Space Station Mir

Halfway through, it began to feel October-like. Chilly, windy, leaves finally starting to change color, with that characteristic October scent in the air. I don't love October with the vivacity of an Anne of Green Gables, but I'm belatedly learning to appreciate the autumnal turn with the romantic maturity of an Anne Eliot. And I had the great good fortune to see Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's rendition of Persuasion as a play, adapted by Sarah Rose Kearns--I highly recommend both the particular production and the script, which was everything I could have dreamed of and more in a superb and thoughtful homage to Austen. She even referenced the sonnet I most associate with Anne's moment of melancholy in the woods, "Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang..." Books Read in October 2025 The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World by Sharon Brous--My rabbi referenced the central anecdote in a previous year's High Holiday ser...

It's already mid-fall, so I've already read some of these, but I imagine I'll finish more before the fall is out! I'm reading quite widely these days--I seem to be reading 3-6 books at any given time, because of book clubs, yes, but also mood, format, and availability. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books On My Fall 2025 To-Read List An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin--I received this ebook for review from LibraryThing, and I've never been quite so pleased with my choices! This was a hilarious ride from the get-go and crammed full of witchy Goth kid oddities and gore--a perfect Halloween read, and hopefully the beginning of a series! A Bridesmaid's Guide to Murder by Abigail Scott--Another ebook I received for review from LibraryThing--and whatever it is, books ending in "Guide to Murder" are killing it for me these days! (Let's not look too deep...) I'm not finished, but I'm loving it so far. Don't Forget to Write by Sara Go...

I love this topic for rejoining Top Ten Tuesday!  I'm trying to lean in as much as possible to the coziness of fall and the upcoming winter season. I've done a lot better with that the last few years. Just because it isn't my favorite doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. Plus, some books I'm reading lately that are apropos for the Halloween atmosphere pervading my neighborhood this month at least.  Cozy/Atmospheric Reads Adenashire, a Cozy Fantasy Book Series by J. Penner--These books are the epitome of cozy fantasy with distinctive characters from a variety of creative fantasy backgrounds, including orcs, fennex, and gargoyles. The Bloodstained Key by Charity Rau--Not so cozy, but stiflingly atmospheric--a Gothic novel set inside a fairytale. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall--Really captures the cozy atmosphere of a small town and a trove of magical family secrets. An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin--I don...

September turned out to be quite a reading month, and I'm actually in the middle of various books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry--books are my oldest and surest source of comfort and I've been needing a lot of that. High holidays are also a great time for reading after services since I try not to write or use technology on those days.   Books Read in September 2025 My Life With the Walter Boys by Ali Novak--The TV show has been a guilty pleasure so finally checked out the source material--very similar and lives up to the show. Lavender House (Evander Mills #1) by Lev A.C. Rosen--I enjoyed The Bell in the Fog so much that I went back and read the first book and intend to read the rest--so glad when book club turns me onto a book or series I enjoy that I might not otherwise have read! American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time, edited by Tracy K. Smith--Book of poems I got awhile ago but didn't really jibe with--I finished reading them all this month, and while I enjoyed...

 Last week was a holiday for me--Shana tova if you celebrate!--so I decided to share my fall TBR this week, in addition to book covers that give off fall vibes. I think we did something similar with the fall vibes a few years ago (five, to be exact ), so I tried to find a few new ones.  Happy Top Ten Tuesday! My Fall 2025 TBR Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas--I didn't want to continue with ACOTAR, but checking out this series, and I am cautiously optimistic! The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater--I got to meet her at the Baltimore Book Fest and bought her latest book--adult historical fiction with a side of mysticism set in 1940s Virginia at an out-of-the-way hotel/resort. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert--Preordered since I've loved and reread all of her books, and it was very special to get to see and hear her speak on her book tour! Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins--I know I'm going to love this (and probably cry)--waiting for the right rainy day.  G...

 Unfortunately, I missed last week's Top Ten Tuesday  and it was just as inspiring of a topic as this week's, so I thought I'd do a combo! Plus, while these types of topics are more interesting, it's harder to come up with as many, so I think this will split the difference nicely. Let me know what you think! My Five Favorite Villains Magneto--Everyone's favorite X-Men villain is also mine--from Ian McKellan's memorable portrayal and especially the recently released X-Men '97 cartoon--it's hard not to think, sometimes, Magneto was right. Thanos--Also a comic-world villain whose ultimate goal can be strangely relatable--nobody loves his methods or his treatment of his daughters, but he certainly looms large as an alternative to climate change.  Gretel from Ian Tregellis' Milkweed Triptych --She is absolutely irredeemable--but her villainy is so terrifyingly pure and her foresight ability used so mercilessly, it's hard not to be impressed.  The Marq...

August was an excellent reading month. I got to read some hotly anticipated books for review, and I had a few intriguing book club reads. My favorite part of book club is when I enjoy a book I would never have chosen myself--or even if it's just a good book to discuss. Books Read in August 2025 Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller (Book club read)--An ensemble novel centered around a Little Free Library with undercover banned books--it's wrapped up a little too neatly and the characters are a little too black-and-white, but definitely a comforting take on the issues in our country in miniature. Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders (Read for review from the author)--Loved this moody, melancholy, and beautiful novel, an ode to 18th century British women writers, fraught mother-daughter relationships, and the nature of reputation in our world.  Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland (Other book club read)--Interesting ethical conundrum--3 s...