tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224617532024-03-18T18:48:55.740-04:00Book By BookReviews of good books, movies, and TV shows, plus food and travel.Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.comBlogger2625125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-51227003977420377332024-03-18T14:32:00.000-04:002024-03-18T14:32:25.139-04:00It's Monday 3/18! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life</span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Life continues to be busy and full, thanks to my greatly improved health! It really is incredible, and I am grateful every day for this amazing turn-around, after ending last year with several months couchbound. My stunning improvement is due to normalizing thyroid function (which took a full year) and finally getting yeast overgrowth (a chronic issue due to my immune disorder) under control with diet changes. So, last week, I went shopping again, both clothes shopping and my first time in Trader Joe's in about six months. I worked out in the yard on three different days, which is a stunning accomplishment for me--the gardens are looking great for spring for the first time in many years! </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXuQk_hnHxMNbEFRVrr-A71nYQHyfwH-JfnmAtO8f2eJ7AtOZ5p17IbidtyQS1JwV5veQ5LzUlkQebda4wOP7hXpZmtl33BsmlSJQsObKxFeSTzSdjjfS2qEwAXrJAUQq4eiXNzuEPEsRcrtJgpCE-YHfBXy3mp8JxSZNdZJaK9pQvXFoJPKwUg/s4032/49D239EE-7C88-4109-A1C3-5BB9C02E157C.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXuQk_hnHxMNbEFRVrr-A71nYQHyfwH-JfnmAtO8f2eJ7AtOZ5p17IbidtyQS1JwV5veQ5LzUlkQebda4wOP7hXpZmtl33BsmlSJQsObKxFeSTzSdjjfS2qEwAXrJAUQq4eiXNzuEPEsRcrtJgpCE-YHfBXy3mp8JxSZNdZJaK9pQvXFoJPKwUg/s320/49D239EE-7C88-4109-A1C3-5BB9C02E157C.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All the dead stuff cut down - ready for spring!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LAnoEV6d0mm1A4BI6fOqEZbxVmYDRFQs7hBtHptA01oZDxxiB_HkRMg622xQu1ZTbBtzyWT93x_FuhDs1aPIGAUiHNeNJPAZ8lVe15mJPRP4Pma_kRGlkGDWg5wimLeepyeaBJBqzTQefTEcfXsKzvZWGxRXxD6dQRT4vhb6os_A5V19i7h_fw/s4032/2E34B4FE-A73C-4307-BC94-0F8D4F17632B.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LAnoEV6d0mm1A4BI6fOqEZbxVmYDRFQs7hBtHptA01oZDxxiB_HkRMg622xQu1ZTbBtzyWT93x_FuhDs1aPIGAUiHNeNJPAZ8lVe15mJPRP4Pma_kRGlkGDWg5wimLeepyeaBJBqzTQefTEcfXsKzvZWGxRXxD6dQRT4vhb6os_A5V19i7h_fw/s320/2E34B4FE-A73C-4307-BC94-0F8D4F17632B.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Buds on my lilac tree!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">We went out to a fancy dinner with our oldest friends to celebrate their anniversary. I met two other friends for lunch. The three of us worked together in the early 90's, and I hadn't seen one of them in over 20 years! We had a blast catching up. And yesterday, those same old friends (from the anniversary dinner) came over for our traditional St. Patrick's Day feast, along with our younger son.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZI5JY1B_UjzKU906Dc_uWsQq0smbUQcvFzlBNHhy2N9qumcguNs6B_GbF2Cx9lEDFbj3Bx0UFJQ2YugCJjSm6jEZI8xSXYGN_r0vZz_8Aqz4DHzZMf8PoCYeP_9cLT46Lrwhu4iIX_bxaeEjTEEasVdqj5FXLm0sEAYvbQP_RoPNeh58haI4usA/s4032/0E5827C4-6025-4383-A36C-F0EA5D7C33BE.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZI5JY1B_UjzKU906Dc_uWsQq0smbUQcvFzlBNHhy2N9qumcguNs6B_GbF2Cx9lEDFbj3Bx0UFJQ2YugCJjSm6jEZI8xSXYGN_r0vZz_8Aqz4DHzZMf8PoCYeP_9cLT46Lrwhu4iIX_bxaeEjTEEasVdqj5FXLm0sEAYvbQP_RoPNeh58haI4usA/s320/0E5827C4-6025-4383-A36C-F0EA5D7C33BE.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy St. Patrick's Day!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">And, of course, as two engineers, we celebrated Pi Day! It was a challenge this year, given our dietary restrictions, but I made a Paleo/keto quiche that was absolutely delicious.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1NryAsjBsD3h5HUZDBq7QH91BhOIXZ-M1h-e0adA7xXD2ofOGvP4joErZJMtaiJ7uWtxlxkrZMd2dLcadyCJBPI1-SxA0lllwMf1KxMDUm92LtR0pLDqqdG4Zue8S3ORVtU6bMydfaK2-DCe6UDZeYYSjriQ_6G72D8tL9QHDgkr6j_JdHTE0g/s4032/D2A79AC3-48D1-420D-A74C-D8673157D703_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1NryAsjBsD3h5HUZDBq7QH91BhOIXZ-M1h-e0adA7xXD2ofOGvP4joErZJMtaiJ7uWtxlxkrZMd2dLcadyCJBPI1-SxA0lllwMf1KxMDUm92LtR0pLDqqdG4Zue8S3ORVtU6bMydfaK2-DCe6UDZeYYSjriQ_6G72D8tL9QHDgkr6j_JdHTE0g/s320/D2A79AC3-48D1-420D-A74C-D8673157D703_1_201_a.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy Pi Day!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">I'm loving seeing all the signs of spring around me, including my first top-down day of the year!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrOAkGr8qy1deRM9H8xBygDZXLFFHBBPPymO0BniKFGf4993rdP-tyRu-qYQKuImp6ywjxIl6N8MkkNbeMU5v2eyA3F4sZ7pLNdnyB5BNJ3cZzbSS_PZXrAEMmfyFA8f3WLCCr2Oh0Itbl1xHkuTntHpxc0UqZYQ8XjSSWcU7V-xb9sinoh2rgA/s4032/4A89B699-4652-49AA-B75D-959A630C1593.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrOAkGr8qy1deRM9H8xBygDZXLFFHBBPPymO0BniKFGf4993rdP-tyRu-qYQKuImp6ywjxIl6N8MkkNbeMU5v2eyA3F4sZ7pLNdnyB5BNJ3cZzbSS_PZXrAEMmfyFA8f3WLCCr2Oh0Itbl1xHkuTntHpxc0UqZYQ8XjSSWcU7V-xb9sinoh2rgA/s320/4A89B699-4652-49AA-B75D-959A630C1593.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Daffodils in bloom!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8xLnQUrP8SR61uNWuwNWryaGyZ8ni4wgJ5_YWOk-3he8X7Wqj3irjKrPlSGeX4mzJe-9BhDc2IoKsHgMgHjZBzCyT-aSof-eifcKnAy93lks-yvFDvSlMAG7j9FzG0UVEB93pSZAvfDqQMmNGYW_CHoknWQdFBcGf0IcY8bfwaWQIU2Ij_ywyQ/s3088/4ED4603A-CCC0-46DB-A70E-E06A114EB1B4.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8xLnQUrP8SR61uNWuwNWryaGyZ8ni4wgJ5_YWOk-3he8X7Wqj3irjKrPlSGeX4mzJe-9BhDc2IoKsHgMgHjZBzCyT-aSof-eifcKnAy93lks-yvFDvSlMAG7j9FzG0UVEB93pSZAvfDqQMmNGYW_CHoknWQdFBcGf0IcY8bfwaWQIU2Ij_ywyQ/s320/4ED4603A-CCC0-46DB-A70E-E06A114EB1B4.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>First top-down day!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tQuoI8JDnFKMwFCqlF5-d19dGgSdRfLEZyBOoaU6Pz7uO77RZ9n77n-2TzqX_fqNw1gavOVw40Wpx3MdhrrsIgGpsi4NUQANZBfD6Gbqod-34OrK08FIlFWmvg6DxRhOGdfSu0KS00XZZ0yvFgA41A7Tkbav7Ol3Qctw6sIiNWjsUtN8Ig0w1g/s4032/77C9A154-5BE2-40D5-9E27-A1D12CD199EB.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tQuoI8JDnFKMwFCqlF5-d19dGgSdRfLEZyBOoaU6Pz7uO77RZ9n77n-2TzqX_fqNw1gavOVw40Wpx3MdhrrsIgGpsi4NUQANZBfD6Gbqod-34OrK08FIlFWmvg6DxRhOGdfSu0KS00XZZ0yvFgA41A7Tkbav7Ol3Qctw6sIiNWjsUtN8Ig0w1g/s320/77C9A154-5BE2-40D5-9E27-A1D12CD199EB.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pink tree and daffodils</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVlTqRtgaU6YBEdTlHiWV7DAJLKFKWXBo_xq3DMIxJwiM2dIv64FK8ODPPtTML4i4LwmFOukaW3SB5_O0Q2kqtIi9cAAuA1-JWYOqn0vvst1ipSiYa7m8h3e2BNSRUBrYdSCZ-gVL1BgdeJWwRdzGdJNql-pc5Z5dEPUsbxWjOMnv2AfaKi-3mg/s4032/EF852E1B-E99B-42F8-83FA-243EDBEB5B57.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVlTqRtgaU6YBEdTlHiWV7DAJLKFKWXBo_xq3DMIxJwiM2dIv64FK8ODPPtTML4i4LwmFOukaW3SB5_O0Q2kqtIi9cAAuA1-JWYOqn0vvst1ipSiYa7m8h3e2BNSRUBrYdSCZ-gVL1BgdeJWwRdzGdJNql-pc5Z5dEPUsbxWjOMnv2AfaKi-3mg/s320/EF852E1B-E99B-42F8-83FA-243EDBEB5B57.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My favorite sign of spring - forsythia!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;">I need to step up my review writing this week. Though my new blog policy is only to write reviews of really great books ... it's been an outstanding reading month so far!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/03/memoir-review-invisible-girls.html" target="_blank">Nonfiction Review: <b>The Invisible Girls</b></a> by Sarah Thebarge - I was so moved by this wonderful memoir about a 27-year-old woman, devastated by breast cancer and other losses, who meets a single-mother Somali refugee with 5 little girls, and how their relationship helped to heal them both. Check out my review and also the 3-minute video at the bottom of <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/03/memoir-review-invisible-girls.html" target="_blank">Sarah's website </a>for a preview into this heartbreaking, uplifting true story.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">I don't normally include my chronic illness videos here, but if you yourself have a chronic illness or you are just interested in my current life and what helped me to improve so much, then check out my latest:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-pR2JthJnE" target="_blank">Chronic Illness Vlog 3-10-24: Out and About, Still Doing Well!</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f6HOWqzwwU" target="_blank">Friday Reads 3-15-24</a></b> - my quick weekly update on what I am currently reading.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPthPF8etdOqkh9RRGivAAJ3e3zqe5wlaUnPry4GzA1wr1CR97_-ykXcZYq3BlhoIAd6QJjAo-c-AgWT_-7NQ-auhDCg1jAohZ0H42KRwUkeZ-3PU3shNpUev8ntHRqX7FJ0mrq1hmagZFE5MPXqGRs5k3jxhldRsKsk1595xIY12R4ZVY-uywiA/s1500/Why-We-Read.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="991" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPthPF8etdOqkh9RRGivAAJ3e3zqe5wlaUnPry4GzA1wr1CR97_-ykXcZYq3BlhoIAd6QJjAo-c-AgWT_-7NQ-auhDCg1jAohZ0H42KRwUkeZ-3PU3shNpUev8ntHRqX7FJ0mrq1hmagZFE5MPXqGRs5k3jxhldRsKsk1595xIY12R4ZVY-uywiA/w132-h200/Why-We-Read.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">I finished reading my first book for Booktopia, the fabulous weekend book event I participate in every spring in Vermont (<a href="https://www.northshire.com/event/booktopia-2024" target="_blank">tickets available</a>; my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw9OnyWqVRk" target="_blank">recap/vlog from Booktopia 2023</a>). I started with <b>Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out</b>
by Shannon Reed, a nonfiction book that was absolutely delightful! Reed is not only a reader but also a
longtime English teacher and now college literature and writing
professor. This is a fun combination of memoir and essays, with a hefty
dose of humor, and it's very entertaining. Any avid reader will recognize
him/herself in Shannon's many memories and observations, plus it is <i>loaded</i> with book name-dropping!</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb67FE4Z8CpVvcHjP_ws0I8qk83ZH_Bv-uAe_CQhM306CBz2-AVl4pGkzFx9TwYOr198Y2jRhjJ7weG1HRLq0MMroyKF68pVBGGDoGO8gzMA4Rp6KEp8lTfbuC_Wj2dokv49qe_VJUqukyI0ogXE6MacbDd26lQW7ykmvFzaw5F0kX8C-51jsoEA/s685/Parachute-Kids.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="502" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb67FE4Z8CpVvcHjP_ws0I8qk83ZH_Bv-uAe_CQhM306CBz2-AVl4pGkzFx9TwYOr198Y2jRhjJ7weG1HRLq0MMroyKF68pVBGGDoGO8gzMA4Rp6KEp8lTfbuC_Wj2dokv49qe_VJUqukyI0ogXE6MacbDd26lQW7ykmvFzaw5F0kX8C-51jsoEA/w147-h200/Parachute-Kids.png" width="147" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Now, I am reading a middle-grade graphic novel, <b>Parachute Kids</b> by Betty C. Tang for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qMSm1dyGU&t=208s" target="_blank">Middle-Grade March</a> (fits the prompt "about immigration"). It's about a family from Taiwan that visits California on a vacation, but the parents' plan is for their kids to remain in the U.S. to escape the perilous situation at home and to get a better education. Dad returns home to work, and Mom is supposed to stay with the kids, but the U.S. won't extend her visa. The three kids (two teens and 10-year-old Feng Li) are left on their own. The oldest daughter knows English fairly well, but the 10-year-old knows none and is suddenly in school with American kids. I had never even heard of this term before this book came out, but apparently it is a growing trend for Chinese parents to send their kids to the U.S. for a better education. I wanted to know more and read <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/magazine/the-parachute-generation.html" target="_blank">this fascinating <i>NY Times</i> article</a> last night. The book is excellent so far. </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqgeM4BF6tSNOLxKnFarocbOUNrxEXFwMx8YZZdvPX5LSE5vbLhQBwy8NYfCi1iIVFZomsprbB2BMmrV6XORqZ-fu8S6oTZ7EIOYeZjBhaNcScxYNLJcK8eDs3tHx65quaS5yqDaiij57XECNAzd_S2IOmLuebr35ijAs-vuuJPke_FutjX-U5A/s2550/Iceberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1678" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqgeM4BF6tSNOLxKnFarocbOUNrxEXFwMx8YZZdvPX5LSE5vbLhQBwy8NYfCi1iIVFZomsprbB2BMmrV6XORqZ-fu8S6oTZ7EIOYeZjBhaNcScxYNLJcK8eDs3tHx65quaS5yqDaiij57XECNAzd_S2IOmLuebr35ijAs-vuuJPke_FutjX-U5A/w132-h200/Iceberg.jpg" width="132" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">On audio, I finished listening to <b>Iceberg</b>
by Jennifer Nielsen for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qMSm1dyGU&t=208s" target="_blank">Middle-Grade March</a> (and for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvBP7eCncuQ" target="_blank">Fierce Reads event</a>). I'm a longtime fan of Nielsen's middle-grade
historical fiction (like <i><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/middle-grade-review-lines-of-courage.html" target="_blank">Lines of Courage</a></i> and <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/03/middle-grade-review-night-divided.html" target="_blank"><i>A Night Divided</i></a>), and as you might guess from the title, this one is
about the <i>Titanic</i>. Twelve-year-old Hazel is on a mission to save her family. Her mother has sent her to the docks to board the <i>Titanic</i>
for New York, where Hazel's aunt has promised her a job in a garment
factory, so she can send money home to keep her siblings from starving.
But when Hazel tries to buy a ticket, she finds that all of her family's
savings isn't enough for the fare for even a third-class ticket. She
finds a way on board as a stowaway. With a dream of becoming a
journalist one day, Hazel begins to hear rumors about the ship that make
the reporter in her interested--and wary. We all know how the <i>Titanic</i>'s story ends, but this was an excellent novel with a wonderful main character (and yes, she survives).</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpt5a82CoQKwL_zfRQ8V4IY9Hp8063-og6t4FZhboqsmayHOvN59qxVLOfek3HPcjkIPhUbrhe3yzVOQCMi2cKreLzAyIgtE3te5oRiAjoSl1JY2bGdCX0OUxuaogAq_NpHdFC-Y9VW7Twr2fnR1MTTio-A6TD-0Z-u8toOO9hwWqzjUetp3nYLA/s499/Dear-Sweet-Pea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpt5a82CoQKwL_zfRQ8V4IY9Hp8063-og6t4FZhboqsmayHOvN59qxVLOfek3HPcjkIPhUbrhe3yzVOQCMi2cKreLzAyIgtE3te5oRiAjoSl1JY2bGdCX0OUxuaogAq_NpHdFC-Y9VW7Twr2fnR1MTTio-A6TD-0Z-u8toOO9hwWqzjUetp3nYLA/w133-h200/Dear-Sweet-Pea.jpg" width="133" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Sticking with the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qMSm1dyGU&t=208s" target="_blank">Middle-Grade March</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvBP7eCncuQ" target="_blank">Fierce Women Reads</a> themes, I am now listening to <b>Dear Sweet Pea</b> by Julie Murphy, my first novel from this very popular YA author (this is her first middle-grade novel). Twelve-year-old Sweet Pea feels torn apart by her parents' divorce, despite their efforts to keep everything "normal." She splits her time between her mom's house and her dad's, which are identical homes two doors down from each other! She's also still grieving the loss of her first-ever best friend, Kiera, who's found prettier, thinner, more popular girls to hang out with. Luckily, Sweet Pea has Oscar, her new best (only) friend and her cat, Cheese. The novel is very good so far, and I'm interested to see what happens next.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbxSc9rmKmKYDoq8OR6AkNgxrouBY-BC5WFBSITHMs9HMvTuN4U5dCKG4W-DgOCWLw_qlA-lTJnaapAKDwJaOiIKmjiuIFcf1zMTbMTAe89KNzE0LVcfIlDN81LeySbxPmmQIAK-B_ht_MWF5XWfJ0aOMtp18zcjk6CqcJZTct-8qDgo16ng8lA/s400/Zookeepers-Wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbxSc9rmKmKYDoq8OR6AkNgxrouBY-BC5WFBSITHMs9HMvTuN4U5dCKG4W-DgOCWLw_qlA-lTJnaapAKDwJaOiIKmjiuIFcf1zMTbMTAe89KNzE0LVcfIlDN81LeySbxPmmQIAK-B_ht_MWF5XWfJ0aOMtp18zcjk6CqcJZTct-8qDgo16ng8lA/w132-h200/Zookeepers-Wife.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">My husband, Ken, finished <b>A Ghost of Caribou</b> by Alice Henderson, book 3 in her outdoor thriller series about wildlife biologist Alex Carter. He is now reading a nonfiction book I loved last November, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/nonfiction-review-zookeepers-wife.html" target="_blank"><b>The Zookeeper's Wife</b></a> by Diane Ackerman, about a Polish couple who saved over a hundred Jews in WWII Warsaw. I hope he finds it as engrossing and fascinating as I did (my review at the link).</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzWV002yKA2B5v4QVGwl-SSsC5nERghNqhU_jJARSZRiP_L_RMPcUb8VUvwT-U1JXuBDjI23ePwsPUWDKfTS5XBbQMtSY2gKwkUScp4w6O1-3nwQPTU_1oKF-uLi8mvWpi5Ghj7fqWpRo2ptHq-vQnB4tFCCSjWHD4WE3NrVSsug1GEtPkpco9g/s400/Best-served-cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzWV002yKA2B5v4QVGwl-SSsC5nERghNqhU_jJARSZRiP_L_RMPcUb8VUvwT-U1JXuBDjI23ePwsPUWDKfTS5XBbQMtSY2gKwkUScp4w6O1-3nwQPTU_1oKF-uLi8mvWpi5Ghj7fqWpRo2ptHq-vQnB4tFCCSjWHD4WE3NrVSsug1GEtPkpco9g/w131-h200/Best-served-cold.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our son, 29, has been very busy with job interviews lately, but he's enjoying<span> <span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>a book I gave him for his birthday last year, <b>Best Served Cold</b> by Joe Abercrombie, one of his all-time favorite fantasy authors (and he has many favorites). This is book 1 in <i>World of the First Law</i>, a spin-off of his hugely popular <i>First Law</i> trilogy.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>__________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
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id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-72090080980586682702024-03-13T17:59:00.004-04:002024-03-13T17:59:39.868-04:00Memoir Review: The Invisible Girls<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmGGHAlfkLcd5SCx4b6JzaC1sLSUBjhYPzV_PQ-oNDGyMIcXcYBO_TWOsCql21pJ3sKV7b5prskbxrRUI13siWhF9jAQZo6uWXxGLP6cD3uMtppbs2lmDI1QihCnLmgS4-TankHAftcFkTTzexmeOiFlfo5CZfQEsEr6VnT89-3u36wW5VHoa3Q/s475/Invisible-Girls%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmGGHAlfkLcd5SCx4b6JzaC1sLSUBjhYPzV_PQ-oNDGyMIcXcYBO_TWOsCql21pJ3sKV7b5prskbxrRUI13siWhF9jAQZo6uWXxGLP6cD3uMtppbs2lmDI1QihCnLmgS4-TankHAftcFkTTzexmeOiFlfo5CZfQEsEr6VnT89-3u36wW5VHoa3Q/w133-h200/Invisible-Girls%202.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>A few years ago, I downloaded <b>The Invisible Girls</b> by Sarah Thebarge from the SYNC annual summer audio book program and finally began listening to this beautiful, moving memoir that I finished reading in print.<p></p><p>Sarah, twenty-seven, was riding the train into downtown Portland, Oregon, one day when she met two adorable little girls and their exhausted-looking mother. Sarah was kind and played with the girls (one of whom fell asleep in her lap) and began talking to the mother, Hadhi. That was the start of a unique friendship that enriched the lives of all involved. Hadhi was a Somali refugee and had five little girls under twelve at home (the older three were in school when they first met). She invited Sarah to their apartment, where Sarah soon understood that the family was barely surviving. There was no food in the house, no furniture, and Hadhi had no means of support. Her abusive husband had recently left them, after a particularly violent episode, and Family Services had moved the family for safety to a new subsidized apartment. But Hadhi was lost in this country and culture that was completely unfamiliar to her, and she knew little English. The older girls were learning English in school, but they also felt out of place in their new country and had been placed in grades well below their age-levels due to the language barrier. All five of the little girls, though, were full of joy and adored Sarah (and Justin Bieber!). Sarah began helping the family in any way she could, though she didn't have much herself. She had recently moved to Portland from the East Coast after a horrific, harrowing years-long experience with breast cancer that had left her physically and emotionally damaged. As Sarah got to know the family and helped them adjust to life in the U.S., she found that their love and friendship helped to heal her.</p><p>When I first read the synopsis, I worried this might be a sort of "white savior" type of story, but that's not it at all. It's a story about the power of kindness and connection to heal all kinds of trauma. While Sarah did buy some groceries and other necessities for the family (the girls were so excited to receive socks and underwear as gifts!), much of what she did for this family was from her heart, not her pocket. And in return, they helped her to recover from her own traumas. Sarah had almost completed a Master's degree in journalism when she got cancer, and she is a talented writer, bringing the reader along not only on this journey of friendship and belonging but on everything that came before it (she endured a lot). Brought up in a fundamentalist Christian family with a pastor father, she could relate to some of the challenges that Hadhi and the girls dealt with. She understood what kinds of support the girls needed to grow up to be strong, educated, independent women (which their mother very much wanted). It's a beautiful story of the bonds between two very different but damaged women, and the joyful little girls they both love.</p><p>(Note: The audio production was excellent, and I was very much enjoying it, but I only had about half of the audio book downloaded, which was likely my fault and not SYNC's. My son would say "I suspect user error, Mom!")</p><p>287 pages, Jericho Books</p><p>Hachette Audio</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">2024 Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Nonfiction Reader Challenge - Memoir/Biography</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes - Oregon<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4cemuqk" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9781621882275" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/43kmwcm" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br /> <br /> <br /></p>
<script
src="https://bookshop.org/widgets.js"
data-type="book"
data-affiliate-id="1993"
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-72612195408581758232024-03-11T14:13:00.000-04:002024-03-11T14:13:54.695-04:00It's Monday 3/11! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life</span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">In typical March fashion, the last few days have brought warm sunshine, heavy rain, a brief (surprising) spate of hail/snow yesterday, and now cold temperatures and very high winds. It's just howling out there! All that changeable weather gave us a couple of gorgeous sunsets last week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkrLVkTEpTw9TWT2H2U8fpXKW_ReTG9GN4a48p1iNYORf4WQfOO-YDuu7slVDczlOY3OGmnnQkajTFWTyfcBG_PyACTavjDng_AGKFySFd5LqDCTEu90kIJklJQquVJnr5Nd1eC-h6noaKwJTm0ateaZQJg6subIXIS7IRONzLnt-8iB4KrEgtQ/s4032/58A162BC-7FD5-4AF4-BB6F-52E426BBAE5C.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkrLVkTEpTw9TWT2H2U8fpXKW_ReTG9GN4a48p1iNYORf4WQfOO-YDuu7slVDczlOY3OGmnnQkajTFWTyfcBG_PyACTavjDng_AGKFySFd5LqDCTEu90kIJklJQquVJnr5Nd1eC-h6noaKwJTm0ateaZQJg6subIXIS7IRONzLnt-8iB4KrEgtQ/s320/58A162BC-7FD5-4AF4-BB6F-52E426BBAE5C.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">And we're seeing more signs of spring, with crocuses and snowdrops blooming, and my neighbors' daffodils already opening up (ours are in a shadier spot so are much later). When the sun came out after three days of heavy rain, I even saw beautiful red buds on another neighbor's giant maple tree.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TfO1qmgLV7gtLEDvSbaSdpkCfj6LmNdGWwJg9O_Bbdp7ehxSUJwHJJKJJnW-MTIUs1gR_g0SXa0esHLEqZnQDQl8jtMrCQalP48hZ9wpfdNjXa16UzfBZfHfi-9-2EhE1jru4oDpBmKVqTE9xJWqXV6gKgnAvnZyyP4YHbqBfOLNTnjUHVZ8aA/s4032/2D7A2CA9-81FA-47D2-8E01-71E694769D89.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TfO1qmgLV7gtLEDvSbaSdpkCfj6LmNdGWwJg9O_Bbdp7ehxSUJwHJJKJJnW-MTIUs1gR_g0SXa0esHLEqZnQDQl8jtMrCQalP48hZ9wpfdNjXa16UzfBZfHfi-9-2EhE1jru4oDpBmKVqTE9xJWqXV6gKgnAvnZyyP4YHbqBfOLNTnjUHVZ8aA/s320/2D7A2CA9-81FA-47D2-8E01-71E694769D89.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Can you find all 6 cardinals?<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZWIvHSaQJVJarFC77XUX_yxOq1xYm5x-2fNLJxnBIwbv5rTKDs4FFCAqlnFX7TOzgwujxuNYnZVZeFTPDobKs_f48p9h7Gy79n5EdaSN3M3bnFeGVYMWov-y4wfZHmT0orgBtTbc2K9i9mEOYoWQ_1u4k_B-8xksRePiMy4SXVCE1XL7O23f1A/s4032/3BD681EF-62D6-4387-84D0-4AFEF02E2210.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZWIvHSaQJVJarFC77XUX_yxOq1xYm5x-2fNLJxnBIwbv5rTKDs4FFCAqlnFX7TOzgwujxuNYnZVZeFTPDobKs_f48p9h7Gy79n5EdaSN3M3bnFeGVYMWov-y4wfZHmT0orgBtTbc2K9i9mEOYoWQ_1u4k_B-8xksRePiMy4SXVCE1XL7O23f1A/s320/3BD681EF-62D6-4387-84D0-4AFEF02E2210.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Daffodils are starting to bloom!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnn6XWsWDJaUNqERdpSAj77sAgkvwzTX-_vnJEG9NUS6BjmuPByAtGKdxcFruohNO6M3N27Bu9qvfSswKx8j8b6_DkAihwfxtWMCeTBGi14ZhvqsOqidiV45W6khZR1MH-TZJpI0GEwd6Zxn3OsEovlssY5-_0Ez1fil3m0KHehxNa4OxvpkrjHQ/s4032/48F4D21B-A234-4BF5-BC48-B8FF640B2F30_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnn6XWsWDJaUNqERdpSAj77sAgkvwzTX-_vnJEG9NUS6BjmuPByAtGKdxcFruohNO6M3N27Bu9qvfSswKx8j8b6_DkAihwfxtWMCeTBGi14ZhvqsOqidiV45W6khZR1MH-TZJpI0GEwd6Zxn3OsEovlssY5-_0Ez1fil3m0KHehxNa4OxvpkrjHQ/s320/48F4D21B-A234-4BF5-BC48-B8FF640B2F30_1_201_a.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Crocuses have come up<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G5vUZ0BFRRgZcpCaOYCbaPaMOaycVQnXZWBPFDeSmLcLOtAMF0QltAcNRzjGTRvhnjUKvnytUowA8DCv06HiEBSgFBYB36pA3vOgtTz9-3P6kMVs66ILdaiTeAFPHwuUei8WbnpgfbruX2vq2F8zDMHv1ZKpHlab-p0RqR7RkGDqp37awWMEVA/s4032/57EB08D9-984E-4264-9373-F0A64EFDB43E.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G5vUZ0BFRRgZcpCaOYCbaPaMOaycVQnXZWBPFDeSmLcLOtAMF0QltAcNRzjGTRvhnjUKvnytUowA8DCv06HiEBSgFBYB36pA3vOgtTz9-3P6kMVs66ILdaiTeAFPHwuUei8WbnpgfbruX2vq2F8zDMHv1ZKpHlab-p0RqR7RkGDqp37awWMEVA/s320/57EB08D9-984E-4264-9373-F0A64EFDB43E.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snowdrops in full bloom<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LsEB3iTeIk6AV2BsMDUqL04PLEwz0qvCQSGe58r_9ab5mxW1d-AfAnlfk8e9NVRHHrr5Z6RyeF9M2axFdOeknxLn-4AJmJ9XKv6Yeo7eoWTm9eLieqqR0457b1vB8bgq16oauiWIlUESbnBXbWTn_SrOnoZpO51RvJ4ebN3X2A1SehtRBzrsJA/s4032/B3498D20-AA54-401A-B7A4-4B33D34C76F8.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LsEB3iTeIk6AV2BsMDUqL04PLEwz0qvCQSGe58r_9ab5mxW1d-AfAnlfk8e9NVRHHrr5Z6RyeF9M2axFdOeknxLn-4AJmJ9XKv6Yeo7eoWTm9eLieqqR0457b1vB8bgq16oauiWIlUESbnBXbWTn_SrOnoZpO51RvJ4ebN3X2A1SehtRBzrsJA/s320/B3498D20-AA54-401A-B7A4-4B33D34C76F8.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red buds on the maple tree<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">It was a busy week, with a visit to my elderly Book Buddy (a program through our library), an hour-long appointment on Zoom with one of my medical specialists, and a shopping expedition (including the dreaded bra shopping - the worst!). It's a good thing I'm feeling well enough to go shopping now because none of my clothes fit. I'm trying to get used to tucking in my shirts again, after 20 years of wearing everything loose. And we finished out the week by having old friends over for dinner Saturday; we always enjoy catching up with them.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thanks to everyone who voted for my book in the AllAuthors Nonfiction Book Cover Contest! I made it to the second round, so please take a moment to <a href="https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/17386/" target="_blank">vote for it again</a>.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/03/fiction-review-whistling-past-graveyard.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Whistling Past the Graveyard</b></a> by Susan Crandall - warm, funny, moving story of the unique, healing relationship between a nine-year-old white girl and a Black woman in 1963 Mississippi that digs into some serious issues while also entertaining. Lots of plot twists but also lots of heart.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGgFrRQDXYE" target="_blank"><b>February 2024 Reading Wrap-Up</b></a> - my monthly summary, an all-fiction month with some outstanding, though very different, novels and great reads for Black History Month.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n0rKdoMyXI" target="_blank"><b>Friday Reads</b></a> - brief update of what I am currently reading, in print and on audio.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzh0l4GqE1bfyyWrgHXs2N9MXgPkwowaqOxJdRQ_PfdXIKMw3Arw5ZEW5TMBBUPa4FLG6tSRcT9puOcskRj3A6C3YPdEgppmEjfoV_jBywp3LgRwjDsQw9n-oiSJIwnIsG1d69NwpNeElVQIBmpXKtEvjEfaZphUNuJGFxcc7wvnhFk0Nd65RSg/s2113/Ask-Again-Yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2113" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzh0l4GqE1bfyyWrgHXs2N9MXgPkwowaqOxJdRQ_PfdXIKMw3Arw5ZEW5TMBBUPa4FLG6tSRcT9puOcskRj3A6C3YPdEgppmEjfoV_jBywp3LgRwjDsQw9n-oiSJIwnIsG1d69NwpNeElVQIBmpXKtEvjEfaZphUNuJGFxcc7wvnhFk0Nd65RSg/w133-h200/Ask-Again-Yes.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I finished reading <b>Ask Again, Yes</b> by Mary Beth Keane, a buddy read with my friend
Nikki of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@reddotreads2693" target="_blank">Red Dot Reads YouTube channel</a>. It focuses on two families
whose lives are intertwined and begins in 1973 when Francis, a recent
Irish immigrant, and Brian, an Irish-American meet as trainees and then rookies on the NYPD. They end up
buying houses next to each other in a small town outside of the city,
where their children grow up together, until a tragedy changes the lives
of both families. Keane is one of the featured authors at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw9OnyWqVRk" target="_blank">Booktopia</a>
at the end of April! I can't wait to meet her and read her latest book, <i>The Half-Moon</i>.
Nikki and I both loved this novel, with its twisty plot and emotional complexity, and as always, it was made even better by discussing it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicc9h2jfX3f5vikEeru-RceWD5rsTYSlRj1hPEectayFgtBbDMz8LXkOIiE-F9QpCD0NOIk2ydPpClR6IYDwLqpS189qs5ODFM0NOMS5t_15BeBVNVTlHbx9pgyNXN_ExjXzq5GXfbt9NIjkLZcHccCC4_kqLjKRzdNA8udUHf2KVdBv1WHDjTzQ/s1500/Why-We-Read.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="991" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicc9h2jfX3f5vikEeru-RceWD5rsTYSlRj1hPEectayFgtBbDMz8LXkOIiE-F9QpCD0NOIk2ydPpClR6IYDwLqpS189qs5ODFM0NOMS5t_15BeBVNVTlHbx9pgyNXN_ExjXzq5GXfbt9NIjkLZcHccCC4_kqLjKRzdNA8udUHf2KVdBv1WHDjTzQ/w132-h200/Why-We-Read.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Now, I have started reading my first book for Booktopia, the fabulous weekend book event I participate in every spring in Vermont (<a href="https://www.northshire.com/event/booktopia-2024" target="_blank">tickets available</a>; my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw9OnyWqVRk" target="_blank">recap/vlog from Booktopia 2023</a>). I started with <b>Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out</b> by Shannon Reed, a nonfiction book. Reed is not only a reader but also a longtime English teacher and now college literature and writing professor. This is a fun mix between memoir and essays, with a hefty dose of humor. I'm really enjoying it. Any avid reader will recognize him/herself in Shannon's many memories and observations, plus it is <i>loaded</i> with book name-dropping!<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2L-b9G91CfLRG8kAfJcsJiXUcb_UKb8IIZ_3AihxWd3t8ddvNf_zc7zMTp76AJAkj8hCd354vEiObntHHOo4Qm9FK77F0fTxCeqC9i_ZdC9rWwAecYe8jUUXmmPkESGikM6oE8aknatItDj853x2NpYjUguXbfE60cyMHp3pd545rQxre39S7w/s1000/Butterfly-Yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2L-b9G91CfLRG8kAfJcsJiXUcb_UKb8IIZ_3AihxWd3t8ddvNf_zc7zMTp76AJAkj8hCd354vEiObntHHOo4Qm9FK77F0fTxCeqC9i_ZdC9rWwAecYe8jUUXmmPkESGikM6oE8aknatItDj853x2NpYjUguXbfE60cyMHp3pd545rQxre39S7w/w133-h200/Butterfly-Yellow.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">I finished listening to <b>Butterfly Yellow </b>by <span class="rush-component s-latency-cf-section" data-component-id="4" data-component-type="s-search-results"><span class="a-declarative" data-action="puis-card-container-declarative" data-csa-c-func-deps="aui-da-puis-card-container-declarative" data-csa-c-id="q1tb63-5iyaov-839pkc-osww28" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-render-id="r19ak4e1flj2220aol5iooi5nt" data-version-id="v10dnrav6sitdx2esf8fqwtjtbs"><span class="a-size-base">Thanhhà Lai</span><span class="a-letter-space"></span></span></span>, my first book for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvBP7eCncuQ" target="_blank">Fierce Reads event</a> (for International Women's Day). I also thought I was reading it for <b>Middle-Grade March</b>, but it is actually a YA novel. It won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. At the end of the Vietnam War, <span>Hằng takes her brother,</span><span> Linh, </span><span> to the airport to try to get on one of the flights to America for orphaned children. But </span><span>Linh is torn from her arms and put on the plane, and </span><span>Hằng
stays in Vietnam. Six years later, in 1983, she makes the perilous
journey to Texas to find her lost brother. Now a refugee with
limited English, she is lost herself in this strange new place until a
young cowboy-wannabe named LeeRoy agrees to help her. I'm glad I listened to the audio, where the language
barrier and her struggles with American pronunciation are very clear (and I heard the correct pronunciation of the Vietnamese words).
This was an outstanding novel. Determined to find her brother at all costs, </span><span>Hằng certainly fits the prompt as a fierce female character!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A4PcGRCY4GX9bwRL-xlU3452qs2A8ZBlIbjYWkIl1pZ5jXoxhedA_soIc97rVUFgm5md9WEZVnnqboC4jPoIYBWy06U12lx8n8MNu47XYMoj09yim8geBEfrbqnhyJqe3DLQqHMD9DQFzXw-s4zVxZiqT11L_2o3RRCihsBcwQ-pvijqebPMRQ/s2550/Iceberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1678" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A4PcGRCY4GX9bwRL-xlU3452qs2A8ZBlIbjYWkIl1pZ5jXoxhedA_soIc97rVUFgm5md9WEZVnnqboC4jPoIYBWy06U12lx8n8MNu47XYMoj09yim8geBEfrbqnhyJqe3DLQqHMD9DQFzXw-s4zVxZiqT11L_2o3RRCihsBcwQ-pvijqebPMRQ/w132-h200/Iceberg.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Now, I am reading what I am certain does qualify for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qMSm1dyGU&t=208s" target="_blank">Middle-Grade March</a> (and also works for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvBP7eCncuQ" target="_blank">Fierce Reads event</a>), <b>Iceberg</b> by Jennifer Nielsen. I'm a longtime fan of Nielsen's middle-grade historical fiction, and as you might guess from the title, this one is about the <i>Titanic</i>. Twelve-year-old Hazel is on a mission to save her family. Her mother has sent her to the docks to board the <i>Titanic</i> for New York, where Hazel's aunt has promised her a job in a garment factory, so she can send money home to keep her siblings from starving. But when Hazel tries to buy a ticket, she finds that all of her family's savings isn't enough for the fare for even a third-class ticket. She finds a way on board as a stowaway. With a dream of becoming a journalist one day, Hazel begins to hear rumors about the ship that make the reporter in her interested--and wary. We all know how the <i>Titanic</i>'s story ends, but so far, this is an excellent novel with a wonderful main character.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcogx8280N8rXSV3OEiac9fIlwPAuKIfoNtPuF5knrkmXcJJroPZXhSYBF7ysia1h5Z_H-rqUe7IOIMDlJTj3kkDffR8fBGrXmSerT5qiFH_getLFV9PnfEfGHRHMIYoCUtu5f1IjOiQ1rIslzhiwrerl-bq0PXiREWJZJagzdo7V_X0c13C9Vgw/s400/Ghost-of-Caribou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcogx8280N8rXSV3OEiac9fIlwPAuKIfoNtPuF5knrkmXcJJroPZXhSYBF7ysia1h5Z_H-rqUe7IOIMDlJTj3kkDffR8fBGrXmSerT5qiFH_getLFV9PnfEfGHRHMIYoCUtu5f1IjOiQ1rIslzhiwrerl-bq0PXiREWJZJagzdo7V_X0c13C9Vgw/w133-h200/Ghost-of-Caribou.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">My husband, Ken, is reading <b>A Ghost of Caribou</b> by Alice Henderson, book 3 in her outdoor thriller series about wildlife biologist Alex Carter. Here, Alex is in northeastern Washington state to investigate whether rumors of a caribou sighting (extinct in the contiguous United States for years) are valid. Ken says the story is already gearing up into Henderson's typical action-packed suspense!</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKaR2nLDszH7SpPDc4uSqcHKw2vwy-VuL16nSzd6o4zQlDTay6qHKcudu8mzH1upxx1M9HZBcOXZ-FZ4BlLwQeEG021evtFbCiDAYo66AbeR3k3n5Ns8PH0bXxQ4PwH-LGdXZEnsQZwTYjSQ7F2d9d1PYd7e2aT9Z1VjLQDS4RDH7ZOneU-szTQ/s400/Best-served-cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKaR2nLDszH7SpPDc4uSqcHKw2vwy-VuL16nSzd6o4zQlDTay6qHKcudu8mzH1upxx1M9HZBcOXZ-FZ4BlLwQeEG021evtFbCiDAYo66AbeR3k3n5Ns8PH0bXxQ4PwH-LGdXZEnsQZwTYjSQ7F2d9d1PYd7e2aT9Z1VjLQDS4RDH7ZOneU-szTQ/w131-h200/Best-served-cold.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Our son, 29, has been very busy with job interviews lately, but he's enjoying<span style="font-size: small;"> <span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>a book I gave him for his birthday last year, <b>Best Served Cold</b> by Joe Abercrombie, one of his all-time favorite fantasy authors (and he has many favorites). This is book 1 in <i>World of the First Law</i>, a spin-off of his hugely popular <i>First Law</i> trilogy.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>__________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
<span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You can follow me on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/SueBookByBook">@SueBookByBook</a> or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook/">Facebook on my blog's pag</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p></div>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-76232361291634736402024-03-07T13:17:00.001-05:002024-03-07T13:17:07.653-05:00Fiction Review: Whistling Past the Graveyard<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwJB_5qV8Jat12OVik_R5rYKi9UqlKvU6A8wpaKTRqjuH6iY4ttc5b9tiOx5i_FttOZ9LRGlTj7LLFDlglmjNWbVXQtR8OKtpNbf33lWqeEOEFtPMAeM5R7p-HL_tmbX1FUCeEOoV4mPX-71fsV0Fc9A5ShR4fIMtaUH_XGt9eULUlBBZgn6qIA/s475/Whistling-Past-the-Graveyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwJB_5qV8Jat12OVik_R5rYKi9UqlKvU6A8wpaKTRqjuH6iY4ttc5b9tiOx5i_FttOZ9LRGlTj7LLFDlglmjNWbVXQtR8OKtpNbf33lWqeEOEFtPMAeM5R7p-HL_tmbX1FUCeEOoV4mPX-71fsV0Fc9A5ShR4fIMtaUH_XGt9eULUlBBZgn6qIA/w133-h200/Whistling-Past-the-Graveyard.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>My neighborhood book group's selection for February was <b>Whistling Past the Graveyard</b> by Susan Crandall. I really enjoyed this coming-of-age story about a unique, healing relationship between a white girl and a Black woman in 1963. It was especially good on audio.<p></p><p>Nine-year-old Starla lives in a small town in southern Mississippi with her grandmother, Mamie. Starla's dad works on an oil rig, so he's usually away, and her mom left when Starla was just three years old. She lives in Nashville now, where Starla is certain she's living her dream of becoming a famous singer. Mamie is very strict with Starla and doesn't even seem to like her much; she's always yelling at her that she's just like her mother. Starla is an impulsive little girl who is often in trouble, but this time, she thinks Mamie may just make good on her threat to send her to reform school. On the fourth of July, Starla runs away from home, intent on walking to Nashville to live with her mother. That night, walking along a lonely country road at dusk, Starla is fortunate to be picked up by a kind Black woman named Eula, with a white baby named James in a basket on the floor of the passenger seat. Eula and Starla are each in trouble and emotionally wounded in their own ways. Their meeting is a lucky moment for them both, though they don't know it yet. As the unusual threesome makes their way to Nashville, they encounter challenges and eye-opening experiences that will change their lives forever.</p><p>Crandall provides a twisty plot with plenty of action that is constantly surprising. What makes this novel really special, though, is Starla's unique voice as narrator, as seen from from the opening paragraph:</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">"My grandmother says she prays for me every day. Which was funny, because I'd only ever heard Mamie pray, "Dear, Lord, give me strength." That sure sounded like a prayer for herself--and Mrs. Knopp in Sunday school always said our prayers should only ask for things for others. Once, I made the mistake of saying that out loud to Mamie and got slapped into next Tuesday for my sassy mouth. My mouth always worked a whole lot faster than my good sense."</p><p style="text-align: left;">Just from those opening sentences, you can see Starla's precocious mind (and open personality), the sense of humor in the book, and the amusing Southern phrases sprinkled throughout that brings the setting to life. All of that comes through even more in the audio, narrated by Amy Rubinate, which was completely immersive (<a href="https://amzn.to/3ToJrzD" target="_blank">sample</a>). It's a highly entertaining book, but that doesn't take away from the serious issues tackled throughout this story, including missing parents, domestic abuse, and serious racism. All of this is seen through Starla's very observant--but naive--point of view. My book group had plenty to discuss, and it was one of those books that grows even better with discussion. Starla is a one-of-a-kind narrator, and her special relationship with Eula is one I won't soon forget. I loved listening to this novel, and I am missing both Starla and Eula now. It's that kind of book.</p><p style="text-align: left;">336 pages, Gallery Books</p><p style="text-align: left;">Dreamscape Media</p><p style="text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">2024 Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Monthly Motif - February - "The Perfect Pair" - Starla and Eula fit this theme perfectly!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - W</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes Challenge - Mississippi<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4c7vsFK" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9781666607512" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3PcBfjz" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <br /> <br /></p>
<script
src="https://bookshop.org/widgets.js"
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-13685953636988311112024-03-04T13:50:00.000-05:002024-03-04T13:50:09.770-05:00It's Monday 3/4! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Life</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">We made it to March! It's still light out at 6 pm, it was 65 and sunny here yesterday, and there are green shoots peeking up out of the ground and buds on the trees. I love the feeling of awakening and renewal in spring (ask me later this week after it rains for many days in a row!).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEinHwY3as2d-x9VR3L4wAKsKcoXKIGO6Dzei7QW_03iKV55kkIxBiy7Is4sfRxrrHiV2JRijvzpZNvuuS4TDEr0TALbzvmKxcBRQsA-ghWNNQ4oO2Qea7BPXkZvoLJnQvyowA1a44bRlxfgJzmXoozS_G19t0zA-sS5aZExQ44V2zCgFxPT6oA/s4032/0D4969BE-91D3-4364-B65C-BC2B70E3EF47.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEinHwY3as2d-x9VR3L4wAKsKcoXKIGO6Dzei7QW_03iKV55kkIxBiy7Is4sfRxrrHiV2JRijvzpZNvuuS4TDEr0TALbzvmKxcBRQsA-ghWNNQ4oO2Qea7BPXkZvoLJnQvyowA1a44bRlxfgJzmXoozS_G19t0zA-sS5aZExQ44V2zCgFxPT6oA/s320/0D4969BE-91D3-4364-B65C-BC2B70E3EF47.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Buds in trees at the park<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HNaN3ZMLe4GZxZtm7q_JxwJOySlT6zemXtg63Q68NWsPtnGizFoiJ80zWhH-uaikDJN7XM1ViTks2R2qbfR9hdShLwtmV39hQ6NKwV8AJd9CK-dlRLGT_tktSiOvTN88FnYNI5kJjdiC6svWtJQsEAUeF4s6jN1TVhYV-MPFTbYqz43YyEnD-A/s4032/910F95B4-54F2-4BA9-B6C1-82567E6218C3.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HNaN3ZMLe4GZxZtm7q_JxwJOySlT6zemXtg63Q68NWsPtnGizFoiJ80zWhH-uaikDJN7XM1ViTks2R2qbfR9hdShLwtmV39hQ6NKwV8AJd9CK-dlRLGT_tktSiOvTN88FnYNI5kJjdiC6svWtJQsEAUeF4s6jN1TVhYV-MPFTbYqz43YyEnD-A/s320/910F95B4-54F2-4BA9-B6C1-82567E6218C3.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snowdrops in our garden<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bvU-Aacj-6bFCzVQXS5FrH7ubKyeNmAcPTLn81juhMQE8rPI2HURI2o7byMLFyDuzVgxHL_EaszFUaiqBeZR6L-W9DBhxgHQBxQoFxchQZnxfGL2RlWN1PTlUQW9vbOQoi9GcDKg8tT3keDhH9zM9azlFv4Ct7f9Vj5kheA5Q1C9yCS_g3nzig/s4032/607224ED-EB92-4AE3-9AD8-2958AD2DFCDE.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bvU-Aacj-6bFCzVQXS5FrH7ubKyeNmAcPTLn81juhMQE8rPI2HURI2o7byMLFyDuzVgxHL_EaszFUaiqBeZR6L-W9DBhxgHQBxQoFxchQZnxfGL2RlWN1PTlUQW9vbOQoi9GcDKg8tT3keDhH9zM9azlFv4Ct7f9Vj5kheA5Q1C9yCS_g3nzig/s320/607224ED-EB92-4AE3-9AD8-2958AD2DFCDE.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tiny flowers peeking out<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed a busy week--still feeling good! I'm just loving being out in the world again, living my life, and seeing friends. Tuesday morning was warm and sunny, so a friend and I met for a walk and talked for 90 minutes straight! It was fun to be out and catch up. Thursday was my neighborhood book group meeting. We had a great discussion and all (mostly) enjoyed the book. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV59T7dfwpyEhQLuAS9FyRqpEKlPVwO7Ma-Z5slA12Nj7Ugm6Gvo9SceD1WrjBxtbt9p07gTSu5yLUDrMZAf0zmrMd-PqXv_Jh_a1PJd4h3XIG3NYswEQim_7AL1tBPXIkYINVnsKGMPO3rsgSLCrWfGG1okOlKLWQnrO-l5KqCiTsg7h2WBvVPw/s3088/33C571F6-153A-4B41-B1DD-8BBFB69F2E56.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV59T7dfwpyEhQLuAS9FyRqpEKlPVwO7Ma-Z5slA12Nj7Ugm6Gvo9SceD1WrjBxtbt9p07gTSu5yLUDrMZAf0zmrMd-PqXv_Jh_a1PJd4h3XIG3NYswEQim_7AL1tBPXIkYINVnsKGMPO3rsgSLCrWfGG1okOlKLWQnrO-l5KqCiTsg7h2WBvVPw/s320/33C571F6-153A-4B41-B1DD-8BBFB69F2E56.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Walking (and talking!) with a friend<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p style="text-align: center;">And our older son and his girlfriend came to visit this weekend. We hadn't seen them since Christmas, so we had a wonderful time just relaxing, chatting, eating good food (some minor diet cheats), and enjoying each other's company. Our younger son was also home on Saturday, so we all had dinner together and even played a game afterward; this mom's heart was full! (but I didn't take a single photo, so here's one from last year of the five of us)<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1-DTniEn0VtZPlaBya_FW5MAMUyERilZwb64YQWzAv-9tLexXt32fVCIHcXbaNLz5jdikpsJyY9tC9HVfWb6WiHO7iynu28pfEvxGWacrSostDq5d-bmh1t9-BSi-fxMg_PF0jmi_nOl-sGznj9D1RCG9KoNp7QOEvyVmvgxDLuxecCo7JDdYQ/s3088/D8729E59-F689-41CB-B1A5-BA35DDAAC5DA.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1-DTniEn0VtZPlaBya_FW5MAMUyERilZwb64YQWzAv-9tLexXt32fVCIHcXbaNLz5jdikpsJyY9tC9HVfWb6WiHO7iynu28pfEvxGWacrSostDq5d-bmh1t9-BSi-fxMg_PF0jmi_nOl-sGznj9D1RCG9KoNp7QOEvyVmvgxDLuxecCo7JDdYQ/s320/D8729E59-F689-41CB-B1A5-BA35DDAAC5DA.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Love when we're together!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Oh, and my book cover was nominated for the Cover of the Month contest at AllAuthors, so please <a href="https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/17386/" target="_blank">take a moment to vote for it</a>!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO1mTKgLPrUj9l8dUHWQM6i7RIPekiaSNpcHdxYVK1io9YrBxI9spmUYblaQaicoh__23NaqIriE3-NMBNGeTRHU0yKBV8-yIEql2GcWowUhaE3pbTdkxYfNghSyesTfWNgLMPPmCSX_qWIcckiXw3xe6hCrl8pnwBTs-HGsoGwPYJzh2Ao8sxA/s2700/New%20Normal%20front%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO1mTKgLPrUj9l8dUHWQM6i7RIPekiaSNpcHdxYVK1io9YrBxI9spmUYblaQaicoh__23NaqIriE3-NMBNGeTRHU0yKBV8-yIEql2GcWowUhaE3pbTdkxYfNghSyesTfWNgLMPPmCSX_qWIcckiXw3xe6hCrl8pnwBTs-HGsoGwPYJzh2Ao8sxA/w133-h200/New%20Normal%20front%20cover.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-jollof-rice-and-other.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions</b></a> by </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi - I loved this beautifully written novel, told in interlocking stories, about four Nigerian girls who meet as children and become lifelong friends. It's a unique approach that works wonderfully.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19niiklPSHY" target="_blank"><b>The Girl Scout Cookie Tag</b></a> - this fun tag video features favorite book prompts based on Girl Scout cookies (plus, bonus, you can see home movies of me as a Brownie!)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwTVeAozYpqhiM7K8_rGRCHJCbWEJJ23bQc2tLwTfzRTDx0tAZnUCLXKZzE2spG2Lee9RUYP2sZfYAsh1SA5V4G-HbOL87FNsaZWm7f4DoHUrO5Xb4jNS4Je2jYIwxBxsW5TVWFZqG3scadJQG5cS2elJuVZ1UMfWPNo-cNNWcKchkFyd2wK2Gw/s2113/Ask-Again-Yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2113" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwTVeAozYpqhiM7K8_rGRCHJCbWEJJ23bQc2tLwTfzRTDx0tAZnUCLXKZzE2spG2Lee9RUYP2sZfYAsh1SA5V4G-HbOL87FNsaZWm7f4DoHUrO5Xb4jNS4Je2jYIwxBxsW5TVWFZqG3scadJQG5cS2elJuVZ1UMfWPNo-cNNWcKchkFyd2wK2Gw/w133-h200/Ask-Again-Yes.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">I am almost finished reading <b>Ask Again, Yes</b> by Mary Beth Keane, a buddy read with my friend
Nikki of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@reddotreads2693" target="_blank">Red Dot Reads YouTube channel</a>. It focuses on two families
whose lives are intertwined and begins in 1973 when Francis, a recent
Irish immigrant, and Brian, an Irish immigrant who's been in the U.S.
longer, meet as trainees and then rookies on the NYPD. They end up
buying houses next to each other in a small town outside of the city,
where their children grow up together, until a tragedy changes the lives
of both families. Keane is one of the featured authors at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw9OnyWqVRk" target="_blank">Booktopia</a> at the end of April! I can't wait to meet her and read her latest book. Nikki and I are both enjoying the twisty plot and emotional complexity of this one, and as always, it is made even better by discussing it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql4JPlyeX95ocqrNDbiX_ZAaLVUPAtsWkQHYc8x6bHEkzkynuv4vdijy_j06IJP7k-J1jrZ579asHQqdGRRECWRg1Tm3NCCU0rsIGIClI74DXCKy-wLineJ8enHz7CTEhV73hJbtYDqSDgNFSeFTvnCarye2dakeh5tTzBFzz6TROjl9udE-y1w/s475/Whistling-Past-the-Graveyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql4JPlyeX95ocqrNDbiX_ZAaLVUPAtsWkQHYc8x6bHEkzkynuv4vdijy_j06IJP7k-J1jrZ579asHQqdGRRECWRg1Tm3NCCU0rsIGIClI74DXCKy-wLineJ8enHz7CTEhV73hJbtYDqSDgNFSeFTvnCarye2dakeh5tTzBFzz6TROjl9udE-y1w/w133-h200/Whistling-Past-the-Graveyard.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I finished listening to <b>Whistling Past the Graveyard</b> by Susan Crandall about 20 minutes before my book group meeting! In 1963 Mississippi,
nine-year-old Starla lives with her grandmother, Mamie, who doesn't seem
to like her much. When she gets in trouble on the 4th of July and fears
Mamie's punishment, she decides to run away to Nashville to find her
mother. Starla hasn't seen her mother since she was very young, though
she sends her birthday cards and says she is going to be a famous
singer. Starla starts hitchhiking and is picked up by a Black woman
named Eula, and the two of them head off on a journey neither could have
predicted. I loved this novel about the unique relationship between Starla and Eula, who find each other just when they both need it. It was excellent on audio: moving, funny, difficult, uplifting.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydhL7wTY6Mo3aqAibTrrEOFvqWuKuqc4GP7pE3F3f4hOry954NNpvQMolRIU8NULG9n_uBrSxTurWv3-Xuyu7lZ0ebadqZNSJoeTDeoTQvR_GP_w61bG7ImiAgqBM20-_iKYlw062C8Xk6gTDdisdEARN8zcVXPVuHYaBAa2f4zn7CUzuRr6M0g/s1000/Butterfly-Yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydhL7wTY6Mo3aqAibTrrEOFvqWuKuqc4GP7pE3F3f4hOry954NNpvQMolRIU8NULG9n_uBrSxTurWv3-Xuyu7lZ0ebadqZNSJoeTDeoTQvR_GP_w61bG7ImiAgqBM20-_iKYlw062C8Xk6gTDdisdEARN8zcVXPVuHYaBAa2f4zn7CUzuRr6M0g/w133-h200/Butterfly-Yellow.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I am now listening to <b>Butterfly Yellow </b>by <span class="rush-component s-latency-cf-section" data-component-id="4" data-component-type="s-search-results"><span class="a-declarative" data-action="puis-card-container-declarative" data-csa-c-func-deps="aui-da-puis-card-container-declarative" data-csa-c-id="q1tb63-5iyaov-839pkc-osww28" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-render-id="r19ak4e1flj2220aol5iooi5nt" data-version-id="v10dnrav6sitdx2esf8fqwtjtbs"><span class="a-size-base">Thanhhà Lai</span><span class="a-letter-space"></span></span></span>, my first book for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qMSm1dyGU&t=208s" target="_blank">Middle-Grade March</a> and the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvBP7eCncuQ" target="_blank">Fierce Reads event</a> (for International Women's Day). It won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. At the end of the Vietnam War, <span>Hằng takes her brother,</span><span> Linh, </span><span> to the airport to try to get on one of the flights to America for orphaned children. But </span><span>Linh is torn from her arms and put on the plane, and </span><span>Hằng stays in Vietnam. Six years later, in 1983, she makes the perilous journey to Texas to find her lost brother. Now a refugee with very limited English, she is lost herself in this strange new place until a young cowboy-wannabe named LeeRoy agrees to help her. It's excellent so far, and I'm really glad I'm listening to the audio, where the language barrier and her struggles with American pronunciation are very clear. Determined to find her brother at all costs, </span><span>Hằng certainly fits the prompt as a fierce female character!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57nJRlugiTp5eRThhvCc-l49gXtLx3GGgFq6P8LUKcY0w69VrzeKBrcRIkvsGgj135vCX-2snhkq0yf1TtHyCPh2xZX42ZZEFqx4b2tkwcL37GB_vGEAlW1QzKVw0ZUeWivDZcziKdeuPSAwau0enP3OJxLnuME3EzlJjjh7Z_AFwfJlSkt3hGg/s400/Leave-Only-Footprints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57nJRlugiTp5eRThhvCc-l49gXtLx3GGgFq6P8LUKcY0w69VrzeKBrcRIkvsGgj135vCX-2snhkq0yf1TtHyCPh2xZX42ZZEFqx4b2tkwcL37GB_vGEAlW1QzKVw0ZUeWivDZcziKdeuPSAwau0enP3OJxLnuME3EzlJjjh7Z_AFwfJlSkt3hGg/w133-h200/Leave-Only-Footprints.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Just last night, my husband, Ken, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>finished <b>Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park</b>
by Conor Knighton, a nonfiction memoir I gave him for Christmas. He was reading me passages out
loud (we are both huge National Park fans), but he stopped because he
said I will want to read this one myself! He loved it and said I <i>have</i> to read it. We are both itching to get back to our old habits of long road trips out west; we haven't done that since our kids grew up (and we were caring for my father-in-law for many years).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwP06sCcQ71CzZOPPpxAECHqmlSt-KSlS99mms3cWNfz5wEFdioOuk0A9B9jVSEX4sN_fPR96palEqUuy5Xny6OxM4dgeCiW9nDEJ7apyA76YUXDxtcY3eTsT8Vwh4Al2H9-0NQveORzLy1CjAxYXulHYuS8WH65Vl5roxK4uZqkk9ILgGLaVwg/s400/Best-served-cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwP06sCcQ71CzZOPPpxAECHqmlSt-KSlS99mms3cWNfz5wEFdioOuk0A9B9jVSEX4sN_fPR96palEqUuy5Xny6OxM4dgeCiW9nDEJ7apyA76YUXDxtcY3eTsT8Vwh4Al2H9-0NQveORzLy1CjAxYXulHYuS8WH65Vl5roxK4uZqkk9ILgGLaVwg/w131-h200/Best-served-cold.jpg" width="131" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, finished</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <b>Soulkeeper</b> by David Dalglish, book one in <i>The Keepers</i> series, and enjoyed it. Next, he read <b>Homeland</b> by R.A. Salvatore, a gift from us <i>last</i> Christmas. He and his friends (best friends since kindergarten!) play Dungeons & Dragons together (by Zoom these days), and this series is based on D&D. There are dozens of books in the series, but I did my research to find that this one is considered the best starting place, book 1 in <i>The Legend of Drizzt</i>. Now, he is reading a book I gave him for his birthday last year, <b>Best Served Cold</b> by Joe Abercrombie, one of his all-time favorite fantasy authors (and he has many favorites). This is book 1 in <i>World of the First Law</i>, a spin-off of his hugely popular <i>First Law</i> trilogy. My son and his girlfriend worked on cleaning out his old childhood bedroom this weekend (long overdue!), and he enjoyed looking back over favorite books from childhood.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>__________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
<span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: 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small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p></div>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-55054669673061959632024-02-28T17:47:00.002-05:002024-02-28T17:47:22.540-05:00Fiction Review: Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHsl6HefhxEUVZzIzsgZAYPBV7A5BAmrtZEl9gfYxUzSr7wcWGA6nWy9PlTJVjfuS5mWqIAAZFFfQ8B99Vww75bUj941ON4dYZVt3jQ4FiqOpDhiXlZNTgv3EeWQB1Cw0cI_DuRzkAd91Wp-TXNDxL8Z0wbKyOZTGfnZZq6LXVIvFEDfRtr6Rqw/s400/Jollof-rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHsl6HefhxEUVZzIzsgZAYPBV7A5BAmrtZEl9gfYxUzSr7wcWGA6nWy9PlTJVjfuS5mWqIAAZFFfQ8B99Vww75bUj941ON4dYZVt3jQ4FiqOpDhiXlZNTgv3EeWQB1Cw0cI_DuRzkAd91Wp-TXNDxL8Z0wbKyOZTGfnZZq6LXVIvFEDfRtr6Rqw/w133-h200/Jollof-rice.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Wow, I have read some really outstanding novels for Black History Month this year: <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-last-summer-on-state.html" target="_blank"><i>Last Summer on State Street</i></a> by Toya Wolfe on audio, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-homegoing.html" target="_blank"><i>Homegoing</i></a> by Yaa Gyasi in print, and now <b>Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions</b> by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi. It is a novel told in interlocking stories, featuring four Nigerian women who meet as young girls in boarding school, following them throughout their lives.<p></p><p>At an all-girls boarding school in 1986, Nonso, Remi, Aisha, and Solape, all eleven years old, are assigned to the same house. The four girls become inseparable friends, until a tragedy ends their happy experiences at school. Other stories in the interwoven collection both go back in time and forward in time, filling in each of the girls' pasts and childhoods, as well as following each of them through their adult lives, as they remain friends, bonded by what they experienced together. As a child, Nonso traveled extensively around Africa with her mother, experiencing the vastly different worlds of Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Johannesburg, as well as the stunning historical truths revealed at Cape Coast Castle in Ghana (which I'd just read about in <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-homegoing.html" target="_blank"><i>Homegoing</i></a>). After moving to the United States, Aisha attends college and then law school, and we see her in 2003, attending a friend's wedding in Poland. In 2004, Remi is living in New York, with a high-powered job at a bank. All of the women travel or move back to Nigeria at various times in their lives, always struggling to weave together family, traditions, and their modern lives. Other stories focus on or are narrated by secondary characters, like the opening story of Adaoma (1897-1931) in Nigeria or a young man named Segun in 1991 New York, who's being hassled by the police. The focus, though, is on the friends, and the final story, set in 2050 with dystopian tones, brings them back together again.</p><p>I was entranced by this captivating set of characters and stories that was excellent on audio, narrated by Liz Femi and Korey Jackson. I ended up also borrowing the print book from the library because partway through, I realized that in struggling a bit with the unfamiliar Nigerian names, I was missing some of the connections. Being able to see the names in print helped to clarify things for me, and I began to see just how cleverly the whole story fits together. I didn't always know how a side character fit into the story until later, but this truly is a cohesive novel, though at the beginning I was listening to it more as short stories. The characters are fully-developed, and the writing is engaging. While having the print book helped, I'm glad that I listened to the audio because the narration, in the rich tones and cadence of Nigerian voices, made it even more immersive. These women face plenty of challenges throughout their lives, with sorrows and joys, but they are strong, independent women who have their families and each other to support them. This thoughtful, moving novel and its voices have really stuck with me. I think this is the author's first novel, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.</p><p>233 pages, Amistad</p><p>HarperAudio</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">2024 Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - J</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Travel the World in Books Challenge - Nigeria</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes Challenge - Mass.<br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3UXZmWV" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>. The sample is from the first chapter, about Adaoma.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9780063117082" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (audio sample here, too). This sample features an excerpt from Segun's chapter.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3UXZmWV" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br /> <br /> <br /></p>
<script
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-50823251581082986512024-02-26T13:29:00.000-05:002024-02-26T13:29:15.053-05:00It's Monday 2/26! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> I've got a two-week catch-up today, since we were traveling last week. We flew to College Station, Texas, to attend our great-niece's wedding. We had a wonderful time, enjoyed spending time with family, and managed a couple of short hikes while there. I am so grateful to be feeling so much better this year! I even handled the long days in airports without "crashing" afterward.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq5SKS_rtYGmXuM1mQyDRehYGSTsARjdt4ubheReYjbMILBoJT_JDej8Zvm4tM4S66zGW55quipxnmHnyIEdtGhZxaUiB8rz_GAP-fy41KZti4fVO7JezITWcPNzO7n5fUD424jzFmr3qwnj8memJxy_hUASPMB2ocjuUgHxK1tb9ra8usUTlTw/s3088/18B13C05-9E25-4481-91B2-A619F2404409.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq5SKS_rtYGmXuM1mQyDRehYGSTsARjdt4ubheReYjbMILBoJT_JDej8Zvm4tM4S66zGW55quipxnmHnyIEdtGhZxaUiB8rz_GAP-fy41KZti4fVO7JezITWcPNzO7n5fUD424jzFmr3qwnj8memJxy_hUASPMB2ocjuUgHxK1tb9ra8usUTlTw/s320/18B13C05-9E25-4481-91B2-A619F2404409.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We enjoyed catching up with our nephew!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixqWXy_MzwYUC945x7o3Hyhi-r_DScBSqheWDaWBMUK01XG6MtQ9IHYBbVo_fvrt3AacYDOLQ7nD9EWJq2rE-KWG27qdugzXVIziw8Y5tiSbThykJ0cpOFCM5QszMMyI1Aq8Hh5niItvKIejkps-apbo5yaJiizJ9faHrFwkkTUEPXpXYBKkAMQ/s4032/62A0087C-DE90-4663-AEF9-5975CE7EA526.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinsND3Gwr50VqNo3lYjQ0goz6OieM2xkbdxAmHeYo0henBnbiHqCxvTb5JfnGocewaFTTBzikWg5TF_1RrNX8HcryANtybEzozuye_FjIzgYGjGwxONr3xUZdy7yfhPC1j15Azop3iI6lIjFMSR3uIzCrIxT7FsD4aAUj1PotGE7I385jdeAEGg/s4032/0806C673-E8D9-46F0-BC3B-F2548DE9FD7F.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinsND3Gwr50VqNo3lYjQ0goz6OieM2xkbdxAmHeYo0henBnbiHqCxvTb5JfnGocewaFTTBzikWg5TF_1RrNX8HcryANtybEzozuye_FjIzgYGjGwxONr3xUZdy7yfhPC1j15Azop3iI6lIjFMSR3uIzCrIxT7FsD4aAUj1PotGE7I385jdeAEGg/s320/0806C673-E8D9-46F0-BC3B-F2548DE9FD7F.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our nephew walking his daughter down the aisle<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table></a><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixqWXy_MzwYUC945x7o3Hyhi-r_DScBSqheWDaWBMUK01XG6MtQ9IHYBbVo_fvrt3AacYDOLQ7nD9EWJq2rE-KWG27qdugzXVIziw8Y5tiSbThykJ0cpOFCM5QszMMyI1Aq8Hh5niItvKIejkps-apbo5yaJiizJ9faHrFwkkTUEPXpXYBKkAMQ/s4032/62A0087C-DE90-4663-AEF9-5975CE7EA526.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixqWXy_MzwYUC945x7o3Hyhi-r_DScBSqheWDaWBMUK01XG6MtQ9IHYBbVo_fvrt3AacYDOLQ7nD9EWJq2rE-KWG27qdugzXVIziw8Y5tiSbThykJ0cpOFCM5QszMMyI1Aq8Hh5niItvKIejkps-apbo5yaJiizJ9faHrFwkkTUEPXpXYBKkAMQ/s320/62A0087C-DE90-4663-AEF9-5975CE7EA526.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our whole family!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf214KIVzssPjjXeEBBWuZWfBVBF0wcjyGMuiffPNPF4bPzU17ABm8ZPWNEMWK2FNA4Plb4DHNA4XAN3eonBppLxEKjo7ve1xSBkr8eXL6mTaiwmufbXflH3ksRB3rgH2IY_mYEnjzZKLxoX4HkvYDK1OYNe5nyLca8YC07FmPkBbtGEMMfaZ-kQ/s3088/A552A7BE-9ABE-4B15-B655-82ABF51CF761.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf214KIVzssPjjXeEBBWuZWfBVBF0wcjyGMuiffPNPF4bPzU17ABm8ZPWNEMWK2FNA4Plb4DHNA4XAN3eonBppLxEKjo7ve1xSBkr8eXL6mTaiwmufbXflH3ksRB3rgH2IY_mYEnjzZKLxoX4HkvYDK1OYNe5nyLca8YC07FmPkBbtGEMMfaZ-kQ/s320/A552A7BE-9ABE-4B15-B655-82ABF51CF761.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It warmed up for a nice walk in a local park!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Back home, last week was busy, with a doctor's appointment, lunch out with my elderly Book Buddy (a library program), and a fun game night with my closest friends--lots of laughs!</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/celebrate-mardi-gras-at-home.html" target="_blank"><b>Celebrate Mardi Gras at Home</b> </a>- while the holiday is now past for this year, my updated post includes some great books to enjoy any time of year!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/tv-tuesday-irrational.html" target="_blank">TV Tuesday: <b>The Irrational</b></a> - a unique crime show featuring a behavioral scientist that we're really enjoying.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-homegoing.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Homegoing</b></a> by Yaa Gyasi - stunning, powerful historical novel, covering eight generations of two branches of a family, from 1700's Ghana to U.S. plantations to modern day.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnTSYVJSXyM" target="_blank"><b>Kindness Book Tag</b> </a>- a fun tag video, about kindness in books ... and in life!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrJsSRdwl8s" target="_blank">Texas Travel Vlog</a></b> - videos and photos from our trip</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnZW4iFPsI8" target="_blank"><b>Friday Reads 2-23-24</b></a> - quick weekly update on what I am currently reading <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToRXOIl2VxW1aIRUxNmVCR0qUqN7ephBayiBu4eCO8reD-bETrr2A0AGGUJMb3si6sXiGbkKUpmIoKWJoByRfKg9rovYUzCkSjZpAddF3f-lwrPHKnp4RJqY2bnXPrudzLTrFWF7YH-FsslzPa3IkGX8mbsTcbUmwiDSa1WtsoEhVjgA_CfbgsQ/s500/New-Orleans-Mourning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="304" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToRXOIl2VxW1aIRUxNmVCR0qUqN7ephBayiBu4eCO8reD-bETrr2A0AGGUJMb3si6sXiGbkKUpmIoKWJoByRfKg9rovYUzCkSjZpAddF3f-lwrPHKnp4RJqY2bnXPrudzLTrFWF7YH-FsslzPa3IkGX8mbsTcbUmwiDSa1WtsoEhVjgA_CfbgsQ/w122-h200/New-Orleans-Mourning.jpg" width="122" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I had the perfect book for our trip, <b>New Orleans Mourning</b> by Julie Smith, a suspenseful mystery (and a lightweight paperback!). This was a readalong book for the Mardi Gras Readathon on Booktube, and it was one I already owned. I first read it back in 1992, shortly after we moved from New Orleans. It's about a New Orleans policewoman named Skip Langdon, and the murder of the King of Carnival in the middle of a parade on Mardi Gras Day. You can hear more about it in my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnZW4iFPsI8" target="_blank"><b>Friday Reads</b></a> video. It was a twisty mystery that kept my attention on two long flights, and it's also a love letter to New Orleans, with wonderful details about the city, its culture, people, social strata, food, architecture, and more. I loved it again my second time through and would love to read more in this series (I don't know why I didn't back then).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmi15LVj6XYoEE73LEC4kH7p6KjFUsGHvCfhBKYgSJdzOtaSkIgvEvLkOjqyEksskYitvxT_kYelPyxnatgwjynfdHPJqEDyKTZwo4emfz5iD4DVfq2wowZEVNo-W06kMOY14wlbvpAYLb0gq-xjkOuGm-eu9PgI1iRFa-DRRgDM-zdddqt9j4ig/s2113/Ask-Again-Yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2113" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmi15LVj6XYoEE73LEC4kH7p6KjFUsGHvCfhBKYgSJdzOtaSkIgvEvLkOjqyEksskYitvxT_kYelPyxnatgwjynfdHPJqEDyKTZwo4emfz5iD4DVfq2wowZEVNo-W06kMOY14wlbvpAYLb0gq-xjkOuGm-eu9PgI1iRFa-DRRgDM-zdddqt9j4ig/w133-h200/Ask-Again-Yes.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Now, I am reading <b>Ask Again, Yes</b> by Mary Beth Keane, a buddy read with my friend Nikki of the Red Dot Reads YouTube channel. It focuses on two families whose lives are intertwined and begins in 1973 when Francis, a recent Irish immigrant, and Brian, an Irish immigrant who's been in the U.S. longer, meet as trainees and then rookies on the NYPD. They end up buying houses next to each other in a small town outside of the city, where their children grow up together, until a tragedy changes the lives of both families. It's excellent so far, and I just found out that Keane will be one of the featured authors at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw9OnyWqVRk" target="_blank">Booktopia</a> at the end of April! I can't wait to meet her and read her latest book. Nikki and I are both enjoying this one, and I'm intrigued to see what happens next.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdRVzaMvomu83npmHL5v9VJOLt6GwAQ2P89Vce98BNpuaaKZqGk2AuEvpM_XEe6q2dOHDc0ELSxWXxwHWFm0Ldr73cVlIlqhqi8ZrKvnr_IX8lJTe4leHpCC9b5STstAik4PuilNvOWrPC1uiM85raql3YmLhuvJ1Gezd_2Ubip9LCG2kTSx4AQ/s400/Jollof-rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdRVzaMvomu83npmHL5v9VJOLt6GwAQ2P89Vce98BNpuaaKZqGk2AuEvpM_XEe6q2dOHDc0ELSxWXxwHWFm0Ldr73cVlIlqhqi8ZrKvnr_IX8lJTe4leHpCC9b5STstAik4PuilNvOWrPC1uiM85raql3YmLhuvJ1Gezd_2Ubip9LCG2kTSx4AQ/w133-h200/Jollof-rice.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">On audio, I listened to <b>Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions</b> by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi. This unique, captivating book is a novel told in interlocking stories, of four Nigerian girls who meet in boarding school when they are eleven years old and become lifelong friends. Through the separate stories, we learn about their family history, coming-of-age, the many changes they experience through adulthood, and even a glimpse into the future. It's beautifully written and engrossing, with the stories woven together in clever ways. The final story, set in 2050, even features a (scary) dystopian future that has its roots in our real-life present. It was outstanding on audio and kept me rapt.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjic9RwL5ODZvLTBVcexUpyRY3RMn0Qe4BrJfNiIhJdMzddbN8O51pQlKByGa1AqDv0SYN6FNvin_NqppiYYP575IJ7LQ3tB5lcvOHaPqpPZ5fo4P3Cjn_-9hr4UnNxY97JNJgg5QTXp9kMnTowg865swm6qK2b6S9AHD_Lq_aEGacIYPLODpFuIw/s475/Whistling-Past-the-Graveyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjic9RwL5ODZvLTBVcexUpyRY3RMn0Qe4BrJfNiIhJdMzddbN8O51pQlKByGa1AqDv0SYN6FNvin_NqppiYYP575IJ7LQ3tB5lcvOHaPqpPZ5fo4P3Cjn_-9hr4UnNxY97JNJgg5QTXp9kMnTowg865swm6qK2b6S9AHD_Lq_aEGacIYPLODpFuIw/w133-h200/Whistling-Past-the-Graveyard.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I returned home last week to realize my book group meets on February 29, and I didn't even know what the book was! Most versions of <b>Whistling Past the Graveyard</b> by Susan Crandall had a wait list at the library (even though it's a 2013 release), but I was able to borrow the audio CDs and transfer them to my iPod. In 1963 Mississippi, nine-year-old Starla lives with her grandmother, Mamie, who doesn't seem to like her much. When she gets in trouble on the 4th of July and fears Mamie's punishment, she decides to run away to Nashville to find her mother. Starla hasn't seen her mother since she was very young, though she sends her birthday cards and says she is going to be a famous singer. Starla starts hitchhiking and is picked up by a Black woman named Eula, and the two of them head off on a journey neither could have predicted. Since I only have a few days to finish, I listened to it a <i>lot</i> this weekend, and I'm really enjoying it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5vEGyehK8samosDEgvpIIgy_qg2xbqffYtkR-hfdqrmA5OwTOHxS4k4SplcBaf9io7fZj6dVKx9GWgnXsm7MPluXl-t0L2TD-I6Lt1julXMjc3zG0PsyMG9zXdzPL0tzTaZ6YJ4plgIk0kDaXQ-wSk2d8F_HPtJ3JYogm_rP1JnvbnvpPsImIQ/s400/Leave-Only-Footprints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5vEGyehK8samosDEgvpIIgy_qg2xbqffYtkR-hfdqrmA5OwTOHxS4k4SplcBaf9io7fZj6dVKx9GWgnXsm7MPluXl-t0L2TD-I6Lt1julXMjc3zG0PsyMG9zXdzPL0tzTaZ6YJ4plgIk0kDaXQ-wSk2d8F_HPtJ3JYogm_rP1JnvbnvpPsImIQ/w133-h200/Leave-Only-Footprints.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>My husband, Ken, finished</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <b>Dark Ride</b> by Lou Berney, author of <i>November Road</i>,
which I gave him last year and he loved (it's now on my side of
the TBR bookcase!). This new one is a thriller, and it sounds great. I
know it's got a good sense of humor because my husband was laughing
out loud while reading it! Now, he is reading a book I gave him for Christmas, <b>Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park</b> by Conor Knighton, a nonfiction memoir. He was reading me passages out loud (we are both huge National Park fans), but he stopped because he said I will want to read this one myself!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQrJxWWTy-cn5_r7iZky2Ov94js9CN9FlsV940novovXZytnIQ6MRN-Zzcqooi9WnGE50P8j1EG1wpU5vOXpIU1TII5N5Qzto9-VlB39zk-T5M-FleJCTIoERfby0IBe2t5nOUj1Lvw0MSfkrZwWfIU491k_kxhIjnIquCgjYM4xfR8b-GaYjuQ/s500/Soulkeeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQrJxWWTy-cn5_r7iZky2Ov94js9CN9FlsV940novovXZytnIQ6MRN-Zzcqooi9WnGE50P8j1EG1wpU5vOXpIU1TII5N5Qzto9-VlB39zk-T5M-FleJCTIoERfby0IBe2t5nOUj1Lvw0MSfkrZwWfIU491k_kxhIjnIquCgjYM4xfR8b-GaYjuQ/w133-h200/Soulkeeper.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, finished reading </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b>The Blacktongue Thief</b> by Christopher Buelhman, a gift from us! I heard about this one from <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ToddsBookTube91" target="_blank">Todd's Booktube</a></i>,
a channel that I follow by young man who has very similar tastes in
fantasy as my son. Our son said it had a unique style
and voice and is very well-written--another winner! Now, he is reading <b>Soulkeeper</b> by David Dalglish, book one in <i>The Keepers</i> series, and enjoying it so far.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>__________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-14016290698874845962024-02-22T18:31:00.003-05:002024-02-22T19:27:24.953-05:00Fiction Review: Homegoing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jy7-HYShw4ACDc4h7wiSodv75lzlmf2ZfVwLngCjTqOR6AaVRVr-EzRuxoZF1s6stmF5JR5s6g8eKZIsbUbd75KEA3Q8UP0tz9IaWqitxx7WfT_xReqBY9z276LIg-hIK1tc1atFrPesK2sM1kBGiQjb1_2dAG6IKNm240d6bH3F8J5wsMz_mQ/s700/Homegoing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="454" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jy7-HYShw4ACDc4h7wiSodv75lzlmf2ZfVwLngCjTqOR6AaVRVr-EzRuxoZF1s6stmF5JR5s6g8eKZIsbUbd75KEA3Q8UP0tz9IaWqitxx7WfT_xReqBY9z276LIg-hIK1tc1atFrPesK2sM1kBGiQjb1_2dAG6IKNm240d6bH3F8J5wsMz_mQ/w130-h200/Homegoing.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>I feel like I may be the last person to finally read <b>Homegoing</b> by Yaa Gyasi. I just read it for Black History Month, after receiving it for Christmas, and I can see why this book created so much buzz! This historical epic, covering eight generations of a family, from 1700's Ghana to slave plantations in the U.S. to the present day, was a stunning novel that kept me rapt.<p></p><p>In eighteenth-century Ghana, two half-sisters are born in different villages, each completely unaware of the other. Effia was born in the Fante realm on a night when fire raged through her village. Her mother, Baaba, never seemed to like Effia and often mistreated and beat her, though her father tried in vain to protect her. In the 1770's, a white British man named James Collins, the newly appointed governor, married Effia, and she went to live with him in Cape Coast Castle. She was well-treated by James and the other British men, lived in a beautiful home, and was soon pregnant and gave birth to a son, Quey. As time went on, she began to better understand what went on in the castle, that many of her own countrymen and women (and children) were kept in the basement dungeons and sent overseas on ships as slaves.</p><p>During the same time period, Esi was born into a small Asante village, the daughter of a Big Man (prominent in the village) and his third wife. She had a wonderful childhood, as her village grew, and she enjoyed long walks with her father, who adored her. House servants, slaves stolen from warring villages, were a simple fact of life in Esi's world, until she discovered that her own mother was a captive servant at one time in a Fante village, and she begins to truly understand what that means. As a teen, Esi is stolen by a warring tribe, and made to walk for many miles, tied to other captives, all the way to Cape Coast Castle, where she and the others are sold to the British. There, she is kept in the women's dungeon in horrific conditions. Just before being walked to a waiting ship to travel to America as a slave, Esi is raped by a British soldier.</p><p>In this way, each of the different lines of this split family, unknown to each other, begins. The novel alternates between Effia's family and Esi's family, with a long chapter focused on one person in each generation, all the way to modern times (with a helpful family tree at the beginning). Gyasi's wonderful writing weaves an intricate, complex picture of each family and each generation. When I realized the framework of the novel, I worried that it would be too disjointed, but it works. While I was always sorry to leave one person's story, the next one was just as engrossing, and there is usually information about how the previous character's story continued. Each of these characters is fully-formed, with great emotional depth, each dealing with their own unique challenges through the centuries.<br /></p><p>The history here is fascinating, and I read the novel with my iPad by my side so that I could look up more information on the history, photos of the places described, and other facts; this book made me want to learn more. For instance, Cape Coast Castle is a real place that is still there today, and I just read a travel essay on a plane by actor Anthony Anderson, about his emotional first time touring the castle. Before reading this book, I was completely unaware that Africans were complicit in the slave trade (though, of course, it was the large sums of money Europeans were willing to pay that helped it grow). There is plenty of tragedy in this story, for both bloodlines, in Africa and in the U.S., but there are moments of joy and triumph, too, and the ending was very satisfying. This is a powerful, moving novel that will stay with me for a long time.</p><p>300 pages, Vintage Books</p><p>Random House Audio<br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">2024 Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Mount TBR Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - H</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Travel the World in Books Challenge - Ghana</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes Challenge - Alabama <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3SR4MQG" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>. I like the sound of the narrator, Dominic Hoffman.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9780451484185" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (the same audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/49Gp7Pv" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br /><br /></p>
<script data-affiliate-id="1993" data-sku="9781101971062" data-type="book" src="https://bookshop.org/widgets.js"></script>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-74309409735286776822024-02-20T18:48:00.002-05:002024-02-20T18:48:19.430-05:00TV Tuesday: The Irrational<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_HwXPf5Xti2335av0tx57r8154q3l6QHvMU-xfcTNVwcmz3rUmHteZnCoCNVshBlQKKw69NDMjfxz0XRhOnMdbU2ODprMEppfshRjVF91Lzyn0Y6BFMXEbcYgPIcPUu2oAOpuQIGWDqZQESrsC-6EtNbvq1qvCHz4dwfU8SCE_d1Rai59FD0XQ/s1000/irrational.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="675" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_HwXPf5Xti2335av0tx57r8154q3l6QHvMU-xfcTNVwcmz3rUmHteZnCoCNVshBlQKKw69NDMjfxz0XRhOnMdbU2ODprMEppfshRjVF91Lzyn0Y6BFMXEbcYgPIcPUu2oAOpuQIGWDqZQESrsC-6EtNbvq1qvCHz4dwfU8SCE_d1Rai59FD0XQ/w135-h200/irrational.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>While most cable shows had a delayed "fall" season that is only just starting now (due to the strikes), a few new shows did start on time in the fall. Our favorite is <b>The Irrational</b>, a crime show with a behavioral scientist at its center.<p></p><p>Jesse L. Martin plays Alec Mercer, a behavioral scientist at a university in D.C. Alec teaches and has two grad students working with him: Pheobe, played by Molly Kunz, and Rizwan, played by Arash DeMaxi. His ex-wife, Marisa (played by Maahra Hill), works for the FBI, and Alec's sister, Kylie (played by Travina Springer), is a brilliant computer expert who lives with him. Marisa often asks Alec to consult on a case--and sometimes Kylie and/or the grad students get involved, too--so there is usually a new case to solve in each episode. But there is also an ongoing story thread about the terrible burn scars on Alec's face. He got those scars (and spent months in the hospital, with serious burns over much of his body) many years ago, when a bomb was set off in a church. One man was convicted of the crime, but Alec and Marisa suspect there was someone else behind it who was never caught. The bombing left Alec with emotional scars as well as physical, and Marisa and her FBI partner are still looking into the cold case.</p><p>Like any crime show, each episode involves a new case, so there is always something new and different going on. Alec's unique talents in behavioral science provide fascinating insights into victims, witnesses, and criminals that are helpful to the FBI. In each show, though, the viewer also learns more about Alec and the bombing that so traumatized him. The secondary characters are also further explored and fleshed out. Martin is outstanding in the lead role, and his co-stars are all excellent. The writing is fresh, with a sense of humor, and the cases are interesting. There is suspense and a mystery in each new episode, plus the ongoing mystery of the bombing. My husband and I have really been enjoying this show. We'll watch the final episode of its first season tonight, and we were excited to hear that it's been renewed for a second season.</p><p><b>The Irrational</b> is an NBC show, so it's available On Demand if you have cable or <a href="https://www.nbc.com/the-irrational/episodes" target="_blank">on NBC.com</a> (all episodes still available free for all right now) or on Peacock. It's also <a href="https://amzn.to/49HEirL" target="_blank">available on Amazon</a>.</p><p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l1kPSrX8NT4?si=n5MHJxSmNx4W5_uD" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-4911842862328282852024-02-13T10:53:00.007-05:002024-02-13T10:53:46.797-05:00Celebrate Mardi Gras at Home!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOQxptNuLPwwCIIH8zLmgqt5fi6zZsxz2cxsqpjUB1RzJZKZXXF38NOsWVVTM9msWji9xJ1PTOlxdrDkVVi0y5_mUWESGK0n9NJvNJijiYeBV_rLfPQcD3_rZNG-g1jobmU5osSlRJT0pagcdtyxFmQ9BxDRHCkE0cgC0g2jumRu9B_7_1bY8-g/s1280/Mardi%20Gras%20Celebrate%20at%20Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOQxptNuLPwwCIIH8zLmgqt5fi6zZsxz2cxsqpjUB1RzJZKZXXF38NOsWVVTM9msWji9xJ1PTOlxdrDkVVi0y5_mUWESGK0n9NJvNJijiYeBV_rLfPQcD3_rZNG-g1jobmU5osSlRJT0pagcdtyxFmQ9BxDRHCkE0cgC0g2jumRu9B_7_1bY8-g/s320/Mardi%20Gras%20Celebrate%20at%20Home.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's Mardi Gras Day! We used to live in New Orleans, so this is a
major holiday at our house, as you may have heard in my video, <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgWV-jQm8TQ" target="_blank">Celebrate Everything, Big and Smal</a>l</b>.
We usually celebrate on Saturday and again on Tuesday. Before the
pandemic, we had an annual party with all the food, music, etc. on Saturday. With my immune issues, it's now a small celebration with our oldest friends, who lived in New Orleans when we did. We enjoyed takeout from a favorite local New Orleans restaurant (a husband and wife team who were both chefs in New Orleans, under two of the top chefs there!), plus lots of shrimp. Today, Mardi Gras
day, we will finish off the
season with our annual tradition of
Popeye's at that same friends' house (yes, Popeye's is authentic Louisiana
food). And, of course, we've decorated for the occasion, and I'm wearing purple, green, and gold with my beads on!<p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">
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Want to join the fun? Here is a collection of ways to celebrate
Mardi Gras, New Orleans, and Louisiana today...including food, recipes,
travel tips, movies & TV shows, and, of course, some great books! You can also check out my column in <i>Shelf Awareness</i> from last year that features books about and set in New Orleans, <a href="https://www.shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=795#m13956" target="_blank"><b>Armchair Travel: Destination New Orleans</b></a>. And if you prefer a video, check out my <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkxVxtS0kLQ" target="_blank">Recommendations for Mardi Gras Reathathon: Books, Movies, and TV Shows</a></b>.<br /></div>
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<b>Great Adult Books Set In/About Louisiana (additional titles in my article linked above):</b></div>
<ul><li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2010/01/fiction-review-crowning-glory-of-calla.html" target="_blank"><b>The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder</b></a> by Rebecca Wells, author of <i>Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood</i>
- I listened to Calla Lily's story on audio and laughed out loud &
bawled my eyes out! It takes place in southern Louisiana, with plenty of
local color.</li><li><b> <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2010/01/memoir-review-gumbo-tales.html" target="_blank">Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table</a></b> by Sara Roahen - I loved this memoir about the food, history, people, and unique culture of New Orleans.</li><li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2011/11/memoir-review-trail-of-crumbs.html" target="_blank"><b>Trail of Crumbs: Food, Love, and the Search for Home</b></a> by Kim <span style="font-weight: normal;">Sunée
- although this food-focused memoir covers everyplace from Sweden to
France to Korea, the author grew up in New Orleans, where the food
culture impacted the rest of her life.</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Burn</b> by Nevada Barr - part of her Anna Pigeon series, about a National Park ranger, this one is set in the French Quarter (where there's a National Historic Park). I haven't read it yet, but I plan to this year!</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Mardi Gras Mourning</b> by Julie Smith - I first read this back in the 90's and am rereading it now for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkxVxtS0kLQ" target="_blank">Mardi Gras Readathon on Booktube</a>. It's a classic detective novel, set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, so the setting and atmosphere are great!</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/fiction-review-book-of-lost-friends.html" target="_blank"><b>The Book of Lost Friends</b> </a>by Lisa Wingate - outstanding historical fiction set in Loiuisiana, with a dual timeline in 1863 and 1987. It made my list of <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/best-books-read-in-2023.html" target="_blank">Top Ten Audios in 2023</a>! </span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/05/fiction-review-vanishing-half.html" target="_blank"><b>The Vanishing Half</b> </a>by Brit Bennett is another excellent dual timeline historical novel, about twin sisters born in Louisiana. One moves to New Orleans and the other twin decides to "pass" as white and lives a very different life. </span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2022/12/fiction-review-horse.html" target="_blank"><b>Horse</b></a> by Geraldine Brooks - in this historical novel from one of my favorite authors, some of the story takes place in 1800's Louisiana. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></li></ul>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Middle-Grade and Teen/YA Books Set In/About Louisiana:</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2010/09/teenya-review-ruined.html" target="_blank"><b>Ruined</b></a> by Paula Morris - a teen/YA mystery/ghost story set in New Orleans (the perfect setting for a ghost story!)</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/11/middle-gradeteen-review-freedom-maze.html" target="_blank"><b>The Freedom Maze</b></a>
by Delia Sherman - a compelling middle-grade historical fiction
adventure (with a touch of time travel), where a girl from 1960 travels
back to 1860 Louisiana</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/middle-grade-review-zane-and-hurricane.html" target="_blank"><b>Zane and the Hurricane</b></a> by Rodman Philbrick - a middle-grade novel about Hurricane Katrina - powerful and gripping</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/05/teenya-review-out-of-easy.html" target="_blank"><b>Out of the Easy</b></a> by Ruta Sepetys - most people are familiar with her two YA novels set during WWII (<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2013/11/teenya-review-between-shades-of-gray.html" target="_blank"><i>Between Shades of Gray</i></a> and <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/04/teenya-review-salt-to-sea.html" target="_blank"><i>Salt to the Sea</i></a>), but this historical novel is set in New Orleans in 1950</span></li></ul>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Movies & TV Shows</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2015/03/weeend-cooking-movie-review-chef.html" target="_blank">Chef</a> </b>-
a wonderful, uplifting movie about a family food truck that travels
from Miami to LA, with a stop in New Orleans, of course! My favorite
movie of the year in 2015.</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b> <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/04/tv-tuesday-ncis-and-ncis-new-orleans.html" target="_blank">NCIS: New Orleans</a></b><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/04/tv-tuesday-ncis-and-ncis-new-orleans.html"> </a>-
though it's a crime show, it includes many scenes of New Orleans,
mention of local restaurants and landmarks, and other local tidbits,
plus some great local music.
They usually do a Mardi Gras episode once a season, for extra fun. It's
streaming on Paramount Plus (which used to be CBS All Access).</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Treme</b>
- we LOVED this HBO show, which we were somehow able to watch on cable
at one point. You can see it now streaming on HBO Max or Hulu.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">You can also check out some classic movies and modern classics with New Orleans settings, like <a href="https://amzn.to/33YMTu4" target="_blank"><b>A Streetcar Named Desire</b></a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/3hol9C2" target="_blank"><b>The Big Easy</b></a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Or tune in to watch parades and
other scenes in New Orleans streaming live (or if you missed the
parades, some great videos) at <a href="http://www.mardigras.com/" target="_blank">www.mardigras.com</a>.</span></li></ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAWeSh1ghyk6n18ZJh8ejGWSutGb9t9sr3kOMSKo9H1Vtn-KOti_fRxu0RqYXpgmwk_IUCGzPeqXVRwjv9GMTnhHym4qzlxPUQSDgva8bvsdOn7AyyvhV8orYpuBzsXg2sKOg_A/s1600/IMG_1676.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAWeSh1ghyk6n18ZJh8ejGWSutGb9t9sr3kOMSKo9H1Vtn-KOti_fRxu0RqYXpgmwk_IUCGzPeqXVRwjv9GMTnhHym4qzlxPUQSDgva8bvsdOn7AyyvhV8orYpuBzsXg2sKOg_A/s320/IMG_1676.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the locals in Louisiana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Travel</b></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">All this talk of Louisiana making you want to visit? I have written articles about <a href="http://suzanjackson.homestead.com/NewOrleans.html" target="_blank">visiting New Orleans</a> and <a href="http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2016/12/06/exploring-cajun-country/" target="_blank">Exploring Cajun Country</a> - check them out and start planning your trip (plenty of food recommendations in both!). I'm certainly ready to go back!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0A4rANSMHdapDErljvph1kriGbUYIFvn0H2aR8X2Nn0B4K05X97vWo3KF745dZxuJ2mdC8BqFwutwDzXQFsxXSqFYDsCM2FZOiGlQhr03qJ2UYLmN-XLN2fCW01L_zTtzk0_bQ/s1600/IMG_1685.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0A4rANSMHdapDErljvph1kriGbUYIFvn0H2aR8X2Nn0B4K05X97vWo3KF745dZxuJ2mdC8BqFwutwDzXQFsxXSqFYDsCM2FZOiGlQhr03qJ2UYLmN-XLN2fCW01L_zTtzk0_bQ/s320/IMG_1685.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crawfish!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Notice that many of the books and
movies about Louisiana are focused on FOOD? Yes, Louisiana - and
especially New Orleans - is known for its amazing, unique food. This <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/02/weekend-cooking-27-happy-mardi-gras.html" target="_blank">blog post on how to celebrate Mardi Gras</a>
includes <a href="http://suzanjackson.homestead.com/FF0212_MARDIG.pdf" target="_blank">my own recipes for some classic Louisiana dishes</a>, plus food
you can grab locally today and webcams where you can vicariously
experience Mardi Gras - there are plenty of suggestions in this post
that you can still manage to do between now and Tuesday. Or save it for later if you
like - we eat this food all year round. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">NOTE that Zapp's potato chips - which
you absolutely MUST try) have been bought out by PA-chip maker Utz, so
you don't have to get them by mail-order anymore. We can now
find them in local stores like Wawa here in Delaware or ordered on Amazon (<a href="https://amzn.to/3I08rXq" target="_blank">Cajun Crawtator </a>
and Cajun Dill are the best flavors.)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Laissez les bon temps rouler!</span></b></span><br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlRQW0zC0SC9Judrm0ntU2aGC68hyphenhyphenf7Kfnco6AZVgMbNCtkcKfcuUINYFfRC2rs1P_OYM7DI7C6oe1UHyCzvnIc0tUrJnFmikarJ6QvHVmAJm4hnA8tIpMXJpGVdtbm8PSnfOqw/s1600/MardiGras+w+Boys.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlRQW0zC0SC9Judrm0ntU2aGC68hyphenhyphenf7Kfnco6AZVgMbNCtkcKfcuUINYFfRC2rs1P_OYM7DI7C6oe1UHyCzvnIc0tUrJnFmikarJ6QvHVmAJm4hnA8tIpMXJpGVdtbm8PSnfOqw/s320/MardiGras+w+Boys.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & my sons, about 10 years ago</td></tr></tbody></table>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-55162177327713561812024-02-12T14:16:00.004-05:002024-02-12T14:16:55.013-05:00It's Monday 2/12! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life</span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I'm off to a late start this morning, as I'm guessing is much of the U.S. I am normally in bed by 9:30 (reading, of course) and lights out by 10:30, so last night's Superbowl game going into overtime was a challenge! We had a very fun weekend of celebrations--there is so much going on this week! Our oldest friends came over Saturday to celebrate Mardi Gras (part 1--we'll go to their house tomorrow). The four of us all lived in New Orleans in the 80's; it's where we all met and became friends. So Mardi Gras is a big deal! I'm still on this carnivore diet (and my husband is now mostly keto), so most of the menu items at our favorite local New Orleans restaurant (lots of rice, bread, beans) were off-limits, but our friends got their food there, as well as some gumbo sans rice for us, and we contributed lots of steamed shrimp and Andouille sausage. It was all delicious, and we had our favorite New Orleans music playing, and videos of the latest parades. Lots of reminiscing and chatting, too!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZcyKRLPYYu9T6Xq0xlj0u5oEj70OagNAWa7bHs_xeHkbGivtaAsAmP3pmd3PoBEz2y4ayetJlB9Oz4UO7PwdNBNYjgE2m6uEvno0GS4bphyEQsBXcI-SExvlRtfLxrrd34QHqYHVLmlV6Bztqkmqma9QJXymkHXRMnqlUtT-dbpI68gaOJoQCA/s4032/FDCC71E8-0323-41CD-BBBE-951FCFE6F041_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZcyKRLPYYu9T6Xq0xlj0u5oEj70OagNAWa7bHs_xeHkbGivtaAsAmP3pmd3PoBEz2y4ayetJlB9Oz4UO7PwdNBNYjgE2m6uEvno0GS4bphyEQsBXcI-SExvlRtfLxrrd34QHqYHVLmlV6Bztqkmqma9QJXymkHXRMnqlUtT-dbpI68gaOJoQCA/w240-h320/FDCC71E8-0323-41CD-BBBE-951FCFE6F041_1_201_a.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy Mardi Gras!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">Last night, another set of friends came over for Superbowl. We hadn't seen them since <i>last</i> Superbowl, so we really enjoyed catching up, eating good food, enjoying the commercials ... oh, yeah, and the game, too!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JNQlCHVStbkG_sX9Fy2ibYgNXz6IF3gvG6QhYKY77COX7UFOBmz-g-jD1vy51761nZBWm6qYSoM7bTnDYBNrlBYwWrXp3rYI-uq5NjZQYyG4D9V7Y960ZParVcjnMd-sERYP9R8bSUfXKcjW9gTcO-pkKydfyvCYwtCk9RoXdvHO60AJHprzow/s4032/B8017BC5-73AA-434D-9D84-A2F1871119CD.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JNQlCHVStbkG_sX9Fy2ibYgNXz6IF3gvG6QhYKY77COX7UFOBmz-g-jD1vy51761nZBWm6qYSoM7bTnDYBNrlBYwWrXp3rYI-uq5NjZQYyG4D9V7Y960ZParVcjnMd-sERYP9R8bSUfXKcjW9gTcO-pkKydfyvCYwtCk9RoXdvHO60AJHprzow/s320/B8017BC5-73AA-434D-9D84-A2F1871119CD.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mardi Gras & Superbowl celebrations!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG_WEiaL4JpLvi9-JiAmZYo-pa1Yoqk-MAFxkwgSADQXK1qdLBx3qSK4N3Ul4NSyAQAjC7jR_f-l9UfuL_DBrQ9Z02twQA-djGm007cX1NhlQaF9z-JkpUfyQYUieP96rkefCy5_wExNjh9EgYmGQQ2t9A6UGrE19PVuZjekWO7H6cOTa6QRRZw/s4032/EB514D36-E0E5-4B3B-933F-A5FD4F3FBB9B.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG_WEiaL4JpLvi9-JiAmZYo-pa1Yoqk-MAFxkwgSADQXK1qdLBx3qSK4N3Ul4NSyAQAjC7jR_f-l9UfuL_DBrQ9Z02twQA-djGm007cX1NhlQaF9z-JkpUfyQYUieP96rkefCy5_wExNjh9EgYmGQQ2t9A6UGrE19PVuZjekWO7H6cOTa6QRRZw/s320/EB514D36-E0E5-4B3B-933F-A5FD4F3FBB9B.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Friends Over for Superbowl!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">In between, I helped my friend more with her move (packing china Saturday and loading another friend's car for a Goodwill run). Yesterday was one of those days where I sat down in the morning to get a couple of easy things done ... and nothing went right! Downloading airline apps for our trip to Texas this week turned into an hour on the phone with customer service. And then trying to put the new password into my Excel password file turned into another customer service odyssey with Microsoft that I only just resolved this morning. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsMytZF_NerYmTJqLhe_DcKW3HON3hf9HGP-IgpncWRdNHazwUKgZkYtCQral3pq3ar1d5UHkzy3XBUZ6iSaexbYLb69JhQs0T0OgUUd8XHBpupr7UELeR6BfpEXFyB71T8tFvwU1ObQ4Jah9dVKTTgkS52Zc8qeugEZY-iv5HgMSyqHXOAUChMQ/s4032/CDEDC1F8-CB9C-4172-89D4-C42EA6AFEFE1.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsMytZF_NerYmTJqLhe_DcKW3HON3hf9HGP-IgpncWRdNHazwUKgZkYtCQral3pq3ar1d5UHkzy3XBUZ6iSaexbYLb69JhQs0T0OgUUd8XHBpupr7UELeR6BfpEXFyB71T8tFvwU1ObQ4Jah9dVKTTgkS52Zc8qeugEZY-iv5HgMSyqHXOAUChMQ/s320/CDEDC1F8-CB9C-4172-89D4-C42EA6AFEFE1.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Helping a Friend - Dumpster's Almost Full!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUdtkytox8sF4MSZ37f345I_GhsR2xNYCUJK0eGEv6NQkhHEDVqBNuO_E99hxUCVizGDJoXzO7tWJ0jQZZdzo2vl1bByGpd4ALcwImfzrnI1-R8jAliqahNBoyBJH4d49W2cVJM-IS_S4JkjBKZAiSHAzUbAIb2lZ8QnDsTgpT5Gg-lq2f-yatA/s4032/040F27B2-45A4-4BB9-A16D-F04AC934C138.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUdtkytox8sF4MSZ37f345I_GhsR2xNYCUJK0eGEv6NQkhHEDVqBNuO_E99hxUCVizGDJoXzO7tWJ0jQZZdzo2vl1bByGpd4ALcwImfzrnI1-R8jAliqahNBoyBJH4d49W2cVJM-IS_S4JkjBKZAiSHAzUbAIb2lZ8QnDsTgpT5Gg-lq2f-yatA/s320/040F27B2-45A4-4BB9-A16D-F04AC934C138.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beautiful View Saturday Near Home<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/movie-monday-stillwater.html" target="_blank">Movie Monday: <b>Stillwater</b></a> - my husband and I both enjoyed this movie, starring Matt Damon, that combines family drama, mystery/thriller, romance, and travel. Very moving story.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/teenya-review-i-am-not-alone.html" target="_blank">Teen/YA Review: <b>I Am Not Alone</b></a> by Francisco X. Stork - another excellent YA novel from Stork, about living with mental illness.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-last-summer-on-state.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Last Summer on State Street</b></a> by Toya Wolfe - an outstanding pick for Black History Month, a coming-of-age story about four young girls growing up in a Chicago Housing project in 1999. This one deserves more attention!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FEDZhcOlWk" target="_blank"><b>January Reading Wrap-Up</b></a> - my summary of the 6 books I read last month--novels, nonfiction, memoir, audios, graphic novel, YA.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqVyKKuV4EY" target="_blank"><b>Friday Reads 2-9-24</b></a> - my quick weekly update of what I am currently reading<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcQW0EkHGKSeHUPjW6bjZcHxzLEoufZjaZ0F_c9ArWd32HmLzZLuvXJTC1wB6LfFHrd5JiPlkXCWSmsY23PWvXEmIv5UQG27p3be_zeZRcEB9VmBrdM75ZL23clHX9Ky_-kbYuuvgd150M6C-H0Dy8TH_NDfmv_UMyPr49uH9lhM3vz-LG5mlyQ/s700/Homegoing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="454" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcQW0EkHGKSeHUPjW6bjZcHxzLEoufZjaZ0F_c9ArWd32HmLzZLuvXJTC1wB6LfFHrd5JiPlkXCWSmsY23PWvXEmIv5UQG27p3be_zeZRcEB9VmBrdM75ZL23clHX9Ky_-kbYuuvgd150M6C-H0Dy8TH_NDfmv_UMyPr49uH9lhM3vz-LG5mlyQ/w130-h200/Homegoing.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I kicked off Black History Month right, reading <b>Homegoing</b>
by Yaa Gyasi, the highly acclaimed novel that everyone else has read
except me! I'm almost finished now, and wow, this is such a
remarkable, powerful novel! It begins in Ghana in the 1700's, with two
half-sisters, Effia and Esi, who have never met and live in different
villages, part of two separate (warring) empires, Fante and Asante.
Effia marries a white British officer and moves to Cape Coast Castle (a
real place), while Esi is captured and sold into slavery. From there,
this incredible story follows Effia's and Esi's bloodlines through eight
generations, from Africa to a Mississippi plantation through the Civil
War and Harlem's Jazz Age to modern times. It's completely engrossing, and I am learning
a <i>lot</i> about history that I'd never heard before. It's beautifully written, a stunning, epic story.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbupNel-dhr6H-gtzpvDu_4HFqtCG-Ax9vrHYtNNYuhZXC0L4Q_pd45FFLVY3Bspf6aSmS2UUJSh42GmsB_tnwLD_uuSTNjWU_RbeOb82nxrrqaIxy3R2nHTFp-5KQGkbdJuBKv0SWiHpq0VSEzV-AKJU8U4kX7st0qBh_vX3WPobZHrfNFCo0GQ/s475/Invisible-Girls%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbupNel-dhr6H-gtzpvDu_4HFqtCG-Ax9vrHYtNNYuhZXC0L4Q_pd45FFLVY3Bspf6aSmS2UUJSh42GmsB_tnwLD_uuSTNjWU_RbeOb82nxrrqaIxy3R2nHTFp-5KQGkbdJuBKv0SWiHpq0VSEzV-AKJU8U4kX7st0qBh_vX3WPobZHrfNFCo0GQ/w133-h200/Invisible-Girls%202.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I started a new audio book last week, <b>The Invisible Girls</b> by Sarah Lebarge, a memoir and another very powerful story. Sarah was brought up in a very restrictive, religious environment. She got a Physician's Assistant degree and was engaged to a wealthy man when her life was decimated by a very aggressive breast cancer at age 26. After multiple surgeries, a double mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and a devastating break-up, she was left scarred both physically and emotionally. She moved to Portland, OR, to start over. Riding the train one day, she met an exhausted Ghanian mother with two small children. The little girls took to her, and she spoke with the mom and ended up visiting their apartment. That kicked off a very unique relationship between Sarah and this refugee single mother of five girls. Her abusive husband had left, the system was failing them, and the family was close to starvation. What followed was life-changing for the family and for Sarah. I worried this might be a sort of "white savior" story, but it's not like that at all. It's a beautiful, moving, compelling story of found family, hope, and connection. My only problem is that I didn't have the full audio download (it was a free download from SYNC, years ago)! It just quit last night, in the middle of a sentence, and I want to read the rest of it. My library doesn't have it, the Kindle edition is $10, and I probably only have a chapter or two left to go. Any ideas?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubaC5sydTsjR9zK7ePxE7Qiu0_3zPtIGZGJiBP-2gYUIKxpWtA8r4dhpU-MQi2MEEP-0PC_lMyc4PGsTJUYu26qTelj-r7rk5lD8PjMAeU44qsJHRRT4TxDiD5sMBlWknqATehfXOgHxNkzcdafoGz56rmvSoWv5n2sLuOsCAwp2cmk9OfXfcjw/s346/Dark-Ride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="229" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubaC5sydTsjR9zK7ePxE7Qiu0_3zPtIGZGJiBP-2gYUIKxpWtA8r4dhpU-MQi2MEEP-0PC_lMyc4PGsTJUYu26qTelj-r7rk5lD8PjMAeU44qsJHRRT4TxDiD5sMBlWknqATehfXOgHxNkzcdafoGz56rmvSoWv5n2sLuOsCAwp2cmk9OfXfcjw/w133-h200/Dark-Ride.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>My husband, Ken, finished </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b>The Secret</b>
by Lee Child and Andrew Child, book 28 of the Jack Reacher series, my
husband's all-time favorite! Now, he is reading <b>Dark Ride</b> by Lou Berney, author of <i>November Road</i>, which I gave my husband last year and he loved (it's now on my side of the TBR bookcase!). This new one is a thriller, and it sounds great. I know it's got a good sense of humor because my husband has been laughing out loud while reading it!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKxahpbZDBo69kqHN8um6zROXYSEWQsrAOwpuni0Ha_pC0b0oTn7IHNq5pUnoqkJrH_snwSEc5oPnMGMGc5r_Mosni-PZee0KfQ2M7sBy4xFlLHHvKgmw6D1ITmJlEzggeqS2JaEX1ax8zA5Ft_W6PZc1n0rMBzBe2QxmJwCKKzIepRfDfqAikQ/s1913/Blacktongue-Thief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1913" data-original-width="1266" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKxahpbZDBo69kqHN8um6zROXYSEWQsrAOwpuni0Ha_pC0b0oTn7IHNq5pUnoqkJrH_snwSEc5oPnMGMGc5r_Mosni-PZee0KfQ2M7sBy4xFlLHHvKgmw6D1ITmJlEzggeqS2JaEX1ax8zA5Ft_W6PZc1n0rMBzBe2QxmJwCKKzIepRfDfqAikQ/w133-h200/Blacktongue-Thief.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, finished reading book 2, <b>Blade Breaker </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>by Victoria Aveyard, book 2 in her <i>Realm Breaker</i> series,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, that we gave him for Christmas. Now, he's reading <b>The Blacktongue Thief</b> by Christopher Buelhman, another gift from us! I heard about this one from <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ToddsBookTube91" target="_blank">Todd's Booktube</a></i>, a channel that I follow by young man who has very similar tastes in fantasy as my son. He's loving it so far and says it has a unique style and voice and is very well-written--another winner!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>__________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-67324288065951116012024-02-09T17:28:00.001-05:002024-02-09T17:29:19.853-05:00Fiction Review: Last Summer on State Street<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm-QabseDQA1zrX_nmI4USBe9tbAL5j4_XEH_jOL3QH-AVy8nBNtcofgWPy1uEMT6rEjypLWh1eANW2lh2DJOMUY_7S8Pq75ym_JkVVuD_RoSLR9NtQ_EMcC177TLUIoMJMZPS-5J_HuVs93ljfQbkSqxl_AWdZVXcLuAPdj_5xQzDx7iJgkRVg/s400/Last-Summer-on-State-Street.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm-QabseDQA1zrX_nmI4USBe9tbAL5j4_XEH_jOL3QH-AVy8nBNtcofgWPy1uEMT6rEjypLWh1eANW2lh2DJOMUY_7S8Pq75ym_JkVVuD_RoSLR9NtQ_EMcC177TLUIoMJMZPS-5J_HuVs93ljfQbkSqxl_AWdZVXcLuAPdj_5xQzDx7iJgkRVg/w133-h200/Last-Summer-on-State-Street.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>I was looking through my long audio backlog for something to read for Black History Month when I found <b>Last Summer on State Street </b>by Toya Wolfe. I had, of course, chosen to download this 2022 release from the publisher's offerings, but I didn't remember hearing anything at all about it or hearing other readers mention it. It won the Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year award and was a finalist for the PEN Open Book Award. This beautifully written, poignant coming-of-age story deserves a lot more attention.<p></p><p>Twelve-year-old Felicia "Fe Fe" Stevens lives in a high-rise Chicago Housing project apartment building with her mother and older brother in 1999. She loves to play Double Dutch with her two best friends, Precious and Stacia. The three of them seem like an odd group of friends on the outside. Precious comes from a very religious family, and Stacia's mother is Queen-Pin of a local gang, Gangster Disciples, with all of her older siblings already involved in the violent, drug-dealing gang. Fe Fe's mom is trying desperately to protect her two children from all of that, though it's all around them. The family has a set routine whenever gunshots are heard--to get down low in the hallway of their little apartment, where there are no windows. In spite of the chaos around them, the three girls do their best to enjoy childhood, going to school, buying icy cool treats in summer, and playing jump rope in a lobby area of Fe Fe's floor (the playground is a known gang domain). Fe Fe has noticed a girl who recently moved to their building, Tonya, and one day invites her to join their games. They soon learn that Tonya's mom is a drug addict. The highlight of that summer is when Fe Fe's mom takes the four girls downtown to see the fireworks on the Fourth of July. Besides gang violence, the residents of their building have another fear. They know they will get kicked out soon, as the buildings in their project get emptied and demolished by the Chicago Housing Authority one at a time. The view of the empty building across the street is a constant reminder that their home is only temporary. Soon, the innocence of their childhood games and friendships is interrupted by gang violence, police violence, and the ever-present threat of losing their homes.</p><p>This debut author has been compared to Jacqueline Woodson, and I can definitely see the parallels to some of Woodson's coming-of-age novels set in Brooklyn. These young girls are wonderfully complex characters, each dealing with her own challenges. While the topics in this novel are certainly dark and disturbing, the girls' childhood innocence and joy (especially at the beginning) are a welcome contrast to their depressing surroundings. The author paints a nuanced picture of that place and time, though I realized that places exactly like this still exist and are often invisible, whole populations living amid terrible violence and the threat of losing their homes to gentrification. The audio production was outstanding and immersive, narrated by Shayna Small, making me feel as if Fe Fe herself was telling me her story. It is told from Fe Fe's perspective as an adult, so there is some hope throughout, as you know that she grows up and turns out fine. I was captivated by this moving, powerful coming-of-age story and still find myself thinking about Fe Fe and her friends, a week after finishing it.</p><p>224 pages, William Morrow Paperbacks</p><p>HarperAudio</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2024-reading-challenges.html">2024
Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - L</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge and February Mini Challenge: Black/African American</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes Challenge - Illinois <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="This book fits in the following 2024 Reading Challenges: Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun! Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible. Or get this audiobook from Libro.fm and support local bookstores (audio sample here, too). Print and e-book from Amazon. You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>. The sample will give you an idea of how Fe Fe's telling her story will pull you in and the setting.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9780063209770" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/49s2fDf" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br /> <br /> <br /></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-82576102942784781002024-02-08T17:47:00.001-05:002024-02-09T17:14:21.608-05:00Teen/YA Review: I Am Not Alone<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAFaHOXSQEJOXORvUuK-FmHZ_MxT0IsRLAl9MZztqi5SU7Bx4icEByt1GpGApwcpgWklV-I0OcB-QVSKG1_zkSSg4j9lPB5ZOO88ZmXfW4BfPAPn74N3CbXYzLRYS55BMYpOaQ6SiR1uYX8dF6uYUjUbtEhD-lU-qokgm51dLRp4sATddCULNLQ/s2550/I-Am-Not-Alone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1683" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAFaHOXSQEJOXORvUuK-FmHZ_MxT0IsRLAl9MZztqi5SU7Bx4icEByt1GpGApwcpgWklV-I0OcB-QVSKG1_zkSSg4j9lPB5ZOO88ZmXfW4BfPAPn74N3CbXYzLRYS55BMYpOaQ6SiR1uYX8dF6uYUjUbtEhD-lU-qokgm51dLRp4sATddCULNLQ/w132-h200/I-Am-Not-Alone.jpg" width="132" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">I'm a longtime fan of Francisco X. Stork, who wrote (my reviews at the links) <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/03/teenya-review-irises.html" target="_blank"><i>Irises</i></a>, <span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><i><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2011/12/teenya-review-marcelo-in-real-world.html" target="_blank">Marcello in the Real World</a></i>, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/08/teenya-review-memory-of-light.html" target="_blank"><i>The Memory of Light</i></a>, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2018/08/teenya-review-disappeared.html" target="_blank"><i>Disappeared</i></a>, and its sequel, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/11/teenya-review-illegal.html" target="_blank"><i>Illegal</i></a>. Like <i>The Memory of Light</i>, his latest novel, <b>I Am Not Alone,</b> provides a realistic, enlightening picture of what it feels like to struggle with mental illness. I was engrossed by this excellent audio book.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Alberto is an undocumented older teen, living with his sister, Lupe, and her baby in Brooklyn. They live with Lupe's abusive boyfriend, Wayne. Alberto wants her to leave Wayne, but they rely on him and live in his apartment. Alberto works hard for Wayne, doing maintenance and repair work on the apartments he manages, and sends most of the money he earns back home to Mexico, to help support their family, including a sick sister. His real talent--and love--is for pottery. Lately, though, Alberto has begun to hear a man's voice talking to him, and it's saying disturbing things. It's not like thoughts in his head, but like a voice outside of him that no one else can hear. Even more strange is that it talks to him in English, while he still thinks mostly in Spanish. One day, Wayne sends Alberto to do a job in a nice apartment in another building, and he meets Grace. She is about his age but seems to have a perfect life. She's an excellent student, on track to be valedictorian</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> and attend Princeton pre-med, and she has a wealthy, perfect-seeming boyfriend. Beneath the surface, though, Grace has been struggling ever since her parents' divorce. She's no longer sure about anything in her life or even if she's on the right path. Alberto and Grace meet that day and become friends, each confiding their fears to the other, as Alberto's voice gets more urgent, trying to force him to do terrible things, and harder to ignore.</span></p><p>As with all of Stork's novels, this one fully immerses the reader/listener in the characters' lives, here showing what it feels like to deal with the disturbing voices Alberto hears (which an author's note explains might be schizophrenia or any of several other mental illnesses). The topic is handled here with compassion, as are Grace's problems. Alberto's undocumented status is simply a fact here, that complicates his getting the help he needs, rather than a main subject. The two new friends find comfort and support in each other during difficult times for both of them. There is also plenty of suspense here, as Alberto starts to have memory black-outs and ends up running from the police who suspect him of a horrific crime. All of that tension, though, comes to a satisfying conclusion for both main characters. The audio production was excellent, with two narrators reading Alberto's and Grace's chapters. I was fully engaged in this moving, suspenseful story, and I learned a lot about mental illness.</p><p>(Another outstanding YA novel about this kind of mental illness is <b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2015/11/teenya-review-challenger-deep.html" target="_blank">Challenger Deep</a></b> by Neal Schusterman (my review at the link), based in part on the author's son's own experiences with schizoaffective disorder and accompanied by drawings from his son that show his declining mental health.)</p><p>320 pages, Scholastic</p><p>Scholastic Audio</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2024-reading-challenges.html">2024
Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - I</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes Challenge - New York<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/42AtPfw" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/ordownload it from Audible</a>. The sample is from the start of the novel and gives a great introduction to Alberto's life.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9781339028705" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (same audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/42yyzlO" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <br /> <br /></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-51650485889765250362024-02-05T17:49:00.003-05:002024-02-05T17:49:42.462-05:00Movie Monday: Stillwater<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8b5UBO4iBuXvlOCj5DX-DmBU2RTq5FI5NUAwMK8tG1AyllqyeGt6yOfxQFOT7eAcB3-U2CLHGOtfkfWKHZVlvdYWwOFV9_7l-9YVUMucoAEjdOtNYBmo9Mo4j0ypnWo1EEcNKoZNlB1Bwq2Pb3NcJ8ZOfMRj_tKtnPv8HS3DL2Cy5bKXhKsjwg/s384/Stillwater_2021_film.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8b5UBO4iBuXvlOCj5DX-DmBU2RTq5FI5NUAwMK8tG1AyllqyeGt6yOfxQFOT7eAcB3-U2CLHGOtfkfWKHZVlvdYWwOFV9_7l-9YVUMucoAEjdOtNYBmo9Mo4j0ypnWo1EEcNKoZNlB1Bwq2Pb3NcJ8ZOfMRj_tKtnPv8HS3DL2Cy5bKXhKsjwg/w135-h200/Stillwater_2021_film.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>A few weeks ago, my husband and I were looking for a movie to watch and stumbled on <b>Stillwater</b>, starring Matt Damon. It was excellent, combining family drama, a mystery, and legal drama, about a father trying desperately to save his only daughter.<p></p><p>Bill, played by Matt Damon, is a widowed oil-rig worker living in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Between jobs and estranged from his only daughter, Bill flies to Marseilles, France, to visit her--in prison. Allison, played by Abigail Breslin, was attending college in Marseilles when her girlfriend was brutally murdered. Allison was convicted of the murder and sentenced to nine years in prison. She won't talk to Bill much at first, but he perseveres and stays there, near her. When Allison finally opens up to her father, she insists that she's innocent. Bill tries his best to plead with the lawyer to reopen her case but is unsuccessful. Allison remembers a guy named Akim hanging out with them that night, and Bill sets off on his own quest to find this mystery man, searching social media and the rough sections of Marseilles where he thinks Akim lives. Meanwhile, he has met a kind French woman named Virginie, played by Camille Cottin, and they become friends. She invites him to live in the spare room in her apartment and becomes invested in him and his daughter and his fight for her freedom. Virginie's little daughter, Maya, really likes Bill, even though she speaks no English and he no French. They teach each other, become close, and Bill becomes a part of the family, helping to care for Maya. But Bill's priority remains proving that Allison is innocent and rebuilding his relationship with her.</p><p>This movie really defied my expectations. It's a moving, powerful drama about a father's love, with the suspense and action of a mystery/thriller. In between, there are moments of humor and joy--especially in Bill's growing relationship with Virginie and Maya--and sorrow, too. Both Damon and Breslin give excellent performances, and the rest of the cast is great, too. While we see some of the darker parts of this beautiful city, the movie is an integral part of its surroundings, making use of the setting to emphasize Bill's fish-out-of-water status in France and his grim determination to stay for as long as it takes. Its characterization of Stillwater is a bit less authentic. It's depicted as a down-and-out rural area that's practically a ghost town. My husband went to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater; it's actually a thriving college town with over 20,000 students. But it made a good name for the movie! We both enjoyed this one very much.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/4bCCP86" target="_blank">Available on Amazon Prime</a> and for a fee on Apple TV and other platforms.</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9cq1lPPeMUY?si=go__kLpXCm7CCWdM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-77006691139288692262024-02-05T14:41:00.003-05:002024-02-05T14:41:42.395-05:00It's Monday 2/5! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life</span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Whew, last week was another stuffed-full busy one! I actually felt a little bit run-down--not a bad relapse like last year but just a bit worn out--so I tried to take it easy. But, I had a haircut (way overdue) and a dermatology check-up (all clear), and continued to help my friend with her move. That involved lots of phone calls, e-mails, and coordination from the recliner, though I did get over to the house this weekend to help with more sorting and trashing! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcLr_jg0nc-TwhiT2j00r94ufKSQ48fmkOnNk7c_tzF0EqxfMGuBX6WNXszVes7VW81Kk7xFRmyNtEaB8y80AfIHeWb2lIGKU9q20zlDEdTHB_mKknWf55Gcblo7BMXtspUQn8ARqvGZCQEkwx1cK3qbA5e21rFLWaTvs18codQ7F-g3F1KBnUA/s4032/CDA66415-1FE9-44A3-9B3F-0EA53979E1D3.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcLr_jg0nc-TwhiT2j00r94ufKSQ48fmkOnNk7c_tzF0EqxfMGuBX6WNXszVes7VW81Kk7xFRmyNtEaB8y80AfIHeWb2lIGKU9q20zlDEdTHB_mKknWf55Gcblo7BMXtspUQn8ARqvGZCQEkwx1cK3qbA5e21rFLWaTvs18codQ7F-g3F1KBnUA/w150-h200/CDA66415-1FE9-44A3-9B3F-0EA53979E1D3.heic" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes the doctor's waiting room a joy!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I managed a couple of very short walks on my way to my two appointments, while we were still encased in dark, gray, gloomy days, but it was nice just to be surrounded by trees and birdsong. When the sun finally came out this weekend, my friend and I took a break from moving work to walk at our local nature center--first time in a very long time!--and enjoyed those brilliant blue skies and sunshine. And we spotted the first skunk cabbage sprouts--a sure sign that spring is coming!<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGoze3-u1GeiKgX4dUQOi8a9W7CWv99fzQ6Zh65dKS0Bbdi-yx2xy0iUFxMH0njdWieDxyOZ_QbtOrnELuM9J5AsceDGkiJ2kQqLg1mFMHwttyOIcLD6e8y3VjIe_DtjUdrvhH0IlQUJQtRMTvpE7cHZHV348Yz8GStUQjQDvAfeEjDL6fptVYg/s4032/3221D33B-F3BB-4C01-8DD6-A2224F5E3D8C.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGoze3-u1GeiKgX4dUQOi8a9W7CWv99fzQ6Zh65dKS0Bbdi-yx2xy0iUFxMH0njdWieDxyOZ_QbtOrnELuM9J5AsceDGkiJ2kQqLg1mFMHwttyOIcLD6e8y3VjIe_DtjUdrvhH0IlQUJQtRMTvpE7cHZHV348Yz8GStUQjQDvAfeEjDL6fptVYg/s320/3221D33B-F3BB-4C01-8DD6-A2224F5E3D8C.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i> A long string of dark, gloomy days but a walk in the woods is always nice!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCAfp3XGAiw40BOgKqnr-FtzNpEsrj0TvePBtlky6efurwDQXi0mF5MJ7Rekne9Spwgn-r6z-jRZZn3DSfKo4XSS33ZId_W6xroUnK-f-TGNZMn1Az35jKlCxtKxsvQ6LUxyUZJh8AvoSQuEuv4XsBuoMj9ASYa8SXuhoDO56E6jVC6Kpyjbmhg/s3088/84833DC0-BEC0-4E2B-A193-FE64BF0D4C6D.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCAfp3XGAiw40BOgKqnr-FtzNpEsrj0TvePBtlky6efurwDQXi0mF5MJ7Rekne9Spwgn-r6z-jRZZn3DSfKo4XSS33ZId_W6xroUnK-f-TGNZMn1Az35jKlCxtKxsvQ6LUxyUZJh8AvoSQuEuv4XsBuoMj9ASYa8SXuhoDO56E6jVC6Kpyjbmhg/s320/84833DC0-BEC0-4E2B-A193-FE64BF0D4C6D.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy to be in the sunshine!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YtvgZ0dZsly_lfdN91FHKRnlcsabBQ6CTjgdMFWclIUbY33uIgKLRQ0DtQm54LUhAu452xQ17SYwM6xtzV-DUDxkvaQVqMx1QTa-HXVCw8bccN3EfevuFv2_b2FKcAzr9kycU9cOQMTLrUeFQe0G3Ei11kbZjpHlbd3GkUN1eapY50TkngJr1Q/s4032/A7F16466-D663-40FA-A477-20F117F469EC.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YtvgZ0dZsly_lfdN91FHKRnlcsabBQ6CTjgdMFWclIUbY33uIgKLRQ0DtQm54LUhAu452xQ17SYwM6xtzV-DUDxkvaQVqMx1QTa-HXVCw8bccN3EfevuFv2_b2FKcAzr9kycU9cOQMTLrUeFQe0G3Ei11kbZjpHlbd3GkUN1eapY50TkngJr1Q/s320/A7F16466-D663-40FA-A477-20F117F469EC.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My favorite view at the nature center!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTB6yOm4utxHpoG2CCUfWHreJaO5Tpbb7pPY1iPYvbha79L14gGgQs2d6F0zPmnFfZBoAbzsHU0hQxOvJpBSUFvUEHM-s6s2_JK037tKOnlpUwDobfUgqBiMZBuo2kEEuTo3ExJik8JOGJF-oUZZs6qXnWWMc2X_NmbQVG2Q0B7iX2Up3sI4FMw/s4032/B2FEF2F0-3E10-476E-AB7F-F4EB698E942A.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTB6yOm4utxHpoG2CCUfWHreJaO5Tpbb7pPY1iPYvbha79L14gGgQs2d6F0zPmnFfZBoAbzsHU0hQxOvJpBSUFvUEHM-s6s2_JK037tKOnlpUwDobfUgqBiMZBuo2kEEuTo3ExJik8JOGJF-oUZZs6qXnWWMc2X_NmbQVG2Q0B7iX2Up3sI4FMw/s320/B2FEF2F0-3E10-476E-AB7F-F4EB698E942A.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>First sign of spring!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm trying to catch up on reviews, though I only managed to get one posted (the other is 75% finished and will go up soon):</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/02/fiction-review-remarkably-bright.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Remarkably Bright Creatures</b></a> by Shelby Van Pelt - a warm, compassionate, funny story about loss, family, and connections that received my book group's second-highest rating! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWL_EqZjuU" target="_blank">Friday Reads 2-2-24</a></b> - my quick weekly update of what I am currently reading - this time, two novels for Black History Month<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5G_q7FZSYMIlNv-ZCM2mvhAxAiEYxmGwLQxQhL5tYgDR-4suLM87nYyyHIuor74ujRZCRoHuO-qB2jhN_dG9ARGGmOyzodvlMposIbA1Ivw_c1Mi9iFwpIdPZwRjbhDJ3JTnW0mI71wA0lXYm2Rl-M0-orDvyNupPzBXI-E30UbSinTETCZQEA/s400/as%20they%20were.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="256" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5G_q7FZSYMIlNv-ZCM2mvhAxAiEYxmGwLQxQhL5tYgDR-4suLM87nYyyHIuor74ujRZCRoHuO-qB2jhN_dG9ARGGmOyzodvlMposIbA1Ivw_c1Mi9iFwpIdPZwRjbhDJ3JTnW0mI71wA0lXYm2Rl-M0-orDvyNupPzBXI-E30UbSinTETCZQEA/w128-h200/as%20they%20were.jpg" width="128" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">I finished reading <b>As They Were: Autobiographical Essays</b>
by M.F.K. Fisher, a classic memoir I didn't get to for Nonfiction
November. I enjoyed this varied collection of essays. She's renowned
for her food writing, and some of these essays do focus on food. But
others are about travel and different places she's lived and visited. I
loved the first essay, about her childhood in California. I talked more about his book in my January Reading Wrap-Up video, which will post to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SueJacksonDE" target="_blank">my channel</a> tomorrow. This book fits
perfectly for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlT6nDe-jQ" target="_blank">Mardi Gras Readathon</a> on Booktube, hosted by Kat's Novel Adventures; it covers two of the bingo spaces: France and food.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3H-L4FPT_DnpDFy1FMrKC-kebqfkBsNFZvZZynKgT9vRwhwsoBxIptRTPF5YyBbS75b1vR64gFYDKKN6GXZvGvBHduHiAXNxxn9H6nRC0BN4_9NAb-CcUbtiLS1I5TGh2BVSHe5GroJaBMuH1evL_6rLDCnGUZbjOfHyt__C9r3J9BM7LU2D3dg/s400/Look-on-the-Bright-Side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="282" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3H-L4FPT_DnpDFy1FMrKC-kebqfkBsNFZvZZynKgT9vRwhwsoBxIptRTPF5YyBbS75b1vR64gFYDKKN6GXZvGvBHduHiAXNxxn9H6nRC0BN4_9NAb-CcUbtiLS1I5TGh2BVSHe5GroJaBMuH1evL_6rLDCnGUZbjOfHyt__C9r3J9BM7LU2D3dg/w141-h200/Look-on-the-Bright-Side.jpg" width="141" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">I also finished </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b>Look on the Bright Side</b> by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann, a YA graphic novel and sequel to <i><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2020/05/2-graphic-novels-and-graphic-memoir.html" target="_blank">Go with the Flow</a></i>.
Here, the four best friends are starting their junior year of high
school. Brit is recovering from endometriosis surgery (a topic from the
first novel), Sasha is juggling (poorly) her first boyfriend and her schoolwork, and Christine has romantic feelings toward Abby but is
worried about ruining their friendship. This sequel deals with
friendship, first loves, and all the complicated feelings that go along
with that. It was excellent!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeIjY2B86P-kpTzqhEpHZUfo4umhHqcLGdlia2riQkZMqC5_olHvJcXgkTY-oUfUfi1hftwFFNmwuLM8fLifINp3IZY0iKHvlm8K47tWx4kVLgGEDGScvz6NiUFDRP4gmLLEbzBEV5PBb_zaBG_U7dB2RoF3bAZ2_XniNq7cg_3ZhxbB7Uf5GBg/s700/Homegoing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="454" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeIjY2B86P-kpTzqhEpHZUfo4umhHqcLGdlia2riQkZMqC5_olHvJcXgkTY-oUfUfi1hftwFFNmwuLM8fLifINp3IZY0iKHvlm8K47tWx4kVLgGEDGScvz6NiUFDRP4gmLLEbzBEV5PBb_zaBG_U7dB2RoF3bAZ2_XniNq7cg_3ZhxbB7Uf5GBg/w130-h200/Homegoing.jpg" width="130" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>And then, I kicked off Black History Month right, starting <b>Homegoing</b> by Yaa Gyasi, the highly acclaimed novel that everyone else has read except me! I'm about a third of the way through, and wow, this is such a remarkable, powerful novel! It begins in Ghana in the 1700's, with two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, who have never met and live in different villages, part of two separate (warring) empires, Fante and Asante. Effia marries a white British officer and moves to Cape Coast Castle (a real place), while Esi is captured and sold into slavery. From there, this incredible story follows Effia's and Esi's bloodlines through eight generations, from Africa to a Mississippi plantation through the Civil War and Harlem's Jazz Age. It's completely engrossing, and I am learning a <i>lot</i> about history that I'd never heard before.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mZ6i6HnU_8ftnxwv8gda7iaDcMRbcuatyYnMVmTFa-wsMCFDXJN76NtKAOhUmSTyWZQ9KSWoQS7rHBhw0vGBwq40tdHbTGocn7G-KWvUQ_nw-M-oxS71LR22gqtR8IxssPkek0z0Gf44FpwaHvlbVyOpjQ5uudSHK_IHUnVe9H1N5xb4WGo0OQ/s400/Last-Summer-on-State-Street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mZ6i6HnU_8ftnxwv8gda7iaDcMRbcuatyYnMVmTFa-wsMCFDXJN76NtKAOhUmSTyWZQ9KSWoQS7rHBhw0vGBwq40tdHbTGocn7G-KWvUQ_nw-M-oxS71LR22gqtR8IxssPkek0z0Gf44FpwaHvlbVyOpjQ5uudSHK_IHUnVe9H1N5xb4WGo0OQ/w133-h200/Last-Summer-on-State-Street.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I finished listening to my first audio for Black History Month,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <b>Last Summer on State Street</b>
by Toya Wolfe. It's set during the summer of 1999 (recent history) on
the South Side of Chicago and focuses on four young girls, living in the
Robert Taylor Homes housing project that summer. One by one the apartment
buildings around them (part of the same project) are getting demolished
and the residents forced out, while the girls try to hang onto the innocence of childhood and avoid the gang violence (and police violence) that surrounds them.. The audio was excellent, really providing an
immersive feeling of that time and place, as the girls jump rope, watch families around them lose their homes, and grow up. Other than choosing this audio to review two years </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>ago, I'd never heard anything about it, but it deserves more attention. It was outstanding.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fMg5SOQCuEdBtSDhI7TCIr-zhxFFxl_SgTL4P_ddQ_FLjZSquQMlX4-9JEVLOqeZbVoEYf3a0g4cB4NKHJ9KXkMdt_TbFvxF9ZjwMwsQvKmbjNlOUCv90Z_QWJT3Ghyphenhyphen8drkwHGrseNM6zPVx8a3GuilYpIzwy5y2DRTwB5GSIUmjDXOSDJPqtw/s346/The-Secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="229" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fMg5SOQCuEdBtSDhI7TCIr-zhxFFxl_SgTL4P_ddQ_FLjZSquQMlX4-9JEVLOqeZbVoEYf3a0g4cB4NKHJ9KXkMdt_TbFvxF9ZjwMwsQvKmbjNlOUCv90Z_QWJT3Ghyphenhyphen8drkwHGrseNM6zPVx8a3GuilYpIzwy5y2DRTwB5GSIUmjDXOSDJPqtw/w133-h200/The-Secret.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>My husband, Ken, just last night finished </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b>The Secret</b>
by Lee Child and Andrew Child, book 28 of the Jack Reacher series, my
husband's all-time favorite! He sped through this fast-paced, action-packed novel in record time. We just finished watching season two of the
<i>Reacher</i> TV series, too.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUMlX7rpYSFzqroptveKHcEk0bffg2OoTRKsbRIrbU3G3bzUZVdpnEOHdsajF4UjHxdscu_SCrzES_woJPBlxP6RHv_-8rY8ybPR_xkc9D5AA4SmzLGh8c4yFEx_FelTlgVs5lDdYeJ1ueZjfCRI4vSY0UYrvjOtuLP3njwhD50eBUqNA_3PCAQ/s2048/Blade-Breaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUMlX7rpYSFzqroptveKHcEk0bffg2OoTRKsbRIrbU3G3bzUZVdpnEOHdsajF4UjHxdscu_SCrzES_woJPBlxP6RHv_-8rY8ybPR_xkc9D5AA4SmzLGh8c4yFEx_FelTlgVs5lDdYeJ1ueZjfCRI4vSY0UYrvjOtuLP3njwhD50eBUqNA_3PCAQ/w133-h200/Blade-Breaker.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, is almost finished reading book 2, <b>Blade Breaker </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>by Victoria Aveyard, book 2 in her <i>Realm Breaker</i> series,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, that we gave him for Christmas.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>__________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" 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You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
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pag</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook/">e</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-60060616390118647312024-02-01T17:39:00.003-05:002024-02-01T17:39:28.143-05:00Fiction Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2oqIfoC8ADEUpOELniKo0iwpD9x83bY_aOOXCWI3X5aYWQXgXgmtXhDdyouHIKacou0p1EdpEIYN5iJSi14lyhaAmOKU5J8cv6k1gswgzr2xuVHCwUfIJsktMbNDE7oDTP9_nbbnF6tIm0SMDJ30VjI709JDnwcw_m2kaOectMdAxQK3fIvi6g/s1366/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2oqIfoC8ADEUpOELniKo0iwpD9x83bY_aOOXCWI3X5aYWQXgXgmtXhDdyouHIKacou0p1EdpEIYN5iJSi14lyhaAmOKU5J8cv6k1gswgzr2xuVHCwUfIJsktMbNDE7oDTP9_nbbnF6tIm0SMDJ30VjI709JDnwcw_m2kaOectMdAxQK3fIvi6g/w132-h200/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>My neighborhood book group recently celebrated our 200th book with a nice lunch out, and we chose an excellent book for this milestone: <b>Remarkably Bright Creatures</b> by Shelby Van Pelt. Everyone enjoyed it, and it received our second-highest rating (since we started using ratings about 13 years ago). This heartwarming story about an unusual friendship between a woman and a giant Pacific octopus (just go with it--it works) focuses on connections, loss, and family.<p></p><p>Tova works nights cleaning the local aquarium in Sowell Bay, the small coastal town in Washington where she's lived all her life. She's suffered terrible losses--her eighteen-year-old son drowned years ago, her beloved husband, and most recently, her estranged brother--and leads a very isolated life. But she's developed an odd sort of friendship with Marcellus, the giant Pacific octopus who lives in the aquarium and occasionally breaks up the monotony of his dull life with excursions outside of his tank--he particularly enjoys snacking on the sea cucumbers at night. Tova has caught him before (and helped him out of a difficult situation once), but she keeps his secret. In California, a young man named Cam is turning thirty but feels like his life is a mess. He can't keep a job, and he still lives with his aunt in her trailer, ever since she began taking care of him at age nine when his mother left. With his best friends married and having a baby, Cam feels even more acutely stuck. He heads north to Washington state, looking for clues as to the identity of his father, suspecting he may be a wealthy real estate agent. As Cam continues his quest to solve his personal mystery, Tova considers
selling the home her grandfather built to move to a retirement home,
and Marcellus--who is very smart--realizes he is reaching the end of his
natural life, stuck in this tank. </p><p>These three characters all feel at loose ends as the novel opens, as if life doesn't hold much appeal and their futures are grim. The novel is filled with all kinds of unexpected plot twists, wonderful secondary characters, and a great sense of humor. The subject of loss, in all of its forms, is deeply examined here from all three perspectives, while the focus of the story is on healing and connections. Besides these main characters, others from the town play key roles and are well-drawn: Mac, who runs the local grocery store, Tova's group of old friends, "the knitwits," and more. Narration moves back and forth between the three main characters. The audio production was outstanding, often causing me to laugh out loud, and I especially enjoyed Marcellus' chapters. My book group gave it an average rating of 8.7 out of 10, so clearly, we all enjoyed it, and it provided some great discussions. </p><p>Ecco, 368 pages</p><p>HarperAudio</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2024-reading-challenges.html">2024
Reading Challenges</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - R</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes - Washington </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"> <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Or49fD" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>. The sample is from the beginning of the novel, and just these few minutes gives you an idea of Tova's voice and her life.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9780063204188" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm </a>and support local
bookstores (audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/42qgtCn" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <br /> <br /></p>
<script
src="https://bookshop.org/widgets.js"
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-55509510788889689602024-01-29T14:17:00.003-05:002024-01-29T14:17:36.783-05:00It's Monday 1/29! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">Wow, last week was <i>so</i> busy! This is good--it's proof I am feeling much better--though I definitely pushed past my limits and needed to rest yesterday. I continued to help my friend with her move, meeting with a junk hauler to get an estimate, arranging a charity pickup service for donations, and helping to sort through stuff on Saturday. I'm grateful to feel well enough to help! In between, I hosted a Zoom meeting for our local chronic illness support group, went to a doctor's appointment, and finished up an online course I was taking for Amazon Ads (for my book)--lots of work but helpful. And we enjoyed Sunday dinner with our son last night, which was very nice.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Our weather was crazy, going from snow-covered landscapes and temperatures in the 20's to heavy rain to 50-degree days with no snow. The two photos before are from the same vantage point, 24 hours apart! And I saw this magnificent hawk fly right in front of me and alight on these branches in our neighborhood.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5KD7dsf7REC81Cq7EN9S2k4Bu_BzI447qME02fdyPIUhxvr27Tk_aWq9xJko6_7Z_lPKwDotF8RZ2UL6mDOaQ7vO1WAoC0fNqhgndMuiizkpavqxr70hbEgXlb2UBpvgXIMdwl8L7A8NqwJAikjeisbc_n7rMWf4c-STdrs1mP1WYdd3MTjwag/s2397/5FFDE216-61D3-4542-AB0A-0526E7C2980E_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2397" data-original-width="1832" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5KD7dsf7REC81Cq7EN9S2k4Bu_BzI447qME02fdyPIUhxvr27Tk_aWq9xJko6_7Z_lPKwDotF8RZ2UL6mDOaQ7vO1WAoC0fNqhgndMuiizkpavqxr70hbEgXlb2UBpvgXIMdwl8L7A8NqwJAikjeisbc_n7rMWf4c-STdrs1mP1WYdd3MTjwag/s320/5FFDE216-61D3-4542-AB0A-0526E7C2980E_1_201_a.heic" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beautiful hawk<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSobUncBEmbqesG1Ou4tYakZiNbtw7dH6yDB_WnJjGGctUVhLCmjBsVNhgjmaTONZFIIu4MKTQmB4BhPWSZmMth0T3vrjmRT3cNRtaP17BYf_yfVOYUznSRGAiky2WXc4ZsU307Zi2Ef5neU3VRfOt-S6w3nydJiucmzBh5EDmMfBz-XD_k6pU4g/s4032/74542F41-501A-4357-829E-61064DF46FAB.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSobUncBEmbqesG1Ou4tYakZiNbtw7dH6yDB_WnJjGGctUVhLCmjBsVNhgjmaTONZFIIu4MKTQmB4BhPWSZmMth0T3vrjmRT3cNRtaP17BYf_yfVOYUznSRGAiky2WXc4ZsU307Zi2Ef5neU3VRfOt-S6w3nydJiucmzBh5EDmMfBz-XD_k6pU4g/s320/74542F41-501A-4357-829E-61064DF46FAB.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wednesday</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfBaBMx6PpXShEk6UeUEpFUiWfbxyls4OMrNi2IZG9wCMrL7a6kLJkAI6Kqpxj8hlK155tZRzj707553cWg7JIVk3G-BkmqAvKBASPGF5K2fj2-zow32f9BDgtaX3TQLwmjs_FOC3BgswdoZSGhN7QTImsSQlDJgXyWAoBh9qomCkI2c0ZnXUiw/s4032/B3771AFF-19B2-4A9C-9B63-632BCD78D367.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfBaBMx6PpXShEk6UeUEpFUiWfbxyls4OMrNi2IZG9wCMrL7a6kLJkAI6Kqpxj8hlK155tZRzj707553cWg7JIVk3G-BkmqAvKBASPGF5K2fj2-zow32f9BDgtaX3TQLwmjs_FOC3BgswdoZSGhN7QTImsSQlDJgXyWAoBh9qomCkI2c0ZnXUiw/s320/B3771AFF-19B2-4A9C-9B63-632BCD78D367.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thursday - 24 hours later!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Nothing new except the Monday post last week--too busy!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkxVxtS0kLQ" target="_blank"><b>Recommendations for Mardi Gras: Books, Movies, TV Shows</b></a> - I'm participating in the Mardi Gras Readathon, a Booktube event, this month and next, but even if you aren't, here are some great recommendations to enjoy the season!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCGyp4xQfas" target="_blank">Friday Reads 1-26-24</a></b> - my quick weekly video update about what I am currently reading: a nonfiction classic, a YA novel on audio, and a YA graphic novel.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxjMmKZn8NDuE5PaOAxZ6lm16Lz69jeqr0mS_Z9Cwp-uuKtMh67t6zKTfgFweVlKDqU5HaoO9Hb5OX1NcyMTB3TOgAhwbo3p5BZTHXZK50nASavnKPGPZo2PD8eel9B_IREzqJ9eS3aP1wDr0QETahrKoN99fZdE1qISiY9EIxF51IWGOkafxyw/s400/as%20they%20were.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="256" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxjMmKZn8NDuE5PaOAxZ6lm16Lz69jeqr0mS_Z9Cwp-uuKtMh67t6zKTfgFweVlKDqU5HaoO9Hb5OX1NcyMTB3TOgAhwbo3p5BZTHXZK50nASavnKPGPZo2PD8eel9B_IREzqJ9eS3aP1wDr0QETahrKoN99fZdE1qISiY9EIxF51IWGOkafxyw/w128-h200/as%20they%20were.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">I've almost finished reading </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b>As They Were: Autobiographical Essays</b>
by M.F.K. Fisher, a classic memoir I didn't get to for Nonfiction
November. I'm really enjoying this collection of essays. She's renowned
for her food writing, and some of these essays do focus on food. But
others are about travel and different places she's lived and visited. I
loved the first essay, about her childhood in California. This book fits
perfectly for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlT6nDe-jQ" target="_blank">Mardi Gras Readathon</a> on Booktube, hosted by Kat's Novel Adventures; it covers two of the bingo spaces: France and food.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnvsY2NEqIE9m6PqVVug-9k3B9zdBvcoABiXRuGH8boc8wmN6vdwOEXwPIkEyWFBsSFlJkj9x7cjZ3Ski0rRxX48NNVmnxv4x-ODiEzIdI4JZzul3zZcnUoPjS7eK-alR-oPFMy28D8vwzoPe01-0DjiuiAhXgnbvPdV-s4TykoIh1NAm3IBipQ/s400/Look-on-the-Bright-Side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="282" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnvsY2NEqIE9m6PqVVug-9k3B9zdBvcoABiXRuGH8boc8wmN6vdwOEXwPIkEyWFBsSFlJkj9x7cjZ3Ski0rRxX48NNVmnxv4x-ODiEzIdI4JZzul3zZcnUoPjS7eK-alR-oPFMy28D8vwzoPe01-0DjiuiAhXgnbvPdV-s4TykoIh1NAm3IBipQ/w141-h200/Look-on-the-Bright-Side.jpg" width="141" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>In between essays, I started reading <b>Look on the Bright Side</b> by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann, a YA graphic novel and sequel to <i><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2020/05/2-graphic-novels-and-graphic-memoir.html" target="_blank">Go with the Flow</a></i>. Here, the four best friends are starting their sophomore year of high school. Brit is recovering from endometriosis surgery (a topic from the first novel), and Christine has romantic feelings toward Abby but is worried about ruining their friendship. This sequel deals with friendship, first loves, and all the complicated feelings that go along with that. It's great so far!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb25wgG5zY5fpSLckWfWS87e-BGfYtbCTHJ2OOBtkiEhqAyH_Bi8I2mZQxK1vYBwU7iaapFv-rMGfkuhHkSCw_ssnsgHVm6rzQ6KU9yYzihwziHMJKZH1mxMtQcHg3aqcyKwuzOahk0YDfMzf9hKq3avqrTBFEYSYk9H28Kjg2dhHX-73AXXZSQ/s2550/I-Am-Not-Alone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1683" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb25wgG5zY5fpSLckWfWS87e-BGfYtbCTHJ2OOBtkiEhqAyH_Bi8I2mZQxK1vYBwU7iaapFv-rMGfkuhHkSCw_ssnsgHVm6rzQ6KU9yYzihwziHMJKZH1mxMtQcHg3aqcyKwuzOahk0YDfMzf9hKq3avqrTBFEYSYk9H28Kjg2dhHX-73AXXZSQ/w132-h200/I-Am-Not-Alone.jpg" width="132" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I finished listening to </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>listening</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to <b>I Am Not Alone</b> by Francisco X. Stork, a YA novel. I'm a longtime fan of the author, who wrote (my reviews at the links) <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/03/teenya-review-irises.html" target="_blank"><i>Irises</i></a>, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><i><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2011/12/teenya-review-marcelo-in-real-world.html" target="_blank">Marcello in the Real World</a></i>, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/08/teenya-review-memory-of-light.html" target="_blank"><i>The Memory of Light</i></a>, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2018/08/teenya-review-disappeared.html" target="_blank"><i>Disappeared</i></a>, and its sequel, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/11/teenya-review-illegal.html" target="_blank"><i>Illegal</i></a>. Like <i>The Memory of Light</i>,
this new novel deals with mental illness in teens. Here, Alberto is an
undocumented Mexican teen living in New York with his older sister, her
baby, and her abusive boyfriend, Wayne. Alberto is smart but has always
had trouble with school, so he learns by reading books and has done well
taking English lessons at the community college. He earns money to send home by working
for Wayne, who's a landlord for expensive apartment buildings. While
working in one apartment, Alberto meets Grace, a girl who seems to have
it all--wealth, education, a boyfriend. Grace is on track to go to Princeton for pre-med, but nothing feels right to her since her parents' divorce. As
Alberto deals with the increasingly urgent voice in his head, he and
Grace become friends. As with all Stork novels, this was fabulous, with plenty of emotional complexity and heart. It provides a good understanding of what it's like to live with mental illness.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgovWiWwyYMbmVyIz-OXU5pYGE7ADdWC0jNKsNNN9Ou573E5aHsuA7Fl9McZaJMaI5jlf3HwR8Gr2nLRPO_IRyGyMQpt1yR1umQlUVfkWl8p0bgmjuaI8j1mFDZ4LPnZ2Wx9PNC7j8v7EhDu2zwegYoKqfi4tZugo-QdxcT_3uQt_xVOG8eHrOlA/s400/Last-Summer-on-State-Street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgovWiWwyYMbmVyIz-OXU5pYGE7ADdWC0jNKsNNN9Ou573E5aHsuA7Fl9McZaJMaI5jlf3HwR8Gr2nLRPO_IRyGyMQpt1yR1umQlUVfkWl8p0bgmjuaI8j1mFDZ4LPnZ2Wx9PNC7j8v7EhDu2zwegYoKqfi4tZugo-QdxcT_3uQt_xVOG8eHrOlA/w133-h200/Last-Summer-on-State-Street.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>And now, I'm getting a head start on Black History month, listening to <b>Last Summer on State Street</b> by Toya Wolfe. It's set during the summer of 1999 (recent history) on the South Side of Chicago. It focuses on four young girls, living in the Robert Taylor Homes projects that summer, as one by one the apartment buildings around them (part of the same project) are getting demolished and the residents forced out. It's good so far, really providing an immersive feeling of that time and place, as the girls jump rope, try to avoid gang violence, and watch families around them lose their homes.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7sCw86WiNTB2xE83b81_E36Rt_P8OS3RO2vST6M-JsM_NQ6VFRDqpkI0tRt7OBOTy8Ugkfqs8me6cc4GaVCarY0w_TuXOeQM0FEsoaId1-Xr3bDtt2SPw139hkIzKSnwlox3W1VpFho_wVzw2WZQ2soqxcp9vVHXXaNN7CR2xasKNkgfHGkFfg/s346/The-Secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="229" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7sCw86WiNTB2xE83b81_E36Rt_P8OS3RO2vST6M-JsM_NQ6VFRDqpkI0tRt7OBOTy8Ugkfqs8me6cc4GaVCarY0w_TuXOeQM0FEsoaId1-Xr3bDtt2SPw139hkIzKSnwlox3W1VpFho_wVzw2WZQ2soqxcp9vVHXXaNN7CR2xasKNkgfHGkFfg/w133-h200/The-Secret.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>My husband, Ken, finished <b>IQ</b> by Joe Ide, one of his
Christmas gifts from me. It's the first book in a 6-book (so far)
mystery/thriller series, about a man in East Long Beach, an LA
neighborhood, who's known as IQ. With so much crime in the area, he
takes on the cases the LAPD doesn't have time for. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Ken enjoyed it and wants to read more of the series. Now, he's just started reading <b>The Secret</b> by Lee Child and Andrew Child, book 28 of the Jack Reacher series, my husband's all-time favorite! We just finished watching season two of the <i>Reacher</i> TV series, too.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIP7U0s2w4k69fSlu-P4NFIs2OLlLIDe4azTC7tBrcX9m4Pj9xZvyaOIyyrG5PGE6WRf839Mvpefn30StVKS_hbvOqA8No9QO7mj6RWR4yU_QevG81Hi1Pt7BPcu-CrlqB8ih4ohUbdUFgyAlUF5zz9S2TKQ7RIa3UCfOgERPcAHIKk9YOrIXLw/s2048/Blade-Breaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIP7U0s2w4k69fSlu-P4NFIs2OLlLIDe4azTC7tBrcX9m4Pj9xZvyaOIyyrG5PGE6WRf839Mvpefn30StVKS_hbvOqA8No9QO7mj6RWR4yU_QevG81Hi1Pt7BPcu-CrlqB8ih4ohUbdUFgyAlUF5zz9S2TKQ7RIa3UCfOgERPcAHIKk9YOrIXLw/w133-h200/Blade-Breaker.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, finished rereading <b>Realm Breaker</b> by Victoria Aveyard, book 1 in her <i>Realm Breaker</i> series, and is now reading book 2, <b>Blade Breaker</b>, that we gave him for Christmas.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> __________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
<span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span 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</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-53630762365735510392024-01-22T14:52:00.000-05:002024-01-22T14:52:01.323-05:00It's Monday 1/22! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">Wow, last week was busy! After doing nothing but lie on the couch for months, my schedule is full of overdue appointments but also fun stuff like seeing friends. And I'm helping a friend with her move; this is the last week of a months-long process, so it's crunch time! I am so very grateful to be well enough now to help her.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The big news here in Delaware last week was snow--twice! We got our first measurable snowfall in over two years on Tuesday, then a layer of ice, and on Friday, we got six inches of additional snow! Plus it was in the teens and 20's all weekend, so it's still around. It was beautiful, though, and we enjoyed a lovely walk in the winter wonderland. And our bird feeder was very popular!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXD8yGGpGj0ngOaYWQPI4Lt5xOk-9gTdHsZpHF9uV4spvho5xkF86XfWahyNhJlK65XUVeHE1V5UDsytqR7ZFWuTODs8psqNCyam7vn3ah0lWcQHlm2zdTs0S_LSuu0Y6Vswvua6xku5DUdSKF8749Qy2v5sxgS8IEaOE5f_JT-CsK70R4gWsjg/s4032/ACB49313-6CF6-4F87-B439-CD77A4F7B242.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXD8yGGpGj0ngOaYWQPI4Lt5xOk-9gTdHsZpHF9uV4spvho5xkF86XfWahyNhJlK65XUVeHE1V5UDsytqR7ZFWuTODs8psqNCyam7vn3ah0lWcQHlm2zdTs0S_LSuu0Y6Vswvua6xku5DUdSKF8749Qy2v5sxgS8IEaOE5f_JT-CsK70R4gWsjg/s320/ACB49313-6CF6-4F87-B439-CD77A4F7B242.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLkFq-2UjJh8BQRiNCw_fHdlqOcFc0xew-HHa3ZZTtLVM4zTjO90C8CwtAu5d8BMtoamQ_91JRV4z7yhTtLpPHwr0UYKNEyJvdE6_h8g7q3D-8Gdf-Rd0ow6jHC326RkNZoD7Nv9P3n5XWmP0pYkGc8ENBgFMro2ViD2fDuo05ImmLh1jd_x-zw/s4032/BF07A01C-9B04-445B-8F23-87D4A9665DDE.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLkFq-2UjJh8BQRiNCw_fHdlqOcFc0xew-HHa3ZZTtLVM4zTjO90C8CwtAu5d8BMtoamQ_91JRV4z7yhTtLpPHwr0UYKNEyJvdE6_h8g7q3D-8Gdf-Rd0ow6jHC326RkNZoD7Nv9P3n5XWmP0pYkGc8ENBgFMro2ViD2fDuo05ImmLh1jd_x-zw/s320/BF07A01C-9B04-445B-8F23-87D4A9665DDE.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDpZBDpgoxCI8cO6AMbN6Pyrk-tQ28XLQc1mC-6DbqGa9upwbC0wko6H4EtknVbT-c1gUG_3ImOrmyFuDRTI-WDTP3cpzwAb-ysVnuiQVezvfGCF3uaJl54Z0tjo0_nl3baklPavk6K32SIeZX4Cu9GhyphenhyphenCxxn8eRdWBKOA9fAZw11yfgqTuEu0A/s4032/E9FB17F9-8752-479E-B74E-C71C859F4645.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDpZBDpgoxCI8cO6AMbN6Pyrk-tQ28XLQc1mC-6DbqGa9upwbC0wko6H4EtknVbT-c1gUG_3ImOrmyFuDRTI-WDTP3cpzwAb-ysVnuiQVezvfGCF3uaJl54Z0tjo0_nl3baklPavk6K32SIeZX4Cu9GhyphenhyphenCxxn8eRdWBKOA9fAZw11yfgqTuEu0A/s320/E9FB17F9-8752-479E-B74E-C71C859F4645.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">On Thursday, my neighborhood book group celebrated our 200th book with a wonderful lunch at a local restaurant. Our book was <b>Remarkably Bright Creatures </b>(see below), which got one of our highest ratings, so it worked out perfectly. It's a great group of women who started the book club in 1998, and I joined them sometime in the mid-2000's, I think (need to check my old book journals!)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ExUp_5_jZDdj3n6Scfg6lNEVoZWWVoVHjgEfn8iIDqaLFku2g8sPiUOuZrALy2G4-xuRZfZULbWD3gEN9rHh1fCuN8e6BdsS77CzNCG0gbQGSfgtkOQE_blYIKLMvjhxPZY9cK8ZZsnldDSAugtdAd7BFRIfZjF_k0KYrlvTZ5JRguF_2C_wMw/s3005/07897480-E807-41D4-9500-A11DB947E4C0_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="3005" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ExUp_5_jZDdj3n6Scfg6lNEVoZWWVoVHjgEfn8iIDqaLFku2g8sPiUOuZrALy2G4-xuRZfZULbWD3gEN9rHh1fCuN8e6BdsS77CzNCG0gbQGSfgtkOQE_blYIKLMvjhxPZY9cK8ZZsnldDSAugtdAd7BFRIfZjF_k0KYrlvTZ5JRguF_2C_wMw/s320/07897480-E807-41D4-9500-A11DB947E4C0_1_201_a.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> Last of my 2023 wrap-ups!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/favorite-movies-watched-in-2023.html" target="_blank">Favorite Movies Watched in 2023</a></b> - plus a list of all the movies I reviewed last year (all worth watching)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/favorite-tv-shows-watched-in-2023.html" target="_blank">Favorite TV Shows Watched in 2023</a></b> - So many great shows! Plus a list of all the TV shows I reviewed last year (all worth watching)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> And my last 2023 wrap-up video, too:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrVuCzwO46I" target="_blank">Best Books Read in 2023: YA, Middle-Grade, and Audio Books</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TexG3zOcSD4" target="_blank">Friday Reads 1-19-24</a></b> - quick update on what I was reading this weekend<b> <br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtno7i4TV1R0IpvQ6ZpKcNcVbBaQ3F15TvJ2-8LoiUyFPwPGAseSh1o_voyOWwgwZuLW2DDOQQq8ufkYaop1rm9XapwQT4Rrt2H3QFL9H4f1C8_n0Ek1-clGm5fQv3Hy8Y7d2DgkrwbRlM6k208iGr72leFqCXRvJLwbqByZNRYXT818gb-bNoA/s400/Blizzard%20of%20Polar%20Bears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtno7i4TV1R0IpvQ6ZpKcNcVbBaQ3F15TvJ2-8LoiUyFPwPGAseSh1o_voyOWwgwZuLW2DDOQQq8ufkYaop1rm9XapwQT4Rrt2H3QFL9H4f1C8_n0Ek1-clGm5fQv3Hy8Y7d2DgkrwbRlM6k208iGr72leFqCXRvJLwbqByZNRYXT818gb-bNoA/w132-h200/Blizzard%20of%20Polar%20Bears.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I finished reading </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b>A Blizzard of Polar Bears</b> by Alice Henderson, book 2 in her outdoor thriller series about wildlife biologist Alex Carter. Book 1, <i><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/fiction-review-solitude-of-wolverines.html" target="_blank">A Solitude of Wolverines</a></i>, made my <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/best-books-read-in-2023.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Novels of 2023</a>
list! In book 2, Alex is in Manitoba on the Hudson Bay, studying polar
bears. But not everyone wants to help her protect the bears. Like the
first book, this is action-packed from beginning to end, with a lot of
suspense and surprising twists. It was hard to set it down at night to go
to sleep! January is the perfect time to read this very cold, snowy
story. I talk more about the book (and series) in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TexG3zOcSD4" target="_blank">this short video</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypbTQ8a-VoCQYLDiqXuaVpxPfk1MojOPOUVjJlwoeeoV31zHGNo4iEkFyHUi3CM58veRwlk45wCK8ZDjSfUTzUUZ5imcoT95qlzxTK5eaYezvKYfYT6kQVacnYI9cZNzlcgkA83stCytgfzhVidUvxToqkWWU7wjOxhgMHh6VpVWwNemcWERj1Q/s400/as%20they%20were.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="256" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypbTQ8a-VoCQYLDiqXuaVpxPfk1MojOPOUVjJlwoeeoV31zHGNo4iEkFyHUi3CM58veRwlk45wCK8ZDjSfUTzUUZ5imcoT95qlzxTK5eaYezvKYfYT6kQVacnYI9cZNzlcgkA83stCytgfzhVidUvxToqkWWU7wjOxhgMHh6VpVWwNemcWERj1Q/w128-h200/as%20they%20were.jpg" width="128" /></a></div> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Now, I'm reading <b>As They Were: Autobiographical Essays</b> by M.F.K. Fisher, a classic memoir I didn't get to for Nonfiction November. I'm really enjoying this collection of essays. She's renowned for her food writing, and some of these essays do focus on food. But others are about travel and different places she's lived and visited. I loved the first essay, about her childhood in California. This book fits perfectly for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlT6nDe-jQ" target="_blank">Mardi Gras Readathon</a> on Booktube, hosted by Kat's Novel Adventures; it covers two of the bingo spaces: France and food.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zGwevnqdLSdLYgaBeeGwOVp8X-_irb_r6a9HRP65-f2CmwUHxKv3gDklqPkYFY3hvNO2Z42uv2mITC8dbeDQafr6X4gGktHDePvHo3b61nK4xsA4kM9yie-t0u6jujBrOrIjgG9ZCDpsFOu5-wXN7egkfJxAAI1gwMrdI-7CizKw6T4QeHy5ww/s1366/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zGwevnqdLSdLYgaBeeGwOVp8X-_irb_r6a9HRP65-f2CmwUHxKv3gDklqPkYFY3hvNO2Z42uv2mITC8dbeDQafr6X4gGktHDePvHo3b61nK4xsA4kM9yie-t0u6jujBrOrIjgG9ZCDpsFOu5-wXN7egkfJxAAI1gwMrdI-7CizKw6T4QeHy5ww/w132-h200/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> On audio, I finished </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>listening to my neighborhood book group's January selection (our 200th book), <b>Remarkably Bright Creatures</b>
by Shelby Van Pelt. I loved it and so did everyone else! It features multiple narrators,
including Tova, a widow who has also lost her son, husband, and brother and
works nights cleaning at the local aquarium; Cam, a young man at loose
ends whose mother left him as a child; and Marcellus, a giant Pacific
octopus who is <i>very</i> smart and lives in the aquarium. He and Tova
are both very isolated and lonely and begin to form an unexpected,
unusual friendship. I love novels where different
threads come together, revealing unexpected connections.
And it was wonderful on audio, especially Marcellus' sections.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilknsbxL4K3FVHQaNpPc38xGbTPWBJBOF2_Og8mT-4vJ5bY3NkZM9WzJKtRx3ed2xIA1TPhKN80vMc5o_WJPXHuglYmWbX49HCDbn9ZPVfgQf_x6CgV8yWtmqU7_JLeoZwIl6VVoUjfsnO7u_ygmPyHWWUa6XIZ5b2OIcJQ0Lgq6KO3w9ZRKhvuw/s2550/I-Am-Not-Alone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1683" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilknsbxL4K3FVHQaNpPc38xGbTPWBJBOF2_Og8mT-4vJ5bY3NkZM9WzJKtRx3ed2xIA1TPhKN80vMc5o_WJPXHuglYmWbX49HCDbn9ZPVfgQf_x6CgV8yWtmqU7_JLeoZwIl6VVoUjfsnO7u_ygmPyHWWUa6XIZ5b2OIcJQ0Lgq6KO3w9ZRKhvuw/w132-h200/I-Am-Not-Alone.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Now, I am listening to <b>I Am Not Alone</b> by Francisco X. Stork, a YA novel. I'm a longtime fan of the author, who wrote (my reviews at the links) <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/03/teenya-review-irises.html" target="_blank"><i>Irises</i></a>, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><i><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2011/12/teenya-review-marcelo-in-real-world.html" target="_blank">Marcello in the Real World</a></i>, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2016/08/teenya-review-memory-of-light.html" target="_blank"><i>The Memory of Light</i></a>, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2018/08/teenya-review-disappeared.html" target="_blank"><i>Disappeared</i></a>, and its sequel, <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/11/teenya-review-illegal.html" target="_blank"><i>Illegal</i></a>. Like <i>The Memory of Light</i>, this new novel deals with mental illness in teens. Here, Alberto is an undocumented Mexican teen living in New York with his sister, Luca, her baby, and her abusive boyfriend, Lance. Alberto is smart but has always had trouble with school, so he learns by reading books and has done well taking English lessons at the community college. He earns money working for Lance, who's a landlord for expensive apartment buildings. While working in one apartment, Alberto meets Grace, a girl who seems to have it all--wealth, education, a boyfriend. Grace is on track to go to college, but nothing feels right to her since her parents' divorce. As Alberto deals with the increasingly urgent voice in his head, he and Grace become friends. I'm not very far in, but it's already an immersive, engaging story.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh27hyphenhyphenKiTUXSLjrsw_v_RHCCbYI_RjdOIXDhlXVAuOq0Q08zmwpalvhXX9F2nQJkivjVCiuijNmkvPbOWj9doGUPH44tU6ObCXzTdug1IcumyE7F5gO3MQs8i4yXdjaNfo0nrf_PUpQ3GwXIMLE8uuxoem0g-0gM4_kJeGr6qAbfEoYn5dR-uStQ/s400/IQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh27hyphenhyphenKiTUXSLjrsw_v_RHCCbYI_RjdOIXDhlXVAuOq0Q08zmwpalvhXX9F2nQJkivjVCiuijNmkvPbOWj9doGUPH44tU6ObCXzTdug1IcumyE7F5gO3MQs8i4yXdjaNfo0nrf_PUpQ3GwXIMLE8uuxoem0g-0gM4_kJeGr6qAbfEoYn5dR-uStQ/w129-h200/IQ.jpg" width="129" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">My husband, Ken, is still reading <b>IQ</b> by Joe Ide, one of his
Christmas gifts from me. It's the first book in a 6-book (so far)
mystery/thriller series, about a man in East Long Beach, an LA
neighborhood, who's known as IQ. With so much crime in the area, he
takes on the cases the LAPD doesn't have time for. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SkopjE8jEaOYVz-rgvDMNVVVq-4K4vD7VsMnLcscXrFGSAVKhGPcgVZDznSMebhntJ3r5qogRjlwe8Tnza7TBJ457gM7-qdWIET3hlHwaonHSE0-BrPv2t29s5UO3VgJLGmCntu2C3OvVY_ChPYx92WvirN62z0T-UphmmoeEcbcWC54R0aN7w/s475/REalm-Breaker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SkopjE8jEaOYVz-rgvDMNVVVq-4K4vD7VsMnLcscXrFGSAVKhGPcgVZDznSMebhntJ3r5qogRjlwe8Tnza7TBJ457gM7-qdWIET3hlHwaonHSE0-BrPv2t29s5UO3VgJLGmCntu2C3OvVY_ChPYx92WvirN62z0T-UphmmoeEcbcWC54R0aN7w/w133-h200/REalm-Breaker.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, is rereading <b>Realm Breaker</b> by Victoria Aveyard, book 1 in her <i>Realm Breaker</i> series, in preparation for reading book 2 that we gave him for Christmas.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> __________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
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normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You can follow me on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/SueBookByBook">@SueBookByBook</a> or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook/">Facebook on my blog's 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook/">e</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-68759078965615658092024-01-19T18:40:00.000-05:002024-01-19T18:40:59.255-05:00Favorite TV Shows Watched in 2023<div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwZbIQAaIT799WVDma0s_8RW0CIDfxoy0VTN4YZibAVPfdWdbrANzuF2wfsbShrBcdcAuev1RMKmfDGJaSy00By7u4LkcOHWzGDWanEPbQ4Lm6QP_VG5Z0HVWiG_cuu1_R1vLxlkuknk5ia-qCEFOYAD2nwXydW7jgvhQesvoW4KcjGMS45tyuA/s450/2023%20Best%20TV%20Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="450" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwZbIQAaIT799WVDma0s_8RW0CIDfxoy0VTN4YZibAVPfdWdbrANzuF2wfsbShrBcdcAuev1RMKmfDGJaSy00By7u4LkcOHWzGDWanEPbQ4Lm6QP_VG5Z0HVWiG_cuu1_R1vLxlkuknk5ia-qCEFOYAD2nwXydW7jgvhQesvoW4KcjGMS45tyuA/s320/2023%20Best%20TV%20Books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's time for my annual wrap-up of my favorite TV shows reviewed in the
past year! These are not necessarily new shows, but they are shows that
we enjoyed last year, enough
that I took the time to write a review. They run the gamut, covering all
kinds of genres, so there's something for everyone. <p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Listed down at
the bottom of this post are <i>all</i> of the shows that I reviewed here on my
blog in 2023. I have also added all of these to my <a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/p/tv-reviews.html" target="_blank"><b>TV
Reviews tab</b></a> on the blog, so you can come back anytime to see ALL
of the
shows I have ever reviewed (note that where to find shows may have
changed over the years). And check out my <a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2023/01/favorite-tv-shows-watched-in-2022.html" target="_blank"><b>2022 TV Favorites</b></a>, too - they're all still available.<br /></p><p>I only review shows I like, so
anything listed here or on the <a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/p/tv-reviews.html" target="_blank"><b>TV Reviews tab</b></a> is worth trying. </p><p> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Best of TV </b> </p><div style="text-align: left;">First
a few superlatives--my favorite shows reviewed last year in each genre,
plus some categories I made up! Links are to my reviews, including
trailers and
details on where to find each show (subject to change).</div><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Best Drama</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/tv-tuesday-and-just-like-that.html" target="_blank">And Just Like That ...</a> </b>(HBO Max)<b> </b><b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">I never watched <i>Sex and the City</i> but enjoyed this reboot about women in their 50's (a rarity on TV!) <b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeKDkPZ2aH3gT1mRoVns8Ig4fB6kAjFRURS9PTGV9Wor39iAgCMrtVGU1s19km5rZx2CbTSMZNvbsV-KtjfWE57ZKkdxrU8Sr1whLza-YoBWFdEpEWTWpGbhdcY6lYcbPkOr5CVuqRQXTExiaIB5KSeQkZKKeBBKYgqR_cYpJ6l3YZAJ769CV/s2880/and-just-like-that.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeKDkPZ2aH3gT1mRoVns8Ig4fB6kAjFRURS9PTGV9Wor39iAgCMrtVGU1s19km5rZx2CbTSMZNvbsV-KtjfWE57ZKkdxrU8Sr1whLza-YoBWFdEpEWTWpGbhdcY6lYcbPkOr5CVuqRQXTExiaIB5KSeQkZKKeBBKYgqR_cYpJ6l3YZAJ769CV/w150-h200/and-just-like-that.jpg" width="150" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Best Dramedy (both comedy and drama)</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2023/05/tv-tuesday-somebody-somewhere.html" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/tv-tuesday-somebody-somewhere.html" target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/tv-tuesday-somebody-somewhere.html" target="_blank">Somebody Somewhere</a></b> (HBO Max)</p><p style="text-align: center;">My husband and I loved this warm, funny, wonderfully written show.<b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZYGeHU5VS2ji2N8EVuWoChpVMbPAVjSKa2Znj7Sox2l_0oboeT-PzQi2VJWP3WatWup4ep0GiT1-WBikQ1E-RZtOtIxKFgcFi5TvQFEjJgZALk9eWHU4mwWA8MFUBCoTvFgESziI7bIsPjvaVIdNtElrLksp7OAh66Gp0iA6EZMWGwk18PyE/s1481/Somebody-Somwehere.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZYGeHU5VS2ji2N8EVuWoChpVMbPAVjSKa2Znj7Sox2l_0oboeT-PzQi2VJWP3WatWup4ep0GiT1-WBikQ1E-RZtOtIxKFgcFi5TvQFEjJgZALk9eWHU4mwWA8MFUBCoTvFgESziI7bIsPjvaVIdNtElrLksp7OAh66Gp0iA6EZMWGwk18PyE/w135-h200/Somebody-Somwehere.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Best </b><b>Crime/Mystery/Thriller<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/03/tv-tuesday-will-trent.htmll" target="_blank">Will Trent</a> </b>(ABC) <b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b>Our new favorite crime show, with great characters and a sense of humor. Returning February 20!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZT509htvgVsW85DeKOuRNm8CWxcMGttwyGW6hCYaBQC49l-8nme5ofmCMg8kEdjM3PiwoMANeAqt9cF5jg-tJliuFuIoeBQHG2ARt0x12ZMwsJezPVi0bwPryjyM5_igAnz_4hJ8wHgguUKareh88qgkIeyKK5FgpKGBpeqGUCnsN368U-IRy/s500/Will-Trent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZT509htvgVsW85DeKOuRNm8CWxcMGttwyGW6hCYaBQC49l-8nme5ofmCMg8kEdjM3PiwoMANeAqt9cF5jg-tJliuFuIoeBQHG2ARt0x12ZMwsJezPVi0bwPryjyM5_igAnz_4hJ8wHgguUKareh88qgkIeyKK5FgpKGBpeqGUCnsN368U-IRy/w160-h200/Will-Trent.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Best </b><b>Sci Fi </b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/tv-tuesday-silo.html" target="_blank"><b>Silo</b></a> (Apple)<b> <br /></b></p><a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2023/06/tv-tuesday-silo.html" target="_blank"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">An excellent adaptation of the <i>Silo </i>book trilogy that starts with <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2015/03/fiction-review-wool.html" target="_blank"><i>Wool</i></a>, a favorite of both of us.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IpsvREggLgBEfy5-VdPE1Xs743tcJvbQSkUCVpSh2MAb6QW6Otx-W4aYz8OF3-A33uoapJJFhXjNzqu32uY7hOQ-acaCntryuwfP_xxlwf-77-bRfEQYR67-J2BdrJlRmDfMT4-9xnPvNeM1VAR35HsVg2-VkwuiJ-cCUWUx545MMuPM6VR4/s3000/silo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IpsvREggLgBEfy5-VdPE1Xs743tcJvbQSkUCVpSh2MAb6QW6Otx-W4aYz8OF3-A33uoapJJFhXjNzqu32uY7hOQ-acaCntryuwfP_xxlwf-77-bRfEQYR67-J2BdrJlRmDfMT4-9xnPvNeM1VAR35HsVg2-VkwuiJ-cCUWUx545MMuPM6VR4/w133-h200/silo.png" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Best TV Show That Crosses Genres</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/tv-tuesday-diplomat.html" target="_blank">The Diplomat</a></b> (Netflix)<b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">One
of our top shows of the entire year, this absolutely hilarious drama
starring Keri Russell, about a no-nonsense woman appointed as new US
ambassador to the UK when a crisis happens is also suspenseful, with
political intrigue, plus the drama of a marriage breaking up.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXtnrmXox1S_FfBLjniDkrILVbrYOQve3vIMYuA6xUE83YuZQ5ms0-0Qdlk3Nn4F_UoPQfmvXQY5ZrZKsejZfnYsQgaHcD_uHmmqY0j-fjR7grP8TsCg6VBPRzdZX_euwBLkm-veUyJtd5gM1RX43i1g_5yh9VPsGYXYfgKOy4pahErZ6ddum/s1548/Diplomat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="1045" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXtnrmXox1S_FfBLjniDkrILVbrYOQve3vIMYuA6xUE83YuZQ5ms0-0Qdlk3Nn4F_UoPQfmvXQY5ZrZKsejZfnYsQgaHcD_uHmmqY0j-fjR7grP8TsCg6VBPRzdZX_euwBLkm-veUyJtd5gM1RX43i1g_5yh9VPsGYXYfgKOy4pahErZ6ddum/w135-h200/Diplomat.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Best Character on a New Show</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2023/02/tv-tuesday-poker-face.html" target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/tv-tuesday-poker-face.html" target="_blank">Poker Face</a></b> (Peacock)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Natasha
Lyonne is fabulous as Charlie, a woman on the run, crossing America,
who can tell when people are lying and solves mysteries along the way.
Drama, mystery, and lots of laughs. We can't wait for season 2! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWITJTj-74WF7Biz5m1Snra9SrUhyphenhyphen-Bng2_jDGJfMduptVMgQrvSy1tL1GrJ7tS3E45tOKyLoVXK5am4wYOpdR_SjI3G8sEglJAbMFbaAbk3XzjcgHt65Y2x0BSo_SuBb0ROH4EwTz-ijkvPSTW0TJneb-d67XenuamHjHN92o3ZgioHhu9Qv/s3000/Poker-Face.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWITJTj-74WF7Biz5m1Snra9SrUhyphenhyphen-Bng2_jDGJfMduptVMgQrvSy1tL1GrJ7tS3E45tOKyLoVXK5am4wYOpdR_SjI3G8sEglJAbMFbaAbk3XzjcgHt65Y2x0BSo_SuBb0ROH4EwTz-ijkvPSTW0TJneb-d67XenuamHjHN92o3ZgioHhu9Qv/w135-h200/Poker-Face.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Best Drama Musical</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/tv-tuesday-daisy-jones-and-six.html" target="_blank"><b>Daisy Jones and the Six</b></a> (Amazon Prime)<a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2023/09/tv-tuesday-daisy-jones-and-six.html" target="_blank"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I
felt this wonderful adaptation of the best-selling novel deserved a
mention for its unique combination of drama plus a fabulous fictional
rock band you will believe is real.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE03oF0HSoy3fqoXTR0LaiHKYP4XDR96fgZdHcXZIo0DLS8UmIoK5MiLl46EqFH8SI0FCHujdFf0mmSeyGJWVBSOty7Pjfou2FYouSHOMINpHNiA8Ag6eYdZNJL2kh1HLhRfn_FfmKaJsv2NOXbJbRQMuGauBf0u6RDTUF6bKn2RVs6olJ1nyF/s2880/Daisy-Jones%20tv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE03oF0HSoy3fqoXTR0LaiHKYP4XDR96fgZdHcXZIo0DLS8UmIoK5MiLl46EqFH8SI0FCHujdFf0mmSeyGJWVBSOty7Pjfou2FYouSHOMINpHNiA8Ag6eYdZNJL2kh1HLhRfn_FfmKaJsv2NOXbJbRQMuGauBf0u6RDTUF6bKn2RVs6olJ1nyF/w150-h200/Daisy-Jones%20tv.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Funniest Show With a Potentially Depressing Premise</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>or</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Best TV Role by a Movie Actor</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2023/04/tv-tuesday-shrinking.html" target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/04/tv-tuesday-shrinking.html" target="_blank">Shrinking</a> </b>(Apple)</div><div style="text-align: center;"> This
deserves a mention because it's about grief but is laugh-out-loud
funny, starring TV star Jason Segel and the great Harrison Ford (who is
surprisingly funny). Another one we are waiting for season 2!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDyHqDb5LoTiT7gMgnCtGqE1vPuOD9fYeNUaWUapdFFE5fNqu_i8IC_gfyQjwM_DsWMGS8o1jdLm4mBVhOxqSwOsadono0tIivr16B-0h85jwHFEwhbl3gkES5UrO4s74OM7DNp3UsrTBZSMOOMBa2GFVqdC4Ssl72Xn4edx3mIdYg92jFFWP/s275/Shrinking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDyHqDb5LoTiT7gMgnCtGqE1vPuOD9fYeNUaWUapdFFE5fNqu_i8IC_gfyQjwM_DsWMGS8o1jdLm4mBVhOxqSwOsadono0tIivr16B-0h85jwHFEwhbl3gkES5UrO4s74OM7DNp3UsrTBZSMOOMBa2GFVqdC4Ssl72Xn4edx3mIdYg92jFFWP/w133-h200/Shrinking.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>All TV Shows Reviewed in 2023</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">These
were all great! Good enough that I took the time to write a review.
Click the links to read my short review (never any spoilers), watch the
trailer, and see where they were available when I reviewed them (subject
to change). I indicate below where the show originated, though most
shows are now available from many services.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Drama</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/tv-tuesday-and-just-like-that.html" target="_blank">And Just Like That ...</a> </b>(HBO Max)<b> <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/tv-tuesday-daisy-jones-and-six.html" target="_blank"><b>Daisy Jones and the Six</b></a> (Amazon Prime)<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Dramedy (both comedy and drama) </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/tv-tuesday-diplomat.html" target="_blank">The Diplomat</a></b> (Netflix)<b> <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/04/tv-tuesday-shrinking.html" target="_blank">Shrinking</a> </b>(Apple)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/tv-tuesday-somebody-somewhere.html" target="_blank">Somebody Somewhere</a></b> (HBO Max)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/tv-tuesday-togetherness.html" target="_blank"><b>Togetherness</b></a> (HBO Max)<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Crime/Mystery/Thriller </b><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/tv-tuesday-company-you-keep.html" target="_blank"><b>The Company You Keep</b></a> (ABC)<b> </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/tv-tuesday-lincoln-lawyer.html" target="_blank"><b>The Lincoln Lawyer</b></a> (Netflix)<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/tv-tuesday-poker-face.html" target="_blank">Poker Face</a></b> (Peacock)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/tv-tuesday-who-is-erin-carter.html" target="_blank">Who Is Erin Carter?</a></b> (Netflix)<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/03/tv-tuesday-will-trent.htmll" target="_blank">Will Trent</a> </b>(ABC) <b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Sci Fi </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/tv-tuesday-silo.html" target="_blank"><b>Silo</b></a> (Apple)<b> </b></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>What were YOUR favorite TV shows watched last year? </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Please leave a comment below.</p><div style="text-align: center;">You can also connect with me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SueBookByBook" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</div>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-68682930153046543492024-01-17T17:44:00.004-05:002024-01-17T19:08:03.854-05:00Favorite Movies Watched in 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpeQu36i9q-uzIXo_ywHjdScBtJFV5-sZkx8TXWSokVkiC2wayxds4FT7GXIAEkCGFFW-nvU4BRRkYr1b_eVH5WrtcDHbFGoD5_sUpWYpF9_Cz-7wu41DD2G2C1dSBfSrYCuYLAHp6ouxeNHXKtoMdwNQPDtloREnanDyh0DK6bVGT2ixiN9MXg/s692/2023%20Best%20Movies%20Books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="692" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpeQu36i9q-uzIXo_ywHjdScBtJFV5-sZkx8TXWSokVkiC2wayxds4FT7GXIAEkCGFFW-nvU4BRRkYr1b_eVH5WrtcDHbFGoD5_sUpWYpF9_Cz-7wu41DD2G2C1dSBfSrYCuYLAHp6ouxeNHXKtoMdwNQPDtloREnanDyh0DK6bVGT2ixiN9MXg/s320/2023%20Best%20Movies%20Books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Once again, I reviewed just 9 movies in 2023, in part because there is so much great TV to watch now<b>.</b><span style="color: black;"> I only review movies that I really enjoy, so
any movies on my entire 2023 list (below) are worth watching, not just my top picks.<br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">As
in years past, you can see my full list of movies reviewed last year
further down, and my top picks
in each genre just below. To see <i>all</i> of the movies I have reviewed on my blog (a considerable list), check out the <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/movie-reviews.html" target="_blank"><b>Movies</b> tab</a>,
where they are listed by genre, though it's getting harder to
categorize a movie into just one genre as there's so much cross-over
now. Links go to my reviews, with a trailer. Note that <i>where</i>
each movie is available might have changed over the years, since I
first reviewed it, so double-check to see where you can watch it now.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best of the Best Movies Watched in 2023:</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">(Three categories only included one movie each, so not much of a choice!<b>) <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best Action/Suspense/Thriller</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/07/movie-monday-indiana-jones-and-dial-of.html" target="_blank">Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</a></b></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">Why movies were invented! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">Nonstop action and adventure, lots of suspense, plenty of humor, and just a whole lot of fun.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> <br /></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiLSH_CWDmSmxgfGgFwA8u-Gaj0tRYO-QEBxGfOt6uyNzx6pDxLyTNxrMaet6tdFNIMcn68BWdlBrXkrkP2fjKrtCwU2xtFTE48QkiqHKFw9kCmImx9jS7RYCnoFxD-H4om-z6CGnMwJ5rrzur39BSllRqSC63bWixWINODjiPNG784DOYRsN3w/s337/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Dial_of_Destiny_theatrical_poster.jpg.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiLSH_CWDmSmxgfGgFwA8u-Gaj0tRYO-QEBxGfOt6uyNzx6pDxLyTNxrMaet6tdFNIMcn68BWdlBrXkrkP2fjKrtCwU2xtFTE48QkiqHKFw9kCmImx9jS7RYCnoFxD-H4om-z6CGnMwJ5rrzur39BSllRqSC63bWixWINODjiPNG784DOYRsN3w/w131-h200/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Dial_of_Destiny_theatrical_poster.jpg.webp" width="131" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best Drama</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/movie-monday-coda.html" target="_blank">CODA</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">Warm, funny drama about a teen girl whose deaf family relies on her, though she has dreams of her own.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUfOTjxChM2QAr37mgb2UHnmPwCbiccGQe7JKt7ISk49ydhZUXk9jEobU2ZqiYnSwOGLXqLU4alDkLk3QW40t4c-fMWgrsefIfAdwmciEyn1o28g5Tuuw-ZXjaJDrQOSsbQize03r0o_CccNVxQtzfYP0Kb8Vh_ZqzCwo30f7KDFO3rym2MRgfQ/s1501/CODA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUfOTjxChM2QAr37mgb2UHnmPwCbiccGQe7JKt7ISk49ydhZUXk9jEobU2ZqiYnSwOGLXqLU4alDkLk3QW40t4c-fMWgrsefIfAdwmciEyn1o28g5Tuuw-ZXjaJDrQOSsbQize03r0o_CccNVxQtzfYP0Kb8Vh_ZqzCwo30f7KDFO3rym2MRgfQ/w133-h200/CODA.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best Comedy</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1020525656">A Man Called Otto</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">Excellent adaptation of the best-selling novel, about a grumpy, lonely old man discovering a reason to live (and really both drama and comedy).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTZ87c-smwqxly74c1kDKs8O4liZrVbB-sxcZDGlklnOGoKxuXlZBwWcgyMB08vu_dEQdHVj-u6z7zI8nAkSczonCbn6ddBXLNW1RteW6UbrjaQ-ijf5Eb8RhH0EtldgZc2CDbc8o6vMljhDEwMfX0P7-xObMFuV4z2x8fJlWERoXpYh8Kx6kgw/s1250/A-Man-Called-Otto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTZ87c-smwqxly74c1kDKs8O4liZrVbB-sxcZDGlklnOGoKxuXlZBwWcgyMB08vu_dEQdHVj-u6z7zI8nAkSczonCbn6ddBXLNW1RteW6UbrjaQ-ijf5Eb8RhH0EtldgZc2CDbc8o6vMljhDEwMfX0P7-xObMFuV4z2x8fJlWERoXpYh8Kx6kgw/w160-h200/A-Man-Called-Otto.jpg" width="160" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best Sci Fi</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/movie-monday-leave-world-behind.html" target="_blank">Leave the World Behind</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">A tense sci fi thriller, as two families grapple with a mysterious crisis.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tCzvvfPjLKzwPib1bt6uXAbNfhzpIj-wTk6MRPBkmAJA2ZBjp6HhFUgCuljWh-atP6hc2E1Xp_uKX1tKk1B403O8OWma4hhOHw83S_-AAG3PgaSpHCVZICyav-AWoncHbhaj6uoAk92Yx_7JFAfGkDj2YPuft-yRCZVe7hEpQtjsXvmm1YLPzw/s370/Leave_the_World_Behind_film.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tCzvvfPjLKzwPib1bt6uXAbNfhzpIj-wTk6MRPBkmAJA2ZBjp6HhFUgCuljWh-atP6hc2E1Xp_uKX1tKk1B403O8OWma4hhOHw83S_-AAG3PgaSpHCVZICyav-AWoncHbhaj6uoAk92Yx_7JFAfGkDj2YPuft-yRCZVe7hEpQtjsXvmm1YLPzw/w135-h200/Leave_the_World_Behind_film.png" width="135" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best Musical</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/movie-monday-barbie.html" target="_blank">Barbie</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">Super clever, funny, surprisingly thoughtful musical drama with some great music and eye-popping visuals. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7DPdDzLffpOKL0keD4a4cy3afuKYIMwbBsIgR9SW53DaJLkIgfXAukVtKg5M64DgqqNSxeXS5fSkB9QIlvyd-M5_Yiv3OkFgJo8A1hCCumoFMq4dgYZUjDxCMfnGcAzseQBD7ieo4Lq2VAmRsEWFgA8vtE5xLSCdB4Y90z3hz3D6lSlaUgItug/s1763/Barbie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1175" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7DPdDzLffpOKL0keD4a4cy3afuKYIMwbBsIgR9SW53DaJLkIgfXAukVtKg5M64DgqqNSxeXS5fSkB9QIlvyd-M5_Yiv3OkFgJo8A1hCCumoFMq4dgYZUjDxCMfnGcAzseQBD7ieo4Lq2VAmRsEWFgA8vtE5xLSCdB4Y90z3hz3D6lSlaUgItug/w133-h200/Barbie.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>All Movies Reviewed in 2023:</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">All of these are worth watching! It was hard to pick just one favorite in the first two categories. See </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">the <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/movie-reviews.html" target="_blank"><b>Movies</b> tab</a> for more great movies.<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Action/Suspense/Thriller</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/07/movie-monday-indiana-jones-and-dial-of.html" target="_blank">Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</a> <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/movie-monday-missing.html" target="_blank">Missing</a></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Drama</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/movie-monday-air.html" target="_blank">Air</a> <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/movie-monday-are-you-there-god-its-me.html" target="_blank">Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.</a> <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/movie-monday-coda.html" target="_blank">CODA</a></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/movie-monday-flora-and-son.html" target="_blank">Flora and Son</a> <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> <br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Comedy</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1020525656">A Man Called Otto</a></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Sci Fi </b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/movie-monday-leave-world-behind.html" target="_blank">Leave the World Behind</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Musical</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/movie-monday-barbie.html" target="_blank">Barbie</a></b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>What were YOUR favorite movies watched last year? </b></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-17474004550628215902024-01-15T13:42:00.005-05:002024-01-15T14:01:52.406-05:00It's Monday 1/15! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life</span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I am still feeling great, easily the best I have felt in many, many years. I still have my chronic immune disorder, of course (still need a nap!), but I have been feeling good every day, with plenty of energy. It feels SO good to be able to be productive again!</p><p style="text-align: center;">We had some fun last week. I had an event for my book on Wednesday in Chestertown, Maryland, hosted by the fabulous Bookplate indie bookstore there. We drove down (about an hour away) Tuesday, rented a house with gorgeous views, and enjoyed a mini getaway. Unfortunately, a storm came in just as we did, and knocked out power in half of the town! But the skies cleared by morning, and we enjoyed walking around town.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhkbQs7gMGR3HarR42sfuF0WRCUQKqBxtzB6lqsoHoQodvnTIRmYYX7uTX_1y3W4VBYF2a7cM0wObRPw3mc9v01LgF3H63MTCvULIM26ikSzpDfgIAOGvtR-burniUZFyLJNkmXkIubz4B1jsSKmCiv-o-tCUUFx94O6zYWDxWWy-sWAQV7L3Ww/s4032/E24A928D-FDEE-406A-893D-FC8202262441.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhkbQs7gMGR3HarR42sfuF0WRCUQKqBxtzB6lqsoHoQodvnTIRmYYX7uTX_1y3W4VBYF2a7cM0wObRPw3mc9v01LgF3H63MTCvULIM26ikSzpDfgIAOGvtR-burniUZFyLJNkmXkIubz4B1jsSKmCiv-o-tCUUFx94O6zYWDxWWy-sWAQV7L3Ww/s320/E24A928D-FDEE-406A-893D-FC8202262441.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Enjoying our view<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2GmduLE84OR-KON2h4zN7Qi6RKL_wu40RPt41zJub_Gj4kGD7bzzV2qohyphenhyphenR-vB_K7fQ8xPv4wzugVc1zbz-Ndr48ay8qZQ14e7Ibs1WuSIt49JQGTHwDMLpRbR4sw5WBThpIxw41onqlo5JoKuBt-4IU2XXOixZV67RvPqL4ERd8ct3RW_LtJg/s4032/E0153146-50E6-47A0-BC5A-957AC54001F5.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2GmduLE84OR-KON2h4zN7Qi6RKL_wu40RPt41zJub_Gj4kGD7bzzV2qohyphenhyphenR-vB_K7fQ8xPv4wzugVc1zbz-Ndr48ay8qZQ14e7Ibs1WuSIt49JQGTHwDMLpRbR4sw5WBThpIxw41onqlo5JoKuBt-4IU2XXOixZV67RvPqL4ERd8ct3RW_LtJg/s320/E0153146-50E6-47A0-BC5A-957AC54001F5.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pond behind our rental house, with ducks & egrets<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">The book event went well. It was held at a nice restaurant in town (a great idea, as people could order drinks and food). There were fewer people there than said they'd be attending (due to the storm, power outage, and clean-up), but all of the attendees were interested and engaged ... and they all bought books, even the waitress! I talked for about an hour, then signed books, and then my husband and I enjoyed a delicious dinner.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkO3gnM6_NkWiipLUBeF1ThNuS4HZcksFtGsP2FCfxgd-5oWRtZOBmQasziKXDtAbhWSzAYegaJclxn3vx982oVH8Z_B5qpnJz4w0nyCVTsW9sL_mldJ6vHpT50hQdgVKrOpKw7l-UBafeZ7wxc7kJqVKlGy5FhZtuP4NBOv8X0NchWgxO9kxwA/s4032/7D3FCA11-4A33-41C6-B9A7-F62F53F73A42.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkO3gnM6_NkWiipLUBeF1ThNuS4HZcksFtGsP2FCfxgd-5oWRtZOBmQasziKXDtAbhWSzAYegaJclxn3vx982oVH8Z_B5qpnJz4w0nyCVTsW9sL_mldJ6vHpT50hQdgVKrOpKw7l-UBafeZ7wxc7kJqVKlGy5FhZtuP4NBOv8X0NchWgxO9kxwA/s320/7D3FCA11-4A33-41C6-B9A7-F62F53F73A42.heic" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VrFXuDnkuQUQiXC24cJ4QA3LFvqyABUJPK7ImXagXIO3mrh7py9n8jPVK8K3Y3BA9ix8a_IrdHqA7Wjh_8iSp0o9Tc3k4O4pQFYji5GWtnx3GufmNiwv-i1mNAb4OLwnLmoyRd5jpg0NO_uZxjiFtQV72mhPSN1zn8dOMY2n6lf9Ts2BF2FYVg/s960/41F00162-C6D6-49A9-9746-C11EF957193C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VrFXuDnkuQUQiXC24cJ4QA3LFvqyABUJPK7ImXagXIO3mrh7py9n8jPVK8K3Y3BA9ix8a_IrdHqA7Wjh_8iSp0o9Tc3k4O4pQFYji5GWtnx3GufmNiwv-i1mNAb4OLwnLmoyRd5jpg0NO_uZxjiFtQV72mhPSN1zn8dOMY2n6lf9Ts2BF2FYVg/s320/41F00162-C6D6-49A9-9746-C11EF957193C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Last night, we celebrated our younger son's 26th birthday with a steak dinner, presents, and cake (not for me, but he enjoyed it!). It was wonderful to have that tie with him.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-r8ag3AHvBwC9WALq4FMxtYO_K8Jd-e60IoJRdHQ0Vhxz77E6p-GaVBZjoyxwZ3dVSbrHcVSsYrdrJkHc2wbFg3uxEOthht-guy056M43FHFLkrl-KoX5fu8Go6VSeced3hjf7iPzRQ9nuEQxY87rx7zQUQkiMDT1RMKNJ19OPJaZ0TTHkWzyg/s4032/D363E499-9EE3-40F7-AEAF-01809438E5B0.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-r8ag3AHvBwC9WALq4FMxtYO_K8Jd-e60IoJRdHQ0Vhxz77E6p-GaVBZjoyxwZ3dVSbrHcVSsYrdrJkHc2wbFg3uxEOthht-guy056M43FHFLkrl-KoX5fu8Go6VSeced3hjf7iPzRQ9nuEQxY87rx7zQUQkiMDT1RMKNJ19OPJaZ0TTHkWzyg/s320/D363E499-9EE3-40F7-AEAF-01809438E5B0.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our son liked his new sweater!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Busy week, with 2023 wrap-ups!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/best-books-read-in-2023.html" target="_blank">Best Books Read in 2023</a></b> - my annual wrap-up with stats, fun facts, my top picks in each category, and my Top 10 (or whatever) lists. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-reading-challenges-wrap-up-and.html" target="_blank">2023 Reading Challenges Wrap-Up and 2024 Challenges</a></b> - how I did on my 2023 challenges and which challenges I've joined for 2024</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/fiction-review-our-missing-hearts.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Our Missing Hearts</b></a> by Celeste Ng - my first book of the year was a good one! A scary dystopian setting with similar elements to our own world, with a wonderful young protagonist who goes on a journey to find his mother and get some answers - full of heart and hope.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">I didn't get any responses to my <b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/what-do-you-want-in-my-monthly.html" target="_blank">What Do You Want to See in My Monthly Newsletter?</a> </b>so I am considering discontinuing it. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>If you read the newsletter, please let me know!</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3fWkif7gqA" target="_blank">Top 6 Nonfiction Books Read in 2023</a></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5t8octS0W4zwKlhMO7GS1MkJ3Y-7sAU2Cf9SnS0HDRJZ6SNYaMtpyR-w1WWqz54wqA3aKU-bEbgmug8im81iqwSYfjdzzB775IG707rro02JFjhqVsYOMT0HJWXSIWhXX6rlsjxufDy5nVssKy4dXREMLGaJGQ1OLf3dK-Tqg4-MHp73pTLDmQ/s2775/Our-Missing-Hearts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5t8octS0W4zwKlhMO7GS1MkJ3Y-7sAU2Cf9SnS0HDRJZ6SNYaMtpyR-w1WWqz54wqA3aKU-bEbgmug8im81iqwSYfjdzzB775IG707rro02JFjhqVsYOMT0HJWXSIWhXX6rlsjxufDy5nVssKy4dXREMLGaJGQ1OLf3dK-Tqg4-MHp73pTLDmQ/w133-h200/Our-Missing-Hearts.jpg" width="133" /></a></div> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I finished reading <b>Our Missing Hearts</b>
by Celeste Ng, a Christmas gift from my son and his girlfriend. It's set in a very scary dystopian near-future with
elements that definitely come directly from our real world. A sweet 12-year-old boy
named Bird, who is half-Chinese, is living in a dorm room in Cambridge
with his father, who works at the library. Bird's mom left suddenly and
without explanation three years earlier. After Bird gets a strange drawing in the mail that he knows came from his mother, he begins investigating and goes on a quest to find her. Along the way, he (and the reader) begin to learn more about how their world came to be the way it is. This novel is very immersive,
especially as the reader is drawn further into its mysteries and
secrets. And I love that librarians play an important role in quietly
helping children and families in this novel. The setting is frightening, but it's full of heart and hope.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25NVrvA-HiIQSCKeKGswOZAMNE7iRNl80oZarxjJ5s2xgw7ZPbZ2B4pQwpj9fS_KSpl2dKo0VarUmf7VQLsgx5Xgq1SGpXPjVbjiseHNuQX8Zf3OHvujzfCiF4I1Wdyiu1SYi5IvWw6g45HnwDy2GXvC8GvO-eHCsbVKiy-BYXryLJK1LWcHNHA/s400/Blizzard%20of%20Polar%20Bears.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25NVrvA-HiIQSCKeKGswOZAMNE7iRNl80oZarxjJ5s2xgw7ZPbZ2B4pQwpj9fS_KSpl2dKo0VarUmf7VQLsgx5Xgq1SGpXPjVbjiseHNuQX8Zf3OHvujzfCiF4I1Wdyiu1SYi5IvWw6g45HnwDy2GXvC8GvO-eHCsbVKiy-BYXryLJK1LWcHNHA/w132-h200/Blizzard%20of%20Polar%20Bears.jpg" width="132" /></a></div> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Now, I am reading <b>A Blizzard of Polar Bears</b> by Alice Henderson, book 2 in her outdoor thriller series about wildlife biologist Alex Carter. Book 1, <i><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/fiction-review-solitude-of-wolverines.html" target="_blank">A Solitude of Wolverines</a></i>, made my <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/best-books-read-in-2023.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Novels of 2023</a> list! In book 2, Alex is in Manitoba on the Hudson Bay, studying polar bears. But not everyone wants to help her protect the bears. Like the first book, this is action-packed from beginning to end, with a lot of suspense and surprising twists. It's hard to set it down at night to go to sleep! January is the perfect time to read this very cold, snowy story.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zGwevnqdLSdLYgaBeeGwOVp8X-_irb_r6a9HRP65-f2CmwUHxKv3gDklqPkYFY3hvNO2Z42uv2mITC8dbeDQafr6X4gGktHDePvHo3b61nK4xsA4kM9yie-t0u6jujBrOrIjgG9ZCDpsFOu5-wXN7egkfJxAAI1gwMrdI-7CizKw6T4QeHy5ww/s1366/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zGwevnqdLSdLYgaBeeGwOVp8X-_irb_r6a9HRP65-f2CmwUHxKv3gDklqPkYFY3hvNO2Z42uv2mITC8dbeDQafr6X4gGktHDePvHo3b61nK4xsA4kM9yie-t0u6jujBrOrIjgG9ZCDpsFOu5-wXN7egkfJxAAI1gwMrdI-7CizKw6T4QeHy5ww/w132-h200/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> On audio, I am still </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>listening to my neighborhood book group's January selection (our 200th book!), <b>Remarkably Bright Creatures</b>
by Shelby Van Pelt. I've heard so many rave reviews of this novel and
am very much enjoying it. It features multiple narrators,
including Tova, a widow who has also lost her son, husband, and brother and
works nights cleaning at the local aquarium; Cam, a young man at loose
ends whose mother left him as a child; and Marcellus, a giant Pacific
octopus who is <i>very</i> smart and lives in the aquarium. He and Tova
are both very isolated and lonely and begin to form an unexpected,
unusual friendship. I'm at the point now, near the end, when different threads are starting to come together, revealing unexpected connections. I'm loving it so far, and the audio is great!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh27hyphenhyphenKiTUXSLjrsw_v_RHCCbYI_RjdOIXDhlXVAuOq0Q08zmwpalvhXX9F2nQJkivjVCiuijNmkvPbOWj9doGUPH44tU6ObCXzTdug1IcumyE7F5gO3MQs8i4yXdjaNfo0nrf_PUpQ3GwXIMLE8uuxoem0g-0gM4_kJeGr6qAbfEoYn5dR-uStQ/s400/IQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh27hyphenhyphenKiTUXSLjrsw_v_RHCCbYI_RjdOIXDhlXVAuOq0Q08zmwpalvhXX9F2nQJkivjVCiuijNmkvPbOWj9doGUPH44tU6ObCXzTdug1IcumyE7F5gO3MQs8i4yXdjaNfo0nrf_PUpQ3GwXIMLE8uuxoem0g-0gM4_kJeGr6qAbfEoYn5dR-uStQ/w129-h200/IQ.jpg" width="129" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>My husband, Ken, finished <b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-lincoln-highway.html" target="_blank">The Lincoln Highway</a></b> by Amor Towles (my review at the link), a book I read for the <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/big-book-summer-2023.html" target="_blank">Big Book Summer Challenge</a> that was one of my #1 novels read in 2023! He enjoyed it very much, and I loved being able to talk to him about it. It's a novel that just begs to be discussed. Now, Ken is reading <b>IQ</b> by Joe Ide, one of his Christmas gifts from me. It's the first book in a 6-book (so far) mystery/thriller series, about a man in East Long Beach, an LA neighborhood, who's known as IQ. With so much crime in the area, he takes on the cases the LAPD doesn't have time for. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SkopjE8jEaOYVz-rgvDMNVVVq-4K4vD7VsMnLcscXrFGSAVKhGPcgVZDznSMebhntJ3r5qogRjlwe8Tnza7TBJ457gM7-qdWIET3hlHwaonHSE0-BrPv2t29s5UO3VgJLGmCntu2C3OvVY_ChPYx92WvirN62z0T-UphmmoeEcbcWC54R0aN7w/s475/REalm-Breaker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SkopjE8jEaOYVz-rgvDMNVVVq-4K4vD7VsMnLcscXrFGSAVKhGPcgVZDznSMebhntJ3r5qogRjlwe8Tnza7TBJ457gM7-qdWIET3hlHwaonHSE0-BrPv2t29s5UO3VgJLGmCntu2C3OvVY_ChPYx92WvirN62z0T-UphmmoeEcbcWC54R0aN7w/w133-h200/REalm-Breaker.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our son, 29, finished reading <b>Pale Kings</b> by Ben Galley, book 2 in the <i>Emaneska</i> series, and enjoyed it. Now he is rereading <b>Realm Breaker</b> by Victoria Aveyard, book 1 in her <i>Realm Breaker</i> series, in preparation for reading book 2 that we gave him for Christmas.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> __________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br 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</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-54399607178047193752024-01-14T19:33:00.003-05:002024-01-15T13:46:15.955-05:00Fiction Review: Our Missing Hearts<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-fHG4EgslhUFsDTkFyLX-FyTLeqys3Z7eOgt6-hcghxGUX6anUHybtVofPCzysE_ZK6bzAcXneRf3AMA3cAWrhEhT7r80Zo7f9kbVdFIpfAUTtm7r66VOAHtPz3rT-kJABMPVe1xBbocLKIsBwUPFsFz8Ms2gXMEcr8Y8ZaIImCt2CtEp52FGg/s2775/Our-Missing-Hearts.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-fHG4EgslhUFsDTkFyLX-FyTLeqys3Z7eOgt6-hcghxGUX6anUHybtVofPCzysE_ZK6bzAcXneRf3AMA3cAWrhEhT7r80Zo7f9kbVdFIpfAUTtm7r66VOAHtPz3rT-kJABMPVe1xBbocLKIsBwUPFsFz8Ms2gXMEcr8Y8ZaIImCt2CtEp52FGg/w133-h200/Our-Missing-Hearts.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>My first book read in the new year was a Christmas gift from my son and his girlfriend, <b>Our Missing Hearts</b> by Celeste Ng. I had never read anything by this author and really wanted to give her a try. This latest novel of hers has a scary real-life dystopian setting but with a lot of heart and a touch of hope.<p></p><p>Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives with his father in a dorm room in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where his dad works as a librarian. Bird is half-Chinese, and his father his white. His dad used to be a professor of linguistics, but after Bird's mother left, his dad lost his position and they left their house with the wonderful garden his mom had planted. Bird's real name is Noah, and everyone calls him that now, but in his head, he's still Bird. His mother left suddenly and without warning three years ago, and Bird doesn't know why, only that a book she wrote had been banned. His father gives him strict instructions to walk straight home from school each day, following the route he outlined, with no detours or stops. In spite of this, sometimes Bird notices strange things, like the street in front of their dorm painted red overnight, or a group of maples on the common yarn-bombed, dripping with red yard and a sign reading "Our Missing Hearts." One day, a letter arrives addressed to Bird, and he knows it must be from his mother, since no one else calls him that. There's no return address, just a New York, NY postmark, and nothing inside but a single sheet of paper, covered with drawings of cats: sitting cats, sleeping cats, playing cats, cats--big and small--all over the page. It tickles an old memory in Bird's mind, and he struggles to retrieve it. As Bird begins to investigate the meaning of the letter and where his mother may have disappeared to, helped by a local librarian, it sets him off on a perilous journey to find out what happened to his mother.</p><p>I haven't described much about the world that Bird lives in, a near-future dystopia with chilling connections to what's happening in our own world, because the book is written from his perspective. As Bird slowly figures out what is happening in the wider world and all that his father has protected him from, the reader comes along on that journey of discovery. From Bird's school assignments, answering questions and writing essays about a law called PACT, to the art-based protests Bird witnesses to the way that people treat him, Bird eventually begins to put the pieces together, all leading him back toward his mother. Bird is a wonderful main character and guide to this changed world so like our own. His innocence and his love for his mother guide his actions, and we get to come along. It's a heartbreaking story of a society that has lost its way and is now led by fear, but it is also a beautiful, moving story of the power of the mother-child bond and of art to guide change. I was completely immersed in Bird's world and was rooting for things to turn out OK for him and his family. While frightening in its connections to our own world and elements that we see today in society, there is a thread of hope in the ending, and I loved the role that librarians play in that hope!</p><p>331 pages, Penguin Books</p><p>Penguin Audio<br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This book fits in the following <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2024-reading-challenges.html">2024 Reading Challenges</a>:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Mount TBR Challenge (starting the year off right!)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Motif Challenge - "Red Carpet Reads" (award nominee or winner) - Booklist Editor's Choice award</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Alphabet Soup Challenge - O</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Diversity Challenge</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Literary Escapes Challenge - Massachusetts </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"> <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos">my YouTube Channel </a>for
more bookish fun!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3HhrLzh" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible</a>. Audio is read by Lucy Liu and sounds great!<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Or <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=25361&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Flibro.fm%2Faudiobooks%2F9780593629628-our-missing-hearts" target="_blank">get this audiobook from Libro.fm</a> and support local
bookstores (audio sample here, too).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3HjCM2Z" target="_blank">Print and e-book from Amazon</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">You can <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook">buy
the book through Bookshop.org</a>, where your purchase will support the indie
bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping
online while still buying local! <br /> <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </p>
<script data-affiliate-id="1993" data-sku="9780593492666" data-type="book" src="https://bookshop.org/widgets.js"></script>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-70879600481427025082024-01-13T18:12:00.005-05:002024-01-13T18:12:59.436-05:002023 Reading Challenges Wrap-Up and 2024 Challenges<p>I'll recap the highlights and results of my <b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2023-reading-challenges.html" target="_blank">2023 Reading Challenges</a></b> below, but you can see the details (including lists of books) at the link. </p><p>And, I am joining all the same reading challenges in 2024! I know, kind of boring, but I've done all these challenges for multiple years and they fit my reading approach: helping me to stretch and meet my goals without being too prescriptive. I'll link below to the 2024 information for each of them so you can join the fun, too! Visit my <b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2024-reading-challenges.html" target="_blank">2024 Reading Challenges</a></b> page for details, including monthly prompts and categories.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiocBaMhb3TNpoiGxKsYaY2gbyzPVfs0aPhmVyIECyPm_FMBF5DWBU3X7U_859uB2P89hE9frMmtSqOWoyzR8Uk8zlYtblHW7BSGm9ORAkkWrcw_IQTw1IaOJKUShwLNobOZ0Va1j3yCpe-lzEyFBN-C3gzSREphY_xjuHwlVWqNYTqXr4RDU/s200/Mount%20TBR.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="170" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiocBaMhb3TNpoiGxKsYaY2gbyzPVfs0aPhmVyIECyPm_FMBF5DWBU3X7U_859uB2P89hE9frMmtSqOWoyzR8Uk8zlYtblHW7BSGm9ORAkkWrcw_IQTw1IaOJKUShwLNobOZ0Va1j3yCpe-lzEyFBN-C3gzSREphY_xjuHwlVWqNYTqXr4RDU/s1600/Mount%20TBR.png" width="170" /></a></div><p></p><p><a href="https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2022/11/2023-mount-tbr-reading-challenge-sign-up.html" target="_blank"><b>Mount TBR Reading Challenge 202</b><b>3</b></a> hosted by <a href="https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/">My Reader's Bloc</a>k.</p><p>I haven't been doing very well on this one! Last year, I lowered my goal from 48 books from my own shelves to just 36 ... and I still fell short! <b>I read only 30 books from my own shelves in 2023</b>. However, the challenge allows you to count audiobooks and e-books also, and I have always just counted print books <i>actually</i> physically on my shelf. Since I listened to 29 audiobooks last year, that only left a total of 47 (and some were e-books and some library books). </p><p>I am joining the <b><a href="https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2023/10/2024-mount-tbr-reading-challenge-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2024</a></b>, sill hosted by <a href="https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/">My Reader's Bloc</a>k. I considered including audios and e-books this time, but I really do need to work down my mountain of print books (my TBR bookcase now has double rows on two shelves!), so <b>I will again set my goal for 36 books from my own shelves</b>.<br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Jbyy-wRBDlW1OKzWpFk1ZRGOVpTpYFzKHkjD5uwW8m7GuvDT_xnB11nzQrY1gZ8Kp8MuzAx4wPzVRDXS5V6wivS4OAUx2nRFIgUKuZdQyaYXEvadnhW05-_NWja6isUmnA8Jf5VhvtMI-_Gi6xx1-A9Zm0Kw2GVlKxe7sYJ9VQJK2c5lKy0/s1170/2023-Monthly-Motif-Graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1170" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Jbyy-wRBDlW1OKzWpFk1ZRGOVpTpYFzKHkjD5uwW8m7GuvDT_xnB11nzQrY1gZ8Kp8MuzAx4wPzVRDXS5V6wivS4OAUx2nRFIgUKuZdQyaYXEvadnhW05-_NWja6isUmnA8Jf5VhvtMI-_Gi6xx1-A9Zm0Kw2GVlKxe7sYJ9VQJK2c5lKy0/s320/2023-Monthly-Motif-Graphic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>2023 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge</b> hosted by <a href="http://www.girlxoxo.com/">Girlxoxo.</a></p><p>One of my favorites every year! I love seeing which of my books fits the theme for the month. In 2023, I hit 9 of the 12 monthly motifs.</p>This year, the challenge has a slightly different name but from the same hosts who are now at a new blog: <b><a href="https://www.chapteradventure.com/reading-challenges/2024-motif-reading-challenge/" target="_blank">2024 Motif Reading Challenge</a></b> hosted by Tanya and Kim at <a href="https://www.chapteradventure.com" target="_blank">Chapter Adventure</a>. <p> </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Classics Challenge</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">In
a sad turn of events, the Back to the Classics Challenge that I join
every year was not running in 2023. I looked all over and couldn't find
another that fits for me, so I did it on my own! I used
the 12 categories from the <a href="https://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2022/01/back-to-classics-2022-challenge-signup.html" target="_blank"><b>Back to the Classics Challenge 202</b><b>2</b></a><b> </b>because they make it more fun, and I set my goal at 6 classics - <b>and I met my goal of 6 classics in 6 different categories!</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OmYfoPcEjAPHo2BcUFun2zCJrtRLustZzYjnD7j_utRjclt_nTso52biVB27SABBdhIrYnoQGmqnWxe1oILIeDUj4BYAH4MZxC9Jo3y2-fOYq3Lyvpx8bI71A7-nJqocDrAdf2GWhGUJQxJUhf12UveYe9i5cs08lQGhi0CZRfXIhHitOXo/s640/ALPHABET-SOUP-2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OmYfoPcEjAPHo2BcUFun2zCJrtRLustZzYjnD7j_utRjclt_nTso52biVB27SABBdhIrYnoQGmqnWxe1oILIeDUj4BYAH4MZxC9Jo3y2-fOYq3Lyvpx8bI71A7-nJqocDrAdf2GWhGUJQxJUhf12UveYe9i5cs08lQGhi0CZRfXIhHitOXo/s320/ALPHABET-SOUP-2023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><b><a href="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/2023-reading-challenges/2023-alphabet-soup-reading-challenge/" target="_blank">2023 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge</a> </b>hosted by <a href="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com" target="_blank">Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book</a>.<p style="text-align: left;">In 2023, as in 2022, <b>I read titles that fit into 21 of the 26 letters of the alphabet</b>. I even got a Z last year! I just reread the rules and had forgotten that for Q, X, and Z, you can count any word in thew title, not just the first word, so I'll keep that in mind for 2024.</p><p style="text-align: left;">For this year: <b><a href="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/2024-reading-challenges/2024-alphabet-soup-reading-challenge/" target="_blank">2024 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge</a>.</b> </p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5t0CoGLV0RLChcomd0i9aMq_dJ0asZdJZ_S-5jX2rzQDtrm5EuMWO4-eu9iqZwUMO-4VS6n8faYUolWKizJggTppQaLVXQb-6FJxbvibU7swgLlOFf1wSMTYwlyuTHLEuYX-U_FFz58I_cpeY2F5CJgcuT7o2JSpVTdl9-nr8s15pXyv6zJM/s800/2023-Nonfiction-Challenge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5t0CoGLV0RLChcomd0i9aMq_dJ0asZdJZ_S-5jX2rzQDtrm5EuMWO4-eu9iqZwUMO-4VS6n8faYUolWKizJggTppQaLVXQb-6FJxbvibU7swgLlOFf1wSMTYwlyuTHLEuYX-U_FFz58I_cpeY2F5CJgcuT7o2JSpVTdl9-nr8s15pXyv6zJM/w200-h200/2023-Nonfiction-Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2023-nonfiction-reader-challenge/" target="_blank"><b>2023 Nonfiction Reader Challenge</b></a> hosted by <a href="https://bookdout.wordpress.com/">Book'd Out</a>.</span><span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span>
<span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I signed up for the <i>Nonfiction Nosher</i>
category, aiming to read at least 12 nonfiction books and hitting as many of
the 12 categories as I can (last year I got 9 of the 12 categories). <b>I read 12 nonfiction books in 2023 and hit 9 of the 12 categories.</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year's </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2023-nonfiction-reader-challenge/" target="_blank"><b>2024 Nonfiction Reader Challenge</b></a>.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsw6bs8WPHbx9d3D_TydMiXXlBfPKriv21VMX0QYEHhF98dDkeoWBf-xyNk4D4WcANfWXxvDm8r7JKp4bP7WFlphaAC7bw5ccIdZbyK3Mkmzi_XT_SHnzQUpmeAOKRs51gx7yYiTM3EaYTN-uRNkl5iWSeYfvXhPeYkWolS8FpQaOSDEO7qo/s801/2023%20Diversity-Reading-Challenge-Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="801" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsw6bs8WPHbx9d3D_TydMiXXlBfPKriv21VMX0QYEHhF98dDkeoWBf-xyNk4D4WcANfWXxvDm8r7JKp4bP7WFlphaAC7bw5ccIdZbyK3Mkmzi_XT_SHnzQUpmeAOKRs51gx7yYiTM3EaYTN-uRNkl5iWSeYfvXhPeYkWolS8FpQaOSDEO7qo/s320/2023%20Diversity-Reading-Challenge-Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p><p><a href="https://celebrityreaders.com/2022/11/25/2023-diversity-reading-challenge/" target="_blank"><b>Diversity Reading Challenge 202</b></a><a href="https://celebrityreaders.com/2022/11/25/2023-diversity-reading-challenge/" target="_blank"><b>3</b></a> hosted by <a href="https://celebrityreaders.com/">Celebrity Readers</a>.<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p>This
is a familiar challenge for me that I enjoy every year. <b>I read 40 diverse books in 2023 (53% of my total books), and I hit 8 of the 12 monthly mini challenges. </b></p><p>This year: <a href="https://celebrityreaders.com/2023/12/07/2024-diversity-reading-challenge/" target="_blank"><b>Diversity Reading Challenge 2024</b></a>.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJQM0OtVfllJw7Y8IJaJR7AHSONl6WQbY8Bg8Q_mT4EUK5cZ_PDTFtd231lXHu5yBWICjYVBb0_Jetw9r5NTBXlVQpKxOEE8452E82bRytphVSoHZalG0IwhDAzypMJcSiZ8ioxMch4D8sMZc-sJh1p3uA9wUO8zgr3ptjFN7mKaZt-jWo-ho=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJQM0OtVfllJw7Y8IJaJR7AHSONl6WQbY8Bg8Q_mT4EUK5cZ_PDTFtd231lXHu5yBWICjYVBb0_Jetw9r5NTBXlVQpKxOEE8452E82bRytphVSoHZalG0IwhDAzypMJcSiZ8ioxMch4D8sMZc-sJh1p3uA9wUO8zgr3ptjFN7mKaZt-jWo-ho=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><a href="https://momssmallvictories.com/travel-world-books-reading-challenge-goals-list/" target="_blank"><b>Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge</b></a> hosted by <a href="http://momssmallvictories.com/">Mom's Small Victories</a> (great blog!)<br /></p><p>I
signed up for this one back in 2014, so
this is a continuation (it's a perpetual challenge. <b>In 2023, I read 23 books set outside the U.S., visiting 25 different countries in my reading. </b>That was almost double my numbers from 2022.<br /></p><p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcQPRX80YECFKPuX0_JmAiLzALUQKH5v8_6UHeEvs3leLSOD75zmlrTrDMBxciDD1f2lIx69te24o8JmvrACRvgASAdRyUhn5VU9VoIuWcbYA4EmXIPPqfq5lshmICMoimF4CuQ7J9I6jivvFvhMYMISUbvcJuQw3gt0vefnhu9S-3GSV7w8/s604/2023-LITERARY-ESCAPES-CHALLENGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcQPRX80YECFKPuX0_JmAiLzALUQKH5v8_6UHeEvs3leLSOD75zmlrTrDMBxciDD1f2lIx69te24o8JmvrACRvgASAdRyUhn5VU9VoIuWcbYA4EmXIPPqfq5lshmICMoimF4CuQ7J9I6jivvFvhMYMISUbvcJuQw3gt0vefnhu9S-3GSV7w8/w199-h200/2023-LITERARY-ESCAPES-CHALLENGE.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p><br /><b>2023 Literary Escapes Challenge</b> hosted by <a href="http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/">Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book</a>.</p><p>This one is focused on tracking where I read here in the U.S. <b>In 2023, I read books set in 32 different U.S. states</b>, which was higher than 2022's 25 states.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/2024-reading-challenges/2024-literary-escapes-challenge/" target="_blank">2024 Literary Escapes Challeng</a>e.</b> <br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor3utIA3gsbIL7zgBzw29NlsOS1cxypvdsvQu1JTP_d3LzrBRsopMej4_VpdoGTLPb9PYUvqAGE3gRz9sKtrUcriVqoINlmVft-0bUOzJg5DngLoJzWFvvd0XU9mdcZAx9C8P0kvxv6D80yyslvqvMCXE7ncDVHEZY9_kOxKC2qP9GLo1ajw/s1920/Big%20Book%20Summer%2022%20light.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor3utIA3gsbIL7zgBzw29NlsOS1cxypvdsvQu1JTP_d3LzrBRsopMej4_VpdoGTLPb9PYUvqAGE3gRz9sKtrUcriVqoINlmVft-0bUOzJg5DngLoJzWFvvd0XU9mdcZAx9C8P0kvxv6D80yyslvqvMCXE7ncDVHEZY9_kOxKC2qP9GLo1ajw/s320/Big%20Book%20Summer%2022%20light.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/big-book-summer-2023.html" target="_blank">Big Book Summer Challenge</a></b> hosted by <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/">Book By Book</a> (me!)</p><p>My
own annual challenge that I host each summer, beginning Memorial Day
weekend (end of May) and running until Labor Day (first Monday of
September). Hope you'll join me for the laid-back fun this summer! <b>In summer 2023, I read 13 books with 400 or more pages. </b>(But you only have to read 1 Big Book to join the fun!)</p><p>The new 2024 Big Book Summer Challenge page will go up on May 24, 2024.<br /></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRTzMmExK2GVdgzbNpeikDMkV-3PYP93lACjqiRweHxbDH-jf-H0IAMLcini1nq3d6ZYHKKZiKZ8AUuBBxFJWRBgy__CQAZwgve9Ry5UyLDWXfahnMF20IvWy8nCDMRpnvPFI2pXgKFtdky80jlU_2HZsX_k5wVG38JaQhBhE7Fz_qBBWeq3-kQ/s204/RIPO%20xix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="204" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRTzMmExK2GVdgzbNpeikDMkV-3PYP93lACjqiRweHxbDH-jf-H0IAMLcini1nq3d6ZYHKKZiKZ8AUuBBxFJWRBgy__CQAZwgve9Ry5UyLDWXfahnMF20IvWy8nCDMRpnvPFI2pXgKFtdky80jlU_2HZsX_k5wVG38JaQhBhE7Fz_qBBWeq3-kQ/s1600/RIPO%20xix.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/perilreaders/" target="_blank">R.I.P. Challenge</a></b> </p><p>I love this annual fall challenge for reading spooky stuff in September and October. <b>In 2023, I read 18 books that fit the darker themes of fall (mystery, thriller, dystopian, etc.).</b><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-73148187109267149132024-01-09T12:27:00.004-05:002024-01-11T19:06:17.546-05:00Best Books Read in 2023<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFVfTDYUquhBs6sRQY6hx5SdLyoA_oDT9ugPG2sbNQGWvXFytT_UJy6LlTOrahdST2S2Hbu6Dj3obuB0kE1-ZwgWywKKlqQgVwfPNMHw-LOhGbW1kzBetBQZNXp7l2jjBoUnBoOIoRLqiUHtrfmepJ01XyvHAou_SsfR8yqiiMsnmcZZe3up0zA/s1920/2023%20Reading%20Wrap-Up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFVfTDYUquhBs6sRQY6hx5SdLyoA_oDT9ugPG2sbNQGWvXFytT_UJy6LlTOrahdST2S2Hbu6Dj3obuB0kE1-ZwgWywKKlqQgVwfPNMHw-LOhGbW1kzBetBQZNXp7l2jjBoUnBoOIoRLqiUHtrfmepJ01XyvHAou_SsfR8yqiiMsnmcZZe3up0zA/s320/2023%20Reading%20Wrap-Up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />As always, I will first share some stats and fun facts about my reading year, then my Top Picks in different categories, and finally, my Top 10 (or whatever) Lists in each category. It was an outstanding reading year, so I had some tough choices to make! With adult fiction in particular, my first cut of best novels of the year included 15 books, and whittling that down to just 10 was painful!<p></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">You can see a complete list, with links to reviews and favorites indicated, of all the books I have read since 2015 at my Book Reviews tab.</p><p style="text-align: left;">You can also watch a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6jKwbGnexA" target="_blank">video version of my 2023 Reading Wrap-Up</a>.<br /> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Stats and Facts</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">My stats were very similar to the year before :<b> <br /></b></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Total Books Read in 2023 = 76 (75 in 2022)</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Adult Fiction = 46 (59%)</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Adult Nonfiction = 6 (8%) </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Teen/YA = 12 (16%)</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Middle-Grade = 12 (16%)</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"> </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><b>Of Those:</b></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">(note that some categories overlap)<b> </b> </p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Total Nonfiction = 12 (16%)</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Audio Books = 29 (38%)</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Graphic Novels/Memoirs = 7</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Classics = 6</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Poetry = 0</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Short Story Collections = 0</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"> </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><b>Fun Facts:</b></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Women Authors: 48 books (63%) - more than last year<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Diverse Books: 40 (53%) - a little less than last year</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">From My Own Shelves: 30 (39%) - note that I only counted physical books, not audios or e-books, so I may change that this year</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Re-reads: 0</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Authors Read More Than Once in 2023: Matty Dalrymple (2), Annie Hartnet (2), Lisa McMann (2), and Anne Tyler (2)<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Shortest Book:
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/two-great-teenya-graphic-memoirs.html"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Dreamer</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by Akim Aliu </span>
(128 pages)</p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">Longest Book: <span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/07/fiction-review-voyager.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Voyager</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by Diana Gabaldon (870 pages)</span></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Average Book Length: 344 pages</span></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Total Pages Read: 26,173 pages </span>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> </b><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Top Picks - Best of the Best!</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Note that several of my picks fit for multiple categories, but I tried to choose something different for each one.<b> </b>Links are to my reviews.<b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Best Adult Fiction</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b>
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-lincoln-highway.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Lincoln Highway</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by Amor Towles</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">(also see Best Audio Book)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0nuy9AVNmXlLD_OuU99QpDIE-uDSIwLorhyphenhyphenUkcOEjm9xewxqkRcvlyRhX0TH9vBAC18HHDKuzDKUsXWcKolZlp5gq8dB6gHlo-8XqIcpcYHaCwg-eSEwP9xOnmkhjwsxcgT-pq3kqPWkwMhcpF18H3Mfz55MQVHj3l69xbN8Wuc8Ydb4FtbcNg/s2770/Lincoln-Highway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="1831" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0nuy9AVNmXlLD_OuU99QpDIE-uDSIwLorhyphenhyphenUkcOEjm9xewxqkRcvlyRhX0TH9vBAC18HHDKuzDKUsXWcKolZlp5gq8dB6gHlo-8XqIcpcYHaCwg-eSEwP9xOnmkhjwsxcgT-pq3kqPWkwMhcpF18H3Mfz55MQVHj3l69xbN8Wuc8Ydb4FtbcNg/w133-h200/Lincoln-Highway.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><b>Best Nonfiction</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/nonfiction-review-zookeepers-wife.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Zookeeper’s Wife</span></b></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"> by Diane Ackerman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfOTnQStz0tjdChsP13WXGl1XGlMbhp0fyjQqCg27E-cV_VsguGAzBaHq198adTMPNpgGGLVEfKLhOQsEoAs3to_7V120b3Vp-p2_il74BCFDADxNhCwW7jcsc2QQcePN8MC-NNY0Xo5WrlaffN03M8h1oy0sDJ0GL5sKXzavEWO86XHH8GeNbw/s400/Zookeepers-Wife.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfOTnQStz0tjdChsP13WXGl1XGlMbhp0fyjQqCg27E-cV_VsguGAzBaHq198adTMPNpgGGLVEfKLhOQsEoAs3to_7V120b3Vp-p2_il74BCFDADxNhCwW7jcsc2QQcePN8MC-NNY0Xo5WrlaffN03M8h1oy0sDJ0GL5sKXzavEWO86XHH8GeNbw/w132-h200/Zookeepers-Wife.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Best Memoir</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/memoir-review-how-to-forget.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">How to Forget</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Kate Mulgrew</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzNNFZ3b4ic1dNGCZ8yNXM4Lfs6Z7U2PYloK-N7MBctTkJmJyZmHiLlU-qqxp2AoIzZQxisoY8TJmKWN9jVBBvl4Es7uAbbLQOyse2L-3el9zPh_kdJT90VWm3U3iK8pwvnN7_WzZoWQ3Y_rhmppIIk9qc-9w-CGvJdK5UUIJqSbrkUsPkRRD9w/s400/How-to-Forget.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzNNFZ3b4ic1dNGCZ8yNXM4Lfs6Z7U2PYloK-N7MBctTkJmJyZmHiLlU-qqxp2AoIzZQxisoY8TJmKWN9jVBBvl4Es7uAbbLQOyse2L-3el9zPh_kdJT90VWm3U3iK8pwvnN7_WzZoWQ3Y_rhmppIIk9qc-9w-CGvJdK5UUIJqSbrkUsPkRRD9w/w133-h200/How-to-Forget.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Best Audio Book</b> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/fiction-review-demon-copperhead.html">Demon
Copperhead</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by
Barbara Kingsolver</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">(also a #1 fiction pick)<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2a3rMKeyAZusIRXUEuwEH7gP6w3xLVOblIOAtWlICGX7yLW-hf9S5U_zhYzPt-YJcAH1j-JJqLJpzkGADJpWmCx16SAhXkmXCgDImROcHg0wdlufT5l_qHsCtICfhFJdrqMlSoGWK4Pctw6wxrT06IqXOkYDlfZ8ko9jsD88vrXjNHBYIbD50Q/s400/Demon-Copperhead.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2a3rMKeyAZusIRXUEuwEH7gP6w3xLVOblIOAtWlICGX7yLW-hf9S5U_zhYzPt-YJcAH1j-JJqLJpzkGADJpWmCx16SAhXkmXCgDImROcHg0wdlufT5l_qHsCtICfhFJdrqMlSoGWK4Pctw6wxrT06IqXOkYDlfZ8ko9jsD88vrXjNHBYIbD50Q/w132-h200/Demon-Copperhead.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Best Teen/YA Book</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/teenya-review-this-is-our-place.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">This Is Our Place</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by Vitor Martins</span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><style>Â </style></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><style>@font-face
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<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/04/middle-grade-review-first-time-for.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A First Time for Everything</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by Dan Santat</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdaERWJlX499yBEjRFAeRdMCGrd0m9gnao7e7dheTO0XaPoiuf_uI_OyJRPAPAdU0f_OUpLM141CrWCWQsCTo3ho1e0Q8GXwSyvrIO9geWW3SbgoE4-w4HA7Kh7KihEykmxA5QKvBBNsHJrgJI5c8fkOo4DnQZHhyphenhyphenaq27Uqnv6ku-9zKyHj3z4Q/s400/First-Time.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="275" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdaERWJlX499yBEjRFAeRdMCGrd0m9gnao7e7dheTO0XaPoiuf_uI_OyJRPAPAdU0f_OUpLM141CrWCWQsCTo3ho1e0Q8GXwSyvrIO9geWW3SbgoE4-w4HA7Kh7KihEykmxA5QKvBBNsHJrgJI5c8fkOo4DnQZHhyphenhyphenaq27Uqnv6ku-9zKyHj3z4Q/w138-h200/First-Time.jpg" width="138" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <b>Best Graphic Novel/Nonfiction</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/middle-grade-review-bea-wolf.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Bea Wolf</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> by Zach Weinersmith and
Boulet</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><style>Â </style></p><p style="text-align: center;"><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1tQkiEYoItkoEr2nI0f8xL8GF-jrwX9AQ3eYlSYvx6v6AB_2Zj37iH_foYt7UcqHWQuZPOfO6vrqj5queW1nC4Ywt_n-HS1UfqZGjT91YCz3Cin-ibgS2CgCL7f9MG1HwNhlajjQljbn18hO0-8grNHmq3nUB2JyUQvzzbsbuGqtOIMR0wqatQ/s400/Bea-Wolf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1tQkiEYoItkoEr2nI0f8xL8GF-jrwX9AQ3eYlSYvx6v6AB_2Zj37iH_foYt7UcqHWQuZPOfO6vrqj5queW1nC4Ywt_n-HS1UfqZGjT91YCz3Cin-ibgS2CgCL7f9MG1HwNhlajjQljbn18hO0-8grNHmq3nUB2JyUQvzzbsbuGqtOIMR0wqatQ/w159-h200/Bea-Wolf.jpg" width="159" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Best Classic</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-grapes-of-wrath.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Grapes of Wrath</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by John Steinbeck</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><b>Top 10 (or whatever) Lists</b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b> </b> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;">These were incredibly hard choices to make! I read so many great books last year, and it was tough to leave some out. Many of the top audio picks were also top fiction picks, but I tried to give everything a fair chance! Lists are alphabetical.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Top 10 Adult Novels</b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;">Check out my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5UnlA30kVk" target="_blank">Top 10 Novels of 2023 video</a>, for discussion of why I picked each of these. <b> <br /></b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/fiction-review-billy-summers.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Billy Summers</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Stephen King</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/fiction-review-demon-copperhead.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Demon Copperhead</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Barbara Kingsolver</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-grapes-of-wrath.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Grapes of Wrath</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by John Steinbeck</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/fiction-review-lessons-in-chemistry.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Lessons in Chemistry</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Bonnie Garmus</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-lincoln-highway.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Lincoln Highway</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Amor Towles</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KigqFzOK-w"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Rabbit Cake</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Annie Hartnett</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/fiction-review-solitude-of-wolverines.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A Solitude of Wolverines</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Alice Henderson</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/fiction-review-tomorrow-and-tomorrow.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and
Tomorrow</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by
Gabrielle Zevin</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/fiction-review-upgrade.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Upgrade</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Blake Crouch</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/07/fiction-review-voyager.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Voyager</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Diana Gabaldon</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><style>Â </style></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><style>Â </style><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Top 6 Nonfiction Books (all ages)</b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/ya-nonfiction-review-57-bus.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The 57 Bus</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Dashka Slater</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/nonfiction-review-destiny-of-republic.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Destiny of the Republic</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Candice Millard</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/04/middle-grade-review-first-time-for.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A First Time for Everything</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Dan Santat</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/memoir-review-how-to-forget.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">How to Forget</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Kate Mulgrew</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/two-great-teenya-graphic-memoirs.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Layers</span></b></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
by </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/P%C3%A9n%C3%A9lope-Bagieu/e/B07B3HS6S4/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Pénélope</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
Bagieu</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/nonfiction-review-zookeepers-wife.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Zookeeper’s Wife</span></b></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
by Diane Ackerman</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b> <br /></b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Top 3 Classics</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHwEm38v2zk"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Good Earth</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Pearl Buck</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-grapes-of-wrath.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Grapes of Wrath</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by John Steinbeck</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/03/fiction-review-their-eyes-were-watching.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Zora Neale Hurston</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Top 6 Teen/YA </b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/ya-nonfiction-review-57-bus.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The 57 Bus</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Dashka Slater</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/teenya-review-crash-and-bang-visions.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Crash</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Lisa McMann</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/teenya-review-dangerous-lies.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Dangerous Lies</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Becca Fitzpatrick</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/two-great-teenya-graphic-memoirs.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Layers</span></b></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
by </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/P%C3%A9n%C3%A9lope-Bagieu/e/B07B3HS6S4/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Pénélope</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
Bagieu</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/07/teenya-review-scythe.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Scythe</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Neal Schusterman</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/teenya-review-this-is-our-place.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">This Is Our Place</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Vitor Martins</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b> <br /></b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Top 6 Middle-Grade</b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/middle-grade-review-bea-wolf.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Bea Wolf</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Zach Weinersmith and Boulet</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/03/two-great-middle-grade-novels-on-audio.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Can You See Me?</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> By Libby Scott and Rebecca
Westcott</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/its-monday-1030-what-are-you-reading.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Coraline</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Neil Gaiman</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/04/middle-grade-review-first-time-for.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A First Time for Everything</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Dan Santat</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/01/its-monday-130-what-are-you-reading.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Land of the Cranes</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Aida Salazar</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/middle-grade-review-lines-of-courage.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Lines of Courage</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Jennifer Nielsen</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>Top 3 Graphic Novel/Memoir</b></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/11/middle-grade-review-bea-wolf.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Bea Wolf</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Zach Weinersmith and Boulet</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/04/middle-grade-review-first-time-for.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A First Time for Everything</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Dan Santat</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/two-great-teenya-graphic-memoirs.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Layers</span></b></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
by </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/P%C3%A9n%C3%A9lope-Bagieu/e/B07B3HS6S4/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Pénélope</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">
Bagieu</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"></span></p>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/ya-nonfiction-review-57-bus.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The 57 Bus</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Dashka Slater</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/fiction-review-book-of-lost-friends.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Book of Lost Friends</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Lisa Wingate</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/10/its-monday-1030-what-are-you-reading.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Coraline</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Neil Gaiman</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/02/fiction-review-demon-copperhead.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Demon Copperhead</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Barbara Kingsolver</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/06/fiction-review-house-of-impossible.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The House of Impossible Beauties</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Joseph Cassara</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/memoir-review-how-to-forget.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">How to Forget</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Kate Mulgrew</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/fiction-review-how-high-we-go-in-dark.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">How High We Go in the Dark</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Sequoia Nagamatsu</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/09/middle-grade-review-lines-of-courage.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Lines of Courage</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Jennifer Nielsen</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-secrets-between-us.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Secrets Between Us</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Thrity Umrigar</span></p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/05/teenya-review-this-is-our-place.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">This Is Our Place</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> by Vitor Martins</span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;">Wow, what a reading year!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-themecolor: text1;"><b>What were YOUR favorite books read last year? </b></span>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22461753.post-41776537222287256212024-01-08T12:37:00.003-05:002024-01-08T12:37:35.206-05:00It's Monday 1/8! What Are You Reading?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s200/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMcZfmvNC0Rawn8ocJGWY1YBU_5t_OvAITV2u33tPqi9KZglnzHrw51SqKdW03DFHIZysn4hqmakcFsM-gsVMVbhpBN7Z1nkrBUudiXWM57Qp8knadDOljvR5E_gks-1PPqfBZeIRgYzl8_LNnIA1cpL5IhEzPJlQkJdGkZs970EJ6ICXIpk/s1600/Monday%20Book%20Date.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hosted by <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Book Date</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life</span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">What a difference a week makes! As I mentioned last week, I made a drastic change to my diet for my immune disorder and felt better by the holidays. Starting January 2, I went "whole hog" (so to speak, since it's a Carnivore Diet) and since then, I have felt great! The past three years have been a series of bad relapses and even my "good" periods in between weren't all that good, with the least bit of exertion sending me back to the couch. This past week was the best I have felt since 2019. I had lots of energy, was up and about and quite active, able to begin taking walks again and doing some strength training (slowly and carefully on both counts, to work my stamina back up), and it was just a joyful, productive week!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmGtAJ5LFNh6BGpYN6EuJ9eakyPYTG_DHmX2XrEmDpxKaE_g-ADSR0S6QA25lciJU3j2I2jCirS84v5LTBQ2EBrQlox9eMb9ofx2Oh4JCM0YPmaeKEv6Gr5VpBWN7PRdyiPHtlyUFkwrpxhYQ7UfRZTfn1b8jkka8Z6DBqOkND4JWwUHvmUvQvg/s3088/8DFEA370-A993-412A-AAAE-D28203306DCE.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmGtAJ5LFNh6BGpYN6EuJ9eakyPYTG_DHmX2XrEmDpxKaE_g-ADSR0S6QA25lciJU3j2I2jCirS84v5LTBQ2EBrQlox9eMb9ofx2Oh4JCM0YPmaeKEv6Gr5VpBWN7PRdyiPHtlyUFkwrpxhYQ7UfRZTfn1b8jkka8Z6DBqOkND4JWwUHvmUvQvg/s320/8DFEA370-A993-412A-AAAE-D28203306DCE.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So good to be out in the world again & able to take walks!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Last year, I did a project called #sky365, to post a photo of the sky every day on social media, as extra incentive to get outside every day (which was very helpful during those very sick periods). This year, I have launched #nature365! The idea is simply to get outside (or even just look out your window), and notice and appreciate nature. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Join the fun! </p><p style="text-align: center;">Use #nature365 on whatever social media platforms you enjoy, and post a daily pic of trees, flowers, sky, birds, animals--whatever kind of nature you notice in the world around you. Here are some of my #nature365 photos from last week:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHAk75Sj4kpSyCVSGsrd20yTOKGPz37XapojqDLbDcst2URf7cc11xQX78z2bI0cHGWRCYKpt594zKiOz1q8n_OoyPtpLbEZT_gpbFTo_26u9DvZlU94RELIO2Svh7nd0qk1XQSvFttbdv1upySQY7KuvLnNCvWhmEQMHoVBv9otbNErRjxIeLA/s4032/2B49F54E-DF69-451E-ABD4-A9506BEFC035.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHAk75Sj4kpSyCVSGsrd20yTOKGPz37XapojqDLbDcst2URf7cc11xQX78z2bI0cHGWRCYKpt594zKiOz1q8n_OoyPtpLbEZT_gpbFTo_26u9DvZlU94RELIO2Svh7nd0qk1XQSvFttbdv1upySQY7KuvLnNCvWhmEQMHoVBv9otbNErRjxIeLA/s320/2B49F54E-DF69-451E-ABD4-A9506BEFC035.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White sycamore trees against a brilliant blue sky<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-e1IQrmPL7oohuXKJaVZ5R05En6nl507BxHx5BpRPEdTmaWKDIDa6WSsAATaD6D6aqpErncneNtwXl5ZdmXiN-68FNM1H2E_MCHHLO7TzTtkxvR_3Woe1x_j5zLKGTt5da_6cUPGBdBdVXoDhg5q5SjMWoJapxz6zIVxBe3Xqc98ltFMvyW8yxQ/s4032/6113DC27-8AEF-4374-995F-FA9E29829939.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-e1IQrmPL7oohuXKJaVZ5R05En6nl507BxHx5BpRPEdTmaWKDIDa6WSsAATaD6D6aqpErncneNtwXl5ZdmXiN-68FNM1H2E_MCHHLO7TzTtkxvR_3Woe1x_j5zLKGTt5da_6cUPGBdBdVXoDhg5q5SjMWoJapxz6zIVxBe3Xqc98ltFMvyW8yxQ/s320/6113DC27-8AEF-4374-995F-FA9E29829939.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The unseasonably mild weather has some of our trees confused!<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgcUxYkljYu7Qgn5VA8gb_8NoipllKS-W0VSQWIKcLUgxa5bcqn455meDQZphWA5Bzo2ixvig0i2If2BaCksJJDrUWAwMYj_GT49hgjVZ0hZ9WMTGkMz9GujlfU5kYySnIQDxYu0m5spZzkE6c45OBLx2WEHf3xQgXsowGRr8HKkiMFQ5UXA1kQ/s4032/B1C225D5-4180-4B9E-A707-4169BC795C5D.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgcUxYkljYu7Qgn5VA8gb_8NoipllKS-W0VSQWIKcLUgxa5bcqn455meDQZphWA5Bzo2ixvig0i2If2BaCksJJDrUWAwMYj_GT49hgjVZ0hZ9WMTGkMz9GujlfU5kYySnIQDxYu0m5spZzkE6c45OBLx2WEHf3xQgXsowGRr8HKkiMFQ5UXA1kQ/s320/B1C225D5-4180-4B9E-A707-4169BC795C5D.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A local creek<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSg64x7bfGoV4SDUKI2X5Ofv-prZjj7VUVQvpeRvWAiK6Djdvs3lF03fKDDKYAvOfsLCHZmdU87BbEZEZL_Aq7ygt0fZX9_OqE0TrcrNHnWLjDz3M9mUQ3eQz7UOpybwAxfrvTiKu03oKfQBDv4B8SgEjwiJKVuu8dhZt5d4TmZNxD2gLlzmttQ/s4032/D1C121FD-8BB2-49F7-AB52-103FF38C1C21.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSg64x7bfGoV4SDUKI2X5Ofv-prZjj7VUVQvpeRvWAiK6Djdvs3lF03fKDDKYAvOfsLCHZmdU87BbEZEZL_Aq7ygt0fZX9_OqE0TrcrNHnWLjDz3M9mUQ3eQz7UOpybwAxfrvTiKu03oKfQBDv4B8SgEjwiJKVuu8dhZt5d4TmZNxD2gLlzmttQ/s320/D1C121FD-8BB2-49F7-AB52-103FF38C1C21.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Big winter storm left us only a trace of snow, quickly washed away by rain.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________</span></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On the Blog</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/movie-monday-flora-and-son.html" target="_blank">Movie Monday: <b>Flora and Son</b></a> - we enjoyed this heartwarming, funny, uplifting movie about the power of music to connect us (plus a couple of similar movie recs at the end of the review).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/fiction-review-rabbit-cake.html" target="_blank">Fiction Review: <b>Rabbit Cake</b></a> by Annie Hartnett - I finished this warm, funny, deeply moving novel about grief and family on December 30, and it made my Top 10 Novels of 2023 list!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/01/what-do-you-want-in-my-monthly.html" target="_blank">What Do YOU Want to See in my Monthly Newsletter?</a></b> - I send a monthly e-mail newsletter to my subscribers (click the Subscribe by E-Mail button at the top of this page to sign up) and wanted to check in to see which of the features people enjoy, which they skip, or if they don't read the newsletter at all (new year, fresh start!)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">I'm still working on my 2023 wrap-up posts - coming soon!<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">On Video</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6jKwbGnexA" target="_blank">2023 Reading Wrap-Up and Top Category Picks</a> </b>- an overview of my reading year, some fun facts, and my #1 picks in different categories<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQa99MqHwuk" target="_blank">Friday Reads 1-5-24</a></b> - kicking off the new year with some great novels!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5UnlA30kVk" target="_blank">Top 10 Novels of 2023</a></b> - my picks for best novels read last year (note that I somehow forgot to mention <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/12/fiction-review-tomorrow-and-tomorrow.html" target="_blank"><b>Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow</b></a> by Gabrielle Zevin, which is on that list!)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVRp4e8jbEFZz8WkOgxzOkHoEjSiztjUJjbl8EI6cMuxwn46aUFErFEgKApXAP_QWxPNsasd048BWo4UO3mUUz7nyyTYrIdyxohllg-SdM-l_buwwyAccE06e9S2BgwUpjvATjA0eexeJ52z0i4LO_NPKrd-N7-RMZ77-lft9398Gv0SKx-MIPQ/s1920/2023%20Top%2010%20Novels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVRp4e8jbEFZz8WkOgxzOkHoEjSiztjUJjbl8EI6cMuxwn46aUFErFEgKApXAP_QWxPNsasd048BWo4UO3mUUz7nyyTYrIdyxohllg-SdM-l_buwwyAccE06e9S2BgwUpjvATjA0eexeJ52z0i4LO_NPKrd-N7-RMZ77-lft9398Gv0SKx-MIPQ/s320/2023%20Top%2010%20Novels.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>__________</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What We're Reading</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigd-1t5yzSw10XaeZUGdCgIMReXLXogFsS1h3Xn1GbtH78R9WTfhc2XkzCh2q5czm19-x-htydldhfvrCRXtYM4Kh745gMx9nnycNq9cirvBBRjXHgdwq3RY7fGHXgY7FjCGT7LPaViXT8Xv4oYWG_nUDNL4fo_amOsOt7EY9J7z4W9lPrH6ay7g/s2775/Our-Missing-Hearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigd-1t5yzSw10XaeZUGdCgIMReXLXogFsS1h3Xn1GbtH78R9WTfhc2XkzCh2q5czm19-x-htydldhfvrCRXtYM4Kh745gMx9nnycNq9cirvBBRjXHgdwq3RY7fGHXgY7FjCGT7LPaViXT8Xv4oYWG_nUDNL4fo_amOsOt7EY9J7z4W9lPrH6ay7g/w133-h200/Our-Missing-Hearts.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">My first book of 2024 is (drumroll ...) <b>Our Missing Hearts</b> by Celeste Ng, a Christmas gift from my son and his girlfriend. It's excellent so far, set in a very scary dystopian near-future with elements that definitely come directly from our real world. After a serious economic event (worse than the Depression), referred to only as the Crisis, Congress passed a law that has resulted in extreme discrimination against Asian Americans, which led to protests, which led to children being removed from homes deemed "unpatriotic" or "unAmerican." In the midst of this world is a sweet 12-year-old boy named Bird, who is half-Chinese and living in a dorm room in Cambridge with his father, who works at the library. Bird's mom left suddenly and without explanation three years earlier. This novel is very immersive, especially as the reader is drawn further into its mysteries and secrets. And I love that librarians play an important role in quietly helping children and families in this novel.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kuj7_auaz-dcuZCghyRM61y9aEOi8wH9Fhbg_AKaDga0dW5H64FRIfMxKu9CSATv2u-AlHNL11Fai3dHkOox9bSjN0_GauSS6KSzNMDfM5ZKO3xtHjUzv_OvubL0CA54_yvWsGGG4TtK3TwppkPtjlACViGzbwfq9yP30v2lxpcPwz021oX7Xw/s1366/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kuj7_auaz-dcuZCghyRM61y9aEOi8wH9Fhbg_AKaDga0dW5H64FRIfMxKu9CSATv2u-AlHNL11Fai3dHkOox9bSjN0_GauSS6KSzNMDfM5ZKO3xtHjUzv_OvubL0CA54_yvWsGGG4TtK3TwppkPtjlACViGzbwfq9yP30v2lxpcPwz021oX7Xw/w132-h200/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures.jpg" width="132" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">On audio, I began listening to my neighborhood book group's January selection (our 200th book!), <b>Remarkably Bright Creatures</b> by Shelby Van Pelt. I've heard so many rave reviews of this novel and am very much enjoying it so far. It features multiple narrators, including Tova, a widow who has also lost her son and her brother and works nights cleaning at the local aquarium; Cal, a young man at loose ends whose mother left him as a child; and Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who is <i>very</i> smart and lives in the aquarium. He and Tova are both very isolated and lonely and begin to form an unexpected, unusual friendship. I'm loving it so far, and the audio is great!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJzJPnjJ0578_ToX4E5vnYkDAp_oArunbVq_uC87kW_fsO_tJjOvq_pijAJuJZ8gjWdJSzbi99z_tQwgtkvUvQmO0vmq6eYgnieS9FoWNbtwHHZz_fZZoIr_nzju8pZSNJ4N3o4y4nb2T7H2IP4HheptXN4BEnTYsVIo0snQX7YC_Tpln2tBf-g/s2770/Lincoln-Highway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="1831" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJzJPnjJ0578_ToX4E5vnYkDAp_oArunbVq_uC87kW_fsO_tJjOvq_pijAJuJZ8gjWdJSzbi99z_tQwgtkvUvQmO0vmq6eYgnieS9FoWNbtwHHZz_fZZoIr_nzju8pZSNJ4N3o4y4nb2T7H2IP4HheptXN4BEnTYsVIo0snQX7YC_Tpln2tBf-g/w133-h200/Lincoln-Highway.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>My husband, Ken, is still reading <b><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/08/fiction-review-lincoln-highway.html" target="_blank">The Lincoln Highway</a></b> by Amor Towles (my review at the link), a book I read for the <a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/big-book-summer-2023.html" target="_blank">Big Book Summer Challenge</a> that is on my Top 10 list this year! He's enjoying it so far, and it's nice to be able to talk to him about it. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Zg6yzL_sV9kRY_lL3qUoSK9PRe8NXG-QZVXFLq606JBZs8p_bFlfFxqYcw6fdLTEMf7sYBDGbXkhaCCBlIx_pmSgrtjN0W53etqHZ7fR7Q-kOZBize0Y21awqlsEpjTZ-WuH-i8wjxWkrizb4e77kP4UDITzPbwpGx1CfgYQryieVSNEeHy3w/s475/Pale-Kings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Zg6yzL_sV9kRY_lL3qUoSK9PRe8NXG-QZVXFLq606JBZs8p_bFlfFxqYcw6fdLTEMf7sYBDGbXkhaCCBlIx_pmSgrtjN0W53etqHZ7fR7Q-kOZBize0Y21awqlsEpjTZ-WuH-i8wjxWkrizb4e77kP4UDITzPbwpGx1CfgYQryieVSNEeHy3w/w133-h200/Pale-Kings.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our
son, 29, finished</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> rereading <b>The Written</b> by Ben Galley, the first book in the <i>Emaneska</i> series, and is now reading book 2, <b>Pale Kings</b> (a birthday gift from us). <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> __________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Kathryn at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/">Book Date</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
<span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You can follow me on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/SueBookByBook">@SueBookByBook</a> or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook/">Facebook on my blog's pag</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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href="https://www.facebook.com/bookbybook/">e</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span 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style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br 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</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span><span>
</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><b><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span class="a-color-base" id="title2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>What are you and your family reading this wee</span>k?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com14