NumberNineteen

Favorite Books of 2016

For those of you who have been reading for awhile, you'll remember that I made (and met) a goal of reading 100 books in 2015.  It was a tight squeeze to fit in all of those books, but I made it!  I made a conscious decision to not have a reading goal for 2016, as I felt that I was a bit rushed when reading at times and missed out on some of the details in the books.  So, my total for 2016 was 78 books.  Not too shabby but I didn't feel rushed to get to the next book.  

Though I read a lot last year, there were only a few that really stood out to me, which I'm declaring my five favorite books of 2016.

Martha's Vineyard - Isle of Dreams by Susan Branch - This was my favorite book, the most influential book, the one that I think about most often and the one that I've re-read and the one that I'm sure to read many more times.  If you think that you know Susan Branch from her cute calendars, you must read her trilogy of memoirs to really get to know her.  This one is the second in the set and describes the pivotal point in her life that she moved to Martha's Vineyard and became the women that we know from her cookbooks and art.  It's about figuring out who you are, what you want and rising from the ashes of a difficult time. 

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton - I discovered Kate Morton this year and have loved everything that I've read by her.  This is the first one that I've read and I think it is the best.  A young girl witnesses a crime that changes everything she thought that she knew about her mother.  Years later, as her mother is dying, she tries to put together the clues to her mother's past that will explain what she saw.  It switches back and forth between modern times and wartime London.  The ending is COMPLETELY unexpected  -- literally, it keeps you guessing until the last page.

Everybody's Fool by Richard Russo - I love Richard Russo and was so excited to find out that he wrote a new book.  It is a sequel to Nobody's Fool, but you don't have to have read the latter to enjoy this book.  It takes place in Russo's favorite area to depict -- a small industrial town in upstate New York which is suspiciously like the Albany/Saratoga Springs area, full of lots of unique characters. This book is both laugh out loud funny and touching. 

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina - This is my YA favorite for last year.  Meg Medina is a super talented YA author and I loved this book, based upon her teenage years in 1970s New York, specifically 1977, the Summer of Sam.  You feel like you were there -- a time when New York was gritty and pretty scary.  Her main character, Nora, is juggling her need for independence, a boyfriend, an abusive brother and absent father and the fear that cloaks the entire city as a serial killer is on the loose.

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson - Downton Abbey fans, here is the book to fill the space left by it's absence! It's the summer of 1914 in an English village.  Beatrice Nash has just arrived to become the new school mistress.  She wants to remain aloof and mourn the death of her father, but she is soon drawn into the lives of a local family.  As they head towards the beginning of the First World War, their lives become intertwined.  It's so full of great characters and atmosphere -- Please BBC!  Make this into a series!!!

I hope that you find a book that interests you among my favorites.  If you are interested in other books that I have read, you may check out my Goodreads profile at Goodreads.

Back to School, Back to Books

Hi there!  I've been gone from the blog for approximately 3 1/2 weeks, the timing of which is not a coincidence.  Back to school I went in mid August and I finally have this lovely breather that is Labor Day weekend.  I don't normally post much about my life in the library here because I like to keep this as my get-away space.  However, I'm really excited about the work that I've put into our library this year.  There was sort of a magical moment this year when my work brain and my crafty/creative brain merged together.

We put these canvasses on top of the longest bookcases on either side of the library.  The smaller ones are images of popular book covers that were blown up on a poster machine and then Mod Podged onto canvases from Michaels.  On the larger ones, I stenciled quotes about libraries using my Cricut machine, vinyl and spray paint on a large canvas.

We have large display cases in the main hallway, just outside of the library. I try to change them out every month or so, to align with either a project going on in the library or a seasonal theme.  This month, the theme is "Back to School, Back to Books":

I don't know if you can see all of the details, but I went crazy with school supplies -- piles of erasers, jars of pencils and rulers, garlands made from paper clips, paper airplanes from notebook paper, a globe, a backpack and more.  And, of course, favorite books.

I have a new co-librarian this year and we are really excited to move forward with a year focused entirely on books and getting kids to read (you laugh -- "isn't that what libraries are always supposed to do?" -- believe it or not, modern school libraries get pulled in a lot of directions these days...!).  Keeping that in mind, we are all about creating eye-catching, book centered displays that make kids want to pick up books and start reading. I usually get my ideas for displays from a piece of something I see on Pinterest or in a store, but I try to adapt it to something that works in our space and for our purposes.  

I got the idea for this display from an Emoji bullentin board that I spied on Pinterest.  I expanded on the theme by identifying books with appropriate emoji.  Kids can just grab the book from the display and check it out. Super bright and taps into the language that kids "speak". In the first week of school, we've already had to refill the display several times!

Here is another one that taps into a popular theme -- comic book superheroes.  I found the "POW!" and "WOW!" bubbles through a Google search, printed & laminated them and stuck them on paint stirrers (for those non-school librarian types --- paint stirrers are a cheap library supply staple!).  We are running out of superhero books for this display!

I'm really proud of what we have done so far and I have loads of ideas for the coming months.  If you are here for family and decorating updates, I'll be back to those soon ;)  If you are a librarian or educator, I hope that you may have found a few ideas that inspire you!

100 Books in 2015

Sorry to be gone for a few weeks...I had a wonderful Christmas but was immediately thereafter hit with a stomach bug - no bueno.  Just about the time that I recovered, it was back to work time and trying to get used to January after December.  Don't laugh.  I know that it comes every year, just like clockwork, but I'm always taken aback by the bleakness of January in contrast to the warmth and festivities of December.  It's a good thing that we've got Downton Abbey to pull us through.

On to the subject at hand.  Yes, my friends, I READ 100 BOOKS IN A YEAR.  Met my goal, crossed it off the list!  Read some amazing books, some fun books and even a few awful books.  Was pulled into other worlds that I would have never known (both real and imagined), saw life from other perspectives and even was inspired.  Would I do this again?  Probably not, at least not intentionally....  While so I'm glad that I read so much, I did feel pressure to get through books quickly, which meant that I didn't always savor each book as I should have.  I'm looking forward to taking my time with each book again.

I had many favorites among the 100, so it was hard to choose just a few.  I decided to choose the ones that really stuck in my mind and to throw in a few favorites from various genres.

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella - We all know Sophie Kinsella from the hilarious Shopaholic books but Finding Audrey is quite another kind of book.  Kinsella's first young adult book focuses on Audrey, a teenager who suffers from a crippling anxiety disorder.  She meets her brother's friend Linus, who draws her out and, with the help of her family and therapist, begins to recover.  Lots of humor mixed in with a respectful handling of Audrey's condition.  I think that this may be my favorite book by her yet.

A History of Loneliness by John Boyne - Odran Yates is an Irish priest in the 1970s -- a good man but one who is unable or unwilling to see what is happening around him. Years later, as the issues in the church are revealed, he must confront his own complicity in what has occurred around him.  A truly thought provoking book.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown  - The 1936 University of Washington rowing team was an unlikely group of heroes, sons of laborers and farmers in the sport of the priveledged.  The Boys in the Boat tells the story of how these young men grew from inexperienced college freshmen to the elite athletes who won the Olympics away from Hitlers' Germany.  A wonderful true story of the Greatest Generation.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton - Ava Lavender is one of the most beautiful books that I have read in a long, long time.  Magical and mystical, it is the story of a family's loves and sorrows and their child, Ava, who was born with wings.  Do not let that fantastical aspect put you off -- this is absolutely one of my favorite books of this year and many years.  Read it.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters - In 1920s England, Mrs. Wray & her adult daughter Frances are forced to take in borders.  When the attractive and modern Barber couple move in, Frances' world experiences a seismic shift.  Forced intimacies lead to conflict and passion, and finally, an event that changes everything.  A historical novel, a crime novel, a novel of passion. I couldn't put it down.  Writing about it is making me think that I need to re-read it!

The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain - The Red Notebook & The President's Hat (also by Laurain) aren't quite as moving as some of the other books on this list, but they are wonderful slices of Parisian delight...stories of chance encounters and fate surrounded by lovely french lifestyle. 

You're Loved No Matter What by Holley Gerth - This is a very different sort of book for me to put on this list, but it has been one of the most meaningful and inspirational books in my life this year.  At a time in my life that I need to know about my worth and how to live in grace, this book is perfect.  If you are looking for a book that will help free you from looking for your worth in others and finding your true value, I highly recommend this book.

Before the Poison by Peter Robinson - I read a lot of British crime dramas this year and this was my favorite.  Paraphrased from Goodreads: "Chris Lowndes, an award winning composer, has returned to the Yorkshire Dales, mourning the death of his wife.  The isolated house he buys sight unseen should give him the space to come to terms with his grief and the quiet to allow him to work. Kilnsgate House turns out to be rather more than he expected, however. A man died there, sixty years ago. His wife was convicted of murder. And something is pulling Chris deeper and deeper into their story..."

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - I loved one of Donna Tartt's books (The Secret History) and hated the other (The Little Friend).  Her long awaited The Goldfinch prompted extreme opinions -- either readers seem to love or hate it, so I didn't know what to expect.  I loved it.  It is the story of Theo Decker, who lives through a terrorist attack that kills his mother.  He is taken in by a wealthy friend's family and is drawn into worlds from the WASP-y elite to seedy Las Vegas.  All through his story is one thread -- a painting called The Goldfinch, which connects him to his mother.  Tartt's characters and world are so detailed & rich, I just fell in love with the book.

So, there you go.  I could recommend so many of the other books that I read, if anyone is interested.  Need a list of good YA books?  I'll send them to you!  More good mysteries/thrillers? I've got a few of those as well. 

Next up, back to regularly scheduled programming of decorating and crafting...I've been busy and my head is buzzing with ideas!

 

New Books for Fall 2015

It's hard to believe, but 2015 is over halfway over!  For those following along on my quest to read 100 books, I have completed 63 so far.  So, 37 more books to read in 5 months...7.4 books a month...I can do it!  I'm always looking for the next book that is going to pull me in & not let me go. The one that I can barely break away from.  There are quite a few books coming out in the next few months that are on my radar.  Hopefully, one of my new favorites is among them.  Here are the ones that have caught my attention:

Another Day - The companion book to David Levithan's best seller, Every Day, in which the story is told from the point of view of the love interest, Rhiannon.  One day, her usually lackluster boyfriend suddenly becomes a person who makes her feel alive...but doesn't remember any of it the next day.  Then, a stranger comes along and tells her that her suddenly wonderful boyfriend isn't who she thought that he was.... I read and loved Every Day so I'm intrigued by this companion. Published August 25.

Eileen - In the early 1960s Eileen Dunlop is working at a boy's prison outside of Boston.  When Rebecca Saint John comes on as a bright new counselor at the prison, she and Eileen become fast friends. Eileen's affection for Rebecca soon pulls her into complicity in a crime that surpasses her wildest imaginings. Published August 18.

Good on Paper - Shira Green is a permanent temp whose literary ambitions haven't panned out as she had hoped.  So, when a Nobel prize winning author asks her to translate his latest work, she thinks that her life may be turning around.  However, when she receives the manuscript, she realizes that the work is untranslatable.  Published January 26, 2016 - we'll have to wait on this one.

Goodnight Mr. Wodehouse - OK, I'll admit that the adorable vintage illustration on the cover may have influenced my interest in this book! Nell Stillman has struggled to find meaning in an increasingly chaotic world. A complicated marriage, the loss of her child— her road has not been easy. But somehow she manages to find moments of grace, more often than not through the genial voice of P.G. Wodehouse, the beloved British novelist. Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse celebrates the power of great novels. Published September 22.

In a Dark, Dark Wood - A British psychological thriller.  I don't think that I need to say more.  Nora is invited to the "hen" (bachelorette) party of an old friend that she hasn't spoken to in years.  She reluctantly decides to attend the party in an isolated glass house in the English countryside.  Soon, the party takes a dark turn.... Published August 4.

Notorious RBG - This book offers an unprecedented look at the Justice and how she changed the world. From Ginsburg’s refusal to let  doors of sexism stop her to her innovative legal work, from her before-its-time feminist marriage to her perch on the nation’s highest court -- get to know RBG as never before. As the country struggles with the unfinished business of gender equality and civil rights, Ginsburg stands as a testament to how far we can come with a little chutzpah. Published October 27.

Make Your Home Among Strangers - When Lizet-the daughter of Cuban immigrants and the first in her family to graduate from high school-secretly applies and is accepted to an ultra-elite college, her parents are furious at her decision to leave Miami. When Lizet begins college, she experiences the excitement and difficulty of freshman year, while seeing herself as a minority for the first time. This book tells the  story of a young woman torn between generational, cultural, and political forces. Published August 4.

Sounds Like Me - Sara Barielles is one of my favorite musicians, not only for her music but also for her determination to stay true to herself in an industry that often wants to "package" artists. In her book, Sara Bareilles shares the joys and the struggles that come with creating great work, all while staying true to yourself. This collection tells the inside story behind some of her most popular songs.  More than a view inside the experience of a remarkable musical talent—this is a moving tribute to the universal search for growth, healing, and self-acceptance. Published October 6.

This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! - Her husband recently passed away, Harriet Chance decides to go on their planned Alaskan cruise.But what she hoped would be a voyage leading to a new lease on life becomes a surprising and revelatory journey into Harriet’s past. Harriet is forced to take a long look back, confronting the truth about pivotal events that changed the course of her life. And in the process she discovers that she’s been living the better part of that life under entirely false assumptions. Published September 8.

New Books in 2015

I'm off and running towards my goal of reading 100 books in 2015 (well, sometimes off and jogging might be more apt).  I have a long list of "want to reads" which includes adult and YA titles, old and new.  In addition, I am really excited about some books that are due to come out this year. I'm getting on the library wait list for these books that are coming out in 2015!

Know Your Beholder by Adam Rapp-- March 3, 2015

This sounds like one of my favorite kinds of adult fiction -- a person in down & out situation, working through it with humor and a wry outlook.  According to Amazon:

"thirty-something Francis Falbo is holed up in his attic apartment, recovering from a series of traumas: his mother's death, his beloved wife's desertion, and his once-ascendant rock band's irreconcilable break-up. Francis hasn't shaved in months, hasn't so much as changed out of his bathrobe-"the uniform of a Life in Default"-for nine days....Fusing consummate wit with the seriousness attending an adulthood gone awry, Rapp has written an uproarious and affecting novel about what we do and where we go when our lives have crumbled around us."

 

 

A History of Loneliness by John Boyne -- February 3, 2015

This is the story of a good Irish Catholic priest who must face, although he committed no mis-deeds, the dark troubles in the church and his complicit role in those troubles.  I don't know why I'm drawn to stories about the troubles in the Catholic Church, but I've really enjoyed other novels on the subject, including Faith by Jennifer Haigh.

 

I Was Here by Gayle Foreman -- January 27, 2015

I've really loved Gayle Foreman's If I Stay and Where She Went.  She writes compelling stories that just suck.you.in.  In her latest, college age Cody discovers that her best friend Meg has, without warning,  committed suicide.  What happened to Meg?  What would drive her to this?  How could Cody not have known?  Cody learns more about Meg's life and finds that there was much about her that she didn't know....

 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins -- January 13, 2015 (that's today!!)

I'm *dying* to read The Girl on the Train.  It sounds like a modern take on Rear Window, with twists.  Amazon says,

"Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

     And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?"

Akk!  I'm so excited about this book.

 

 

Kid President's Guide to Being Awesome by Bobby Novak and Brad Montague -- February 3, 2015

We all need a little more Kid President in our life...seriously, if we all were a little more Kid President, a little less...well, un-Kid President, the world would be a better place.

So...what do you think?  Have any of these caught your eye?

Bags for Book Lovers -- The Strand Tote Bags

When I wrote about NYC this summer, I mentioned that purchases were made at the famous NY book store, The Strand. Over 18 miles of books, they say.  It felt like a little bit of heaven to me.  I wanted to bring something home from The Strand that would remind me on an every day basis of our trip.  One of their tote bags was the perfect thing.

This is the one that I chose, amusing to my quirky sense of humor. However, it was hard to choose!  

There is this Gorey-esque one called "Nine Lives".

This one is the perfect reminder of your time in the city.

Anyone need some pulp fiction in their lives? 

How about some literary (super)heroes?

There is this pretty one, in the style of William Morris.

Even Kate Spade designed a bag for them.  I was very tempted....

Whenever I see my bag (every day, all of the time since I carry it everywhere), I think happily of the place in New York where they understand book lovers.

 

Literary Movies

I'm so excited -- two of my favorite books from the past few years have been made into movies that are coming out in the next few weeks. 

First: This is Where I Leave You 

The book is funny, smart and touching.  The movie has a stellar cast.  This one hits all the marks.  I can't wait to see it. It comes out tonight, the 19th. Anyone want to babysit an adorable 9 year old tonight?  Anyone???

Second: Gone Girl

 

You've probably read the book.  If you haven't, you've most certainly heard the hype.  I loved this book.  I love the thriller aspect, the psychological aspect.  I loved the twist (don't worry, no spoilers here).  When I heard that Ben Afflack & Rosamund Pike were cast as the two main characters, I thought, "Yes, perfect."  The movie comes out October 3rd.  Enough time to find a sitter....

My Top Books of 2014 (so far....)

 

 

My goal this year is to read 100 books.  A daunting task, but do-able.  I'm keeping track on Goodreads (follow me if you like!) & I'm up to 71 books.  39 to go before New Years....  As you can imagine, among those 71 books, I have my favorites.  People are always asking me for book suggestions, so I'm sharing my top 10 books of 2014 (so far).

The Silver Star - Jeanette Walls does dysfunctional so well in her first novel.  Two sisters who have essentially been abandoned by their mother go to live with their uncle at the family estate, located in a small Virginia town. When they find jobs with the local mill manager, they are excited for the extra money but soon they find him taking advantage of them.

Astonish Me - I didn't know anything about this novel aside from the fact that I enjoyed Maggie Shipstead's first novel Seating Arrangements.  I was soon enraptured by this tale set in the world of ballet that reminded me somewhat of The Turning Point (amazing 1970s movie about 2 ballerinas and their choices).

The Husband's Secret - This novel weaves the lives of several suburban families together, all of whom are linked through "the husband's secret".  I figured out the secret pretty early on, but that did not discourage me in the least from wanting to read more about the characters.

The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street - This is another one that I knew nothing about prior to attending an author reading with my friend.  I knew as soon as I heard the author read the "voice" of the main character that I had to read this book.  You may not like the protagonist, Lillian Dunkle, but you find yourself rooting for her & dying to know what comes next.  It is a great story of the immigrant experience in American in the early part of the 20th century.

The Glass Room - I read this book months ago & it keeps coming back to me.  A young couple in 1920s Europe has a home built for them -- a modern masterpiece that is meant to embody the future.  Through the tumultuous 1930s & 1940s, the owners lives are split apart and the house comes into the possession of a variety of people.  The great passions and troubles of the time move through the house, but the house is unchanged, finally drawing the owners back.

May We Be Forgiven - Oh my God.  This book is absurd black comedy at it's best.  As I was reading it, I kept stopping to say to Glenn "You won't believe what happened now". 

Brain on Fire - I read this in one sitting, completely unable to put it down.  It is the true story of a young, seemingly healthy journalist who appears to suddenly descend into madness.  Seizures, uncontrolled movements, and paranoid behavior lead to a near diagnosis of schizophrenia before her medical mystery is finally unravelled.

Paris in Love - Author Eloisa James wrote this account of her family's year in Paris in short essays which not only make you want to take a trip to the City of Light but also remind you to savor the pleasures of life.  Her accounts of her family's adjustments to life in a foreign country are highly amusing.

The Spectacular Now - Of course, there has to be a YA book in this list and The Spectacular Now ranks among my favorites.  This could be the light story of the party guy who meets the shy girl and brings her out of her shell.  Instead, it is an amazingly well written book about who the party guy really is -his loneliness, the constant pursuit of the ongoing buzz and how he pulls the girl along with him.

The Interestings - A group of kids meet at a 1970s camp & declare themselves "The Interestings".  The novel follows them as they come of age and their choices bring them varying degrees of success.  The question arises -- which is more important -- financial or personal success?

Thrifting Adventures January 2014

It's been a busy weekend, full of my favorite kind of things.  Thrifting and friends, books and British tv and ideas for creativity just overflowing.

Yesterday, one of my dearest friends came down to my place for an afternoon of thrifting and book shopping.  We started out with lunch at one of my favorite wood fired pizza restaurants and then moved onto the main event.  We scoured two thrift shops and a huge second hand book store and made major scores!  My favorite is this 1956 portable Admiral TV that I came upon in the Goodwill.  I called Glenn to tell him about it & he said "Buy it!"

We hooked it up in the media room/basement den & get this -- it works!  Or, at the very least, it powers up, makes noise & has flashing horizontal lines across the screen. 

I picked up several books for myself, one for the library (we can never have too many copies of the Hunger Games series) and a few for my mom.  I also found a gorgeous skirt and a bunch goodies for the house.

I almost always have good luck with silver at thrift stores.  I just give it a quick polish & it's beautiful.  I'm almost embarassed to have purchased the brass candlesticks -- I gave away about 8 of them a few years ago & have been kicking myself since.  So, when I saw these, I snatched them up.  The pitcher isn't strictly speaking a thrift find since I got it off of craigslist, but I picked it up this weekend so I thought that I'd include it.  I've been looking for more white pitchers since I saw this Holly Mathis kitchen mood board on her blog earlier this week:

source: Holly Mathis Interiors

I just love all of the textures going on there & it's just in tune with the look that I love.  We have the beige walls, tole trays and bamboo blinds and I want to add more large baskets, wicker covered bottles and the aforementioned white pitchers.

Today I went to the second meeting of the young adult literature book club (for adults) that I mentioned about 2 months ago.  It is just so cool to meet new people who have the same interests.  After I told them about my thrifting adventures several of them revealed that they love to thrift and suggested that we have a thrifting field trip soon.  How fun!

I came home and made a cosy meal and am about to start on a craft project that I'm so excited about.  I have about 4 projects going on right now and am bursting to work on all of them.  Darn this work thing that takes up so much time ;)  I'm going to sit in front of Downton in about an hour and craft and escape to 1920s England. 

Hello

As anyone with a kid knows, the first month of school is crazy.  If you work in a school AND have a kid?  About 3 times as crazy.  I think that I may finally be getting into the groove of life as a librarian/mom/person with a personal life.  To catch you up...

Labor Day weekend...Terri, Ezra & Rainer (sister, bro in law, nephew) arrived for a whirlwind visit complete with a trip to a Nationals game.  Hope & Rainer were there for all of 10 minutes before they got featured on the Jumbotron.  What can I say?  They are some cute kids :)

The day after they left Hope started 3rd grade.  My baby...sniff, sniff.  Hope's loves as of the beginning of third grade are My Little Ponies, Transformers (on tv), reading, and tap dancing.  She is starting Brownies this year as well.  That is right -- we are your Girl Scout cookie connection!

Any spare moment that I can find, I've been reading.  The kids want recommendations! So, I've been reading a lot of young adult lit.  I've been keeping track of what I read on Good Reads...here is a link to my profile if you are interested.  I'm currently reading The List (not for kids!) which is a thinly veiled novel about working at Politico with some romance thrown in.  I'm going to pick it up again as soon as I finish this post....

And, I've managed to squeeze in some fall decorating.  Notice that blue & white vase?   I finally found a few pieces of blue & white porcelain that fit into my budget -- one of my covets has been furfilled!

 

I hope that fall is starting off well for you!