A dinner party in the capital city of a South American country takes an unfortunate turn when guerrillas storm the Vice President’s mansion and take everyone hostage. Bel Canto explores what happens when these captors and captives spend months together in close quarters. Continue reading
Book Review: Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow
I don’t read many courtroom thrillers, but after reading Presumed Innocent I think I need to add some more to my reading list! It’s packed with suspense and kept me guessing until the end. Continue reading
Sydney Draws Huckleberry Finn
Sydney is one of my 17-year-old twin daughters, and I’m wildly proud of her! She’s imaginative and a “maker,” which I think is a great combination. Currently, she aims those skills at making elaborate costumes for comic-cons, but it’s also fun to imagine how she might use her talents in a career she really loves – architect? Animator? Game designer? Time will tell. Continue reading
Book Review: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was published in 1994 and spent four years on the New York Times bestseller list. How am I just now reading it?!? True-ish crime that is pure entertainment gold. Continue reading
Book Review: The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kaddish
The Weight of Ink – terrific writing, a well-designed story, good character development, lots of history, a search for the meaning of life. So much to like about this one! Continue reading
Book Review: Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Plainsong takes place in the fictional town of Holt, Colorado, and mostly chronicles the lives of some of the residents in a very direct but poignant way. It’s the kind of book that I mostly liked, but I have a hard time understanding why. Let’s see how I do explaining it. Continue reading
Book Review: Marley by Jon Clinch
Marley is an imaginative tale about Ebenezer Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob Marley. If you’ll recall from A Christmas Carol, the ghost of Jacob Marley appears to Scrooge in his house as a prelude to visits from the three main ghosts. But other than that we don’t learn much about him. Marley imagines what his back story might be. Continue reading
2020 Thoughtful Reading Challenge

Need a new year’s resolution? Look no further! The 2020 Thoughtful Reading Challenge is designed to indulge your reading habit while also nudging you out of the box of your usual genres. I really enjoyed the 2019 challenge and found myself loving books I wouldn’t have typically read, like Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry and The Martian by Andy Weir. Continue reading
Book Review: Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Case Histories is the first book in Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series. I chose this novel because I was in the mood for a good mystery, plus I recently read Life After Life, also by Kate Atkinson, and liked the author’s writing style. Unfortunately, my craving for a good mystery was not satisfied. Continue reading
Book Review: Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck
Hello, everyone! I was able to squeeze in another book this month (mostly because it’s short), and it was a good one! My big project is winding down so hopefully I’ll be back in the swing of things soon.
I read Travels with Charley in Search of America (hereafter referred to as Travels with Charley) as part of the 12 Months of Reading Goodness challenge. November’s challenge is to read a book with a mode of transportation on the cover since Thanksgiving yields some of the busiest travel days in the US. Continue reading