April 2023 reads

I spent most of this month reading about and plotting travel and a general desire to go a few days without reading in between books but still encountered some good and some not so good.

April reads: 

Engrossing Reads

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead - This was well written, cleverly connected, and deep - it hit me. Two characters I loved and an intriguing thread throughout. It featured a story within a story which is not always a hit for me and books within this book, which is also not always a hit for me. Yet this was. Thanks to Rose for the rec! OCNJ library hardcover

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley - Is it weird to say a book has chutzpah? This one does. I didn't know anything about it and am surprised I liked it like I did  OCNJ hard cover

Hide (Detective D.D. Warren #2) by Lisa Gardner - Once upon a time (2019), I read another book by Lisa Gardner and D.D. was a character in it. I liked her more than the main character and found there was a series and decided to start reading it. Then I realized that while it was that character's #1, it was the 5th time DD had been in a book, so I had to go back to the beginning, only I started with the second because I found it at my used bookstore, and here we are in 2023 and all that to say I'll read the next DD but am not going back to the first. LOL used paperback, own

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James - This sat on my shelf for YEARS, including all the ones everyone was cycling through it in Show Us Your Books. I finally picked it up and tore through it. Great pacing, very good story. I prefer to read her books during the day LOL Hardcover, own

Reef Road by Deborah Goodrich Royce - This experience felt a little like being on drugs and the book is just beyond your functioning cognitive understanding in your drug induced state until the stories converge. So take from that what you will. LOL used paperback, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs - Yes, The Bangle. Yes of course I had to read it. It was fine. I liked the music parts of it so much. Lots of sex in it which surprised me but I'm not sure why? Anyway a find read and a novel one - pun intended OCNJ library hard cover

Red Queen by Juan Gomenz-Jurado - I struggled a little getting going which is typical for me with novels that have been translated until I pick up the rhythm. Once that happened, I sped through this. Antonia Scott is a tremendous character and I loved Jon as her sidekick. Quick and intelligent writing. Free copy from Minotaur books, paperback, own

The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman - I do love a quirky cast of characters that converges, and this book had that. I did think it was a little overstuffed in the beginning but it hit its stride about 40% in and was an enjoyable read Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Lie Between Us: A Thriller by Amanda McKinney - She sent this to me because I read and liked her novel The Widow of Weeping Pines. This was a super quick few hour read digital copy, free from author

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook - Middle of the road as far as family dramas go - I liked the end, but was really annoyed by several characters throughout. And while that is sometimes the point, it started to grate too much here. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review NFM

Homecoming by Kate Morton - As always, the writing is careful, intricate, and beautiful. As always, the book is 150-200 pages too long and this time the end was not worth it to me. The story within the story was okay here, but the book within the book was absolutely unnecessary. OCNJ library hard cover NFM

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Extra Book Love for two  April occurrences: 

National Library Week 

Independent Bookstore Day 

Both libraries and independent bookstores ensure vital communities.

Library love ALWAYS. One of my lifelong loves.

Amazon and Target are not bookstores and don't need our book money, but the little independent bookstore in the neighborhood that is so much more than just a bookstore IS a bookstore and DOES need our book money even though they cannot afford to give us book deals like Amazon and Target can because they are backed by other revenue. If you are buying books, please buy them from independent bookstores. 

What have you been reading?

Thursday Thoughts - day after day it reappears

Thrifted. I love my shore thrift store. I was going to drag my big ass iced tea maker down but I got this baby one for there and two round cake pans because I only have those at the shore and have to bring them back to Philly when I need them. 

Monday was a lovely weather day. The rest of this week, not so much. 

Show Us Your Books is Tuesday. I've had at least two long, out loud laughs at lines in this book. That's rare for me, and appreciated. 

This week is National Library Week. My love letter to libraries went on Instagram but I wanted to make sure to acknowledge it here. 

Abortion on demand, without apology. The laws close in, more and more anti-woman legislation. Zero legislation or provisions to care for children already here or coming. Pro-birth is fucked up. Oklahoma, you are the latest in the demonic and disappointing behavior of falsely moral legislators. Fuck all of you. 

Office day. I'm in the office today, which I had to mentally prepare for all day yesterday even though this was my standard routine for almost 12 years prior to Covid. My, how we've changed. My brain will never be the same. If the commute didn't suck so hard, I'd be in more.

Greed is destroying us. It's wild out there. 

This is from this day in history, but for tomorrow. 79 years ago on April 8.

Forward, always. No matter what.

This cat acts like it came from an alley instead of a bougie kittery. He is in everyone's business, is scrappy AF, hunts birds and squirrels, eats bugs alive, and helps himself to dog food and people food.

My wish for all people is to be willing to take a swing and live life off-recipe. This week I made trash can tacos (should I trademark?) in which everything immediately expired, about to expire, or taking up room in the fridge with 1/4 left in the container went into the mix and they were amazing. I also made some concoction with similar - a week expired pasta, a jar of DiBruno cheese spread, the end of an everything goat cheese log, some spinach, green onions about to go, the last 1/4 of the broccoli slaw bag, olive oil, and I forget what else - and that turned out fine. Two cheers for being resourceful and no food waste. With the price of food right now, it makes the idea of food waste even more repugnant to me. 

Recommend. 

Last food item. I ordered Jeni's for the strawberry pretzel but am head over heels for the pineapple upside down cake. 

Ukraine. What next. What next. It reminds me of that Men at Work Overkill lyric, "I can't get to sleep. I think about the implications..." 

Do one small thing. When I am sluggish or unmotivated, I do one small thing. Likewise, when the world feels heavy or overwhelming, I do one small thing. I cannot stop war, but I can advocate for peace. I cannot help all refugees, but I can sign up to host or donate to fund one. I cannot battle the government zealots intent on outlawing abortion everywhere, but I can provide resources and support for other women. I cannot cure childhood hunger but I can find mutual aid groups in neighborhoods near me and donate food, time, money. I cannot eradicate racism, but I can be loud about anti-racism.

Happy 8th Birthday to Eva, it was Tuesday.

The week in dogs. Bruce doesn't act the same in Philly, it takes him a few days to settle back in here and relax. Ben is comfortable destroying shit everywhere. And no one cares if humans need pillows.

Happy Friday eve!

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Overkill by Men at Work

Thursday Thoughts - Could you smile when inside you just want to cry, want to cry

1. Sometimes I get stuck in a loop with a song, and it's never a new song. Last year it was Midnight Blue at some point by Lou Gramm. Right now it's If I'd Been the One by .38 Special. Who I always envision in my head as ZZ Top even though I know they do not look like ZZ Top. They look like this. And of course the title lyric is from this song. This has been a glimpse into the mind of an 80s kid. Come back any time.

2. This week's birthday month behavior: painted my nails and toes at home, got my hair spruced up by Kristi at Salon Harmony (this is the before, obvi), did some maintenance acupuncture for wellness, made a comfort food casserole as part of my use all the shit in the freezer and pantry quest, and ordered two holographic nail polishes from mooncat. 

3. We also caught The Dinner Party episode of The Office, which is one of the top TV show episodes of all time. 

4. I was in the city yesterday, which means elevator selfies and other people's coffee and train station steps. And not much else because the rain. I was there with no umbrella or hood like an idiot (descrip below) who has forgotten how to operate in public. I also had to use my wool jacket as an umbrella to walk the half mile back to my car at the end of the day.

It also meant lunches out with coworkers, which I miss. Walking the three blocks back to my office in a particular monsoon time meant water literally dripping from my face and having to dry off with paper towels. Do not recommend. 

5.In many book talking spaces on the internet it appears people buy all books and when libraries are suggested it is clear they do not know libraries are free for ALL people, you just need a card. So in case anyone out there doesn't know, you don't need to buy ALL books. It is great to buy to support some authors and if you want to read books the library does not have, but in general please use your public libraries.  If you only read e-books, you can do that through your library as well and a librarian would be happy to help you figure out how to do that. Libraries are a community resource and one of the very few things in this country that remains FREE and available to ALL.

6. Do we need this at this time? I don't want to speak for you but I do not. Giant spiders dropping from the sky not welcome

7.  Pantry cleanout means mixing pasta remnants. MFD had to learn yesterday. I did a post on stretching your food budget yesterday. Not an easy world out there right now on so many fronts. Hope you're all hanging in there. 

8. Dad & Carol are here this week for dad's other cataract surgery. The dogs have been pleased. They get tired of just us sometimes...even if you can't tell from these pics

9. Reminder via itsbananacrush - I know when there is so much to be done or when so much is going on within you and around you it seems like the best option is to push through, but that's not usually the case. Most of the time it's to pull back and regroup. It took me a long time to learn this, I hope it takes you less. 

10. Ecards - 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is If I'd Been the One by .38 Special

TWTW - February Furniture Fiesta

Friday A banner day for a lunch walk. I made stringbeans and mushrooms with a side of pesto pasta and chicken thighs for dinner. Dad & Carol arrived around 6 and I was in bed by 10.

Saturday Bruce woke up with the shits that then translated into the pukes. I tell this dog not to eat dead sea creatures. Does he listen? He does not. I painted my nails (OPI Mylar Dreams and Princesses Rule!), Dad & Carol got donuts. My dad and I went to Ventnor to pick up a piece of furniture that would not fit in his car, so the woman made alternate arrangements...to be continued. I picked up holds at the library, went to the grocery store, and read. It was a glorious weather day and it was so nice to ride around with the windows open and be outside without a coat. 

At 2 we had to go back over to Ventnor for no reason, just for a guy to load the furniture into his truck and follow us back to OC. When we got back, MFD was there so my Dad was off the hook after it got inside. Lots of moving furniture and arguing because the width that was on the listing is the body, not the top that juts out and prevents it from siding all the way back in the recess of the wall. It's still in progress, I'm swapping my cream colored storage bins in Philly for these white ones, but it's staying and it functions like we need it to. There is an entire desk set up inside of this piece as well as storage. Thanks to my Dad who went back and forth with me twice and endured the whole unplanned saga with me and Carol who stayed with the dogs as MFD was delayed in his arrival due to showings in Philly. 

Dad and Carol got dinner from Jon & Patty's, and I did a salad and fries. Another early to bed to read with my two black and white animals. 

Sunday Bruce was not in the mood to get up. I spent the morning purging and organizing, and we took a beach walk at the end of the island. Dad & Carol were there for a little then went to another beach to shell. I read a bit when we got back.

I am never into the Super Bowl unless the hometown team is in it then the excitement is intoxicating but I am always into the food and usually buy block pools to support organizations of kids. Carol made Mozz sticks, MFD picked up hoagies from White House in Atlantic City, and I made homemade wings. MFD was the only person in America to scan the QR code because the rest of us are over them. The game was actually good, although if I'm rooting it's for the underdog so I wish the Bengals won. Loved the halftime show - where can I get a knock off of Dr. Dre's jacket? I won $125 in a block pool from the Rhode Island Doyles. Good times. 

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you celebrate all types of love all year and that you have a lion's share of love for yourself.