Links that I love

 

Another week has gone by.I am reading Richard Russo's new novel and taking another break from Outlander. I will return to it after I finish this book!  I hope to be done by the time the last season comes out.  Work on my bathroom starts on September 11. I'm hoping that it doesn't take more than the 2 days it has allotted. 

A few weeks ago, my fiancée and I hiked up Mt. Major and were afforded this view of the big Lake!

It was the second hike I've done since coming back from oral surgery.  This month, I'm doing Mt. Chocorua.  I'm excited about that too.  

My son and I are doing more college visits.  Those visits include Syracuse University, UVM and WPI. 

We did Syracuse on Friday. Here are my favorite pics:

Academic Quad - Carrier Dome on the left (with the structure that  looks like a roller coaster and Houghton Chapel straight ahead, also with a dome)

College of Arts and Sciences

You can buy this pie from a vending machine if you're in Texas!

• Fighting the urge to make everything about yourself.
• Our town library was featured on NHPR!
• In anticipation of fall, here are some witchy books to read that are being released.
• Most children, including mine, are headed back to school without their phones.
• Books with occupations in title.
• 20 vintage recipes for fall.
• Margaret Atwood's satirical response to book ban in Canada.
• Fall means apple pie spice.
• 13 quintessential Gen X books.
• New park map reveals changes at Animal Kingdom.
• Best Japanese novels of the 20th century.
• SNL has five new cast members. 
• 15 vintage casseroles that everyone ate. 
• This is a crazy mystery.
• Historical novels with strong female leads.
• Foods that people ate during the Depression.
• How did Boston Beans get their name?

Links I love

 

I'm currently reading two books - one is an Outlander novel so it's long - but I should have a review for you this week.  I'm on week three of running and am happy about it! 

• This book sounds good.
• Sipping this tea is good for your health.
• Hamnet is get4ting a movie?
• What reading diversely means today.
• How long people wait for food delivery before getting impatient.
• President Obama's 2025 summer reading list.
• Top fiction and non fiction book pairings.
• Why Swift/Kelce engagement is resonating so much.
• What books from High School shaped NPR listeners?
• This looks like it's worth a try. Maybe next weekend!
• Tarot readings are fun!
• Best state parks for hiking.

Review: King of Ashes - Sidney Cosby

 

This book has been all over the place this summer. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't even known about this author before, but I'm glad that I finally found him - better late than never. We meet Roman Carruthers right away - he's a successful financial advisor in Atlanta, GA who gets a panicked call from his sister in rural Virginia after their father is in a car accident, which happened under suspicious circumstances. Upon receiving that call, Roman puts his life on hold and goes home to figure out what is what. The people he's returning to - sister Neveah, brother Dante and father Kevin - are people that he voluntarily estranged himself from. There is a lot of resentment, and distrust on Neveah's part and Dante is the family outcast, who can't seem to get it just right. Their mother disappeared many years before under mysterious circumstances and that ghost hangs over the family. In this novel, Roman returns to his home to solve what happened to his father and, in doing so, reveals secrets that have been in the family for years. 

It took me a while to get into this novel. My initial impression was that it read like the Twilight books and was fan faction for something else.  It did eventually grow on me though.  I did, eventually, grow to really enjoy the book.  It was fast and entertaining.  A very quick and entertaining mystery that provided me with a break from the serious stuff that I've been reading lately!

Links I love

 

I received some good news this week - my oral surgeon has cleared me to go back to regular activities! I've restarted running with a couch to 5K program and am going to the gym today to lift as well.  I'm so happy!  I hope that everyone is doing well!

• A different type of summer camp.
• Which American Girl Doll had the best clothing?
• John Grisham movie adaptations, ranked.
• The top risk factors for dementia.
• Costco's 8 best snacks to put in the airfryer.
• Is there anything else annoying about Whole Foods grocery shopping?
• Women are under muscled according to NPR.  i've been trying to increase protein and lift - I'm perimenopausal so this was timely!
• What makes a cabinet shaker style?
• Top ten scariest villains in science fiction.
• Top fantasy books for people who don't like fantasy.
• MMD's Part I of best books of summer (so far)
• NPR's publishing this week article - the Baldwin book looks good.
• 5 dark academia books that came before The Secret History.
• States with the highest and lowest literacy rates. 
• Historical novels set in Asia.
• There is a possibility that Queen Victoria had an affair.
• Interesting list.

Links I love

 

I'm sorry about being MIA - we were away last week.  We went here for the week and I didn't have my computer with me.  I like having a break but I definitely miss the routine. I also love that I cleaned my fridge -helpful when it's empty. So that's why I missed the last links I love!  I'm 

1. Will Little Free Library be impacted by online reading?
2. Celebrity book club picks for August, 2025.
3. These coffee companies grow their beans in the United States.
4. How do you know if ice cream has gone bad.
5. I may have to read this.
6. Gas stations and classical music.
7. Boston Public Library is using AI in a new way.
8. Why so many grocery store eggs are white.
9. How the new Aliens Franchise series fits into the timeline.
10. Bring It On is 25?!
11. Best coffee for longevity.
12. When was your State founded?
13. 11 most famous people of 1985.
14. Books about the American South that will change how you feel about the South
15. Interesting article on NPR book stories.

Enjoy!

REVIEW: The Barn by Wright Thompson

 

I was a history major in college, with a focus on the South.  When I travelled to Alabama (twice!) for training, I made sure to visit places, like the 16th Street Baptist Church.  So when I saw this book, I was intrigued. 

In this book, Thompson, a son of Mississippi, looks at the history of the land and the structure (which still stands) where Emmett Till was lynched. Thompson, in fact, grew up in the town where Till was killed, so this was a reckoning for him as well. I think that this gave him access that most people wouldn't have.  That being said, his research was masterful. He was able to go back in history and show how different points in history, things could have gone ever so slightly differently, which could have changed what happened to Till, a child, in th3 South of the 50's. Till's murder mattered to Thompson not only because it happened in his hometown, but because so many facts have been seemingly buried even though this artifact is in plain sight.

I learned that the barn currently is on a property owned by a dentist and it houses ornaments and the like.  The dentist had no idea what he had acquired. In 1955 the barn belonged to Leslie Milam, who took part in the slaying. No one knew that Milam played a role because the two killers protected him after their acquittal by an all white jury. The barn also signified another type of whitewashing - ludicrous allegations about the NAACP planting a corpse and claiming it was Till, disappearing transcripts of the trial, sightings of Till as a grown man (and those stories appearing in Southern history textbooks).

This powerful book is a must read for any person and will haunt you.  It's important simply because it unearths a part of the history that most of us don't know and because it keeps Till's memory and story alive. 

Links I love

 

Our trip last week was good!  This week we're in NY! I owe you a few reviews but they will have to wait until I get back!

• Millenials are changing what 40 looks like.
• Why buildings in Iceland are so colorful
• Booker Prize list is out.
• Best book club books for July.
• Going to try to make this.
• Ten most dangerous states for hikers.
• The best dystopian novels of all time.
• The best historical novels about real people.
• These look good too.
• Is there a short story that you still think about?
• This looks too pretty to eat.

Links I love

 

Last week, we (my daughter, son and I) went to see Brad Paisley up at Meadowbrook in Gilford, NH. I've seen him before and he sounded great, but he seemed to just be going through the motions. I'm not sure what was going on.  I hope that you enjoy the following links!

1. How long do you need to walk to feel better.
2. Take action regarding banned books.
3. 15 popular chocolate bars from around the world.
4. The Steamy subversive rise of the summer novel.
5. 5 books about toxic friendships.
6. I need to try these.
7. 4 abandoned places in Magic Kingdom that need some attention
8. These civil war books look good.
9. 12 novels set during weddings.
10. I love cookies.
11. 15 best storage containers from Walmart

REVIEW: Sisterhod of Ravensbruck by Lynne Olson

 

This book focuses on a group of Frenchwomen that were in the resistance during WW2 and who were imprisoned at Ravensbruck concentration camp during the same war. There were other women of other nationalities there, including a group of Polish women that were the subject of various medical experiments, but the focus was definitely on the French women. The time spent in the camp is only about half of the book with the other half being about the support that the women provided the other prisoners upon their release. What I really liked was how Olson managed to convey the community that these women created that saved their lives.  It was a tough book to read but the sense of community managed to get me through. I loved learning about this more obscure prison.  

Definitely a must read but on to something lighter. 

Links I love

 

I can't believe it's been a month since my last concert here, but t his weekend, we had another one going to see Brad Paisley, this time with my kids.  I think that they liked it, but it was a long day! On Monday, my daughter's room is being re-floored and I have gotten rid of a lot of her stuff.  Next up is the bathroom.

I hope that you enjoy the following links!

1. The Best Books on the Salem Witch Trials.
2. Does listening to an audiobook count as "reading?"
3. Here's how to tell if you have a Type B personality.
4. Top psychopaths in fiction.
5. Why is it called Pickleball?
6. Can you match the Disney Princess to their country?
7. Ten Saddest fantasy books of all time.
8. Why it's hard to read.
9.   This might be worth it.
10. Why marriage is gr eat for crime fiction.
11. 9 overlooked signs of dementia
12. Each state's most searched book genre of the summer. 
13. These are on the best of 2025 lists so far.
14. Notable new releases of summer 2025.
15. On its 100th birthday, a documentary grapples with its terrible legacy
16. 10 books on time travel that you may not have heard of.

Please check out BOTM club when you have a moment!  I do get a credit if you sign up.

REVIEW: Boys From Biloxi by John Grisham

 

My son listened to this on Audible and recommended it to me. I had just finished The Nightingale and wanted something very different and a bit lighter so it was good timing.  

This novel takes place in Mississippi and tells the story of two families on the Gulf Coast over the course of generations, from the immigrant grandparents through the third generation. In Biloxi, unlike the rest of the State, booze, gambling and girls seem to dominate the moral code, along with the Dixie Mafia, who  controls most of the underworld. The local police and politicians are customers, who tend to look the other way in enforcing the criminal law and often are the ones enabling the bad conduct. We meet the Rudy's (Jesse and his son Keith) and the Malcos (Lance and his son Hugh). The boys grow up in post ww2 America and start along very different paths even while young. Jesse, Keith's father, works during the day and goes to law school at night, eventually becoming the local DA while Lance assumes control as the head of the local crime machine, running the seedier parts of town. Keith and Hugh are following in their father's footsteps, putting the families on a collision course.

This moved fairly quickly, but you don't really get much insight into the characters. The narration feels more like reading a news story about these two families and Grisham doesn't really go into the feelings or thoughts of the characters all that much. Biloxi, Parchman prison and the environs are so richly described it's like you are transported to that area during the time period in the book. I think that the themes involved things like capital punishment, retribution and moral turpitude, but I didn't generally feel that Grisham got as deep into those themes as he had in books such as A Time to Kill. Generally, though, the book was entertaining, just don't expect too much from it.

Links I love

 

I'm a big fan of those guys up there - the NH Police Association Pipes and Drums. They're a staple at a lot of parades and functions around town.  Always fun to see!

I hope that everyone had a good week!  

1. Best K-Cups from Dunks that you should try.
2. This New England city might be the home of the Italian sub.
3. The Dalai Lama is 90.
4.  A look inside the Aulani, a Disney resort in Hawaii.
5. New tarot and oracle decks out this year. 
6. What's the best Pixar movie?
7. Why criminal profiling is a pop culture myth.
8. I love lists and these are some of the best. Which ones have you read?
9. 17 books set on a boat.
10. Leila Mottley has a new book out.
11. Why Peggy is short forMargaret.
12. 15 facts about the Jaws sequels.
13. I'm not a big fan of bookends, but if I were I would like this article.
14. Outlander prequel has a new trailer out.
15. Journaling 101
16. Fall is my favorite season, so when Bath and Body works introduces their fall line I pay attention

I've finished John Grisham's most recent novel and have started two non fiction books - one on the assassination of MLK, Jr and one on Ravensbruk prison.  Keep an eye out for the reviews upcoming!

Links I love

 

I spent a lot of time this week walking and coordinating home improvement projects - namely a bathroom remodel and re-doing my daughter's room. It's been something else and kinda stressful for me but here I am! 

I hope that everyone had a happy Fourth of July. We went to our local parade and here are some pics:

Our governor put in an appearance.

The NH Pipes and Drums did too. 

My fiancee and I are (almost) done with Handmaid's Tale - one more episode left. The penultimate episode had me crying in parts.  I'm going to miss the series.  However, coming up for me anyways, are the following in no order: watching Season 3 of The White Lotus, Yellowstone (which I just started), Alien: Earth, all before the fall when I can expect to be distracted by Outlander (which is the blood of my blood) and Stranger Things. I don't know what will take those show's places. I have re-started The Walking Dead and am hoping to get through the entire series. Maybe this will fill the void.  I anticipate having a review for you on The Nightingale and am starting The Boys From Biloxi (recommended by my son!).  

1. Romantasy numbers are up.
2. Tell tale sign you should throw away your veggies.
3. What will Wimbledon look like without the judges?
4. 14 books set in Edinburgh
5. The classic cocktail that Sylvia Plath used to indulge in.
6. Rucking is the latest walking trend.
7. July 2025 tarot reading.
8. The author who ran an ultramarathon to write a thriller.
9. 6 underrated benefits of caffeine.
10. Most popular red, white and blue foods by state.
11. 10 surprising facts about the Scopes Monkey Trial.
12. This book looks fascinating.
13. 80's makeup is making a comeback!
14. Celebrity book club picks for July, 2025. Please don't forget to check out Book of the Month!
15. Why do so many porches in the South have blue ceilings

I hope that everyone has a good week!

REVIEW The Nightingale by Kristin Hmmah

 

I am beginning a WW2 kick.  I just finished this historical novel by Kristin Hannah, and soon will be reading books about women at Ravensbruk and, of course, All the Light We Cannot See.  There's a plethora of books about this period so I'm in luck.

The two main characters in this novel are sisters -Isabelle and Viane - who cannot be more different in personality with Isabelle being very rebellious and Viane being more practical (which, given that she has a child makes sense on some level as there is more risk). The novel itself takes place mostly in France from the period of 1939through 1945, prime World War 2 years and details each woman's response to the war and German occupation. Isabelle joins the revolution while Viane remains at home, attempting to keep things as normal as possible for her child.  

The book may seem intimidating at well over 400 pages, but it is well worth the read and the hype. So. Good. Hannah really sets the place well - as a result it is as almost as if you are walking with each character in the time and location that they are in, experiencing what they are experiencing as they are experiencing it. No detail was left out. The perspective of the women who had to endure the war was a welcome perspective as it doesn't seem to be one that has been discussed all that much.  It is compelling and exciting and pretty fast paced. 

Definitely worth the read.

Links I love

 

It's been super hot this week. Last week, we did our first college tour in the heat. My AC has been working overtime! It's also been really, really hot. We have hit 100 degrees for the first time in 15 years, which is unheard of here. I have a sinus infection which has been making me miserable. :(  We started painting my daughter's room and got an estimate for new flooring.

1. Books set in the Pacific Northwest.
2. Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by NPR listeners.
3. Can you identify the President based upon his facial hair?
4. The Boston Globe Horn awards are here.
5. Five great literay mysteries set in coastal MA.
6. 6 n ew books out this week, including one on trailblazers.
7. How to feel better after birth.
8. 6 new Disney mugs have been released on Amazon.
9. Plan fall reading with these mysteries, thrillers and true crime books coming out.
10. Books about our National Parks or which take place there. 
11. Npr staffers pick fav non fiction books of the year so far. And here  are their fav fiction ones.
12. Rick Astley covering Pink Pony Club
13. The best and worst states for road trips.
14. Book recommendations based upon your favorite scary movie.
15. Is the decline of reading causing political dysfunction?
16. The best way to drink coffee for your health (note, this isn't how I drink it).
17. Why is the nation's capital called D.C.?
18. A new short film on Jason Voorhees iscoming out for the 45th anniversary of Friday the 13.
19. 10 sci-fi books to read if you really liked Dune.
20. It's no secret that I've been thinking about college for my kid - 60 tips for when your kid goes to college.
21. The best historical fiction beach reads.
22. Why do Italian restaurants play Frank Sinatra's music?
23. Against the celebrity memoir industrial complex - I guess the article author doesn't like them.
24. Why berries get moldy so quickly.
25. 8 forgotten figures from the American Revolution.

I hope that everyone has a good week!

REVIEW The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper

 

Dr. Michele Harper writes this memoir about her experiences as an ER doctor and how she has applied them to her life, in order to help her grow. She describes not only her experiences as a practicing doctor and administrator, but talks about how her youth and divorce and other major milestones in her life have caused her to grow. 

The book itself is well written and well organized - each chapter is centered around a patient's story and delves into the medical nitty gritty and lessons that each patient teaches Dr. Harper. I really appreciated how this enabled Dr. Harper to jump around in time without the narrative feeling broken.  I could hear her voice in her writing, which is simple but beautiful and which flows smoothly and quickly. Definitely a must read. 

Links I love and a concert

 

This past week has been a week of firsts for me.  I went on my first hike since having oral surgery.  It wasn't a long hike but it was beautiful and surprisingly quiet and empty for where it was located. I expected more people to be there.  

We also saw this guy in concert - SO GOOD.  If you ever have the chance to see him, you should.  My partner, who would not say he liked country music and had never been to a country music concert, loved it as well. My next concert is Brad Paisley (who is also wonderful) and who I will see with my teenagers.

• The ten best sci fi soap operas.
• The best five books on modern Greek history.
• How to keep  a travel journal.
• Recommendations for the reluctant romance reader.
• Reese is starting a podcast for her bookclub!
• 9 mysteries and thrillers set at sea.
• Summer TV schedule is here: what to watch according to NPR. I'm a huge fan of Alien/aliens so that looked great but I def added a bunch of stuff.
• 12 facts you didn't know about Ben and Jerry's.
• What do your bookshelves say about you?
• Looking for some good thrillers this summer?
• Book Con is back! i hate to say it, but I'd rather do CrimeCon first.
• Best Sci fi books of 2025 so far -loved the Ministry of Time. 
• 5 things you should never say to an introverted child.
• What exactly areNecco wafers?
• 5 tips for when you're solo travelling. I personally love solo travelling.
• How long do military MRE's really last?
• 25 cities that will have the worst mosquito problems this summer.

I hope that everyone has a good week!

REVIEW: House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

 

I wouldn't have picked up this book but for its selection for my book club and I'm glad that it was chosen. The main character is Casey Fletcher, an actress that moves into her family's lake house in Vermont to get a break from some really negative and pervasive press coverage that won't go away. Her husband, Len, died about one year before the events in the book and Casey has decompensated into alcoholism, which is what has contributed to the negative press coverage.  She still drinks at the lake but has the privacy to do so. She also has a pair of binoculars that she uses to look at the houses across the lake - and she becomes focused on the beautiful mansion across from hers, which is occupied by model Katherine Royce and her husband. 

Prior to Casey becoming hyper fixated on the home, Casey saved Katherine from drowning in the lake. We learn this fairly early on in the novel - Casey sees Katherine's limp body and, instead of calling for help, instead opts to go out and save her. She and Katherine become friends but Casey still feels compelled to spy on Katherine and Tom, Katherine's husband. Katherine ultimately disappears and Casey is convinced that she knows what happened, so she sets out to prove it. 

This book was surprisingly good, with some twists that I wasn't expecting - although you should be prepared to suspend some disbelief. It was particularly easy to read and easy to get into - it pulled me in without much effort.  It's told mostly from Casey's perspective and Sager very much does a good job in telling the story from her perspective. It felt very natural to see things from Casey's perspective. I also think that Sager does a good job in developing a main character that is also an addict. 

Definitely recommend - but I don't want to give more away. It would be too easy to provide you with spoilers that would ruin the experience of this novel unfolding - definitely worth the read!

Links I love

 

This week has been crazy - I started my new job and we saw Keith Urban in Gilford. He was AMAZING.  I'm definitely going to see him again. I am hoping to have additional reviews up this week.  In the meantime, enjoy the below!

• Ross Montgomery named the final winner of the Children's Book award.
• I haven't ever associated fast food restaurants with religions, but here we are.
• Four things that you aren't responsible for, even where your anxiety says you are.
• This confirms what we all suspected.
• The Orwell Prize for fiction - best five political books.
• Photos of the protests in LA.
• Soda shops are a thing?
• Can you guess the Disney movie based upon emojis?
• David Lynch's belongings are going up for auction.
• Time's best books of 2025 so far list.
• Climate change and wetter, hotter summers in NH.
• Brian Wilson has passed away.
• Historical fiction set in Amsterdam.
• Nonfiction summer reading lists can be found here.
• Almost Famous is 25 years old?
• The 2025 women's book award prize.
• The best Mediterranean books published by Foundry. 
• Epistolary novels that are good!
• Can Dunkin cups go in the microwave? Given how expensive Dunks is getting, I might as well go to Starbucks or a local coffee shop.
• Empathy and compassion are not the same thing.
• The man who unsolved a murder.
• When Tampa banned Jaws from bookshelves.

REVIEW: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

 

This was my second reading of this book and it is one of my favorites by Larson (along with Devil in the White City about HH Holmes).  Having said that, until this reading, I didn't realize that the title refers to the Tiergarten - the park around which most of the events in this book take place and which translates as Beast  Garden or Animal Park.  Generally speaking, this book is about William Dodd, and his family, during their time in Germany when he was the Ambassador to Germany as Hitler is coming into power. Interestingly, he was selected without having any real experience in diplomacy - he was a college professor.  He also had no real instructions from the Roosevelt administration in how to handle Hitler or Germany. 

This book is absolutely fascinating. It's long and informative, but I was hooked right from the beginning as Larson seems to make this telling more like a novel then an academic tome. Dodd, in spite of his inexperience, was clear sighted in his assessment of the Nazi's and he tried to warn people of where they were headed, but no one really took it seriously.  His actions and the response he received serve as a warning to us all that should be heeded even now. T he book was thoroughly researched and demonstrates Larson's talent as both an historian and a writer.

Definitely recommend. 

REVIEW: Discovery of Witches - TV Series, review

 

I finally finished watching this series this past weekend. It was a limited series adaptation originally found on AMC (but which I found on Netflix).  I had been highly motivated to finish reading the lengthy books so that I could watch this series.  

This isn't perhaps the best adaptation of these books.  The pacing was off - it was VERY slow in some parts and sped up way too much in parts that shouldn't have been glossed over. While I love Matthew Goode, Alex Kingston and Steven Cree, the acting of the other actors was lukewarm and lackluster at best.  I wish we had more of Cree's character, Gallowglass, who was my favorite character in the books. The actress that played Diana was bland, bland, bland.  It seemed like her acting was forced.  

What perhaps was sacrilegious to me, and something that I will never get over, is how much they actually cut. We get NOTHING of, for instance, Diana's time with Matthew's sire Phillippe (a detraction that took away from the magnitude of Phillippe's actions towards Diana).  They don't explain the demon's powers, which led to a lot of confusion for watchers that haven't read the books. 

Don't waste your time with this rubbish.  Best to watch something worthwhile. 

Links I love

Last weekend, I drove to Hanover to watch my son row in his last crew meet of the spring crew season. It's so hard to believe that next year, he'll be a senior and it will be his last year.  He has made such good friends through this program and next year, his sister will be rowing as a first year!  So exciting!

I've started listening to audiobooks and I'm looking for recommendations as to what I should listen to. What is your favorite audiobook? what app do you use to listen?

• Science behind the Covid vaccine in pregnancy.
• Jeremy spoke in class today (warning: gunsand war are mentioned, but this memoir type article is also centered around Stephen King novels).
• New James Joyce bio is out.  
• Why you should plant tomatoes next to your basil.
• Is lemon water better for you than other water?
• Former judge gets a prison sentence for shooting boyfriend.
• The psychopath as narrator.
• 144 most read books of the 2025 Goodreads reading challenge (so far).
• The most popular Pixar movie by state.
• Can you name the mythological creature?
• Congress is being asked to wipe out funding for PBS.
• Back to the Future stars reunite for a common plea related to a prop.
• 72 of summer's hottest mysteries and thrillers of summer.
• 11 story collections set in small town locales.
• The best non fiction books on Russia.
• 14 Dollar Tree decorations for your kitchen that you didn't know you needed.
• Best new books of summer according to Bustle.
• Is the decline of reading poisoning politics?
• Creating a book nook with these goods.
• The daily life of women inPompeii.
• These look good.
• I hate rainy weekends.
• Seth MacFarlane uncovers Sinatra songs.

Don't forget to visit my Pangobooks store and you can also get $5.00 off your first order. Book of the Month is also fun!  I also have been doing a lot of shopping with Capital One shopping.  Please be advised that these are referral links!

REVIEW A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand

 

This book checks off two challenges that I'm doing this summer! Look at me go!

In this book, the first of the Nantucket series (also, who knew Elin Hilderbrand was so prolific), Claire is the protagonist.  She seems to be a happy, married, mother of four who lives full time on the island of Nantucket with her family. Claire is widely known to have been in a relationship with Max Dust, a famous rock star, when they were both teenagers. Claire is asked to co chair the biggest fundraiser of the year as a result, she believes, of that relationship and what the other members of the board of the organization benefits perceive as her ability to get him to perform for free at the fundraiser. Claire is a pretty atypical co chair - she's not very wealthy and she's a professional glassblower by trade. So when Claire is asked to chair the fundraiser by a man named Lock, who is the director of that organization and whose wife Claire believes she single handedly didn't convince to not drink and drive (the wife got into a devastating car accident), Claire agrees. During the course of the gala planning, many things continue to happen, including addiction, affairs, fights, extortion and a number of other things.

I am consistently surprised about how drawn in I get to Hilderbrand's novels.  I didn't expect this of myself given my book snobbery - these books are marketed as easy beach reads for crying out loud!  That's pretty deceptive because this book, told in the various points of view of the main characters, actually reveals the surprising complexity that resides within and between people.  And those complexities are very realistic and not beyond the pale. They are complexities that we, as readers, could have ourselves or see in other people. The novel also struck a chord for me insofar as Claire's need to go back to work and regain some degree of self-expression and creativity. After experiencing an accident during her most recent pregnancy that led to preterm labor, Claire stopped working as a successful glass blower but she goes back to work when she is also tapped to create the main auction item.  That really resounded with me. What she felt and her motivations could have been my motivations and my feelings.

I have The Perfect Couple (which is also a Netflix series) on my list and I'm looking forward to reading it.  This one is a great summer read. 

Links I love

 

I hope that everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend. Since it marks the unofficial beginning of summer, I have changed the picture above to a picture of Franconia Notch. The ski slopes are Cannon Mountain. I have an aspiration of retiring up there. The weekend was busy - and included shopping for vanities for the bathroom, flooring and paint for my daughter's bedroom and shopping for a new suit and semi-formal dress for her. I've been doing a lot of walking and I have even gotten back to the gym!

• The best road trip books - On the Road is on my list for this summer.
• Why you wake up earlier as you get older.
• Billy Joel and his health condition.
• What is Valentina hot sauce and why is it so popular?  My son LOVES the black label version.
• This is terrifying, but maybe also the basis for a really good story.
• There's a new novel on motherhood.
• Great mystery books for elementary schoolers.
• The five busiest hiking trails in the United States.
• Susan Brownmiller has passed away.
• 7 historical novels that explore the dark side of the art world.
• Best politics books of 2025 - Orwell Award.
• fifteen books about Martha's Vineyard  - they take place there.
• High Protein desserts.
• How did Root Beer get it's name?
• 5 best thriller/mystery beach reads and 5 best nonfiction beach reads.
• Best historical fiction set in the 18th  century (Outlander, holla!).
• Ten nontraditional beach reads. I loved Sag Harbor!
• Trader Joe's is the most trusted brand in America.
• Most Popular Disney song by state.
• What Disney sidekick are you?
• 11 movies to watch this summer.
• Best books of summer, according to the LA Times. Full list is here.
• Bookish goods for summer reading.
• Mysteries and thrillers set in NYC. 
• Where was soccer invented?
• Road trip romances - I'm listening to an Emily Henry right now.
• 20 most beautiful libraries in the world.
• The real life shipwreck that may have inspired Goonies.
• 5 scary beach books
• Marcus Petersson, the creator of Minecraft, and his history.
• Three libraries with unique non book collections (including fur).
• Best books out in June,
• Ten best fantasy novels not set in medieval Europe.

REVIEW: Alive Day by Kate Fugett

 

This is one of my Book of the Month selections and I was happy that I got it, although my next read is definitely going to be a lighter one! 

Barely out of her teens, Kate Fugett married Clive, her high school sweetheart, on a complete whim. Did she believe she loved him? Yes, I think so. But she was also homeless, jobless and living in her car when she met him. Marriage to Clive provided a degree of security that she wasn't experiencing at the time that she married him. Clive was in the military so marriage meant that she could be put on to his health plan and have a place to live. Cleve was soon deployed for a second  time. He didn't come home in one piece - he came home with an injured leg, that soon was amputated. All of the tenuous stability that Fugett had managed to cobble together fell apart.  She became a wounded warrior's caregiver - something that the military convinced her was so essential, that she gave up caring for herself and her own needs. 

This was a powerful and impactful read that I could only take in small pieces - the great part of this memoir is that Fugett did break the chapters into short pieces.  She struggled to deal with PTSD, physical healing, opioids and addiction and worse.  She describes how she had to learn about paperwork and other things on the fly because she was so young and literally had no experience. It was emotional, vulnerable, illuminating and a necessary memoir about the state of the military and how it handles not only it's wounded warriors but the people closest to them that have to care for them. She is resilient and strong and I admire her.  

A must read and a definitely necessary addition to your library.  Brava!

REVEW: College Joe by Tom Perrotta

 

I got this book from my local library so it qualifies for the Library Love Challenge!  Fantastic!  

I've read Tom Perrotta books before and enjoyed them - he's most well known for Election (which was made into a movie with Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon) and The Leftovers, which is now a series on HBO, but not as much for this novel, which came out in 2000.

Daniel, the main character, is a Junior at Yale University in 1982. It alternates its locations between Yale, in New Haven, CT and Daniel's working class town in New Jersey, where Danny goes for spring break. We follow Daniel as he attempts to navigate certain situations (some seriously and other comically), from romance, to work and danger. His romantic interests and their other relationships also complicate things, as does his father's work driving a lunch truck called the "Roach Coach."

I love Perrotta's ironic wit, his ascorbic style and his sarcasm, all of which are present in this novel. He is one of my favorite authors for this reason. However, this book is not one of my favorites.  I felt like I was reading about a more modern day Holden Caulfield and found myself wondering how many times a person could whine/make so many dumb mistakes/be such an a'hole before he figures it out.  It was a story that had been told already and wasn't original (granted Catcher in the Rye was written many moons ago, but still if you read this book, I don't think that you can help but make the comparison). The characters, however, are all gems.  You can't help but see them and hear them while you're reading about them.  They are quite memorable and very well developed. The book itself is short and a quick read.

Generally though, stick with some of Perrotta's other books. This one you can skp. 

Links I love

 

Last weekend, my son had his junior prom - which is crazy to think about.  Lots of goings on around here including a full bath remodel and remodeling/redecorating my daughter's room.  The moving parts are out of control but I did just have the final piece fall into place so now we're just looking to schedule! I am looking forward  to having a new bathroom and two concerts this summer: Keith Urban and Brad Paisley! I'm nearly done reading this book by Tom Perotta, an author I adore. The series adaptation of his book The Leftovers is on my list - currently watching Discovery of Witches and Paradise Lost. This list was helpful in assisting me to add new series.

• A rare willow tree is discovered.
• 5 books -2025 Pulitzer non fiction!
• Who is the girl in all the Wendy's stuff?
• Starbucks v. Dutch Brothers - who has the best rewards program?
  
• Aldi v. Walmart - who has better deal for groceries?
• New study shows how much protein you need to support your bones.
• What happens to your body when you feel homesick?
• Most popular burgers in each state.
• 5 mysteries set in hotels.
• Esquire names the best books of 2025, so far. The full list can be found here. 
• For those of you doing the summer reading challenge, here are some books featuring travel.
• This flavor pod looks interesting.
• What Starbucks drink has th e most protein?
• Quiz: can you name the greek god or goddess?
• Inside the effort to repair access to eroding maternal care in rural NH.
• George Wendt, who played Norm on Cheers, has died.
• McKitterick prize shortlist announced. Here is the official website.
• 6 mysteries set in international destinations.
• This blogger's take on top ten novels about travel.
• Heart Lamp wins International Booker Prize
• 80's kitchen trends that no one remembers
• Why McDonald's calls its shakes "milkshakes."
• Best Walmart frozen desserts.
• How to deal if you cry during every argument.
• Margaret Atwood on the Handmaid's Tale and her new memoir.
• Lilo and Stitch has a live action remake.
• 14 books for those traveling to Greece
• 17 books NPR critics are looking forward this summer.
• How Nespresso differs from drip coffee
• Most popular TV Genre in each state
• Round up of summer reading lists.
• Historical fiction set in America's various Chinatowns.
• How to stay safe outside this memorial day weekend - in NH.
• When are witches not witches.
• Chicago Tribune publishes a summer reading list that is AI generated and has fake books on it!
• Hot Sauces from around the world.
• Why espresso cups are so small.
• Father's day and graduation gift ideas
• Fastest drivers by state - not sure how NH is only 49.9

Don't forget to get $5.00 off your first order at Pangobooks by using the code found here and  to check out Book of the Month Club.