March 2025 reads

My links are all going to The StoryGraph now, since that's what I'm using instead of GoodReads for tracking (I still have some updates on GoodReads for Netgalley purposes). StoryGraph is Black-woman owned. GoodReads is Amazon owned and fuck billionaires. Please for the millionth time I beg of you, do not buy physical books on Amazon unless they are available literally nowhere else.  

You can find me on StoryGraph here. 

Engrossing Reads

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange - I read this in a day and it had a hold on me. Emotional, like leaking tears a little close to the end without even realizing it. OCNJ library hardcover

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker - Dark and honestly not my typical as I don't delve much into horror-ish books but I loved the writing and sped through this. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/29

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith - The morning I started this, I wanted to take the day off of work and read it through but alas life happens and that's not always possible. I loved The Unsinkable Greta James by this author and this one was a love too. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/8

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney - I've not had a good go of it with recent Alice Feeney books so I was pleasantly surprised by the hold this one had on me. It's quick moving and held my interest throughout. OCNJ library hardcover

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan - I'd read a series with Julia Harte, but I'm not sure that's in the cards here. I love a mystery set in Ireland and this one was a speedy read for me. OCNJ library hardcover

Trust Me on This by Lauren Parvizi - I grew to love these sisters despite what initially annoyed me about both and always love a road trip as a setting for a book. Even if it's actual big life check things off the list road trip over the see these things road trip. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/8

Husband Missing (Josie Quinn #22) by Lisa Regan - At 22 books in, Regan continues to deliver in the Josie Quinn universe, and when I reach the end of a book I'm happy she puts them out regularly because the cliff hangers get me every time. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn - While a woman estranged from her family reconnecting with them to find out magic runs through her bloodline is not anything new, this was an interesting take on the particular power of a line of witches. Feminism, protection of women in community, justice meted out in what could be construed as revenge? No chance I'm going to dislike it. I liked it a lot. The strangler storyline was a good pairing with those themes. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick - I loved the storyline and the characters, but it is down here instead of up there because it felt a little slow at times. I also think we're not too far from where these women were in the 1960s and that pisses me off, but not the fault of the book or author. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/22

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley - This did not blow my socks off and felt overindulgent at points but it also felt super familiar and made me text Amanda, Frank, Mark, and MFD immediately - the backbone of the book is people and their relationship to music and with each other through the lens of music and man if it didn't feel like revisiting hundreds of conversations and debates we've had over the years at bars and backyard parties and the like. Sometimes a book strikes a chord even when it's not a perfect book. OCNJ library hardcover 

Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey - It's weird to read something that feels like a budding romance against the backdrop of serial killing, is it not? It propelled me to finish despite spending a good portion of the first half wondering what type of book this was. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/29

A Killing Cold by Kate Marshall - Whew, what a family of nutters. That kept me going through this even when there were holes or the urge to consistently shout THEO YOU IN DANGER GIRL throughout. OCNJ library hardcover

Eat, Slay, Love by Julie Mae Cohen - This was a fun little darkly humorous revenge on a conman scenario that read quickly and don't require overthinking. We love these types of books for being a smooth ride not requiring a literary dissertation. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/8

Not For Me

The Sirens by Emilia Hart - Sad to categorize Hart's sophomore effort as "not for me" since I was so looking forward to it after reading and enjoying Weyward, her first. Loved the ties to the past and memory and water, but this did not do it for me otherwise. Lucy was an impossible character to like, and that didn't help. I'll definitely give the next Hart a go though. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/1

Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang - Likely a good for you, not for me scenario here. I've had it up to my chin with hearing about wellness influencers and their toxic bullshit so that really hampered my enjoyment here. The story tends young, and 25 year old me surely would have liked this if social media was a thing when I was 25. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 4/29

Did Not Finish

 n/a

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What have you been reading?

March 2023 Reads

I know it's not a typical month for me when I have to ask myself what I'm even reading and many times the answer is a blank mind. Life LOL

March reads: 

Engrossing Reads

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent - This is super dark with some really depraved shit in here but injected with some levity here and there. I feel like I saw it compared in some way to Eleanor Oliphant and man this is definitely more disturbing. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes July 18

The Bitter Past (Porter Beck #1) by Bruce Borgos - What a cast of characters. It's hard to pick a favorite! They made the book, and the story was decent too. Will definitely read the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review, book publishes July 18

The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart - An interesting idea for a story, and I loved that I thought the book was about so many things that it was not really about at all. Thoughtful and interesting writing as I’ve come to expect from Baart. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes June 13

Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon - This was an interesting story - drug a bit at the end but overall enjoyed and I don't think I've read anything like it before. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes May 16

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop (Whistle Stop #2) by Fannie Flagg - Reading a Fannie Flagg with characters you know from previous books is like getting a hug from someone who has loved you your whole life even if you don't see them often. I never want them to end. OCNJ library hardcover

Passed the Time Just Fine

All the Blue-Eyed Angels (Erin Solomon Mystery #1) by Jen Blood - I was reading this late and night and it was on 5% for an eternity and I was like this is terrible then realized it was because I somehow have all five kindle books and it is tracking them as a whole. I always love a cult component and that's why I delved into this. It was fine if not a little bumbling and Erin Solomon herself is mildly on my nerves so book two will either make it or kill it for me reading the rest. Sometimes I think the first book in a series is mainly to work out kinks. Kindle, own

Have You Seen Her by Catherine McKenzie - This was sort of plodding along and then the last little over a quarter of the book I was like huh. Never saw this shit coming. I didn't mind that. The plodding along I did mind a little. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book publishes June 27

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard - I enjoyed the chosen family relationship here. A quick read that kept me on my toes with a few what is this doing in here scenes Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes June 13

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai - I was pumped by the premise but it fell short in a number of ways and felt like the reading experience itself drug on for three years. Me at the point in the picture below: "I started reading this book four score and seven years ago." A better editor would have this shipshape. OCNJ library hardcover

Hidden Pieces (Misty Pines Mystery #1) by Mary Keliikoa - I got this because I have the second one from Netgalley. It was fine but I'm hoping for better from the second and wondering if I should have broken my cardinal rule of read all series books starting with one but alas here we are, the rule stands. Kindle, own

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

Stone Maidens by Lloyd Devereux Richards - Yes, of course I purchased a copy of the book a daughter shared that her dad  had worked on for a million years. He's a good writer but this is definitely detail-heavy in forensics (and I don't think always super accurate?) and that will be a heavy lift for a lot of people who pick it up and are used to reading or watching thrillers that provide forensic details and make people feel like they are CSIs but absolutely gloss over them in reality. The main character is a little bit of a mess which I don't have a ton of patience for either. A+ story of how this book got into the mainstream, lower marks for the reading experience. Paperback, own, NFM

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I saw Harlan Coben in conversation with Liz Moore this month and that was fantastic. I've read every Harlan Coben book and two of Liz Moore's. 

What have you been reading?

Snippets of the weekend 3.13.2023

Friday I cleaned up my office for the last hour of Friday and I need to get another hour of that done sometime soon. My brother dropped my niece and nephew off. My nephew had MFD's neck collar on within two minutes, and Bruce had it on two  minutes later. Lola was the teacher. I ordered pizza that the place cancelled without telling me so off the four of us went in the rain to Friendly's which they liked and I found disgusting aside from the ice cream. We watched some movie and played school and Star Wars then I took them home. I was back home by midnight and asleep around 1:30. 

Saturday we went to the shore and MFD painted the new window trim while I sorted shit, put stuff away, picked a contact paper for the kitchen island, and hunted obsessively for dining room chairs. We ordered pizza, I took the best friend dogs to the beach, and finished a book and started another. 

Sunday I woke up at 8 then went back to sleep until 10:30. I am a fucking troll on spring forward Sunday and that held true yesterday. MFD hung blinds and I painted my nails (OPI Sage Simulation & Essie Transcend the Trend), cleared stuff up, changed sheets, and we took a walk before packing the car up and heading back to Philly. Leftover pizza and The Office for the night on Philly couches. 

weekending reels on Instagram 

Last night I was up until 4 because as stated I am an infant troll regarding time change.

My Pop turned 92 on Saturday. He's not well at the moment and I'm wishing him peace. 

Three Things March 2022

Three things I like about spring

1. No more heavy jackets

2. Flowers

3. No heat on in the house

Three things I dislike about spring

1. Cleaning up the flower bed and other assorted yardwork

2. Allergies

3. Bugs return

Three things I drink most often besides water and iced coffee

1. Barry's tea combined with Stash peppermint tea

2. Bubly - usually lime, strawberry, or blackberry

3. Iced tea

Three in the house projects I want to get done in April

1. Remove/store shore winter items and (related) sort all shore supplies sitting in the middle bedroom there

2. Move couch to MFD's office in Philly

3. Go through two bins in my room in Philly

Three things I eat for lunch or dinner when I don't feel like cooking

1. Cheese, crackers, banana peppers, olives, odds and ends - we call this a fun plate in my house

2. Cereal

3. Salad

Three things I've been putting off

1. Going to the post office

2. Sorting papers

3. Taxes

Three things I've been killing it at

1. Daily vitamins

2. Night face routine

3. Walking more

Three things I'm over

1. Reels on the main Instagram feed

2. Forgetting things when I go to the store/get things delivered

3. Wiping kitchen counters

Three things I'm looking forward to

1.Warmer days

2. Acupuncture tomorrow

3. Porch sitting

You? 

 

TWTW - last one in March

Friday I was up, showered, had the best friend dogs walked and fed, and was sitting at my computer working by 7 with the goal of being done by 3. It was so warm at lunch I could have cried with happiness. but windy AF so not a beach walking day. The dogs closed their eyes immediately which is a sign. I was still happy to open the windows and finish my workday on the porch, transitioning right into reading. I threw together dinner of chicken breasts in the air fryer/steamed red potatoes/steamed cauliflower (that's MFD's plate I put aside for  him, my food would not be touching like that), and MFD and the old dogs arrived around 8. 

Saturday Up by 7 despite praying for a sleep in. The dogs all got nails clipped and ears cleaned so there was howling, biting, scratching, misdirected rage, and general assholery. I got rid of some stuff via Buy Nothing pickups, went to the hardware store, sanded and spray painted the stools and bench, had a family beach sit, hoagies from Sack o’Subs for lunch (never again, unacceptable roll), then I went off in search of two replacement porch chairs. I got stuff at HomeGoods but it took three more stores until I found chairs. When I got home we ordered dinner from Luigi’s for pickup, I grabbed a few groceries before getting that, and left a fucking grocery bag at the store which I only realized after coming home so I had to go back and get it. We lounged and started watching Ginny & Georgia. 

Sunday I painted my nails in an Eastery fashion, showered, packed up, and was on the road by 10:30 with all four dogs, stopping to get gas (they pump your gas for you in NJ, you are not allowed to pump your own - I do not drive alone with a mask on lol) and driving through horrible downpours. In Philly I did five loads of laundry, got a bunch of shit out to the curb for trash day including two tables from the back yard that were broken from Tornadogate 2020 yet were still out there, got four boxes/bags of donations together, ran to the grocery store for sweet potatoes which of course they were out of (but had steamable in a bag, which I hate due to the extra plastic, but this is where we are), made dinner, and fell out on the couch. MFD was at the shore doing more of the small bathroom wall tiles and got home just as dinner was done. 

It felt good to get stuff done this weekend at both houses, which is not the usual. 

I'm sad to see birthday month go, as always, but looking forward to warmer weather and being outside more and being vaccinated and seeing my fucking friends. I'll still celebrate next week with family over Easter weekend too. 

How was yours?

Show Us Your Books March 2021

March! Books! Birthday countdown (less than one week)! I feel a little more like my regular reading self these days pace-wise. 

Before we begin, just as Black History Month is every month and Black history is everyone’s history, Women's History Month is every month and women's history is everyone's history! 

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

Circe by Madeline Miller - I bought a used paperback copy of this from my local used paperback store, and I sat down with it on the eve of picking up two library books I really wanted to get into because I thought I would not like this and would just pass it on to the shore library I keep in the living room for renters. I'm not interested in Greek mythology and I hate stories of Odysseus so I never expected to like this. I loved this book. This is why I am willing to let books I don't love go unfinished - because if I wasn't, I'd be less likely to pick up ones I think might fall into that category and I'd miss out on something wonderful. used paperback, own

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam - I tore through this in under two hours. As it's in prose, that is super easy to do. I thought it was great, but prose is not my sweet reading spot. OCNJ library hard cover

The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich - I absolutely loved this. I loved the characters and this little town. The book was like a hug. It reminded me of Fannie Flagg books. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Girls are All so Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn - I don't know what I was expecting, but it was not this book. It was dark, and imperfect as all stories are, but I was sucked in and could not put it down. The end seemed rushed. Multiple trigger warnings. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also won my first ever Goodreads contest and got an advanced paperback copy of this book, which is how I read it.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay - I could not put this down. So good. I figured some things out but that didn’t matter. What a ride! Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Passed the Time Just Fine

Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh - This book reading experience is hard for me to explain to others. I loved the writing and the plot, but something about it kept breaking down in the reading of it and it took me a while to get through. I was always thinking about the book and puzzling it out in my brain, but I was less eager to pick it up. It was a weird reading experience. I definitely liked it. OCNJ library hard cover

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey - What a character. It was fine, a little draggy in parts, I was most interested in the actual biographical parts of his life and less in the philosophical parts although I do enjoy his outlaw wisdom. I probably should have listened to this, which would make it the second book I ever listened to outside of Michelle Obama's. OCNJ library hard cover

Inheriting Edith by Zoe Fishman - There are a lot of books on my kindle that I have literally no idea how I got them or when. This is one of them. It ended up being a fine story, very light despite some heavier themes. Sort of Elin Hilderbrand-ish. kindle book

The Fortunate Ones by Ed Tarkington - It's not going to sound like I enjoyed this when I say it, but it was like a watered down version of a Pat Conroy drama. If you know how much I love Pat Conroy, that might make more sense? Anyway I liked it. OCNJ library hard cover

All Girls by Emily Layden - I love a boarding school book. It drug in some spots and I had little interest in some of the players (too many to track sometimes), but overall I enjoyed the way this story was told. Examination of sex and consent and what women are told vs what actually happens in society. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

A Killer's Daughter (Agent Nadine Finch #1) by Jenna Kernan - This was not a good start with me - lots of repetition and just some completely unrealistic expectations on the part of the main character concerning her identity - but I attribute that to first in a series blues. Repetition will absolutely kill a story for me - we get it, you've told us MANY TIMES - but this story was interesting and the good stuff was really good. I will give the second book a go. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Midnight Library by Matthew Haig - I loved the concept and the story, and it was devoured quickly despite Nora being on my last nerve at times. I love to think about the possibilities that are connected to different choices, small and large.  OCNJ library hard cover

Not Worth It

Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake #3) by Rachel Caine - I am a believer in reading every book in a series in order but woof. I'd skip this one. OCNJ library paperback

The Good Neighbor by R.J. Parker - I thought this was going to be a quick DNF, but a nice little turn grabbed my interest.  It turns out it should have been as a little over halfway through it devolved into repetitive WTFness. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Call Me Elizabeth Lark by Melissa Colasanti - The idea was good, the execution less so. It was difficult to follow and felt strung together in spots. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did Not Finish

N/A

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is Tuesday, April 13, 2021. 

1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me, and check in with as many in our reading circle as you can - give some love to the later linker uppers! 
2. Link back to us in your blog post - if you want the button you can get it from that link

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

March Agenda

Birthday month coming in hot! Not that hot, since I used this as an intro picture showing my shit up table, floors that are finally getting redone this spring, and dog on the table where you know, dogs do not belong but Bender doesn't know that.

ANYWAY

March's visible monthly to do list:

1. Continue no buy for unnecessary items/mindless buying/consuming.
2. Continue daily walks - now in the 40/40, 40 min of exercise a day for the Lent period, which I observe in absolutely no other way.
3. Stretch daily. I have never been a stretcher and I really feel that at what will be 43 this month so I must focus on it. My brain does not like yoga but my body likes yoga stretches (not pose holding) so I'm looking for something I can do at home that's not all yoga-y but has the stretching. Any recommendations?
4. Chiropractor & acupuncturist & possibly doctor because after a year it might be time to investigate this neck problem further than acu/chiro/massage
5. Get mammo & skin check
6. New recipes: including some dips for Year of Dip
7. Spring Equinox
8. Get a pedicure. I am in desperate, desperate need.
9. Buy sinks and faucets for smaller bathrooms at the shore and tile for one of the bath floors
10. Schedule shore house opening, couch delivery, and plumbing work
11. Dining room update in Philly: paint walls, chairs, china and corner cabinets; reupholster chair seats; purchase new mirror and two end chairs, purge both cabinets, get rid of old table and mirror
12. Small celebrations all month

I used to do monthly goals, then I went to quarterly goals, then back to loose monthly goals, then no goals except a few big mamas, now just a tracker for monthly to dos/should be dones. January's. February's.

What's on your agenda for the month?

Hope everyone in Super Tuesday states is out there voting today! Remember, you're not a pundit. You're a voter. Don't worry about electability. Vote for who you want to be President.