My Two Blessings

  It's week 44 in our 52 Books Quest and this month is Non Fiction November. I failed with my non fiction reading this and have probably only read one non fiction book. Will have to rectify that next year as I have a lot of interesting books on the shelves. I restarted Archangel’s Light because I always read too fast the first time because I just have to know what’s going to happen. And now on to my slow, absorb and savor read. On my nightstand - this month’s fictional librarian Raymond Ambler in Con Lehane’s 42nd Street Library, my non fiction reads Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke, followed by Letters to a Young Writer (Inspired by Rilke) by Colum McCann.  So my son asked me to read  Ready Player Two. I'm on page 75 of Ready Player Two and so far it's pages and pages of world building and explanations. Me to James:  "Does anything actually happen in this story?" James:  "Don't get bored mom, give it a few more chapters." Me: "Yes, but does ...

Sigh! Just finished Nalini Singh's Archangel's Light (#14 in the Guild Hunter) about Illium and Aodhan and fills in their backstory. Already looking forward to reading it again. I making major progress with my current WIP, so I had some time to to browse the interweb. Which brings us to NaNoWriMo. I'll only be participating in spirit due to being elbow deep in rewriting and editing said WIP.  However for those of you who are, here are 7 Novels About Writers to Inspire You This NaNoWriMo Bookish love with an Ode to Librarians: 6 Books Dedicated to a Love of Literature . I have the Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu on my shelves. Maria of Brainpickings is celebrating her 15th anniversary and decided to change the name to The Marginalian . Have enjoyed reading her posts for quite some time. Lots to ponder and learn, along with getting caught up in following multiple rabbit trails. For crime fiction aficionado's I know October is almost over, but check out October's...

  It's week 43 in our 52 Books quest and doing the happy dance as we're having lots of rain which should put out all our fires and snow in the mountains.  Enjoyed Reread of Chesapeake Bay series by Nora Roberts and moved on to  Carnal Innocence  which is a murder mystery thriller based in a small town and a serial killer is at large. Scary enough for Halloween. “Burned out and still reeling from a love affair gone bad, world-class violinist Caroline Waverly goes to her grandparents’ home in Innocence, Mississippi, for some much-needed rest and relaxation. Instead she finds herself overwhelmed all over again—first by Tucker Longstreet, a charming local with a sideline in no-strings-attached relationships, and then by a deadlier, more disturbing development.  For Innocence is being stalked by its very own serial killer, whose brutal knife blows have pierced the veil of tranquility in this sleepy Southern town and left a trail of mutilated female corpses in th...

  I've got 2022 52 books on my mind a bit earlier than usual.  My annual am I ready to do it again in which the answer is always yes.  Even if my groups gets a year of poetry because I can't think of anything else to write about.   😀   However the ideas simmer and percolate and pop.  And more importantly, I so enjoy hearing all about my groups reads and what's happening in their lives and totally love my BAW family so don't want to give that up.   😘   So.... time to start brainstorming goals and ideas for next year.  It's will be my 14th year hosting next year which means a 14 theme or number challenge with 14 or 7 x 2 or 2 x 7.  Or continue the 10 x 10’s,  with the same or different categories Goals for the new year?  Maybe read more new to me authors, explore new genres I have yet to read,  different eras, learn something new, clear my stacks and read my own books, or listen to more audiobooks. read more, rea...

  It's week 42 in our 52 Books Quest and dystopian novels are on my mind today.  Particularly since my son recently read Ready Player Two and has been waiting for me to read it.  We've both watched and read Ready Player One and thoroughly enjoyed them.  So on to the second novel which fits in perfectly with our next two 52 Books Bingo categories - Dystopian and Utopian   There are books set in a perfect Utopian  world which may or may not be a good thing,  The imaginary perfect world which can easily slide into the imperfect Dystopian world. So, one of my missions for our October Spooktacular is to read a dystopian or utopia story.  Finished reread of book one and book two in Nora Roberts Chesapeake Bay series. On to book three – Inner Harbor.  Waiting in the wings is Ready Player Two which my son requested I read.  Watched The Guilty on Netflix with Jake Gyllenhaal which was excellent and I highly recommend. It was intense, gut wre...

  I'm procrastinating and should be writing but still mulling over the scene, so instead web browsing. We asked, you answered: Your 50 favorite sci-fi and fantasy books of the past decade More books to add to my stack. However I already have several books on my shelves yet to be read such as Circe, Piranesi, Three Body Problem. Should probably move them up in the stacks. If you're a star trek fan, Brent Spiner has written a book and a trailer shows part of his discussion with Gates McFadden . They've aged gracefully. It's award season: Nobel Prize for literature : I could do with more readers!’ – Abdulrazak Gurnah on winning the Nobel prize for literature. The HWA Crown Awards shortlists 2021 The HWA Crown Awards shortlists 2021 - I've already added The Devil and the Dark Water to my stacks. Sounds like a great spooktacular read. "It's 1634, and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a c...

  It's week 41 in our 52 Books Quest and our Fictional Librarian on the month is Hanna Casey. Dipping back into a favorite romantic suspense author I haven't read in a long time, Linda Howard, and finished Troublemaker: "For Morgan Yancy, an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group, nothing comes before his job. But when he’s ambushed and almost killed, his supervisor is determined to find out who’s after the members of his elite squad—and why. Due to worries that this unknown enemy will strike again, Morgan is sent to a remote location and told to lay low and stay vigilant. But between a tempting housemate he’s determined to protect and a deadly threat waiting in the shadows, keeping under the radar is proving to be his most dangerous mission yet. The part-time police chief of a small West Virginian mountain town, Isabeau “Bo” Maran finally has her life figured out. She’s got friends, a dog, and a little money in the bank. Then Morgan Yancy shows up on her doorst...

  It's week 40 in our 52 Books Quest and October which means it's time for our OCTOBER SPOOKTACULAR: I have the music of The Addams family theme song running through my head today: Their creepy and their kooky Mysterious and spooky Their all together ooky The Adams family Their house is a museum When people come to see 'em They really are a screaming The Adams family. Neat. Sweet Petite So put a witch's shawl on A broomstick you can crawl on We're gonna play a call on The Adams family Their creepy and their kooky Mysterious and spooky Their all together ooky The Adams family Strange Deranged The Adams family Does it put you in the mood for some spooky or kooky, spine-chilling or thrilling, creepy or cozy, scary or mysterious? Yes, me too. Spooky to me doesn't necessarily equal horror. I detest blood and guts horror books or movies. Give me emotion, give me pee in your pants scary moments. Give me tense moments that make you laugh or cry. Give me mind bending...