Saturday, with our younger son away for the weekend, my husband and I took a last-minute 24-hour trip to Baltimore, about an hour away, and used some old hotel points that were about to expire for a night at a lovely Hyatt right on the harbor. We love Baltimore and thoroughly enjoyed the mini getaway. I'm pretty exhausted today but it was worth it!
So, not a lot of reading time last week, but we enjoyed our books when we could:
- I finished The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman, a debut novelist, due out March 8 and wrote my review for Publisher's Weekly. It's an engrossing family saga set in the 40's and 50's.
- I started my next book group choice, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. It's a fascinating topic - and an important one - and I'm learning a lot, but the writing is kind of dry and textbook-like, so I am struggling with it a bit and needing a fiction fix!
- I am listening to A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielson, a middle-grade audiobook about the Berlin Wall. It is fascinating and riveting - why hasn't anyone ever written historical fiction about the Wall before?
- My husband, Ken, finished The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), the first of her Cormoran Strike series. He enjoyed it.
- Now, Ken is reading The Eye, the Ear, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer, a middle-grade science fiction novel by one of our favorite authors. Our son read this one, and it's on my list, too!
- Jamie, 21, finished Trysmoon Book Two: Duty by Brian Fuller. He says this series is so good that it got him back into a regular reading habit.
- Now, Jamie is re-reading books 3 & 4 of Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series, The Gray Wolf Throne and The Crimson Crown. This is one of his all-time favorite series, and he is getting ready for the upcoming release of the next book!
Movie Monday: All Good Things and Project Almanac, two good but different movies
TV Tuesday: Grace and Frankie, a funny Netflix show with an all-star cast
Fiction Review: The Art Thief by Noah Charney, a mystery set in the international art world
Teen/YA Review: The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman, teens in a world where spells can fix your problems
What are you and your family reading this week?
What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.
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| Me in Baltimore's Inner Harbor |
Oh, I hope you enjoyed Spamalot! I've never seen it, but I love the cast album.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading "The Two-Family House" right now and really liking it so far.
Spamalot was wonderful, Melinda! And I was really impressed by the talent of our local actors!
DeleteI enjoyed Two-Family House - glad you are liking it too.
Sue
That sounds like a very satisfying night out. Yes, loved The Two Family House, you are right it was engrossing.
ReplyDeleteThe New Jim Crow is on my nightstand right now! I got it for the holidays and haven't been able to read it yet. I am glad you got away for a short trip! It sounds like it was well worth it!
ReplyDeleteIt's a tough book to read, Ricki - both in terms of density and subject matter - but sooo important & informative. I'm learning some stunning and very disturbing things.
DeleteI read a YA title about the Berlin Wall last year called Going Over by Beth Kephart. It isn't my favorite book as it was written in that shifting points of view style but I did feel like I learned a little something about the wall and what Berlin was like when divided.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of that one, Anne, though I really like novels with varied points of view! I've never read or even heard much before about the Berlin Wall so it's been fascinating.
DeleteHi Sue. I'm getting lots of reading done after the move and with a new library a couple of blocks away! I love the Cormoran Strike series, 2nd my favourite so far and impatiently waiting on the third! Just finished the last of the Ellie Chronicles...John Marsden's series sequel to the Tomorrow series? Well worth it. Almost 20 years to the day since a year 7 student recommended Tomorrow...to me! I have a new book called Useful and a Dave Eggers waiting for me but am currently whipping through Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner..very light but kind of cosy! Need to get on to the book for my new book club which is non-fiction....
ReplyDeleteHi Annie! Glad to hear you are enjoying your new town so much!! Nearby library and already in a book group, too? Excellent! Sounds like you are reading a LOT of great books and have more waiting in the wings - enjoy!
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