I always read a lot in summer, because I like to sit outside and read, even in the heat, and thanks to audiobooks I can read while I garden. This was a really good reading month, mainly because of the diversity of authors and locations I read about, including China, Russia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic,…
I’m so happy it’s finally summer! This year, I’ve been avoiding TBR lists and trying to take some of the pressure off of what and how I read. But I’ll make an exception for the 20 Books of Summer Challenge, hosted by Cathy at 746books.com, because it’s a pretty laid back challenge and summer feels…
I really like the 20 Books of Summer challenge, hosted by 746 Books, because it keeps me focused on a specific list of books rather than reading whatever comes my way. This summer, I wanted to read more books I owned. I always feel pressured to read library books, because I have to give them…
Farewell, summer! In August I read three books for book clubs and blog events, met a local author, and finished out the 20 Books of Summer challenge, reading 12 of the books on my original list. Here’s what I read in August: Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse Miracle Creek by Angie Kim A Woman…
I recommend this historical novel about two researchers who discover a cache of letters from the 1660s about a rabbi in London and the young Jewish woman he’s taken in, Ester Velasquez. The rabbi and Ester have emigrated from Amsterdam, but before that they were refugees from the Inquisition in Portugal. The researchers soon discover…
Twenty Books of Summer is back! It will run from June 3 through August, and basically the challenge is to make a list of 20 books and read those books over the next three months. This year I decided at least 10 of the books need to be ones I already own. The reason is that I’ve…
This summer I read 21 books for the 20 Books of Summer, hosted by Cathy at 746 Books. From my original list, I read 11 books, which isn’t bad since I rarely stick too closely to my TBR lists. I reviewed 14 of these books (though some in mini-reviews). Lafayette in the Somewhat United States…
It’s tempting to compare this book to What it Means When A Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah. Both are debut short story collections from diverse authors, and both blend contemporary and speculative fiction. I enjoyed both, and I’m not a big reader of short stories normally, but I’m coming to appreciate…
I loved this book of short stories. Arimah has a really vivid way of telling a story, and her stories covered a wide range of issues and genres. The title story was one of the most interesting. The narrator is a mathematician in a future post-apocalyptic world where most of the continents are now underwater. …
This book about a series of murders on the Osage reservation in the 1920’s was incredibly powerful. At first you may wonder why this particular murder of a woman in Oklahoma matters. And by the end of the book (as in Just Mercy) you see why it matters very much. Maybe one murder is never…
For the last few years, Cathy at 746 Books has hosted the 20 Books of Summer challenge. You make a list of 20 books and try to read them between June 1 and September 1. In past years, I’ve had no trouble reading 20 books in 3 months, the issue is more can I read…
I love this series, which is about a real-life woman in the 1910’s who was one of the first female deputy sheriffs. Amy Stewart builds the novels in this series around actual people and events and she ends each one with a description of her research. If you haven’t read the series, but like historical…
The Book Stop 