2026 In Review ... 60 Days In

March 1st already, people! Can you believe it? Personally, I can't. Especially since there's still a ton of snow on the ground here (and it was flurrying earlier today. 🙄) Let's see what's been going on so far this year...

In the world of reading, I have stopped reading TWO books already. This is a lot for me. I *maybe* stop reading one book per year, if that. 

I'm sure these are great books, but just not for me and not now. I read maybe 50 pages of each and decided that was enough. They're both pretty heavy topics (Nazis and Columbine) and honestly, they're a bit too close to present day reality. I think I've come to the point in my life where I want to read books that make me laugh and smile, for the most part. (A perk of aging!?!)

The weather's been ridiculous. I feel like we're paying for the last few winters when we didn't get much snow at all. There's only one "person" in this house that enjoys the snow. Here's a hint: he has four legs.

Now if only we could teach him to use the snowblower vs. project managing his father.

I will say it looks beautiful on the trees, though.

What else? I'm loving Spindrift sparkling water. I've tried to wean myself off of soda (and I've been successful for the most part) but still need something flavored that isn't caffeinated (if I drink a Diet Coke or an iced tea at lunch I'm up until 2AM 👎). I tried seltzer but it's a bit "harsh" for me (for lack of a better term.) Then I found Spindrift sparkling water. No caffeine. No fake sugar and very little added sugar. I love the Berry Belli-no, the Island Punch, and the Cosnopolitan. Highly recommend!

We just finished watching THE most hilarious series- How to Get to Heaven from Belfast on Netflix. If you loved Derry Girls, you'll love this new series by the same creator/writer, Lisa McGee. Trust me. There are some familiar faces from Derry Girls in the series, but it's altogether a different type of story. The main thing that connects them is the humor. The religious humor is some of the best. Go watch it. Now!

Is it Spring yet? 😆

Can You Meet Your Doppelganger Sight Unseen?

I am here to tell you that YES- you can!

(Before I launch into this long overdue blog post, Happy New Year...and happy all of the holidays that I've missed since my last post!)

Let's get back to the topic at hand- meeting your doppelganger without seeing them.

My reading goal for 2025 was 72 books- and I met that goal! The last book I read to round out the year was Fifty Acres and a Poodle by Jeanne Marie Laskas. I'd not read anything by her previously and didn't know much about her other than she'd written a few other books and had written for prestigious magazines (New Yorker, Atlantic, Esquire). 

My friend Andrea (we seem to be on the same wavelength about a lot of books) said she'd read it a long time ago and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to ending the year on a high note.

In a nutshell, the book is the tale of Ms. Laskas and her partner (who has a poodle- but it's a standard poodle, not "...one of those little yappy things..." as is frequently repeated throughout the book) and their quest to leave the city of Pittsburgh and live on a farm (fifty acres) and all that entails. 

After reading this paragraph on page two, I texted Andrea and told her I was convinced I'd picked the right book:

"In fact, I was a person who liked to go to the mall. I was a person who had no conflict about liking to go to the mall...I used Clinique products on my skin, mainly because I was a sucker for the free stuff you could get during Clinique Bonus Time. I had a formidable tower of Stouffer's Lean Cuisine in my freezer, and I harbored little or no fear of processed foods. I believed very deeply in the power of air conditioning, microwave ovens, and very many things you plug in."

I love the mall! When we bought our house, I told John I'd rather border a mall than a state forest! (This is somewhat of a misnomer...I haven't been to a mall in ages. It's more that I have an affinity for shopping. My mall loving days were in high school and college.)

I've used Clinique skin products since college.

I've eaten a LOT of frozen food in my time. I'm not a great cook, so while I was in college/lived on my own, I frequently ate hot pockets, Stouffer's, etc...

The next paragraph? She talks about the TV show Green Acres! I'm sold! She says how she has a "farm dream" not unlike Oliver and Lisa in the 60's TV comedy (hence the foundation of the book.) She finds herself singing the theme song...which admittedly, I often do.

The similarities continue...

Her partner Alex has two children from his previous marriage- a boy and a girl (samesies).

She and Alex get married on...September 13th! (This is when things got real for me and started to freak me out a bit- that's John's and my wedding date.)

As I was making my way through the book, I told John the similarities and how crazy it was. I even said, "They have two dogs, but neither is a Golden." 

Next chapter?

You guessed it- they get a third dog and it's half Golden Retriever!

So, while there are some definite "non-doppelganger" things, i.e., actually wanting a farm and going through with buying it being the biggest one, I'm still floored at the likenesses between us.

While I'm sure we look nothing alike (I honestly haven't looked up a photo of Laskas, as I think I'll be over the top freaked out if we DO look alike), we are fraternal and spiritual doppelgangers!

January/February Entertainment Review: TV Series, Movie & Books

 Here's the lowdown on what I watched and read in January/February 2022:

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TV Series: Search Party on HBOMax

John and I watched all five seasons over the course of a month or so, although I honestly lost track of exactly how long it took us to watch. He had already watched season one and I happened to be sitting with him while he was watching a season two episode and he said he thought I'd like it. He offered to re-watch season one and off we went.

I really have to say that the first two seasons and probably the third were GREAT. I really enjoyed the four main characters and how each brought a different facet to their friendship. Meredith Hagner (the blond on the left in the above image) is the airheaded actress and pulls it off magnificently. But the star of the show? The one who made me LOL? John Early who plays Elliott (the one in the yellow suit and sunglasses in the above image.) I mean, roll on the floor, laugh your ass off. 

However, when seasons four and five came along, even Elliott's amazing sense of humor couldn't save the show. Classic example of "jumped the shark." Let's just say that I did not invest all that time to have the series end in a zombie apocalypse (::major eyeroll::) I am not a zombie person to begin with, but this just totally went off the rails. 

So, feel free to watch seasons one-three and then find something else!

If you watched it, what did you think?

Gilded Age on HBOMax

This will be quick as we didn't even make it through the first episode.

Julian Fellowes, who created Downton Abbey, also created this series. I thought, "Brilliant! I loved Downton, so I'll love the Gilded Age." And you can't go wrong with Christine Baranski!

Major snooze-a-palooza! Way too slow. 

If you watched it and enjoyed it, I'd be interested to hear what specifically you liked about it.

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Movie: The Tender Bar on Amazon Prime

So many things to love about this movie. A lot of it was shot on the North Shore of Massachusetts/Cape Ann, which is where I live and work, so it was fun recognizing landmarks in scenes. It took place in the 70's/80's- my era. Ben Affleck. Already has a "real" Boston accent, so no need for a cringe-worthy fake accent. Lastly- a well written "slice of life" story. 

Watch it- you'll thank me.

If you watched it, what did you think?

Books: Here is a book that I've read since the beginning of the year and rated an A+, A or A-.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Description: Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her.

Rating: A. While this isn't exactly "light" reading, it's an extremely well written story about real life issues. I was empathetic to the characters and when Gifty wanted her mother to get out of bed so so much, I could feel that longing. The only reason I didn't give it an A+, was the somewhat random interjections of biomedical jargon- almost like an excerpt from a science textbook.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? 

What good books have you read lately?

December Entertainment Review: TV Series, Movie & Books

Here's the lowdown on what I watched and read in December 2021:

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TV Series: Goliath on Amazon Prime

John has been watching this over the past few years (it started in 2016) and I just happened to catch part of an episode from the last season while sitting with him. I was intrigued. A loudmouth brash blonde lawyer paired with freakish Billy Bob Thornton- why not?

I started at the beginning (there are four seasons total). I REALLY loved the first season. It was funny, heartbreaking, and totally drew me in. I couldn't wait for the second season...

You don't want to touch the second season with a ten-foot pole. I watched one episode and thought it was strange. I mentioned it to John and he immediately said, "Yeah, you'll probably want to just skip the second season COMPLETELY." Say what??? I didn't give up that easily and watched the second episode and said nope. Too.freaking.weird. (Crossed a line weird, if you catch my drift.)

Onward and upward. I watched the third season and was underwhelmed. It wasn't nearly as odd as the second season (although it had its moments), but every episode was set in the same place with little variety. It bored me.

Next? The fourth season was TERRIFIC. The storyline was fascinating (big pharma) and Nina Ariandas (who plays the loudmouth brash blonde lawyer Patty) was fabulous. She really makes the show, in my opinion. While Billy Bob Thornton is an accomplished actor, Ariandas is amazing. 

Unfortunately, that was the last season and (allegedly) there will be no more. If you haven't seen it, I recommend seasons 1, 3 (just be prepared for dullsville, but you need to see it to be in the loop on the progression of the relationship storylines), and 4.

If you watched it, what did you think?

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Movie: Being the Ricardos on Amazon Prime

As mentioned above, I loved Nina Ariandas and her portrayal of Patty in Goliath. I was interested in what else she was in, so Google told me she played Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz) in this Amazon Prime original movie. On top of that (before I dumped Twitter), Mandy Matney (host of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, which you need to check out) tweeted that it was a fabulous movie. SOLD!

John and I watched it on New Year's Eve. It was a really good movie and very interesting. It chronicled a week in the production of the I Love Lucy TV show- the week where it's exposed that Lucille Ball "checked the box" (the Communist party box) on a voter registration form from years ago and the drama that ensued. (It also touched on Lucille being pregnant on TV and how the network bigwigs couldn't POSSIBLY allow a pregnant woman on TV. "Our viewers will question how she got pregnant!") There are also flashbacks throughout the movie to show how Lucy & Desi met, etc...

I had a hard time with Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball, but Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz was terrific as were Ariandas as Vance and JK Simmons (also in Goliath) as William Frawley. 

Very entertaining; I'd recommend it.

If you watched it, what did you think?

Books: New Year, new blog resolutions. I'm going to switch up my book reviews. It's sometimes taxing to keep up with my reading and writing started to feel like a "chore." Thus, I will only share books that I rate A+, A or A- (we'll see how much that narrows the field!)

Here are some of the books I didn't previously review, but read recently (most likely read in December but potentially November) that I think are worth reading:

Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

Description: Two years into the Second World War, and German U-boats are frequently disrupting the United Kingdom’s supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front launches a new cooking contest – and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For young widow Audrey winning the competition could be a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. However, her estranged sister, Gwendoline, is equally set on success even if her own kitchen maid, Nell, is competing against her. And then there is Zelda, a trained London-trained chef desperate to succeed in a male-dominated profession - and harboring a secret that will change everything...

Loved, loved, loved this book- A+! If you read one book that I recommended, this should be the one (OK- maybe there were a few more really good ones...) Wonderful story-telling, drama, likeable characters, you name it- read this historical fiction book!

Matt Haig books

Completely unintended, but I read two Matt Haig books within a week or so of each other. The Comfort Book is exactly what it says it is. A book of reflections/quotes to bring calmness and comfort in this crazy world. My new favorite quote came from this book-

Don't absorb criticism from people you wouldn't ask for advice

::mic drop::

I immediately put this into play in my life. While it's not always easy to remember, it's so so true.

The Midnight Library is a bird of a different feather. Let's see if I can find a description of the book that covers it all. Nope. Here's a teaser: Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

It's a fantasy book (not my usual genre by any means) but I did really enjoy it. As a librarian, as someone who's made mistakes, as a fiction reader, and as a human. It's a truly interesting story.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

Description: Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfil her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.

I could gush over this book all.day.long. What does it for me is the setting/references to Cambridge. I grew up around Boston and went to high school in Cambridge, so I knew the places Casey went to and talked about it was like a trip down memory lane. (Even if you didn't grow up/live in Boston/Cambridge, you'll still love this story- trust me!)

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? 

What good books have you read lately?

6:45PM? Feel like it's 10PM!

The end of daylight savings time. Blah. 

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Oh good- it's not just me. 😏

Other than feeling like it's hours later than it really is, let's see what else is going on around here.

• It's been "warm" for November in New England (in the 50's!), so John and I were able to get out yesterday and take a walk on a local rail trail. We walked to the Merrimack River and sat on a bench and just took in the scenery. It was beautiful.

• I've gone to Pilates three weeks in a row, which for me is good! The class is early Monday evening, which can sometimes be tough. Mondays are always crazy at work, but I've made it a priority to go.

• John and I always have trouble finding a TV series that we're both interested in watching. I found this list of the 18 best Netflix Original Series and we made a list of seven that we were interested in trying. When we sat down last night to actually watch, we determined that two I wasn't really that interested in, one was totally hokey, and one was meh. So, yeah- we'll give the others a shot, but it's back to the drawing board. (Suggestions? Throw them out!)

• I've tracked all my meals on WW (Weight Watchers) for the past week and did it sporadically prior to that. The scale shows it's working. 

• The six month anniversary of my Dad's passing is coming up this week. Some days it seems like it happened yesterday and some days it seems like it's been longer. Grief is weird.

Since it's only 6:45 🙄, I'll try to catch up on some book reviews- plenty of time!

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #49: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Aluo

Summary: The book is about race in the contemporary United States, each chapter titled after a question. Oluo makes the argument that America's political, economic and social systems are systematically/institutionally racist. The book provides advice for readers when discussing race-related subjects, such as how to avoid acting defensive or getting off-topic. Statistics are used to support the book's arguments. Oluo also describes her upbringing and experience living in Seattle, Washington. She was raised by a white single mother and became a single mother herself to two mixed-race sons at a young age.

Rating: A-. I found this book to be informative and definitely worth a read. (Admittedly, I am very behind on reviews and I read this one a while ago, so my in-depth impressions have gone out of my mind...lol. This will be applicable for the next set of reviews, as well. 😀)

Book #50: The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

Summary: Bombay’s first female lawyer, Perveen Mistry, is compelled to bring justice to the family of a murdered female Parsi student just as Bombay’s streets erupt in riots to protest British colonial rule. Sujata Massey is back with this third installment of the series set in 1920s Bombay.

Rating: A-. I've really enjoyed this series. I love that Perveen is blazing a trail as Bombay's first female lawyer and breaking down barriers. The time period and setting are fascinating.

Book #51: Who Moved My Goat Cheese by Lynn Cahoon

Summary: Angie Turner is back in her hometown of River Vista, Idaho, ready to open her own farm-to-table restaurant. Together with her friend and business partner Felicia, Angie is lining up vendors from local farmer’s markets to Old Man Moss’s goat dairy farm. Not everyone in the Boise suburb is keen on having a fancy new eatery in town. But the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. When Angie hears the shocking news that Moss has been killed, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock—and help solve him murder. Now with her grand opening just days away, Angie has grave reservations about her new neighbors. But one thing's for sure, Angie's not about to let some killer get her goat.

Rating: A-. This was a fun/light cozy mystery and I will definitely be reading the next one in the series.

Book #52: What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

Summary: When a county initiative in the Piedmont of North Carolina forces the students at a mostly black public school on the east side to move across town to a nearly all-white high school on the west, the community rises in outrage. For two students, quiet and aloof Gee and headstrong Noelle, these divisions will extend far beyond their schooling. As their paths collide and overlap over the course of thirty years, their two seemingly disconnected families begin to form deeply knotted, messy ties that shape the trajectory of their lives. On one side of the school integration debate is Jade, Gee's steely, single, black mother, grieving for her murdered partner, and determined for her son to have the best chance at a better life. On the other, is Noelle's enterprising mother, Lacey May, who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. The choices these mothers make will resound for years to come. And twenty years later, when Lacey's daughters return home to visit her in hospital, they're forced to confront the ways their parents' decisions continue to affect the life they live and the people they love.

Rating: B+. The premise was good and I liked it, but I wish I'd liked it more.

Book #53: Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia

Summary: Harlem, 1926. Young Black women like Louise Lloyd are ending up dead. Following a harrowing kidnapping ordeal when she was in her teens, Louise is doing everything she can to maintain a normal life. She’s succeeding, too. She spends her days working at Maggie’s Café and her nights at the Zodiac, Harlem’s hottest speakeasy. Louise’s friends, especially her girlfriend, Rosa Maria Moreno, might say she’s running from her past and the notoriety that still stalks her, but don’t tell her that. When a girl turns up dead in front of the café, Louise is forced to confront something she’s been trying to ignore—two other local Black girls have been murdered in the past few weeks. After an altercation with a police officer gets her arrested, Louise is given an ultimatum: She can either help solve the case or wind up in a jail cell. Louise has no choice but to investigate and soon finds herself toe-to-toe with a murderous mastermind hell-bent on taking more lives, maybe even her own....

Rating: B+. A decent start for this new series. This is a period in history that I've always been interested in, so hoping the series continues.

Sucked Into the Depressing News Rabbit Hole

 

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I do not watch the news on a regular basis, however, if a "train wreck"-type story pops up (which it often does), I get sucked in. I want to know everything I possibly can about the story. I often let myself be consumed by the hunt to find details, digest them, and then speculate, speculate, speculate. It can be mentally exhausting. I liken it to how I feel after watching an Intervention marathon. Major downer! 

The latest I am trying to distance myself from is the Murdaugh saga.

OK- this is just plain nuts. I first heard about it on an Instagram story for someone I follow (a "guilty pleasure" kind of follow, so I think I'll omit her identity...LOL). I heard Southern wealthy family mixed up in/with a handful of murders.

I then took off to find information. The Murdaughs have been influential in the judicial system in the Lowcountry of South Carolina for over 75 years. They run one of the most powerful law firms in Hampton County. In June, Maggie Murdaugh and her son Paul (22) were shot to death. Found at the family's hunting property (that should clearly indicate how much money we're talking here...) by Alex Murdaugh, Maggie's husband/Paul's father. Just last week, Alex Murdaugh was shot in the head- at first he claimed someone tried to murder him. He then recanted and admitted he hired someone to shoot and kill him so his other son (Buster) would get a $10 million insurance policy. Say what???? (Oh and he said he has an opioid addiction, thus causing this crazy action.)

Oh, it gets weirder. In 2019, Paul Murdaugh, his girlfriend, and two other couples were heavily intoxicated and riding in Alex's boat. Paul proceeded to crash the boat. One girl did not emerge from the water and her body was found a week later. Alex went from hospital room to hospital room telling the young adults not to talk to anyone about the accident and he'd "take care of it." Paul was scheduled to be arraigned for BUI charges just a short time after he was shot.

But wait...there's more. In 2015, a young man was allegedly killed in a hit and run on a rural road in South Carolina. Evidence points to this not being a hit and run. Multiple people interviewed by law enforcement indicated that they'd heard that Buster Murdaugh was involved. There are no records indicating that he was ever interviewed.

Lastly, in 2018, the Murdaugh's long-time housekeeper died in an alleged trip and fall accident. However, her death certificate indicates she died of "natural causes." There are rumors that Paul Murdaugh had something to do with her death.

Yeah, so totally Crazytown. Further proof that all the money and power in the world cannot buy you brains, morality, common sense, etc. etc.

One last thing- IF you are prepared to get sucked down the rabbit hole, check out Mandy Matney's podcast, Murdaugh Murders Podcast. She's a SC reporter that's been covering the Murdaugh family for over two years.

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #44: The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett

Summary: Eva and Jim are nineteen, and students at Cambridge, when their paths first cross in 1958. Jim is walking along a lane when a woman approaching him on a bicycle swerves to avoid a dog. What happens next will determine the rest of their lives. We follow three different versions of their future - together, and apart - as their love story takes on different incarnations and twists and turns to the conclusion in the present day.

Rating: C+. Meh. The premise is a good one but the back and forth in time and the interweaving of multiple characters made it hard for me to follow and enjoy.

Book #45: Death du Jour by Lou Jane Temple

Summary: Fanny Delarue is a young cook for a wealthy family in the Place Royale. In her heart, she is keeping two fires burning-for food, and for her head chef, Henri. Together they feed the household, above stairs and below, and take lessons from Henri's mentor, Etienne de la Porte, chef to a neighboring household. Tempers flare and nerves are strained, until one day, Etienne is found dead under suspicious circumstances. The Place Royale is in tumult, and Fanny must solve the crime before the flames converge on her hopes for her own future.

Rating: C. Double meh. This is the second in Temple's Spice Box mystery series. It will be my last.

Book #46: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Summary: The story takes place in Sweden and follows Elsa, a 7-year-old who knows she is different from other children her age. Elsa has a habit of correcting others' grammar, she is smart for her age, and is especially close with her grandmother (Granny). When Granny dies, Elsa slowly discovers more about her grandmother's past identities, as well as the lives of people affected by her grandmother.

Rating: A-. I've read other books by Backman and really enjoyed them, but for whatever reason had not picked this one up. My friend Andrea mentioned how two of her friends read it and had completely opposite reactions to it. This intrigued me. Of course, I saw her in person not that long ago and she asked me what I thought. Do you think I could remember? No. In writing this, I do remember enjoying it. Backman has a "unique" way of storytelling and I think you like it or you don't. There was also an element of repetition in this book and I could see how it might wear the reader down. But, don't let me sway you- read it and form an opinion on your own!

Book #47: Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Summary: Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors. When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Rating: C+. This book had potential to be hilarious. Great premise, just too much. Too many unbelievable mishaps and coincidences. 

Book #48: The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

Summary: Almost everybody who has grown up in Chicago knows about the Thorne Rooms. Housed in the Children’s Galleries of the Chicago Art Institute, they are a collection of 68 exquisitely crafted miniature rooms made in the 1930s by Mrs. James Ward Thorne. Each of the 68 rooms is designed in the style of a different historic period, and every detail is perfect, from the knobs on the doors to the candles in the candlesticks. Some might even say, the rooms are magic. Imagine—what if you discovered a key that allowed you to shrink so that you were small enough to sneak inside and explore the rooms’ secrets? What if you discovered that others had done so before you? And that someone had left something important behind?

Rating: B+. In case you couldn't tell from the summary, this is a children's book. I have a thing for dollhouses and I recently read something from the New York Public Library that listed books featuring dollhouses in their storylines. I decided to give this a shot. It was pretty darn good. This is a series and I plan to read the next one.

Under the Boardwalk...We'll Be Havin' Some Fun

We are back from our (sort of) annual vacation to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware! We've been going for ~10 years, with hiatuses for a wedding in Aruba, a cancer battle, and COVID. (We didn't have COVID [thankfully, ::knocking on wood::], but didn't go last year due to quarantine.)

It was great to be back (although certainly a different experience from years past). The one constant is the boardwalk. It's a great place to do a brisk two mile morning walk when the beach is not yet crowded or take a stroll early evening when the sun is setting. It's also beautiful at night- especially when there is a concert at the bandstand and the moon is shining down on the beach.

There were not nearly as many people as in years past, but it was still crowded (neither of us had been around this many people & although the crowds were mostly outside, we wore masks.) Many restaurants & shops had limited hours due to lack of help and we also found that quality of food/drink was diminished from previous years. 

However, we expected this to some degree and enjoyed our time away from home/work. We also got to stop in Washington, DC on our way home and visit with little John and our friend Andrea. Yay!

Time to get back to business, however. I am 17 (eek!) books behind on my reviews. I'll do a handful here and hope I can catch up in short order.

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #39: Motif for Murder by Laura Childs

Summary: As a memorial to the late Uncle Henry, Carmela puts together a sentimental scrapbook of memories and keepsakes. What she doesn't realize is that her altered book holds clues that could identify the fiend behind the kidnapping and killing. And when the murderer finds out that she may be on to him, he's going to try to close the book on Carmela once and for all.

Rating: A-. This is the fourth in Childs' scrapbooking mystery series. I really enjoy the New Orleans setting and the creative ideas shared in Carmela's shop.

Book #40: Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams

Summary: In 1948, Iris Digby vanishes from her London home with her American diplomat husband and their two children. Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from the estranged twin sister she hasn’t seen since 1940. Since that one catastrophic summer in Rome, as war was engulfing Europe and Iris was falling desperately in love... Within days, Ruth is on her way to Moscow, posing as the wife of Agent Fox in a precarious plot to extract her sister from behind the Iron Curtain. But the truth behind Iris’s marriage threatens to unravel everything, and as the sisters race to safety, a dogged Soviet KGB officer forces them to make a heartbreaking choice...

Rating: B. I had higher hopes for this book. I've thoroughly enjoyed many of Williams' previous books but this one didn't have the spark that took me in like the other ones.

Book #41: Being Heumann by Judy Heumann

Summary: Paralyzed from polio at eighteen months, Judy Heumann began her struggle for equality early in life. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a "fire hazard" to later winning a lawsuit against the New York City school system for denying her a teacher's license, to leading the section 504 sit-in that led to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Judy's actions set a precedent that fundamentally improved rights for disabled people around the globe.

Rating: B-. Another book that I had higher hopes for. I previously worked at a non-profit that educated parents of children with disabilities about their rights, relative laws, advocacy, etc... I met Judy at a conference I attended and knew her influence on the disability rights movement, so was eager to read this memoir. I felt that this was a case where there was a good story to tell but the voice/pen telling the story was not strong, clear or fluid (if that makes any sense.)

Book #42: The Paper Bark Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu

Summary: Su Lin is doing her dream job: assistant at Singapore's brand new detective agency. Until Bald Bernie decides a 'local girl' can't be trusted with private investigations, and replaces her with a new secretary - pretty, privileged, and white. So Su Lin's not the only person finding it hard to mourn Bernie after he's found dead in the filing room. And when her best friend's dad is accused, she gets up to some sleuthing work of her own in a bid to clear his name.

Rating: B. This is the third book in Yu's Su Lin series. I appreciate Ovidia Yu's main character being a person with a disability defying the odds.

Book #43: You're Leaving When? by Annabelle Gurwitch

Summary: In these essays, Gurwitch embraces homesharing, welcoming a housing-insecure young couple and a bunny rabbit into her home. The mother of a college student in recovery who sheds the gender binary, she relearns to parent, one pronoun at a time. She wades into the dating pool in a Miss Havisham-inspired line of lingerie and flunks the magic of tidying up.

Rating: B-. I generally don't like books of essays and admittedly I don't think I knew this was that before I started reading it. However, it seemed to flow more easily than a book of choppy/random essays. I found this book pretty funny, but not hysterical. If your child has just left the nest, you might enjoy it.

What the Heck(s)?

I drafted this post quite some time ago (as in at least three YEARS ago). Yes, you read that correctly, but I'm making a concerted effort to post any & all drafts (hey- they were a good idea for a post at one time!)

I was going to sing the praises of the TV show, The Middle.

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Well, in the time that's passed since I started the post, the show went downhill. Went down the crapper. Jumped the shark. (And if you don't know the origin of that last phrase- check out the Wikipedia entry. Very interesting.)

I'm trying not to let the last season and a half (or so) of crap ruin the first six to seven seasons because they were good. Real good.

To be honest, I've had a tumultuous relationship with the show since the very beginning. A few people recommended that I watch it- my boss, John's coworker. So, I decided to give it a try.

I didn't like it.

I didn't think it was funny.

I just thought it was weird.

Some time went by and I was feeling generous (and maybe desperate for TV shows to watch), so I decided to give it a second try. I stuck with it and it grew on me.

I liked it. Then I LOVED it!

In 2016, for my birthday, John got me the first five seasons on DVD.

We binge watched them together and really enjoyed them.

So much so that I laughed so hard during one episode that I peed my pants!

The episode is The Safe. It's from Season 4.

photo credit

It's physical comedy- in trying to open the safe, Brick & Sue catapult it through the bedroom wall into the room next door leaving a gaping hole in the wall. (Which comes up throughout the rest of the series.) I don't know why, but every time I watch this episode, I laugh hysterically.

I've thought about going back and giving the last season and a half another shot, but it's not high on my list. I felt like the ending was a Three's Company episode on steroids. (If that makes any sense.) Too MUCH slapdash comedy and too much "oh, person A is the secret admirer but episode after episode, something happens to make it seem like person B is the secret admirer." I can only take so much of that and I felt like it was coloring my opinion of the series.

Have you watched The Middle? If yes, what is your favorite episode? What did you think of the last few seasons?

Before I get to the book reviews, I feel like the next book in line deserves to be promoted to the "main post." It's the third A+ book of the year for me so far, but if I could (which I can!), I'd give it an A++.

Book #34: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Summary: 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

Rating: A++. This is 600+ pages of GREATNESS. When I first got it from the library, I thought- ugh- 600+ pages? There will have to be a point in this book where it will hit a lull or I'll wish it was ending. NOPE. The premise of this book is captivating and each female character is amazing in her own right. (Power to the women!) If you read any book this year, I recommend reading this. 

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #35: Cruising Attitude by Heather Poole

Summary: Real-life flight attendant Heather Poole has written an insider’s account of life and work in the not-always-friendly skies. Cruising Attitude is a Coffee, Tea, or Me? for the 21st century, as the author parlays her fifteen years of flight experience into a delightful account of crazy airline passengers and crew drama, of overcrowded crashpads in “Crew Gardens” Queens and finding love at 35,000 feet. Poole not only shares great stories, but also explains the ins and outs of flying, as seen from the flight attendant’s jump seat.

Rating: B-. I saw a snippet in Parade magazine about this title, so thought I'd give it a shot. It was meh. Some of the inner workings of being employed by an airline were interesting, but I found the memoir part just OK. (I really need to drop the memoirs...)

Book #36: A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks

Summary: The woman no one sees, but who witnesses everything, is the ideal person to solve a murder... Invisible until she's needed, Jane Prescott has perfected the art of serving as a lady’s maid to Manhattan's elite. Jane takes up a position with the Benchley family – a family of ‘new money’– who cause outrage when their daughter Charlotte becomes engaged to notorious playboy Norrie, the son of the eminent Newsome family. When Norrie Newsome is found murdered at a party, Jane realises she is uniquely positioned to solve the crime with her access behind the scenes of high society. Many people held grudges against Norrie, and Jane knows that amongst both the upper classes and the city's underbelly, morals can become cheap in the wrong hands. As scandal and violence simmer beneath the surface of New York, can Jane solve the mystery that threatens to result in more deaths?

Rating: B. This is the first in Fredericks' Jane Prescott series. Set in NYC in 1910, this seems like it will be a good series. (I'm a sucker for a historical mystery). 

Book #37: Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan Boyer

Summary: Liz Talbot thinks she’s seen another ghost when she meets Calista McQueen. She’s the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. Born precisely fifty years after the ill-fated star, Calista’s life has eerily mirrored the late starlet’s—and she fears the looming anniversary of Marilyn’s death will also be hers. Before Liz can open a case file, Calista’s life coach is executed. Suspicious characters swarm around Calista like mosquitoes on a sultry lowcountry evening: her certifiable mother, a fake aunt, her control-freak psychoanalyst, a private yoga instructor, her peculiar housekeeper, and an obsessed ex-husband. Liz digs in to find a motive for murder, but she’s besieged with distractions. Her ex has marriage and babies on his mind. Her too-sexy partner engages in a campaign of repeat seduction. Mamma needs help with Daddy’s devotion to bad habits. And a gang of wild hogs is running loose on Stella Maris. With the heat index approaching triple digits, Liz races to uncover a diabolical murder plot in time to save not only Calista’s life, but also her own.

Rating: B. This is the second in the Liz Talbot "Lowcountry" mystery series. The first one was a tad odd, but I thought I'd give the second one a shot. The whole Marilyn Monroe doppelganger theme was a step further down the weird path. If you like kooky, this series is for you.

Book #38: Black Widows by Cate Quinn

Summary: Blake Nelson moved into a hidden stretch of land - a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah - where he lived with his three wives:

• Rachel, the chief wife, obedient and doting to a fault.
• Tina, the other wife, who's everything Rachel isn't.
• And Emily, the youngest wife, who knows almost nothing else.

When their husband is found dead under the desert sun, the questions pile up. What are these women to each other now that their husband is dead? Will the police uncover the secrets each woman has spent her life hiding? And is one of them capable of murder...?

Rating: D+. Yes, I read two books by an author named C/Kate Quinn fairly close to one another. This author should NOT be confused with the Kate Quinn I sing the praises of above. This book was just plain odd. Steer clear.