My Head Is Full of Books: It's Monday: What Are You Reading?

"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Monday, July 3, 2023

It's Monday: What Are You Reading?

We got home from our Canadian vacation last night. Had a simple supper after watering the plants, and flopped into bed. Today we are recovering from vacation. Ha!

Recently finished: I read less than I expected, but more than I often do on vacations.

Trust by Hernan Diaz. Our little family group listened to half of this book on our journey to Canada and nearly finished it on the way home, with just 20 minutes left to go, which we finished in the house after unpacking the car. This was one of the co-Pulitzer Prize winners for 2023 and is a complex story from four perspectives. I liked, not loved, it.

Work Song by Ivan Doig. This is a sequel to one of my favorite books, Whistling Season. The voice actor is the same person, Jonathan Hogan, in both books, which is increases my joy in listening. I've had the both the print and the audiobook around the house for several years and I finally decided it was time to give it a try for my July Challenge. (See below for the link about the details.) I finished it up utilizing both formats. I love this author. I love this series. I love the main character, Morrie Morgan.

Queer Ducks (And Other Animals) by Eliot Schrefer. I read this book for PRIDE month and also because it won a Printz Honor this year. I finished it on July 1st, one day short of my goal of finishing it during June. What a fabulous YA nonfiction book. I HIGHLY recommend it. Look for my full review this week.

Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Another Printz Honor book, this one from 2022. I cried my way through this novel-in-verse about a girl who is bullied not only by children but also her mother because she is fat. It was a fast read. I almost finished it in one sitting.

Currently listening to: Nothing. We finished the last 20 minutes of Trust after we got home and I haven't had a chance to start another audiobook yet.

Currently reading:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is my Classics Club Spin book of the season. Believe it or not, I've never read it. I have however seen the movie Young Frankenstein many times. Ha! I've just started it and am only 8% completed. I didn't make much progress this week. I realized I can't really read horror novel before bed. That is a problem with this novel. Ha!

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. I actually knew nothing about this book before starting it but lots of people have told me it is now a series on Apple TV(?) I've just finished a few chapters. Not very far it. Reserving judgment.

House of Light: Poems by Mary Oliver. I purchased this book at an independent book store that I recently visited. I have resolved to purchase something every time I go into a book store because I want the stores to survive and stay open. That book store was fabulous and yet it had only a few patrons when I was there. So sad. Anyway, Mary Oliver is my absolute favorite poet and I am savoring this book.

Up next:

Victory City by Salmon Rushdie. This audiobook just arrived in my Libby account from the library. I have long wanted to read a book by Rushdie and decided this, his latest, sounds good. Why not give it a try? If I like it I will go back and attempt to read a few of his most popular books like Satanic Verses or Midnight Children.

I also hope to make progress reading portions of the ten books I've pulled off my shelves for my Give It a Try in July Challenge. See details on link below if you'd like to join me.