Hello friends! It's a sunny Super Bowl Sunday on Sanibel and, while I don't really care about the game this year, it's still fun to watch the commercials and halftime show.
It's good to check in here again after a busy couple of weeks. We got to spend time with our daughter/her fiancé and celebrate her birthday over their long weekend visit. The painters finally finished the outside work, then promptly disappeared before moving on to interior repairs. But I'm told we're still on "the list." The rest of the landscape clean-up is done and we're expecting a load of gravel tomorrow. Our pavers have been ordered, but delivery is ten weeks out. Baby steps...
Recent reading//
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Collaborating on a novel must be incredibly difficult and, for me, the result was a great story with less than memorable writing. I really loved learning about Belle Greene, J.P. Morgan's personal librarian, and the time period. Now I plan to dig a little deeper into Belle's life and accomplishments. The Morgan Library and Museum in NYC has an upcoming exhibition about her life and legacy opening in late October and I'm already planning my visit.
Marie Benedict spoke at our library last week and I was lucky enough to "win" a ticket in the lottery. However a multi-vehicle crash blocked traffic which resulted in hours of gridlock on much of the island, including my routes to the library. I was unable to get there. My only consolation is that both authors will join a zoom chat with MMD book club later this month! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
by Jill Ciment, narrated by Hillary Huber
So far this year I've stuck with planned reading, but this book was entirely an impulse pick. Ann Patchett talked about it during her most recent Friday "New to You" instagram video segment. I was intrigued, found the audiobook (read by a favorite narrator) available on Libby, and then listened into the wee hours of the night when I should have been sleeping!
This short novel (under 5 1/2 hours) is about a high-profile murder trial where a teenaged girl is accused of killing her toddler brother. Two jurors, sequestered for the entirety of the trial, begin a covert affair. After the trial, juror C2 returns home to her elderly husband and the affair leads to "profoundly personal and moral consequences." Dark, tense, and tightly written, I could not stop listening!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Current reading//
Belle Greene by Alexandra Lapierre, translated by Tina Kover
I'm almost 30% into this 500+ page novel, another work of historical fiction about Belle Greene. It's the February "flight pick" for MMD and so interesting to compare/contrast with The Personal Librarian in terms of both substance and style. At this point I think it is the superior novel. Both the ebook and audiobook are available on hoopla.
In the kitchen//
I'm back to trying at least one new recipe each week. My latest offering came from a recent Publix ad - Key Lime-Peanut Grilled Chicken Skewers Except for cutting back on the pepper, I followed the recipe exactly as written. This is a "flavor profile" we all like, so I had a feeling it would be a hit. This will stay in our grilling season dinner rotation!
The week ahead//
Besides the delivery and spreading of new gravel, we're also looking forward to a Taco Tuesday party at a neighbor's, an afternoon with old college friends, and my sister and BIL's arrival next weekend. I'm hoping for plenty of reading time and a few sunsets at the beach, too!
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.
