Happy Saturday Links
12-4-21
Hi readers,
This week was a productive week at work, and I also finished two books, hurrah for me. I don’t know that I’ll hit my Goodreads reading goal for 2021, but I’m o.k. with that. I set a reading goal at the beginning of every year, usually based on what I read in the prior year, but I don’t pay much attention to being on track or being a few books behind. I adjusted it downward earlier in the year because I knew I wouldn’t meet my lofty goal. Unfortunately, there are still only 24 hours in each day, and since I can’t borrow very much time from my day job, the time needed to research and write this newsletter comes from some of my free time and, unfortunately, some of my reading time. The trade-off has been worthwhile for so many reasons, most of all because I’ve met so many “internet” friends. Through this process, I’ve discovered so much more about my own reading life and the different things I want to pursue in the future.
This week’s links bring treats to eat, learning something new about Goodreads, a couple of articles from BookRiot, and another article that combines two of my favorite things, traveling and food. More bookish goodness awaits in this week’s links, along with a few gifts for the reader in your life.
Weekly links
What a great idea; I wish I had thought of this. I love the crunch of waffles, and I love cinnamon rolls; what more could anyone ask for? I can’t wait to try this.
Books seem to appear on Goodreads magically, and I wondered how that happens. Maybe there is a magical book fairy that added all the books, but no. There are librarians, and we can even add books if we want.
I don’t read a lot of crime reads, but I enjoy reading lists like this one to find some that interest me. I’m always game for anything by Michael Connelly, and there are a couple of new to me authors on this list too.
My “when I retire” bucket list grows longer every day, and this article about seven food destinations added at least four new places for my travel adventures. It would be great if these towns had a bookstore along with the great food and destination.
Many readers want to read more diversely, and I agree with this article; an excellent place to begin reading more diverse books is with YA literature. I’ve read several YA books this year outside of my usual reading tastes and have enjoyed each one of them.
I learned several new things when reading this article; maybe you will too. I’m slowly but surely trying to read through Jane Austen’s novels. I don’t know that I’ll even be an adoring fan, but I am learning to appreciate her books.
New books
The Ballerinas: A Novel by Rachel Kapelke-Dale - This is a new to me author, and since I often choose a book by its cover, I initially requested it from Net Galley based on its cover. Thankfully, the book offers substance along with a great cover. I love books about women and friendships, and this book does not disappoint. The book follows three friends in the cutthroat Ballet dancing world where passion and competition rule; the friends come together several years later with plenty of secrets that threaten to destroy the friendship. This book is a worthy effort by a first-time author; I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters by Dr. Rachel Trethewey - I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, but this one caught my eye because of my relatively recent interest in British Royal history through watching the Netflix show The Crown. This book tells the story of Winston and Clementine Churchill’s daughters, growing up with their famous father, becoming amazing women, and accomplishing so much in each of their lives. I have it on hold at my library; hopefully, I’m close to the top of the list when it becomes available Tuesday.
Gifts for the reader in your life
A personalized lined journal is a great gift to start a reader on the journey of recording the books they’ve read. There are so many colors and options to choose from; this will make a perfect gift for the reader in your life.
If you know a reader that’s into letter writing also, this Etsy shop has several gorgeous sets of stationary to please letter writers.
Puzzles made their resurgence during the pandemic, and it doesn’t look like it’s waning anytime too soon. Here is a bookish puzzle to pass the time when you take a break from reading.
I hope you had a good week this week. Did you start or finish any good books? I’d love to add a few more to my TBR; you can tell me your recommendations in the comments below.
Coming up in Tuesday’s newsletter is the final part of the different ways of tracking your reading for the coming new year. If you haven’t read the first two newsletters yet, you can read about Tracking Your Reading the Old Fashioned Way and Creative Reading Journals through those links. In Tuesday’s newsletter, Fun with Digital and Electronic Reading Journals, you’ll read about several different ways to track your reading electronically and the benefits of each method. Researching this led me down several rabbit holes where I discovered new ways of tracking your reading, and I’m excited to share all of this with you next week.
Have a great weekend, do something fun, take some time for yourself and enjoy a book or two. Happy reading!
Some of the links in this newsletter may be affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase anything, I may earn a small commission. This costs you nothing and helps me feed my voracious reading habit, and for that, I thank you.
Link posts are always so fun! 🙌
The book about Clemintine Churchill sounds interesting. We will be reading the daughters of Yalta, the daughters that accompanied Churchill, Roosevelt & Harriman in our book club. The number of books managed in a year is impressive. My goals are more modest.