Cold! It’s just cold here, and it looks like “they” are predicting another winter storm coming in on Sunday. We’ll see. How often are “they” right? But, here’s how I feel about it.
Even with the temperatures, I did get out. Linda and I took her grandson to a children’s production of “Corduroy”. He’s two, and I loved watching his face, and listening to him in the car. I picked up books at the library. Two birthday dinners this week at Linda’s house. And, tomorrow I’m picking up groceries in case we’re snowed in. Bah humbug.
Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to read Glen’s list of Favorite Books of 2025. In the meantime, tell us what you’ve been doing and what you’ve been reading this past week.
Last April, I discovered Kate Storey’s novel, The Memory Library. I loved it. I just started her new book, The Forgotten Book Club. I like her characters. Grace is sixty-nine and she was an antiques dealer. But, her husband, Frank, an architect, died a year ago, and she is having a hard time getting over that. Since I only started the book, here’s the online summary.
“Life can begin with a single story. You just have to Bring Your Own Book…
For three decades, Grace supported her husband Frank’s passion for books, despite not being a reader herself. Since his passing, their shelves echo longingly, and Grace’s heartache has only grown.
When Grace’s grandson suggests joining Frank’s old book club to feel closer to him again, Grace reluctantly agrees. Yet, upon arrival, she discovers this isn’t a typical book club: here, members settle in for an hour of reading… in silence.
Disappointed by the sparse attendance and confused by the lack of chatter, Grace flees. But when fellow member, Annie, convinces her to stay, Grace is determined to ensure that neither Frank – nor his beloved book club – are forgotten.
And as she breathes new life into the group, Grace might just find this is where she truly belongs. Because this next chapter of life could just be the beginning of her story…
The perfect story for book lovers everywhere.”
I like the list of authors who blurbed this book. There are some appealing titles from those authors, some books I may have to look for such as The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson and The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons. The summary of that second one reminds me of The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin.
What about you? What are you reading this week? I hope you’re staying warm! (Other than Kevin, who will just tell me it’s too hot in Dallas.)
I have The Forgotten Book Club on my list. i like Kate Storey’s writing.
I’m reading a book that I’m enjoying a LOT. it takes place in my part of the world, the Western Carolina mountain region of Appalachia. I’m reading it slowly to savor it for as long as I can.
The Creek, The Crone, and the Crow by Leah Weiss
Description
“An impressive blend of history, folklore, and imagination.” -Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author
An outsider to the Carolina hills inherits a gift that could change everything for her village on the verge of dying, from the author NPR said “writes with a deep knowledge of the enduring myths of Appalachia…vividly portraying real people and sorrows.”
Welcome to Baines Creek, a humble hamlet hidden deep in Appalachia, where the last one-room schoolhouse in North Carolina is on the brink of closing. It’s summer 1980, and Kate Shaw the teacher has lived in Baines Creek for ten years. A skeptic at heart, she rejects superstitions and Appalachian folklore, much to the disappointment of Birdie Rocas, a powerful and reclusive witch with a trove of secrets. Yet when Birdie dies, she leaves Kate her collection of handmade books and a shocking legacy that spans centuries; Kate is thrown into a world that overwhelms her.
Enter Lydia Brown, a psychic with a curious birthmark whose visions stopped the day her parents died. Grief-stricken without her gift, and desperate for spiritual guidance, she travels to Baines Creek in search of Birdie and the answers she might provide. The third novel by acclaimed author Leah Weiss, The Creek, The Crone, and the Crow is the tale of a powerful crone, two women cut from the cloth of loss, and a secret sisterhood of empowerment that may be the key to healing them all.
Kaye, Isn’t it wonderful to read a book set in your part of the world, when places seem familiar, and it feels as if you’re reading about home? If only those women could heal what’s bad right now. Enjoy whatever winter weather you get this weekend!
It is. And you know how I feel about “home.” This area of Appalachia still has much of what the author describes so well when it comes to the distrust of outsiders, and the mysterious energy found in tucked away, hard to get to hollars is not completely fictional.
I believe you, Kaye. It’s that magic you and I believe in.
Lesa, I still remember how much all three of our kids loved the Corduroy stories when they were tiny! I wonder what they would have thought if they’d been able to see a live production of them.
It’s even a bit icy around these parts at the moment. A bit hazardous when we’re out walking early in the mornings; and alas, no pretty snow has fallen yet.
This is a week of appointments – both cars went in for servicing, dentist for me tomorrow, follow-up with the cardiologist the day after; and David has started the radiation sessions. Second one complete, eighteen to go.
Books this week:
LUCY CHECKS IN by Dee Ernst
Lucy has worked in the hotel business for almost her entire career, and most recently has been responsible for turning around the fortunes of a New York hotel. She’s 49 years old (despite the cover depicting her as 20-something), and is well thought of in the industry. But then the owner/her boss/her boyfriend steals millions of dollars from the company and does a runner – and she looks guilty by association and was the subject of investigation but eventually cleared of wrongdoing due to lack of evidence. But it’s too late; her name is connected to the scandal and no one in the hotel world will give her a job. She retreats back to her childhood home for two years, until one day she receives a call from the owner of a boutique hotel in Rennes, France seeking her assistance with turning the hotel into a going concern. What she finds when she gets there is nothing like she imagined it would be, but this is her chance to redeem herself and her career.
While I didn’t find the book to be as engaging as I had hoped it would be (not much chemistry or romantic tension between Lucy and her potential love interest, and therefore not quite believable; a bit repetitious; didn’t particularly like either of the two main characters) – but I did like a few of the secondary characters, and the descriptions of work done to the hotel, and seeing how middle-aged Lucy put everything she had into making the most of her second chance and the friends and family she ‘found’ along the way. I wasn’t wowed by the book, but it was mildly diverting and there is a place for stories like that.
THE MURDER AT WORLD’S END by Ross Montgomery
Lesa reviewed this book a few days ago, the very day my copy arrived in the mail.
It’s the eve of Halley’s Comet, 1910. The story takes place at Tithe Hall on the tidal estate of World’s End. Stephen Pike, released from prison after a two year incarceration, arrives at the Hall with an offer of employment in hand from one Lettice Welt.
The home is in uproar because the Viscount – a firm believer that the coming of the comet will be the end of the world, has ordered that all members of both family and staff must be locked in their rooms overnight – fireplaces boarded up, doorframes sealed, keyholes plugged. They will be let out in the morning, should the world have survived the cataclysmic comet. Stephen is soon put to work helping with these frantic preparations, after which he is told to look after the family’s fearsome 80-year-old Aunt Decima for the duration of the night.
In the morning the Viscount is found – still locked in his room – viciously murdered. Stephen is the obvious suspect, being new to the house and having been in prison. For some reason, cantankerous Miss Decima, who despises family and staff alike, doesn’t seem to mind Stephen and the two of them set out to find who murdered the Viscount. But they have to hurry because it’s only a matter of time until Stephen gets arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.
The book is all about the story itself; there’s not much depth to most of the characters. It’s a light-ish mystery (with darker undertones), full of red herrings and despicable characters, yet suspenseful and gripping enough with its short chapters that always end in such a way that you feel you must read on, and the pages fly by. The book is also interspersed with actual news reports of that time in history, and it’s nice to be reminded that the story was inspired by a piece of history.
Lindy, You’re right about The Murder at World’s End. Now, when I think back at it, it didn’t have as much character development as it should have had, even with the two main characters. But, I really appreciated the news stories. It made it all seem more real.
My great-nephew will never remember Corduroy, but at least we took him, and he enjoyed it. It’s always fun to see the world through the eyes of a two-year-old.
Five years ago, thanks to Kaye Barley’s recommendation, I read Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst. I really enjoyed that one – set in Paris with good characters & good food. I’m sorry this one by her wasn’t up to par.
Lesa, i’m glad you brought that up. i have re-read Maggie Finds Her Muse. it hits all the right spots for me. I, like Lindy, was disappointed in Lucy Checks In, but will continue reading Dee Ernst’s work.
I can see why that book is re-read for you, Kaye. I may have to go back to it sometime.
We’re back to the fog. The news keeps saying how much better the weather is in the mountains, but I’m stuck in the valley.
This week I read:
Return of the Maltese Falcon by Max Allan Collins; A sequel and continuation of the classic, really captures the spirit of the original, although you can definitely detect Collins’s voice. Might already have an entry for my list next year!
Mothman Dynasty: Chicago’s Winged Humanoids by Lon Strickler; Mothman isn’t just in West Virginia. Chicago had a flap in the recent past. They say these sightings may predict some sort of disaster, but really, every month more people are shot in Chicago than died on the Silver Bridge way back when, so who knows?
Logan’s Run by William F. Nolan; A sci-fi novel where almost the exact opposite happened from what the novel predicts, which is in itself pretty interesting. This is a part of a series, and it’s really too bad they didn’t make any sequels to the movie.
Death Commando by Brian G. Berry; Part of the VHS Terror series, this is like all the cheapie VIetnam MIA movies made in the 80’s. There’s a horror twist at the end, but nothing we weren’t expecting. I could almost see the poor dubbing of Italian into English.
Every Mother’s Son by William W. Johnstone; The Over The Hill Gang rides yet again, as gunmen of a certain age try to rescue the daughter of a colonel from an outlaw stronghold…even though she doesn’t want to be rescued.
Glen, I actually like the sound of Every Mother’s Son. Seems like it might be quite entertaining, so I’ve put it on my want-to-read list.
I saw Logan’s Run, but it’s been so many years, Glen, that I don’t really remember it. Return of the Maltese Falcon must have been really good if it’s a contender for Favorites of 2026!
Fog is a problem, but I’d rather have that than our winter storm watch.
Glen, I just downloaded the Maltese Falcon book from the library. I’ve known Collins for over 40 years and have many of his early books signed on my shelves.
We’re supposed to get snow this weekend and then highs for the next week or so will only be in the 20s so I’ll be stocking up on groceries today.
I read MURDER WILL OUT by Jennifer K. Breedlove. It takes the death of three owners of a haunted mansion before the police investigate. I liked the story but never connected with any of the characters except the corgi, Finn.
WHAT THE OCEAN REVEALS by Gracie Guy. A policeman moves to Florida to become the new police chief and falls for the girlfriend of an old college buddy who of course isn’t right for the woman. I only read this because I got a copy from the author but I surprised myself by enjoying it.
I’m currently reading THROUGH GATES OF GARNET AND GOLD by Seanan McGuire. It’s the latest in her series about children who wander through doors and wind up in other worlds. If you are very sure you belong you can stay in your new world, if not you return to this one. In this book a group of children who’ve returned go on a quest to help a friend save her world – the hall of the dead.
I’m picking up my groceries tomorrow, Sandy. I like being able to order them, and just pick them up the next day, and they load the car. It’s nice not to go in when I seem to order the same thing every time.
You made me laugh when you said the only character you connected with was the corgi, Finn.
Stay safe and warm!
I totally agree with Snoopy! We are expecting negative temperatures in Michigan, with wind. As to snow, we were fist expecting none, then 8 inches and now a dusting. I am hoping for 80 degrees and 🌞!
We were going to the Cinncinnati Museum this weekend to see the Auschwitz Exhibit, but will wait til the following weekend.
I just received my copy of Twelve Months by Jim Butcher and am going to hunker down this weekend and savor it. In the meantime, I am really enjoying a non-fiction book. The Slaves’ War by Andrew Ward is excellent. The letters, diary entries and memoirs are grouped by time and region and are from slaves of all different backgrounds and experiences and the book is highly readable.
Off to babysit my grandson. My husband has a cold and is staying home. It will be a challenge entertaining Luca indoors all day.
Stay safe, everyone.
Good luck today with Luca, Jennifer! I hope he makes your day easy. How old is he? I saw a clip on Instagram where the person put many strips of masking tape on the floor along the baseboard to make ‘parking spots’ for little cars and it kept the child busy for quite some time.
Luca is almost 2 1/2, Lindy. He loves playing with his cars and that sounds like a fun, easy suggestion for him! Thank you!
And Lesa, I can relate to your sister and brother in law. I look in the mirror sometimes and wonder who that old, tired lady is!
Well, that made me laugh, Jennifer, when you said you’re hoping for 80 and sunshine. Wouldn’t that be nice?
My sister and brother-in-law look exhausted. They babysat for their two-year-old grandson for almost a week while his parents were on vacation. I know they loved it, but they look worn out. Good luck with Luca!
Enjoy Twelve Months! You’ll have to let me know what you think.
Heavy snow and wicked temperatures are supposed to hit this part of the country on Sat and Sunday, starting Friday a bit.
Really scary weather. Glad I don’t have to go out as we did the shopping yesterday. Stay warm!
I wish I’d known about the prediction a day or two earlier, Harvee. I would have done my grocery shopping earlier. I know I’m just picking up, but items may be in short supply for my pick-up. Stay safe!
Good morning Lesa and Gang! I am a HUGE Snoopy fan so absolutely loved your cartoon this morning! Tons of snow and sub zero temps this week. Schools and Library were closed for two days (I used my time off decluttering kitchen cupboards and relining them – what a task). I am supposed to go to AZ for a week on Sunday. My husband and I have come down with a stomach bug. I’m hoping it’s short lived!
This week I read:
– A Nice Place to Die (DS Ryan McBride #1) by J. Woollcott. A wonderful book. Detective Seargent Ryan McBride is in over his head when he is called upon to investigate the murder of a woman that he had slept with. Knowing that he could lose his job by not disclosing this relationship, he decides to get in deeper by sleeping with the deceased’s twin sister. Thus sets the stage for a suspenseful investigation. Well rounded characters, especially Ryan’s co-workers. There is one more in the series that I have already checked out!
– The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. This has been on the best sellers list so I wanted to read it to see why it was so popular. I listened to the audio version of this book (while lining kitchen cupboards!), which I highly recommend. This story follows the life of Sybil Van Antwerp, a very proper lady through correspondence from 2012 through 2021. Sybil has been writing letters to friends and authors almost all of her life. Now in her 70’s, Sybil is not willing to succumb to using the internet, preferring to stay with letter writing. Through her letters, we learn about the loss of her son, when he was 8 years old and the truth behind his death, her difficult relationship with her daughter, her steps toward righting a wrong that she did while a lawyer, and her triumph at finding her long lost birth family. This description is not doing the book justice – the writing depicting Sybil’s struggles with awareness and truth and atonement are what truly makes this a must read book.
Mary, Most of the schools in the state were closed on Tuesday after the Governor suggested it. Too cold. Now, they’ll probably be closed again this week if we get the projected snow. I’ve seen charts showing everything from a couple inches to fifteen inches. I’m just happy I have no appointments next week. Like Snoopy, I’ve had enough winter.
I hope you feel better so you can go to Arizona. A good place to be right now.
With the inversion still hanging around, it’s been cold and gloomy here in Idaho. What do you do when the weather is like that? You read a lot. I read four books this past week.
Stash Envy by Lisa Boyer. This was a cute and humorous book for quilters. It’s a collection of short stories on quilting and fabric shopping.
Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber is Macomber’s latest Christmas book. Two people meet on the ferry going to Seattle. The ferry breaks down and they spend the time getting to know each other. While they are on the ferry, their siblings are waiting for them on the dock. The siblings work for the same company and have been attracted to each other but never pursued it. They decide to spend time together while they are waiting and find that they like each other a lot. A meet cute Christmas story.
Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano. This is the sixth book in the Finlay Donovan series. It was a 12 chapter preview I got to read courtesy of NetGalley. Finlay’s nanny and partner in crime, Vero is under house arrest at her mother’s house in Maryland. When Vero was in college, the sorority she belonged to was running poker games. When the school and law enforcement got wind of it, the money had disappeared. Vero was the sorority’s treasurer and the most likely to take the money according to everyone. But she swears it was gone by the time; she went to retrieve it. Finlay decides to drive to Maryland to help Vero figure out who took the money. I’m anxiously waiting for the book to be released so I can read the rest.
It’s All Greek to Me by Maggie Aldrich. Emily has never had to worry about money. Her parents took care of everything. They helped her out whenever she was short of money, so she never gave another thought about it. Her parents die in an automobile accident and her inheritance gets frozen. At the same time, she finds out that the antique store she has worked at for the last ten years was going to be sold. She has to find a new job quickly. One of her sorority sisters tells her about the sorority needing a new house mom and how perfect she would be for it. This would be an ideal situation. She would have a place to live and make money. In the meantime, she’s trying to find out how her parents estate ended up in the mess it was in. A light read with a little mystery.
You’re right, Bev. Weather certainly does affect reading, doesn’t it? Beautiful, warm weather makes me want to be outside enjoying it. Lousy weather makes me want to nap, read, and, unfortunately, eat.
We too are expecting lots of snow on Saturday and Sunday. They are saying 8-10 inches. I will take snow over the ice expected in the south.
Thank you for today’s review, Lesa. I added it to my Kindle to read over the weekend.
I read two books this week. Lyle’s Laws by Lyle D. Feisel was written by the father of my neighbor across the street. Primarily written for engineering students but applicable to anyone.
My second book captured my heart. My next-door neighbor kept recommending it and I kept deferring. I am glad nothing else appealed to me and I finally picked it up. She learned about it from The Book Bus Depot in Sharonville. If you are ever in the Cincinnati area, please stop. It is a unique place, and all profits go to buying books for kids. http://www.cincybookbus.com.
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin is a French translation but beautifully written. It is a tragic story but there is also joy found in the ordinary days and hope at the end. It tells of Violette Toussaint, who spent her childhood in care and seeks happiness in a marriage to Phillipe. It isn’t a happy one, he cheats on her and is controlling but Violette finds her happiness being a caretaker of country cemetery for twenty years. There she finds her family with the caretakers Nono, Gaston, and Elvis as well as the parish priest Father Cedric. And when a policeman arrives to spread his mother’s ashes her live changes forever. As the story unfold as the past and present and characters come together. I did not want this story to end. I was outstanding.
Stay warm! Happy Reading!
Sharon, I agree. I don’t want the ice. But, I still hate an accumulation of snow. I’m stuck. I don’t event own a snow shovel. Until last year, I never needed one, and snow wasn’t much of a factor then. But, the current owners of our complex don’t do a thing for snow removal, so I’m picking up a shovel tomorrow. I lived in Florida and Arizona. Who needed one? And, the first owners of this complex did snow removal of streets, driveways and sidewalks. I wish they hadn’t sold it.
Good morning! This is the one week each month that I have games three days in a row–two card games and Rummikub–so it’s been busy, along with everything else I’m trying to do. Last Sunday I went to see Tina: the Musical at the Harris Center, and I’m sorry to say I was quite disappointed. I described it to my son afterward as “highly mediocre.” I wasn’t impressed with the choreography and dancing, the portrayal of some of the characters (Ike Turner was, of course, brutal, but the actor was way over the top in every scene). and there was something wrong with the sound that day–way too loud, especially when Tina belts out her songs. The usher said at the intermission that they were trying to fix it, but nothing changed. In addition, someone returning to her seat at intermission fell and hit her head, and it took 15 minutes or so for the ambulance to arrive, then a while longer for them to get her on her feet (she refused the stretcher, I guess). Sad to see, and I’m hoping she is OK. Well, onward and upward! Next month is The Book of Mormon, and I am taking my son to that one (I loved it when I saw it a few years ago).
So far this year, my reading life has been in a bit of a slump, including two of the books I read this week, but the third one was well worth waiting for.
I’ve enjoyed three Christmas-themed books by Beth Moran, so I decided to read her newest book that I received as a widget from the publisher. In YOU BELONG WITH ME, Blue(belle)’s three failed engagements have led her to eschew romance for good. Living on the island of Siskin, somewhere between Wales and Ireland, she has built up quite a following for her podcast, Only in Siskin. She also helps her mother, Goldie, the island’s unofficial mayor, with maintaining their crops on this mainly farming island. When the culture of the island is threatened by a resort developer, the locals band together to prevent this from happening, and Blue uses her podcast to support the effort. She also meets Jonathan, a conservation expert employed to determine whether there are any protected animals that might preclude this type of development, and Blue helps him with his research. Can Jonathan change Blue’s mind about love? It’s a very slow burn for both, although this book is touted as a romance. A second plot plays out in the 1950s in Siskin, which ultimately reveals some family secrets, and which I found quite depressing. I much preferred the main plot and the details about life on Siskin. I think I will stick with Moran’s holiday romances for now. (February)
THE DELIVERY is Andrew Welsh-Huggins’s follow-up to The Mailman, which introduced Mercury Carter, who has styled himself as an independent courier with the brains and street smarts from his previous career to handle his more dangerous deliveries. Merc is ready to make his next delivery when he sees a woman unconscious in a wrecked car and intervenes to pull her out and call emergency services. That starts a process that inexorably involves Merc, who has to navigate a web of criminal activity as he tries to find information and achieve justice for his clients. Merc Carter is a fascinating character, well worthy of rooting for, even though he often has to use force to protect himself and stop the criminals. I just wish I had seen more of him in this book. Instead, I waded through chapter after chapter of relentless brutality and what felt like an overly complicated plot. Most of the reviews are very positive, so It just wasn’t the right book at the right time for me. However, the issue of Merc’s murdered father has yet to be resolved, so I’m hopeful the focus will return to Merc’s personal story in future entries in the Mercury Carter series. (March)
I believe I’ve seen debut author Virginia Evans’s THE CORRESPONDENT on multiple “best of 2025” lists and as a celebrity-led book club selection, and now I know why. I usually enjoy well-written epistolary novels , and this one strikes me as exceptional. Through letters and occasional emails sent and received by Sybil Van Antwerp, now in her seventies, we come to understand and appreciate her as a brilliant former attorney, a sometimes-anguished mother, concerned sister, divorcee, and all-around strong and opinionated woman. And perhaps because she knows she will ultimately lose her vision, she is compelled to keep these communications going while she still can. In her letters she furthers or initiates relationships of all kinds with her brother, her best friend, authors she appreciates such as Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry (and they write back!), a university that has suddenly told her she cannot audit their courses, a suitor who lives in another state, her supportive male neighbor, the troubled son of a judge and former colleague, a DNA company, and her estranged daughter. And then there are the continuously unsent letters she writes to . . . whom? Sybil has secrets and regrets she has never told anyone about, until now. She is driven but kind, persistent but willing to compromise, sensitive but strong. This is a quiet and totally engrossing book, which I devoured over two days. It is expertly written to evoke authentic emotion as Sybil struggles to see her life as it really is–and to bravely respond as she understands what she needs to do to put things right. Virginia Evans has fashioned a fascinating, absorbing portrait of a memorable woman who has much to give and much to learn, in a wonderful tale that I highly recommend. I see that Mary M. also enjoyed the book this week, and I hope some of you will give it a try if you like this sort of book.
I look so forward to reading your posts here, Margie. And not at all surprised that we agree so completely on The Correspondent – I love your review.
Margie,
I’m not surprised at the accident at The Harris Center. Too many steps, and too many people who can hardly get around.
Thank you for doing a much better job with your review than I did – you definitely capture more of the essence than I did!
A busy week for you, Margie, and then three books on top of that! I hope I like The Delivery more than you did. I loved The Mailman, and it was on my favorites list for 2025. I enjoyed The Correspondent, but didn’t love it as much as so many did, including a number of readers here.
Bah, humbug indeed. So glad we’re in Florida as “they” (don’t you hate “they”?) are predicting 6-10 inches of snow in New York, not to mention frigid temperatures. It’s been cooler down here lately, but cooler is relative. We’re going up to 80, but then mid-60s next week, but that is fine with us! We both seem to have colds, so I don’t know if it weather or what knows what.
Books, then. Jackie read the Carley Fortune book, ONE GOLDEN SUMMER, set (as all of hers are, I believe) in Canada. She really liked it and is adding her to the list of authors. Now she is reading the next Abby Jimenez trilogy, starting with THE FRIEND ZONE, “terrific as always.”
Even though we’re down here without anything we have to do, and we mostly stay home all morning (online, mostly) and go out for lunch and some shopping, I find myself feeling like I don’t have a lot of time for reading, something I can’t really explain. Nevertheless, I do read every day, mostly short stories and non-fiction lately.
Finished: Ann Packer, Swim Back To Me, her second collection of (longish) short stories. Mostly good, but my problem was the lead novella, the possibly autobiographically related “Walk For Mankind,” seemed way too long and didn’t really go anywhere for me. She brought back some of the characters in a much shorter, later story set years later, which was somewhat better, but overall, I’d have left that stuff out for my memoir.
Current reading: Antonya Nelson, NOTHING RIGHT. I read a collection of her stories years ago and at least one of the stories in this volume is one I previously read, the title story. In that one, a separated woman bringing up the younger of her teenage sons – the older went to live with his father – discovers not only that the 15 year old sullen troublemaker has an 18 year old girlfriend, but the girlfriend is pregnant. I liked this much better than the Packer story referred to above.
Also reading the Fredric Brown collection, and if I read these before, I don’t remember most of them.
Non-fiction: Lesa reviewed THE DEAD BEAT by Marilyn Johnson a couple of weeks ago, and I am very much enjoying (more than halfway through it) this tale about modern obituary writers the people who write them, publish them, and read them. Fascinating stories and it makes you want to read more of them.
I mentioned Belle Burden’s memoir, STRANGERS last time, but haven’t had a chance to get back to it lately.
Lastly, there is Tim Sullivan’s THE BOOKSELLER, the latest (to date, another is coming soon) in his DS George Cross series, set in Bristol. This one concerns 90 year old bookseller Torquil Squire would seem to be the obvious victim at the outset, but it is his 50ish son and co-owner Ed who was murdered, and George and his team must solve it. Ed was less than reputable, obviously, unlike his father, so there are several possible suspects. Meanwhile, George has a personal crisis of his own (which I won’t ruin with a spoiler here), that might mark a big change. I’m nearly halfway through this one, which is as good as always.
I guess I don’t have to tell you and Jackie to stay warm, Jeff. I do think of you when I hear about New York’s weather. You’re right. Cooler is relative. I’m adding Carley Fortune to my list, too, for future books.
Aren’t you glad we discovered Tim Sullivan? George and those books just make me happy.
I’m guessing you’re out of your normal routine, and that’s disturbing your reading patterns.
We have a winter storm coming on Saturday. Ice and sleet and below zero wind chill. After James gets the groceries today, we will hibernate.
I did not like by Rebecca Fallon, it made me squeamish, and I kept wanting the book to end, it did. Yay It was readable but not likeable.
Now reading One Bad Mother: In Praise of Psycho Housewives, Stage Parents, Momfluencers, and Other Women We Love to Hate by EJ. Dickson. Some history I already new, something that I never realized, and a conversational tone. I won it from GoodReads. She goes in the history of society’s view of women in the home and work, also the culture expressed in TV shows and films, even Porn movies. I raced through that part. I agree with her major premise; it is tough being a mother and working, which I already knew by experience. But her research findings are engaging,
There’s my big problem with the weather, Carol. Once I hibernate, I want to eat. Then, it’s not as easy for me to lose that winter fat as it is for a bear. And, I love food!
Stat safe and warm!
I agree, reading equates eating…the desire for tea and sweets..chips, candy..sometimes I remember I have fruit but usually too late…and no exercise comes while reading…so bad calories. Damn so unfair..
Dear friends, please forgive me. I’m not sure why I’ve been so busy this week, but I’m not making progress on books. I’m still listening to Richard Powers’s THE TIME OF OUR SINGING and reading Jodi Picoult’s SMALL GREAT THINGS. Both have horrendous examples of white-against-black racism, which means I’m not eagerly devouring them at every spare minute, even though I find them well-written and interesting. Check in next week, when I hope to be able to review both these books and, hopefully, something new that I’ve read.
Kim, while my friend, Donna, loves Jodi Picoult, I find her subjects just too depressing, and I’m not drawn to her books.
Sometimes we just need a break from reading.
Hi Lesa and everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that my mother passed away last weekend. She had a very peaceful death, at home (in her sheltered housing), which was exactly what she had hoped for.
Whilst this is a sad time, mother had a very long and mostly happy life, and was active until just a few days before her death.
I hope to be back here next Thursday with more ‘usual’ news, and in the meantime I am enjoying reading all of your posts and adding even more titles to my ever growing wish list.
No more snow here just now Lesa – but lots of rain and ferociously cold winds. Definitely book reading weather!
Have a good week everyone.
Oh Rosemary, I am so sorry but happy she died the way she wanted to. I take great comfort in my Mom dying the way she wanted to at home. My condolences.
Thanks Sharon; yes, I think to be able to have the death you hope for is a real blessing, and sadly one not afforded to so many people
I’m very sorry to hear about your mother, Rosemary. And yes, to have the death you hope for is, I think, a blessing. Sending warm thoughts.
Thank you Kaye, much appreciated.
I’m sorry for your loss Rosemary.
Thank you Sandy.
Rosemary, sorry to hear about your mother, but glad it was peaceful. My mother’s was a surprise and no one had a chance to prepare, but Jackie has always said it was how she would have wanted it. The day before, Jackie spoke to her and she was shopping at Kohl’s – shopping was a favorite activity. The next day she went in for what was supposed to be easy surgery, and it didn’t work out as planned. As long as we think and talk about our loved ones, they are still there with us somewhere
Thanks Jeff. Your mother’s death must have been a terrible shock. I agree re talking about our loved ones. My mother was quite eccentric on occasions, so I’ve no doubt we’ll be talking about her for a long time!
Rosemary, I am so sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. I’m happy, though, that she had the kind of death that she wanted. My husband’s death was similar–he told me the day before he died, “I’m trying to slow my body down,” and he succeeded. I know you will miss your mom very much.
Thanks Margie – I’m glad your husband also had the death he wanted, hard as it must have been for you.
I’m terribly sorry Rosemary. I know it’s hard right now. May your mother live long in your memories of her.
Thank you Lindy; my mother was 98 years old so we all have many memories to share.
Condolences!
Thank you Glen.
Oh, Rosemary. I’m so sorry for you and your family. I’m glad your mother had a peaceful death. It’s easier to deal with then, although it’s never easy. I’m so sorry.
I hope you find a book to help you escape. Sending love.
I am sorry, Rosemary. Sending hugs.
Thanks Jennifer – hugs always appreciated!
Thank you Lesa. I feel really supported by the kind comments of all our friends on here, and as always I’m so grateful to you for facilitating our wonderful group.
I’m re-reading one of my favourite Barbara Pym novels, ‘Excellent Women’. It’s a perfect book for me just now, so well observed and so quietly funny. I’ve read it many times but I still enjoy it. (My mother couldn’t stand Pym! She liked quite graphic thrillers.)
Rosemary, I am sorry to hear about your mother’s death; it is always hard to lose a parent, under any circumstances.
Thank you Tracy. I was just chatting with one of my American cousins and we agreed that it’s a little sobering to realise that we are now the Older Generation. How did that happen?
I’m sorry for your loss, Rosemary.
Thank you Trisha.
Heartfelt condolences, Rosemary. I hope that friends and family bring you peace and love during this time of loss.
Thank you Mary.
Sorry to hear about your mom, Rosemary. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I’m glad she got to die that way she wanted to.
Thank you Bev
It is not cold here in the Santa Barbara / Goleta area but cooler than it has been for awhile. I have had bronchitis for over week now; a couple of days ago I went to Urgent Care and had a chest x-ray (and a Covid test which was negative). The provider I saw prescribed Albuterol (an inhaler) which I have but haven’t used yet. My symptoms are improving although I continue to have bad nights.
Since the first of the year, Glen has read MURDER FOR CHRISTMAS by Francis Duncan, a book in the Mordecai Tremaine vintage mystery series. After that he read SOMEBODY IS WALKING ON YOUR GRAVE: MY CEMETERY JOURNEYS, a travelogue by Mariana Enriquez and SHORT HAPPY STORIES by Evan Pellervo.
Now he is reading THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II: A GRAPHIC NOVEL RETELLING OF THE 20TH CENTURY’S DEFINING WAR, by Arnaud de La Croix and Vicente Cifuentes (296 pages). He said it is fine but lacks depth, as it is an overview of a large subject.
I have read THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Stuart Turton (a dystopian mystery, very unusual, I liked it a lot). Also HIDDEN AGENDA by Anna Porter (a Canadian mystery published in 1985, also very good). My most recent book was OLD FILTH by Jane Gardam, published in 2004. About the reminiscences of an English lawyer and judge. I loved it.
Now I am reading DEATH OF A BUSYBODY by George Bellairs, a vintage English mystery that Lesa reviewed in May 2024. Glen also read it in 2024. I am enjoying the characters and the humor.
It’s been a while, Tracy, since I read George Bellairs, but I made a list of authors to continue to read, and he’s on the list. I need to pick up one of his books again. You and Glen have an interesting list of books. I have a book about obituaries to pick up at the library tomorrow. How is Glen liking Somebody is Walking on Your Grave? I like the title.
I hope you get to feeling better soon!
Tracy, I remember reading Old Filth many years ago. It was very good!
Lindy, I agree about ‘Old Filth’. Jane Gardam was a wonderful writer. ‘A Long Way From Verona’ was the first book of hers I read, and I think still my favourite.
Weather Update: Do NOT want to rub it in your face, but it just hit 80 here in South Florida, and it is humid to boot! Today looks like an iced coffee day.
The lack of humidity is why I prefer Arizona over Florida, Jeff. The humid days sometimes really messed with my head.
Hi Lesa and all! I am excited about the snow coming as long as I get home before it comes. I love how pretty New England looks in the snow.
Not much reading to report this week, I started a bunch of books but didn’t finish any. Late in my drive to visit my dad I realized I could listen to the audiobook of A WITCH’S GUIDE TO MAGICAL INNKEEPING by Sangu Mandanna. It is a delightful story, and I am looking forward to the long drive home so I can finish it up!
Well, you can have all of our snow, Trisha. I hate it! Be safe, though.
Oh, you’re liking Magical Innkeeping. I brought it home from the library, and never even picked it up, so I took it back. Let us know more next week, please.
Good afternoon from NE Dallas where are now under a Winter storm Warning. After a day of rain tomorrow, we are supposed to switch over around midnight to freezing rain. Much of Saturday is supposed to sleeting before it starts snowing sometime Saturday night. Supposed to accumulate over an inch of ice and then 2-4 inches of snow. Supposed to have a foot, maybe more, to our north across Oklahoma. While there sems to be agreement that this will comes in waves with lulls at times, there is some disagreement on the totals. I am hoping that we transition to sleet fast as that won’t accumulate on the power lines like freezing rain will.
Then, after the storm pulls out and skies clear, it is supposed to be 9 Monday morning!
As to reading— Current read is Diversion by Cindy Goyette. This third book in her Probation Case Files Mystery series is due out next month. Got sent the digital ARC by the author.
Kevin, I thought of you. I almost made a wisecrack at the beginning of this post saying you’d be picking on me about the temperatures. Then, I watched the Weather Channel and saw what they’re predicting for Dallas. I’m sorry, but glad it’s the weekend so you and Scott shouldn’t have appointments or have to go somewhere. Stay home! Stay safe.
I finished listening to The Idaho Four and have started listening to The Antidote. I finished reading Broken Country and will be starting to read the third book in the Sarah Maas Court books. I really want to finish the series this year. I never got into the Corduroy books but my daughter loved them
Melissa, what did you think of The Idaho Four? I live in Idaho and between the Vallow Daybell trial and this one, we seemed to have been quite the hotbed for murders lately. Both cases are so devastating and frustrating because the killers don’t think they did anything wrong. My brother works at the prison and we laugh every time Kohlberger complains about something. Apparently, he thought it was going to be a cakewalk in prison.
So Lesa, now is the time of your life t adjust…you are enjoying so many wonderful things with your terrific family, so make the down time due to cold and snow, special time all cuddled up with a good book and snack. You don’t have to be out in it, so basically ignore it and enjoy indoor things you love best.