In the Storm

what I've been reading | October 2022

Besides having a fairly decent reading month I created my most favorite addition to my READ album for 2022. I adore this 2-page library card-like page where I actually pulled out my READ stamps and went to town. Love how it turned out. Down below I'll be sharing more glimpses of this 2-page layout. But, first, the books:

And now here are those additional look-sees at my pages I created:

Lastly, I am sharing a 'filler' page for my read album. These are pages I create when I need a side filled in from one month to the next because, for instance, I've only created one-page layout one month and a two-page layout the next month. This was super fun to make for October to 'fill in'.

what I've been reading | September 2022

I saw that Fredrick Backman has a new book coming out. The Winners, the third installment in the Beartown trilogy. I'd read Beartown before but for some reason had never read Us Against You. In anticipation for The Winners I re-read Beartown this month and followed that by Us Against You. I loved Beartown the first time through but even more so the second time. I didn't think, I couldn't imagine Us Against You could be just as good, even better but it was. Two more books definitely going on my Top 10 books in 2022.

I also added another book by J.D. Robb to my collection. I own all of the In Death series books and the majority are 5-Star books for me. I'm a huge fan of police procedural / murder mysteries with a kick a** female lead detective plus her gazillion-are rich husband and all the spectacular supporting characters. Yet another 5- Star book in Desperation in Death. 

Without further ado...September's books: 

 

what I've been reading | August 2022

I realize I've been remiss in posting here. Most often I can be found over on Instagram @suebug63. Yet, I still appreciate a really good blog (note: this is not a really good blog), but I've been thinking about re-invigorating this place, but to start I need to catch up on what I've been reading lately. Well these past many months, anyways. 

I only had one 5-Star book in August and it will definitely be on my top 10 book list for 2022 - Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon. In July I read What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon as well and I loved it so much (it will be on my top 10 book list as well) that I knew I wanted to read more by the author.

I did read a couple 4-Star books that were really good but just didn't wow me like Where the Lost Wander. I'm pretty sure I was generous with a couple of the books I read as well.

Every month I create a page, or 2-page layout for my READ album. The photo at the top of this post is the main page(s) to that layout but I also made a 'cover' page. I wanted to share this 'by the numbers' cover page because I just loved it so much.

what I've been reading | July 2022

Today I'm back! And, I am sharing what I've been reading lately in the intense heat of summer, July 2022. A superb reading month with tons of 5 Star books, including a middle grade graphic novel, my book club pick for July, an epistolary novel, and an historical fiction novel set in Ireland, and a surprise rom-com (my least favorite genre), plus several other sure-to-be favorites. This month's reading life set me way ahead of schedule for my Good Reads challenge of read 100 books in 2022. The Good Reads challenge is the only challenge I am participating in this years with the intention of keeping my reading life just that - a reading life. I use Good Reads to track what I read and what I want to read. It's been super helpful in compiling my monthly list of reviews (See below) because sometimes I - forget what I've read. Not because I didn't like the book but simply because once I've read a few books one or two might slip through the what I read cracks.

Here are my thoughts on the books I read in July:

Here's a look at the full 2-page layout that I created for my READ album for July:

what I've been reading | June 2022

Today I'm sharing what I've been reading lately in June 2022. This month I documented what I read using a calendar format plus a list of books plus ratings. You can see how this came together at the bottom of this post. Although I did have several 5 Star reads I couldn't really settle on a favorite, that book that stands out from all the rest. As a fan of the police procedural / murder mysteries in a series, I am reading the Scotland Yard's Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sergeant Barbara Havers series by Elizabeth George so every month until I finish will have several in my reading mix. 

Just a note before I get to the book reviews: My reviews are simply my thoughts on the books and not literary reviews (although I admire immensely, those who can write thought-provoking, inspiring literary reviews).

what I've been reading | May 2022

After a slow reading month in April, my reading life surged in May and I was able to read 11 books this month, one sneaking in under the wire and finishing on May 31 because it was such a fabulous read and fast-paced, for me. This month found a plethora of really good books and a few average books, again, for me - those books that are nothing to write home about, but I realize I am probably in the minority. Unusual for me to read three non-fiction pieces, yet I found all three, A Gentle Answer, Esther, and I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet, fantastic. My favorite - surprise - fiction read of the month was Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie. Some might see this a Daisy Jones and The Six look-a-like but I found Ursa Major had enough differences to set it apart while still having that same atmospheric feel of time and place. I enjoyed it immensely. The unexpected surprise was my book club read, Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter. Those who are comfortable with psychological thrillers and suspense would probably have no problem liking Pieces of Her, but as I'm not usually a fan I was unexpectedly surprised that I totally liked this book and easily gave it 5 Stars (although I originally gave it 4.5 Stars until our book club discussed it). That is not to say I'm a fan of thrillers and suspense and Pieces even had some hard hitting triggers - for me.

Here's a look at all the feels:

 

 

What I've been reading | April 2022

April was definitely one of my slowest reading months in a long time. I'm not sure why, either. It didn't put me behind on my Good Reads reading goal for the year but I was simply on track. Not behind and not ahead. My book club book was by far my favorite of the books I read and it was a wonderful discussion at book club. The Louise Penny books, her series, Chief Inspector Armande Gamache, were re-reads and I think I actually rated them lower the second time through. I have noticed a decided shift in my reading focus, enjoyment, lower tolerance for writing or stories that are frustrating me: political agendas being top of the list and forcing policy and personal and political agendas down the throat of the reader. 

what I've been reading | March 2022

Although I am ahead of schedule on my GOODREADS reading challenge of Read 100 books in 2022, I feel I'm reading much slower and way less books than this time last year. I'm in the middle of #the100dayproject for 2022 and quite honestly this has been my primary focus for the past 50+ days as I am fully entrenched in documenting my stories. Every. Single. Day. For 100 days. It's mind consuming even if it's not time consuming, after the next story to document. I feel as if my reading life has suffered. I mean here it is the 9th and I'm just not getting what I've been reading in March on the blog. But, having said all that, I did, in fact, read some really good books this month.

Without any further delay, here's what I've been reading.

 

Quick Lit Recap, or what I've been reading in January 2022

Once again I am documenting what I've been reading each month in a 4 x 8 mini album from Citrus Twist Kits - love this size, especially for a start and finish album. It holds 12 months of reading pages beautifully. And, I can create pages inside the page protectors - or like today's pages - outside the page protector.

I read 13 books this month! I remember January of 2021 when I read 20 books but I knew I wouldn't be able to replicate that success, especially since I battled COVID for a couple of weeks. Jeff had COVID, too, but his episode wasn't respiratory in nature like mine, so he was able to read several books while he was home - sick. Probably, the most he's ever read in such a short span of time. I was super excited for him because he likes to read but just doesn't find the time - or he's simply to tired.

For my first pages of the year I created a hybrid page adding a vellum overlay. Then, I decided to highlight my book club books this year. I'll be using library card / card holders for my book club book each month and include a few thoughts about the book we read. We met on January 31 to discuss Apples Never Fall. There were 8 of us last night! It was a lively discussion - and lots to discuss. Apples Never Fall is a great book club read for discussing! Highly recommend. 

I included a one line, short thought on each book. I am hoping to include these one-liners on every book on every page I create this year. While I have all of my mini thoughtful reviews (not really reviews on the books but if / why I liked the books) here on the blog and I can easily find them, I'd like to have at least a quick look why I liked a book in my album.

This month I spent much of my reading time re-reading books in Louise Penny's series, Armanda Gamache, of the Quebec Surette police. They are murder mysteries without the suspense. I adore Gamache and the cast of characters within the series. It had been awhile since I had visited Three Pines from the beginning and in fact this is my first re-read all the way through the series thus far. I still have quite a few to go and will visit many of those in February.

Falling and Hostage, both are suspense thrillers - outside my comfort zone, normally, but involved airplane terrorism and both came up on my library holds so I succumbed to the suspense and now I've had enough of airplane passengers being taken hostage and the associated blackmailing and kidnapping to last me for quite some time. 

Without further ado - my good reads for January 2022: