what i'm reading Archives

My Favorite Books: The Bone Clocks

Published on September 2, 2020 by TracieLeave a comment

My Favorite Books: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

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I started this book in December of 2018. Yeeeaahhh.

I got about a third of the way through and put it down one night where it sat on my nightstand for more than a year. Which is a crying shame now that I’ve picked it up and finished it. This is an amazing book.

Hayden is the one who recommended it to me, but as always he asked me to go into the book completely blind. Which I have discovered that I hate. He loves to read this way. I however need to know at least what the story is about so that I don’t flounder around trying to figure out what’s going on. Which is why I put this book down the first time.

I am never one to give out spoilers, so I’m going to give you fair warning now:

!!!!POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD!!!!

This entire book is about Holly. That’s all I’m going to say. When you get past the first few chapters you will understand why I told you that, but just go get the book and start reading. It’s excellent. David Mitchell has an extraordinary way with words that I love. It makes me want to read more of his work, especially since I didn’t like the Cloud Atlas movie. Sigh.

Have you read this book? Do you have it in your own home library? What was your opinion? I LOVE it. Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.

Have you ever seen one of these?!? I think I just might need one of them in my life….

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to rea

My Favorite Books: In Death Series

Published on June 3, 2020 by TracieLeave a comment

Before we dive into the books, I wanted to say that I hesitated to send out my normal posts this week. My heart is so heavy. I want you to know that my prayers are with you. Our world is in chaos and everything seems to hurt right now. But, I also know that you may need just a little bit of distraction to ease the pain, so I decided to send them out as planned. Please stay well and be kind. I miss Mr. Rogers more than ever these days.

My Favorite Books: In Death Series by J. D. Robb

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In 1995, the year that Denton and I married, a new author came out with a book that I devoured in a day. Naked in Death was an instant hit with me. The fiftieth book (Golden in Death) came out in February of this year and I finally got my hands on a copy of it today! So if you need me, I’ll be hiding in my bedroom for the next two days.

I’ve read this series multiple times over the years and it never gets old for me. It’s like sitting down with an old friend, which is exactly what I’ve needed lately. Books are matchless when you just need to get away from reality for a little while.

Just in case you’ve lived under a rock like I do sometimes and you’ve never heard of this series (it’s possible!), here is a short summary:

The …in Death series of novels and short stories are written by Nora Roberts under her pseudonym J. D. Robb. Set in a mid-21st-century New York City, they feature NYPSD (“New York City Police and Security Department”) lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke. The stories also regularly feature other characters, including Captain Ryan Feeney, Detective Delia Peabody, Detective Ian McNab and Dr. Charlotte Mira. (via)

Have you read this series? Do you have it in your own home library? What was your opinion? I LOVE it. Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.

Have you ever seen one of these?!? I think I just might need one of them in my life….

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: Charlotte’s Web

Published on May 20, 2020 by Tracie2 Comments

My Favorite Books: Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

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Over the past decade I’ve been stocking my bookshelves with books that I want to read to my future grandchildren. Future grandchildren that both of my kids tell me will never materialize, hahahaha. That’s okay, I tell them both. I’ll give them both about a decade and then I’ll go out and get my own grandchildren; then I’ll let them borrow said grandchildren occasionally. Anywho, Charlotte’s Web was one of the first books that I added to my collection.

I love this book. I can remember reading it as a child and I read it to my kids too. I think every home library should have a copy. Don’t you?

Just in case you’ve lived under a rock like I do sometimes and you’ve never heard of this book (it’s possible!), here is a short summary:

Charlotte’s Web is a children’s novel by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams; it was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The novel tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur (such as “Some Pig”) in her web in order to persuade the farmer to let him live. (via)

Have you read this book? Do you have it in your own home library? What was your opinion? I LOVE it. Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Published on May 6, 2020 by Tracie2 Comments

My Favorite Books: Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

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My senior year of high school, I was lucky enough to score a job at my favorite library in the town next to the one where I lived. I LOVE that library. I loved it then too. A big part of my job was to put the returned books back on the shelves. You wouldn’t believe how many people do not understand the dewey decimal system. Even today in 2020 my local library has signs in each stack asking people NOT to reshelve the books because people just do not understand how it works. Oh how I miss the library…..Maybe someday soon I can walk into our local library and just stand among all. of. the. books. Sigh.

I’m getting off track as usual. Outlander. Have you read it? Or the entire series? While I was shelving books way back in 1991, I discovered this book. I still discover new books this way: I walk into the library, pick a stack and wander through until one of the covers catches my eye. Pluck it off the shelf and take it home and just dive in. You will be amazed at the new authors you will find doing this. After the first chapter of Outlander I was hooked. And it was so painful to have to wait until the next book came out. This is why I resist new TV shows with Denton. Firstly, I don’t like to watch a lot of television because it cuts into my precious reading time. And secondly, if I get sucked into a new show that only has one season, I forget what’s happening by the time the second season comes out. Same thing with my favorite books. I love it when I discover a new to me series that already has quite a few books in it. Lucky you if you haven’t read this one yet! Eight books, woohoo!

If all of that didn’t make you want to get your hands on a copy of this series today, here is a short summary:

Outlander (published in the United Kingdom as Cross Stitch) is the first in a series of eight historical multi-genre novels by Diana Gabaldon. Published in 1991, it focuses on the Second World War-era nurse Claire Randall, who travels through time to 18th century Scotland and finds adventure and romance with the dashing Jamie Fraser. A mix of several genres, the Outlander series has elements of historical fiction, romance, adventure and fantasy. With 25 million copies sold, Outlander is one of the best-selling book series of all time. Outlander won the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Romance of 1991. A television adaptation of the Outlander series premiered on Starz in the US on August 9, 2014. (via)

Have you read this book or the series? What was your opinion? I LOVE it. Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

Published on April 22, 2020April 21, 2020 by TracieLeave a comment

My Favorite Books: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

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I first read this book when I was in the fifth grade. In the 1980’s. My fifth grade teacher was Mrs. Lane and she always had a collection of books in her classroom under the windows that we could pick up and read at all times. Yes, we had library time, but I know that my love of reading was fostered by my teachers too. Maybe that’s why I’ve always surrounded myself with books – I’m not just surrounding myself, but anyone that is invited into our home, just like my parents did. Also, every Saturday morning my Mama and Daddy took time out of their weekend to take me and my brother to our local library, and I KNOW that that is one of the reasons that I have such a love for libraries. It’s those type of things that stick in my memory like glue.

I can remember plowing my way through Mrs. Lane’s bookcase, but the one book that stands out in my memories was this one. It had a profound effect on me. Isn’t that what an excellent book is supposed to do? Judy Blume is one of my favorite authors, but this first book of hers that I discovered in that lovely classroom will always be the one that stands out in my mind as the best. If all of that didn’t make you want to get your hands on a copy of it today, here is a short summary:

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, has just moved from New York City to the suburbs, and she’s anxious to fit in with her new friends. When she’s asked to join a secret club she jumps at the chance. But when the girls start talking about boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret starts to wonder if she’s normal. There are some things about growing up that are hard for her to talk about, even with her friends. Lucky for Margaret, she’s got someone else to confide in . . . someone who always listens. via

Have you read this book? What was your opinion? I LOVE it. Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: People of the….

Published on April 16, 2020April 16, 2020 by Tracie2 Comments

My Favorite Books: People of the….

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The series of books known as North America’s Forgotten Past or “First North Americans” by Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear are some of my favorites. I couldn’t pick just one of them so I’ve listed all of the books in this series down below. The first list is by the publication date. I’ve also posted another list below that just in case you would rather read them in historical order. Your summer reading list can now begin!

Have you read any of these? What was your opinion? I LOVE them. Let me know!

People of the Wolf (1990)

People of the Fire (1990)

People of the Earth (1992)

People of the River (1992)

People of the Sea (1993)

People of the Lakes (1994)

People of the Lightning (1995)

People of the Silence (1996)

People of the Mist (1997)

People of the Masks (1998)

People of the Owl (2003)

People of the Raven (2004)

People of the Moon (2005)

People of the Nightland (2007)

People of the Weeping Eye (2008)

People of the Thunder (2009)

People of the Longhouse (2010)

The Dawn Country (2011)

The Broken Land (2012)

People of the Black Sun (2012)

Copper Falcon (2014)–short story

People of the Morning Star (2014)

The Dead Man’s Doll (2015)–short story

People of the Songtrail (2015)

Sun Born (2016)

Moon Hunt (2017)

Star Path: People of Cahokia (2019)

People of the Canyons (2020)

People of the Wolf (13,000 BC)

People of the Nightland (13,000 BC)

People of the Raven (9,000 BC)

People of the Sea (8,000 BC)

People of the Fire (8,000 BC)

People of the Lightning (7,000 BC)

People of the Earth (5,000 BC)

People of the Owl (1,500 BC)

People of the Lakes (100 AD)

People of the SongTrail (980 AD)

People of the Masks (1000 AD)

People of the River (1080 AD)

People of the Morning Star, Sun Born, Moon Hunt, and Star Path (1100 AD)

People of the Silence (1130 AD)

People of the Moon (1150 AD)

People of the Mist (1200 AD)

People of the Weeping Eye and People of the Thunder (1200 AD)

People of the Longhouse, The Dawn Country, The Broken Land, and People of the Black Sun (1400 AD)

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here.

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Published on March 4, 2020 by TracieLeave a comment

My Favorite Books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

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This is another book from my favorites pile. Have you read it? Maybe if like me, you live under a rock some of the time, you might not have read this one. So I wanted to tell you to add it to your to be read pile ASAP.

I didn’t pick up a copy of this until – oh, maybe about a decade ago. And I fell in love immediately. I loved the story, the way she writes, everything about it. I zipped through the entire series in what felt like a week.

Then we watched all of the movies and I fell in love with the story again and with all of the characters come to life. No – I don’t think the movies are as good as the books, but they are still excellent.

A few years ago, I started to wonder after I had tried to read The Casual Vacancy if the Harry Potter series was really as good as my mind was telling me it was. I just could not get into The Casual Vacancy. Have you read it? Should I give it another try? Anyhoo, I started the Harry Potter books over with a very critical eye to test my brain. And I LOVED them. I think with time they have only gotten better. So, have you read them? Do you think they are the awesome-sauce? Let me know!You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here.

What are you reading right now? I am always looking for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Published on February 27, 2020 by TracieLeave a comment

My Favorite Books: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

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This is another book from my favorites pile. Have you read it? I picked this book up about five years ago in one of my book hauls. I hadn’t actually heard anything about it. I live under a rock most of the time. And then I started to read. I’m going to tell you right up front that I had a difficult time getting my brain in gear when it came to this book. It was originally written in Swedish and then translated to English. I don’t think that Hayden had this difficulty when he read it so maybe it’s just a middle aged Tracie problem. Once I found the rhythm though, it was amazing. Let me know!

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption. via

You can find the other books in the series here. I think that the original three are phenomenal. A side note: Stieg Larsson wrote the first three novels – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest which were printed as the Millenium series. He died before any of them were actually put into print. He left the manuscripts for the other novels and his family hired a ghost writer to finish them. I haven’t had time to read the last three in the series so I can’t attest to whether or not they stand up to the original three. What do you think?

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here.What are you reading right now? I am always looking for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: The Help

Published on February 19, 2020 by Tracie2 Comments

My Favorite Books: The HelpNote: This post may contain affiliate links. Check out what that means to you here.

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This is another book from my favorites pile. Have you read it? It was recommended to me by a friend (thanks Sarah!) when it first came out in 2011 and it is a great one. The movie was excellent, but as always, I lean towards the book first.

The Help tells the story of black maids working in white Southern homes in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi, and of Miss Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, a 22-year-old graduate from Ole Miss, who returns to her family’s cotton plantation, Longleaf, to find that her beloved maid and nanny, Constantine, has left and no one will tell her why. via

So, have you read it? If you haven’t, congratulations! You have an excellent book waiting on you. Let me know what you think of it.

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here.

What are you reading right now? I am always looking for another book to read.

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My Favorite Books: The Bone Clocks

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My Favorite Books: In Death Series

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My Favorite Books: Charlotte’s Web

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My Favorite Books: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

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My Favorite Books: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

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My Favorite Books: People of the….

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My Favorite Books: Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

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My Favorite Books: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

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My Favorite Books: The Help

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