It's Monday 11/27! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

Life

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the U.S! I hope you enjoyed a nice holiday. We drove to Rochester, NY, my hometown, for a whirlwind long weekend of family gatherings, covering every branch of my extended family! We stayed with my step-mom, spent Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family, met for lunch with my aunts and cousins on my dad's side Friday, and saw a wide range of family and friends at an outdoor cabin party on Saturday.

My family on Thanksgiving

With my aunts and cousins

My husband & I with family members we don't get to see often!

My sons (and I) playing cards with their Grandma

It was great to see everyone, though my health is still very up and down. A second nap in between dinner and dessert helped me manage Thanksgiving, I rested as much as possible in between events, and my husband and I left early when we needed to. I am very grateful I was able to get to every gathering and catch up with everyone.

In fact, I actually made it to my 40th high school reunion Friday night!! My illness often doesn't make logical sense, and I don't usually have any control over it, but I actually felt good Friday evening and had so much fun! It was a blast reminiscing and catching up with old friends. In fact, many of the people there I had not only gone to high school with but also elementary school, so we'd known each other since we were five or six years old--so many funny stories and fun memories! And I learned that one of my classmates, Karen Odden, has written a series of historical mysteries.

Some of my friends at the reunion

 

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On the Blog

On this travel week, I only had time to schedule one quick post:

My Book on Sale Through Monday - an announcement of my Black Friday sale - all e-book formats and the paperback from Amazon are still on sale through tonight (and insider tip: while most of the e-book formats will revert to normal pricing at midnight, it'll probably take Amazon a day or two to update my prices). And Bookshop has reduced prices and free shipping today!

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On Video

The Booktube Watching Tag - all about my YouTube viewing habits 

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 What We're Reading

 I'm enjoying Nonfiction November!

 

 

I finally finished reading The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman, a book I've been meaning to read since its release in 2007. Wow, what a stunning book! It's the true story of a husband and wife who ran a zoo in Warsaw, Poland, when Germany invaded and saved hundreds of people from the Nazis during WWII. The author used a lot of primary sources like diaries and letters, and it is a very moving, powerful narrative. The horrors of the Holocaust are even more shocking when described by people who were there, in the thick of it. And the bravery, compassion, and strength of the people in the resistance is truly inspiring. Part of the reason it took me a while to finish the book is that I kept picking up my iPad to look things up; it's that kind of fascinating nonfiction that makes you want to learn more.

 

 

 

I am now reading We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby, a collection of essays. I've been hearing about Irby for years, and my husband gave me this one for my birthday. She doesn't pull any punches! Her essays are honest, poignant, and funny. Some are on topics I can't really relate to, like dating in the modern world, but other topics are universal. And I was surprised to learn that she also has a chronic immune disorder, Crohn's. It's not a focus of her writing here, but as with any chronic illness, it's an integral part of her life, so it affects everything. I'm enjoying the book.

 

 

 

On audio, I am listening to The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates. I hadn't seen the subtitle, so I thought this book was another inspiration/self-help kind of book, like her first. I was surprised to find that it's all about her charitable work. I'm about halfway through, and it is both fascinating and inspiring. Her work mostly focuses on the lives of girls and women, here in the U.S. and around the world, with a special focus on availability of birth control and education, two aspects that she learned had a profound effect on women and on their communities. She includes lots of stories about girls and women all over the world (which is pretty eye-opening), as well as data and research and how her foundation tries to help. It's excellent so far.

 

 

 

My husband, Ken, finished reading The Last Ranger by Peter Heller. He said it was quite different from Heller's previous outdoor thrillers (Celine, The River, and The Guide), but he enjoyed it. Now, he has moved onto another birthday gift, Holly by Stephen King. I want to read both of these!

 

 

Our son, 29, didn't have much reading time this weekend, but he is fortunate to be able to read in the car, so he finished re-reading book 3, Hero of the Ages, of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series. And now, he has moved onto the main event: Sanderson's just-published The Sunlit Man, which takes place in the same Cosmere universe. For his birthday last year, I signed him up for Sanderson's big Kickstarter, and this was the fourth book he received. It's a gorgeous embossed hardcover, and he's happy to be immersed in this world again.

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What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

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

What are you and your family reading this week? 

 

My Book on Sale Now Through Monday!

I just wanted to let you know that my book is on sale, now through Cyber Monday, November 27. All e-book formats are on sale, and the paperback when bought through Amazon (sorry but I don't have control over pricing of the paperback through other online and in-store retailers but it is available everywhere). It makes a great gift for anyone dealing with any kind of chronic medical issues.

About the book:

"Whether you are in the early days of living with chronic illness or have been at it for years (or decades), there are always challenges in living a life framed by limitations and restrictions, where isolation is a common issue. This guide provides inspiration, advice on emotional coping, and guidance on living your best life with chronic illness from someone who’s been there. Though it seems impossible at first, your life will eventually settle into a new normal, and while that life may be different than the one you had planned, it can still be a vibrant, fulfilling life based on strong relationships, a healthy emotional state, and finding joy in every day. The emphasis in this book is on LIVING your life, not just enduring it.

From Sue Jackson, the author of the popular and award-winning blog Live with ME/CFS, comes a book to help you live your best life with chronic illness. Based on Sue’s over 20 years living with chronic illnesses in her own family, writing her blog, writing articles on chronic illness, and leading multiple support groups, she provides support and practical advice you can use."

A few of the many 5-star reviews:

Loved It “This book was eye opening and helpful. I am recently diagnosed with Lupus and struggling to understand it all. This book helped me to understand my life isn't over and I don't need to feel guilty when I can't do all the things. Instead I just need to change how we do things such as have movie nights etc.”

A Must Read for Those Struggling with Chronic Illness and Their Families - There is nothing more desperate than trying to find someone who “gets” it! Chronic Illness is real and the emotional toll it takes on the patient and family is tremendous. Looking for someone to help or at least understand is almost impossible. This book gives hope to those suffering from chronic illness by letting them know they are not alone, that there is help out there, and there are things to do to get you through those dark and scary times. There were very limited and often outdated books available to help my family during our initial struggle dealing with a child with a chronic illness. In the beginning life was a lonely and living hell. I was blessed to find Sue and a wonderful group of people online, who shared similar experiences and showed us how to survive in our new “normal”!”

“Encouraging - Chronic illness is difficult to say the least. The daily challenges you face are often so debilitating. Suzan does a wonderful job sharing her and her family's challenges and triumphs living with chronic illness.  What a comfort to know there are people who understand and really "get" what you’re going through. Having support makes a world of difference when you are battling an illness and is essential in moving forward and living your best life.  I recommend this book if you have a chronic illness or if you know someone that does.” 

"Must Read

I am only half way through and it has saved my life. Seriously.”

You can read more about the book and see more reviews, plus a list of links for finding the book (e-book and paperback) through all the major outlets and formats here.

 

If you're in the US, I hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend!

It's Monday 11/20! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

Life

I am still living life mostly horizontal, thanks to a continuing flare-up of my chronic illness. Continuing my program of "aggressive rest,"  I spent most of last week right here on the couch, lying down, with time out on our back deck in the reclining chair each afternoon. I've been fortunate that it's been at least 50 degrees and sunny almost every day!

Lovely time on the deck

 

I did get some good news this weekend. The one time I left the house last week was for a long-postponed biopsy. It was always a "just to be on the safe side" sort of thing, with little chance of finding a problem, but it was still a huge relief to get the all clear results back this weekend ... and to have the painful procedure behind me.

Now, we are turning our attention to Thanksgiving, getting ready for a trip to Rochester, NY, to visit my family. It's about a 7-hour drive each way. Our son is coming come tomorrow to ride up with us--I can't wait to see him! It's been about two months, which is much too long. There are various family gatherings planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, plus my 40th (!!) high school reunion Friday night. As you might have guessed, I'm in no shape for all of this, but I'm just accepting that it is what it is. I don't have much control over my health, so I'll just take it a small step at a time and rest as much as I need to (and maybe have to miss some things). I'm looking forward to the time with our sons and seeing family ... and hopefully friends, too!

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On the Blog

 Movie Monday: Barbie - my husband and I both enjoyed this fun, clever, funny movie

National Book Awards 2023 Announced! - One of the books that won was a wonderful middle-grade/teen graphic memoir I reviewed earlier this year

Teen/YA Review: Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick - I enjoyed this thriller about Witness Protection with plenty of heart.

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On Video

Friday Reads 11-17-23 - my weekly update about the books I am reading

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 What We're Reading

 I'm enjoying Nonfiction November!

 

I'm completely immersed in The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman, a book I've been meaning to read since its release in 2007. I'd heard great things about this nonfiction book back then, so when I spotted it in a Little Free Library last year, I grabbed it.  It's the true story of a husband and wife who ran a zoo in Warsaw, Poland, and saved hundreds of people from the Nazis during WWII. The author used a lot of primary sources like diaries and letters, and it is a very moving, powerful narrative. The horrors of the Holocaust are even more stunning when described by people who were there, in the thick of it. And the bravery, compassion, and strength of the people in the resistance is truly inspiring.

I finished a teen/YA graphic memoir, Dreamer by Akim Alui, Greg Anderson Elysee, and Karen de la Vega (illustrator). Akim is one of very few Black professional hockey players, and this is his memoir of his childhood and early years in hockey. His mother is Ukrainian, his father is Nigerian, and they lived in both places but neither was very welcoming to a biracial family. They moved to Canada to provide better opportunities for Akim and his brother. Akim loved hockey from the moment he saw it and was a natural on the ice, but he endured horrible abuse and racism from other players, spectators, and even coaches. It's wonderful that Akim wrote this book to bring these problems to light, and he has also founded organizations to provide all kids with the opportunity to enjoy hockey and to help abolish racism in the sport.

I've almost finished listening to the memoir How to Forget by Kate Mulgrew, an actress famous for her roles as Captain Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager and as Red in Orange is the New Black. This is her second memoir, this one focusing on being with and caring for her parents, as her father died of cancer and her mother was lost in dementia. It has been a very moving, powerful memoir and has been tough for me at times, as my dad died of cancer eight years ago, and we cared for my father-in-law with dementia until he died last year. It's excellent, though, and beautifully written. I pulled out the earbuds and played part of it for my husband yesterday, to show him how perfectly she captured these experiences. While it is a difficult subject matter, it is also warm and funny--and she reads it herself in that familiar voice. 

My husband, Ken, is still reading A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, and he said it was fascinating, but he needed a break from the dense onslaught of interesting facts! So, he has turned back to fiction briefly, reading one of the books I gave him for his birthday, The Last Ranger by Peter Heller. We both enjoy Heller's outdoor thrillers (Celine, The River, and The Guide), so this one should be great!

 

Our son, 29, has been rereading Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series. He finished book 2, The Well of Ascension, and is now rereading book 3 The Hero of Ages. For his birthday last year, I signed him up for Sanderson's big Kickstarter, so he just received the fourth book from that, The Sunlight Man, which is set in the Mistborn world. He is very much looking forward to diving into the new book and will have lots of reading time in the car!

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What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

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

What are you and your family reading this week? 

 

Teen/YA Review: Dangerous Lies

During the R.I.P. Challenge in October, I enjoyed a unique YA thriller about the Witness Protection Program, Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick.

Stella Gordon is starting over in the tiny, remote town of Thunder Basin, Nebraska. Her name isn't even really Stella, but that's the name she's been given by the Witness Protection Program (WITSEC), after witnessing a shooting in her own home involving a dangerous drug cartel. Now, a U.S. Marshal has dropped her off at a farmhouse that feels like the middle of nowhere to Stella. An ex-cop named Carmina is pretending to be Stella's foster mother, as part of her cover story. Nothing in Thunder Basin feels familiar, and Stella misses her old neighborhood in Philadelphia, her best friend, and especially, her boyfriend, Reed, who is also in WITSEC now. The only thing Stella doesn't miss is her addict mother, who also witnessed the murder but was put into a treatment program. Stella's been the only responsible one in her household for as long as she can remember, and at least it's a relief not to be worried about her mom for now. She tries to settle into Thunder Basin, and to pass the endless boring hours, she gets a job and joins a local softball team. The first friend she makes is a guy that lives down the road from Carmina, Chet, who wears a cowboy hat and mows her lawn for her. Over the summer, Stella and Chet get closer, and Stella wants so badly to tell him who she really is, but the danger of being found is always there, plus unexpected dangers right in town.

I'm fascinated by WITSEC (if you are, too, check out the TV show, In Plain Sight), so I was hooked right from page one of this fast-paced novel. Stella is prickly and defensive, but she grows on you, as you see the hurt and vulnerabilities beneath. The author has created interesting, real-feeling characters and a story that pulled me right in. Suspense and tension come from multiple places in the plot, as Stella encounters problems in town, as well as the ever-present danger of being found and the stress of pretending to be someone else. There were plenty of surprising twists that kept me turning the pages. This is more than just an action-packed thriller, though. It's also the tender, warm story of a young girl finding a home and learning to feel safe and loved.

384 pages, Simon & Schuster

This book fits in the following 2023 Reading Challenges:

 

Mount TBR Challenge (extra points for being on my shelf for 8 years?)

R.I.P. Challenge
 

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!

  

National Book Awards 2023 Announced!

In a ceremony yesterday, the National Book Award winners were announced. You can see the full list of 2023 nominees and winners here.

I was thrilled to hear that a book I reviewed (and loved) earlier this year won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature: A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. This is a wonderful middle-grade/teen graphic memoir about the author's life-changing experience traveling across Europe with a student group the summer before high school. Part memoir and part travelogue, this moving, funny book perfectly captures the awkwardness of adolescence, the joy of travel, and the process of starting to grow up. You can read my full review here and order this new award-winner. I'm so glad this unique book was recognized with an award and will hopefully find an even wider audience!

Movie Monday: Barbie

Now that Barbie is available on streaming, I wanted to review it here because it is such a fun movie! Forget any preconceived notions or even whether or not you like Barbie (or even the idea of Barbie) because this movie doesn't take itself too seriously and pokes fun at its own main character and the commercial world built around her. My husband actually went with me to the theater to see it, and we were both thoroughly entertained.

The movie opens with very stereotypical Barbie scenes: a pretty, pink, perfect world occupied by beautiful Barbies (and Kens). The houses, cars, and everything else look exactly like the Barbie accoutrements you may have played with as a child. But that perfect world comes to a screeching halt when the main Barbie, played perfectly by Margot Robbie, starts to see "the real world" creep into her life and asks her friends--during an epic dance party--if they ever think of death. She's advised to go visit Weird Barbie, played wonderfully by Kate McKinnon, who everyone who was ever a little girl will instantly recognize as the poor Barbie doll tortured by brothers, boys in the neighborhood, or even little girls themselves who just didn't fit the Barbie mold. Weird Barbie advises Barbie to go visit the real world to get some answers to her increasingly unsettling questions. She takes off in her pink convertible and soon discovers that Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, has stowed away. The two of them arrive in Los Angeles, with some epic, hilarious scenes of Barbie-world clashing with the real world. Word gets out that Barbie has escaped Barbie Land, and the executives at Mattel (all men, including Will Ferrell as CEO) turn to a lower-level employee named Gloria, played by America Ferrara, for help. Gloria has happy memories of her days playing Barbie, and her teen daughter, Sasha (played by Ariana Greenblatt), is much too cool for Barbie now. The two of them set out to set things right and find a way to send Barbie back to Barbie Land. Meanwhile, Ken, who has lived his life playing second fiddle to all the Barbies, discovers something called the patriarchy, and can't wait to get back home to tell all the other Kens. Eventually, Barbie and Ken both return to Barbie Land, but with new perspectives and some changes to their world.

Greta Gerwig, renowned for directing Lady Bird and Little Women, both directed and co-wrote Barbie, and brings her smart, feminist viewpoint to Barbie Land. This script is so clever and funny! I'd really like to watch it again because the writing and the set pieces are so chock-full of interesting, smart, funny things that I'm, sure I missed some of them. Robbie and Gosling are excellent as Barbie and Ken, and I loved Ferrara and Greenblatt in the real world. My husband did not play with Barbies as a kid (and instinctively doesn't like the whole concept since his name is Ken and he endured a lot of teasing as a child!) but found the movie entertaining. If you did play with Barbies as a kid, then there are a whole bunch of Easter eggs here you will recognize and delight in, including the outfits, accessories, and friends. Even if you aren't in the know, there are some real-world Barbie facts shown at the end, like explaining Michael Cera's hilarious role as Allan, a real-life short-lived toy introduced as "Ken's best friend." Gerwig has woven in smart, thoughtful concepts throughout, and you can see in the trailer below that the whole production is absolutely eye-popping. This original movie is eye candy but also so much more, with plenty of heart and thoughtfulness woven in among the nostalgia and fun. Highly entertaining.

Barbie is available to buy on several streaming services, including Amazon Prime. If $19.95 is too much for you (though it's reasonable if you watch with family or friends), and you still have a DVD player, try a Redbox kiosk, where you can rent the DVD for just $2.25.