Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End; Atul Gawande

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Atul Gawande

Macmillan Audio

It took me a while to write this review because it covered so much important information, I wasn't sure possibly write a review that would it all the credit it deserved, as I'm sure I will have glossed over lots of important information.  In the simplest of terms, for me the book was about how medicine can improve life and extend life, but t's also about quality life  --  knowing when enough is enough and when to stop treatments and stop fighting death?

For years a doctor's success was measured in part by how their patients lived, overlooking quality of life for length of life especially when terminal illness was a factor. Is the length of your life more important than how those last months or years are spent when you have a terminal illness?

This book is a must read for all baby boomers, for anyone who has an aging parent, grandparent, spouse or someone terminally ill in their family.  There is information about assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and hospice care. There are some very personal stories about people in nursing homes who have all but given up hope, and how animals introduced into their daily life have improved mood and given individuals a sense of purpose to their lives. again  Did you know that hospice care is NOT only for end of life care, and that most medical school students have no course preparation in geriatrics? 

I can't say that there is much that is upbeat about this book, but it is beautifully and compassionately written and easy to understand. I enjoyed the personal stories about from the author's family and practice as a Boston surgeon.  An important book for end of life decision making.

5/5 stars

(library audiobook)

Happy Thanksgiving

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to take time to reflect on why I feel thankful.  Sure life has had its ups and downs but, in the scheme of things, I know I'm more fortunate than many other women at this stage of life, and for that I'm grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving Readers

(just some of the reason we are thankful)

Peppa Pig and the Day at the Museum

Peppa Pig and the Day at the Museum

Candlewick Press

Peppa Pig is and her family are pretty darn cute. In this latest story Peppa and brother George are very excited about their first museum visit, even though they have no idea what to expect.  Peppa's all excited about the King and Queen room - fancy jewels and pretty gowns. George is anxious to see the dinosaur room (even though he's a little nervous), because Mummy and Daddy are there to reassure him. They even get to see a space exhibit, a pretend space ship, and try what a moon walk might be like. There's even a snack bar which ranks high on dad's list of favorites for this outing.

This is an adorable book that Peppa fans, as well as Peppa "newbies" will love.  The colorful illustrations will be a hit with young children and, the dust jacket even includes a coloring poster on the inside.

5/5 stars

(sent by publisher)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - A Newport Christmas Wedding; Shelley Noble

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon. 

A Newport Christmas Wedding; Shelley Noble

William Morrow-2015

(Kindle Version is $1.99)

CHAPTER 1

" MERI CALDER-HOLLIS SOON to be Meri Calder-Hollis Corrigan, stood on an antique wooden washtub in the middle of her grandmother's living room.  The tub had seen many incarnations.  First as the receptacle for Saturday wash days, then as a bed for several litters of puppies, kittens, and once a wounded fox.

For several summers it held geraniums by the front door, ice for the church picnic, and even borrowed for a photo shoot for a brochure of one of the mansions Meri was restoring at the time.  Today it was covered with a white sheet and served as a platform for the hemming of her wedding dress."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 

(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

The Little Snowplow; Lora Koehler and Jake Parker

The Little Snowplow; Lora Koehler and Jake Parker (illustrator)

Candlewick Press - 2015

In this cute story a small blue snow plow has to prove his capabilities when he sets out to work with the Mighty Mountain Road Crew.

To prepare the "little uno plow" gives himself a workout before the first big snow fall. He does fall clean ups and moves heavy concrete to prove to the bigger trucks he can handle a big blizzard.

In the spirit of "The Little Engine That Could", persistence pays off for the little blue snow plow.

The illustrations are terrific and there are plenty of trucks and visuals to entertain little ones. The snow plow has eyes for headlights and the grill for a mouth. Kids should enjoy this one.

4/5 stars

(sent by publisher)

Wildflower; Drew Barrymore

Wildflower; Drew Barrymore

Penguin Audio - Dutton - 2015

I fell in love with Drew Barrymore when she was just 7 years old.  My own daughter is Drew's age and I remember sitting with both kids in the theater watching E.T when they were little. Over the years I read about her childhood struggles, her unconventional parents and her movie successes, so I was anxious to read her new book, which she says -- isn't really a memoir. 

The book is a series of short stories that follows no particular chronological format. Drew talks about her hippie parents - never married, neither of which were capable of parenting. Her mother would take her to Studio 5 instead of to school. She states that what her parents did give her was a "blueprint of what not to do with her own kids one day".  She does speak fondly of her grandfather John Barrymore though.

When left to fend for herself too frequently she became a wild child and when her mother didn't know how to handle the situation she institutionalized her in a psych-based facility for a year.  When Drew was released at the age of 14 she petitioned the court to emancipate herself and the court allowed it. At 14, Drew got her own apartment, a job in a coffeehouse and dropped out of school.

Drew shares stories of her younger days, her professional life, exploring religion in India, skydiving, her visits to Africa and her sponsoring a child with AIDS, and how the experience made her realize she felt ready for motherhood.  She shares stories about how she met her husband Will and how welcoming and loving his family was, and how for the first time in her life she felt she was truly part of a family. She claims that she "hit the in-law jackpot".  Drew and her husband have two little girls, Frankie and Olive.

Because of the lack of a structured format this book never felt like a traditional memoir.  er story is clearly tempered and written knowing that her daughters will read this book down the road.  It's clear that all of the challenges that Drew faced as a child made her more resilient and gave her a "never give up" attitude.  I loved reading about her love of animals and her experiences with her own pets, as well as her experiences and love of motherhood.  The stories feel genuine and heartfelt.  So happy I listened to this one - narrated by the author herself.

(4/5 stars)

(audio sent by publisher)

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You - The Age of Reinvention; Karine Tuil

I came across this soon to be released title and thought it sounded pretty good. Hope to read it next month.

The Age of Reinvention; Karine Tuil

Atria Books - December-2015

(Description)`

An international bestseller and finalist for the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award, The Age of Reinvention is a suspenseful Gatsbian tale of a famous New York lawyer whose charmed and glamorous life is a sham.

"With a lie you can go very far, but you can never go back." –Anonymous Proverb

Elite Manhattan criminal defense attorney Sam Tahar seems to have it all: fame, fortune, good looks, an enviable marriage to a prominent socialite, and two wonderful children. But his life is a house of cards; everything that he has achieved stems from a single lie he told in a moment of weakness.

Because Sam Tahar isn’t who he pretends to be.

He grew up Samir Tahar, born into a poor Muslim family crammed inside a grimy Paris apartment tower, destined for a life on the margins, until one day he decided destiny would not have its way with him. “He was going to cut through the bars of his social jail cell, even if he had to do it with his teeth.”

Samir clawed his way to law school, where he became fast friends with Jewish student Samuel Baron. The two were inseparable until the alluring Nina, torn between the men, ultimately chose Samuel, the weaker of the two. Determined as ever to make something of himself, Samir left for America, chopped off the last two letters of his name and adopted Samuel’s life story and origins for his own. His former friend remained stuck in a French suburb, a failed, neurotic writer seething at Samir’s triumphs, still bound to an increasingly resentful Nina.

Twenty years later, the three meet again. Now, all their fates hang in the balance as their tangled love triangle collides headlong with the complex realities of life at the start of the twenty-first century. Called “a masterful novel...unquestionably one of the season’s best” (Paris Match) and “a work of great magnitude” (Le Figaro),The Age of Reinventioni s an intriguing, vital, darkly humorous tale about the wonderful possibilities and terrible costs of becoming someone else.

Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories; Audrey Niffenegger

Ghostly; Audrey Niffenegger

2015- Scribner

Ghostly, was a pleasant surprise, an awesome collection of short ghost stories. Each story can be completed in a short sitting, preferably by a nice warm fire or glowing candle with something warm to drink. 

Each story begins with a small intro and illustrations, and each selection has a specific theme as well: loss, cats, houses, children and unrequited love -- things and places that are often thought of as being haunted.  All are about death in some way.

I enjoyed almost every story in this collection. My absolute favorite was one written by the author: "Secret Life With Cats", which I found to be very personal and moving as well. The story of a lonely marriage, volunteer time at a cat shelter, an elderly woman who disappears and a new life. Other stories that I thought were great were: "A Black Cat," Edgar Allan Poe: a creepy mean man and a cat who get's revenge on him. Edith Whaton's, "Pomaganate Seed," was very good, as was "Tiny Ghosts"; Amy Giacalone, which was a ghost story that made me laugh, and "The Pink House"; Rebecca Curtis, which was deliciously creepy. "Honeysuckle Cottage" by P.D. Wodehouse was also very good as was "Click Clack the Rattlebag "by Neil Gaiman. One story felt seriously date, "They"; Rudyard Kipling.

It doesn't matter if you believe in ghosts or not to enjoy this collection, and I doubt that reading any of these stories will cause you to wake from sleep screaming either. The illustrations are lovely, and honestly, this may be a book that I'll have to buy and reread each October, I enjoyed it that much.

4.5/5 stars

(eGalley)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Family Tree; Barbara Delinsky

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon. This week's selection is a book club selection - haven't started it yet, but it looks like it might be a good discussion book for (15) women.

Family Tree; Barbara Delinsky

Doubleday - 2007

Chapter 1

"Something woke her mid-dream.  She didn't know if it was the baby kicking, a gust of sea air tumbling over the sill, surf breaking on the rocks, or even her mother's voice, liquid in the waves, but as she lay there open-eyed in bed in the dark, the dream remained vivid.  It was an old dream, and no less embarrassing to her for knowing the script.  She was out in public, for all the world to see, lacking a vital piece of clothing.  In this instance, it was her blouse.  She had left home without it and now stood on the steps of her high school--her high school--wearing only a bra, and an old one at that.  It didn't matter that she was sixteen years past graduation and knew none of the people on the steps.  She was exposed and thoroughly mortified.  And then--this was a first--there was her mother-in-law, standing off to the side, wearing a look of dismay and carrying--bizarre--the blouse."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 

(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

A Cold and Lonely Place; Sara J. Henry

A Cold and Lonely Place; Sara J Henry

Dreamscape - 2013

When I started this audiobook, I hadn't realized it was actually the second book of a (3) book series featuring Troy Chance. I hate when that happens, but despite that it was still a pretty good listening experience.

Troy Chance is a freelance write for a local newspaper in the Lake Placid, New York area.  As the story opens the village of Saran Lake is preparing for the annual winter festival.  Troy is out on the lake taking pictures of workers cutting away ice blocks as the prepare to build the ice palace.  While this is happening suddenly workers stop and a body is being pulled from the lake which Troy captures on camera.

The body is that of Tobin Winslow, the boyfriend of Troy's roommate Jessamyn.  Tobin lives in a cabin just outside the village, and although he came from money, he was somewhat of a drifter, spending lots of time in bars and drinking too much. So what happened to Tobin and why would a guy with everything going for him drop out of Princeton and try to escape his past?

This mystery had lots of possible suspects and honestly, far too many characters to keep straight especially in audio format.  Many of the characters are never fully developed of just mentioned once or twice, a few were even character Troy emailed.    I did love the protagonist, Troy. She comes across as a lonely but bright woman and a keen observer of people.  I also enjoyed reading about and learning more about Tobin, the victim as I was curious what happened to cause him to give up a life that many would envy to drift from place to place.

This mystery was far from perfect, but I still enjoyed listening to it.  I'm on the fence as to whether I'll go back and read the first book in the series, Learning to Swim.

3.5/5 stars

(library)

Sunday Blatherings

Good morning readers - sitting here with my second cup of coffee thinking about my Thanksgiving menu and shopping list (just 11 days away). This year Thanksgiving falls the day before my son's birthday (38), so it's yet another reason to be thankful. He is a terrific son: smart, kind, caring and sensitive, the kind of son that would make any mother proud.  I still worry about him a lot as he has a lot on his plate between job and family life and he never seems to take enough time for himself. Do we ever stop worrying about our children? Sometimes I wondered how got so lucky in having (2) wonderful kids who never gave me any trouble, given the fact I was far from a perfect mother. Much of the formative years, was spent as a single parent, just the 3 of us.  Do you think how children turn out is the luck of the draw?

This past week has been busy. We went to a flower show and saw a movie: Bridge of Spies (I didn't think I'd like this one, but loved it. But, then, anything Tom Hanks is in is usually fantastic. Have you seen this movie? I've also been trying to catch up on reviews and have a few more to post over the next week. I've been reading as well and just finished, Being Mortal  and Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories; A. Niffenegger  I loved. I've been struggling with Avenue of Mysteries, John Irving and not sure if I'll be finishing this one.  I also started, Drew Barrymore's memoir, Wildflower. I've always liked this actress and know she had a difficult childhood so I'm curious.

I've received some new books in the mail over the last few weeks, take a look.

• The Time Chamber; Daria Song (adult coloring book)
• The Wishbone Wish;Megan McDonald (Candlewick)
• Perfect Days; Raphael Montes (Penguin)
• Beatlebone; Kevin Barry (Doubleday)
• After the Crash; Michael Bussi (Machete)

Plans for  today - a short walk, browsing through cookbooks for holiday recipes, reading and well then the dreaded meal of the day:) Enjoy your week everyone.

Saturday Snapshots

Every Saturday, Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads hosts Saturday Snapshots. 

Around these parts, the leaves are pretty much all off the trees, and the frost has gotten the best of my outdoor fall mums so I look advantage of a nearby fall, flower show. It was amazing to be able to see color once again.

The Mare; Mary Gaitskill

The Mare; Mary Gaitskill
Pantheon - Nov 2015

The Mare was a heart rendering story about a young girl from the Dominican Republic now living in poverty in Crown Heights, New York.

Velveteen (Velvet) Vargas is the 11-year old girl at the heart of the story. Velvet lives with her mother and her 6 year-old brother.  Her mother, Silvia,  speaks no English and works long hours to put a roof over their head and food on the table, but still the family lives in poverty.  She is short on patience, favors her son Dante, and is sometimes verbally and physically abusive to Velvet. Deep down she cares for her daughter but does not know how to express her feelings.

When Velvet and her brother get a chance to leave the city for a few weeks in the  country over the summer, thanks to the Fresh Air Fund, their mother reluctantly agrees to let them go.  Velvet's host family is Ginger, an artist and recovering alcoholic and her husband, Paul, a professor.  Ginger is 47,  and Paul 57, and  Ginger longs to see what mothierng a child would be like. 

Velvet finds solace staying with the couple and is able to make inroads  with an abused, ornery, "mare" others at the stable call Fugly Girl.  Velvet renames her Fiery Girl which she feels better describes her spirit.  When Velvet first sees the scars on the mare's face, she describes the scars as, "the thorns on Jesus' heart." And, when Velvet cried in the presence of the horse, the anxious "mare" quieted as if she understood Velvet's personal pain.

The chapters alternate between the POV of mostly Velvet and Ginger, although there are occasional short chapters from the POV of Paul and Velvet's mother as well.  The story is tender, but never depressing or preachy.  It's a very readable story about the importance of finding a living, breathing connection to make the sad past feel less sad, and not losing hope.  The characters felt genuine, and although I really enjoyed the novel, I thought it was a bit too long, but definitely worth reading.

4.5/5 stars

(review copy)

$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America; Kathryn J. Edin & H. Luke Shaefer

$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing

Kathryn J. Edin & H. Luke Shaefer

Houghton, Mifflin and Harcourt - 2015

$2.00 a Day was quite the eye-opener for me.  The book is based on 20 years of research, this book outlines the effects of Welfare Reform (1996) on the poor.  The AFCD (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) program ended which put an end to cash subsidies to families with dependent children.  A return to work requirement was implemented for able-bodied individuals, and in lieu of cash subsidies, poor families, if eligible, began to receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), medicaid benefits, housing subsidies and childcare subsidies. The goal was to get poor people back to work.

Unfortunately, those entering the workforce often ended up in minimum wage jobs with variable schedules. This made finding childcare difficult, setting the newly employed single parents up for failure when they often found themselves without childcare. Financially,  even with EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) making ends meet proved difficult if not impossible for many.

The book profiles (8) different American families from different parts of the country who live in poverty, sometimes existing on as little cash as $2.00 a day, per family member. Some supplemented their cash flow by selling plasma, collecting bottles and cans and resorting to food pantries on a regular basis. The loss of job at some point was the number one reason for this level of poverty.

I enjoyed this book and I liked the way the book explored the "whys" of poverty and demonstrated how the working poor still struggle to make ends meet even when they played by the new rules.  This would be a great discussion book for college classrooms and book groups. 

4.5/5 stars

(library book)

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You - Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries; Martin Edwards

I've been searching for a few Christmas season books (no romance thank you). I came across this British mystery collection that was released last week, and it seems like the perfect type of book to read a store or two in front of the fireplace in the next month or so.

Silent Nights; Martin Edwards

Poison Pen Press - Nov - 2015

(Overview)

Christmas is a mysterious, as well as magical, time of year. Strange things can happen, and this helps to explain the hallowed tradition of telling ghost stories around the fireside as the year draws to a close. Christmas tales of crime and detection have a similar appeal. When television becomes tiresome, and party games pall, the prospect of curling up in the warm with a good mystery is enticing – and much better for the digestion than yet another helping of plum pudding.

Crime writers are just as susceptible as readers to the countless attractions of Christmas. Over the years, many distinguished practitioners of the genre have given one or more of their stories a Yuletide setting. The most memorable Christmas mysteries blend a lively storyline with an atmospheric evocation of the season. Getting the mixture right is much harder than it looks.

This book introduces of readers to some of the finest Christmas detective stories of the past. Martin Edwards’ selection blends festive pieces from much-loved authors with one or two stories which are likely to be unfamiliar even to diehard mystery fans. The result is a collection of crime fiction to savor, whatever the season.

Bookish Habits

Ti@Book Chatter came up with a fun post about reader's quirks and habits, saying, "We all have them, don’t we?"  Feel free to share your own "bookish habits" with the reading community.

Here are a few of my bookish habits. Feel free to add yours in comments!

1. Pristine books or eBooks only. After working in libraries for nearly 15 years, I've found some pretty disgusting things in well-read books.
2. Cover freak here - I've purchased  books with gorgeous art work even if it'll stay on my shelf unread for some time.
3. Kindle paper white reading in bed each night. It's easy on the eyes and I don't need to have a light on in the room.
4. Quirky memoirs, stories about dysfunctional families, school or campus settings are always books I'll eagerly try.
5. Favorite reading spots - my reading loft with comfy oversized chair and the perfect reading lamp for aging eyes.
6. Reading Companions - one or two lap cats in colder weather, and a soft, plush throw.
7. I always have my reading journal or at my side to make notes or jot quotes as I read. When not at home sometimes I'll just place sticky-notes inside the book and leave the journal at home.
8. Print Books or eBooks - I love both for different reasons.  If I own the physical book, I still try to download the eBook from the library if it's not already on my Kindle so that I don't have to tote a book when on the go. It's also a must for bedtime reading.
9. I use mechanical pencils to mark paragraphs and underline passages. Occasionally I've used pen - gasp.
10. I am obsessed with a Little Free Library in my daughter's town. I drop off all of my read books or books I no longer want there.  I do this every week except in winter as they remove it in winter to preserve it from the elements.
11. I almost NEVER keep a book I've read, (unless it's an eBook). The exception this year was, A Little Life, Yanagihara, a book that moved me, shook me and one I'd want to read again.
12. I usually drink tea, coffee or water when I read, but never eat while reading.
13. I have at least (10) unused book journals and dozens of special pens in a variety of colors designated for book journaling.
14. I've pretty much stopped buying physical books (there will be rare exceptions), and I've donated over 400 books in the last 5 years.  My physical library is now down to about 400 unread books. I'd like to donate about 50 more books by the end of 2015. I have about 1000 eBooks on my Kindle currently. Most were free to me, but I have purchased some in the past.
15. This might be a huge mistake but, I value the opinions of other readers a lot. I donate unread books based on average reviews. If the average review is not 4/5 stars the book gets donated when trying to cull a large collection.
16. I have spreadsheets for physical books, and spreadsheets for eBooks.
17. I no longer listen to books on cd. I love audio books but will only listen to ones I can download directly to my iPhone these days.
18. I need to read in a quiet room (no distractions, no music). I've tried coffee shops, but I'm a people watcher so that doesn't work for me, the beach is hard for this reason as well.
19. I've always wanted to be a part of a book group, but until last month I hadn't found a good one. I'm happy to say I think that's changed.
20. I NEVER go into a new book blind, I always read the overview from back cover or dust jacket before starting a new book.

Your turn to share your own "bookish habits" with us readers.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Small Blessings; Martha Woodroof

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

Small Blessings; Martha Woodroof

St. Martin's Press - 2015

Chapter 1

"There she was, as welcome in this insular community as fresh air in a multiplex, a woman who, rumor had it, risked being happy.  Tom had heard the most about her from Russell Jacobs, his colleague in the English Department, and now he was looking at her in the flesh, at this tall, slender, dark-haired creature, oddly stylish in her ill-fitting, baggy trousers and white T-shirt.

She stood not twenty feet away from him in the new coffee room, listening attentively to Russ, had glommed on to the Book Store's new assistant director as soon as she'd set foot on campus.  For Tom it was a moment to treasure.  Here at this isolated seat of southern learning, where everyone clung to busy-ness as though it were proof of an importance in the larger, more meaningful world, was a person who dared to seem relaxed, as though she had time to draw breath and listen to what someone was saying and even think about it for a moment or two. Imagine that!"

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 

(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

Coming Soon to a Bookstore Near You - A Christmas Escape; Anne Perry

I always like to try a few holiday themed novels this time of year. This one sounded pretty good to me.

A Christmas Escape; Anne Perry

November 10, 2015 - Ballantine Books

(Description from Amazon website)

For countless readers, Christmastime means a delicious new holiday mystery from New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry. A Christmas Escape, her thirteenth noel to the season, transports us to the Mediterranean island of Stromboli for an unconventional Yuletide adventure—and an unforgettable volcanic encounter.
 
Lonely Charles Latterly arrives at his small hotel hoping that the island’s blue skies and gentle breezes will brighten his spirits. Unfortunately, there’s no holiday cheer to be found among his fellow guests, who include a pompous novelist, a stuffy colonel, a dangerously ill-matched married couple, and an ailing old man. The one charming exception is orphaned teenager Candace Finbar, who takes Charles under her wing and introduces him to the island’s beauty. But the tranquility of the holiday is swiftly disrupted by a violent quarrel, an unpleasant gentleman’s shocking claims of being stalked, and the ominous stirrings of the local volcano. Then events take an even darker turn: A body is found, and Charles quickly realizes that the killer must be among the group of guests.
 
Captivating in its depiction of untamed nature in all its awesome power, and of the human heart in the throes of transformation, A Christmas Escape gifts readers with Anne Perry’s talent for making the season brighter—and more thrilling.
 

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Pursuit of Other Interests; Jim Kokoris

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

(After loving this author's newest book: It's. Nice. Outside., I decided to borrow one of his earlier books from the library).

The Pursuit of Other Interests; Jim Kokoris

St. Martin's Press - 2009

Chapter One

"He was doing his deep breathing techniques when his heart stopped again.  The purpose of the exercises was to lower his heart rate, but apparently he had mastered the technique so well, he was almost killing himself.  Lying on his back in his bed, nothing beating inside of him, he waited for darkness and then the revealing white light.  Instead he felt something kick in, felt life rush through him, an electric, hot current.  He sat up gasping for air, his hands at his throat."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 

(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

October in Review and November Plans

Where did the month go (or should I say year)? It's hard to believe in just 61 more days 2016 will be here.October is always my favorite month.  Even though I was busy I managed to get a good amount of reading in as well (good, enjoyable reads as well).

I finished (10) books and had (2) DNF this month:

1. Our Souls at Night; Kent Haruf - 5/5 (audio) (Oct)
2. The Gates of Evangeline; Hester Young - 4/5 (audio and eGalley) (Oct)
3. Becoming Ellen; Shari Shattuck - 3.5/5 (print & eGalley) (Oct)
4. The Beautiful Bureaucrat; Helen Phillips - 4.5/5 (print) (Oct)
5. We Were Brothers: a memoir; Barry Moser - 4/5 (eGalley) (Oct)
6. This is Your Life Harriet Chance; Jonathan Evison - 5/5 (eGalley) (Oct)
7. Peg & Cat: The Race Car Problem; Jennifer Oxley & Billy Aronson - 4/5 (print) (Oct)
8. The Lake House; Kate Morton - 3.5/5 (arc) (Oct)
9. It's. Nice. Outside; Jim Kokoris - 4.5/5 (arc) (Oct)
10. Salem's Lot; Stephen King - 4.5/5 (audio) (Oct)

• DNF- In the Unlikely Event; Judy Blume - (Oct)
• DNF- City on Fire; Garth Risk Hallberg (Oct)

Favorite Books  

RIP X Challenge

Gotta love this challenge (year 7 for me).  I committed to reading (4) books and actually read (5) .

RIP X Choices

• Hollow Heart; DiGrado - 4/5 (read 9/21/2015)
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest; Larsson - 4/5 (read 9/10/2015)
• The Fall of Saints; Ngugi - 3/5 (read - 9/3/2015)
• The Gates of Evangeline; Hester Young - 4/5 (read 10/4/2015)
• Salem's Lot; Stephen King - 4.5/5 (audio) 10/29/2015

November Plans

• The Mare; Mary Gaitskill
• After You; JoJo Moyes
• Avenue of Mysteries; John Irving
• $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America; Edin
• The Invaders; Waclawiak
• Family Tree; Delinsky (bookclub read)