It's Monday 10/21! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

Life

Don't worry - I'm still here!  Just took a break last week to squeeze in an October camping trip in the midst of a very busy month! I'll catch you up. 

After my last post two weeks ago, my husband returned from his surprise birthday golf weekend and picked up his friend's wife at the airport, flying in from Texas. I've met his high school friend briefly a few times before, but neither of us had met his wife. It turned out that she and I had so much in common! It seemed like all week, anything one of us said, the other said, "Me, too!" She was an English teacher, so she shared my love of reading (as well as fiction about time travel!). They used our home in Delaware as home base and explored the East Coast: beaches, Pocono mountains and fall foliage, Philadelphia, and New York City. They covered a lot of ground! And when they were here, we thoroughly enjoyed their company.

Such a joy - old friends and new!

We took our Texas friends to our local nature center

My husband and I at the nature center

They flew back to Houston Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday at noon, we were packed up and ready to go camping! I just didn't want my favorite month to pass by without any camping. It was a quick 2-day trip, but we very much enjoyed the chance to just relax, do nothing (but read), and enjoy the outdoors. I'll post a travel vlog tomorrow on my YouTube channel, but here are a few preview photos.

Ahhh ... reading while camping

Beautiful reflections in Killens Pond

We did manage a short hike in the woods

Happy campers!

Some fall color starting in central Delaware!

Back home and back to a busy schedule, I took advantage of beautiful fall weather and managed some short walks to admire the fall foliage.

I love sunlight shining through colorful fall leaves

My favorite walking path

Lots of green here still but a few trees in full color!

And this weekend, we made our annual trip to a local farm market to get freshly-made apple cider donuts and pumpkins with our younger son and his girlfriend - love that he still enjoys our family traditions! Afterward, we got to see their new apartment, which is wonderful.

Love our fall tradition!

Our son and his girlfriend in their beautiful new apartment

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On Video

 

Two Bookstores in New York State - a quick video tour of a used bookstore in East Chatham, NY, and an indie bookstore in Oneonta, NY.

Friday Reads 10-11-24 & A Life Update - hear my thoughts on a Richard Russo novel, plus two great audiobooks.

The Winning Title Tag - fun questions about book titles that I answer with books from my waiting-to-be-read shelves.

Friday Reads 10-18-24 - I talk about 3 great October reads, plus historical fiction on audio that surprised me with its depth.

Fall in Delaware - In this 1-minute short video, I bring you along on a walk on a perfect fall day.

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 What We're Reading

I love the extra reading time while camping! Most of our reading has been for the RIP (Readers Imbibing Peril) event. This is a two-week catch-up:

I finished reading Chances Are ... by Richard Russo, my first Russo novel. Three men--Lincoln, Teddy, and Mickey--were roommates and best friends in college in Connecticut. When they graduated in 1971, they each went their separate ways to very different lives. Now, at age 66, they've reunited at the same Martha's Vineyard cottage where they spent Memorial Day weekend together after graduation, along with a girl named Jacy who was a close friend of theirs. After that weekend, Jacy disappeared and was never heard from again, not even by her parents. Now, back on the island, the events of that long-ago weekend haunt them, as they each remember what happened and puzzle over the mystery of Jacy's disappearance. I enjoyed it very much and can see that Russo is excellent at developing interesting characters. The twisty mystery at its center added some suspense and surprises.

 

 

Next, I devoured an excellent YA novel, Bad Girls Never Say Die by Jennifer Mathieu, author of Moxie, which was made into a movie on Netflix that I loved (check out my review & the trailer at the link). This book is also centered on a group of teen girls but this time in 1964 Houston. Evie is part of a close-knit group of bad girls who've embraced the label everyone seems to use for them. After all, bad girls have more freedom ... and more fun. A horrible incident at the drive-in one Friday night brings Evie together with an unlikely ally: Diane, a well-bred girl from the right side of the tracks. As the two girls bond over their shared experience and work to deal with the fall-out from that awful night, Evie's group gradually allows Diane in. This coming-of-age novel tackles the role of girls and women, society's rules, and fierce female friendship, all within a gripping, can't-put-it-down plot.

 

Now, I am reading November Road by Lou Berney, a road trip thriller I gave my husband last year after reading great reviews from Stephen King and others (and winner of multiple awards). Frank Guidry works for a crime boss in New Orleans and feels good about the status he has achieved in the organization ... until he realizes the boss wants him dead. In Oklahoma, Charlotte makes a sudden decision after Sunday dinner with her in-laws and her husband once again making an excuse to go to a bar. She quickly packs up herself and her two daughters, seven and eight years old, and heads west toward California. Eventually, Frank's path as he flees the assassin sent to kill him, intersects with Charlotte and the girls. We also get the assassin's perspective. It's twisty and suspenseful but also features in-depth characters, great settings, and even a sense of humor. I'm loving it so far.

On audio, I finished The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers for my book group that meets this week. This historical fiction book had a lot more complexity than I expected. In 1946 North Carolina, fifteen-year-old Maddie is still grieving the loss of her father in the war when her mother, also struggling, drops her off at her aunt's house in Brightleaf, NC. Maddie's aunt is a talented seamstress who makes dresses for the wealthy wives of the town's tobacco executives. Since it's gala season and some unexpected problems come up, Maddie pitches in to help her aunt. At first, I thought this was just an interesting novel of a particular time and place, but it's so much more. It delves into women's rights, corporate responsibility, the role of Big Tobacco in a company town, and more. I enjoyed it on audio and think it will make for a great discussion.

 

Now, I am listening to a classic mystery, Arsene Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes by Maurice Leblanc, first translated into English in 1910. Read that title closely because the first few times I saw it, my brain read what it thought it should be instead of what was written! My husband and I have watched the Lupin series on Netflix, so I knew who this classic French literature character was: a gentleman thief who constantly outwits law enforcement. Here, in a series of interrelated stories, he pulls off several heists and ends up going up against the famous English detective (the author must not have been allowed to use the real name but there is even a tongue-in-cheek reference to Arthur Conan Doyle here!). So far, it's intriguing and clever, and I'm enjoying it on audio.

 

My husband has also been reading a spooky-season classic, Dracula by Bram Stoker. He picked it up at the indie bookstore we visited in Oneonta, NY. I enjoyed it on audio in 2015, and he's been meaning to read it for years. It's the perfect book for October!

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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?

It's Monday 10/7! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

 

Life

At Home

Last week was another busy one, with lots of medical appointments (highlights: mammogram's all clear, and I might need braces/Invisiline at age 59!). But most of the week was leading up to the big event: my husband's 70th birthday on Friday! I planned a BIG surprise for him, and we somehow managed to keep it a secret (his friends and our son helped). He knew I had something planned, but I think he suspected a party. Friday morning, I revealed what was going on: his best friend from high school was arriving from Texas at our local airport soon, they had a round of golf at a local course booked for that afternoon, and they, plus our son and a local friend, would be leaving Saturday morning for a golf weekend on Maryland's Eastern Shore. I had booked an Airbnb right near the water, plus two gorgeous golf courses (one of them right on the Chesapeake Bay). He was thrilled, and everything went off without a hitch! By all accounts, it sounds like they had a fabulous weekend.

Surprise!

The foursome in Maryland

The Chesapeake Bay, a 1-minute walk from the Airbnb

Changes

Back here at home, I took advantage of the brief lull in the chaos to do some deep thinking about what I want out of my life and what I want to do with my career. Between my husband's 70th birthday and the way I've been feeling constantly overwhelmed and stressed lately (even with improved health in the first six months of the year), I knew I had to make some changes, but I wasn't sure what. I brainstormed and made a bunch of lists (the way I think best!), including "What's Working" and "What's Not Working" (the second list was much longer). 

My lightbulb moment was when I realized that my concept of how I wanted to "retire" in 5-10 years--lots of travel, and focusing my writing/career on travel--actually needs to happen now (or soon). So, I'll be making some changes. One of those is with my blogs. I've written these two blogs (the other one on chronic illness) for over 18 years now, and while I love the interaction, I just don't have the time to do what I used to do anymore. I'm spread too thin and trying to do too much. But I'm not going anywhere! Here on the book blog, I'll be focusing just on my Monday posts because I enjoy writing them and really love interacting with all of you. Writing reviews (books, TV, and movies) will take a backseat for now. My Monday posts include mini reviews anyway, and I've noticed other bloggers who just post once a week. Since I haven't had time to write a review in a month anyway, you probably won't notice much difference.

A huge thank you to all of you who read my blog and especially those who take the time to comment. I'm not ready to give it up completely yet because I really enjoy "talking" with all of you about books and hearing about what you're reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the changes I'm making or if you have any questions.

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On Video

I intend to keep posting videos to my YouTube channel since that activity works quite well with travel. Speaking of travel:

Travel & Camping Vlog: 2 New York State Parks - come along on our recent trip to two new-to-us beautiful state parks in NY state, including camping, hiking, kayaking, and two bookstore visits!

Friday Reads 10-4-24 - my brief weekly update of what I am reading & listening to

September Reading Wrap-Up: my quick recap of the 5 books I read last month

 

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 What We're Reading

 We're enjoying the RIP (Readers Imbibing Peril) season!

I finished reading The Westing Game by Ellen Rankin. My son--the one who does not enjoy reading--was assigned this book in middle school and loved it. He told me I should read it, too, and here I am, only 13 years later, finally reading it! This modern classic middle-grade mystery features a mysterious will, a possible murder, a group of 16 seemingly random potential heirs, and a puzzling contest to see who will inherit. I enjoyed it and can see why my son liked it. Besides R.I.P., this book also qualified for Shortie September.

 

Now I am reading Chances Are ... by Richard Russo. For Christmas last year, I gave my family a list of authors I've never read and requested any books from them, and my older son picked this one out for me because it has a mystery at its center. Three men--Lincoln, Teddy, and Mickey--were roommates and best friends in college in Connecticut. When they graduated in 1971, they each went their separate ways to very different lives. Now, at age 66, they've reunited at the same Martha's Vineyard cottage where they spent Memorial Day weekend together after graduation, along with a girl named Jacy who was a close friend of theirs. After that weekend, Jacy disappeared and was never heard from again, not even by her parents. Now, back on the island, the events of that long-ago weekend haunt them, as they each remember what happened and puzzle over the mystery of Jacy's disappearance. I'm enjoying it very much and can see that Russo is excellent at developing interesting characters.

 

I started--and finished--an audio book, If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay. I've been hearing great things about Finlay for the last few years, so I wanted to try this new novel that came out in May. In Leavenworth, Kansas, Ryan and Ali are prom king and queen and are in love, after being together for four years. Parked out on the local "lover's lane" on a rainy night, their romantic evening is interrupted when a man opens the car door and grabs Ali. Knocked on the head, Ryan doesn't see what happens next, but Ali was never found. Now, five years later, Ryan has never recovered from the trauma of that night when he hears that police have found new evidence in Ali's case. It's a twisty, suspenseful ride, and I really enjoyed how the story came together through multiple narrators.

 

My husband finished reading one of the books he picked up in a used bookstore in NY, Split Images by Elmore Leonard, a classic mystery/thriller. This one is from 1981, and he enjoyed it. I've forgotten what he picked for his next book, but I guarantee he didn't have time to read this weekend!

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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?