Happy Sunday, friends. It's been another good week filled with family and friends, books, and beaches. We went to a St. Patrick's Day happy hour in our old neighborhood (just a few miles down the road), enjoyed an overnight visit from my sister and brother-in-law, read on the beach for an entire afternoon, and I finally completed my first 5-star read of the year!
Recent reading//
How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key
narrated by the author
I listened to the April selection of the MMD book club and, unfortunately, found it was not for me. This is a memoir about a marriage in crisis following the author's discovery of his wife's infidelity. It's a sad story that is, at times, surprisingly funny. It's also filled with insight, both personal and spiritual. A chapter written and narrated by Key's wife, Lauren, provides her perspective on the situation and, in my opinion, was key to the memoir's overall success. The marriage ultimately survives and, while the book is well done, it's just not a book I wanted to read. However, I do look forward to the discussion.
You Are Here by David Nicholls
This was both my first novel by David Nicholls and my first 5-star read of the year! It was a read/listen combination which I flew through in just 24 hours... starting the audio during a sleepless night and continuing with the ebook the following day.
It begins as one woman assembles a group of friends for a weekend hike through the English countryside. An odd set of circumstances, compounded by bad weather, leads to an unlikely pairing of two previous strangers and an epic ten-day hike from sea to sea. I really enjoyed getting to know Michael and Marnie, and rooted for their budding relationship. I loved the descriptions of their hike, the scenery, and various stops along the way. I'm already looking forward to my next David Nicholl's novel and dream about planning my own English hiking adventure!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Current reading//
Kate & Frida by Kim Fay
I won another goodreads giveaway!! This is the second in as many months and this time it was a kindle edition. Kim Fay's Love & Saffron was a 2022 favorite, and so far her follow-up is just as good.
In the kitchen//
This was not a week for trying new recipes, but I did make an old favorite, Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil, from Damn Delicious. I probably shared this a few years ago, but Publix had BOGO frozen shrimp last week and this week it's BOGO kielbasa, so making this recipe again was a no-brainer! It's one of my husband's favorites.
The week ahead//
Nothing especially exciting is on the agenda this week. The main event is a routine colonoscopy, which I'm not looking to but has to be done. I hope you have something more pleasant planned!
How was your week? What have you been reading?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
What a dream-like beach scene! And the shrimp look delicious.
ReplyDeletebest… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae - There were issues with water quality earlier this winter, but it's j beautiful and clear now!
DeleteAfter reading your rave review I think that perhaps I should look for You Are Here.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Goodreads win. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Kate & Frida.
Deb - I just learned that David Nicholls is also a screenwriter. That explains the very visual quality of the hike, I think. I'm planning to read his other books now!
DeleteYay for a good week and nice weather. I hope this week is great as well!
ReplyDeleteCindy - It's gradually getting warmer. I'm just hoping the humidity stays away for a while longer.
DeleteI can understand that!! I hate humidity!
DeleteThe sheet pan recipe is a good one but I forget to add it to my list to prepare. Just got back from Publix actually for some of the BOGOs, and lots of fruit. Soon we will see more of the fresh strawberries and I am looking forward to that.
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear about the David Nichols book. Looks appealing. Trying to stay focused on my planned reading list but....you know how that goes.
Tina - The local strawberries are so delicious, we can't get enough of them!! I know it's hard to stick to that planned reading list... so many tempting books keep popping up. Good luck!
DeleteSounds like a lovely week - especially the visit with your sister. I don't think the MMD pick would have been for me either. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - Sometimes I end up liking, or at least appreciating, a book more after hearing the author talk about it. We'll see how it goes with April's pick... really not a book for me.
DeleteBeautiful picture of the beach! Good luck with your procedure and hope your week goes well in every respect - ha! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay. I'll be glad when it's over!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the Nicholls book. The scenery & hike is one to dream about for sure. Your photo up top is so inviting as usual. I'd like to jump into the Gulf. I hope folks there still call it the Gulf of Mexico. Let's not whitewash our landmarks and history for some crazy regime. Have a great week and your beach walks.
ReplyDeleteSusan - The people I know here are still calling it the Gulf of Mexico and laugh about the Gulf of America. There was a cartoon in CT that showed the Long Island Sound as the Gulf of Connecticut! Politicians and the MAGA crowd are all in on it though... sigh.
DeleteThe Nicholls book was like a breath of fresh air after all the political craziness.
An entire afternoon of reading? Gosh, that sounds blissful. Something to strive for.
ReplyDeleteHelen - First time all year... it was bliss!
DeleteThat water looks amazing! Reminds me of St. John and St. Thomas. Glad you've been having good beach days. How lovely to spend an entire day reading on the beach.
ReplyDeleteHow to Stay Married sounds like an unsettling read. I'm glad the marriage survived, but I'm not sure I'd want to read it. I hope you have a good discussion.
I'm going to reserve a copy of Nicholls' book now that I've read your thoughts on it. I've seen it around the blogosphere, but I trust your opinion and am glad you rated it so highly! Wouldn't it be fun to go on an English hiking adventure? And the new Kim Fay book looks just as lovely as her first. Can't wait to read it!
I have shrimp and kielbasa, so I'm going to have to make that sheet pan recipe. Looks delicious.
Good for you to get your colonoscopy. I had mine earlier this year and while the prep isn't nearly as awful as it used to be, it's still unpleasant. But I'd much rather have a single evening/night of yuckiness over chemo & radiation for colon cancer. Plus, BEST NAP EVER! :) Fingers crossed for good results.
Les - I just love it when the water is that pretty! It typically takes on the brilliant colors in the early spring... before the rainy season gets started.
DeleteI think there will be a good discussion of How to Stay Married. It already seems to evoke a wide range of feelings from readers who have already finished. We'll see...
You Are Here was certainly a case of the right book at the right time for me! The hike was so much fun to read about and I enjoyed the romance aspect, too. Will be looking for Nicholl's other novels now.
You're so right about the colonoscopy nap! It's definitely the best, but I'll be glad when it's over.
Hee. I had an entire afternoon of reading yesterday, but here in MN it was 30 degrees with powerful winds, so not on the beach! I'm reading and loving Andrea Barrett's The Voyage of the Narwhal. I was reading Karen Russell's The Antidote, which just didn't work for me, so I put it down halfway through.
ReplyDeleteAmy - I'll take an afternoon of reading any way I can get it! Under a blanket with a cup of tea is also work me. I remember enjoying The Voyage of the Narwhal and also another of her novels, The Air We Breathe. I'm hesitant to try even The Antidote because I set Swamplandia aside pretty early on...
DeleteI feel like Karen Russell should be a big fave for me (literary fiction with magical realism!), but she's not. I keep trying her books and not connecting with them.
DeleteAmy - I get that. Karen Russell is an author I really want to like, but...
DeleteBeautiful beach photo! While I can see how a memoir like How to Stay Married might help people who find themselves in a similar position, for me it would just be agonizing. Glad you found your first five star read of 2025!
ReplyDeleteOlivia - Thanks, so happy to finally have a 5-star read!!
DeleteYou Are Here sounds like something I'd really like. I have fantasies of walking sea to sea in England.
ReplyDeleteJoy - You Are Here was definitely the right book at the right time for me! The idea of a hike like that is so enticing... the scenery must be spectacular! And I really enjoyed the romance, too. I liked that the audiobook had dual narrators.
DeleteSounds like a great week with family! Yay for a 5 star read! Have a great week, Joann!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rachel. We had a great time with my sister and BIL... wish they could have stayed longer.
DeleteOof, How to Stay Married sounds like something I'd be unlikely to read on my own. Sometimes that can be the joy of a bookclub, but... sometimes something really isn't a match. Hope the discussion is fun though!
ReplyDeleteNicky - I definitely would not have picked this up without the push from a group. Hopefully the discussion will be a good one...
DeleteBeautiful beach pic. Congrats on the Goodreads win. Hope you enjoy your books and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne. I was so shocked to win another giveaway, plus this was instant gratification because I could download it right away!
DeleteI just finished Kate & Frida and enjoyed it so hope that you do too JoAnn. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteJodie - I'm glad to know you enjoyed Kate & Frida. I think it's great so far!
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