Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Happy Dictionary Day!!!

 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Author V. E. Schwab Interview on Redefining the Fantasy Genre

 

I have not read anything written by author, V. E. Schwab, before. However, I have one of her novels, A Darker Shade of Magic, in my 'to be read' pile. Generally, I am not a fantasy genre lover, but I am looking to expand my reading horizons.

Above is a recent interview featuring V. E. Schawb. Now that I've watched the above video on YouTube, I really look forward to reading A Darker Shade of Magic. I am actually hoping to read A Darker Shade of Magic sometime next year as I already have books I hope to read by the end of 2024.

Have read anything written by V. E. Schwab?

A Box of Stories - Book Box Subscription!!

Last week, I learned about A Box of Stories subscription book box through a YouTube channel I follow. This is a new to me book subscription box that sounds very intriguing to me.

You are able purchase a two or four book subscription box. Or you may also purchase a single box of books to see if you like the books you receive and the service offered if you'd rather not sign up for a subscription initially.

I think what I like most about A Box Of Stories book box subscription is that you are able to choose the genre of books you would most like to read. I also love the fact that you will be receiving books that are great reads that have not been well promoted and have most likely never heard of before.

It looks like A Box of Stories ships within the USA or the UK at this time.

Reader Roulette Card Game

 

I stumbled upon Reader Roulette Card Game last week online. It sounds like a great gift idea for the avid book reader in your life... Or even as a gift for oneself!

The description for Reader Roulette Card Game from the following website:

Elevate your reading experience with our Reader Roulette Card Game! With 54 unique cards, this deck helps you decide what to read next in a fun and spontaneous way. Examples include 'Read the book that has been on your TBR the longest,' 'Choose a book with a couple on the cover,' and 'Read the last book you saw on TikTok.' Let chance guide your literary journey and discover new reads you might not have considered otherwise. Perfect for book lovers seeking adventure in their reading choices or as a thoughtful gift for the bookworm in your life, Reader Roulette adds an element of excitement to your book selection process.

Features: 

• 54 cards, gold-foil accented box
• Size: 2.6×3.6×1"
• Instructions: A card deck to help you choose what to read next

I'll be adding the Reader Roulette Card Game to my holiday wishlist!

Hell House by Richard Matheson

 

Who doesn't love to read a horror novel that features a haunted house? The haunted house motif really does seem to be a popular theme in the horror genre world. With Halloween right around the corner, I decided I would read a few novels from the horror genre... I couldn't resist choosing to read Hell House by Richard Matheson as I've enjoyed a few of his other novels and have wanted to explore more of Matheson's novels. Hell House seemed like a good fit as it deals with a haunted house and is also considered a horror classic.

Hell House by Richard Matheson was published in 1971. Hell House has four main characters - Lionel Barrett, a physicist with an interest in parapsychology and his wife, Edith, and two mediums, Florence Tanner and Benjamin Franklin Fischer. Lionel Barrett, Florence Tanner, and Benjamin Franklin Fischer are hired by a dying millionaire, William Reinhardt Deutsch, to investigate the possibility of life after death for a week at the Belasco House (aka Hell House) in Maine. The Belasco House is known as the most haunted house with a long history.

Hell House is a horror novel with a mystery to be solved as to why the house itself is haunted. I especially liked the supernatural horror and mystery components for this novel as it slowly draws the reader in to the storyline over time. The sanity of each of the four characters is subtly undermined as the Belasco House picks up each individual's weakness and uses this weakness to its advantage as the house pits each individual against the other, which erodes the trust between them. 

The Belasco House also has a sordid history of debauchery and other immoral acts, which seemed to occur (or rather be encouraged) by the original owner, Emeric Belasco. The majority of those that enter the home never leave as they end up dead or alive but scarred in some way by other means, like madness, etc.

Although, I liked Hell House by Richard Matheson overall, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. I absolutely loved Matheson's novels,  Shadow on the Sun and also A Stir of Echoes, but Hell House just didn't measure up completely for me. Yes, this novel features a very scary haunted house, but the plot felt a bit dated and something else I can't put my finger on.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Hell House by Richard Matheson, which is well narrated by Ray Porter. 

Listening time for Hell House by Richard Matheson is 9 hours, 11 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Hell House by Richard Matheson, which I discovered on Chirp's website:

For over twenty years, Belasco House has stood empty. Regarded as the Mount Everest of haunted houses, its shadowed walls have witnessed scenes of unimaginable horror and depravity. All previous attempts to probe its mysteries have ended in murder, suicide, or insanity. But now, a new investigation has been launched, bringing four strangers to Belasco House in search of the ultimate secrets of life and death. A wealthy publisher, brooding over his impending death, has paid a physicist and two mediums to establish the facts of life after death once and for all. For one night, they will investigate the Belasco House and learn exactly why the townsfolk refer to it as the Hell House.

Hell House, which inspired the 1973 film The Legend of Hell House, is Matheson’s most frightening and shocking book and an acknowledged classic of the genre.

I am giving Hell House by Richard Matheson a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Psycho by Robert Bloch

It's been a few decades since I've watched Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror movie, 'Psycho', which was based on the 1959 novel of the same name and written by Robert Bloch.

With autumn upon us and the Halloween season rapidly approaching, I decided to read some horror themed novels to celebrate the approaching holiday. 

I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Psycho by Robert Bloch and narrated by Richard Powers earlier this month while on vacation with my husband. Psycho is a super fast read and was excellently narrated by Richard Powers. I was actually very surprised at how much I enjoyed Psycho. It's a tightly written novel. I enjoyed the characters, the writing, and the storyline. There are some differences between the movie and the novel as to be expected.

Listening time for Psycho by Robert Bloch is 5 hours, 24 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Psycho by Robert Bloch from Chirp's website:

It was a dark and stormy night when Mary Crane glimpsed the unlit neon sign announcing the vacancy at the Bates Motel. Exhausted, lost, and at the end of her rope, she was eager for a hot shower and a bed for the night. Her room was musty but clean, and the manager seemed nice, if a little odd.

Norman Bates loves his mother. She has been dead for the past twenty years, or so people think. Norman knows better, though. He has lived with Mother ever since leaving the hospital in the old house up on the hill above the Bates Motel.

One night, Norman spies on a beautiful woman who has checked into the hotel. Norman can’t help but spy on her. Mother is there though. She is there to protect Norman from his filthy thoughts. She is there to protect him with her butcher knife.

This classic horror novel, which inspired the famous film by Alfred Hitchcock, has been thrilling people for more than fifty years. It introduced one of the most unexpectedly twisted villains of all time in Norman Bates, the reserved motel manager with a mother complex, and has been called the first psychoanalytic thriller.

I am giving Psycho by Robert Bloch a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars. I really want to watch the movie again now that I've read the novel.

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner

 

I enjoyed listening to The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner and narrated by Cassandra Campbell while on vacation earlier this month.

Listening time for The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner is 7 hours, 40 minutes.

The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner is a work of contemporary fiction and is also a psychological suspense. I've had this novel in my 'to be read' pile for a number of years and I am glad I finally read it this month.

The pros of The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner for me was the main character, Kyra Winthrop, and the overall storyline. Kyra is a 34 year old marine biologist and she was involved in a diving accident that left her with a complex form of memory loss. She barely remembers anything about her life from the past four years. Kyra has flashes of memories that don't make a lot of sense to her as she tries to piece her life back together.

Kyra is also essentially an unreliable main character. She draws a few false conclusions about her life when it comes to all of her fragmented flashes of memories and how they fit together. I also questioned whether or not Kyra's fragmented flashes of memoir were even true/real at the time or if they were simply false memories.

The overall storyline/plot and other characters were good too. I figured out some of what was happening in the novel early on, but there was a plot twist that I didn't quite catch.

The major con for me was the pacing of this novel. The Twilight Wife was a bit slow for me. 

Below is the publisher's summary for The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner from Amazon's website:

From best-selling author A.J. Banner comes a dazzling new novel of psychological suspense in the vein of S.J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep and Mary Kubica's The Good Girl that questions just how much we can trust the people around us.

Thirty-four-year-old marine biologist Kyra Winthrop remembers nothing about the diving accident that left her with a complex form of memory loss. With only brief flashes of the last few years of her life, her world has narrowed to a few close friendships on the island where she lives with her devoted husband, Jacob.

But all is not what it seems. Kyra begins to have visions - or are they memories? - of a rocky marriage, broken promises, and cryptic relationships with the island residents, whom she believes to be her friends.

As Kyra races to uncover her past, the truth becomes a terrifying nightmare. A twisty, immersive thriller, The Twilight Wife will keep listeners enthralled through the final, shocking twist.

I am giving The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

New to Me Little Free Library Find in Hopland, California + Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants Visit!

 

Last Saturday afternoon, my husband and I made our way home from a nine day vacation to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants. We had a blast visiting the 31 miles of old growth redwood forests located roughly 4 hours north of San Francisco California! In fact, I recently read that the Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants was recently named as the best state park in the nation.

We enjoyed walking four of the numerous trails in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants. Plus, we visited a couple of the small groves, a drive through tree, and several of other roadside attraction during our stay.

Me walking on one of the trails in the Avenue of the Giants!

We actually stayed in an AirBnB in Miranda, California ---population 350 people!! I loved being in nature and also being very far away from the crowds of people found in big city life.

It wasn't until our return trek home that we stopped briefly off in Hopland, California to leave seven books at a Little Free Library next to a post office the size of a postage stamp. Hopland is another small town with a population of slightly more than 800 people.

Have you found any Little Free Libraries lately? 

Let me know as well if you've ever visited Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants in the comments section below!

Happy National Comic Book Day!!

 

Top Ten Tuesday - Books on My Fall 2024 To-Read List

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.

I am usually not a fan of listing book titles I want to read during a given timeframe as I usually end up changing my mind on which books I want to read due to my personal interest at any given moment.

So, below are ten books I want to read during the last quarter of 2024 given my interest at the time of making this post.

Have you read any of the following books? Share your thoughts with me in the comment section below if you've read any of them.

1. Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin

2. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

3. Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub

4. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

5. Sisters In Law by Linda Hirschman

6. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

7. Murder As Fine Art by David Morrell

8. The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle

9. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

10. Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick

Carl Hiaasen on His Love of Florida

 

I've read a couple of Carl Hiaasen's novels, Nature Girl and Skinny Dip, both of which I enjoyed immensely. I like Hiaasen's satirical sense of humor.

I am not really sure why I have not read more of his novels yet, but hopefully I will read more of them in the future.

I enjoyed watching the above video I discovered last week on YouTube.

Margaret Atwood Discusses The Handmaid's Tale

 

I LOVE, Love, love Margaret Atwood and her novel, The Handmaid’s Tale! She's such a brilliant and intelligent woman and writer. I enjoyed watching the above YouTube interview featuring Margaret Atwood.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Happy National Cozy Mystery Day!!

 

Do you have a favorite cozy mystery series?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts

 

I’m a longtime fan of Salvador Dali’s artwork. I have even visited the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida back in 2008 with my husband before the museum moved to its current location. 

Since I’m a Dali fan, I’ve decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts and narrated by Charlie Thurston. 

Listening time for The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts is 6 hours, 28 minutes.

I truly enjoyed listening to this work of nonfiction. I learned a lot of things I never knew about Salvador Dali's life before reading this book uncluding a lot of history about Spain, the Surrealist movement itself, other artists of the time, Dali's thoughts on various current events, and what had the most impact/influence on his artwork. I also enjoyed the detailed deep dive into some of Dali's most famous works and what the symbology in these works meant.

If you're at all curious about Salvador Dali, other artists during the day, art in general, and history, then this book is most definitely for you. If you enjoy audiobooks, then you'll also enjoy Charlie Thurston's narration of The Dali Legacy.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts from Chirp's website:

In turns beloved and reviled, twentieth century art, painter, filmmaker, and designer Salvador Dali set Europe and the United States ablaze with his uncompromising genius, sexual sadism, and flirtations with megalomania. His shocking behavior and work frequently alienated critics; his views were so outrageous, even prominent Surrealists tried to ostracize him. Still, every morning he experienced “an exquisite joy-the joy of being Salvador Dali,” and, through a remarkable talent that invited bewilderment, anger, and adoration, rose to unprecedented levels of fame-forever shifting the landscape of the art world and the nature of celebrity itself. In this stunning volume, noted art historians Jean-Pierre Isbouts and Christopher Heath Brown discuss the historical, social, and political conditions that shaped Dali’s work, identify the impact of Modern as well as Old Master art, and present an unflinching view of the master’s personal relationships and motivations. With their deeply compelling narrative, Isbouts and Brown uncover how Dali’s visual wit and enduring cult of personality still impacts fashion, literature, and art, from Andy Warhol to Lady Gaga, and seeks to answer why, in an age of shock and awe, Dali’s art still manages to distress, perplex, and entertain.

I am giving The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

 

I had Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle on my reading wishlist for quite a while. I don't recall how I discovered this graphic memoir, but it must have really stood out for me to have added it to my reading wishlist.

I recently purchased a used paperback copy of Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle. Guy Delisle is a Canadian cartoonist and animator, who spent time working in North Korea as an animator.

I loved the artwork for Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea!! The artwork is the best part of this book. It was an intriguing to read Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea as it gives us perspective on what it's like to visit North Korea as a foreigner and to also work in North Korea short term. For instance, the author had to be essentially escorted everywhere by a translator/escort. Propaganda is a big problem in North Korea. The sad state of affairs for the North Koreans is touched upon in this book, which gives us some insight as to how the country is in real life.

Below is the publisher's summary for Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle I discovered on Amazon's website:

Guy Delisle’s Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea is the graphic novel that made his career, an international bestseller for more than ten years. Delisle became one of the few Westerners to be allowed access to the fortress-like country when he was working in animation for a French company.

While living in the nation’s capital for two months on a work visa, Delisle observed everything he was allowed to see of the culture and lives of the few North Koreans he encountered, bringing a sardonic and skeptical perspective on a place rife with propaganda. As a guide to the country, Delisle is a non-believer with a keen eye for the humor and tragedy of dictatorial whims, expressed in looming architecture and tiny, omnipresent photos of the president. The absurd vagaries of everyday life become fodder for a frustrated animator’s musings as boredom and censorship sink in. Delisle himself is the ideal foil for North Korean spin, the grumpy outsider who brought a copy of George Orwell’s 1984 with him into the totalitarian nation.

Pyongyang is an informative, personal, and accessible look at a dangerous and enigmatic country.

I am giving Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Happy National Read A Book Day!

 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Top Book-To-Screen Adaptations for TV and Movies!

The above, short YouTube video (under 4 minutes) discusses four books that have been turned into either a tv series or a movie coming out this fall. They all sound like good adaptations!

Literary Sites of the Monterey Peninsula

 Fun video highlighting the literary sites on the Monterey Peninsula. Ths focus being on John Steinbeck, Robinson Jeffers, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

I've even visited both Cannery Row and also the house where Robert Louis Stevenson once stayed... See the blog post I made from my visit to the Robert Louis Stevenson House here.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books Involving Food

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.

Below are ten books related to food in some way. The first five books are ones I've read and really enjoyed reading. While the last five books are ones about food that I would like to read.

Below are five books I've read and loved that are focused on food!

1. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee

2. The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson

3. Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas

4. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

5. The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister

The following five books are ones that I would like to read that are focused on food!!

6. Our Fermented Lives: A History of How Fermented Foods Have Shaped Cultures & Communities by Julia Skinner

7. Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury

8. The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky

9. Caviar: The Strange History and Uncertain Future of the World's Most Coveted Delicacy by Inga Saffron

10. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

Have you read any of the above books? If so did you like them? Let me know in the comment section below. Happy reading!

2024 High Summer Readathon - Wrap Up Post!

I didn't quite reach my goal of reading four specific novels I set out for myself to read for the 2024 High Summer Readathon as I had a two week reading slump mid-month.

I'm kind of surprised by my reading slump last month as I read so many books during the month of July. I simply thought I'd keep the momentum going during the month of August.

I did, however, read three books last month. I read and reviewed the following three books:

1. The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal (nonfiction)
2. Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar (fiction)
3. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy (historical fiction/fairytale retelling)

Click on the links above to read my review of each book.

The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy

 

I've had The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy in my 'to be read' pile for quite a long time. 

I fintally listened to the unabridged audio version of The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy and narrated by Michael Page. 

Listening time for The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy is 9 hours, 51 minutes.

I truly enjoyed this novel! It's a retelling of Hansel and Gretel set in Poland  during World War II. I love historical fiction. When done right, fairytale retellings are excellent and The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy is done very well!

I liked the pace of this novel. The writing is excellent. I enjoyed the characters in this novel too as they are well developed. The entire book is good, but the chapter titled, The Oven, is a difficult one to read in this novel and truly pulled on my emotional heartstrings. I also enjoyed the last chapter's message as well. I highly recommend The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy.

Below is the publisher's summary for the The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy from Chirp's website:

In the last months of the Nazi occupation of Poland, two children are left by their father and stepmother to find safety in a dense forest. Because their real names will reveal their Jewishness, they are renamed “Hansel” and “Gretel”. They wander in the woods until they are taken in by Magda, an eccentric and stubborn old woman called “witch” by the nearby villagers. Magda is determined to save them, even as a German officer arrives in the village with his own plans for the children.Combining classic themes of fairy tales and war literature, Louise Murphy's haunting novel of journey and survival, of redemption and memory, powerfully depicts how war is experienced by families and especially by children. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel tells a resonant, riveting story.

I am giving The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

World of Books USA Is Quickly Becoming One Of My Favorite Online Retailers For Used Books!!

Earlier this year, I placed my very first order through World of Books USA's website! I had a super positive experience with my first online purchase of used books from the World of Books USA website that I've continued shopping with them since then.

I've recently received my third purchase of used books in the mail this week from the World of Books USA website. I purchased four used knitting books to add to my ever growing collection of books pertaining to my favorite hobby. The used books are in good condition and as described on their website. Below is a photo of the knitting books I ordered.

What do I love about buying used books from World of Books? 

* Free shipping on orders over $10. 

* They have plenty of used books that are inexpensive and in good condition.

* They have plenty of books that fall into their 'Buy 3 Books, Get One Free Book' category. 

* Their website is easy to navigate.

* Books are given category descriptions, like whether they are new or used. If the books are used, then they let you know in the description section what condition the used book is in; well read, good, very good, etc. 

* I've always received books that are in the condition stated in the description /listing.

* Books that pertain to hobbies (like knitting in my case) are expensive to buy brand new. I don't mind buying used books in good condition or better to add to my personal collection. The World of Books USA website definitely helps me add knitting books to my collection without breaking the bank.

Have you purchased books from World of Books USA? What was your experience like?

Enduring Legacy of Stephen King!

It all began 50 years ago when Stephen King's novel, Carrie, was published that his legendary, literary career began. 

Check out the above interview with Stephen King on PBS News as he discusses his writing career.

Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, do you have a favorite novel written by Stephen King? Share in the comment section below!

An Independent Bookstore in San Francisco, California Takes a Stand on Banned Books!

 

I love these types of news stories where

independent bookstores help promote reading in

all 50 states when it comes to marginalized communities!!

Banned books should not be happening here in the USA.

Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar and narrated by Jot Davies. 

Listening time for Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar is 11 hours, 26 minutes.

Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar is a work of absurdist fiction and is a novel that had been on my reading wishlist for quite some time. I was glad to have finally read this novel!

I think Spaceman of Bohemia is well narrated by Jot Davies. The writing, characters, and plot details were engaging enough throughout the novel to keep one interested and wondering what would happen next in the novel. I also liked the pace of this novel as well.

The main character is Jakub Procházka and the novel is told through his point of view. Jakub is a cosmonaut and we read about his journey into space alone, the aftermath of his time in space, as well as his memories of his youth in the Czech Republic.

Overall, I think the Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar was a good read. I thought there was too much philosophizing interspersed in different parts of the novel for my liking. 

Additionally, the giant arachnid like alien named, Hanuš, whom Jakub encounters and interacts with during his solo flight in space was sort of creepy, odd, and weird (???), in my opinion. Was Jakub simply hallucinating Hanuš or was Hanuš really there? It was difficult to determine at times.

Below is the publisher's summary for Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar from Amazon's website:

An intergalactic odyssey of love, ambition, and self-discovery.

Orphaned as a boy, raised in the Czech countryside by his doting grandparents, Jakub Procházka has risen from small-time scientist to become the country's first astronaut. When a dangerous solo mission to Venus offers him both the chance at heroism he's dreamt of, and a way to atone for his father's sins as a Communist informer, he ventures boldly into the vast unknown. But in so doing, he leaves behind his devoted wife, Lenka, whose love, he realizes too late, he has sacrificed on the altar of his ambitions.

Alone in Deep Space, Jakub discovers a possibly imaginary giant alien spider, who becomes his unlikely companion. Over philosophical conversations about the nature of love, life and death, and the deliciousness of bacon, the pair form an intense and emotional bond. Will it be enough to see Jakub through a clash with secret Russian rivals and return him safely to Earth for a second chance with Lenka?

Rich with warmth and suspense and surprise, Spaceman of Bohemia is an exuberant delight from start to finish. Very seldom has a novel this profound taken readers on a journey of such boundless entertainment and sheer fun.

As a side note, Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar has been made into a movie starring, Adam Sandler, as the leading character. I'm not sure if I want to see the movie version after reading the novel.

I am giving Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

New to Me Little Free Library in Walnut Creek, California!

 

Yes, to finding another new to me Little Free Library in Walnut Creek, California! This one was located not to far from a freeway entrance/exit and in plain sight!! I loved finding this LFL!!

I Think I've Found My Reading Mojo Again!

I've been on a reading hiatus for a couple of weeks now. But I seem to be back on track as of today! With the reading momentum I experienced last month, I thought I'd just keep on cruising through the month of August. Especially considering the fact that I'd set aside the four books I wanted to read this month.

I'm currently reading two different books, both of which I am almost finished reading. So at least I should have them both read before the end of the month and (hopefully) reviewed as well.

What's everyone reading? 

What do you do during a reading hiatus or reading slump? I actually started crocheting earlier this month!! I've never crocheted before and am currently making a pair of single crochet, fingerless gloves using worsted weight, acrylic yarn. 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

A Literary Tour of San Francisco from AbeBooks

 

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so I look forward to visiting a few of the literary destinations mentioned in the above, short AbeBooks video!

Happy National Book Lovers Day!!

 

Do you have a favorite book?

Or is there a book you've read multiple times throughout your life?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal

 

The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal is my first read during the month of August! I listened to the unabridged audio version of this nonfiction book, which is nicely narrated by the author.

If you are a lover of words, linguistics, and etymology, then I think you'll love this book. The introduction is wonderful as it sets the tone of this nonfiction book. I love the short chapters that focus on a single word in the English language and how it influenced other words and cultural associations. There were plenty of surprising words that made up the list of words in this book. This is a fun read!!

Below is the publisher's summary for The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal found on Amazon's website:

The world's foremost expert on the English language takes us on an entertaining and eye-opening tour of the history of our vernacular through the ages.

In The Story of English in 100 Words, an entertaining history of the world's most ubiquitous language, David Crystal draws on one hundred words that best illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word―‘roe'―was written down on the femur of a roe deer in the fifth century. Featuring ancient words (‘loaf'), cutting edge terms that relfect our world (‘twittersphere'), indispensible words that shape our tongue (‘and', ‘what'), fanciful words (‘fopdoodle') and even obscene expressions (the "c word"...), David Crystal takes readers on a tour of the winding byways of our language via the rude, the obscure and the downright surprising.

I am giving The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

New to Me Little Free Library in Danville, California!!

 

Yesterday afternoon, my husband I visited Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands located within the San Francisco Bay. While we were there, we visited a beautiful new park called, Panorama Park, which featured 360 degree panoramic views of the entire Bay Area from the Bay Bridge, Alacatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown San Francisco, and many parts of the East Bay. It was a lovely place to visit.

After our park visit, we enjoyed eating at an outdoor venue, which featured live music and so on. We were told there was a Little Free Library at this particular venue, but alas it had disappeared.

So, instead, we found a new to us Little Free Library in Danville, California on our return drive home. This one was a cute one and well stocked with a wide variety of books.

Your Paper Quest ~ A Book Subscription Box That Supports Indie Authors!

This past Sunday night, I learned about a new to me book subscription box called, Your Paper Quest from a BookTuber (CriminOlly) I frequently watch on YouTube.

Your Paper Quest sounds like the perfect book subscription box to support indie authors!! Your Paper Quest has the following perks:

* Your Paper Quest subscription book box is presently available in both the USA and the UK.

* You can select between a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly book subscription.

* You receive two self published novels per delivery.

* According to Your Paper Quest you also receive the following perks with your order:

- Changing themes and genres every month, emphasizing accessibility for all readers and the discovery of new favourites.
- Personalized notes from the authors themselves.
- Uniquely designed bookmarks for each story.
- An invitation to join our virtual book club.
- An opportunity to ask our featured authors questions for our monthly interviews.

* There's no minimum subscription period. Cancel anytime.

* CriminOlly provided a discount code on his YouTube channel for 20% off your first order with Your Paper Quest. Use the following Discount Code at checkout: CriminOlly20

I do not receive affiliate funding (or any other monetary gain) for the use of the above discount code. I'm simply passing along the savings code to readers, should they decide to try Your Paper Quest out for themselves and would like to save money on their first order with Your Paper Quest.

Please click on the above links to learn more about both Your Paper Quest and also CriminOlly's YouTube Channel. 

I am a huge fan of CriminOlly's YouTube Channel. He provides great content on a regular basis. 

I am also looking forward to placing an order with Your Paper Quest in the future.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Happy Romance Awareness Month!!!

 

Do you enjoy reading romance novels? Do you have a favorite romance writer?

I enjoy reading romance novels occasionally.

I do not have a favorite romance writer.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Happy Paperback Book Day!!

 

Inga by Scott Medbury

 

Inga by Scott Medbury was a spur of the moment selection to listen to on my part. It is a short, science fiction novel set in the USA in the near future. Inga is decently narrated by both Adam Barr & Ashley Trumpler. The premise for Inga was intriguing enough for me to want to read it. But the execution of this novel by the writer was lackluster. I'd hoped the writing would be more engaging than it was. Inga simply needed more depth in terms of the writing to have made it more captivating. The plot twist at the end of Inga is something I didn't see coming and was the best part of the novel itself.

Below is the publisher's summary for Inga by Scott Medbury from Chirp's website:

The thug ran his hand down the warm curve of her thigh, and it wasn’t until an impossibly strong hand gripped his arm that he realized the girl, was no girl at all. Still, if not for bad timing he might have left the room alive…

Things aren’t always as they seem. The girl in the box is unbelievably beautiful and while Ivan Petrovic knows she’s a Synthetic, he experiences cognitive dissonance trying to reconcile her appearance and what she actually is. That turns out to be a real problem when his cruel boss, Molenski, now the proud owner of the most advanced human form robot on the planet, leaves them alone together.

The more Ivan gets to know Inga, the less machine-like she seems. There are so many questions. Just who did Molenski have the stunning robot modelled upon and what did he plan to do with her? Surely, she wasn’t just to be a sexbot? Ivan has to know, but fears the answers will be terrifying.

Within hours of his boss’ special delivery things get very ugly, very fast and Ivan will be caught right in the middle of the murder and mayhem.

I am giving Inga by Scott Medbury a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Alta Journal - California Book Club - Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, I attended another virtual author event hosted by Alta Journal. It was their monthly California Book event featuring author, Venita Blackburn and her novel, Dead in Long Beach, California.

Before deciding to attend the Alta Journal - California Book Club - Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn virtual event, I wasn't familiar with with the author or her works. I was curious to learn more about Venita Blackburn's novel and hear what she had to discuss with regards her writing and so forth.

I am so happy I attended this virtual author event. It was excellent and engaging. There were two lively moderators (John Freeman and Myriam Gurbo) that interacted with Venita Blackburn during the event and I learned a lot about both the author and the novel. Now, I so want to read Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn as it sounds like an amazing read! 

I love that Dead in Long Beach, California is set in Long Beach, California. This novel has elements of  LGBTQIA+ and sounds multilayered in how it is written. So, I am curious to see how this novel plays out as it doesn't sound like it is written in the typical fashion of a traditional novel.

Have you attended any author events lately? How was your experience?

The One by John Marrs

I had The One by John Marrs on my reading wishlist for quite awhile before I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version this month. The One by John Marrs is narrated by five different narrators. One narrator for each of the five main characters in The One.

The One by John Marrs is a really great read!! It is a work of contemporary fiction.  There are so many twists and turns that happen within this novel that you sit on the edge of your seat for this roller coaster ride of a novel. 

I really enjoyed the premise of The One by John Marrs as it made for a great read. I also enjoyed the writing, the plot twists, and the characters for this novel. There are 5 main characters; 2 men and 3 women. Each chapter focuses on one of the main characters and what's going on in their lives at that moment. Each chapter ends with a bombshell that has you greedily wanting to see what happens next... So onward you read!!

The entire premise of The One by John Marrs is how far would one go to find the love of their life? A simple DNA has been created to match you with your perfect partner. What could go wrong? Read The One by John Marrs to find out that all is not perfect with regard to finding your perfect match... Even a DNA test doesn't guarantee perfect results in finding true love. 

Below is the publisher's summary for The One by John Marrs from Amazon's website:

How far would you go to find The One?

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you’re genetically made for.

That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.

Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…

A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.

I am giving The One by John Marrs a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

High Summer Read-A-Thon ~ August 2024

I've participated in the High Summer Read-A-Thon in the past and look forward to participating in it again this year. 

The High Summer Read-A-Thon is a month long reading event that takes place during the month of August 2024 and is hosted by Seasons of Reading. I figure if I am going to be reading books anyway next month, why not participate in this low key read-a-thon?

Here's the blurb for the High Summer Read-A-Thon ~ August 2024 from the Seasons of Reading:

We start at 12:00 am eastern time on August 1st and end at 11:59 pm eastern time on August 31th. (There is a handy link to a time zone converter in the sidebar menu.) Guidelines for the readathon can be found HERE or you can access in the sidebar menu. Any information you need about the readathon can be found there. Please do be sure to check the guidelines to make sure you're following along correctly. There are specific rules regarding sign up and wrap up, especially in regards to the giveaway.

Click on above links to sign up and learn more about the High Summer Read-A-Thon.

I plan to listen to four audiobooks next month for High Summer Read-A-Thon as follows:

1. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
2. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
3. Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar 

4. The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal

Usually, I do not like selecting book titles in advance as I tend to change my mind all the time about what I'm going to read next. Since I've been wanting to read the above books for quite a while, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't change my mind.