Curlygeek04

LATEST ARTICLES ( 970 )

• Review: Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

  

  I loved the last book I read by Perkins-Valdez, Take My Hand, so I jumped at the chance to preview her newest book. I wasn’t disappointed. Read more

  Posted on 15 April 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review of Barely Visible: Mothering a Son Through His Misunderstood Autism by...

  

  I had mixed feelings about this book, which was provided to me as an advanced reading copy by publisher She Writes Press. I appreciated the honesty of the... Read more

  Posted on 08 April 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My March Reading Wrap-Up

  

  I didn’t post much in March, because I was busy (and stressed) filling out retirement papers. On March 31, I left a job I’ve had for 22 years at the U.S.... Read more

  Posted on 03 April 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My Progress on the Jewish Genre Reading Challenge

  

  This year I set myself a challenge to read more books by Jewish authors and about Jewish characters. I’m hoping to explore my Jewish background and my faith... Read more

  Posted on 01 April 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

  

  Kingfisher is one of my favorite fantasy authors, so I was very happy to receive a copy of Swordheart from NetGalley, and it didn’t disappoint. Read more

  Posted on 06 March 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My February Reading Wrap-Up

  

  In February I had my surgery, which went well, and it was nice to have time off from work to recover. There are things I can’t do for a little while, but I’ve... Read more

  Posted on 02 March 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt

  

  I picked up this book last year when I visited the Vanderbilt’s summer house, The Breakers, with my in-laws. The lives of the Vanderbilts seemed like something... Read more

  Posted on 28 February 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein

  

  Fagin the Thief, as you might expect, is a retelling of the Oliver Twist story from the perspective of its villain, Jacob Fagin. I haven’t actually read Oliver... Read more

  Posted on 24 February 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture by Emma Dabiri

  

  The books of Emma Dabiri have been on my TBR for a while. I’m interested in reading and understanding more about race, andthis book held a particular appeal... Read more

  Posted on 19 February 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey

  

  I loved this book about a mother and daughter finding a home in the Alaskan wilderness, though I will warn you it is a fairly dark read at times. I haven’t... Read more

  Posted on 13 February 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Top Ten Love Stories I Read in the Last Year

  

  Hello readers, before I jump in with the Top Ten list, I want to share an update on my surgery, which I had Friday for a compressed disc in my lower back. It wa... Read more

  Posted on 11 February 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My January Reading Wrap-Up

  

  What can I say about January? It was a challenging month, with freezing temperatures and worry about the LA fires, the government transition, my upcoming... Read more

  Posted on 01 February 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2024

  

  This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is the best authors we discovered in 2024. These are all authors I’d like to read more of. Read more

  Posted on 28 January 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review of Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom...

  

  I’ve been recommending this book a lot in the few weeks since I read it. I don’t typically like actor memoirs, since I’m not all that interested in the life of... Read more

  Posted on 25 January 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Farewell to Ozathon 2024: Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum

  

  It was with some sadness that I began re-reading Glinda of Oz, knowing that it was L. Frank Baum’s last work. For various reasons, this month (today in... Read more

  Posted on 20 January 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Reading Goals and Challenges for 2025

  

  This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is to set out the year’s reading goals. This year I want to be more flexible. Read more

  Posted on 14 January 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• 2024: My Year of Reading

  

  2024 was a tough year. It was the year I developed chronic sciatica pain that will now require surgery. More importantly, it was the year I lost my dad. Read more

  Posted on 09 January 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Ozathon 2024: The Tin Woodman of Oz and The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum

  

  I’ve fallen behind a bit on reviewing the Oz books, but I have been keeping up with the monthly reading. The Tin Woodman of Oz and The Magic of Oz are the 12th... Read more

  Posted on 06 January 2025 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Best Books I Read This Year

  

  The final Top Ten Tuesday of 2024, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is the best books we’ve read this year. The books I’ve chosen aren’t necessarily published... Read more

  Posted on 31 December 2024 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin

  

  I must be getting sappier as I get older, as this is not the sort of book I’d normally find appealing. I loved Cronin’s The 100 Years of Lenni and Margot (also ... Read more

  Posted on 28 December 2024 BOOKS, CULTURE