Six In Six 2025

I learned about Six In Six from both Marianne @ Let's Read and also from Yvonne @ It's All About Books.

I've since learned that Jo @ The Book Jotter created Six In Six. Jo created 52 bookish related categories from which book bloggers select six of the categories that most resonate with them and then share six books/authors that belong into the categories they've chosen. All six books/authors selected must be ones that were read during the first half of the current year. See the official rules here.

Six new authors to me

1. Samantha Hunt

2. Marie Benedict

3. Colin Higgins

4. Patti Callahan Henry

5. Lois Murphy

6. Erle Stanley Gardner

Six authors I have read before

1. Willa Cather

2. John Steinbeck

3. Jessica Hagedorn

4. Harper Lin

5. Richard Matheson

6. Joshilyn Jackson

Six audiobooks I’ve listened to

1. Colorful by Eto Mori

2. The Seas by Samantha Hunter

3. TheSacrifice by Rin Chupeco

4.Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green

5. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

6. Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters

Six from the non-fiction shelf

1. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

2. Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC

3. Botanical Curses and Poisons Fez Inkwright

4. The Oswalds: An Untold Account of Marina and Lee by Paul R. Gregory

5. Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston

6. Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barell

Six books recently added to my wishlist

1. Talulla Rising by Glen Duncan

2. By Blood We Live by Glen Duncan

3. I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan

4. Butcher by Joyce Carol Oates

5. These Things That Walk Behind Me by David Surface

6. Every Day Is A Gift by Tammy Duckworth

Six authors I read last year – but not so far this year

1. Gary D. Schmidt

2. Paul A. Offit MD

3. Jeff Strand

4. Martha Wells

5. Peter Straub

6. David Morrell

So, are you willing to create your own Six I Six post?

Consider yourself tagged if this kind of post you like

to create!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Freebie - It's All About Trilogies!!

 

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.

This is a redo post for me as I recently made a Throwback Thursday Post on this very topic earlier this year. I thought it would be a good Top Ten Tuesday post as well.

I've read quite a few trilogies since I began blogging at the start of 2012. In fact, I've read more trilogies than I thought I'd read. Below is a list of trilogies I've read in no particular order of importance:

1. Wolf Hunt trilogy by Jeff Strand

Jeff Strand is a horror author who had been on my radar for a while.

I finally read the Wolf Hunt trilogy back in October 2021.

This is a fun trilogy and would highly recommend it.

The Wolf Hunt trilogy contains nonstop action from start to finish, which never makes for a dull moment.

If you love the idea of werewolves, then the Wolf Hunt trilogy may be right up your alley! But the Wolf Hunt trilogy is more than just werewolves... Meet George and Lou, low level thugs for hire. George and Lou need to transport a werewolf in human form to its final destination in the first installment of Wolf Hunt when things go VERY WRONG for George and Lou early on. George and Lou are great characters! Bad things seem to happen for them routinely. The fun and nonstop action follow George and Lou into the last two novels in the Wolf Hunt trilogy.

2. Rebel Belle trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

The 'Rebel Belle' trilogy is the most recent trilogy I've read. I started and finished reading in April 2025. The 'Rebel Belle' trilogy had been on my reading wishlist for at least a decade. I'm glad I read it finally... But honestly, I didn't love it like I hoped I would. The 'Rebel Belle' trilogy falls into the young adult, fantasy genre.

3. Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood

I am a Margaret Atwood fan, which is the main reason I selected this tilogy to read in the first place. I was curious about her comic book series, 'Angel Catbird', and wondered what a comic book series would look like from Ms. Atwood.

The Complete Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas, & Tamra Bonvillain is written for kids ages 8-12. I thought the artwork was just okay and the storyline was very simplistic... A half human-rat wants to take over the world with the desire to have rats rule the world. But his plans for world domination are thwarted by half human-cats and owls.

There were a lot of cat puns throughout this series that were funny/cute to begin with, but did grow old after a while. There are also a lot of cat facts sprinkled throughout this comic series that were interesting and informative.

4. The Moon Marked trilogy by Aimee Easterling

Ugh, this trilogy had such high ratings online!! But it was a big flop for me!! Seriously, the narration for this series was the best part of it.

The 'Moon Marked' trilogy falls into the paranormal romance/fantasy genre. There was too much senseless drama/action throughout the entire trilogy for the sake of propelling the plot forward.

5. March (Trilogy Slipcase Edition) by John Lewis

I read March (Trilogy Slipcase Edition) by John Lewis during Black History Month in 2021. By reading the March trilogy, I learned a lot about the Civil Rights Movement with regards to many of the major events. Additionally, I enjoyed reading about many of the major movers and shakers and organizations that helped propel the Civil Rights Movement forward, which eventually lead to the successful passing of both the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.

6. Seal Island trilogy by Sophie Moss

I listened to the audio version of the 'Seal Island' trilogy.

It's set in Ireland on an island and spotlights Irish folktales

and mythology. Overall, a very good series.

7. The Syrena Legacy trilogy by Anna Banks

I enjoyed this young adult, fantasy/paranormal romance series.

The first novel wasn't as good as the two remaining novels in the series. I listened to the audio version, which was well narrated by Rebecca Gibel.

8. His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin LaFevers

I love the 'His Fair Assassin' trilogy!! All tree novels are addicting to read. Robin LaFevers writes so well. This young adult series will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

9. Splintered trilogy by A. G. Howard

The 'Splintered' trilogy was loads of fun!! It falls into the young adult genre with elements of sci- fi, fantasy, and paranormal romance! Also, if you're an Alice In Wonderland fan, then this may be the trilogy for you.

10. A Mapwalker trilogy by J. F. Penn

I enjoyed listening to this young adult, coming of age, fantasy trilogy!! All three books were fun.

2025 Half Yearly Reading Update!!

 

So far 2025 has been a fun year of reading!! I've listened to audiobooks exclusively this year vs reading physical books or ebooks. 

I've listened to a total of 40 books since the start of 2025. I've discovered plenty of new to me authors and explored a wide array of both fiction and nonfiction along the way.

My favorite fiction books to date include:

1. The Seas by Samantha Hunt
2. The Case of the Velvet Claws by Erle Stanley Gardner

3. Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green

My favorite nonfiction books to date include: 

1. Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright
2. Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston
3. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

4. Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC

Which books have been your favorite reads so far in 2025?

Audiobook Burnout

 

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be writing a post stating that I currently have burnout from listening to audiobooks! 

I love listening to audiobooks and have been listening to audiobooks for more than a decade now. However, in recent years I've relied more heavily on listening to audiobooks vs. reading books due to an ongoing eye/visual issues, which have fluctuated in my left eye since November 2022. Because of my ongoing left eye issues, audiobooks have been a way for me to continue devouring books uninterrupted, avoid eye strain/fatigue, and so on. Without audiobooks, I'd probably be reading far less than I currently do and not writing or posting many book reviews throughout the year.

This year alone, I've exclusively listened to audiobooks. In other words, I haven't read a single book in 2025, which seems kinda of strange to write. I don't there's been a time in the past where I've exclusively listened to books and not read any books. At any rate, I've listened to 40 audiobooks to date. Also, in recent years, I've listened to more audiobooks and read less books as a trend.

I started noticing burnout from listening to audiobooks beginning last month. Audiobooks just weren't and still aren't holding my attention as much as they use to in the past. At times, I'd find my mind wandering instead of focusing on the content of the book despite the fact that the book was a good one.

Maybe it's simply time to take a break from audiobooks and return to reading books again. I'm thinking of sticking with ebooks on my Kindle app for the time being, so that I may adjust the font size to best suit my visual needs. Plus, read a few physical books here and there too.

I doubt I'll quit listening to audiobooks altogether. I simply plan to mix things up a bit for more variety and mental stimulation. Reading vs. listening are two different skills altogether and require a different focus.

How do you feel about audiobooks? Do you like listening to audiobooks or do you prefer reading books exclusively?

Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC, which is narrated by the author. 

Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC is a quick read at 3 hours, 24 minutes!

I love that the author, Jill Sylvester, presented 100 ways to transform ones life with bitesized chunks of information to help instill daily, actionable changes in relatable, realistic ways. I dislike it when self-help authors make things way too complicated in order to make beneficial changes in ones life... Or they write long winded and sometimes complicated ways to make changes in ones life in their books. Keep it simple, please!

Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC is a down to earth read, which provides practical solutions. I'm not a licensed mental health counselor. But, it seems to me that the transformative ways to change ones life provided within this book would be beneficial in numerous ways beyond dealing with anxiety and/or depression. Building stronger mental health before one encounters major issues seems like a worthy goal to attain/achieve.

Below is the publisher's summary for Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC from the Goodreads website:

Are you struggling with anxiety or feeling depressed?

Do you wish there was a better way to deal with your emotions than perhaps taking too many pills or remaining stuck in the past? What if there was a better way to deal with your negative emotions?

There is--and Trust your 100 Ways to Transform Anxiety and Depression for Stronger Mental Health will show you how.

Written by licensed mental health counselor and wellness expert, Jill Sylvester, Trust Your Intuition provides 100 simple tips and techniques designed to teach you how to harness the power of your intuition, find the hidden meaning in your suffering, transform depressed feelings and emerge stronger and more powerful than ever.

Why your intuition can be your most powerful ally in overcoming depression. How to feel more energy - starting today! How to transform sadness and despair into positive feelings by understanding the true meaning of your depression or anxiety. The secrets for bringing more joy and happiness in your life. How to eliminate self-doubt and worry as you supercharge your self-confidence. A book packed with tools the author has successfully used personally for over thirty years and for over thirteen years in working with thousands of clients including adults, adolescents, and children, Trust Your Intuition will show you how to truly feel better by tapping into the wisdom that exists inside of you.

I am giving Trust Your Intuition by Jill Sylvester LMHC a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Colorful by Eto Mori

 

I'm always on the lookout for new to me authors and books to expand my reading horizons. One never knows when they'll discover their next favorite author or book!

I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Colorful by Eto Mori, which is well narrated by Brian Nishii. I've never read anything by Eto Mori before, let along heard of her before. Eto Mori is a Japanese writer.

I liked this coming of age novel. It deals with the topic of teenage suicide in a unique way. The topic of suicide is depressing, of course, but the storyline itself makes you think about suicide in a different way... Colorful is about second chances... I felt like Colorful is about hope... Or at least gives one hope that things in life will not always remain the same, which is an important concept for youngsters going through tough times.

Below is the publisher's summary for Colorful by Eto Mori from the Goodreads website:

A beloved and bestselling classic in Japan, this groundbreaking tale of a dead soul who gets a second chance is now available in English for the very first time.

"Congratulations, you've won the lottery!" shouts the angel Prapura to a formless soul. The soul hasn't been kicked out of the cycle of rebirth just yet—he's been given a second chance. He must recall the biggest mistake of his past life while on 'homestay' in the body of fourteen-year-old Makoto Kobayashi, who has just committed suicide. It looks like Makoto doesn't have a single friend, and his family don't seem to care about him at all. But as the soul begins to live Makoto's life on his own terms, he grows closer to the family and the people around him, and sees their true colors more clearly, shedding light on Makoto's misunderstandings.

Since its initial release over twenty years ago, Colorful has become a part of the literary canon, not only in Japan—where it has sold over a million copies—but around the world, having been translated into several different languages. Now, Eto Mori's beloved classic is finally available in English.

I am giving Colorful by Eto Mori a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

The Big Chicken Barn in Ellsworth, Maine

Wow, the Big Chicken Barn in Ellsworth, Maine looks like a fabulous place to visit for avid book and antique collectors!! I want to visit the Big Chicken Barn for the books alone.

Click on the above link to visit the Big Chicken Barn website. Additionally, watch the above short video footage about the Big Chicken Barn.

Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth

 

Earlier this year, I listened to and reviewed an audiobook about Lee Harvey Oswald and his wife, Marina, titled, The Oswalds by Paul R. Gregory. Essentially, I wanted to learn more about the life of Lee Harvey Oswald and his role in the assassin of President John F. Kennedy.

After listening to The Oswalds by Paul R. Gregory, I wanted to learn more about life and times of Jack Ruby. Jack Ruby fatally shot Lee Harvey Oswald approximately 48 hours after Oswald's arrest for shooting President John F. Kennedy on live television. This happened while Lee Harvey Oswald was being transferred from the Dallas City Jail to the County Jail!

This has always brought up loads of questions for me. Like how did Jack Ruby gain access to a restricted area with a loaded gun when he wasn't a police officer or a reporter? Decades ago, I'd heard wild tales that Jack Ruby had been paid by the mob to act as a hitman to kill Lee Harvey Oswald to keep Oswald from testifying in court.

So, when I came across the audio version of Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth, I figured why not listen to it and hopefully, learn more about Jack Ruby and perhaps his true motives for shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.

First off, Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin is narrated by author, Danny Fingeroth. I've heard several authors narrate their own books before with success. However, I think Danny Fingeroth was a distraction. I wished someone else had narrated his book instead.

Although parts of Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth were fascinating, I felt some parts of this book were lackluster. Additionally, I felt like Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin was too long and could have been condensed for a more pleasurable read. There was just too much detail in sections for my liking.

Below is the publisher's summary for Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth from the Goodreads website:

Jack Ruby changed history with one bold, violent killing accused presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald on live TV two days after the November 22, 1963, murder of President John F. Kennedy. But who was Jack Ruby—and how did he come to be in that spot on that day?

As we approach the sixtieth anniversaries of the murders of Kennedy and Oswald, Jack Ruby’s motives are as maddeningly ambiguous today as they were the day that he pulled the trigger.

The fascinating yet frustrating thing about Ruby is that there is evidence to paint him as at least two different people. Much of his life story points to him as bumbling, vain, violent, and neurotic; a product of the grinding poverty of Chicago’s Jewish ghetto; a man barely able to make a living or sustain a relationship with anyone besides his dogs.

By the same token, evidence exists of Jack Ruby as cagey and competent, perhaps not a mastermind, but a useful pawn of the Mob and of both the police and the FBI; someone capable of running numerous legal, illegal, and semi-legal enterprises, including smuggling arms and vehicles to both sides in the Cuban revolution; someone capable of acting as middleman in bribery schemes to have imprisoned Mob figures set free.

Cultural historian Danny Fingeroth's research includes a new, in-depth interview with Rabbi Hillel Silverman, the legendary Dallas clergyman who visited Ruby regularly in prison and who was witness to Ruby’s descent into madness. Fingeroth also conducted interviews with Ruby family members and associates. The book’s findings will catapult you into a trip through a house of historical mirrors.

At its end, perhaps Jack Ruby’s assault on history will begin to make sense. And perhaps we will understand how Oswald’s assassin led us to the world we live in today.

I am giving Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Throwback Thursday - Reminiscing on Some of My 2020 Blog Posts!!

 

It's been fun reminiscing with regards to the blog posts I've made over the years!! I try to pick some of the most unique posts I've posted to my blog from 2020. Click on the links below to read what I've written.

1. Seriously?? Amazon Sells Books That Claim Satan Caused The Coronavirus...

2. Jackie as Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by Greg Lawrence

3. The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel

4. Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West

5. Today is the 75th Anniversary of Animal Farm by George Orwell

6. Cain’s Jawbone - A literary puzzle solved for just third time in almost 100 years!!

7. Out of Print - Documentary Trailer

8. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

9. The Witchcraft of Salem Village by Shirley Jackson

10. Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson

Alta Live - Leigh Bardugo - Author Event

 

I love these weekly 30 minute Alta Live events!!

This week's Alta Live virtual event featured author, Leigh Bardugo.

Leigh Bardugo discussed her creative writing process

and answered audience questions at the end of the interview session.

I enjoyed this excellent live event.

I have yet to read anything written by Leigh Bardugo.

I may just pick up a copy of her novel, The Familiar, to read

in the future.

Have you read anything written by Leigh Bardugo?

If so, which book(s) do you recommend reading by Ms. Bardugo?

9 Books About Filipino Fathers from Electric Lit

I am married to a Filipino American. So, reading books written by or about Filipinos or Filipino Americans is appealing to me. 

I recently came across an article published on Electric Lit's website titled, 9 Books About Filipino Fathers by Monica Macansantos. In the article, Monica Macansantos wrote the following:

While writing my memoir-in-essays, Returning to My Father’s Kitchen, I sometimes found myself pondering over how fathers are depicted in Filipino books and movies. A harsh, distant, unforgiving father came to mind when I thought of the archetypal Filipino padre de pamilya. This didn’t quite align with my own father’s approach to fatherhood: my father was warm, nurturing, and unguarded, a far cry from the authoritarian figures I’d come to know from Filipino movies and TV shows...

It was when I began to think back on the books I had read featuring Filipino fathers that I saw how varied and complex their depictions are in literature. While conforming to Philippine society’s expectations of manhood and fatherhood, they also question and even subvert these expectations with their individual actions. Below are nine books that shed light on Filipino fatherhood, presenting us with complex and layered characters whose struggles invite us to perform a closer examination of Filipino masculinity.

Click on above link to see which books made the list! 

8 Books About the Quiet Power of Libraries and Museums from Electric Lit

I came across an article titled, 8 Books About the Quiet Power of Libraries and Museums by Marian Womack. In the article, Marian Womack wrote the following:

Anyone who works in a library, in particular an academic library, knows that knowledge is not neutral. The own-the-snowflakes cry of “facts don’t care about your feelings” is not merely rude: it is untrue. A library is not just a repository of knowledge: it is a repository of certain kinds of knowledge, presented in particular ways, and constantly rejigged to be aimed at particular audiences. Over the twenty-odd years since I first started working in libraries I have been regularly surprised by the speed with which academic trends and interests change, and the ways in which a good library is reactive, almost alive, in how it can respond to shifts in the kaleidoscope of opinion or academic fashion.

Click on the above link to read which 8 books are mentioned in the article. 

Man accused of stealing $10,000 in video games from Marin County libraries!!

I came across another newsworthy article regarding libraries in Marin County in California titled, 'Man accused of stealing $10,000 in video games from Marin County libraries' by Tim Fang. In the article, Tim Fang wrote the following:

On Tuesday, detectives arrested 45-year-old Jamal Reed-Obafumi of Oakland in connection with the thefts. Reed-Obafumi was booked into the Marin County Jail.

"Our libraries are pillars of the community and must be safeguarded for everyone to enjoy," the sheriff's office said in a statement Thursday.

Reed-Obufami is facing 12 felony charges, including multiple counts of burglary and committing a felony while on bail.

I can't figure out why it took seven burglaries between April and June of this year to FINALLY catch the suspect!!! $10K in stolen video games is a lot of money.

Librarians Across Los Angeles Say They No Longer Feel Safe at Work

I recently came across an article titled, 'Librarians Across Los Angeles Say They No Longer Feel Safe' by Jamie Paige and Rachael Gaudiosi. In the article, I read the following:

The region’s libraries have an array of patrons. That includes many people experiencing homelessness, who often use the public buildings to escape heat during the summer, cold and rain during the winter, or simply as a way to temporarily escape the streets. The vast majority are peaceful and law-abiding.

But some individuals have caused disruptions that raise serious concerns. A Westside Current review of 911 call data from 25 of the 72 Los Angeles City library branches found that LAPD officers were dispatched to libraries more than 900 times last year. Many of the calls involved unhoused individuals and stemmed from reports of violence, drug use, and trespassing.

The trouble is particularly acute at certain branches.

At the West Los Angeles Branch at 11360 Santa Monica Boulevard, where Rachel was parked, the LAPD responded to 98 emergency calls in the last two years. The incidents included violent disturbances, overdoses, narcotics-related activity, robbery, and reports of sexual assault and child endangerment. In several cases, dispatch logs show officers encountering individuals suffering from apparent mental illness or intoxication. Other incidents involved criminal threats and emergency medical transports.

Who knew working as a librarian at a public library could be so dangerous? 

Click on the above link to read the full article. 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

New to Me Little Free Library in San Ramon, California

 

This morning my husband and I found a new to us Little Free Library in San Ramon, California!! These LFLs keep popping up everywhere, which is fabulous. I left two books and took two books.

Have you found any Little Free Libraries lately?

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson, which is well narrated by the author. 

I picked Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson because I'd read and enjoyed two previous novels by the author and also because this novel sounded like a really great read based on the blurb on the back of the novel. However, after I first began listening to Mother May I, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. In fact, I almost ditched Mother May I for another read from my 'to be read' pile. But I pressed onward and I am glad that I did.

Although, I enjoyed Mother May I, it isn't my favorite novel written by Joshilyn Jackson to date. Overall, I think the writing, storytelling, plot, and characters are well done. I like suspense/thrillers and this novel has that down to a science. The first couple of chapters made it difficult for me to get into this novel. Also, the last chapter glossed over how things turned out in a way that was too tidy for my liking after the busy pace that kept the reader on edge for most of the novel... In other words, the ending was soft, too soft.

I have three other novels to read by Joshilyn Jackson in my 'to be read' pile that I look forward to reading in the future. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I like them better than Mother May I. 

Below is the publisher's summary for Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson from Goodread's website:

A novel of domestic suspense in which a mother must decide how far she is willing to go to protect her child and the life she loves -- a tale of power, privilege, lies, revenge, and the choices we make, ones that transform our lives in unforeseen ways.

Revenge doesn't wait for permission.

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected that fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of.

Until the day she awakens and sees someone peering into her bedroom window--an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daughters' private school . . . just minutes before Bree's infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly--Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It's her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small--but critical--task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family--but what if the cost tears their world apart?

I am giving Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

CBS Sunday Morning - Former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden speaks out on her firing by Trump

 

Dr. Carla Hayden is such a smart and articulate woman. I'm sorry to learn that she'd been dismissed as the Librarian of Congress.

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

 

I love reading historical fiction novels. I've been aware of Marie Benedict as an author for quite sometime now. In fact, I have a few of her novels in either my 'to be read' pile or on my ever growing reading wishlist. However, I hadn't read any of Marie Benedict's novels until June 2025.

I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict, which is nicely narrated by Mozhan Marnò.

I think one of the many reasons I enjoy reading historical fiction novels is because I enjoy seeing how an author will portray the interactions between historical figures. In this case, we have Albert Einstein and his first wife, Mileva Marić, featured front and center in The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict. Mileva Maric is clearly the main character with Albert Einstein as the secondary character.

I found the writing for The Other Einstein to be riveting and very engaging for the most part. The storyline and character development were also well done. 

I enjoyed learning more about the life of Mileva Maric as I never knew she existed until reading this novel. Mileva was a brilliant mathematician and physicist. She met Albert Einstein while both were attending college and the pair fell in love during their college days. Albert Einstein was sweet, romantic and tender towards Mileva Maric. However, over time, Einstein becomes more egotistical, especially as he becomes more famous. Mileva becomes pregnant out of wedlock with Albert's child, byt Albert refuses to marry her at the time. Once married, the pair continue to work intellectually on Einstein's work. It seems like Mileva had contributed significantly towards Einstein's work, but she isn't given credit for her help. Albert is even unfaithful to Mileva during their marriage and eventually treats her badly the more famous he becomes. Mileva eventually divorces Einstein and is given custody of their children.

In the author notes at the end. Ms. Benedict goes into the research she performed in order to write this novel. Ms. Benedict also sites where she found some of the information she discovered while researching for this novel.

The only major disappointment for me was that the last section of the novel. Section three was a bit drawn out for my liking. I felt like it could have been shorter. Additionally, I felt like Einstein was made to look like a major creep when it came to his personal life with Mileva Maric. If he was a major creep, how far do you go to drive the point home in a work of fiction?

Below is the publisher's summary for The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict from the Goodreads website:

A vivid and mesmerizing novel about the extraordinary woman who married and worked with one of the greatest scientists in history, written by New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict!

In the tradition of The Paris Wife and Mrs. Poe, The Other Einstein offers us a window into a brilliant, fascinating woman whose light was lost in Einstein's enormous shadow. It is the story of Einstein's wife, a brilliant physicist in her own right, whose contribution to the special theory of relativity is hotly debated and may have been inspired by her own profound and very personal insight.

Mitza Maric has always been a little different from other girls. Most twenty-year-olds are wives by now, not studying physics at an elite Zurich university with only male students trying to outdo her clever calculations. But Mitza is smart enough to know that, for her, math is an easier path than marriage. And then fellow student Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, and the world turns sideways. Theirs becomes a partnership of the mind and of the heart, but there might not be room for more than one genius in a marriage.

I am giving The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Caribbean-American Heritage Month - Caribbean Themed Books I'd Like to Read!

Until earlier this month, I had no idea that June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month! 

Below is a list of books I'd like to read that are tied to the Caribbean in some way. Some of the books are fiction and some are nonfiction.

1. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
2. Monster in the Middle Tiphanie Yanique
3. Pleasantview by Celeste Mohammed
4. Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas
5. A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S Naipaul
6. The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat
7. Running Sideways by Pauline Davis
8. Miss Pat: My Reggae Music Journey by Patricia Chin
9. Of Women and Salt by Gabrielle Garcia
10. The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez

Have you read any of the above books? Do you have any Caribbean books you would recommend for future reading? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!

LGBTQIA+ Books I Want to Read!

June is known as Pride Month. Back in June of 2022, I posted my top ten LGBTQIA themed books to read for Pride Month. All of the books listed in my post were ones I'd already read. Click on the above link to see which LGBTQIA books I've already read.

For this post, I wanted to focus on ten LGBTQIA themed books I would like to read in the future.

1. We Are Only Ghosts by Jeffrey L. Richards

2. The Evolution of Love by Lucy Jane Bledsoe

3. Flux by Jinwoo Chong

4. Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez

5. Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn

6. Creep: Accusations and Confessions by Myriam Gurba

7. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

8. Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings

9. The Secrets of My Life by Caitlyn Jenner

10. Pageboy by Elliot Page

Have you read any of the above books? Do you have any LGBTQIA+ book recommendations? Share in the comment section below.

Warren Buffet's Four Investment Book Recommendations

I stumbled across an article published on CNBC titled, Warren Buffett recommended these 4 books to learn about investing by Taylor Locke. In the article, Taylor Locke wrote the following:

A few years ago at a dinner, Trey Lockerbie, founder and CEO of kombucha company Better Booch, met billionaire Warren Buffett. He took the opportunity to ask him a few questions about investing, Lockerbie said on “The Good Life” podcast with Sean Murray on Dec. 14.

Lockerbie, who was at the time an avid options trader (a more risky method of investing in which a trader can bet on which way the market will swing), asked Buffett whether books by Benjamin Graham, who was Buffett’s mentor, were somewhat outdated. Graham wrote “Security Analysis” in 1934 and “Intelligent Investor” in 1949.

Buffett — widely regarded as the best investor alive — has used the same strategy of value investing taught by Graham for decades. So Buffett suggested that Lockerbie reread Graham’s books and focus on the chapters about the psychology of investing, Lockerbie said.

In addition, Lockerbie told “The Good Life,” Buffett recommended he read two books by the late economics commentator George Goodman, who wrote under the pen name “Adam Smith.”

Click on the above link to read the full story and view Buffett's investing book recommendations. 

Calling All Jane Austen Lovers!! Visit the “Undressing Jane Austen’s World” Exhibit at DC’s DAR Museum.

Late last month, I came across an article titled, Jane Austen Exhibit Celebrates Beloved Author’s Literary Fashion by Madeline Weinfield. In the article, Madeline Weinfield wrote the following:

It is a universally acknowledged truth that to love Jane Austen is to love the clothing depicted in her novels. It is also a truth universally less acknowledged that her novel’s subsequent screen adaptations have taken some liberties with the wardrobes of Austen’s characters.

A new exhibit at DC’s DAR Museum shines a light on the clothing and fashions of the beloved writer’s world and characters. It also dispels some commonly held misconceptions about the sartorial customs of her age.

Wow! If I lived closer to Washington D. C., I'd love to see the "Undressing Jane Austen's World" exhibit in person. What an interesting exhibit to offer on the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth.

Click on the above link to read the entire article by Madeline Weinfeild and also visit the link for the DAR Museum website.

Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston

 

My husband and I have watched the Money Guy Show with hosts, Brian Preston and Bo Hanson, on YouTube for quite  a while now. We enjoy watching their show and the content they provide in terms of finances, building wealth, and retirement planning.

My husband and I took the plunge and decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston, which is well narrated by the author. 

I enjoyed the content for  Millionaire Mission very much. I also like the layout for Millionaire Mission and how its organized in a succinct manner. The nine step system to building wealth, which Brian Preston outlines in his book, is easy to follow and understand. Brian Preston gives loads of examples in his book on how to build your wealth over the long haul. No quick get rich schemes here. Time and compounding interest are just a couple of important topics/concepts discussed in Millionaire Mission. I actually found it fun to learn more about personal finances as the information provided isn't dry or boring.

Listening time for Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston is 7 hours, 3 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for  Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston from the Goodreads website:

There’s a better way to do money. Taking control of your financial freedom is simpler than you think. In fact, your money should work harder than you do.

Brian Preston, host of The Money Guy Show and cofounder of Abound Wealth Management, lays out a nine-step system for building wealth with the money you already have.

Remember “PEMDAS” from grade school? It’s an acronym that helps break down complex math problems into simple steps. When it comes to managing your money, following a similar process—the Financial Order of Operations— will demystify your dollars and show you the way to build transformative wealth with the tools you already have available:

1. Keep Your Financial Life Out of The Ditch (Cover Your Highest Deductible)
2. Love That Free Money (Max-Out Your Employer Match)
3. The Joneses Are Broke and Miserable (Pay Off High Interest Debt)
4. Rainy Day Done Right (Build Emergency Reserves)
5. Tax-Free Armageddon (Max-Out Tax-Free Growth with Roth and/or HSA Contributions)
6. Max-Out Retirement Options
7. Building That More Beautiful Tomorrow (Leverage Hyper Accumulation)
8. Funding Abundance Goals (Prepay Future Expenses)
9. Debt-Freedom (Prepay Low-Interest Debt)

Millionaire Mission helps you account for your blind spots, overcome the fear of making wrong decisions, and take the guesswork out of what to do with your next dollar.

You can own your time and own your life. Stop worrying so much about money and start focusing on what really matters to you. Millionaire Mission will do more than help you optimize your army of dollar bills—it will motivate you to be the best version of your financial self. What do you have to lose? Let’s discover what small decisions you can make today to move you closer to your more beautiful tomorrow.

I am giving Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

My husband and I loved this nonfiction book so much, we sent the hardback edition of Millionaire Mission by Brian Preston to our niece as a gift. She's a recent college graduate and we thought this book would make the perfect gift for someone starting out in their career. We want to see our niece building her financial security over the years to come!

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Books Dealing With Politics, Fascism, History, And/Or Democracy In Some Fashion

I recently finished reading and reviewing The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck. According to the publisher's description, John Steinbeck labelled his work as a "celebration of the durability of democracy." 

Steinbeck's quote started me thinking about other books I've read about democracy, fascism, or how things in society could  go or have gone awry.

The first five books listed are ones I have already read. The remaining six books listed are ones I would like to read.

1. Animal Farm by George Orwell

2. It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis

3. The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck

4. Shameless by Brian Tyler Cohen

5. Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright

6. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder

7. How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley

8. Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future by Jason Stanley

9. How Propaganda Works by Jason Stanley

10.The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism by Steven Kornacki

11. What You Should Know About Politics. . . But Don't by Jessamyn Conrad

Have you read any of the above listed books? If so, did you like them? Share your thoughts!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Harold & Maude by Colin Higgins

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Harold & Maude by Colin Higgins and it is excellently narrated by Barbara Rosenblat.

Listening time for Harold & Maude by Colin Higgins is 4 hours.

I first became acquainted with the 1971 movie version of 'Harold & Maude', starring Ruth Gordon as Maude, in the mid-1980s during a high school drama class. I never knew there was a novelization of the movie until very recently.

I haven't seen the movie version of 'Harold & Maude' in decades, but I remember liking this quirky, cult classic back in the day!! So, I knew I had to read the book when I discovered it earlier this month in audio format. 

I enjoyed the storyline, plot, characters, and writing very much for Harold & Maude. Harold, a 19 year old young man, is obsessed with death. His many attempts to shock his self-absorbed mother with his fake suicide attempts are something else! Harold loves to attend funerals and he even drives a hearse. Harold meets life-loving, free-spirit Maude at a funeral. Maude is a 79 years old woman and she and Harold form a deep bond. Maude imparts many important life lessons to Harold throughout the novel, which is the beauty of this novel.

Below is the publishers summary for Harold & Maude by Colin Higgins, which I discovered on Chirp's website:

Nineteen-year-old Harold Chasen is obsessed with death. He fakes suicides to shock his self-obsessed mother, drives a hearse, and attends funerals of complete strangers.

Seventy-nine-year-old Maude Chardin, on the other hand, adores life. She liberates trees from city sidewalks and transplants them to the forest, paints smiles on the faces of church statues, and “borrows” cars to remind their owners that life is fleeting—here today, gone tomorrow!

A chance meeting between the two turns into a madcap, whirlwind romance, and Harold learns that life is worth living, and how to play the banjo.

Harold and Maude started as Colin Higgins’s master’s thesis at UCLA film school before being made into the 1971 film directed by Hal Ashby. The quirky, dark comedy gained a loyal cult following, and in 1997 it was selected for inclusion on the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress. Fans who have seen the movie dozens of times will find this a valuable companion, as it gives fresh elements to watch for and answers many of the film’s unresolved questions.

I am giving Harold & Maude by Colin Higgins a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Brattle Bookstore in Boston, MA is a Bookstore I Want to Visit!!

I don't think I'd ever heard of Brattle Book Shop in Boston until Memorial Day weekend this year. 

I would love to visit this book shop, which is billed as one of America's oldest antiquarian book shops according to Brattle Book Shop's website. Brattle Book Shop was established in 1825.

According to Brattle Book Shop's website:

Welcome to one of America's oldest and largest used book shops. The Brattle features two floors of general used books, a third floor of rare and antiquarian books and an outside sale lot.

The above, short video shows the outside sale lot at Brattle Book Shop. I wish the video showed what the inside space of Brattle Book Shop looks like as well.

Have any of my readers visited the Brattle Book Shop before? I'd be curious to hear about your experience there.

Throwback Thursday - Reminiscing on Some of My 2019 Blog Posts!!

 

It's been fun reminiscing with regards to the blog posts I've made over the years!! I try to pick some of the most unique posts I've posted to my blog from 2019. Click on the links below to read what I've written.

1. Are Textbooks Obsolete? Food For Thought!

Textbooks being obsolete is something I'd never pondered before. I shared a short video in the above post I published back in 2019 that discusses the topic if you're interested in hearing more.

2. California State Library in Sacramento, California

My husband and I visited the California State Library during National Library Week in 2019. What a fun library to visit!

3. Stanley Mosk Library & Courts Building in Downtown Sacramento, California!

The Stanley Mosk & Courts Building is fabulous place to visit!! It's located across the street from the California State Capitol . My husband and I took the self guided tour of this building during National Library Week. I wrote a detailed post of our visit, which includes several photos.

4. 2019 Bay Area Book Festival - Saturday, May 4 - Day 1

I am so grateful and thankful to have attended the 5th annually Bay Area Book Festival (BABF) in Berkeley, California with my husband! I had attended the Bay Area Book Festival annually since its inception in 2015. The above link takes you to a detailed post with photos of what I saw during day one of BABF.

5. 2019 Bay Area Book Festival - Sunday, May 5 - Day 2

I am so grateful and thankful to have attended the 5th annually Bay Area Book Festival (BABF) in Berkeley, California with my husband! I attended the Bay Area Book Festival annually since its inception in 2015. The above link takes you to a detailed post with photos of what I saw during day two of BABF.

6. Joy Harjo Just Became The First Native American U.S. Poet Laureate

FINALLY, a Native American U. S. Poet Laureate was selected! I've read some of Joy Harjo's poetry and enjoyed them.

7. Thousands Of Books Given Away At A Contra Costa County Library!!!

I still dream about this event!! I had so much fun attending this large scale giveaway at the Pleasant Hill, California public library back in 2019. 

I hope they offer this event again in the future. It was amazing to have such a vast selection of books to search through and take home for FREE!

8. Positive Options for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Self-Help and Treatment by Elena Juris

This is a book review on a health related topic that is near and dear to me. I have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and have been dealing with the various physical pain that comes with this condition since 2009. 

My physical symptoms have varied/fluctuated over the years. This book offers treatment options and so on for those with CRPS/RSD. If you or someone you knows has CRPS/RSD, this book may offer some solution/relief ideas. Click on the above link for my review of Elena Juris's book and my CRPS/RSD journey.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Rebecca Skloot's work of nonfiction just so happened to be one of many favorite reads of 2019! Check out my review of it, if your so inclined.

10. The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

Lawrence Anthony's work of nonfiction just so happened to be one of many favorite reads of 2019! Check out my review of it, if your so inclined.