I used to be am a runner, but until I regain my former running glory, I made the goal to read one running book a month to keep the inspiration alive as I’ve battled through an IT band injury, knee-injury, various pregnancies (okay, only three), and the sleep depravation associated with having three kids 5 and under in my life. Read More »
I Read a Lot of Books
I read a lot of books. Sometimes I review them.
Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running by Jennifer Lin and Susan Warner
M is for Malice by Sue Grafton
It seems like Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone is always getting involved in uncomfortable family dynamics in these books.
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I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton
Another of the earlier Kinsey Millhone books. This time has Kinsey picking up mid investigation for a PI who died of a heart attack while working on a civil suit (or did he die of a heart attack… dun dun dun…) Read More »
Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
Janet Evanovich keeps cracking these books out, and I keep reading them. Read More »
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
Stephanie Plum, our hapless heroine is back to her old tricks. I think I mentioned that I am getting tired of this series in general. But when one gets books for free one reads them. Especially when I am in the midst of trying wean #3 and perhaps Evanovich’s light fare are all I can handle mentally right now.
The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-map Dealer who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps by Michael Blanding
I love maps. I do. In all my dreams of having the “perfect” room (you can go ahead and imagine a library because all my perfect rooms are library dreams) it has maps all over the place. We moved into our current home about 4 years ago (wow, time flies! I remember unpacking all those books when we got here just like it was yesterday) and I am finally getting around to decorating our bedroom. I found the most amazing map printed on glass over some translucent turquoise painting. It is awesome. I keep waiting for it to go down in price to something remotely reasonable, and one day IT WILL BE MINE. What I’m saying is, I get a guy wanting to steal maps. I understand why people would collect them and preserve them. In short, I get this book. Read More »
The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra by Helen Rappaport
Does the world need another book about the Romanovs? That is the question. I’m not exactly sure that it does, but then again I’m not sure that it doesn’t. Helpful, no? There are a slew of nonfiction books about Czarist Russia, Rasputin, the October Revolution, etc and a book has to be unique to add something new to a discourse that has been hashed over to the point of animated musical fodder. Read More »
This is Not a Love Story by Judy Brown
This goes on the record as one of the BEST books I’ve read this year. 2016 has started out with some truly great books, but this one sticks with me. It is Judy Brown’s memories of growing up in a Chassidic jewish family in New York City. She and I have a lot in common, not really, but sort of. Read More »
Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
You may have noticed that I’m reading a few more YA books than usual. Guilty. Now that #1 is in pre-school he comes home with all these book orders and I can’t resist. I’ve also noticed that when I graduated from University (Go Cougs!) I shortsightedly got rid of my ‘frivolous’ reads and now that my kids are getting ready for real books I am sad that I gave away all my hardcover Harry Potters… So I’ve been trying to get current on what good middle grade or YA books are out there. Read More »
House of Wits: An Intimate Portrait of the James Family by Paul Fisher
I’ve been wanting to read this book since it came out. I’ve kept my eye on it and put it on my amazon wish list in hopes my husband would get it for me for Christmas of my birthday. I am VERY easy to shop for. Books, chocolate, and running shoes, in that order. Easy.
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Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked by Chris Matthews
No secret. I LOVED Reagan. Loved. Him. Sure I was about a month old when he was elected to office, but he was my first president. I always had an interest (some would say unnatural) in politics. I remember watching the Oliver North trials by choice! Not the average activity of choice for a little kid. Whenever I see that there is a new book out featuring the Reagan presidency, I gobble it up. I was a bit skeptical because Chris Matthews is not well known for fair minded political reporting, but it had REAGAN on the cover so I couldn’t resist.
Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev translated by Richard Freeborn
The back of this book reads “This new translation… makes Trugenev’s masterpiece about the conflict between generations seem as fresh, outspoken, and exciting…” blah blah blah. I can tell right now, fresh, outspoken, and exciting are not words I would use to describe this book. Read More »
The Zodiac Legacy: Convergence by Stan Lee and Stuart Moore art by Andie Tong
I have been looking for books that might interest my son when he gets a bit older. As his interests right now include super heroes, I thought this might be one to check out. I am pleased I did. Read More »
Women of Faith in the Latter Days: Volume One, 1775-1820 edited by Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman
I’d actually read several excerpts of this book and following volumes and had wanted to sit down and read the entire book. I also hope to get to the rest of the volumes when time permits. Read More »
W.A.R.P The Reluctant Assassin: Book 1 Eoin Colfer
YA sci/fi fantasy isn’t always my go to fiction choice. Lately, though, I’ve started reading a bit in order to find things that I’d like to read with my kids once they get bigger, or things that they’ll be able to read when they want to. I am a book buyer. Some say hoarder, but hey, I like books. Read More »
Farewell: The Greatest Spy Story of the Twentieth Century by Sergie Kostin and Eric Raynaud translated by Catherine Cauvin-Higgins
This book was so disappointing. So. Disappointing. I don’t know how you can make such an interesting story boring, but the writers managed to make this book an actual snoozefest if such a thing exists.
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The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr
How to review a book of this nature? It is basically like casting judgment on someone’s life and what they have gone through. I’m in a memoir phase lately, which in and of itself is a bit of a surprise. I’ve always maintained that if you write an entire book about yourself you should definitely have done something mildly noteworthy. Is having a crappy childhood, and equally crappy adolescence noteworthy?
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The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
Disclaimer: I am NOT a hoarder, but I do have bit of a reputation for saving every. single. paper. that comes into contact with my life. Read More »
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
This isn’t the sort of book that I usually pick up, or at least, supernatural YA books don’t always appeal to me, but I was pleased to find that Paper Valentine is no mere YA book.
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Build Your Running Body: A Total-body Fitness Plan for All Distance Runners, from Milers to Ultramarathoners Run Farther, Faster, and Injury-Free by Pete Magill, Thomas Schwartz, and Melissa Breyer
This is the type of book I have been looking for. And it came at a very handy time in my running journey… right before I injured my IT Band this summer. Read More »
Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates
So, the tag on this book said, “A new Stephen King, albeit with a British Accent” and I thought. Oh. Gag. I don’t dislike Stephen King, it just isn’t my thing. BUT, my husband had read about this book somewhere and I am always looking for a good new thriller/suspense type book to read so I kept an open mind. Read More »
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
Who doesn’t love a tragic book about men against nature? I’ve read Moby Dick and enjoyed it, but did not know the Essex’s sinking contributed as inspiration for the tale. I was completely unaware of this little thrilling bit of history until I saw a preview for the movie starring Chris Hemsworth. Thank you, Chris, I still haven’t seen your movie, but I’ve read the book. That is actually pretty accurate, when I see previews of movies based on books, it only encourages me to read the book first. Sometimes I get to the movie, sometimes I don’t. Read More »
A Moment of War by Laurie Lee
This is the final of autobiographical work of Laurie Lee, a British dude who enjoyed romping around Europe. A Moment of War follows him as he decides to go battle against Franco’s forces in the Spanish Civil War. As you can imagine, it didn’t go well. Read More »
For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf: A Choreopoem by Ntozake Shange
I get it. I get it. I get it. This is a “choreopoem”. It isn’t supposed to be read but performed, but hey, you publish it and put it in a bookstore and I’m gonna read it. That’s just the kind of girl I am. As I was reading this book I found it challenging to review. Should I look at it as poetry? Should I take it as a play? Lyrics? At times it is all of the above, so I genuinely don’t think my grade will meet a universal expectation of grades. This was so close to a C- that I teetered on the brink and eventually I had to go with D+, because it is written and I am not seeing a theatrical performance. I believe that I’d enjoy the show. Read More »
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
In 2005 (?) my mom had cancer. She told us that she had to go in for surgery. I visited her in the hospital. She came home. My youngest brother and I called her surgery “the incision” and would make fun of her Pre Incision and Post Incision dancing. I wasn’t living at home and the whole thing seemed to pass rather quickly and then it was over. My mom was okay… then I read The Emperor of All Maladies… so I called to hear what really happened, because if Mukherjee taught me one thing, it is that cancer is never that simple.
Berlin: Portrait of a City Through the Centuries by Rory McLean
When I was 16 I won an all expense paid “study tour” of Germany sponsored by Diamler-Benz and the Goethe Institute. I jest not. My school was chosen to provide a participant, an essay contest ensued, and I won the opportunity to traipse about Germany with a group of 50 other North American teens (some Canadians came as well). The final stop was in Berlin. Read More »
The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science by Douglas Starr
I’m sure I’ve talked before about how my husband thinks I am extremely macabre what with my reading of murder books all the time… I can’t help myself. I love history and there is also something about looking at the horror of a murderer and what makes them tick. It is like standing close to a monster, but not getting eaten. Read More »
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Plodding along through this series with limited interest. In this installment Stephanie Plum is bumbling along as per usual. AAAANNNNDDDD as per usual her life is in danger. Read More »
C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
Yes, back to the BEGINNING of these Sue Grafton books. For those who don’t remember, I am not reading these in any order other than the order that they come into my hands. I think the first of the Alphabet Murder books I read was N is for Noose. I’ve acquired various others along the way. One day I’ll get through all of them, perhaps before she writes Z. Read More »
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book 5: The Unmapped Sea by Maryrose Wood
Okay, I’ma ’bout to get nit-picky. Between books four and five they changed the style and design of the cover art which is no surprised as they changed artists. They also went from the deckle edge paper to regular old straight edge paper… UGH. It appears from her website that future releases of the books will have different cover art most likely using the current artist. I am not a huge emoticon user, but let me describe my face right now. I am frowning. My eyebrows are furrowed. Basically, my face is the annoyed emoticon. Read More »