365 Days of Reading

One year, 365 days of reading everyday on my kindle!! I wonder how many hours I have spent reading in the past year or how many pages I have read?  I could go through all those books and look at the pages of print listed or add the average reading hours for each book...... oh that involves a lot of math I think I would rather read.  And there has been a lot of time for that since travel is not happening.  Lots of mental vacations.  

1. Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb a love story takes place in southern France and Monaco in 1955/1956, about a perfume maker and a photographer connected by Grace Kelly, Princess Grace. Delightful story, now I need to watch some Grace Kelly movies. 
2. Last Port of Call by Jean Grainger Ireland 1912 about a mother and daughter very good story
3. The Distant Hours by Kate Morton another great story by this author. Mothers, daughters, sisters, relationships, a missing fiancé, a castle, WW 2, writers, several mysteries wrapped up in one story.
4. The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg about Buddy Threadgood of Fried Green Tomatoes fame which is the only Fannie Flagg book I haven’t read, I have watched the movie many times.
5. The Nature of Fragil Things by Susan Meissner this writer never disappoints. An Irish immigrant from Donaghadee, I have a cousin who lives there in a house overlooking  the harbor. Most of the story takes place in San Francisco in 1906 at the time of the earthquake and fires. Very good!
6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier a classic after watching the recent movie remake I read it again.
7. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton another great story filled with twists and turns, I had to reread some chapters to be sure I had the details right. Oldest daughter is trying to unravel her mother’s life during and before WW2.
8. Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce a story about friendship. The plot seemed a little far fetched but was also humorous.
9. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah a story about friendship, family, mothers and daughters, and career the story begins in the 70's incudes bits of history and pop culture.
10. Sea of Memories by Fiona Valpy short book less than 300 pages about a grand daughter writing her grandmother’s story beginning before WW2.  Marriage, family, friendship, polio, autism and second chances. Story was slow to get started but very good.
11. Dark Sky by C.J. Box his most recent  book
12. The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan  Stradal strong independent midwestern women. Stradal is so gentle  describing our midwestern quirks, non midwestern writers exaggerate our quirks to the point of insulting.  I hope he writes many more books.
13. The Last Runaway  by Tracy Chevalier about two Quaker girls from England coming to America in 1850. Cultural shock, abolitionists, family, marriage and survival.
14. This is Chance by Jon Mooallam non fiction about Genie Chance, woman radio broadcaster and the 1964 Alaskan earthquake.
15. Distant Shores bu Kristin Hannah about midlife crisis following dreams and finding happiness 
16. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson about Churchill’s first year of WW2.This was especially interesting because I have been watching Atlantic Crossing on PBS  about Norwegian Crown Princess and President Roosevelt. I have also been watching The World on Fire on PBS also WW 2.
17. Anxious People  by Fredrik Backman, his observations about the human condition are funny, true, spot on accurate. It’s a complicated story with complex characters.  It’s a story I will read again.
18.  Start a new list  --Ann--