Changing Back!

 I've decided to move back to my old blog A Certain Fondness. Join me there again. 

Recent Reading Highlights

 

There aren't many! I've remained in my slump over the past month and a half but did read two books I really liked and enjoyed.

The first was How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis. In addition to not being able to read, I have struggled to keep my house clean lately. Too many messes and not enough time to deal with it all. I've been slightly embarrassed about the situation but KC Davis makes you feel no shame or judgment at the state of your house. The book reads like a good friend giving loving and practical advice and tips for starting on the path to a good cleaning routine. If you are looking for expert help on deep cleaning your kitchen this is not the book for you. But if you need to someone to tell you you are not a bad person for having a messy house, you'd probably like this.

The second book I really enjoyed recently was The Fraud by Zadie Smith. It took me a while to finish this long book, but it has short chapters which was wonderful, haha. Also wonderful was the Victorian setting and the story of Mrs. Eliza Touchet, cousin and housekeeper to writer William Ainsworth, and her entanglement with the famous case of the Tichborne Trial. There are lots of strands in this novel, something I always like in historical fiction (see Kate Atkinson) and there's lots to think about. At the end you are left wondering just exactly who or what is the fraud. 

In other news, it's now the height of fall planting season in central Arizona and I have got my nasturtiums, calendula, poppies, forget me nots, sweet peas and cilantro started. Some have germinated already and others I am waiting on. I'll probably plant a few other things this weekend (perhaps strawflowers and stock). I am hoping to have lots of colorful pots in the new year.

Have a lovely weekend!

Back to Blogging

It is so hard to know where to begin with this post but I suppose saying hello is a good start! I hope everyone has been well and happy and that 2023 is fruitful for you in all areas of your life - including reading.

As for me, 2023 has been a mixed bag. I absolutely love my job. I am now the acquisitions librarian for my library and am responsible for selecting and purchasing all print and digital items for our four branch system. It would not be an overstatement to say that this has been my dream job for a while and I am thrilled to be doing it for the library I've been employed at for nearly 19 years now.

Other areas of my life have not been as satisfactory, but I suppose that is how it goes sometimes. One of the areas that has not been great this year is my reading life - which is especially frustrating as I now look at books all day and see so many great ones! But do I actually want to read them? Not so much. I've read a few gems this year, but most everything else has been mediocre. Most of my reading has been for the three book clubs I am in - yes, three - and though I sometimes grumble about the deadlines and the obligation, if it wasn't for the book clubs I wouldn't have read much at all lately.

So you might be wondering why I am starting a new book blog... Well, I am hoping that blogging again will get me reading again and I do so miss this community. I follow some of you on social media but it isn't anything like reading your words and discussions about books you've read and loved, or hated as the case may be.

And I switched to Blogger because I honestly can't keep up with the changes over at Wordpress and have no inclination to try! I can barely figure out how to post something over there anymore and Blogger seems much simpler and intuitive. 

I hope you will visit me as I try to bring the enchantment back into my reading. I will be visiting all of you. See you soon!