I’ve had Lowland on my shelf for years. I’ve had it recommended to me over and over again, and I’ve seen it in more must-read lists than I can count. And yet, this is the first Jhumpa Lahiri book I’ve gotten around to trying. It’s a quiet book, an internal exploration. It follows one READ MORE
Category: Features
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | HOW I KEEP WARM
I am always cold. Partly genetics, partly medical issues, it’s something that has been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember. (My kid is the opposite and would happily run around in a t-shirt in December.) So I’ve gotten good at staying warm. My top tips: Layers. Lots READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | 2021 RELEASES I WAS EXCITED ABOUT BUT DIDN’T GET TO
There are so many books that came out in 2021 that I was really interested in… and didn’t get to. And guess what? That makes it pretty much like every other year. I NEVER get to all the books I want to read. Ever. And this particular list could go on for days. So READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY – RACHEL JOYCE
Harold Fry has been languishing on my shelf for years, just waiting for me to get around to meeting him. I was expecting a charming, sweet story of personal challenge and growth. I was expecting something heart warming and deeply emotional. What I got was… not exactly that. This book has a simple story READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | BOOKS I WANT TO READ IN 2022
This could be quite a long post, because I have thousands of books on my TBR. So I’m just going to pick a few. There are so many more. But those are a few on my bedside table currently. What about you guys? Which READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | MOST RECENT ADDITIONS TO MY BOOKSHELVES
Weirdly, at least for me, I haven’t really been buying books. I didn’t even find many books under my tree this year. So this post was a bit of a struggle – the last books I bought, except for the first one, were bought months ago. And I don’t really remember which were the READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | WE ARE NOT FREE – TRACI CHEE
A book that will take you into an often overlooked or hidden part of American history during WWII, and one that desperately needs to be brought to light, shared, talked about, and faced. This is the story of a group of young Japanese-Americans who live in San Francisco, in a community of immigrants (and READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | GOALS FOR 2022
This prompt feels uncomfortably close to asking me for new year’s resolutions, and I don’t do those. I don’t really attach much significance to a new calendar year, I kind of feel like every day has the same potential for change and growth as January 1st. But I’ve got a few things I’d like READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | MOST EXCITING BOOKS COMING OUT IN EARLY 2022
I haven’t been paying much attention to the literary world lately. It seems, based on the last couple of years of reading, that starting in September there begins a sort of seasonal winding-down in my reading life. I read progressively less, and normally by the time I hit December, I’m fully on hiatus. I READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | SEVEN KINDS OF PEOPLE YOU FIND IN BOOKSHOPS – SHAUN BYTHELL
I adore books about books, reading or readers. There are so many things I relate to when I find books about readers. Little details of how the world looks different if you spend a chunk of your life between the pages of books. The inability to walk past (or leave) a bookstore is probably READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2021
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
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