Recommendations
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Miss Marple: A Murder is Announced
“Really, I have no gifts – no gifts at all – except perhaps a certain knowledge of human nature. People, I find, are apt to be far too trustful. I’m afraid that I have a tendency always to believe the worst. Not a nice trait. But so often justified by subsequent events. ” p77 Hello everyone, I’m back this week with a lovely Miss Marple novel that really hit the sweet spot. I also have to say, I’m loving the Miss Marple attitude in general, and leaning into some of the qualities that I was thrown by at first. In the books Marple is completely non-judgmental, has a ton of…
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February 2021: Beautiful writing is its own kind of joy
Hello everyone, This month, I think I may have hit a saturation point for pure comfort reading, and I found myself reaching out for other books. What I discovered (remembered?, rediscovered?) is that while there is joy in simple, easy stories and mysteries, there is another level of joy to be found in beautifully written books. The three books/series that I want to highlight today share very little except for this fact: they are all exceptionally written and their language enchanted and delighted me. Non Fiction Essays – Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver Barbara Kingsolver is an wonderful novelist who has written some of the most haunting and beautiful books…
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January 2021: A Month Full of Cozy, Comfy Reads
Hello everyone, My reading year got off to an OK start this year. It has honestly been great, but I am aware of the fact that I am focusing mostly on comfort reading that doesn’t have a ton of substance. I did try and pick up a more serious book at one point, and ultimately decided to give into my need for comfort reading of all kinds. I got to start my Miss Marple books (HERE and HERE), and I really enjoyed some great cozy reading. Great Comfort Reads Of course I have comfort reads to share with you this month! The two favorites I have to share with you…
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My Best Reads of 2020: Classics, Science Fiction and Plenty of Tears
So in honor of a particularly unlucky year (and because I read too many books to narrow the list further), below are my top 13 books of the year. I read a LOT this year, but these are the books that managed to capture my attention and interest in what was an otherwise pretty insane year. This is an eclectic mix, including books about places from Egypt to Montana, classics, historical fiction, memoirs, and soaring science fiction and fantasy that takes you back in time to Troy and to distant planets filled with life. The one thing that surprised me is that while I did a lot of comfort reading…
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Weekend Joys, Books and More: December 18th
Is it just me, or does it feel a little early to start doing the “Best of 2020” lists? Maybe I’m a bit of a grinch, but I always feel like these lists forget that one 12th of the year happens in December! This weekend, I may not have a best of list, but I do have some fun things to check out: 1.) These are hilarious, and the prints are probably one of my favorite gift ideas for outdoorsy people! 2.) These are some fun book pairings. 3.) I made this for an (outdoor) party the other night, and I think it may become my new appetizer disk for…
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November: Old Favorites, Graphic Novels and American Voices
Hello Everyone, November was a big month for me in terms of my 2020 reading. It started with a lot of escapist reading as we waited with bated breath for the results of the election, and ended with a lot of escapist reading when I got hit by Covid-19 and spent about a week in bed. I also started leading a graphic novel book club, and had a great time doing “research” for it! Today I have three pairs of books for you that fall into some fun categories. These books cover YA to adult, brand new to old classics, and I hope there is something for everyone for you!…
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Cozy Mystery Round Up
Every once in a while, I need the book equivalent of a freshly baked cookie, something light, fluffy and without much substance. The books that give me the best “cookie” vibes are almost always “cozy” murder mysteries, especially when they have a female detective. I mean, when the world feels like it is ending, what could be better than reading about bad-ass women who can fix all the problems that they are given and still manage to enjoy themselves? My all time favorite series is the Phryne Fisher series, which was also developed into an absolutely wonderful television show. This series is set in late 1920s Australia and is based…
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My Reading Month: June
Another month down, and we are halfway through 2020. I don’t think it is a stretch to say we are having to reckon with a lot of our historic, structural issues this year in a big way. I keep seeing people talking about how they wish 2020 would take a break, and while I agree, I also recognize that most of these issues were just as present in 2019, 2018 and before and this is just the breaking point. I am struggling to find a way to respond without feeling like I am “performing” activism, outrage or simply grief. This blog is all about stories, but I don’t have a…
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On Diversity and Reading: Amplifying BIPOC Authors and Voices
This post was also posted on my original blog, Reading Diversely. If you are here because of that, please consider subscribing for more updates. When I started the “Reading Diversely” book project in 2017, I was frustrated and I was aware that the “mainstream” books that received marketing money and were likely to be recommended and receive awards most often were dominated by white men. I wasn’t angry. Yet. Over the course of that year, I fell back in love with reading, but I also became increasingly aware that the problem was so much broader and so much more pervasive than I had realized. I was shocked by the number…
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My Reading Month: May
I didn’t really have much of a reading month in May to be honest – we went back to work (in the midst of a pandemic) and between dealing with that AND a move, reading wasn’t at the top of the list of things I was eager to do when I got home at night! Also, with everything going on the world, it feels self serving to post too much about my little reading project now. What I will say is that I am working on a post that looks at books about racial equity, racism and racialized violence, and I HIGHLY encourage you to take a minute to look…
