This one‘s a little obvious, but it‘s a classic for a reason! #train #storysettings

Here are more suggestions:

https://modernmrsdarcy.com/novels-set-on-planes-trains-and-automobiles/

https://overcast.fm/+WzFPMxZN0

Interesting story about a young mother who makes a desperate choice, and the consequences of that choice years in the future. The structure of going back and forth in time made sense for the narrative, but the POV shifts made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters. There‘s also a LOT of commentary about the soulless nature of suburbia.

Not my favorite of hers but still worthwhile.

#authoramonth

1. I was out and about on Main Street Saturday and saw some lovely peonies in front of a church.
2. That afternoon I went to a community band concert that wasn‘t only free but also included refreshments at intermission.
3. I became a patron of my favorite podcast and got a nice personal message from one of the cohosts.
4. Everyone I voted for in the primary won. Now the real fun starts!
5. New stickers for my BuJo.
#5joysfriday

1. Muse: Absolution
2. Carole King: Tapestry
3. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
#TLT

1. Ten years ago next month, I went to the local branch for the grand reopening after a renovation. This was possible because a new community center had been completed, and some of its functions had been occupying part of the library building.
2. Mostly the library by way of Libby, but I like to visit in person too.
3. Tagged book came off hold, and instead of deferring it I downloaded it to read!
#wondrouswednesday

1. Muffulettas. Potato salad. Nectarines. Lemonade and tea.
2. I would load up my Kindle app with mysteries and leave the book at home to protect it from the potentially messy food.
#two4tuesday

Come On Eileen. Ugh.

Honorable mention to the Kars 4 Kids song.

#tuesdaytunes

I had another copy of this in my youth, but it literally fell apart. When Borders closed, I was able to replace it and fill out the rest of the series. I was happy to see the same kitten illustration on the cover as on my childhood copy. #prairie #storysettings

I enjoyed this third installment of the Perveen Mistry series, even if the ending was a little too tidy. I accidentally downloaded the next one from Libby, so I will at least start it there even though I have a hard copy.

It turns out I was a little hasty consolidating all my #serieslove2024 into one collage, so for various reasons I‘ve separated the mysteries from the rest again for now.

1. This week‘s baseball joy: the hockey team‘s anthem singers came to Nationals Park to sing O Canada on cinco de mayo.
2. This is problematic in the bigger scheme of things, but it‘s always a joy to see deer outside my door.
3. Zendaya‘s first gown for the Met Gala gave me joy.
4. It was a joy to sit on the patio reading and drinking ginger ale.
5. It‘s always a joy to walk around the lake, but especially this time of year.
#5joysfriday

A fun Litsy challenge from @WildAlaskaBibliophile

1. Tag a favorite mystery you‘ve read. ✅
2. What is your favorite way to prepare eggs? I have my husband scramble them 😎

#nationaleggmonthchallenge

For this one, if I‘ve read even one of the books in the series, I‘m counting it! Nevertheless, my score is 32/100.

I want to read (among others) the tagged book and to finish Emma already (currently 43%).

#TLT

LINK!!! https://www.listchallenges.com/litsys-favorite-bildungsromans

Meme courtesy of DC Public Library

1️⃣ 🏡🐈‍⬛🥪
2️⃣ 🌊📚🌞
#wondrouswednesday

1. I used to be able to bend over and touch my hands flat to the floor while keeping my legs straight. Those days are long gone!
2. Lessa has a special talent with dragons.
#two4tuesday

RIP Theoden king

#FellowshipOfTolkien

1. Malice Domestic closing tea with a gift of the tagged book.
2. Nationals pet calendar cat picture when most months it‘s been a dog (also cute but not a cat).
3. New season of Welcome to Wrexham.
4. UMC eliminated the ban on LGBT pastors. I know some people who have been affected by this.
5. I just did early voting for the primary.
#5joysFriday

Started in March. Continued in April. Bailed in May. I have loved other books by this author, but March is too dour and dry.

OTOH I bailed on Thursday Murder Club and will also bail on this follow-up. I‘ll still go to book club, though, because it‘s the last meeting until September.

I finished the Pandian and read a bit of Emma, so I‘ve been reading The Lola Quartet and liking it so far.

#AwesomeApril #progressreport

A different kind of list today; read the above info. LINK TO THE MOVIE LIST:
https://bit.ly/3wjI50s

I erred on the side of caution and didn‘t include any of the movies I couldn‘t actively remember seeing (looking at you, Rocky sequels, Beetlejuice, etc.) and ended up with a score of 83/187 or 44%. Someday I ought to watch the National Lampoon movies…I guess? #TLT

This should right up my alley, but I found it kind of dry when I first started reading it, and now the moment has passed. Off to the LFL it goes!

It wasn‘t a good month for reading magazines either, but perhaps I can catch up a little in May?

Meanwhile, I managed to acquire “only” six books at Malice Domestic. Three of them were free, and of the ones I bought only one is for me. Just don‘t ask about the swag!

#readordonate #monthlymagazineblitz

It wasn‘t the best month for reading, but I managed to finish five books in April. #wrapup

BTW this book sounds adorable.

I‘ll be back later with April recaps, but first…May mysteries!

These are my “required reading” for this month but not all I expect to read. #preview

🚁 Of course I love the flowers, but it‘s not springtime without flying maple seeds (AKA helicopters).

🥐 Legends & Lattes

🗓️ I need some special plans for May!

#wondrouswednesday

1. This month I diverged from picking a mystery set in Northern California as my favorite. I did read one, but L&L was really a delight.
2. The Lola Quartet
#two4tuesday

This was a fun read. She‘s a charming speaker. Now I have another to add to #serieslove2024 and probably more still to add later.

This was my #FavBkOfMarch #springskies

While it didn‘t win the Agatha award for best first novel, I did recommend it to a mother and daughter I met at breakfast.

Now that I‘m home from Malice Domestic, I can turn my attention to what I plan to read for the next #readathon
-I met Gigi Pandian at dinner, so now I really need to finish her book!
-The Bullet That Missed is for next week‘s book club.
-A few more chapters of Emma 😎
-The Lola Quartet is for May‘s #authoramonth
-March is slow going, so we‘ll see how that goes.
There‘s one more book I plan to finish that‘s still in my car…

There are more than #2BksWSimilarTitle as well as at least three songs. Here‘s one them. #springskies

https://youtu.be/yVm8PjWCvLg?si=eRY6-qwirQzd5ftr

Alexia Gordon at an interesting panel during Malice Domestic. Topic: What scares you? Her answer: chihuahuas but not clowns.

1. I redid my bookcases and put my TBR shelves near each other. Top shelf also includes favorites that I‘ve kept.
2. I‘m at Malice Domestic! That TBR list is CRYING after a “speed dating with authors” session.
3. Live performance of Grieg piano concerto. Very dramatic!
4. Two ballgames with drastically different outcomes but fun to hang out with my “summer family.”
5. Book club outing at a brewery in a bucolic setting.
#5JoysFriday

As @dabbe said, this could change in five minutes.
1. Anything for You (Gloria Estéfan)
2. Take On Me (a-ha)
3. Karma Chameleon (Culture Club)
#TLT

1. I‘m so suburban, my area is between two cities.
2. Wilde Lake is about fifteen minutes away.
#two4tuesday

1. Finish the tagged book 😀
2. Kili says he can‘t change the channel because he doesn‘t have thumbs. 👍🏻
3. I‘d like to be an otter: swim around all day and break shells with rocks. 🦦
4. ✅

This book is due back in two days, and I don‘t want to renew it. I‘m not hating it, but I don‘t feel like spending seven more hours with it. Even though it‘s an #awardwinner and an #authoramonth selection, I‘m bailing. #springskies

1. A mama duck with several babies hanging out at the community center.
2. I bought a shredder. (Yes, I know I need to get out more.)
3. First pedicure since Christmas.
4. Selecting nominations for #CampLitsy (there‘s still time).
5. Singapore noodles at a new-to-me restaurant, and some of the proceeds went to a local cat rescue organization.
#5joysfriday

1. Nicole Kidman
2. Keira Knightley
3. Grace Kelly
#TLT

This book has a strong sense of place and sometimes insightful writing, but overall it needed more editing. I also didn‘t find the story very satisfying for many reasons. Apparently the following books in the series feature a different main character who‘s more compelling than the guy in this book, but even so I don‘t think I‘ll read any further.

In any case #Montana is done and there are only a few states left! #52mysteries

I‘m pretty sure there‘s a #magicalelement to those cinnamon rolls, amirite? #springskies

More travel, less cholesterol.

I‘ve managed to stay married despite not having the best example in my parents, in part because of sheer stubbornness.

#wondeouswednesday

1. Haircut, ballgame
2. Trees, apartments, parking lot
3. Maryland USA. It‘s a little muggy!
4. Tagged

Here are my nominations for #CampLitsy2024

See the post from @BarbaraBB if you‘d like to join in the fun!

Inspired by @julesG ‘s comment on my #sundayfunday post…

However, one could say that any book I read #InvolvesHeist 😎

#springskies

I have a copy of Hamlet that, according to the stamped label in the front, a relative of my mother-in-law used during the 1923-1924 school year. #sundayfunday

1. Partial eclipse. Photo courtesy of Capital Weather Gang.
2. Walks in the woods.
3. I finished the tagged book about two hours before the book club meeting. We had a good discussion and all agreed that it‘s not really a mystery.
4. Myspouse has been off all week, and dinner has been delicious every night.
5. After two months of instructor illness and pool issues, therapeutic aquatics class has resumed.
#5joysfriday

1. The Princes Bride
2. Big
3. Rocket Gibraltar
#TLT

All #authoramonth edition of #wondrouswednesday
1. What‘s happening here?
2. The Lola Quartet
3. Tana French

Very interesting story about an army captain sent to survey Alaska, and his wife who was unable to accompany him. Epistolary novels are hit and miss for me, but their letters to each other were poignant and memorable.

A former coworker took a job in Anchorage and sent me this picture from her commute.

#setinsnow #springskies

Perveen leaves Bombay for the mountains and finds herself embroiled in palace intrigue. Interesting story. Now onto Book 3! #serieslove2024

1. A mostly quiet week of cleaning and organizing.
2. Nothing special, as long as it‘s not too messy.
3. I have a container full of bookmarks but will still just use whatever I have on hand.
4. Tagged!
#motivationalmonday

This book sounds adorable. #sundayfunday