tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35789225872522750292024-03-19T01:48:41.574-07:00Lark Writes...on books and life"...a life spent reading-that is a good life." -Annie DillardLark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.comBlogger1439125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-24363193364882656802024-03-19T00:30:00.000-07:002024-03-19T00:30:00.133-07:00Top Ten Tuesday<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TTT-new6-768x308.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="768" height="128" src="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TTT-new6-768x308.png" width="320" /></a></div>Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at <a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This week's theme is BOOKS ON MY SPRING TBR LIST. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The only trouble I had this week was limiting my choices to just 10. Here they are:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The War Magician by David Fisher</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81wrjYmS7wL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81wrjYmS7wL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Vanishing Edge by Claire Kells</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Eex4cwv7L._AC_UL210_SR210,210_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="210" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Eex4cwv7L._AC_UL210_SR210,210_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71bsgcrRAGL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71bsgcrRAGL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Final Twist by Jeffrey Deaver</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618501491i/57747167._SY180_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="119" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618501491i/57747167._SY180_.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Lost Girls by Angela Marsons</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WadXmc3zL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WadXmc3zL.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My Side of the River by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rKpr1r7QL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rKpr1r7QL.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542205431i/41735371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542205431i/41735371.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Just a Regular Boy by Catherine Ryan Hyde</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Qx195cc9L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Qx195cc9L.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675643199i/61102596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675643199i/61102596.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1683915876i/91274427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="575" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1683915876i/91274427.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I also plan on reading books by Catherine Cowles, Katherine Center, Abby Jimenez and K.A. Tucker this spring, but I haven't quite figured out which of their books I'm going to read first. Stay tuned...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-42110341147147790602024-03-16T00:30:00.000-07:002024-03-16T00:30:00.132-07:00Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41B9tRIsg0L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41B9tRIsg0L.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Setting: </b>Rhode Island, 1846</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Main characters: </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">WHIMBREL HOUSE -- Some say it's enchanted, or maybe haunted. Either way, it really doesn't seem to like Merritt. Built on Blaugdone Island in Narragansett Bay, it's been alone and uninhabited since 1737.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">MERRITT FERNSBY -- Disowned by his father and burned by love, Merritt is a non-magical writer in his early 30s who has just inherited Whimbrel House. He thinks it will be a great place to write his next novel, but he doesn't know what he's in for. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">HULDA LARKIN -- A confirmed spinster in her 30s, she has a small talent in augury, and works for the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms (BIKER) as a housekeeper. She's come to Whimbrel House to help tame it. But she wasn't expecting to find Merritt quite so charming. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">SIMON HOGWOOD -- a power-hungry necromancer who has learned how to siphon magic from other people...and from places like Whimbrel House. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>This is an enchanting and fun fantasy. I love the role Whimbrel House plays in this one. From the melting furniture to the shrinking rooms, all the tricks it plays on Merritt, especially when it refuses to let him leave, are very humorous and sometimes a little frightening. I also really enjoyed Hulda's and Merritt's investigation into what, or who, is enchanting the house. They made an engaging team, even if neither one is very good at communicating their feelings. I also liked all the magic, and how Holmberg captures the time period. It's a captivating read with some good suspense at the end. ⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading! </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-36857940292206849022024-03-13T00:30:00.000-07:002024-03-13T00:30:00.143-07:00The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686577262i/157062582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686577262i/157062582.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><b>The plot: </b>Molly Gray is now the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. Her private life is going well, and she's taken the new maid, Lily under her wing. But then there's another murder at the hotel. The famous and reclusive mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe is about to make an important announcement when he drops dead on the hotel's tearoom floor. Poisoned. And of course, Lily, the maid who served him his tea quickly becomes a suspect. Molly herself is keeping a secret--she knew J.D. Grimthorpe from when she was a child and her grandmother worked as his maid. Many more secrets are going to come out before the investigation into Grimthorpe's death is through.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>I loved <a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2022/11/quick-book-recommendations.html">The Maid</a>, Nita Prose's first mystery, and this sequel is almost as good. Molly is neurodivergent; she's organized and has a true eye for detail, but she often misses social cues and struggles with normal interactions with other people. I loved how we get to see moments from her childhood in this one, especially all her interactions with her grandmother. She is truly a unique character. The mystery involving Grimthorpe had some nice twists. I enjoyed following Detective Stark's and Molly's investigation, especially how at odds they are in the beginning, but how well they work together at the end. This is another well-plotted, character-driven, page-turning mystery. ⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-44309373928548263302024-03-10T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-10T00:30:00.141-08:00March's bookish art...<div style="text-align: left;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.artrenewal.org/secureimages/artwork/344/1344/32580/young_woman_reading-large.jpg?&format=jpg&mode=max&w=618" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="541" height="400" src="https://www.artrenewal.org/secureimages/artwork/344/1344/32580/young_woman_reading-large.jpg?&format=jpg&mode=max&w=618" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermann Jean Joseph Richir--Young Woman Reading</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"You know you've read a good book when you turn to the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">--Paul Sweeney</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-82675538483887363412024-03-07T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-07T12:07:43.001-08:00Two quick recommendations....<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mpd-biblio-covers.imgix.net/9781250229847.jpg?w=300" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://mpd-biblio-covers.imgix.net/9781250229847.jpg?w=300" width="130" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Network Effect by Martha Wells</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pesky emotions and even peskier humans keep troubling Murderbot. Figuring out the right thing to do all the time is hard work. Then something terrible happens to ART, the highly intelligent bot transport Murderbot calls a friend, and Murderbot must discover what happened and why...all whle trying to save ART's favorite humans. I love Murderbot! This is another thrilling and entertaining adventure with lots of humor. Murderbot's love of soap operas and all its snarky thoughts and asides makes me laugh out loud. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510EMeHQMlL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="329" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510EMeHQMlL.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Casey Duncan and Eric Dalton are running Haven's Rock, a sanctuary town hidden in the vast Yukon wilderness. It's a refuge for those on the run. Like ten-year-old Max and his older brother and mother. Then Max disappears. Was it the grizzly bear he thought he saw in the woods earlier? Or a crazed wildman dressed in bear pelts? Or did someone from their own town take him? Casey and Eric won't rest until they find the truth. ... What a great book! To say I love these characters and this series would be an understatement. This is another 5-star read from Kelley Armstrong. And one of my favorites of the year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-78209741068986746682024-03-04T00:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T00:00:00.141-08:00Midnight Creed by Alex Kava<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699118259i/201569205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699118259i/201569205.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the eighth book in one of my favorite mystery series. Ryder Creed is a former marine K9 handler; now he owns and runs a dog rescue center in the Florida panhandle where he rehabilitates and trains dogs as scent and search-and-rescue dogs. His best dog is a Jack Russell terrier named Gracie. He works with Jason, another veteran, and Brodie, his sister, and lots of dogs. He and Gracie are recovering from some injuries when he gets called in to help search for a missing boy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maggie O'Dell is an FBI agent working a case in Washington D.C. that involves a serial killer who's been targeting the homeless. She and Ryder have worked several cases together, and their friendship has developed and deepened over the course of the series into something more. When Maggie tracks her killer to Florida, they find their two cases intersecting. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Alex Kava always writes an interesting and engaging mystery. She creates great suspense, but it's her characters that really elevate these books. I especially love Ryder's relationship with his dogs and how they work together to solve each case. He can't help but rescue every stray that comes along. I like the way he and Maggie work together, too. I spotted the connection with the murderer early on in this one, but it didn't stop me from enjoying this book. It's a well-written and fun ride. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Other Ryder Creed posts:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2019/11/breaking-creed-by-alex-kava.html">Breaking Creed (#1)</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2020/01/lost-creed-by-alex-kava.html">Lost Creed (#4)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2020/05/desperate-creed-by-alex-kava.html">Desperate Creed (#5)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2020/11/haiku-reviews.html">Hidden Creed (#6)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2022/05/fallen-creed-by-alex-kava.html">Fallen Creed (#7)</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-74601717857098887722024-03-01T00:00:00.000-08:002024-03-01T00:00:00.129-08:00Randomness....<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331112594i/280847.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331112594i/280847.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div>One of my bookish goals </b>this year is to read more Golden Age mysteries. I have several British Library Crime Classics and Otto Penzler's Classic American Mysteries on my TBR list. I hope to read at least one a month, and I started in February with Ngaio Marsh's A Man Lay Dead. It's an entertaining mystery that takes place during a weekend party at an English country house. And it involves a Murder Game. I quite enjoyed it. This month I'll be reading Dorothy B. Hughes's <i>Dread Journey. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Seven other library books I'm hoping to read this month:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Deaf Utopia </i>by Nyle DiMarco</div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>True Biz </i>by Sara Novic</div></i><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Mystery Guest </i>by Nita Prose</div></i><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Murder Wheel </i>by Tom Mead </div></i><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wonderland Trials </i>by Sara Ella</div></i><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i>Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries </i>by Heather Fawcett</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Keeper of Enchanted Rooms </i>by Charlie N. Holmberg</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>And if I'm lucky, my library hold on Hurwitz's newest, <i>Lone Wolf,</i> will also come in this month because I'm eager to read the latest Orphan X novel as soon as possible. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Three things that have made me glad recently:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Two days off from work....which always makes me happy.</li><li>New episodes of Ghosts and So Help Me Todd (two of my favorite TV shows); also that new show Tracker has been really good, too. Yay for something new to watch on TV.</li><li>I found a great 15-minute cardio workout I can do in the morning before work that's low impact but gets the heart rate up. I've been doing it for 3 weeks now and not only is it helping me to get in better shape for summer, but I've even lost a little weight. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dt0DWrMVsAArN4t.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="750" height="391" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dt0DWrMVsAArN4t.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-65210896421857935272024-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T00:00:00.244-08:00The Unlikely Thru-Hiker by Derick Lugo<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565769775i/43570679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565769775i/43570679.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><b>About the author:</b> "Derick Lugo had never hiked or camped a day in his life. This Brooklyn-born, New York city urbanite hopped a train to Georgia, grabbed a taxi at the station, and told the driver to drop him off at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. Then he did as he has always done--put one foot in front of the other and never looked back."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>You already know how much I love reading about other people's journeys hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, and Lugo's is one of the better ones. He's a gifted storyteller, and this memoir is full of humor, adventure, and some profound and uplifting advice...not just about hiking the AT, but about living life. I loved it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Favorite quotes from the book:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>"I'm not going to fall into a mindset of <i>maybe I'll make it.</i> I already have enough going against me, starting with how clueless I am about the trail. Positive thoughts are my biggest asset out here in the unknown."</b></span></blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>"This journey will go better if I don't dread and curse the things I cannot control."</b></span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>"Change can be frightening at times, but out here it's our way of life. When I stepped onto the AT, I sought change. I wanted to move away from a static existence. Suitably, the end of one thing opens the way for something wondrous. I see not the end but a new start."</b></span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>"Hike your own Hike."</b></span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><blockquote><p> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p> </p></blockquote></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-68006883706821049902024-02-23T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-23T00:00:00.143-08:00Haiku reviews...<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9780593499832" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="292" height="200" src="https://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9780593499832" width="130" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">She's his rock star crush--</div><div style="text-align: center;">when they meet it feels like love.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Can it be that easy?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Romance .... 339 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I enjoyed Billy and Margot's second chance love story.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81l9d9Crh5L._AC_UL600_SR600,600_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81l9d9Crh5L._AC_UL600_SR600,600_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>That Others May Live by Sara Driscoll</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Search-and-rescue teams</div><div style="text-align: center;">unite when a 12-story building</div><div style="text-align: center;">collapses in D.C. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">An FBI K-9 Novel .... 337 pages .... 4/5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I love Meg and her dog, Hawk, and her firefighter fiance, too.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676323834l/101145257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676323834l/101145257.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A haunted museum,</div><div style="text-align: center;">dinosaurs, ghosts, and the mystery</div><div style="text-align: center;">of his long-lost sister.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Horror-lite .... 353 pages .... 3.5/5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Must love dinosaurs to enjoy this book.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-39444302272835289692024-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-20T00:00:00.274-08:00Top Ten Tuesday<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TTT-new6-768x308.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="768" height="128" src="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TTT-new6-768x308.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at <a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl. </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This week's theme: BOOKISH SUPERPOWERS I WISH I HAD.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I came up with five: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. I wish I had the ability to remember all the pertinent plot points and characters from all the books I've read...or at least all the ones I really liked. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. I wish I was able to conjure up any book I wanted to read the moment I wanted to read it...without having to wait for my library hold to come in, or my Amazon order to be delivered. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. I'd love to be able to stop time and the rest of the world whenever I wanted so I could give myself an extra hour or two just for reading. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. I'd like to be able to enter the pages of any book and spend some time with my favorite characters, or go exploring a favorite setting...especially a magical world like Oz or Le Cirques des Reves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. And the last bookish superpower I'd love to have is the ability to change a book's ending when it's disappointing and make it better. Because I hate when an otherwise great story ends wrong. (Yes, Mockingjay, I'm talking about books like you!) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What bookish superpowers would you love to have?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Reading!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-70931078458699161792024-02-17T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-17T00:00:00.131-08:00Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim<div style="text-align: center;"> <b>"I was not born a monster."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91nmBBKEv3L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="535" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91nmBBKEv3L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Two sisters: Channari and Vanna.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Channi, the oldest, was cursed by the demon witch, Angma, with the face of a snake when she was just a child. Her blood carries the killing poison of the Serpent King. Her younger sister, Vanna, on the other hand, is so beautiful foreign kings are vying for her hand. Her heart emits a magical radiance that Angma covets. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Channi is determined to protect her sister from Angma, their greedy father, and all her suitors, especially the cruel King Meguh, not just because she loves her sister, but because she made a promise to their dying mother to keep Vanna safe. Even if it costs her her own life. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"One sister must fall for the other to rise."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>This novel is a prequel to Elizabeth Lim's <a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2022/03/six-crimson-cranes-by-elizabeth-lim.html">Six Crimson Cranes</a>, but Channi's story stands on its own. And it's quite the adventure, with demons, talking snakes, and a nine-eyed witch. Channi is determined, impulsive, and strong-willed, a fighter who never gives up; she also longs to be loved. She's carried a lot of hurt and shame over the way others have treated her because of her monstrous face. I had a lot of sympathy for her. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">She meets an unexpected ally in Hokzuh, half-dragon, half-demon, who has his own reasons for going up against Angma. He's sarcastic and harsh, but he can also be kind, and he sees something of himself in Channi. I liked him. The other thing I really liked about this book is Lim's vivid descriptions and all the magic in it. It's an entertaining fantasy, but also sad. Though having read <i>Six Crimson Cranes</i>, I knew going in that Channi's story wasn't necessarily a happy one. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Still I'm glad Melody and I chose this as our first buddy read of 2024. Be sure to check out <a href="https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.com/">her review of this one.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-87846940048846244762024-02-14T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-14T00:00:00.136-08:00Death in the Dark Woods by Annelise Ryan<blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"> <b>"When it comes to the creature known as Bigfoot there are three camps of thought: the skeptics, the believers, and the folks who simply see it all as a way to make a buck."</b></div></blockquote><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Vw7bsbMCL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Vw7bsbMCL.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">MORGAN CARTER -- bookstore owner and cryptid hunter. "I don't search for cryptids to make money; I do it because I love it and to continue the work my parents did in the field...I'm a cynic at heart, and I approach my cryptid searches from a position of science and reality, not speculation and rumor."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">CHARLIE ABERDEEN -- a conservation warden in Bayfield, Wisconsin. She's a believer. Because when she was thirteen, she saw something in the woods that looked remarkably like Bigfoot. She just can't prove it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">JON FLANDERS -- Chief of police for Washington Island, located off the tip of Wisconsin's Door County Peninsula, and Morgan's...friend? Boyfriend? They're still figuring that one out. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">NEWT -- Morgan's large, half blind, lovably sweet rescue dog. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><b>"There's something strange going on in the Chequamegon National Forest. We've had some Bigfoot sightings in the area, a couple of which have been rather...disturbing. One of them may have torn a man apart."</b></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> MY THOUGHTS: This is another entertaining and well-written mystery from Annelise Ryan. Morgan and Jon are both very likable characters, each with their own tragedy in their pasts. I liked seeing their relationship grow a little more in this one. Morgan is smart and resourceful. And I love her dog, Newt. The Bigfoot angle made the mystery a lot of fun. (But then I'm always a sucker for Bigfoot sightings in any book.) And did they finally find evidence of this mysterious cryptid? You'll have to read it for yourself to find out. This is the second book Ryan has written about these characters, and I enjoyed it as much as the first one. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ryan's previous book: </b><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-death-in-door-county-by-annelise-ryan.html">A Death in Door County</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Other "Bigfoot" novels:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2021/06/roanoke-ridge-by-jj-dupuis.html">Roanoke Ridge by J.J. Dupuis</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2020/07/bigfoot-destroys-town.html">Devolution by Max Brooks</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-5731499279098464112024-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-13T00:00:00.379-08:00Top Ten Tuesday<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TTT-new6-768x308.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="768" height="128" src="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TTT-new6-768x308.png" width="320" /></a></div>Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at <a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This week's them is a Love Freebie in honor of Valentine's Day. But instead of doing a list of favorite romances, which I've done in the past, I decided to center my top ten list this week around a game I love to play instead: CHESS. So here's my list of 10 books with a chess theme on the cover or in the title. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328874807i/11031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328874807i/11031.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Eight by Katherine Neville</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388263286i/113310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="293" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388263286i/113310.jpg" width="123" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i5.walmartimages.com/seo/Vintage-Contemporaries-The-Queen-s-Gambit-Television-Tie-In-Paperback-9780593314654_534d1c1d-69bc-4c9c-a5fb-d49ae573e2a1.223a5cc2268924cb97f8a373a8cc42ad.jpeg?odnHeight=768&odnWidth=768&odnBg=FFFFFF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://i5.walmartimages.com/seo/Vintage-Contemporaries-The-Queen-s-Gambit-Television-Tie-In-Paperback-9780593314654_534d1c1d-69bc-4c9c-a5fb-d49ae573e2a1.223a5cc2268924cb97f8a373a8cc42ad.jpeg?odnHeight=768&odnWidth=768&odnBg=FFFFFF" width="200" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gADmAkomL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gADmAkomL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bishop's Knight by Katie Reus</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41QEPisbRYL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41QEPisbRYL.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BBhjkjT5L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BBhjkjT5L.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Rook by Daniel O'Malley</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61tdhu96OTL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="526" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61tdhu96OTL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Curiosity by Gary Blackwood</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91llq90bDNL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="523" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91llq90bDNL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yq8aHGTlL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="519" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yq8aHGTlL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hunter's Green by Phyllis A. Whitney</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71VhbOp2BPL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="516" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71VhbOp2BPL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Horrorscape by Nenia Campbell</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51iBaX9LFWL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51iBaX9LFWL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Reading!</span></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-73585470486897244802024-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-10T00:00:00.150-08:00The Only One Left by Riley Sager<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ld6C7wDjL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ld6C7wDjL.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">At seventeen, Lenora Hope</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Hung her sister with a rope,</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Stabbed her father with a knife,</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Took her mother's happy life.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"It wasn't me," Lenora said.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">But she's the only one not dead.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The plot: </b>Maine, 1983. Kit McDeere is a home-health aide who made a serious mistake with her last patient. So when her employer offers her the chance to become the caregiver to Lenora Hope, the woman accused of killing her entire family decades ago, Kit has no choice but to head to Hope's End. Even though the thought of caring for a murderer disturbs her. The stately mansion sits on the cliffs overlooking the ocean; it's dilapidated now, and slanting towards the sea as the ground beneath it slowly erodes. Besides Kit, there are three other employees at Hope's End: the housekeeper, the maid, and the groundskeeper. As for Lenora, she's partially paralyzed from a series of strokes, can't walk, can't speak, and can only move her left hand. To communicate, she taps once for no, twice for yes. But she can also tap out sentences on her typewriter. Kit finds Lenora secretive and hard to read. She's also very curious to know the truth about what really happened. So when Lenora types out the message: <b>i want to tell you everything, </b>Kit gets quickly drawn into Lenora's past and all the hidden secrets surrounding the murders of her family. And she starts to wonder if Lenora didn't kill her family, who did? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>I love a thriller with an unexpected twist in it, but sometimes a book can have too many of them. And then they just muddle the story line and ruin the suspense. Like in this book. There's not just one plot twist at the end, there's three. And the first one completely flips the narrative. I felt that it made the big reveal about the truth of the Hope murders that followed it convoluted and confusing. The second big twist involved Kit and felt way too coincidental and unbelievable; and the very last twist not only felt tacked on and unnecessary, but completely implausible. Which was too bad, because I was enjoying the book up until then. It's compelling, and the setting is atmospheric. And even though I didn't really love any of the characters, I was still liking the book. But all those twists at the end, one right after the other, left me feeling nonplussed and dissatisfied. I just couldn't buy into them all. So while I normally love Riley Sager's novels, I found this one disappointing and less than stellar. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-69050756119126839802024-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-08T00:00:00.242-08:00February's bookish art...<div style="text-align: left;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://64.media.tumblr.com/e10a50fa605402f2e2fe0d6a3f44480e/tumblr_pliegy43MR1rrnekqo1_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="747" height="320" src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/e10a50fa605402f2e2fe0d6a3f44480e/tumblr_pliegy43MR1rrnekqo1_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maurice Louis Tete -- Woman reading in an interior</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>"I believe that 'finding the book you're looking for' is an overrated notion. Far better to explore, and let the book you need be the one which finds you."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">--Craig Shaefer</div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-59962592442981303752024-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-06T00:00:00.127-08:00Two quick recommendations...<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81thdg0KmZL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="503" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81thdg0KmZL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div>All Systems Red by Martha Wells</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's so much to like about this science fiction novella: good writing, humor, a bit of mystery, and lots of action. But the best part is the SecUnit construct known as Murderbot. His snarky thoughts and his sometimes awkward interactions with his human clients totally made me smile. He's another new favorite character. Now I just need to read the rest of the series. (And that kind of bookish math is so typical of my entire TBR list--finish reading one book, add five more to the list.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61IOjQXoP8L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61IOjQXoP8L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Western Lane by Chetna Maroo</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">How do I describe this one? This short, well-written novel is a story of grief and growing up, of three sisters and their father after the death of their mother, and the way they use the game of squash to cope and connect. It's an introspective novel, told from the youngest daughter's POV, lyrical in places, but melancholic, too. And I'm still trying to decide if I liked it, or not. But I did really like <a href="https://bookchase.blogspot.com/2023/11/western-lane-chetna-maroo.html">Sam's Review over at Book Chase</a>, which is what made me want to read this one in the first place. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-78111194751798779892024-02-03T00:00:00.001-08:002024-02-03T00:00:00.132-08:00The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/910OXS66AxL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/910OXS66AxL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div>First line: </b>The first time I watched someone die, I was five.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Setting: </b>New York City, present day</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Main Character: </b>Clover Brooks, a death doula who has dedicated her life to helping people as they reach the end of theirs. She keeps a record of all their regrets, but ignores her own. Because while Clover is very good at dealing with death, she's not so good at dealing with her own life. "I didn't expect to get to my mid-thirties and still have only one friend. That's the thing about loneliness: no one ever chooses it."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <b>My thoughts: </b>Clover's journey is one of uncertainty, love, fear, hope and second chances. She's a bookish introvert who struggles to make friends. And she's never been in love. I liked her a lot. And the people she meets along the way are so great. They each help her expand her small world in some unique way. I got caught up in this story right from the first page and didn't want to stop reading. This book made me feel all the feels: it's moving, humorous, charming, sad, satisfying, and heartwarming. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Favorite Quote: </b>"The secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life. Putting your heart out there. Letting it get broken. Taking chances. Making mistakes." </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's to living a life with fewer regrets.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-75779269422138716892024-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-01T00:00:00.131-08:00Randomness...<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Where did January go? </b>I feel like it went by fast. But I have to admit I'm always glad when February arrives because it means the end of winter is at last in sight. Here in Utah, we still get snowstorms throughout February, but we also get more days with sunshine, blue skies, and warmer temps. And that makes me happy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>I finally got around to reading </b><i>Remarkably Bright Creatures </i>by Shelby Van Pelt.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51fMaH1tRyL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51fMaH1tRyL.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And it's as good as everyone has said. Mostly because of Marcellus--who's a Giant Pacific Octopus. He just might be my most favorite character this year. I'll never look at an octopus in an aquarium the same way again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Other things that have made me glad recently:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Downy woodpeckers at my feeder.</li><li>Hearing a favorite song on the radio on my way to work.</li><li>Playing Skip-bo, Bananagrams, and 10 Days in Asia with some friends last weekend.</li><li>Not having to shovel any snow the past few weeks. (While we've been getting a lot of snow up at the ski resorts, down where I live it's been mostly rain.)</li><li>Finding lots of good books at my library to check out. (Of course, I once again checked out way too many, but at least I'm not in danger of running out of things to read any time soon.)</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DrHCt5TXcAEwchf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DrHCt5TXcAEwchf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you find many things to be glad about this month! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-52019280058384587322024-01-30T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-30T00:30:00.132-08:00Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mHz3JEv0L.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mHz3JEv0L.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div>First line: </b>Hockey has a very distinct smell.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The players: </b>Gracie Mitchell, cellist and music teacher; Felix Jameson, hockey goalie.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The plot: </b>Gracie has one rule: she doesn't date hockey players. Especially not her sexy neighbor, Felix. But Felix doesn't just live and breathe hockey. He loves classical music (especially when Gracie practices her cello), and books, and he's falling fast for Gracie. When an unexpected flood in Gracie's apartment has her moving into Felix's guest room for a few weeks, being in such close quarters with him has Gracie rethinking her no-hockey-players rule. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>Jenny Proctor's romances sparkle. She knows how to create very likable characters, and she always inserts fun banter into her stories. Gracie is smart and spunky and a talented musician; Felix is thoughtful and kind, a bit of an introvert, and very good at hockey. And the two of them together? So cute! I loved their text exchanges, and I thought Felix's romantic gestures were so sweet. The hockey parts were fun, too. This book just made me happy. And for that, I gave it 5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-70792364553344521792024-01-27T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-16T09:33:37.892-07:00Haiku reviews...<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508174690i/35820001.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508174690i/35820001.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tired of faking life,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mari quits all social media</div><div style="text-align: center;">to hike the John Muir trail.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">YA fiction .... 307 pages .... 5/5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I loved Mari's journey of self-healing as much as her hiking adventure</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416IMrFPiiL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416IMrFPiiL.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Grumpy Side of Paradise by Brittany Larsen </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Eve's in Paradise to</div><div style="text-align: center;">rehab a house, not find love.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then she meets Adam.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sweet romantic comedy .... 306 pates .... 4/5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Fun small town, grumpy vs. sunshine romance.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667069778l/62611324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="517" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667069778l/62611324.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Seven old cowboys.</div><div style="text-align: center;">One Texas Ranger. And fair</div><div style="text-align: center;">Penelope Snow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Historical romance .... 345 pages .... 4/5 stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Cute retelling of Snow White set in Texas, 1892.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-61728875864236552592024-01-24T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-24T00:30:00.142-08:00Sinister Graves by Marcie R. Rendon<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/51T-SkeuP3L.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/51T-SkeuP3L.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>The plot: </b>Minnesota, 1970s. When the body of a young Ojibwe woman is found in the flood waters of the Red River Valley, Sheriff Wheaton calls in his young protege, Renee "Cash" Blackbear to help identify her. Cash's investigation leads her to the White Earth Reservation, the place where she was born, and where she should have grown up except that she was put into foster care when she was young instead. When another young Ojibwe woman is found dead, the only connection Cash can find between them is Pastor Steene and his wife, Lillian, and their unconventional church. And when she visits the church, she sees a dark ghostly shadow outside, something the Ojibwe call a Jiibay. And she knows that there's something not quite right about the place. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My thoughts: </b>What makes you want to keep reading a particular series? I look for interesting settings and time periods, intriguing plots, but most of all, I look for real, personable, flawed, layered and likable characters that I can root for. Cash Blackbear is one of those characters. At just 19, she's tough and smart. She's in college but she mostly chooses classes where attendance isn't mandatory because she knows she can not show up and still ace the papers and tests. She earns her money driving farm trucks and playing pool. She's very guarded and struggles to connect with people. And she has a sixth sense when it comes to helping Sheriff Wheaton--an ability to see things that others don't. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In this book, she's starting to open up with other people, even though it leaves her feeling vulnerable and scared. I liked that she's growing as a person. And I like her toughness and independence, though she does have one reckless TSTL moment in her investigation into Pastor Steene's church that made me shake my head. She does redeem herself a little by being resourceful enough to extricate herself though. I liked her for that, too. I think this third Cash Blackbear mystery just might be my favorite. And as a bonus, I'm now all caught up with this series. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-42550334847437624382024-01-21T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-21T00:30:00.129-08:00January's bookish art...<div style="text-align: left;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/-the-bookworm---date-1920-mary-evans-picture-library.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="622" height="400" src="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/-the-bookworm---date-1920-mary-evans-picture-library.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bookworm, 1920<br />Mary Evans Picture Library</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"I guess there are never enough books."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">--John Steinbeck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-69337281054578909442024-01-18T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-18T00:30:00.144-08:00An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9780593549841" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="292" height="200" src="https://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9780593549841" width="130" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>5 reasons to read this book:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1.</span> It's a unique urban fantasy novel set in London...</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2. </span>...with an instantly likable and magically talented main character.</b></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">"My name is Stephen Oakwood, and I'm twenty years old. I was raised by my dad, grew up and went to school here in Plaistow, and...I used to have a pretty normal life. That all changed a few months before my eighteenth birthday, when my dad disappeared."</div></blockquote><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. </span>There's cool magic, known as drucraft, and sigls, and wells of power.</b> </p><blockquote><p>"Drucraft didn't make me money, and it definitely didn't make me look like a better employee. If my career was what I cared about, I might as well give it up. But I didn't want to. Ever since I'd first pestered my dad into teaching me drucraft, it had been the one big secret I'd shared with him, the one thing we'd always done together." </p></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">4. </span>Lots of family secrets, intrigue, humor, suspense, and action. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">5. </span>And an endearing gray and black tabby named Hobbes.</b> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While this well-written and entertaining fantasy novel is entirely different from Jacka's bestselling Alex Verus series, I think I'm going to like it just as much. And that's saying a lot, because I <b>love</b> his Alex Verus books. But I already like Stephen Oakwood and am rooting for him and his cat, Hobbes; and the magic system Jacka's created in this book is interesting and different and fun. The only problem with it is having to wait for the next book to be released...which I hope happens sometime this year. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-23405647329506051202024-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T00:00:00.134-08:00Top Ten Tuesday...<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TTT-Transparent-768x308.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="768" height="128" src="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TTT-Transparent-768x308.png" width="320" /></a></div>Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at <a href="https://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This week's theme is BOOKISH GOALS FOR 2024...which I've already posted about. But, one of my bookish goals this year is to read more nonfiction. So here are <b>10 Nonfiction Books I Hope to Read in 2024 </b>instead<b>:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/81qqJPfosbL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/81qqJPfosbL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Next Everest by Jim Davidson</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/91hJEqtKRML._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="522" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/91hJEqtKRML._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Operation Pineapple Express by Lt. Col. Scott Mann</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/onix/cvr9781668003640/operation-pineapple-express-9781668003640_hr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/onix/cvr9781668003640/operation-pineapple-express-9781668003640_hr.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Outlandish by Nick Hunt</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1644889910i/60209216.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="249" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1644889910i/60209216.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hearts of Darkness by Jana Monroe</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1679147652i/98653090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1679147652i/98653090.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The War Magician by David Fisher</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677856870i/64336857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677856870i/64336857.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cobalt Red by Siddharth Kara</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1666032360i/60784614.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1666032360i/60784614.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My Side of the River by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681802892i/126918693.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681802892i/126918693.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tap Code by Carlyle S. Harris</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570311076l/51931484.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570311076l/51931484.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I Know Who You Are by Barbara Rae-Venter</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1664754153i/61111260.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1664754153i/61111260.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Last Season by Eric Blehm</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/81mm2kMm5yL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="532" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/81mm2kMm5yL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Have you read any of these? Are there other awesome nonfiction books you've read that I should add to my list? Let me know! I'm always looking for good nonfiction reads. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3578922587252275029.post-81966991381014435012024-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-12T00:00:00.144-08:00Mud, Rocks, Blazes by Heather "Anish" Anderson<blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"> <b>"I would attempt to hike the 2,189-mile-long Appalachian Trail faster than anyone else had. I would do it alone and not to prove anything to anyone this time except myself. ... There was something I needed to learn out there on the rocky, rooty, trail."</b></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/813nO7rw9+L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/813nO7rw9+L._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This was the perfect book for my first nonfiction read of 2024. I've always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail--not to try and set any kind or record, but just to see if I could do it. That kind of wilderness adventure has always appealed to me. Though it's something I probably should have attempted in my 20s. (I doubt my knees could take it now.) But I still love reading books about people who do achieve their AT dream. And this well-written memoir gives you a real taste of hiking the AT, as well as some great words of wisdom. (Anderson has also hiked the Pacific Coast Trail with the fastest known time and written a book about that adventure, too.) Here are some of my favorite quotes from this excellent memoir: </div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">"I had to always remind myself that everything that happened along the way was out of my control, that I could only change my reactions, and dedicate myself to putting one foot in front of the other, even when I wanted to stop."</span></div></blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #45818e;">"Pain and hardship are integral to any thru-hike, as they are to life in general. It is suffering that is a mindset. ...I decided in that moment--even if it was going to take a thousand conscious choices every day--that I would choose not to suffer. There would be no drudgery on my hike. I would move forward with passion for adventure. Just as I always had."</span> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #e69138;">"I smiled at the changes in myself. I'd learned courage. And from that courage had come confidence. And from that confidence had grown acceptance of all circumstances."</span></p></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Reading!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>A few of my other favorite Appalachian Trail reads:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">A Woman's Journey on the Appalachian Trail by Cindy Ross</div><div style="text-align: left;">A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson</div><div style="text-align: left;">Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis</div><div style="text-align: left;">A Journey North by Adrienne Hall</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And if you know of any other books about hiking the Appalachian Trail that you think I'd like, please let me know! 😎</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><blockquote><p> </p></blockquote>Lark http://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.com44