Berly's Inside Cover 1

Happy New Year!! For those of you who don't know me, I have been on LT and a 75er since December 2008. I have a great Hubby (who found LT for me) and 3 grown children. I like almost any book there is, but I tend more toward fiction. I currently work with my Hubby in our business which cleans industrial and storm water and brings it up to EPA standards. Particle removal, pH balancing, heavy metal decontamination, etc. He's a ChemE and I was a Neuroscience major, so I understand the science of our projects and can translate them into English for our customers (LOL); I also do the accounting and marketing -- you just don't want me to design the equipment! I have been a neuroscience lab researcher, an editor and writer, an advertising exec, and the Community Relations Mgr of the NBA MN Timberwolves as well as their 501C3 Director. Career path? NO! Eclectic and fun? YES! I am currently on a board for Literary Arts here in Portland, Oregon, and I also practice TKD (3rd degree BB).

So many choices!! What should I read?

Reading Now
✔ The Orchardist (B 429 pages) by Amanda Coplin
✔ How to Give Up Plastic (B 212 pages) by Will McCallum
✔ Minor Feelings Cathy Park Hong for Literary Arts 1/27/22
@ The Shape Shifter (🎧 7 hours) by Tony Hillerman

Soon....
✔ Moonglow by Michael Chabon with Mark, Stasia, Karen (witchyrichy), February
✔ The Vanishing Half (B 343 pages) by Brit Bennet for Literary Arts, 2/7 Bookclub
✔ Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar with Ellen and Joe, February
The Reincarnationist Papers by Eric Maikranz, Family Bookclub 2/28
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, Group read in March--need to get
✔ Buried in Secret (K) by Viveca Sten, Group read in March

Read in January ?? pages / ?? 🎧 hours
2021 Total // pages / ?? 🎧 hours
9. @ If You Ask Me (🎧 2.25 hours) by Betty White 3.0
8. @ Being Seen by Elsa Sjunneson 4.0
7. ✔ The Sentence (B 386 pages) by Louise Erdrich, 1/19 Bookclub 4.5
6. ✔ All Systems Red (🎧 3.25 hours) Murderbot Series by Martha Wells 4.5
5. ✔ These Precious Days (🎧 11.25 hours) by Ann Patchett 5.0
4. @ Cove (B 97 pages) by Cynan Jones 4.0
3. ✔ The Zig Zag Girl (K 338 pages) by Ellie Griffiths 3.5
2. ✔ Red Clocks (B 357 pages) by Leni Zumas, INDIEspensable group read, January 4.0
1. ✔ The Good Daughter (🎧 18 hours) by Karen Slaughter 3.0

Ratings
❤️ Favorite(s) of the month
Loved it! 5.0
Really Good 4.0
Good 3.0
Hmmmm 2.0
Don't Bother 1.0

Source
IR = Indiespensable Readers
LT = LibraryThing Early Reviewer
✔ = Off the shelf (not acquired this year)
L = Library
↩ = Reread
@ = Acquired this year
✗ = DNF

Media
B = Printed Book
🎧 = Audio
K = Kindle
= Graphic Novel

I can't resist buying books!!

I seem to manage to read around 50% of my newbies, except in 2019 where I (ahem) added a few more books to my collection than normal. But then in 2020 I killed it and read almost 75% of my newbies!!

2017 47/85
2018 45/88
2019 45/128
2020 78/103
2021 50/105

Let's see how I do this year...

2022 3/6 Read
✅ Cove by Cynan Jones
✅ Being Seen (🎧 6.5 hours) by Elsa Sjunneson
3. How We Eat: The Brave New World of Food and Drink (🎧 7.5 hours) by Paco Underhill
4. The Shape Shifter (🎧 7 hours) by Tony Hillerman
5. Deconstructed: A Novel by Liz Talley *
✅ If You Ask Me (🎧 2.25 hours) by Betty White

C Read
* Free or gift



2022 Books Off The Shelf

So, here is my idea for reading more of the books I already own...wish me luck!

Using dice...

First roll -- even for upstairs or odd for downstairs
Second roll* -- which pile/bookshelf
Third roll* -- count this many books in

* Random 1 or 2 dice because I have more than 6, but don't want to leave out "1"

1. Downstairs, Second Shelf, 3rd book
The Orchardist (B 432 pages) by Amanda Coplin

Random LT group reads
February - Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar with Ellen
March - Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson

RL Book Club #1
February - The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
April - The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams
June - Dava Shastri's Last Day by Kirthana Ramisetti
August - A Children's Bible: A Novel by Lydia Millet
October - The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel by Pip Williams

And other books we didn't choose, but which sound good to me. I'm going to fit them in the off months...

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hilary Rodham Clinton
Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

RL Book Club #2
✅ February - The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

Family Bookclub
✅ January - Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller
February - The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Mainkranz

Literary Arts
January 27, 2022 -- Cathy Park Hong Minor Feelings
February 17, 2022 -- Britt Bennet The Vanishing Half , The Mothers
April 21, 2022 -- Richard Powers The Overstory, Bewilderment
May 12, 2022 -- Edwidge Danticat Everything Inside

Powell's Indiespensable Readers

Hubby signed me up for this (Thank you!!). Over the years I have received over 90 installments (some with two or three books), and I haven't read all the books yet. Not even close!

Let me know if any books interest you (ones I haven't read yet).

2022 Challenge
✅ January -- Red Clocks by Leni Zumas with Beth, Ellen, Stasia, Bill, Paul and ???
February -- Moonglow by Michael Chabon with Mark, Stasia, Karen (witchyrichy) and ??
March -- Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer with Stasia and ??
April -- The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead with ???

Other 2022 potential reads so far....
Your Duck is My Duck by Deborah Eisenberg
The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

The complete list can be found here and I'd love to have more friends join me in group reads! Other suggestions?

https://www.librarything.com/topic/336987#n7662792

Catalogued shelves -- I hope to finish this project in 2022. I am in the T's....

1/16/22 T shelf



Books Freed = 0
Powell's isn't open for drop-offs....although I do have a bag waiting to go and I just found out I can enter them by ISBN and see if they are willing to take them. Another project!!! : )

2021 Fiction
❤️Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones
The House in the Cerulean Sea TJ Klune
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Fledgling by Octavia Butler
Outland by Dennis E Taylor
Voyagers in Time by Robert Silverberg
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Shelter by Harlan Coben

2021 Non-Fiction
❤️ When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalantithi
Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island Will Harlan
Becoming Nicole: The inspiring story of transgender actor-activist Nicole Maines and her extraordinary family by Amy Ellis Nutt
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
Themes and Variations Essay by David Sedaris

I am going to try and keep track of series I am currently enjoying here:

Series/Author/Next Book
Bobiverse / Dennis E. Taylor / #5 not yet published
Bridgerton / Julia Quinn / #3 An Offer From A Gentleman
Cormoran Strike Series / Robert Galbraith / #6 Not yet published
Quantum Earth / Dennis E. Taylor / #2 not yet published
Kinsey Millhone Mystery Series / Sue Grafton / Read ABCDEFQX / Next G is for
Kopp Series / Amy Stewart / #2 Lady Cop Makes Trouble
Mickey Bolitar / Harlen Coben / #4 not yet published
Murderbot Diaries / Martha Wells #2
Sandham Murders / Viveca Sten / #10 Buried in Secret / release date Jan 2022
Sunshine Vicram / Darynda Jones / #3 A Hard Day for a Hangover Dec 2022
Sweep Series / Ilona Andrews / #6 not yet published
The Chronicles of St Mary's / Jodi Taylor / #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
The Time Police / Jodi Taylor #3 due out in 2022

Come on in! Let's talk about books. : )

Happy new year, Kim!

>11 drneutron: Welcome, Jim! Once again, thanks for all you do to keep this near and dear-to-me 75ers group going. What an amazing group of people. You are top of the list!

*smooch* Happy 2022's reads!

Happy new thread and new year, Kim!

Happy new year, Kim!

happy reading in 2022, Kim!!

>13 richardderus: Smooches back! Always happy to see you here.

>14 jessibud2: Thanks and Happy New Year to you!

>15 bell7: Welcome and Happy New Year!

>16 banjo123: I am always excited to start my new year of reading. So many possibilities!! Wishing you the same.

Happy New Year, Kim. Looking forward to following you on another bookish year. I am so glad to see Once There Were Wolves on your Best of List. One of my faves too. I would gladly do a shared read of Moonglow with you. February? March?

>18 msf59: Welcome, Mark, my warbler buddy!! I'd love to do Moonglow with you. February should work. ; )

Hi Kim my dear, starred you again, looking forward to posting on here.

Happy New Year Kim.

Happy reading in 2022, Kim!

>20 johnsimpson: Yay! John is back. : )

>21 Caroline_McElwee: Happy New Year to you, too! I found your thread this year. ; )

>22 FAMeulstee: Books, books and more books!

This group always helps me to read; welcome back to the group, Kimmers!

>24 PaulCranswick: Paul, Thank you for the wonderful Read More suggestions! (Most of which I already do, but still!) I am always glad to see you here and I look forward to you sucking me into your group reads! January is already a done deal.

>26 quondame: Love that! My favorite kind of numbers. : ) Happy New Year to you, Susan!!

Found you with 2 minutes to go in 2021! Have a great year of reading! Hanging my star!

>6 Berly: I am in for Moonglow in February as well, Kim, if that is OK.

When do you want to start Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer? I have that one set aside to read this month whenever you are ready for it.

Happy New Year!

Hello, happy new year! Looking forward to the reading it holds for all of us.

❤️ your intro!
I learn more about ppl here on LT every day.

Happy NY Kimmers! See you around the threads!

Happy new year to you and your family Kim.

My answer to >2 Berly: Read all of them, of course!

Happy reading 2022 :-)

Happy new Year!

Kim! Happy New Year! Let's hope I can keep a more consistent presence on your thread this year lol hope you have a great year of reading!
Interested for your thoughts on The Vanishing Half which is one of my favourites!

Happy New Year, Kim! Dropping a star and looking forward to following your reading journey another year.

Happy New Year, Kim!!

Happy new year, Kim! Starred!

Happy New Year from me n Miss Po!

Happy New Year and happy first thread of 2022, Kim!

Dropping a star, of course. Happy new year, Kim!

Happy New Year, TwinK! I'm reading Red Clocks, hard to read because it is close to real life.

Happy new year, Kim! I look forward to seeing what you read this year.

Happy new year, Kim! Dropping off a star :)

Happy New Year, Kim! Did I say that already?

Have another great year of reading, Kim! I look forward to following along with you. It looks like we will both be reading My Name is Red this month.

Happy New Year, Kim!

Someone gave me Thirty Names of Night, and i see it’s on your to-read list. I know nothing about it, but this person usually has good taste.

You also have The Vanishing Half on that list. I thought it was great.

>28 thornton37814: Way to squeeze in before the new year!! Glad to be starred by you again. : )

>29 alcottacre: Absolutely! Join in on Moonglow in February. Can we push out Here I Am} until March? IF that doesn't work for you, forge ahead and I'll see what you think of it.

>30 ursula: Yes! I am excited for new threads, new goals, new reads and old friends.

>31 LovingLit: Glad my intro was educational! LOL. I'd love to read a book or two with you this year. Suggestion? OR check out my INDIEspensable list and help motivate me to read some. >6 Berly: : )

>32 charl08: Well, that's my plan! We'll see how long I can stick with it.

>33 Ameise1: Love that photo, so pretty. Happy reading to you!!

>34 figsfromthistle: Happy New Year to you, too!

>35 vikzen: I'd love it if you were a frequent visitor, but no pressure. Drop in when you can. Glad to hear another vote for The Vanishing Half--very excited to get to that one. Brit Bennet is the Literary Arts speaker in February, yay!!

>36 Crazymamie: Hello Crazy! So happy to see you here, as always. I look forward to getting hit with your book bullets this year even though I still have 4 books in my WL that have "Crazy's Fault" listed. : ) And I think the threads are hopping today. ; )

Hi Kim--Thanks for visiting my thread, and Happy New Year to you too! And congratulations on your daughter's upcoming wedding.
I am greatly missing the PNW-but wow did you guys have some strange weather this year. The heatwave in the summer sounded awful, and I now see that (at least in Seattle) there's been a big snow storm. The weather here is pretty much the same year round, and so far we've been able to avoid any hurricanes.

>37 Carmenere: Happy New Year, Lynda!! : )

>38 mstrust: Jennifer, always glad to see you and what kind of mischief you are up to.

>39 sibylline: Hi Lucy! Hi Po!

>40 karenmarie: Karen--Thanks for being a presence on my thread. I always look forward to your comments--you actually read the threads!! Wishing you happiness and HEALTH in 2022.

>41 katiekrug: Starred by the Domestic Goddess. YAY! Can't wait to see what antics happen on your thread this year.

>42 BLBera: Red Clocks is a bit hard, especially with what is going on in Texas and other states with regards to abortion and women's rights. I am going to push through. But I like the writing and I am looking forward to seeing how the four character's lives intersect.

>43 PawsforThought: Happy New Year and vice versa!

>44 curioussquared: Thanks for the dropping off the star. Appreciated and reciprocated.

>45 ffortsa: IDK, LOL. But Happy New Year right back atcha!!

>46 Donna828: Donna--So glad to see you back here again! I look forward to seeing what you are reading and now we can share thoughts on My Name is Red. I am finishing up my other red first, Red Clocks.

>47 jnwelch: Joe--Ellen and I bought it together at Powell's when she was last down here. We are going to be reading it in February if you want to join in.

Brit Bennett is our February Literary Arts speaker and I haven't read The Vanishing Half or The Mothers so I have to read at least one before she gets here!

>51 arubabookwoman: Hi! Yes, we certainly have had some interesting weather out in the Pacific NW this year. I hope things settle down, but I am not holding my breath. Excited for my daughter's wedding in September; she's very organized so things are moving along pretty nicely. Happy reading!!

To one and all, here's to a happy, healthy, book-filled New Year!!

Did I check in?

If I did, hi again. I finished a book already!

If I did NOT, hello. My name is Bill. I read books. In fact, I finished one this afternoon.

Weird, huh.

>49 Berly: I was just Googling 'musicians' reading lists' and came across Florence's (of and the Machines) Instagram reading group- Between Two Books. I have started to follow her to see what's what there!

Off to check out your >6 Berly: list!

Hey there Berly-boo. A bad "thriller" experience was followed by having my brain hijacked by a fantasy author retelling the Hercules myth. Godborn by Dan Davis, who makes very absorbing YouTube videos about the Bronze Age Collapse. Thought I'd open the book up, take a look around.

An hour went by in a flash. That's what I'm talkin' about.

>60 richardderus: Oh, BB. And on someone else's thread. Wild shooting that.

Hi Kim! Happy New Year to you!

Happy New Year, Kim. I hope we can kick this snow to the curb soon. It's not supposed to do that here or there for so long! Here's hoping the weather and everything else will be much easier to deal with in 2022.

>58 weird_O: Weirdly enough, you had not checked in yet. But I am glad you did! And you finished a book already? Weird. : )

>59 LovingLit: Let me know if you find any cool books on Florence's list. I am not frequently on Instagram, but if you think the list is cool I'll take a look. Or if you find anything on mine....

>60 richardderus: Dude! It is only the first day of the year and you are shooting me with book bullets!! Oh my, 2022 is gonna be a year. ; )

>61 quondame: Oh! Ricardo got you, too? I am so sorry! I am not protecting my visitors very well. I guess I should hand out bullet shields. Here, let's try this.



Of course, who wants to be shielded? This is LT. Bring on the book bullets!!

>62 AMQS: Happy New Year and thanks for popping in. Please make it a habit. ; )

>63 Familyhistorian: I can deal with the snow, as long as I can get up my road. It's very pretty. No, it's the temp I want to whine about. Clearly I have lost my MN cold immunity! LOL

>65 Berly: Verra hard ta jump fra thread ta thread in that thang...

>67 quondame: Well, it does have wheels. I tried. LOL

Happy New Year and happy new thread, Kim!

Dear Kim, I wish all the best to you and your loved ones! Happy 2022 - may it be filled with many great books!

>69 SirThomas: Thomas--Happy New Year! Glad to have you back again. : )

>70 PersephonesLibrary: Käthe--It's awesome to see you here! Happy New Year to you and yours! Now that the holidays are over and you aren't selling books as much, will you have time to read again? I hope so!

> 6 >18 msf59: I would love to do a group read of Moonglow in February. What can I do to help?

And, happy new year!

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter 3.0

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father - Pikeville's notorious defense attorney - devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night. Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself - the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again - and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized - Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly 30 years ago won't stay buried forever.

So, this one was a bit too realistic for me, in terms of the crimes committed. And I figured out one of the perpetrators pretty early on. I kept reading to see if I was right! LOL. And what the motivation was. Otherwise I probably would have passed on this one. Good plot line; nice exploration of family interactions, AMAZING narrator, but just too much detailed violence for me.

>72 witchyrichy: Awesome!! I'm happy set up a group thread for February in a bit. So far, we have Mark, Stasia, me and you. In the meantime, you can recruit more people to read it with us! LOL



And Happy New Year!! : )

2 days into the new year and I am all caught up on your thread. I assume this will be the last time I can say that this year.

>75 arubabookwoman: Deborah!! Welcome. If you are all caught up then you get extra points. LOL. I am sure things will slow down in a bit, at least on my thread. Just pop in when you can. Happy New Year!! : )

How is Red Clocks going? You've already finished a book!

Hi Kim!! Making the rounds and dropping off stars for 2022. I need to get started on Red Clocks.

>4 Berly: Happy New Year Friend! I very much like your idea of rolling dice to choose books and their location.

I send all good wishes for a bright, happy and healthy 2022

>77 BLBera: Beth--I am about 80 pages in on Red Clocks. Starting second pass on the characters voices...

>78 EBT1002: Ellen--Hello!! Happy New Year! Do you have a '22 thread yet? I'll take a peek...

>79 Whisper1: Happy New Year, Linda! I'll let you know how the dice rolling goes. Probably later this week.

Here's to a happy, healthy, as pain-free-as-it-gets 2022!! Hugs.

Happy new year, Kim! Here's hoping it will be a great one for you!

>73 Berly: what's the 3.0? Is that your rating?

>81 RebaRelishesReading: Happy New Year to you, too! I am certainly hoping it is better than the past two.

>82 AMQS: Yes. On a scale of 1 (ugh) to 5 (love it).

Happy New Year Kim! Happy Reading in 2022!

I'm about halfway and starting to remember more...

Hi Kim!

>53 Berly: *blushes* Thank you twice.

>55 Berly: Several folks have abandoned Red Clocks and the premise was too depressing for me to contemplate.

>56 Berly: Just looked at the weather forecast for Portland – much rain. We’re in the middle of thunderstorms and the temp is dropping. We may actually get a few snowflakes later this morning.

>86 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! I have continued on with REd Clocks and will post comments when I finish. No, its not an easy read and I have some issues with the writing, but the abortion and women's rights topic is so timely.

We are getting DUMPED on with rain and there is sure to be flooding. We are in the stormwater business but this is just too much to handle. When it is over a certain amount of rainfall/24 hours there is an exemption to our permits because we just can't process that much that fast even though we have collection tanks. Our sewer drain at the bottom of our street is overflowing already. Yikes!!

I hope you get a few snowflakes. Just for fun.

May Amanda Gorman be prophetic.

New Day’s Lyric
“What was cursed, we will cure.
What was plagued, we will prove pure.
Where we tend to argue, we will try to agree,
Those fortunes we forswore, now the future we foresee,
Where we weren’t aware, we’re now awake;
Those moments we missed
Are now these moments we make,
The moments we meet,
And our hearts, once all together beaten,
Now all together beat.”

Happy week-ahead's reads, Berly-boo!

Happy New Year, Kim!

Sorry you're getting so much rain. Often in CO it tends to be feast or famine with water. We were very glad to get good snow (probably 7 inches at my house) after such a horrible day of fire and wind and such a long dry spell.

>88 Berly: Yes!

>89 richardderus: Same to you! I have The Zig Zag Girl awaiting me on Kindle and I just started These Precious Days by Ann Patchett on audio. About 100 pages left on Red Clocks.



>90 EllaTim: Happy New Year!! It's nice to see you here. Here's to a happier, healthier 2022! With lots of books!

>91 AMQS: We got 1 1/2 inches of rain in the last 24 hours. Then we will get 1/2 to 1 inches each day until Thursday we get another 1 1/2 inches!! : ( It would have been nice to get some of that during the summer, or at least a little more spread out.

Glad you are getting some snow and an end to those fires out your way!!

Happy New Year and happy new(ish) thread!

Hi Foggie! Happy New Year! And the thread is only 4 days old, so definitely new. : ) Can't wait until you can tell us all about the Children's Book Award findings!!

Peeking my nose in to say I'm keeping tabs here, even if the pace is breakneck around here.

>48 Berly: Here I Am in March is just fine. Don't forget we are also doing Winesburg, Ohio with Lynda then too.

>73 Berly: Yeah, I think I will be giving that one a pass.

My book club read Red Clocks a few years ago -- it was depressing then and is more depressing now what with all the Texas and other stuff happening.

I'm also reading These Precious Days! We're reading TWO books together. So far I loved the essay about Snoopy and the year of no shopping, which I might adopt for this year.

>98 BLBera: I am reading These Precious Days as well, Beth. I am about 2/3 done and loving it.

>88 Berly: I hope so. Her new collection just landed on the mat. I may pick it up at the weekend Kim.

I enjoyed Precious Days.

>88 Berly: I bought all of my girls her poetry collection. Birdy has already read it three times - she absolutely loves it.

Hi and hello Berly!

>92 Berly: Oh, the Zig Zag Girl is a fabulous book. I've read the whole series. Enjoy it.

>98 BLBera: Snoopy and no shopping...I am definitely adding These Precious Days to the TBR list along with the Zig Zag Girl. Glad I stopped by! Have a great rest of the week. Hope the rain goes away.

>95 MickyFine: Hi Micky! Thanks for keeping up here--LT is at breakneck speed this first week of the year, right?!

>96 alcottacre: Great! I have both Here I Am and Winesburg, Ohio listed for March so I won't forget.

>97 curioussquared: Red Clocks is a hard read. I am glad I did, but there will not be a re-read. And one of these days I'll write and actual review! LOl

>98 BLBera: These Precious Days, by Ann Patchett, has amazing essays! I am loving it. And that we are reading two books together. : ) Would love to talk to you about Red Clocks at some point.

>99 alcottacre: And Stasia is in on These Precious Days, too! I am about 1/3 of the way in. I got new ear buds for Christmas and took a walk today (because, yes, the health thread you started) and loved how they worked. No more dangling wires from my ears!

>100 Caroline_McElwee: Ann Patchett has a new essay collection coming out? Well, that might just have to be on the purchase list. : )

>101 Crazymamie: I think I have loved every poem I have read/heard by Amanda Gorman. I will have to get my hands on her book.

>102 AuntieClio: What a great star! Glad you dropped it here. Happy New Year!

>103 Ameise1: Awesome! I am about to start The Zig Zag Girl today and I have really enjoyed other Elly Griffiths so prospects are good.

>104 witchyrichy: Happy to contribute to the list anytime. Have a great day!

And, yes, the rain is behaving, until Thursday when it will gush again. : (

>107 Berly: Amanda Gorman's new collection is Call Us What We Carry.

>109 Caroline_McElwee: Ah!! Whoops. My bad. Wrong author but I still want the book. Thank you.

Hey, Kimmers! Sadly, I could not get into Call Us What We Carry. I was bummed. On the positive side, I am loving the Patchett essay collection and hooray for Stasia joining us on Moonglow.

Hi there.

That's it, that's the post.

*smooch*

>111 msf59: Well, I ordered Call Us What We Carry, so I'll let you know what I think. And I certainly hope Moonglow goes over better than the group read of Red Clocks did! LOL

>112 richardderus: That's it? That's all? Well, at least there is a smooch. : )

I just signed up for a 6-week LA class discussing 3 books:



The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat
The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

Also, Bennett is coming to Literary Arts in Feb and Danticat is coming in May.

I am so excited!!

Let's talk next week about Red Clocks. I finished it this morning.

>115 BLBera: Sounds good. : )

I picked up two books today...

and

>9 Berly: Your thread is dangerous! You just got me to buy my first book of the year.

I love the Bobiverse and didn't realize that Taylor had another series started, and for some reason, my libraries don't have access to it. Oh, well, considering how many times I've re-read Bobiverse, it's probably a good investment.

I've also read/am reading Bobiverse, Bridgerton, The Chronicles of St Mary's, The Time Police, and Sweep Series. Which means I have to pick up at least the first book in each of the other series. La sigh, more books for the queue.

>114 Berly: The Girl with the Louding Voice was one of those reads I wish now I'd known about Burgoineing for: I liked it fine but have nothing useful to say about it except "you'll enjoy it if you like Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo."

statutory *smooch*

>114 Berly: I already have The Vanishing Half in the BlackHole, but know nothing of the other two. I cannot wait to see what you think of them.

>117 dreamweaver529: And that's why we should hang out together!!! LOL. You're welcome. Do you have your series listed? I shall have to double check. : )

>118 richardderus: >119 alcottacre: I only know the first two authors in the class, but they have great reps and I am excited because the facilitator sounds fantastic. I am also trying to rope one of my local friends from a LA board to join me. She used to be the person in charge of Oprah Winfrey's club reads!
Books in >114 Berly:

I see awesome reading ahead!

>80 Berly: Many thanks for posting this poem by Amanda Gorman. It is beautiful...and so is she.

>114 Berly: Nice.

>120 Berly: Listing my series is a great idea. The issue is finding them all. I keep promising myself I'll read the series from start to finish, but then I have to wait for one to come into the library and get sidetracked.

I looked through your library, and didn't find didn't see Strom Front, book 1 of the Dresden Files. Given your love of Bobiverse and The Chronicles of St Mary's, I think you may enjoy it. It is probably my favorite series. Ever.

Just a thought.

>121 Whisper1: I love that poem! And I just got her book, so I am looking forward to more.

>122 BLBera: : )

>123 dreamweaver529: Oh sure. Come hit me with a BB on my own thread! LOL. I will have to take a look.....

WLed!!! Thank you! ; )

>114 Berly: The course sounds super interesting! I own The Vanishing Half and The Girl with the Louding Voice -- must get to them soon! I read my first Danticat in 2020 and thought it was excellent.

My first class is mid-February. Not sure which book we will be reading first, but I will post once I know. Maybe you can join in? : )

That is great news on the course, Kimmers and three interesting books (two on my shelves) to go at.

Having failed to get through it, I will be interested to see what you and Beth make of Red Clocks.

Have a lovely weekend. x

Cove by Cynan Jones 3.5

Will he survive this?
The man drifts in the sea, lost.
An electric book.

This is all Ricardo's Fault!!

>127 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Happy weekend. I am very much looking forward to this course. And I am hoping to talk to Beth and Ellen on Monday, so we'll be sure to talk about the book. I'll post my review after that. I definitely liked it more than you! LOL

>128 Berly: ...and aren't you glad I did? *smooch*

>114 Berly: When we retire to Portland (still deciding but PDX is back on the table), I can't wait to take advantage of things like this six week class. I have not read any of those books although I've had The Vanishing Half on my TBR pile since its early days.

xoxox to you and the fam

Happy Sunday, Kim!

>130 richardderus: Smooch! But tell me what you think the last line means?!?!

"He knew he was going then. He knew." That he was going into the ocean? That he would make it to shore? That he was going to die? WHAT!?

>131 EBT1002: Ellen--That class is completely Zoom, so you could sign up!! I am not doing in person right now. Not even TKD for the month of January. And I love that Portland is back in the mix!! Yay!

>132 katiekrug: Thank you! I hope your Sunday was a good one. : )

So, Thursday I had some minor office surgery, but it involved stitches and it hurts. Then Friday I spent 8 hours in Urgent Care and the ER with my daughter S who was having some weird chest feelings. She has Tricuspid Atresia (a heart condition) so we called in for advice from the cardio office and they said go in. Luckily they called around for us and found the center that had the shortest wait time -- 2 hours. The others had 6 and 8 hour waits. Yikes!! She had lots of tests and they couldn't find anything wrong. So, puzzling but good. They said come back if anything comes up again. I am just completely exhausted and don't want to see any doctors in the near future. (NO offense Darryl!!) I slept most of today.

>128 Berly: I just got my copy of that one in yesterday. After I read it, I am going to blame both you and Richard!

>135 Berly: Sounds like you needed the sleep, Kim! I hope that everything is OK with your daughter now and that you are out of pain.

Have a wonderful week!

The best wishes for you and your daughter, Kim!

The situation with your daughter sounds stressful. I'm glad there was nothing seriously wrong, but it sounds like there's still some uncertainty. That's so stressful.

>135 Berly: Not surprising you are exhausted Kim. As Laura says, the stress remains a bit too. Crossing everything you both continue well.

Sending lots of peace and healing thoughts along with permission to rest. Best wishes for a good week.

>135 Berly: Oh, well, it could so easily have been trouble that I view the rest-and-recovery from the stress as a positive. Easy for me to say, 2400 miles away. *smooches*

>133 Berly: Exactly! Any, or all, or is this a multiverse portal...? This is why I loved the read and did NOT love Hemingway's tedious twaddle.

Sending my best wishes for both you and your daughter. All of it sounds exhausting so I hope you got your sleep.

Hope you get a break from medical stuff in your family - for a while at least!! Sending good mojo south as fast as I can.

>135 Berly: Just reading about it is exhausting. I hope all are back to normal, or as normal as things get. :)

Sorry for the medical stresses! Hopefully you and your daughter are both feeling better now.

Thank you for the kind wishes everyone!!

Today is the first day I actually feel halfway back to normal. I haven't done much of anything except listen to audio books, but I did listen to two great ones. I recommend both!


These Precious Days by Ann Patchett 5.0
Essays on everything from knitting, dogs, choosing cover art for her books, friendships and family, to it's okay to not have children and so many more. Insightful, witty and poignant.


All Systems Red in the Murderbot series by Martha Wells 4.5
What could possible go wrong when you are simply surveying a planet? Well, everything! Our main character is a security droid, a sentient humanoid robot, who has managed to separate himself from the all-knowing and controlling Company's internal programming. His humans are in danger, and although he hasn't the slightest idea how or if he wants to be a friend, his loyalty still drives him to find the culprit. Great action and dry wit. Definitely reading the series. : )

I tried out my new TBR dice methodology for the first time and got...Downstairs, 2nd Shelf, 3rd Book. Yay!!



The Orchardist (B 432 pages) by Amanda Coplin

>146 Berly: Yay for Murderbot!

I am waiting for the second Murderbot book to become available, TwinK! It was so much fun to listen to.

I'm almost done with These Precious Days as well. What a great collection.

>146 Berly: These Precious Days is on the list and I should read it soonish, as it's on my (currently suspended) library holds list. And another yay for Murderbot! from me. Hope you continue to love the series.

Adding my own Yay, Murderbot to the others!

>128 Berly: What is RDs fault...the haiku or the book?

(*confession* I have been known to write a haiku summary on the books page)

:)

>147 Berly: Neat way to chose a book. That one does look interesting.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday, Kim. I also loving the Patchett collection. Nearing the finish line on that one. And Go Murderbot! Those are such fun, entertaining books.

>146 Berly: Both of these books are on my sooner rather than later list! I ordered the first Murderbot through Better World Books, taking advantage of a gift card.

I will have to review your dice technique as it looks like it yielded a decent book, one that may be on my shelf as well.

Happy weekend! We get boosted today.

>146 Berly: Morgan and I both read the first 3 Murderbot entries last year (he actually read the 4th one too, but I have not). Fun series.

>88 Berly: “Like”

I see you got the Amanda Gorman collection. I’m reading it right now, and liking it.

Yes, please let me know when you and Ellen are digging into Thirty Names of Night and I’ll join you. I don’t think I’ll join in on Moonglow, but I’ll look forward to hearing what you all think of it.

The Murderbot books are such a treat! I’m glad the first one went over well with you.

>147 Berly: That is an interesting method of selection, Kimmers. Bummer is that I don't have enough dice to try to do the same selection process at home.

The rise and rise of Amanda Gorman is a phenomenon. I don't recall when was the last time a book of poetry topped the NY Times bestseller lists and that has to be a good thing. The quality of her work as literature to one side, and she will develop for sure, she is able to touch hearts, minds and souls which is the gift of a true poet.

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Kim!

>114 Berly: My book club read both The Vanishing Half and The Girl With the Louding Voice last year. They were both terrific reads and The Girl With the Louding Voice is stunning on audio.

I'm really sorry to hear about your painful procedure and your daughter's UC visit. I hope you both are feeling good for the weekend.

Yay Murderbot!!

More snow today. Ugh, a mess (though I know we need the water). We were supposed to get an inch or so of snow over 2-ish hours, but it snowed all day, closed highways, and I would say I swept about 7 inches off of my car at school.

Hi Kim!

>87 Berly: We did get some snowflakes. In fact, we had a little blizzard, with the snow going sideways with the wind! However, except for the 15 minute drive to rehab, I missed it while in rehab, and when I came out, it had stopped and all melted. But, we’re expecting sleet, snow, and freezing rain tomorrow. Fortunately, we don’t have to be out, so can watch it from the safety of the house, knowing that we have a generator if we lose power.

>114 Berly: I should read a book by Edwidge Danticat simply because I adore her name. I didn’t realize how prolific she was until just now.

>128 Berly: Whew! I dodged it! Already BB’d by RD.

>135 Berly: Sorry about the two days of doctors/ERs. I hope you’re recovered and that your daughter isn’t having any more symptoms.

>147 Berly: I had to find and review the Dice Methodology at >4 Berly:. Brava for sticking to the book you chose. What if it was one you immediately said “oh, no!” to? And, knowing me, that’s exactly what I’d do. *smile*

Hi Kim! Glad that you are feeling better.

>128 Berly: I cannot help but add this to the TBR pile. There are lots of great books throughout the threads this month. I've added 24 already.

Hey there Kimmers, have a splendiferous Sunday's reads!

>148 MickyFine: Yup. I already can't wait for Murderbot #2!!

>149 BLBera: Loved These Precious Days! Glad you are enjoying the essays too. And Happy Sunday!

>150 bell7: Well, aren't we in synch?! : ) What do you mean "currently suspended" library holds list? Are you inundated and taking a breather or is your library down?

>151 curioussquared: Huzzah!! And many more...!

>152 LovingLit: Both. : )

>153 figsfromthistle: It's my first try with letting the dice and lady luck choose the next book. I just started The Orchardist and so far so good.

>146 Berly: I thoroughly enjoyed my recent reads of both of those. Glad to see you did as well, Kim!

>154 msf59: And that's why we get along so well my friend. : )

>155 witchyrichy: Hurray for the booster shot! Hope you don't feel too awful this weekend.

>156 ursula: Wow, I knew the Murderbot series was a popular one; what took me so long?!

>157 jnwelch: I've added your name after Thirty Names of Night in my TBR list so I won't forget you!

Glad to hear you're liking the Amanda Gorman collection. Hope to start reading a little bit at a time soon. And another Murderbot fan!! We should hang out together....oh wait! We already do!

>158 PaulCranswick: LOL. No you would need sooooooo many more dice for your TBR collection. But you are much better at setting up category reads (and we all thank you for that).

>159 AMQS: Ooh! Maybe I'll get The Girl with The Louding Voice on audio, although I am much better at highlighting passages for discussion with a paper book. Hmmmm. Glad you are a fun of it and The Vanishing Half. Should be a great class.

Thanks for the well wishes. My daughter is feeling find and I am taking my stitches out tomorrow, so that should feel a lot better. They are itchy right now! LOL

Sorry about the snow. Hopefully the plowing and shoveling will be over and it will just look pretty tomorrow...

>160 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Oooh. Glad you don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. Stay nice and warm and read a book or two. : )

Isn't Edwidge Danticat a great name? And her books aren't bad either. ; )

Fine, fine. Richard can take the book bullet credit. But did he write a haiku? I think not! LOL

My daughter is feeling fine, thank goodness. And I am taking the stitches out tomorrow. Yay!

The only other negative is that following my surgery and hanging out in the ER I was completely sidelined this week with crushing fatigue, headaches (which I never get), and severe chills. COVID? I don't know. They are so backed up with testing that unless you are having dangerous symptoms or have surgery scheduled or are an emergency worker, they ask you not to come in for testing right now. So I am just quarantining at home just in case. Argh. But that's also why I have been MIA on LT this week. I was asleep!!

So, as to the dice. If I really wasn't in the mood for the exact book, I think I would just try to choose one from the shelf I rolled. I am 1 for 1 so far, so we'll see!

>161 banjo123: Well, mostly, LOL. See >170 Berly:. Hope you are feeling fine!

>162 Whisper1: 24 TBR books already!! January is proving to be a dangerous month, huh? What are friends for! : )

>163 richardderus: Thank you, Ricardo! That is top of my list for Sunday...lots of reading! In addition to The Orchardist, I just started listening to Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman's Fight to End Ableism. As a medically challenged youth, I experienced, to a much lesser degree, many of the difficulties of fitting in, and can especially relate to her gym stories. I don't agree with everything she says or "sees," but that's okay; I'm learning a lot.

>166 alcottacre: I see you in the midst of all my catch-up posts!! Glad you enjoyed them too. Wishing you a wonderful Sunday.

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas. 4.0

Red Clocks is scarier for me than The Handmaid's Tale (which I loved!), because it isn't a dystopian novel, set in the future with a different societal setup. It is so frighteningly close to now that I can almost touch it. The legal manipulations going on in Texas and other states concerning abortion and women's rights are just small steps beyond this book. I am incensed and petrified and we have to pay attention. NOW.

A National Bestseller A New York Times Editor's Choice A Time Magazine Best Book of the Year An Amazon Best Book of the Month An Indie Next Pick One of Wall Street Journal's Twelve Books to Read This Winter An Esquire most anticipated book of 2018 An Elle Best Book of Winter A Popsugar most anticipated book of Fall A Ploughshares most anticipated book of Fall A Nylon Best Book of the Month One of Publishers Weekly's most anticipated titles of Fall 2017 Five women. One question. What is a woman for? In this ferociously imaginative novel, abortion is once again illegal in America, in-vitro fertilization is banned, and the Personhood Amendment grants rights of life, liberty, and property to every embryo. In a small Oregon fishing town, five very different women navigate these new barriers alongside age-old questions surrounding motherhood, identity, and freedom. Ro, a single high-school teacher, is trying to have a baby on her own, while also writing a biography of Eivør, a little-known 19th-century female polar explorer. Susan is a frustrated mother of two, trapped in a crumbling marriage. Mattie is the adopted daughter of doting parents and one of Ro's best students, who finds herself pregnant with nowhere to turn. And Gin is the gifted, forest-dwelling herbalist, or "mender," who brings all their fates together when she's arrested and put on trial in a frenzied modern-day witch hunt. RED CLOCKS is at once a riveting drama, whose mysteries unfold with magnetic energy, and a shattering novel of ideas. In the vein of Margaret Atwood and Eileen Myles, Leni Zumas fearlessly explores the contours of female experience, evoking THE HANDMAID'S TALE for a new millennium. This is a story of resilience, transformation, and hope in tumultuous-even frightening-times.

Oh, cr*p, Kim, it sounds like you did have COVID, which you certainly did not need. And after all that carefulness at Christmas time, as well.

Glad that you are feeling a bit better.

>174 banjo123: Yeah. I think it was COVID. I suspect I got it from my Hubby, who probably got it from someone at one of our job sites. He had some of the same symptoms before me and he is the only person I am around without a mask right now. Omicron seems to be very easy to catch, but at least the symptoms aren't as bad as Delta. And thank goodness I was boostered. Maybe this will get us some herd immunity?

>175 Berly: They do have at home tests around now. We stockpiled a few here.

Adding Red Clocks to the TBR cloud. wish i didn't have to wish this wasn't an issue 0 again

>176 magicians_nephew: We have some home tests on order, but they are backlogged and we used up all our others ones staying safe for Christmas. So, I may never know, but I'm staying home and not exposing others to whatever I had.

Hope you enjoy Red Clocks! I also wish this wasn't an issue yet again. But here we are. I left some more detailed comments over on the book thread.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337857#n7726265

Oh dear. Too many medical woes right at the start of the year! I hope this latest set of symptoms skedaddles in a hurry, and your energy and health are back.

>175 Berly: Yep...that was what I felt back in Alpha days, so it seems likely to be The Plague. At least you're done....

>173 Berly: I'm glad you liked it.

>171 Berly: That sounds very intriguing to me, so I'm looking forward to your ultimate opinion.

>173 Berly: looks like a good one!! I will WL it immediately. I am in a book funk lately....my eyesight is making it hard for me to want to pick up a physical book. My glasses are not the best prescription, so I have to hold my head on a certain angle to focus. (Not debilitating, but enough of a 'nudge' to put me off.) Plus, I have had a few audiobooks with annoying voices/intonation as well, so an once-bitten-twice-shy in that regard!

>175 Berly: Yikes, that is a hassle. What is the protocol for if you have/think you have covid? Here it is get tested, and isolate until the results come back (Yours is weeks old by now though, so the horse would have bolted on that one, I guess.)

TwinK! Sorry you are sick - it does sounds like COVID. Take care.

>181 BLBera: Thanks. I am over the worst of it and I'm not sure what it was. COVID is a likely suspect. Hanging out at home, catching up on the threads, reading and cataloging. I made it through a "T" shelf!

>182 Berly: A lot of familiar books on that shelf! Glad you're feeling better and hope you just got a big boost in immunity for your pain.

Also, I am still working my way through How To Give Up Plastic. It's slow going because I am not only trying to read it but make small changes in my lifestyle and that is not easy. But here are some quotes and small changes:

450 years for a plastic bottle to break down in the ocean
114* years since first plastic was invented
90 percent of seabirds have plastic in their stomachs
80 percent of plastic in the ocean originates on land
59* years since the first plastic bag was created
1 rubbish truck of plastics enters the ocean every minute
We typically use a plastic bag for less than 15 minutes
Most tampons have plastic in them
*(+3 years since publication)

Things I was already doing
Carry reusable shopping bags
Reuse packaging and don't overwrap (I have a whole closet of boxes and packing material I recycle)
Use recyclable paper and cardboard instead of styrofoam packing material
Buy my veggies in cardboard crates instead of plastic containers whenever possible
Use a home soda maker with reusable bottle

Recently started
Keeping a reusable water bottle and cup in the car
And a reusable utensil kit in my glove compartment
And a reusable metal straw
Switched to Pela for my compostable phone case instead of plastic

Next steps
*Transitioning from liquid soap, shower gels and shampoo to solid versions not packaged in plastic. This one may be a bit harder for me with my skin allergies, but I am going to try. Lush brands come recommended by the author. I am using up what I have left and then I will try to make the switch.
*Change my toilet paper brand to get rid of plastic packaging and find more easily recycled or replenishable paper like bamboo. Author recommends companies Who Gives A Crap (LOL), Pure Planet, Ecoleaf, and Seventh Generation.
*Same for paper towels. Or switch to cloth.

About halfway through, so more to come. I really recommend this book!!

>183 RebaRelishesReading: I'll take that immunity boost!! Thanks for popping in. Happy Sunday!

>164 Berly: I have it on hold, but I can "suspend" my holds so they don't show up right away, essentially leaving them in limbo and holding my spot on the holds list until I'm actually ready and want the book to arrive. I can either set a date to "activate" the hold, say if I want my book club book to arrive in February in time to read it, or I can just activate them at work when I'm in the mood/ready for more library books. At the moment I have 8 books out and 4 of them are due on January 18. (Oops) So depending on how fast I read them, I'll activate a couple of the books I'm ready for. These Precious Days is high on the list to get.

Sorry to hear you were sick with probably-Covid. It sucks that it's so hard to find a test now; I recently tried to see what it would be like to make an appointment, and every pharmacy around here was booking a full week out. Hope you continue to feel better.

Sorry to hear you might have been hit by covid. Whatever it is that knocked you down, I hope you’re feeling better.

>184 Berly: Looks like a really good book, and I’m really need to make of list of areas where I can improve plastic- and environment-wise. Like you, I already do some of the ones listed, but not enough. I don’t think I’d be able to switch to bar shampoo and conditioner because my hair is sensitive. So is my skin (I can’t even go inside a LUSH shop without getting itchy) but I’ve bought an Aleppo soap which people claim is good for hands as dry and itchy as mine. We’ll see - I haven’t tried it yet.

Sorry you were, are still unwell Kim, it does sound like covid. Hope it passes soonest.

Yes, on the >184 Berly: I already do your first two lists (except the last on list 2), and am looking for other things to add.

>184 Berly: Hard to give up some of the plastic. An acquaintance gifted me a roll of Who Gives A Crap and it's very good. I have to see how many rolls to an order, because I think she said 48, and I don't really have room to put all of that.

I also bought a 'sheet' detergent to use in the washing machine, but I haven't tried it yet. Just waiting to finish my liquid stuff first. I think it comes scent-free (I would have wanted it to.) I'll let you know the results when I use it. It certainly saves shelf space!

The veggies are the most difficult - so many of them come in clamshell plastic, and sometimes the clamshells are not marked as recyclable here. That always burns me. If I go to the Greenmarket, I can bring my own small plastic bags from previous excursions and just fill them again, and of course bring my own large bags and carts. Berries out of season are tough too. I do my best.

>184 Berly: I was just complaining to my husband about what a pain it is trying to be environmental at times. I want to crochet a blanket and all the patterns I want to do use acrylic yarn whereas I want natural fibres. So I’ve just spent about an hour trying to find an alternative yarn in natural fibres. And I may well have worked it out wrong and ordered far too much or too little. It would be so much easier just to go for what the pattern says.

We do use Lush shampoo which I like. It looks expensive but a single bar lasts quite a long time, certainly a lot longer than an average sized bottle.

>189 ffortsa: We use Who Gives a Crap as well and it is a big box. But it does last a long time.

Sorry to hear about the possible covid, Kim!

For shampoo/conditioner bars, I can recommend the Ethique brand. I have wavy/curly/frizzy hair and like the frizz defense bar for shampoo and I think the moisturizing conditioner bar? It's the green one. But there are lots of choices! Tim is super sensitive to fragrances and these don't set him off at all. I also use unscented Kind laundry detergent sheets and like them.

Does Portland have Ridwell? We pay something between $100-150 a year, can't remember exactly, and they take almost everything the city won't recycle and find ways to recycle/reuse it. The regular categories of things they take are plastic film (including all those pesky plastic shipping bags), threads (old clothes, worn-out shoes, destroyed stuffed animals -- stuff Goodwill etc. can't use), batteries and light bulbs, and they have rotating featured categories every few weeks. They will also take styrofoam, but it's an additional fee each time you have them collect a large bag. I've been really happy with the service.

I'll be really interested in your remarks about The Orchardist Kim. It's been sitting on my Kindle, where all books go to die, for eons.

>191 curioussquared: Thanks for the tip/info about Ethique. I'll look into that .

>184 Berly: Thanks for all the tips. I'm making note of the various brands people are recommending. I know my daughter refills her shampoo and conditioner from her food co-op.

So here are some more intimate thoughts on Red Clocks...

I agree that some of the descriptions are surprising and gross and I was initially put off. But they are zingers for a reason; they make us see how close this is to real life. And why is the toilet scene so much harder for me to take than all the blood and gore of murder mysteries I've read? Interesting. I think the level of detail is a pointed reminder to NOT use generalities like the chapter categories the women are boxed in. And, if you read on, the hair is not laziness on The Wife's part, but a planned attempt to annoy her good-for-nothing husband. She's working, taking care of the kids and cooking and cleaning. Why can't he clean the toilet? A way to contribute to the family until he finds another job.

Now the categories: The Mender, The Wife, The Biographer, The Daughter. Obviously, nobody, no woman (or man), can be described by one category of her (or his) life. This is a deliberate ploy by the author and represents the excruciating restrictions of both culture and law. Only later do we learn the names of these characters. We learn more about them, and they come to life as individuals, but they always WERE individuals. We must take the time to get to know them and ensure the freedom to let them be all they can be. Interestingly, not only do the men limit the women to these boxes, the women also have trouble seeing the entirety of their female counterparts. For example, Ro/The Biographer longs to have a child, and is jealous of Susan/The Wife for having two, failing to see how miserable Susan is as a mother.

The main male characters are not nice guys in this book, I think largely to provide a foil for the women and their difficulties. I don't think Zumas is anti-guy. There is also the kind Canadian official, the ex boyfriend of Gin/The Mender who brings food and supplies, and the lawyer friend.

I love that there are two stories about abortion, one from Gin/The Mender who in the past chose to go full-term and give birth and place her child up for adoption and, in contrast, Mattie/The Daughter who is desperately seeking a way to have an abortion now. Women need to have choices and decide for themselves how to navigate life. Also at conflict, the desire of Ro/The Biographer to have a child and Mattie/The Daughter seeking to end her pregnancy, how our own wants and needs gets in the way of our helping others. And if the government is prohibiting abortion, meaning there will be many more children born into the world, why limit the number of loving parent who wish to adopt? Whether they be single, married, hetero or same sex couples?

Red Clocks is scarier for me than The Handmaid's Tale (which I loved!), because it isn't a dystopian novel, set in the future with a different societal setup. It is so frighteningly close to now that I can almost touch it. The legal manipulations going on in Texas and other states concerning abortion and women's rights are just small steps beyond this book. I am incensed and petrified and we have to pay attention. NOW.

So basically, I thought this was a great book. : )

>195 Berly: It's been a few years for me, Kim, but I really agree with your assessment, especially the scarier than Handmaid's Tale bit -- it's way too close to home, even closer now than when I read it a few years ago.

>190 SandDune: Oh it's not the time, it's the storage. I see they sell a 24 box quantity as well. I'll probably get that.

No Ridwell near us. Anyone trying that in NYC would be overwhelmed, but borough localities might be able to do something like this. I'll read up on it.

I love Lush, although a bit miffed they stopped making the beer shampoo which did wonderful things for my hair. Their angels on bare skin face wash is one of those rare things I miss if I switch. Love their soaps too.

I have had mixed results with ethique hair stuff. Switched to specialist tampon providers that use biodegradable applicators and that are delivered in the post (Daye). Also deodorant in a non-plastic case that you can refill (Wild). I found instagram a good place to find smallish start up green companies. Although I've yet to find a good dental replacement to my oral b electric toothbrush, if anyone has any suggestions...

>195 Berly: I am glad it worked for you, Kimmers.

I didn't get that she was anti-guy particularly but it wasn't quite the right time for me to read it.

>182 Berly: Progress on the shelves!
I love seeing pictures of your shelves, Kim :-)

>195 Berly: I can't decide about this book: great review, I'm just not sure how it will hit me just now. Thank goodness for the library!

>195 Berly: Re: "I don't think she's anti-guy"...because you're not one, because every one of her beats (!) follows that dreary familiar playbook.

#10 "Buried in Secret" published January 11, 2022!!

When do we want to read this one? : ) February or March?

Group read found here....

https://www.librarything.com/topic/338876

Thanks for posting that "in depth" look at Red Clocks Kimmers

>195 Berly: I’ve been deliberating reading Red Clocks but your words have moved the decision to “yes”— thanks!

Karen O

Great comments on Red Clocks, TwinK! I'm glad I read it again and got to talk about it with you.

>184 Berly: Woohoo! I love what you are already doing, and what you are planning to do. I have been using Ethique brand bar shampoo for ages now, and it is so good. It's a local brand, but you must have ones similar. As soon as I saw how long it lasted I was immediately panged with guilt about how long I had been wasting bottles made of hard plastic!

Another Red Clocks nudge for me!

>203 Berly: That is a series with legs!

I am still fighting headaches and exhaustion. Thank you for all the wonderful comments. I will respond individually when I can. You guys are the best!!

Smoochling, go look at your email...I sent you a temptation because I am so eville I could not resist.

Hope you feel better soon, Kim.

>186 bell7: Feeling better but it is slow going. I get how your library system requests work now with the "limbo" feature. I haven't tried that and I will have to look into it!

>187 PawsforThought: I had eczema as a kid, so I know what you mean about sensitive skin. I am a little hesitant about trying to change my laundry detergent and shampoo and soaps. I may try to figure this out with my daughter by choosing a brand with her and then trying a sample of hers before I go and buy stuff myself. She is better about this Earth Friendly stuff than I am.

>212 Berly: That’s a good idea. I found my hand cream (the only one that works) because I swiped some from my mother one day.

>188 Caroline_McElwee: Today is starting off well, but Monday did too and then I crashed and yesterday was a mess, so crossing my fingers and trying NOT to push myself too hard. ( I tend to just push through my medical stuff which mostly works until it doesn't. LOL)

I think the first thing I am going to try next is finding better toilet paper.

>189 ffortsa: I will have to look up Who Gives a Crap TP. I looked at Seventh Generation, but it comes wrapped in plastic, which I don't like. Course TP is so absorbent, they might all come wrapped in plastic to protect the rolls. 48 is a lot of rolls!!

Keep me posted on the laundry detergent sheets.

>190 SandDune: The next chapter in How to Give Up Plastic talks about polyester fibers in our clothing and how much damage that does. Synthetic fibers can be too small to be caught by our washing machines and a fleece jacket can release around 250,000 microfibers!! Patagonia suggests:

- Only wash synthetic clothes when you have to
- Wash only full loads
- Use a lower spin speed and shorter setting
- Wash in cold water
- Use fabric softener and liquid washing detergent (which I am trying not to because of the plastic bottle it comes in)
- Use a Guppy Friend washing bag to catch the particles and then empty the bag periodically

Also, don't buy as many clothes and stick to natural fibers!!!

Hope you find the yarn you want. : )

>191 curioussquared: Awesome! Portland has Ridwell and I am probably going to sign up. I am currently cleaning out stuff my daughter left behind when she moved out and there are lots of leftovers like pillows, which I don't think Goodwill takes. Thanks for the suggestion!

>192 brenzi: The Orchardist is off to a good start, but I am not very far in. Will post updates. : )

>193 PawsforThought: It's great getting all these tips isn't it?! Especially because they are from people already using the products and not some unknown author or salesperson.

>194 BLBera: I have heard of refilling shampoo and stuff at co-ops. Another great option.

>196 curioussquared: Glad you liked my thoughts. It's so sad and scary that Red Clocks hits closer to home now more than ever.

>197 ffortsa: Phew! Okay, 24 is still a lot of rolls of TP, but a better number than 48! I don't have room for that. LOL.

>198 charl08: More great brand suggestions!! Thank you. I am making a list now....

>199 PaulCranswick: NO worries. Every book is not for every person. : )

>200 FAMeulstee: Thank you! I had really hoped to finish cataloguing the shelves last year, but they aren't going anywhere, so this year! And after I finish all my Read books, then I have a bookcase and floor piles and Kindle of my TBR I need to check on. ; )

>201 charl08: Well, definitely wait until the time is right! And, yes, that's what bookshelves are for. LOL

*smoochysmoochsmooch*

I put up a new thread & front-loaded a very tempting review onto it.

Fair warning.

>202 richardderus: Sorry, Ricardo. Smooch.

>204 magicians_nephew: My pleasure. I was surprised that Red Clocks wound up being so controversial, but that's okay. Each to her or his own. It worked for me. : )

>205 klobrien2: Yay! My job is done. I hope you enjoy Red Clocks.

>206 BLBera: Red Clocks is a great discussion book and I am glad we got the chance to with Ellen. It was fun!

>207 LovingLit: I have added Ethique to my list of brands to check out. I just got a new bottle, but before I run out I want to find a replacement, so I will be taking a look.

Red Clocks nudge...!

>208 richardderus: Viveca Sten has been fun! #10 will bring us up to date though, so no more for a while. : (

>210 richardderus: I try to buy my paper books through local independent booksellers either Powell's, Annie Bloom's or Broadway Books (Kim, a co-owner (great name, huh?) is on the Literary Arts board with me). I also know Elisa Saphier and her store Another Read Through. They moved a few years back and I have not been to the new store. I will have to check it out and I signed up for Amplify Writers newsletters. Thanks! You are Eville in the best of ways!

>211 Familyhistorian: Today is starting off well. I just keep getting these waves of headache and fatigue. Hopefully they will go away soon.

>213 PawsforThought: I want to talk with my daughter tonight and run these ideas by her and make a start in trying these new products!! Glad you found one that works for you. : )

>220 richardderus: Now you are Eville Incarnate!! LOL. How I am supposed to get through my TBR pile if you keep writing killer reviews of great new books? Sigh. I will be over to check it out.

Hope I didn't miss anyone!!

I hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself.

Trying! Good news is hubby had the same symptoms (he started before me) and he is back to feeling fine. So hopefully another week or so and I'll be good.

I had Zoom bookclub scheduled for tonight and I wasn't really up for it but didn't want to disappoint the rest of the crew. Unfortunately two of my other friends had COVID this past month and so they didn't even read the book. Everyone is recovering and we pushed it out 'till next month. I took a nap. And now I am going to watch tennis. : )

>227 Berly: I hope your recovery is even more rapid than you expect. Here's to naps!

>227 Berly: Do I remember correctly that your husband actually had Covid way back at the beginning of all of this?

I am 50+ posts behind and not even trying to catch up, Kim, but I hope you get over COVID quickly!

I'm doffing my Invisibility Cloak just long enough to say hello. So: "Hello, Kim."

>227 Berly: Very sensible! No point forcing something that will be unpleasant.

>224 Berly: Heh.

Hubby must be a COVID magnet! Isn't this his second time? I hope to catch up on tennis this weekend. I have early class, so I can't stay up to watch much during the week.

>228 quondame: Well, yesterday and today, no headaches, so progress! I still only have about 6 "normal" hours a day and the rest I am just pooped. Going on a short walk tomorrow because it is supposed to be warm and sunny. And that's probably all I'll manage to do! LOL.

>229 RebaRelishesReading: He did. Like the week that COVID was in the news. And we knew who he got it from. This time? No clue. I got my symptoms like two days after him, so not sure if I got it from him or we both got if from someone else. And we are SUPER careful! This Omicron is just so contagious.

>230 alcottacre: And vice versa on your thread I am sure!! I hope to have a little LT time this weekend, but I also want to get out and enjoy the sunshine. We have had so much rain. ; )

>231 weird_O: Hi oh hidden one!!

>232 richardderus: Smooch!

>233 BLBera: Enjoying the tennis and sure to watch more this weekend. Still doing a lot of collapsing in bed. ; )

Happy weekend, Kim!

Hope you feel better soon!

Just popping in to wish you a wonderful weekend, Kim!
I hope you are well again soon.

We know a few fully vaccinated & boosts folks who have had it but in all cases it was very night -- a few cold-like symptoms and tired for a couple of days. Hope that's it for you too. Meanwhile, isn't it a spectacular day today?

>237 alcottacre: Yay for the weekend!!

>238 figsfromthistle: Thank you so much. : )

>239 SirThomas: Hanging in there! Good thing I took the month of January off from TKD because there is no way I could do it right now. February...

>240 RebaRelishesReading: Did just take a quick walk around the neighborhood to take in the sunshine!! Yay!

Glad to see you are a bit better, Kimmers. Take it nice and easy as Sinatra used to croon.

Hi Kim, I'm so sorry you've been sick. Glad to see you are on the mend. I still haven't brought my plants back to school because I'm afraid I'll either get sick or the school will close for awhile and I won't be able to water them. Another of our mountain schools is closed because so many teachers got sick. Seems kind of inevitable?

I am enjoying your comments about How to Give Up Plastic. I am taking several steps already - the reusable bags at the store, but I also have reusable produce bags. The one bar shampoo I tried was an utter failure (Silver Falls Sustainability Company) but my husband likes it, and I like some of their other products like their deodorant and facial soap. I may have to try another company and I will definitely see if there's a Ridwell here.

ETA there is, but in Denver only - not in the suburbs yet. But I did just place an Ethique order! Love that they offer sample sizes and freebies.

>241 Berly: Yay for sunshine! Glad to see that you are feeling well enough to get around in it.

>243 AMQS: Our daughters love Lush bar shampoo. I haven't tried it but I think I should.

>173 Berly: re Red Clocks - "It is so frighteningly close to now that I can almost touch it."
My experience exactly.

Sorry you have been sick. I hope your energy continues to return. I think it's a slow process, especially for folks with any kind of underlying condition (P has mild asthma and her breathing is definitely still affected).

>195 Berly: Excellent set of comments about Red Clocks.

I'm reading Lauren Groff's Matrix now. It's set in 1158 so a bit of a switch in setting. LOL.

Hang in there, my friend. I can't wait until we get to play Bridge together again.

We are currently trying a plastic-free toothpaste option. It's called BITE (Because It's The Earth). It's taking some adjustment but giving up plastic will mean making adjustments, getting used to products that are not what we're used to.

We've purchased silicone rounds that have completely replaced plastic wrap in our house (we still use the Bees Wrap sometimes, too, but the reusable silicone rounds are perfect for bowls of leftovers, partially used cat food cans, etc.).

We are going to Kaua'i in three weeks. I'm planning to take a couple bags for collecting bits of plastic on the beaches.

Happy Monday. Hope you are on the mend.

Thanks for posting about getting rid of plastic and all the tips for others. My biggest issue is pet treats. I buy the biggest containers I can but need to get to the farm store to buy in bulk. We repurpose the containers as much as possible but they are starting to pile up.

>247 EBT1002: Fascinated by this idea. The silicone rounds are definitely on the list. I know there are lots of artists using the plastic. Have great trip!

>242 PaulCranswick: Can't go wrong with advice from Paul and Sinatra!! Thanks.

>243 AMQS: Hi there! I also have reusable produce bags and nice to know that Ethique does sample sizes. I just bought new shampoo before I read this book, so it will be a while before I need to order again, but I am keeping track of suggestions.

>244 alcottacre: Yes, sunshine!! Shorter walks than my usual, but still. Happiness and I am slowly getting my mojo back.

>245 RebaRelishesReading: Lush is a name I keep hearing. : )

>246 EBT1002: Matrix! I don't know if I have that one or I just keep hearing about it. I will have to check...

Luckily, whatever I had did not affect my asthma. Just fatigue, headaches, severe chills and a little loss of taste. I am still sleeping about 12 hours a day and normal is about 7. Hope P continues to feel better.

My space bar on my computer only works if I tap it on the left side with my left thumb and it is taking me forever to relearn how to type!! LOL. So forgive my short answers!!

>247 EBT1002: My daughter just sent me a link to BITE. (Love the name-- Because It's The Earth.) She's trying out both the toothpaste and the deodorant. How do you like it?

Hurray for Hawaii! And your efforts to lend a helping hand with cleanup.

Come visit this summer so we can play bridge!!

>248 witchyrichy: And I have a set of the silicone rounds and the beeswax wraps. I also use the silicone rounds for microwaving to prevent splatters. : )

Yeah, I try to repurpose containers, but they do pile up. I save the plastic containers that my favorite deli meats come in and then use them for sending home leftovers to my kids and for lunch at work.

Okay. A new thread...

https://www.librarything.com/topic/339044

>250 Berly: There is a Lush store in San Diego where I had fun shopping for the "girls" while we were there. I just looked on-line and discovered there are three stores in Portland. I don't often cross the river to shop but good to know they're there. All of their products are in bar form and they come unwrapped. If you want a label (so you can tell what is what) they put it into a little paper bag and print you a label to stick on. Very environmentally friendly.

>254 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. I have continued this topic in my next thread because I think it is so important and I am keeping track of people's suggestions. : )

And one of these days we will cross the river and actually see each other!!