Review: Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I very much enjoyed this journey through the Queen's life. The insights into her early life were fun to visit because in my lifetime I have only known the Queen to be older. I also liked looking into the time during Diana's death and how the royal family had to reshape after that. In between these times, I saw a glimpse of a very strong woman that tries hard to uphold her duties and is willing to change with the times. I very much enjoyed this read. After I read the text version I did that audio and I enjoyed the narrator's voice.

View all my reviews

Review: Desserts and Death

Desserts and Death by Harper Lin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love all of Harper's books. This is one of my favorite series that she writes. You can read any of the books as a standalone, but you will have lots of fun if you start from book 1 and read all the way to this one (#6). Amelia owns the cutest and very popular cupcake food truck....her ex is a louse that tries to take their kids away (she has primary custody but he and his new wife want them). She has a budding romance with a policeman and she tends to get into a lot of trouble. This one starts when LuAnn hires her to bake 100 plus cupcakes for a funeral. It is just as crazy as you think it could get! A fun "read at the beach" or on a plane book. I personally like these books whenever I just want to escape for a few hours.

View all my reviews

Review: Espressos, Eggnogs, and Evil Exes

Espressos, Eggnogs, and Evil Exes by Harper Lin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think the Cape Bay Cafe series is so fun. I love a good coffee shop. This is a part of a series, but you could read it as a stand alone, but why would you want to?

Fran's best friend and co worker is stalked by her boyfriend's ex...then the ex ends up dead. Who do think is the suspect? Sammy the best friend. Jump right in for some fun, some craziness and a nice way to spend a weekend. Bonus....there is a "killer" eggnog recipe in the back of the book.

View all my reviews

Review: This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today

This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today by Chrissy Metz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While it is written in the typical celebrity book style, it is also a sweet book. I did the audiobook so you can hear Chrissy's honest voice about the life events that shaped who she is. You hear the gratitude in her voice...which makes it different than the typical celebrity book. There was heart here. I also felt her belief in God which makes my heart happy :)

She talks about her mistakes, her successes and her dreams and tries to help you fulfill YOUR dreams by giving you life lessons based on what she has been though in this life.

I gave it 5 stars because she is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

View all my reviews

Review: Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning

Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is written as Leslie talks and I adored that about the book. It was like sitting down and having a conversation with him. In this conversation he talks to us about mentors. That was the main thing that I took away from the text. Finding that mentor, listening to them and allowing them to help guide you into being the best YOU! The second thing I took away was being active in the quest for that better you. Being your own advocate...being active in searching your path, forging that path and using God to guide you. I loved how he was tight with his family, how his wife is his shining star and how he doesn't quit. The thing I didn't like was that he rarely touched on the role that made me adore him, SMASH. That is where I discovered him and started following him, but he made up for that a bit by talking about his role in RENT (oh how I would have loved to see him in that show) and of course how Aaron Burr changed him. Great book LOJ.

View all my reviews

Review: The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a tad obsessed with the play Come From Away since it was at the Ford's Theater the same time we were there in 2016. I have been trying to find something that would tell of what really happened over these days in Sept 2001. This book was short but provided some details as to what a small town did to make thousands of scared travelers feel safe and cared for. It is kind of emotional because you sort of have all those feelings you had on September 11, 2o01 and then you feel the terror of "the plane people".

View all my reviews

Review: My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton: Wife, Widow, and Warrior in Alexander Hamilton’s Quest for a More Perfect Union

My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton: Wife, Widow, and Warrior in Alexander Hamilton’s Quest for a More Perfect Union by Stephanie Dray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I did adore this book. One hundred percent focused on Eliza and not Eliza as a perfect being, on Eliza as a woman that loves and has been hurt and betrayed, experienced loss and hardships and joy. It was so much like being a fly on the wall and being there during the events of her life. If you only know Eliza from Hamilton: An American Musical, this will take you deeper into what she could have been like.

View all my reviews

Review: The Last of the Duchess: The Strange and Sinister Story of the Final Years of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor

The Last of the Duchess: The Strange and Sinister Story of the Final Years of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor by Caroline Blackwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Royal Family has always interested me and I read just about any book that I can on any member. Wallis has been one of my favorites, not for what she did good but for how she was a determined lady, twice divorced and her goal was to marry David and be Queen. Maybe that is not what she was thinking, but I think it was. I do think that this is the best book that I have ever read about Wallis. One other interesting fact is that when I looked up the author I saw that she herself led an interesting life so now I have to go study her.

View all my reviews

Review: Margot

Margot by Jillian Cantor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love historical fiction books that take someone we may know and tell us a story about their life that might or might not be true. This premise was mesmerizing in the way that it took Anne Frank's sister and saved her. She was in the future with a life and secrets and trying to hide who she was in the past while trying to live in the present.

View all my reviews

Review: Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers

Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers by Sara Ackerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a beautiful book~I felt like I was right there in Hawaii during the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. I loved Parker very much and was sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear about his company. Not only was I worried about those guys, but also Herman and Ella. I thought it was a good book and a great way to spend a weekend.

View all my reviews

Review: Dolley

Dolley by Rita Mae Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this. I tried to love this. I mean I liked it ok, but it was a little too much history and not enough historical fiction for me. Dolley was portrayed in a light that I liked, but there was so much war stuff.

View all my reviews

Review: The Wedding Date

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I normally don't read these types of books (romance), but was intrigued because of the cover and then the fact that these two didn't even know each other. I devoured it in a few hours. Normally during a romance, I feel that I have killed a billion brain cells, this was not like that...this was like a romantic comedy starring Kerrie Washington and Jim from the Office. Fun times.

View all my reviews

Review: Hope Never Dies

Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up solely to have the bromance continued (I have missed those memes). This book won't win any prizes in literature and the diaglogue is kind of unbelievable, but the ride is fun. I laughed and wrote memes in my head. T
he best part of the book is that Joe Biden is the crime solver (I adore Joe Biden)...all in all, it was a fun little cozy and a good way to spend an afternoon.

View all my reviews

John S McCain

I remember a time (about 1988) where I was sitting in my parents' bedroom on a floral loveseat (that rocked) watching Tom Brokaw on the Nightly News.  He did a story on a former POW from the Vietnam War that had spent almost 6 years in a Hanoi prison.  I remember hearing Tom talk about how he was beaten and had thoughts of suicide.  He showed this photograph and I thought even at that young age, "I could never go through that."  Tom talked of his service, his undying love for his country and it ended there for a while. 

I heard his name over the years because he was a Senator from Arizona, but not much because the news wasn't in those days what it is today.  You didn't get news all the time and there was so much to cover in the short amount of time that the news was on that you didn't get everything from everywhere.  Then in 1998 the news starting buzzing that a certain Senator from AZ was considering running for President.  Instantly I started reading what I could and backing him.  I got my 2-year-old child telling everyone about the hero, John McCain (she even convinced Santa Claus on her dad's news show that he needed to vote for John McCain).   Well,  George W. Bush won on Super Tuesday and he was out, but he had released a book that would change everything for me.  

Faith of My Fathers was released and I devoured it.  I read it twice back to back at first because it told not only the McCain family history but also a tale of America the Beautiful.  I really think all Americans should read a book like this to understand how we have such a great country and how proud we should be that we do.  This war hero became the greatest American of my lifetime at this time.  

The next few years I was able to listen to him more because he released more books, we now had news anytime we wanted it and we had the internet.   I found his email on the internet and emailed asking him to autograph my books.  His secretary and I would go back and forth for the rest of his life (and a bit after) conversing and getting my books signed. 

 In 2007 he said he was running again.  I was all over whatever it took to get the word out to vote for him.   I went to Alaska in June and heard about this Sarah Palin, at this time she was just a Govenor in Alaska and not known anywhere but there.  We went to the Capital there in Juneau and the local guides on our tours told us how wonderful she was for their state. I started studying her "rogue" style and I did indeed like her.   In August McCain picked her for his running mate.  I was excited to have a lady that wasn't fancy dancy on the ticket.  The problem was she kept talking, but I didn't care because my candidate got the nomination!  I did like her attitude, spunk and desire (I may have been a tad jealous that she got on the National stage---even though she wasn't ready and not a good choice for him).  The next little bit of time was fantastic!  He was riding high and doing well.  He was then up against Barack Obama who had more money, charisma, and big backers. His dream was just as big as McCain's.   McCain was trailing but remained classy to the end of the campaign.  I was working the election polls and my husband texted me that it was over.  I was so very sad.  His dream ended that night, but so did mine...I really wanted him to be President.   

Over the next few years, there was plenty of time to see him fight for America from the Senate floor. He wrote more books, showed us his comedy side, fought with Presidents and other Senators....he showed us he was "The Maverick".  

I was very sad when he announced his brain cancer.  There was no known cure and it was super aggressive.  He would be dead in about a year.  Those words are still hard to type out here...dead in about a year.  He made a documentary about his life and titled it after his favorite (and my second favorite) author's books; For Whom the Bell Tolls.   It was a moving documentary and I may have cried a few times.  I do have a few quotes that I had to write down while watching, and I will leave you with those...one is from his chief of staff and the two from Senator McCain himself.  

“If he showed us how to live, he’s also showing us how to die.”  Grant Woods

"We need to give the American people what they deserve. And right now, they're not getting it."

“I greet every day with gratitude. . . . I’m confident and I’m happy. I’m very grateful for the life I’ve been able to lead. And I greet the future with joy.”

Review: Before We Were Yours

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I read that this book was inspired by a true children's home, I was scared to read it. I can't imagine someone hurting a child and in this time period, they got away with it........

Many children are taken from their homes and put into the Tennesse Children's Home. These children are mistreated, malnourished and abused; there is simply no one to be an advocate for them, not even the police. The children are stripped of every life they knew including their very name.

The "good" children are dressed up and paraded around wealthy people who fall in love with the children to fulfill a longing they have, then they are fleeced over and over and threatened to have "their" newly adopted children taken away from them. The "misbehaving" children are punished, put in a closet and some just vanished (when I read up on the home it was said probably murdered).

This book not only shows you the lives of the children but a glimpse into the families the children were stolen from and the sorrow they feel at the loss of their family.

Don't think that this book is not worthy of your time, because it very much is worthy of your reading minutes. Not all the bad guys win....fast forward to the future.

Avery is the daughter of a famous senator. She is being groomed to take his seat one day. She is engaged to a man that would be good for her image and for her family's standings. One day she sees her grandmother Judy in a photograph that she doesn't recognize...she derails all of her plans and focuses on finding out the story of this photograph. The photograph leads back to the children's home but will give you some good feelings too.

View all my reviews

Review: The Alice Network

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My friend Kelly had been after me to read this book for months. I was patiently waiting my turn for the digital copy at McLib (McCracken County Public Library)...when it was my time I checked out the book immediately was sucked into the writing. I had to put it down to go to work, but I didn't want to.

The past: Evelyn is drawn into this world she never imagined, a world where she could help her country defeat the Germans in WWI, she just needs to be smart, listen carefully and fight with her conscience over what is right.

The future: Charlotte is looking for her cousin that has not been heard of since WWII ended. She enlists the assistance of a very reluctant Evelyn in finding not only her cousin but a way for Evelyn to make peace and rewrite wrongs of the past.

This book was beautifully written and the characters well developed. I was cheering for Evelyn's success in both timelines.

I can see why my friend Kelly made it her pick book of 2017. Thank you for making me read this book.


View all my reviews

Review: The Great Alone

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Outstanding!!! Alaska is my favorite place on the planet and I felt like I was right back there in the place I love. I felt the wind, the cold, the endless daylight, the crisp air. You were immersed in the middle of nowhere in Alaska. LOVE that!! Not only did my favorite place have a starring role, but there was a captivating story to follow along. Characters I hated, characters I loved. A story that blew me away. I loved every word of ever page of this book. So much that I turned in my library book and went and bought my own copy because I will read again and again.

View all my reviews

Review: Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering

Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering by Joanna Gaines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I got this book while on my staycation. I immediately started making the recipes and loved every one that I tried. My fave was the ranch dressing, because I love RANCH!!! Some ranch dressing have a chemical taste, this is all natural and yummy. I made the walnut bread, buttered walnuts, JoJo's biscuits and I can't wait to make more. GREAT BOOK!

View all my reviews

Review: Next Year in Havana

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I went to Cuba in October 2017 and part of this was just like my visions of seeing Havana for the first time. The story is riddled with politics that I learned about while there. My guide said some of the same things that were in this book. What was exciting was Chanel took those real life events, both in the past and in the present, and told a couple of wonderful stories with those events. I thought every page of this book was beautiful, just like Havana. I thought the families stories was brilliantly told. Marisol leaves the USA to return her grandmother's (Elsa) ashes to the homeland. She had never been there because her family left during the revolution. Marisol is introduced to a different world and love like she never imagined. The ending was so surprising.

I can't imagine a more perfect book.

View all my reviews

Review: The Rooster Bar

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought this one was fabulous. Grisham writes a lot of good books, and somehow he manages to make each one unique, but this plot stood out as outstanding to me and I missed a couple of plotlines while guessing. (I always try to guess what will happen in his books).

Four kids are in law school together when one friend tells them they will never get out of debt, they will never up out on top and then he dies. The three remaining friends spiral out of control about their buddy and totally vanish. This is where it gets very good, where they are and what they are doing. I won't spoil it for you, but it is captivating. I had trouble putting this book down.

View all my reviews

Review: As Bright as Heaven

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am writing this after my second visit with this book. My original feelings remain true....this book is a knock out! I have read just about every book by Meissner and with every one she seems to get better and better. This subject thrilled me because I am curious about the pandemic flu of the early 20th century. She didn't just take us to the center of the flu storm, she took us through it, and complications that people experienced that either lived through it or lost family members because of it. Setting this book in a funeral home was a stroke of genius!!! We got a new detail that I had never though about while studying the flu.

Parts of this book broke my heart, but most of it will make you value FAMILY. Read it!

View all my reviews

Review: Love and Ruin

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Of course I adore Hemingway and read any fiction that I hear about that is based on his life. I was intrigued by this one because of the setting. It is the time he moved to Cuba and he and Martha's stories competed against one another. I always wondered what their marriage might have been like. I have always read that Martha was the better writer of the couple and this doesn't do much to tell you she was or wasn't, but does kind of give you an idea that she was the go getter of the 2 at the time.

While not a perfect book, I did enjoy my time in between the pages while it lasted. I recommend for Hemingway fans as you can start to see the spiral begin.

View all my reviews

Review: The Room on Rue Amélie

The Room on Rue Amélie by Kristin Harmel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a perfect book! An American living in Paris with her young husband. WWII starts and he is caught up telling her secret and lies...then she realizes he was helping the Ally forces, but it is too late for them to mend. I love how she gets involved in the war effort. This is where the book sticks to how she assisted with the allies, while helping a Jewish family that lived across the hall. This book was unique, and captivating. I loved every word on every page. A must for WWII historical fiction fans.

View all my reviews

Review: Between Here and Gone

Between Here and Gone by Barbara Ferrer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First of all, I loved the setting and the first few chapters were outstanding to me. Then the revolution came and I got a little confused and I didn't love it so much. Then she was in another place (name left out for spoilers) and I was lost and confused. I went on this roller coaster the whole book. I don't love it, I don't hate it. I guess I like it ok. Yes, that is it, it is just ok.

View all my reviews

Review: Yesternight

Yesternight by Cat Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book 100% for the cover. What a gem! When I started reading this book I fell deeply into it's clutches and did not emerge until I had finished. This book deals with reincarnation, lies, deceit, marital relations and death. It is a little out of the norm for the kind of book that I read, but I enjoyed it very much. I gave it four stars instead of five because near the end I lost some of the fire I had at the beginning. I just thought it built up and then just hung around there. I had a different ending in my mind, but this one worked for me.

View all my reviews

Review: The Masterpiece

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have loved every book that Fiona has written and I have been waiting for this one for months. I must say that it did not disappoint. It was nice to have a sitting in the art world, that is a place I love to be.....then that art world was set in New York City at the Grand Central Terminal. On top of that there was a mystery!! This was a great read and I had trouble putting it down and it ended perfectly. Now to wait for Fiona's next book.

View all my reviews

Review: The Prisoner in the Castle

The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW!!! WoW! WOW!!

Ok, I just finished this and I am a big ball of "I can't believe it". This book was outstanding. This series has gotten better and better with every book. Now, there is a lot of murder in each one, it is wartime and Maggie works for the government, lots of deaths.

In this one, the tables have turned and she knows too much government secrets so she is locked away in a castle off the coast of Scotland with many other agents.

You don't get much into the reading of the book before people start dying off. Who is doing the killing? Well, that will lead you through a maze of double crossers, and radio transmissions, a missing German U-boat and finally you will see how it was all done, and you will say, "wow, that ride was worth it".

Enjoy!

View all my reviews

Review: Granny Bares It All

Granny Bares It All by Harper Lin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of Harper's and read every single book. Every book seems to me like it could be a stand alone. I thought this one was brilliant! Harper took this story to a completely new scenario. Granny (Barbara) gets deep into an unofficial undercover role in an unlikely place...a nudist colony. This was such a fun ride. I believe that it can act as a stand alone, but you won't be sorry if you read the whole series.

View all my reviews

Michelle's Musings PopSugar Reading Challenge

Every year I do a Reading Challenge and in the last few years, it has been the PopSugar one.  They have fun lists that tend to challenge me to get out of my reading box.  I encourage you to Google "reading challenges" and see all the variety of lists out there.  There are some that are based on certain tastes, some to get out of your rut and even some off the wall lists.  PopSugar (to me) seems to be the perfect list.  They have a variety of book genres on their list....and more that suit what I can handle. I am never going to read that horror book but I will read a book based on the illustration on the cover!

 Here is my challenge list as of today.  I will update this by adding more books until December 31, 2018, when the list is closed.  Please share any books you know of that fit a category that I am missing as I am always looking for my next read.

https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Reading-Challenge-2018-44138581


A book made into a movie you've already seen

True Crime-Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly (if you haven't given this a chance, this reads like a Grisham book, but it really happened)

The next book in a series you started-Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Ella MacNeal

A book involving a heist-The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

Nordic Noir

A novel based on a real person-Shadow Queen by Rebecca Dean

A book set in a country that fascinates you-Between Here and Gone by Barbara Ferrer (Cuba)

A book with time of day in the title-Alaskan Dawn by Edie Claire (I am reaching a bit, but dawn is a time, kind of)

A book about a villain or anti-hero-

A book about death or grief-The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

A book with female author who uses a males pseudonym-Women and Children First by Gil Paul

A book with an LGBTQ protagonist-City of Myths by Martin Turnbull (this series is soooo good)

A book that is also a stage play or musical-The day the world came to town by Jim DeFede (play is based on the book)

A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you-Falling Up by Leslie Odom, Jr

A book about feminism-Room on the Rue Amelie by Kristen Harmel (she can do the same thing her husband did, just watch)

A book about mental health--This is Me by Chrissy Metz

A book your borrowed or what was given to you as a gift-Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines (this was soooo good)

A book by two authors- You can't spell America without me by Alec Baldwin and Kurt Anderson

A book about or involving a sport

A book by a local author

A book with your favorite color in the title

A book with alliteration in the title-Espressos, Egg Nogs and Evil Ex's by Harper Lin

A book about time travel

A book with a weather element in the title- The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callanan

A book set at sea-Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

A book with an animal in the title-The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

A book set on a different planet- William Shakespeare's The Force Doth Awakens by Ian Doescher

A book with song lyrics in the title

A book about or set on Halloween

A book with characters who are twins Sister's First (nonfiction) by  Jenna and Barbara Bush

A book mentioned in another book

A book from a celebrity book club  Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

A childhood classic you never read

A book that was published in 2018-As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner-Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin Manual Miranda (2016)

A book set in  the decade you were born-The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (some of it is set in 75)

A book you meant to read in 2017 but did not get to-Margot by Julian Cantor

A book with an ugly cover-The Lost Letter by Jullian Cantor (I have since seen a different cover that is much nicer)

A book that involves a bookstore or library-Alaska Skies by Debbie Macomber)

Your favorite prompt from 2015, 2016, 2017 PopSugar Challenges-A novel set during war time...The War Bride's Scrapbook by Caroline Preston (beautiful book)

Not all who wander are lost

My Kindle goes on every travel and always has its picture made with the scenery.  

Our ever-evolving travel wall in our living room.
 It features snapshots from all of our travels

The fluke shot from our first Alaska trip

The White House taken from the lawn in 1994

I have had a severe case of wanderlust since I got my driver's license. I would just get in the car and drive. I never traveled too far, I mean, these were the days before GPS and cell phones...I detested using a road map, so I just mainly traveled to places I had been with my parents.  Then I found a way to not only pay for my new car and car insurance, but I also found a way to travel and get paid for it!  I worked for Cracker Barrel and they were looking for people that worked in the restaurant that would travel to new store openings and train new staff.  The hours were long, but the reward was that I got to see the good ole USA.


All the while, I was dating this guy, who was the son of retired Air Force veterans...now he came along when they were older in life and had already traveled the world and were very content to stay in little Mayfield, KY.  He didn't know it yet, but he had wanderlust too.  We started taking day trips.  Then we married and the travel bug really bit us.....we would wake  up early on a day off and say, "let's go to Tennessee." We got a few days off and we would wake up and say, "Let's go to Florida".

PNC Park in Pittsburgh

Once my in-laws had no kids at home they discovered cruising and finally convinced us to go with them.  We had our little Hannah then, but they said they would babysit while we toured the island so in September 1998 the love of cruising was born. Our first cruise took us to The Bahamas...and it was just the beginning.  We have discovered that cruising can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it.  Since we found out how to do it cheap we have managed to take at least one cruise a year for about 20 years now.  It was perfect for us because you see many places but unpack once.

Places we have seen thanks to a cruise:
The Bahamas (Half Moon Cay, Nassau, and Freeport)
Aruba
Curacao
Turks & Caicos
Martinique (Port a Prince)
Puerto Rico (San Juan, El Yunque)
Barbados (Bathsheba)
Mexico (Progresso, Merida, and Cozumel)
Honduras (Mahogany Bay and Roatan)
Key West
Grand Cayman (Georgetown)
US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas and St. John)
Sint Maarten/St. Maarten/St. Martin
Belize (Mahogany Bay)
Jamaica (Ocho Rios)
Cuba (Havana)
Canada (British Columbia, Yukon)

From the WP&YR in Canada between Skagway and Whitehorse

Washington (Seattle)
and my all time favorite.......Alaska (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm and interior tour to Denali, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Wasilla, North Pole, and Tok).  We love this one so much, we have been there 3 times.  For me, it was 28 days, my husband is only about 19 days.


Other places we have visited by land or plane:
New Mexico (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Raton, and Santa Fe)
Colorado (Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Denver---I have also been to Estes Park, Cripple Creek, and Central City)
Kansas (Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City)
Missouri (St Louis, Mansfield, Branson, Springfield and Cape Girardeau)
Illinois-mainly southern part (I also worked in Chicago with Cracker Barrel)
Indiana (Evansville to Indy---We packed to move to Terre Haute and didn't go at the last second)
Kentucky-all over

Michigan
Ohio (Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Mason---I also worked in Lima)
New York
Pennsylvania
Virginia (Virginia Beach, Richmond, Newport News, Williamsburg and Hampton Roads---I lived in Newport News with Cracker Barrel in 1994 and we went back for John's work in 2016)
North Carolina (mainly driving through)
South Carolina (Charleston and Hilton Head)
Georgia (up the "beautiful" I-75, stopped at some Chick fil a's and a few bookstores)
Florida (all over except the panhandle---I lived in Jacksonville with Cracker Barrel)
Alabama (Huntsville to Mobile)
Mississippi (Tupelo to Starkville)

The John Hopkins Glacier
GBNP&R

Louisiana (Baton Rouge---made this trip in 24 hours)
Texas (from Amarillo to Houston to Texarkana---I lived in Denton and Austin with Cracker Barrel)
Oklahoma I-40 all the way (maybe I-44 too because I remember a McDonald's over the interstate)
Canada (Ontario)

Pike's Peak 1998

Many visits to theme parts (many of these multiple times):
Walt Disney World
Universal Studios Florida
Six Flags (a few different ones)
Busch Gardens
Sea World Orlando (in addition I have been to San Antonio and the one that used to be in Ohio in Cuyahoga Falls)
Silver Dollar City
Magic Springs
Holiday World

Washington Monument

Garden of the Gods in Colorado

I am not sure where the next adventure will  take us, but I hope we have inspired you to see the world, from the monuments in your hometown to the mountains and glaciers of Alaska.

Hanging with Presidents

Michelle's faves
1. Glacier Bay National Park and Reserve
2. Denali National Park
3.  Havana, Cuba
4.  Maid of the Mist, Niagara Falls, NY
5.  Universal Studios Florida/Walt Disney World
6.   Forbidden Beach, Bathsheba, Barbados
7.  Pike's Peak, Manitou Springs, Colorado
8.  Washington, DC
9.  Phillipsburg, St. Maartin
10.  Maegan's Bay, St. Thomas

In Havana

War Memorial on the road to Denali

Hall of Presidents at WDW

My favorite spot on the planet, the Marjorie Glacier
Glacier Bay National Park and Reserve

Reading Journal/Book log

One day I purchased a very expensive writing journal at the West Little Rock post office and felt guilty for buying it, we didn't have the money and I didn't keep a journal.  Why would have have given in to such an impulse buy? I was reading a lot and never could remember, what book did I read that time and loved?  Have I read that author?  Didn't I read that book already?  So I turned this impulse buy into one of the greatest ideas I have ever had....a book journal.  My journal is in a box in the garage, so I can't feature it because it is 4am as I type this and I can't go out there :) Here is a photo from the internet.  The book was padded (squishy) and was easy to wipe off and featured lined pages.

I used that high priced kitty journal until every page was full.  I then tried new, dedicated book journals and was not happy.  I did many an internet search trying to find something that would be exactly what I wanted:

1. Title
2. Author
3.  Dates read
4.  Ranking
5.  A few notes on the book

I bought a few on Amazon and they had some components but not all, or were small or would not hold at least 100 books (I wanted each one to last one year).



Finally I found the Modern Mrs. Darcy page and it changed everything.    She will give you her book journal pages for free if you join her website.  I have loved the website.  She gives you book recommendations, time management, book challenges, a wonderful little store and is even an author herself.

I did have to tweak her book journal a bit, to suit the things that I had been tracking since 1996 and the things I wanted to add.  I am just going to include a picture since I did not create the original template,  I just perfected it for me.  I have 3 books per page and I copy on back and front.




In 2011, I started keeping a digital record too because I LOVE the reading stats!  I am trying to see how many books I read before turning 50 so there is a column for running total, for my self imposed challenges, the number of days it takes to read a book, did I like it and what material the book was (ebook, paper, or audio).  At the end of the year I total up the number read, challenges, rank the favorite books, average out the number of days it takes to read a book and total of ebooks/audio and paper.




The last thing that I use is a To Be Read shelf graphic that I made for fun.  I list all the books I want to read and color in the books as I finish.  There are other elements on the page you can color too.  Here is a link to my drawing and a little snapshot of what it looks like.  I like Presidents so there are a few Presidents hanging out on my shelf, along with a Carnival Cruise line whale fluke.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5dRrA2icRjQQk9xMWJha1FFbGM/view?usp=sharing

Happy day to you and read fast!

2018 Books of the year (so far)

I am almost at the 50 books read mark for 2018.  I wanted to take a few moments of your time today to recommend my favorites reads of 2018 (so far).

1. Next Year in Havana-Chanel Cleeton
   I saw in October in searching for Cuba books that it was to be released in 2018 and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I wish I had it in October because that is when we went to Havana, I would have looked for more stuff that was featured in the book.

2.  As  Bright as Heaven-Susan Meissner
   I love every book of Susan's that I have picked up....her words and story are so creative.  This one is about the flu pandemic in the early 20th century.  It was hard to put down because the story sucked you into the life and death choices made by people and how one little cough could and would change a whole family.

3.  The Great Alone- Kristin Hannah
   There isn't a day of my life I don't long to live in Alaska.  I search for Alaska books all the time, and usually, they are sapping romance stories, so I didn't have high hopes.  Boy was I wrong!!!  I was taken right back to the place I love and there was a thrilling story to go along with it.  The dad is this book is a horrible human being and you will long to kill him, the state takes on a role of a character all on it's own (as Alaska tends to do).  I love the twists in the plot too!!

4.  The Room on Rue Amelie-Kristin Harmel
    I read a lot of WWII historical fictional and I had been told this one would be perfect for me. I waited for months for my turn for the digital book and when I got my turn, I finished it in a night.  This tells of an American woman in war-torn France trying to save the Allies and her Jewish friend.

5.  Margot-Jullian Cantor
   Another WWII historical fiction book, this time about the life of the sister of Anne Frank.  A nice creative read. I like books about people in history that we know little about and this one was written like that.

6.  My Dear Hamilton- Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
  I will never turn down a book about a President or a President's aide.  I also happen to be finishing my full second year of being obsessed with the play Hamilton.  I like that this story told how Eliza felt (well could have felt) about the events that happened solely on her account, not Jefferson, Adams, Washington, Angelica, just Eliza.

7.  The War Brides Scrapbook-Caroline Preston
  A book with tons of ephemera inside...it's a story that has tons of WWII memorabilia to go with it.  A graphic novel scrapbook with a great story!!! I loved this.  Visually it was thrilling, the pages were crammed full of information and lovely illustrations.  The story could have very well been written by a young bride who sends her man off to war while she worked the factories and her life when the war was over.

8.  The Rooster Bar-John Grisham
  I shall always be a Grisham fan, but this one was my favorite one in years.  Law students realize they will never pay off their debts and take matters into their own hands and try to stay out of the reach of the law.  Thrilling!!!

9.  The President is Missing-James Patterson and Bill Clinton
   I could not wait for this to be released!  I wasn't disappointed.  Too much ISIS or I would rank higher, but I thought it was great.  I loved the President and loved how smart he was and how he was willing to do whatever he needed to do to save America.

10.  The Wedding Date-Jasmine Guillory
   Not at all like a book that I would read, but I saw the cover and I was intrigued.  It was light and fluffy, but not all that mushy romance that keeps me away from those type of books.  This was about two professionals of different races, making it work, or are they?

There is the top 10 for the first half (ok, a little over) the year 2018.

The Digital Library

I have a wonderful local library, the McCracken County Public Library.  If you live anywhere around Paducah, KY and you don't have a library card at Mclib..... well you are missing out and, if eligible, you should remedy that IMMEDIATELY.  Here is a link on who is eligible for a McCracken County Public Library card (note that a non-resident card is available.  I will talk about these cards in the following paragraphs)


Today I am going to cover digital reads.  Digital services may cover ebooks/audiobooks/magazines/comics/music titles and others, but I read a lot of digital books so I am mainly referencing ebooks. The McCracken County Public Library uses Overdrive and Hoopla for ebooks and those will be the services I am primarily referencing, but please notice that those aren't the only digital services offered by my local library.

OVERDRIVE is a wonderful service that allows you to use your library card to check out digital reads and audiobooks.  I am most familiar with Overdrive that if you need some help, inbox me and I will try to help you.  I have been using this service since my library introduced it and will continue.  This is my favorite service that my library offers.  Basically, you search for titles you like and check them out, quite like your physical library.   If the books are not available you can put the book on hold and adjust your settings so that when the book is available, it will be automatically checked out to your card.  With Overdrive you can check out (if available) either an epub or Kindle book. I am primarily a Kindle reader so I adjusted my settings to only show me the Kindle books, but I can still check out for either.  There are two apps you can use Libby and Overdrive. I believe (strictly my thinking) that the Overdrive app will be phased out, so I have tried to use Libby more, but I do prefer the Overdrive app. With the apps you can read/listen to your books or you can download to use on the Kindle or bookshelf that Overdrive gives you.  The best part about Overdrive is there are NO LATE FEES.  Once the book expires it disappears from your bookshelf/device so you have no need to worry about it.  Here is the link to our main Overdrive/kyunbound page.  Look it over and then refer to my first paragraph about getting a McLib library card.


HOOPLA is new to my local library.... I had used it with my non-resident card (more on this below), but once my library got it I ditched the non-resident Hoopla and started using my local library's.   Hoopla is so cool!  You can check out books/music/movies/audiobooks/movies/comics and there is NO waiting!!!  I mainly use the ebooks/audiobooks features so again, I will be referencing those.  You cannot read the books on a Kindle device, but if you have a tablet or a smartphone, you can read the books there in the Hoopla app (you can also read them on a computer). You get 6 checkouts a month at McLib, and the shortest check out time I have had is 7 days.  The selection is outstanding and the ease to download an item is incredible. As with Overdrive, you will have no late fees, when your turn expires the title will disappear from your Hoopla box. Here is a link to my local library Hoopla home page so you can see what it is about.

Non-Resident cards------ A non-resident card is one that you obtain when you don't live in the area that the library serves.  If you don't have a local library, this service may be EXACTLY what you need. If you have a grand library or don't read a ton of books in addition to your library limits, this may not be a service may not interest you so skip ahead.  ***Don't forget that my local library offers a non-resident card***

 My McLib library card can have 10 holds and 12 checkouts.  The checkouts are not a problem for me because I read my book and go (to Amazon>content/devices) to return it, but the holds are an issue for me.  Often a new book comes out and I can't put it on hold because I am capped at my holds.  I had to do something about it so I searched for non-resident library cards.  The internet was a wealth of knowledge on libraries that offered this service for a fee and didn't require me to go to the library.

I searched for some titles that I wanted to read and found a library that had some of my "to be read" books in their catalog.  I chose The Free Library of Philadelphia because we seemed to be a perfect match.  There is a yearly fee involved but I have saved more than double what I would have spent to purchase the books I have checked out from the catalog.  I use one or both of my library cards every day.   As I said earlier, if you have a good local library and don't read much, this service may not be for you, but if you have no local library or need more limits...check this out.  My tip is to look for a digital services card where you do NOT have to show up at a local branch to activate the card.  I have found one library in my home state that offers a card for free to Kentucky residents, so you may be eligible for a free one and not know it; do a little research on the libraries in your state.

My reading habits, for those that are curious......I read 3 or so books a week, sometimes more.  I play an audiobook every day at work.  I only check out 1 or 2 titles at a time on each card, but I am almost capped at holds on both cards (I save a spot on each card for new releases or newly purchased titles at that library). On my shelves you will find mostly historical fiction, biographies and American history books.  I will read just about anything by Susan Meissner, Jennifer Robson, Beatriz Williams, John McCain, Ron Chernow, Bill O'Reilly, Gill Paul, Jamie Ford, Harper Lin and John Grisham.


For friends that have the McCracken County Public Library card:  Here is a helpful guide on all the digital services (Overdrive/Hoopla/Freegal/Flipster that McLib offers to us.  You can learn how to get each app and get some help if needed.  

Michelle's Book Choices

I am an avid reader of many a great books and folks are always asking, "What do you recommend that I read?"  Well, I decided to try and get back into this little blog thingy by posting the books that I am currently passionate about.

I try to read brand new books along with classic books and I have some rules that I hold myself to when reading.

1.  If it doesn't grab my attention in the first hour or so, ditch it.  There are too many good books out there to waste on something that is mediocre or difficult to read.
2.  Reading Challenges are fun and I try to participate, but if a category is something I hate or don't care to read, I will ditch the challenge and make my own.  I find Goodreads Reading Challenge is a better way to go for me because I can say, "I want to read ___ books" and be done with it instead of trying to find a book to fit into a category so obscure that it makes me nuts.
3.  Put up my phone!  I don't sit it anywhere where I am reading. I have wasted entirely too much time answering an email, checking facebook or looking up a city on Google that I had lost too MUCH reading time, so I put that stupid thing away.
4.  I always have a book on me.  I read in lines at the store, waiting in traffic, while waiting on a friend....etc.  My Kindle goes where ever I go.  My rule is the purse MUST be big enough for the Kindle or I don't carry it.
5.  I always know when my favorite authors have a book coming out and pre-purchase those books.  It gives me something to look forward to and makes sure the authors have at least one book sold.
6.  I utilize my library every single day!!!  I have 3 library cards, my local library, another KY library and I pay for a non resident card to a library out of state (I will try to do a post on this later).  I have close to the maximum amount of books on hold on each card.  I primarily read via Overdrive so I loaded all my cards on there and click back and forth looking for books at each one.  It is very easy on Overdrive to go back and forth between the libraries and I can read just about everything that I want to read. If you don't know Overdrive I would LOVE to talk about it.
7.  I am not afraid to listen to an audiobook in the car or at work, that counts.
8.  I never forget the classics.  I go back to them whenever I can. I can't count how many times I have read "The Great Gatsby", but I can tell you I have read "Gone with the Wind" 41 times.  As a teen it was one of the only books I owned so I read over and over and over.
9.  I keep a journal.  I started in 1996 on paper and still keep it that way, but I also keep an excel spread sheet that calculates how many books I have read, were they paper, audio or ebook and other stats.  My reading journal just logs the author, dates read, whether I liked it and a few lines for notes (I may share this at some point too).
10.  Read around 100 pages every day. It is easier than I thought it would be when I started.

Now as I type this July has started....the year is half over. I have read 40 books of varying types....here are my favorites of the first 6 months of 2018.

1.  The Great Alone-Kristin Hannah.....WOW!!!
2.  As Bright As Heaven-Susan Meissner ......She is one of my faves!!
3.  My Dear Hamilton-Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie....just as good as America's First Daughter
4.  Margot-Jullian Cantor
5.  The President is Missing-Bill Clinton and James Patterson
6.  Magnolia Table-Joanna Gaines
7.  The Day the World Came to Town 9/11 Gander-James DeFede
8.  City of Myths -Martin Turnbull...this is a series that I highly recommend for old movie buffs
9.  Failing Up-Leslie Odom Jr and This Is Me-Chrissy Metz
10.  Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers-Sara Ackerman