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Rules for Reading

“So many books, so little time.” – Frank Zappa

Six days into 2023, and my reading year isn’t off to the best start. I was hoping to finish a 2022 bestseller on New Year’s Eve, but it isn’t holding my attention. I haven’t DNF’d* it, but I also haven’t picked up anything new. I’m already breaking one of my rules which is to stop reading a book if I don’t like it. However, I’m already halfway through the book, so I will see it through. Most of the time, I decide to DNF after the first 50-75 pages, so there must be something about this novel that I like.

Anyway, this got me thinking about other rules I have when it comes to reading. Here are a few of them.

  1. Book Covers – I never buy a physical copy of a book if the cover promotes the movie version. I prefer to lift up the author and the original cover design instead. We all know the book is usually better than the movie anyway, so why would I want to be a walking advertisement?
  2. Don’t leave home without a book. – Whenever I go out, I always bring something to read. it could be the New York Times on my phone or a novel I downloaded on Audible. I’ve also been known to travel with a pile of magazines I haven’t read yet or my fully-charged Kindle. Nothing bothers me more than waiting somewhere and having nothing with me to read.
  3. Support independent bookstores. – Whenever possible, I purchase books from an indie bookstore. There are several in my area that I love to explore. If I’m looking for a recommendation, there is always someone there I can talk to who will happily oblige. Spending an afternoon and my money in an indie bookstore is never a waste of an afternoon. I always discover something new or come away with a fun bookish accessory – like a cute bookmark or a reading log. The last time I visited my favorite bookstore, I received a free ARC (advanced readers copy) of a new book and a $10 coupon off my next purchase. Even Costco’s paperback section can’t offer me that kind of deal.
  4. Use the library often. – We have a beautiful brand-new library in my hometown, and I don’t use it as often as I should. And they have all the books I could ever want, or they know where to get them. Sometimes I don’t have the patience to wait when more than 50 faceless people are in the digital queue waiting to read the book I want next. However, I’m so happy when I know about a book early enough and can be the first or second in line. And, if I don’t like the book, I return it knowing I didn’t spend my hard-earned money to buy it.
  5. Shop my bookshelves. – This is a new rule for me this year. I have a bad habit of buying the shiny new title that everyone is talking about instead of shopping my bookshelves. Every book I own is one that I REALLY wanted at some point but never read. It’s time to rediscover those gems and remember why I bought them in the first place. One of my favorite books is one that sat on my shelf for over a year. It’s called “Beneath a Marble Sky” by John Shors. It’s a historical fiction story about the building of the Taj Mahal. Why I left it on my shelf unattended for so long is beyond me. And I know there are many more books like that in my possession. I can’t wait to dive into my past purchases to find my next great read.

How about you? Do you have any rules that you read by? I mean, live by… 🙂

June Book Report

Summertime is my favorite time to read, but this month has been slow going as I make my way down my endless TBR pile. Between a busy work schedule and my son’s high school graduation (and all the festivities around it), there hasn’t been much time for reading. I typically average around four books per month but only managed to finish two. Too bad listening to podcasts doesn’t count toward my Goodreads goal because I’d be way ahead of the game by now. But, maybe there is something to be said for slowing down and enjoying some quiet time while sitting by a beautiful lake with a book in hand. Wherever you are reading this summer, I hope it is something that you love.

Here is what I read last month:

In Every Mirror, She’s Black

One of my 2022 reading goals is to pick up more titles written by People of Color. I want to learn about other people’s experiences, expose myself to different cultures, and – as always – dive into compelling stories. My first attempt at this was when I tried to read “The Other Black Girl” – a bestselling, genre-bending novel that everyone raved about last summer. Unfortunately, I had to DNF it more than halfway through the book. I tried to like it, but I was so confused by the storyline and couldn’t keep the characters straight. After a while, I became frustrated and threw the book onto the couch.* I had to physically and mentally let it go.

Thankfully, the next book I tried was a much better fit. “Black Cake” was released earlier this year, and I loved it. I also read, finished, and loved “The Personal Librarian” and “We Are Not Like Them.”  And then, I picked up this novel, “In Every Mirror, She’s Black,” and my winning streak came to a screeching halt. Set in Sweden, three women find themselves connected to one wealthy man in different ways – two work for him, and the other falls in love with him. The minefield of microaggressions they experienced was quite clear to me, even though it wasn’t as obvious to them. I wanted to yell at the characters, but I knew they couldn’t hear me. They aren’t real – after all.

The one thing I will say about this book is that it reconfirmed my philosophy about DNF-ing books. While I did finish this book, I only did so because I was invested in one of the three characters and wanted to see her story play out. The other two women made bad choices and constantly put themselves in no-win situations that annoyed me profusely. Because I felt compelled to finish this book, I wasted a lot of time not reading and enjoying much better stories.

Bomb Shelter

To me, a great memoir doesn’t necessarily have to be written by a celebrity. In fact, there have been many times that I’ve picked them up, hoping for all of the juicy details and have been either thrilled or vastly disappointed. But, they are fast and fun beach reads. If you need a recommendation, I have a few titles I can share with you.

Meanwhile, this memoir is written by a bestselling author who shares my sense of humor, level of parental anxiety, and positive outlook on life. We are both middle age and have two children who are about to launch into the world. We both are trying our best to support them and guide them without interfering in their lives – which is a thin line to walk sometimes. Her musings about motherhood and marriage validate my own choices while also looking optimistically at the future.

The other thing I liked about this memoir was the format she used. It isn’t often that a memoir is written in personal essay form – almost like a blog post. Each chapter tells a different story, and they don’t necessarily connect to each other or follow a timeline. But she weaves together a relatable series of moments that any woman of a certain age (or man for that matter) would be unable to put down.

In the Middle

I’m in the middle of a bunch of different books right now. Today, I downloaded Randy Rainbow’s memoir entitled “Playing with Myself” on Audible. Once I found out that he narrates his book, I could not merely download it on Kindle. If you are familiar with his work, you know that he is hilarious as well as charming and smart. I’m nine chapters in and have no doubt I will finish it tomorrow. And if you’ve never heard of this author before, I highly encourage you to visit his YouTube page – unless you are a fan of our 45th president, and then he might not be your cup of tea.

Another memoir I’m in the middle of is “Inheritance” by Dani Shapiro. I’ve been trying to finish it for a while. It is one of those books that I read a few chapters and then put down. I will finish it, but it is taking me longer than I thought.

Nonfiction books seem to be my jam lately because I am also just about done with “Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old” and “Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” More reviews to come next month.

Indie Bookstore Check-In

This month, I visited two independent bookstores. One was Reads and Company in Phoenixville, PA and the other was Inquiring Minds in New Paltz, NY. Both stores had plenty to choose from and were fun to walk through, but unfortunately, I wasn’t in the mood to buy anything. Knowing how long my TBR list was getting by the minute, it made more sense to visit and browse.

What are you reading lately? Recommend some books to me in the comments below. And if you are looking for something good to read this summer, let me know what you like. I’m happy to make some suggestions.

Happy reading!

Elisa

*No books were harmed while they were in my possession. 

February Book Report

How are you? How is your reading life going? It’s been a good news/bad news situation for me.

The good news is that I have thoroughly enjoyed each one of the four books I’ve read so far this year. Two of them are listed below. You can find the other two books in my January 2022 Book Report post. It is rare when I get on a winning streak like this one. So much so that it makes it hard to pick my next read because I don’t want to be disappointed.

Maybe this is why February has been a slow reading month for me. That’s the bad news. Typically, I like to have at least three books to report on here, but you are only getting two from me this month. I plan to pick up the pace in March and have already selected my next book, Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love.

But before I pick that book up, here are my reviews of the two books I read this month.

Project Hail Mary

The last science fiction book I read was The Hunger Games. It was also the first one I’ve read, although it might be considered young adult dystopian by others. But I’m not going to split hairs here. It was a book that my daughter wanted to read, and we decided to do it together. Side note: I read all three books in the series, and I don’t think she finished the first one. LOL.

The point is that while I enjoyed that series, I prefer historical fiction, family drama, mystery, and the occasional romance novel.

Having said that, I did enjoy Project Hail Mary immensely. It is hard to talk about this book without revealing spoilers. I’ll just say that it’s about a middle school science teacher who finds himself alone on a spaceship with amnesia. With that description alone, you should know that it is a story worth sticking around for to see how it ends.

Here are the things I loved about the book. The bromance between the main characters with their banter, quirks, and sense of humor made me feel like I was right there in the room as this relationship came to be.

Okay, spoiler alert – he isn’t exactly alone.

Also, while much of the story takes place in outer space, there are flashbacks to unravel the mystery of how this teacher wound up in outer space in the first place. I loved this particular storyline and might consider re-reading the book just to see what hints it may have dropped along the way that I missed. By the way, I also loved the ending – which was incredibly satisfying.

I’m glad I listened to the book on Audible because the narrator was so entertaining and kept me engaged even though I found the scientific aspects somewhat exhausting. Every time there was a problem, it took a lot of trial and error, circular logic, and self-talk for the main character to arrive at the solution.

If you have Project Hail Mary on your TBR list, I’d recommend it for the sci-fi fans and even for readers like me who like their stories to be from this galaxy. Amaze! Amaze!

The Personal Librarian

Back here on Earth, I love historical fiction. The Personal Librarian hits all the right notes. The brilliant Belle da Costa Greene is the personal librarian to American financier J.P. Morgan – a lover of the written word. Belle travels the world, securing rare manuscripts, books, and artwork to build an incredible collection. But, she has a secret that she is keeping from everyone – including Mr. Morgan. Belle is a Black woman passing as white. As she mingles with socialites and secures treasures for the library, she must tread carefully so that her true identity is never discovered. If her secret were revealed, the effects would be devastating to her career, her life, and her family.

Historical fiction is at its best when the books are well-researched, and the characters are fully developed. I didn’t know much about J.P. Morgan and had never heard of Bella da Costa Greene before picking up this book. By the end of it, I wanted to know more. I’m seriously considering picking up a nonfiction book about the life of Ms. Greene because she is that fascinating.

The story behind the writing of this book is also equally captivating. Co-written by Marie Benedict – who has written other books about strong but little-known women in history – and Victoria Christopher Murray – one of the country’s top African-American authors, these women are just as impressive as the book itself. If you read this book, do not skip the author notes from each of them.

I can’t recommend it highly enough, and if you read it, I’d love to discuss it with you.

Independent Bookstores

Zibby Owens is a podcaster for “Moms Don’t Have Time To Read.” She interviews authors, recommends terrific books, and supports indie bookstores. So much so that she has put out her 22 in 22 challenge, which is to visit 22 independent bookstores this year. As you know, I love indie bookstores, so this is the perfect challenge for me.

February is my birthday month, and I never work on my birthday. Instead, I drove to The Doylestown Bookshop and spent at least an hour combing through the stacks. I purchased four books, and because I am on their mailing list – I had a coupon for 20% off one title. Guess what – they took the discount off of the most expensive book! Happy birthday to me!

I love this bookstore because they have a large selection of bestsellers and backlist books. The nonfiction sections of the books are also well stocked, which is a bonus for me. If you have young children or teenagers, the children’s section and young adult books have plenty. And if you love jigsaw puzzles, they have an excellent selection in the back of the store.

The other bookstore I visited this month was The Story in Ardmore, PA. This place was more of a cafe than a bookstore. The coffee was excellent, but the shelves were quite limited. The prices were right – $5 for a paperback and $7 for a hardback. While it was nice to browse, I didn’t find anything I wanted that day – even with such low prices. Maybe next time.

I hope this inspires you to skip the big box booksellers and check out one of these stores instead. I’ll keep posting which ones I visit. Here is hoping I reach 22 books and 36 titles by the end of the year.

Happy Reading!

XO,

Elisa

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