About: Read this, not that!

Between games

As a mom raising four children, I often found myself with little pockets of time, on the sidelines between games, waiting in the van, waiting in the kitchen (standing up!) or waiting for the kids to get ready for school or sports. I filled that time by reading.

In 2016, After 20 years at home raising children, I traded my van for an economy sedan and started a new career path, first as a library assistant at a public library and three years later, as a reference librarian. At the library, I’m surrounded by books, but libraries are hopping places and we’re too busy to read while we work! I’m inspired by all the books I see and learn about at work, however, and I’m never low on books to read.

All-time favorite book!

My all-time favorite book will always Youngblood Hawke by Herman Wouk. (Click here for my review of this great classic!)

I also love short fiction because of the forced economy of words and inevitable twists. I don’t like reading more than one book at a time, so I like squeezing in a short story when I’m reading something long.

I love the all-time classics. I don’t want to get lost in the past, however, so I’m always looking out for the next greatest book in today’s world. I especially enjoy reading young adult and historical fiction. Lately, I’ve been reading more mysteries and suspense novels. I really like seeing how writers develop plots and how they keep the reader interested. When I read non-fiction, I prefer books about history and biographies.

I often choose books that are already on my shelf. These books come and go, the result of a loose network of friends and family who trade and circulate whatever is on their own shelves. I also like borrowing books from the library, especially for my Kindle because it’s so convenient!

Follow this link to my Top 25 All-Time Favorites.
Here are some others on my list:

I try to see the best in everything I read. Just because I don’t like something, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. I think it’s important to understand and respect the genre. See its purpose. If a book is written to entertain, embrace it for that. If it’s to escape, then expect fantasy, not reality.

My reviews have a lot of three-star ratings. Three stars means I liked the book. My pet peeve is to see an online review with thousands of five-star ratings. How can you distinguish the good books from the great books and ultimately from the best books ever written if everything gets five stars?

So if you can live with that system (click here for a detailed explanation), check out what I’ve read and leave a comment. Tell me what you’re reading!

Here’s a link to all my socials. I’d love to connect with you! https://linktr.ee/BookClubMom

I love my new Kindle, but I’m not totally paperless because I take lots of notes.

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!