During Covid Elise‘s Instagram posts somehow came up in my algorithm. I enjoyed her but never hit follow. I forgot about those posts until recognizing her name and face on this book so of course, I had to go there. It‘s very busy inside her head! I liked this - it reads more like a collection of her Instagram posts with a bit longer explanations than it does a memoir.

The writing is engaging but full of stereotypes and cringeworthy scenes. Determined to finish for my IRL bookclub I jumped to the author interview, found it fascinating and forged ahead. My problem was fictional MC, Mary Dodd, as the incredible heroine of her own journals. I didn‘t believe an 1870s woman would make her choices because the consequences were too grave. However, everyone in my bookclub loved her and disagreed with my take.

Imagine going through life with family members convinced that because you were born on the same day an aunt died you are their reincarnation - oh what a tangled web we weave. I found the story fascinating and couldn‘t put it down. I‘m glad I had this in print so I could backtrack insuring I was tracking generations correctly.

This book has long been on my TBR. I also wanted a stereo read with audio because well, Stanley Tucci. Of course I loved it. My DNA tells me I‘m all but 2% from Celtic stock, and I imagine my wee Nordic bit accounts for some many times a great grandmother having a wild night as a lass with some rogue from a cool looking boat who was in search of a pint. But Stanley sure makes me wish I were of Italian heritage.

Nov #DoubleSpin Cat: Food

I. Am. Gutted. …It is impossible for me to disparage any decision of Ma, Dadu, or Boomba because the world in the near future is so devoid of compassion for our neighbors. This is an important story.

I chose this book based on title but started reading it and thought it was weird. I wasn‘t sure how I felt about placing a real life Bob Dylan inside of a fictional story. But the Bob Dylan aspect was just a jumping point to get to a fascinating story of 26 yo Evan aiding his mother in her final stages of cancer. As the two talk he discovers who his mother was, what she endured, and how she took those experiences to become a compassionate woman.

This is one of those family dramas that likely requires you to enjoy the genre in order to appreciate the book. It‘s about the horrible accident in life that can change the trajectory of a family. It‘s about sisters adulting differently than each other. It‘s when a child‘s faith and life experiences do not align with the faith and experiences of parent. It‘s real life in a fictional format.

In my mood-driven subjective grading scale this entire grid fell within a solid A (4.75 ⭐️) to a solid B (4⭐️). I love to assemble my grid and realize that happened! Tagged the one that keeps me wondering if there will be more.

5 ⭐️= Loved It, would recommend to others. A+
4 ⭐️= Liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3.5 ⭐️ = Close to either pick or so-so
3 ⭐️= Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2 ⭐️=Nope D
1 ⭐️=DNF F

1997 Cooper‘s Run is a great setting. Like many a romance book I thought too much was written inside the MCs heads rather than enjoying their beautiful Vermont autumn. But the characters (including the dog) are all so likable so I‘ll give my grievance a pass. I can easily see this as a trilogy advancing the timeline 10-15 years with each installment so Emily then Brittany get their grown up stories.

I love a good time travel story and even though I typically prefer travel within the confines of magical realism I was all in for the fantasy of Dominion. …I‘ve fallen into several stories of late where magical elements come into play to rewrite history. I can‘t help but wonder if authors see craziness in aspects of today‘s world to create unrelated fictional stories

I skipped Jake Tapper‘s last nonfiction about the fallout of the 2024 presidential election. But I have a lot of respect for his writing when the American soldier is involved as he treats soldiers and their families with great respect. This is very interesting as he so clearly outlines the difficulty in seeking justice against a terrorist through the legal system.
#NFM

I love Elizabeth Strout‘s characters and have been reading her canon in a random sequence. Lucy Barton intrigues me most so it was great to return to Lucy‘s hometown of Amgash, Ill and read 9 short stories of those who intersected her life (some significant, others inconsequential) as a child and teen. I understand Lucy so much better even though she is the MC to one short story. And ohh, her cousin, Abel 🥰

Nov #BookSpin Cat: pub 2016-19

Well this was a timely piece of fiction to binge election-day after. Fiction can be so fun when it‘s perfectly okay to have flip-flopping opinions on characters . I experienced this on audio, but the story was told so vividly I felt like I was binging a limited series on Netflix. Hey, Netflix are you listening? This would be an interesting adaption.

John Grisham‘s books have a very specific style and this book is as Grisham as it gets. Lucky for me I like his books. I recently heard him explain courtroom scenes are his favorite parts of a book to write so I gave that aspect specific attention. Problem for me here was much of what happened prior to the courtroom became insignificant. But I guess that sadly happens in life, as well .

Rocky is an interesting woman to ride along with as a book character so I was thrilled to read her in their hometown. Although I don‘t suffer her anxieties over potential medical possibilities, I do tend to plan through scenarios that probably don‘t need my time. Rocky may drive some readers crazy here but the found myself laughing out loud several times.

Maggie‘s life as an adrenaline junky war zone plastic surgeon is halted as she‘s overcome by grief and addiction following the murder of her husband. But that‘s only the beginning because there‘s an obscenely wealthy world out there willing to pay American surgeons high prices to do upscale backroom room surgeries in foreign countries. What!? Fascinating and entertaining. I hope we hear again from Maggie soon!

This is an excellent debut and meaningful story of reservation life in American. It‘s family by birth, found family, and lost family. It‘s power - used for both good and greed.

My newest addition to my #indexcard collection! What thrills me most is that 14 of these books, both old and new, came from my physical shelves with 6 placed in my LFL and 4 adopted by new takers. The foot traffic around my LFL doesn‘t have daily takers so I‘m always happy when find that empty space where I placed a book.

Well, of course, I‘m not surprised which book won the tag for this grid. The Thursday Murder Club gang make my heart happy. I thought the casting for the adaptation of Book1 was great, but content to like the books best.

5 ⭐️= Loved It, would recommend to others. A+
4 ⭐️= Liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3.5 ⭐️ = Close to either pick or so-so
3 ⭐️= Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2 ⭐️=Nope D
1 ⭐️=DNF F

Had this been a pick for my IRL bookclub I‘m doubtful the consensus would be positive on the story itself. Nevertheless, it would generate an interesting evening of conversation. ..I was 19 when I met my husband and 20 when married - sure he can watch my life story. I was 2 days shy of 48 when widowed, nope - my complete story is no longer dissectible. Years make a difference when allowing someone into the theatre of your life🤪

Oh this was twisty and such a good time rooting for the vigilante justice murderer of the real bad guys while at the same time rooting for the local detective diligently working to solve the case.

How is this the last week of October when it seems like yesterday when I was so ready for Septemberween to show its giant yard skeletons? Ah well, bring on the turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie - and more books!!

November #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I‘m always down for a time travel story as well as a quick Mitch Album read. I was frustrated with this book because Alfie made so many silly and reckless choices with his gift of a second chance, but the way it came together in the end was interesting. I may have teared up a little.

I was not far into this story before deciding the title of book is such a tell. And then deciding no, it‘s a red herring. Then no, it's a tell. Then okay, just calm down and read to the end. … I also did a stereo listen with the audio since I love the voice Bahni Turpin brings to an author‘s characters.

A headless horseman horror story written for an October release is bound to contain details escaping my boundaries for gore so I had to shut my eyes and lalala myself with finger-plugged ears through several graphic scenes. That said I thought this was a solid creepy reimagining of the classic.

I‘ve had this book on my physical shelves for a while but wanted to read it before the movie was all abuzz. It was all sorts of tragedy bearing full-speed ahead to an HEA, but I liked the characters and sympathized with all perspectives.

October #BookSpin Cat:BookToMovie @TheAromaofBooks

I didn‘t see this author combination on my bingo card for October but currently won. As a character driven story I liked the MC, Tate. There was however, a pile of Tate backstory unnecessary to the haunted house aspect. Icm was a bit frustrated with how the mystery resolves - but a spoiler for me to elaborate. Overall, it was the Tate‘s story I was most interested in so it‘s still a pick!

Perhaps not my favorite of the Thursday murder club mysteries, but I liked the way it resolved. The most fun, of course is just getting to spend time with Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and the characters in their world. If this was the last in a series of five books, it‘s a satisfying ending.

In the 3 weeks, waiting for this available-soon audio to drop I read B2 and and binged S2 and S3, so this was a recap of my whole read/watch binge experience. Since the audio is narrated by two of the series actors, it has the feel of the series with some differences. Here for example, Belly is only 19 (yikes!) as she plans her end of summer wedding. I‘m glad the series aged the characters up for the final season and older still for the epilogue.

I was hoping to complete an entire grid of mystery/thriller/mystical October books mostly from my own physical shelves, and this is my result. Tagged my favorite but it was really a toss up between the two ‘The Book of …‘.

5 ⭐️= Loved It, would recommend to others. A+
4 ⭐️= Liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3.5 ⭐️ = Close to either pick or so-so
3 ⭐️= Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2 ⭐️=Nope D
1 ⭐️=DNF F

I‘m always intrigued when both eras in a dual timeline (1940sTo65, and 1965) story are in the past. This is a really good, albeit somewhat complicated, debut centering on the mythical Timespace where the memories of all who‘ve lived are contained in volumes. A few Timekeepers (white men, mostly) have the ability to erase from existence any memory interfering with the history they chose to create. …Hmmm, imagine - rewriting history😖

It was my good timing to listen the Sutton Foster narrated audio along with my physical copy of this book. I got lost with the story a few times and had to backtrack, but the witty writing kept me going. Overall, this one needed more tweaking for me to give it a pick - unfortunate because the effort for the outside of the book is top-notch.

This story pulled me in from the very beginning and I had to know what was happening with these three boys and what Nancy had to do with their story? And those mothers what am I supposed to think about them? I was not expecting the story to go where it went. I‘m going to be thinking about this for a long time.

This was a slow burn interesting mystery. Nothing really intense happens, but I was always interested in who murderer would be. There‘s Rosalind‘s reimagined production of Romeo and Juliet going on the night she was murdered. Every few chapters we get a short historic chapter telling us a Romeo and Juliet situation for the MC/detective, Gemma Woodstock, resolving the case. It all comes together for a complete story.

From the get go, there was nothing likable about this FMC or MMC but there was something intriguing about that creepy house giving off the vibes of Edgar Allen Poe‘s ravens 🐦‍⬛.

This fantastical world is a commitment (I started it last month). It is steeped in description, metaphor, and stories within the story. Upon finishing I googled the spoilers and honestly wish I‘d done that first because I missed the meaning of piles of those metaphors. Ah well, humbled daily.

I really had fun reading this. I didn‘t know which direction the story was going to go because several paths were possible and I had to keep reading my way until the path was clear. Also, I enjoyed the shout outs to San Antonio.

I‘m called to read a haunted house story every October, and the concept of this one was intriguing. The estranged mother of three sisters has returned to the childhood haunted home of her daughters, dies, and leaves home to said daughters. But it‘s the 2020s so of course one of those women is an influencer with thoughts of live-action flipping and profit.

Romantasy tends be more miss than hit for me so I decided to skip this series but a few months back this book showed up in the LFL I host and it fits my DoubleSpin, so, well, why not! Turns out I liked it even if the romance aspect was a bit smuttier than my eyes prefer👀😵 I might even join the hold line for Book 2!

October #DoubleSpin Category: Witchy

Instead of my favorite, I‘m tagging that one in in the middle. I think it‘s my second time ever, I‘ve left a book unstarred. The book is just so crack-is-wack that I can‘t get my thoughts together.

5 ⭐️= Loved It, would recommend to others. A+
4 ⭐️= Liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3.5 ⭐️ = Close to either pick or so-so
3 ⭐️= Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2 ⭐️=Nope D
1 ⭐️=DNF F

I planned to read the series before watching the adaption, but but my B2 available-soon hold took longer than anticipated so I binged Season1&2 and was 2 episodes into S3 before B2 dropped. I‘ve now powered off my TV. I‘m having fun with this and wondering if I‘ll get to all 3 books and seasons in less than 2 weeks time. Right now I‘m not really feeling that I‘m a member Team Belly🤪. I like both but appreciate the simplicity of the books.

Speculative fiction is truly a reminder to me of what an unsophisticated reader I am. I had to slow down for this one, but I did like it because it‘s just such a genre bending unusual story. It was bit ghost story, immigrant story, love story, foodie story, thriller all wrapped up in one.

I really like this series and was excited for the prequel and it delivered. I was engrossed in Matilda and her world jumping from the underlining to skyward to earth to the wasteland and myst.

Another month, and another set for my #indexcard collection. If I ever part with my ‘book‘ room, I will have this fun representation of what I‘ve read - and alas, so much of what I‘ve forgotten🤪
September 2025 #MonthlyWrapUp

To my DIL‘s surprise I had neither read the books or watched the series. I changed that with a short weight on the six-hour audio for B1 and immediately followed it up by binging Seaspn1. I‘m always content when I like the book better, and that was true here. It was a simpler story with less drama and snarkiness, but I like the adaption, too (way more supporting character development). Now waiting on B2 before binging S2.

Louisa assumed she had the experience and education to guide her guests to other side of their broken hearts. In the process she realizes her experience is for naught because her ex left her when neither were in love. That‘s not a spoiler but it‘s a meaningful point made.

I have several books in my personal bookstore ‘er shelves calling out for an October read. I hope you like your October picks, but if not just take on the book to your left !

October 2025 #BookSpinBingo
@TheAromaofBooks

Four intelligent 60+ assassins out to find the bad guys that are alive. It‘s a hoot to read. It‘s hard to capture the fun of the first book, but I‘m along for the ride wherever Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Nat are willing to take me.

This book is a testament to the importance of investigative journalism.
Everything I‘m compelled to type next is about pundits (with a specific agenda regardless of truth) posing as journalists. - and that‘s not what this book is about. It‘s just that it took me to present day. As we strip the freedom of those who seek truth and justice our prisons will contain even more people wrongly convicted.

I‘ve read all EG‘s books, not sure if I loved or hated this but I kept reading. Oprah posted a video of her mentee, Thando, whose response captured my thoughts. To paraphrase: Yes, I read EPL, saw the movie, have the merch. But Liz‘s decisions aren‘t EPL - at all. This is secrets you take to the grave. But she is sharing with us - all the way to the river. ….Yes, Thando! Also, Liz‘s previous writings for Dear Reader are now suspect for me.