November Reading Roundup

Reviews of Titles I Read This Month As I start this, the next to last review column of the year, I’ve realized that there are very few bad books in this world. There are only books that are wrong for the reader. The book I find tedious may be riveting to someone else, and vice versa. This is one of the reasons I don’t like giving starred reviews. Too many people look at the ratings as a measure of quality when, in reality, they are a reflection of the readers’ enjoyment. In my world, even a two-star book can have tremendous writing. On to this month’s reads. Between an uncluttered schedule...

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Loneliness and Connection

A Few Thoughts About Connecting with Others Recently Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a national epidemic. According to a study by Cigna, roughly 58% of the population report being lonely. We’re alone too much, working remotely and relying on texting...

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Recommended Reads, November 2023

There’s something for everyone in this month’s collection of Recommended Reads with RF Kuang’s brilliant satire, Yellowface, at the top of the list. Yellowface by RF Kuang. Three-quarters of the way through Yellowface, the protagonist, June (aka Juniper Song...

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Rules to Live By (Notes to self)

Taking a page from Marcus Aurelius’ Mediations, I sat down and wrote the following in my journal this morning. 1.Stay True to Your Values.Let your personal ethics guide your actions. Trust Your Instincts, not Your Anxiety.Fear is real, but it is seldom based on fact....

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Review: Sinners of Starlight City

Sinners of Starlight City by Anika ScottMy rating: 4 of 5 starsWhat a refreshing change of pace from all the WW2 books I've been reading! I'd never read Anika Scott before, but based on how much I enjoyed Sinners of Starlight City, I'll definitely read her again.Set...

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Thoughts on a Birthday Weekend

I turned 59 yesterday. Not a milestone birthday, but dangerously close As a result, I found myself spending a good portion of this week taking stock. How do I want to spend the last decades of my life? What changes over the next twelve months to become that person?...

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Barb’s Book Reviews, July 7, 2023

It’s summer reading time. Despite having a crazy June, I managed to squeeze in some reading. Several of the books were for research, but there were two historical fiction reads that fans will love. The Spectacular by Fiona Davis: Fiona Davis’s books have always been...

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