Space Station Mir

I've been too busy for pretty much everything, except reading, so here's my late October wrap-up! Books I Read in October Except for the first book, there is a Jewish/fairytale/winter theme that happened organically (a.k.a. what new books were on display at the library). 1. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett  2. Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul by Nikita Gill 3. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik 4. The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish 5. The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner Top 2 Books I Read in October (Look at me getting selective!) Every single book listed above is fabulous, and I would highly recommend each. That said, there were two standouts for me personally this month. 1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik  This one was recommended by a friend--and, wow. It may have hit me so powerfully because it was not at all what I was expecting, and I think your mileage may vary, but this was definitely the right book at...

Happy Top Ten Tuesday over at That Artsy Reader Girl ! This week's topic is Top Ten Platonic Relationships in Books, but Hanukkah is less than a week away! Top Five Books I Want for Hanukkah 1. American Cookie by Anne Byrn I loved American Cake , and I'm sure I will be just as captivated by American Cookie ! I've been on a real cookbook/food history binge lately! 2. Ladyfingers Letterpress High Five Gilded Undated Planner Phew, that was a mouthful, and I had no idea it was called that until just now. But this is the planner I've been using this year, I love it, and I'm ready for another one! 3. A Notebook/Inspiring Quotes Notebook I also need a fresh notebook. I've been really into the inspiring quotes hardcover spiral-bounds from Barnes & Noble. 4. Or Chadash I took a class at my new synagogue and learned about this commentary on the Siddur Sim Shalom prayer book. 5. Encyclopedia of Jewish Food by Gil Marks I would definitely be in...

This week's Top Ten Tuesday over at That Artsy Reader Girl  is "Top Ten Backlist Books I Own and Still Need to Read." A few years ago, I did a really good job of reading most of the unread books I owned, and I'd narrowed it down to a small TBR shelf, but now I have a slightly different problem: a lot of my books are still in boxes from moving! Top Ten  Six Boxed Books I Want to Read 1. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi This has gotten so bad, I have contemplated buying it again (or getting it out of the library). I just cannot find it! 2. Ru by Kim Thuy I saw a couple great reviews of this one during Women In Translation (WIT) month, but I can't get ahold of it! (Pretty sure it's in the same box as the one above). 3. You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld I came really close to buying this again, before I read an old blog post , and realized I had it...somewhere. 4. Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir by Amy Tan ...