I had mixed feelings about this book. It started off strong - several families take a cruise with their children and the trip quickly takes a turn for the worse when the kids are separated from the adults on an excursion. Told from multiple characters‘ perspectives, it moves along quickly but many parts felt rushed to me.

Alice falls off her bike during a spin class, bumps her head and forgets the past ten years of her life, believing she‘s 29 instead of 39. This book made me pause for thought, reflecting on what my younger self would think of my life right now. At 459 pages, I felt it could have been cut down a bit but a good read all the same.

Day 5, #7days7covers

Day 4 #7days7covers. I haven‘t read this one yet but felt this was an eye catching cover.

Day 3 #7days7covers. I love all of the covers in the Kopp Sisters series!

I‘m so glad that I picked up this book that gives a glimpse into the life of a well read woman looking back on her life in Beirut. Aaliya spends most of her time alone, translating great works of literature into Arabic. Although she has a quite solitary existence, her inner life is so rich that it really brings this quiet story to life. I highly recommend this, it was a great read and my U book for #LitsyAtoZ2019.

Day 2 #7days7covers. I haven‘t read this one yet but probably bought it because of the cover!

Thanks for the tag @CareBear . Sorry it too so long to post my first #7days7covers!

While I enjoyed the setting of this book in a riding camp/school for girls in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina during the Great Depression, I didn‘t feel a connection to the main character. Her actions were often questionable and she did not have much sympathy for those adversely affected by her decisions. At least it was my Y book for #LitsyAtoZ2019.

This is the story of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) run by the British government to send spies into occupied European countries during WWII. Women were part of this network, putting their lives on the line, sending radio messages and sabotaging Axis maneuvers. I really enjoyed the first half of the book but found some of the plot of the second half to be far fetched. Interesting back story but didn‘t completely hit the mark for me.

This is a book that I feel will stay with me awhile as I process it. Ishiguro is a masterful writer. Although many of the interactions between the characters were told in such a straight forward manner, they were so fraught with underlying tension that it was almost palpable at times. The perils of advancing technology is one of many themes that really leave you with food for thought. I will definitely seek out more of his works.

I flew through this book despite its 480 pages. I loved visiting the theater world of NYC in the 1940s with its mix of high and lowbrow entertainment, glamour and grit. The book slowed down a bit in the latter half but I slowly began to appreciate the evolvement of the main character as she grew to embrace her whole self despite missteps she had made in her past.

This is the story of a divorced couple told in reverse chronological order from 2005 to 1948 set on the island of Mallorca. Although this book received mixed reviews I enjoyed the setting and piecing the story together in reverse.

Thanks for the #wondrouswednesday tag @kspenmoll !
1️⃣ Middlemarch
2️⃣Pride and Prejudice
3️⃣1762 as per my Goodreads list (I keep adding to it every time I hear of something interesting)!
4️⃣Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5️⃣I‘ll tag anyone who wants to join in!

This was a murder mystery unlike any I‘ve read before. The main character inhabits the bodies of eight hosts in order to attempt to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. Helpfully there was a list of characters at the front to keep everyone straight although you still really had to pay attention to all of the twists and turns in the story.

I got a lot of reading time in while waiting for my kids while they went on rides at Six Flags today. I‘ll take my book and a nice bench in the shade over crazy roller coasters any day!

This is the fifth book in the Maisie Dobbs series which finds Maisie investigating a series of mysterious fires in a small English town full of secrets. I really enjoy following Maisie‘s evolvement as the series moves along and the look at life between the World Wars. There are still many more books in the series for me to look forward to reading yet.

This was a look into the life of movie star Hedy Lamarr. Her marriage to a wealthy and abusive arms dealer in her native Austria is detailed as WWII is on the horizon. But she was not just another pretty face, and she took the information gleaned from that relationship and her interest of science and technology to create an invention that could benefit the Allied forces. I would love to learn more about her as she was a fascinating person.

This was a delightful read that I enjoyed immensely. Auntie Mame‘s adventures with her nephew were irreverent indeed and I loved reading of their madcap escapades. I remember watching the very beginning of the movie with Rosalind Russell when I was much younger but don‘t think I saw the whole thing. I‘ll have to remedy that now and go watch the movie too.

After reading Hamilton I knew I wanted to tackle this book too, especially as it won the Pulitzer Prize. Chernow really brought Washington to life, revealing his human qualities, both positive and negative. I really appreciate learning more about him and the fascinating birth of the country now as an adult than I did back in my school days. Now I‘m on an early American history reading kick but may take a break before moving onto John Adams!

Jane Harper hits it out of the park again with this book. I really enjoyed the two books in the Aaron Falk series and this stand alone book did not disappoint either. She really knows how to pace a good mystery, reeling out information slowly as the tension builds. I love that her settings become a character in themselves, in this case the Australian Outback. I will continue to pick up anything that she writes!

Thanks for the tag @kspenmoll !
1. Kindness
2. Lack of empathy
3. My friend Alison is the person outside of my family who has known me the longest. We‘ve known each other since first grade and although she lives in NJ and I‘m in CT we can always pick up where we left off when we get together!
4. I tag anyone who wants to join in!

I read this a long time ago and have kept it around for a possible reread at some point. I don‘t remember much but that I enjoyed it at the time. #bridge #letstravelaugust

This was a recent read of mine that has a #lighthouse on the cover. It was a good, twisty mystery that I really enjoyed. Orient Beach Long Bar Light pictured here is nicknamed “Bug Light” and is located off of the North Fork of Long Island. The original structure was destroyed by arsonists in 1963 but local residents banded together to have it rebuilt in 1990. #letstravelaugust

We‘re back from our vacation in Myrtle Beach and I miss my spot on the balcony overlooking the sand and water. I picked up Isle of Palms which I figured might be a good beach read with its setting in the South Carolina Lowcountry. I didn‘t love the book unfortunately but did love being at the beach!

I really enjoyed this literary thriller set in the town of Orient on the North Fork of Long Island. A young drifter meets an Orient native in NYC who needs help with odd jobs around his home. Soon afterwards, several people in the small town die under suspicious circumstances. This was my O book for #litsyAtoZ2019.

This was the heart wrenching story of Alan Cumming‘s relationship with his abusive father interspersed with the search for information on the mysterious death of his maternal grandfather. Although he covers some very difficult topics, I really enjoyed listening to Alan Cumming‘s narration with his lovely Scottish accent.

I went to see Colson Whitehead speak in Madison, CT on Friday evening. He was an incredible speaker and I‘d definitely recommend going to see him if he comes to a town near you. Thanks @bookish_wookish for the heads up!

I have never seen this movie so I went into this book completely blind, and I‘m glad that I did. The story of Tom Wingo and his family‘s complicated history in the low country of South Carolina is one I won‘t soon forget. Conroy certainly had a way with words and I will definitely pick up some of his other works.

This was between a pick and so-so for me as its chipper tone was difficult for me to adjust to after recently reading The Book Thief and Love and Ruin. However as I decided to just go with the flow it did grow on me and I did appreciate its portrayal of women‘s day to day hardships in WWII England.

I‘ve been meaning to read this for the longest time and recently picked it up from the Little Free Library we have at work. It was worth the wait as I loved this poignant look at World War II told by an unlikely narrator, Death.

This is the first Wendell Berry that I‘ve read but certainly not my last as I loved this tale of Jayber Crow, the bachelor barber of Port William, Kentucky. Jayber lives his life on the sidelines with such grace and I enjoyed his observations and ruminations on the day to day life of the town and on the grand scheme of the universe. A quiet but beautiful read! #J #LitsyAtoZ2019

This was great on audio as Rick Bragg reads it himself. This is a collection of essays that he‘s written over the years for different magazines. I have yet to read any of his other books but will definitely seek them out as he‘s such a wonderful storyteller. I think I‘ll check out the audiobooks as I could listen to him talk all day!

While I‘ve really enjoyed Tana French‘s Dublin Murder Squad series, I did not find the same satisfaction from this stand alone book. It felt like there was a very long buildup until the central mystery was introduced which made me a bit impatient. There were a lot of dull stretches punctuated by interesting discoveries. At least I still have some Dublin Murder Squad books that I have yet to read.

This is the first in the Inspector Montalbano mystery series, translated from Italian. Camilleri brings the gritty yet beautiful setting of a seaside town in Sicily to life. There were notes in the back that gave a little more background on the different types of law enforcement and political factions within Italy which would have been helpful if I‘d discovered them before finishing the book. I‘d like to read more of the series for sure.

While I enjoyed The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun, I‘d have to say that this book has been my favorite of Paula McClain‘s works. I previously knew nothing about Martha Gellhorn, one of the most well respected war correspondents of the 20th century who also happened to be Ernest Hemingway‘s third wife. She was a fascinating woman who led a very unconventional life for her time and I‘d love to seek out some of her works now too.

My current read fits today‘s #J prompt for #30JuneBooks. I was unfamiliar with Wendell Berry until I heard about him on Anne Bogel‘s What ShouId I Read Next podcast quite awhile ago. I‘m so glad I finally picked up Jayber Crow as I‘m thoroughly enjoying it so far!

I stopped by my library‘s book sale this morning which is always dangerous (but luckily inexpensive) as my TBR pile is getting out of control. Between the stack of books my daughter picked up as well and my stack, I spent $11. I just can never resist!

Whew! I finally finished The Count of Monte Cristo which took me a loooong time as I was reading many other books simultaneously. It was definitely worth the time and effort to read this classic tale of Edmond Dantes‘ revenge on the people who wronged him. I can see why this book has stood the test of time and I‘m so glad that I‘ve finally read it.

I don‘t know how Robin Sloan pulled this off but he somehow made a book about sourdough weirdly entertaining. Lois works at a high tech company in San Francisco and is given sourdough starter by acquaintances who need to leave the country. The sourdough starter takes on a life of its own and is a character unto itself. It was a fun read and left me hankering for some bread!

I discovered this on Hoopla when I was looking for an audiobook not knowing anything about Betty MacDonald. This was her story of life with her family in the 1950s on the island of Vashon, located in the Puget Sound. She‘s very humorous and had many funny anecdotes of the trials and tribulations of living on the island and raising adolescents (which apparently involved a lot of cocktails and cigarettes back in the day).

I‘ve been meaning to read this for years and finally got around to it. It was well worth the wait as I was entranced by du Maurier‘s ability to write such a taut psychological thriller which could be open to different interpretations. Now I think it‘s time for a reread of “Rebecca” which I read many moons ago and loved as well.

This past weekend I saw Come From Away at our local theater in Hartford. It‘s based on the book “The Day the World Came to Town” which I read earlier. Based on the true story of the townsfolk of Gander, Newfoundland who took care of the airline passengers grounded there after 9/11, both the book and musical were heartwarming despite the awful circumstances.

I listened to this which was read by the author. Milicent Patrick was the artist who designed the image of the iconic Creature from the Black Lagoon and Mallory O‘Meara examines her life in the misogynistic world of early Hollywood. The author, who is a producer of horror films, unfortunately finds many parallels between the sexism experienced by Milicent in the 1940s and 50s and what she experiences in the film industry today.

I was excited to get this book at our book swap at the Litsy Meetup in CT on Saturday. It was so nice to get together with everyone and spend an afternoon talking books. Thanks again @CareBear for organizing our get together and for the great Litsy bookmark with our Litsy handles on the back. Sorry we missed you @kspenmoll @MrBook @mcipher and @bookish_wookish , hopefully we‘ll see you next time! #ctlitsymeetup

This was a fast paced thriller with lots of twists and turns but some parts I felt were a bit gratuitous and far-fetched. Perhaps that‘s the point of a thriller and maybe it‘s just not my favorite genre. I keep getting suckered in to picking them up again though!

As I grew up watching Mr. Rogers back in the day I had to read this biography. I picked up many interesting tidbits about this icon of children‘s programming but felt the book was a little dry at times. I listened to most of it on audio read by LeVar Burton but switched to the book near the end. Now I need to check out the documentary on Netflix.

Finished this one up on our trip to Boston. This is number 22 in the Capital Crimes mystery series but only the second that I‘ve read in the series. The series is set in Washington, DC and I actually enjoy the insider‘s look at DC a bit more than the actual mystery.

We toured Louisa May Alcott‘s home, Orchard House yesterday which was a real treat. The docent was terrific and very enthusiastic so we learned a lot about Louisa, her family and famous friends such as Emerson and Thoreau. It was very cool to see the desk that she sat at while writing Little Women. A great place to visit if you‘re in the Boston area!

I had mixed feelings about this book. I‘ve long been fascinated by Alaska and by people who are rugged enough to live in that environment so I enjoyed that aspect of the novel. However I felt that the last third or so of the book was rushed and a bit too melodramatic. She did a nice job setting up the atmosphere of the 1970s and I found the information on homesteading during that time period to be really interesting. It was a mixed bag for me.