I have had an absurdly good reading year. I don’t know how that happened – I went into 2021 not having read a single book in a couple of months. Every time I have a slump like that I have no idea when (or, indeed, if) I’m going to get back into reading. But READ MORE
Year: 2021
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA – TJ KLUNE
This book is magical. And I’m not just talking about, you know, the actual magic. I hadn’t really heard anything about either this book or this author before. Then it seemed like, overnight, it was everywhere. And I noticed it because, well, have you seen the cover? It’s stunning. But it turns out that READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKS ON MY XMAS WISHLIST
I haven’t been reading as much lately, and I haven’t been following the book world, so I’m very out of the loop on new releases! So here are a few books that aren’t necessarily new, but that I’d love to see under the tree! READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | DIARY OF A SOMEBODY – BRIAN BILSTON
I picked this one up because my Dad was reading it and said it was amusing him. I’d been meaning to get to it and just not getting around to it for a while. It’s a comedic journal of a diffident man who likes to write witty poetry. The diary follows him through various READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | FUNNIEST BOOK I EVER READ
My answer for this week’s prompt might seem like a bit of an odd one. And it is, really. Because in addition to being the funniest book I’ve ever read, it’s also one of the most intense and serious books I’ve read. For those of you who aren’t familiar (you can click on READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKS ON MY WINTER 2021 TBR
I haven’t been reading much lately. In fact, I think I read one book last month. It’s doubtful this month will be any different. But just in case, here are a few books I’m most interested in: READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE SECRET LIVES OF CHURCH LADIES – DEESHA PHILYAW
There have been a few books from the past year or so that seem to keep popping up everywhere I look. It’s not a book I normally would have been drawn to – I’m not religious and don’t have much interest in the topic, so the title wouldn’t have appealed. I don’t normally read READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | WHAT I THOUGHT OF SANTA AS A KID
This is an interesting one. I’m curious to see what you guys say in response! I don’t remember ever believing in Santa as a kid. I remember knowing it was my parents. I remember being impressed when my Dad cut out hoofprints and placed them in a trail through the house so I’d think READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKS I DIDN’T LOVE AS MUCH AS I EXPECTED TO
Alright, this week is a freebie, so I’m doing the flip side of the freebie I did on September 27, where I listed books I didn’t think I’d like but ended up loving. So this week I’m looking at books I expected to absolutely love, but didn’t end up loving quite as much as READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | PROJECT HAIL MARY – ANDY WEIR
Any fans of The Martian out there? Because I’m a big one. I re-read it this summer – I decided to give the audiobook a try – and loved it every bit as much as I did the first time I read it. And I instantly wanted more. The combination of complex scientific problem READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | WHAT SPARKS MY CREATIVITY
This is an interesting prompt. I’ve never really thought about it before. I think there are a few different things that can spark my creativity. If I’m traveling in a new place. Something about seeing new things, observing a different way of life, tasting new food, doing new things. It always gives me a READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKISH MEMORIES
I’m not really sure where I’m supposed to go with this prompt. I have so many memories that involve books, but they’re hard to share unless I could somehow project those memories like a film, and somehow also include the feelings I had at the time. But I’ll try! I remember curling up on READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | FURIOUSLY HAPPY – JENNY LAWSON
I first read this after having my kid when I was suffering from a brutal combo of post-partum depression and anxiety, and was understanding, for the first time in my life, just how tenuous and delicate the mind’s hold on reality can truly be. I didn’t really understand what was happening to me at READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | THANKSGIVING FOODS I LIKE OR DISLIKE
So I’m going to be that party pooper who really just isn’t into this prompt. First off, I’m an import. Sort of. My parents came here the year before I was born, and I grew up in their culture and mindset. I don’t feel particularly connected to Canada or Canadian culture, so things like READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | CHARACTERS I’D LOVE AN UPDATE ON/BOOKS I WANT MORE OF
This week’s prompt turned out to be harder than I expected, but I managed to come up with some good ones! Some are characters I’d like to check in with, some are real people I’d like to catch up with. Some are just books I’d like to crawl back into and stay a while! READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE ARGONAUTS – MAGGIE NELSON
For a short book, this packs one hell of a punch. It’s a memoir, kind of about everything. But if I had to try to distill it down I’d say it’s a critical assessment of society’s need to categorize people based on their gender and sexual orientation. It’s also a deep dive into what READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | PAPERBACK, EBOOK, AUDIO?
Well this could be the shortest post ever written, because my blunt answer is: all of the above. Reading is reading, yo. That said, I do have preferences. I enjoy most either a nice, crisp floppy-covered paperback or a new hardback that still springs shut when I try to open it. But I enjoy READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKS TO READ IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT RACE & RACISM
I’ve been reading a lot of fantastic books about race and racism. Last week I shared some quotes on the topic, and this week I’m sharing some of the books I’ve read that have really stuck with me. One of the best, probably unsurprisingly, is The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin. So if READ MORE