Worth your while. Isn’t that a funny phrase? I just giggled when I typed it.
It’s been awhile since I shared some of my current reading list. After much deliberation and realizing that my stash for my Little Free Library was overtaking my office space I ordered a couple of bookcases to hold my overflow. They are now stashed in the “apartment” over the garage and I feel like I can move again in my office. The added bonus is that you come to visit me you can browse and take what you want without having to dig through totes and totes of books.
While I was organizing I realized that my own stash is pretty large and even though I avail myself to using the library at Connestee Falls as well as the Transylvania Public Library in Brevard I have way too many books. So many of those will be getting cleaned out and put on those bookcases for the Little Free Library.
So what have I been reading when I haven’t been organizing my stash? Here is a short list of a few recently finished and some that are on the nightstand or in hand.
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March of Crime by Jess Lourey is at the top of my favorite books read in 2017. I am a HUGE fan of Jess Lourey and her Murder by Month Mystery series has been my favorite series over the past couple of years. I anxiously awaited this latest book after the surprise ending in February Fever. This book did not disappoint me as it moved along with Mira James and her quirky and lovable friends. The cozy mystery series is a fun set of books to read and I have read each of these Minnesota based books from the first offering. With only one month left in the series I am hopeful that the author comes up with another way to continue the escapades of Mira. You can read my review here.
A friend was reading the following book, Being Mortal, and I thought it sounded like something I needed to read. She finished it and loaned it to me and I finished it in two sittings. While this was not an easy book to read at times the author did a superb job of explaining different options in end of life care. Stories from many others were shared in a manner that helped me to get a clearer understanding of what end of life might look like in different situations and while I realize that there is no perfect answer that fits every situation it helped me to understand some of the issues that my own mom must be dealing with on a daily basis. The book challenged me to think about my own life and death in a more realistic manner. You can read my Being Mortal
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Another book that was recommended to me by a friend is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Another book dealing with the tough topic of death but one that was a really thought provoking and inspiring read. This book is written from the perspective of the author who was dealing with a terminal illness. While it was sad and emotional it was a good book to read to have yet another perspective of how one man dealt with his own imminent death. You can read my When Breath Becomes Air.
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After reading two pretty heavy books I decided to take a departure from the doom and gloom of death and lose myself in a novel that has an interesting premise. Dead Letters is a debut novel for author Caite Dolan-Leach and after reading only 76 pages I am hooked. The story is about twin sisters, one of which is presumed dead, and how she leads the other sister on a scavenger hunt of sorts. Letters from beyond the grave? I can’t put this one down and have a feeling my afternoon will be taken up with trying to finish this one before bedtime. Stay tuned.
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Of course I have other books in various stages of completion. Other books I am reading currently include A Simple Path by Mother Teresa (for an upcoming retreat I am leading) , Murder, Mayhem and Bliss by by LouLou Harrington and The Black Box by Stephanie Robertson. Tell me, what are reading today? Any recommendations?
If you had one suggestion of a book that I need to put in my Little Free Library what would it be? I would love to read your answers in the comments section. Each comment this month means a $1 donation to UMCOR Hurricane Irma Disaster Relief.
11 Comments
Leave a commentI’ve recently read The Missing, The Escape, The Lie and The Accident by C. L. Taylor. I found The Escape in my local Smiths read it and ordered up the other three online – loved them and think they would make a good addition to your Little Free Library. Thanks for telling us about your recent reads I’ve just added some of them to must read list.
Oh those are new to me! Thanks for the suggestions! I will be looking them up! Thanks for stopping by!
I have read “when Breath become air” quite a moving story. Thanks for the other good recommendations! I like your book shelves
It was pretty good and did make me think about things from another perspective. The book shelves are working well and guess what? I just found another box of books hidden in my office that need to go on them. 🙂
The number of books you read simply amazes me. You are a reading machine. I am happy to hear you are reading a Minnesota author. I favor mysteries and especially enjoy the writing of Minnesotan William Kent Krueger.
I am currently reading Marta McDowell’s newly-released book, “The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes That Inspired The Little House Books.” A perfect read for me, wouldn’t you say? The bonus is having three of my photos published therein.
I have a stack of books half started but not finished. Can’t seem to quiet my mind enough these days to just sit and read. There are so many distractions… I do want to read When Breath becomes Air.
I would recommend that one, Susi. It really is a good one and one that made me think hard about end of life. Although that is not always an easy thing to think about it is important.
I´m reading A Parrot in a Pepper Tree by Chris Stewart and loving it. It is his follow up novel to Driving Over Lemons, a book that inspired me to move to Spain. I have so many books in my TBR pile. I thought I´d have more time when I retired but alas, that hasn´t happened, yet.
Well no wonder you are reading that book. I have never heard of this author so I need to check him out. I have as many books as you in my TBR pile I would imagine and adding more daily.
Partly because I’d like to write a follow-up to it, I think everybody ought to read Arthur Brooks’ “Conservative Heart” 🙂 It’s about how asking people to give something back may actually help them more than trying to “be the giver.”
Too much cognitive dissonance? Last time you asked people what they were reading, I was reading one of Chuck Shepherd’s “News of the Weird” collections. This morning, it was “Of Other Worlds,” the posthumous collection of C.S. Lewis’s essays on fiction and his short stories (I’m still in the third essay).
You have some really great reading choices —it always impresses me to see what other people are reading and how many books there are out there that I have never heard of and want to read.