Reading list #3

Three of the books I read took place in Ireland, this little watercolor is Fanad the farm where my 6th or 7th great grandfather lived in County Donegal.

This is the house where my 1st great-grandfather raised my grandfather  in County Tyrone. He came to America in the 1920’s.

1. The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner a fun magical story takes place 1820’s and present day about archaeological divers looking for wrecks and stregas — sea witches who could influence the waters of the sea and a love story in both time periods.
2. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose the second Maid book as delightful as the first.
3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans I just about quite reading this book even though I waited a couple months for it, ( I just wasn’t getting into it ) then I went back and read reviews by readers and decided to continue reading. It did get better. It is a collection of letters written and received by a woman in her 70’s. The book turned out to be very good. Then I read the preface again (something I frequently do) and I read the whole book again in 2 days! Now I’m thinking I should purchase the kindle edition so I can read it again someday.  It was that good.
4. Isola by Allegra Goodman based on a true story takes place in mid 1500’s a young French noble woman is marooned on an island by her guardian. Not great.
5. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt a cleaning lady talks to the creatures in the aquarium, a young man is looking for his father. Very good story!
6. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout for book club everyone liked the book. More about her usual characters.
7. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall very good takes place in England in 1950’s and 1960’s young lovers, aspiring writers, misunderstanding, new relationships, marriage, some unfortunate events. Lots of surprises in the story I don’t want to give it away. Did I say it was very good?!!
8. Draw Your Day by Samantha Dion Baker lots of inspiration to illustrate your journal each of her journal pages was like a little poster advertising her day—beautiful, but I just want to improve my drawing / sketching skills.
9. The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose book 3 and as good as the first two. This book reveals the story of Molly’s grandmother.
10. Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller for book club and as good the second time as the first time reading it.  I had forgotten so much.
11. If Walls Could Talk by Jean Grainger first in a new series centered around an old estate house in County Clare contemporary story about 3 women one has rented the house and is cleaning it, she dreams of turning the house into a retreat offering natural remedies. Another story takes place in the 70’s when the house was home to unwed girls. Good story I look forward to the next book.
12. Three Bags Full by Lennie Swann The Sheep Detectives the book was fun to read the author must have spent a lot of time observing sheep and their habits and personalities. Her descriptions took me back to my childhood on the farm the lambs were so much fun to watch, I loved bottle feeding the orphans.  I’m looking forward to the movie. But then I saw the list of actors voicing the sheep…..some sheep are missing or renamed hmmmmm do I still want to watch the movie?
13. The Alchemist of Paris by M. C. Dulac a journal written by an orphaned girl who grew up in church supported orphanage where she learns about natural remedies, she is hired as a maid in early 1800’s her master is a scientist working on a steam engine but also turning mercury into gold to fund his lifestyle and delving into ancient alchemy for an elixir of life. Fantasy I probably won’t read book 2.
14. The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan story takes place in western Ireland about friendship and new beginnings very good I will definitely be reading more of Faith Hogan’s books.
15. Murder at the Royal Ruby and The Nosy Neighbor both by  Nita Prose  two very short stories the second story reminded me of Shirley Jackson short stories. 
16. The Rector’s Daughter by Jean Grainger same characters as If Walls Could Talk learning more history of Dunmara House. Waiting patiently for the 3rd book comes out in September. 

Half was through this reading list I was trying to keep characters and plots straight in my head, this is another list with lots of connections from one book to the next.  The Mystery Guest connected to The Maid  (previous list) same setting, same characters, same author, jump ahead to Remarkably Bright Creatures (RBC) two women obsessed with cleaning and a mystery.  The Correspondent about getting older but then aren’t we all getting older.  Tell Me Everything (TME) also about getting older and being in a nursing home.  Broken Country missing a child also missing a child in RBC. BC naming the sheep and the sheep all have names in Three Bags Full. RBC and TBF talking sheep, talking octopus solving a mystery. A couple of the books deal with adoption mysteries. 

 It has been hot here too hot! But a good day to stay inside and read. —Ann—

Reading list #2. 2026

 

1. The Crossroads by C. J. Box #26 of the series and did not disappoint 
2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig for book club  as good the second time. 
3. The Irish Midwife by Seana Tinley about a young woman in Belfast learning to be a midwife then going to school in Dublin to become a certified midwife and a love story.  Story takes place in 1939.
4. The Last Post by Jean Grainger book 7 of Knockneshee series happy ending of the series. Yeah!
5. The Portrait by Emilia Kelly the story takes place mid 1800’s during the Victorian era the owner of a glassworks commissions a painter to paint a portrait of his fiancée. She finds the diary of his previous girlfriend…….the plot thickens….good story.
6. A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman I think I have read this book 4 times and it gets me every time. 
7. The Forgotten Shore by Sarah Maine very good story takes place in three time periods, 1940’s Scotland a wounded soldier is recouping at his childhood home, 1960’s where he fled to Newfoundland to start over and flee the war trauma when he befriends a young girl and encourages her to read more challenging books and 1980’s where the girl is now a journalist in Scotland looking for the man she recognizes in a photograph at an old estate.
8. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout  this is a book of short stories Olive Kitteridge is mentioned in each but not as a major character. I’ve read other books by Elizabeth Strout that I liked much better.
9. The Maid by Nita Prose for book club everyone loved it and it’s a short series! About a maid in an upscale hotel she finds a dead body in a room she is to clean………good story!
10. The Monk of Mallorca by E. L. Nunez very short book a young woman travels to Mallorca and meets a 400 year old monk a lot of religion and faith in the story…..there is the 400 year old monk. Good story
11. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen a story of friendship in a small town and a mystery. Light reading just for fun.
12. The Emerald Shawl by Louise Douglas takes place in England in late 1800’s a young woman news reporter who writes a column of interest to women—recipes, housekeeping tips, decorating etc. gets involved in a murder story. Treatment of girls and women who don’t fit the norm of wanting to get married and have kids and lots of twists in the story.  We have come a long way.

If we weren’t packing up to leave the river today I would be sitting in the sun with a book and coffee I’ve got a little time to enjoy my coffee but I don’t want to haul a chair out by then my coffee will be cold and then need to haul it back to the garage. Oh to sit in the sun after a rainy overcast few days.  Everything is greener than last week before the rain.  Bring it on again.  —Ann—

Reading list #1 2026

1. No Strangers Here by Carlene O’Conner murder mystery takes place on the Dingle peninsula in Ireland a lot of twists and 27 year old secrets the heroine has mint green eyes like the ice cream.  The only mint green eyes I have seen are in a cat in a cat food commercial. The few individuals I have met with green eyes are best described as olive green.  
2. Home Again by Kristen Hannah I just about quit this book after the first chapter the main character was so self centered I didn’t want to read about him but the next day I read chapter 2 and the characters got more interesting. The main character needs a heart transplant mostly because of bad life choices, his cardiologist was his teenage sweetheart. Turned out to be a very good story. Published in 1996. 
3. The  View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani about a 30+ year old Italian/American woman with self esteem and family issues she inherits her uncles marble importing and construction business. She goes to Italy to learn more about the marble business and her family. A nice story. I have read other books by Adriana Trigiani that I thought were better.
4. The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skendandore interesting story about a traveling medicine show in the late 1800’s. Main character is a woman physician who was at the top of her class but made a mistake. Everyone in the medicine show troupe has a past and the show master holds it over them. They decide to ‘winter’ in Galveston then the hurricane hits.  Near the end of the book the author uses the phrase “on accident” how could an editor miss that?!? It was a good story otherwise.
5. Julia by Heather Moore novel about Julia Child, her civilian service during WW2, she was too tall to enlist with WACs or WAVEs, then learning to cook and writing a cookbook. Good story of her life.
6. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese for book club I was expecting a story about renaissance art and marble that was not what the story was about, it was about doctors and nurses in Ethiopia by way of India then to America in the 1960’s and 70’s. A revolution was happening in Ethiopia I had no background knowledge of that. Was not a favorite book. 600+ pages too many
7. Light Changes Everything by Nancy E. Turner Arizona territory early 1900’s a young woman goes to art school in Illinois learns photography returns to Arizona. She read some of Jane Austen’s books and learns happiness is not a man with lots of money. Good story
8. The Children of Hamelin by Jannie Ireland a fantasy story, I usually don’t read much fantasy but this one intrigued me, it’s about the Pied Piper of Hamelin and the children who disappeared on Midsummer in 1284. Where did they go what if they reappeared in 1978? A modern day story in a psychiatric hospital, a young nurse her journalist fiancée and a retired cop. Fun story.
9. Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick this book really spoke to me about a grandmother, Adele, who was an artist and quilter and her granddaughter, Esme, who wanted to be a writer but became an editor.  Esme is learning about Adele after she passes away. This book got me back in my sewing room so far I’ve just pulled out fabric for two more baby quilts but the ideas are swirling.
10. When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward about the munitions explosion in 1917 at Halifax, Nova Scotia the largest man made explosion prior to the atomic bomb in WW II.  It’s also a love story, a young nurse and a doctor. It was a good story but could have used Esme from previous book to edit, a lot of repetition and mundane details. I scanned over much of it.
11. The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel very good contemporary story a woman recently engaged to a nice enough guy but started having vivid dreams of her 12 years deceased husband. She is a music therapist working with children.  The dreams make her question her current life and fiancé. Very good story.
12. The World’s Fair Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini financial problems at Elm Creek Manor the roof needs repairs, the apple orchard is open to u- pick, the historic society wants to display Sylvia’s worlds fair quilt that she made with her sister in 1933. Sylvia is telling the 1933 story.  This story was interesting to me because my grandparents took the train from South Dakota to Chicago to go to the fair.  My grandmother kept a little notebook about the trip,  I wrote a blog to share with my cousins about my grandparents travels.  https://travelswithselmaandroy.blogspot.com/2021/10/1933-train-trip-to-chicago-for-worlds.html  if you are interested in reading about “The Century of Progress” 1933 World’s Fair.  My grandmother did not write about seeing the quilts, after reading this book I can’t believe she didn’t see the quilts because she made quilts in the 30’s, the picture above is one of hers.

Happy reading —Ann—

Reading list #5 2025

1. Chrysalis by Heather Terrell another book about art theft by the Nazis, story is told in 3 time periods present day lawyers in New York, WW2, and 1600’s Netherlands good story but names were not always capitalized and misspelled words.
2. The Search for God and Guinness by Stephan Mansfield on loan from my brother.  The House of Guinness on n…flic is not based on this book. This is a brief history of the Guinness family about the brewery and all the good the family did to improve living conditions of the time. Decent housing, educational opportunities, health care, pensions, orphanages etc.  The majority of the CEOs in America could take a lesson from the Guinness family. One of their advertising slogans was “Guinness is good for you”. 
3. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan based on real sewing groups in England during WW2 interesting fictional characters the story is about starting over, friendship, community and what really is important in life. Good story.
4. Apostle’s Cove by William Kent Krueger another great mystery Cork reinvestigates his first murder with a different outcome.
5. The Round House by Louise Erdrich for book club takes place in 1988 on an Indian Reservation in North Dakota. 
6. Allied Flames by Jean Grainger book 6 of the Knocknashee series. 
7. Wednesday Club by Kristine Jensen the author was in my 4-H club! Delightful book takes place in South Dakota in the 1960’s about a teenage girl whose mother drops her off at he grandparents farm while she goes off to California to pursue her dreams. I’m going to read it again sometime.
8. A Fireproof Home for the Bride by Amy Scheibe for book club the story takes place in the Fargo / Moorhead North Dakota / Minnesota area in the 1950’s. A young woman has been promised to the neighbors son since she was 12 then things go sideways. The story has a little bit of everything family loyalty, secrets, immigrants, religion, abuse, a mystery from the past connected to recent crimes. The first couple chapters were really slow then the characters got more interesting.
9. The Blackest Time by Ken Tenarelli takes place mostly in Florence Italy in 1300’s about the rather ordinary life of a young man who works in an apothecary first there were two years of heavy rain ruined crops and starvation then the black plague creeps into Florence. 
10. Trouble’s Daughter by Katherine Kirkpatrick historical juvenile fiction the story of Susanna Hutchinson, Indian captive  in 1640’s. Very good story and quick to read the names of the characters were all real people. Interesting fact near the end of the story one of Susanna’s older sisters married a John Sanford, he could be my 6th or 7th great grandfather. 
11. The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli WW2 Italy paintings from the great museums of Florence are stored in villas in the country to keep them safe from the war.  A young girl is sent to live with an aunt and uncle they shelter the refugees, billet the Germans, support the resistance, then the New Zealanders come followed by Indians, Canadians and Americans and the art recovery crew.  Two of the paintings by Sandro Botticelli were Primavera and The Birth of Venus  were stored at the villa and touched the lives of those who studied them.  Good story. 
12. Starry Night by Debbie Macomber romantic fluff just for fun.
13. Something to Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg feel good short stories
14. Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber more romantic fluff similar to You’ve Got Mail. 
15. Dark is the Grave by T. G. Reid murder mystery takes place in Scotland not great I kept falling asleep. 
16. Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton a woman leaves London during Covid to isolate on on her country home, she goes for a walk and finds a baby hare, she leaves it and comes back an hour later hoping the mother hare returned and took it. No such luck so she took the baby hare (called a leveret) home. It survived the night and thrived. 
17. Glad Tidings by Debbie Macomber two short books in one binding  There’s Something about Christmas a Christmas romance about fruitcake. And Here Comes Trouble two writers telling their daughters the story of their courtship. 
18. Black Hills Secret Santa by Deborah Salonen holiday romance short and sweet.
19. 25 Library Terrace by Natalie Fergie the story takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland from pre WWI through the Covid pandemic. It’s just ordinary life of the time, a family home eventually becomes a long term (2 year commitment) boarding house. There are generational connections to all of the characters in the end. Just a nice story. I thought about this later this story shares the importance of family stories and telling those stories to younger generations.

Wow I read a lot of books this year, my kindle app says I read 73 plus a few paper books makes 78. I think that’s the most books I have ever read in a year.  No record of all the kids books I read and occasionally no kids were present. I’ll never be too old for kids books. I think I was avoiding a lot of reality, so much bad news and bad behavior on tv.

Plans for 2026……. I have some travel ideas, there is yarn in the stash calling my needles, there is fabric calling remember me……..and there are lots of books on my kindle that I haven’t read. No goals, no resolutions just enjoy the moment.

Happy New Year   —Ann—

Reading list #4 2025

A week without a bunch of activities………a week at the river.  Summertime temperatures, reading on the deck, knitting and coffee maybe some wine later.

1. The Girls of Ennismore by Patricia Falvey an Irish version of Downton Abbey the story begins in the early 1900’s Ireland’s fight for independence is also part of the story.  Good story. 
2. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir science fiction saving the earth from above normal temperatures from a star outside our solar system. I skipped over a lot of the technical stuff but the drama was good. 
3. Folded Corners by Jean Grainger #5 of the Knocknashee series 
4. Through Streets Broad and Narrow by Gemma Jackson Dublin Ireland 1925 about a young woman struggling after the death of her father her struggle to survive her poverty.
5. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen about a young woman still reeling from the death of her husband finds a postcard from her great aunt and drives to Lost Lake hoping to find here aunt and remember her happy childhood there. Good story.
6. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny three mysteries in one. The unfolding of the story of members of the investigating team being shot, unofficially reinvestigating the murder in the previous book ‘why would he move the body’ and the murder of a man obsessed with where was Samual Champlain was buried over a century ago.
7. Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller takes place in a small town in Georgia some residents ban books in the library. Lula Dean puts up a little library outside her house with the books she thinks people should be reading. Another resident puts the banned books inside the jackets of the acceptable books. The books change lives and the town. Very good and very funny at times.
8. Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams takes place in 1920’s to 1940’s a woman pilot in the early years of aviation. For book club.
9. Camino Winds by John Grisham book 2 after Camino Island another thriller with a hurricane, a bookstore, some writers, a murder or two, nursing home fraud and lots more.
10. Heat Lightning by John Sandford —Virgil Flowers mystery takes place in Minnesota. Murder  and theft of heavy equipment going back to Vietnam 1975. He covered a lot of ground in Minnesota Mankato, Minneapolis, Bemidji, Red Lake, International Falls and back again. Those places are not close together.
11. no more tears the dark secrets of Johnson & Johnson by gardiner harris the good the bad and the ugly of drug manufacturing makes Camino Winds seem more fact than fiction but in that book it was the nursing home making fraudulent claims against medicare and medicaid. Not the drug manufacturers with fraudulent claims of what the drug will do and negligence with side effects. I’m going to walk and eat my veggies to avoid prescription meds. Two major law suits against J&J were won by the plaintiffs in South Dakota. 
12. Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah always a good story. About a little girl who has been living in the rain forest of the Pacific Northwest wonders into a town searching for food. A child psychologist is called in who is the sister of the local police chief to help the girl. Love and patience is the cure. Very good.
13. Camino Ghosts by John Grisham 3rd book of the series resort developer wants to build a resort on an abandoned island once occupied by escaped slaves, the last living descendant claims ownership of the island and will not accept any amount of cash.  Her ancestors are buried there. Very good story.
14. The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E.L. Konigsburg just for fun kids chapter book. Two middle school age boys who have spent more time with adults than kids, they are helping the mother of one of the boys ready the contents of an estate house for sale, a retired opera singer, a small sketch by a famous artist, an art exhibit of “forbidden art”, nazi plunder and more intrigue everything gets sorted in the end. I may read all of  E.L. Konigsburg’s books
15. Night Road by Kristen Hannah for book club good discussion it’s about family, grief, and forgiveness. 
16. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg a 12 year old girl has a miserable experience at summer camp, her great uncle rescues her from camp she learns that the towers her uncles constructed years ago were going to be demolished she comes up with a plan to save the towers. Some of the same characters that were in The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World only younger. Delightful story. 

Connections — Reading list #3 2025

1. The Life Impossible by Matt Haig a retired widowed teacher inherits a house from someone she befriended decades ago, she also gets a letter from a former student.  She moves to the house she inherited on the Spanish island of Ibiza and retells the experience to her former student.  The story is about loss, guilt, nature and natural phenomena beyond our understanding and preserving nature over building big resorts. It was a good story but I liked The Midnight Library better.
2. Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout another story with a fictional writer writing a book that makes 4 so far this year. But that is not really what the book is about.  It’s set during Covid and the lockdown. It’s about marriage, family and dealing with Covid.  Very good. And we lived through it. The main character, Lucy talks about how blue the sky was with fewer car on the roads and fewer jets in the air, I remember noticing that one day too when I was sitting outside with my cup of coffee and a flash back to when I was 4 or 5 years old sitting in the tire swing while mom hung clothes on the line.  The sky was that blue. I will definitely read more books by Elizabeth Strout.
3. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout the same character as Lucy by the Sea but 30 years earlier in her life. She tells the story of her life as if you are sitting beside her and just talking. 
4. Sincerely, Grace by Jean Grainger book 4 of the series Grace and Richard are still writing letters to each other.  WW2 is still raging across Europe and the Pacific. Canon Rafferty is still making life miserable and has his fingers in some other things. Book 5 comes out the end of June.
5. The Mystery of the Teacup Quilt by Jodi Allen Brice quilt shop mystery with a pet goat and a woman writer who lives in a RV just for fun and a relaxing afternoon with a book. 
6. The Scenic Route: A Short Story by Christina Baker Kline a woman who loses everything steals the RV from her ex husband’s driveway and begins her new life on the road. Her teenage son finds her some years later…..
7. Dark of the Moon by John Sandford murder mystery takes place in southwestern Minnesota not far from the South Dakota border and not that far from where I live. Decades old secrets in a small town.
8. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil T. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg this book was mentioned several times in a book I read last winter don’t ask what book because I can’t remember so out of curiosity I read the book. It was delightful published in 1968. A brother and sister run away from home to hide/live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  They also figure out a mystery concerning a sculpture of an angel.
9. Mary Coin by Marisa Silver a story about a contemporary historian,  a woman who survived the depression years and photographer who recorded life during the depression.  Very good 
10. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel for book club French resistance during WW2 and forging identity papers to get mostly Jewish children safely out of France very good.
11. The House Between Tides by Sarah Maine slow going at first about a woman who inherited a house (estate) on an island on the west coast of Scotland, human bones are found under the floor boards of the house. The mystery goes back to 1910 with a tormented artist and his beautiful young wife.

Do you ever read a book and have to stop and think about a character or event that was in a previous book and get a little confused?  I do then I have to think it through and sometimes it’s just the name of a character or occupation that is similar. This reading list is making connections…..Life Impossible main character leaves home to live in house she inherited…..Lucy by the Sea Lucy leaves New York to live in Maine, Lucy is a writer My Name is Lucy Barton same Lucy.  Sincerely, Grace dealing with loss of loved ones and destructive secrets…….The Mystery of the Teacup Quilt more secrets and a woman who lives in an RV….Scenic Route  woman in an RV…… I really had to think to make a connection to Dark of the Moon  teenage boy runs away from adoptive family dysfunctional family/characters. From the Mixed-Up Files run away children and a mystery. Mary Coin the photographer had polio as a child like Grace in Sincerely, Grace, Mary Coin lived an itinerant life like the character in The Scenic Route. The Book of Lost Names recording the identity of the children who were relocated…. and the child of Mary Coin in the photograph who was adopted off the record and his questions about his origins. The House Between Tides inherited house and developers impact on nature which brings me right back to The Life Impossible and a good place to end this post.  —Ann—

Reading list #2 2025

1. The Titanic Sisters by Patricia Falvey two Irish girls board the Titanic one is going to be a governess the other a domestic servant in New York. One sister thinks the other one drowned and takes her identity as governess and her life gets complicated. Of course it does otherwise the story would have been rather dull.
2. The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey about Ireland’s fight for independence set in Ulster. Ulster voted to stay under British rule. (My great grandfather, grandfather and a couple great uncles signed the Ulster Pact for British rule.) the story is the point of view of the Irish republicans for a united Ireland. 
3. The Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn psychological thriller some chapters (journal entries) were too much information for me. I just about quit reading it but I got pulled into the plot.
4. The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan England WW 2 quirky characters and twists and turns made me think of a Pink Panther movie with Peter Sellers. It was also about mother / daughter relationships, forgiveness and stepping out of your comfort zone. 
5. Battle Mountain by C.J. Box another thriller and very good 
6. The Oceans Between Us by Gill Thompson the story begins at the end of WW2 London has been bombed a boy is taken to an orphanage, his mother is in a hospital and doesn’t remember anything. The boy is told his mother is dead and he is shipped to Australia with a boat load of orphans. He doesn’t believe his mother is dead. His mother gets her memory back in bits and pieces and is told her son is dead but she doesn’t believe it. She and a friend start asking questions in England, the son starts asking questions in Australia and the plot thickens.
7. Book Lovers by Emily Henry for book club about a writer’s agent and a book editor, lots of references to Hallmark genre movies only in this book the girl who usually gets dumped for the wholesome small town girl has a happy ending.  Editors do more than fix spelling and punctuation they suggest starting the story a couple chapters in then use flashbacks to introduce the character or this character to too much like so and so from your previous book etc. The book was interesting but not terrific. 
8. The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods just for fun, modern day story an Irish girl who moves to France to work in a bakery. A bit of a mystery, a bit of a ghost story, a bit of French history, a bit of a romance and a bit of a fairy tale. 
9. Painting the Moon by Traci Borum contemporary story about a young woman in California who goes to England to settle her great aunt’s estate.  The great aunt was a well known artist so each chapter starts with words of wisdom from an artist, those words apply to many creative endeavors. A love story and a mystery.  I’m glad I bought this book for my kindle so I can get inspiration from each chapter when I’m in a creative slump. 
10. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster a very short book that has been on my kindle for a very long time time.  An English widow leaves her young daughter with her in-laws and goes to Italy for an adventure falls in love and gets married.  The in-laws are unhappy with the situation….let the interference begin.
11. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammet this book and author are so frequently mentioned in the detective genre of books and television that I finally read the book.  I imagined Sam Spade as Tom Selleck in Magnum or James Garner in The Rockford Files or Jerry Orbach in Murder She Wrote even though Sam Spade was blond.  The book was originally published in 1930 the slang was so refreshingly polite ‘shove off’ was as crude as the language was.  I’m going to read more of his books. 
12. Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger re read book 1 of the Cork O’Connor series as good the second time as the first.
13. the book that matters most by Ann Hood for book club a recently divorced woman joins a book club, the theme for the year is choose the book that matters most in each of the lives of the members. Most of the books were classics from high school or college.  Lots of insight into those books (I might read a couple) and some family drama. Very good. 
14. Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner I waited for this book for almost a year through Libby and was not disappointed. The story begins in California in 1939 about two women whose lives are intertwined. Very very good. I don’t want to say too much and spoil the story. 
15. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig modern day story a young woman dealing with depression over doses on antidepressants while she is unconscious she gets a glimpse of how her life might have turned out if she had made different choices. Very good.
16. Camino Island by John Grisham for book club make a list of characters the first 5 or six chapters introduce the characters and some of their back story and are not mentioned again until they are trying to find or sell the stolen manuscripts.  This is the third book in a row with a character trying to write a book. Good story, the first of three book series. 

Reading list #1

 

The days have warmed up. Our snow is gone except for the large piles. Over a 70 degree temperature change in a week from -20 to +50 give or take a few degrees. I picked up a feather on my walk the first day that it was warm, that little bit of red caught my eye. And I spotted a cardinal in the tree outside my window as I was sipping my coffee and enjoying a few moments of dolche far niente. Now I see a squirrel enjoying the moment in the sun too.

That little squirrel looks very comfy on that branch as it bounces with the breeze. I heard geese fly over earlier in the morning could it be that spring is really here or are we on the prairie in for a surprise in weeks to come? I’m going to sit outside and read for awhile. I can’t enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing all day.

—Ann—

1. The House at Chorlton by Prue Leith the same Prue Leith as the British Bake Off Show.  The story begins in England during WW2 an English girl gets pregnant, falls in love with an Italian pow, gets disowned by her father……..English food with an Italian twist, post war rationing, cooking, family and forgiveness.
2. The Story Collector by Evie Woods about a woman traveling home for Christmas but instead gets on a flight to Ireland, she finds a 100 year old diary. The story is about grief, forgiveness, family, faeries and love.
3. The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan the British baking show goes back to WW2 using war rations.  The prize is to host a radio program helping people to stretch their rations and make them taste better. It’s a story about survival, family and friendship. Delightful story with some delicious sounding recipes and others not so good.
4. The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan WW2 London during the blitz, library books are moved to the underground railway tunnels, family, friendship, survival very good. 
5. The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan even better the second time I read it especially since I didn’t remember anything from the first time in 2018 no wonder I didn’t remember anything. The story takes place in England during WW2 the vicar wants to disband the choir since all the men are off to war. The women have other ideas, the healing power of music, friendship, community and family. I may read every book Jennifer Ryan has written this year.
6. Maria by Michelle Moran historical novel about the real Maria von Trapp. Her life was very different from the play opened in 1959 with Mary Martin playing Maria and the movie in 1965.
7. Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks I haven’t read one of his books for a long time. This one did not disappoint. A love story, finding family and a story of faith.
8. Lightening Strike by William Kent Krueger book 18 takes a step back in time when Cork is 12 years old and his father is sheriff of Tamarack County. Another good story.
9. What is Color by Arielle Eckstut and Joann Eckstut everything you ever wanted to know about color and then some. How we perceive color and how color is made mostly about color and light as opposed to pigment colors. I now understand how when the lighting guys at the basketball games are doing their little pregame light show all of a sudden it looks like everyone is wearing green instead of blue…..yellow lights lots of yellow light.
10. Where Coyotes Howl  by Sandra Dallas takes place in Wyoming in 1910’s a young woman accepts a teaching position and falls in love with a cowboy about friendship, love and loss.
11. A Single Thread by Tracey Chevalier takes place in England in 1930’s a woman moves away from her overbearing mother to a small town to work as a typist and get involved with the local church ladies stitching group (they embroider cushions for the cathedral) she also learns about bell ringing, not the brass bells and white gloves but the bells in the tower with rope pulls. About family, friendships and women’s roles at the time. It was a nice story. I have read other books by Tracey Chevalier that I thought were better.
12. History’s Pages by Jean Grainger book 3 of the Knocknashee Story. Life continues for Grace and Richard but not together then the story just ends. Book 4 comes out summer of 2025.
13. Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger book #19 of the series 
14. Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand a very short story modern day romance I probably won’t look for more of her books.
15. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah for book club about Trevor Noah growing up in South Africa very good.
16. Snow in April by Rosamunde Pilcher a short book just for fun light romance takes place in London and Scotland published in 1972, referred to a rotary dial telephone.

Reading list #5

Disclaimer the watercolor was done with an app from a photo.  Its so much easier.

1. The Museum of Lost Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini most recent of the Elm Creek Quilt series. It’s been a long time since I read the series but all the characters came back to me.  Summer is working on her master’s degree and having a hard time writing her thesis so she returns to Elm Creek quilts looking for inspiration and becomes curator of a quilt exhibit at the historic Union Hall currently under restoration. Fun to read.
2. The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods book dealers, grad student researching a missing manuscript, young woman escaping an abusive husband, retired actress who lives next to where the bookshop should be……a bit of a mystery and a bit of fantasy. Just for fun and a break from reality.
3. The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray for book club I read this book early in 2023 it was as good the second time.
4. Little Souls by Sandra Dallas takes place in Colorado during Spanish flu. Good story.
5. The Magdalen Girls by V. S. Alexander sad depressing story takes place in Ireland in 1960’s about girls who end up at church run laundry service because of teenage hormones or someone lied.
6. Lilac Ink by Jean Grainger re read first book of the Knocknashee series 
7. Yesterday’s Paper by Jean Grainger book 2 of series more correspondence between Grace and Richard and a trip to America for Grace and a trip to Europe as a journalist for Richard. The story takes place during WW2. The story was very good but the ending was huh?? Have to wait for the third book in January.
8. The President’s Wife by Tracey Emerson Wood historically novel about Edith Wilson, second wife of President Woodrow Wilson very good.
9. The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan just for fun a short book about a woman in London looking for a book from her great aunt’s childhood. 
10. The Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg a fun book to reread at Christmas time. A man with numerous health problems moves to the south from Chicago. He doesn’t think he has long to live but fresh air, real food at regular times, physical activity and new friends improves his health. I don’t want to spoil the story……feel good book.
11. The Answer is No by Fredrick Backman short story I will read this book again and again.

How many books do I have on my kindle for 2025?  I think it’s going to be a year of escaping reality into books…….. Ann

Reading list #4

1. The Harp and the Rose by Jean Grainger book 3 of the Queenstown series
2. Roaring Liberty by Jean Grainger book 4 of the Queenstown series
3. The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny for book club murder mystery 
4. Book of Ages  The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin  by Jill Lepore biography and letters written by Jane Franklin to her brother Benjamin Franklin. Some letters were just cheery letters from home, others were her viewpoints on the revolutionary war and society or social issues of the time. The author made a point of how boring history can be to read depending on the viewpoint of the writer, she also went on to say that historical fiction can give the reader more insight into how people actually lived in a particular place and time a more realistic history.
5. Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen a more appropriate title might be the Lies I Read in History Books.  The author tells how publishers have sanitized, sugar coated and whitewashed American history so as not to offend anyone and age appropriateness for the students.  It was a tough book to read because it did tell how Columbus actually treated the natives and how the new comers brought disease which wiped out whole tribes, and that all presidents before Lincoln had been slave owners. The book also went on to say how similar history textbooks are from one publisher to another and how history is rewritten from one decade to the next because of how attitudes of the public have changed.
6. The Queens of Animation by Nathalia Holt nonfiction about the women who worked for Walt Disney in the early years of animation to present day. I want to watch Snow White, Fantasia, Pinocchio, Bambi, and Dumbo again. And all the others too. The women didn’t get the recognition they deserved. The technology of the feature length animations was groundbreaking at the time. Fantasia was the first surround sound movie. 
7. A Time for Mercy  by John Grisham for book club lots of details about lawyers preparing their defense and tricks to dsitract the prosecutor.  Very interesting but also long I needed a break from it after every few chapters. 
8. The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams just for fun I needed a cozy mystery after four very serious books.
9. Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay contemporary story about two sisters one a chef and the other dealing with cancer with lots of references to Jane Austen books because she was their mother’s favorite author. 
10. The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict story takes place in England in 1930’s. Characters were real people, six sisters, a couple were fascinated by fascism and communism. A new perspective for me about what was happening in Europe leading up to WW2. 
11. The Evolution of Annabel Craig by Lisa Grunwald fiction but based on real people and events of 1925 when teaching evolution and creation as learned in the Bible went to court in Dayton, Tennessee. Annabel Craig is 23 years old, married to a lawyer and a self taught photographer who sits in on the trial taking photos. Very good. 
12. Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger #17 of the series another thriller. 
13. The Devil’s Bed by William Kent Krueger one of his earlier books, a political thriller.
14. The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay for book club we read this a couple years ago and everyone had forgotten the characters and plot.  The only thing I remembered was the head of staff at the Braithwaite House in Bath, England grew up in the house.  None of us at book club were fans of Jane Austen and hadn't read any of her books since high school.
15. Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen I tried reading it but only got 1/3 through it.  I don't understand the infatuation with her books.  There just isn't any action in the plot especially after reading William Kent Krueger books.

My no time to sew summer has turned into a no sew fall but these lovely summer like days I have spent on the deck reading or walking instead of downstairs in the sewing room. Time in the sewing room will come when fall turns to winter.  We haven't had rain here since August the weatherman was predicting a drab autumn because it is dry but mother nature had other ideas. This is the prettiest autumn ever and the leaves are still hanging tight. Some maples are a brilliant red others are red, orange, copper, yellow, gold and green all at once.  The colors are in layers with green closest to the trunk. Everyday they are a little more orange and red and someday soon the wind will blow from the north and bring a hard hard frost and all the trees will disrobe until spring and then I will cozy up with a book and a quilt or go to my sewing room. --Ann--

Reading list #3 2024

Tis a lovely day for a Guiness.........

or a lovely day for an Irish coffee

1. A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen story about a young woman with 5 year old daughter who is abandoned by her husband in  late 1800’s in England. She starts designing dresses to support herself and daughter eventually opens stores in London, New York, Paris and Chicago. Also a Titanic survivor. Good story and wonderful descriptions of fabrics and color.
2. Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb as delightful the second time I read it as the first.
3. The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich children’s book probably 4th grade reading level just for fun.
4. Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson murder mystery takes place on an island near Stockholm, Sweden. 
5. Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Rose nonfiction to keep my kindle streak going. About the importance of art in our lives for our wellbeing. Lots of studies and physiology of how the brain works and responds to the arts. Interesting.
6. The Women by Kristen Hannah for book club best book I have read in a long time about nurses who served during Vietnam war and their return to America.
7. The Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland I read this years ago and very few moments reading it the second time that “oh yeah I remember this” almost like I was reading it for the first time. It’s about a painting probably painted by Vermeer, the Dutch artist. Each chapter is about who owned the painting, how they related to the painting and how they acquired it.
8. Manitou Canyon by William Kent Krueger book # 15 in the Cork O’Conner series.
9. The Paris Novel  fiction by chef, food writer and editor, Ruth Reichl, delightful story about a young woman going to Paris after the death of her mother. A bit of a fairy tale in that the people she meets in Paris each contribute to her finding herself and understanding her mother. Short happy ending book.
10. The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig for book club I just about quit reading it because I was going to miss the discussion but I said one more chapter and the action / tension picked up so I read to the end. The story takes place in 1909/1910 in Montana about a widowed father of 3 boys attending country school. Country school was the best 4 years of school of my life. 
11. Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier another book about Vermeer and his painting.
12. Sulfur Springs by William Kent Krueger #16 in the Cork O’Connor series, lots of twists and surprises.
13. Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes a mix up of gym bags and a drastic change of circumstances forces two women to literally walk in the others shoes. It’s a story of friendship and overcoming hardships and relationships. Very good
14. For All the World by Jean Grainger story takes place in Ireland at the beginning of WWI. 
15. Murder in the Marigolds by Fiona Grace a very short book murder with a horticultural theme just for fun. 
16. Lilac Ink by Jean Grainger Ireland about a young woman with polio in1938 overcoming obstacles and finding happiness and a letter in a bottle.
17. Last Port of Call: The Queenstown Series book 1 by Jean Grainger the story begins in 1912 in Queenstown, Ireland  reverted back to the original Irish name of Cobh with Ireland's independence from Britan. The story is about a young woman and her daughter who inherit the big house and turn it into a bed and breakfast to support themselves. Cobh is the departure point for many Irish leaving Ireland.  Rereading these books after visiting Cobh a few weeks ago.  
18. The West's Awake  by Jean Grainger book 2 of the Queenstown series. This series made me sympathetic toward those fighting for an independent Ireland.

I took a much longer break from blogging than I intended but then not much has been happening on the creative side.  We took a trip to Ireland with son and nieces and families.  It was a tour group and traveling with family was wonderful. We hope to travel together again in a couple years.  We toured the southern part of Ireland this trip.  My previous trips were all in the North to visit relatives so saw lots of beautiful new scenery. More about that in coming weeks.  I have been rereading the Jean Grainger books and trying to visualize  Cobh /Queenstown 110 years ago the only building that I'm sure is still in exactly the same place is St. Colman's Cathederal.

Reading list#2 2024

  

1. Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy I have read other books by this writer that have liked much better. Or maybe it was too slow paced after reading William Kent Krueger. 
2. Three Inch Teeth by C.J. Box another thriller, I read it in one day.
3. Thunderstruck by Erik Larson about Marconi and the invention of the wireless radio which send messages in Morse code. Way more than I needed to know about radio waves and antenna but also growing aggression in Germany before WW1 and a mystery. Wireless radio played a vital roll in catching the villain. 
4. The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger for book club a death was it accidental or murder, lots of secrets and confidences, the story takes place in the 1950’s dealing with post was trauma and family. Very good!
5. A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber a young woman dealing with the death of her sister from cancer and a romance, just a nice story after the murder and gore of the 3 previous books.
6. The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner WW2 Japanese and German internment camps in USA, about friendship, family, and home. Very good!
7. Stolen Beauty by Laurie Lico Albanese about the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt and a woman he painted in late 1800’s-early 1900’s and about the woman’s niece during WW2 and the recovery of the painting.  The painting is The Woman in Gold, Ann Marie O’Connor wrote a similar book, The Lady in Gold which was made into a movie with Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. I need to watch the movie again. Very good.
8. Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill about the secret service agent assigned to protect First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy for book club.
9. Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict about Mrs. Winston Churchill. Very good
10. Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor something light after 3 serious but very good books
11. The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear stand alone book, not part of the Maisie Dobbs series. Story takes place in England after WW II and back tracks to WWI in Belgium resistance fighters then to resistance during WW II. Good story and interesting characters.
12. The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht for book club weird story but lots to think about how family stories are passed on and become larger than life. Good book club discussion but no one really liked the book. The grandfather/ doctor in the story carried a copy of The Jungle Book his whole life.
13. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling my knowledge of the book was from the 1967 Disney animation. (I watched that again too) the book was very dark but fun to read.
14. The Tuscan Orphan by Siobhan Daiko WW2 Italy army nurse and orphaned girl, the search for her parents and a love story. The book was ok but not great.
15. Start a new list……..

Fun weekend with the little girls and some of my favorite books. I never get tired of reading kids books. DD and I were shopping together a couple weekends ago we found what she needed in the first store we went to so after a couple other shops we went to the big book store just to read picture books. —Ann—

Reading list #1 2024

1. After Anne by Logan Steiner about Lucy Maud Montgomery writing Ann of Green Gables interesting, she had some problems with depression and her husband also suffered from depression.
2. Open Carry by Marc Cameron similar to C.J. Box and William Kent Krueger books. US Marshall in Alaska parts of the story were pretty far fetched and a lot of current pop culture influences like reality television set in Alaska and “Grumpy’s” rules too similar to Gibb’s rules in NCIS. Don’t know if I will read any more of the series.
3. Tricksters Point by William Kent Krueger #12 in the series more twists more turns more surprises.
4. The Art Collector’s Daughter by Derville Murphy WW 2 France and Ireland the young daughter of an art gallery owner is sent to Ireland to live with a school chum. As an adult she is finally given a framed sketch sent by her father, it contained a hidden letter saying he sent his favorite painting to her…..what happened to the paintings? Murder, mystery, betrayal, plot twists and more.
5. Tamarack County William Kent Krueger book #13 another exciting story. I started it Sunday afternoon and was going to try to finish it before I went to bed but I kept nodding off and would jerk awake as the book slipped from my hands then start the page again. I convinced myself to give up and go to bed because I wouldn’t remember the ending the next day.
6. Ann of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery 
7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
8. The Flight of the Falcon a lesser known work by Daphne DuMaurier
9. Freydis by Gunhild Haugnes takes place in Greenland 1000 years ago real characters of Eirik the Red, father or Leif Eirikson, and Eirik’s daughter Freydis. Norse paganism, family struggles, coming to terms with the past.
10. Mockingbird Summer by Lynda Rutledge small town in Texas 1964. Turmoil of 1964 through the eyes of a 13 year old girl. Very good.
11. The Beekeeper’s War by Deborah Carr England WWI and WW2 secrets and friendship.
12. The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal for book club family conflict, overcoming problems, seizing opportunities, and brewing beer.
13. Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger #14 of the series trafficking young Native American girls in Duluth harbor and oil fields of North Dakota 
14. Remme A Dog, Her Boy and Their Girls by me.  Last summer when I was finishing my son’s photo books I had the crazy idea to write a children’s book about him and his dog. I gave it to him for his birthday in February.

Time to start a new list. March is here the snow is gone again. I feel like it’s still a long way to spring. I guess I’ll start a new book………Ann

Reading list #5 Happy New Years Eve

  

1. Christy by Catherine Marshall about a young woman teaching in an interdenominational missionary school in the mountains of Tennessee in 1912. The story was inspired by the author’s mother and her experiences teaching in Tennessee. Many of the Tennessee mountain people were of Scottish descent if you have read or watched the Outlander series the Scottish history will be familiar.  The book was published over fifty years ago and I remember my grandmother reading it. I kinda remember my grandmother suggesting I read it. Fifty some years later………I finally read it and it was very good.
2. Color by Victoria Finlay a history and search for artist pigments and dyes before  synthetic dyes were available. What were the raw materials that artist used and how were they processed. It was a book to keep my kindle streak going when I was reading a paper book. Interesting.
3. What Child is This by Rhys Bowen Christmas story set in London during WW 2. Very short story, less than an hour to read.
4. Wild Mountain Thyme by Rosamunde Pilcher modern day romance the book was published in 1987, just for fun. The story takes place on England and Scotland, a writer steals his son from his deceased ex wife’s parents then he drops in on the girl he dumped when he married his ex wife and they take a road trip to the Highlands of Scotland.
5. Less by Andrew Sean Greer for book club don’t bother everyone hated it, I couldn’t finish it. Read the reviews on amazon that have 3 stars or fewer.
6. That Wintery Feeling by Debbie Macomber I had to read some romantic fluff just for fun to get the previous book out of my head.
7. The Silver Ladies do Lunch by Judy Leigh about life long friendships feel good story
8. The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy a book of short stories.
9. Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger book#11 inspired by a real wind storm that blew through northern Minnesota and Canada in 1999, a derecho. I don’t remember hearing that word until one hit Iowa 2 or 3 years ago and one hit here in 2022. Another good story.
10. Winners by Fredrik Backman book 3 of his hockey series this story involves a straight line wind storm but does not call it a derecho. It’s about hockey and competition between two towns, it’s about family and rising above one’s past, surviving and not surviving depending on one’s supporters or lack of supporters.  A very good story. I will be thinking about some of the characters for a very long time.
11. The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford about Charles Dickens writing A Christmas Carol. A lot of information about the socioeconomics and culture of the time and the publishing industry. Interesting but a chapter a day was enough. 
12. The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli a duel timeline story about Leonardo da Vinci, his painting The Lady with the Ermine, the woman who posed for the painting and a WW2 story about a young German woman who documented the art seized by the Nazis and Italian American soldier who was part of the Monuments Men preserving and retrieving the art. Very good.

Disclaimer the watercolor was done on the Waterlogue app. Another quiet New Year’s Eve celebration at our house and that’s okay. What did I do this past year?? Read lots of books, lots of books I didn’t include all the picture books I read….. I didn’t sew as many quilts as I could/should have sewn judging from the fabrics on the shelves…..there is next year. I knit most of the sweaters twice because I wanted them to fit right, I could have spent twice as much on yarn if I had done it right the first time. Ha ha.  We spent as many weekends at the river as we could with the grands because they were only 2 for a year and plan to do the same next year because they will only be 3 for 11 more months and then they will be 4.  Slow down and let’s enjoy the moment.  Happy New Year!!  Ann

Reading list #4

1. Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger book #7 of the series always good. No longer available on kindle thank goodness the library has a hard copy. Patiently waiting for #8.
2. The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick another great story by the author about reuniting with a family member, secrets, learning to love yourself. Delightful.
3. In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen England WW2 spies, code breaking I like the Rose Code  by Kate Quinn much better.
4. Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diane Gabaldon I had to read it again after watching the latest season of Outlander since the series ended on a cliffhanger. There should be a 10th book and 8th season in the future.
5. Red Knife by William Kent Krueger book #8 I couldn’t put it down.
6. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray for book club about the young woman who helped J.P. Morgan build his library of rare books and art.
7. The Address by Fiona David New York end of the 19th century about the Dakota apartment building for the upperclass. A young woman from England is hired to be head housekeeper and immediately promoted to building manager “managerette” was her official title, she worked closely with the architect who is finishing the project, romance follows along with lots of twists. Also a modern day story well actually 1985 setting of a young woman getting out of rehab, trying to stay clean and sober, restart her interior design career and unravel her family roots. Very good!
8. Homecoming by Kate Morton 500+ pages and I read it in 3 days. A mystery from 1959 is unraveled with lots of twists and turns. I figured some things out and then surprise didn’t see that coming. The story takes place in Australia also a present day story of the granddaughter untangling the family history and reconciling with her mother.
9. Heaven’s Keep by William Kent Krueger book #9 another page turner.
10. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus for book club very good
11. Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger book #10 I’m going to be sad when I finish this series. It was a beautiful day so I sat outside and read.
12. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke just for fun reads just like the hallmark series. 

• I started reading Call My Name by Jenni Ogden the first chapter was about the main character being “late” and way too much information I’m of the generation that didn’t speak of such things except in euphemisms. We just put our big girl panties on and kept it private. Another book I read by Kate Clayborn, the main character whined for an entire chapter about her monthly cramps. That and bad language put both authors on my don’t bother reading list. Is this a trend with young writers? 

Off the needles

 

Small finishes this week. All of a sudden it’s sweater weather and wool socks weather. There were two glorious sunny days before the clouds and rain rolled in. I sat on the deck and read. I just finished Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus for book club. Very good book. My book club gave the library money and recommendations for book bags last January the book has been so popular we finally got to check it out in September. Next time we give the library money for a book bag I’m requesting that we as donors get it first. It’s a good day to knit or read or maybe even get to work in the sewing room. Ann

Reading list#3

1. The Girl in the Painting by Tea Cooper takes place late 1800’s and early 1900’s in Australia orphans and a mystery to unravel about a woman’s identity. Very good.
2. The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar WW2 women who transported planes to airfields around the country for the military and a love story. Very good. For book club.
3. Alaska by James Michener very long book…..but very good fiction and history of Alaska.
4. The Professor’s House by Willa Cather a very short book 170 pages. I have read other books by Willa Cather that I liked much better. 
5. Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas fluff, sitting on the deck kind of book. Takes place present day in Texas a young woman is cataloging quilts in a quilt shop for a museum exhibit also looking for her family. One glaring error early in the book…some one had an angora rabbit and the fur was woven into yarn…..anyone who knows anything about fiber whether in cloth or yarn the fibers are ‘spun’ into yarn or thread before they are woven. The story had a happy ending.
6. The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier a story about swapped identities, family relationships, failing business, can the one who was forced into the other man’s life pull it off? Very good!!
7. The House on Blackberry Hill by Donna Alward a young woman inherits the rundown family mansion from her grandmother’s sister.  Reads like a hallmark movie.
8. The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson for book club Native American story takes place in Minnesota. The gardeners in book club enjoyed this story more than the non gardeners. Part of the story is historical going back to 1860’s the rest is modern day about a young Indian girl in foster care then marrying a farmer and learning to garden. Eventually she reconnects with her Native American family.
9. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny more adventures into Three Pines and murder and Inspector Armand Gamache with lots of references to Emily Carr an early Canadian artist I need to find the novel about her and re read it.  The book was titled Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland.
10. The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton I enjoyed The Hideaway so much I thought I would read another of her books. This was about forgiveness, second chances, starting over and friendship. Nice story with a happy ending but characters rather ordinary.
11. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle takes place on the Amalfi coast of Italy a story about grief and finding yourself. Happy ending.  I only read it because I was there a couple months ago.
12. Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland I had to read this again after reading The Brutal Telling the story takes place in British Columbia in early 1900’s about the artist Emily Carr. She paints the forests and totem poles of western Canada in bold colors and thick paint. Very good!
13. Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn contemporary romance, lettering artist and a numbers guy. Just for fun. 
14. How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith for book club, Black history a reckoning with the history of slavery across America.

Coloring

 The little girls came over to play, well first they wanted “second breakfast “ which is always yogurt and fruit then they do puzzles or get out the blocks and they always ask to color, always! Olivia likes the black sheets and the chalky crayons ( the black sheets wash right off she has no problem with that) Madeline likes the regular old crayons and a coloring book but mostly she likes to build with her crayons but they kept rolling off the table so I put them on a plastic lid. She was very happy lining them up and making occasional marks on the paper. I sat and colored too.  I read in a book this spring Beachfront Bakery: A Killer Cupcake by Fiona Grace about a young woman, Ali, opening a pastry shop and involved in a murder investigation who might have been just a little stressed…..anyway Ali goes into an arts and crafts shop, the owner, Delaney, directs her to a table and tells her to do some coloring while she makes tea for both of them.  Delaney tells her that coloring with her non- dominant hand is a scientifically proven anxiety-busting technique. The book did not have a footnote to back up the claim but I found coloring with my granddaughters to be very relaxing especially on a page with large spaces to color. Those books with the tiny intricate designs might cause rather than eliminate stress.  I wasn’t stressed so I used my right hand.  Ann

Reading #2

New reading list and some travel......

1. The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie one of her early who dun its. 
2. Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen an odd assortment of characters who all had trying childhoods, there is an imaginary bird, characters long deceased are telling their story as ghosts, it was a short book so I finished it. The story came together in the end about letting go of the past so your ghosts can rest and you can move forward. 
3. The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane McFhail turn of the century 1900, Mardi Gras, a young woman from Chicago whose husband has disappeared goes to New Orleans looking for him and needs to find a way to support herself. She begins teaching sewing at an orphanage and meets a woman who gives her a room in exchange for sewing a gown for Mardi Gras. It’s a leap year and the women are in charge of the festivities. Interesting but not terrific.
4. Mercy Falls by William Kent Krueger book #5 of the series and it ended on a cliffhanger. Wait list for the next book
5. Storm Watch by C. J. Box #23 of the Joe Pickett series read it during a March snowstorm it felt  like I was there almost.
6. The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne a grown up mystery by the author of the Winnie the Pooh  books. An amateur sleuth works out the details of who dun it and how. Just for fun.
7. Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman for book club fiction Southern California dealing with the loss of water. Arizona shut off water to California. 
8. Copper River by William Kent Krueger book #6 couldn’t put it down.The cliffhanger of book 5 resolved and a bunch of new crimes connected and unraveled. 
9. The Italian House by Teresa Crane 1922 a young married English girl inherits her grandmother’s house in Italy she connects with a cousin from her childhood lots of twists near the end of the story and not enough build up of how this is going to be resolved. Not a top recommendation.
10. The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake again this time for book club just as good the second time. 
11. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn fiction WW2 three young women cracking German codes at Bletchley Park they start a literary society because they can’t talk about their work. Some characters are pure fiction some are a combination of real people and a few are true historical characters including Kate Middleton’s grandmother. Very good book all 600 some pages.
12. Puzzles by A.J. Jacobs non fiction about all different kinds of puzzles including A couple chapters on cryptic cyphers. One of those books I read between other books to keep my reading streak going on my kindle.
13. Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik for book club depression era 
14. Pompeii by Robert Harris reread for a very good reason.  Photos below are of Mount Vesuvis and the excavated ruins of Pompeii. 
15. Beach Front Bakery by Fiona Grace fluff airplane reading.
16. The  Revolution of the Moon by Andrea Camilleri takes place on Sicily in 1600’s a woman inherits the throne on the death of her husband, she makes some very important social changes for the good of the people and cleans up some corruption in the church and city council. More airplane reading, short book.
17. Secrets of the Cottage by the Sea by Rebecca Alexander fluff just for fun and started on the airplane.
18. To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite very slow to start 3 chapters for the first 4 or 5 minutes of the movie. I watched it again, the book takes place after WW2 the movie in the 1960’s. Both were very good.