Reading Life
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Reading Lately
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy! – “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns Oh, January! I had such high hopes. But, alas,… Continue reading
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2026 Reading Challenge Book 1
Six days into the new year and I have finished one book and started the second. I chose Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn for the prompt, “set in an ancient civilization.” This is the second Quinn book that I… Continue reading
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Book Ratings – My Take
In a previous post, I mentioned the book challenge I am doing for 2026. I’ve finished the first book and will soon post a review. Before I do that, I thought I might take a minute to explain my book… Continue reading
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The 52 Book Club’s 2026 Reading Challenge
Reading is Fundamental! Are you old enough to remember those commercials? I think reading is just plain fun. Since I’ve retired, I’ve worked on improving and challenging my reading habits. For 2026, I will be participating in The 52 Book… Continue reading
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Last Bonus Read of the Year
Christmas at the Ranch by Julia McKay A swoony second chance holiday romance, about a woman who escapes family scandal in the city by fleeing to Evergreen Lake for Christmas, where she first found love and heartbreak at Wilder Ranch.… Continue reading
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Bonus Read for 2025
As I’ve said before, I am completing the 50 states in 52 weeks reading challenge for 2025. I wish it were that easy. BUT THE BONUS BOOKS. They’ve been welcome side trips during my journey through the states. These books… Continue reading
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Read the USA – Hawaii
Moloka’i by Alan Brennert This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place—and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit. Rachel Kalama, a… Continue reading
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Read the USA – Georgia
The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick The Floating Girls is stunning southern fiction, a wonderfully atmospheric coming-of-age family drama told from the perspective of a feisty 12-year-old girl―reminiscent of a modern-day Scout Finch―as she unravels the secrets that threaten her… Continue reading
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Read the USA – Colorado
The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel Olivia Dunne, a studious minister’s daughter who dreams of being an archaeologist, never thought that the drama of World War II would affect her quiet life in Denver. An exhilarating flirtation… Continue reading
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Read the USA – California
The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to… Continue reading