panHoly Toledo was this a deadly boring read! I was so disappointed in this, especially since I picked it up on our long deferred trip to Ireland hoping it would be full of interesting history and marking changes to the place over 30 years. Instead it was blatherskite. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/review-in-castle-and-court-house-being.h...
Did I fail miserably at #14weeks14books again this year? Why, yes I did. Why do you ask? 😂 I read 7 of the planned 14: Absolution, Grown Ups, Malinche, Last Days of Summer, Wave, Wild Dark Shores, and July and August. Who knows when I‘ll ever actually get to the other 7! @Liz_M
Before I dump this August board, I wanted to note I got one bingo and came dangerously close to another, even in a month where I read very little. @TheAromaofBooks
This is my #bookspin book, initially added to my bingo board because September is back to school. I‘m not sure if I originally bought it for one of my now adult kids or not but I figure YA books fit the back to school prompt pretty well so I‘m cracking it open today.
pickThe story of a “worthless” girl, her mother, and sisters trying to survive and reunite with their paternal family after they have been abandoned in the midst of the Chinese Civil War. This is about resilience and determination and the strength of women. The end didn‘t entirely deliver but over all a good read. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/daughters-of-shandong-by-eve-j-chung.ht...
September‘s #bookspin and #bookspinbingo. This is a collection of books for National Hispanic Heritage Month, wedding centered books (because my daughter is getting married in 3 weeks), kid lit, and one of my current reads. @TheAromaofBooks
I keep forgetting to post my #bookreport and #weeklyforecast so I think this is two or three weeks‘ worth.
so-soA fictionalized version of Princess Diana from the perspective of a long-lost school chum, this turned out to be more of a hagiography than something trying to create a full person, which was disappointing. Full review at: https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-princess-by-wendy-holden.html?m=1
I wanted to read a mystery so when I was perusing my shelves, I was delighted to remember this one is translated from the German since it‘s women in translation month.
pickBrooks is a beautiful writer and this account of losing her husband very unexpectedly as well as four years later when she finally has the time to truly grieve this massive loss is a masterfully written memoir. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/memorial-days-by-geraldine-brooks.html?...
It‘s women in translation month so I‘m picking this one up. It‘s translated from Norwegian to English.
panA young woman inherits her great aunt‘s cottage and dog. As she settles into the village, she decides to investigate her aunt‘s death as a murder and poke around about her neighbor‘s possibly missing daughter. If I hadn‘t wanted to strangle the main character myself… Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2025-06-18T03:14:00-07:00&ma...
It‘s been a super busy week of travel and family stuff so I didn‘t get a ton of reading accomplished. I‘ve been in 4 states, watched my oldest get his MBA, took my middle to her wedding dress fitting, and squeezed in a couple of training runs towards the big race I have coming up at the end of September. Understandable that books took a backseat. 🤷♀️ #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Per usual, a day late and covering two (three?) weeks. #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Summer is kicking me in the butt in terms of reading so this month‘s #bookspin and #bookspinbingo is full of the same summer books the last few months were too. There are also books in translation (August is the month for this), book club books, and some previously unfinished books. @TheAromaofBooks
A couple of weeks of reading here. Somehow Sunday passed me by without me noticing so I‘m a day late again. #bookreport #weeklyforecast
“The behavior modification techniques outlined in the following book are not based on scientific evidence or clinical research. Attempting to implement any of these techniques may result in serious adverse medical and/or psychological outcomes. (But it might be fun.)”
When this is the note preceding the novel, my expectations are higher. This promises entertainment, right?
pickThis was a fascinating look at chickens and the culture that has risen up around raising them in the backyard. It is not a how to but rather one of those deep dives that will teach you a lot about these birds. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Full review at: http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/01/review-under-henfluence-by-tove-danovich...
True to form, the #camplitsy conversation has already started so I‘m just picking this one up. 😂 The gorgeous flowers are from the local farmer‘s market this morning.
None of the books I‘m in the middle of are really keeping my attention so I thought I‘d give this one a try. It‘s not as light as I expected so far but there have been some hilarious lines at less than 1/4 of the way in.
*Also, just to toot my own horn a bit, I ran a race this morning and got 4th in my age group. I‘ve never been so tickled to miss a podium (usually I‘m not even close).
It‘s been a busy two weeks (but not in terms of reading) so here‘s the roundup for the past couple of weeks. #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Starting this one, which is my #doublespin book for a previous month.
pickA novel about mothers and daughters, their complex relationship and about disappointment and love and all the layers of a life shared closely. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/12/review-burst-by-mary-otis.html
I actually got a #bookspinbingo this past month. Didn‘t read my #bookspin or #doublespin books though. 😂
Almost didn‘t make it in time for #bookspin and #bookspinbingo for June.
pickWith a mystery, a dysfunctional family, and the secrets of the past, this novel by Burns was very much a character study. My book club didn‘t love it but I rather liked it myself. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/12/review-mercury-by-amy-jo-burns.html
This is Thursday‘s book club book so I‘d better get cracking!
Finished a quartet, including the #sundaybuddyread but I‘m not participating in the discussion because I didn‘t stop reading until I was done and don‘t want to spoil it for anyone else. I revisited a childhood favorite, read a second beautiful memoir, and finished up the third in the Angel Tungaraza series for #serieslove2025 . #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Although I fail miserably at this every year, I do love to create a pile to try and read from for #14books14weeks @Liz_M
Sitting in my car waiting for run club to start assembling so I‘m starting Memorial Days. Found it fascinating to read the (unfortunately necessary) addition to the legalese. This is the first book I‘ve noticed it in but I‘m sure not the last.
I found this (and the rest of the trilogy) at a used bookstore and couldn‘t resist. I first read these in late elementary school and loved them so I‘m diving back into them. Fingers crossed they hold up!
A couple of days late but here‘s my #independentbookstoreday haul (plus 3 ARCs they let me have). The sticker is a couple of years old but appropriate for the day, wouldn‘t you say? 😉
1. My whole house is a library. 😂 LibraryThing says I have 18,346 physical books but that‘s a little high since I‘m trying to rehome some (although this count doesn‘t include my husband‘s books, so maybe it‘s not too far wrong).
2. I was pretty much guaranteed to like this one because I loved the first one. This one wasn‘t quite as amazing but still good.
@TheSpineView
I can‘t believe that it‘s almost May! Here are my #bookspin #bookspinbingo options for the month. @TheAromaofBooks
This will double as my #shelfsweeper as well @Andrew65 @Tove_Reads
panUnpopular opinion but I thought this novel about a sex robot with a growing sentience and free will and her nasty, cruel master never quite plumbed the issues it purports to raise, remaining superficial and/or dropping those issues entirely (Annie‘s whitewashed resemblance to Doug‘s ex-wife is one instance of this). Frankly, I was bored. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/10/review-annie-bot-by-sierra-greer.html
#bookreport #weeklyforecast I really do need to get back to these two books I set aside forever ago.
pickThis character study set in a small town is both devastating and hopeful. It is a quiet read, one giving the reader access to the secrets and sorrows of the lives of those living in Dalton. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/10/review-road-to-dalton-by-shannon-bowring...
Ozzie is absolutely transfixed by the bold squirrel on the deck right out the window. Thankfully right before I took the picture he moved off my book so I can read.
pickIf you enjoyed Peace Like a River, this novel by Enger will have a familiar (and yet very different) feel to the writing. A dystopian novel, an odyssey, and an unlikely found family relationship, this cli-fi is a warning and a threat. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/10/review-i-cheerfully-refuse-by-leif-enger...
I am having a hard time sticking to books right now. I think I‘ve read two chapters of each of these and then set them aside. Maybe I‘ll finish something soon! #bookreport #weeklyforecast On a cheerier note, I‘m almost done visiting all 22 of the indie bookstores of the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl and I completed a hard but fun trail half marathon yesterday. 😁
panThis felt derivative and the ending was incredibly rushed. There were a few twists but they were fairly unsubtle and easily guessed at. Readers looking for a Hunger Games like novel might like this one. I did not. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/09/review-this-great-hemisphere-by-mateo.ht...
Before I make my April board, I just need to celebrate getting 3 bingos this month! I never do well reading from my board but somehow, I did well this month. 😁 #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
It‘s not summer yet but I‘m in the mood for a gossipy summer read anyway.
I only just now noticed the two orange covers and two green covers from my reads this week. #bookreport but no #weeklyforecast
I finished the last book and the pollen onslaught drove me back inside so I‘m diving back into this one.
