Sunday Salon: Why Do I Read?

Does the world need this post? No. Definitely no. Do I sometimes feel the need to reassure myself and reassess by writing such a post? Yes. 

Reading is a habit. Reading is a choice. Reading is deliberate and intentional. Reading is spontaneous and fun. 

I think reading, for me, has become so embedded in a BRAID of reading-reviewing-blogging, that it can be a bit messy to separate it all out again. 

Would I still read books if I never wrote another review? 

Would I still read books if I retired from blogging? 

If I never once wrote about books again, would I still be a reader? 

Would I still choose to read books each and every day? 

How long would I go between books? Would I approach reading books the same way? 

Would I choose different books? Is my reading taste really different if I'm reading 100% for me? Should it be? 

If I am reading for me, why do I write reviews? Are reviews more for me or for others? Is there a right answer to this question?

Would I keep reading (and reviewing) even if my reviews are only seen and read by less than a dozen people? less than a handful? Do I need *any* validation to keep reading?

Am I looking for validation? for appreciation? for bragging rights? Am I reading for the right reasons? Is there a wrong reason to read? Is reading its own reward?

What is most satisfying...reading the book...or posting a review???

Would I still be a reader if I wasn't also a reviewer? a blogger? 

Is reading still my "first love"? Or has it become mechanical, just something I can do so I can keep on keeping on with the blog?

Do I want to finish a certain number of books per week because I genuinely love reading? Or am I thinking about the rankings on GoodReads? Is it wrong to want to move up the list? 

These are the questions that I don't know if I can ever fully answer--internally. Definitely not going to try in this post.

I want to read for the right reasons. I want reading to be first and foremost. I want to care more about reading than I do about the rest of it, the trappings, the byproducts. I want to be madly in love with reading without getting caught up and overwhelmed in the other stuff. 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #21 Random June

Is it too early to start thinking about June reading goals??? Probably not. I am thinking that it wouldn't be a bad idea to use RANDOM.ORG to do random reads from my list of review copies.

#91 on my list:

From Dust to Stardust. Kathleen Rooney. 2023 [September] 287 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

Goodreads description: From the bestselling author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk comes a novel about Hollywood, the cost of stardom, and selfless second acts, inspired by an extraordinary true story.

Chicago, 1916. Doreen O’Dare is fourteen years old when she hops a Hollywood-bound train with her beloved Irish grandmother. Within a decade, her trademark bob and insouciant charm make her the preeminent movie flapper of the Jazz Age. But her success story masks one of relentless ambition, tragedy, and the secrets of a dangerous marriage.

Her professional life in flux, Doreen trades one dream for another. She pours her wealth and creative energy into a singular achievement: the construction of a one-ton miniature Fairy Castle, the likes of which the world has never seen. So begins Doreen’s public tour to lift the nation’s spirits during the Great Depression—and a personal journey worth remembering.

A sweeping journey from the dawn of the motion picture era through turbulent twentieth-century America, From Dust to Stardust is a breathtaking novel about one determined woman navigating change, challenging the price of fame, and sharing the gift of real magic.

#98 on my list

Saving Grayson. Chris Fabry. 2023. [November] 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]

From Goodreads description: An inspiring fiction story from the bestselling author of War Room

Grayson Hayes doesn’t remember things as well as he used to, but he’s sure his time is running out. Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, he realizes he has a small window of time left to right a terrible injustice―he just can’t remember what it is.

Convinced of the importance of his mission, he embarks on a journey to the small West Virginia town of his childhood hoping he can put together the fractured pieces of his memory and set things right. But as the past becomes more clear, he wonders if God forgives the sins he can’t remember.

A thought-provoking story with challenging themes, this book deals with issues like Saving Grayson is a wrenching yet hopeful story of a journey to right unknown wrongs and of holding on to what you know even when it feels like everything is slipping away. 

#138 on my list:

Elisabeth Elliot by Lucy S.R. Austen. 2023 [June] 624 pages. [Source: Review copy]

From the GoodReads description: An In-Depth Biography on the Life and Work of Missionary Elisabeth Elliot

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015) is one of the most widely known Christians of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. After the death of her husband, Jim, and four other missionaries at the hands of Waorani tribesmen in Ecuador, Elliot famously returned to live among the same people who had killed her husband. Her legacy, however, extends far beyond these events. In the years that followed, Elliot became a prolific writer and speaker, touching the lives of countless people around the world.

In this single-volume biography, Lucy S. R. Austen takes readers on an in-depth journey through the life of Elisabeth Elliot―her birth to missionary parents, her courtship and marriage to Jim Elliot, her missions work in Ecuador, and her private life and public work after she returned to the United States. Through Elliot’s example of love for God and obedience to his commands, readers will ponder what it means to follow Jesus.

#38 on my list 

The Radcliffe Ladies' Reading Club by Julia Bryan Thomas. 2023. [June] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]

From Goodreads description: For readers of Martha Hall Kelly and Beatriz Williams comes poignant historical fiction that reminds us that literature has the power to speaks to everyone uniquely — but also to draw us together.

Massachusetts, 1954. With bags packed alongside her heavy heart, Alice Campbell escaped halfway across the country and found herself in front of a derelict building tucked among the cobblestone streets of Cambridge. She turns it into the enchanting bookshop of her dreams, knowing firsthand the power of books to comfort the brokenhearted.

The Cambridge Bookshop soon becomes a haven for Tess, Caroline, Evie, and Merritt, who are all navigating the struggles of being newly independent college women in a world that seems to want to keep them in the kitchen. But when a member of the group finds herself shattered, everything they know about themselves will be called into question.

From the author of For Those Who Are Lost comes an extraordinary love letter to books and friendship, a story that is at once heart-wrenching, strengthening, and inspiring. 

# 56 on the list

Ladies of the Lake. Cathy Gohlke. 2023. [July] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

From GoodReads description: A historical novel about the wonder and complexities of friendship, love, and belonging. Band of Sisters.

When she is forced to leave her beloved Prince Edward Island to attend Lakeside Ladies Academy after the death of her parents, the last thing Adelaide Rose MacNeill expects to find is three kindred spirits. The "Ladies of the Lake," as the four girls call themselves, quickly bond like sisters, vowing that wherever life takes them, they will always be there for each other. But that is before. Before love and jealousy come between Adelaide and Dorothy, the closest of the friends. Before the dawn of World War I upends their world and casts baseless suspicion onto the German American man they both love. Before a terrible explosion in Halifax Harbor rips the sisterhood irrevocably apart.

Seventeen years later, Rosaline Murray receives an unsuspecting telephone call from Dorothy, now headmistress of Lakeside, inviting her to attend the graduation of a new generation of girls, including Rosaline's beloved daughter. With that call, Rosaline is drawn into a past she'd determined to put behind her. To memories of a man she once loved . . . of a sisterhood she abandoned . . . and of the day she stopped being Adelaide MacNeill.

 #69 on the list

The Museum of Lost and Found. Leila Sales. 2023 [May] 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

From GoodReads description: A warm, relatable middle-grade story about a friendship falling apart and the abandoned museum that becomes a shrine to lost connections

Vanessa isn't sure which happened finding the abandoned museum or losing her best friend Bailey. She doesn't know what to do with herself now that Bailey has left her behind—but when she stumbles upon an empty, forgotten museum, her purpose becomes clear. Vanessa starts filling the museum with her own artifacts and memories, hoping that perhaps, if she can find the right way to tell the story of her broken friendship, she can figure out how to make it whole again.
 
As Vanessa's museum grows, it seems like the place might have the answers to other questions, too. Like why a mysterious work of art was left behind. Or how to deal with a military dad who's trying to parent from thousands of miles away. Or why Vanessa's bad habit is getting harder and harder to quit. Or even, maybe, how to set the past to rest and find a way to move forward.
 
Moving and charming, The Museum of Lost and Found is about how we grow apart from some people as we grow up—and how sometimes we can find new pieces of ourselves in the aftermath.

#125 on the list

Give Me A Sign. Anna Sortino. 2023. [July] 320 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

From GoodReads description: Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp.

Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes—when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.

When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who’s just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah’s responsible for (and overwhelmed by)—and then there’s Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing.

Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah’s not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she’s reading them wrong? One thing’s for Lilah wanted change, and things here . . . they're certainly different than what she’s used to.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #20 Current Obsession

My absolute favorite quote from Wind in the Willows:

"What are we to do with him?" asked the Mole of the Water Rat.
"Nothing at all," replied the Rat firmly. "Because there is really nothing to be done. You see, I know him from old. He is now possessed. He has got a new craze, and it always takes him that way, in its first stage. He'll continue like that for days now, like an animal walking in a happy dream, quite useless for all practical purposes. Never mind him." 

At first, he was just uploading them one week at a time. Then he uploaded all fifty-two. So my nice Friday-night treat became an all day, every day obsession. 

Bob Moke has four YouTube channels. Including this one that focuses on the two hour radio show, Moments to Remember. His other channels are AnotherProf, 78 Prof, 45 Prof. The radio show, Moments To Remember focuses on the years 1950 to 1956. His other YT channels are individual songs organized into playlists. 

So here are a *few* of my favorites.

 It's A Sin To Tell A Lie (1955) Somethin Smiths and the Redheads.

How Much Is That Hound Dog in the Window (1953)  Homer and Jethro

Close the Door They're Coming In the Windows (1955) Jim Lowe

Okay, favorites might be a strong word. Ear worms might be better. I love listening to the playlists by year--I do. (He's up to 1975 now). But there's something about the radio show format that I just love and adore. 

How does this connect to books? Well, indirectly, the music is BACKGROUND for much of my reading. I love to read while music is on. (Except perhaps Bible reading.)

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #19 Spine Poems

I always intend to "write" spine poems. A spine poem is what it sounds like--a poem created by book titles (like on a spine of a book). I do not ever create literal spine poems which requires photographing books in a certain order. Here are some from this year's list of books I've read.

Poem 1

Jane & Edward
Pat the Bunny
When the Moon Turns to Blood

Poem 2

Harriet Spies
The Island
The World and Everything In It

Poem 3  

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone
Go and Do Likewise

Poem 4

We Believe
Peace Is a Chain Reaction
Sounding Joy
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #18

I was able to read a full bowl of alphabet soup this month! Though I admit I looked for qualifying picture books the last few days of the month. 

 I think my favorites from this bowl include: EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE and VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS. My favorite picture book (new-to-me picture book) is THE UMBRELLA by Beth Ferry. 

Arch-Conspirator	A
Betsy-Tacy	B
Caps for Sale	C
Dial A for Aunties	D
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone	E
Find the Moon	F
Go and Do Likewise	G
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	H
In Her Sights	I
Jane and Edward	J
Kill Joy	K
Long Winter	L
Man Born to Be King	M
Newton & Curie The Science Squirrels	N
Other Side of the River	O
Pat the Bunny	P
Twenty Questions	Q
Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway	R
Sad Cypress	S
Too Many Lollipops	T
The Umbrella (Ferry, Beth)	U
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers	V
When the Moon Turns to Blood	W
10 Little Excavators	X
Yours Turly, Shirley	Y
Zukie's Burglar	Z

 Do I have goals for May? Yes. I think I want to either focus on a) library books I already have checked out or b) review copies for 2023. Or maybe I want to focus on both????

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #17

I am *almost* caught up on reviews! Just one book in my stack that still needs to be reviewed....and it is Jane & Edward: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre by Melodie Edwards.

I am currently reading:

Girl Forgotten by April Henry
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

This week's big accomplishment was finishing the Harry Potter series. I do have a question for you. I've read the original seven full-length novels. Is the play HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD worth reading??????? Or is it something I should skip?

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #16 Making Progress

I'm trying to get a full bowl of alphabet soup in April! The month is halfway over and I'm doing well, I think. True, I have some ways to go. But I think it might just happen. Maybe. I hope.

I have several books checked out from the library that I know will fit what I need:

Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti
Arch-conspirator by Veronica Roth
Girl Forgotten by April Henry
Just Jerry by Jerry Pinkney
Island of Sea Women by Lisa See OR Influential by Amara Sage
My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder OR Mission at Nuremberg by Tim Townsend OR My Second Impression of You by Michelle I. Mason
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

I don't think that Queen Bee by Amalie Howard will reach me in time. (Though I am on the hold list).

So the letters I still need are N, Q

Title	Letter
	A
Betsy-Tacy	B
	C
Dial A for Aunties	D
	E
Find the Moon	F
	G
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	H
	I
	J
	K
Long Winter	L
	M
	N
Other Side of the River	O
Pat the Bunny	P
	Q
Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway	R
Sad Cypress	S
	T
The Umbrella (Ferry, Beth)	U
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers	V
When the Moon Turns to Blood	W
10 Little Excavators	X
Yours Turly, Shirley	Y
Zukie's Burglar	Z

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #14 April Goals

I have a handful of BIG goals for April 2023!

Stuckinabook's THE 1940 CLUB -- April 10-16

I've got a handful of books lined up...including a handful of picture books...a couple of children's/middle grade books...and a couple of adult books (mostly mysteries). We'll see what I get read! But I am always super excited to participate, share links, and read other reviews.

Community of Classics Facebook Group -- April is a contemporary book based on a Classic work.

I've got stacks of books around my room that would qualify--many related to Austen's books. But I've also got a couple of 2023 review copies...including Jane & Edward by Melodie Edwards, Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons, A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi, I'm Not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton. If I were to go back to 2022, I'm sure I'd find just as many....

April ABC's -- This one is of my own doing.  I'll be counting books from all three blogs (I think that's more than fair). I've already reviewed my "U" and my "V". This will be mainly books that come my way (expect quite a few from 1940 for example), with special attention made to seeking out difficult letters.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #13 Alphabet Soup

I am contemplating doing a speed-run reading challenge for the book of April. I honestly have no idea IF I can do it in just one month. But wouldn't it be fun if I could??? The challenge I'm considering (unofficially of course) is the Alphabet Soup reading challenge. There are challenges for authors or titles. I'm not sure at this point, which I'd want to tackle. Or a blend of both perhaps????

Just for fun, let's look at what I've read so far January through March to see how close I am to reaching a full bowl of alphabet soup.

What do you think I should do with the tricky letters? X and Z??? I was *thinking* maybe turning the X into an + and having two authors (if I do authors). 

 

A Among the Hidden. Margaret Peterson Haddix. 1998. 153 pages. [Source: Library]

B Belittled Women. Amanda Sellet. 2022. [November] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]

C The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb. Candace Fleming. 2021. 285 pages. [Source: Library]

D Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.  [Source: Book I Bought]

E In Every Life. Marla Frazee. 2023. [February] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

F Farmer Boy. Laura Ingalls Wilder. Illustrated by Garth Williams. 1933. 372 pages. [Source: Library]

G Gold Rush Girl. Avi. 2020. 306 pages. [Source: Library]

H Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. J.K. Rowling. 1997. 345 pages. [Source: Library]

I Iveliz Explains It All. Andrea Beatriz Arango. 2022 [September] 272 pages. [Source: Library]

J Jesus Revolution: How God Transformed an Unlikely Generation and How He Can Do It Again Today. Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn. 2018. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

K Knight Owl. Christopher Denise. 2022. 48 pages. [Source: Library

L The Little Wartime Library. Kate Thompson. 2022. 496 pages. [Source: Review copy]

M Magpie Murders. Anthony Horowitz. 2016. 477 pages. [Source: Library]

N Miss Newbury's List (Proper Romance) Megan Walker. 2023. 280 pages. [Source: Review copy]

O The One and Only Ivan. Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. 2012. 307 pages. [Source: Library]

P Poster Girl. Veronica Roth. 2022 [October] 288 pages. [Source: Library]

Q The Rat Queen. Pete Hautman. 2022. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

R Running Out of Time. Margaret Peterson Haddix. 1995. 184 pages. [Source: Library]

S The Superteacher Project. Gordon Korman. 2023. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

T Twice in a Lifetime. Melissa Baron. 2022. 325 pages. [Source: Library]

U

V Babylon #5: Voices. John Vornholt. 1995. 246 pages. [Source: Bought]

W The Windeby Puzzle. Lois Lowry. 2023. [February] 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

X

Y The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town In Stories and Photographs. Chana Stiefel. Illustrated by Susan Gal. 2022. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Z

 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #12 (The Importance of Timing)

I've struggled with this week's Sunday Salon post. I knew I wanted it to be something about time. I just couldn't decide how 'broad' or 'narrow' a scope I wanted. (Still don't, if I'm honest). I've got two non-related points. 

1) Timing is key. Seriously. The difference between a LOVE this book and HATE this book can all come down to time, time, time. Or circumstances, mood, and time. If you want to try to get specific. Sometimes a book can have all the right ingredients, but it's just a wrong fit--at that time. Is this the case all the time we hate a book? No. It's not that simple. (Never that simple). Sometimes a wrong fit will always be a wrong fit. I can't imagine a time or place or situation where I will ever like let alone love Wuthering Heights. But I think all the elements that can be wrapped up in the word timing can be a huge factor. And it isn't always acknowledged or appreciated that this is so. Yes, everyone can (mostly always) agree that reading is subjective. But they don't allow that timing is sometimes a huge factor and one that is always changing. There have been dozens of cases in my own life where this was so. That is one reason why I think it can sometimes be a GREAT thing to abandon a book, put it aside, wait for a better time. I think it can lead to a fairer consideration of the book. Yes, I'll admit that I don't always. And the very fact that this is entirely impossible in some cases can't be denied. If you are assigned a book in high school (junior high, college, etc.) with a due date, a book that you'll be tested on, a book you'll have to talk about, write about, there are about a dozen reasons why you're more likely to hate it no matter what. True, you could choose NOT to read it, to fake it, to turn to old-school sources like cliff notes or more modern-day sources like the internet. But even if you don't read it--every word, every chapter--you'll end up prejudiced against the book's very existence. Which is one reason why I am so incredibly conflicted when it comes to assigned/required reading in the first place. Books have a way of coming to you in the right way at the right time. Pieces fall into place. Magic happens when the timing is right. 

2) One of my favorite sub-genres is time travel. Anything/everything having to do with time travel, time loops, time slips, etc. If a novel messes around with time--plays with events, plays with consequences--then I'm intrigued. Definitely intrigued enough to check it out. Not always engaged enough to see it through to the end. Sometimes...you guessed it...the timing is off. (I jest. Sometimes a book can't be saved by a premise. A great premise doesn't always lead to a great book. The characters, the story, the writing (including the dialogue) there are still too many variables at work. But I would LOVE to hear some recommendations for this genre. My personal all-time favorite would have to be the time travel books by Connie Willis. But I'm always looking to expand my reading in this direction. (I just finished Wrong Time, Wrong Place.)

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon: 5 Books Currently Reading, 5 Books Looking Forward to Starting

5 Books Currently Reading, 5 Books Looking Forward to Starting

To be honest, fair, upfront--I have WAY more than five books I'm currently reading. But I'll share five that I am currently reading and have actual thoughts to share.

Find the Moon Beth Fehlbaum. 2023. 282 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I'm taking it slow--should I be???--because it's a heart-breaker. At least so far. Well-written, characters developed. The story has substance. But oh my heart. 

The Headmaster's List. Melissa de la Cruz. 2023. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

NOT taking this one slow. Something about mysteries [and true-crime] keep me turning pages. I can't say that I love, love, love the characters....but I am invested in what really happened and what will happen.

A Time to Kill. John Grisham. 1989. 738 pages. [Source: Library]

I have NEVER read John Grisham before. Never to my knowledge seen any of the films based on his books. This one started rough. I mean trigger warnings galore. In a time before trigger warnings were even a thing. But I do want to finish the book so I can watch the movie.

Don't You Know There's a War On? Avi. 2001. 208 pages. [Source: Library]

Set during World War II. The narrative style is unique in this one. Really taken the time to write in the character's voice--poor grammar (or is it bad grammar???) and all. Still, it seems to be well-paced. I'm intrigued. 

The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns. 2017. 254 pages. [Source: Library]

I am so torn with this one. On the one hand, I am intrigued by the character's own mystery novel she's writing. It's a book within a book. On the other hand, the modern day mystery isn't quite living up to my expectations. I wanted to love it. I might yet love it. I am liking that her grandma (and her grandma's friends) are helping her solve the murder. It is reminding me of It's a Southern Thing on YouTube. But not quite loving it.

5 Books I'm Looking Forward To Starting

 It almost goes without saying I have way more than 5 books I'm WANTING to start soon, soon, very soon.

The Book Spy by Alan Hlad. 2023. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

I read my first Alan Hlad novel last year--in the fall I believe. I loved it. I made a note that I *must* read his other books. This is his newest. It features a LIBRARIAN. It is set during the second world war. Hope it is great.

The Escape Game by Marilyn Turk. 2023. 314 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Another historical novel set during World War II. (Are you noticing a pattern????) The teaser from GoodReads: A Board Game Holds Keys to Prisoners' Escape.

Iceberg. Jennifer A. Nielsen. 2023. 352 pages. [Source: Library]

I love, love, love, LOVE her work. And the Titanic setting makes this one a must read.

The Night in Question. Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson. 2023. [May] 416 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Sequel to last year's The Agathas. I really enjoyed that one so much. Hoping the sequel is just as good...if not better.

Between the Sky and the Sea. Lisa Williams Kline. 2023. [February] 324 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Historical fiction. And just look at that cover....

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #10 Too many books???

While I would never admit to owning too many books. (OUTRAGEOUS slander, I tell you). I might admit some weeks that I have too many books checked out from the library at any given time. In part, I think it's because when I'm putting books on hold, I don't know *when* books will come in and be ready to be checked out. And sometimes, it's a steady flow of books turned in and books checked out. And other times, all the holds come in at once and I lose my flow. I've got quite a stack of books. 

I had originally planned on reading more review copies and fewer library books. But, of course, then all my hold books started coming in....with a due date. Books with a due date almost always take priority. I'll try to be balanced, but my vision of focusing more on review copies seems unrealistic now.

 Not all of my 'currently reading' comes from the library, but many do:

Review copies:
Miss Newbury's List by Megan Walker
Find the Moon by Beth Fehlbaum
The Court of Last Resort by Erle Stanley Gardner

Library books:
The Plot Is Murder by V.M. Burns
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee
Waco by Jeff Guinn
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Questions:

How often do you use the library or library resources?
Is your 'hold' list out of control?
Do you have self-control when it comes to checking out books? or putting books on hold?
What book are you looking forward to reading in March?

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #9 Twelve Favorites (So Far)

I have read 121 books so far this year. IF you are surprised, then that makes two of us. I think I usually have about fifty to sixty books read in an average year. (And not every year is an average year. Certainly I can get distracted from reading.)

So what books have 'stood out' to me so far??? IF I included rereads in this list, I don't know that it would be completely fair. So I'm going to try to focus on new-to-me books.

• The Secret School Avi. 2001. 157 pages. [Source: Library]
• The Secret Sisters. Avi. 2023. [August] 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• The One and Only Bob. Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao.  2020. 352 pages. [Source: Library]  
• The One and Only Ruby (The One and Only Ivan #3) Katherine Applegate. 2023. [May] 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• Lost in Time. A.G. Riddle. 2022. 455 pages. [Source: Library]
• Going Dark. Melissa de la Cruz. 2023. [January] 336 pages. [Source: Library]
  
• Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Bernard Waber. 1965. 48 pages. [Source: Library]
• Falling Out of Time. Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2023. [May] 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• Retro. Sofia Lapuente and Jarrod Shusterman. 2023. [January] 400 pages. [Source: Library]
  
• The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town In Stories and Photographs. Chana Stiefel. Illustrated by Susan Gal. 2022. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
  
• The Sisters of Sea View (On Devonshire Shores #1) Julie Klassen. 2022. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church. Daniel Hames. (Series introduction by Michael Reeves, general editor of the Union series). 2022. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

 I am currently reading a couple of books that may just end up on my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE AND BEST books of the year list. I am so in love with The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz. It is historical fiction set in SCOTLAND. It is super swoon-worthy. I am also adoring The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis. This one is all kinds of awesome. Quite a road trip with unforgettable characters.

Questions:

Have you loved, loved, loved a book this year? Do you have a favorite so far? Which book(s) would you recommend?

Several of the books on my list--and my currently reading list--don't release until later this year. Which book(s) are you looking forward to releasing? How do you keep up with new and upcoming releases?

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #8 Almost Books

What is an almost book? It is a book that *almost* works for me, or, a book that I *almost* love, or, even a book I can *almost* recommend. 

Almost books are tricky. Because within each almost book is strong potential. There may be a few characters that I love. There may be an intriguing story or premise. There are usually just a few tiny (or not so tiny) things that hold me back just a little. 

Almost books always get finished. Because I am holding out hope until the very last page, last paragraph, last sentence that there will be something persuasive and satisfying that ultimately wins me over. 

Almost books are books that stay with me, that live in my head. At least for a few days or few weeks. With as tricky as almost books can be, reviewing almost books is always helpful. Perhaps not helpful to those on the fence. But helpful to me. I can have hundreds of thoughts racing around--some positive, some negative. For me to make sense of my thoughts, I *have* to write. Sometimes I start composing my review in my head hours--if not days--before I sit down at the computer to write a proper review.

When I read reviews of *my* "almost" book, I'm never surprised to see other people who love it. Nor am I surprised to see other people who have issues with it, or have hesitations about gushing. I find it helpful to read reviews. I don't usually read reviews before I write my own review--with the exception of the times I read reviews BEFORE I read the book. I might read a dozen or so reviews before I decide to read a book.  

I don't think being an almost book is a bad thing. Reading is subjective. So long as any review of an almost book explains the personal reasoning of why it didn't work, then that review can be helpful.  

This past week, I encountered a few "almost" books. 

It's also been a busy week!!!

Books Read in 2023	109
Pages Read in 2023	25,301

Questions:

Do you look at a book's ratings before deciding to read it? Have you ever read a book because it had so many five star reviews? Or have you ever not read a book because it had such low ratings?

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #6 Too much of a good thing?

Last week, I mentioned two books that I'd all but given up hope on getting read. I finished both of them during the week. And reviewed them. That's great, right? Well, mostly! I love finishing books. I desperately need to always be finishing books. But I also happened to read a handful of books throughout the week--one book per sitting. I love this when it happens--mostly. It can be incredibly satisfying to sit down with a book and finish it in one sitting--no bookmarks necessary! But there's something comforting about being in the middle of a book. Of having several books going. So long as there are a couple of books in the "currently reading" pile, one never has to make critical decisions of what do I read. I'll rephrase. Instead of looking at 1000+ possibilities of what to read....it is narrowed down to say twelve choices. That's a BIG difference, right, when you get overwhelmed making decisions. 

I have probably twenty library books checked out. And probably that many on my hold list. (Though not all ready to pick up, thankfully!) Last Monday was a big AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT day. I hadn't read any of the Newbery honors or the winner. (So I definitely plan to get to those soon).

Two review copies that I'm eager to pick up are SECRET SISTERS BY AVI and FALLING OUT OF TIME BY MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX.

Questions:

Do you have trouble deciding what to read next?

Do you try to read Newbery winners and honor books?

What book(s) are you excited to read 'soon'? 

Do you think you can have too many library books checked out?

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #5 "Currently" reading

It's been a relatively good week for finishing up books. But as the end of the month draws closer, there are a couple of books that have been in the "currently reading" pile for most of the month. A few have been on the "currently reading" shelf since November! 

So my 'question' of the day is HOW LONG IS TOO LONG for a book to be "currently" ongoing before you admit defeat and move them to another 'shelf.' (I'm speaking of GoodReads.) 

Of course, not all books get added to the 'currently reading' shelf on GoodReads. Often I add them after I've finished reading them. (Think picture books, board books, early readers, early chapter books.) I add them to remind myself to review them. Sometimes I add them to the list after I've read a good bit of the book to see if it's going to "stick."  

The two books that have been on my 'currently reading' list the longest [this year] are Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet and Baking Powder Wars by Linda Civitello. Both are/were review copies. The Baking Powder Wars is a review copy from WAY back in the day--maybe 2017? Belittled Women is a newer review copy--2022, I believe. Have you read either book? What did you think? Should I keep reading?

Books Read in 2023	48
Pages Read in 2023	12520

(Actually) Currently reading:

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth--adult dystopia (I've read several days)
Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet (I've been reading off and on for over a month)
To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Kathryn M. Drennan (a reread I started yesterday)

Questions:

I went to Half Priced books this week and couldn't help picking up another copy of one of my favorite Babylon 5 novels--To Dream in the City of Sorrows. Do YOU ever buy copies of books you already own? Do you believe in having spare copies of your favorites?

Do you read adaptations (or spin-offs) of classic novels? What do you expect from an adaptation? Are there things that make you cringe? [I'm having trouble reading Belittled Women as a tie-in with Little Women.]

How long do you keep a book in your 'currently read' stack/pile (real life or digital shelf)?

What has been your favorite book you've read this month?

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #4: Making Decisions

I love, love, love, love, love to read. I don't always like having to decide what to read...next. Deciding what to read next can be a bit overwhelming. (Am I alone in this???) Deciding to read is never difficult. Deciding what to read sometimes is.

This week I read the first Harry Potter book (for the first time, essentially). I didn't necessarily "love" it. Should I keep reading? Not keep reading? If I was going to love it, would I already be feeling love already? I haven't decided--yet--if I'll be reading more in the series. (Input always welcome).

When it comes to series books--looking beyond just Harry Potter--how do you approach series? Do you have to read books in order? Do you feel compelled to read all the series? And if it's an ongoing series do you reread past books before continuing on? 

Complete change of topics, I've decided to start giving half-ratings. Well, not on GoodReads, obviously, but on my spreadsheet and on LibraryThing.

Currently reading:

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth (started Friday night)
Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson. (I've been reading over a week, though not faithfully)
Cornelli by Johanna Spyri (started Thursday night. This reminds me of Emily of New Moon, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, etc. Except she's not an orphan (at least not so far) just her father is gone on a long business trip).

 Totals so far:

Books Read in 2023	35
Pages Read in 2023	9,087

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #3 Point of No Return?

I am a believer in Daniel Pennac's Readers' Bill of Rights. I am. But sometimes I struggle with the third one: THE RIGHT TO NOT FINISH. It's easy to stop reading a book you've barely started. It's really hard to stop reading once you've read over halfway. I am going to make an effort to be more true to myself and allow myself more freedom in reading. (I've already DNF'd two books this year).

Readers' Bill of Rights (Daniel Pennac)

1. The Right to Not Read
2. The Right to Skip Pages
3. The Right to Not Finish
4. The Right to Reread
5. The Right To Read Anything
6. The Right to Escapism
7. The Right to Read Anywhere
8. The Right to Browse
9. The Right to Read Out Loud
10. The Right to Not Defend Your Tastes

 Currently reading: 

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz (could this be the inspiration for the post topic???? Maybe. Probably.)
Camp Creepy (Sinister Summer #3) Kiersten White. (I've barely started this one. I had a migraine on Friday (the day I started the book. Unrelated, I'm sure.)
Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson. (I absolutely love the book cover on this one. Plus I love reading books about books.)

Questions:

Are you familiar with the Readers' Bill of Rights? Do you have a favorite? least favorite?
Which one do you struggle with most?

What was the last book you chose to read because of the cover?

How much time do you give a book before you give up on it?

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #2 Behind On Reviews

Will I always and forever be behind on reviews? Maybe. Maybe not. This week I'm behind by just three little books: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (a reread; this is a book that I crazy love and adore); To Sir With Love by E.R. Braithwaite; and Wednesday and Woof  #3: The Runaway Robot.

Books Read in 2023	14
Pages Read in 2023	2,890

In 2023, so far I have reviewed (actually posted and/or scheduled to post) fourteen books.  

Currently reading:

Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet (which I've been reading since early December)
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon (which I've been reading about two or three days)
The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen (which I've been reading since Thursday)
Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz (which I started Friday night)

Questions:

Are there any books that YOU love to reread??? 

Have you ever been disappointed by a book when you've seen the movie first??? Is the book always better??? Or can some movies improve upon a book???

If you review books, do you struggle to stay caught up??? What motivates you to stay caught up??? 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon #1 Looking for Recommendations

Will I write a Sunday Salon post every week? Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see. 

I have not (at least not yet) written up a 'best list' for 2022, though I did share a list of all the books I've read that were rated five stars. 

If I were to recommend twelve for you to read in 2023, it might look a little something like this. [Feel free to use any of these if you are coming up short for the 12 Books, 12 Friends reading challenge.]

• The Great Passion by James Runcie
• The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
• Ways to Share Joy by Renee Watson
• Operation Do-Over by Gordon Korman
• Violet and Jobie in the Wild by Lynne Rae Perkins
• The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews
• Odder by Katherine Applegate
• The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson
• Just Right Jillian by Nicole D. Collier
• Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold
• Walter Had a Best Friend by Deborah Underwood
• Leave It to Plum by Matt Phelan

I am actively seeking out book recommendations for 2023. I am looking for any book that you LOVED--any audience, any genre. My favorite genres are historical fiction, historical romance, historical mystery, mystery/suspense, nonfiction (all ages), children's and middle grade realistic fiction, children's and middle grade speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy. I do read Christian fiction. I do read classics. [Though NOT Thomas Hardy.] 

I would love to hear what YOU read and loved last year--or in recent memory.

Where do you usually go for book recommendations?

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews