2019 book club review

Book Club has become the biggest part of my blog, and I'm more than ok with that.

The idea of being part of a "real" book club out in the world makes me nervous - people?  No thanks.  My book club for one makes me happy.  

In 2019 I read 51 books.  

I started to write that I had read mostly fiction, with a few memoirs and audio books thrown in, but then I decided to review the list and break it down into more general genres to see what I had read.

Memoirs - 20

Non-fiction -7

Fiction by female authors - 11

Fiction by male authors - 4

Audio books - 9

Way more memoirs than I expected!

I also checked back since I started by Book Club tag to see how this years 51 compared to other years

48 books in 2018

41 books in 2017

26 books in 2016

So as my kids get older and more independent, my number of books read increases.  😀

I've got lots of books kicking around the house and a few holds I hope come in the library soon, my fingers are crossed for an even better Book Club year in 2020.

Book Club - High Infatuation by Steph Davis

2019-51

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Above all, climbing has shown me the existence of forces beyond the seen world.  It has taught me to ponder the meaning of reality.  It has shown me that I am small.

Soon days will grow shorter.  Winter will come.  I have to keep moving.

Book Club - Taking The Leap by Pema Chodron

2019-50

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We are all a  mixture of aggression and loving kindness, hard-heartedness and tender open-heartedness, small-mindedness and forgiving open mind.

Life's energy is never static.  It is as shifting, fluid, changing as the weather.  

So words themselves are neutral, it's the charge we add to them that matters.

Nothing is static and permanent.  And that includes you and me. 

Our thoughts, emotions, molecules are continually changing.

Book Club - PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han

2019-49

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If we just hold on tight enough, it will all be ok.

"It's all a million lifetimes ago.  And yet."

"I don't think any man is my equal.  Women are far superior, and don't you forget it."

Cookbook Cleanup Book 13 - Eat Delicious

Book 13 in my clean up is one of my new favorites - Eat Delicious by Dennis the Prescott. 

I think I picked this one up from Costco a few years ago.  It's a Canadian book, so yay!

Everything we've tried has been so good.  The recipes aren't always simple, but they are, as the title says, delicious!

For the cleanup, we tried a whopping 9 recipes, some more than once.

The last recipe we tried was the super quick Szechuan-Style Green Beans and Pork - it was so easy and good. 

On the other end of the ease spectrum was the Pulled Pork Ramen - this was an all day, 2 store event that was TOTALLY WORTH IT.   So, so amazing.

The Double Chocolate Skillet Brownies were so wonderful, we made them twice.

The other dishes were all very tasty too - 

Noodle Bowls with Crispy Chicken and Peanut Sauce

My Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies - THE BEST COOKIES.  I made these 3 times.

Pizza Dough

Meatball Pizza

Smoky Beef and Beer Chili - we made this twice - The Boy has become a chili fan.

Salted Caramel Apple Parfaits

This one is a big winner and I look forward to trying lots more from it.  If you see this book - get it!

Cookbook Cleanup results so far - Bookshelf -6  Donated - 7

Merry Merry

Peace and love......

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

2019-48

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The chill in the air seemed duller by the day, and there were moments of lingering warmth in the afternoons.

Harpreet could think of nothing worse than attending a yoga class with Geeta and her gaggle of friends who spent more time backwards boasting than downward dogging.  

She wondered if he had been lonely when she was away or relived not to avoid speaking to her.

Let him find balance and moderation in all things; let him listen to himself and not the noise of others.

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Little grocery shop at Eastuff Grocery

I had a ramen night planned and the recipe called for 3 things not usually in our kitchen: miso, dried mushrooms and togarashi spice, so we took a fast trip to Eastuff Grocery on McGill, across the street from the TCC.

We found everything we were looking for, but I didn't buy the mushrooms because they only had huge bags and I only needed a small handful, and also some instant soups for the kids and the Mister (he got a spicy seafood one), some soy sauce and an apple soda.

The store is tiny and packed full of interesting treats, and the staff are super nice.

They are open 6 days a week - closed Sundays - so go check them out.

Eastuff Grocery Wholesale

1023A McGill Rd, Kamloops

Book Club - The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

2019-47

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He has no interest in me, my fears or hopes.  I'm just part of some old story he's tired of telling.

It's like I've been asked to dig a hole with a shovel made of sparrows.

We need more stories like this

Gah, my heart!  

Take a moment to read one of the best stories out there right now.

A 5 Year Old Got Adopted And His Entire Kindergarten Class Came To Support Him