Re-Boot

I started this blog with the intention of actually sharing my impressions of all the books I am reading. It feels like my book club membership has gotten out of control - topping out at 11 and now back to a comfortable 9 (1 quarterly, 6 monthly and 2 that are virtual, no actual meet up - and I don't always read those books). In January 2023, I became the librarian for our Irish Cultural and Heritage Center and have jumped in with both feet. I investigated apps for organization and cataloging of the books (settled on Library Thing) and worked with librarian friends for advise on how best to organize and make our catalog available to users (settled on Tiny Cat - which is actually a partner of Library Thing). It has been a labor of love and also pushed me to follow more library and book resources on social media and newsletters etc. A couple of months later, the founder of the Celtic MKE book club left and suggested that I take over either temporarily or indefinitely while they replaced her and I have been doing that ever since. Expanding it to a monthly virtual meet up that encourages participation by our members outside of Milwaukee. It's been a blast!

 
Other than that - it doesn't seem to me like you can have too many book clubs. I joined another BC through the Milwaukee Public Library - Novel Ideas, the History Buff Book club through the library re-booted but sadly, the Mystery book club folded :(.

 
In summary: 

IrishCentral Book club (Facebook - follow what they are reading and sometimes read the book) 

The Irish Book Club (same - FB - follow, sometimes read, often pull from here for the Celtic MKE poll) 

MPL Novel Ideas Book Club - Year round, one book a month 

Banned Book Club - monthly - summers off - through the Jewish Community Center. This is a new, a friend got me into it and then dropped out. Story of my life! 

MPL History Buff Book Club - re-booted from virtual to in-person, I loved it under prior leadership and still love the discussions, not 100% sold on the book choices. 

Celtic MKE - started totally facebook and now I am managing it and meeting monthly via Google Meet. Operations book club - the BC started during the pandemic survives and we still meet every month with a small but loyal following. Hoping more people join with the expansion of operations. I manage this book club too. 

All BRG Book Club - Started prior to the pandemic, it has evolved, but still meets quarterly to discuss mostly business related books, but some novels and some books drawn from whatever BRG focus is current (Black History month, Pride Month etc). I am on the planning committee for this one and do most of the nuts and bolts (manage the membership and send the communications). 

And finally - the OG book club - Books and Brunch, now in it's 13th year! Hosted at our home on Sundays each month including a pot-luck brunch. A couple of years ago we started choosing the books for the whole year (Sept. through June with summers off for Free Read) so that we could take advantage of library books with a longer wait time. (the idea that we could reserve them in plenty of time. That has not worked out as we forget to reserve them in time anyway). 

I was briefly part of a book club through the public museum. Cool in theory, we would discuss the book and then tour related exhibits in the museum, but the book discussions were too sciency and the exhibit visits - super dry. So... the road. It is a strange realization that a large part of my identity has shifted to Reading/Libraries/Books - but there are worse vices! I am going to try to reboot and comment here on my current reading.

An Embarrassment of Riches

This book took me a really long time to get in to. I had been warned that there was a PG version of it - which is the version I had - and had to go out and find the R rated version. It was worth it. One of the best things this book has going for it is the colorful language. Some of the scenes are laugh out loud funny and I don’t know that they would be so in a white-washed version. Overall, few of the characters are likable, but you do ultimately have a lot of sympathy for Ursula. I’m not sure if I will read any more in the series, but by the end I DID want to know what happened to Ursula and Jed. I read a Christmas Short in this series a few years ago and had the same opinion - the colorful language is the best part of the book. The characters are basically unlikable and the scenarios - painful. 3 out of 5 stars This was the March & April selection for the Manpower Operations Book Club https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9915413-an-embarrassment-of-riches

You Don't Own Me

I enjoy this series - I think the cases are interesting and I enjoy the relationship of the ensemble. I am even growing to tolerate the new co-host. I wonder what will become of this series now that we have lost MHC. I hope that Alafair Burke continues the series on his own. This was a good case that I was sure I had figured out about three times. But the usual red herring ending was completely unexpected. I like the backdrop of everyone’s baggage and how it interferes with a good old fashioned who-done-it and truly puts the entire case of characters “under suspicion”. You don’t think Alex, Leo or Laurie actually killed the initial victim, but you can’t discount their impact on sub plots. It’s a good series, I know there is one more book and hope for more from Mr. Burke 4 out of 5 stars https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39932742-you-don-t-own-me

The Blessings of the Animals

Another Katrina Kittle book that I read in 2 days. Like The Kindness of Strangers, I really liked it - the characters are well drawn and completely believable, unlike The Kindness of Strangers, this was much more uplifting and empowering. You really root for all of the players and want the best for them. I want Cami to end up with both men, but quickly see that she would just be out of the frying pan and into the fire with any of the men in her life. It is refreshing that she is actually able to see that and not make a terrible mistake. The relationship with her daughter and the animals is the highlight of the book. You also love her brother and his family. The loss of the first baby is heartbreaking and it was a little thing, but she was subtly able to make us think the mother-in-law passed. Enhanced the feeling of loss when you find out what really happened. The second book in a row where the ending is Happy but not for the way you think it will be. Especially as it relates to Moonshot. Kittle is a friend of a friend and I have to say, I am a fan! 5 out of 5 stars The March 2022 selection for the Books and Brunch Book Club https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7294160-the-blessings-of-the-animals

The Lost Apothecary

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I later found it on the Operations Book Club “to read” list - so it will be the June Operations Book Club selection. I loved it. I am a sucker for a split time novel and this book did a wonderful job of drawing parallels between the plight of our contemporary hero and the subject of her research in the past. You really like all of the women characters and the men are appropriately villainous without being caricatures. I thought the whole premise in both time periods was believable and I really appreciated that the ending was not too ‘pat’. A good ending but not the stereotypical Happily Ever After. A HEA much more in keeping with female empowerment. Although it wasn’t intentional, it was a good selection for International Women’s month. 5 out of 5 stars The June 2022 selection for the ManpowerGroup Operations Book Club https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53288434-the-lost-apothecary

All Together Dead

I am continually amazed at what a good TV Series True Blood was when you compare it to the source material. I like reading these books and spending time with these characters, and I often wonder how I would feel about the series if I had read the books first. But there always seems to be much less depth of character in the books. That is not to say that I don’t enjoy them, especially this one that doesn’t have a direct parallel to the TV series with which I am more familiar. I like the relationship with Sookie and Barry in this one and I like the side acknowledgement or attempt to NOT acknowledge Bill. And I continue to enjoy the new room mate/witch in the book series that didn’t make it into the TV series and her cat boy friend. I am sure that i will continue to read the series, if nothing else, they are light, easy and quick reads to sneak in between more dense ‘assignments’ 3 out of 5 stars https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140075.All_Together_Dead

This is Happiness

I listened to this book and fell on and off of it as I had other books that I had to listen to on a deadline. I also listen to my audio books primarily while I am walking in the morning. Wisconsin winters being what they are, I missed about 2 weeks of reading time due to single digit temperatures. The plot of the book was thin but not really necessary - it was the characters and the beautiful imagery that made this book a joy. I was glad that I was listening to the book as this author has so much fun with words! Can set a scene using alliteration and descriptions that I would never have thought of but made me laugh or marvel. Just lovely. This was the February selection for the irish Book Club - through Celtic MKE 4 out of 5 stars https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42972008-this-is-happiness