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Misc. Monday

Monday, July 27, 2026 0 Art Projects, Feral Cat Crafts, Garden, Good Reads, Misc. Blatherings, Streaming TV/Movies, Summer Reads No tags Permalink
Misc. Monday

I was going back through old posts here on Catobear, and remembered when I used to do a Misc. Monday post regularly. I also used to do a Feline Friday post. Maybe I should get back into those, for my own sake. I doubt many people come to this site these days. Better things to do with their time, no doubt. I’ve been blogging in one form or another since 2007, nearly twenty years.

My Michigan Garden

If you follow My Michigan Garden on Facebook, you’ve seen photos of all of the gardens from the Marshall Garden Tour and the Battle Creek Garden Tour. Lots of inspiration. Today we had rain for the first time in forever. We’ve had to put the sprinkler on every other day and fill the birdbaths in the off-days. Honestly, we’re not getting much produce this year despite the watering and fertilizing. We pulled two green peppers and have some sungold cherry tomatoes each day. Looks like we have a total of three small-ish green tomatoes and two quite small cucumbers. The green beans put on a good display of growth, but not a single flower or bean. Probably time to dump all of the soil this year and start fresh next year. No frogs have attended the pond, but the flowers are starting to look nice.

Feral Cat Crafts

Yesterday I managed to get some grouting done on the mosaics. I used a pre-mixed grout and one powdered you mix yourself made especially for mosaics. Not surprisingly, the pre-mixed one (white, below) cracked like crazy as drying and yet took so long to dry it was a problem. The gray one you mix yourself was really quite good. The dark gray rock is the winner, and the same grout was used on the heart saucer and cat brick. I like the little rock mosaics, so now I need to see if I can get three of those done, and maybe three bricks, before the Mutt Market. The ones in the photo were just to try things out, and will be hidden somewhere in my own garden.

I have two of three sides painted on the second birdhouse. The third side should go pretty fast, then the first two birdhouses need to be sealed and I still need to come up with a concept and paint the third one.

You can see this one is a water theme, sunset over water on the front side, sailboat on the second, and the third will have palm trees. It’s obviously not fine art, but I think it’s cute enough and will hopefully sell.

I have my keychains and bag charms half packaged at this point, and I had an idea to make some of those cute beaded mini-flowers in vases. With less than a month to go until the Mutt Market, I’m once again pushing it to the very edge of getting everything done. It’s been kind of fun looking back at the last few years of Mutt Market items I’ve made and sold. I think the crochet froggies and scrunchies should have sold better as they were cute AF. Also, the zippered pouches were quite good. The Blind Date with Books should have gone better at the MM but they went to staff members after the event. I don’t really have any expectations that anything will sell well this year, but it has to go somewhere, right?

Wish You Were Here Snail Mail Club

I need to get to work right now on the September 1st Back to School issue. Now. Next week is August.

Reading, Watching, Exploring

I finished This House Will Feed, which I enjoyed. Then I read Kill House from Scott Thomas, which I also enjoyed. I’d say it’s the most “real” horror book I’ve read from the horror genre lately. I’m currently reading Richard Laymon’s Funland, which is actually not much fun. This must have been a print on demand book and not especially well put together as half the pages are still attached to each other at the bottom of the page. The characters are unlikeable as is the plot. I’m half way into it and thinking of just giving up.

The third season of Trigger Point is on Britbox and I’m obsessed. We’ve also been watching every game that’s available for WNBA’s Indiana Fever.

Although I am a huge fan of Mortal Kombat, you wouldn’t really call me a gamer in any other sense. This week, I’m exploring Solo Roleplaying Games in the journaling format. I’ve been watching YouTube videos trying to figure out if it’s something I might enjoy doing. As if I needed another hobby. I sat down and came up with 35 hobbies I’ve tried since roughly 2007, and quite a few I still pull out with regularity or would do so if I had more time.

What are you up to, this last week of July 2026?

My World’s On Fire

Friday, July 17, 2026 0 Battle Creek, Feral Cat Crafts, Garden, Good Reads, Living in Michigan, Michigan, Misc. Blatherings, Summer Reads, Weather Update No tags Permalink

The ice we skate is gettin’ pretty thin. The water’s gettin’ warm so you might as well swim · My world’s on fire, how ’bout yours? – All Star, by Smash Mouth

Michigan has the worst air quality in the world due to Canadian wildfires. We are at the center of a diarrhea parasite outbreak. Temperatures are in the 90s with high humidity as it is time for corn sweat. Also, I have to say I’ve personally had a pretty, um, – shitty – week at work. So I’m ready for autumn.

Summer Reads Update

My choices at the start of the summer for reading:

  • Last One Out by Jane Harper. Harper is one of my favorite authors. Her novels take place in Australia, and often involve mysteries. This book was published April 14, 2026.
  • The World Doesn’t End by Charles Simic. I love prose poetry, and would like to get back to writing some again.
  • On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz. This non-fiction book helps to give one a new perspective on seeing things you miss regularly. It honestly sounds amazing and I can’t wait to read it.
  • The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, non-fiction. This books shares some stories from the people who survived the American Dust Bowl. It won the 2006 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was featured in a Ken Burns documentary.
  • Waiting on a Friend by Natalie Adler. This new novel won’t be released until the end of May.

And I’ve finished three so far! On Looking was good. It had one of the best sentences I’ve read in a long time:

“A spill of spaghetti, cooked and sauced, formed a sunburst at my feet, attended to by a cluster of pigeons.”

On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz.

After I finished it, I sent it to my friend Lois as I thought she would enjoy it. Next up was The Worst Time, about the dust bowl. It was very interesting! That one I sent to my Uncle Steve. Third, I read Waiting on a Friend by Natalie Alder. I loved how she writes, and her characters. I sent that one on to my friend Holly. After those three, I got sidetracked a bit and read The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson. I loved it so much I didn’t want to part with it, but I bought two copies and sent one to my Mom and one to my sister. It takes place mostly in the 1980s in Niagara Falls, Canada. I’m currently reading This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud, which takes place during the Irish potato famine. It’s a horror book with some Irish superstition in it, and very enjoyable. When it’s too hot and too smoky to be outside, your next best choice is indoors in the air conditioning on the couch with a book. And a cat, if you have one.

Craft Projects

I’ve sold maybe nine of the Wish You Were Here – Summer Vacation snail mail clubs, and do plan on putting one together for September. I’m getting ready for the Mutt Market, with only five weeks to go. Right now, I have all of the key chains and bag charms made but they need to be packaged up. I have so, so many bag charms I expect it will take a week to get them done.

I have one of three birdhouses painted but it needs to be sealed and the other two painted and sealed.

I plan on selling 3-4 mosaic garden bricks. I have my first three attempts that are just to test the concept, and they need to be grouted and sealed. I am also going to make a few driftwood sun catchers for gardens as well.

As I said, time is running out and I need to get busy. It’s just a challenge to work when it’s been so hot. And did I mention work has been stressful? I’m managing to get up every day, brush my teeth, shower, and get to work and try to get work done. But anything beyond that has been impossible. We haven’t had a salad in over a week, so maybe it’s lack of nutrients?

I did make up a batch of bracelets and bag charms under the Liberal AF design, and donated them to the Calhoun County Democrat Headquarters. I had hoped they would offer them for suggested donation of $10 each and make some money from them.

I did my own linocut block carving and printing on the packaging. It was a bit of an awkward exchange when I took them in, so maybe they pitched them in the dumpster right after I left. Who knows? I honestly thought they were super cute. The bag charms have “eat the rich” and “deport racist” charms on them. The bracelets spell out something like “liberal af”, or “vote dems” and the second of the bracelet duo has a charm that reads “hope”.

My World’s On Fire

As I mentioned, it’s hot and humid and smoky. I haven’t spent much time out in the garden this week, except for turning on and off the sprinkler, and dumping and filling the five birdbaths I have around the gardens at home. It seems as if our vegetable garden has been super slow to produce. The green beans are growing like crazy, but no flowers or beans yet.

I worked the Marshall Garden Tour as a volunteer hostess last weekend, which was a fun experience. The next day, I went to see the rest of the houses on the tour. I think the word of the year for gardens is “whimsy” which maybe would be good for me as a trend if I plan on working on garden mosaic bricks, suncatchers, and birdhouses. The Battle Creek Garden Tour is tomorrow, and Mom and I are going in the morning but will likely have to wear N95 masks.

Yeah, I’m struggling. But who isn’t at this point?

Summer Reads 2026

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 0 Good Reads, Summer Reads No tags Permalink
summer reads 2019

After a brief hiatus, I’m publishing a Summer Reads 2026. Not only that, I’m making a zine out of it, and I’m also sharing some of my favorite past reads which I think you should consider adding to your own Summer Reads 2026 list.

In 2011, I came up with my first ‘summer reads’ list, as selection of beachy reads and “good for me” non-fiction books to read between Memorial Weekend and Labor Day. I shared my list for the first time in 2014 on www.catobear.com (go there to see past full lists).

From 2014 – 2019, I dutifully shared each summer’s reading list and wrote brief reviews on each book. I came up with my lists by looking at the New York Times Bestseller list, Maureen Corrigan’s (NPR book reviewer) lists and reviews, and anything that I had seen online that looked good. Somehow in 2020, perhaps because of the state of the world, I didn’t read much or come up with a list. I returned in 2021, skipped in 2022, and again published my list in 2023 which was the last year of my full list. I did have a number of books I read and shared last year, but nothing official.

Over time, my list has become shorter, as free time seems to be much more precious these days. When I was young and had no responsibilities, my Mom would take us to the bookmobile each week and I would select the maximum number of books I could to take home and read (was it ten? 14?). I always read them all. In doing the summer reads as an adult, I normally selected between 8-10 books. This year, I am starting out with five, and if I finish all of those I can always add more.

My Summer Reads 2026

  • Last One Out by Jane Harper. Harper is one of my favorite authors. Her novels take place in Australia, and often involve mysteries. This book was published April 14, 2026.
  • The World Doesn’t End by Charles Simic. I love prose poetry, and would like to get back to writing some again.
  • On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz. This non-fiction book helps to give one a new perspective on seeing things you miss regularly. It honestly sounds amazing and I can’t wait to read it.
  • The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, non-fiction. This books shares some stories from the people who survived the American Dust Bowl. It won the 2006 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was featured in a Ken Burns documentary.
  • Waiting on a Friend by Natalie Adler. This new novel won’t be released until the end of May.

My Recommendations for Your Summer Reads 2026

For many folks, the idea of a summer read is a coastal romance with maybe a hint of mystery. There seem to be a number of books by Carley Fortune and Emily Henry on reading lists this summer. And honestly, in many years I’ve included books from Elin Hilderbrand and similar on my list. Who doesn’t enjoy those? But this list for you are some of my absolute favorite books, those that have stayed with me for years after reading them.

  • Joyland by Stephen King. This is my favorite of King’s books. It is spooky, not scary, and takes place in a theme park in the summer. It is also fabulous on audiobook, if you prefer your reading that way.
  • The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo. I just finished The Fox Wife, her newest novel and I have read The Ghost Bride as well. While the other two are very good, The Night Tiger is amazing. Historical fiction with a hint of supernatural, I felt myself transported to the locations in this book. I constantly recommend this book.
  • The Burning by Tim Madigan, a non-fiction book about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots. This book is fantastic, everything you would hope a non-fiction book could be in regard to teaching you not only about something you might not have known, but how it felt to be there. I wish high schools would require this reading in American history classes.
  • Into Thin Air by Job Krakauer. This book, a first person account of the disastrous 1996 climbing season on Mount Everest, will have you (as they often say) on the edge of your seat. While there have been some criticisms of how certain real people in the book have been portrayed, I encourage you to read this and then follow up with other accounts. Into Thin Air is one of those books you always see recommended on Reddit, and it deserves the recognition.
  • A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. This non-fiction memoir of a boy soldier and his participation during war in Sierra Leone also has a little controversy with some of the details, but I don’t think that impacts the powerful nature of this book. In fact, I think this should be taught in American high school English classes instead of four whole years of Shakespeare. It’s not easy reading (content-wise; it is a very fast read in terms of beauty of writing style), but I think it is one that should be on your list.
  • The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore is a historical fiction book about the surprisingly recent history of leprosy homes in this country. It’s a great novel, well written, and will stay with you.
  • The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Everyone loves Erik Larson’s writing. It feels like a novel, and is a mix of true crime and narrative non-fiction.
  • Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe. Want to learn a little more about the Troubles in Northern Ireland? This book won TIME Magazine’s Best Nonfiction Book of the Year. The audio book is also excellent.
  • State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. This novel was one I heard reviewed by Maureen Corrigan in 2011 and I had to read it. Fifteen years later, I still think about it monthly. You can feel yourself in the setting along with the characters. It is unexpected, and fantastic.
  • American Fire by Monica Hesse is amazing. It’s one of those books that I always recommend to everyone. It is non-fiction that reads like a novel, and I featured it in my Three Books mini-zine as well as on my website.

Do tell me what’s on your reading list for this summer, and let me know if you have read (or plan to read!) any of my recommendations. Happy reading!

Spooky Season Good Reads

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 0 Good Reads No tags Permalink

Spooky season started for me at the end of August, where I decided I would read nothing but spooky books until Halloween. But first, a quick catch-up on other recent reads from the summer.

I listed to Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe as an audio book. It was amazing. You probably know that I have a long obsession with Chicago’s public housing. This book takes place in the Robert Taylor homes before they come down. I loved every minute of it. The story is fantastic. The reading was fantastic. I highly recommend it. One of the best books I’ve read/listened to in a long time.

I had read reviews about Big Bad Wool, by Leonie Swann, which is the second in this series, and it sounded fantastic. I wanted to read Three Bags Full first though. It’s super cute, cleverly written book and I enjoyed it. It is a murder mystery, but I think that part is the least interesting part of the book.

Spooky Season Good Reads

I’m not entirely sure how you would classify Come Knocking by Mike Bockoven. It’s clearly a thriller. Is it horror? Maybe. I absolutely loved FantasticLand, which I listened to on audio last year. I wrote on my calendar when Bockoven’s next novel would be released and I picked it up to read right away. Like FantasticLand, each chapter is an interview. I understand they’ve just settled on starting the audio book and I bet that will be great, too. There’s quite a bit of body gore, so if you’re at all on the fence about that, maybe his books aren’t for you as the descriptions are quite graphic. I loved it though.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due is excellent. I guess it is a “ghost story” but the only horror of it is the way life was lived in Jim Crow south. That is beyond horror. It was a very fast read for me, despite being a good sized book, and I cried at the end. Highly recommend.

T. Kingfisher’s A House With Good Bones is a super fast read. It’s not super long, and the writing just makes your eyes dance over the page. As I was reading it, I instantly thought of my friend Kat and the way we talk, and I thought she has to read it. It’s fun and spooky. A nice read.

Spooky Season Good Reads

I’ve read a physical copy of one of Simone St. James’ books, The Sun Down Motel, and I really liked it. I listened to the audio book of The Haunting of Maddy Claire, and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it. I was not a huge fan of the narrator. Unfortunately, The Other Side of Midnight is narrated by the same person. If you’re going to give one of her audio books a try, I’d do a sample and listen to the narrator before you commit to it.

Spooky Season Good Reads

I’m currently about halfway through Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie. It’s a book that follows a reality tv ghost hunting show. The book is written through journal entries, emails, show notes, etc. which is a really interesting way to get the story out. I’m enjoying it so far.

My coworker lent me Weyward by Emila Hart, so I will likely take that on next, followed by Kylie Lee Baker’s Bat Eater. I’ve been reading more than crocheting in the evening, so I would expect I’ll get through a few more books after those two before Halloween.

What’s on your TBR?

June Crafts

Monday, July 7, 2025 0 Feral Cat Crafts, Good Reads, Living in Michigan, Misc. Blatherings, Summer Reads No tags Permalink
June Crafts purse charm

I somehow missed all of June. It was super hot and even when it was in the 80s, the humidity just sucked the life out of everything. I did manage to get some crafts done somehow, so here are the June Crafts update. First, I kept making purse charms (see above). I mostly did a beach or coastal chic theme for them, but this one above is a pink coquette theme. I put them up on my Etsy, and have sold none.

June crafts phone charm

I also made a ton of phone charms. I really like to make them, like the purse charms! I put them up on my Etsy, and again have sold none. I made one and did a tutorial for my YouTube channel (for the love of all that is holy, please please subscribe and if you watch a video, can you just like it? Please?), and put it on my own phone. It did hold up to the wear and tear, but it bugged me so much I took it off after about ten days. How do the young people manage to use phones with charms on them?

June crafts purse charms

Here’s some more purse charms! Only these aren’t for the store. My dear friend Amy came for a short visit to the shelter on her way to vacation, and I made her a cat-themed purse charm and a dog-themed one for her sister Mary (with whom I was on the school paper, The Crystal, back in 1993). Seeing Amy was one of the highlights of my summer for sure.

June crafts bracelet

Bob suggested I try making some bracelets, and so that is the plan for July. I’m making stacking bracelets, sets of threes. I’m also making some Halloween-themed bracelets, as I saw that people start searching Halloween stuff in July on Etsy. Will they sell? I don’t know. I like stackable bracelets, especially surfer or beach themed bracelets, but generally if it’s something I like, it might not sell.

I’m not officially doing a summer reads this year, but I have been reading. Since my last reading update, I’ve completed the following:

  • Hospital Hill by Katherine Anderson (hard copy)
  • The Long Walk by Stephen King (audible)
  • We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin (audible)
  • Paper Ghosts by Julia Heaberlin (audible)
  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods (hard copy)

I’m most of the way through the audible format of Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd, and I’m getting ready to start Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. The Long Walk was quite memorable and it’s coming out as a movie September 12. I’ve already forgotten what We Are All the Same in the Dark was about, though I know it was a murder mystery. Her Paper Ghosts was a murder mystery as well, and pretty good, about a woman who takes a suspected serial killer with dementia on her search to find out if he killed her sister, but I wonder if I will remember it in a few months. I felt the same about The Lost Bookshop, which was about 100 pages too long to get to the point it needed to make. Murder at Gulls Nest is about a nun who left her order to solve…you guessed it…a murder mystery! Again, kind of cute but probably will be forgettable after a few weeks. I need to update my reading journal and do a YouTube recording soon.

The Mutt Market is just over four weeks away. What all will I finish? I suppose some of it depends on how hot and humid my art space is. Last night it was over 80 degrees and I had two fans blowing on me. I managed to get a little work done, as it felt cooler in there than it had in the previous several days.

February Update

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 0 Art Projects, Etsy, Good Reads, Living in Michigan, Misc. Blatherings, Zines No tags Permalink
february update michigan weather

Holy cats, all of January has passed. Time for a February update. It has been a busy start to the year. I’ve kicked up my exercise routine, made significant changes to my eating, been reading and working on various projects. The weather has been rough for me. January was mostly below-average temperatures, including some single-digit highs. February is also expected to have mostly below-average temperatures. It is wearing on my soul, as often happens. I have seen flocks of robins here and there, and I suspect they aren’t enjoying it any more than I am.

Zines

february update zines

So far in 2025, I’ve sold three zines on Etsy. I created the 2024 Year in Review zine (Detroit Lions had a great year, zine illustration above). I also made a fast mini-zine, Alternative Things to Celebrate in February Other Than Valentine’s Day that I included in my pen pal letters. I’m working on a mini zine on haikus, and I started the full zine about the World Health Organization. The Year in Review was professionally printed, and I will do the same for the W.H.O. zine.

One of the zine purchases was a lovely person who purchased my Cats mini zine and a sticker for her mom for Valentine’s Day. I wanted to do up a really nice package, so I made a little mini-journal as well:

february update mini journal

If you would like to help me pay for my printing costs and receive a zine in the mail, check out my Etsy store here. All purchases get a few fun bonuses added. Maybe you’ll get some stickers, or a bonus zine, or an original Artist Trading Card!

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)

february update artist trading cards

You may recall in the past that I used to make and trade Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs. Or you might remember that I often make altered playing cards collage-style as a stress relief tool, and I even made a zine called Collage for Motivation (available on my Etsy store!). I am in an ATC group on Reddit and one on Facebook, and a few folks asked for trades so I sent out a few including these two (of three) from the series called My Blue Heart. The third one went in the Valentine’s Etsy order.

Valentine’s Projects

february update lip balm key chain

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, I always put together small packages of items for my staff members. I had been seeing these keychain charm lip balms on social media and on Etsy, and I decided to make some. It’s really fiddly work that requires good manual dexterity and good eyesight. I don’t have either of those things these days, so there’s a fair amount of frustration and swearing in the creation. I think they are cute, though. I hope the staff members like them.

Reading

february update reading

Finally, the February update for reading. I’ve listened to two of the Murderbot series audio books by Martha Wells. They are sci-fi and really short, like four-hour listens. I love them! They were recommended to me by a pen pal and I recommend them as well. I also picked up Shadows in the Ward by one of my pen pals, Katherine Anderson. It is a super fast and fun spooky read.

Misc. Thoughts

January again was a rough month. We had lots of anticipation as to what would happen after the inauguration, and the results have been even worse than I could have expected. Each day reading the news is a new horror. We are living in some weird timeline, a Star-Trek mirror universe. It is not good. So for the end of this February update, I encourage you to take time to take care of yourself and feed your soul. Just like on Twin Peaks (Twin Peaks Day is February 24), each day give yourself a present. Don’t plan it. Don’t wait for it. Just let it happen.

Reading Update December

Thursday, December 28, 2023 0 Good Reads No tags Permalink
reading update December Babel

It’s time for a reading update December style. All the things I read between spooky thrillers to the end of the year. I was glad to get back to reading this year and I’m already making plans for reading in 2024.

Babel by R.F. Kuang, pictured above, was quite good. It’s fantasy of a historical nature, taking place between England and China in 1830. It’s a good study in social structure and doesn’t have a very complex world or magic system to learn. Well worth the read if you like a book like I’ve described. I sent it on to my friend Kaciana, as she enjoys fantasy books as well.

reading update December Dark Matter

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a fast science fiction read dealing with multiple universes. I really enjoyed this one, and passed it on to my friend Liz when I was done. It’s absolutely readable even if you aren’t really into science fiction.

reading update December Black Sheep

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison tickled my fancy. It starts out having you believe one thing, and then kind of turns it on its head. It was quirky and entertaining. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but my coworker Shevy enjoyed it.

reading update December A Broken Blade

I’m currently reading Melissa Blair’s A Broken Blade. It’s true fantasy and is an entertaining read so far. I’m only a few chapters into it and then had to stop for some sideline projects. It is the sort of light reading that sucks you into the world it creates and doesn’t ask too much of your brain. It’s rather the opposite ends of the fantasy spectrum than Babel is.

I have a number of books up on my TBR list for 2024. I know I need to do a general update, but I’m not sure I will get to it by the end of 2023. The last few months were somewhat challenging as a whole, but I’m looking forward to the new year.

What are you reading now, and what’s next on your list?

Good Reads Thrillers

Thursday, October 26, 2023 0 Good Reads No tags Permalink
Good Reads Thrillers September House

It is the spooky season, and I’ve been tucking into some good reads thrillers this month. If you like true crime podcasts, Britbox mysteries and watching 48 Hours, these might be some good books for you. I’ve been following a lot of #booktok recommendations. Watching and then reading, you can kind of sort through which TikTokkers have similar reading taste to you, and which ones have no taste at all! I also wonder what they do for a living, based on how many books they read per week. Some of these I tore right through, and others dragged a bit. I’m a fast reader, but there’s no way I can work full time, do everything I need to around the house, and read eight books in a week.

First up on the good reads thrillers list is The September House by Carissa Orlando, which I am currently reading. I am really enjoying it and it is a fast read. It has an interesting premise, which the author reveals right away. The main character lives in a haunted house, and the haunting reaches peak each year in the month of September. It’s a haunted house, so you can expect some descriptions of gore and death.

good reads thrillers The One by John Marrs

Next up for good reads thrillers is The One by John Marrs. It follows several individuals as they interact with an online dating service that matches you to your one soul mate based on DNA. It was a super fast read, done in about five hours. There is some violence, and not all things turn out well in the end. Still, I think it’s well worth a read for its interesting concept and clear writing.

Good Reads Thrillers Wonderland

I am a sucker for a book about a carnival or amusement park. I do compare everything I read in this genre to Stephen King’s Joyland, which I consider to be the best. Wonderland wasn’t as good, but I still didn’t really expect the ending. It’s fairly long, and took me awhile to get through.

good reads thrillers Pretty Girls

Lastly, there is Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. Lots of folks on TikTok recommend it. I do not. It’s violent. It’s mostly about snuff porn. I wish I hadn’t read it.

What are you reading this spooky season?

Only Audiobook Fans

Wednesday, October 19, 2022 0 audiobooks, Good Reads No tags Permalink
Only Audiobook Fans - The Atlas Six

For some time now, maybe over a year, I’ve had difficulty concentrating on reading. For those of you who have followed me for some time, you know I always had a book going and did a yearly Summer Reads list. I still haven’t been able to get my reading mojo back, but I have been enjoying some audiobooks. I just started Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six and I’ll update when I’m done with that. Other audiobooks I’ve read this year are:

Only Audiobook Fans - The Institute

I’m going to link all book titles to their amazon page, however if you are interested in audiobooks there are other places to get them other than amazon/audible. Stephen King’s The Institute is long. I’m sure it’s crazy long if you read it. It took forever to listen to as well. I primarily do my listening when I’m cooking on the weekends and making dinner. The Institute wasn’t bad, really. I just compare every King book to my absolute favorite King book, Joyland. This is not as good.

Only Audiobook Fans - The Golem and the Jinni

One of the things about an audiobook isn’t just the story itself, but the narrator reading the book. I suggest if you are able, listen to a preview of the book before you pay for it because some voices may just grate on your nerves. I enjoyed the interesting story of The Golem and the Jinni written by Helene Wecker and it was well narrated. Another long listen, I find that months later I can’t seem to remember the ending. But the path that will get you there is worth a listen.

Only Audiobook Fans - Storm Front

Storm Front by Jim Butcher is book 1 of 17 in the Dresden Files books. It’s fantasy, wizard stuff and I really did enjoy it. Why are so many fantasy books long, long series? I never feel like I want to devote that much time. Are there any fantasy series you’ve read all the way through and think each one is worth it? Let me know in the comments. Anyhow, this book kept my attention, I enjoyed the story and the narrator, and it went quite quickly.

Only Audiobook Fans - The Last Thing He Told Me

My goodness, it’s been awhile since I’ve read Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me. It was a quick mystery, and not a bad one at that. Is it worth your time? I guess it depends on how much time you have. I strongly suggest you listen to the preview though, to see if you enjoy the narrator.

Only Audiobook Fans - 20th Century Ghosts

In July, I listened to Joe Hill’s 20th Century Ghosts. Here’s my description of that: They aren’t ghost stories in the traditional sense, though I suppose there’s one or two like that in there. It’s more the uncanny type of stories that will remain in your mind long after you’ve read them. I wasn’t sure with the first one or two, but now I highly recommend it. Many years ago I read a collection from Breece D’J Pancake, and there was one particular short story that never left me about a snow plow driver. This book is full of interesting tales like that one.

Only Audiobook Fans - The Second Life of Mirielle West

I loved listening to The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore. The narrative was great, the narrator was great, and the subject was great. If you like historical fiction, this book about life in the leper colony at Carville in the 1920s will captivate you.

Another fantasy book, Holly Black’s Book of Night is a fairly quick listen. If you loved Holly Black’s YA Modern Faerie Tales trilogy, this isn’t going to get you there. I’ve been chasing the dream of those three books since I read them years ago.

Only Audiobooks Fans - The Betrayal of Anne Frank

The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan is indeed a cold case investigation, perfect if you like listening to true crime podcasts. The team doing the investigation was thorough, and did come to a likely answer. In the end, the horror of those who were betrayed and those who did the betrayal left me feeling a bit of hopelessness.

Only Audiobook Fans - The Girl with the Golden Scissors

Julia Drosten’s The Girl with the Golden Scissors is the last audiobook I’ve completed. It’s a bit of historical fiction, taking place in Austria and Hungary just prior to and through World War I. It was a very fast listen, and a nice little story. Well worth the time.

Do you have any favorite audiobooks or narrators? What have you been listening to?

Misc. Summer Updates

Friday, July 23, 2021 0 Battle Creek, Good Reads, gouache, Living in Michigan, Misc. Blatherings, Painting, Summer Reads No tags Permalink
misc. summer updates - garden tour lily

Garden Tour

Ah, time again for some misc. summer updates. It is a busy time of the year, no? And I actually left the house and did something outside of work! Mom and I went to the Leila Arboretum Society‘s summer garden tour this year. We hadn’t been before. This year’s gardens were on the north side of town, and many were in very small lots. It is amazing to see what can be done in such a small space. If you’re interested in seeing some of the photos, swing over to My Michigan Garden. It was a really fun time, and I’m glad we went. I think, give it another year, Mom’s garden could easily be on the tour. It’s that good.

misc. summer updates - tim madigan's the burning

Summer Reads

I finished Tim Madigan’s The Burning last night. You know how a non-fiction book can be a horrific tale, but it is written so well and is so enlightening you’d call it a really good book? This is that book. I think anyone who reads it would be horrified over the events in Tulsa and how the story was essentially buried for so many years. I think you’d be hard put to read it and not think reparations are due, not just for slavery but for how black people in America have been treated every day since slavery supposedly ended.

Next book up is Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary. I told you I was no longer shopping at amazon, so I got the book from New Story Community Books in Marshall. They happened to have a signed copy in stock, but they can order whatever else you need. It is a fantastic store, and I highly recommend locals shop there! A friend recommended the book and I read a sample online, and I can’t wait to start reading it. I think it’s going to be really good. If I finish that and still have time on my summer reads, Tom Cooper’s Florida Man will be the book after that. Originally I only set three books and was concerned I wouldn’t have time to get through them, but all three books so far were very engaging and pretty fast reads. Don’t you think summer reading just hits differently? I love it.

misc. summer updates - gouache cat painting

Painting

We finished the HSSCM Pet Portrait fundraiser (here is the catalog). There is one painting that hasn’t come in, and I will need to paint it myself if it doesn’t make it by the end of the month. Currently, I’m doing a special cat portrait in gouache for a dear friend who lost her handsome panther just recently. You can see I have the colors blocked in, but that’s it. I figure it will take another three hours or so to finish it. I’d like to say it will be done this weekend, but I’m not confident in my time. After I finish this one, and the one that didn’t make it to the HSSCM event, I’ll hopefully get back to watercolor. I find the days are very long and hard, and by the time evening rolls around I’m too mentally tired to paint.

Can you believe we are nearing the end of July? The cicadas are singing on the hot afternoons, and smoke from the wildfires out west are creating hazy sunlight skies. Bob is quite busy at work, and will be attending some events coming up for his job. I’ll be attending the MSU Master Gardener conference virtually in August. My thoughts are already turning to Halloween. With no event, there will be no costume this year. But maybe I can entertain myself with some historybounding? Who knows. There are so many things I’d like to do to entertain myself, and so little time outside of work. And some of the hours (many of the hours) outside of work are still dealing with work issues.

Anyhow, hope your summer is going great.