House Next Door</b>, it was architecture and fashion that asserted themselves as icons of the time period. Humorously, as I'm writing this, I'm reading another book published in 1978. Back to the book, I thought it was a bit overlong and heavy-handed, but I enjoyed it and I'm glad I stuck it out because the ending was perfect.</p><p>109. <b>Breaking Away</b> (aka, <b>French Leave</b>) by Anna Gavalda - I was well into <b>Breaking Away</b> when I looked up a particular detail, apparently fictionalized, and found out that this book was also published under the name <b>French Leave</b>. I hadn't heard of <b>Breaking Away</b>, but I knew I'd heard of <b>French Leave</b>. 3 siblings ditch the rest of their family at a wedding so that they can go visit the brother who didn't show up. A very shallow read in which nothing much happens . . . about family, growing up, hope for the future, nostalgia for the past, and knowing a special day will never come around again. <b>Breaking Away</b> is sweet, puerile but also uppity in a very French way, as in "If you have an extra 5 pounds on you we're laughing about how fat you are and heavens, boxed wine is so lower class." It's kind of cringe-inducing. But, it was also a refreshing change of pace for me. As it turns out, I read the Europa version under the title <b>French Leave</b>, 10 years ago. I didn't remember that till I saw the cover and checked the blog to make certain I'd read it. I did not love it, the first time. I didn't love it this time, either, but I enjoyed it and related in some oblique way that I didn't before. Timing is everything.</p><p>110. <b>The Chelsea Girls </b>by Fiona Davis - A story told in three acts, like a play, <b>The Chelsea Girls</b> is about Hazel and Maxine. In the first act, they become friends and work together both in the USO and writing a radio show during the last months of WWII in Italy. They go their separate ways and the next act takes place during the Red Scare, when they're both caught up in the House Un-American Committee's hunt for Communists and one of them, we find, has a secret. The two women are then separated for a long time and the final act takes place in 1967. Throughout the second act, the Chelsea Hotel has become a bit of a character in and of itself as you get to know the history of the hotel as a haven for artists of all sorts and how they often traded their art for rent. In the third act, one of the women is still living in the hotel and the other has become famous. What will happen when they're forced to reunite? Loved this story for the history. I do find the relationships and writing a bit on the stylistically fluffy side but Davis does a deep dive into her subject matter and it shows. I loved the history lessons I got from reading <b>The Chelsea Girls</b>. </p><p>111. <b>The Mirror</b> by Marlys Millhiser - In 1978 in Boulder, Colorado, Shay is preparing to marry, while in 1900 her grandmother, Brandy, is doing the same. Both are given a family heirloom, a hideous old mirror, although neither is aware that it's cursed and has already killed many people. It doesn't kill Shay and Brandy, but it does switch them into each other's bodies. Shay is shocked to find that, as Brandy, she's being forced into marriage when in 1978 marriage is by choice. Life becomes even more unexpected when she's taken to her new husband's home in Nederland, Colorado and she finds it's no more than a shack and because she talks confidently about the future she's considered crazy. In 1978, Brandy is mortified by the way people dress and behave, as well as the missing sense of community. Everything smells like nothing and tastes bland. Like Shay, Brandy is considered crazy. Will Shay and Brandy ever be able to return to their own time periods? I guess that's a spoiler so I won't answer it but I can tell you that the mirror continues to assert itself (mostly by killing people) throughout the novel and the historical parts are utterly fascinating. I was absolutely mesmerized by <b>The Mirror. </b>This was a great choice for fall reading.</p><p>112. <b>The Bird King: An Artist's Notebook</b> by Shaun Tan - This book is a peek into Shaun Tan's process, how he gets inspiration by putting pen to paper and seeing where it takes him: "taking a line for a walk" as Paul Klee says in a quote Tan put in the book. Well worth the money to just sit and stare at his sketches, marveling at Tan's imagination but it's also a nice peek into how he got some of the ideas for books he's written (and films, he says, although I haven't seen any of those). </p><div>113. <b>The Little Island</b> by Margaret Wise Brown (writing as Golden McDonald) and Leonard Weisgard - Beginning with a description of an island, the weather and changing seasons, <b>The Little Island</b> is written in Margaret Wise Brown's typically lyrical prose. Then, it gets a little weird. A kitten sails up and disembarks. There, it makes a wisecrack about the island, the island replies, and the kitten doesn't believe the island is attached to land, as it has said. So, the kitten catches a fish and threatens to eat it if it doesn't tell her the truth. What a strange turn. The kitten is satisfied and leaves, then the story returns to things like the lovely fog and the colorful leaves turning and the waves washing ashore, etc. So, not her best but I like kittens and the illustrations are phenomenal so I loved it, anyway, although I could have done without the kitten threatening the fish. A children's picture book. </div><div><br /></div><div>114. <b>Poetry for Kids: Carl Sandburg</b> by Ed. by Kate Benzel, Illus. by Robert Crawford - The best thing about this book, like the others I've read that were published by Sterling, is that words are defined in their written context and then, at the back of the book, there is an explanation about each of the poems and what the author was thinking at the time he wrote them. I found that I misunderstood quite a few of them, so reading it is quite an education in poetry and the use of words. I had several favorites but I particularly liked the poem about laborers and how they work so hard for the fat cats who end up with buckets of money. I neglected to write the title but it feels particularly relevant during a time in which labor unions are on an upswing and people are fed up with CEOs making ridiculous salaries but not sharing the profits equitably. </div><div><br /></div><div>115. <b>Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Immigrant and Artist Tyrus Wong</b> by Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki - A perfect book for Asian America and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, <b>Paper Son</b> tells the story of artist Tyrus Wong (his Americanized name), a Chinese-American who is probably best known as the artist who came up with the concept for the background images in <b><i>Bambi</i></b>. It tells of his boat ride to the United States with his father, using forged documents, and how difficult it was to enter the U.S. at the time (especially for Chinese immigrants). The author then talks about how Wong was able to get into art school, got a job at Disney and then was not credited for his idea but only as one of the art team, and eventually was fired. He went on to paint other things like scarves and in his later years made elaborate kites. A wonderful story of immigration, determination, and skill. Another children's picture book! </div><div><br /></div><div>116. <b>Charlie Thorne and the Lost City</b> by Stuart Gibbs - The second in the <b><i>Charlie Thorne</i></b> series begins with Charlie hiding out in the Galapagos Islands and doing a little volunteer work. She is a fugitive, both from the CIA and anyone who wants the secret she carries in her mind. Then, one day people begin showing up. The CIA is looking into yet another genius's secret, this time Charles Darwin, who spent 4 years in South America during his voyage on the <i>Beagle</i>. A journey from the Galapagos to the Amazon takes Charlie on a dangerous trail of clues. But, what did Charles Darwin find and then hide from the world? It's fiction, of course, so the secret's made up, but there are plenty of interesting details that are true. I've read Darwin's <b>Voyage of the Beagle</b>, so I enjoyed the references to the book and what Darwin did on his long journey. And, you just can't beat one of Stuart Gibbs' middle grade books for adventure. I absolutely love them. </div><div><br /></div><div>117. <b>What Kind of Woman</b> by Kate Baer - Ohmygoodness, I absolutely love this book of poetry. And, in fact, even the author's note at the end is wonderful. A book of poems that are fictional except when they're not and which might be written for revenge, or something of that nature, I can't imagine a woman who doesn't see herself <i>somewhere</i> in this slim book. My favorites were all apparently the most common favorites as they're all discussed on the book's cover blurb, but if I had to choose one favorite poem it would be "Things My Girlfriends Teach Me". Read this if you're female. You deserve it. </div><div><br /></div><div>118. <b>A Man and His Cat, Vol 6 </b>by Umi Sakurai - In this 6th volume of <b>A Man and His Cat </b>(unfortunately, the last one I own and will be reading as I'm now on a book-buying ban), Mr. Kanda's friend and friendly rival goes on tour with his band and asks Mr. Kanda to cat-sit his kitty, who is Fukumaru's sibling. While the cats happily play and compete for the best spot on Mr. Kanda's lap or the bed, disaster strikes for Kanda's friend when his band doesn't show up. But, Kanda and others save the day and then everyone is back to trying to convince Mr. Kanda to return to performing on the piano and attending concerts. He's improving, slowly, but it's still difficult for Kanda, who associates piano with the memory of his wife's death. Not my favorite but I love this series and would read on if I had access to more.</div><div><br /></div><div>119. <b>In the Lives of Puppets </b>by T. J. Klune - An old man named Gio who isn't actually a human goes into the forest and finds a ruined house. He says it will do, then he rebuilds the house and up in the trees he builds a series of labs and other rooms connected by rope ladders. Then, he raises a child named Victor in the forest, teaches him how to build things, and Victor manages to eventually put together two robot friends. All is well until the day that everything changes, when Victor finds some decommissioned robots in the Scrap Yard and one of them looks like it might be repairable. Why did Gio go to the forest to live alone? Is he telling Victor the truth about where Victor came from? And, what will happen when The Authority (aka, the bad guys) finds Gio's home? I'm trying to be vague because there are some plot points best left to unveil as one is reading but this is a super weird book and I liked it but it occasionally made me squirm. It wasn't at all what I expected. I guess because of the whimsical covers, I thought Klune's books were middle grade or maybe YA. This one is actually quite adult. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>120. <b>Less</b> by Andrew Sean Greer - When author Arthur Less receives a wedding invitation from his former partner, Freddy, he decides there's no way he can bear to go the wedding. So, he accepts absolutely every writerly invitation he's received and leaves on a world tour. As he travels around the world, he finds a temporary lover and flirts with a few other men, comes close to accidentally plunging to his death when he gets locked out of his room, cringes as his birthday nears, and reevaluates how he feels about love at the age of 50. <b>Less </b>started out as one of my stationary bike reads but every time I biked, I couldn't stand it and would read at least a chapter or two. Then, I finally gave in and finished it off. One of those rare books that made me literally laugh out loud and shed tears. Occasionally, this book made me feel kind of stupid (this guy's writing is way out of my league) so I deducted a point for making me feel dim, but I really loved this story. It's sweet, funny, and touching. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzb6w4t-6NPmtCGnchMmD1nz4uVLyLzxjnqGbRY4Sf85Rkj4O1fMQjbAH_CnwZaAV-b7mlWqUuPuo3J7RL8WlGGzyLaBFdEF-PLIt7z6Q_PY1Ckhg75etnkWzZMN4O-RtCin2_Dh8uxynuZSlr48isRWtExXgh5Nwqi3-54pkXeTcpO2zsxjvWg/s2048/September%202023%20Flatlay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="2048" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzb6w4t-6NPmtCGnchMmD1nz4uVLyLzxjnqGbRY4Sf85Rkj4O1fMQjbAH_CnwZaAV-b7mlWqUuPuo3J7RL8WlGGzyLaBFdEF-PLIt7z6Q_PY1Ckhg75etnkWzZMN4O-RtCin2_Dh8uxynuZSlr48isRWtExXgh5Nwqi3-54pkXeTcpO2zsxjvWg/w400-h379/September%202023%20Flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>September was a fabulous month! I know I write this repeatedly but I seldom read any duds because I'm so quick to ditch anything that's not working for me and that means all were liked or loved, as usual. Learning to give up on a book is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. There was a single book that I started and then set aside in September, but it wasn't a DNF because I didn't get far enough to call it that. Instead, it was an "eh, I'll read this another time," when it didn't grab me on the first page. If I had to choose one favorite from this month, it would be <b>The Mirror</b>, which I found utterly engrossing and delightfully creepy. </div><div><br /></div></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-54191723637220987782023-09-03T11:21:00.000-05:002023-09-03T11:21:40.731-05:00Everything I Read in August, 2023 (in brief)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8jRUQgIlVuq6_GwRKzu6pkKoSev6rNqZ2mNpSvPKIvfPEjxSKMg1zMTtWtmL4Kzz39hXDywFjHgXOUXfuZSR0LPWISbuJcE5J4lEikvQZ9f-_BEOazgqjvHbGoZP5HYFAYBiGpEuniBJ5uaRxZEfBifhRXtHHGQz-_csR8FdzSMlqq_qIWpUyA/s2048/August%202023%20Stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1710" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8jRUQgIlVuq6_GwRKzu6pkKoSev6rNqZ2mNpSvPKIvfPEjxSKMg1zMTtWtmL4Kzz39hXDywFjHgXOUXfuZSR0LPWISbuJcE5J4lEikvQZ9f-_BEOazgqjvHbGoZP5HYFAYBiGpEuniBJ5uaRxZEfBifhRXtHHGQz-_csR8FdzSMlqq_qIWpUyA/w534-h640/August%202023%20Stack.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><p><b>August:</b></p><p>96. <b>Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation </b>by Stuart Gibbs - Quite possibly my new favorite middle grade book by Gibbs, Charlie Thorne is a 12-year-old girl who is as brilliant as Einstein. And, that will come in handy when the CIA snatches her off a ski slope to help them find a missing equation written by Einstein himself. In the right hands, it could be a miracle. But, if someone dangerous finds it first, it will mean disaster. Charlie has used her intelligence to pile up money and her high IQ has been taken advantage of by so many people that she has no interest in much of anything but fun. She's not even all that intrigued by the challenge of finding Einstein's equation. But, as the clues stack up and Charlie realizes how useful her brain can be in a positive way, she learns that working hard and learning are not just an improvement on goofing off but the only way she and her friends in the CIA can survive. A massively plot-twisty, wild ride. This is middle grade but better than most adult thrillers I've read.</p><p>97. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol 1 </b>by Kousuke Oono - Tatsu used to be known as "The Immortal Dragon," a dangerous and deadly member of the Yakuza. But, now he spends his days cooking, cleaning, taking lessons, and playing with the cat. He still frightens people, but this is where the comedy comes in. He speaks like a criminal and people will think he's about to reach for a knife and instead he'll whip out something harmless like a coupon. He meets another former Yakuza from his disbanded family and takes him to a cooking class. He wears an apron everywhere and when he runs into other Yakuza, he shocks them by doing benign things like feeding them tea and sandwiches. There are a number of individual stories but they all add up to quite a funny read about a guy who is completely dedicated to his newer, gentler life. </p><p>98. <b>A Man and His Cat, #5 </b>by Umi Sakurai - In #5, little Fukumaru looks through a glass door and sees a cat he recognizes as the cat who was in the next cage at the pet shop. But this kitty looks beat up and lost . . . and the kitty is outdoors where it doesn't belong. Worried, Fukumaru runs out the door when Mr. Kanda opens it. He wants to find his former neighbor and help. But, instead, Fukumaru becomes lost. Mr. Kanda is beside himself but spends his hours looking for Fukumaru and puts up a poster in the pet store. When the clerk who used to cuddle Fukumaru finds out he's missing, she gives him advice and joins in the search. Meanwhile, Fukumaru is getting into fights and finding that the world outside of his home is cold and cruel. But, he never stops believing that his daddy will find him. Wow, this one was a tearjerker! The author once lost his cat and there was clearly some emotion he was mining. Anyone whose beloved pet has gone missing will relate. </p><p>99. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol 2 </b>by Kousuke Oono - In this second volume, Tatsu decides that he's becoming a little soft and decides to get back into shape. He begins by using a hula hoop in his apartment but his wife puts a stop to that and he follows the neighbors to a gym. At the gym, he is hilariously scary as his words sound like the words of a killer as he follows along with his neighbors, getting into various poses to get into shape. I can't recall if it was the first or second volume in which his cat created chaos but that was another fun scene. The cat got into everything, knocked stuff over, and as the neighbors walked in, Tatsu is covered in wine. So, the cat is also a fun addition, although often it's just peeking around doors. </p><p>100. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol 3 </b>by Kousuke Oono - Among other stories in this volume, Tatsu runs into some of his former Yakuza family. In the usual, "This is about to be scary" scene, things become comical when the older man shows off his new dog and Tatsu's neighbors observe that that the dog is kind of skinny. The older Yakuza, also retired, says his dog hasn't been eating well. Tatsu to the rescue! He whips up a meal for the dog with clam broth and other healthy ingredients and the dog digs in. There's also a big fight with a nasty insect that I'm trying to forget about. So far, I am loving this series. I bought 6 or 7 of them (I know, I know) and read two on vacation, the third when I was too tired to move after arriving home. I think I'll save the rest to spread out and enjoy over the coming months. </p><p>101. <b>The Dirty Dozen </b>by E. M. Nathanson - A fictionalized account of a real-life event in which rapists, murderers, and other criminals are released from their date with the hangman and trained for what's basically a suicide mission in occupied France during WWII, just prior to D-Day, I found the creepy, misogynistic, yucky-people factor ranked way up there with <b>Lolita </b>and <b>A Simple Plan</b>. So, it took me a month to read <b>The Dirty Dozen </b>because I had to take breaks from it. But, in the end it was a really good story and I'm looking forward to viewing the movie, which I've never seen, very soon. Side note: "The Filthy Thirteen", the real-life criminals who were trained and sent on a dangerous mission, were led by a man from my hometown in Oklahoma. I'm hoping there's a book about them somewhere. </p><p>102. <b>The River of Doubt </b>by Candice Millard - The true story of Teddy Roosevelt's dangerous journey into the Amazon, <b>The River of Doubt </b>was the first selection for a new book group I was invited to join recently. I'd read about Roosevelt's trip to the Amazon in other books about the Roosevelt family, but just in passing. So, I knew about the journey but not in any detail. <b>The River of Doubt </b>is quite in-depth. It begins by describing how downcast the former president was, after losing his attempt at a third term as president. When he was invited on a speaking tour in South America, he looked at it as an opportunity to get away and forget about his loss. The Amazon trip was kind of tacked onto his agenda and then it became something entirely different, a trip to uncharted territory where the explorers encountered dangerous insects and animals, disease, natives who tend to kill visitors/enemies (and sometimes eat them), plus rapids and waterfalls that their dugout canoes couldn't handle, and eventually a lack of supplies. Utterly fascinating. I liked it more than the other group members, I think, but discussion was fun. </p><p>103. <b>Felicity </b>by Mary Oliver - While packing up the books stacked on my library floor (I was tired of looking at them and tripping over them), I came across <b>Felicity </b>and set it aside in my "Read This Right Away" pile. As the title indicates, it's a happy book and mostly about the joys of being in love. There are lots of tender love poems. I personally think Mary Oliver was at her best when describing the natural world, her love of it, its harshness, etc. So, <b>Felicity </b>wasn't a favorite. But, you honestly can't lose with Oliver. Even a book I don't describe as a favorite was a terrific read. She was a wonder, with such a unique eye for beauty and the senses. </p><p>104. <b>He Started It </b>by Samantha Downing - One of those rare books with a cover that made me think I had to read it (it looks, shall we say, explosive), I noted that the general rating was only average before I bought a copy and went for it, anyway. I have no regrets, although I am left with questions. The story is that twenty years ago, Eddie, Beth, and Portia went on a road trip with their Grandpa. One of the unanswered questions is "Why?" But, I didn't realize I never knew the why till I closed the book. Now, in the present, they're required to repeat the road trip and this time take Grandpa's ashes along. Should they fail, they won't receive their inheritance. And, it's a pretty substantial inheritance. I liked the story for the road trip/people annoying each other/weird stops/everyone's up to something aspect. To say more would give too much away but I will say I hated the ending even though I sort of predicted it (without a particular twist that did surprise me). But, I found the book compelling enough that I didn't care. I've just rewritten the ending in my head. And, I would definitely read more by Samantha Downing.</p><p>105. <b>The Duke Gets Desperate </b>by Diana Quincy - Raya Darvish has been corresponding with her cousin, who married a duke and was then widowed. Unfortunately, her cousin has died by the time she arrives in England for a visit. There, Raya finds that she has inherited her widowed cousin's castle. Anthony Carey, the Duke of Strickland should have inherited but his father let the entail lapse. In a classic hate-to-love trope, "Strick" falls for the beautiful Arab-American and tries to find a way to buy back his castle while Raya, who has an uncommonly sharp business acumen, is finding ways to keep the estate viable. I accepted this ARC (thanks, Avon!) because I've missed reading the occasional romance, and I really enjoyed the storyline. It's a bit spicy and I prefer clean romance that tiptoes around the bedroom but I have no problem just skimming or skipping the scenes I dislike. Fair warning: the duke likes to talk dirty so it can be a bit vulgar. I didn't care. I love stories with strong, smart women and the setting is the Gilded Age, when the nobility was struggling with the upkeep on their castles so Raya's ability to come up with money-making ideas worked well in this setting. </p><p>106. <b>The Way of the Househusband, Vol 4</b> by Kousuke Oono - The 4th volume of this hilarious manga series begins with Tatsu trying to buy a fish then chasing the cat who steals his fish until . . . well, you'll have to see what happens. As with all of these books, there are a number of stories and Tatsu is almost always wearing his apron (there's one time he actually just wears regular clothing), which hasn't yet ceased to make me smile. He shows a visitor how to cook steak like the Japanese, goes to an amusement park with his wife, and freaks people out when he speaks, including small children. I didn't think I could love any manga as much as I love the <b>Spy X Family</b> books but <b>The Way of the Househusband</b> series is every bit as fun. </p><p>I didn't read all that much, this month (ugh, this whole year I've been reading painfully slowly, although vacation contributed, this month) but wow, did I have fun. I was trying to hold off on reading more of the <b>Househusband</b> books till next month but when I realized I wasn't going to finish the only book with a bookmark in it and that I kind of needed a breather from it anyway, I grabbed Vol 4 and I have no regrets. As to the rest . . . yep, I liked or loved everything. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be <b>Charlie Thorne</b> as I like an action-packed book and Stuart Gibbs never lets you down. But, there were no duds or DNFs, this month. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7NvWT4G8yKxyiPZsgXA05Kwk0Juaw2dpsviDf2NAAyB3ob8fiU_XHg5aVwE32q0wGryrrs5KSYPyUXj4gagYfokX5ol5jqUDF8bnN1tCjsqgdENHagTDulOejz2erSBpxFOQGW1kiu2qT3vXFT3czrFxurYDwXMC0UwpZToUXgOVcPotmwu4zg/s960/August%202023%20Flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="960" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7NvWT4G8yKxyiPZsgXA05Kwk0Juaw2dpsviDf2NAAyB3ob8fiU_XHg5aVwE32q0wGryrrs5KSYPyUXj4gagYfokX5ol5jqUDF8bnN1tCjsqgdENHagTDulOejz2erSBpxFOQGW1kiu2qT3vXFT3czrFxurYDwXMC0UwpZToUXgOVcPotmwu4zg/w400-h383/August%202023%20Flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a><span>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-26287586818726046802023-08-01T12:01:00.008-05:002023-08-01T12:01:00.141-05:00Everything I Read in July, 2023 (in brief)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_jCWnLt1mQvXGwq-aqheY1pdUFoQHNaAhsiWfFa_FrkN-Wo0Ny3LgcrLga8m0YzQQp7GimWIU5RU2TtfEvLNkJesNlrAmfRwzegCH77EDThVwN0V7y2A_UujJj5-qZYvE_fK1GK5q57zljhXYtgyjaZ5xmA39il2J0YTHxXYotnOXCcjBrhLtw/s2048/July%20Reads%202023%20stack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1881" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_jCWnLt1mQvXGwq-aqheY1pdUFoQHNaAhsiWfFa_FrkN-Wo0Ny3LgcrLga8m0YzQQp7GimWIU5RU2TtfEvLNkJesNlrAmfRwzegCH77EDThVwN0V7y2A_UujJj5-qZYvE_fK1GK5q57zljhXYtgyjaZ5xmA39il2J0YTHxXYotnOXCcjBrhLtw/w368-h400/July%20Reads%202023%20stack.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>July:</b></p><p>85. <b>Harry and Sue</b> by Larry Baker - Harry and Sue were in love but a single, fateful decision ended their romance. 40 years later, Harry is a taxi driver living in a boarding house. He still isn't over Sue. On a rainy night, someone waves him over and invites him into the closed Centre Theater and gives him a tour. Inside the theater there are many ghosts and the manager wants Harry to move in. But, one of the ghosts (Houdini) warns Harry that it's a trap. Why does the theater manager want Harry to move in? Will Harry ever see Sue, again? And, what's up with all the cats? Suspension of disbelief is required and the middle is a little big saggy but ultimately, I found the ending of this story so satisfying that I was very glad I read it. </p><p>86. <b>The Railway Children </b>by E. Nesbit - How have I missed out on this incredibly warm, sweet, funny, sometimes frightening classic? I have no idea, but now that I've read it I'm certain it will stay in my heart forever. Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter are surprised when strangers arrive at their door, their father hastily leaves, and their mother goes pale. What has happened? They're accustomed to a life with servants in a large house but shortly after bad news on the doorstep, they pack up their things and move to a house in the countryside, where they must do with a single woman coming to help and Mother is now feverishly writing stories. Left mostly to themselves, the children become captivated by the nearby railway. They make friends, have adventures, and are courageous when necessary. The ending had me in tears. I would have eaten this up as a child and read it over and over again. </p><p>87. <b>Heartstopper, Vol 2 </b>by Alice Oseman - The continuation of Nick and Charlie's story. Reminder: Nick has dated a girl in the past, while Charlie was outed as gay before he was ready. Nick was surprised to find himself attracted to Charlie in the first book. In the second volume of <b>Heartstopper</b>, Nick is trying to figure out what's going on. What does his attraction to both males and females mean? He reads up on bisexuality and then slowly comes to terms with who he is with the help of his ex-girlfriend and Charlie. This book is mostly about how individuals often have to go through the process of accepting their sexuality if it's confusing to them, but also then must figure out when and how to come out as gay, bisexual, etc. Charlie and Nick's ex, who also happens to be gay, are very helpful and encourage Nick to take his time and only let people know when it feels right. Another sweet entry in this series. </p><p>88. <b>Eloise and the Big Parade </b>by Lisa McClatchy - Eloise and Nanny go to their 4th of July parade, where Eloise is so excited that she is a bit of a troublemaker, climbing where she shouldn't, stepping out into the street, catching as much candy as she can. An easy reader that was sent to me by mistake and which I will find a new home for but definitely a cute book for a new reader if you're looking for something specifically related to Independence Day celebrations in the US. </p><p>89. <b>Firefly: The Unification War, Vol 2 </b>by Greg Pak, et al - The second in the series has Mal captured by Boss Moon (the Unificator who was trying to kill Zoë and Mal in Vol 1) and then crash-landing on a planet with some pretty creepy giant bug-looking critters, Zoë running a rescue mission, and the rest of the crew trying to help in different ways. There was a lot going on in this particular storyline but it was fun. The author, Greg Pak, does a great job of sneaking in some of Mal's typical wit and when Jayne is captured, the Tams do a great job of briefly convincing his captors that Jayne is Wash, which is also quite funny. Very entertaining. </p><p>90. <b>Heartstopper, Vol 3 </b>by Alice Oseman - In Volume 3 of the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Heartstopper </i>graphic novel series, Charlie and Nick go on a school trip to Paris. While there, they discuss whether or not they should tell their friends they're dating. Meanwhile, other relationships are brewing. One of Charlie's friends is falling for a trans girl and the two adult male chaperones are eyeing each other. In a new development, Nick is worried when he realizes Charlie hardly eats at all. The thing I particularly love about this series is that it's about the emotional impact of being LGBTQ and it also focuses on LGBTQ relationships so there's a lot of unique representation. And, in spite of the fact that Nick and Charlie's relationship is progressing, this volume still doesn't go beyond a little kissing, hand-holding, and fully-clothed playful wrestling. </p><p>91. <b>The Castle of Adventure</b> by Enid Blyton - The 2nd in the <b><i>Adventure </i></b>series stars the children from the first book (Phillip, Dinah, Jack, and Lucy-Ann) along with a new girl, Tassie. During summer break, Phillip and Dinah's mother rents a cottage with a castle on the hill above. When Jack spots a pair of golden eagles, he's convinced that they must be nesting in the castle and the children go to investigate. Their new friend Tassie helps them find their way into the castle. But, when Jack spends the night at the castle so that he can photograph the eagles in their nest, he discovers that he's not alone. And, when the children arrive and discover something strange is going on, they are all in peril. This is such a fun series. Childhood me is sad that Enid Blyton's books were not available to read at the time. Adult me is happy to catch up. </p><p>92. <b>Whistling in the Dark </b>by Lesley Kagen - During the summer of 1959 in Wisconsin, someone is molesting and murdering young girls. Sally O'Malley thinks she knows who the killer is. But, during a summer in which she and her sister Troo are mostly left on their own after their mother becomes dangerously ill, their stepfather stops coming home, and their older sister is too busy with beauty school and her boyfriend to look after them, Sally will uncover a lot of surprising secrets. Really enjoyed this book and hope to read more by Kagen. It was my stationary biking book and it's worth mentioning that the characters and scenes were so vividly drawn that I never had any trouble remembering where I was in the story, in spite of reading it in small chunks over several weeks.</p><p>93. <b>The One </b>by John Marrs - The world has been revolutionized by the discovery of DNA-matched romance. But all is not as perfect as it seems in the world of matched souls. What will happen to each of the individuals matched in <b>The</b> <b>One</b>, including a woman who is matched to a serial killer? I'm not a big fan of thrillers and don't particularly find murder entertaining (although the unraveling of clues can be fun) but I reviewed a John Marrs book, a few years ago, and enjoyed it enough that I wanted to read more. There are a lot of characters to follow in <b>The One</b> and a good half to two-thirds of this book I kept wondering where the author was taking me, although I was thoroughly engaged in the various couple stories. The last third pulled everything together in a satisfying way. </p><p>94. <b>Heartstopper, Vol 4 </b>by Alice Oseman - In this 4th volume of the <b><i>Heartstopper</i></b> graphic novel series, Charlie and Nick are separated during the holidays. Meanwhile, Nick is becoming more concerned that Charlie has an eating disorder and he researches what to do about it, what to say, and how to help Charlie get treatment. I was planning to stop at #4, figuring this series would continue on for a long time, but then I read the author's note saying that #5 would be the last in the series. So, I've pre-ordered it and am very much looking forward to the last entry in the story of Charlie and Nick. As always, the book remained clean and was more about emotion than physicality. Any tussling is done fully clothed but there's mostly just kissing and hand-holding. It's a nice, clean series that I'd recommend to anyone. </p><p>95. <b>Firefly: The Unification War, Vol 3 </b>by Greg Pak - The final entry in the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Unification War </i>series is again chaotic and, admittedly, my least favorite. The former Browncoats are worried about an upcoming land war and their enemy has landburners, a device that was outlawed after they were used to destroy entire planets. To save their own hides, they'll have to try to capture the landburners. Also, Mal's mother shows up and she's one tough cookie. To be honest, I absolutely hated Mal's mother being brought into the story. Plus, I found this entry a bit harder to follow, although the art in this series is wobbly and it's often hard to tell the characters apart. I'm still glad I read them. It was nice to revisit <i style="font-weight: bold;">Firefly. </i></p><p><span>This month was not my best because I was, and am, immersed in a 500-page book that's a bit dense and also has such appalling characters that I've had to routinely take breaks from it. I'm a little over 2/3 of the way into that, so it will show up in my August post. Meanwhile, most of the rest of my reads were books that were read on the side (as breaks from the dense book), with the exceptions of <b>Harry and Sue</b>, which I read at the beginning of the month, and<b> Whistling in the Dark</b>, my stationary biking book. Having said that, as usual I liked or loved everything I read. I have gotten very good at abandoning books that I'm not enjoying. The only one that was iffy was <b>The One</b>. The first 2/3 of it were just baffling. I thought it was a serial killer book . . . and there <i style="font-weight: bold;">is </i>a serial killer. But, it was about the couples who are matched and the serial killer just happens to be among those who are coupled. Once the author began to show the consequences and it began to make more sense what the book was about, I really enjoyed it. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3t4e6LZ79aQlP2PESW6IYDeT9nxhE6lg1MDtixtQZYFtSp1GBHZw64gW_GcdNuNJzk8hI3W5EVloKWzv2TdVsDqLmQiFzo_3Oc-2ffLJTjfcG1xCoVRBQbbpjLMbQfTuqWeyPGqSkrwsn8F5Yr88uwa2W57Ods-tTzSl2hvlyuLW9ImmOmLMNTQ/s2048/July%20Reads%202023%20flatlay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1912" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3t4e6LZ79aQlP2PESW6IYDeT9nxhE6lg1MDtixtQZYFtSp1GBHZw64gW_GcdNuNJzk8hI3W5EVloKWzv2TdVsDqLmQiFzo_3Oc-2ffLJTjfcG1xCoVRBQbbpjLMbQfTuqWeyPGqSkrwsn8F5Yr88uwa2W57Ods-tTzSl2hvlyuLW9ImmOmLMNTQ/w598-h640/July%20Reads%202023%20flatlay.jpg" width="598" /></a></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a><span>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-43117877168271050102023-07-02T18:56:00.000-05:002023-07-02T18:56:30.843-05:00Everything I Read in June, 2023 (in brief)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwpVWapl7r3-q25esyiEA5gan7Tqnku5zl-03dcafNcPOWPXy55Bl_SFeT4nNWhWyGk37qO2o1EUNmq_lTjQhWMJeeSp2ubs87NiGGlcnNjocbI63EKeg5reAUwvbv3JNoORmVjINDai2s9S3cxi44pjt-4vTepdy7RtF_8yTJfjlAJuVtpDsPg/s2048/June%202023%20stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1852" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwpVWapl7r3-q25esyiEA5gan7Tqnku5zl-03dcafNcPOWPXy55Bl_SFeT4nNWhWyGk37qO2o1EUNmq_lTjQhWMJeeSp2ubs87NiGGlcnNjocbI63EKeg5reAUwvbv3JNoORmVjINDai2s9S3cxi44pjt-4vTepdy7RtF_8yTJfjlAJuVtpDsPg/w578-h640/June%202023%20stack.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>June:</b><br /><p>74. <b>The Bright Side of Disaster </b>by Katherine Center - Katherine Center's debut is about a pregnant woman who is engaged to her unborn child's father. When he abandons her and a good-looking neighbor steps in to help, Jenny realizes what she was missing in a relationship. But, is she too stung to move on to a new romance? Sweet, predictable romance feels secondary to the story of pregnancy and single motherhood but I loved the romance so much that I plucked the book off my stationary bike to rush through it. Apart from the focus on being a new mother (which I confess bored me a bit), my only complaint is that Jenny got a lot of help financially and was able to stay home on her own with no job. Maybe the author thought adding a financial struggle would be too much but that aspect felt unrealistic to me. Most single mothers have finances to deal with as well as the ordinary stresses of new parenthood. </p><p>75. <b>Did I Ever Tell You This? </b>by Sam Neill - I ordered Sam Neill's new memoir before Book Depository was shut down because I've been following him on Instagram for some time @samneilltheprop and find him charming and full of joy. <b>Did I Ever Tell You This?</b> was written during the pandemic, as Neill was going through chemotherapy, and while he occasionally mentions realizing that he might not survive his illness, the book is generally an upbeat, chatty, and warm book of anecdotes, mostly about growing up, the joys of work, farming, and making his own wine, and his love of people and animals. He's a good storyteller and I kept turning to tell my husband anecdotes from the book, so he finally went off to fetch <b><i>The Dish</i></b>, my all-time favorite movie, which just happens to star Sam Neill. It worked if he was trying to shut me up. I highly recommend both the book and the movie. </p><p>76. <b>The</b> <b>Dead</b> <b>of the Night</b> (Tomorrow series #2) by John Marsden - The second in the Tomorrow series, which begins with <b>Tomorrow, When the War Began,</b> has the remaining teenagers angry and hurting after their friend Corrie was injured and Kevin never returned from taking her to town for help. After a month recovering, Ellie suggests that they go in the other direction from their camping spot in a place known as Hell. They leave one of their band behind to feed the animals and find a large group of people who call themselves Harvey's Heroes. While they begin to settle in, they want to go back to bring their friend Chris, in spite of the fact that the males are separated from the females and the chores are also divided in a sexist way. But, when the "heroes" go on a mission and it ends in tragedy, they're forced to run for their lives. Back in Hell, they find that Chris is missing. And, then they get tired of recovering, again, and go on a mission in the dead of the night. So good. I love this series and I'm glad I bought the boxed set for rereading.</p><div>77. <b>The Shadow Hero (</b>The Green Turtle Chronicles #1) by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Lieu - A remake by graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang of a story first told in a set of 5 comic books at the dawn of their popularity, <b>The</b> <b>Shadow Hero</b> tells the story of the Green Turtle, a teenager whose father runs a grocery store in their city's Chinatown district. When Hank's mother is saved by a superhero, she decides her son must become a superhero, as well. But, there's more to being a superhero than a fancy costume. After his first attempt at saving the day ends in disaster, Hank is trained to fight by his uncle and sets out to end the corruption that has his family paying a crime family to stay in business. I think this is my 5th graphic novel by Yang and I love his sense of humor. Also, very cool that he found the first Asian superhero and updated the story. </div><div><br /></div><div>78. <b>The Expanse: Origins</b> by James S. A. Corey et al. - A graphic novel tie-in to the television series, <b>The Expanse: Origins</b> tells the backstories of the main cast of characters. Each had some sort of traumatic experience that led them all to end up together on the <b><i>Rocinante</i></b>. While not the greatest graphic novel, I'd like to read the second in the Expanse series, soon, and it was a good refresher course on the characters as they've faded a bit from my memory since I read the first in the series. </div><div><br /></div><div>79. <b>The</b> <b>Masterful Cat is Depressed Again, Today (#1) </b>by Hitsuji Yamada - A manga that's not at all what it sounds like! The so-called "Masterful Cat", Yukichi, is an oversized cat who walks on two legs, cooks, cleans, and goes grocery shopping. Saku took him in as a kitten and the kitten was horrified by her sloppy apartment and tendency to over drink. So as he grew larger, Yukichi set about putting Saku's life in order. Now, the cat does most of the cooking, including preparing delicious lunches for Saku. When Saku finds out her boss has seen her messy apartment in the past, she is utterly horrified. He knows she has a cat. Has he seen the size of Yukichi? How will she keep people from finding out her cat is so unusual and that her life isn't at all what they believe? Very entertaining! I may continue with this series. It's ridiculous and delightful. </div><div><br /></div><div>80. <b>The Arrival </b>by Shaun Tan - Shaun Tan blows my mind every time. A beautiful, wordless story about a man who escapes his home during a dark time but must leave his family behind. In his new country, he seeks a place to stay and a job and is aided by the kindness of strangers. Heartwarming and gorgeous.</div><div><br /></div><div>81. <b>The Adventures of Little Tiger </b>by Marielle Sohier - A throwback read . . . way back. This is probably one of the first chapter books I owned, a small book that's 249 pages and heavily illustrated. Little Tiger is a cheerful little guy who loves color. He sets out to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside by painting his walls a cheery sunflower yellow. From there, the story follows Little Tiger visiting with friends, taking a ride on the back of an alligator, going on a submarine ride, flying a helicopter, vacationing in Venice, visiting the mountains and the North Pole, and returning home (among other adventures). It's a crazy "one thing leads to another" type of story in which you never know where the main character is going to end up next. But, it's the illustrations that really take me back. I still love it. <b>The Adventures of Little Tiger </b>is a wild ride and extremely colorful. </div><div><br /></div><div>82. <b>The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle </b>by Matt Cain - Albert is about to turn 65. For 50 years, he's been a postal worker and lived in his family home after the love of his life said he never wanted to see Albert again. At the time, being gay was illegal in Britain. But, now, as he's on the verge of retirement, Albert's decided it's time for a change. To begin with, he reaches out and becomes fast friends with a single mother, Nicole, and her daughter. Nicole is also an outcast as a black single mum in a new town, but she's working hard to become self-supporting. She has been abandoned by the father of her child and recently fallen for a man whose parents think he could do better. As Nicole encourages Albert to come out of the closet and chase his dreams, Albert encourages Nicole to be forthright in her own relationship. There were some scenes I found uncomfortable but this is the sweetest book. I lost track of how many times it brought me to tears. And, I think the author did a fantastic job of showing that we're all humans and in this together. I would love to read more by Matt Cain. </div><div><br /></div><div>83. <b>Firefly: The Unification War, Part</b> <b>One</b> by Greg Oak, Dan McDaid, and Marcelo Costa - The first in a series based on the <b><i>Firefly</i></b> television show. When <i style="font-weight: bold;">Serenity </i>is attacked, the crew has no choice but to land on the closest planet. They need money to replace their engine, so they go in search of jobs. There, they find a religious faction that needs protection from bandits. Meanwhile, the Unificators, the people who shot <i style="font-weight: bold;">Serenity's </i>engine, are hunting Mal and Zoë, whom they consider war criminals. From the cover: "War can make villains of even the best men, and Mal's quest for redemption will put him at odds with his own crew, forcing him to make a choice: fix the past or fight for the future." Nicely stated. I thought it was a fun graphic novel and I'm glad I have two more of them, although I think there are quite a few more in the series (10 or 12). </div><div><br /></div><div>84. <b>Heartstopper, Vol. 1 </b>by Alice Oseman - Another first in a series! I started a lot of new graphic novels, this month. <b>Heartstopper </b>is a perfect example of why LGBTQ books need to stay on school shelves, especially if they're as sweet and thoughtful as this graphic novel. Charlie is openly gay after being outed a couple years prior to the beginning of the story (not by choice). He's very smart and a quick runner so when Nick sees him running, he tells Charlie there are some openings on the rugby team and invites him to come to practice. Nick is a big, athletic guy with a lot more confidence than Charlie but as their friendship develops, Nick begins to realize that he likes Charlie a bit more than he thought possible. A seriously sweet romance that does not go beyond kissing and does a great job of showing how people come to the realization of their sexuality at different ages and stages. Charlie knows he's gay; Nick is figuring himself out. I think any teenager can relate to the emotions, confusion, and general angst of this story, regardless of their orientation. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>What a month. I began in such a terrible reading slump that I had only read three books by the three-week mark. To try to shake myself out of it, I started reading a bunch of graphic novels, a manga, a children's book from my childhood, a wordless book. The easy reading finally did the trick and I ended the month content with what I'd read, although most of my books read didn't involve a whole lot of words. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The rams are a reference to Sam Neill, by the way, as he was in a movie entitled </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Rams</b><i>. We had a brief journey into the world of Sam Neill films, including </i><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Rams</span><i>, after I finished </i><b>Did I Ever Tell You This? </b><i>but, unfortunately, it didn't last long because the spouse was disinterested and I usually watch TV only in the evenings, so compromise is necessary. At any rate, this was the typical month of "liked or loved everything" and while I did abandon one book at the first of the month, when I could barely stay awake to read and couldn't concentrate when I did, that book was just fine after I emerged from my reading slump and is my first finished book for July. Come back at the end of the month and I'll tell you all about it. </i></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOegSp9TWe_E2U_VF38fzs1eiVHRBCVfC4PpI54LFMS3O8cFvrbVdJUbgcVQ311H-dOANZ4wLWf7Htw0mrSxTxfToWMpApCF6DaA0AENr10Fdi9YCyCzSB-l5Ypt6vc6NDBtDmG543crB03LeAo09cGw2Hik3_J5xaQb6koiZGWDFSX-P1lLs18w/s2048/June%202023%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1996" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOegSp9TWe_E2U_VF38fzs1eiVHRBCVfC4PpI54LFMS3O8cFvrbVdJUbgcVQ311H-dOANZ4wLWf7Htw0mrSxTxfToWMpApCF6DaA0AENr10Fdi9YCyCzSB-l5Ypt6vc6NDBtDmG543crB03LeAo09cGw2Hik3_J5xaQb6koiZGWDFSX-P1lLs18w/s320/June%202023%20flatlay.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5655040986878530687" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 15.399999618530273px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; text-align: start; width: 570px;"><p><span style="font-size: small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Bookfoolery </a><span style="font-size: small;">or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span style="font-size: small;"> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="post-footer" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #666666; font-size: 12.600000381469727px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 20px -2px 0px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: start;"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="text-align: start;" /></div></div><br />Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-56550409868785306872023-06-01T15:09:00.000-05:002023-06-01T15:09:33.249-05:00Everything I read in May, 2023 (in Brief)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa3WpSvGNmQz3E7FJWaT38RWHyg87mu8E-akp-JagIYuhvBOOSUf_txCQ_MVUd9rFj3OhU9T-JphzHcWL4o6wcJaBVCcq2Paelbeb71KvGKngInEZzkTWnlHzGPWWL4kXMXIoalJTLocMJtRPWvhFAZfHty4OQ7CzT_ke6LlHSdx9YKPopEI/s2048/May%202023%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2047" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa3WpSvGNmQz3E7FJWaT38RWHyg87mu8E-akp-JagIYuhvBOOSUf_txCQ_MVUd9rFj3OhU9T-JphzHcWL4o6wcJaBVCcq2Paelbeb71KvGKngInEZzkTWnlHzGPWWL4kXMXIoalJTLocMJtRPWvhFAZfHty4OQ7CzT_ke6LlHSdx9YKPopEI/w400-h400/May%202023%20flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzrpFR4ZkgMC2sbcyU0M8KJeJZq6Y5ZYPOl37p-_PawTq3ceTDeN7I15pSbR53kTzN_vX1Pct2wjqeUNnR_k9_tK66QCnJp5ya2ISP1YO0t5KPj8Nxhq00oJc29YTjrgn-gbJVnYAPAEGi1NOqG4I3GYTEk-rRbUg-gRKhK-lqnOt-Go-E6o/s960/The%20Lost%20Apothecary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="871" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzrpFR4ZkgMC2sbcyU0M8KJeJZq6Y5ZYPOl37p-_PawTq3ceTDeN7I15pSbR53kTzN_vX1Pct2wjqeUNnR_k9_tK66QCnJp5ya2ISP1YO0t5KPj8Nxhq00oJc29YTjrgn-gbJVnYAPAEGi1NOqG4I3GYTEk-rRbUg-gRKhK-lqnOt-Go-E6o/s320/The%20Lost%20Apothecary.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxI1vYsdlI3-oA8rfCZ1x951pha8ssZ6tanRaEF2FZdXaHVi2mXm2LHy6F82hSQ2ESoTChMUPfrL-97k9fK-hQP_e3RqzjDYJkjtf33JYJ-2PCz_gHyXy1JzXCHOHWWTnbJNkQH6vi9WOS-a5ZLcxkJ7kMSsSrtMnLaWax1X4C6PH-vjmLCA/s318/And%20Tango%20Makes%20Three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="318" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxI1vYsdlI3-oA8rfCZ1x951pha8ssZ6tanRaEF2FZdXaHVi2mXm2LHy6F82hSQ2ESoTChMUPfrL-97k9fK-hQP_e3RqzjDYJkjtf33JYJ-2PCz_gHyXy1JzXCHOHWWTnbJNkQH6vi9WOS-a5ZLcxkJ7kMSsSrtMnLaWax1X4C6PH-vjmLCA/s1600/And%20Tango%20Makes%20Three.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>May</b>:</p><p>59. <b>Wished</b> by Lissa Evans - A middle grade story about 3 children who discover magic candles in the home of an older woman who is watching them temporarily. Each candle will allow someone a wish but only so long as the candle is burning. When the older woman (can't remember her name but she's a fun character) finds out about the candles, she sets out to fulfill a list of adventurous wishes written in her childhood and the children are swept along. Loads of fun. Lissa Evans can't write a bad book, in my humble opinion.</p><p>60. <b>The Lost Apothecary</b> by Sarah Penner - (e-book/Hoopla) <b>The Lost Apothecary</b> was recommended to me by the librarian who runs my Zoom book group, but when I say "recommended," I mean that I was intrigued in spite of what she had to say about it. What was most interesting to me was that there was a storyline that included mudlarking, something I've been interested in for years. However, she did say it was badly written and I agree. It was flawed in many ways and there were historical anachronisms. But, I still managed to enjoy it enough to finish and that same librarian said Penner's next book is better so I'm probably going to give her another shot. </p><p>61.<b> On the Horizon</b> by Lois Lowry - A short book in verse that tells of the author's childhood in Hawaii and then Tokyo. It's about WWII, the USS Arizona, and Hiroshima, the horrible loss of life, and a surprising friendship made many years after the war. It's a tearjerker. I loved it. </p><p>62. <b>The Island of Adventure</b> by Enid Blyton - The first in a series of 8, I bought this boxed set after years of hearing British friends gush about how much Enid Blyton's books meant to them as children.<b>The Island of Adventure</b> is about 4 children who meet during the school holidays at the house of a master (teacher) who is helping them work on their weaknesses. After cramming, Phillip invites Jack, his parrot Kiki, and his sister Lucy-Ann to Craggy Tops, the half-ruined home on a cliff where he lives with his aunt, uncle, and sister Dinah. The children have fun playing on the shore and in caves but they want to visit the Isle of Gloom, an island that's only sometimes visible off shore. After learning how to sail, they sneak off to the island using the handyman's sailboat and there they make a surprising discovery that will put them in terrible danger. Another great middle grade adventure . . . and now I get the appeal of Enid Blyton. </p><p>63. <b>The United States of McSweeney's: Ten Years of Lucky Mistakes and Accidental Classics</b>, ed. by Nick Hornby and Eli Horowitz - A 10-year "best hits" type of book, and one that is heavily panned by those who are regular <b><i>McSweeney's</i></b> readers for repeated best-of stories rather than the use of newer ones. They were all new to me so no biggie. As usual with <i><b>McSweeney's,</b></i> there were stories I loved and some I didn't care for. One just lost me completely. My absolute favorite story was "The Ceiling" by Kevin Brockmeier, a story about a strange darkening in the sky that slowly lowers itself to earth. The ending made me wish I had a friend who'd read it with me so I could discuss. Coming in a close second was a story called "I Understand" by Roddy Doyle. No surprise. I love everything Doyle writes. </p><p>64. <b>An Astronomer in Love</b> by Antoine Laurain - In the 18th century, Guillaume Le Gentil has embarked on a journey from his home in France to Pondicherry in India to view and make calculations based upon the Transit of Venus, an event that will occur twice in his lifetime and then not for over 100 years. In modern-day Paris, a real estate agent named Xavier has been asked to remove a chest from an apartment he sold when the previous owners ignore the new owner's request. In it, he finds a copper telescope, which he sets up on his balcony. Le Gentil is met with all sorts of disaster while Xavier is just trying to find happiness and keep his young son Olivier occupied on the weekends when he has custody. But, are both Guillaume and Xavier destined to find love? The title kind of gives you a hint. Once again, Laurain has knocked it out of the park. I loved both the historical storyline (based on the life of Le Gentil, who was real and equally unlucky) and the modern one. This is quite unusual. I tend to like either one or the other in novels with two storylines that are interconnected. (ARC - My thanks to Meryl Zegarek for the review copy)</p><p>65. <b>A</b> <b>Man and His Cat #4 </b>by Umi Sakurai - The 4th in the manga series has Mr. Kanda run into an old rival who has inherited a cat from his flighty mother. Mr. Kanda offers to help him learn how to care for a cat as the man has never owned a cat, before. When Mr. Kanda sees the cat, an exotic like Fukumaru, he suspects it is one of Fukumaru's siblings and asks if the cats can get together to see if they recognize one another. This is a manga series with surprising depth as it isn't just all goofy cat antics and a gushy cat owner (although there's plenty of that). Each entry delves deeper into both Mr. Kanda's story and Fukumaru's kittenhood.</p><p>66. <b>Exquisite </b>by Suzanne Slade and Cozbi A. Cabrera - A children's picture book about the life and poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks that focuses on her passion and determination, which led to a Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry book. Wonderful story about hard work and focus leading to a wonderful outcome with gorgeous illustrations. My only complaint is that there's a single poem by Brooks and I would have preferred it if the book had 3 or 4 more.</p><p>67. <b>The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox </b>by Maggie O'Farrell - Iris owns a small vintage clothing store in Edinburgh and is seeing a married man. Her life is tolerable if unexciting until the day she gets an unexpected phone call. Esme Lennox is being released from Cauldstone Hospital, a mental facility in which she's been locked up for 61 years. Iris has never heard of her, the sister to her grandmother Kitty, who said she was an only child. Esme has nowhere to go because the hospital is closing for good, so Iris ends up taking her on till she can find a home for her. But, in the short time she's with Esme, she can sense no mental illness and she does notice a resemblance to her own father. I won't share any spoilers but the ending is both vague and explosive. I had to look up other opinions of what had happened. Not my favorite by O'Farrell but it's excellent. It does require a bit of concentration to figure out what's going on, at times. </p><p>68. <b>Maizy Chen's Last Chance </b>by Lisa Yee - I read a positive review of Maizy Chen when I was thinking about Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander month and wondering what I should read that fit the bill. It's middle grade (which I love) so I bought it on impulse. Good decision. Maizy and her mother have traveled from Los Angeles to Last Chance, Minnesota due to her grandfather's declining health. There, she makes new friends, learns about her family's restaurant and history, and experiences racism. The story of how an ancestor named Lucky came to the US from China and eventually opened the family's restaurant is a story within the story told by Maizy's grandfather and it's handled so beautifully that I can see why the book has won so many awards. It did take me a good 25 pages to get into the story, but then it just kept getting better. I laughed, I cried. I loved this book. </p><p>69. <b>Aliens in Underpants Save the World</b> by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort - This children's picture book was an impulse purchase from Book Outlet when I went looking for a specific book. I have a thing for aliens in children's books because they're just so dang cute. In this rhyming tale, aliens wearing underpants discover that a dangerous meteor is headed toward Earth. What can they do to save the day? Spoiler: they stitch a bunch of underpants together and use them to alter the meteor's path. Super cute illustrations are marred a bit by awkward rhyming and I got the impression that there's a previous alien book that describes how they got their underpants in the first place so it felt like something was missing but I still really enjoyed the book. I like silliness and would have loved to read this to my kids if it had been around when they were little. </p><p>70.<b> And Tango Makes Three</b> by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, and Henry Cole - (Audio) I've wanted to read this book for years, mostly out of curiosity. I knew it was a true story so it always baffled me that it was so frequently banned. What motivated me was reading banned book lists from Florida counties in which Tango came up several times. I was hoping my library would have the ebook but all they had was the audio. So, a controversial kids' book has just become my first Hoopla audio borrow (it's a whopping 8 minutes long). It's so sweet! There is nothing sexual whatsoever in this story. Two male penguins are affectionate (nothing beyond that) and they desire to hatch an egg like the other couples. It's a penguin couple who can't seem to deal with more than one chick that ends up having an extra egg taken from them for the male couple to hatch. So, it could be argued that Tango wouldn't have survived without their care. What a lovely story. </p><p>71. <b>What About Will </b>by Ellen Hopkins - A middle grade novel written in verse about two brothers. 17-year-old Will has had a Traumatic Brain Injury that damaged his facial nerves and has changed his personality. Now, he's angry and sullen. To complicate matters, Will and his 12-year-old brother Trace are both frustrated that their mother has left the family to go on the road with her rock band and their father works long hours. Will is supposed to drive Trace to school (they attend the same school, in spite of their age difference) and ball practice. But, Will is unreliable and sometimes out of it, even when he does show up. Trace suspects his brother is buying drugs but neither of his parents are listening and Trace is careful about what he says because he wants to protect Will. But, then things spiral out of control. I liked this book but I kept aging Trace up mentally, in spite of the fact that he's in Little League. I don't know why I did that but it just felt more like YA to me. My first by Hopkins and I want to read more. I don't think this title has been banned but at least one county in Florida has banned nothing <i>but</i> books by Hopkins. So, now I want to read them out of curiosity. </p><p>72. <b>Spy x Family #9</b> by Tatsuya Endo - This 9th volume of the manga series finishes the story told in #8 with Yor defending a couple and their child on a cruise ship and Anya helping to save the day when it turns out the bad guys are trying to blow up the ship with numerous bombs having been planted. Back at home, Anya's friend Becky visits and swoons over Anya's "father". There are a number of other stories — too many to go into — but suffice it to say, this entry made me smile a lot. Still loving the series and I'm looking forward to #10 coming out in the fall. I've already pre-ordered it. </p><p>73. <b>Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Cafe</b> by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Four interconnected stories about time travelers and the people who work in the cafe from the author of the original <b>Before the Coffee Gets Cold</b>, which I absolutely loved. This book of tales is every bit as heart-tugging as the first book but because there are several stories and they intersect, you have a lot of characters to keep track of. I had to occasionally sit for a minute and think, "OK, who is this person that was just mentioned?" Part of the reason for that is the prevalence of characters whose names begin with the letter K. It's easy to get all of those K names tangled up in your brain. At any rate, I enjoyed the book and absolutely loved the ending. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6VFqFui8NAHWrcFM5AyBctiJ2dgiazupdYF_iYm57KYu2rcDNHQZUbV1C_DNEE5WLc7pULq1n-Hgefb0JzO9zMlwxSaBiBwnhnJLowFb4udP2mpz-7Hy_1yvTErIXoIVmdk6CusX1g98BiGtxu9X4Rc7clwGEz4aSlBcnssSy3BKVOUX3i4/s2048/May%202023%20stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1877" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6VFqFui8NAHWrcFM5AyBctiJ2dgiazupdYF_iYm57KYu2rcDNHQZUbV1C_DNEE5WLc7pULq1n-Hgefb0JzO9zMlwxSaBiBwnhnJLowFb4udP2mpz-7Hy_1yvTErIXoIVmdk6CusX1g98BiGtxu9X4Rc7clwGEz4aSlBcnssSy3BKVOUX3i4/w366-h400/May%202023%20stack.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a><span style="font-size: small;">or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span style="font-size: small;"> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-76644288535071231592023-05-03T12:17:00.000-05:002023-05-03T12:17:15.795-05:00Everything I Read in April, 2023 (in brief)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwUNiwldtgXFJr9nzSFwD3sAEHhcP8z6icV8OXtJ39PRUzMWxiLVEt3HIu8X4xq2Joy6GMOuq-kjZEDAgVyUy6mVE2LtEBpGGSvBwSt3-hRCdevtoxqAIw-j6W--k9wTsHP-6gurwbDXS6VZQ3Zs2M1_79FHDYNzx_8jw2SdLYZQqNTCAZWc/s2048/April%202023%20reads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1943" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwUNiwldtgXFJr9nzSFwD3sAEHhcP8z6icV8OXtJ39PRUzMWxiLVEt3HIu8X4xq2Joy6GMOuq-kjZEDAgVyUy6mVE2LtEBpGGSvBwSt3-hRCdevtoxqAIw-j6W--k9wTsHP-6gurwbDXS6VZQ3Zs2M1_79FHDYNzx_8jw2SdLYZQqNTCAZWc/w380-h400/April%202023%20reads.jpg" width="380" /></a></div> <p></p><p>All reads are pictured except for <b>16 Words</b>, an ebook. Flatlay image at bottom. </p><div>42. <b>Tomorrow, When the War Began </b>by John Marsden (Tomorrow #1) - Ellie invites her friends for a week in the Outback during a holiday and they have a delicious time fending for themselves, lying by the river, and checking out the area known locally as "Hell". But, when they return, they discover that Australia has been invaded, their families taken prisoner. Should they retreat to their new home in the Outback and hide or do their part to fight the war? An explosive YA series with my favorite gutsy heroine of all time. Ellie and her friends are amazing. I'm excited to finally get around to rereading this series.</div><div><br /></div><div>43. <b>Decline and Fall</b> by Evelyn Waugh - Paul Pennyfeather is studying for the clergy at Scone College, Oxford, when an unfortunate event occurs and he's sent down (kicked out) for indecent behavior. But, he's British so he bucks up and finds a job as a master at a school in Wales. From there, he works as a tutor and then falls in love; then, he has an even steeper fall from grace. I said, "Oh, poor Paul," a lot while reading this book, but the ending is very satisfying and now I really want to read more Waugh. </div><div><br /></div><div>44.<b> The Urban Sketching Handbook: Drawing Expressive People</b> by Róisín Curé - The author mentioned this book in a free workshop I was taking (her class was one of my favorites) so I grabbed a copy. Curé talks about how to quickly sketch what you see and tips on how to finish up the bodies of people who don't stick around quite long enough, as well as how to paint with a minimal palette and things to observe like the way the light creates a crown at the top of a head and washes out color on the body. If you're interested in urban sketching, I highly recommend it. </div><div><br /></div><div>45. <b>A Man and His Cat #3</b> by Umi Sakurai - The third in the manga series goes further into detail about all of the main characters: Mr. Kanda, Fukumaru (the cat), his dearly departed wife, and his best friend. We learn why he teaches instead of doing piano performances, Fukumaru's kittenhood, and a little about his best friend that makes him seem less the villain and more an immature guy but a loyal buddy. I loved this particular entry. </div><div><br /></div><div>46. <b>Tell Me the Truth About Love</b> by W. H. Auden - Lots of rereads, this month. I heard Tom Hiddleston reciting "Funeral Blues" recently and that made me crave some Auden. Fortunately, I already had <b>Tell Me the Truth About Love</b> on my shelf. Some of the poems in this slim collection are actually kind of funny. Some perplexed me. Nothing beats "Funeral Blues" for moving, emotional poetry, though. And, oddly, even Tom Hiddleston (who is fabulous) doesn't hold a candle to John Hannah's reading in <b><i>Four Weddings and a Funeral</i></b>. I can't even watch the clip on YouTube without tears. </div><div><br /></div><div>47. <b>Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost,</b> Ed. by Gary D. Schmidt, Illus. by Henri Sorensen - The "Poetry for Young People" series is wonderful: poems by well-known poets with a brief explanation and gorgeous illustrations. I wish I'd bought them all when they came out. I got one or two for review, at the time, and bought at least one more but that's all and now they appear to be out of print. I am a Frost fan so I reread this one, now and then. I love the explanatory paragraphs. While Frost's poetry is very straightforward, the introductory writings add a bit of depth and meaning to Frost's words. </div><div><br /></div><div>48. <b>Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly</b> by Murray Bail - I bought a battered (and very grubby) used copy of this book after reading the exhibit book my husband brought back from Canberra, where I sent him to view the Sidney Nolan collection. I wanted a book specifically about the Ned Kelly paintings, which wasn't what I got from the exhibit book, although it was fascinating. In <b>Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly</b>, the essays describe Ned Kelly's life and why Nolan chose to tell his story through paintings but how some of his paintings were actually about himself. The two books are quite different and I'm glad I read both. </div><div><br /></div><div>49. <b>I Felt a Funeral in My Brain</b> by Will Walton - Author Andrew Smith recommended <b>I Felt a Funeral in My Brain</b> on Facebook and I've found his recommendations are generally worthwhile, so I bought a copy and then . . . it didn't click. 3 or 4 years later, I picked it up again and loved it. Avery is 16, gay, a poet with an alcoholic mother and a grandfather who is also hiding an alcohol problem. His grandfather is like Schrodinger's cat in this book . . . he's dead, he's alive, he's dead. That's because it leaps around in time and is written in what feels like an experimental form. It's a bit of a head trip but it's about grief, addiction, being LGBTQ, poetry, and just being a 16-year-old trying to make sense of everything. Another great recommendation. I'm glad I finally read it. </div><div><br /></div><div>50. <b>The Cats of Roxville Station</b> by Jean Craighead George - <b>My Side of the Mountain</b> by this same author is one of my childhood favorite books. So, I was surprised how much I disliked<b> The Cats of Roxville Station</b>. In the beginning, it sounded like it was going to be a sweet story about a feral cat colony that hangs out at a train station where an old lady feeds them. A little boy is drawn to one of the cats, Ratchet. Ratchet has been abused and dumped so the natural expectation is that the boy will slowly gain her trust and adopt her. But, the boy's foster mother is a cat hater and, the author being a naturalist, much of the book is dedicated to the hardships of feral life. What ruined the book for me was the sheer quantity of cruelty and death. At least two people try to poison all of the cats (and do succeed at killing some of them) and when Ratchet has kittens, a tomcat eats some of them. This is an early middle grade book. It would have traumatized me to read this as a child and it's kind of haunting me now. Not for sensitive cat lovers. </div><div><br /></div><div>51. <b>Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson, </b>Ed. by Frances S. Bolin, Illus. by Chi Chung - Yet another reread. National Poetry Month is always a good excuse to revisit volumes of poetry that are sitting on the shelves. Emily Dickinson is not one of my favorite poets, but there are certain poems or even just lines (like "Hope is the thing with feathers") that resonate with me, so I haven't counted her out entirely. And, I do love this children's series, which I feel makes poetry more accessible. In this particular volume, words that children may not know within each poem are defined and there's an excellent intro about the poet. </div><div><br /></div><div>52. <b>Rivers of London</b> by Ben Aaronovitch - The first in a series that I find a bit difficult to define. Paranormal, crime procedural, fantasy . . . all of the above. A constable in London discovers he has a special ability when he interviews the witness to a murder and the witness turns out to be a ghost. And the murder is only the beginning (there's a lot of murder in this book). I loved the history, the setting, the magic, and the author's sense of humor. I bought this book in a London charity shop about 7 years ago and liked it enough to order the next three in the series. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>53. <b>Scout Stories #2 </b>by Nick Carr (zine) - The second zine by a location scout, in which he shares more anecdotes from his time scouting. He tends to butt up against a lot of irascible homeowners who are either irritated by nearby film sets, have to be convinced to let a movie or series shoot happen on their property, or are fine with whatever filming is to be done, but it'll cost. I'm really enjoying these zines and wish he would just publish a big, fat book of his anecdotes but the zines will do. </div><div><br /></div><div>54. <b>Toast</b> by Nigel Slater - I read about <b>Toast </b>in <b><i>The Guardian </i></b>and added it to my mental wish list, a few months ago. When the announcement came out about Book Depository's closing, I decided to go ahead and order it. What I liked about the book was how his family influenced his love of food, desire to cook, and choice of profession. I don't think I've ever read about a more incompetent or less interested cook than Slater's mother and his stepmother's cooking was quite the opposite. Both were fascinating characters. What I disliked about the book was that it grossed me out. There were far too many horror stories of what people do in restaurant kitchens and way too much about his sexual experiences (not necessarily where he was involved, but a good bit of walking in on people or sheer voyeurism). </div><div><br /></div><div>55. <b>Cat Massage Therapy #1</b> by Haru Hisakawa - I'm almost embarrassed about the fact that I bought such a silly manga, but the fact of the matter is that it made me smile. A young man is tense due to training at work and enters a massage parlor, where he finds that the manager is a cat. Cat massage involves a lot of toe beans and purring to vibrate people into relaxation. There are also several trainees who do some of the massage (kittens). The young man feels so much better that he asks the manager and trainees to accompany him to work to help his coworkers relax, as well. Goofy and adorable. I doubt I'll continue on with this particular series but I'm going to keep this book for rereads when I need a mental break and a smile. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>56. <b>Poetry for Young People: African American Poetry</b>, ed. by A. Rampersad and M. Blount, Illustrated by Karen Barbour - An anthology of African American poetry from as early as the 18th century, including both well-known poets and some not as widely read. Includes an introduction describing the evolution of African American poetry, intros to each poem, and vocabulary that explains the usage of some of the words in the context shown. I originally intended to donate this book (which I received for review in 2014) but decided I couldn't part with it. I love the poetry and it serves as an excellent resource for exploring African American poetry further by introducing the reader to a wide range of poets. Another reread and the last of this series on my shelf. I totally enjoyed revisiting this series. </div><div><br /></div><div>57. <b>16 Words: William Carlos Williams and "The Red Wheelbarrow"</b> by Lisa Jean LaBanca Rogers, illustrated by Chuck Groenink - I was thinking about poetry when I happened across this book and discovered that I had enough credits to mostly cover the ebook edition. Then, one night when I couldn't sleep I decided I might as well read and chose this book specifically because of National Poetry Month and the fact that I was tired enough that I wanted to read something simply worded. The story of Williams, a physician who wrote poetry when not treating his patients, and how he came to write "The Red Wheelbarrow", I confess I was so sleepy when I read it that I'm uncertain whether the author was imagining how it may have happened or knows the actual story behind the poem. Regardless, it's a lovely story with beautiful subtly-colored illustrations and it made me want to read the volumes of poetry by Williams that have been languishing on my shelf. </div><div><br /></div><div>58. <b>Dom Casmurro</b> by Machado de Assis - A Brazilian classic set in the 19th century. Dom Casmurro is a cynical nickname that the neighbors have given him, indicating that they think he behaves above his station and is a curmudgeon. He is alone, living in an exact replica of his childhood home, and reflects on his life. I must have glanced at the Goodreads description calling it a "classic tale of adultery". I disagree. While the story eventually leads to adultery, it's primarily about the narrator's love story, his enduring friendship with a fellow seminary student, and how ultimately betrayal and unbearable jealousy leads to bitterness and separation. But, while the story begins and ends on a melancholy tone, most of it is light and it's frequently quite funny. A common tale, beautifully told. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBtJRNMTI750NCndwha3S4IcMTj1lK_3frVfdrQpWmbNUULsBVaqKRyJ0MnZctG7c0QoUTybbl717cXvlgVXYnshPnANF8bwEiP2-PMlZ9l0fIvMnEgAChB_1YVikQUgaFzaViXOy730aRGq9qTahOO2uI6sb715Gfq4SEhHShX1jZiaYAHM/s2048/April%202023%20Reads%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1921" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBtJRNMTI750NCndwha3S4IcMTj1lK_3frVfdrQpWmbNUULsBVaqKRyJ0MnZctG7c0QoUTybbl717cXvlgVXYnshPnANF8bwEiP2-PMlZ9l0fIvMnEgAChB_1YVikQUgaFzaViXOy730aRGq9qTahOO2uI6sb715Gfq4SEhHShX1jZiaYAHM/w600-h640/April%202023%20Reads%20flatlay.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></div><div><br /></div>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-37547161402314782812023-04-02T13:06:00.007-05:002023-04-02T13:22:19.575-05:00Everything I Read in March 2023 (in brief)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbh8PUGQn73bYbuSl6-E4mu46Mgstl7SaEnqxsF2e9UoDNTkBCNdq7OJ4Imi8IbFOGzeRu362shcmHXgR8P72O8EMHWv6Wyep25oAYlwOJC3PmfgQqb-WXTimaocgUsBdTcYk7nvvXdzJNt_D89DBtKiutSR4COpFMtJ-rpGrGDE0r_3fKaV0/s960/March%202023%20reads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="960" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbh8PUGQn73bYbuSl6-E4mu46Mgstl7SaEnqxsF2e9UoDNTkBCNdq7OJ4Imi8IbFOGzeRu362shcmHXgR8P72O8EMHWv6Wyep25oAYlwOJC3PmfgQqb-WXTimaocgUsBdTcYk7nvvXdzJNt_D89DBtKiutSR4COpFMtJ-rpGrGDE0r_3fKaV0/w400-h333/March%202023%20reads.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>29. <b>A Man and His Cat #2</b> by Umi Sakurai - The second in the manga series about a man who adopts an exotic cat is written as a series of vignettes rather than a single storyline. While about half of <b>A Man and His Cat #2</b> is about how happy Mr. Kanda has become after bringing Fukumaru into his life (a lot of gushing about how cute his cat is and lots of stories about snuggling), it does delve a little more into Mr. Kanda's marriage, his wife's love of cats, and why Mr. Kanda had never even petted an animal before he adopted Fukumaru. </p><p>30. <b>Tales from the Inner City</b> by Shaun Tan - My second read by Shaun Tan and I noticed I used the same word when writing about both books on Instagram: "quirky". Tan's stories are fantastic, unique, and a bit magical. One of my favorites is a story in which everyone in a board room turns into a frog and the secretary must decide what to do. Call the police? Take them to a pond? Another is the cover story, in which a group of children go fishing on the top of a building. In this world, there are fish in the sky. What will happen when Pim hooks a coveted Moonfish? The illustrations are so gorgeous that I find myself studying them to figure out, "How did he do that?" Just wondrous.</p><p>31.<b> Space Cat and the Kittens</b> by Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone (e-book/hoopla) - The last in the <b><i>Space Cat</i></b> children's series has space cat Flyball and his Martian partner Moofa with their two kittens accompanying two astronauts to Alpha Centauri. They travel 9000 light years in a mere 3 hours and then find a small planet with an Earth-like atmosphere. After landing they discover tiny animals that appear to be the same prehistoric animals Earth had but on a smaller scale. However, the book is mostly about the two kittens creating havoc and it's definitely fun reading for a cat lover. I'll miss this series. This final title was published in 1958.</p><p>32. <b>Charlie Savage</b> by Roddy Doyle - Charlie is getting old. He groans when he gets out of a chair; his best friend down the pub has decided he identifies as a woman (although not in a transgender way but more like "getting in touch with your feminine side"), and his wife has declared she's bored and joined her sister's band as a drummer. A book about aging, questioning your life, and finding the good in it. A total joy and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. Published in 2019, there are numerous references to the U.S. President at the time (Doyle was clearly not a fan). </p><p>33. <b>Lost & Found</b> by Shaun Tan and John Marsden - Three books formerly published individually, presumably children's because of the minimal text but such a visual feast that it would be a crime to leave it to just the kids. The first story is (these are my opinions) about depression and hope, the second about being different and finding your place in the world while most people get so wrapped up in work and obligation that they can't see outside their own little spheres, and the third has rabbits as a stand-in for the humans who occupy a relatively undisturbed land with peaceful people and ravage it (Marsden had been reading about Native Americans when he wrote the story). There are some wonderful authors' notes about the stories in this edition. Highly recommended. I can't get enough of Shaun Tan. </p><p>34. <b>Nala's World </b>by Dean Nicholson - Author Dean Nicholson, a Scot, was not far into his trip biking around the world when he came across a scrawny kitten in an area so far from civilization that he knew she couldn't possibly have a home nearby and adopted her. <b>Nala's World </b>is the story of approximately their first 2 years together, the ups and downs, the challenges and surprises as Nala and Dean became Internet famous and he began to have enough influence to raise funds for various pet charities. Absolutely lovely. I've followed @1bike1world for years, probably since the Dodo video of how he found her showed up online and went viral, but only half-heartedly. It was a joy reading about their adventures and I admire him even more, now that I've read about his passion for both animals and the environment.</p><p>35. <b>The Nanny </b>by Evelyn Piper - <span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Published in 1964, <b>The Nanny</b> was my stationary bike book till I decided I had to know what was going to happen. 8-year-old Joey has been in a psychiatric facility after being blamed for his younger brother's death. Once home, he's convinced that the nanny is trying to kill him. Suspenseful enough for me to pluck off the bike and finish that evening but I must admit it was difficult setting aside disbelief after a certain point. Still, I enjoyed the tension and it's a rare suspense/thriller that can hold onto me till the end. Ridiculous and implausible or not, I didn't throw <b>The Nanny</b> at the wall and I'm glad I read it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">36. <b>Spy School at Sea</b> by Stuart Gibbs - I believe this is the 9th in the <b><i>Spy School</i></b> series, a favorite middle grade series that I will follow to its bitter end (if there ever is one). In <b>Spy School at Sea</b>, Ben, Mike, Erica, and Erica's divorced spy parents are posing as a family going on the largest cruise ship in the world, a virtual floating city. The objective is to track down Ben's nemesis, Murray Hill, and find out what kind of no-good scheme he has brewing, this time. But, first they have to find him and on a ship that holds tens of thousands of people, that's easier said than done. This particular entry in the series had a slow start but once it got going, it was every bit as entertaining, adventurous, and heart-pounding as the rest. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">37.<b> Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London's Lost Treasures</b> by Jason Sandy and Nick Stevens - I found this book on mudlarking by chance when I was placing a Book Outlet order. I'm in a Thames Mudlarking group with the authors (although I'll probably never actually go mudlarking, myself) and have been fascinated not only by the amazing variety of objects the members find but also by their knowledge of history and ability to identify those items. In <b>Thames Mudlarking</b>, the authors talk about different eras of London's history and show items that have been found from those eras. They often theorize about how they may have ended up in the Thames. While the book is a slender 94 pages, it is packed with beautiful photos of finds from the Thames. My only complaint is that I didn't know what some of the items were; the book would have benefited from a glossary. Meaning, they might say, this "blah-blah" is a type of [doohickey-type word I've never heard] and I'd be thinking, "I need you to define doohickey. Is it a container, a candle holder, etc.?" Strange, undefined objects were not frequent; in most cases they tell you what something is and the history behind it. But, there were enough question marks for me to knock off a point at Goodreads. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">38. <b>The Woman in the Window</b> by A. J. Finn - An Agoraphobic psychologist watches the world outside her windows until she witnesses a murder. Or, did she imagine it? She definitely drinks too much and she's on a large number of medications to help deal with her agoraphobia. Some elements of this story were a bit predictable but the story is nicely written and tense enough that the pages flew. I really enjoyed it. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">39. <b>Cicada</b> by Shaun Tan - A cicada (or its larva) works for humans for 17 years then gains its wings and flies away, laughing. Another weird, wonderful children's book by Tan. Am I done with my Tan phase, at this point? I'm going to say no. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">40.<b> Ball Lightning</b> by Cixin Liu - At 14, the future Dr. Chen is celebrating his birthday when a strange ball of light enters his home through the walls and incinerates his parents. Thus is born a mission to determine what exactly ball lightning consists of and how to capture it and prevent tragedy. But, there are many roadblocks along the way and Dr. Chen is caught up in the study of ball lightning for military applications when it becomes his only option. Very heavy on the science and sometimes a bit of a yawn because of that, but if you have no problem understanding the general science concepts <b>Ball Lightning</b> quite a fascinating (admittedly far-fetched) read and I loved the denouement. If you have difficulty with the science aspects in books like <b>The Martian</b> and <b>Recursion</b>, I'd avoid this title. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">41. </span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Thing He Told Me</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Laura Dave - Hannah and Owen have only been married a couple years and his 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, mostly speaks to Hannah in monosyllables. But, when the the head of the company Owen works for is arrested for fraud Owen disappears, leaving only a two-word note and a bag of cash. As Hannah tries to figure out what's going on, she slowly comes to the realization that Owen was not the man he claimed to be. But, in her attempt to track down his past, she may be putting herself and Bailey in danger. While not brilliantly written, <b>The Last Thing</b> <b>He Told Me</b> kept me happily entertained on a day when we had a power outage. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This was such a great month that if you asked me to choose a favorite, you'd have to pinch me hard to get me to comply. But, then I'd probably say</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Charlie Savage</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Roddy Doyle was my favorite because it was just such an utter delight. One unusual thing about March was that I read not one but three suspense/thrillers (a genre I tend to skitter around because I find that they tend to be a little too far-fetched -- and two of them definitely were, although I enjoyed them anyway). Of those, </span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Woman in the Window</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> was my favorite. I enjoyed both of the nonfiction books I read, </span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Nala's World</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> and</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Thames Mudlarking</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. And, while the sci-fi, </span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ball Lightning</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, was occasionally difficult and some of the science talk a bit dull, it was compelling and outlandish enough that I found it quite fun in the end. I also had a great deal of fun diving into the Shaun Tan books. His books are so beautiful that I'm convinced I need to own them all, although I don't currently have any more to read. I'm looking for books to remove from my taller-books shelf so that I can give my Tan books a permanent home.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I neglected to take a flat-lay photo and immediately began moving books to their new locations (get-rid-of box, shelf, pile to ponder) after taking a stack photo and I have an ear infection that's making me mildly sluggish so I've decided not to go back and do that but there is only one book not pictured, the <b>Space Cat</b> book, which I read via Hoopla. </span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a><span>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email </span><a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a><span> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-47181556984263722352023-03-02T11:28:00.000-06:002023-03-02T11:28:21.343-06:00Everything I Read in February 2023 (in brief)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2nUBrQo1nMGBsw3cFvupYs2c324VpOrXzwihlPsyO8P8ZzU5LtuWBPSKuS5zN-gUhM7etNn3WdL8_4PBAjSVHwHGJ0kym0w6d71YaBDBOZya1_Q2xuyr8E8xf9ARfodG1ElqToFl33dNDArrEpZVgpLEAb99cm2JIFLOS2_PWC_mnTRKTJE/s2048/Feb%202023%20Flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1889" data-original-width="2048" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2nUBrQo1nMGBsw3cFvupYs2c324VpOrXzwihlPsyO8P8ZzU5LtuWBPSKuS5zN-gUhM7etNn3WdL8_4PBAjSVHwHGJ0kym0w6d71YaBDBOZya1_Q2xuyr8E8xf9ARfodG1ElqToFl33dNDArrEpZVgpLEAb99cm2JIFLOS2_PWC_mnTRKTJE/w400-h369/Feb%202023%20Flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>February:</b></p><p>15. <b>Reunion</b> by Fred Uhlman - The story of a friendship between a Jew and an Aryan during the rise of Hitler and what the narrator finds out many years after the war. An excellent novella with a killer ending. </p><p>16. <b>Ghost Boys</b> by Jewell Parker Rhodes - After Jerome is shot and killed by a police officer, his ghost observes his family's grief, talks to the daughter of the cop who killed him, and is guided by the ghost of Emmett Till. I think I'd have liked <b>Ghost Boys</b> better if the daughter had initially defended her father's actions (a natural conflict). Instead, she was open to the idea that it might have been killing caused by unconscious racial bias on the part of her father from the beginning. But, the bottom line is clearly that way too many innocent Black boys have been killed and I thought it was a pretty powerful read in many ways. </p><p><b>17. Space Cat Meets Mars </b>by Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone (e-book/Hoopla) - The third in a children's book series that I've been reading via Hoopla, astronaut kitty Flyball and his human are returning to Earth for a break when they're pulled off course by an asteroid. They manage to get away but then realize they've got a problem, so they land on Mars. While his human friend, Capt. Fred Stone, works on chipping away crystal that has melted and reformed inside the engines, Flyball goes off exploring and discovers a Martian kitty. </p><p>18.<b> A Man and His Cat #1</b> by Umi Sakarai - The first in a manga series,<b> A Man and His Cat</b> is a goofy, sweet, funny manga about a lonely man who adopts an adult cat who's been overlooked because people think he's ugly. I was surprised to find myself literally laughing out loud while reading this manga and, ugh, there went the book-buying ban. After I closed it, I got online and ordered 5 more. Like <b><i>Spy x Family </i></b>(which I plan to continue reading as new books are released), I'm hoping to read only one book per month to stretch out the joy. Cat lovers will appreciate this series. </p><p>19. <b>McSweeney's, Issue #51</b> - The last of the McSweeney's issues in my stacks, another nice selection but my hands-down favorite was the first story, by Nick Arvin. In "The Interview", it's a Friday afternoon and it's snowing. Everyone has gone home but the new employee, who has scheduled interviews for this afternoon. Not knowing what else to do and in fear of losing her new job, she stashes all the interviewees in a room and leaves. Chaos ensues. </p><p>20. <b>The 1619 Project: Born on the Water</b> by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, Nikkolas Smith - The origin story of the first people stolen from their West African homes and taken to a new land where they were enslaved for many generations. <b>Born on the Water</b> is about the fact that they were people with full lives, traditions, and family, and how they survived and kept their music and traditions while maintaining faith that they would be free in the future. Probably banned in a number of places but <b>Born on the Water</b> doesn't even mention slave owners. It's written as a story of history, hardship, and hope. The illustrations are stunning. </p><p>21. <b>Uncharted Territory </b>by Connie Willis - My latest stationary bike read (really appreciated the large print in this library sale purchase). A fun sci-fi story but kind of goofy, typical Connie Willis humor in what feels like a Western with Sci-Fi exploration on a planet that has been largely unexplored. The best part was the indigenous Bult, who spent most of his time keeping a log of fines like, "inappropriate tone and manner in speaking to an indigenous person," and "forcible confiscation of property" (when one of the explorers tried to grab his own binoculars back). </p><p>22. <b>The Postman Always Rings Twice</b> by James M. Cain - Well, this was unexpected. I've heard of the movie(s) and just made the assumption that this story was a horror story in which there's a dangerous, murdering postal worker. I had no idea that it's an erotic story of love and murder set in a diner in the 1930s and that, in fact, it was banned in Boston when released. I read this novella on Valentine's Day for no particular reason other than an urge to throw something different into the reading mix. And, honestly, I was impressed. It has the minimalist tone of other writers of the era but it's much easier to follow than most, not so understated as to become confusing. Also, it turns out that the title is a metaphor for justice coming to get you. Cool. I would definitely like to read more by Cain. </p><p>23. <b>The Beautiful Struggle </b>(Adapted for YA) by Ta-Nehisi Coates - There's a lot of slang and cultural references that I know nothing about — too much to stop and look everything up – in this YA version of Ta-Nehisi Coates' memoir. However, it's possible to read between the lines and what you get out of it is a lot about his relationship with his father, struggles in school (probably because he wasn't challenged), his growing awareness of what it meant to be Black, and the stunning differences a few blocks could make in the quality of education and life in general. From looking at reviews, I get the impression that the original version is more readable for those who aren't the target audience. </p><p>24. <b>Biased</b> by Jennifer M. Eberhardt, PhD - A fascinating and often horrifying book about unconscious bias, how it affects lives and livelihoods, and what can be done about it. </p><p>25. <b>My Monticello</b> by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson - A book of short stories and a novella. A couple of the stories didn't work for me, but they were the first two and after I warmed to the author's writing style, I began to really love her storytelling. But, what made this book for me was the title story, the novella, about a world in which climate change has taken out power and water and roving bands of white supremacists are terrorizing people of color and burning buildings. When a group of neighbors are driven from their homes, they end up living at Monticello, where they learn to work cooperatively to survive. </p><p>26. <b>Sneakers, the Seaside Cat</b> by Margaret Wise Brown and Anne Mortimer - A children's picture book that I bought mainly because it featured a cat, <b>Sneakers, the Seaside Cat</b> is about a cat who goes to the beach with his family and explores the seaside, discovering waves and sand creatures and smelling the delicious, fishy scent of the sea. Gorgeous, gorgeous artwork. </p><p>27. <b>Walk the Blue Fields</b> by Claire Keegan (e-book/Hoopla) - I'm very grateful that I've been able to find Claire Keegan's books on Hoopla because her writing is my latest obsession. <b>Walk the Blue Fields</b> is a collection of short stories. While I still love her writing, this particular collection is currently my least favorite of her works, mostly because the stories were a bit bleak while the two novellas I've read both ended on a brighter note. I'd still recommend it. Keegan is a skilled writer. </p><p>28. <b>American Primitive</b> by Mary Oliver - I love Mary Oliver's poetry but I was having trouble concentrating on this book so I read the poems under my breath, moving my lips as if to recite but without speaking aloud. Weirdly, that did the trick. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHw_l1ySaOdxbbg4rohE1z-2qMHpCFAymbDfrksSFYWE6YDG9HjYiIXvufQ8sx366AeaEzdlJi6LvKu4-_rBmgFh0RWiYuM_TAwbDyqr9hYgPPigLWrw1F7tXGIj_x_4blPNveJrl8aTcSLvsKgCgOIKqH0VXzHK99aas68WxrPuLeY0UPWEI/s960/Feb%202023%20stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="932" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHw_l1ySaOdxbbg4rohE1z-2qMHpCFAymbDfrksSFYWE6YDG9HjYiIXvufQ8sx366AeaEzdlJi6LvKu4-_rBmgFh0RWiYuM_TAwbDyqr9hYgPPigLWrw1F7tXGIj_x_4blPNveJrl8aTcSLvsKgCgOIKqH0VXzHK99aas68WxrPuLeY0UPWEI/w389-h400/Feb%202023%20stack.jpg" width="389" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-56436993422345792242023-02-02T11:51:00.001-06:002023-02-04T15:44:53.198-06:00Everything I Read in January 2023 (in brief)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMvMvC6F8S6-aMbmr3W65CtdMXvK6S5CMR7MZAqzBDmGIZ35mGt8elseuOyjm-nhLTaDLterWFH3ZmiA9v9bBQ7bmjaQzMR5XDdLz4hpRYVmXmVURq7O6JGgZKc_RBtl_PnKIfCd-gOZR_fLDS3PRJd_4ab12LcUTl7aWUDbizMUrezm3cAY/s2048/January%202023%20Reads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1831" data-original-width="2048" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMvMvC6F8S6-aMbmr3W65CtdMXvK6S5CMR7MZAqzBDmGIZ35mGt8elseuOyjm-nhLTaDLterWFH3ZmiA9v9bBQ7bmjaQzMR5XDdLz4hpRYVmXmVURq7O6JGgZKc_RBtl_PnKIfCd-gOZR_fLDS3PRJd_4ab12LcUTl7aWUDbizMUrezm3cAY/w400-h358/January%202023%20Reads.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br />January:</b><p></p><p>1. <b>How to Connect (Mindfulness Essentials #8) </b>by Thich Nhat Hanh - In June of 2022 I read a Thich Nhat Hanh book and a book of Mary Oliver's poetry and both were so refreshing that I decided to start the year with the two authors, although I got a later start on Mary Oliver. I was right, it's a good idea to start the year with Thich Nhat Hanh. While this particular book is very short (I read it on my Kindle app, which claimed it should take 37 minutes to read but then fell asleep reading so it took me a bit longer), it is the usual blend of soothing, thought-provoking, and instructional. (e-book)</p><p>2. <b>Foster</b> by Claire Keegan - A little girl is taken to her aunt and uncle's house for the summer, although she has no idea how long she'll be there or why she's been sent away. As the summer progresses, she learns what it means to be truly loved and cared for as her foster parents teach her to work in the kitchen and gardens, draw water from the well, and run fast. They keep her clean, well-fed, and clothed. She learns about the family's tragic past and senses that her foster parents are happy to have her around. When the summer ends, will she have to return home? Another wonderful book by Keegan, a new favorite author. I want to read everything she's written. (e-book/Hoopla)</p><p>X.<b> Scout Stories #1</b> by Nick Carr - This zine is not big enough to count as a book but I think it's worth mentioning. Nick Carr is a location scout for various film productions. I started following him when he posted under the name "Scouting New York" on Facebook (and probably Twitter) for the fascinating photos of New York that he took and the stories that went with them. He has since branched out and no longer does all of his scouting in New York. This first zine has some of his stories and photos, including a series of photos of the Boneyard where planes are taken to be dismantled for parts. It's like sitting down for coffee with a very entertaining friend who has lived a full life and has time to share a handful of anecdotes. I loved it. I would love it if someone would publish a coffee table book of his stories and photos. </p><p>3. <b>McSweeney's, Issue #69</b> - I think this is the second issue of <b><i>McSweeney's Quarterly Concern</i></b> that I've read and I'm beginning to detect some stylistic commonalities in the choices they make. Not to say that they all sound alike but there's just a similar feel to them in some offbeat way. At any rate, I am loving <b><i>McSweeney's</i></b> and glad I finally took the plunge and bought a subscription, plus a couple of back issues. As always, I liked some of the stories better than others. That's always going to be true. I'm a short story fan and good with that. I like reading collections for variety, anthologies for consistency. My favorite in this issue was surprising: a story about two trans males glamping and the tension over their separate Go Fund Me accounts (one successful, one not) for the same procedure they're hoping to get. When they have an argument, one goes off for a walk and what he comes across is hilarious. I don't want to ruin it, but I just loved the absurdity of the story, "18 or 35 Miles from Perennial Square" by Max Delsohn. </p><p>4. <b>No Surrender: My Thirty Year War</b> by Hiroo Onoda - If you're a WWII aficionado, you may have heard of Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier who was sent to the small Philippine Island of Lubang in 1944 and stayed in the jungle for 30 years, at first with some of his comrades and then finally alone after two of them were killed. It's fascinating not only for the survival skills that they honed and how they managed to stay hidden for so long but also for the ways in which they managed to convince themselves that every attempt to lure them out of the woods because the war had ended was a ploy by the enemy (chiefly, the Americans). It's a story of determination, absolute adherence to duty, and how humans fool themselves. I was deeply touched by the ending, when Onoda left the island alone, mourning the leaving of his friends' spirits on the island when they had hoped to return to Japan together. </p><p>5. <b>Space Cat Visits Venus</b> by Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone (illustrator) - Second in the Space Cat series, the first of which I read in 2022, sees Flyball and his human now living on the moon and waiting while a new rocket is built. The two of them fly to Venus and find that under the heavy clouds that nobody can see beyond is a world lit by violet light and ruled by plants. Only a 6-legged mouse-like creature represents the animal community and the plants live on a daily ammonia rain from which Flyball and his human must protect themselves. They learn to communicate with the plants — and each other! I found it particularly fascinating how one man imagined the fantastical surface of a planet nobody has landed upon and how he visualized space flight. Published in 1955 and illustrated by the same author who illustrated the award-winning Anatole books. (e-book/Hoopla)</p><div>6. <b>We're Going on a Bear Hunt</b> by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury - I followed Michael Rosen on the Bird Site for years without actually paying attention to him until he slapped back at someone who accused him of sitting in an ivory tower safely while Covid raged. Curious, I read the memoir he wrote about his experience recovering from a coma after being hospitalized with Covid. Before that, I looked him up and watched the video of him reading/performing this children's picture book that was published in 1989. What an expressive guy! I am not good with phones and kept accidentally closing the video but I loved what I saw and grabbed a copy when I came across it at Book Outlet. I love it. The ending made me laugh. Since there aren't any little ones in the house, I read it to the cats. I'm sure they enjoyed it, too. That might be what that wide-eyed look meant, right? </div><div><br /></div><div>7. <b>Marshmallow</b> by Clare Turlay Newberry - Another older children's book (originally published in 1942), I bought <b>Marshmallow</b> at the same time because I was craving children's books, the one thing I really, really miss about reviewing for publishers. <b>Marshmallow</b> is a true story, according to the author. Oliver is a tabby cat who lives indoors and has never encountered other animals. When his human brings home a tiny baby bunny, he's at first frightened and then tries to pounce on it. He's separated from the bunny but when he manages to escape from his room, Marshmallow confuses Oliver for his mother and snuggles up to him. In response, Oliver treats Marshmallow as his own kitten. So sweet and the illustrations are gorgeous. <b>Marshmallow</b> is a Caldecott medalist. </div><div><br /></div><div>8. <b>Before and After</b> by Andrew Shanahan - A dystopian tale about a 600-pound man. Ben Stone is morbidly obese and diabetic. On the day he is to be taken to the hospital, a wall of his apartment is removed and he's strapped down to be hoisted through the wall. But, then all hell breaks loose. A disease has stricken the world and Ben is stuck in an apartment missing the exterior wall with his tiny dog while outside there are zombie-like people who are dangerously angry, called "wraths". Ben has no food in the apartment and he can't leave. So, he drinks water and begins to lose weight. While this book is dystopian, it's really about paralyzing anxiety, bullying, fat-shaming, love and kindness (his</div><div> mother's love for Ben; his love for his dog), and ultimately about summoning the courage to do the thing you find most difficult. Loved the author's sense of humor. </div><div><br /></div><div>9. <b>Solutions and Other Problems</b> by Allie Brosh - Allie Brosh's first book about her struggles with depression, <b>Hyperbole and a Half</b>, was a little too relatable to me but I loved it for that. <b>Solutions and Other Problems</b> does contain some stories about her mental health issues but it's less cohesive, a broad range of anecdotes with the graphic illustrations she's known for, beginning with her determination to fit into a bucket at the age of 3. Very entertaining but at times a story would lose me a bit. And, I can't relate to divorce or drug and alcohol use because I'm a teetotaler but I still enjoyed reading about her life, for better or worse, and the hilarious antics of various animals in her life. While I didn't like <b>Solutions and Other Problems</b> as much as I loved <b>Hyperbole and a Half</b>, I highly recommend it. </div><div><br /></div><div>10. <b>Dodsworth in London</b> by Tim Egan - An early reader about Dodsworth (a mole, maybe?) and his friend the duck. While visiting London, Dodsworth and the duck become separated when the duck doesn't hear Dodsworth suggesting they wait for the next bus. But, there's another duck nearby, the Royal Duck. Both get on the next bus and Dodsworth thinks the Royal Duck is his friend being goofy with a British accent and a fancy hat. Then, Dodsworth realizes his mistake and the two go searching all over London for his friend. They're having no luck till the Royal Duck suggests asking the queen for help. A cute story with a sweet tale of a character desperately searching for his friend. I had two small problems with this book. I read it because it's set in London (and I love children's books) but there was no introduction of the characters because it's not the first in the series. A brief intro would have been helpful. Second, there were some flaws in the illustrations, chiefly the police uniform and car. </div><div><br /></div><div>11. <b>Call of the Wild and White Fang</b> by Jack London - I like Jack London's short stories better than these two classics but of the two I preferred White Fang. The beatings of dog and wolf and all of the animals attacking each other were difficult reading. I guessed the point was to show that nature is merciless but that is simply the way of the Wild and a friend commented that the "law of club and fang" was included with intention, she having studied it in school. </div><div><br /></div><div>12. <b>McSweeney's, Issue #68 - </b>There were no stories that stood out enough that I remember them, a couple weeks after reading, but I enjoy the short stories and letters in McSweeney's immensely and I'm so glad I finally caved and bought a subscription. </div><div><br /></div><div>13. <b>Anatomy</b> by Dana Schwartz - In 1817, Hazel lives in a castle and is promised to the future viscount of an Edinburgh family. All her life, she's wanted to be a doctor and has conducted experiments at home. But, when she finds out that an anatomy class for aspiring doctors is going to be held, she is determined to attend. Jack is a resurrection man, an impoverished teen who digs up bodies and sells them to doctors to dissect, among other jobs. When Hazel's deception is discovered and she's kicked out of class, she enlists Jack's help bringing her bodies (and then patients) so she can continue her studies. Well written but a bit gruesome and therefore not a favorite. </div><div><br /></div><div>14. <b>Life Sentences</b> by Billy O'Callaghan - Told in three sections, each in the voice of a member of the same family over several generations, this work of historical fiction begins with Jer's POV (Jeremiah). Jer and his sister Mamie grew up with a single mother. As Mamie is laid to rest, he burns with anger at the brother-in-law who made her life miserable and ponders his own life and meaning. Nancy, Jer and Mamie's mother, is a teenager when she leaves her island home to seek a living. Young and easily swayed by the advances of handsome gardener, she falls pregnant and ends up in a workhouse. Then, she falls even further. But she summons her courage and fills her home with love, eventually making a decent home for her children. Nellie is dying in the home of her daughter. The youngest of her siblings, she is not the first to go. As she reflects on her life, she remembers the heartbreak and love and how her family held her up when she needed comfort. A beautiful, heart-filling little gem of a book. At 220 pages, it could be read in a single sitting but I chose to stretch it out, one section per day so I could stay with Jer and his family a little longer. </div><div><br /></div><div>My favorites of the month were<b> Life Sentences</b>, <b>Foster</b>, <b>No Surrender</b>, and<b> We're Going on a Bear Hunt</b> but of all of these, Life Sentences is the one that had the deepest impact on me. I didn't read as much as I usually do in January (typically, my biggest reading month) but it was a terrific month with lots of really great reading. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoWy6QGMBKwQQTlmLG6FY1t2Qo6hy69mjGKFpINnBcS4_Vhmz7Sx1HIWA1qti3OKbukTsk0aKlzrTCOE-szsVAC3r-kpS9hKu8hPgbwuuGOeLlU4mZaRy2vKLbK4MO4kuw8RGj0_dfkNp9qFQ2j8Cs0jI2xI3NDdeFQqgVbBIaJhaQw78S1Y/s2048/January%202023%20Stack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1985" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoWy6QGMBKwQQTlmLG6FY1t2Qo6hy69mjGKFpINnBcS4_Vhmz7Sx1HIWA1qti3OKbukTsk0aKlzrTCOE-szsVAC3r-kpS9hKu8hPgbwuuGOeLlU4mZaRy2vKLbK4MO4kuw8RGj0_dfkNp9qFQ2j8Cs0jI2xI3NDdeFQqgVbBIaJhaQw78S1Y/w388-h400/January%202023%20Stack.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></div>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-48249077861153988672023-01-03T07:01:00.024-06:002023-01-03T07:01:00.228-06:00Reading and Blogging Goals, 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sjyoQn0mZ8lGYvRlQiesfd6Miz7SDMRTNfnFhh69EL-iKIeUyxvKZgE_zfFEal3SZB0ncrsRS4-E2PIDufvepGze7mmm1q_grja4gBThkRXyPk86CVTKoYmWUd9jhRNdeqJgNeCP32F6gSS0E43A8uD6AjNCXh2q18YnxwQOtUdpFEpbgUc/s1600/Fireworks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sjyoQn0mZ8lGYvRlQiesfd6Miz7SDMRTNfnFhh69EL-iKIeUyxvKZgE_zfFEal3SZB0ncrsRS4-E2PIDufvepGze7mmm1q_grja4gBThkRXyPk86CVTKoYmWUd9jhRNdeqJgNeCP32F6gSS0E43A8uD6AjNCXh2q18YnxwQOtUdpFEpbgUc/w400-h321/Fireworks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>2023???? How is that even possible? Yes, another year has flown by and it's time to come up with some new goals. </p><p>So . . . ta-da! My reading and blogging goals:</p><p>1.<b> The return of the book-buying ban</b> - I confess, I let it go, mid-year. However, having lasted an entire year on a book-buying ban with only a few minor violations, I discovered that my personal buying ban definitely had an impact on my habits. I have bought some books this year, but the quantity of purchases has dropped significantly; and, since I allowed myself to buy the books I desperately wanted to read, I didn't feel like I needed to take a break and make a big Book Outlet purchase. So, I'm happy with how 2022 book buying went, in spite of falling off the ban wagon. Haha, ban wagon. OK, bad. </p><p>2. <b>Continue getting rid of as many books as possible</b> - This has been going very well but since Kiddo and spouse moved into their first home and I gave him 3 shelving units, I need to get rid of a lot more. Because, yeah, I no longer have any place to put the remaining books that were on those shelves. </p><p>3. <b>Continue reading exclusively from my own shelves (including from my personal electronic library)</b> - Almost everything I read, this year, was from my personal shelves. I did check out two library e-books and finished my remaining ARCs during the first months of the year after I decided to go to once-a-month blogging. But, it went really well. I had a particular shelf I was aiming to read from and I read 9 books from that shelf. However, I stepped on my own toes by immediately filling any blank spots with more books (because, <i>ahem</i>, I have many, many books stacked on the floor . . . still true, but I'm working on it). So, eventually I couldn't remember which books I'd planned to read and which were tucked in after something else was removed. I totally forgot that I'd posted an image of the shelf in question on my blog. Ah, well. I consider my attempt to read exclusively from my shelves a success. </p><p>4. <b>Read at least 100 books</b> - This one is flexible. I have a lot of goals that may interfere with my reading time. Plus, I like to leave room for chunksters. Anyway, 100 books is usually doable for me. </p><p>5. <b>Continue to turn down ARCs</b> - Not a problem, since most of the ARCs I've been offered have been e-galleys and I haven't been able to get Netgalley to work in years. There were a couple times I was tempted to read an ARC and return to the blog to review it, this year. In all cases, the fine print at the bottom of the email said, "We are not sending physical ARCs at this time." Screw that: auto delete. I don't even like e-books. I have had a couple physical books arrive unsolicited and one of them is on my TBR. I do plan to read it and review. Which brings me to . . . </p><p>6. <b>As of now, I've decided to continue doing only one post per month </b>- If there is a particular book that either really stands out and I just <b><i>have to </i></b>write about it or if I just feel like posting, I will. I'm not going to stop myself. However, burnout is a real thing and I still feel like I've reached the end of the line when it comes to regular posting. I will make an exception for the unsolicited ARC that's currently on my TBR (if it grabs me, of course – I can never guarantee I'll finish reading a book) and any other unsolicited books that appeal to me, if they should appear in my mailbox. </p><p>7. <b>Chunksters of the year</b> - After I read <b>Gone With the Wind</b>, a friend sent me <b>Scarlett</b> to follow it up because she enjoyed the modern continuation. I haven't read it, yet, but I needed a break from that world before continuing on. So, that's one book I'd like to read, this year. My classic chunkster choices of the year are <b>East of Eden</b> by John Steinbeck and <b>The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes </b>by Arthur Conan Doyle. I've glanced at <b>East of Eden</b> longingly for years without picking it up, so I think it's about time. I also need to read the next two books in <b><i>The Expanse</i></b> series and then return them to Kiddo because he says I can't keep them. Big meanie.</p><p>8.<b> Read a classic per month</b> - This used to be a standard for me but I've slipped away from it in the last couple of years. I think first up will be <b>Call of the Wild and White Fang </b>by Jack London because that book also belongs to Kiddo and I need to give it back to him. </p><p>As an aside, I am still at Twitter but no longer going there for any purpose other than to drop a link to my monthly round-ups. I no longer scroll through Twitter but I've decided to keep my account open so that nobody has the opportunity to replace my account with a clone and a paid-for blue check mark. </p><p>I miss Twitter. It was my favorite social media hangout. I tried Mastadon and Post.news and settled on Post, where I am @bookfoolery. At Post I'm limiting myself mostly to cat and book photos, at the moment, with an occasional re-post of whatever interests me. It's full of refugees from Twitter and so new that they're constantly adding new features; it's really being built from the ground up, at this point. Patience is necessary but the atmosphere is extremely upbeat. I'm really enjoying Post. </p><p>Hope you have a fabulous reading year!</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-28281410536842257612023-01-02T07:00:00.005-06:002023-01-16T12:44:04.006-06:00Books Read in 2022<p><b>January:</b></p><div style="text-align: left;">1. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/dune-by-frank-herbert.html" target="_blank">Dune - Frank Herbert</a><br />2. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/fortune-favors-duke-cambridge.html" target="_blank">Fortune Favors the Duke - Kristin Vayden</a><br />3. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/spy-x-family-1-by-tatsuya-endo.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #1 - Tatsuya Endo</a><br />4. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/oona-out-of-order-by-margarita-montimore.html" target="_blank">Oona Out of Order - Margarita Montimore</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/wordy-birdy-and-wordy-birdy-meets-mr.html" target="_blank">Wordy Birdy - Tammi Sauer and Dave Mottram</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/wordy-birdy-and-wordy-birdy-meets-mr.html" target="_blank">Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants - Tammi Sauer and Dave Mottram</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">7. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-history-of-pictures-for-children-by.html" target="_blank">A History of Pictures for Children - Hockney, Gayford, and Blake</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">8. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-history-of-pictures-for-children-by.html" target="_blank">The Collage Ideas Book - Alanna Moore</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">9. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/spy-school-secret-service-by-stuart.html" target="_blank">Spy School: Secret Service - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">10.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-midnight-library-by-matt-haig.html" target="_blank"> The Midnight Library - Matt Haig</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">11. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/spy-school-secret-service-by-stuart.html" target="_blank">Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">12. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-founding-myth-by-andrew-l-seidel.html" target="_blank">The Founding Myth - Andrew L. Seidel</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">13. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-few-minis-slightly-foxed-71-letters.html" target="_blank">Slightly Foxed Reader's Quarterly #71: August 2021</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">14. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/into-beautiful-north-by-luis-alberto.html" target="_blank">Into the Beautiful North - Luis Alberto Urrea</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">15. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-boy-named-isamu-by-james-yang-and.html" target="_blank">Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre - Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">16. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-defiant-middle-by-kaya-oakes.html" target="_blank">The Defiant Middle - Kaya Oakes</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">17. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-boy-named-isamu-by-james-yang-and.html" target="_blank">A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi - James Yang</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">18. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-runaways-by-holly-webb-and-knights.html" target="_blank">The Runaways - Holly Webb</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>February:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">19. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-runaways-by-holly-webb-and-knights.html" target="_blank">Knight's Castle - Edward Eager</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">20. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-few-minis-slightly-foxed-71-letters.html" target="_blank">Letters of Note: War - Shaun </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">21. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-complete-maus-by-art-spiegelman.html" target="_blank">The Complete Maus - Art Spiegelman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">22. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Call Us What We Carry - Amanda Gorman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">23. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Store of the Worlds - Robert Sheckley</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">24. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-few-minis-slightly-foxed-71-letters.html" target="_blank">The Arrow Book of Funny Poems, collected by Eleanor Clymer</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">25. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #2: Mission Start - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">26. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips - Michael Morpurgo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">27. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Water Dancer - Ta-Nehisi Coates</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">28. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Dollhouse - Fiona Davis</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">29. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Caste - Isabel Wilkerson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">30. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/everything-i-read-in-february-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Blame - Simon Mayo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>March: [All links in March lead to a summary post with brief reviews except #43: Sisters of Night and Fog]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">31. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Joan is Okay - Weike Wang</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">32. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Black Girls Must Die Exhausted - Jayne Allen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">33. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Poppy Factory - Liz Trenow</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">34. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Giant's Necklace - Michael Morpurgo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">35. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Summer of Broken Things - Margaret Peterson Haddix</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">36. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Princess Diarist - Carrie Fisher</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">37.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> Black Brother, Black Brother - Jewell Parker Rhodes</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">38. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Birds - Miranda Krestovnikoff and Angela Harding</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">39. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Eighteen-Carat Kid and Other Stories - P. G. Wodehouse</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">40. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Fault Lines - Emily Itami</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">41. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Maid - Nita Prose</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">42. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/everything-i-read-in-march-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Three Things I Know Are True - Betty Culley</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">43. <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/03/sisters-of-night-and-fog-by-erika-robuck.html" target="_blank">Sisters of Night and Fog - Erika Robuck</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>April: </b><b>[All links in April lead to a summary post with brief reviews except #45: Nazaré]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">44. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #3 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">45. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/04/nazare-by-jj-amaworo-wilson.html" target="_blank">Nazaré - JJ Amaworo Wilson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">46. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Falling - T. J. Newman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">47. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Brat: An 80s Story - Andrew McCarthy</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">48. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Ex Hex - Erin Sterling</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">49. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">50. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Enchanted April - Elizabeth Von Arnim</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">51. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams - Mindy Thompson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">52. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Macbeth - William Shakespeare</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">53. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/05/everything-i-read-in-april-in-brief.html" target="_blank">V for Victory - Lissa Evans</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>May: [All links in May lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">54. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A River Runs Through It and Other Stories - Norman Maclean</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">55. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #4 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">56. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Stranger - Albert Camus</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">57. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spring - Ali Smith</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">58. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Fuzz - Mary Roach</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">59. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy School: British Invasion - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">60. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Firefly Forest - Robyn Frampton and Mike Heath</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">61. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Backward Season - Lauren Myracle</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">62. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/06/everything-i-read-in-may-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Kill All Your Darlings - David Bell</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>June: [All links in June lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">63.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> The Autumn of the Ace - Louis de Bernières</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">64. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #5 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">65. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Book of Boy - Catherine Gilbert Murdock</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">66.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> Remarkable Creatures - Tracy Chevalier</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">67. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">You Are Here - Thich Nhat Hanh</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">68. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">69. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Nine Lives of Montezuma - Michael Morpurgo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">70. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Autumn - Ali Smith</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">71. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Space Case - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">72. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Cat Man of Aleppo - Latham, Shamsi-Basha, and Shimizu</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">73. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Sweetness of Water - Nathan Harris</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">74. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Blue Horses - Mary Oliver</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">75. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Why Shoot a Butler? - Georgette Heyer</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">76. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Magic World - E. Nesbit</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">77. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/07/everything-i-read-in-june-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>July: [All links in July lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">78.<a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank"> Spy x Family #6 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">79. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Rage - Bob Woodward </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">80. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spaced Out - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">81. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Greenglass House - Kate Milford</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">82. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">300 Minutes of Danger - Jack Heath</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">83. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Still Life - Sarah Winman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">84. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Finlay Donovan is Killing It - Elle Cosimano</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">85. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Joan Aiken</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">86. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Mac B, Kid Spy #1: Mac Undercover - Mac Barnett</a> (reread)</div><div style="text-align: left;">87. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/08/everything-i-read-in-july-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Mac B, Kid Spy #2: The Impossible Crime - Mac Barnett</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>August: [All links in August lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">88. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">In Five Years - Rebecca Searle</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">89. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Fire Next Time - James Baldwin</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">90. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Waste of Space - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">91. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Space Cat - Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone</a> (e-book)</div><div style="text-align: left;">92. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Heard It in a Love Song - Tracy Garvis Graves</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">93. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Nakano Thrift Shop - Hiromi Kawakami</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">94. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Life and Times of Elizabeth I - Massimo Rossaro</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">95. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">We Begin at the End - Chris Whitaker</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">96. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Trumpocalypse - David Frum</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">97. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy Camp - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">98. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Warning - Anonymous (Miles Taylor)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">99. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/09/everything-i-read-in-august-in-brief.html" target="_blank">I for Isobel - Amy Witting</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>September: [All links in September lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">100. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Stuart Nolan Foundation Collection - Peter Haynes; photography by Robt. Little</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">101. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #7 - Tatsuya Endo </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">102. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Alan Cleaver's Hodgepodge - Alan Cleaver</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">103. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">They Want to Kill Americans - Malcolm Nance</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">104. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Attack of the Black Rectangles - Amy Sarig King</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">105. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Evie and the Animals - Matt Haig</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">106. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Other Birds - Sarah Addison Allen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">107. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them - Al Franken</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">108. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">48 States - Evette Davis (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">109. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">This Book is Gay - Juno Dawson (e-book for Banned Books Week)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">110. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/10/everything-i-read-in-september-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Fascism: A Warning - Madeleine Albright</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>October: [All links in October lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">111. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The All of It - Jeannette Haien</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">112. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment - Thaddeus Golas</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">113. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Many Different Kinds of Love - Michael Rosen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">114. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse - Charlie Mackesy</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">115. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Winter People - Jennifer McMahon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">116. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Missing Girl - Shirley Jackson</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">117. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel - Howe, Dorkin, and Gilpin</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">118. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">New Kid - Jerry Craft</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">119. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Skylight Confessions - Alice Hoffman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">120. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">121. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Ms. Marvel - G. Willow Wilson (e-book)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">122. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Midnight Children - Dan Gemeinhart</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">123. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">You Wait Till I'm Older Than You! - Michael Rosen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">124. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Missing: The True Story of My Family in WWII - Michael Rosen</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">125. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop's Battle for America's Soul by Michael Fanone and John Shiffman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">126. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Nesting - C. J. Cooke</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">127. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy School Goes South - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">128. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Recursion - Blake Crouch</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">129. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris and Mrs. Harris Goes to New York - Paul Gallico</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">130. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/11/everything-i-read-in-october-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Kid for Two Farthings - Wolf Mankowitz </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>November: [All links in November lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">131. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">War Horse - Michael Morpurgo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">132. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy x Family #8 - Tatsuya Endo</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">133. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">134. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Pied Piper - Nevil Shute</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">135. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Spy School: Revolution - Stuart Gibbs</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">136. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">There There - Tommy Orange</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">137. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Cable on Academe - Carole Cable</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">138. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Bowlaway - Elizabeth McCracken</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">139. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Where You'll Find Me and Other Stories - Ann Beattie</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">140. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Happening - Annie Ernaux</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">141. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2022/12/everything-i-read-in-november-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>December: [All links in December lead to the same summary post with brief reviews]</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">142. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) - James S. A. Corey</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">143. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Presence of Absence - Simon Van Booy</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">144. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">One More River - Lynne Reid Banks</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">145. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree - Robert Barry</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">146. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Red Notebook - Antoine Laurain</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">147. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Story of the Snow Children - Sibylle von Olfers</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">148. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Sea Change - Aimee Friedman</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">149. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Ollie's Ski Trip - Elsa Beskow</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">150. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Christmas Memory - Truman Capote</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">151. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">A Child's Christmas in Wales - Dylan Thomas</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">152. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Invisible Ink - Patrick Modiano</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">153. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">2022 Short Story Advent Calendar </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">154. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">155. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">McSweeney's Quarterly Concern #66 </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">156. <a href="https://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2023/01/everything-i-read-in-december-in-brief.html" target="_blank">The Survivors - Jane Harper</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-3664684546287773332023-01-01T12:47:00.000-06:002023-01-01T12:47:03.050-06:00Everything I Read in December (in brief)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtc_SgNxIrdEsNUlIq8kjyEe_WFSRfVFod8pi4ds8mFhXWTVcoK7Y5l0xwzXBqaeLSzh0JhOYqmz98G2VWdIKxiSyThgmkqemxiY05gmE2Hi8stHuiNd4lEEg7nexb9QAgwo6oOAN1o4V0LL2B7qgIS6jt_xmUs8dH2HShzlV9alOihQ4YMc/s2048/December%202022%20reads%20stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1542" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtc_SgNxIrdEsNUlIq8kjyEe_WFSRfVFod8pi4ds8mFhXWTVcoK7Y5l0xwzXBqaeLSzh0JhOYqmz98G2VWdIKxiSyThgmkqemxiY05gmE2Hi8stHuiNd4lEEg7nexb9QAgwo6oOAN1o4V0LL2B7qgIS6jt_xmUs8dH2HShzlV9alOihQ4YMc/w482-h640/December%202022%20reads%20stack.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>December:</b></p><p>142.<b> Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) </b>by James S. A. Corey - Oh, boy. Where to begin? <b>Leviathan Wakes</b> is the first in a space opera series. Julie is trapped in a locker on a space ship after she and her shipmates have been removed from their ship. Who has taken them off the ship and why? Jim Holden and 4 other people from an ice trawler that hauls ice from the rings of Saturn are sent to check out a ship that has sent a distress signal. Meanwhile, on Ceres a detective for Star Helix, a security company used in lieu of police, is tasked with finding Julie and bringing her home. But, Julie's disappearance and a series of events related to the ship in distress are part of something bigger and more horrifying than Detective Miller and Jim Holden could have imagined. What an entertaining read! I borrowed this one from Kiddo and he says I can't keep it. Fortunately, I have the next two in the series (also Kiddo's) so I can read on when I'm ready. I'm also enjoying the TV series. </p><p>143.<b> The Presence of Absence</b> by Simon Van Booy - Max Little is dying. From his hospital room, he writes about how he met his wife Hadley and their life together, finding out about his illness, and his hesitance to tell her that he is going to die. A very philosophical and deeply moving book about life, death, love, loss, and how we can sense those we love around us, long after they've passed away. When I closed the book I was absolutely paralyzed by how much it moved me. I just sat with it pressed against my heart for a while. I particularly loved the way it ended and the occasional touch of humor. There is a line on page 63 in which the protagonist says he hasn't felt his foot for hours and thinks it's gone on without him that I thought was pure Simon. He has a terrific sense of humor. While this book is not upbeat and I often felt like I was hearing the direct thoughts of the protagonist (an apparently successful writer whose wife passed his notes on to Simon to tell his story — there's a note about this in the book), regular readers of Simon Van Booy will recognize the gorgeous touch of metaphor that always imbues his writing. </p><p>144. <b>One More River </b>by Lynne Reid Banks - A Jewish Canadian teenager named Lesley is wealthy, cute, and popular. So when Les's parents tell her they're emigrating to Israel, she is shocked and upset. She loves her life. The story takes place over a little more than a year, in 1966 and '67 at a kibbutz, and the 6-Day War takes place during this time. Lesley goes from being coddled to wearing cheap but functional clothing, working at assigned tasks, and being an outcast. Will Les be able to adapt and make new friends? When war breaks out, what will happen to Lesley and her family? Sent by a friend and I found this book utterly fascinating. I loved the uniqueness of reading about someone leaving North America rather than struggling to enter. </p><p>145. <b>Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree</b> by Robert Barry - A childhood favorite, I have no idea what's become of my family's original copy and when something reminded me of the story, prompting me to recite the first few pages by memory, I absolutely craved a reread. So, I bought a new copy — guilt free because if I find the original there are always children in need of new books and I can happily pass it on. <b>Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree</b> is a rhyming story about a man who has a huge tree delivered to his home. But, it brushes the ceiling, so he has the top cut off and delivered to the upstairs maid. The top is too big for her space so she trims it again. This cycle of passing on the treetop and trimming it continues until the tiniest bit of treetop is placed joyfully in a mousehole in Mr. Willowby's own parlor. An absolutely charming, upbeat, smile-all-the-way-through story with wonderful illustrations. Time did not diminish this classic one bit. I'm thrilled that it's still in print. </p><p>146.<b> The Red Notebook </b>by Antoine Laurain - <b>The Red Notebook</b> is the story of a woman who is mugged in Paris. Book seller Laurent discovers her purse abandoned on top of a pile of refuse and it looks far too nice to be thrown out. So, he picks it up and sifts through the purse to find the identity of its owner. He learns a lot about her but will he be able to figure out her identity beyond her given name? Meanwhile, the owner of the purse has sustained a head injury in the mugging and fallen into a coma. Will Laurent ever cross paths with the woman he's come to know through her possessions? <b>The Red Notebook</b> is now tied with <b>Vintage 1954</b> (a hard act to follow as it contains time travel, one of my favorite things to read about) for my favorite by Laurain, of the 4 I've read. A lovely story, short at 159 pages, slightly predictable but in a satisfying way and definitely a story that book enthusiasts will appreciate. </p><p>147. <b>The Story of the Snow Children</b> by Sibylle von Olfers - Poppy is at home alone, watching the snow fall, when she realizes what she's seeing is not snowflakes but snow children. She goes outside to play with them and is invited to the castle of the Snow Queen, where she joins in the celebration of the princess's birthday, eating a feast and dancing, till she becomes weary and is returned home in a sleigh driven by polar bears. I'd never heard of this story until I saw it on someone's Instagram. It's kind of a silly story but I love the art nouveau illustrations and probably would have adored the idea of going off to hang out with a princess, as a small child. As an adult, I can't help but think it wouldn't be published today for fear of encouraging children to go off with strangers. It makes a nice addition to Christmas decorations. I got the mini version. </p><p>148. <b>Sea Chang</b>e by Aimee Friedman - A Young Adult summer romance that takes place on an island with a legend that it was founded by a pirate and a mermaid. Miranda Merchant is a science nerd who will be doing an internship at the Museum of Natural History, soon. But, when her mother inherits a mansion on Selkie Island, Miranda defers her internship for a couple of weeks and finds herself caught up with a bunch of Southern girls looking for summer romance. They set her up with T. J., who just happens to be the son of a man who is hanging out with Miranda's mother. But, Miranda finds herself drawn to an equally science-infatuated boy from Fisherman's Village, a part of the island her friends frown upon. Miranda keeps coming across Leo at night, wet, and a book about the island's legends lists all the signs of a merman . . . which describe Leo perfectly. And, might explain why Miranda was born with webbed toes. A so-so book but I enjoyed it in spite of the fact that it could have used a bit more fantasy and less romance. </p><p>149. <b>Ollie's Ski Trip </b>by Elsa Beskow - I saw a copy of <b>Ollie's Ski Trip</b> in the same post on Instagram with <b>The Story of the Snow Children</b>. Ollie is a boy who has been given a new pair of skis. But, he has to wait and wait for a decent snowfall before he goes skiing. When there's finally a good blanket of snow on the ground, Ollie's mother tucks sandwiches in his pocket and tells him to have a great day skiing. He goes off into the woods, where he meets Jack Frost (who blows frost on Ollie to show him what he does), the woman who does the spring thaw (Frost drives her away), and King Winter in his castle. Ollie has a fabulous day touring the castle and playing all sorts of winter games with the children, then he is driven home by Jack Frost. For Christmas, he finds a gift of ice skates on his doorstep from the King. This was another mini book and I confess to loving this one because it brought back so many great childhood memories, plus a <i>lot </i>happens. Elsa Beskow is called the "Swedish Beatrix Potter" in the afterword. Cool. I'd love to read more of her children's books. </p><p>150. <b>A Christmas Memory</b> by Truman Capote - In 2012 the leader of my F2F group asked me to look for a good, easy-read Christmas title for our group to discuss at Christmas. I asked around for suggestions and read three books. <b>A Christmas Memory</b> was one of them and I loved it so much that I've read it almost every year, since. Based on Truman Capote's childhood Christmases with his distant cousin, an elderly lady who also lived with some uptight relatives, it is sweet and sad and beautiful. A story of simpler times and a lovely friendship. I get teary every time. I love this book. </p><p>151. <b>A Child's Christmas in Wales</b> by Dylan Thomas - Another of the books I chose for my F2F group in 2012, <b>A Child's Christmas in Wales</b> is the second book that I absolutely must read every Christmas season. Originally meant to be read on the radio, you can still find Dylan Thomas reading it online (and you definitely should give it a listen). </p><p>152.<b> Invisible Ink</b> by Patrick Modiano - Fifty years after Jean briefly worked for a detective agency, he reflects back on the case of a missing woman and the unsuccessful investigation. I think the "invisible ink" of the title is both a reality (something that is discovered years after the investigation) and a comment upon memories and how they come and go. I ordered a secondhand copy of <b>Invisible Ink</b> after reading <b>The Red Notebook</b> by Antoine Laurain, in which author Patrick Modiano plays the role of a reclusive author who signed the book of the heroine for whom his protagonist searches. I was unfamiliar with Modiano, who is a Nobel Prize winner. I found <b>Invisible Ink</b> a little odd for a novel about a missing person (because it's less about finding a missing person than it is about how memories can be blanked out and brought back) but it's ultimately satisfying, although probably much better read in French. </p><p>153. <b>2022 Short Story Advent Calendar</b>, published by Hingston and Olsen - This is my third year of indulging in the <b>Short Story Advent Calendar</b> and while all collections of short stories are going to have some winners and some that leave you with question marks over your head, I think this was one of the best selections I've read, so far. I particularly loved the fact that the final two stories were by Arthur Conan Doyle and Kurt Vonnegut. Both were great reminders of why their names are instantly recognizable. So entertaining. </p><p>154. <b>Small Things Like These</b> by Claire Keegan - Based on the true story of Magdalene Laundries in Ireland , where young mothers were worked like slave labor and many young women and babies died, this little gem has not a single wasted word. Bill Furlong was the child of a single mother taken in by her employer, the woman who owned the "big house" in his village, and raised with loving care. Now, Bill is a coal and lumber merchant with 5 daughters and it's the busy Christmas season. Scrambling to make his final deliveries, Bill makes a horrifying discovery in the coal shed of the local church. When he asks around, he is firmly warned not to interfere in the business of the church. But, Bill must battle with his conscience as well as the power of the nuns. Highly recommended. This kind of history should be known so it won't be allowed to happen, again. </p><p>155. <b>McSweeney's Quarterly Concern #66</b> - I bought a couple back issues and a subscription to <b><i>McSweeney's</i></b> after years of mental dickering about whether or not I should just go for it. #66 is a back issue. My eldest son has been a subscriber for a while and we were planning to read the first on that arrived in my mailbox together (#69, I think?) but he said he had to finish up #66 first and, long story short, I decided I might as well read #66 because it was just sitting there. I didn't take notes on the stories but most of them were pretty memorable, one grossed me out a bit, and there's a story by Stephen King that ends on a nightmare note. As to the letters at the beginning of the journal, I particularly related to the one (I think by Kate Folk) about why she continues to drive a 1998 Toyota Corolla and is perfectly happy about it. We have a "drive 'em till they drop" philosophy in this house. And, she's right. New technology is creepy. At any rate, it's a nice mix and I'm looking forward to more short stories and letters in future editions. </p><p>156. <b>The Survivors</b> by Jane Harper - Years ago, tragedy struck a small beachside town in Tasmania. Two people died and another went missing. Now, Kieran has returned to the small town. His father has dementia and he's helping his mother pack to move him to a care home and her to a place nearby with the help of his partner, Mia. They have a 3-month-old baby girl. After an evening spent with friends, they take the better-lit road home instead of the beach. In the morning, a body is found on the beach. Tourist season is over but the residents find it hard to believe anyone in their town could have killed the girl from Canberra. Who killed her and does it have anything to do with the tragedy of the past? I was so disappointed with this book. It was one of those novels that you keep reading because the author has started other books off slowly and you're convinced it'll eventually improve. It didn't. Quite dull and repetitive. I'd advise staying away from this one. Reread <b>The Dry</b>, instead. I wish I had. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcj7BDhin_7Bc_4V4_y4b8Kykakjp19yef0ciNv8821_hPzhtQXk70iXikAUHB8QtNA5MclOyibIFiklmUQvWQj68XB2HQh3LTTr8L_AWE0SxC9ySq0-6SRCAR68ZBH-jykzXBcYyE2P3KJxMwIPgeZIYReczv8c5cxl_ox8QPYB_q4Hj5Sg/s2048/December%202022%20reads%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1542" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcj7BDhin_7Bc_4V4_y4b8Kykakjp19yef0ciNv8821_hPzhtQXk70iXikAUHB8QtNA5MclOyibIFiklmUQvWQj68XB2HQh3LTTr8L_AWE0SxC9ySq0-6SRCAR68ZBH-jykzXBcYyE2P3KJxMwIPgeZIYReczv8c5cxl_ox8QPYB_q4Hj5Sg/s320/December%202022%20reads%20flatlay.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><p>Click on image to enlarge. </p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2023 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-85258225331404714652022-12-02T13:32:00.003-06:002022-12-02T13:32:34.527-06:00Everything I Read in November (in brief)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ejkgv0b8mMMbkJwXNUknvfw4TjXBgWGjtis7w-J-HvqI3Ul18Tjjjh7fVvabsT96ANQUOHAI4tgKWB9OwxIN4tDrTpTRo3BKGpPbDIV3D5qdiKiDs7QI_Nv9kAG2mCO23VDRrrTARoEFOqfMUdgA3XLHHBqv_6SngCsTO1sLW5QTp_MFCQM/s960/November%20Reads%202022%20Stack%20w:truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="960" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ejkgv0b8mMMbkJwXNUknvfw4TjXBgWGjtis7w-J-HvqI3Ul18Tjjjh7fVvabsT96ANQUOHAI4tgKWB9OwxIN4tDrTpTRo3BKGpPbDIV3D5qdiKiDs7QI_Nv9kAG2mCO23VDRrrTARoEFOqfMUdgA3XLHHBqv_6SngCsTO1sLW5QTp_MFCQM/w400-h301/November%20Reads%202022%20Stack%20w:truck.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br />November:</b><p></p><p>1.<b> War Horse</b> by Michael Morpurgo - I didn't realize this classic children's tale of a horse that serves in WWI was a book (although I'd heard of and not seen the movie or play) until I randomly bought a couple books by Morpurgo because they had cats on the cover and a friend informed me that <b>War Horse</b> was one of his better books. The tale of Joey is told from the time he arrives at a farm after being purchased by a farmer who always gets drunk on market day, through his breaking and training by the farmer's son Albert, and then through his years after being sold to the British army for service in WWI, including hauling artillery and carts full of the injured, staying on a French farm, then working for the Germans until he is wounded and ends up in familiar hands. A lovely story told from the viewpoint of the horse and definitely my favorite by Morpurgo, so far. </p><p>2. <b>Spy x Family #8</b> by Tatsuya Endo - Oh, no! The next <b><i>Spy x Family </i></b>book won't be out till March of 2023. I am so bummed. I might just have to start back at the beginning to fill the time between. In <b>Spy x Family #8</b>, Yor (the mother in the fake family and an assassin) is charged with going on a cruise where she'll be protecting a woman whose entire family — except for her baby — has been killed. But, fake daughter Anya and husband Loid have won a cruise on the same ship so she has to keep a low profile. As it turns out, the enemy is everywhere and meeting up secretly with a boat that will take the endangered woman and her baby to safety is going to be nearly impossible. I've given every single one of the books in this series 5 stars . . . till this one. The last 25% or so is almost entirely fight scenes between Yor and the enemy and I find those a bit hard to follow. And, it's a bit more serious than most, although it has moments of levity. I still loved it, just not 5 stars' worth. </p><p>3. <b>Maybe You Should Talk to S</b>omeone by Lori Gottlieb - Nonfiction in which the author, a psychologist and talk therapist, intertwines stories of her own therapy patients with the tale of how a crisis sent her into therapy herself. All of the stories are at least partially fictionalized out of necessity (because therapy is private) and maybe a bit too perfectly wrapped up but effective. My favorite patient was John, who called everyone "idiots" and was quite a jerk but softened as his truth emerged. </p><p>4. <b>Pied Piper</b> by Nevil Shute - The story of a 70-year-old Englishman who has gone on a fishing trip to France. WWII has begun but he's unconcerned till the Germans invade France and he decides it's time to leave. He is asked to take two children with him on the journey to England and it begins well enough but then things go wrong, transportation is held up or halted, the Germans move in faster than expected, and he keeps picking up more stray children on the journey. A tense, heartwarming, vivid tale of the hardships of war and the kindness of a character who goes out of his way to ensure the safety of strangers' children. A new favorite, both in the WWII category and books by Nevil Shute, published in 1942, when the war was ongoing. </p><p>5.<b> Spy School: Revolution</b> by Stuart Gibbs - There's a new enemy for the CIA to fight, hundreds of years old and bearing a grudge. Now that SPYDER is out of the picture, the Croatoan is free to create mayhem and do damage. It appears that Erica Hale is involved. But, when Ben is asked to help capture her, he's hesitant. He knows Erica well. Surely, she wouldn't join an evil spy organization. In his search for Erica and the Croatoan, Ben uses his natural skills and his understanding of his friend. But, when he asks another friend for help, things become tangled up. Who is a friend and who is an enemy? A wild adventure around the Washington DC area and over to Mt. Vernon. Interesting side note: some readers of this lengthy series (I believe this is #8) found the Croatoan hard to buy into. I had no such trouble. The absurdity is part of the point, although I appreciated the author's note clarifying whether certain details were true or false, since American History was involved. </p><p>6. <b>There There</b> by Tommy Orange - A diverse cast of Urban Natives comes together for a Pow-Wow that has been scoped out as a decent place to rob, due to the prize money offered in gift cards. It doesn't take long to figure out that something tragic is going to occur, but first you get to know the cast of characters (which is quite large) and their backgrounds. Notably, almost everyone is either facing the challenge of poverty, discrimination, and/or alcoholism somewhere in their family. At one point, the author talks about how easy it is to become an alcoholic Native American. Alcohol, he says, is cheap and it helps you forget. This was a rough read for me but an impressively written story. I've mentioned the fact that I don't drink, on this blog. What I probably haven't said is that a Native American family friend is the reason I've avoided alcohol, as I had a front-row seat to his self-destruction. He died at only 49 after many previous accidents that came close to killing him, all drink-related. When he wasn't drinking, he was a charming, well-educated, successful guy. Otherwise, my only problem with the book was that the chapters could have used dates for clarity, as the story went from the 70s to present day and could be a bit confusing, time-wise. Read for Native American Heritage Month and highly recommended. </p><p>7.<b> Cable on Academe</b> by Carole Cable - A book of comics on life as a university professor, bought eons ago, when we were occasionally returning to Ann Arbor, Michigan and Husband was working on the research for his PhD. I'm emptying a shelfing unit to pass on to my younger son and came across this book. While I read <b>Cable on Academe</b> when it was new to us, I figured I should give it a quick reread before parting with it. Lots of fun pokes at academia, some very outdated but I'm old enough to understand them. Published in 1994. </p><p>8.<b> Bowlaway</b> by Elizabeth McCracken - A multi-generational story that begins with the unusual discovery of a live woman in a graveyard. Bertha Truitt has been found unconscious but once awakened she remembers her name and is cagey about her life and how she arrived in Salford, Massachusetts. She chooses to stay in the small town in which she's appeared and opens a candlepin bowling alley. From there, the reader follows her family line and the changes that take place in the bowling alley over the years. A unique story with a sense of humor. I noticed <b>Bowlaway</b>'s ratings are meh at Goodreads. In truth, I felt like it dragged a bit. But, I still loved it. I particularly loved Bertha and missed her when she was no longer part of the story. </p><p>9. <b>Where You'll Find Me and Other Stories</b> by Ann Beattie - Each of the stories in <b>Where You'll Find Me</b> is a window into the world of a set of characters for just long enough to get an idea what may be next. These are the kind of stories that irritate people who aren't regular short story readers because their endings are abrupt and leave what follows to the reader's imagination. I enjoyed them for their simplicity, the turn of phrase, and the occasional bit of wisdom, but like another volume of short stories I read not long ago (probably in 2021), the sheer quantity of characters who were unfaithful got on my nerves a bit. Still, excellent writing (also outdated; published in 1986 and you can't miss it when music and items contemporary to the time are mentioned). Most of the characters grew up in the 60s and 70s and each story is a peek into their romantic or familial struggles. Favorite sentence:</p><p><b><i></i></b></p><blockquote><b><i>It's a bright day, and the sun shining through the kitchen curtains, patterned with chickens, gives the chickens an advantage they don't have in real life; backlit, they're luminous. </i></b></blockquote><p></p><p>10. <b>Happening</b> by Annie Ernaux - A memoir of the author's abortion in 1960s France, when abortion was outlawed and the only options were shady back-alley abortions or self-administered injury. Finding herself pregnant during her college years, Ernaux knew immediately that she couldn't go through with a pregnancy. Not only would it ruin her plans but she was the first of her working-class family to go to college and it would devastate her parents and humiliate them. The most interesting part of this book, I thought, was that her personal physician wouldn't even look her in the eyes when she said she needed to end the pregnancy but when she later informed him that she was going to get an abortion, he prescribed penicillin to take before and after and gave her clear instructions. He didn't want to go to jail but he also didn't want her to die. The author also mentioned that having an abortion freed her to have a family when she was ready. A very emotional read, written nearly 40 years after the abortion. </p><p>11. <b>The Old Man and the Sea</b> by Ernest Hemingway - Yes, this is my first time reading this classic! And, I confess, I liked it more than some of Hemingway's other writings. The "I'm a man; I can take pain and I will not be defeated and I'll keep doing manly man things like arm wrestling till I die," was all there but it felt a little different than it does in some of his books and stories because of the age of the protagonist. Also, I've never paid attention to any detailed description of the book, so I found it surprising. I was sure X was going to happen but instead Hemingway went to Z with a whole lot of Y in between. No, I haven't gotten into some eggnog. As far as Men Proving Their Manliness stories go, I also liked this better because the man himself was on a losing streak and so dirt poor that if he didn't fight hard to catch a fish he was probably going to starve, sooner or later. It felt like his battle with the marlin was a close to being a necessity, in other words, although I can see why some guy on Goodreads said, "Good grief, worst book ever. Just let the fish go, already." </p><p>Wow, what a contrast with October! I read a lot fewer books because I had a couple weeks of recharging after reading 20 books the month before (and <b>Bowlaway</b> took me quite a while to read) but I liked or loved everything I read so I consider November an excellent month. <b>Pied Piper</b> is easily my favorite but I wouldn't tell you not to read anything in this pile. I considered trying to bump up my numbers with an easy read or two because I ended the month smack in the middle of <b>Leviathan Wakes</b>, the first in the <b><i>Expanse</i></b> sci-fi series. But, in the end I decided that was silly. 11 books is fine and the number of books read is less important than the quality. So . . . I'm happy. How was your reading month?</p><p>You should be able to click on images to enbiggen, btw. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNdjr0bMpkyLS_wRTLwg1zU68z92OVq3-NRMwja6ZlpftdG9gWLPGc9SXOmDdbCqf5YuggU6XDJeDzYWO2uVb6Pa8Q8EGcQxKGauC1MwAk3r_9L9kNRoQc0O43lM_DrucsuuqalbCODEwDnS4_S9m17F9VUYdAGzqy3k0uCA1mtB41PzX0J4/s2048/November%20reads%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1916" data-original-width="2048" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNdjr0bMpkyLS_wRTLwg1zU68z92OVq3-NRMwja6ZlpftdG9gWLPGc9SXOmDdbCqf5YuggU6XDJeDzYWO2uVb6Pa8Q8EGcQxKGauC1MwAk3r_9L9kNRoQc0O43lM_DrucsuuqalbCODEwDnS4_S9m17F9VUYdAGzqy3k0uCA1mtB41PzX0J4/w320-h299/November%20reads%202022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-86679852231551591302022-11-03T12:11:00.000-05:002022-11-03T12:11:06.436-05:00Everything I Read in October (in brief)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Click on images to enlarge. </span></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZh2X9XIKqVmDzasTJN82aP50JaGf-ZCQGhGg5nw21Ln-4bfAVGuomH6YM4s7gYdRmWxVVx5Qhrb7Mjs3lpY0miNCIZdpVIf3cgkN_I-PMIPN21TDRKVGzxUWRL1I2mX23ohJnDFvzISY4HhPnqLM4dugaJE4UHqOqUFFx8LY-S5r7fL06-A/s2048/October%202022%20stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="2048" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZh2X9XIKqVmDzasTJN82aP50JaGf-ZCQGhGg5nw21Ln-4bfAVGuomH6YM4s7gYdRmWxVVx5Qhrb7Mjs3lpY0miNCIZdpVIf3cgkN_I-PMIPN21TDRKVGzxUWRL1I2mX23ohJnDFvzISY4HhPnqLM4dugaJE4UHqOqUFFx8LY-S5r7fL06-A/w400-h366/October%202022%20stack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>October:</b></p><p>111.<b> The All of It </b>by Jeannette Haien - A book I've owned forever, probably bought at the salvage store in the 90s (yikes), <b>The All of It </b>is a short novel about a priest, a woman, and a dying man. Enda and Kevin have a secret and he's about to confess to the local priest. But, he dies before he gets the chance. So, Enda offers to share their story, but not in a confession booth and only on her terms. The priest listens and as he patiently hears her out, he admires her beauty. It seems the priest has had a crush on Enda for years. But, the secret is shocking. Or, is it? As the story is revealed, the priest makes an irrational assumption about the couple that may ruin the day. Interspersed with this story are chapters in which the priest is fishing at a local castle in the rain, reflecting on the story that Enda has shared and angry. But, is he angry with Enda or himself? Well, it's worth reading to find out. The ending is absolutely lovely and this book is a little gem, in my humble opinion. </p><p>112. <b>The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment</b> by Thaddeus Golas - Another book I've had a long time, I'm assuming this one came from the bargain section of Barnes & Noble, bought back in my shopaholic days. It's pristine and looks like the typical bargain fare. The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment was published in 1972 and it's the work of a writer who attempted to reach enlightenment using psychedelic drugs (so . . . not an easy option, now, unless you like breaking laws). Basically, hippie mumbo jumbo about getting happy vibes but the undercurrent is about love and acceptance and there are a few sage bits of advice if you can put up with all the babble about energy. </p><p>113. <b>Many Different Kinds of Love</b> by Michael Rosen - The story of wildly popular British children's author Rosen's experience with a dangerous case of Covid in March of 2020. Beginning with the story of how his wife got a doctor friend to bring a pulse oximeter to their house and told them to go straight to the emergency room, the book describes his 47 days in a coma via the notes written in an Intensive Care Diary kept by the nurses who cared for him (so he'd have a record of the time he was unaware of what was happening to him), notes from his wife to friends and relatives, and the tale of his recovery in verse by the author. An emotional read. Having been in a coma for weeks, Rosen is still occasionally told that Covid is a hoax, that he must have had some other illness, etc. Those comments and the fact that the government considered older folks (he was 72) expendable naturally upset him. And, he was left with some long-term damage. But, he is an upbeat guy and <b>Many Different Kinds of Love</b> is a really beautiful, inspiring read, in the end. </p><p>114. <b>The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse</b> by Charlie Mackesy - Much beloved by a couple friends of mine, this book seems to have mostly high ratings but some sharp polarization amongst those who consider it trite. I fall somewhere in the middle. I can't imagine a child asking the type of questions that are posed but it's about love and acceptance (including of one's self) so, yeah, it is a bit heavy on platitudes. But, the illustrations are fabulous so I liked it. I particularly liked the way the animals care for each other, although some are wary of each other in the beginning. </p><p>115. <b>The Winter People</b> by Jennifer McMahon - My first creepy read of the fall season, <b>The Winter People</b> begins with someone seeing a "creeper" in the woods, a dead person returned to life, and describes the disappearance of a little girl in 1908, alternating with the story of a missing woman in the present day. Both lived in the same farmhouse in Vermont near a formation called The Devil's Hand. What's become of Alice? Her two daughters are determined to find out. In their search, they find some surprising hidden clues and a relative they didn't know existed. Who or what is lingering in the closet and does it have an appetite for humans?</p><p>116. <b>The Missing Girl</b> by Shirley Jackson - A tiny book with three short stories, just 55 pages long. "The Missing Girl" is about a girl at summer camp who says she's going out and doesn't return. Days later, her roommate finally reports her missing and nobody seems to know much about her. "Journey with a Lady" is about a boy who goes alone on a train trip to his grandparents' and is surprised when a lady pretends he's her son until he realizes the police are after her. "Nightmare" . . . I just read all three, this morning, and I've forgotten the final story. Not the best of Jackson but I love her writing, even if the stories didn't amount to much. </p><p>117. <b>Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel</b> by Howe, Dorkin, and Gilpin - Friend Jenn posted a photo of the new <b>Bunnicula</b> graphic novel and I jumped right on it and bought a copy. My kids and I laughed till we had tears streaming when we read the <b><i>Bunnicula</i></b> series during their childhood. So, I thought it would be fun reading the new graphic novel. While I didn't laugh the way I did when I read the series, I was thoroughly entertained and loved the addition of the visuals, which were beautifully done. Highly recommended, whether or not you've read the original stories. </p><p>118. <b>New Kid</b> by Jerry Craft - A banned book (a graphic novel) that I bought during Banned Books Week but didn't receive till after it was over, <b>New Kid</b> is about a black boy who goes to a fancy school with mostly rich kids. There's a little diversity but being black and on financial aid both set him apart. I have heard this book is accused of containing Critical Race Theory, which would mean the history of the structural racism that exists in our country. Nope, none of that. Slavery is mentioned maybe once, and obviously race/prejudice comes up but naturally, through characterization. <b>New Kid</b> is really a book about being new, finding friends, kindness, discomfort with being a fish out of water, etc. I literally laughed out loud several times. It's sweet, funny book by a guy who clearly gets interaction in middle school and just the everyday challenges of being a kid. I loved it and would eagerly hand it to any child without qualms. It doesn't deserve to be on any banned list. </p><p>119. <b>Skylight Confessions</b> by Alice Hoffman - Told in three parts, Skylight Confessions begins with Arlyn, who decides she'll marry the next man who comes along and speaks to her. John is lost when he asks her for directions. The first part is about their marriage, their son Sam, daughter Blanca, and a death. The second part involves a haunting, a new wife, a nanny, and Sam's growing drug use. The third part pulls it all together with Blanca now grown and returning home for a funeral. If I'd known there was a death from breast cancer in this book, I'd have put it in the donation box. But, I continued to read and I'm glad I did. It's a very rare book that leaves you with such a deep impression of the characters that you can rattle off the names of every single one of them. I really loved this story and found it had characteristics similar to Sarah Addison Allen's in its magical touches, both real and imagined. </p><p>120.<b> To Say Nothing of the Dog</b> by Connie Willis - The second in the time travel series that began with <b>Doomsday Book</b> stars Ned Henry, who has been tasked with repeatedly traveling to Coventry, England before and after the night of the bombing during WWII to search the Coventry Cathedral and various jumble sales in order to find a single item. Unable to locate it and suffering from exhaustion due to too many time jumps, he's sent to Victorian England to rest. Instead, he gets caught up in the saga of a missing cat, ends up on a boat with an Oxford don, a young man in love, and a bulldog, and himself falls for a beautiful time traveler who may have thrown an incongruity in the timeline. Can Ned and Kindle (aka Verity) right the wrongs caused by the incongruity or will they get stuck in Victorian England forever? Loads of fun, sometimes leaning slapstick, and makes me want to go back and read the first book. There are two more books that carry on the time travel and refer back to the <b><i>Oxford Time Travel</i></b> books, although they're labeled as a separate duology. Interesting side note: I <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2010/07/bellwether-and-doomsday-book-by-connie.html" target="_blank">read <b>Doomsday Book </b>in 2010</a> and I still remember the vivid description of Medieval stench, although I didn't recall much else. This series does need to be read in order. </p><p>121. <b>Ms. Marvel</b> by G. Willow Wilson (e-book) - After I closed <b>To Say Nothing of the Dog</b>, I felt drained and couldn't think of anything at all that I wanted to read so I flipped through my e-book library and found this graphic novel that's been sitting in my iPad for years. Kamala Khan is a Muslim teenager living in Jersey City, NJ. She's nerdy, loves Avengers fan fiction, and dreams of being Captain Marvel. She has two best friends but is mostly an outsider. One night Kamala — trying to be a joiner by attending a party — gets caught in a strange fog and suddenly develops the power to shape shift. She can make herself larger or smaller or grow a single oversized fist. She's able to save someone from drowning on her first night as a superhero. But, it turns out that having superpowers is not all it's cracked up to be and having a secretive second life just gets you grounded repeatedly. Told in 5 parts. I absolutely loved this story. Kamala is sweet and vulnerable but summons her inner strength. </p><p>122. <b>The Midnight Children</b> by Dan Gemeinhart - Ravani is a lonely only child with no friends and a persistent bully making his life miserable. When he sees 7 children show up at the empty house across the street in the middle of the night, he's curious. And, when he gets to know Virginia after he leaves her a couple of surprising gifts, he feels like he's finally found out what friendship is all about. But, Virginia and her 6 siblings have a secret and there is a man hunting them. Will Ravani's friendship disappear, only to leave him back where he was? Set in a town called Slaughterville, the story has some unsettling descriptions of the local slaughterhouse, which might upset some children (it would have given me nightmares) but if middle graders can handle the gruesome bits, the story is a beautiful tale of friendship, found family, and finding your inner courage. </p><p>123. <b>You Wait Till I'm Older Than You!</b> by Michael Rosen - After reading Rosen's Covid memoir, I wanted to see what his children's books were like so I ordered one, along with a second memoir about his search for the relatives who were never heard from after WWII. <b>You Wait Till I'm Older Than You!</b> is classified as poetry and some of it does seem like it's written in verse. But, it felt more like a book of anecdotes to me. Many were from his childhood but others, including one of my favorites, were stories from his adulthood. My favorite was Rosen's tale about the stupidest thing he's ever done, which took place in France and involved a car, a child, a ditch, and a couple of French Farmers. It's very similar to an anecdote my husband tells. A fun read. The author was such a typical boy, getting himself into trouble in creative ways. </p><p>124.<b> The Missing: The True Story of My Family in WWII </b>by Michael Rosen - We were sitting in an ER when I read <b>The Missing</b> (all is well, no worries). I brought 5 books in a tote but the chair was hard and there was a lot of chatter so I chose the lightest read (easiest read not lightest subject, obviously) I could find. <b>The Missing</b> tells about how Rosen heard about his Polish relatives who had disappeared, from his childhood on, and always wondered what had become of them. As an adult, he decided that he needed to find out what had become of his family members so that they could be remembered. What follows is the unfolding mystery as Rosen dug into various records, read books (some in French, as two of the families had gone to live in France), and eventually found the answers. It's a children's book, again, and absolutely one of the best tales of finding missing Jewish relatives who disappeared during the Holocaust that I've read. I particularly loved the way the author explained things to children without condescending. Highly, highly recommended. </p><p>125. <b>Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop's Battle for America's Soul</b> by Michael Fanone and John Shiffman - Made famous by two photographs showing him fighting for his life on January 6 as he was dragged into the furious crowd, Michael Fanone relates his history as a police officer, describes his experience on January 6 in detail, and tells about the aftermath. What an interesting man. I've seen Fanone on TV and he's so well-spoken and intelligent that I never would have suspected he was a drop-out who later got his GED for the sake of getting into the police academy. Similar to Michael Rosen's Covid coma experience, Fanone has faced a lot of pushback with people telling him his body camera footage was faked, that the Insurrection didn't happen or was done by people from Antifa dressed as Trump supporters, etc. The fact that they tased him repeatedly (to the point that he had a mild heart attack) and tried to take his gun to shoot him tells a different story. Highly recommended, a really engrossing read. </p><p>126. <b>The Nesting</b> by C. J. Cooke - Lexi's boyfriend has asked her to move out after her suicide attempt has caused the loss of her job and medication has given her hallucinations. With nowhere to go, she rides the Tube and happens to overhear talk of a nannying job in Norway. She applies and goes off to take care of two little girls whose mother recently committed suicide. Their father Tom is an architect who is determined to finish the summer home he originally began building for his wife, Aurelia. When Lexi finds hoof prints in her bedroom and hears a voice calling her from the basement, she thinks she's still having hallucinations. But, then she hears about the Norwegian version of Mother Nature and how it takes vengeance on people who alter the land, something Tom has done. Did Aurelia really commit suicide or was she chased by an evil spirit? This book was so genuinely frightening that I had to stop reading it at night. Fortunately, Dewey's Readathon conveniently gave me an excuse to finish the book in the daylight. </p><p>127. <b>Spy School Goes South</b> by Stuart Gibbs (<b><i>Spy School #6</i></b>) - Former Spy School student Murray Hill has been held in the school's jail because the evil group SPYDER keeps springing him from juvenile detention. Now, he says he knows where SPYDER's leaders are hiding and he's willing to take student Ben Ripley there, but not anyone from the CIA. Ben and his constant companion Erica head to Mexico but things go wrong immediately. Will Ben and Erica be able to thwart SPYDER's latest efforts? From the always plot-intense, exciting, adventurous middle grade series, another edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. This is my all-time favorite middle grade series. I think I'm totally out of <b><i>Spy School </i></b>books, now, so I may have to order another. </p><p>128. <b>Recursion</b> by Blake Crouch - A scientist and a wealthy man discover a way to copy memories and implant them into a brain. The original intent of the scientist's invention, a "memory chair," is to help Alzheimer's patients. But when the wealthy man decides to use the chair for his own purposes and discovers a way to relive time, he begins a cascading set of actions that will lead to the utter destruction of the world unless the scientist and the man she loves can figure out a way to prevent everyone from remembering past timelines. A wild ride and another great one from Blake Crouch. I have not yet found a book by this author that I didn't love. </p><p>129. <b>Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris and Mrs. Harris Goes to New York</b> by Paul Gallico - Two novellas in one book. In <b>Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris</b>, Mrs. Harris, a widowed London charwoman, sees two beautiful Dior dresses and decides she must scrimp and save then travel to Paris to buy a Dior dress of her own. When she gets to Paris, she charms nearly everyone she meets with her down-to-earth honesty and warmth. In <b>Mrs. Harris Goes to New York</b>, Mrs. Harris and her friend Mrs. Butterfield accompany one of Mrs. Harris's clients to New York and get themselves into a tangle when they try to do a kindness without thinking it through. Again, Mrs. Harris charms everyone. Such a pleasant couple of reads! </p><p>130. <b>A Kid for Two Farthings</b> by Wolf Mankowitz - The "kid" of the title is a baby goat, not a human child. Joe's mother works in a millinery and during the daytime Joe stays with Mr. Kandinsky and his assistant. Mr. Kandinsky is a kind man and a bit of a storyteller. Since Joe's father is working in Africa, Mr. Kandinsky studies up on African animals and tells Joe all about them. But, his stories can be a little bit on the fantastical side. When he tells Joe about unicorns and how valuable their horns were (allegedly the reason they can no longer be found), Joe decides he wants a unicorn. In the market, he finds a unicorn — really, a sickly goat that appears to have a single, stubby horn. Joe and his friends take care of the goat but it never becomes healthy. Meanwhile, Mr. Kandinsky's assistant is building himself up in order to try to earn money wrestling so that he can give his fiancée a diamond ring. Not much happens in this quaint story but it has a unique atmosphere and very interesting characters so I enjoyed it. </p><p>It would be almost impossible to choose favorites, this month, because it was just that good. I liked or loved everything I read and I was clearly in a reading mood all month, apart from one day when I had a high fever (that sucked). Several of these are graphic novels, two are memoirs (and the <b>Guide to Enlightenment</b> has some bits of autobiography), two included time travel, at least three were creepy, and then there were my usual upbeat and adventurous middle grade reads. Just a fantastic, all-around reading month for me. Feel free to ask me questions about anything. I think that would be easier than trying to choose favorites. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vtAU7zbFiOV7gaUiOwP1xW2v4KAxpP59McSo22RNonUBWdn8VeLCxHm2KqQdP_nR_boV6lnK4c5-UJiPpidDvIlsFRRiO4yGUZbJ2hzBk1u6eBL715RDMji5-jA16fintznhkKx62DOyeGQfUoblHKDCKc7-zuPfLk4ZAxRZpZWEX1qmp8Q/s2048/October%202022%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2020" data-original-width="2048" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vtAU7zbFiOV7gaUiOwP1xW2v4KAxpP59McSo22RNonUBWdn8VeLCxHm2KqQdP_nR_boV6lnK4c5-UJiPpidDvIlsFRRiO4yGUZbJ2hzBk1u6eBL715RDMji5-jA16fintznhkKx62DOyeGQfUoblHKDCKc7-zuPfLk4ZAxRZpZWEX1qmp8Q/w400-h395/October%202022%20flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-52346343458638361692022-10-01T12:37:00.002-05:002022-10-03T15:39:53.152-05:00Everything I Read in September (in brief)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXyH1XwWcTqKasPQTSUpwqNGwxnoUAlfRzZx2g0s3hVCmFVbKnCOuP4FJX-pC52uKeTRF9kICUSt27qjuOhA3g6rbrNfk0DZk6bjXHZXBKDde5zUslwVMWIu6uZ-H-5SadrqGWh6SKWWWiWgCtaEm7plZebesyVTlkL_Ldf8UXBlMW91PfWI/s960/September%202022%20reads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="794" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXyH1XwWcTqKasPQTSUpwqNGwxnoUAlfRzZx2g0s3hVCmFVbKnCOuP4FJX-pC52uKeTRF9kICUSt27qjuOhA3g6rbrNfk0DZk6bjXHZXBKDde5zUslwVMWIu6uZ-H-5SadrqGWh6SKWWWiWgCtaEm7plZebesyVTlkL_Ldf8UXBlMW91PfWI/w530-h640/September%202022%20reads.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>September </b></div><div><br /></div><div>100. <b>Sidney Nolan Foundation Collection</b> by Peter Haynes; photography by Robert Little - The Sidney Nolan Foundation Collection is a collection of paintings by Australian artist Sidney Nolan, probably best known for his Ned Kelly paintings, although I might be projecting because the Ned Kelly paintings were the only paintings I'd seen by Nolan before I opened this book. The book is about the collection at Canberra Museum and Gallery, how Nolan started as a poet and became a painter, abandoned hopes of classical training in Paris during his time in the Australian military, and how the landscape and loneliness during his military years influenced his art. There's more, of course, and it was utterly fascinating. I asked my husband to buy me a book about Sidney Nolan's paintings because I knew he was going to be in Canberra, where the Foundation Collection is displayed. But, I knew little more than the fact that I liked the Ned Kelly paintings, which I admire for their vivid colors and sense of humor. While the art lingo sometimes slowed me down, I absolutely loved reading about Nolan's growth as an artist and his particular interest in Australian storytelling and landscape. </div><div><br /></div><div>101. <b>Spy x Family #7 </b>by Tatsuya Endo - Yes, of course I had to squeeze in my monthly manga! I am still loving this series. I have one more pre-ordered. It's difficult to describe the installments because there are several stories within each installment but in this case the main story begins with the son of Donovan Desmond (evil bad guy whom spy Twilight is tasked with getting close to in order to learn his nefarious plans). He has a meeting with his father that Twilight intends to exploit. One of the hilarious recurring themes in the latter books is Yor's inability to cook, Yor being Twilight's fake wife, who is also an assassin. Everyone tries to get out of eating when she cooks. I've also loved the addition of the dog that sees into the future because it enables the telepathic child in Twilight's fake family to occasionally see what's about to happen by reading the dog's mind. Such a fun series. I intend to keep these for a future reread and am so glad my librarian friend recommended them. </div><div><br /></div><div>102. <b>Alan Cleaver's Hodgepodge</b> by Alan Cleaver - This adorable book is handwritten (no typeset; it's all literally written by hand), hand-illustrated, and hand-bound. I somehow happened across it at Etsy and while it's a bit pricey, it is worth every penny. The author has illustrates various walking paths in Cumbria, UK, the sites of historical interest nearby, legends and history attached to these areas (including ghosts and fairies), and even where it's best to park and the level of walking strength required. For anyone considering a walking holiday in the area, it's a goldmine. Otherwise, it's a delightful read and the author is a gem. </div><div><br /></div><div>103. <b>They Want to Kill Americans</b> by Malcolm Nance - As I said in a lengthy post at Goodreads, this book is scary as hell. It talks about the history of militias, how and why many of the groups with racist ideologies grew during The Former Guy's administration, who they believe doesn't deserve to live and why, and how people have already committed murder in the name of such beliefs. The hardest part to read is probably the bit about QAnon as it's effing nutso and just difficult to process how people can not only believe the false information they're being fed but feel angry enough about it to openly say more than half of Americans deserve to die. Most fascinating to me was the history of some of the false information they've been fed. The sex trafficking and drinking of the blood of children, for example, is a story that dates back to Medieval times and is based on anti-Semitic tropes that have been altered and regurgitated for hundreds of years. They weren't true then and they're not true now, but people continue to believe these stories in spite of the fact that absolutely none of Q's predictions have come true. Crazy, but nicely described if you can bear it. </div><div><br /></div><div>104. <b>Attack of the Black Rectangles</b> by Amy Sarig King - A children's book (chapter book for older elementary, I'd say) about censorship, <b>Attack of the Black Rectangles </b>is about 3 friends who notice there are blacked-out words in their copies of <b>The Devil's Arithmetic </b>by Jane Yolen. Curious about why anyone would black out words, they seek out copies without the marks censoring them and find out the words someone doesn't want them to read, who did the blacking-out, and why they chose to do so. When they get answers, though, they aren't given the action they request. They want new copies of the book that are uncensored and are willing to confront those in charge in order to stop future censorship. A timely story that's thought-provoking. I found the children a little too wise and perfect but the way they were brushed off by those in authority definitely rang true. </div><div><br /></div><div>105. <b>Evie and the Animals</b> by Matt Haig - Evie has always known she can talk to animals telepathically, some more easily than others. And, her father has always told her not to use this unusual ability, known as "The Talent". But, she didn't know why. Suddenly, things begin to change. Evie finds out she is not alone in having The Talent and that if it becomes known to a certain evil bad guy, she and anyone else who can talk to animals will be in terrible danger. I thought this book started out a bit slow but then it became tense and exciting. A children's chapter book with some wonderful illustrations. </div><div><br /></div><div>106. <b>Other Birds</b> by Sarah Addison Allen - Ever since I happened across a free ARC of <b>Garden Spells </b>at my former library I've been a fan of Sarah Addison Allen. In <b>Other Birds</b>, Zoey arrives at a condo belonging to her late mother on Mallow Island in South Carolina, where she'll spend time until her freshman year of college begins in Charleston. Zoey has an invisible bird named Pigeon and a cheerful personality. She sets out to get to know her neighbors and when one of them dies, her ability to not only make friends but unify the group turns them into a makeshift family. But, there are ghosts at the Dellawisp, someone is sneaking around unlocking doors at night, and all of the residents each have a past and ghosts of their own. A story of wounded souls, living and dead, and the healing power of friendship. I absolutely loved <b>Other Birds</b>. No surprise there. </div><div><br /></div><div>107. <b>Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them</b> by Al Franken - I love Al Franken. This is an older book, published in 2003 and focusing mainly on a handful of conservative personalities including Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Tucker Carlson, Rush Limbaugh, and Newt Gingrich as well as the then-president George W. Bush. Franken not only dissects some of their book contents but also goes into various lies that have been spread by the right-wing media and then unaccountably bled into its more liberal counterparts as they picked up stories without fact-checking them. Stories about Al Gore that are false were among the most interesting to me because at one point I believed them but had taken the time to look up the details and discovered in what way they were false and how they'd come to be distorted (like the "I invented the Internet" lie — Gore never said he invented the Internet; he said he was instrumental in funding the development of the Internet). I laughed, I cried, I got pissed off. A fascinating read and while dated because some of these people are no longer mainstream (one being dead), it was interesting to see that some lies from 20 years ago are being recirculated or revamped to fit the current times but still basically the same falsehoods. Franken is well-educated and a number freak, which I love, so he backed his words up with raw numbers. </div><div><br /></div><div>108. <b>48 States</b> by Evette Davis (e-book) - A dystopian novel set in a world in which two states have become corporate entities specifically with the objective of making the US completely energy independent after two terrorist attacks have killed off the President, VP, and some of the cabinet, leaving a lower cabinet member as the new President. River, a widow with a mother in child back in Idaho, works in "The Territories" as a trucker since the death of her husband left her in debt. An Army veteran who has had a rough life, River is tougher than the man she comes across one night on a dark road. Finn Cunningham is a hydrologist and he's found something fishy in the water of The Territories. Although he had permission to enter, someone has shot him and he barely survived. Together, River and Finn will go on the run to find the only person they think can help them. But, the oil company CEO who talked the new President into making the two states territories is greedy and willing to kill to get more land. A fun read with plenty of action but a little over-the-top, at times. I enjoyed it. </div><div><br /></div><div>109. <b>This Book is Gay </b>by Juno Dawson (e-book) - Formerly published under the name James Dawson, author Juno is a fully transitioned transexual. <b>This Book is Gay</b> is kind of a slog, if you ask me. I read it for Banned Books Week but it's graphic and goofy and sometimes just flat wrong. Having said that, it's basically a book that feels like sitting through 3 hours of one of those junior high assemblies (I'm old; I know it's middle school, now) in which wiggly pre-teens learned about their bodies. Only, in this case the focus is more on the LGBTQ crowd with a little of the + and I. It was kind of gross, at times. Do I think it should be banned? Absolutely not. Although anyone can read it, I'm sure the book must be especially reassuring to youngsters who are confused about their sexuality or gender or afraid to admit their realizations. I did have some problems with some of the author's advice and would recommend that if a child wants to read it, parents read along/ahead/after so that it can be discussed. I found it morally shady so I'd hate for either of my children to have read it without some sort of guidance as to our own thoughts.</div><div><br /></div><div>110. <b>Fascism: A Warning</b> by Madeleine Albright - Mostly a history book about fascists past and present, <b>Fascism: A Warning</b> begins with the lead-up to WWII and the author and former Secretary of State's own part in it as a Czech whose family fled to London before the war, returned, and then felt obligated to leave permanently after Czechoslovakia was absorbed into the USSR, the second time staying in the US and becoming permanent citizens. She talks at length about the rise to power of Hitler and Mussolini —where they came from, what influenced them, how they came into power and then immediately removed regular civil servants to replace them with loyalists, made it impossible to hold a fair election, and created a state press. She also goes into similar histories of Rodrigo Duterte, Victor Orbán, Kim Jong-Un and his father and grandfather, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump. The book was published in 2018 and Albright has since died but her concerns didn't even quite go deep enough, in my opinion. In fact, while she had personal experience with fascism and much of her family was killed in the Holocaust, Albright stays fairly neutral. But, she's very blunt about The Former Guy's mistakes in foreign policy and the danger of his cozying up to strongmen, isolationism, and abandoning allies and treaties. A fascinating read. Things have gotten both better and worse in the US since publication. Anyone who is concerned that the 2020 election was "stolen" should read this book to see how and why pretending an election was stolen and then actually stealing those of the future when one's power becomes unstoppable is a common tactic. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not pictured was my single DNF:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>DNF:</b> <b>Court of the Vampire Queen</b> by Katee Robert - Probably the dirtiest book I've ever attempted to read,<b> Court of the Vampire Queen</b> was sent to me unsolicited by Sourcebooks and I decided to give it a go thinking, "I'll shake up my reading a bit!" Long ago, I enjoyed Colleen Gleason's Victoria Gardella Vampire Hunter series but few other vampire books have worked for me. The publicity information sent with <b>Court of the Vampire Queen</b> indicated that it was going to be pretty graphic and I generally skim graphic sex scenes because I don't think they typically contribute much to story. Well, golly. It was a lot more than I could handle. I made it to page 100 out of nearly 500. The storyline is that Mina is half human, half vampire. Her father has sent her to breed with a pure vampire as the purebred numbers are dwindling. But, the pureblood is trapped, like Mina. I kind of wanted to know what would happen but just couldn't tolerate the fact that the book is about 90% sex and the language was gross. Just not for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was kind of an unusual month, heavy on the nonfiction. I guess that's just what called to me. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqctL6cGxXW3xaQffJQpZ0ylbhceoIGpzK6AezN1PNc46UeRiDaLpMBGyYZlFFLIHjO_MRkH-yPjr9C3JPGTMBX7qXqtOFpchuxP2cl20zpPQjWMjy3EbyVEqih4lgjQo3JyN6ZFtZBuu7gzrxdxD-SFwMwWW7kKVYChFg8WIcaZHBMBdKqlo/s960/September%202022%20Reads%20Flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="960" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqctL6cGxXW3xaQffJQpZ0ylbhceoIGpzK6AezN1PNc46UeRiDaLpMBGyYZlFFLIHjO_MRkH-yPjr9C3JPGTMBX7qXqtOFpchuxP2cl20zpPQjWMjy3EbyVEqih4lgjQo3JyN6ZFtZBuu7gzrxdxD-SFwMwWW7kKVYChFg8WIcaZHBMBdKqlo/w400-h323/September%202022%20Reads%20Flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Updated to X out a book I did not read, this month. I was going to use that extra book within the stack in reverse to represent one of the e-books but then I decided to print out the cover instead and forgot to remove the book when I laid everything out. I've already loaned one of these to a friend so I can't retake the photo. Oopsy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-467793051222368462022-09-01T15:20:00.004-05:002022-09-01T15:35:24.092-05:00Everything I read in August (in brief)<div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGmkOcffdIIqIIZrfjTsuhNpJhIAv3iegor1MAzbaBLiAiqBpAxVxPrFkGAPTzx45Qtivk6Wf5x3Y6rpujiZhU0jrdikYqscPuTsy7uoy_GKkhS2-w9WqBiKjCJ3-hXesh0Z-JkFBIvYV8ZN_Q0ys9HEEp7VrW8GYYJVudZQn3GbhIcYyf3U/s2048/August%20Reads,%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1727" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGmkOcffdIIqIIZrfjTsuhNpJhIAv3iegor1MAzbaBLiAiqBpAxVxPrFkGAPTzx45Qtivk6Wf5x3Y6rpujiZhU0jrdikYqscPuTsy7uoy_GKkhS2-w9WqBiKjCJ3-hXesh0Z-JkFBIvYV8ZN_Q0ys9HEEp7VrW8GYYJVudZQn3GbhIcYyf3U/w541-h640/August%20Reads,%202022.jpg" width="541" /></a></div><br />Everything I read in August (in brief) </b></div><div><br /></div><div>88. <b>In Five Years</b> by Rebecca Searle - I was expecting a fluffy romance with a touch of time travel, judging from the reviews I read (which must have been more vague than I realized). <b>In Five Days</b> is not fluffy at all. Instead, it's the story of a woman who has a very tight life plan from which she cannot bear to vary. She knows the age she wants to be proposed to, marry, move to her chosen part of New York, have children, and become a partner in her law firm. Everything is going to plan but on the night she gets engaged she wakes up 5 years in the future with another man and a different engagement ring on her finger. She is absolutely certain the experience was real, but what does it mean and why isn't she married to the man she just became engaged to, 5 years from now? Content warning for cancer patient. I struggled to get through this as one of the characters is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the same cancer my mother dealt with. A good story and sometimes quite fun but also heartbreaking and not at all what I expected. I liked the ending. </div><div><br /></div><div>89. <b>The Fire Next Time</b> by James Baldwin - Probably my favorite of the month, this slim book contains two essays, one of which was a letter to Baldwin's nephew. In it, you learn about how Baldwin originally planned to become a minister and started preaching while still young but then became disillusioned. You hear about his visit with one of the leaders of the Nation of Islam and how he was, again, at first enthusiastic but then zoned in on the flaws of their philosophy. I had never thought to look up why Malcolm X used the X in his name but Baldwin describes it as a way to separate from the names acquired from owners during the years of slavery. Fascinating. He talks about racial injustice and how what appears on its surface to be the demeaning of a particular class of humans based on their skin color in reality demeans us all. I think part of the reason I loved this book is the fact that much of what he says in it I've said myself, of course less eloquently. I love Baldwin's writing and ordered a couple more of his books so watch this space for future reads by him. </div><div><br /></div><div>90. <b>Waste of Space</b> by Stuart Gibbs - In the third and final entry in the <b><i>Moon Base Alpha</i></b> middle grade series, Dashiell is asked to help solve the latest possible crime when Lars Sjoberg's lutefisk is poisoned with cyanide while disaster is unfolding at the base. It is difficult to narrow down the possible murderers when absolutely everyone dislikes the victim, but Dashiell's skill at deduction is better than average. As I was reading <b>Waste of Space</b>, I realized that there's only so far the author could have taken the series and that this was, in fact, a good stopping point (much as I'll miss the series). Because I've bought most of my Stuart Gibbs books from Book Outlet, I missed a couple from the <b><i>Spy School</i></b> series and to help fill in my craving for middle grade books, I went ahead and bought the two I had skipped over. I have become a huge fan of Stuart Gibbs. His books are adventurous and funny. I've loved every single one I've read. </div><div><br /></div><div>91. <b>Space Cat</b> by Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone - I know I'm way behind on this but I finally downloaded the Hoopla app after my friend Brittanie (<a href="http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com" target="_blank">A Book Lover</a>, no longer an active blogger) read this book and recommended it. A children's book published in 1952, it tells the tale of a cat who becomes the friend of a pilot and astronaut, who names the cat Flyball. Flyball is an adventurous cat so he doesn't even mind the squashed feeling he gets when he's taken for a ride in his friend Captain Stone's plane and he has a great time when he sneaks into a rocket ship for a test flight. Why not take him to the moon? Captain Stone has a special space suit made for Flyball and takes him along to the moon, where he learns to deal with low gravity, discovers life, and saves the captain from disaster. A fun children's book, of course outdated but who cares? E-book, so not pictured above. </div><div><br /></div><div>92. <b>Heard It in a Love Song</b> by Tracy Garvis Graves - I loved <b>The Girl He Used to Know</b> (read it in a single day, which seldom happens) and liked <b>On the Island</b> so I picked up <b>Heard It in a Love Song</b> off a free ARC cart at my library when I saw the author's name. Josh is waiting for his wife Kimmy to produce the papers that will finalize their divorce. He and Kimmy have worked out how to split everything, including the custody of their daughter. But, she seems to be dragging her feet. Layla has been divorced from Liam for 6 months and is still feeling stung but enjoying the time singing and playing guitar in her home studio when she's not teaching music at elementary school. Josh's daughter Sasha is one of Layla's students. And, when they find that they're both in need of some space but occasionally lonely, they start spending time together — and Layla occasionally watches Josh's dog, Norton. Are they both too wounded to give love another try? An average read, in my humble opinion.</div><div><br /></div><div>93. <b>The Nakano Thrift Shop</b> by Hiromi Kawakami - <b>The Nakano Thrift Shop</b> doesn't have the best ratings at Goodreads and when my friend Brittanie handed it to me, she said it was "OK," which implied nothing special. Still, I like the quirkiness of Japanese lit, even if sometimes the plotting can be so everyday as to fit the word "dull". It was the ending of <b>The Nakano Thrift Shop</b> that made the book for me, in spite of the rest plodding a bit. Mr. Nakano owns the thrift shop. His sister is an artist who frequently drops by, and Takeo and Hitomi are the employees. Not much happens in the thrift shop but Takeo and Hitomi are equally awkward and develop a relationship outside their employment. But, they can't seem to figure out how to be a couple. The ending is similar to an Epilogue, in that it takes place years after the thrift shop has closed and the characters have gone their separate ways but first you follow Hitomi in her new employment, then everyone gathers together as Mr. Nakano opens a new store. That final chapter made the book feel complete and meaningful, to me. </div><div><br /></div><div>94. <b>The Life and Times of Elizabeth I</b> by Massimo Rossaro - Quick note, the "I" after Elizabeth is not in the title. I added that for clarity. <b>The Life and Times of Elizabeth</b> is a picture book from a series, published in 1966. I bought my copy at the recent library sale because it has some gorgeous paintings that I'm hoping to use in collage but I had to read it first, of course. There's very little about Elizabeth I's childhood in <b>The Life and Times of Elizabeth</b>, although the author does mention that he thinks the fact that two people important to Elizabeth were beheaded by the time she was 8 years of age (the first being her mother, Anne Boleyn) traumatized her and possibly convinced her that marriage was dangerous. A childhood friend said she had never wavered from her decision to stay single, first declared as an 8-year-old. The rest is mostly about her time as queen, till her death at the age of 70. I've read little about Elizabeth and found the book very informative. At only 65 pages and with tons of illustrations, it's not an in-depth analysis but more of an overview, and yet the author did a good job of digging into the Queen's emotions, her cleverness and knowledge, her use of marriage propositions to build alliances, and her skill for economics. A fun afternoon's reading. </div><div><br /></div><div>95. <b>We Begin at the End</b> by Chris Whitaker is a book I bought because I'd read so many gushy reviews of it. Duchess is 13 and cares for her little brother, Robin, as if she were his mother because mom Star is a broken woman. Sheriff Walk keeps an eye on them and helps whenever he can. Now, the man who tore their family apart by accidentally killing Star's sister Sissy, Vincent King, is getting out of jail after 30 years. When Star turns up dead, King is the only suspect. But, there's another man in the picture and he's out to get Duchess. Even traveling 1,000 miles to stay with her grandfather may not stop Dickie Darke from taking his revenge on Duchess. I don't want to give too much away so the bottom line is that I found the writing style miserably choppy and sometimes even didn't understand a sentence or two so I'd have to reread them. But, what made this book stand out was the characterization. Whitaker tears at your heartstrings with his characters, so real in their pain that you can practically touch them. Duchess Day Radley, Outlaw, is what Duchess calls herself. She is one tough cookie, and she needs to be because her world is harsh and it just keeps getting worse. Fortunately, there's light at the end of the tunnel. The ending is bittersweet but I closed the book a bit relieved that the author ended on a note of hope. </div><div><br /></div><div>96. <b>Trumpocalypse</b> by David Frum - My biking read for part of the month, the follow-up to <b><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2020/12/trumpocracy-by-david-frum.html" target="_blank">Trumpocracy</a> </b>(link leads to my review), which was about the first year of Trump's presidency. <b>Trumpocalypse</b> was, I believe he said, a book about "What do we do now?" in which Frum looked back at some of the many changes made by The Former Guy (most of which he considered destructive), ahead to the post-Trump years, and made suggestions for how we should recover our integrity and leadership role in the world. Frum is a staunch conservative so I don't always agree with what he has to say but I pretty much found myself agreeing with a good 90% or more of what he said in this book. And, the last 10 pages or so, in which he predicted that The Former Guy would lose the election and described <i>why</i> he thought that turned out to be prescient. I thought his suggestions were excellent. He mourned the loss of the old Republican Party and its principles and described how very, very important it was to make sure TFG didn't get a second term. One of the most interesting conclusions he came to was that the so-called "Deep State" is merely the rule of law. That makes total sense. </div><div><br /></div><div>97. <b>Spy Camp </b>by Stuart Gibbs - I've already mentioned that I decided to order the <b><i>Spy School</i></b> books I skipped over because I didn't own them (I bought two). Well, naturally, I had to dive into one. In <b>Spy Camp</b>, Ben Ripley receives a warning note from the evil group Spyder saying that if he doesn't join them within a stated deadline, they'll kill him. To force his hand, they kidnap some of his fellow spies and friends. But, why is Spyder so determined to make him a part of their team? Something seems fishy and Ben is determined to unravel the evil plot. As always, massively entertaining. I don't think I've ever given one of Gibbs' books less than 5 stars because they're so well-plotted and gripping but also funny with a main character who has no interest whatsoever in being one of the bad guys, though they keep trying to tempt him away. </div><div><br /></div><div>98. <b>A Warning</b> by Anonymous (Miles Taylor) - As most of the books I've read about The Former Guy have been, <b>A Warning</b> is outdated, published in 2019 to warn people of the 45th president's dangerous lack of judgment or even interest in the job, his carelessness with national secrets (hoo, boy, are we learning more about that or what?), his frequent rages, his insistence on loyalty and the shrinking number of people who were staying in the administration to provide guard rails against him but believed in conservative policies. Like David Frum, Taylor said there was no such thing as the Deep State, although he's partisan enough to slip in comments about the media attacking TFG (as if he didn't deserve it . . . come on). Instead, he calls those who tried to stop TFG from doing harm the "Steady State" and laments the times that they weren't able to stop him or help him control his worst instincts. Interesting but not as good as<b> Trumpocalypse</b>. I think I may be done reading about TFG, although when I said that on Twitter I was besieged with recommendations and at least one is very tempting. </div><div><br /></div><div>99. <b>I for Isobel</b> by Amy Witting - Isobel has an abusive mother and a father who usually just ignores her venom. Growing up with a mother who believes she can do nothing right, Isobel believes that the things she loves and desires to accomplish are bad because <i>she</i> is bad. When Isobel experiences a moment of grace in church and becomes good temporarily, she realizes that her mother feeds off strong reactions. But, it isn't till both parents are dead and she has to work for a living that she begins to rediscover the possibilities lost to her in childhood. Kind of a difficult read because it's a bit jumpy and the cruelty is exhausting but the ending, when Isobel meets someone from her past and an incident is reframed as something positive rather than negative, is absolutely beautiful and moving. Really enjoyed this and hope to read the follow-up, soon. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCi7WrCidnJVZvQpjZadEUc-4DzTnbw05WF4CDFTL8FYHc1njo2_-k1aG9YJRxWaWYopFYsv2JhK5wmr_pYGICQx7-GAn5NnDR7xR_W45XV1FzA8Dl4rb6MoYX0HssPRHlFUh8Riy67wB0RZEZWtWpbMcEwaAMV3fm__ZWCbUSO8e8H02uWI/s2048/August%20reads%202022%20flatlay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1764" data-original-width="2048" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCi7WrCidnJVZvQpjZadEUc-4DzTnbw05WF4CDFTL8FYHc1njo2_-k1aG9YJRxWaWYopFYsv2JhK5wmr_pYGICQx7-GAn5NnDR7xR_W45XV1FzA8Dl4rb6MoYX0HssPRHlFUh8Riy67wB0RZEZWtWpbMcEwaAMV3fm__ZWCbUSO8e8H02uWI/w400-h345/August%20reads%202022%20flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I don't have a working color printer so the printout of the<b> Space Cat</b> cover, at upper left, should have been blue but you work with what you've got. </div><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-50823066154774867212022-08-02T15:55:00.002-05:002022-08-02T15:55:36.492-05:00Everything I read in July (in brief)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlShYT4bMUzCrPxLe_MH-kUSCd6sJQVHnGc14y3Dc9EOv_0gNN7PeutgtoQcooc0TCp6rnUivGs1sF6HV2-EivmXcxrywgqG55Pb3EL1_LXVbbn9vpShGrSBdP_4WvE2BeL8WnNqsOEfqigGm4B3d45v95k6YoCAWyN2iieyOFs9u24YMpGA/s2048/July%202022%20Reads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlShYT4bMUzCrPxLe_MH-kUSCd6sJQVHnGc14y3Dc9EOv_0gNN7PeutgtoQcooc0TCp6rnUivGs1sF6HV2-EivmXcxrywgqG55Pb3EL1_LXVbbn9vpShGrSBdP_4WvE2BeL8WnNqsOEfqigGm4B3d45v95k6YoCAWyN2iieyOFs9u24YMpGA/w400-h300/July%202022%20Reads.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><b>July Reads, 2022</b></div><div><br /></div><div>78. <b>Spy x Family #6 </b>by Tatsuya Endo - Twilight and his fellow spy Nightfall (who wants to take the place of his current fake wife, the assassin) must enter a tennis tournament and win in order to get their hands on an important object that contains a document they need to save the world from the brink of war. But, Nightfall's crush on Twilight may prove a hazard. More <b>Spy x Family</b> fun. I love this manga series. </div><div><br /></div><div>79.<b> Rage </b>by Bob Woodward - <b>Rage</b> is the second of three books written by Woodward about Donald Trump's presidency. The first, <b><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2021/01/everything-i-didnt-review-in-2020.html" target="_blank">Fear</a></b> (link leads to my review, the last of several in the post) felt a little disjointed but I just reread my review and it looks like I got plenty out of it. When Woodward was researching <b>Rage</b> he had the advantage of the president's disappointment with <b>Fear</b>. To ensure that he was well represented, Trump allowed Woodward to repeatedly interview him — 17 times, in all. So, instead of secondhand descriptions, Woodward got direct quotes. He describes the hiring and firing of General Mattis and Rex Tillerson, Trump's frustration with the Mueller investigation and the bizarre ending to it, and how Rod Rosenstein was blamed for Comey's firing and came to the decision to hire a special prosecutor. But, most importantly, he describes the challenge of Covid and how the president completely hosed the job of leading the country through the early days of a pandemic because he was too busy worrying about the next election. <b>Rage</b> is a much better book than <b>Fear</b> but Trump's rambling might make you want to poke your eyes out. He really has no focus whatsoever. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>80. <b>Spaced Out</b> by Stuart Gibbs - When the Base Commander for Moon Base Alpha goes missing, everyone frantically searches for her and even 12-year-old Dashiell (who solved the mysterious death in <b>Space Case</b>) is mystified. Meanwhile, the wealthy Sjoberg family seems to be up to no good as they've gone into hiding. Could they be involved in Nina's disappearance? Another fun entry in the <b><i>Moon Base Alpha</i></b> middle grade series. This series is a trilogy and I've already begun reading the final installment. I'm disappointed that it won't continue beyond the three books. </div><div><br /></div><div>81. <b>Greenglass House</b> by Kate Milford - In a fictional area known for its smugglers sits Greenglass House, an inn with beautiful stained glass windows, regular customers from the smuggling crowd, and a lengthy and storied history. 12-year-old Milo is looking forward to a quiet Christmas with no guests when the bell rings and rings again till the inn is filled with a secretive crowd and things begin to go missing. Who is stealing, why, and what are they really after? Fun but a bit slow for me, however, I was feeling a little slumpy when I read <b>Greenglass House</b>. The first in a series. </div><div><br /></div><div>82.<b> 300 Minutes of Danger</b> by Jack Heath - A series of adventurous short stories by the Australian author who has written several similar books. I've read one other, <b><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2020/12/400-minutes-of-danger-by-jack-heath.html" target="_blank">400 Minutes of Danger,</a></b> and the stories were all interconnected. In <b>300 Minutes of Danger</b>, there are some interconnections but no final conclusion that ties them all together. This was my stationary bike book for part of the month. </div><div><br /></div><div>83. <b>Still Life</b> by Sarah Winman - As WWII is drawing to a close, a young man and an elderly woman meet in Italy. She is an art historian, he a British soldier. They become instant friends but then he returns to Great Britain, where his wife has moved on without him and given birth to a child by an American to whom she is completely devoted in spite of the fact that he hasn't returned to her after the war. When the young man inherits an apartment in Florence, he takes the child and a friend and makes a new life. Over the years, he and the elderly historian cross paths many times without actually meeting. A very understated and lovely story about life, love, friendship, and the beauty of Italy. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>84. <b>Finlay Donovan is Killing It</b> by Elle Cosimano - Author Finlay Donovan's romantic suspense books haven't sold well, she's broke, the bills are piling up, her ex-husband is attempting to gain full custody of the children and has fired the nanny, and her latest manuscript is late. When she goes to talk to her agent at a Panera, someone overhears her and thinks she's a contract killer. She's slipped a note offering her a great deal of money to kill the woman's husband, who is a very bad man. Finlay doesn't really mean to kill him but when he winds up dead in her van and she and the nanny bury him, they must investigate and figure out how to give back the money when a second hit job is requested. Again, I was in slump mode so it took me a while to get into this book but I loved it in the end. </div><div> </div><div>85. <b>The Wolves of Willoughby Chase</b> by Joan Aiken - A British children's classic published in 1962. Sylvia lives with her elderly aunt but is going to live with her wealthy cousin Bonnie at Willoughby Chase while Bonnie's parents leave the country to seek a cure for her ailing mother. Miss Slighcarp will be their governess. But, when Miss Slighcarp shows up, it turns out she was not a great choice for governess. She begins selling off everything in the house, burns Bonnie's parents' will, and sends the children to a boarding school where they work as slave labor and are barely fed. With help from a friend, they will try to escape. But, is it too late to recover Bonnie's home? And, are her parents really dead? Really, quite gripping. I enjoyed this book immensely. </div><div><br /></div><div>86. <b>Mac B, Kid Spy #1: Mac Undercover</b> by Mac Barnett (reread) - I read this book as an ARC, a few years ago, so I was thrilled to see that my daughter-in-law had found the series and bought 3 of them for my granddaughters. It's the 1980s and Mac gets very good grades (but has terrible handwriting). The Queen of England calls him and requests his help finding a missing part of the Crown Jewels, a royal spoon. Very silly and I loved it just as much the second time. </div><div><br /></div><div>87. <b>Mac B, Kid Spy #2: The Impossible Crime</b> by Mac Barnett - Mac is trying to beat an arcade game when the Queen of England calls and asks for his assistance again, this time because the Crown Jewels are under threat of theft. Locked into a room with Mac and a beefeater, they still go missing. Never fear, Mac is on the job with the help of one of the queen's corgis. Loads of fun and I meant to read the third book but I had to run an errand and when I returned it had been packed (serves me right for waiting till the last day of vacation to read the books). </div></div><div><br /></div><div>So, that's 10 books but actually . . . I didn't realize Sunday was July 31. I'd already moved on mentally to August, by then, and it wasn't till after I photographed my stack (<i>sans</i> the final book finished when I woke up at 4am on Sunday) that I found out it was still July. Ah, well. No biggie. I've got a start on my August stack, then. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had one DNF, this month: <b>A Lite Too Bright</b> by Samuel Miller. I believe it's a YA. I made it 84 pages and will probably give this one a second go as I started reading it during the worst of my slump and then I started packing for vacation (in Cape May, New Jersey) and decided I needed a quick read that I could finish before we left so I could just take a couple short books along. That didn't happen. I ended up finishing <b>Finlay Donovan is Killing It</b> in Cape May and then reading <b>The Wolves of Willoughby Chase </b>and the two <b><i>Mac B, Kid Spy</i></b> books. I almost finished <b>In Five Years </b>on our second leg of the flight home but had about 30 pages to go when I crashed. However, this is by far the best I've ever done on a vacation, reading-wise, so I'm celebrating that milestone. </div><div><br /></div><div>If I had to choose a favorite, it would be <b>Still Life</b> because it was such an immersive story and a pleasurable setting (Florence, Italy, mostly). I liked everything I read in July. Nothing absolutely blew me away this month, though. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzN41X7AAz06SywrZ8ulJJ5uNrYWMrhhogV9pNLIUd93YznXQmunVjkUBx9OUx1pnRT4Afn3FAHZyP34bZfcbqvQyagft6Zov4GIkuMmb4DdXliHrF63eyOEhVHbGbpFGWad7cpQ-jQpcJ8WUPvXkHQDrcxp25QVZ3KdVnAPEmKgsRYWXVH0/s2048/July%202022%20Reads%20with%20Izzy%20sniff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzN41X7AAz06SywrZ8ulJJ5uNrYWMrhhogV9pNLIUd93YznXQmunVjkUBx9OUx1pnRT4Afn3FAHZyP34bZfcbqvQyagft6Zov4GIkuMmb4DdXliHrF63eyOEhVHbGbpFGWad7cpQ-jQpcJ8WUPvXkHQDrcxp25QVZ3KdVnAPEmKgsRYWXVH0/w400-h275/July%202022%20Reads%20with%20Izzy%20sniff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Isabel says: "Smells like treason." </div><div><br /></div><div>Don't mind me. I'm just repeating what the cat said. Everyone got involved in this flatlay:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDRhRs4txXM8kwN02paIZuHUbFX-fpLui14Rlqd1gnBY4CFx15Uw21MIN69PPQxAAgRar39tAfqBjog73mv5moPVah0_4Uow5mgCVTQ8NKxkPLBpucLfPDwLbQxoSs6tQeH-KTod5MS2zozKAtk4yLaNoR-vNexbZA3j1RvbnFiNfDFm4fcw/s2048/July%202022%20Reads%20with%20Fi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDRhRs4txXM8kwN02paIZuHUbFX-fpLui14Rlqd1gnBY4CFx15Uw21MIN69PPQxAAgRar39tAfqBjog73mv5moPVah0_4Uow5mgCVTQ8NKxkPLBpucLfPDwLbQxoSs6tQeH-KTod5MS2zozKAtk4yLaNoR-vNexbZA3j1RvbnFiNfDFm4fcw/w300-h400/July%202022%20Reads%20with%20Fi.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></p>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29370872.post-81709467209298522052022-07-01T12:56:00.000-05:002022-07-01T12:56:35.966-05:00Everything I Read in June (in brief)<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvlPOl2yKWZfL-m5zdbuSBbbr01RMedXEvukqX6ZuoGw78rPDkc6lrAsW9PK2Ao0Mqg8QQI3QQ7LFhVSjo3gu996DVe0fToBcX0Zz7RpXKIIKjD4wc7oJdgJf6DLsIpnsKd8wonJk-hRAvfXVpnSiSOnmdM-zDvrhhJeNZo5VCSnT6vlyH1c/s960/June%20Reads%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="759" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvlPOl2yKWZfL-m5zdbuSBbbr01RMedXEvukqX6ZuoGw78rPDkc6lrAsW9PK2Ao0Mqg8QQI3QQ7LFhVSjo3gu996DVe0fToBcX0Zz7RpXKIIKjD4wc7oJdgJf6DLsIpnsKd8wonJk-hRAvfXVpnSiSOnmdM-zDvrhhJeNZo5VCSnT6vlyH1c/w316-h400/June%20Reads%202022.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><p></p><div><b>June Reads, 2022 — A long post!!!</b></div><div><br /></div><div>63.<b> The Autumn of the Ace</b> by Louis de Bernières - The third and final book in the Daniel Pitt trilogy describes the latter part, or the "autumn" of the former ace pilot's life, from middle age to his death. Daniel takes a lengthy detour to Canada, becomes determined to repair the fractured relationship with his eldest son, and lives to a grand old age. A very satisfying ending to the series. </div><div><br /></div><div>64. <b>Spy x Family #5</b> by Tatsuya Endo - I don't remember a thing about this particular entry except that I enjoyed it every bit as much as the others and the focus was on the brother of the spy's assassin wife and young Anya's continuing attempt to get close to the weathy son of the man who is at the heart of the spy family's mission. I only have two more books till I'm out of entries in this series but another one will be released in the fall. </div><div><br /></div><div>65. <b>The Book of Boy</b> by Catherine Gilbert Murdock - In the 14th century, a man sees a boy climbing a tree and asks him to accompany him on a journey to retrieve a series of relics. Boy, who is otherwise nameless, has a hump on his back and has been bullied and ostracized all his life. But, during the journey in a land recently ravaged by plague, Boy discovers that the man, Secundus, and even Boy himself hold surprising secrets. OK, this is one I want to babble about. I had only read a few pages when I realized this book was going to be special. When I set it down, I saw the Newbery medal I'd overlooked upon picking it up to read. Well . . . I agree with whoever chooses the Newbery winners. I particularly enjoyed the historical setting. An author's note at the end of my copy gives a little extra perspective to the time period in which <b>Boy</b> is set. </div><div><br /></div><div>66. <b>Remarkable Creatures</b> by Tracy Chevalier - The story of a friendship between two women, Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpott. Mary is destitute but helps keep her family afloat by collecting fossils from the beach near her English home. Elizabeth and her sisters are spinsters who have been set up in an inexpensive home after their brother marries and decides London is too expensive a place for them to remain. Mary and Elizabeth have dramatically different backgrounds but both have an interest in fossils. They become fast friends as Mary makes the stunning discoveries that will change the way people view history. Based on real-life characters. I don't how much of this story is true but I read it specifically because I'd heard of Mary Anning and wanted to learn more about her discoveries. </div><div><br /></div><div>67. <b>You Are Here</b> by Thich Nhat Hanh - I was doomscrolling about a week after the horrible massacre at Uvalde and upset about the fact that likely nothing would change when I saw someone on Twitter ask what others were doing to deal with the stress. One woman posted a photo of <b>You Are Here</b> and said, "I'm reading Thich Nhat Hanh." I've read two books by Hanh and thought, "Oh, perfect. That's just what I need," then immediately ordered a copy. Even knowing how much I've been comforted by past reads, I was somewhat shocked at the quick transformation from ball of stress to calm and happy that readings about being mindful and present caused. I'm reading a 365-day book of very short excerpts of Hanh's work, now, because I wanted to keep that positivity going in my life. </div><div><br /></div><div>68. <b>Sea of Tranquility</b> by Emily St. John Mandel - I loved <b>Station Eleven</b> and so did Carrie of Care's Books and Pie, so we decided to buddy read <b>Sea of Tranquility</b> to keep the joy going. What a fascinating book! As in Mandel's other books, you jump from one set of characters to another in different time periods. But, one person keeps showing up in all of them. It turns out he's a time traveler who has gotten the job specifically because of a strange occurrence that he's discovered. I wouldn't have thought of the word "meta" but <b><span style="color: red;">***possible spoiler -- highlight to read***</span></b> <span style="color: white;">there's an author character who is clearly Emily experiencing a pandemic after having written about one and writing sci-fi to entertain herself. </span>I absolutely loved every minute of this book. </div><div><br /></div><div>69. <b>The Nine Lives of Montezuma</b> by Michael Morpurgo - A middle grade story about a boy who discovers that his family's farm cat has given birth to four kittens. One is already dead and, instead of getting the cat fixed, which was more than doable when this book was published in 1980, the father regularly drowns any kittens who appear. Sure enough, he goes to drown them. But, he misses one and Montezuma, "Monty" for short, becomes the boy's beloved pet. Because Monty's an indoor-outdoor cat (made to go out at night), he experiences many dangers and often comes close to death. If anything, this book is a testament to why cats should be neutered and kept indoors. It eventually becomes more tolerable and the ending is sweet but the father is never kind to poor Monty, making for uncomfortable reading, if unfortunately too true to life. I still have at least one more book by Michael Morpurgo, maybe two, and I will read them. But, while I enjoyed this story for its heartwarming pet love aspect, it was a bit too harsh up front for me and it would have turned me into a sobbing puddle as a kid. I love cats and can't imagine I would have tolerated reading about kitten drownings.</div><div><br /></div><div>70. <b>Autumn</b> by Ali Smith - The first book I bought by Ali Smith was <b>Spring</b> and, at the time, I didn't realize it was the third in a series but it stands alone, so no biggie. And, I loved it so I ordered the first two books, <b>Autumn</b> and <b>Winter</b>. <b>Autumn</b> is the story of an unusual friendship between an elderly man and a young girl. He tells her stories, quizzes her, and encourages her to read. She's already a very smart girl but he encourages her reasoning skills and she finds herself loving him in a way she can love nobody else. While the friendship is at the heart of this story, it's also about Brexit and cruelty to immigrants. But, Smith tackles the heavier topics in a roundabout way and with such brilliant writing that, again, I couldn't put the book down. I'm afraid I'm turning into an Ali Smith fangirl. </div><div><br /></div><div>71. <b>Space Case</b> by Stuart Gibbs - <b>Space Case</b> is about a group of people living on the first moon base, the first in the <b><i>Moon Base Alpha</i></b> (MBA) middle grade trilogy. Most are scientists of some kind, some are single, some have their families with them. Dash and his sister Violet are among the handful of children on MBA. When Dash overhears the base physician, Dr. Holtz, talking enthusiastically about an important discovery that he'll reveal the next day, then Dr. Holtz is found dead outside the main airlock, Dash is convinced that he was murdered. But, the base director wants to hush up his death to prevent damage to the MBA program. Can Dash find evidence that Dr. Holtz was murdered and figure out what his exciting discovery was? Ugh, I love every book by this author. I ordered the second in the series and will read it soon then probably pass them all on to my eldest granddaughter, who I'm happy to report is an avid reader!</div><div><br /></div><div>72. <b>The Cat Man of Aleppo</b> by Latham, Shamsi-Basha, and Shimizu - This picture book is the true story of a Mohammed Alaa Aljaleel, who lived in Aleppo during the lengthy years of bombing while his family members escaped to other countries. After deciding to stay and continue his job in EMS, Alaa realized there was something else he could do. He began to feed the cats that had been left behind and were living in the rubble, often starving. As time went on, more cats showed up and the job became too much for his budget, so he sought out donations that enabled him not only to house and feed cats, but also to build a playground and pay for other improvements to the lives of remaining locals. A lovely, heartwarming story that will give you hope. </div><div><br /></div><div>73. <b>The Sweetness of Water</b> by Nathan Harris - After the Civil War, a man who has been living off the occasional sale of parcels of his land finds two freedmen on his property. His offer to pay them to help him farm his land is rebuffed at first, but then the brothers change their mind and a friendly work relationship develops. But, in the Deep South, paying Black men to work when soldiers home from fighting the war are having difficulty finding jobs turns the town against him and his family. There's a lot more to the story that I'm leaving out due to spoilers but I thought this was an excellent debut, although I predicted a few plot points before they occurred and that kind of wrecked bits of it, for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>74. <b>Blue Horses</b> by Mary Oliver - Another comfort read. I love Mary Oliver's sense of humor and her adoration of nature. <b>Blue Horses</b> was balm to the spirit after a week of terrible news. At a mere 79 pages (many of which are blank) it's a quick read, although not one I intended to whip through — but, I needed it, so that's fine. I think I'll keep this one by the bed and reread a poem per day. </div><div><br /></div><div>75. <b>Why Shoot a Butler?</b> by Georgette Heyer - Barrister Frank Amberley is visiting his wealthy aunt, uncle, and cousin when he comes across a recent murder scene. The dead man is the butler for a man named Boris Fountain and his half sister, Joan. Fountain inherited his uncle's estate a few years prior and kept on the staff. But, why would someone want to kill his butler? The first clue is at the scene, a woman standing by the car. It's clear she isn't the murderer so Amberley keeps her presence to himself and, as he begins investigation and more dead bodies turn up, the plot becomes more twisted. Not the best mystery and a lot of the characters were surly but I enjoyed it for the English setting and manners. </div><div><br /></div><div>76. <b>The Magic World</b> by E. Nesbit - I chose <b>The Magic World</b> as my most recent Stationary Bike Read and it turned out to be a pretty perfect choice for several reasons. It was a beat-up book (probably from a library sale) so breaking the spine to make it easier to prop open wasn't a problem; it had already happened. It's a book of short stories. Some were longer than others so I might only end up reading half a story but some I could read in a single biking session. And, it was wildly imaginative so it kept me entertained. I'll probably pass this on to my granddaughters, as it's a wholesome and magical book that I think they'll enjoy. <b>The Magic World</b> was originally published in 1910. </div><div><br /></div><div>77. <b>Queenie</b> by Candice Carty-Williams - Queenie is a 3rd generation Jamaican-British Londoner who dates only White men, and that can be a problem. White men who date Black women have a tendency to fetishize them. When Queenie's boyfriend Tom says he wants to take a break (insisting that she must move out, since only he can afford the rent), she's devastated but figures they'll get back together after the 3-month break ends. But, Tom won't respond to her calls or texts at all and her response to the loneliness and unsettled feeling is to sleep with a series of men who are abusive or simply users, leading to a breakdown and the loss of her job. Her Jamaican family is against the concept of therapy but her friends encourage her to get help. Will Queenie get back on her feet again? I absolutely loved this story of dealing with a mental health challenge and facing your fears with the help of a loving circle of friends and relatives. It's also about life as a minority woman and its challenges. There's much to talk about in <b>Queenie</b>. </div><div><br /></div><div>OK, so, wow. Quite a surprisingly good month. The constant dumpster fire of horrible news in America got me down, on occasion, so there were quite a few comfort reads in this batch. Middle grade reads are always comfort reads for me. They're so adventurous! All of these books were in the "liked or loved" category and the only two that made me squirm for one reason or another were <b>The Nine Lives of Montezuma</b> because of the cruelty to animals without any mention that animal reproduction is the responsibility of pet owners and <b>The Sweetness of Water</b> because I got a little tired of it and predicted a few too many plot points. But, I expect big things from the author of <b>The Sweetness of Water</b>. That was some fantastic writing for a debut novel. And, I thought <b>The Nine Lives of Montezuma</b> improved a bit, as it went on, although it could never be a favorite. I should add that it's beautifully illustrated. </div><div><br /></div><div>Absolute favorites were <b>The Book of Boy</b>, <b>Sea of Tranquility</b>, <b>You Are Here</b>, <b>Space Case,</b> and <b>Blue Horses</b>. But, wow, I had such a fun month! I wouldn't tell you not to read a single thing I read. I did have one DNF after less than two dozen pages: <b>Trust Exercise</b> by Susan Choi. I disliked both the writing style and where the story was clearly headed. Only a few pages in, I remember thinking, "I'm not enjoying this at all." I stuck it out for a while longer and disliked it so much that it went straight into the box of books I'm saving to exchange (if we ever make it to the secondhand store in Nashville) or donate. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzZiGxrL4kHqZaXswoT_2iepmz8J93j34WmM8SQFAnMWQtqcJRlV2RrDkBWsXX-FjWwiqaeNd66v5nqlFzan4bIy2BKgHv4kOogDQW14bKpE-bau6UQ5aTqG8F5uWd0zVRS5HY_teYsqMj0CQDxv3UfQEpGypcD_omwUdwE9C9buKk2OVzIQ/s960/June%20Reads%202022%20flatlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="960" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzZiGxrL4kHqZaXswoT_2iepmz8J93j34WmM8SQFAnMWQtqcJRlV2RrDkBWsXX-FjWwiqaeNd66v5nqlFzan4bIy2BKgHv4kOogDQW14bKpE-bau6UQ5aTqG8F5uWd0zVRS5HY_teYsqMj0CQDxv3UfQEpGypcD_omwUdwE9C9buKk2OVzIQ/w400-h335/June%20Reads%202022%20flatlay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than <a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/">Bookfoolery </a>or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email <a href="mailto:bookfoolery@gmail.com">bookfoolery@gmail.com</a> for written permission to reproduce text or photos.</span></div>Bookfoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.com8