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Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Randomness...

I'm so glad it's August, because we're finally getting a break from all the triple digit heat. July was a long string of 100+ days which I did not enjoy. But this week it's looking like we'll be in the low 90s, and maybe even drop into the high 80s. We might even get rain! Keep your fingers crossed. 😎

 So, I finally got around to reading this one: 


The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson had been sitting on my shelf gathering dust for at least three years, but I can now check it off my TBR list. And while I didn't end up loving it, I did like it, and am glad I read it. Cussy Mary Carter is an interesting and sympathetic character, and the novel is rich with historical detail. But because of the time period and setting  (Appalachia, Kentucky, 1936) lots of very sad things happen in it. 


Books I checked out of the library for August:
(These are all books that other bloggers recommended to me...so if you see a book on this list that you loved and reviewed, you're the reason I'm reading it now.  Thank you!)

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep
Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof
A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie
Murder on the Red River by Marcie Rendon
The One by John Marrs
The Stand-In and The Comeback by Lily Chu


Just add books to this list and you have me in a nutshell:



Happy August...and Happy Reading!

55 comments:

  1. I haven't read The Book Woman but I did read the Jojo Moyes book that I think is about the same topic, and I did not think it was as good as some of her other books. However, I am glad to see you read A Share in Death. I am a huge fan of this series and while the first book has less dimension than the others, it is a good introduction to Duncan Kincaid who is very crushworthy.

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    1. I've heard such good things about this Deborah Crombie series I'm really looking forward to starting it. Even more so now. :D

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  2. I've got this one on my reading list, too. There's a sequel, which somehow I own without having the first one yet.

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    1. I hope you get to both of them someday soon. :D

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  3. I love that quote, but I agree - it needs books added to the list. :)

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    1. Right? Life isn't happy without books to read. :D

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  4. Happy August! Yes to a beach... and books!! Hope you enjoy your library books!

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    1. Thank you! I'd enjoy them even more if I were at or near a beach to read them all. ;D

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  5. I've never read TBWOTC and, to be honest, I've never had a desire to, but good on you for being able to check it off your list! I see you have "Convenience Store Woman" on your TBR list, a quirky little novel that I liked quite a lot.

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    1. I'm looking foward to reading that one. Quirky novels are some of my favs. :D

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  6. The Other Bennet Sister is 'so' good!

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    1. You're the reason I checked it out of the library!

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  7. I hope it stays a little cooler for you! We've been relatively mild compared to how humid it usually is here, but I know so man ypeople are just having awful heat.

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    1. I find 100+ days so draining, especially when it doesn't cool off at night. I'll be glad for some cooler temps this week. Maybe I'll even get some stuff done that I've been putting off all summer. ;D

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  8. Buon mese di agosto all'insegna del fresco e di belle nuove letture

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  9. I concur! I want a reading vacation! Yay for a break in the heat. I hope you love all these. I am feeling down this week so I went to the library today and grabbed 4 books, and lost count of how many I put on hold, LOL! I don't really feel better but I have books and books coming!

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    1. I always put too many books on hold at the library. I just can't seem to help myself. And a reading vacation would be SO nice! :D

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  10. Ha, you could kind of leave everything off that list, as long as you went straight to the books!

    Our weather has cooled off, too, after a miserably hot week.

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    1. Books is the most important thing on that list. Although I'd really love to have the beach, too. :D

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  11. I loved Lost in Darkness. That was one of my favorites last year. I hope the weather stays cooler for you and that you get some rain. We're still in the 100s here and it looks like it'll be that way for most of the month. I'm so ready for Fall, lol.

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    1. I'm excited to finally read Lost in Darkness. And I want to read her next one, Man of Shadow and Mist, too. But that one might have to wait until next year.

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  12. I have a library copy of the Crombie book here right now, too. Almost started it today but chose the one right behind it instead...next week for sure or it's going to have to be returned unread. And I hate that idea, because I really like this series a lot.

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    1. I'm excited to start this series. Everyone seems to really like it. But I, too, have to read the other library books that can't be renewed first. I hope you get your copy read before it's due. :D

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  13. Happy August to you! I'm jealous of you finally having some days outside of the triple digit heat. There seems to be no end in sight for us here in south Texas!

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    1. Your summer has been horribly hot where you are. I'm so sorry! Hopefully you get some cooler temps soon.

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  14. Happy August! I hope that rain will pull through for you :)

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    1. It did! We got rain yesterday afternoon and again this morning. It was lovely. :D

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  15. Very hot weather over here! I wish there's some rain to cool off the temperature a bit.
    Looking forward to reading The One with you! Hope you've a great day and happy reading! :)

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    1. We got rain yesterday and today! It was so lovely and cool. And our trees really needed it. And I'm looking foward to our next buddy read, too. Have a great day, Melody. :D

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  16. We were laughing when we were in Utah in July and people were talking about your "extreme" heat. It hadn't even hit the 100s yet and the evenings and mornings were still cool! LOL. NOW, you're experiencing extreme heat for real. So are we and it sucks! I hope it cools off and you get some nice, refreshing rain.

    Bummer that you didn't love BOOK WOMAN. It's one of my favorites, even though it's depressing in so many ways. I'm glad you liked it at least.

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    1. I did like the Book Woman; it's very well written. It's just so sad. That's the only reason I didn't love it. And the temps down your way this summer have been horrible! I was glad we never got close to 110+ like you did. But I still don't love anything about 100. :D

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  17. Oh, and I forgot to say that I love how you listed books you're checking out because of other book bloggers. That's awesome! I need to be better at keeping track of that.

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  18. I agree that Book Woman was a likeable rather than lovable book. I found it interesting but wasn't compelled to read the sequel. We had a few days in the high 90s last week, but it's cooled off some and we've been getting lots of rain on the Front Range of CO. Happy August reading!

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    1. I won't be reading the sequel to Book Woman either. And how nice that you've been getting rain. We got a lot of rain yesterday, so that was really nice.

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  19. You've got some very good reading lined up in August!

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    1. Several of the mysteries on my list is because of your recommendations. ;D

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  20. I've had The Bookwoman on my TBR for ages so I'm glad to see you enjoyed it even if you didn't love it. Looks like a great selection of library reads this month! The only one I've read is the Deborah Crombie book which is one of my favorite mystery series though it's been awhile since I've read it!

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    1. The Bookwoman is a good book, just a little too sad for me to truly love it. And I'm looking forward to starting the Deborah Crombie series. Of course, when I like it, as I'm sure I will, I'll then be way behind in yet another series. ;D

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  21. We've been back in the 90s and high 80s in Northern California too, but I'm in Texas right now and it's well above 100 degrees! It's hot! Hope you enjoy your reading list!

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    1. I feel bad for everyone living in states like Texas and Arizona because they've had a horribly hot summer this year.

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  22. Oh! I wish I could get a break from the heat. Its torture.

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    1. Anything above 100 just wilts me these days.

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  23. Hi Lark, The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek has been on my TBR list too, recommended to me by my friend Iris. I nust read it and plan to this year. I am a little nervous though. I never knew about the blue people of Appalachia and I feel bad because I sense they had a hard life but I will give the book a try and I enjoy books about books.

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    1. Cussy Mary and her family do have a hard life, that's for sure. But she's a very likable and sympathetic character. And the history of the traveling librarians was interesting.

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  24. A simple life with books sounds perfect to me too! I enjoyed Bookwoman, and stories set in Appalachia. I grew up in the foothills in Georgia. ♥

    I hope you enjoy your August library haul. Many of those I haven't heard of, so I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!

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  25. I have had The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek on my tbr for years. Too bad it wasn't a more stand out read for you.

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    1. I did like it...I just didn't love it...and won't be reading the sequel.

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  26. I hope you do get some rain! I wouldn't mind rain here either. I think I have The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek on my TBR to read. I am glad you liked it overall. Enjoy your reading! Have a great week, Lark!

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    1. Thank you! And we did get several days of lovely rain. It cooled things off so nicely and helped the grass in our backyard to start greening up.

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  27. Yeah I think I have the Troublesome Creek novel too ... it's been waiting as an ebook on my list for years. The cover looks sad too. sorry you didn't love love it.

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    1. It's still a good read, and well-written, and I liked the main characters. But their whole situation is just so sad.

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  28. I hope it cools off here, too. Looks like another 100 degree day today.

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