James by Percival Everett

 

My beloved Book Club read this book before it won the Pulitzer.  We are so ahead of the times!

Briefly, this is a retelling of sorts.  This time, we get Jim's perspective of his time with Huckleberry Finn.  And wowza, is that perspective different!

We had mixed reviews.  Some members found it hard to read.  The language, the treatment of slaves as less than human, the way the slaves found ways to survive and hope despite all of it.  My comments here are not really a review but more of a jumble of reactions!

Huck's recognition that slavery/ownership is wrong is a strong theme here - he is a cast off too in some ways, and knows from experience what it is like to be overlooked, beaten, and treated less than human.  The scene where Jim find's Huck's dad's body is heartbreaking  - Jim does his best to protect his young friend. 

Jim's written idea that only your peer can stand up for you - for your equality - made me stop and think that through.  You (a slave) cannot say that you're equal to them (whites) because in their eyes you are NOT equal to them.  So somebody else has to tell you or them that you are equal.   Also, this whole notion of the black code, where Jim changes his language, switches in front of white people to keep up white people's belief that slaves are uneducated and stupid. I listened to the audio version of this one, and the "switch" in front of white people really came out strong.  Something this white girl never thought about. To be black, and smart, were never two things that could both be true as far as the white people were concerned.  After all, that would make their slaves human.  

James, once rid of Huck, spends his time reading and worries that he'll be caught reading and writing.  And he says he reads so fast that his brain didn't have time to stop and think through what he had read.  Was he reading fast because he was afraid of being caught and didn't want to waste a moment?   

"With my pencil, I wrote myself into being."  As if he needed tangible proof that he indeed lived.  Otherwise, there would be no tangible evidence of his existence after he was gone.

James Faber - he got that name off the side of the pencil!!  But oh, that pencil was crazy expensive.  Poor young George.

"I ain't no N Word, but I is a slave."  Whoa.

A slave can be defined by a piece of paper, by law, but a N word is a slur, an insult, the worst derogatory that a black person can hear about himself.  What was really meant by N word in those days?  And did white people see a difference between the two terms?  Doubtful, and shameful.  Could a Freeman be an N word?

And, towards the end, that heartbreaking choice Jim must make.  A lot to talk about there!!

So, definitely a LOT to unpack here.  Brilliant and brave, even if the ending did stretch the imagination a bit and diverged from the original story.  If you liked The Kitchen House, this book is for you.  And I would say, this story is a good reminder of where we do NOT want to be ever again.

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers

 

If you like historical fiction, and especially fictionalized history, this book is for you!

I had NO IDEA.  Of course we all know who Julia Child was, but most of us only knew her as (older) woman who brought French cooking to the American public.  I didn't know she was a SPY.

This novel gives a possible scenario of Julia's time in Burma (Sri Lanka) and other exotic locations.  It supposes details on how she met her husband, and how their love grew.  Chambers does what I thought was a great job in describing Julia's life, her big personality, her outlook, and how she was also insecure - about her voice and her height and her Self.  And, how Paul Child saw all of it and loved her.  

But mostly this story is one of action.  While I wouldn't say the writing was of the highest quality here, I was so fascinated by the story of what Julia was fictionally up to that I could not put this one down.  The author is careful to state that these events "could" have happened this way but that she imagined them all.  We have no real record of what Julia did during her time in the service, but we know she was there and I admire the author for taking that fact and weaving a very possible story from it with very little actual events to go on.  Well done!  I believed every word.

Plus, I mean just LOOK at that cover!  Love it.

This could be a great book club book.  Matter of fact, I think this might have been a book in our book club swap.  Maybe I will recommend it!  As you will see, I seem to be reading a lot of books about "seasoned" women lately, and I am loving it.  Being very salty myself.  HAHA.

Gothictown by Emily Carpenter

 

It just so happens this was the first book I bought on the 2025 Greater Charlotte Book Crawl, on April 1, at an event for Emily Carpenter!  Gothictown was originally described to me as horror, which is not really my jam.  But, I admire authors so much for their work, dedication, revision acceptance, and research that I will go to any Author Event I can!  I even asked the question during the Q&A if this was really True Horror like the King, Stephen.  I was assured it was more creepy than anything, and that was true.  Like chills up your spine trying to figure out how Billie was going to get out of this mess!!

Here's the gist:  a young couple and their 6 year old daughter take an offer to move from NYC to small town Georgia, where for $100 they can buy a house if they will set up business in this dying town.  (Hint - that is foreshadowing!!!)  This small town named Juliana, after the founder's daughter who died young, is a close knit community who seem to barter many services, never go on vacation, and are dedicated to Juliana.  Like, really dedicated. 

So, Billie and Peter move into the big mansion, and things get weird.  They can't sleep, there are nightmares, nothing seems to get done.  Billie opens her restaurant (which was another draw for me - scary story about a restaurant owner!  HAHAHA!  Welcome to my life!) and gets some intense attention from her business neighbor.  (In her Author's notes, Carpenter admits she did not spend much focus on how hard it is to open and run a restaurant; she worked in one for a while before writing this so she knew of what she spoke.  That part of the novel is 100% fantasy haha!!!)

Yeah, things go downhill from there.  Billie is a great strong female protagonist, and her daughter is adorable and perceptive.  The town Elders are the creeptastic ones, and that is a good word to describe this story.  I could not put it down.  It just kept rolling faster and faster and faster and I thought to myself that the writing actually got better and better and better as it went on; not that it was bad at first but the story just rolled!!!

The moral of the story is:  don't always believe what they tell you about a book.  Or a $100 mansion, either.

The 2025 Greater Charlotte Book Crawl Report

 (This is a long one, y'all, get your coffee/wine ready....)

Ah, April in Charlotte - the azaleas bloom for about 3 days, the Pollen keeps my husband indoors and medicated, and the rain gives us a hint of the June thunderstorms to come.

Also, it is the month of the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl!!!!!!!

I started the Book Crawl in its inaugural year, 2023.  I made it to a few stores but didn't come close to finishing.  Last year - well, last year was Restaurant Hell, so I didn't even try.  But this year, I was determined!  I even wore my Book Earrings.  (What, you don't have any??)  Over about 11 days, I completed the Book Crawl Challenge by visiting 22 bookstores in and around Charlotte.

This is such a great, win-win event.  With several corporate sponsors (thank you Cannon School, Rowan Rock & Timber, and Charlotte Arts & Lectures!), and powered by Independent Booksellers in and around Charlotte, this event encourages not only reading, but support of local businesses, a sense of adventure and community, and a great excuse to buy more books!  No purchase is necessary, but hey, we are talking about READERS here.

A new scheme was put into place this year to encourage tiers of completion:  At the seventh store visited, participants received a free poster about reading.  Once they hit 15 stores, the prize is a GCBC tote bag that perfectly fits two layers of several hardback books sideways.  IYKYK!  And at completion of all 22 stores, a coupon for 10% off at any store was handed out, to be used by the end of May.  I loved these levels of incentives - kept me interested and motivated!! 

Once I finished visiting all the stores, I entered to win the Grand Prize, which is a $20 gift certificate to EACH of the 22 stores!!  Whoo hoo!  More books!!  Yesterday I found out that 676 of my fellow participants also entered to win, and alas, I did not win the Grand Prize.  

Oh well.

I still consider myself a winner.  Although my TBR stack has now spilled into TWO bookshelf cubbies.

Here is how I did it:

1.  Troubadour Booksellers is one of the newest stores in town at only 6 months old.  This proper bookstore in Matthews on Monroe Road is beautifully set up with tables at the door for new releases, a whole section of fantasy/romantasy, science fiction and horror, and most all other fiction blended together by alphabetical author all down the right hand side wall.  Troubadour hosts several different book clubs, has reading sessions with Library employees for kids, hosts author events like the one I went to April 1 with Emily Carpenter for her new book Gothictown (Book #1 in my stack!), and has a super friendly staff!  This is my new Local!!!

2.  So Much More To The Story - a Bookery is a sweet little brick and mortar store that started out as a mobile pop up and graduated to permanent status (while keeping the bookmobile) in Monroe.  The flowers out front, the sweet window display, the gifts selection!  This is a gem of a store, and the first of many with that highly desired address of MAIN STREET!

3. The Book Lady is a used book store institution, also in Monroe.  Stacks and stacks of books and a hush over them all make this feel like an old library.  You can drop off used books for store credit, and all fiction is alphabetical by author - although they separate paperbacks and hardbacks!  Super fun for browsing, you definitely need extra time in here.

4.  The final stop in Monroe was Archimedes Loft.  Took me a while to find this one - you must look for the sign painted on the window of the eclectic gift shop the books share space with.  Archimedes was also mobile only to start, and she focuses on LGBTQ stories.  I had a great time chatting with the owner and bought two books here - AND a darling reversible hand sewn apron for my daughter!

5.  Park Road Books has long been my favorite local bookstore, as well as many a Charlottean since 1977!  For a while I thought they were the only gig in town besides the big box stores.  (Thank you, GCBC, for my education!)  I was in there so much that the owner, Sally, recognized my voice over the rows of shelves!  She came to my book club to talk books, and to my church to talk books, and I love Sally.  I read what Sally says to read.  Sally is the one who admonished me for not reading more of an author just because I didn't like one book.  (You don't "not like" a sibling of someone you don't like, do you?)  So when PRB had an author event/book launch, and for my NEIGHBOR Carol Baldwin no less, in April, this had to be next on my list!  I love to wander down the first aisle, then say hello to the chairs and the kids books, then have a look at the YA Fantasy covers as I make my way back up to the recent releases in the front window.  Just, a CLASSIC bookseller, and man do they know their books (and puzzles!). PRB is on par with Costco for me not being able to leave without a stack of books.  I love it.  Say hello to Yola for me next time you go (woof woof!).

6.  Next up for me was a trip to Belmont, NC and Belmont Books.  I walked in through the back door, wandered up the back hall by the staircase, and BAM - this is my new favorite store.  It is BEAUTIFUL!! Now, maybe I loved it because they serve wine.....  ha. And have a darling little patio out back. But honestly, I loved the color, the set up, the furniture - it just had that Vibe.  I told my book club we should do a field trip out to Belmont - it is worth the drive. Plus, they have a dog. (Cute little Main street too!)

7.  About 2 miles up the street I found Cleary's Bookstore in Mount Holly (and I am still on Main Street!).  Jammed packed with books, this small space manages not to feel claustrophobic and literally packs a lot in.  They seem to do lots of good events, but at other spaces as they are so small.  Bumped into another fellow book lover here (Hi Annissa Joy!) and delighted the bookseller as this was my seventh stop so I was their first customer to receive the It's A Good Day To Read poster!!  Whoo hoo!

8.  Then I drove back through town and hit Book Buyers. Oh My Goodness do they have books.  Huge space, row after row after row of bookshelves!  And cats.  There must have been 5-7 cats wandering the aisles.  Just so ya know.  This is a used bookstore over on Eastway Drive.  I had never been here and I am not sure I have ever seen so many books.  Whew, overwhelming.

9.  So it is only fitting that I ended this day (five stores in one day was quite a lot, actually!) by going back down Central Avenue and venturing into Trope Bookshop.  I had heard about this store, but had never been.  For some reason whoever told me about it gave me bad vibes, but I thought it was super cute!  They ONLY carry Romance Novels.  That's right, y'all, it is no cliche to say this store was full of women, mostly young(er than me) girls.  Lots of bright covers, lots of romantasy, and lots of business!!  Romance novels are not really my thing, but I did like this old house converted into rooms of books.  Good think I like houses turned into bookstores.....

10.  ...because that was not the only one!  Editions - Coffee & Bookstore had even more twisty-turny rooms and hallways lined with books!  Located kinda out there, but not the farthest even, in Kannapolis, this one took a separate trip.  I grabbed some coffee and a delicious strawberry croissant and wandered the rooms, back hall, the sewing room, and the front porch filled with tables to look out through the enclosed windows onto, yep, you guessed it:  Main Street!!!  

11. Another Used Book Store was next up:  Second Look Books.  I felt very comfortable in here as if I was in someone's storage room, garage, or Rec Room full of books (I am looking at you, Mom).  I bumped into Kimber from The Book Rack (see below) in this shop!  Fun little gifts in here too, book related of course - I bought two books and two pair of book related earrings for my daughters (Harry Potter and Kitty with Tea and Books; if you know them, you know who got which!!).  I would actually make the trip back up to Harrisburg for this smaller store, I liked it!!

WHEW!  I AM HALFWAY THERE!  GO GRAB A REFRESHER ON YOUR CUPPA OR COFFEE OR SOME ICE CREAM WHILE I/WE TAKE A BREAK.

OK, READY?  GO!

12.  One Friday late afternoon, my husband was at our restaurant and I was home alone with no plans (That is what happens when you own a restaurant, you never make plans on the weekends because you are usually working!).  So I jumped into my car and headed southwest to my home state of South Carolina.  Rock Hill was on the GCBC map this year and I decided to spend my Friday night there!  The first shop, Tall Stories Books & Print Gallery, was easily the most eclectic shop with the most eclectic wares and books and layout!  Looked like they combined two former spaces, one on the ground floor and one up several stairs, and sold everything from books, used and new, to toys from the '70's to antique first edition books priced at $1000 just sitting right there on a shelf behind the main desk for all to see and reach.  Crazy!!

13.  Next I drove around the corner until I saw the huge skeleton.  Seriously, those were the directions I got from the staff at Tall Stories to find the Liberty Book Company.  Easily my second favorite store.  It too is an old house, and boy did they EVER cram some books in here!  I literally stood at the doorway for about 2 full minutes just taking it all in.  So many nooks and crannies and archways and rooms and BOOKS!   Another combo of new and old here, plus some spooky, witchy, magical, rebellious and winkable items.  I LOVED it.  I wandered and felt the ghost spirit that must be there and was fascinated by the layout of the house and its history - there were books all the way down the walls right up to the back door hallway.  I asked my new friend Allison (store owner) if the house was haunted because it MUST be and she just nodded knowingly. I knew she knew her stuff because she had Outlander in the Historical Fiction section where it belongs!!!!  We had a delightful chat, I bought several many books, and I would definitely go back there again.  Super fun to browse.

14. Last in SC was CCB Bistro & Vine.  Also known as Corks, Cooks & Books.  Situated at the end of a strip mall in Rock Hill, this is much more of a cafe/wine bar than a book store.  I will keep in mind that I was there on a Friday evening.  But with people sitting around the relatively small space, it was hard to browse without feeling like you were on top of the people eating.  So, when in Rome, right?  I ordered my dinner to go and had a glass of wine while I waited.  

15.  My final stop that evening was to sneak into my good old standby: The Book Rack in South Charlotte.  Best Used bookstore in town imho.  (Then again, I didn't know about all the other ones, shame on me.)  I honestly have so much credit in here that I should never have to pay more than $3 for a book ever again in my life.  But I will!  And, this being stop #15, I earned my GCBC Tote Bag with this visit!!  Cue the bar bell!!  Huge space laid out so there is room to wander, mostly organized by genre then author. Historical Fiction to the right behind the desk, thrillers in the middle, sci-fi to the left, romance in the back, Literary Fiction in the left side room with kids, cookbooks, and religion.  Drop off all your "I'm done with this one" books for credit when you come back in.  And Kimber does a hilarious job on social media  - so follow the Book Rack on Facebook/Instagram!

16.  The next several stops I had to break into visits on several different days.  There was one lady who completed the entire crawl in three days - no way I could have done that!  Anyway, I went up to North End one afternoon to visit That's Novel.  I had been there two years ago when I started the Crawl and there were a few books in the back of a gift shop.  Well, NOW there are a few gifts on a table in the middle of this Book Store!  Not a huge selection, but a great addition to all the restaurants and shops in the area of town just north of uptown for sure.

17.   Another day I headed to Concord and visited Goldberry Books.  Now this was an interesting stop.  Famous for the green velvet sofa in the middle of the shop, this store also had an entire cabinet devoted to Tolkien.  Turns out, even the name of the store is a reference to a character in his books.  AND, it was the first place I had been to that had all their fiction arranged by author - all of it.  No separate area for historical fiction and sci fi and thriller, nope it was all on the left hand wall.  I find this GREAT if you know exactly what book you are looking for, or if you are working on being a completist for a particular author.  But for browsing maybe not so much.  Still, I managed, haha.  I did like this store and spent a lot more time in here than I meant too.  Oops.  And, bought my first Christmas present!  Well, I won't wait that long to gift it, but you know what I mean.  I bought something for someone ELSE! Shocker. (and, no, the book in the picture is not the gift, it is for me - but it's a book club book so that's ok, right??)

18. Then I drove slowly through the little mill town -so cute- to find the Urban Book Reader Bookmobile.  Those ladies are hilarious!!  I just about fell into the bookmobile that used to be a school bus, and joked that I was falling for another book, and it went downhill from there (wink).  This bookshop focuses on African American writers and stories.  I walked out with two books that have been on my list for a long time and two new friends!! 

19.  Salisbury is a great little town, but I am sorry to say I just don't think this store should be on the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl. It's too far away.  There were plenty of other stores closer to home that I would rather visit.  BUT, I went - South Main Book Company was an hour drive from my house, and had one of the prettier storefronts on guess where - Main Street.  But honestly, nothing special.  

20. So close!  One more day of driving up 77 to go to Mooresville, Cornelius and Davidson and I would be done.  I may have spent more in gas than I did in books.  Yeah, ok, no not really.  Number 20 was Fred and June's Books on Main Street in Mooresville.  I had never been to Mooresville and the Saturday afternoon I went they had a festival on Main Street and it was all pedestrianized.  I did not have very high hopes about this store from the outside, but inside was a delight. Never judge a bookstore by its cover.  Clean lines, easily identifiable genre signs, adorable little kids room at the back.  This is what a local bookstore is all about.  Check out their story here: About | Fred & June's Books

21.  Walls of Books is another small used book store tucked in a strip mall just off I-77.  I walked in and almost immediately found two books of one of my favorite series that I had not been able to find in print.  BINGO!  Lots of eclectic and older choices in here - I could have browsed a bit longer but.....

22.  I saved Main Street Books for LAST!  I had been to Davidson to an Author event a few years ago, but it was not held at the store, so I had never actually been in the store.  Loved it.  Classic set up with shorter shelves throughout and a thoughtful display on the left side wall.  Lots of gift items too. So great to get that final stamp, plus a 10% off my entire purchase coupon to be used in May at any of the stores.  I felt very accomplished!

So THAT is my Book Crawl Report.  I will definitely visit several of these again, and loved seeing how they were all so different in design, space, use of space, definition of genre, choice of books, and just how friendly everyone was.  And how many bookstores are on Main Street (7!).  So fun.

That's a Reader for ya.  Next time, I'll reveal all the books I bought!!! My poor TBR.....

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

 

Honestly, I cannot wait to see what my Book Club says about this one.

I think it will be half and half as to whether they like it.  And I can almost guess who will, and who won't.

Here's why:

This book is way too long.  It is very vague in some parts, drops hints that don't come back around until 3-4 pages later to explain, has fragmented sentences, deals with some really painful topics, makes you wonder what's real and what's imagined, and is very atmospheric.  Every character has a Part, however tiny, in why and how the story unfolds.  It does not all come together until the very end, and some felt that ending was less than closure.  Many readers will probably give up on this one as it was frustrating to read. 

I wonder what his editor was thinking.

There is no doubt that Whitaker is an exceptional writer.  His ability to create characters is amazing.  He may have taken on too many topics in this one.  

But.

Wow.

I still say wow.  I gave it five stars because I was finally able to look past all those "faults" and dig into the meaning.  Yes, it could and should have been arranged differently.  Yes, it could have been more clear.  But it was SUPPOSED to be that way!  We don't know what Patch doesn't know - and what he will never know we do know.  See?  Like that.

This book has one of the most beautiful connections to its title that I have ever read.  It is a beautiful love story - and not the romantic kind.  The SACRIFICIAL kind, to the point of yes, maybe some obsession on Saint's part (she's Patch's best friend - the one liners between these two are hilarious in a very dark book.  His name is for obvious reasons, so one day he winks at her and she deadpans "Technically when YOU do it, it's a blink".   He frowns. Bahahaha!)  

You'll ask yourself all kinds of questions with this one - mainly WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING??  It is convoluted, it is confusing, it is heartbreaking, it is kinda tough.  I took five pages of notes while reading it, and most of it was along the lines of wait, what? 

But you don't get to be a Reader without some beautiful ugly.*  

*Stole this term from a book by Alice Feeney - also a weird reality bending mystery!

The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes

 

I wonder what I would have thought of this book if I had NOT read I Am Pilgrim and declared it just about the most perfect book??

We waited SO long for this book.  It has nothing to do with Pilgrim, but is another story of a spy, South- Central Asia 'stans, dangerous missions, MacGyver like escapes, and intrigue.  A lot of reviewers on Goodreads are saying don't read past about page 200 - because the second half goes off the rails.  Literally.  This IS a Thriller and a spy novel, but there is some sci-fi thrown in towards the end that just does not mesh.  I like sci-fi fine, but keep it in its lane.  It made the ending a disappointment for me, and while I can now see where he was going and how Kane was set up to save the world as only he could do.....meh.  

Now, having gotten THAT out of the way, I still gave it four stars.  It is a complicated story with flashbacks and trauma and human emotions - I love when Rebecca gives the CIA uppers what for (go girl!).  I enjoyed the tension, the obvious research into the regions, the military aspect, and the details about a secret organization and secret missions.  I was even still onboard (ahem) for the new submarine technology.  Kane has some inner conflicts that made him very layered, and to add in the family drama made him a very human asset (yeah, ok, I am having too much fun with this one).  The writing is great.  But the big twist just did not belong here.  Not sure how else they could have solved this issue of saving the world, but that is what writers do = suppose.  Great title, great characters, but if you are not the kind to set aside the realistic, this is not the book for you.  

And this from the girl who loves dragons in a book, so fantasy is fine!  Just, not here.  (No, there are no dragons here, just some really mind bending sci fi stuff that I cannot tell you more about without ruining the story!).

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

 

I really like Lucy Foley's books.

And I really like the format of her books - especially in audio!

This one, like The Guest List, is told from multiple perspectives and performed by multiple actors/readers/narrators (what do they want to be called, anyway???). So much fun!  I think it would be hard to keep up with who is "talking" without the different voices, so this is definitely one to listen to.

And again, the location is as much a character as the characters. Twisty and turny and a web woven for sure! A secret tragedy one summer between local kids and the rich people on the hill comes crashing back when events are set in motion to bring them all back together again for one fateful weekend by the sea. Definitely not an original outline, but certainly an original presentation.  And the BIRDS.....  wow!!

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

 

I don't know how this is possible, but this was my first Ariel Lawhon book!! 

It will not be the last.  I enjoyed this story SO much more than I even thought I would.  Lawhon's writing takes you RIGHT THERE - to 1780's Maine, no less.  This is fascinating historical fiction INSPIRED BY a real woman - Martha Ballard - who served as a healer and midwife in her small riverside community.  Her journals gave the author the start she needed, and was arguably a character of its own in this story.  A death, several accusations, a fantastically warped and evil bad guy, side plots of her nine children, her past, abuse inflicted upon women, birthing rooms, and her status in the community both as a respected midwife and a woman who cannot give testimony without her husband present all combine into a can't put it down kind of story.  There are a few flashbacks, but not so many as to be jarring.  You really get a feel for the hardships of farm life, of small towns, of suspicions and finger pointing and judgement that was so prevalent in those times.  

In the author's notes, which I ALWAYS read, Lawhon tells how she found this story, condensed the timeline, changed a few other details, but tried to stay within historical accuracy as much as possible. (Never read the author's notes first, y'all, spoilers abound!!) Still, this is fiction.   And I would never have learned about Mrs. Ballard without this book.  I loved that she is a 50 year old woman with life experience.  I loved that her husband was firm, attentive, and totally still in love with his wife.  I loved that Martha had a spark (fictionalized, but may also be true).  I also loved the way the author wrote about the way women were treated and viewed back then - how absolutely horrifyingly the punishments differed for men and for women - fines that would ruin a woman and men who got away with, well, murder.  How women were blamed for unwanted pregnancies - unwanted in the worst way.  Lawhon is relatively delicate about these situations, but doesn't turn her head either.  It happened.  No revisionist history here. And she tells a few facts that she could have turned into another novel about descendants of Martha's - just amazing.

I was actually reminded of my favorite female protagonist - Clare Fraser.  Healer, labeled witch, butts head with men in power.  Yes, I think Martha and Clare would have been fast friends.  If only Clare traveled to Maine...

Some great side stories here about Martha's children - we wait to see Cyrus' story, we learn about Jonathan, we watch as Hannah and Dolly fall in love.  

The ending was pretty perfect too.  

Lawhon's next book is about Grace O'Malley - female Pirate.  I am so in.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

 

Oh. My. Goodness.

My mom gave me this book for Christmas.  She rarely gives me books because honestly, I have usually already read it.  (Shrug)  And because we share books so we just trade all year long.  My mom reads more than I do.  It is true!!

But, when she gave it to me and to my sister in law, she said, "This might be the best book I ever read."

Wow.  She has NEVER EVER said that.

I just finished it last night.  And now I see what she means. 

This is the book that has a blank flap.  And ya know what?  I think I might honor that here in my review by just saying this:

READ THIS BOOK.  It will make you smile, appreciate, observe, love harder, pay attention, want to be a Friend, cry, and be so amazed at the writing that this first time author but very experienced human has shared with the world.  Bravo, Mr. Levi.

We could all use a little Theo in our lives, indeed.

My Reading Life

My Reading Life

as at February 16, 2025

Each year for the past 3 years I have drawn myself a Bookshelf for my year of reading.  I draw little rectangles on "rulered" lines where I can write the book titles in as I finish a book.  I color code it by Audio, Owned, Borrowed, or Kindle.  I have a separate shelf to highlight my Book Club Books, and a Challenge Shelf in the middle to challenge myself.  One year I picked 12 books from my TBR shelf (the real life one with real life Hardbacks), and last year I upped it to 18 because that shelf is overflowing, y'all!  I didn't get to all of them, so this year I assigned each book a month in which I need to read it, taking the decision making, and the stalling, out of the equation.  It helps with What Should I Read Next (thank you Modern Mrs Darcy - that is a great podcast if you are looking to add several many books to your list!!).

Over these past three years, and really since Covid, I have not been reading as much.  My husband and I opened a restaurant 30 minutes away from our house, and that has taken most of our attention.  It has, however, afforded me more time for audio books - I listen in the car to and from the restaurant.  Looking at my Bookshelves Lists, I see more and more yellow, the color for audio.  And these are not usually books I would normally read.  There have been more romantic comedies, a Neil Gaiman, and the current medieval fiction about the plague.  Only once have I stopped listening to a book because I just did not like the narrator's voice.  And I was one of those who used to think listening didn't count, because by definition reading is using your EYES, not your EARS.  But some of these have been so well performed that suddenly I realized it really was like combining two of my favorite things - books and theatre!  I am a true convert.

But don't worry, nothing can ever replace the feel of a book in my lap or on my table, with my trusty book weight holding down the sides.  Or the way reading an actual book is a true getaway, forcing me to relax and enter a new world.  I can get distracted by my thoughts when listening to a book that does not happen when I am reading the page.  And I love talking about books with others - I met a new friend at Christmas and we immediately bonded when she saw my bookshelves in my house.  Like, "Oh, you are a Reader, I already know I am going to like you."  Even my brother and I can talk books now, and my sister in law and I are planning another Book Store Tour like the one we did a few years ago in New York (sorry David, Dot wins). My mother and my grandmother definitely got the ball rolling for me and my daughters - we are a generational family of Readers for sure!

My beloved book club has now been reading together for 20 years as of September.  That is almost 180 books.  We've had a few author visits (hello, Kimmery!  Come back soon!), several Sally visits, 23 members total, and 46 kids, 20 grandchildren, 1 Pandemic and a bajillion bottles of wine (and yes, Luan's 360 bottles of Bud Light).  We read mostly fiction (only 17 non fiction books in 20 years!!), and a majority historical fiction.  We try to throw a "classic" in each year too.  That doesn't always go over well.  We are representative of probably 3, maybe 4 generations, and while a few have dropped out or moved, we have added a few new members and been all the better for it.  I usually like the books we choose, and while I recommend a lot of them, some of them are definitely ones I would never have picked up without my book club.  Which is the point really.  Well, except for the friendships and talks and support and laughter.  We actually do talk about The Book!!

But Book Club is only one book a month.  That cubby in my Bookshelf (the real one) is still staring me down with lots of other books I know the club won't want to read - too many dragons and creatures and heft in most of them!  But isn't that the amazing thing about a Reading Life?  No two are EVER the same. No two people on the planet have the same list of books read in their lives, waiting to be read, or that they want to read (yes, there's a difference).  Amazing, right?  How marvelous.  I intend to be better about sharing my list, my shelves, with you this year!  Hang on tight.......my current read is a first - there is NOTHING on the inside flap.  Do what?  

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

 

I really need to stop reading books about planes.

BUT - this one left me going WOW, I need to write a review on this one!  Good thing as then I realized it has been, well, months.  So, let me see if I can catch you up on some of Rawles' Reads!!!

This was my first read of 2025.  I have read several of Moriarty's books and enjoyed all but one of them.  Here One Moment might be my favorite.  It is different from her other stories - not set in a neighborhood, or in one town, or in one family, but set, at least to start, on an airplane.  An older woman suddenly stands up and tells each person on the plane how old they will be when they die, and what they will die of.

Yikes.

This doesn't change everyone's lives like we saw in The Measure.  Sure, some people change a few things, and one mother goes ballistic, but most people don't believe her - until some of her predictions begin to come true.

What I really enjoyed here was the thread Moriarity cleverly attached to many of the passengers, especially the woman in question on the plane.  Once we finally begin to get her back story, we can start to really wonder - is it as mystical as it seemed?  At first you'll think you are just being jerked around from story to story, but stick with it.  I promise it is worth it.

And the quote about the author "landing" the ending?  Yeah, ok, that was a good one.  I agree.