My Monday Musings…

Last week was such a weird week. We’re very close to the fires (just outside Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA). We’re several hours away from the fires but the smoke levels here have just gotten worse each day. They’ve ranged from very unhealthy to hazardous air quality.

It’s weird because with COVID and stay at home orders, I was still able to sit outside or go on socially distanced walks. We were just starting to go out to eat a little more – outside & distanced - but now we can’t even have that. We can’t go inside places but we can’t go out either.

It’s probably the most down I’ve felt since way back in spring. I need my fresh air at least. Even just sitting on my deck. And it’s fall – I wanted to start decorating! lol  But I’m thankful I’m not in any real danger and keep thinking how hard this is on small businesses.

Kai and Ripley were TERRIFIED of the smoky backyard at first and wouldn't even go out to pee but we’ve developed a routine now and get outside when there are little lulls in the smoke. We’ve also started playing hide & seek games in the house just to keep them tired.

We’re supposed to start clearing out late today and I really hope that happens! (update - it did not lol)

Aaaand our community water tank has a broken part that needs to be made in Germany and own't get here to at least next week so we have to conserve our water so we don't run out.

Here’s a quick update for what I’ve been reading/watching:

Read:

I finished the audio of Raybearer and my review will be posted Thursday.

The Roommate by Rosie Danan – Goodreads This was a fun, lighter read. just what I needed but I didn’t love it as much as everyone else. I might draft up a review for it today.

Reading:

I’m listening to 3 different books right now lol The one that’s holding my attention the best is Anxious People by Fredrick Backman ~ Goodreads

And I think I’m going to start In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren ~ Goodreads and just cross all my fingers and toes hoping it’s more Josh & Hazel (one of my favorite romcoms ever) and not let me down like some of their other books.

Movies/TV:

The Boys S2- Amazon Prime – YIKES!!! Shit is getting daaaaark. Or even darker than usual, I should say.

Chef’s Table BBQ – Netflix - The first episode was good, the second kinda pretentious and neither really discussed the food much but this show is always beautifully filmed and makes me hungry. (A much better foodie/travel show was Street Food – Asia also on Netflix)

Away – Netflix. I know this is getting RAVE reviews and it was very good and well acted but both Kevin and I never got really hooked into this one.

Just for fun: This picture of Ripley cracks me up. It 100% conveys her personality and is a mood  🤣

What are you up to this week? What are you reading/watching?

My Monday Musings…

Last month I talked about joining Libro.fm’s ALC (Audiobook Listening Copy for reviewers) program. You get to download from that months selections and I thought I would share what I pick each month.

I only chose two for August because I wasn’t sure if I would like the app but I love it!

September downloads:

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi ~ Goodreads “Yaa Gyasi's stunning follow-up to her acclaimed national best seller Homegoing is a powerful, raw, intimate, deeply layered novel about a Ghanaian family in Alabama.”

Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community by Born This Way Foundation Reporters, Lady Gaga ~ Goodreads “A collection of 51 stories of kindness, bravery, and resilience from young people all over the world collected by the Born This Way Foundation and introduced by Lady Gaga.”

Shit, Actually by Lindy West ~ Goodreads “New York Times opinion writer and bestselling author Lindy West was once the in-house movie critic for Seattle's alternative newsweekly The Stranger, where she covered film with brutal honesty and giddy irreverence. In Shit, Actually, Lindy West returns to those roots, re-examining beloved and iconic movies from the past 40 years with an eye toward the big questions of our time: Is Twilight the horniest movie in history? Why do the zebras in The Lion King trust Mufasa--who is a lion--to look out for their best interests? Why did anyone bother making any more movies after The Fugitive achieved perfection? And, my god, why don't any of the women in Love, Actually ever fucking talk?!”

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman ~ Goodreads “From the author of A Man Called Ove - This is a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.”

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole ~ Goodreads “Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…”

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A pretty eclectic mix of humor, essays and books that make you think. It seems I do much better reading outside my usual genres on audio and these are all far outside my genres.

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I’ve also been trying to buy at least one book from an indie bookstore each month. My August purchase was You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria ~ Goodreads from Books & Crannies in Martinsville, VA.

And!!!! I won a book from Tanya at Girls Plus Books – THANK YOU TANYA! I never win anything lol

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam ~ Goodreads

What are you reading this month? Have you read or do you want to read any of my picks?

I'm not sure what indie store or book to pick this month. Any suggestions?

My Monday Musings...

Reading & listening:

Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera – ARC - This is sweeter and less edgy (so far) than Herrera’s American Dreamer series but I’m enjoying it – reading outside with a cold drink. Good summer reading.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix – I already read an arc of this in print but now I’m listening to it on audio via the library and it was good but it’s next level great on audio with Reynolds narrating.

The Michelle Obama Podcast on Spotify – Michelle’s calm voice, empathetic and pragmatic outlook are like a balm to my soul. Her podcasts are like my moment of zen.

Read:

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkin Reid – I have a review for this one posting Thursday!

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert – I listened to this ALC (advanced listening copy) via libro.fm. It was cute but the audio didn’t really work for me. The women’s voice for Marva sounded more MG than a girl who was 18 and worried about voting and going to college. But…

This would be a great book for teens who will be voting for the first time or just now getting involved in politics. It shows a lot of the obstacles and challenges to voting and why issues that don't necessarily pertain to you are still worth getting involved in.

And liking/not liking narrators voices is highly subjective.

Upcoming:

I have an ALC of The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones and I’m pondering starting it this week. I’m a little hesitant because there are multiple incidences of animal abuse.

Another libro.fm ALC offering that I’m considering is Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko. I’m not usually a fantasy reader but I tend to be able to listen to genres on audio that I can’t stick with in print and I hear nothing but great things about this one from readers I trust.

What are you all reading this week? Any recommendations for me?

My Monday Musings…

I’ve been trying to buy my books at indie stores instead of Amazon these days and stumbled upon Libro.fm. It’s an alternative to Audible and when you purchase an audiobook you can choose your favorite indie bookstore they split the profits.

You can find out more here and get one free audiobook. (FYI: this is referral link and I would receive one free audiobook if you subscribe for one month - but feel free to check it out from the home page if you'd like). 

I was asking Amber from Du Livre if it was better than Audible and she loves the app (as do I!) more than Audible’s and informed me about their Audiobook Listening Copy (ALC) program for educators, librarians, booksellers, reviewers and influencers. Available in US and Canada.

Each month you get to choose form a mix of new and upcoming audiobook releases. You download which books you would like to listen to during that month but can listen whenever you want once it is downloaded. They don’t really ask anything in return but provide all the links for cover photos, press info and hashtags so you can share on your blog or social media.

I love the variety of books they offer. For example in July they had Boyfriend Material, The Voting Booth, Wandering in Strange Lands, The Pull of Stars, The Only Good Indians, Notes on a Silencing, His & Hers, and All Along You Were Blooming.

This months picks are

You have to apply (it’s a very easy/quick form) & you can do that here. I found out that I was accepted by the end of the day. It’s totally worth a shot if you love audiobooks, like a little variety and want to help out indie bookstores in the process. And yay for the no deadlines (other than downloading your picks by the end of the month) or pressure to review.

I think I’m going to spotlight the books each month along with an indie bookstore.

I chose my local bookstore – Vault Books and Brew  in Castle Rock, WA for my Libro.fm purchases. I’ve posted a few pictures of this place before but it’s been a while so I’ll post them again. Vault Books and Brew used to a bank before becoming a bookstore and coffee shop and they converted the old safe room into a fun Narnia like play area for kids!

They just posted about new bookish masks and socks that arrived so I see a shopping trip in my future. 

If you prefer print books – check out Bookshop. Like Libro.fm, you can order online through Bookshop and select an indie bookstore to support. They are currently US only. I’ll be sharing some of the stores I’ve supported through them soon.

Do you have a favorite indie bookstore? 

What August audiobooks should I download?