My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

I had a super busy day on Saturday, starting with an early-morning book group Zoom with an author, then a mid-day outdoor dance session, and then even more dancing in the evening! Luckily, I had an unstructured Sunday to just chill, go for a walk, read, and do lots of nothing.

What did I read during the last week?

Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: What fun! My book group’s classic read wrapped up this past week. This book is silly and adorable, and I look forward to reading more of the Jeeves books.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See: Excellent historical fiction — 5 stars! My review is here.

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady: Really enjoyable audiobook about long-lost half-sisters getting a second chance to build a relationship. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I was at a bit of loose ends, and decided to watch a movie I’d been meaning to get to — Damsel (Netflix). It was… okay. A bit too much time devoted to Millie Bobby Brown running around in a cave in increasingly shredded clothing, but overall, entertaining enough.

Fresh Catch:

I didn’t buy any books this week!

Little Free Library updates:

I thought it might be fun to share updates on books people leave in my Little Free Library.

New this week:

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (funny, since I just finished reading my own copy last week)
• A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
• The Circle by Dave Eggers
• The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
• To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
• Strider by Beverly Cleary

Looks like someone must have been offloading their literary fiction! And it’s sweet to see a children’s classic in the mix as well. A few unwanted books showed up that I’ve already removed, including a couple of super flimsy guides to real estate deals. Why leave those in a LFL???

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My current Classics Club Spin book!

Now playing via audiobook:

Coming Home by Brittney Griner: I’ve been waiting for my library hold for this audiobook for months now, and it’s finally available! I started it yesterday — it’s really personal and powerful to listen to.

Ongoing reads:

None right now! My book group’s next classic read starts early December — and meanwhile, it’s kind of nice to have no “obligation” books to worry about.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

What can I say about last week? Words fail me. Locally, I’m fairly pleased with our election results, especially a proposition about turning an oceanside roadway into a park. (Want to know what I’m talking about? Check out this article — I voted yes!!)

Other than that… it hasn’t actually been a terrible week. Busy at work, nice family time, and some beautiful sunny days!

What did I read during the last week?

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: FINISHED! After two different reading attempts years ago ended in DNFs, I was determined to finally make it all the way through this book, and I did it! I’m still digesting, to be honest. I can’t say I loved the reading experience, but I can see why this is considered such a huge literary achievement. I’m glad to have seen it through, but don’t feel up for writing an actual review. Still… it’s done!!

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune: I loved this story of former teen sweethearts reuniting years later as adults. Touching and nostalgic, and very engaging. My review is here.

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong: Sweet, cozy fantasy — a light and delicious read. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

Season 2 of The Diplomat was fantastic! Both season are available on Netflix. Terrific plot, dialogue, and acting — not that amazing acting is a surprise, with Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell in the lead roles.

Next up: The final season of Yellowstone — the first episode of the new/last season just dropped! It’s a little odd picking up the story again after almost two years… but it pulled me right back in, and I’m dying to see where the season goes.

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See: My book group’s pick for November — and for once, I’m getting an early start! I’m only a few chapters in, but it’s great so far.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady: After reading my first Ali Brady book a couple of months ago, I jumped at the chance to borrow this audiobook when I randomly saw it marked as available on the Libby app! I’ve listened to about 10% so far, and it’s good!

Coming soon:

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My newest Classics Club Spin book! The deadline to finish is December 18th, and since this is a relatively short book, I may hold off another week or two before starting.

Ongoing reads:

Just one at the moment, and it’s almost done:

• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read — one chapter to go! Progress: 96%. Coming up this week: Chapter 23.

We’ll be starting our next group classic read in early December.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

This is going to be an anxiety-filled week for sure. So I’ll just share these words of wisdom from author Mary Doria Russell, always appropriate this time of year:

Bookish goodies:

Orbit Books is offering an awesome giveaway this month — enter here!

And in other bookish/reading news… I reached my Goodreads challenge goal for the year (reading a bunch of super-skinny books helped!)…

… so I decided to raise my goal and see how it goes:

Still two more months left in 2024 — plenty of time for even more books!

What did I read during the last week?

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison: Excellent vampire fiction! My review is here.

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: My 4th time reading this October gem! My original review, from the first time I read it, is here. (And yes, it’s still awesome the 4th time around)

The Art of Leaving: A Memoir by Ayelet Tsabari: I read this author’s first novel, Songs for the Broken Hearted, a few months ago, and was eager to read the memoir she published several years earlier. My review is here.

Schemes & Scandals (A Rip Through Time, #3.5) by Kelley Armstrong: A delightful novella set in the world of a favorite series. My review is here.

Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin: An engaging romance between a reluctant book store owner and a bestselling romance writer. Sweet and fun. My review is here.

In between longer books, I also enjoyed a bunch of slim, beautiful, gift-worthy books:

You can read my thoughts on these books here.

Pop culture & TV:

I finished the newest season of Heartstopper! Loved it, of course. And now, we wait for the 4th and final season.

Next up, I’m eager to start season 2 of The Diplomat!

Fresh Catch:

New hardcover editions of Travis Baldree’s terrific cozy fantasies!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: This books is my white whale! I’ve read half of it — twice — at two different times in my life, and for different reasons, never finished. I’m determined to read it all this time!

Now playing via audiobook:

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune: My library hold for this audiobook came through right at the exact time I needed a new book to listen to! I just started on Sunday and have only listened to about 10% at this point, but so far, I like it!

Coming soon:

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My newest Classics Club Spin book! The deadline to finish is December 18th, and since this is a relatively short book, I may hold off another week or two before starting.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments — but just one at the moment! A couple of other group reads will be starting later this month.

• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! So much fun. Progress: 84%. Coming up this week: Chapters 21 and 22.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Not too much to report! Busy workweek, but I did manage to squeeze in a dinner out with a friend passing through town, and even grabbed some good outdoors time thanks to a gorgeous sunshiney day over the weekend.

What did I read during the last week?

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman: Finished reading last week, but just posted a review, here.

Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith: My book group’s October read. I liked the book, and really enjoyed our book group discussion with the author. My review is here.

Lil’s Bus Trip by Judy Leigh: Such a sweet, enjoyable audiobook. My review is here.

Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we finished our group read of this fascinating history book! It’s an excellent resource for getting a different, unusual view of the women involved in the Jacobite rebellions. We have a chat scheduled with the author next month, and it should be terrific.

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison: Finished late Sunday. So good! Review to follow later this week.

In other reading:

I read a really creepy short story after seeing it on a list via Reactor (here). The October Game by Ray Bradbury is weird and disturbing… perfect for the lead-up to Halloween! Originally published in 1948 in Weird Tales, it seems to be available for free reading online through a variety of sources. I found a PDF version here. (I also ended up reading the Seanan McGuire story on the list — good and spooky!)

Pop culture & TV:

I binge-watched Nobody Wants This on Netflix this week, and loved it! Now we wait for season 2…

Other than that, I’ve been catching up on my half-hour comedies that have just started new seasons (Ghosts, What We Do in the Shadows, Abbott Elementary) — always a good time.

Fresh Catch:

Two slim but lovely hardcovers arrived this week:

So excited for both of these!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Schemes & Scandals (A Rip Through Time, #3.5) by Kelley Armstrong: A new novella set in the world of a terrific timeslip series. Really good so far!

Now playing via audiobook:

In New York earlier this fall, I stopped by The Strand bookstore and picked up a “blind date with a book” on a whim… and it ended up being Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin. The packaging is so adorable that I’m hesitant to take it apart — but meanwhile, the library had the audiobook available as an instant borrow, so I thought I’d give it a whirl!

Coming soon:

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My newest Classics Club Spin book! The deadline to finish is December 18th, and since this is a relatively short book, I may hold off another week or two before starting.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! So much fun. Progress: 77%. Coming up this week: Chapters 19 and 20.
• A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: My annual October tradition. The book has a chapter per day for each day of the month. Progress: 81%

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

This week zipped by without quite enough time to read all the books I meant to read! Meanwhile, we had some nice weather over the weekend, so I was able to squeeze in some good outdoorsy fun, and even managed to go dancing one night.

(I also got my Covid and flu vaccines this week, which hit me about 24 hours afterward. Not as bad as some previous rounds, but I did feel pretty knocked out for a day.)

What did I read during the last week?

Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum: Fascinating non-fiction about the origins and evolution of reality TV. My review is here.

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez: The 3rd book in the Friend Zone trilogy. I enjoyed it, although not quite as much as the previous two. My review is here.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman: Sweet, dual-timeline novel with a lovely story about second chance love. Review to follow later in the week.

Pop culture & TV:

I tried a new reality competition show, The Summit, and after three episodes, I’m dropping it. Want to know why? Check out my thoughts, here.

We’re a month away from the return of Outlander! Season 7, part 2, begins November 22nd, and Starz just released the trailer. Can’t wait!

Fresh Catch:

My Goodreads giveaway book arrived!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith: My book group’s October read. I’m a little behind schedule, but hope to finish in time for our chat with the author next weekend.

Now playing via audiobook:

Lil’s Bus Trip by Judy Leigh: This author’s books are always a treat!

Coming soon:

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My newest Classics Club Spin book! The spin results were just announced on Sunday, and I have to say, I’m pretty pleased with this one! I used to love Louisa May Alcott’s book as a kid, but this is one that I seem to have missed. We have until December 18th to finish our books for this round, so I’m probably not going to start right away… but I’m looking forward to it, whenever I do get started.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 90%. Coming up this week — the last chapter! Chapter 25, “The End of an Old Sang”
• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Hilarious. Progress: 65%. Coming up this week: Chapters 17 and 18.
• A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: My annual October tradition. The book has a chapter per day for each day of the month. Progress: 39%

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

It’s been another busy week, with a couple of special highlights — dinner out with a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time, and then a quick, one-night visit from my daughter as she passed through the area for a friend’s wedding. I wish I had more time with her… but I’ll take what I can get!

Pango Books

Just a reminder — if you’re new to Pango Books, you can get a discount using my code! (This is good for first time users only, and works for any books you buy.) Use the code LISA252194 to get $5 off an order of $10 or more. Visit Pango Books to get started!

I’m also selling books on Pango — you can see my seller listings here.

What did I read during the last week?

Not much, actually. I was on the go a lot more than usual and had very little reading time… and spent a few days trying to get through a book (chosen for a reading challenge) that I ended up DNFing, which was frustrating.

I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong: I read this the previous week, but just posted my review (here). Short version: I loved it!

D’Vaughn & Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins: DNFd at 30%. I feel like I wasted precious reading time! The premise sounded like it would be cute, but I didn’t connect to the writing, the characters, or the plot, and finally realized that I wasn’t enjoying the book enough to continue.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez: The 2nd book in the Friend Zone trilogy. Terrific audiobook, with heart, humor, and a great love story. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I know it’s pretty cheesy, but once again I find myself sucked into watching Dancing with the Stars. I just can’t seem to look away.

On Netflix, I finally got a chance to finish up the 3rd and final season of Sweet Tooth. As a whole, I really liked it — and I think I might have liked it even more if I’d waited and binged all three seasons straight through. I watched each season as it dropped, and for this last season, watched in bits and pieces over several weeks, and definitely think my experience suffered a bit from a lack of continuity.

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum: Hey, look! I’m reading non-fiction! This book is so interesting — I’m close to the end and really loving it.

Assuming I find time to finish today or tomorrow, I plan to get back to my stack of ARCs, starting with:

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman: I’ve enjoyed this author’s previous books, and this new release feels like a good choice for October.

Now playing via audiobook:

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez: The 3rd book in the Friend Zone trilogy. I can’t help it — I just had to start this one immediately after finishing #2.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 88%. Coming up this week: Chapter 24, “Rebellion She Wrote”
• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Hilarious. Progress: 54%. Coming up this week: Chapters 15 and 16.
• A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: My annual October tradition. The book has a chapter per day for each day of the month. Progress: 18%

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Happy New Year to all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah! Wishing everyone a sweet, healthy, peaceful year to come.

I loved having a couple of days off from work last week. I spend one day visiting friends I hadn’t seen in a while, and another catching up on errands I never seem to have time for on weekends.

Meanwhile, we’ve been having a heatwave here in San Francisco. I went for walks at the beach to bask in our unusually sunny weather, then cooled off in the shade on my back porch with iced coffee and a good book or two. So nice!

Pango Books

I’m a Pango Ambassador! That means I get to share a discount code with my fellow booklovers. Use the code LISA252194 to get $5 off an order of $10 or more (applies to new Pango users only). Visit Pango Books to get started!

I’m also selling books on Pango — you can see my seller listings here.

What did I read during the last week?

Rough Pages by Lev AC Rosen: Terrific noir tale about a gay detective in 1950s San Francisco. My review is here.

Drop Dead by Lily Chu: Really fun audiobook about rival journalists unraveling a literary mystery. My review is here.

Constituent Service by John Scalzi: A fun (free) Audible Original, narrated by Amber Benson. A quick, laugh-out-loud listen.

I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong: Excellent horror story, with lots of unexpected twists and scares. Stay tuned — I’ll have a review up later in the week.

In other bookish news, my book group had a Zoom chat with author Jennifer Ryan to discuss her newest novel, The Underground Library. Jennifer was warm and friendly and so interesting! We all really enjoyed it.

Pop culture & TV:

I watched the final episode of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, season 2. Overall, it’s been a good season, but I think the show tried to cram too much into the finale. There were characters included whom we hadn’t seen in weeks — I couldn’t even remember why some of them mattered! Still, it’s renewed my interest in the world of LOTR and makes me want to dig a little deeper while waiting for season 3 (although a renewal has not yet been confirmed).

Next up: I’m excited to watch season 3 of Heartstopper!

Fresh Catch:

I won a Goodreads giveaway! I haven’t received the book yet, but it’s always a thrill to get the email notification. I won a copy of We Would Never by Tova Mirvis. Looks good!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

D’Vaughn & Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins: I needed an LGBTQ+ romance for a reading challenge, and my daughter recommended this one! Just getting started.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez: The 2nd book in the Friend Zone trilogy. I’ve only listened to the first chapter so far, but since the story focuses on an important character from the first book, I’m eager to dive in and see what happens next.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 82%. Coming up this week: Chapter 23, “Burn this Letter”
• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Hilarious. Progress: 48%. Coming up this week: Chapters 13 and 14.
• A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: My annual October tradition. The book has a chapter per day for each day of the month. Progress: 7%

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

I’m back! I was mostly offline for the last two weeks while traveling to the East Coast and back. I spent four days in New York with my daughter and a bunch of friends, then a few more days in the general area visiting family. It was a terrific trip, but as usual, ended up with so much catching up to do at work and around the house once I got back.

One really amazing element of my trip: I had a meet-up with my book group friends! We’re an online book group, mostly connecting via chat and discussion threads, with occasional Zoom sessions too. While I’ve met a few people in-person over the years, this was the first chance we’ve all had to meet a member who lives in England — she had a port visit in NY while on a cruise, and we decided it was the perfect opportunity for a group gathering. It was lovely to meet everyone and spend the day together!

It was also great to get back home and feel appreciated — especially when I returned to the office and found that a wonderful work friend had gotten me a perfect booklover’s birthday gift!

Little Free Library update:

I’m having fun checking my Little Free Library inventory week over week, and it was interesting to see which books had been picked up while I was away! A couple of new books were added by visitors, and — bizarrely — also some audio cassettes, which appear to be recordings of poetry readings. Not quite sure what to do with those…

What did I read during the last (two) weeks?

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan: A lovely escape to a picture-perfect Scottish village, and a charming storyline overall. My review is here.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan: Historical fiction set in London during WWII. My review is here.

Extinction by Douglas Preston: Sci-fi thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. My review is here.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea: The feel-good, must-read sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea. My review is here.

Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz: I wanted to love this book — the synopsis grabbed me, and I even bought a hard copy (used, fortunately). But… I just did not enjoy it. Couldn’t relate to the characters or their relationship, and the writing itself irked me. I don’t even think I’m going to write a review for this one.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: Contemporary romance filled with laughter and tears. My review is here.

Also read this week: A cute (new) short story set in the world of Abby Jimenez’s most recent novel, Just For the Summer:

Pop culture & TV:

While in New York with my daughter, we went to two Broadway musicals and loved them both! First, we saw Six, a pop music extravaganza starring the six wives of Henry VIII.

And here’s a clip via Facebook, showing the cast we actually saw: https://fb.watch/uVn0apRH0e/

Two nights later, we also saw Once Upon a Mattress, starring the always-excellent Sutton Foster. Such fun!

We also really enjoyed our visit to the Museum of Broadway. A must for theater fans!

Now that I’m back home, I’m catching up on the new season of Survivor… and then will dive back into Netflix to see what else I’ve missed.

Fresh Catch:

While in NY, we stopped by The Strand (awesome bookstore!) for a bit of browsing… and walked away with four new and used books, including one “blind date with a book”.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Rough Pages by Lev AC Rosen: I loved the first two books in this series, and I’m so excited to be starting the new one, just in time for its release this week!

Now playing via audiobook:

Drop Dead by Lily Chu: This author’s audiobooks are always a treat! I haven’t made much progress yet, but I’m enjoying it so far.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 80%. Coming up this week: Chapter 22, “Captain Marsal to the Rescue”
• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Hilarious. Progress: 38%. Coming up this week: Chapters 11 and 12.
• October starts tomorrow… and that means it’s time for the annual reading of A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny! There’s a chapter for each day of the month, and I’m looking forward to getting started.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Another busy week, followed by a fun, active Saturday and a hectic Sunday full of running around to take care of errands. Definitely not the mellow weekend I was hoping for!

I’m getting ready to head out of town later this week, for a combination of a friends-get-together and some family time. I may or may not be online; we’ll see how much downtime there is.

Now, for the trickiest parts — figuring out the weather and what to pack, and deciding on airplane books!

Giveaway update:

I ran a giveaway this past week, with a choice of ARCs as a prize. The giveaway ended yesterday and I notified the winner already… but I have to say that I was underwhelmed by the number of participants. Granted, I didn’t make a big effort to promote it, other than my blog post and some late-in-the-game social media posts. Still, it made me wonder — does anyone else regularly run giveaways, and do you find them worthwhile?

Little Free Library update:

My Little Free Library had its first visitors this week! I found that extraordinarily exciting… I suppose once it’s been there longer, I’ll calm down about it. I was so happy to come home from work midweek and see that someone had taken three books and left three other books! LFL in action!

What did I read during the last (two) weeks?

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer: A Jewish-themed romance with some good elements, but a cringey sense of humor. My review is here.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach: Contemporary fiction about a woman who accidentally gets involved in a stranger’s wedding. Lively, plenty to think about, and a lot of fun. My review is here.

In graphic novels:

I finished reading the Snowpiercer trilogy, then read the prequel volumes too. The artwork and storytelling in the original trilogy didn’t particularly work for me, but I wanted to see the basis for the TV series, which I love. (Only one episode left!!)

The two prequel volumes, which were released years after the original trilogy, were much more interesting to me, showing how the worldwide disaster came about and how Snowpiercer (the train) was conceived and created. I still don’t care for the style of the artwork, but the story was much more gripping, and I’m glad I read these. (Volume 2 — published in 2020 — promises a 3rd volume as a conclusion… but as of now, it doesn’t exist, and I can’t seem to find anything online to indicate that it will ever be released.)

Pop culture & TV:

Still watching season 2 of The Rings of Power. The last couple of episodes have had some great moments… but as a whole, this series often feels like it’s plodding along.

I finished Kaos (Netflix). It’s only eight episodes (no news yet as to whether there will be a second season), so it’s not a big commitment. I enjoyed it — there’s a lot of weirdness, but such a great cast, and never a dull moment.

And now I’m a bit at loose ends, not quite sure what I feel like starting next. I’m catching up on the Daryl Dixon series (spin-off of The Walking Dead), even though I never finished the final seasons of TWD. A new season of Survivor starts this week, and yes, despite how often I ridicule the show, I’ll be tuning in.

I’m on the fence about Dancing with the Stars — I don’t watch regularly, but if there’s a particular “star” who interests me, I may selectively watch. This time around, I’d love to see “pommel horse guy” (Stephen Nedoroscik) try ballroom, but I’m also a little disgusted by the show’s continuing to see anyone famous — including convicted criminals — as “stars”. (This season includes Anna Delvey… why??)

Fresh Catch:

Two new books this week! I’ve really cut down on the number of physical books, especially hardcovers, that I buy — but a new TJ Klune book is a must for my shelves!

And although I have an e-ARC and the audiobook for Jenny Colgan’s latest, I do keep paperback editions of all her books, and I love the cover of this one!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune: I really expected to have more time to read this weekend, but alas, it just didn’t work out that way! I’ve made very little progress… sigh. Still, the little bit I’ve read has been really good!

Now playing via audiobook:

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan: Same as with the book above — I’d hoped to finish over the weekend, but life got in the way! I have about an hour’s worth of listening still, and I’m really loving it.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 73%. Coming up this week: Chapter 20, “The Escape of the Whitehaven Three”
• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Such silly fun. Progress: 19%. Coming up this week: Chapters 7 and 8.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

I worked from home all of last week, mainly so I could be around to lend a hand as my husband bounced back from eye surgery. As of now, he’s back to his usual active self — driving, going to the gym, running around town — so apparently, my services are no longer needed!

We had a puppy visitor:

But the kitty was not impressed:

Bookish stuff:

I’m giving away some books! I’m trying to reorganize my shelves and weed out the books I no longer feel the need to keep — and that includes a bunch of ARCs that have come my way over the years. Feeling lucky? You can enter my Rafflercopter giveaway here.

And… drumroll, please…

I just set my up my very own Little Free Library! I’m so excited — I’ve been wanting one for years!

It’s only been one day, so I’m a little overeager still, and I keep checking to see if anyone has taken a book yet!

What did I read during the last (two) weeks?

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover: I read this the previous week, but just got around to posting a review, here.

And after the messy drama of the CoHo book, I needed some lighter reading — so my next three books were all contemporary romances that were sweet and enjoyable:

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine: Deliciously silly fun. My review is here.

Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon: A great contemporary romance set in New Orleans… and with oodles of doggy cuteness. My review is here.

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer: Romance between a self-described “Jewitch” and the man she thinks might possibly be a golem she created. Review to follow.

I also read a few (very different) graphic novels this week:

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang: Sweet YA graphic novel by the author of The Prince & the Dressmaker. It was an enjoyable read, but not something I found all that compelling.

Snowpiercer, volume 1: The Escape by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette: It’s interesting to see the origin of the TV series (which I think is awesome). The artwork is not great, it’s very difficult to identify characters, and the storytelling is confusing… but I’m continuing the series anyway. (Fortunately, my library had volumes 1 – 3 available, so this is a low-commitment reading experiment).

Snowpiercer, volume 2: The Explorers: More of the same. The story goes in a different direction than the TV series, but it’s still hard to figure out who the characters are and what’s happening. There’s only one more book in the original trilogy, so I’ll at least read that one, and then see if I feel like reading the two-volume prequel as well.

Pop culture & TV:

I caught up with the available episodes of season 2 of The Rings of Power. This season has some good moments for sure… but overall, it’s so slow. Or is it just me?

Over on Netflix, I started watching Kaos, the new series about Greek gods in a modern setting. Anyone else watching this? It’s uneven, but really entertaining, and has a terrific cast.

Fresh Catch:

No new books!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Wedding People by Alison Espach: My library hold for this book just came in, and I’m still in the early chapters. After a slow and somewhat depressing start, it seems to be be picking up.

Now playing via audiobook:

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan: This author’s audiobooks are always the best sort of escape! I’m still in the early chapters, but love getting swept away to Scotland…

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 69%. Coming up this week: Chapter 19, “In Sickness or in Health”
• Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Such silly fun. Progress: 13%. Coming up this week: Chapters 5 and 6.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…