Author: curlygeek04

Nonfiction November Book Pairings: Fiction and Nonfiction about Activism and Social Justice

This week’s Nonfiction November topic is book pairings, which can be nonfiction books on a particular topic paired with fiction, or with other types of media. Thanks to What’s Nonfiction for hosting this week’s topic. Unintentionally, one of the common themes in my 2022 nonfiction reading was activism. I’m not an activist myself. Though I vote…

My October Reading Wrap-Up

Better late than never, here’s my reading wrap-up for October. It was a busy month, as I traveled to Phoenix last weekend to visit my family, plus two of my sisters came out earlier this month to visit my dad. It was wonderful to reconnect with my mom and my three sisters, and we also…

Review: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

I was afraid this book might be a little “sappy” for me. I like emotional reads but rarely read the kind of books described as “heartwarming”, and this book about a friendship between a dying teenager and an elderly woman fit that bill. But it came highly recommended by Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Best Books of Summer 2022,…

Review: The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

I gave up reading historical romances for a little while because they started feeling dated and repetitive. I understand that it’s hard to write about independent women and diverse characters in times that don’t lend themselves to that. I’m grateful to Evie Dunmore – and now Mimi Matthews – for bringing me back to historical…

My September Reading Wrap-Up

September was a challenging month, between getting COVID on vacation, getting back to work, family health issues, and just generally easing into fall. I love summer so this time of year is always a bit sad for me.  I’m gradually taking down my garden and pulling out my warmer clothes.  Of course there are bigger…

Review: The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh

This is a humorous and emotional saga of a Vietnamese family in America. Though not a perfect book for me, I expect this book will resonate quite a bit with those who are mothers and who are Vietnamese-American. Generations ago, the family is cursed because a woman runs off with a man who isn’t her…

How to Give Up Plastic by Will McCallum: a review and my own efforts to reduce plastic waste

Plastic may not be the worst issue impacting the environment, but it does feel like one that an individual can more easily do something about. And if you’ve seen the photos and videos of marine life with bellies full of plastic trash, it’s pretty hard to look away.  I picked up McCallum’s book as part…