One of my reading projects is known as Book of the Month Club where my goal read a book with that particular month in the title for as long as the books hold out. I have also separated out these reading lists so that they appear as separate months.

I read this book at the request of my son. I had already watched the movie--so I knew the big reveal. The book is a very grim read and personally I am glad that my son stopped reading after a few chapters. I of course read to the bitter end.

An enjoyable fast paced read. Likeable characters. I often find "heroes" to be too self righteous for my taste and don't get me started on the bad guys bullets always miss and yet even rusty old operative's bullets alway hit their mark. Must the good guys ALWAYS win???

Loved this book. A book that switches back and forth in time. September 1911 and September 2011. Ellis Island, The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and the collapse fo the World Trade Center towers. A book that has all the elements that make for well spent reading time.

I really enjoyed this book and will most likely try to read more by this author. At least try-- as she mostly writes historical romances and that just isn't my normal reading preference. But I must say this one had me hooked. I love books that switch back and forth in time, I love books about WWII and the London Blitz and books that have an intriquing mystery. The romance element in this instance was kept to a minimum so that worked well in keeping me reading.

I've had this memoir on my TBR shelf for awhile now. I'm glad I finally read it. It is a book that is hard to put down and her story continues to resonate with me and my own brain story. No need to go into details but I know what it is like to walk around in my daily life managing an undiagnosable (maybe) condition. I am definitely reading her next book.

I had previously read "The Girl on the Train" and really enjoyed it. I think I liked this one even better. I particularly enjoyed how she entangled her characters and wove many different elements into her plot. I will definitely read more from this author.

This is the first Celeste Ng book that I have read. I will read her other books and watch the Hulu miniseries based on this book. I particularly enjoyed the artistic element and the descriptions of how Mia developed her artwork for her photographs. I have a tendency to think other artists (I paint in watercolor) just slap paint down or take a random shot and these things turn out wonderously beautiful. It is nice to realize that it is not only me who struggles for their art.

Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking. Sounds like the pessimists dream read. Long story very short...my son had a very bad year...I could not read self help or non fiction or deep fiction. I could only tolerate reading murder mysteries and about serial killers. I powered through this one any way. I have the same problem with this book as I do with most self help books promoting happiness above all other states of mind. This mindset that the human right to happiness is a RIGHT--it says so in the constitution is causing a lot of problems. Happiness is a temporary fleeting moment and clinging to that moment means you might not enjoy the next one. I'm more about equanimity and eudaimonia--the condition that comes from flourishing and living well. Aristotle has a lot to say about this if you would like to read more as I am currently doing. (Yes my son is flourishing and starting a new chapter) So am I back to deeper reads of all sorts.

The tag line is: A guide to choosing your personal philosophy. Essays from fifteen leading philosphers in their respective philosophy that give the basic tenets as well as how they incorporate the philosophy into their modern lives. A very interesting introduction to a wide range of philosophies. Of course, it is still a little frustrating for me as I have yet to find one that it is a perfect fit. I always seem to like a little of this and little bit of that...

A book that had been on my radar for a couple of years. So when it appeared in the little book exchange box on my regular walking route...I finally got my chance. A good book and yes quite the twist at the end.

This is the second Slough House book that I have read, previously I read and really enjoyed Dead Lions. This one does not disappoint. I heard it is being made into TV series by one of the streaming services. I really want to watch that as well.

A good quick read. Second book I've read lately that revolve along the same type of plot line. It's getting a little been there...read that. Every mystery must have a big twist anymore...

A good quick read. This the second book I have read from this author--still like the first one best.

Who could resist a book with this kind of title...not me. I really liked it and will definitely read more from this author. A very interesting take on vampire slaying.

I loved this book. The author portrayed the character of Yale so convincingly that he became almost a real person (especially in my heart). Of course it is about the AIDS epidemic so... 

I wish the book had been just about Yale and his story but it was not and I didn't care as much for the storyline about the caregiving sister of Yale's best friend. 

I am rather late to the party on this book. My mom gave me her copy and I finally sat down and read it. Very good book--definitely lives up to the hype. I hope to catch up with the movie one day.

I have a row of books that sit on a shelf beside my bed. I have stacks of unread books all over my home. Before I thought to read books by category, I would pick my next book by moving from stack to stack and reading the next one. A book by Jasper Fforde was at the beginning of the next stack, so I decided to combine practices and developed a category around the title. All these books surround characters who live very bookish lives.

Two books went on my shelf of favorites, that rarest of book--those that I would happily spend precious reading time to read again! These two books also happen to fall into my very favorite style of book--stories that are told through letters (84 Charing Cross Road and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). 

Sometimes a category will develop a deeper level of connection, this one in particular shares much deeper connections. Three of the books share England, book stores, and letters. All the books have an abiding and deep love of literature and most of these selections add an element of mystery.  Two share the love of the all but forgotten author Charles Lamb, a quirky connection, but still. 

After finishing the category entitled "The Wives Between Us", I thought to entertain myself by adding a dash of the male perspective and came up with my next category--Mr. and Mrs. I started with the cleverly transitional title "Mr. Emerson's Wife". It was an ambitious reading list that started April 2019 and finally finished in August 2019. I probably would have finished earlier but I had three late additions and plumped up the total read to sixteen books. Not bad!

I would like sum up by sharing some of the unintentional commonalities of my choices. I enjoyed the Mrs. titles way more than the Mr.'s but I do consider this a category well read.

Six of my choices featured war as a backdrop. Both Mrs. Dalloway and A Star for Mrs. Blake examined life immediately following WWI albeit from completely different perspectives and the authors Richard Feynman IRL, Susan MacNeal, and AJ Pearce all took very different looks at WWII. There is an element of more recent American wars in My Mrs. Brown.

Four real life histories and at least six books took past history as a back drop for their stories. Several were written and set in past decades such as 60's era London and 90's era United States. Three books were blasts from my reading past with mixed results, some books became favorites but some genres are perhaps best left back in the past.

The books featured a range of characters--from those who ran at the upper stratosphere of their selected societies all the way to a fairly large group of characters who definitely spent their lives skirting on the fringes. 

War, death, murder, injury, poison, kidnapping, evil intent---all told violence in its many insidious forms was a near constant character in the vast majority of these reads. Indeed it is very hard to escape--it pervades society. 

SO PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MR. AND MRS. ...

I treally liked this book, it had me hooked from beginning to end. I will definitely read more by this author.

I also loved it for providing this paragraph about why "I" read.

"Why do we read? In the beginning, as children, why do we love the books we love? For most, it's travel, a flight into adventure, into a dream that feels like our own. But for a few it is also escape, flight from boredom, unhappiness, loneliness, from where or who we can no longer bear to be. When I read, the words on the page replace the voice in my head and I cease, for a little while, to be me, or at least to be so painfully aware of being me. These are the real readers, the maniacs, the ones who dose themselves with fiction the way junkies get high..." David Gordon, The Serialist pg. 138.

I may not consider myself a junkie but I am a serial reader, soon as I finish one I pick up another...not to mention the fact that currently I am actually reading four.

A continuation of my 2020 reading arc. Emerging from the shadows and into the light. I will admit I hoped for perfect timing--reading Circling The Sun would coincide with the waning of COVID--silly silly me. Some very nice reading--time well spent.

At the end June (2022) I went to Florida to serve as a 24/7 caregiver to my husband, we have been married since 1985 but have lived separately for the last twelve years. He had developed a rare form of blood cancer and needed a stem cell transplant. Part of the treatment protocol is agreeing to a caregiver that is a family member for 90 days after release from hospital, and I was more than happy to step into this role--we might be separated but we are family and he makes it possible for me to live life as I like it. So what does this all have to do with this book you wonder...

I thought it was the perfect tongue in cheek choice to read as I started "living" with my husband again after all these years--we were both a little apprehensive but in the end we worked well as a team.

Okay, the book. I remember reading it...I remember liking it...but I am very vague on the details, see above, a lot going on in my life. i'm including this with the category Introducing Mr. & Mrs. because it is about marriage even though it doesn't quite meet the category parameters.

A category devoted to books about hypnotism and hypnotists.

I will admit to being a bit behind in entering the books I have read this year (2022) into the website, but in my defense it has been quite the year. This book is about young English women known as the "Fishing Fleet" who sailed to India during the colonial times in search of husbands. This was a very good read, way more complex of a story than the romantic blurb on the back described. I would read more of this author.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I definitely plan to read more by this author. A complex thriller.

2022

This is the second of Ms. Jio's books that I have read and I am likely to read more as her titles seem easy to worm into my existing categories. For the record, I figured out the big secret on page 186. Goodnight Moon a favorite of my child and the children to who I have been a Nanny. Will likely have to do a little more digging into the actual history of MWB and the writing of GM. It was a quick tear jerking read but.. A little too much name dropping, plus it was a like reading a Hallmark movie. Continues the theme--I need a man to fix me. Gag me.

I am a fan of this author and always enjoy reading her books. This one is no exception. 

This is the second book I have read by this author and while I find them speedy reads I find them just okay. Not sure I will spend more reading time with the author. 

The beginning of a series featuring Charlotte Holmes--a womanly take on Sherlock Holmes. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more. In fact I am piling up a "Conspiracy" category in honor of CH#2 A Conspiracy in Belgravia so do stay tuned in for more TBR  stacks.

A category devoted to books with Woman/Women in the their titles. An abundance of such books exist so I am sure to keep adding more books to this category 

2022

The title I picked for my May read as "May" books are difficult to find.

In quantum physics there is a theory that goes like this: Each decision you make springs off into a different dimension resulting in gazillions of different timelines/universes, whatever. In this instance the plot hinges on alternate decisions made by Hannah--does she leave the bar with her old flame, Ethan? OR, does she go home with her best friend Gabby? The chapters ping between the two in concurrent storylines. It was okay, I'm not much on romantic reading. Does one ALWAYS need a man to fix you? No you do not. 

Reading time well spent, as this is a very engrossing read, and an interesting take on a well-trod reading path. I will definitely read more from this author and the character, journalist, Kate Waters she is developing in further novels.

This is a category devoted to the reading of books with "Man" in the title. Currently I am reading through a stack that alternates between book titles that either start with "A Man" or "The Man". I have had a lot of thrilling reads thus far.

This was a nice quick read told in parallel storylines between the past and present and was definitely reading time well spent. I will read more of Ms. Tudor.

A police/mystery series with at least 15 titles set in Quebec that I have randomly read books out of order and while it makes me wish I had read all of them--there is enough backstory in each book to get by without confusion. I enjoyed the writing and the mystery and I will definitely read more of Ms. Penny. 

Talk about a book not being about what you expected it be about...well this one definitely was not what I expected. I was a little disappointed about that and that there seemed to be a few discrepancies in the writing but as it is a translation from Swedish to English maybe some threads got jumbled. Minor (incredibly nit-picky) and do not ruin the tale in the slightest and if anything I'm annoyed with myself for noticing. Not the crime procedural that I was expecting but instead something way more layered.

This is the first book by Mr. Le Carre that I have read--I seen a couple movies and TV adaptations. It was an interesting book and an interesting time to have it fall into my reading lap as Russia had just invaded the UKraine and the rest of the world speculates on WW3. You like to think that a lot of fiction is just that---but some like this book are just fictionilized versions of true things. As GOT fans are wont to say "The night is dark and full of terrors." And a sad truth is that the war on terror is often fought with the weapons of terror--no good men or bad men just gray men.

This was indeed reading time well spent-the premise and the characters were layered and interesting, I would have gladly spent more time with them. I will definitely read more by this author.

I loved this book. This is an author who has a way with words and fast witty repartee. Fast paced action from start to finish. I look forward to reading more of his books.

I believe this is the 3rd "Irene Huss Investigation" novel that I have read.  I am reading this series out of order but there always seems enough backstory to keep up to speed. This I believe is book 7 and involves sex trafficking. It was a good quick read---although I did wonder until the very end why it was entitled The Beige Man. I am glad I have a few more in other stacks of books lying around on my TBR shelves.

I very much enjoyed this book. Some of the twists I say coming but others I did not...I definitely will read more by this author and watch the Netflix series.

I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes a cozy English mystery set at a manor house in the English countryside in the 1950's is just the genteel cup of tea that one wishes to curl up with. It is reading time well spent.

A woman's name that found itself reserving a category all to itself--and yes perhaps I collected a couple too many books about Eleanor Roosevelt. I doubt it though.

One of the best websites that my Twitter feed ever brought to my attention is: fivebooks.com But user beware-- as it is highly addictive and will quickly suck you into a black hole, compelling a person into creating endless -to-be-read- lists, or #TBR as they are known on literary Twitter. In 2021 I decided to read a person's entire list, however, as you will quickly note, I made two deviations. 

1) A fivebooks.com list is normally generated by an author whose most recent work is noted in the introduction. I feel it is only fair to read their book as well so my lists are at least 6 books long.

2) If my selected fivebooks.com compliation consists of titles are deep in a series of books (in other words-I am late to the party) then I substitute in an early (or beginning) book.

I really enjoyed this book. It is reading time well spent. Hope this author writes another book soon.

This is the book by the author who gathered up this list of thrillers for Five Books so I felt it was only fair to read one of her books as well. It was an okay book but I won't be reading more of her books and this is despite that this one ended on a blatent cliff hanger.

Really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading his next book. I was shocked to realize that for some reason I figured out one of the culprits at the very beginning of the book.

I have been collecting books that contain names as part of their titles. I have found quite a few Edward's so he's getting a category of his own. 

A good well written page turner--swiftly plotted. A "good" man doing "bad" in the name of doing "right" by his family and then wondering why things don't work out as planned. I enjoyed the read just didn't have much sympathy or empathy for the man character.

A story about a twelve year old boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash--his journey towards healing helps others heal as well. Reading time--very well spent.