A Most Curious Murder

By: Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli

Libby audiobook 9 hours

Read by: Marguerite Gavin

Published: 2016  

Genre: murder mystery.

This is another one that I found by looking for available murder mystery audiobooks. It wasn't as bad as some of the others I've read lately, but I didn't love it.

"Jenny Weston moves home to Bear Falls, Michigan, to nurse her bruised ego back to health after a bitter divorce. But the idyllic vision of her charming hometown crumbles when her mother's little library is destroyed.

The next-door neighbor, Zoe Zola, a little person and Lewis Carroll enthusiast, suspects local curmudgeon Adam Cane. But when he's suddenly found dead in Zoe's fairy garden, all roads lead back to her. Jenny, however, believes Zoe is innocent, so when the two women team up to find the true culprit, investigating the richest family in Bear Falls, interrogating a few odd townspeople, and delving into old, hidden transgressions - until another body turns up."

The reader did a fabulous job making the different characters sound unique. It threw me for a bit that "Zoe" was pronounced "Zo" and not "Zoey," but that's just based on my relationships with people who spell their name "Z-o-e."

The ruined Little Library bothered me more than I can say. Sign out sheets? Blueprints for a replacement library? Helpers to "man" it after it's rebuilt? Where on earth does a LFL like this exist? All the ones I've seen are "take one / leave one" and self-service. That said, it was so sad that something so wholesome was destroyed along with all the books being ripped apart. I liked that Mr. Weston had built it for his wife before he died and made it look like their home.

I loved the allusions to literature! Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, . . . the literary aspect of this book is fantastic! (Zoe Zola is a fairy tale writer building off famous works.)

I kind of wish the author had done more with how the sisters got to be Jenny (trouble-maker) and "Lisa the Good." Clearly, Jenny had a lot of jealousy and feelings of inadequacy around her sister. I didn't really care for Jenny as a protagonist.

Adam, Aaron, and Abigail Cane . . . very interesting aspects to this story and why things happened the way they did. The actual heart of the mystery and who killed the brothers was well-written.

Johnny was clearly an alcoholic and a nasty person. Him leaving Jenny for Angel EIGHTEEN years earlier should not have still been a sticking point for Jenny! I know she was feeling upset because he ditched her (and upended her dreams) when she was young AND her husband just ran off with a client . . . but the way she had unresolved feelings about a teen boyfriend was too much for me. I was actually yelling at her in my car. When she went looking for him after midnight at a bar, I was just done with her. I thought surely he was on the verge of confessing that he was the one who killed her dad in a hit and run all those years ago . . . but that whole scene was just a teaser. And infuriating. 

The whole Mrs. Minnie Moon and her 19 year old daughter Deanna . . . seriously. Johnny ditched you when you were 18 and traumatized by your father's death. He got Angel pregnant and married her. They have two more children now. He's running around with your teenage neighbor. But you STILL don't know how you feel about him?!?! How could you remain in "love" with your teen sweetheart with whom you built an amazing fantasy life . . . for eighteen years?!?!? Grow up!

The mom, Dora Weston, was an amazing woman filled with compassion and kindness. Tony the carpenter (and former cop) was also a wonderful character. Just as I had thought that at least this story didn't have a flaky romance aspect to it, Tony and Jenny started getting flirty. 

The New York publisher Christopher most likely would not have made a trip to Michigan to visit his author Zoe Zola while she was told "not to leave town." 

 

Penelope was Jenny's former classmate and a very focused lawyer. 

 

One of the two of these characters had a great line: "I don't bother saying things I don't mean."

Since I listened to this mostly while driving, my notes aren't very detailed. I enjoyed the word play and literary allusions, but I disliked the stupid things that amateur sleuths (Jenny and Zoe) did while poking around.

The Alchemist

By: Paulo Coelho

Translated by: Alan R. Clarke

Scott County Library paperback 171 pages plus preview of Warrior of the Light

Published: 1988, 1993, 2014

Genre: novel, drama, fantasy fiction (I had to look these up because I was struggling to classify it!)

A friend recommended this book to me. I had heard of Coelho, but had not read any of his books before. This story seems like a philosophy or allegory to me. Coelho is Brazilian and has written quite a few books.

Wikipedia's nutshell description: "The story follows Santiago, a shepherd boy, in his journey across North Africa to the Egyptian pyramids after he dreams of finding treasure there."

 

There's much more to it, of course, but Santiago is a wonderful protagonist.

 

Page 18: "Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

 

Ooh! My sister Ann and I have talked about this before! It's much, much too easy to identify what other people "should" do to "fix" their problems, but much harder to focus on and work on one's own "stuff."

 

Page  24: "'It's a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your Personal Legend. It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth.'"

The old man is teaching the shepherd about this (what I call) philosophy of life. In Christianity, I would call this finding God's purpose for your life. 

Page 27: "The old man looked disappointed. 'If you start out by promising what you don't even have yet, you'll lose your desire to work toward getting it.'"

I found that an interesting observation. The shepherd boy has told the old man that he will give him one-tenth of his treasure after he finds it. The old man knows a thing or two about motivation and drive.

Page 30: "He was sure that it made no difference to her on which day he appeared: for her, every day was the same, and when each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises."

Santiago is thinking about the merchant's daughter, but I like his observation that people fail to recognize the good things. I love that my husband has a very positive, optimistic, appreciative attitude. I try to live with gratitude and joy.

Page 38: "If God leads the sheep so well, he will also lead a man, he thought, and that made him feel better. The tea seemed less bitter."

Coelho weaves imagery from many faiths, including Christianity. The parallels of Santiago as a shepherd and the Bible's description of the Lord as our Shepherd were delightful. This especially resonated for me since reading W. Phillip Keller's A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

Page 42: "But now I'm sad and alone. I'm going to become bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me. I'm going to hate those who have found their treasure because I never found mine."

I don't think most young people who have been hurt as Santiago was hurt would be this self-aware. It's true, though. It's easy to become bitter and distrustful when you're alone and have been wronged.

Page 43: "Now he understood why the owner of the bar had been so upset: he was trying to tell him not to trust that man. 'I'm like everyone else - I see the world in terms of what I would like to see happen, not what actually does.'"

 

Poor Santiago! To be robbed of everything he had so soon after arriving to find his treasure is sad. Again, his self-awareness of how unaware he was just a little earlier . . . I think it takes longer for most of us to have these kinds of realizations.

Page 45: "As he mused about these things, he realized that he had to choose between thinking of himself as the poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of his treasure."

Yes! We have to choose how to see ourselves! Victim or adventurer? Lost or chosen? This is an important point.

Page 60: "'I don't want to change anything, because I don't know how to deal with change. I'm used to the way I am.'"

The crystal shop keeper was keeping it real! There are times I resist change and just want to stay in my familiar comfort zone. Lord, help me to be open to the changes you want to see in me! I love how Santiago made changes to improve the man's business and Santiago's own situation.

Page 86: "The boy went back to contemplating the silence of the desert, and the sand raised by the animals. 'Everyone has his or her own way of learning things,' he said to himself. 'His way isn't the same as mine, nor mine as his. But we're both in search of our Personal Legends, and I respect him for that.'"

 

The Englishman who wanted to be an alchemist was a good foil for the wisdom of "the boy" Santiago. (I wonder how old Coelho imagined him to be.)

 

Page  146: "'If a person is living out his Personal Legend, he knows everything he needs to know. There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.'"

The real alchemist is coaching and challenging Santiago. This section gets kind of weird because Santiago has to "turn himself into the wind" to prevent being killed by Arab soldiers. I do agree that fear of failure can make it nearly impossible to achieve your dreams.

Page 155: "'That's what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.'"

Interesting take . . . when I hear "alchemist," I think like the Englishman - someone who turns common metals into gold. I like the idea of improving oneself and impacting others around us positively.

Coelho has the alchemist tell the boy a story (pages 161-163) about a soldier during the time of Emperor Tiberius in Ancient Rome. I quickly caught on to the point of the story. The excerpt below is the angel telling a man about his son the centurion.

"'Your son went to serve at a distant place, and became a centurion. He was just and good. One afternoon, one of his servants fell ill, and it appeared that he would die. Your son had heard of a rabbi who was able to cure illnesses, and he rode out for days and days in search of this man. Along the way, he learned that the man he was seeking was the Son of God.'"

 

I love this story within a story. The man thought his son's poems made him immortal, but the angel pointed out that "when the reign of Tiberius ended, his poems were forgotten." It was his interaction with Jesus that was remembered.

 

I enjoyed reading this book and would gladly re-read and discuss with others. It will not replace my belief in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, though. And I do not want to pursue a "Personal Legend."

Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement

By: Suzi Parron with Donna Sue Groves

free copy paperback 226 pages

Published: 2012

Genre: nonfiction

I'm only on page 80, but I'm heading to a barn quilt painting class and I want to donate this book, so I'll blog this right now.

 

I liked the personal stories, but she interviewed a LOT of people and gathered a LOT of information. I like the "Lemon Star" story.

Page 12: "Those hand-drawn copies led to a humorous incident at Moyer Winery and Restaurant. Donna Sue said, 'The artist who was supposed to paint the quilt square on their barn lost the template, so he just went to the library and got a book and looked up LeMoyne Star. The next Saturday morning a bunch of quilters came to see it, and those women said, "No, that is not a LeMoyne Star!" and they knew - the points weren't directed the right way! The restaurant called me, and I called Mother and we assessed the situation. Mother called it "a variation of the LeMoyne Star, which shall forever be known as the Lemon Star!"' A year later, Donna Sue discovered that the templates could easily be created electronically, using Electric Quilt's BlockBase software, which saved Maxine Groves a lot of time and has since become a staple of barn quilt committees across the country."

It was interesting that the author was trying to find the source of the barn quilt phenomenon . . . but it seems that many communities were doing this and some learned from other groups.

Page 23: "I was reminded of Donna Sue's explanation as to why quilt blocks were mostly painted on boards and then mounted - the less time spent above the ground, the better for all concerned."

Safety is key! Those 4'x8' sheets of plywood can get pretty heavy.

Page 42: "Carole continued, 'We really enjoyed the project, and we tell our grandchildren, "This is all we are leaving you!" Hopefully, we have gotten them interested in doing community projects and art projects, and it'll come to fruition later. You never know.'"

The idea of legacy and what we're leaving for our children and grandchildren fascinates me. I like the focus on doing community projects and art projects, but I don't think that's the legacy I most want to leave.

 

Page 57: "Speaking of her experience as a judge at quilting competitions, Marcella stated with great conviction, 'I do not approve of quilts being machine quilted. I could never put a first blue ribbon on a machined quilt - it's not a quilt.' She is, however, quite fond of her painted quilt and often serves as a hostess when a tour is scheduled."

Wow. Kind of a quilt snob. I'm glad Minnesota Quilters has different categories for hand quilting and machine quilting. For her to say, "it's not a quilt" seems blatantly wrong.

 

Page 176: "'Really,' Kathi said as she slid a buttery Danish Kringle into the backseat of my rental car. 'I'm not sure it's just about the farm or about quilting. It's about community. I have met so many people through this project who are now like family to me.' Her comment echoed a sentiment that by now I had heard many times."

 

I like that observation. (I was looking through the rest of the book at my barn quilt painting class tonight. This quotation just jumped out at me. I love quilting (and painting a quilt block is just not the same as working with fabric!) but the focus on community and connecting with other people . . . I really like that focus.

 

My biggest frustration was that I often wanted to SEE the barn quilts that she was describing. Some of the photos are in the book, but many are not. I'm sure the editor (or perhaps the author herself) wanted to limit the photographs and have fewer larger photos, but this reader wanted to see all the quilts that were talked about. 

 

I gave the book to the instructor to give away as a prize. I was the second person to finish my block, so I left before the evening was done.

The Atlas of Untold Stories

 By: Sara Brunsvold

Jodi's copy paperback 327 pages plus excerpt from The Divine Proverb of Streusel (which I've already read).

Published: 2025

Genre: Christian contemporary fiction

Oh my! We're discussing this at book club in less than an hour and I have an absolute FLURRY of post-it notes! Reading this has made me request The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip to re-read. I remember that I absolutely loved that book by Brunsvold! This one is good, even great (but that one's better).

Moria Mondell was an exacting, unemotional mother to Edie Vance. Edie has done her best in raising Lauren and Chloe, but there is definitely some distance in their relationships (as well as estrangement from Edie's sister Gabriella). When Chloe proposes a literary road trip to make memories, Edie has no idea how she will begin to examine her role as a mother.

Page 51: "Refusal played a big role in her mom's life. It had edged out rationality more than once."

Edie and Lauren are having coffee and maintaining their solid walls of propriety. Rather than accepting advice or help with her late mother's estate, Edie is placing herself in the role of a martyr who has to take care of everything herself. I recognize this role! (My mother did this a lot.)

Page 59: "She bowed her head, closed her eyes, and whispered one more time to the only ears that could hear, 'Take us where we are meant to go.'"

Though Chloe could be impulsive and too starry-eyes, she was also the most positive of the three Vance women and I loved her faithfulness to God. I love that her prayer wasn't for her own plan to work out, but for God to take them where they needed to go.

Page 61: "Thorough plans equaled thorough command. With every item she ticked, her breath steadied."

I have to admit that I didn't like Lauren very much. At times, I could empathize with her, but mostly she was just too tightly wound and controlling. Her exercising, eating disorder, stoicism, etc. got old fast. She is the LAST person I'd want to go with on a road trip!

Page 75: "Younger sisters didn't know the level of protective thinking that took place on their behalf."

Interesting . . . I should ask my older sisters if they felt this way toward me growing up. In our current stage of life, I don't feel as though they "look out" for me. But perhaps I'm just oblivious!

Page 91: "Whatever it was, she couldn't force it before its time. Light always found what was hidden. Eventually."

Here, Chloe is certain that something is deeply wrong with Lauren. But in a bigger sense, this is a powerful truism. Light will shine. The sooner, the better, in my opinion!

Page 104: "Per the ruthless menopausal curse, she had sweat through her single sheet. Even if she had spooned the air-conditioning register, the midlife maven would have brought her to such a state."

Something about the way Brunsvold wrote this just brought a smile to my face. I'm thankful my menopausal temperature issues weren't too horrible, but this made me laugh just the same. If you know, you know.

Page 117: "History was only thoughts until you could look it in the face."

The three women are at the Orphan Train Museum in Kansas. The reality of what those children experienced is powerful and overwhelming, especially for Edie.

Page 151: "Too much freedom was sacrificed on the altar of pride."

This whole scene (and what happens after with Aunt Gab) makes me glad I'm not overly prideful! The loss of relationship between Edie (Edith) and her sister Gab (Gabriella) is hurtful to Chloe, who tries to "fix" things. (The song Where the Spirit of the Lord Is, There Is Freedom is running through my mind right now.)

Page 160: "Her mom may not have realized it as they wound through the clusters of people, but the memories they would make that day would be praises that they would raise the rest of their lives. God would make sure of it. Walking in faith was an adventure like none other."

Yes! Walking in faith is a fantastic place to do life! There were many times in this book where I wondered if / when Edie and / or Lauren would ever understand the source of Chloe's joy.

Page 200: "On a road trip aimed at celebrating perspective-shaping books, her mom and sister staunchly remained the main characters in their own stories. What was the point in relishing books if you didn't allow them to lift you out of your silo? What was the point of a road trip if not discovery?"

Ooh. . . I don't think her mother or sister would have appreciated Chloe's observation had she expressed it aloud. I loved this, though. I know people who have definite "main character" energy . . . 

Page 217: "Splendor always unfolded for those patient and trusting enough to wait for it."

This was when they checked in to their AirBNB, only to find that Olga was scary and they had the cramped garage, not the main house. I love Chloe's spirit of adventure, but I can also understand Edie's and Lauren's frustrations. Traveling together sometimes requires some time and space apart.

Page 239: "Shame reached its pinnacle when laid bare before a parent."

I'm not so sure I agree with this, but perhaps that's because both of my parents have been dead for a long time and I was one of their care-givers the last few years of their lives. I love that Brunsvold did a lot of family and relationship "work" in this novel. Opening the story with Edie's recollections of her mother's emotional neglect really set the tone for a lot of this book.

Page 246: "I have been a mother for thirty-two years, and I am still lost on how to do it with a modicum of wisdom. I am huddled alone on a thin bench in the punishing wake of secrets revealed, and I have no idea how to steer us to the place we need to go. How are we this far in and farther apart from each other than when we started?"

I was glad that Edie started using the journal that her husband Grant had given her at the start of the trip. Her dependence upon him was interesting. Her meditations resonate for me, though I don't really feel distant from my children.

Page 260: "Minutes, hours, days all passed with insensitive swiftness, too fast for any mother to relish them. Why hadn't she relished them while she could have?"

Chloe and Edie are riding the little tram thing to the top of the St. Louis Arch. Chloe set her timer for the duration of the ride to help Edie with her anxiety. Seeing the numbers tick down make her more cognizant of the overall passing of time. The lines above made me reflect on all my impatience and "countdown" mentality when my kids were growing up. I wish I had lived more in the moment and cherished the time I had with them then.

Page 273: "Middle school Lauren was Chloe's favorite version."

I loved that Chloe had some fond memories from their younger years! My sisters felt like different people at different times in the past.

Page 275: "Lord, I don't know what to do with all this. How do you sway stone hearts?"

Poor Chloe! She was trying so hard to encourage and to build relationship with both her sister and her mom. Thankfully, she turned to prayer - always a good choice!

Page 285-6: I'm not going to quote this, but I absolutely loved when Chloe clapped back at more of Lauren's martyrdom and how she had always had to rescue Chloe and be her safety net. Chloe's response is a powerful witness of how God is her rock and redeemer. She tells Lauren exactly how it is for her!

Page 288: I have no idea who Harold Bell Wright is or what his The Shepherd of the Hills book is about. Most of the literary references and authors were very familiar to me. I had to look this one up! It was fascinating to read on Wikipedia, 

"But it was Wright's second novel, The Shepherd of the Hills, published in 1907 and set in Branson, Missouri, that established him as a best-selling author. That book also attracted an overwhelming number of tourists to the little-known town of Branson, resulting in its becoming a major tourist destination." 

I've never been to Branson, but of course I've heard of it. Fascinating!

Page 300: "Heat streamed through her. Not from shame or summer or sweat. From the answer to the question she didn't yet have the words to ask. Her unformed plea for grace, met before it was uttered. Their mom, in the face of her own overwhelming fear, only wanted to chase Lauren's away."

This was the scene that broke things! Chloe, then Lauren, decide to climb the tall rickety tower. When Lauren gets to the top, everything she's been holding to so tightly breaks and she sobs. Her mom climbs up the tower to comfort her! Beautiful catharsis

Page 302: "The younger generation became more enigmatic every day."

This is in response to Chloe telling her dad that mom was "a beast" and Chloe assuring her mom that it was a good thing. I've often been with Edie, not sure what the "younger generation" is talking about.

Page 306: "Truth grew heavier the longer it was withheld."

It's also true that it gets harder to express the longer you wait to express it. Even after Lauren's sobbing at the top of the tower, it takes her until later the next day to tell Chloe and then her mom about all the things that had happened to her.

Page 310: "'You are so strong, Laur. You know that?'

The response, gentle and pure, stole her breath. Then, just as quickly, it invited her to take her fill of peace."

I love how Chloe responds when Lauren finally shares about getting fired, Duncan ghosting her, not getting other job offers, etc. I love Chloe's encouragement and steadfast love for her sister.

Page 317: "Lauren had not been pretending she didn't need anyone. She truly had believed it, much like their mom had believed she wasn't worth the effort. God had helped them see. He had taken each of them by the hand and shepherded them toward where they were meant to be and what they were meant to find."

Great way to finish the road trip! When we trust in Him, He leads us well.

Page 320: "She smoothed the comforter as the memories took her back to another, simpler era, when time with the girls at home seemed to be nowhere close to running out. How fast it had all gone."

"She couldn't reach that little girl she once was. She couldn't do a thing to change her mother's choices. She couldn't take back any words or choices of her own as a mother, and there were far too many to count. But she could use the rough beginning to craft a better ending."

 

This whole section at the drive-in theatre with Edie's thoughts and conversation with Grant . . . touching and genuine. Life flies by, especially when measured by our children. And we cannot go back in time or impact our parents' parenting choices. 

Page 324-327: This closing scene had me bawling. Beautiful. I loved it.

The Audacity of Hope

Subtitled: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

By: Barack Obama

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: the author

Published: 2006

Genre: nonfiction, autobiography, politics

I'm glad I got this and listened to it. What a wonderful man! Intelligent, reflective, thoughtful, caring . . . He wrote this while he was a U.S. Senator from Illinois. Having read Michelle Obama's Becoming, I have a whole new perspective! I remember thinking she was "whiny" about him being gone too much and her shouldering the burdens of parenting. Ha! I bet she felt like a single mom with the demands of his political campaigns and crazy hours. I'm so glad for both of them that they have a strong marriage. To have made it through the presidential years . . . they're both amazing people. 

I briefly thought that I should read a book by Donald Trump, but I don't think I could stomach it. He typically brags about himself and is awful toward other human beings. I just don't think I could spend time reading anything he wrote.

One thing that bothered me in this book is the degree to which the media controls what we hear about. Since sensationalism and negativity are more "interesting" than boring topics with little divisiveness, the froth just keeps getting stirred up. I know many journalists truly care about finding and reporting the truth of what is happening, but we only seem to hear the outrageous sound-bites. This makes me sad.

At the very end of the book, the end notes (not in Obama's voice) said that this was produced "and abridged" by . . . Ugh! I hate abridgements! Now I feel as though I ought to get a copy of the print book and read the whole thing again. But not now.

The Let Them Theory

By: Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins (her daughter)

Libby ebook 20 chapters plus extras

Published: 2024

Genre: self-help, non-fiction (Libby also has the tags "business," "economics," and "self improvement")

 

A friend highly recommended Mel Robbins and so I requested some of her titles via various library systems. The first one I got was High Five from the Scott County Library. I had so many other titles on my reading pile that I loaned it to one of my sisters, who liked it so much she wants to buy a copy!

When I got this on one Libby, I started reading it along with a few other titles. Now it's due in a few hours and I'm only on chapter 7 . . . I may or may not make more progress before returning it.

The 5 Second Rule was published in 2017. 

The High 5 Habit was published in 2021. 

The Let Them Theory was published in 2024.

Mel Robbins has a very interesting personal story, which she shares in various anecdotes to illustrate her points. I sort of want to buy all three of these titles for my sister, but she can buy them if she chooses. For me, although I understand and appreciate the points the author(s) make(s), I do not feel as though these books will enhance my life. Salvation through Jesus Christ and turning my thoughts to Him have done much for my mental health and well-being over the decades. Still, I did highlight some parts that I'll share here. Again, this is just from her most recent book The Let Them Theory.

Introduction: "You'll never feel ready to change your life. One day, you just get tired of your own excuses and force yourself to do it."

My struggle is with loved ones who are still "stuck" in lamenting their situation but not yet tired enough of their excuses. Yet I cannot "help" them get to that point.

Chapter 1: "All human beings have a hardwired need for control.

We all have an innate desire to control everything about our lives: out time, our thoughts, our actions, our environment, our plans, our future, our decisions, and our surroundings."

She goes on to talk about how the only thing you CAN control is yourself. When we try to control other people, we're just setting ourselves up for frustration. She does a really nice job of setting up her "Let Them" theory by pointing out that we can deal with the frustrations in life by saying "let them" do . . . whatever. And "let me" . . . choose my reactions, options, etc.

Chapter 2: "And let's be real - control gives us the illusion of safety."

This made me grin. "Illusion" is a good word here. Life is full of risks and dangers. There's really very little that we truly have control over.

Chapter 2: "Any psychologist will tell you, the more you try to control something you can't, the more anxious and stressed out you become."

Amen! It's an exercise in futility and frustration. I'm thankful that I'm not the control freak I was in the late 80s / early 90s. Sometimes God needs to get my attention about what I'm saying / doing in this regard, but I definitely don't get as stressed out as I used to!

Chapter 2: "Let Them dismiss it. Let them go with a different idea. Their response doesn't change the value of your idea. It doesn't change your worth as a contributor. They might have gone with a different strategy, but that doesn't mean yours wasn't a great idea. You're still the same person with the same talents and ability to succeed, and the fact that you had an idea to pitch proves it!"

She's talking about a work environment. I hope younger people are reading this book and applying this theory. Feeling unappreciated at work is a very difficult thing to continue pushing through. This change in attitude can be helpful.

Chapter 3: "You can't control how other adults behave, and stressing about it diminishes your power."

It's funny that I can picture specific people as I'm reading this book. I love being at a place in life where I don't get as stressed out. One biggie is staring me in the face, but it's more complex than Let Them / Let Me. . . . Or is it?

Chapter 3: "When you let the world around you impact your emotional state and peace of mind, you become a prisoner to these external forces."

Oh my word! Our current POTUS is severely impacting many people's peace of mind right now. There is very little I can do to change how he "governs" or who he is as a human being. There are people I care deeply about who are absolutely tormented because of the decisions he's making and the negative impact it has on people all over the world. I care, but I refuse to let my mental health be ruined by Mr. Trump.

Chapter 3: "There's this famous quote about life from Greek philosopher Epictetus, 'It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.' What does that mean? It means that your personal power is in how you react."

This is quite a familiar quotation, but few of us internalize the message. I have choices about how I'll respond to situations. Sometimes my choices are not fantastic, but I have choices.

Chapter 3: "Focusing on what you can't control makes you stressed. Focusing on what you can control makes you powerful."

I love the situation she uses to illustrate this!  A man is hacking and coughing on a crowded flight. After glaring at him, she asks him to cover his mouth when he coughs. When he doesn't, she puts a scarf over her mouth and headphones on to block out the noise. She decides she is the one responsible for her own health and well-being, not some random coughing guy on a flight.

Chapter 4: "Let Me stay engaged and vocal on the issues I care about and do something that can change the future of my local, national, and global politics. Don't sit around and wait for someone else to clean up the mess that you see."

Unlike me, Robbins is very careful to NOT make the specifics of her political leanings apparent. She talks in terms of unrest and divisiveness. What can you do if you care? She's really a very good author.

Chapter 5: "Poet Mary Oliver asked this question in her poem 'The Summer Day'" 'Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?'"

 

This is a line my sister loves! She used it in one of her art quilts. I really want her to read this book . . . I think a lot of things will resonate for her.

 

Chapter 5:  "The point here is not to move through life as a selfish or narcissistic person who doesn't care about other people. . . . In life, you don't want to be a doormat, but you also don't want to be an inconsiderate bulldozer. It's a balance." 

That balance is a delicate thing! I may read a bit more before I return this (or let it auto-return in four hours). I only made it a quarter of the way through, and may or may not read the rest sometime. She's quite a good writer and I'm glad she's having so much success with her speaking and her books. It's amusing to me that I highlighted so many passages in a book that I'm saying isn't very applicable to me.

The Tangled Tale of the Woolgathering Castoffs

By: Sharon Mondragón

Hennepin County Library paperback 275 plus acknowledgements

Published: 2024

Genre: Christian fiction

 

I love this author! She has written another wonderful book. This one deals with the stresses of caregiving for loved ones with Alzheimers as well as the joy of knitting and crocheting for those caregivers. 

 

We first met Rose and her knitting friends in The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady.  We don't see much of Fran, Margaret, or Jane in this book. Instead, along with Rose at the Fair Meadows Retirement Community, we have:

Jenny - flirty life of the party

Edna - crabby crocheter

Sarah - hyper-focused on health and germs

Laura - teacher

Mr. Alistair Peabody - learning to knit, flirty

Gus - driver for FMRC, heading to med school

Then we have Sam Talbot, faithfully visiting his wife in memory care even though she doesn't know him any more and even starts to be afraid of him. Nan goes to visit her mom and brings along Tara (sulky teenager) and Samantha (enthusiastic but careless knitter). All these (and more) wonderful characters bring the story to life. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but then I devoured the book.

Page 45: "Nan had learned to be 'quick to listen and slow to speak' with Tara, the quieter and more private of her girls. She waited for Tara to find the words to explain."

I really enjoyed the character arcs for both Nan and her daughter Tara. I love that there was tension, but also resolution. I loved that Nan referenced Scripture in dealing with parenting issues! It was so hard for Tara to have Grandma Becca not know her any more . . . 

Page 61: "Fran regarded Margaret across the table. 'Margaret, Ed has been gone almost two years. I'll never quite get over it, but it's time for me to go on with my life. I've seen how fleeting life can be and how it can be cut short in an instant. I intend to live whatever time is ahead of me to the fullest.'"

This was a scene at Hope of Glory. Margaret was nagging about Fran dating Howard. I love Fran's response!

Page 92: "Laura's face was bright with cheerful excitement. Rose thought she must have looked like this often during her career as a high school English teacher. It was clear she was happy to be teaching again."

Even though Laura was not able to successfully teach Sam to knit, I love how energized she was by trying. How fun that Edna was able to get him to crochet instead. There's something powerful about teaching others with joy.

Page 97: "'I wish I didn't have to go at all,' Tara burst out, 'I'd rather remember her the way she was when I was little, before she got sick.'

'You'll always have those memories.' Rose's voice was gentle. 'But these memories are important, too.'

Tara struggled against tears again. 'No, they're not. They're horrible.'

'Trust me, Tara,' Rose said. 'In the years to come, you'll be glad you made memories with her for as long as you could.'"

Oh, the heartbreak and struggle of losing someone to memory loss while they are still alive! I think the author handled the emotions and challenges extremely well.

Page 103: "'She could spend her Christmas money on any of the myriad things teenagers want. But she's buying yarn to make a shawl to give away.'"

Laura gets teary after Tara expresses her plan to use her money to buy yarn to make a prayer shawl. Susan naturally thinks Laura is getting sick! I agree with Laura - it is touching to see a young person behave selflessly. What a blessing!

Page 107: "Yes, there was Dorothy, chatting away with her tablemates, living in the moment. Life is so much simpler for them, he thought. No past, no missing the way things used to be. No future, no worrying about what might happen. That fell to other people, to their caregivers. For Dorothy, there was only now. A now without him in it."

If there's a bright side to dementia, it is this sense of a simpler life. But that compounds the heartaches for the family members, like Sam. Caregiving is hard!

Page 129: "'It's become much more about the people than the place,' Rose said."

Rose has shown Jenny the Prayer Chapel and Jenny falls in love with the beautiful, peaceful space. Rose understands her attraction to it and the necessity of getting out of one's comfort zone. Other people coming to know the Lord is more important than the comfort and peace of the knitters.

Page 138: "'Simply ask God to help him,' Rose said. 'We don't need to know what's wrong to do that.'"

So true! We can pray for people without having the details of their situation. God knows what they need!

Page 146: "Father God, we ask you to remember all those who have loved ones who do not remember them . . . In the embrace of these shawls, may they be strengthened, encouraged, loved, and known."

The shawl maker's prayer was repeated a few times in the book, but I only marked this one. I like that different people prayed (this time was Alistair Peabody) and that he added the names of specific people who were on the Woolgatherers' radar.

Page 157: "Jenny was uncharacteristically quiet on the way back to Fair Meadows. Praying for caregivers in general was one thing, but telling Amy to her face that she'd pray about her relationship with Bryson was another. She realized she now had a stake in how things turned out for the little family. It mattered whether she prayed for them or not."

I love how being a part of this group helped changed Jenny's personal outlook and habits. And yes, offering to pray for someone is a responsibility. But a good one!

Page 205: "'Old people falling in love?' Donna frowned. 'They meet-cute by crashing their walkers together?'"

This line made me laugh! The book club is discussing a romance novel and someone opines that the protagonists are always young people. A discussion of what a romance novel about older people would be like ensues . . . 

Page 208: "She never liked to think past the fairy-tale parts of her marriages. That's why she loved reading all those books about the beginnings of love. She could live in the rosy possibility of happily-ever-after and not remember what happened when the realities of life set in."

Jenny's flippant "fun" personality is rooted in this discrepancy between what she wants life to be like and what she has actually experienced. I'm so glad Louie and I have worked our way through the fairy tale parts (including dragons and battles) and are currently living our happy ever after!

 

Page 213: "He stopped at his favorite fast-food restaurant on the way home, ordering fries and onion rings to go with his double cheeseburger. Since it was abundantly clear he was nothing but the Fat Man, he might as well enjoy it."

Oh, Sam! I recognize this self-destructive behavior. I'm very familiar with this attitude (sadly).

Page 243: "Josh nodded. 'You're right. We should have been here more, for the both of them. Yeah, it was awful to see Mom like that, but we should have braved it for Dad's sake. We should have come to spend time with him. Hard to think of your parents needing you.'"

When Sam collapses with double pneumonia and the flu, it's the Woolgatherers who come to the rescue. His two adult sons have been preoccupied with their own lives and that last statement hit home for me. I was able to help my parents toward the end of their lives, but it made me sad that they needed me so much. It was hard on my 50th birthday to not have parents in my life any more. 

Page 277 (Acknowledgements): "All who have shared their journey of caring for a loved one iwth dementia with me, either in person or through books and articles. I hope so much that you feel seen and loved in the pages of this book."

She is a wonderful author! I've really enjoyed all three of her books and I sincerely hope she writes more!

Buried in a Good Book

By: Tamara Berry

Libby audiobook 8 hours

Read by: Tanya Eby

Published: 2022

Genre: Murder mystery

 

Blurb from Libby: "Bestselling thriller writer Tess Harrow is almost at the end of her rope when she arrives with her teenage daughter at her grandfather's rustic cabin in the woods. She hopes this will be a time for them to heal and bond after Tess's recent divorce, but they've barely made it through the door when an explosion shakes the cabin. Suddenly it's raining fish guts and . . . is that a human arm?"

 

Things I liked about this story:

• wordplay, literary allusions, love of books and libraries
• interesting characters - especially Ivy (police), the triplets (Peabody boys), Nicky the "librarian" . . . 
• the surprise (to me) ending

 

Things I didn't like about this story:

• Tess's tendency toward exaggeration (something like "a slew of dead bodies" or "all these murders" when there was just the one . . . )
• Tess's tendency to jump to conclusions on the smallest bits of "evidence" - she pinned Ivy, Nicky, Mason, and others for the murder of the young woman found in her pond
• the constant parallels between her fictional Detective Gonzales and the real Sheriff 
• the way Tess parents her daughter Gertrude . . . just got on my nerves . . . but then I can't imagine being in a relationship where my spouse cheats on me and I have to raise a teenager alone AND pay palimony . . . 
  

 

Overall, it was an enjoyable story and the reader did a nice job. I'm still looking for something better.
 

Likely Suspects

By: G.K. Parks

Libby audiobook 10 hours

Read by: Amy Deuchler

Published 2023

Genre: mystery, romance

I did it again. I looked for audiobooks / available now / English / first in series / mystery . . . and grabbed one that sounded interesting. 

"I quit my job. I walked away from everything I knew. I couldn't lose anyone else. Not again. Working for James Martin wasn't supposed to be complicated or lethal. Too bad someone wanted him dead, and I was the only thing standing in the way."

Alex Parker is bossy, whiny, and irritating. She crosses all the professional / personal boundaries . . . but not until I was sucked into the story and curious about the criminal mastermind! 

The reader, Amy Deuchler, did a fabulous job with the voices! It can be hard for a woman to make a male character sound sexy, sneering, etc. but she did it. 

Too bad I didn't notice the "romance" tag until AFTER I'd already listened to a few hours of it. It was forced sexual tension and it just bugged me.

The shootout scene was intense and fast-paced. Most of the rest of it was just meh. The bad guy was exactly who the obvious bad guy seemed. The title - "likely suspects" - really only has one suspect . . . 

Her use of her former boss's time and the local PD seemed unbelievable as well.

This Promised Land

By: Cathy Gohlke

Dakota County Library hardcover 342 pages plus author's note and acknowledgements

Published: 2025

Genre: Christian fiction

 

I almost included "historical" in the genre listing because it's set in the 1990s (with flashbacks to the 1940s). Does something set forty years ago count as historical fiction?

 

I really enjoyed this book! Cathy Gohlke may be one of my favorite authors. The characters and story really resonated for me. I look forward to tonight's discussion.

Page 2: "If her older, bossy brother had handed Ginny a gold-leaf-engraved invitation to latch on to the new boy, he couldn't have roused her curiosity more."

Her brother had warned her against interest in Curtis and merely succeeded in piquing her curiosity. Sometimes we humans are so contrary!

Page 8: "But the envelope niggled at the back of her mind for days, a little spider climbing the wall of her brain, spinning dark and silken threads to tempt her, taunt her."

Gohlke is a wonderful wordsmith! She perfectly  captures that sense of not being able to ignore something troubling.

Page 23: "The rain had slowed to a drizzle. Mama, you'd call this a mizzle. Daddy always made fun of you for saying that. Oh, Mama. I miss you so."

I love the word "mizzle," but I also recognize that pang of missing my mother. I can't imagine Ginny's sadness, with so much estrangement before her mother's death.

Page 37: "Ginny shook her head. She couldn't believe it, not after all the years her parents had scrimped and saved and finagled every which way to keep the farm going."

It's both fascinating and mind boggling to me that people who are super thrifty can raise children who make foolish financial decisions. I'm thankful for my parents' example and am glad that I don't crave shopping or risky investments! Ginny here is reflecting on her brother's choices after her mother's death.

Page 50: "She couldn't change or fix the past, but was she responsible? Should she have been? Hadn't they lived the lives they chose?"

This! This is so hard. When you are dealing with people you care about, it can be so hard to draw and keep boundaries. What is helpful? What is enabling? Am I my brother's keeper?

Page 91: "What about them, Lord? I can't supply all their needs. I can't be their savior. Only You. Only You know what they need. Only You can supply their lives. Do you see them? Are You listening?"

I loved Ginny's prayers! Her heart for doing what was pleasing to the Lord was inspiring. She wanted so much to be a blessing to Luke, Bethany, Mark, and Mark's children. I love that she was turning her concerns over to the Lord on a regular basis.

Page 96: "'You can. You can do so much more than you realize, just not in your own strength.' She pulled him to her. 'The thing I learned in taking care of your father is that you can't keep a hard heart when you touch someone, help someone, physically care for someone. It melts the hard feelings inside and that's a good thing.'"

Bethany is a very, very patient wife to Luke. She is wise and sweet and wonderful. I love that she reminded him of Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Page 109: "'It's your home. You're the spiritual leader of your home, son.'"

Mr. Will Skipwith was another gem, like his father before him. 

Page 121: "It's us. We're a family of prodigals. Me. Mark. What about Luke - the older son, never the prodigal . . . but is that true? Is that possible? Aren't we all runaways from God in one way or another, at some time or another? Haven't we all deserted Him, broken His heart, demanded our inheritance - bent on grabbing our wants?"

I love how Gohlke used the theme of the prodigal son story in this scene in church and also throughout the book. I love how Ginny contemplates the different people in the story and expresses a desire to be like the father welcoming home the prodigal son.

Page 143: "'You've turned something meant as an unkindness into something grand, Arlo. Not everyone can do that. Not everyone would try. Maybe you should write your stories down.' Will looked directly into Arlo's eyes until the girl blushed and looked away."

Will again! He had just heard the story behind "Chicken Snot and Hot Shot" and while Ginny grieved what the children had endured, Will had praised Arlo for watching over her siblings and having a positive attitude.

Page 144: "'You see good even where others see trouble.'

'It's not about seeing the good right off. It's about looking for the good, for the image of God in every person.'"

Again, Will and Ginny are talking and Will expresses his attempts to find the good. What a great guy!

Page 187: "The great thing about dogs, Arlo thought as she trooped, is that they never ask questions, never talk back, never nag, never want you to be anything but you. They don't mind who you are or what your pa did or where you came from."

This is so sweet and so poignant. I'm sorry that kids (and adults) can be mean. I love that dogs are generally affectionate and loyal. Bailey was a blessing.

Page 209: "'We all have the chance to be any one of those characters - the runaway, prodigal son who finally wants to come home; the older, selfish, self-righteous brother who doesn't want to forgive or share what there is; or the running father, the one who doesn't hold the past against either son but welcomes them home once they come. I've been both of those brothers in my life, Bethany. I want to be the running father now.'"

There's that theme again. I love that Ginny and Bethany develop such a great relationship and that they are trying to help Luke and Mark reconcile.

Page 271: "But that was the thing about words - once said they were forever loosed."

Bethany recognized that her husband regretted his angry words toward his brother, but she was frustrated with so much anger and sadness. If I hear myself (internally or aloud) saying, "I shouldn't say this, but . . . " I try to bite my tongue and leave it unsaid!

Page 293: "'They can't change what they don't see. God will work in them just like He's working in each of us . . . in His time, His way - not ours.'"

Ginny is counseling Bethany against being upset with uptight, judgmental Louise and the other "church ladies" who are hurtful.

 

Page 300: "Even as she penned the words, she knew that a part of her was remembering Curtis, wishing she could have shared the strength of the Lord with him as she was doing with Mark. She didn't know if it would have made a difference, if Curtis could have understood when he came back from the war. She hadn't known how to do that, not then. She drew a deep breath. I can do this now."

I love that although she thinks about her past and how things might have been different, she doesn't live in the past. Ginny recognizes that she cannot change what happened, but she can learn from it and try to make a difference for her nephew. Praise God He changes us when we look to Him!

Page 307: "'You're looking at this in your own strength, Ginny - what you can do, what you can afford, what you can make happen. You're worried about many things. Let God finish His work. Let Him finish what He's begun and see what happens.'"

Pastor Edwards was another wonderful character. He reminds Ginny that she's supposed to look to the Lord, not to her own limited finances and abilities. I loved how joy came out of tragedy!

There were other post-its, but I've had enough. I really liked the book, even though I cringed at some parts (Arlo not telling about the mean kid at school and what he said, the fire, Mark's reaction to Luke's angry words . . . . ) I'm glad we get to talk about it tonight!

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady

By: Sharon Mondragón

Libby ebook 26 chapters plus acknowledgements

Published: 2021

Genre: Christian realistic fiction

I so enjoyed our book club book by this author that I got this book. Initially, I wasn't a huge fan. Mrs. Benson seemed to be that stereotypically nasty church lady. Also, I'm not a knitter. However, I'm so glad I read this book! I loved it! I have a third book by her on hold at the library . . . 

I made SO many highlights that I think I will need to skip some of them. Dude. I seriously enjoyed this book!

Chapter 1: "Margaret's stomach clenched. 'You mean knit together in public? You mean talk to strangers about church?'"

This is part of what I meant about stereotyping. It honestly isn't that crazy, though. A lot of Christians like to keep their faith separate from life "out there" in the world . . . which is completely opposite of what Jesus teaches. We are to go and proclaim the Good News.

Chapter 1: "His voice was disconcertingly steady, just like his eyes. 'People aren't coming. They don't know they can find peace and love and hope here. They want those things, but many of them think there's mostly judgment and hypocrisy inside church walls. Sadly, in some cases, they're right. The point is they're not coming to us. We have to go to them.'"

This pastor is talking the truth, but Margaret Benson doesn't want to hear it. 

Chapter 2: "Rosalie, confident that she knew what was best for everybody, tended to steamroll her way through life and the lives of those she loved."

Ouch! Rose was my absolutely favorite character, but I think I'm more like her daughter Rosalie than I'd like to admit. I know a lot of people like Rosalie, thinking they knew best for everyone. God's grace - I need it and I appreciate it!

Chapter 2: "Laura chuckled. 'Believe me. Where there are tests there will always be prayer.'"

In Rose's nursing home, her "friends" are more like irritating acquaintances. I love how she shares about knitting at the mall and they are drawn in by her stories of interacting with people they meet and praying for them. Prayer matters!

Chapter 2: "What upsets me, she thought, is how those people downstairs think there's nothing they can do anymore about the state of the world. I may not be able to live alone now or drive a car - safely, anyway - but I can pray. I can pray and knit those prayers into a shawl."

I love Rose! I love her determination to make the best of her situation and make a difference. I love how the next paragraph delves into her prayers and the way she thinks of others and turns her concerns to the Lord.

Chapter 3: "Fran dug around in her purse for the packet of tissues widows learn to keep handy."

This made me stop. I almost always have tissues handy, but I thought it was a mom thing / allergy sufferer thing. I'm so thankful I'm not a widow!

Chapter 5: "'Or maybe some of them are starting to wonder if there's something to this prayer business,' Rose told her. 'And realizing they need God's help.'"

Rose is constantly acting as a counterpoint to Margaret's negativity. Later in this chapter, she interrupts Margaret when Kineasha asks to learn how to knit. "Rose was getting good at heading Margaret off at the pass." Go, Rose!

Chapter 7: "'Oh, you know we're knitting and not crocheting?' Margaret looked at him over her reading glasses. 'Most people don't.'"

I've never understood the passion that people feel about distinguishing between the two . . . but I guess that's because I neither knit nor crochet!

Chapter 7: "'A lot of knitters call this tinking,' Rose told them. 'Tink is the word knit spelled backward. When we tink, we're undoing the stitches, going backward. Tinking is good for when you do the wrong stitch and need to get back to that point to do it over or when you've dropped a stitch and need to pick it up.'"

I love learning new things! I've never heard this term before. Rose explains it beautifully.

Chapter 12: "'Luck is random. Blessing is from God.' Someone had to correct the man."

Margaret is so self-righteous, rigid, and critical that it's embarrassing to think that some people view ALL Christians like this. She's believable as a character, but so darn dislikeable. . . until the end of the story. She is so awful to Howard, but I like how he and Fran (both widowed) connected and became friends.

Chapter 13: "Mishaps like these made the pageant memorable from year to year."

Oh my! One of the things I love best about the children's Christmas pageant every year is seeing what goes "wrong" - it's usually the best part of the show! Fran is remembering the year that the girl playing Mary sneezed so violently that the baby Jesus doll went flying into the air, "caught handily by a surprised but quick-thinking shepherd." I love how her son Eddy asked about her well-being. He missed his dad and knew that his mom missed him, too.

Chapter 13: "But what if we didn't blow out our candles? Jane wondered. What if we took them out of the church with us, carried them home, carried them wherever we went? In her mind's eye, she saw the lights dispersing, spreading wide throughout the darkened city. She saw them shining on the dashboards of cars, in the windows of homes, flickering pinpoints of light in the darkness."

 

I love the Christmas Eve service when we do the candle thing, but I really love Jane's thoughts about the significance of the moment. Shine for Jesus!

 

Chapter  16: "With a sense of subversive glee, she settled into praying, asking God to help Margaret Benson work through whatever was making her miserable."

This is a good reminder! "Pray for those who persecute you." I'm not persecuted, but I definitely have people I don't like to be around. I need to pray for them! God's got this. Jane remembers how much she valued and needed compassion when her son Kenny went to jail. She wants to treat Margaret with God's love.

Chapter 17: "'I remember those days.' Jane watched Amy and Kineasha disappear from view. 'When I was young and every setback seemed like a disaster.'"

One of the best things about aging is gaining perspective! 

Chapter 17: "'We've attracted people at the mall who need our prayers, need us to be there praying. Some of them have never asked for prayer before in their lives. Being out there among all those people has opened my eyes.'"

Jane is having a conversation with Father Pete about continuing to knit and pray in the mall rather than returning to the Prayer Chapel. It can be hard to move out of our comfort zones / routines, but God's way is always better than our own way!

Chapter 17: "That's what she'd do and not even go to church. Let's see how he likes that! She thought with a lift of her chin."

I loved the confrontation between God and Margaret. I've never actually heard God speak to me, but when I'm truly focused on Him in prayer, He definitely guides my thoughts. Margaret trying to "show" God how upset she was and then having Him "talk" to her was fun to read.

Chapter 18 finally shows us why Margaret is the way she is. Her mom had cancer and Margaret refused to have the hard conversations and accept the severity of her illness. Her mom died when Margaret was only twenty-five years old. That loss affected her entire life and the way she parented her children. "Phrases like stage mother and smother mother drifted back to her on the winds of gossip." I love how the author shows us Margaret's heart in these reminiscences, her knitting, and her personal prayer time with God.

Chapter 19: "She smiled and sent up a silent prayer. Radical knitter here, at your service. Any other surprises?"

Rose is a rock star! The other gals at the nursing home are asking her for help with knitting prayer shawls!

Chapter 20: "How could she keep bad things from happening if she wasn't in charge? She gave herself a mental shake. She was getting off track. She was supposed to be praying for Celeste and her mother."

This author doesn't just have Margaret make a 180. She struggles, realizes, grows, changes. I really, really liked how she wrote this. Wanting to be in control is very relatable. Later in the chapter, ". . . she took solace in the whisper and click of her bamboo needles and the way one stitch followed another, row after orderly row. At least she had control of something."

Chapter 21 has Jane realizing that her unresolved anger toward Kenny is preventing her from healing. "Life is short and fragile, she reflected." Yes! And her cleaning frenzy is likened to a child adding more and more people to "bless you" bedtime prayers to stall going to sleep. This is really well-written!

Chapter 21: "Much as she would like to batter him with words so he might feel even an inkling of the pain he'd caused her, she knew these should not be the last words he ever heard from her. If what she was about to write were truly the last words he might ever have from her, what did she truly want them to be?"

I am too good at procrastinating and thinking there will always be time later to deal with relationships, conversations, etc. I'm trying to be better about appreciating each day and the people in my life, but life IS short and precious.

Chapter 21: "Kenny's childhood was over. No amount of hope or regret would bring it back. She couldn't tink his life back to where it went wrong and then knit it back with no mistakes."

We can't go back in time and change our past! As parents, we make mistakes that impact our children. We can't go back and change that, either.

Chapter 23: "Celeste sat back in her chair. 'I'm amazed. You're a . . . You're a dragon whisperer!'"

I loved that the title seemed to imply Margaret as the dragon from the get-go. But to find that Barbara Wentworth was known by her bookstore employees as the "Dragon lady" was very interesting! The expression "it takes one to know one" came to mind.

Chapter 23: "This seems like a strange way to make things better. But please, whatever you do, make things better." 

Margaret's prayers help her to relax and turn both her knitting and praying over to God. 

Chapter 26: "For a brief moment, she wondered if what she'd been doing there all those years had been praying at all. Compared to what had been going on in her craft room lately, it seemed like she'd been mostly laying down the law inside her own head."

Yes! God got through to Margaret! Perhaps I should examine my prayer life . . . 

I actually did skip some of my highlights . . . I really like this author. I hope she keeps writing!

Chapter

Murder on Milverton Square

By: GB Ralph

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Philip Battley

Published: 2022 (this version 2024)

Genre: murder mystery

 

From Google Books: "Addison Harper is abruptly summoned to Milverton at the behest of an abrasive lawyer. He plans to be in and out, back to the city lickety-split. Instead, he finds himself charmed by the small town with its delightful and eccentric residents, not to mention the rather easy-on-the-eye Sergeant Jake Murphy.

Despite the rocky start, Addison admits he's had a pleasant day out. That is, until returning to find the prickly old lawyer on the floor, and very much dead. Worse, it looks like murder, and Addison's fingerprints are all over the crime scene."

 

In some ways, this was a delightful murder mystery. There are lots of quirky characters (elderly Mabel was my favorite) and plenty of suspects. That said, Addison was not a protagonist that I connected with very well. He was awkward and kept choking on his food. The romance with Sergeant Murphy seemed a bit of a stretch.

 

The observation that a 3pm Friday meeting to "catch up" and make sure everyone's well-being is good . . . was such a blatant dig at bosses who pull that sort of thing just to check up and make sure people aren't starting their weekend early.

 

It was interesting that it took me a while to figure out that this was set in New Zealand! I mean, there IS a Wellington in England as well . . . I clearly need to study my geography more! 

The story was fine but not one that has me seeking out other titles by this author.

The Strongest Heart

By: Saadia Faruqi

Libby ebook 35 chapters plus epilogue, note from author, etc.

Published: 2025

Genre: YA realistic fiction

Mohammed is an eighth grader whose dad is schizophrenic and mom is working in Greece at a refugee center. He and his dad have relocated from NYC to Texas to live with his aunt and cousin.

Chapter 1: "Problem is, me and good behavior aren't really on speaking terms."

Mo, as he prefers to be called, resents the move and the fact that his mother is so distant. He is less than cordial when meeting his cousin Rayyan.

Chapter 2: "So now one more thing I know about my cousin is that he things Davy Crockett is a folktale worth reading. He needs to be educated about life outside Texas, is what I'm thinking."

Mo loves folktales from Pakistan, India, etc. The book is peppered with these tales (and the author does a beautiful job of connecting them with what is going on in Mo's life). One of my favorite things about this book was the relationship between Mo and Rayyan - very different kids.

Chapter 4: "There's even one from Ghost, by my favorite author, Jason Reynolds: 'You can't run away from who you are, but what you can do is run toward who you want to be.'"

I love Jason Reynolds' writing, too! It was so fun to see this quotation up on his homeroom teacher's wall. Cool that this author is giving props to another current author.

Chapter 9: "Oh, and he was desi. I should have led with that."

I had not seen that word before. I got the gist of it from the context clues, but had to look it up! Mo is referring to his neighbor in NYC, Patel Uncle. Dictionary.com says:

South Asian

adjective

adjective: desi; adjective: deshi

1.

of, from, or characteristic of India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.

"Priyanka is a true desi girl at heart"

 

There was a LOT of language - usually around food - that was clearly ethnic and that I just understood from context. I imagine this book would really resonate with someone of Pakistani culture.

Chapter 10: "The imam looks satisfied. 'Well, I'll leave you to it, then. The class is two hours long, and you can break it up any way you want. Teaching, artwork, playtime. It's all up to you.'"

 

This was the part of the book I struggled with the most. It's Sunday school at the mosque . . . and you're leaving two eighth graders alone with a room full of preschool and elementary age kids for two hours with no direction, guidance, etc. ?! Just no. It was fun to see how Mo and Rayyan took to this volunteer work, but it was just too unrealistic for me.

 

Chapter 11: "I need some alone time. Two hours with the Energizer Bunny kids has drained me."

Amen, Mo. Little kids are exhausting!

Chapter 14: "Stories are powerful. They transport you to fantasyland."

Those of us who love stories can relate to this!

Chapter 14: ". . . someone save me from my own thoughts."

This was heartbreaking. Mo's fear is that he'll become like his dad and have a child who will hate him and continue the cycle. His coping mechanisms have caused him to hold his anger tightly.

Chapter 14: "Sometimes art is ugly and doesn't make sense." 

I love that Mo took to painting to express his feelings. It was so much better for him than getting into fights!

Chapter 15: " . . . let me tell you the brief version. You don't take your meds, so you start feeling bad. Really bad. Mentally, that is. All sorts of bad thoughts rush into your mind. You drink to get rid of your bad thoughts. But drinking is bad for you, right? It makes you stop thinking clearly. But schizophrenia also stops you from thinking clearly. So you drink more. And more. And more."

Faruqi did a beautiful job portraying Mo's struggle to understand his father's illness while also clearly depicting his legitimate anger and fear. In the author's note, we get a better understanding that a lot of this comes from her personal experience growing up with a similar father.

Chapter 17: "That's the thing with mental health, you know? It's easy to fake that you're doing well."

Again, she hits some hard truths.

Chapter 18: "I'm always alone. Always happy. Or at least, not unhappy. There's a difference. Think about it."

 

Later in the chapter, he talks about people wearing masks and his parents not loving him. There's a lot here that I think tween and teen readers could relate to, even without having the Muslim / Pakistani background.

 

Chapter 20: "When things are daunting, I feel the need to pray."

 

In the next breath, Mo says that God isn't listening. Interesting approach to prayer . . . and beliefs.

 

Chapter 20: "I don't want to be alone anymore. I want someone to help me. Being bad is no fun anymore. I'm ready to try something else."

 

Mo has adopted the persona of a tough "bad" kid. He decides to become Rayyan's protector and helper.

 

Chapter 23: "Let me tell you, lots of parents test their kids in different ways. Sometimes the tests are so difficult the kids fail."

 

 As a teacher, I've encountered many kinds of parents. The ones who set their kids up for failure (with good intentions) are the most heart breaking.

 

 Chapter 24: ". . . the strongest heart is the one that keeps beating."

I love seeing where the title comes from! The biology class body systems, the heart in Mo, etc. It all came together beautifully.

Chapter 24: "Giving water to kids across the world when her own offspring is thirsty for her affection."

Ouch! Poor Mo! I wonder if my kids felt that I was too busy for them twenty years ago . . . you can't go back in time and have a "do over," but at least I was a daily presence in their lives.

Chapter 25: "Life is too much, sometimes."

Again, sometimes I read a line like this and think it's just coming from the author's adult brain. Then I think about my worries and feelings as an eighth grader. Yes, I was still a kid. But I thought about the meaning of life, my identity, my relationships, etc. Kids do feel this way sometimes.

Chapter 26: "Listen, if I'm sounding miserable and pathetic right now, that's because I am. Nobody gets to judge me until they've walked in my shoes."

I definitely could be more compassionate toward people who are in a struggle. I don't want to be judgmental. But I also don't want to be a doormat or an enabler . . . it can be tricky.

Chapter 27: "there's no action in being sad. Nothing you can do to make it better. With anger, you can fight and punch and box and scream until everything is gone. Until not a drop of feeling is left. Until you're numb."

That's an interesting distinction between sadness and anger. I hadn't thought of it that way before.

Chapter 29: "In seventh grade, our technology teacher, Mrs. Crenshaw, taught us about this thing called media literacy, and how to choose good sources. I make sure I click on medical sites only. Hospitals and mental-health facilities."

I love this! As someone who used to teach media literacy (and sees such a need for it today), I love this mention! As Mo is trying to learn more about his dad's illness, he's using responsible research strategies. I also love the way the school librarian is a vital person in students' lives both Mo's and Frankie's. I also love the way that Mo and Frankie transform from enemies to almost friends.

Chapter 35: "Where there's hope, there's life. A positive attitude, hoping for the best, where there's a will, there's a way . . . all that stuff is real. It makes us reach inside ourselves, past the skin and bones, past the anatomy, to the soul."

What a great way to end the book! Well, the epilogue ends it, but this is good. Reading the author's notes and about the author was good, too. I've seen Faruqi's "Yasmin" series and I'm glad Muslim children have a wonderful author / role model. I can't believe I didn't mention his aunt! I loved her (Naila Phupo?) and her nurturing of Mo.

The (Super Secret) Octagon Valley Society

By: Melissa de la Cruz

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by: Marni Penning

Published: 2023

Genre: YA mystery, fantasy

Spoilers ahead, so stop now if you don't want the ending "ruined." . . . 

The vocal work is great. The target audience is the tween kids who are heading into or already into sixth grade. I should call it "kid lit" instead of YA, but I haven't been making that distinction in my blog so I'll leave it as is.

This started out with a premise similar to books like the Mysterious Benedict Society and so many others . . . an extraordinary group of sixth graders have tested well enough to be invited to a seminar weekend at Octagon Valley by the "uber famous multimillionaire, genius, recluse Onassander Octagon."

 

The kids are interesting enough - Edwin (small for his age, photographic memory), Julie (quiet, violinist, NYC), Little Kimmy (LA, rapper), Anton (gamer), Dilip (Indian American, surfer), TingTing (Filipino, pushy mom), Harold Postman Jr. VIII (rich brat whose family included the "junior" and the number of which junior . . .), and Maureen (snotty girl from NYC with two dads who have a Tesla model X). 

Then we get Daphne the siren (she's really real), the multiverse, a destroyed reality, life-threatening situations, etc.

Sigh. It just gets worse and worse as it goes on. Turns out the kids are actually aliens with latent powers and they have been recruited to save "impossibilium," a new element that can save the world. One of the "octos" is actually on the side of YAK (an acronym? we don't know). This is clearly book one in a new series. I could easily "sell" this book to young readers with active imaginations, but I personally did not like it.

The Keeper

(A Murphy Shepherd novel)

By: Charles Martin

Dakota County Library hardcover 412 pages plus discussion questions

Published: 2025

Genre: Christian adventure fiction, realistic

This is the fourth book in the series and I think I've read enough of these now. I didn't get it done before book club six days ago. I kind of had to force myself to finish it. Martin is a talented author and there is plenty of action, but it just seemed to be so much of a rehash of the previous books and in need of some concise editing.

Page 2: "Not every prisoner wants to be rescued. Some prefer chains to freedom, darkness to light."

In thinking of Frank and Bones and their final encounter in the previous book, Shepherd recognizes that some people choose their bondage.

Page 35: "The question that had kept me awake all night was simple: What would happen now? In my experience, evil people with power usually want more power, and they are willing to commit whatever evil is needed to get more of it. Evil is the currency. Power the prize."

This reality makes me feel sick. I recognize the truth of it but I prefer to live in the light. I'm 100% okay with not being a powerful person. I'd rather experience the power of God working through my weakness. 

Page 64: "'One day soon, you're going to encounter people in prison. Often the bars that hold them will be of their own making. It's one thing to unlock someone's prison door; it's another thing entirely to loose the chains that bind their heart.'"

Bones' wisdom to Murphy Shepherd in the guise of "priesting."

Page 65: "'You do realize that the human body needs sleep.' He shook his head. 'Overrated.'"

This is the biggest disagreement I have with Bones' character. Sleep is important! And there are lots of Scriptures about God giving us rest. We need sleep for our physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation is NOT a good part of training and teaching.

Page 143: "Proving that love is and always has been the most powerful weapon in this universe or any other."

Yes! Love is powerful. And it makes life worth living.

Page 153 is where I finally just got sick of all the gun and bullet talk. Blah blah blah. This series definitely glorifies love of guns. I wonder if Martin has many male (or female) readers who appreciate this? I am not a gun lover and I got to the point where I skim-read these parts. (I hardly ever skim-read in novels!)

Page 161: "A name establishes a record. Drives a stake in the ground. Shouts across the stratosphere, 'I'm here! I matter! I'm not invisible!'"

I agree. Names are important. That's why I try really hard to learn people's names and use them properly. As a substitute teacher, I've definitely messed up plenty of times!

Page 178: "'Love is an amazing thing. It takes the brokenness, the scars, the pain, the darkness, everything, and makes it all new.'"

I love the emphasis on the importance of love. This is a flashback to Murphy's rescue of Casey. Her story, along with her marriage to Camp, are one of the main story strands in this book.

Page 244: "While my mind couldn't tell, my gut had no doubt."

Murph is reflecting on his conversations with Maynard and his gut feeling that something was very off. Sometimes you really do need to trust your gut!

Page 259: "But one name had not been etched into my back. It had been written deeper. Seared into my soul. Why? Because it was the most important. Because of his name, all the other names mattered; without his, none mattered. I loved and was able to love because he loved me. Period. I could take credit for nothing."

I fully expected him to reference Jesus! Silly me. Of course Murphy was referring to Bones. It took me awhile to realize that Bones is an allegory for Jesus.

Page 293: "I thought how it was easy to love someone who loved you back. But it was much tougher when they were evil."

So true. It's easy to love lovable people. I have a few folks in my life that I struggle to tolerate, much less love . . . I'm so glad God is still working on my heart.

I wasn't shocked by the ending because Martin had left more than enough clues. I actually did a little skim-reading through the wedding ceremony and scene after with Shepherd and Summer. I may or may not read book five in the series when it comes out.

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The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life

By: Mark Rowlands

Hennepin County Library hardcover 230 pages plus "further reading"

Published: 2024

Genre: non-fiction, philosophy

The slightly sacrilegious title caught my attention but I love my dog and was curious about this for one of my daughters-in-law. I was on the waiting list for a very long time and need to return it now, but I've only read a fraction of it.

 

He is most definitely a philosophy professor! His references to Sartre, Socrates, etc. are numerous. The stories of his dogs are my favorite part. He clearly loves his dogs.

 

Page 21: "Shadow's  reactivity seems to be fundamentally territorial, but territory, for him, is a moveable feast. His territory is wherever he is."

Yes! This is how Titus is. His territory expands and he protects it vigorously. There was a lot about Shadow that I could relate to . . . 

Page 178: "Why do dogs love life so much more than we do? The answer, I think, is that life is always more precious for a dog than for a human because we have two lives and dogs only have one."

Rowlands goes on to explain that humans have the "inner" and "outer" lives to live simultaneously. I just like how he gets at the amazing exuberance that dogs have for life. They are very "in the moment" creatures.

I haven't decided yet if I'll buy a copy of this for Mari. I think she might like it, but I want to be a thoughtful gift giver. I will return it to the library for the next person on hold!

My Life Stories

by: Phillip Warren Radtke

Storyworth hardcover 355 pages

Published: 2024 (Storyworth)

Genre: memoir

My BFF from childhood on loaned me her dad's Storyworth book. I enjoyed reading it and am even mentioned a few times. (Jenifer and I did spend a LOT of time at one another's houses in the 1970s and 80s.)

In his answer to "Do you prefer summer or winter?" Phil made me laugh. As he was talking about the different seasons and what he liked, the repetition of weeds or no weeds culminated in "I DON'T LIKE WEEDS!!!" 

I liked how much he respected his parents. For years, I struggled to understand who raised him. Hearing "Ma and Pa Waknitz" always made me think Phil's grandparents had raised him. But when his mom died, Phil's dad had sisters who took in his sons. Louie and Martha took Don. Charley and Marie took Dean. At almost two years old, Phil went to August and Emma Waknitz. 

In "What games did you play when you were young?" Phil wrote about the fun he had with his brothers, cousins, and neighbor kids. He ends the section with, "Life was much simpler in those days. You worked hard, you played hard and you listened to Ma and Pa. Mostly Ma :)"

In "How did you figure out how to be a parent?" Phil said "I'm still working on it. :) A lot of it is what you see and experience by example. Being raised by loving and caring people sets the tone of how you learn to live." He has some nice wisdom here.

Reading the section dedicated to Jenifer made tears well up in my eyes. He ended it with, "I like to tell people that I spoiled you for sixteen years and you have been spoiling me ever since."

I enjoyed reading Phil's stories. One thing I noticed that I'm pretty sure happened in my book too was the repetition of certain stories or elements. It's hard to cull those out! I also wish Jenifer had taken me up on my offer to proofread before publishing. There were little spelling and grammar errors that don't detract from the stories, but make this English teacher do a mini cringe. (Things like "dinning" instead of "dining" room . . . ) Ah well. Most people aren't as picky as I am about that. I loved reading Phil's reminiscences and am so glad he wrote them down! I wish I had more of my parents' stories.