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January Reads: Leadership, New (and Old) Children’s Classics, and Great Non-Fiction
Hello Everyone, It is hard to believe that the first month of 2023 has already come and gone! This month has been hectic and stressful for me on a personal level, and I am hoping that February brings a little more clarity and sense of purpose. I am struggling to focus on reading right now, and I am recognizing that the next few months will perhaps be a little less full of books than I would like. That being said, I have a lot to share with you today. One of my goals for this year is to read more books I truly love and to figure out which books…
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March 2021: When characters are more important than plot.
Hello everyone, This past month, I read (or listened) to a LOT of books, but most of this was books I either have or will talk about elsewhere on the blog (including one which I am VERY excited to share with you all), so I don’t have a ton to share with you all for the month. A lot of these were Tamora Pierce books, who wrote my favorite childhood stories which still hold up, and should be at the top of the list for every parent/adult who ever buys books for kids! I do have a few books to discuss, all of which have a fun connection – these…
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Weekend Joys in Books and More: April 9th
Hello Everyone, We are having our weird second winter here in Montana, and snow in April is slightly less fun than it is in October! That being said, the past few weeks have been good, and I am looking forward to some fun weeks to come. This week, I have a few fun things for you all, and I hope it sets your weekend up well! 1.) I love authors recommending authors, and this list is pretty amazing. 2.) I have recently developed a deep love for Smithsonian Magazine, and this article is a great example of what makes them so amazing! 3.) This is years old, but I highly…
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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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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: February
Hello! I “slowed down” this month in terms of reading, mostly meaning I listened to a few more audiobooks, and made it through fewer actual books. This was because I hit a slump with a few books that were tough to get through, and because it has just been a busy month. I have also been struggling because the political events of the past few months have left me feeling very raw, particularly as I look at who the media and the powers that be seem to want to tell stories about, and how blatant that can be and still be considered to be acceptable. I will likely have more…
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Dangerous Fiction: Stories of the Displaced and Placeless – A Reading List by Omar El Akkad
A few months ago, I got the opportunity to attend a talk by Omar El Akkad, the author of the incredible book American War. We were in a small room with about 10 people, and I was in heaven. His talk was fascinating and centered on the ways that displacement and disruption can fracture personal identities. In addition, he did something that will always win me over. He gave us a book list. Some of the books I had read, some I had heard of, and some were completely new. I wanted to share this list with you. It is for those who read American War, and also for those…
because stories are important
