April was a busy month, with family and friends visiting, then I got sick for the last part of the month, which meant a lot of sleepless nights with lots of reading. My laptop charger died, which kept me from working on the blog (it’s just within the warranty, I’m waiting on a repair). I…
March was a good month overall. My father is having health problems so it hasn’t all been rosy, but I’ve tried to keep my reading on the lighter side. I was able to volunteer for my library’s used book sale, which I love doing when I have the time. Here’s what I read in March:…
Happy March, readers! It’s a dreary time of year, but at least one exciting thing happens every March, and that’s the announcement of the Women’s Prize 2024 Longlist on March 5. Here are some of my favorite books published in the last year: Chenneville, The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Tom Lake, The Fox Wife, The…
January is typically a great month for reading – bad weather and much less to do. This month I’ve been dealing with a health issue that limited my mobility, so I got more reading in than usual. But I kept my reading pretty light. Here’s what I read in January: My favorite reads: I loved Under…
2023 was a challenging year for me, so I’m not surprised I read a bit less and completed fewer challenges. I found it more difficult to concentrate this year, and there were a lot of books I ended up having to send back to the library (virtually) rather than finishing them. Still, I did read…
This month I participated in Nonfiction November, visited my in-laws over Veteran’s Day weekend, and celebrated Thanksgiving with my father and some close friends. I’m never happy about the onset of winter, and I’ve been finding it’s taking me more time to finish books lately, which I think is just due to being busier and more…
October was a tough month, not so much for me but for close friends and family. It was a reality check, a reminder to hold close the people I love. Here’s what I read in October: My favorite reads: I loved Talking at Night, a novel recommended in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide. …
In September, Mr. CG and I traveled to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I wanted to explore this part of the world because of my family’s connections to it, and indeed I was excited to see my last name, which is so rare in the U.S., all over the place in Germany and Austria. At the…
How is your summer going? I went to my niece’s wedding in Wisconsin and I’m visiting family in California in August, and then in September we’re taking our first Rick Steve’s tour that covers parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Otherwise, I’ve been walking a lot (when the weather permits), gardening, and visiting my dad. I’ve…
June was a busy month, with my birthday, travel planning for later in the summer, and getting my dad’s condo ready for sale. I’ve been trying a new allergy remedy, immunotherapy, that I hope will ease my symptoms. And I’ve been trying, not so successfully, to keep up an exercise routine. We’ve had a number…
May was a fantastic reading month. I read four books from the Women’s Prize longlist. I also read two backlist books from new favorites, Mimi Matthews and Kate Clayborn. Here’s what I read in May: My favorite reads: My favorite was The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff, a book I only picked up because it was nominated…
April was a much better month than March – I got my dad settled in a new home, my sisters visited, and life is starting to feel a bit more normal. I didn’t get much reading done, but I’m feeling good about what I’ve accomplished. My family, and my work, have been really supportive which…
The Book Stop 