Little Free Library in Lockford, California

 

On our drive home from Ione, California, my husband and I made a small detour to find a Little Free Library in Lockford, California. This LFL is adorable! I'm so thrilled we found it. Have you found any Little Free Libraries lately?

Little Free Libraries in Ione, California + Preston Castle!

 

Last weekend, my husband and I visited Ione, California for the first time! During our long weekend visit to Ione, California, we found three Little Free Libraries and we stayed at the cutest AirBnb dueing our stay. The AirBnb was a cute cottage with beautifully landscaped grounds. We enjoyed breakfast and dinner on the back patio.

The primary purpose of our visit to Ione was to take the flashlight tour of Preston Castle at night. Preston Castle "is a Romanesque Revival-style landmark that originally served as the administration building for the Preston School of Industry, a prominent juvenile rehabilitation reform school. Constructed between 1890 and 1894, the massive 50,000-square-foot structure housed young wards from 1894 until it closed down in 1960. Today, it is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and managed by the Preston Castle Foundation which hosts historic, seasonal, and paranormal tours to raise money for its ongoing structural restoration." 

We enjoyed the 90 minute tour of Preston Castle overall. There were twelve of us on the tour. We learned a lot about the history of Preston Castle including the factoid that country singer, Merle Haggard, once resided at Preston Castle. The only thing I didn't enjoy was seeing real, live bats flying over our heads during the tour. It creeped me out seeing the bats, quite honestly, due to the fact that bats are carriers of several diseases, which are transmittable to humans. My husband, being the scientist that he is, was fascinated by the bats! Otherwise, we had an enjoyable time at Preston Castle.

Preston Castle, Ione, California

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones

 

I read The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones back in 2022. This was the first book I read by Stephen Graham Jones and I wasn't that impressed despite all the rave reviews I'd heard about his writing.

I decided to give Stephen Graham Jones's writing another try after hearing glowing reviews for Night of the Mannequins.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones, which is splendidly narrated by Gary Tiedemann. This is a super quick listen at 2 hours, 59 miunutes.

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones is a horror/coming of age novella. Additionally, if you enjoy books with unreliable main characters, then this is the read for you as Sawyer is definitely an unreliable narrator and main character. Also worth noting, I don't think this novella is actually classified as a young adult read, but it felt like one to me.

This Night of the Mannequins is a fun read for sure. It is short and quick. I enjoyed it as it is a different take than I thought it would be on the topic. The real horror isn't what you think it'll be.

Below is the publisher's summary for Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones:

WE THOUGHT WE'D PLAY A FUN PRANK ON HER, AND NOW MOST OF US ARE DEAD.

One last laugh for the summer as it winds down. One last prank just to scare a friend. Bringing a mannequin into a theater is just some harmless fun, right? Until it wakes up. Until it starts killing.

Luckily, Sawyer has a plan. He'll be a hero. He'll save everyone to the best of his ability. He'll kill as many people as he needs to so he can save the day. That's the thing about heroes - sometimes you have to become a monster first.

I am giving Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Pageboy by Elliot Page

 

With June being Pride Month, I wanted to make sure and read a book that falls into the LGBTQIA+ category this month.

I chose to listen. to the unabridged audio version of Pageboy by Elliot Page, which is narrated by the author. I've had Pageboy on my reading wishlist for a while, so I'm pleased to have finally read it.

Elliot Page is a transgender, male actor. I first became aware of Elliot Page when he was female actress, Ellen Page. I remember watching Ellen Page in the movie, 'Hard Candy', with my husband and we enjoyed this movie. I know that Elliot Page has acted in several movies, but I've only watched two of them. 

I'm always curious about the lives of other people and as a cis gender, heterosexual woman, I definitely am up for learning more about the LGBTQIA+ community.

I found it interesting to learn about Elliot Page's background and how he determined he was transgender. What did his journey to becoming a transgender man look like? Gender dysphoria, self-harm, and an eating disorder were all discussed by Elliot Page in his memoir. Also, home life split between divorced parents wasn't easy for Elliot Page growing up either. His dad and step-mother weren't ideal parents as described by the author. Elliot Page also talks about his acting career and romantic relationships too.

Below is the publisher's summary for Pageboy by Elliot Page found on the Goodreads website:

Pageboy is a groundbreaking coming-of-age memoir from the Academy Award-nominated actor Elliot Page. A generation-defining actor and one of the most famous trans advocates of our time, Elliot will now be known as an uncommon literary talent, as he shares never-before-heard details and intimate interrogations on gender, love, mental health, relationships, and Hollywood.

I am giving Pageboy by Elliot Page a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1) by Kazu Kibuishi

 

I've had The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1) by Kazu Kibuishi in my wishlist for quite a long time now. It's the first graphic novel in a series and it is geared towards children. I read the ebook edition of this novel.

I enjoyed the storyline, artwork, and pacing for The Stonekeeper. Additionally, it falls into the fantasy and adventure categories and seems like it would capture and hold the attention for the intended audience.

I did enjoy reading The Stonekeeper. However, I will most likely not read the rest of the books in this series.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1) by Kazu Kibuishi found on Amazon's website:

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by strange creatures, robots, and talking animals.Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

I am giving The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1) by Kazu Kibuishi a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Judy Blume says she's done writing

I'm a fan of Judy Blume's writing. I have only read her novels for young adults/children, but none of her novels for adults to date. I still have more of her young adults/children books to read as well.

I actually saw Judy Blume at the Bay Area Book Festival back in 2015 during one of the author talks where she discussed her recently published novel for adults titled, In the Unlikely Event.

I really enjoyed hearing Judy Blume speak about her writing and her novel, In the Unlikely Event. I was able to actually meet Judy Blume briefly  after the speaking event when she signed my copy of In the Unlikely Event.

Now, Judy Blume has decided to retire from writing books after 50 years. Good for her! 

Read the following NPR article, Judy Blume says she's done writing: '50 years is enough!', where Judy Blume discusses her writing!

"A Great, Good Place For Books" in Oakland, California Has Closed It's Doors!

 

It is so sad when independent bookstores shutter. 

A Great, Good Place For Books was in business for over two decades, but had to close its doors due to slow foot traffic since Covid-19 hit.

I feel like too many places are becoming book deserts. Anyone else feeling this way too?

Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge, which is narrated by the author herself.

I had Delta Lady on my reading wishlist for quite a while before listening to it during a recent trip to Las Vegas. I'm happy I finally listened to this memoir as I learned a lot about Rita Coolidge's life. I never realized she was married to Kris Kristofferson, who was the love of her life. They had a daughter together before their marriage dissolved. 

I also learned that Rita Coolidge's older sister, Priscilla, was married to journalist, Ed Bradley! Sadly, Priscilla was later killed by her third husband in a murder/suicide back in 2014. 

Of course, I learned a lot about about Rita Coolidge's music career, which is interesting if you liked her music.

Below is the publisher's summary for Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge discovered on the Chirp website:

The two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter bares her heart and soul in this intimate memoir, a story of music, stardom, love, family, heritage, and resilience.

She inspired songs—Leon Russell wrote “A Song for You” and “Delta Lady” for her, Stephen Stills wrote “Cherokee.” She co-wrote songs—“Superstar” and the piano coda to “Layla,” uncredited. She sang backup for Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, and Stills, before finding fame as a solo artist with such hits as “We're All Alone” and “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher.” Following her story from Lafayette, Tennessee to becoming one of the most sought after rock vocalists in LA in the 1970s, Delta Lady chronicles Rita Coolidge’s fascinating journey throughout the ’60s-’70s pop/rock universe.

A muse to some of the twentieth century’s most influential rock musicians, she broke hearts, and broke up bands. Her relationship with drummer Jim Gordon took a violent turn during the legendary 1970 Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour; David Crosby maintained that her triangle with Stills and Graham Nash was the last straw for the group. Her volatile six-year marriage to Kris Kristofferson yielded two Grammys, a daughter, and one of the Baby Boom generation’s epic love stories. Throughout it all, her strength, resilience, and inner and outer beauty—along with her strong sense of heritage and devotion to her family—helped her to not only survive, but thrive. Co-written with best-selling author Michael Walker, Delta Lady is a rich, deeply personal memoir that offers a front row seat to an iconic era, and illuminates the life of an artist whose career has helped shape modern American culture.

I am giving Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Las Vegas Books in Las Vegas, Nevada

With it being so hot in Las Vegas during our visit there earlier this month, my husband and I didn't want to spend time outdoors... Nor did we want to spend a lot of time in the very busy and popular places on the Las Vegas strip either. Everyone wanted to stay cool by staying indoors to beat the heat.

So, we visited an independent used bookstore located in a strip mall near our hotel called, Las Vegas Books, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Las Vegas Books is a very cute bookstore with friendly staff members. They buy, sell, and trade books. It should be noted that they offer special book sales periodically, like selling a bag of books for five dollars. In fact, on both July 4th and August 1st, Las Vegas Books will be hosting one of their buy a bag of books for five dollars events. If you're visiting Las Vegas on one of these two dates, then pop by Las Vegas Books and report back on your sale purchases! It would be cool to learn which books one finds on sale. One can come away with a lot of books for five dollars.

Anyway, we enjoyed spending roughly 30 minutes of our time at Las Vegas Books on a Friday morning. I came away with a single, vintage, hardback novel published in 1942 titled, The Little Dog Barked by Anne Rowe. This novel is in great condition for its age and is also wrapped in a clear, mylar type of cover for protection. The Little Dog Barked by Anne Rowe is a mystery novel. I look forward to reading it.

New to Me Little Free Libraries in Las Vegas, Nevada

My husband and I spent nearly two weeks in Las Vegas, Nevada this month. We returned home on Friday, June 19th. My husband visited Las Vegas due to business travel and had asked me if I wanted to join him while he was in Las Vegas. 

It had been almost 24 years since my previous trip to Las Vegas, so I decided to join my husband in Las Vegas. During our time spent in Las Vegas, there was a major heatwave! I don't think the temperature fell below 80 degrees Fahrenheit during our entire visit to Las Vegas.... And the 80 degree temperatures were during the early morning hours. The highs ranged from 95 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Needless to say, it didn't make being outdoors comfortable due to the heat. We spend most of our time indoors with the air conditioner on.

We managed to visit two Little Free Libraries located near our hotel. We actually stayed at a hotel located off the Las Vegas strip during our visit. We found both Little Free Libraries on a Sunday morning between 7am and 7:30am to beat the high heat as the day went on. Both Little Free Libraries were located in cute, residential neighborhoods. I didn't find any books to exchange at these LFLs, which is fine by me. I didn't need to haul many books home with us on our return flight home. 

As a side note, Nevada is the 3rd state where I've found LFLs!! Hopefully, I will visit more US states and discover other LFLs during my travels to each state when I do.

Lilith by Eric Rickstad

 

Lilith by Eric Rickstad was my first read for the month of June 2026. Eric Rickstad is a new to me author this year. I was drawn to this novel due to the plot summary provided by the publisher.

Lilith is a work of contemporary fiction and is a triller/suspense novel! This novel sucks you in from the very start. I loved the action/suspense/tension building by the author. Elisabeth Ross is the protagonist in Lilth. She is a single mother and elementary school teacher by profession.

Lilith by Eric Rickstad focuses its topic on gun violence and school shootings. Elisabeth is required as a teacher to perform monthly drills with her students on what to do during an emergency lockdown. 

Little does Elisabeth know that something bad will happen on the day she and the rest of the teaching staff are to perform an emergency lockdown drill with their students. A real life shooting occurs and it is horrific! Elisabeth saves her students by breaking protocol from the required instructions specified by the school district. 

Additionally, Elisabeth's son, Lydan, also attends the same school where she teaches. Elisabeth somehow manages to save Lydan's life as well even though he isn't a student in her class. We read and feel the angst and terror that only a mother can feel about her child's near death experience and long term recovery from their traumatic injuries.

Jumping forward in Lilith, Elisabeth grows angry with the lack of gun control efforts and school shootings that she takes matters into her own hands vigilante style.

Although, I enjoyed Lilith by Eric Rickstad quite a bit. It wasn't perfect by any means. There were interactions between Elisabeth and her son, Lydan, that seemed unrealistic. Plus, some of the plot details were lacking in parts or unrealistic at least in my opinion. For instance, I found the scene where Elisabeth's son saves the day to be unrealistic based on the scope of his injuries. Additionally, Lydan has a few bizarre paranormal type of experiences that didn't seem to fit well with the storyline. Otherwise, Lilth is a good read.

P. S. I listened to the unabridged audio version of Lilith. This book is well narrated by Brittany Pressley.

Below is the publisher's summary for Lilith by Eric Rickstad I found on Amazon's website:

Mother. Hero. Villain. Killer.

After her son, Lydan, suffers traumatic injuries in a school shooting, single mom Elisabeth Ross grows enraged at men in power. If they won’t do anything to help end this epidemic of violence, she will. Believing it’s her destiny, she sets out to awaken the world to the cowards these men are and commits her own shocking act of violence.

Going by the name Lilith—the first wife of Adam who fled Eden rather than serve a man—she posts a video of her crime that reverberates throughout society.

Praised by some, demonized by others, and hunted by the FBI and vigilantes alike, Elisabeth must keep her identity a secret as she tries to care for her son.

As events take startling twists, Elisabeth begins to question her act of violence and the very roots and mythology of violence itself. Was her act justified, or has she become the monster that the original Lilith was accused of being?

As the FBI draws closer and Lydan starts to display odd, terrifying behavior, Elisabeth plots to avoid capture and keep her son safe at all costs, fearing she’ll never escape what she’s done without losing her son forever.

Written with Rickstad’s singular command of language, human insight, and unnerving suspense, Lilith is a tale of our times. Tragic and profound, it echoes in the mind and lingers in the blood.

I am giving Lilith by Eric Rickstad a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Bookish Quote od the Day!!!

 

Top Ten Tuesday - Books with Handwriting on the Cover

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

The following ten books all have handwriting on their covers. Six of these books I have read. The other four books are ones I want to read.

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows

2. Room by Emma Donoghue

3. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

4. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

5. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

6. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

7. The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

8. Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

9. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

10. Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust by Loretta Lynn

Have you read any of the above books?

Ann Patchett's New Book, Whistler Sounds Good!

On the Today Show, Jenna & Sheinelle talk with Ann Patchett about the inspiration behind her new novel, Whistler. 

The above video clip is a quick watch. Enjoy!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Rip Marjane Satrapi -1969-2026

 

I'm saddened to learned that Marjane Satrapi has died!! She was my age! I read and enjoyed Persepolis I & Persepolis II and Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi. All three books were good reads.