A Mid-June Sunday Salon

Another week has passed and somehow it's mid-June already. Highlights of the week include browsing at the library for the first time since March 2020, having new friends over for a glass of wine on the lanai, and some beautiful sunsets on the beach.

Finished last week//

Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney 

There's nothing I like more than a novel about families and relationships. Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's debut novel,  The Nest, was a favorite a few summers ago and I've eagerly awaited her sophomore effort. I was on the library hold list before it was even released and Good Company did not disappoint!

Once again, I found a well-written novel with fully developed characters and complex relationships. The women are lifelong best friends, the two couples become like family to each other, and Sweeney fully explores the marriage of Flora, our main character, and her husband Julian, an actor. A theater company, named Good Company, is a connecting presence throughout the novel. 

Overall Good Company seemed quieter and more complex than The Nest, and it felt more substantial, too. It's safe to say that I will read anything Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney writes!

After borrowing the book from the library, I discovered that Marin Ireland (a new favorite) narrates the audio version. I used an audible credit to make it a read/listen combination.

What Kind of Woman: Poems by Kate Baer

I don't read much poetry, but really enjoyed working my way through this collection over the past couple of weeks. As you can guess from the title, the poems are all about being a woman, our bodies, marriage, and motherhood. I'd hoped to share a poem here, but the collection has disappeared from my kindle. You'll want to check this out for yourself.

Current reading//

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

I'm almost done with a read/listen combination of this YA novel. The audio version is narrated by the author and she does a fantastic job. I usually only read one or two YA titles each year, but am enjoying this very much.

Paris in July//

It's almost here! Tamara at Thyme for Tea is, once again, hosting Paris in July! This even has been a blogosphere favorite since 2010. It's also one of the reasons I found myself browsing the shelves at the local library... you can never have too many reading possibilities. You'll find all the details in Tamara's announcement post.

In the kitchen//

My main goal last week was to cook from the freezer. I've been slowly using meat, poultry, and seafood purchased and frozen over the past six months. I always try to empty it out when we'll be away for any length of time... and it's never a good idea to leave a full freezer during hurricane season! 

I made Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup and Shrimp Yaki Udon , which my husband liked even more than the chicken version from a couple of weeks ago. I also tried Ground Turkey, Asparagus, and Basil Stir-Fry, a new recipe from the Washington Post. It was really good, and I prepared the meal in under 30 minutes! I used ground chicken from the freezer instead of turkey, low sodium soy sauce, and apricot preserves instead of jam. We'll definitely have this dish again.

The week ahead//

I almost hate to think about it, but we're making plans for our journey north at the end of the month. The thought doesn't provoke the same pandemic-related anxiousness I felt last August, but there's still a lot to do whenever we leave for a couple of months.

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.