Space Station Mir

 As a huge fan of time travel, books set in the future, and alternate histories, I love this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic over at That Artsy Reader Girl . I also used to read a lot of historical fiction, but these days I tend to prefer reimaginings, more inclusive historical fiction, or historical fiction fantasy. One of my friends said recently, "I need at least two layers of separation from reality" in her reading life, and my reading lately would tend to concur. Here are some of my recent favorites set in another time--and probably also an alternate timeline! My Top Ten Books Set in Another Time (And Probably Also In An Alternate Timeline) No One Will Save Us by Julie L. Brown--I read this for a LibraryThing review and really loved it! It's a reimagining of the Atlantic slave trade where a group of West African warrior women sail to the New World and rescue the enslaved Africans! Incredibly and vividly imagined characters, scenery, cultures, and plot. The Once and ...

Today's Top Ten Tuesday over at That Artsy Reader Girl is a "love freebie," so I made up a couple of related prompts that I hope you will find amusing! Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, I'm wishing everyone some love and lightness right now. It seems like it would be silly, but leaning into romance these past couple years has actually helped me focus on what's important--love, community, and lifting up those around us so that we can be stronger together and literally create a better, kinder world.   Favorite OTPs from Books I Read in the Last 5 Years 1. Zoya/Nikolai from the Grishaverse novels by Leigh Bardugo--These two are so hard-earned. Both characters have been through so much individually and together, and you see how they complement each other both as people and as rulers. Plus, my heart just aches for both of them.  2. Kaz/Inez from the Grishaverse novels by Leigh Bardugo--If you think you're seeing a trend, you are absolutely righ...

 A fresh new year! I've been reading a lot of different books, but not finishing or enjoying as many as I would like. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store , technically my first read of the year, was an exception, but I started that in December. I hope that changes soon. I've got books checked out of the library for four different book clubs, and some of these are books I've wanted to read for years. Of course, as soon as I have them in my possession, I'm less keen. I feel like I should finish the books I'm already reading, or I don't want to start them in case I don't like them as much as I thought I would. Here's to better reading months for the rest of the year! Books Read in January 2025 The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Book club read)--Loved it--I love everything McBride writes--but it was fun to read a book by him with more Jewish characters, and I love how he understands exactly how each ethnic group in this story is oppressed in...