It's been a difficult year for me so far, but you know what I can do when I'm sick, when I'm hanging around the hospital waiting for things to happen, and when I'm recovering from surgery and have to rest a lot? I can read! And it happens that I received a lovely stack of … Continue reading What I’ve Been Reading Lately
books
Book reviews coming in 2016
I've been very busy this year so far, but I've been reading anyway! Here is a hasty iPad photo of the wonderful stack of books I received for Christmas, all of which I expect to read and review over the next few months. [UPDATE: I added links to the reviews when I posted them.] Totto-Chan: … Continue reading Book reviews coming in 2016
Books for Adults, Preteens, and Toddlers
I'm starting a new "preteen" tag with this post because my son Nicholas, as he approaches his eleventh birthday, has started to ask for "more young-adult-type books" and has been appreciating most of what we've been finding for him, including a book I picked up used and read aloud to him without having read it … Continue reading Books for Adults, Preteens, and Toddlers
Book Reviews and Giveaway!
The silver lining of being mildly disabled for months after a car accident is that I've had lots of time for reading! I'm grateful that I had the type of concussion that makes computer work difficult but isn't hampered by reading on paper. Here are some of the books I've read. I'm giving away my … Continue reading Book Reviews and Giveaway!
Book Reviews by a 10-and-11/12-year-old
This is a guest post by Nicholas Efran. Key: ☆=1 star ⭐︎=1/2 star The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo This is a book about a mouse who gets sent to the dungeon for being different. He is in love with the princess in the castle he lives in. Then he discovers that a … Continue reading Book Reviews by a 10-and-11/12-year-old
Book Reviews: Guys and Womanhood, Grown-ups and The Child’s Child, and Tripods!
Different kinds of people and their different ways of living are among my main interests, and I've been reading about a variety of demographics in the past two months. The Book of Guys by Garrison Keillor I remember really enjoying this book of short stories the first time I read it, several years ago. This … Continue reading Book Reviews: Guys and Womanhood, Grown-ups and The Child’s Child, and Tripods!
Book Reviews: 4 British Books
Although I've never been to Great Britain, books by British authors have been on my shelves since I was very young. The first ones I read to myself were from the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton, when I was in first grade; I remember that after the first few pages, I stomped off to … Continue reading Book Reviews: 4 British Books
Book Reviews: Mysteries and Mars
These aren't the only books I've read in the past few months, but I noticed two themes that led me to group these reviews together. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin This classic mystery was written in 1953, and reading it in the original edition (courtesy of Daniel's mother) helped me get into the … Continue reading Book Reviews: Mysteries and Mars
10 Book Reviews by a 10-Year-Old
This is a guest post by Nicholas Efran. His book reviews are a lot more succinct than his mom's! If you want to know more about the books, you can ask Nicholas in the comments. key:⭐️=1 star 🌜=1half star 😥=so sad 😠=makes me so mad 👎=thumbs down 🆒=cool book 💯=100 Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library … Continue reading 10 Book Reviews by a 10-Year-Old
The Barb Curlee Memorial Bookmark
Barb Curlee was my friend. She died last year, of cancer, after fewer years than she deserved. Barb and I met at church, where we eventually served on the vestry together during three difficult years when the vestry had a lot to do! Barb was wise and strong and mostly cheerful through it all. Barb … Continue reading The Barb Curlee Memorial Bookmark
What I Read Recently: Adult, Tween, Baby, and Architecture Books
I've only read two books to myself in the past month, but I've been reading to both of my kids, too, and looking at some floor-plan books, so here are two book reviews in each category. Books I read to myself: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards begins during a snowstorm in 1964, when … Continue reading What I Read Recently: Adult, Tween, Baby, and Architecture Books
Books I’ve Been Sharing with My 10-Year-Old
I wrote Great Chapter Books for Kids when Nicholas was four years old, thinking I'd add to it later or make it the first post in a series...and I keep meaning to get around to it...but meanwhile, I'm going to use the Quick Lit Linkup as motivation to write about what I've read to Nicholas, … Continue reading Books I’ve Been Sharing with My 10-Year-Old
28 Book Reviews!
For some reason, growing a new life makes me want to read books I've never read before. Starting last fall during my exhausted queasy phase and continuing up until now, when Lydia is seven months old, I've reread only a few books and read many more that were new to me. Only a few of … Continue reading 28 Book Reviews!
Things Not To Do: Fiction Writing Edition
Well, I was really hoping to write a nice long post for the What I'm Reading series at Modern Mrs. Darcy, where Anne and her readers talk about the books they've read recently, on the 15th of each month. I've read a whole lot of new-to-me books this year, because having viral bronchitis for the … Continue reading Things Not To Do: Fiction Writing Edition
3 Good Books on Civil Rights
I happen to have read three books that deal with the rights of African-Americans just before Black History Month. Two of them are bestsellers I hadn't read before, but the one I'll mention first is a less-well-known book I've read a couple of times before and suddenly felt inspired to reread. The Dismissal of Miss … Continue reading 3 Good Books on Civil Rights
3 Books for Laughing Out Loud
Today's Three Books on Thursday theme is books that make the reader laugh out loud. I can't, of course, guarantee that what's funny to me will be funny to you, but here are three books that in my opinion are filled with hilarious moments: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson is an account … Continue reading 3 Books for Laughing Out Loud
The Horror From Beyond Time
I meant to post this on Halloween, but perhaps--just as our neighborhood's Halloween celebration was postponed until Saturday (due to rain)--you are willing to extend the Halloween season by a few days and read this creepy short story, carefully honed over several years by the man I love, who really ought to write more often. … Continue reading The Horror From Beyond Time
Our Favorite Publisher of Affordable Books
I recently had a birthday and was very pleased to be given three books from Dover Publications. Daniel knows that I can never get enough floor-plan books, and Dover prints gobs of great ones! They also have a wide selection of nonfiction, classic fiction, children's books, coloring books, how-to-draw books, clip-art collections, puzzle books, nature … Continue reading Our Favorite Publisher of Affordable Books
Saint Maybe
This week, Modern Mrs. Darcy is hosting a carnival in which writers link to their articles about The Book That Changed My Life. Check it out to find some great new things to read! I, of course, can't pick just one book but linked to my list of Books That Blew My Mind. However, there's … Continue reading Saint Maybe
3 Good Children’s Books
Today's 3 Books on Thursday theme is children's books, and I am going to limit this list to just 3! Of course, there are many other picture books Nicholas and I enjoyed together when he was 18 months-5 years old, before he started insisting on chapter books for bedtime stories as well as on-the-bus entertainment, … Continue reading 3 Good Children’s Books
The Earthling's Handbook 