A cure for a reading slump

I read The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman as a buddy read with one of my coworkers (something that wonderfully started happening around the start of the pandemic and has continued). Neither of us knew that 1. we would end up falling so in love with these characters or 2. that this was the start of a series (huzzah!). [A/N: I looked at the author's name and thought I knew it from somewhere even though this is his debut novel and then I saw his author photo. He's an English comedian!]

Anyway, let me tell you a little bit about this book. The story bounces between perspectives but what anchors it are the diary entries of one of our main characters, Joyce, who has recently been invited to join the exclusive Thursday Murder Club at Coopers Chase senior living facility. This group of unlikely compatriots is comprised of Elizabeth (unrivaled head and sassy queen), Ibrahim (retired psychologist and super detail-oriented), Ron (affable rabble-rouser), and newest member Joyce (retired nurse and lover of a good police procedural). I really love books that take place at retirement homes especially if they're elaborate retirement villages like this one where the inhabitants aren't portrayed as dreary depressives. (In fact, these retirees are more likely to day drink and break the law.) What starts the story off is a cold case that they're investigating together but that quickly evolves into a murder played out in real-time much closer to home. They insinuate themselves into infiltrate the local police department (hilariously and with much subterfuge) as the case moves forward gaining momentum (and bodies). If you like fast-paced mysteries with a hilarious cast of characters then you are truly in luck because this one absolutely fits the bill. 10/10

P.S. My coworker listened to the audiobook and she highly recommends it.

Source: StoryGraph

What I'm currently reading: The Fate of Food: What We'll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World by Amanda Little

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Take a trip with a great book

First things first, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce was a delightful surprise.

This is one of those instances where the cover perfectly captures the essence of the story. (Trust me when I say that I appreciate this cover design for its brilliance even more now that I've read the book.) The reader follows Harold Fry, recently retired from the local brewery, who receives news that a friend from his past (as in distant past) is dying from cancer. So naturally he decides to mail her a letter but then he passes by the mailbox...and the next one...and the next one...until suddenly he's on a journey across the length of England firm in his belief that she will stay alive until he gets there. On his journey (or pilgrimage as it comes to be known) he examines moments from his past that he had repressed (his tumultuous home life, distant relationship with his son, and his strained marriage to name a few) while also discovering his inner strength and fortitude. It's a beautiful (and at times tragic) story about love, loss, and faith. If you enjoy reflective tales with lots of descriptive prose then this book is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon or maybe take on a trip. ;-) 9/10

Source: Goodreads

What I'm currently reading: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Caftans should be more of a thing

I have been singing the praises of The Guncle by Steven Rowley to almost every single person that I've spoken to recently. YA'LL. When it was sold to me as a book that embodied the hilarious campiness of Leslie Jordan you know I was sold immediately. And it did not disappoint. This book follows Patrick who has recently found himself in the unenviable position of being the caregiver for his niece and nephew as they navigate the grief of losing their mother. (I don't want to give more details because I want your reading experience to be as pristine and surprising as mine was.) There are so many fantastic elements to this book that I hardly know where to begin. Patrick is a fantastic character in his own right with an acerbic wit, Guncle Rules for living your best life, and a healthy dash of flash and flair. Ugh I desperately want to be Patrick's BFF. And then there's Maisie and Grant who have been believably written as YouTube obsessed kids who are handling this monumental life change with varying degrees of success. (I am so sick of authors writing kids who are either saccharine sweet or heinous monsters when in reality most kids are a delightful mixture of the two.) Between the three of them, they are doing their utmost to get over the first hurdles of being without this pivotal person in their lives (for Patrick it's his sister-in-law and best friend rolled into one) while also getting to properly know each other. It is EXCELLENT. Please listen to me and give this book a try because I truly think you won't regret it. 10/10

PS Bonus points for the neighbors who live next door to Patrick who I also want to befriend.

Source: Goodreads

What I'm currently reading: The Novel Cure from Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You by Ella Berthoud & Susan Elderkin

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Ten years 😳

Incredibly I've been posting reviews here somewhat consistently for 10 years as of today. 

Source: Meme

Slough House: A Masterpost (so far)

I thought I'd do a masterpost on the Slough House series by Mick Herron (at least at the point I've gotten to which is to the 4th book). If you're a fan of the spy thriller genre then this is a real fun time. (Thanks to the patron who recommended it to me!) Full transparency: I read the first two books a couple of months ago so I'm copying over my reviews from other sites. 😁

Source: StoryGraph

In Slow Horses we are introduced to the characters of Slough House (basically MI5 rejects for a variety of reasons) who have been relegated to paperwork and other drudgery under the watchful eye of their supervisor Jackson Lamb (a unique character for sure). While all of the inhabitants of Slough House (called slow horses by their erstwhile colleagues in Regent's Park) are featured at different points in the story we mainly follow the newest arrival, Robin Cartwright, as he tries to come to terms with his new situation. [A/N: Because this is the first in a series, there's a lot of information about how The Service operates as well as introductions on all of the main characters (some more fleshed out than others to keep up the mystique).] Robin begins to suspect that something is afoot when he is sent on his first assignment outside since his transfer more than 6 months before. The story builds and builds upon itself adding layer upon layer of mystery with many moving parts. But because it's so compelling and fast-paced readers should be able to follow the threads easily (and finish super quickly). If you like fast-paced spy thrillers with a host of complicated characters (not all likable) then this book will definitely fit the bill.

Source: StoryGraph

Dead Lions finds us once again among the slow horses of Slough House as they complete their day-to-day meaningless tasks. But then a spy who has been out of the game for years turns up dead and Jackson Lamb is on the case...if there is one. While Lamb, Ho, Cartwright, and Standish try to unravel the mystery of this death Harper and Guy are tasked with babysitting a visiting Russian who could prove to be an asset. [A/N: I personally found the dead man's death much more interesting than the Russian diplomat (it felt forced).] It wasn't quite as electrifying as the first in the series but I really liked that it picks up right after the conclusion of the previous book (even if there are still loose threads).

Source: StoryGraph

The List is a novella length story which revisits our friends in Slough House but focuses primarily on some new recruits to the team as well as the fallout from the bombshell that occurred in the previous book (don't worry no spoilers here). The best bits were inevitably those revolving around Jackson Lamb, the fearless leader of this ragtag gang of misfits. When a spy/informant from the old days dies, it is discovered that he had been playing shadow games and keeping secrets from his handler. Can this mistake be hushed up and rectified or are they all in greater danger than they originally feared? Lots of talk about the 'craft' of being a spy in this one which was interesting but I think its short length hampered the storyline.

Source: StoryGraph

This book started out really strong with the kidnapping of maybe my favorite character (can you guess who this is?). All hands are on deck to try and recover their erstwhile colleague but it's Cartwright that really goes above and beyond by making his way through the defenses of Regent's Park to get classified information for the kidnappers. This one gave me the same feeling as the first in the series like a proper 'spy thriller' with all of the intrigue and suspense. Super high stakes that had me gritting my teeth at the ending so of course I immediately ordered Spook Street. 😬

What I'm currently reading: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (reread) and Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Phenomenal fantasy series

In my quest to read books that feature LGBTQIA characters, the Wayward Children series came to my attention. [A/N: It's a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning series so it's not as if I accidentally stumbled across it.] Not all of the novellas in this series feature LGBTQIA characters but they do explore gender identity and nonconformity in general. Fantasy and sci-fi have historically been used as a vehicle to explore these ideas and McGuire does it with particular skill especially considering these books are all novella length. (I truly marvel at how much she packs into such small books without it seeming rushed or awkward.) After reading the first in the series, Every Heart a Doorway, I bought the rest of the set and have taken my time to really savor her writing. The 4th book in the series, In An Absent Dream, follows Lundy who travels to the world of the Goblin Market where everything is ruled by logic and reason. Back in the "real" world, Lundy is known as Katherine and up until the point she walks through her magical doorway she is a solitary figure who flies below the notice of most people. But her time in the Goblin Market changes her and the way that others (especially her family) perceives her. One of the themes that McGuire explores through her books is the feeling of 'otherness' that most kids experience at one time or another but she uses the framework of fantasy to illustrate this point beautifully. (I'd love to tell you how she does it in this book but it's a major part of the storyline and ya'll know I don't abide by spoilers.) Suffice to say, this book and the series in general is a delightful way to spend an afternoon (or several). 10/10

Source: Macmillan Publishers

What I'm currently reading: Persuasion by Jane Austen (reread)

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Should I have quit reading?

I became conflicted while reading How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates about halfway through because the news broke about his less than stellar behavior (i.e. scummy) towards his wife and female colleagues. (Don't even get me started on his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.) I even contemplated marking it as DNF and moving on with my life. Additionally, I didn't feel like I was gaining any new information on the topic of climate change and what we can do to mitigate its effects and continuance. This is more the kind of book that newbies to the topic of environmental sciences and climate change would read to get a handle on the situation. It's full of good data (can't fault the man for thorough research) and is written in a straightforward manner that makes it very readable. He offers solutions both achievable and out-of-the-box to turn the tide so that future generations will not be hit with a deluge of irreversible problems. I was particularly interested in Direct Air Capture which is technology engineered to literally suck carbon dioxide out of the air and store it so that it can be used to generate energy and/or goods that would have required carbon anyway. The goal is to move towards zero fossil fuel emissions but we are a long way from that at this point. Practically, our best bet at this time is to pour money into research and development of technologies which will move us towards products and services that are carbon neutral. (I tell you something I didn't know until reading this book: Cement is not carbon neutral and there doesn't yet exist a cement that can be manufactured without carbon. #themoreyouknow) Conclusion: This is a well-researched book on a topic that more people need to educate themselves about but it doesn't lend a particularly new angle to the discussion. 6/10

Source: Penguin Random House

What I'm currently reading: Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women by Renee Engeln, PhD

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **