It's Monday 3/13! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

Life

Big news here last week! Our oldest son, who shares my chronic medical conditions, landed his first full-time job in his field. He's been sick since age 10 and has worked diligently with a long string of doctors to improve his condition as much as possible and now feels ready to manage a full-time professional position in his field. This job is exactly what he wanted to do after college. We are all very excited for him, and this represents a huge, wonderful step forward into his adult life. We have two weeks to try to get a bunch of last-minute medical things done so he's in the best shape possible for this new stage of his life.

In other big news, my husband and I enjoyed a lovely weekend getaway! This was long-overdue for us, and my health has improved enough for me to enjoy it. We rented a wonderful waterfront Airbnb cottage on Maryland's Eastern shore, about an hour from home, and enjoyed a relaxing couple of days together. I so enjoy staying in Airbnb's, and this one was very cozy and filled with thoughtful touches ... and that view!

Fabulous view of Rosin Creek from living room of our rental

 We explored Chestertown, MD, one of the oldest and most historic towns in the state. We had some delicious meals, walked to the waterfront along the Chester River (though it was cold and windy!), and--of course--spent an hour in a wonderful indie bookstore, Book Plate. 

 

Along the Chester River in Chestertown, MD

This store was a delight, filled with floor-to-ceiling shelves, winding walkways through them, a huge selection of books, and some unique ways of organizing books! We have some big waiting-to-read stacks at home, so we bought a few classics we've each been wanting to read (Dickens for my husband, and the other two for me).

 

Books from Book Plate Bookstore

 

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On the Blog

 Fiction Review: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger - excellent historical fiction, mystery, and coming-of-age story

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On Video

Friday Reads 3-10-23 - my weekly update with details of what I'm reading and what I think

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What We're Reading

 

I'm reading  Be with the Dead by Matty Dalrymple, book 6 in her Ann Kinnear series, about a woman who can sense spirits and solves mysteries by talking to the dead. As I've mentioned here before, I rarely read series, but I love this one, with its unique spin on the mystery/suspense genre. This novel is especially interesting to me because it revolves around two thriller authors, editing, and publishing. Matty is an excellent writer, with well-developed characters, unique and vivid settings (here, Princeton and Ocean City in winter), and twisty, suspenseful plots. I am close to the end of this novel now and absolutely loving it!

 

 

I finished Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, as my first book for Middle-Grade March. Twelve-year-old Katrina (her latest name) is in the witness protection program with her parents, hiding from a dangerous drug cartel. She had a terrible accident three years ago, just before they went into the program, so she doesn't remember anything of their earlier "before" life. Their latest move is to an RV park in rural Georgia, a big change from the big cities they usually move to, to get lost in crowds. Here, Katrina might be able to have a little more freedom and even make a friend, like the boy living in the trailer next door. As you might have guessed, things don't go as planned! This twisty, surprising novel is filled with deep secrets, lies, and thriller action. 

I am now listening to another middle-grade audio book, Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott. This one is about an autistic young girl named Tally who is experiencing the challenges of starting middle-school. Tally has supportive parents and an older sister, plus a best friend who knows about her diagnosis, but no one else at school knows. So far, this story, told from Tally's perspective, is interesting and engaging and is providing a great inside look at what it's like to live with autism.

My husband, Ken, is reading one of his Christmas gift books, Upgrade by Blake Crouch. We are both big fans of Crouch. I enjoyed Recursion, and Dark Matter is one of my favorite books. The TV series Wayward Pines and Good Behavior were based on his books. After Ken's finished with Upgrade, I definitely plan to read it also! 

 

Our son, 28, finished reading Banished by Wiseheart, book 1 in the Street Rats of Aramoor series and immediately moved onto book 2, Hurricane. He likes this writer!

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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