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.

Finished up Nobody‘s Fool this afternoon after work outside on the porch because the weather is so beautiful. I loved Russo‘s Empire Falls maybe a bit more than this one but still really enjoyed this as well. The dialogue is so quick and funny that I often reread many passages. I want to check out the movie as I haven‘t seen it yet. Sully is a character I won‘t soon forget and I look forward to reading Everybody‘s Fool.

This is the second book in the Sally Solari mystery series which I picked up at my library‘s used book sale. I hadn‘t read any other books in the series but didn‘t have any trouble jumping into this one. Sally is the manager of two of her family‘s restaurants in Santa Cruz. In her spare time she sings in a choral group filled with lots of drama and a little murder too. It was an enjoyable cozy and I may read more of the series at some point.

Sarah Vowell has a unique way of presenting history and I enjoyed her look at the Puritans and the Massachusetts Bay Colony although it was pretty dry at times. I did really appreciate some insights into local New England history especially regarding the Pequot War which took place in Mystic, CT. I also learned about Anne Hutchinson who I knew nothing about and found that the Hutchinson Parkway was named after her. V for #litsyatoz2019

I have mixed feelings on this tenth book of the Flavia de Luce series. While I always enjoy revisiting the quaint English town of Bishop‘s Lacey and spending time with the inquisitive Flavia, I felt this installment was all over the place at times and the resolution of the mystery left me with more questions. I‘ll read these books though as long as he continues to write them as they‘re still entertaining anyway.

Is it just me or do Louise Penny‘s books in the Inspector Gamache series just keep getting better and better? In this seventh book in the series, a murdered woman is found in Clara Morrow‘s garden the night after her first art exhibit at a prominent Montreal museum. As usual the mystery is interesting, but the evolution of the main characters‘ relationships really elevates this series to another level.

Ok, I‘m going in! I‘ve been putting it off because it‘s like a million pages but today‘s the day I go for it! The past couple of years I‘ve challenged myself to read a classic chunkster. Last year it was Anna Karenina and the year before that it was Don Quixote and I loved both of those books. I know this one is a favorite of many readers so here goes nothing!

This was a very powerful story of the urban Native American experience told from varying viewpoints. Each chapter focuses on a separate character and at first they almost seem like short stories in and of themselves. As the book continues the connections between characters become clearer, leading up to the climactic Oakland Powwow. This was one of those reads that really lived up to the hype surrounding it.

I absolutely loved this story of Cyril Avery, told in seven year installments from his birth until his old age. Heartbreaking and very funny at the same time, it lived up to my expectations as I‘d heard quite a bit about it beforehand. This is one of those books that will cause a book hangover for sure as I‘ll miss Cyril and the other colorful characters in this book. This was my H book for #litsyatoz2019.

Before picking up this book I knew nothing of Percy Fawcett and his ill fated search for the City of Z, his name for the legendary El Dorado, in the jungles of the Amazon in 1925. He was quite a character, a real life Indiana Jones and I loved reading of his adventures and of the Royal Geographical Society to which he and other famous explorers belonged. This was my L book for #litsyatoz2019.

This was a great read, told through two different characters‘ viewpoints and time periods. It was an emotional look at the Cuban experience, seen from the vantage point of those who left Cuba when Castro took over and those who remained. There was romance thrown in for good measure as well, however the most gripping aspect of the book for me was the human impact of separation from home and loved ones.

While I would never in a million years consider climbing Mount Everest I am fascinated by those who have so Krakauer‘s firsthand account of his ascent of Everest and the disastrous climb of 1996 was really absorbing. Perhaps not the best book to read on my ski vacation in New Hampshire however! Here‘s a few pictures from the Black Swan Inn in Tilton, NH which is a cozy B&B with delicious breakfast! Letter I book for #LitsyAtoZchallenge2019.

I really liked The Dry which was the first in the Aaron Falk series but enjoyed this second book even more. Five women go on a team building excursion in Australia‘s Giralong Ranges but only four return. Is the fifth woman lost in the wilderness or did something more sinister happen to her? This was a fast paced read with lots of twists and turns and was my letter F selection for #litsyatoz2019.

I finally finished Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I wasn‘t able to finish it before seeing Hamilton in December but I‘m glad nevertheless to have completed it. It‘s a great thing that Lin Manuel Miranda is a reader too as he inspired so many to pick up this book and revisit a piece of American history that was skimmed over for many of us in grade school.

This was a creepy read about a woman whose teenage daughter disappears. Years later she starts dating a man whose young daughter looks eerily like her own daughter at that age. The story moved along quickly, told from various characters‘ perspectives. This is my second Lisa Jewell book, the first being The House We Grew Up In, which I also enjoyed. I‘ll definitely pick up some more of her books.

This is the story of the people of Gander, Newfoundland who took care of the passengers and crew of the 38 planes forced to land on September 11th, 2001 in their small town as US airspace was shut down. It was a heartwarming look at the beauty and strength of the human spirit in the face of horrible tragedy. A play based on this story called Come From Away is coming to my local theater this spring and I definitely want to check it out.

I listened to the first three quarters of this book on audio until I had to return it to the library and finished it up when my book hold came through. It was wonderful listening to Michelle tell her story and I also enjoyed reading it as well. She‘s such a strong, classy and inspirational woman.

I just never get tired of reading about David Sedaris‘ life, even when he writes about picking up trash on the roads near his home it still manages to be entertaining. There were many moments that made me laugh and many moments that were poignant as he reflects on aging and painful memories from his family history.

I‘m not going to lie, I had a tough time with the beginning of this book as it‘s pretty kooky and I wasn‘t sure if I was going to make it through and keep all of the characters straight. Once I started to just go with the flow of the book however, I began to appreciate its humor and the crazy, unpredictable journey of the wizard Rincewind and the tourist Twoflower through Discworld. I‘ll read more of the series for sure. #litsyatoz2019 C.

I enjoyed this thriller about a woman with amnesia who relies on her journal to keep track of her life as she forgets everything after she goes to sleep each night. It did drag a bit as it was somewhat repetitive but overall it was a good read and made you think about the importance of memory and the richness it adds to our lives. This was my B selection for the #litsyatoz2019 challenge.

This was a great read, very funny at times but with many more serious themes throughout. It mixed in some romance and thriller aspects as well. Ultimately it told of the power women have when they get to tell their own stories. And as an added bonus I‘ve learned that an eggplant is known as an aubergine in England (which sounds so much nicer than eggplant!)

This was my A title for #litsyatoz2019 and it has been on my shelf for several years since I picked it up at my library‘s book sale. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it had been signed by the author. It was a fast paced read touching on the art heist from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The author clearly did a lot of research regarding art forgery which I found very interesting.

I listened to this and despite listening to several other of her memoirs I still never tire of hearing Carrie Fisher tell stories from her incredible life. She was always very candid and does not hold anything back in many of the anecdotes from this book either whether telling of her electroshock therapy or her complicated relationship with her father.

Although this book has some mixed reviews, I enjoyed it. I thought that Meg Wolitzer really summed up the awkward stage after college when a person is trying to figure out their life and purpose. Her characters had their flaws, but that made them more realistic if not more likeable. This is the first book I‘ve read by Wolitzer and I would like to read more of her books.

Here‘s a snapshot of my 2018 year in books. It‘s been my highest number thus far and I‘m sure that‘s due to Litsy! My count has exponentially increased over the past several years that I‘ve been on Litsy and my reading life has broadened as I‘ve read different genres that I would never have picked up before. Here‘s to a happy, healthy 2019 and to many more great books!

I just finished The Martian and have now officially completed the Litsy Reading Challenge 2018 right under the wire! It was a great challenge and I read a few books that I otherwise would never have read. The Passage trilogy and Lonesome Dove were some of my favorite reads of the year and were both from genres I usually avoid. Looking forward to 2019 challenges! #LRC2018

I read this for the #LRC2018 for a book that is also a song title but it just wasn‘t for me. Ellen is newly married and runs into her ex-boyfriend which results in her examining the choices she‘s made with her life. While I didn‘t mind the premise, I found her to be way too whiny and unsympathetic. Oh well, on to the next book!

Sometimes I did not really know what I was reading as some of these short stories were a little out there for me but the beauty of the short story is that you can move on quickly to the next one. My favorite story was called “Books and Roses” which makes reference to St. Jordi‘s Day, a holiday in Spain when people exchange books and roses. Sounds like my kind of holiday!

This was a fun read on #serialreader to get me in a holiday mood consisting of sweet little Christmas vignettes. Most of the stories were not related to Anne of Green Gables but it did include the short piece about Matthew getting Anne‘s dress with the puffed sleeves ❤️❤️

I‘m on a Western kick, reading this on the heels of Lonesome Dove. Lonesome Dove was a tough act to follow, yet I just loved this story with two more characters I won‘t soon forget. Captain Kidd is an older gentleman who travels through 1870s Texas reading the news in small towns where such information is scarce. He is tasked with returning Johanna, a young girl captured by the Kiowas, to her relatives outside of San Antonio and adventure ensues.

I really enjoyed reading Susan Orlean‘s homage to libraries in general and to the LA Public Library in particular. She covers the story of the fire in 1986 that destroyed 400,000 books and damaged another 700,000 books in LA Central Library while weaving in the history of the LA Public Library system and the interesting people who have worked there throughout its lifespan beginning in the 1870s. A great read for book lovers!

I am finally going to see Hamilton later this month and am reading the Ron Chernow biography too. However, in the interest of time I‘m glad that I picked this historical fiction version of Hamilton‘s story to read the highlights (and lowlights!) of his life. I just don‘t think I‘m going to finish the Chernow biography beforehand with the holidays approaching!