First line: In 1558, when John Knox, the radical Scottish religious reformer, published his misogynist tract, The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, he called attention to what was strangely true in the middle of the sixteenth century in Europe: a remarkable number of women had ascended to supreme governmental power.
Summary: During the sixteenth century four women ruled over some of the most powerful countries in the world; Mary I and Elizabeth I in England, Mary Queen of Scots and Catherine de Medici in France. In this book the author looks how they interacted and changed the countries they ruled over.
My Thoughts: I love the history of the sixteenth century. I have read much on Elizabeth I but a lot less on the other three women. It was interesting to hear how they communicated, worked together and supported each other. Even though the ends of the two Marys was tragic they made their marks on history. I really want to know more about Catherine de Medici. She is someone who seems to be misrepresented in many historical fiction and movies.
FYI: Good introduction to each woman and how they came to be in their positions.
*Can be found in audio format on Hoopla or in book through Interlibrary Loan.
First line: The gondola sliced silently through the dark water of the canal.
Summary: Adriana d’Amato has spent years of her life sequestered in her family’s palazzo in Venice. Ever since her mother died she has not been allowed to study the violin or music of any kind. But daringly she sneaks out of the palazzo to find the renowned violinist, Antonio Vivaldi, in the hopes of private lessons. When he agrees to her request she thinks that the only rule she is breaking is practicing violin until she starts to fall for her maestro.
My Thoughts: I finally got around to reading Palombo’s first book and the only one I haven’t read yet. It was just as beautiful as the rest of her works. She creates interesting storylines with fantastic historical characters. Venice nearly becomes a character of its own in this story. With its own charming traits such as Carnavale, the gondolas and the romance of an Italian city on the water, it is easy to get swept up in Adriana’s story.
canal in Venice (2006)
I visited Venice in 2006. Many of the places Adriana visits are vivid in my memory. Venice is a beautiful town filled with history and beauty.
Normally I do not read romance novels but this is a perfect mix between historical fiction and romance. I was frustrated with several of the choices made by Adriana but needing to know the outcomes kept me reading. As a reader I felt for her plight. Life for a wealthy merchant’s daughter could be easy but also had its challenges. I think many readers, myself included, believe that to live in these times would be wonderful. The gorgeous dresses, parties and life without much of the drama we have today. But historical fiction can do a great job of dulling these dreams when you see how women were treated or restricted in their lives. Palombo did a great job portraying this through Adriana’s life.
I know very little about Vivaldi, so this was a great introduction to the musical genius. Plus it also fulfilled a requirement for the Dia de los Muertos read-a-thon!
Is there anything better than watching two grown men who have been best friends literally their entire lives be creative, silly, and ridiculous together? Nope. Good Mythical Morning is one of the longest running YouTube channels and for good reason. Rhett & Link have created a brand that I love. Their show is feel-good, laughter-inducing, usually-wholesome good stuff.
I usually listen to podcasts about running or Rhett & Link’s podcast Ear Biscuits, so this was a new adventure for me. Ronstadt stars Rhett and Link. It is scripted and uses immersive audio. The story line is great for this time of year…action-packed, a little scary, with a touch of mystery. It reminded me of old books on tape that I used to listen to as a child. The immersive audio can be a bit intense. I was listening to it while doing yard work outside and got spooked and truly believed someone was right behind me!
Game: Pokemon Go
Yep…people still play this game. And to be honest, it’s better than it was in the beginning. During the school and work shut down last year, my family started playing it anew. We had a route around our neighborhood mapped out where we could hit up at least a dozen pokestops and 4 gyms. It got us outside and kept us sane together.
I read these books shortly before the Netflix movie came out. In true librarian fashion, I believe the books to be superior. The story is a fun twist on the Sherlock Holmes universe with the addition of a much younger sister who shares the Holmes affinity for mystery and crime solving. There are seven books in total with more potentially on the horizon. The popularity of the movie invited Springer to write the seventh book after an 11-year hiatus from the series.
Fall running has to be just about my favorite thing in the entire world. The cool mornings are perfect for picking up the pace and enjoying the peace and quiet before the start of a busy day. There are several free apps you can use to track runs. I typically wear a Garmin, but MapMyRun and Strava are good free options.
I’ve been trying to finish up my books for the Dia de Los Muertos Read-a-thon but I do not think I am going to make it to the last book. I tried starting it several times and was not motivated to read it. I think it will be a fantastic book but when I have a TBR (to be read) list filled with things I am really excited to read, it is hard to make myself to start something different.
But on the other hand I have read some really great books for the other categories:
Book written by a Latinx author from a South American country: Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova (I just could not get myself to start it even though it looks fantastic!)
I cannot wait for another read-a-thon but I have a great TBR list for November!
First Line: I once told you, Jeffers, about the time I met the devil on a train leaving Paris, and about how after that meeting the evil that usually lies undisturbed beneath the surface of things rose up and disgorged itself over every part of my life.
Summary: The events of the book are narrated by M, a middle-aged writer, as she retells them to her friend Jeffers as if in a long letter. We never meet Jeffers; he is beside the point. M lives in a marshy, wooded area near the sea with her second husband Tony. They have also built a cabin on the property which they use to host various artist-types for a week or so during the summer. M was largely content with her quiet life until she invites the artist “L” to come stay for a while. L’s work made a lasting impact on M several years prior and she has been mildly obsessed with him ever since. At first L declines her invitation, then suddenly announces he is arriving the following day. M is immediately thrown off-kilter, her domestic peace disrupted by his presence. Not only does he arrive without much warning, he also brings with him a young and beautiful woman who will be staying as well. To add to the chaos, M’s twenty-something daughter Justine is visiting with her German boyfriend. Although it feels like nothing much is happening, we get a first-hand account of M’s ever-intensifying emotions. She is struggling with how to live freely as herself within the confines and compromise of marriage and motherhood:
“I have wanted to be free my whole life but haven’t managed to liberate my smallest toe…”
The various relationships change over the course of the stay, affected by the presence of others in such close quarters. M grows increasingly frustrated with L and feels he is deliberately driving her mad. Justine and her boyfriend begin to drift apart as she grows closer to L’s companion. Tony does his best to maintain peace.
My Thoughts: I’d never read any of Cusk’s writing before, and I certainly don’t plan to stop with Second Place. I came across a review of an earlier novel of Cusk’s in the London Review of Books written by the excellent Patricia Lockwood, and if you want to know how reading Cusk makes me feel, it’s summed up by the title of Lockwood’s review: “Why do I have to know what McDonald’s is?”. Why can’t we prioritize good craftsmanship and beauty and creativity and compassion and things made from scratch and diversity, why do I have to know what McDonald’s is? But anyway… Her obsession aside, M is grappling with the same questions we all surely ask ourselves from time to time. I was right there with her, ready for her to chuck life in the bin and start living exactly as herself. And when she realized the loss of comfort, peace, stability, and love throwing it all away would cause, so did I. She felt naïve and foolish, and so did I. It’s a book that makes you think and reflect on life, so if you’re into that kind of thing, I definitely recommend it.
First line: The bell hanging outside the curiosity shop knew the human was trouble from the way he moved through the door.
Summary: Evangeline Fox believes she has found her true love until the day she discovers that he is going to be married to someone else. In the hopes of stopping the wedding, Evangeline makes a dangerous deal with the Prince of Hearts. All he asks of her is three kisses to be given at a time of his choosing. But Evangeline learns quickly that making a deal with a Fate is not as easy as it seems. The Prince of Hearts appears to have a plan for Evangeline that could lead her to her happy ending or her doom.
My Thoughts: From the cover to the description to the world of Caraval, this book was excellent! I was desperately awaiting its release. I loved Stephanie Garber’s first trilogy. And when I learned that this new one is set in the same universe I knew it was going to be just as wonderful.
The story feels like a fairy tale. It has beautiful characters, magic and dark twists. You do not have to have read the Caraval series to understand this book but I highly recommend it. Several characters and references are made to the other trilogy. One of my favorite parts of Garber’s writing is how descriptive and beautiful it is. There are lots of colors, patterns and imagination. It is not like anything else I have read.
I love her characters as well. She always has a strong female lead. But best of all, as a reader you can never tell who to trust and what they are going to do next. Some characters, such as the Prince of Hearts, may appear to be bad but what if he’s not? Or is he? In the world of Caraval not everything is as it seems.
FYI: First book in a new series by Stephanie Garber.
My latest fun listen is a light-hearted romp. Comedians Craig and Rebecca take a look at movies and television from the villain’s perspective and dare to ask if they were really all that bad. The hosts go into detail about movie or series characters and their motivations, and theorize whether or not they deserve to be the hero or villain.
Was Ariel really innocent? Or was Ursula just trying to run a small business?
What I find especially fun is that Craig and Rebecca don’t just review the obvious movies. They look into Father of the Bride, Legally Blonde, Bridget Jones’ Diary, the Magic School Bus, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Friends, Mary Poppins and many, many more. I recommend you start with Ferris Buller’s Day Off, Jurassic Park or the Incredibles.
I whole-heartedly recommend this recent read. If you like science fiction with actual science, this is for you. If you like stories with interesting, well developed characters, this also has that. If you want excitement and a thrilling plot, here you go. If you want romance and sex, well, there you’re completely out of luck.
I challenge you to read the first five pages and NOT want to keep reading. What an opening! Ryland Grace wakes up alone with no clue where he is or how he got there. His body isn’t responding the way it should and he struggles with the fog that is keeping rational thoughts at bay. He slowly comes to the realization that he’s hurtling through space and his crew mates are dead. While that opening alone is enough to keep me turning pages, Weir infuses Ryland with unique wit and humor that elevates the story beyond the run of the mill science fiction thriller.
As Ryland’s memory returns, he flashes back to the past and slowly reveals how he ended up as the sole-survivor of this last-chance mission to save Earth. And as things seem hopeless, he finds glimmers of hope in unexpected places. He also just might be the perfect person for the job.
This well-written novel is a mix of things: science fiction, mystery, fantasy, thriller. There’s a diverse cast as the entire planet comes together to save humanity. And I can only hope Hollywood takes notice.
Okay, so this one hasn’t completely been released yet, but I am eagerly awaiting it. And fortunately, I have heard a couple early release tracks, so I think it’s fair to add to my line up list.
The album is set to drop October 29. It’s been 4 long years since we last heard songs featuring solo artist Ed Sheeran playing and singing all by himself (no collaborations). I have read interviews about this release and it appears the songs are all personal to him as a recently married man and father who has experienced loss. Sheeran says the album is a reflection of those experiences. For a man to state that this is a coming of age album, I feel it should be chocked full of nostalgia, eye awakening moments and experiences that make us who we are. Bad Habits, one of the early release titles is dance music story of late night bad choices while Visiting Hours is a heartfelt, personal sort of song you play in the bluest hours. It’s raw and emotional.
*I believe the library will be purchasing and adding this title to the catalog for checkout. I don’t see it there yet, but all the other Sheeran albums are, so it’s a good guess it’s coming soon.
Television:Below Deck Mediterranean
In another year, where I haven’t been able to travel abroad like I planned, I am “escaping” via my television and “reality” TV.
What I like? No dull waiting period–this is entertaining IMMEDIATELY.
This show has it all: attractive people, vastly different personalities, relatable protagonists, loathsome antagonists, money and a BIG yacht. It’s fun, interesting, and has changing locals (Greece, Croatia, Italy, South of France and Mallorca). The guests are interesting. There’s TIGHT quarters (GREAT for drama), a social element and very merit-based workplace element.
I think the two most important components of any reality show are the “characters” and the editing. The characters here are in spades, but the editing brings us the stories, and man do they make the stories POP! Hats off to the editing staff. I think we all like to see justice because we so rarely get it in real life, and the editors don’t let anyone get away with ANYTHING. When someone does something stupid, we get to see the consequences, which is a great little respite from real life. I also love the insight you get, to see all that goes on under the surface of a luxury yacht.
This one I am super excited to get out and see for myself. Recently, when I volunteered at the Zoo for Zoobilee and the new Asian Big Cat exhibit grand opening, I discovered that Sedgwick County Zoo has a new “Wild Lights” exhibit in the works. Think Asian lantern sculptures illuminating paths throughout the zoo.
The company who has provided and set up the exhibit brought in 13 semi-truck loads of giant animal lanterns. These creatures are spread out throughout the zoo. They are everywhere! Installation began in early September. The exhibit has filled the zoo with 47 glowing Asian lanterns, most of them larger than life.
They’re in the shapes of animals. Guests will find pandas, elephants, turtles, rhinos as well as other displays in the shapes of flowers, bugs, fish, butterflies, and plants. Many of them are animated: A peacock’s plume of feathers goes up and down every five minutes. A baby panda spins with a ball on his head. A massive crocodile opens and closes his giant jaw. About six people accompanying the tour, which travels to zoos all over the world, spent a month erecting the wire frames that form each sculpture’s “bones” then covering them with translucent fabric and filling them with colorful lights. It will take visitors about an hour to walk the path where the sculptures are set up, which stretches from the zoo entrance to the gorilla exhibit and back to the exit. Not only do they set up the lights, but they stay here in Wichita throughout the show to maintain the exhibit.
I plan to enjoy the zoo like never before with this larger-than-life Chinese lantern festival!
*Wild Lights will light up the zoo Wednesday through Sunday nights 6:00-9:00 p.m. through December 5, 2021. Tickets are on sale now at scz.org/event/wild-lights.
Food: Seasonal Soups and Stews
It’s that time of year – fall (or maybe the fringe of fall with our ever changing Kansas weather). Maybe you’ve noticed the chill in the air, or that the leaves are starting to turn shades of orange and red. The first pumpkin spice lattes of the season have already been sipped, and perhaps you’ve taken out the sweaters that make you feel like Cameron Diaz courting Jude Law in a cozy cottage in the English countryside. But is it really sweater season without a pot of soup bubbling away? Or a hearty stew on the table, served with a fistful of crusty bread? A few veggies, possibly some beans, aromatics and broth are just about all you need for a satisfying meal.
So let this be my reminder to you. If you have yet to avail yourself of all the ways your local library can help you be a better, more inquisitive cook (or simply save you some money) there’s no better time than now. With many of us cooking at home more than ever, we could all use a little jolt of inspiration and novelty. Or just some escapist reading. Take a look at our KanShare catalog for in print cook books, Sunflower eLibrary (Libby app) for eCookbooks and magazines, Pinterest and the good ole internet for general browsing! You are sure to find something new to try.
I’m sharing my easy-peasy Taco Soup recipe. It’s a go to my family always loves. Hope you will too!
Slow Cooking Taco Soup – 6 to 8 servings
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
16 oz can Mexican-style tomatoes
16 oz can whole-kernel corn, undrained
16 oz can red beans, undrained
16 oz can black beans, undrained
16 oz can ranch beans
16 oz jar picante sauce (your choice on mild, medium or hot)
Optional additions when serving:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Corn or tortilla chips
Brown meat and onions in skillet. Drain.
Combine with all other vegetables and picante sauce in slow cooker.
Cover. Cook on low 4-6 hours
Serve with corn or tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese as toppings.
First line: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: My name is Wilfred Leland James, and this is my confession.
Summary: In a short story by Stephen King we get a dark tale of murder on the Nebraska plains. Wilfred James lives on a farm in Nebraska with this wife and son. When his wife suggests that they sell the 100 acres she owns but it angers Wilfred. He does not want the land to be used as a pig farm. As his anger with her grows he starts to conceive of a plan to make his wife disappear.
My Thoughts: 1922 was the perfect start to my October TBR and Dia de los Muertos read-a-thon list. It was spooky and quick. I have driven many times through the farmland of Nebraska. The old farmhouses with acres of land as far as the eye can see. I could easily imagine Wilfred living on his farm, killing his wife and burying her in the well. And no one else around to even notice. Especially in 1922.
But then his wife begins to haunt him with her decaying body and the rats that are slowly eating away at her. Rats are terrifying on their own but imagining them eating a human body is a nightmare come to life. King does a great job bringing the eeriness to the story without out making it outlandish. The visions, smells and memories just add to the suspense.
Then mixed in with the terror that Wilfred is experiencing is the guilt and changes happening to his son. I was surprised with the way his story changed from the beginning till the end. It was heartbreaking to see but it definitely added another level to this short story.
FYI: This is originally part of Full Dark, No Stars, a collection of King’s short stories. It has also been made into a Netflix movie which I plan to watch real soon!
Summary: 2017: Tallulah Murray, a nineteen year old mother, goes out with her boyfriend to the neighborhood pub for dinner. The next morning her mother, Kim, finds that neither one of them have come home. Kim knows that Tallulah would never abandon her baby son. As she talks with Tallulah’s friends she find out that they were last seen at a party at Dark Place, a manor house outside the small village.
2018: Sophie Beck has just moved into a little cottage on the grounds of a private boarding school. Her partner is the new head teacher while Sophie is a mystery novelist. As Sophie explores her new home she finds a sign in their garden with the words, “DIG HERE”, written on it. As she digs she uncovers a missing link in the mystery of the disappearance of Tallulah Murray.
My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book from the beginning until the end. Normally the time jumps can be confusing but since each time had a different narrator that made it easier to follow. The end was excellent. I was on the edge of my seat, trying to finish it as fast as I could. And of course, that’s when my dog decided he needed to go outside!
I liked the characters of Tallulah and her mother Kim. Sophie felt like more of a filler character to help solve the mystery. She was the like her characters in her book which the comparison is drawn in the books as well. Her part felt more cozy. But I think Jewell did a great job of bringing Kim’s pain and Tallulah’s struggles out. They were relatable and I could sympathize with them as their lives changed through the story. After Jewell’s last book I was hoping that this one would be much more entertaining. Thank goodness it was!
FYI: Audio book was read by Joanne Froggat (Anna Bates from Downton Abbey).
I know I know, everyone else already knew how amazing American Horror Story was but for some reason it had never crossed my mind to watch it. Then about a few months ago my husband and I were looking for something a little spooky to watch that we had never seen before and Netflix presented us with the holy grail of televised anthologies. So we might be ten years late to the game, but we are obsessed, and I can’t wait to watch the rest of it.
I’m a huge fan of cozy gaming; Stardew Valley, Pikmin, the Sims you can toss them all my way. Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time on my Island of Alderaan bonding with my villagers, catching bugs, fishing and discovering that I owe a lifetime’s worth of bells to Tom Nook.
Available for Nintendo Switch
Hobbies: Fantasy Football
Do I know anything about football? No. Do I know what I’m doing with my lineup each week? Also no. “Hey Maycie do you at least come close to winning your league every year?” I absolutely do not. But as the full-time general manager of Mr. Rodger’s Neighborhood my fall schedule is booked with strategy meetings, game tape reviews and injury reports. Whether you’re an avid fan of football or being roped into a league I find it’s a fun way to engage with your family and friends.
Goals: Bread Making
“2021 is the year I make breads from scratch” -Maycie at the end of 2020. Armed with a stand-mixer and a jar of yeast I spent my year learning to bake all things bread. So far I’ve mastered biscuits, pizza dough and pasta but I have to say that my favorite creation was a beautiful blueberry babka.
On My Radar:Here’s what I’m looking forward to in the next few months
At the Movies:West Side Story. I’m not always a huge fan of movie remakes but the new West Side Story looks so good and has some of my favorite Broadway actors in it.
TV Shows:One of Us is Lying. One of my favorite YA thrillers that is being adapted and will be streaming on Peacock later this fall.
