Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

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

 

My husband and I returned last weekend from a long, roundtrip roadtrip that began in the San Francisco Bay Area to Monument Valley and the Four Corners Monument and back again to he San Francisco Bay Area.

Our first overnight stay was in Barstow, California. During our brief visit to Barstow, we found a Little Free Library the following morning before hitting the road again to our next overnight stop.

I left two books at this Little Free Library and only took one with me.

Traveling by car across the country is interesting as you see the landscape you'd not encounter while flying on an airplane. The vast difference in landscape throughout the state of California is really something else.

We traversed mainly desert landscapes on our way to Arizona, where major cities become far and few between. This can be difficult/frustrating when one needs a potty break. Cellphone service is also very spotty, where we'd have only a couple of bars of LTE vs 5G on our cellphones... Sometimes, we encountered no cell service at all for periods of time.

Love the cloud formations during this leg of the trip.

We noticed tons of windmills at various points in our travels. They are HUGE in person!

One of the gas stations/rest stops along the way during the 1st leg of our trip.

More posts of our journey to come!

Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa

 

Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa is a book that's been on my reading wishlist for quite a while!! I'm really into reading books by Filipina/Filipino writers as my husband was born in the Philippines and moved to the USA with his family as a young boy.

Anyway, I'm so thrilled that I finally read the paperback edition of this graphic memoir. The artwork is really well done for this book. I love how the author incorporates several themes in her book... Like her favorite music as a child/teen, life in the Philippines during the Marcos regime, her life in Canada after she moves away from the Philippines, her family, her father's death, and more.

I highly recommend this book if you like graphic memoirs, artwork, and learning about other cultures.

Below is the publisher's summary for Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa from the Goodreads website:

When she learns of her beloved father's fatal car accident, Mapa flies to Manila to attend his funeral. His sudden death sparks childhood memories. Weaving the past with the present, Mapa entertains with stories about religion, pop culture, adolescence, social class and politics, including her experiences of the 1986 People Power Revolution which made headlines around the world. It is a love letter to her parents, family, friends, country of birth, and in the end, perhaps even to herself.

I am giving Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Halloween Freebie - Halloween Treats to Enjoy While Reading!!

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.

Here's a list of ten Halloween treats and beverages to enjoy with your spooky themed reads this year!

1. Candy Corn
2. Candied Apples
3. Carmel Apples
4. Pumpkin Spice Latte
5. Spiced Apple Cider
6. Pumpkin Bread
7. Toasted and Lightly Salted Pumpkin Seeds
8. Popcorn Balls
9. Brach's Pumpkin Mellowcremes, Halloween Candy
10. Jelly Belly, Monster Mash Mix

Do you have any favorite snacks or beverages you enjoy drinking on Halloween?

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

 

I first learned about The Queen's Gambit from the promotion of the Netflix miniseries of the novel. I didn't initially know that the Netflix miniseries was based on a novel until some time later on. By the way, I still haven't watched the Netflix series, but my husband and I plan to do so now that I've read the novel.

I chose to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis, which is well narrated by Amy Landon. I am a beginner chess player and truly enjoyed the storyline, which focuses on chess as one of the major topics.

Walter Tevis is a new to me author. I loved the pacing and writing for The Queen's Gambit. The character building and plot development are well done and definitely kept my interest throughout the entire novel. 

I also liked leading character, Beth Harmon. As a young girl, Beth is orphaned early in life and is sent to live in a religious orphanage in Kentucky. While at the orphanage, Beth begins learning to play chess at 8 years old from a janitor at the orphanage. She quickly becomes a prodigy at playing chess. 

Beth is eventually adopted around the age of 12 years old and goes on to live an unorthodox lifestyle with her adoptive parent. Beth starts playing in chess tournaments shortly after being adopted and winning tournaments with ease. Additionally, Beth is able to earn big money from her winnings at chess tournaments.

The Queen's Gambit isn't just about chess though. It's also a coming of age novel. It's also about addiction as Beth initially becomes addicted to prescription pills while at the orphanage. Later on in life, Beth has issues with alcohol consumption as well.

We also see the loneliness and social awkwardness Beth endures throughout the novel and seeing her try to fit in while pursing her passion for playing chess. We read a lot about Beth's growth as a chess player, which leads her to the upper echelons of the chess world. Beth becomes a household name as a chess player and plays against world champion chess players.

Politics, religion, and feminism are all topics that are touched upon in The Queen's Gambit as well, which makes this novel a multilayered one to read. I look forward to reading other novels by Walter Tevis.

Below is the publishers summary for The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis from Chirp's website:

Engaging and fast-paced, this gripping coming-of-age novel of chess, feminism, and addiction speeds to a conclusion as elegant and satisfying as a mate in four. Now the basis for a highly acclaimed, award-winning Netflix series.

Eight year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is, until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control.

By the age of sixteen, she is competing for the US Open championship. But as Beth hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting.

I am giving The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Top Ten Tuesday - Cozy/Atmospheric Reads

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 not even sure what a cozy/atmospheric read is supposed to look like... Are we supposed to pick one genre or the other? Or try to find books that fit both genres? I'm going to stick to atmospheric reads for this week's Top Ten Tuesday post.

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

2. Tangerine by Christine Mangan

3. The Sister by Poppy Adams

4. The Seas by Samantha Hunt

5. Soon by Lois Murphy

6. The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

7. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

8. A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson

9. Euphoria by Lily King

10. Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven

Click on the above links to read my review for each novel listed.

Have you read of the books from my Top Ten Tuesday post this week? Do you have any atmospheric books to recommend?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Quick Status Update - General FYI

During the next 10-12 days, I will most

liking be unable to publish or respond to comments during this timeframe due to other obligations. So, if you do not see your comments being published right away on my blog, you'll know why.

I'll be sure to publish and reply comments as soon as I can. Additionally, you'll see some blog posts pop during my absence.

In the meantime, happy reading!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Non-book Freebie - Favorite Flowers

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 of my favorite flowers... Granted I have many more flowers I love and adore, but these are a few of my personal favorites.

1. Dahlia

Dahlias come in a wide variety of colors. I like many of the colors. It's the shape and look of this flower I enjoy the most.

2. Rhododendrons

I love the color variations for rhododendrons too... Plus, the fact that they grow on trees/shrubs, which grow very large.

3. Ranunculos

The variety of colors and the interesting texture of ranunculos are what make it a winner!!

4. Orchid

I simply adore all orchids, but Oncidium Sharry Baby orchid really stands out as it smells like chocolate!!

5. Peony

Again, I love all the color variations and the texture for peonies.

6. Lotus

I love the symbolism of the lotus - purity, rebirth, strength, and spiritual enlightenment.

7. Camellia

I love the various colors of camellia flowers.

8. Canna & Calla Lillies

I have adored the look of both canna and calla lilies for decades. They are such beautiful flowers. Both types of lilies come in a wide variety of colors.

9 . Magnolia

The magnolia flower is another beautiful flower, which symbolizes dignity, beauty, nobility, and strength.

10. Ylang ylang

I love the smell of ylang ylang essential oil! Little did I know how beautiful the actual flowers are. Ylang ylang is a tropical flowering tree native to the Philippines.

Share your favorite flowers in the comment section below!