December 31, 2019 AULD LANG SYNE

Can't believe it's the last day of 2019. Time to make the list. Yup--my favorite books of 2019. Read 60 books this year--wrote 56 reviews. That's an average of 5 books a month. Thinking about doing the 100 book challenge next year but don't know when I'd find the time to read 40 additional books. Last year when I wrote the list--it was really hard. The list was long and I had to keep paring it down because there were SO many books I loved--but this year was very different.  After reviewing my blog--there were ONLY nine books I'd read again or consider having in my library. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy many of the books but they were NOT KEEPERS. Hope you had a chance to read these books but if not--here they are again. (drum roll please) My list of the best books of 2019:

1) Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald reviewed 9/6/19--blog title-Communication Breakdown
2)  Chances Are by Richard Russo reviewed 10/12/19--blog title-Don't Be Afraid
3)  Where The Crawdads Sing reviewed 10/4/19--blog title-Sittin' On The Dock of a Bay
4) Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak reviewed 3/3/19--blog title-Let It Snow
5) The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar reviewed 8/22/19--blog title-Free Fallin'
6) The Lost Man by Jane Harper reviewed 3/28/19--blog title-Thursday's Child
7) Tin Man by Sarah Winman reviewed 7/5/19--blog title-Born in the USA
8) The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien reviewed 7/11/19--blog title-It's a Long Way to Tipperary
9) The Dutch House by Ann Patchett--will review in 2020

Hope you have a safe, happy, healthy 2020.
Happy Reading
-The Belle of the Book

December 29, 2019 BALL OF CONFUSION

Couldn't wait to get Erin Morgenstern's new book. Had my name on the waiting list for months. I absolutely loved  her first book The Night Circus--it was a national bestseller translated into thirty-seven languages. As soon as I got the email from the library--I zoomed downtown giddy as a school girl.  I finally had it in my hands for two whole weeks. I'm gonna say right off that her new book The Starless Sea is HEFTY-- a commitment. One I was more than willing to make based on her last book. Unfortunately that's where the excitement ended.  I tried to will myself to like it. I kept telling myself it would get better if I just stuck with it. But I have to admit that  I really did not enjoy The Starless Sea. 
Here's the premise--Beneath the Earth there is a hidden world at the shore of the Starless Sea. There are all kinds of tunnels and rooms and buildings filled with books and stories. The people who live there are the keepers and protectors of the stories. In order to get to this world one must believe and "see" the painted doorways that act as entryways. After Zachery Ezra Rawlins discovers a mysterious book in the library, he becomes obsessed with finding the Starless Sea.  Zachery's quest leads him to a masquerade ball where he meets Mirabel and Dorian, dwellers of the Starless Sea. The duo convince Zachary to join them in their battle to save The Starless Sea. Pretty sure I have it right. I have to admit that I found the book very confusing. I kept thinking I missed something so I kept going back to reread but I was still confused. It's also not really my type of story---I never liked Harry Potter either--sorry. If you're a Harry Potter fan then maybe you will like this book. Like I said--it's hefty--almost 500 pages that felt like a 10 mile run to me. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

December 29, 2019 SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT

Been distracted. Feeling a little down. The holidays are sometimes difficult for me. When I get like this--I either binge read to keep my mind occupied (4 books in the last week)  or clean random things. So--I was cleaning out a drawer in my hutch last week-- filled with old XMAS cards. Talk about getting distracted. By the time I finished with those--I discovered an old manilla envelope that contained  pictures of me from birth til about fourteen. There were even old report cards including my kindergarten report card--a good year for me--AND  my report cards from grade 7 and 8. Those were tough years for me. My mother got divorced again and our lives were in upheaval. My grades went DOWN in every subject except READING and I  missed a lot of school. Although the report cards were a springboard to some painful memories, they helped me remember that reading was my salvation THEN and continues to be a salve NOW.  If you're feeling like you need a little escape from life-- look no further than The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
This psychological thriller begins with Alicia and Gabriel Berenson--a seemingly perfect couple. She is a famous painter while her husband is a famous fashion photographer. They live in a beautiful home near London where Alicia spends her days working in her studio. One night Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot and Alicia kills him--five shots to the head--and never speaks again. After the trial, Alicia is sentenced to The Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London. There she meets Theo Faber--a criminal psychotherapist determined to "cure" her. He becomes obsessed with solving the mystery and getting Alicia to talk again. Why did Alicia kill her husband? Why is Theo risking his career to find the truth? Will Alicia ever talk again? Find the answer to these questions and many others when you read this novel filled with twists and turns that will leave you shaking your head. This book is about 340 pages or a 3 mile run that you won't be able to put down. Have Fun.

December 17, 2019 BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Took a ride over to Kelley's Pace in Mystic the other night for a book signing. The place was hopping. There were many runners and  fans eager to hear Amby Burfoot and Gail Waesche Kislevitz talk about their new book Runspirations. Yes--I wanted to hear them talk about their new book but I was also there BECAUSE my son illustrated the book. Proud Mother moment and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's funny--when he was  little--I never imagined that he'd grow up and NOT need his MOM anymore. BUT IT HAPPENS. I know it's our job as parents to guide our children so that they can be independent--successful adults but it's BITTERSWEET. It's hard to let go.  I don't see him  much these days. He's got an apartment--a girlfriend--  a busy life. AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR HIM. Life is good. BUT--every so often--I wish  he still needed me like he used to. CAN'T believe I'm saying this but I ACTUALLY miss cooking for him. These days--I get texts from him asking for recipes and cooking advice. Too funny. 
If you're looking for some advice or running inspiration--look no further than Runspirations--Amazing Stories, Timeless Wisdom, and Motivational Quotes to Help You Run Stronger Every Day. This little gem was written by Amby Burfoot, former editor of Runner's World and 1968 winner of the Boston Marathon, and my friend  Gail Waesche Kislevitz. Gail has been running for 52 years and has completed  all six World Marathon Majors. She's also written six books --that I've reviewed--and highly recommend.  This book includes several amazing short stories of runners who will inspire you to either keep running or start running. One that sticks out in my mind is Sarah Reinertsen. She ran seven marathons--in seven days--on seven continents--with only ONE leg. There is also a section on timeless wisdom that includes tips on training, nutrition, shoes, health, injury prevention, running form, cross training, weather, safety, and lifetime running. The last section of the book is devoted to motivational quotes. This book is a must for every runner. It's full of practical advice and inspiration. It's about 175 pages or a 2 mile run that will keep you moving forward.

December 8, 2019 DOWN BY THE RIVER

Did I ever tell you about my fire-bellied frog?? Well it's REALLY not my frog--BUT it's become my responsibility. LIKE I NEED MORE TO DO??  It's just like getting a puppy. The kids beg and promise to take care of it BUT that only lasts a week.  Yup--who's the one buying the crickets--ME. Who's the one cleaning the tank--ME. Who's the one changing the water--ME. Who'd a thunk a little frog would live SO long--it's been three years. We used to have two frogs. One escaped and his remains were found behind a bureau months later. We bought another AND that one escaped too. Not sure what happened to that little guy SO now we are back to ONE--just ONE little fire-bellied frog. He escaped ONCE too but I found him hip hopping down the stairs.  They are tricky little fellas. If you leave the top  open for more than a minute--GONE. Wish we never got the frogs in the first place--BUT it's til death do us part--for my sake AND his--I hope he goes first--no one else is gonna take care of him. All this frog talk has me thinking about nature and the book I just finished by Peter Heller called The River. 

Wynn and Jack, the main characters in The River, have been best friends since college orientation. They bonded because both love adventure and the outdoors. The pair decide to canoe the Maskwa River in Northern Canada before starting their final year of college. At first the trip is peaceful and everything they hope for, but before long they smell fire and realize that they have to outrun a wildfire. In addition to the fire, the pair hear a couple violently arguing as they paddle by an inlet. The next day the man appears on the river in his canoe without his wife. The pair must decide whether they should turn back toward the fire to search for the woman or make their way to safety. This is a story about friendship, strength and the power that nature really has over humans. Find out if the pair make it out alive and if they find the woman when you read this real page turner for yourself. It's only 270 pages or a 3 mile run that you won't be able to put down.

December 1, 2019 BORN TO RUN

Grateful for so many things this Thanksgiving. Grateful to spend the holiday with family and friends. Grateful that everyone--at this moment--is HEALTHY & HAPPY.  Especially grateful to Prevent-Heal-Thrive for an amazing 5K yesterday. Their Festive 5k Run/Walk/Roll--AND--1 mile Conga Line was the ultimate tribute to their sister Michele. Over two hundred people came together to support a family forever changed by the death of a woman who may have been tiny in statue but was seriously one of the strongest women I've ever met. One thing I've learned this past year is that people grieve in many different ways. The Cote girls have taken their grief and channeled it into helping others. It's a noble cause and one that would have been dear to Michele's heart. What better tribute to their sister than by offering comfort, hope and assistance to other cancer patients and their families. I want to thank the Cote girls--really ladies--and  the whole Bassett family for their continued friendship and for the comfort all of you have given me this year.  It really takes a village.
I'm sure Olive Kitteridge felt great comfort after her marriage to Jack Kennison in  Elizabeth Strout's  sequel Olive, Again. If you haven't read Strout's Pulitzer Prize winning book of 2008 Olive Kitteridge or watched the HBO miniseries, I recommend you do so before reading the sequel. In the newest book, Olive is a seventy year old widow who decides to marry her neighbor Jack Kennison. Her son is flabbergasted, but who is to judge what it's like to be alone in your old age. This is just one of the short stories in the collection that totals thirteen. Each story is interrelated and takes place in Crosby, Maine. Olive is still a cantankerous, judgmental Northerner, but she's also a loyal, honest and kind person too. She's quite a dichotomy--she's a real person--good and bad. By the end of the novel Olive is eighty-four and living in an assisted living facility nearing the end of her life. I totally enjoyed reading about Olive again, but did find it sad at times.  It is a must read if you loved the first novel as much as I did. It's about 305 pages or a 3 mile run that will stick with you forever.