Krista’s Comments (group member since Dec 13, 2016)

Krista’s comments from the Books and Jams Readalong group.

Debbi wrote: "I just finished All I Want for Christmas by Jenny Hale. It was pretty good. Tonight I am starting A Boy Called Christmas and next will be The Girl Who Saved Christmas."

Such a cute series! Enjoy!

Today I'm starting another Christmas book with 2 short stories in it, but am also in the middle of Bread and Wine by Shawna Niequist and Firebird by Susanna Kearsley.

Angie wrote: "I just finished my first book by Christina Lauren, "In a Holidaze", and really enjoyed it! I'm now starting on "Christmas at Fireside Cabins" by Jenny Hale. I've never read anything by her either, ..."

I'm bringing In a Holidaze home for Christmas. Can't wait to read it!

I just finished my second Christmassy book of the year. It was The Lodge on Holly Road by Sheila Roberts. It was such a sweet holiday romance. Maybe too many story lines to really feel connected to any particular characters, but I did enjoy it.

Next I'm SO pumped to pick up Hollowpox by Jessica Townsend! Can't wait for this 3rd book in the Nevermoor series. I absolutely loved the first two!

Jamie wrote: "Currently reading "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" by VE Schwab and really enjoying the lyrical writing style, so different from her previous works. Also planning on reading some Christmassy and..."

I've heard so much praise for Addie LaRue, but calling the writing lyrical is a warning bell to me! haha. I don't typically get along with books that are too "pretty"! I am eager to check that one out though.
I hope you love the Boy Who Saved Christmas. Such a fun holiday series!

Since it is the holiday season I'd love to hear some of your favorites!

Song -
Cookie/Treat -
Movie -
Tradition -


Feel free to answer and add any favorites you'd like to hear from others as well.

Some of you have participated in this readalong for quite a while and others of you are pretty new! I started this group in January of 2017 and we have read 52 books together over the last few years.

I'd love to hear what books you picked up because of this group that you loved...or hated...or an author that you tried out for the first time. Are there any that you picked up that you might not have without this group? What are your favorite Readalong books?

I'm currently finishing up a couple November reads - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend and Bread & Wine. I'm also listening to the audio of Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

I put a ton of Christmas books on hold at two different libraries so I'm hoping to sprinkle in some holiday reads to my other reading this month.

This month instead of reading one book together, let's just share what we're reading throughout the month and what we thought about it. I will also have a few fun discussion threads to just chat with everyone as we wrap up our time together on BooksAndJams Readalong. I hope you will consider joining me over on Patreon as I move the book discussion there. I will, of course, continue to make videos on BookTube as well. So there are still places for us to connect about our favorite hobby...reading!

Debbi wrote: "Hi Krista! I know I am a couple of months behind with this book but here goes my review...and it is going to to be a long one, Sorry!

I loved it and gave it 5 stars. I have read 2 other Meissner b..."

LOVE those quotes! Thank you for sharing, Debbi!

Yikes, I didn't realize I forgot to finish the threads. Here's one to wrap up A Walk in the Woods.

What are your final thoughts for this one? What were your favorite/least favorite aspects of this book? How did you like how it ended? What will your rating be? Do you want to go hiking now?

Well, this book made me cry! I was't expecting that.

Overall I found it very readable and interesting. There were just a couple parts I thought were a bit slower, but it didn't bother me. I think I rated it 5 stars. I think it's an important book for anyone to read who has to walk through aging with a loved one...and even in thinking about that stage of life for ourselves. It definitely made me think of my grandmother who does currently live in a nursing home. I need to write to her! In these covid days of not being able to visit finding ways to connect with her is so important. This book reminded me of that.

I'm eager to hear what you thought of it.

I don't think I've read a nonfiction that wasn't a biography, memoir, or faith related book in a long time. I wasn't sure what I would think about it, but I am really interested in this book. It is so disheartening to read about how very few people seem to care about the elderly. Many are mistaking treatment for care as Gawande puts it at one point. Reading this is making me want to write to my grandma...thanks to covid I can't visit her right now. She is in a nursing home right now and I have watched her struggle over the past few years, and the struggle of my mom and her siblings as they try to make the right decisions for her care.

It's heartbreaking to see how far we've come from the past when elders were respected and valued in such greater ways than they seem to be now. I know that life expectancy is so much higher than it used to be, but it's sad that the medical field and culture didn't seem to increase along with it. Now we have an abundance of elderly "wasting away" in care facilities that do very little care other than physical needs. Kind of breaks my heart.

I am not rushing through this one, but am really enjoying it.

I am really enjoying this so far. Proud to say all my listening has been while walking! Hoping to keep that up.

I cannot believe Katz went with him and is sticking it out! I'm loving hearing about all the different experiences and obstacles to overcome while on the trail. I don't mind the history of the trail because as an East coaster I'm familiar with different parts of it and find it very interesting. How can no one come to agreement on the length? haha. And why wouldn't you just extend the trail the last bit to cover the whole range of Mts?? Seems silly to me. But I did enjoy reading about it.

I like how Bryson can get a bit sarcastic at times. It was interesting to hear that road building is the biggest business in the national forrest...for all the private logging companies! Seems counter productive.

Mary Ellen was driving me nuts too, but I enjoyed listening to those bits. Eager to keep going. Since we are having a few days of gorgeous weather, I'll get my walks in and listen!

This book is less than 300 pages so I split our discussion into just 2 parts instead of 3.

Answer one, all or none of these...
How did you like this book? How will you rate it? What did it make you think about while reading? Would you read more from this author? Could you relate to any specific area more than others? What thoughts or feelings did it bring up? Was it readable? Any quotes you'd like to remember?

Alright. We're about 1/2 way through with this one.

Questions to get you thinking...
How are you finding the writing style? In what ways are you connecting (or not connecting) with these topics? Are you finding it easy to read? Are you reading in smaller chunks or in long stretches? What has stood out to you so far? What is making you stop and think? Any quotes or passages you've marked?

I am so excited to FINALLY be getting to Being Mortal this year for Nonfiction November. Who will be reading with me?

I have heard that this is a fantastic read.

You've made it more than 1/2 way.

Are you reading the print book or listening or ebook?
What are your thoughts so far?
What stands out to you?
Does this make you motivated to go for walks? Or hikes?
Are you finding the pacing good or slow?
Any other thoughts?

How are you liking this so far? Do you like Bryson's writing style? Are you much of a hiker? Does that help you connect more with this topic? How does this compare so far to other nonfiction you've read?

November is here! 2020 is almost over!! Anyone else as glad about that as I am?

I'm very excited to finally be reading a Bill Bryson, and am thrilled to read it with you guys!

Have you read any by him before?

I will hopefully be mainly listening to this as I go for walks. I'm going to start today! It was supposed to rain all day, but the sun has come out. SO I'll get started with our read right off the bat this month! Say hello if you'll be reading this one along with the group this month.