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.