Albany Public Library discussion

Thanks for coming back! We are going into being kind to ourselves this week. Honestly, it is hard as we have soo much to do. Whether you are busy with work, taking care of your kids / elderly family members, we deserve to have time for ourselves! You should go into a room and do something for yourself like watching an episode of that series on your watchlist, read that book you’ve been eyeing (finishing up a book), or go on a walk.

Recommendations!
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture
Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us
Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age
Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven

Just glanced at the description of the first book, and the blurb says that the author has helped 1.2 million people quit sugar. No thank you! I am going to be kind to myself by getting some soft serve tonight.

Today, I finished reading the book, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey.

This week I read one that everyone had been talking about in my circles (it's middle grade), so I "treated myself". And you shouldn't rely on the description- just read it! The Probability of Everything. I read a picture book about kindness overall called Shy Willow and I loved the kindness shown to the main character, Hercules Beal as he accomplished the twelve labors of Hercules (as contemporary fiction) after a tragic family accident. He's a character you root for and everyone around him rooted for him as well. It's the perfect book to learn something and learn empathy. It's called The Labors of Hercules Beal.

Alicia wrote: "This week I read one that everyone had been talking about in my circles (it's middle grade), so I "treated myself". And you shouldn't rely on the description- just read it! [book:The Probability of..."

Probability and Hercules are on my Kindle waiting for me!

Susan wrote: "Just glanced at the description of the first book, and the blurb says that the author has helped 1.2 million people quit sugar. No thank you! I am going to be kind to myself by getting some soft se..."

Honestly, I agree with you on that! I don't know the librarian who chose that book but they were not thinking about everyone! 😂

Alicia wrote: "This week I read one that everyone had been talking about in my circles (it's middle grade), so I "treated myself". And you shouldn't rely on the description- just read it! [book:The Probability of..."

Ooh these are awesome titles to add to my list.
This is terrible! I did not realize the book titles I would be adding to my already long list when I took over this group for the Summer! Don't worry, I'm very glad I did 😁

ED wrote: "Today, I finished reading the book, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey."

Marked your log, ED!

I'm very behind in logging my books! Week 2 - I re-read Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton and read Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by Bill Geist, which I hadn't heard of until I saw it on the suggestion list. I enjoyed it!

Week 3 - I read We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and The People We Keep by Allison Larkin. They were both pretty good, but I liked the first one better.

Thanks!

This morning I completed So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures . It's made me want to reread The Great Gatsby .

I’ve started 70’s House by Estelle Bilson. Being kind to myself by finding myself back in my own historical home. I also got my hands on physical copy of The Covenant of Water so I may just finish that meg of a book.

I just finished Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy . I listened to the audio version, but I also checked the hardcover out from the library and will be reviewing parts of it.

Are you sick of self-help grifters and online influencers who are always putting out messages about "manifesting," "law of attraction," and "everything happens for a reason"? Are you tired of hearing that you should always "look on the bright side" and "focus on gratitude" when you are going through something difficult? If so, this is the book for you.

This week I read The Only Game in Town, The Layover, The Spectacular and listened to Oona Out of Order.

I haven't been the best at posting regularly the books I've finished. Since the challenge began, I've finished:
Matilda
The Hacienda
The Nightingale
On the Horizon
Sea Prayer
All This Could Be Different
Out of the Easy

I loved Out of the Easy.

I love Out of the Easy too!

I’m on a reading tear this week. I just finished Nettle and Bone.

Ashley wrote: "I haven't been the best at posting regularly the books I've finished. Since the challenge began, I've finished:
Matilda
The Hacienda
The Nightingale
..."

Out of the Easy is my favorite Sepetys book.

Alicia wrote: "Ashley wrote: "I haven't been the best at posting regularly the books I've finished. Since the challenge began, I've finished:
Matilda
The Hacienda
[book:The Nightin..."

Mine too!

Salt to the Sea was the first book I read from her. They both so good!

For Week 4, I read Washington by Ron Chernow. A beast of a book, but excellently written and highly recommend to those who enjoy American history.

I finished Exiles by Jane Harper, which is a good summer mystery. Enough depth of story that you don't feel you are wasting your time, but not too heavy.

Week 4 - I finished Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver

I really liked Remarkably Bright Creatures and thought it was a good summer read. Unsheltered wasn't bad but I didn't like it as much as most of her other books.

I absolutely loved Remarkably Bright Creatures.

I just reread Hemingway’s Paris years.