It's Monday 8/29! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

As expected, last weekend's family gathering here knocked me out for a bit, due to my chronic illness. It's what those of us with ME/CFS (an immune disorder) call a "crash," when doing too much leads to a sudden worsening of ... well, everything. The first few days of my week were very low-key, spent in the recliner and on the couch, recovering. Next time, I'll listen to my body, I swear! Hey, it's only been 20 years--I'm a slow learner. By Thursday, I was starting to feel better and was able to get out and about a bit, though I was still taking it easy.

We had a nicely balanced weekend. Friday evening, our oldest and closest friends came over for a take-out dinner (no work!). We normally get together frequently, but between our funeral and travels and their travels and a wedding, we hadn't seen them since June! It was great to catch up and hear about their summer and enjoy some delicious food with no cooking required.

Our friends & my husband camping circa 1989

Saturday, we went out shopping for a new oven, which is desperately needed. The problem is that our old one, which came with the house (probably built about 35 years ago) is built into the wall and is much smaller than most ovens on the market right now. So, we soon we realized we can't just shop for this at Home Depot or a big appliance store, but we think our local appliance company--who've done all our repairs since we moved in 28 years ago--can help us, but they're not open on weekends.

It wasn't a wasted trip, though, because on the way home, we passed a furniture store we've been meaning to check out. In about 15 minutes, we found a new sofa and loveseat that we really like for our living room! The furniture in there now is 35 years old--it was the stuff I bought right after college for my first apartment. As you can imagine, it's a bit dated and beginning to show some wear. We don't use our living room all that much, but it's time for a change!

My living room furniture when it was brand-new, 1987!
And who are those young, skinny people??

And Sunday was a very productive day at home. I had SO many things that have been on my to-do list for ages, and I just zoomed through one after another. I was worn out by afternoon, but it felt so good to get some things done finally! And I did enjoy some down time reading on our porch before dinner.

Just one new book-related video on my YouTube channel last week:

Friday Reads 8-26-22 - My last books for Big Book Summer!

And here's what we've all been reading this week:

I finished Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King. It's two novellas and several short stories that are all interconnected, taking place from 1960 to 1999. Each stands on its own but also has connecting threads to the others, like characters from one story that pop up in another. The first part, a novella, is about 11-year-old Bobby in 1960, and it showcases King's incredible talent in writing from a kid's perspective. It's mostly set in the real world (though there is a thread of something vaguely supernatural in a couple of places). I's not horror, but there are some real-world horrors that Bobby and his friends and family must deal with. It has so much emotional depth (including loads of literary references, as Bobby begins reading "adult" books that summer) and is gripping, moving, and engrossing. That guy can write. I was sorry to finish the book (though it's a satisfying conclusion) and am missing the characters--a sure sign of an excellent novel!

 

Since I finished the King novel so fast, I had time to fit in one more Big Book! I am reading Sycamore Row by John Grisham. At this point in Big Book Summer (which ends on September 5), I like to choose cross-over books that also fit with the R.I.P. Challenge (to read darker books in the fall) that begins September 1. I haven't read a Grisham novel in years, but this one has already pulled me right in. It's set in the same town as his first novel, A Time to Kill, and focuses on the lawyer from that novel, Jake Brigance, and the town of Clanton, Mississippi. This time, a wealthy man who is dying of cancer has committed suicide. The day before, he handwrote a new will and mailed it to Jake, cutting out his ex-wives and horrible adult children and leaving everything to his Black housekeeper, Lettie. This sets off a massive war between the family and Lettie, with Jake in the middle and the whole town watching (and gossiping). It's already great--gripping and intriguing.

 

I am also squeezing one non-Big Book into the last days of August: Button Pusher by Tyler Page. While updating my 2022 Reading Challenges, I noticed that the Monthly Motif category was a short book or quick read. Well, of course, I've been reading all Big Books! So, I pulled this middle-grade/teen graphic novel off my shelf. It's a memoir about the author's struggles with ADHD, from elementary school through high school. I'm almost finished with it already, and it's been excellent so far and very enlightening.

 

I am still listening to my last audiobook for Big Book Summer, The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny. This is also a cross-over book to finish up Big Book Summer and kick off the R.I.P. Challenge. This is book 17 in her Inspector Gamache series. I enjoy this mystery series set in Quebec but have not been reading them in order. I read book 1, Still Life, and then skipped to #15, A Better Man and now this one. This novel deals with a fictional controversial woman in Canada who is proposing a shocking solution to some of the world's problems (and one that affects Gamache's family personally). When she comes to a small university near Three Pines to speak, violence breaks out, and she is almost shot. Then, a murder occurs near her. The story deals both with her theories and the controversy, as well as Gamache's team's investigation of the crimes. It's very thoughtful as well as suspenseful.

 

My husband, Ken, is almost finished with The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, one of my favorite books from Booktopia this year (my review at the link). This is a twisty, suspenseful mystery about the disappearance of a $10 million violin. What's great about this novel is that there's a mystery, but it also incorporates family drama, history, romance, and an inside look at racism through the centuries. It's an outstanding novel. He's enjoying it.

 

Our son, 28, finished re-reading The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter, book one in The Burning series and then immediately read book 2, The Fires of Vengeance. Now, he is rereading Charmcaster, book three of the Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell to prepare for reading books four and five! He loves that series--I first heard about from Beth Fish Reads blog and have been gifting him the books!

Last week's blog posts:

Fiction Review: The Overstory by Richard Powers - unique, powerful, engrossing story of connections

Teen/YA Review: Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian - engaging, emotionally complex coming-of-age story set in 1989 New York

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.

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.  

What are you and your family reading this week?