Monday, February 10, 2025

It's Monday 2/10! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

 

Life

I got a late start this morning after staying up late for the Superbowl last night and seeing our local team, the Philadelphia Eagles, win by a wide margin! Two of our oldest friends in the area came over for our annual watch party, complete with wings and other yummy snacks. The guys are more into football, but we all enjoy watching the ads. Our favorites last night were the Instacart ad with all the iconic brand mascots, the Stella Artois ad with David Beckham and Matt Damon, and especially the Coor's Light ad with all the sloths--that one had us all belly laughing. And, of course, it was fun to catch up with our friends.

 

That was one of two wild nights for me this weekend! We rarely go out or eat in restaurants because I'm immune compromised and have to avoid crowds, but my husband has two friends in a band, Shades of Gray (a reference to their hair, not their kinks!), that were playing at a local restaurant Friday night. They were playing from 5 to 7, and it's a small restaurant, so I decided I could risk it. We were seated not too close to other people and enjoyed a rare evening out, with tasty food and good music. We were out until 7:30! Whoo!


Otherwise, it was a quiet week with more hectic reservation-making for our trips. I had a few low-energy days but still managed some short walks nearby. And we got a few days of "wintry mix"--very common here in Delaware, where we are often on the line between rain and snow. The ice looked pretty and fortunately didn't last long. Three separate snow storms are predicted for this week, so my husband's out on the golf course today, before it gets covered again!

Ice coating the trees

The truck's back-up camera freaked out over the icicles hanging in front of it!

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On Video

January 2025 Reading Wrap-Up: Kicking off the Year with 7 Great Books! - a quick recap of everything I read last month.

Friday Read 2-7-25: Reading for Black History Month - my brief weekly update of what I am reading and listening to.

Read What You Own Challenge: I'm In! - I'm participating in a Booktube challenge to read from my own shelves.

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 What We're Watching

Somebody Somewhere - This show is Just. So. Special. It is full of heart and belly laughs, about a woman who returns to her hometown in Kansas to care for her sick sister and is lost after she dies. She meets someone she went to high school with (but doesn't remember), and the two misfits develop the most incredible friendship. This fabulous show packs so much into its irreverent, moving, hilarious, and twisty story with outstanding writing and acting. We just finished the third and final season and will definitely miss it. I just reread my old review and watched the trailer again (both at the link) and--seriously--I got chills down my spine and tears in my eyes. One of the best TV shows we've ever seen.

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 What We're Reading

I finished a book that was perfect for kicking off Black History Month: Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes by Tracey Baptiste and Shauna J. Grant. This is part of the outstanding middle-grade History Comics series (I previously enjoyed The Roanoke Colony: America's First Mystery and The Great Chicago Fire and The National Parks: Preserving America's Wild Places (a must-read for all kids!). Don't know who Claudette Colvin was? That's the point of this book: that stunning, revolutionary changes occur as the result of many unsung heroes doing their own part to move things forward. Claudette was a 15-year-old Black girl in Birmingham who made headlines across the state for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a bus. She was dragged off the bus by police, charged with defying segregation laws, disturbing the peace, and assaulting police officers (which, of course, she did not do) and eventually convicted in court. And all of this happened before the famous moment when Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat! And did you know that Rosa Parks was involved in civil rights all her life, long before her moment of fame on the bus? I learned so much reading this wonderful book that is making the point that many of the real heroes making change are quietly working behind the scenes--and this message is so important right now. A must-read for kids ... and adults, too.

 

Now, I am enjoying another excellent Black History Month pick, Deacon King Kong by James McBride (my first by this acclaimed novelist). This is a buddy read with a friend in Singapore; discussing a great book with a friend makes it even greater! The title character, who is known as Sportcoat, is an older Black man living in a housing project in Brooklyn in 1969. He's lost his wife and is drinking heavily, so he's barely aware of what he's doing one day when he grabs an old gun, marches out into their courtyard, and shoots a young drug dealer named Deems, whom he used to coach in the project baseball team. That sets off a chain of events. This is a very entertaining novel, peopled by vibrant, unique characters (all with funny nicknames) that often makes me laugh out loud or read outrageous lines to my husband ("Has your cheese done slid off your cracker?"). But beneath the vivid frivolity, McBride is writing about some serious issues of race and class: the effects of drugs, crime, and criminal organizations on neighborhoods; the disparity between poor people of color and wealthy white people; and the way that a neighborhood can become a close-knit community. I'm loving it so far.

 

I finished Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad, a book I've been meaning to read for ages! It's all about the author's experiences as a 22-year-old cancer patient with a deadly form of leukemia that was quite advanced by the time she was finally diagnosed. I'd heard of her story because she is now married to Jon Batiste, the fabulous musician from New Orleans, and I knew he'd taken time off to care for her. (Jon sang the national anthem at the Superbowl last night, playing on a piano beautifully painted by Suleika.) She reads the memoir herself, and the audio is excellent. It's a very moving story, and I've been bookmarking many passages because so many of her observations are things I can really relate to, as someone with chronic illness. I was so moved by her memoir and her experiences that I immediately followed her on Instagram, signed up for her SubStack, and found several great podcast interviews with her (the best is one on Hoda Kotb's Making Space podcast with both Suleika and Jon).


My husband, Ken, just finished another Christmas gift from me, The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. He and I are both big fans of Heller, since I met the author at Booktopia in 2017 and read his novel, Celine. Since then, we've both enjoyed his other outdoor thrillers, The River, The Guide, and The Last Ranger. This one is post-apocalyptic, and Ken said it was great. It's one of Heller's earliest novels.


 Our son, 30, is reading Practical Adept, book 17 of the Spellmonger series by Terry Mancour, which he loves! He's been working six days a week, and this book is over 1,000 pages!

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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?

Monday, February 03, 2025

It's Monday 2/3! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date


Life

It was another very hectic week, though with some fun stuff squeezed in! We are still scrambling to plan our trip to Montana and Canada this summer and reserve campsites. We thought we were all set, having grabbed sites at Glacier National Park and Banff National Park (Canada), but we're finding out that things have changed since we last visited a national park! We used to go to Badlands NP in South Dakota a lot and never had trouble finding a site, and we figured that Teddy Roosevelt NP in North Dakota would have plenty of sites. Nope! We got some of the last sites available this morning in both places - for July and August dates! 

Plus, we are planning a month-long trip to Texas in March/April to visit family and friends (in Texas and along the way), and we only just started planning that trip this weekend. We came up with a rough plan and texted family and friends yesterday to confirm they are all available. We still have a lot of planning left to do for both trips.

 

Can't wait to get on the road again!

All of this means I only just did my annual look back on the previous year and planning for the coming year on Saturday - yes, in February! That shows you how far behind I am. 

I did have some fun last week, though. Tuesday was a long-overdue game night with my three closest friends (and one new-to-me friend). Thai takeout, fun games, herbal tea, and lots of laughs--this is my kind of crew! No pictures, except of some of the games I brought along.


Thursday evening, my son treated me to a show at our local dinner theater (my Christmas gift). I haven't seen live theater since February 2020 (I have to avoid crowds because of my immune disorder). So this was a little nerve-wracking for me, especially since I had to remove my mask to eat, but it's a small venue, and we had a great time! The show, Something Rotten, was clever and hilarious (about a medieval playwright competing with Shakespeare and discovering musical theater). The other people at our table were very nice, the food was delicious, and it was wonderful to spend time with my son!


And, my health continues to be stable (though I have to be careful of all this stress!), so I enjoyed walks and hikes almost every day last week. 

My husband and I walking mid-week on a local path.

Lovely sunny day at our local nature center Saturday.

Our iconic covered bridge.

Tried a new-to-us trail on a gloomy Sunday.

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On the Blog

2024 Reading Challenges Wrap-Up and 2025 Challenges - I finally signed up for my 2025 reading challenges (seeing a theme here?). You can also visit my 2025 Challenge Page, where I will track my challenges throughout the year. In both places, I included challenges hosted both by bloggers and by Booktubers and both year-long and seasonal challenges. Lots of reading fun ahead!

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On Video

2024 Health Year in Review: Riding the Chronic Illness Rollercoaster! - another late year-end wrap-up. Here, I review the highs and lows of my health last year and talk about which treatments helped me.

Friday Reads 1-31-25: Finishing January with Great Books - my brief weekly update of what I am reading and listening to.

How Do You Juggle It All? Setting Priorities and Doing All the Things Without Feeling Overwhelmed - I recorded this video on a whim this weekend, frustrated by feeling so far behind and overwhelmed while working on annual goals. It's basically a cry for help, with a plea for advice (or commiseration)!


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 What We're Reading

I finished reading The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon, a book I've been meaning to read for years. It was worth the wait. The town of West Hall, Vermont, has always been plagued by mysterious disappearances, deaths, and supernatural legends. In 1908, a woman named Sara looks back on her childhood on a farm in West Hall. Her "auntie," a Native American woman who helped her and her father, taught her many things about nature ... and some very unnatural things as well. As an adult, Sara's beloved little girl, Gertie, goes missing. In the present day, in that same farmhouse, Alice is bringing up her two daughters, 19-year-old Ruthie and six-year-old Fawn. When Alice goes missing, Ruthie finds Sara's old diary and starts to unravel some of the mysteries of this strange place where they live. This is a super creepy paranormal thriller, with perfect January vibes. I enjoyed it.

 

Next, I squeezed in one more January book, inspired by the timing: Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham. This is a YA graphic novel by two very talented authors--I've enjoyed books by both of them in the past, including Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang. And, yes, it's a love story, but it's far more than that. The main character, Valentina, who's been obsessed with Valentine's Day since she was a young child, is dealing with a lot: family secrets just coming to light, getting to know "new" family members, friendship bumps, and learning about her Vietnamese heritage and culture for the first time. It was excellent, with plenty of emotional depth, and was perfect for the season, with its dual focuses on Valentine's Day and Lunar New Year.

 

I have a buddy read planned for early February but needed one more small book while I wait for my reading buddy to be ready to start our book, so I chose something perfect for Black History Month: Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes by Tracey Baptiste and Shauna J. Grant. This is part of the outstanding middle-grade History Comics series (I previously enjoyed The Roanoke Colony: America's First Mystery and The Great Chicago Fire and The National Parks: Preserving America's Wild Places (a must-read for all kids!) Don't know who Claudette Colvin was? That's part of the point of this book: that stunning, revolutionary changes occur as the result of many unsung heroes doing their own part to move things forward. Claudette was a 15-year-old Black girl in Birmingham who made headlines across the state for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a bus. She was dragged off the bus by police, charged with defying segregation laws, disturbing the peace, and assaulting police officers (which, of course, she did not do). She wasn't even doing anything illegal, as she knew she was within the details of the segregation laws as written. Plus, did you know Rosa Parks was involved in civil rights all her life? I'm about halfway through now, and it is just an amazing story--and sadly, so relevant right now.

 

On audio, I finished Two Degrees by Alan Gratz, a middle-grade novel that focuses on the effects of climate change on three different children. Akira and her father are enjoying a horseback ride in the Sierra Nevadas in California when a wildfire traps them and some others in the forest. Natalie lives in Miami with her mother, and they typically just ride out hurricanes because they can't afford to evacuate. But when "the big one" hits Miami dead-on, the waters rise faster than they expected, with consequences they never dreamed of. Owen and George live in Churchill, Manitoba, near the Hudson Bay in the Canadian arctic. They know all about polar bears, but when the best friends get stranded out on the tundra, polar bears, hungry and desperate from the longer thaw season, get close enough to put their lives in danger. The novel rotates between the three stories, each featuring kids whose lives are in peril, trying to escape from a disaster or crisis brought on by climate change. It's excellent on audio, with different narrators for each story. The overall theme is an important one and it's filled with action and suspense (even some humor), but this might be too scary for younger middle-graders.

 

Now, I am listening to Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad, a book I've been meaning to read for ages! It's all about the author's experiences as a 22-year-old cancer patient with a deadly form of leukemia that was quite advanced by the time she was finally diagnosed. I'd heard of her story because she is married to Jon Batiste, the fabulous musician from New Orleans, and I knew he'd taken time off to care for her. He hasn't entered her life yet, though, where I am now in the book, about one-third of the way through. She reads it herself, and the audio is excellent. It's a very moving story, and I've been bookmarking many passages because so many of her observations are things I can really relate to, as someone with chronic illness. I'm so glad I'm finally listening to this incredible memoir.

 

My husband, Ken, finished In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child, the 29th book in the Jack Reacher series, my husband's favorite. Now, he's started another Christmas gift from me, The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. He and I are both big fans of Heller, since I met the author at Booktopia in 2017 and read his novel, Celine. Since then, we've both enjoyed his other outdoor thrillers, The River, The Guide, and The Last Ranger. This one is post-apocalyptic, and my husband seems engrossed in it so far.

 

 Our son, 30, is reading Practical Adept, book 17 of the Spellmonger series by Terry Mancour, which he loves! He's been working six days a week and sounded exhausted when I talked to him yesterday--I hope he's had some reading time to unwind.

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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?