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I started this today for January #AuthorAMonth. My first Barbara Kingsolver and I‘m really enjoying it so far.

@Soubhiville

Not my favorite Kingsolver, but that has to be taken with a grain of salt as I feel Barb is a genius and The Bean Trees is still so very good.

This was her debut in 1989, and while it does show its age, it‘s full of gorgeous imagery, humor, and fantastic characters. Pain and hardship tempered with joy and love.

My #AuthorAMonth book for January, and I might just go ahead and read Pigs in Heaven for the heck of it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this. It's an excellent story. The #audiobook is well done. I will warn you that it's from the 1980s and there are things in this book that feel dated and inappropriate to current ears (or eyes I suppose if you're reading the traditional way). But it does sort of give a snapshot of the way people thought and talked then. And it doesn't detract from the story. Which is great.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

#BookReport #WeeklyForecast combo

All of my finished reads where picks.

It will probably take me most of this week to finish my reread of Salem‘s Lot on audio.
I just started Dangerous Women, my #bookspin , today and it seems to be a fast read. LCR is my #doublespin and is up next. I‘m not sure if I will get another audiobook started before the end of the week.
I‘m going to give The Lacuna a try for #authoramonth .

Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors, so I thought this was a great opportunity to finally participate in #AuthoraMonth!

Unfortunately, this is my least favorite Kingsolver so far. The story felt meandering and soapy to me and was missing a lot of her signature light touch and gentle orchestration. Even so, this is a soft pick, especially if you loved Taylor and Turtle from its prequel, The Bean Trees. And it‘s sleepy puppy approved! 😆

I‘ve been reading by the fire all day as the ice comes down and I try to get well enough to return to work. A little dated politically but still applicable to today, Kingsolver weaves a good story around environmental issues, family, and a sense of home. Trigger warning for animal cruelty (but keep reading, there‘s redemption and powerful symbolism.) #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Partly this book was what I expected - a confirmation of things I know & a pitch for lifestyle changes I believe in but haven‘t made yet, mixed with interesting new facts & ideas. And partly this book wasn‘t at all what I expected - it was funny! & it made me really nostalgic for the year I spent living on a working ecovillage where we actually produced about a third of our own food. All in all it was a great introduction to Barbara Kingsolver.

Kingsolver set out to be a farmer and locavore for a year in 2006, and she & her family learned many important lessons. She narrates the majority herself, going through the seasonal foods, chores, and joys each month brought. Her husband narrates his essays that provide a national perspective on their choices. Her older daughter gives meal planning tips and tips for college student locavores. My favorite was her 8-year-old daughter‘s egg business!

Wow, that was epic. Early on, I was trying to decide whether to drudge through to the end but then something clicked, I started to care, and I was hooked. The book just kept getting better and better. There's a lot to process, but this is the kind of book experience that, for better or worse, makes it nearly impossible for me to not see a book through to the end. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

Starting this today for #authoramonth. @Soubhiville