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Ncostell

Ncostell

Joined May 2016

"I can not sleep unless I am surrounded by books." Reader, mom and pharmacist.
review
Ncostell
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Pickpick

As a fan of the Great British Bake Off, I found this Murder mystery set at a similar baking competition in the U.S. to be right up my alley. They‘re always so nice and pleasant on the GBBO which is one of the reasons that I enjoy watching it. The author turned it in its head, with sabotage, secrets and murder. It was a fun, quick read.

kspenmoll Great review. Stacked. 4w
Ncostell @kspenmoll Thanks! Hope you enjoy it too! 4w
52 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I loved this memoir of Mary Rodgers, the daughter of Richard Rodgers of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame and a musical talent in her own right. She is best known for composing the music to Once Upon a Mattress and writing the children‘s classic book, Freaky Friday. Her sharp wit and personality shone through in this chatty memoir. She had a front row seat to the creation of many musical classics and I would recommend this to any big Broadway fan.

Ruthiella I loved Freaky Friday as a kid! And also the movie with Jodie Foster. 1mo
Ncostell @Ruthiella I know, I loved both the book and the original movie too! I want to go back and revisit them both now. 1mo
46 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

This was such a fun installment of the Thursday Murder Club series which I enjoyed even more than the first book. I loved catching up with the members of the club and other returning characters and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

kspenmoll I have to read this- I just read the first! 5mo
Ncostell @kspenmoll Hope you enjoy it too! 5mo
58 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
Cozy Up to Christmas | Colin Conway
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Pickpick

I found this audiobook on Hoopla through my library and thought I‘d give it a try despite not having read any of the other books in the series. Ed is an ex-con in the witness protection program and takes a job as a mall Santa. When there is a robbery at the mall and a string of convenience store robberies by a man in a Santa suit, Ed is an obvious suspect. The audiobook narrator was fantastic, making this a fun holiday listen.

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Ncostell
Happy-Go-Lucky | David Sedaris
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Pickpick

David Sedaris does it again! I always enjoy seeing the world through his quirky lens as he‘s able to highlight the bizarre and alternatively the poignant moments in life. In this book he covers his experiences during COVid pandemic and the loss of his father with whom the family has a complicated history. I read this in print but may look for it in audio at some point as I love listening to him as well.

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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this historical fiction about the relationship between Mary Cassat and Edgar Degas. The Belle Époque is such a fascinating time period in art history and it was fun to be a fly on the wall amongst Cassat, Degas and their Impressionist contemporaries as they broke away from the rigid strictures of the Paris Salon.

BkClubCare Stacked! I have a soft spot for Cassatt and I really don‘t know anything about her. 8mo
Ncostell @BkClubCare Happy reading! I felt the same way as I have always loved Cassat‘s artwork but did not know much about her life. 8mo
kspenmoll Stacking this too! 5mo
Ncostell @kspenmoll Hope you enjoy it too! 5mo
47 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Ncostell
13, rue Thrse: A Novel | Elena Mauli Shapiro
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Mehso-so

I had mixed feelings about this book. It had an interesting premise as the author used artifacts from her neighbor‘s life to build a fictional story about this woman. However I wasn‘t always excited to pick it up each time that I went back to it. I might have enjoyed it more if I read it straight through rather than squeezing it in between other reads.

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Ncostell
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Pickpick

This is the second installment of the Finlay Donovan series. Much of the storyline harkens back to events of the first book which I read about 6 months ago so I did have to cast my memory back a bit. However it was a fun, fast read and I enjoyed revisiting these characters and their zany escapades.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Can‘t wait to read this one!! 8mo
BekaReid I just read the first book and am definitely looking forward to this one! 8mo
49 likes3 comments
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Ncostell
Carrie Soto Is Back | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

This was the year that I finally went to the US Open. We missed Serena but did get to see Tiafoe which was exciting. That put me in the mood to read Carrie Soto is back. TJR did a fabulous job of putting us in the head of Carrie, coming out of retirement to keep her record of Grand Slams alive. The writing was fast paced, just like watching a match. But it was the relationship with her father in particular that gave this book its heart. 🎾❤️

Suet624 Watching Tiafoe must have been fun!! 8mo
Ncostell @Suet624 It was, he was amazing! 8mo
42 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
Here on Earth | Alice Hoffman
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Mehso-so

I‘ve had this for years and heard it talked about on a podcast about good fall reads so I finally picked it up. I gathered quickly that this is a retelling of Wuthering Heights so the dark, chilly atmosphere & brooding characters seemed appropriate for this time of year. However, I am not a Wuthering Heights fan and this book reminded me of that fact. Well, at least it‘s now off my shelf and can be donated to someone who may appreciate it more.

41 likes1 stack add
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Ncostell
The Plot | Jean Hanff Korelitz
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this literary thriller about a struggling author who uses the key plot lines of one of his student‘s work at a writing residency program after he learns of the student‘s untimely death. Some of the twists were predictable which usually makes me crazy but I really liked the inside baseball look at the writing life and publishing industry so I didn‘t mind in this case.

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Ncostell
Ninth House | Leigh Bardugo
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Pickpick

Having finished all of Bardugo‘s Grishaverse books, I wanted to check this one out too. Written for an adult audience, it casts a look at the secret societies of Yale with a fantastical twist. It was the perfect book to get me in the mood for the fall season and as a resident of CT, I found the historical background on New Haven to be interesting. I will never visit there again without thinking of this book and being a little creeped out tbh!

WorldsOkayestStepMom Is it a standalone book or part of a series? 9mo
Ncostell @WorldsOkayestStepMom It is the first book in a series. It looks like the second book is due to be out in January 2023. 9mo
53 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

Loved this book about Elizabeth Zott, a female chemist in a male dominated career in the early 1960s. When she loses her job at a chauvinistic research company she lands a job as the host of a at TV cooking show and subversively teaches her primarily female audience about the rules of chemistry through cooking. It was a story of women‘s rights and found family that I really enjoyed.

kspenmoll Great review! On my list to read! 9mo
Ncostell @kspenmoll Thank you! It was a great read. The cover is a little misleading as it makes the book look lighter and fluffier than it is. She tackled some heavy topics but it did have some quirky aspects that I enjoyed too. 9mo
53 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
The Guncle | Steven Rowley
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Pickpick

This was the perfect vacation read on the porch with a glass of wine listening to the waves crash on the beach. I loved that this book was funny yet tender with its depiction of dealing with the death of a loved one. I haven‘t read any of this author‘s other books but intend to check them out as well.

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Ncostell
Rule of Wolves | Leigh Bardugo
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Pickpick

I took my time finishing this book because I wasn‘t ready for the Grishaverse series to end. This genre is not my usual go to but I was really drawn to many of the characters and enjoyed the witty banter that Bardugo writes so well. The Six of Crows duology is still my favorite but I think she wrapped up the series nicely here. I‘m curious to know if this is really the end of the Grishaverse or whether she will return to it in the future.

Gissy That ending suggests that there will be another book🙌 (edited) 10mo
Ncostell @Gissy Yes, there is definitely an opening for it to continue. Here‘s hoping! 10mo
37 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
Cloud Cuckoo Land | Anthony Doerr
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Pickpick

I finally got around to Cloud Cuckoo Land which has been on my TBR pile for awhile now. It was worth the wait as I enjoyed this ode to the power of the written word and the importance of a good library!

canbku I really grew to like this book. It was long and I had lots of time to come around:) 12mo
Ncostell @canbku I know what you mean by having lots of time to come around! It was quite lengthy and took me awhile to finish. Ultimately I could see his reasoning in the structure of these disparate timelines but did take some time to get there! 12mo
47 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher
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Pickpick

This was an interesting read about the birth of the Shakespeare and Company Book Store in Paris and the role that its owner Sylvia Beach played in publishing James Joyce‘s Ulysses. While I still have no desire to attempt reading Ulysses again, the story of its initial publication in France during a time that it was banned in the US was compelling.

kspenmoll I want to read this now! Thx for the review! 12mo
Ncostell @kspenmoll It was a good one, hope you enjoy it! 12mo
53 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Ncostell
You Should Have Known | Jean Hanff Korelitz
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Pickpick

This was between a pick and so-so for me. I watched the TV version of this entitled The Undoing during COVid lockdown. After reading this novel, I feel that they did a good job on the TV version which moved along faster and was a bit more suspenseful than the book. I did appreciate getting inside the main character‘s head while reading this but felt it was somewhat long winded at over 400 pages.

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Ncostell
Anne of Green Gables | L.M. Montgomery
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Pickpick

I just reread Anne of Green Gables for the first time as an adult it really holds up to my loving memory of one of my absolute childhood favorites. It was so fun to revisit the world of puffed sleeves and raspberry cordial and felt like I was spending time with old friends.

50 likes1 stack add
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

This was such a fun book to listen to on audio as Dan Stevens did a fantastic job narrating and bringing the cast of characters from Dahl‘s boyhood to life. This book consisted of vignettes from Dahl‘s childhood and it was neat to see where he got some inspiration for his many stories.

KCofKaysville @Ncostell I loved the book but just read it in print. It would be fun as audio. 😌 12mo
Ncostell @KCofKaysville It‘s a quick listen, a little over 3 hours if you‘re ever looking for a short audiobook some day. 12mo
42 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
As Bright as Heaven | Susan Meissner
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Pickpick

Finished another book from my #roll100 stack. I‘m not sure when I even bought this Kindle book but found this story set in Philadelphia during the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918 to be really interesting. Meissner wrote this before COVid and the parallels between the two pandemics were eerie.

PuddleJumper I have so many books like that! I buy them, forget about them, come back a year later and wonder what I was thinking 13mo
Ncostell @Puddlejumper The struggle is real! 12mo
SilversReviews Loved this book!! It was very eerie. (edited) 12mo
Ncostell @SilversReviews Yes, history repeats itself as they say! 12mo
SilversReviews @Ncostell Unfortunately it does. 12mo
48 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Ncostell
Paris Library | Janet Skeslien Charles
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book and learning of the role of librarians from the American Library in Paris during WWII. It has a dual timeline structure and as usual I found the older timeline more compelling. However I appreciated how the themes and experiences of the first timeline complemented those of the later timeline. I have read a lot of WWII historical fiction but was not familiar with this piece of that history which the author brought to life.

SilversReviews A good read!! 12mo
Ncostell @SilversReviews I agree! I always appreciate seeing a different perspective from this time period that I have already read so much about. 12mo
59 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

This is the seventh in the Wine Country Mystery series but I have not read any other books in the series which is what happens when I pick up random cozy mysteries at the library book sale. That did not deter me however from enjoying this book set in a winery in the Virginia countryside. It‘s another book off of the towering TBR pile thanks to the #roll100 challenge.

PuddleJumper That's brilliant! Massive sucker for second hand books so many of my TBR are impulse buys from charity shops 1y
54 likes1 comment
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved this account of Mary MacLeod‘s time spent on a remote Hebridean island in the early 1970s. Her family wants a break from the hustle and bustle of city life so they move to a small croft house on the island where she serves as nurse to the community. I bought the sequel before I was halfway through because I knew that I would want to read more of her adventures and tales of the people she befriended. #roll100

PuddleJumper Well done! That sounds super interesting 1y
Ncostell @Puddlejumper Thanks! It was good to get this one off of my towering TBR stack! 1y
Nute Stacking! 13mo
Ncostell @Nute Hope you enjoy it! 13mo
45 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Ncostell
Lost Daughter | Elena Ferrante
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Pickpick

This is the only Ferrante that I have read other than the Neapolitan Quartet and it was just as fraught and intense as those books. She examines the pull between the desire for a woman to be a “good mother” and to hold onto her own personal goals and needs. I am curious to see how this will be in the Netflix adaptation as it is very character driven with lots of interior monologues but I know that if anyone is up to the task it is Olivia Colman.

56 likes1 stack add
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Ncostell
Something the Cat Dragged In | Charlotte MacLeod
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Pickpick

This is the fourth installment of the Peter Shandy Mystery series which I like to pick up when I need a breather from some of the heavier books I‘ve been reading. Shandy is a professor at a New England agricultural college who conveniently stumbles into murder scenes. MacLeod injects some humor into the subsequent crime solving and it‘s always fun to visit with some of the quirky cast of recurring characters.

Tamra Sounds fun! 1y
Ncostell @Tamra Yes, it is a fun series. I enjoy books with a campus setting and the author had a great sense of humor which comes across in her writing. 1y
Tamra @Ncostell I downloaded the first to Kindle! 1y
Ncostell @Tamra Oh good! Hope you enjoy it! 1y
40 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Ncostell
Salt to the Sea | Ruta Sepetys
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Pickpick

I am so glad that I finally read this with the #roll100 challenge. It‘s hard to believe that the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff and its 9000 lives lost is not better known. Sepetys tells this story from four main characters‘ points of view that brings humanity to this horrible tragedy. The additional material at the end of the book including interviews with survivors and divers who have explored the wreckage was gripping as well.

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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I‘ve had this for years but finally read it with the #roll100 challenge. Told from the perspectives of a cast of characters, this book took me awhile to get into and I almost felt like bailing. I‘m glad that I persevered as the book really took shape once I started making connections between the characters and events. This book is an homage to NYC, the Twin Towers and obliquely to the events of 9/11. I can see why it won the National Book Award.

BkClubCare I‘ve had this for years, too! Other books keep crowding it out of my view. Maybe 2022 is finally its time for me, too 1y
PuddleJumper That's awesome! 1y
Ncostell @BkClubCare I know how that is. I kept pushing this one to the back burner but am glad I finally got around to it. Hope you enjoy it if you pick it up too! 1y
49 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Ncostell
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

I recently read O‘Farrell‘s I Am, I Am, I Am which also explores the thin thread between life and death. She deftly tells the story of the death of Shakespeare‘s son Hamnet and its effect on the entire family and his father‘s writing. Shakespeare himself however takes a backseat in this book allowing us to view this tale from the view of his wife Agnes‘ lens. It‘s been many years since I‘ve read Hamlet but I am tempted to pick it up again.

Suet624 Lovely review. 1y
Ncostell @Suet64 Thank you! It was one of those books that will stick with me for awhile. 1y
66 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
Dear Bob and Sue | Matt Smith, Karen Smith
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Pickpick

This was a fun listen. Matt and Karen document their travels to 59 National Parks in letters to their friends Bob and Sue. Having limited my travel greatly over the past two years, it was nice to live vicariously through tales of their adventures and makes me eager to get out there and explore again.

Crazeedi This was such a great book, I loved it!! 1y
Ncostell @Crazeedi It was a good one! I liked that it was told from both their perspectives. 1y
45 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Ncostell
Falling | T J Newman
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Pickpick

Holy cow, this was an intense read. A plane with 149 passengers is headed from LAX to NY when the pilot is given a message from someone who has taken his family hostage. He needs to crash the plane or his family will be killed. Written by a flight attendant on her breaks during long flights, her insider knowledge of the airline industry was evident. I definitely don‘t recommend reading this while flying anywhere!

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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I was blown away by Yaa Gyasi‘s ability to so beautifully write about reconciling religion and science, mental health issues and addiction, racism and immigration within 266 pages. She is such an incredible talent and I can‘t wait to read whatever she writes next.

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Ncostell
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Pickpick

Maggie O‘Farrell and I were born the same year so I was able to relate each of her experiences with where I was at that time in my life. She tells the story of her life through harrowing medical conditions and near accidents. It felt repetitive at times but by the end I was able to appreciate what she was trying to accomplish. Her 17 brushes with death highlight the need to take nothing for granted and live life to its fullest.

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Ncostell
Malibu Rising | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed Daisy Jones but I think that I may have even liked this book a bit more. The book is split between the back story of the Riva family and a second timeline over the course of the day that Nina Riva throws her yearly celebrity filled party. It was a quick moving read that would be a terrific summer or beach book. I read it on the heels of a few heavier WWII historical fiction books so it was a nice change of pace for me.

kspenmoll Excellent review! This is on my shelves. Why do we have to work???? 1y
Ncostell @kspenmoll Thank you, it was a good family saga to get swept up in. Work definitely does get in the way of my reading! 1y
47 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
Huntress | Kate Quinn
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Pickpick

This is my 2nd book of the #roll100 challenge. I was completely engrossed in this historical fiction tale of the hunt for a female Nazi war criminal. The background on the Russian pilots known as the Night Witches was fascinating and Nina will be one of my favorite characters for a while to come. I also went down a rabbit hole looking up the female photographers of the era mentioned. This is the first Kate Quinn I‘ve read but not the last!

CoverToCoverGirl She‘s an auto read for me. (edited) 1y
Ncostell @CoverToCoverGirl. I can definitely see why. I look forward to reading more of her books. 1y
PuddleJumper Yay! That's great 1y
56 likes3 comments
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Ncostell
Great Circle | Maggie Shipstead
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Pickpick

I have mixed feelings about this book which contains dual timelines. As is often the case when I read this type of book I am usually drawn to one storyline over another. The story of fictional pilot Marian Graves was compelling as I enjoyed reading her journey and learning of the role of women pilots during WWII. The secondary timeline of a modern day actress playing Marian in a movie about her life was less engaging and felt unnecessary to me.

Aims42 I bailed because I couldn‘t get into the book because of Marian‘s timeline. I think I only got maybe 50 pages in - Is it worth trying again? 1y
Ncostell @Aims42 It is a pretty big commitment as it‘s so long. I was glad that I finished it as I felt that it had a satisfying resolution. Marian‘s timeline does take up much more of the book though so if you‘re not as interested in her story I would keep that in mind. I didn‘t feel very connected to her at first but she grew on me as the book progressed. 1y
Aims42 @Ncostell Thank you, sounds like maybe another try in the future 👍 😃 1y
63 likes3 comments
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Ncostell
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I hinted for my husband to get me a gift subscription from my local indie RJ Julia‘s for Christmas and was delighted to receive my first book today. They have you fill out a questionnaire about your reading likes and dislikes to get a feel for what you may enjoy. I have not read any of this series and am looking forward to digging in.

Amiable I was at RJ Julia today! 👍🏼 1y
Ncostell @Amiable It‘s such a great place! I am overdue for a visit to browse in person. 1y
53 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
Crime at Black Dudley | Margery Allingham
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Pickpick

This was my first read of the #roll100 challenge and was my first Margery Allingham mystery. Written in 1929 and set at an old country estate in England, this was right up my alley. Allingham had a sense of humor that was evident in this first installment of her Albert Campion series and I will definitely continue reading her work. Although I already have a long list of beloved mystery authors, I am always happy to discover more.

PuddleJumper Sounds like a great first read! 1y
BiblioLitten I was deciding between different books for this author. This post makes it easier 🙂 1y
Ncostell @BiblioLitten Glad to be of assistance! I don‘t always start mystery series from the beginning especially if there are a ton but I do like to start with the first when I can. I just happened to download this one awhile ago and was pleased to find that it is the first in the series. 1y
47 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Ncostell
Florence Foster Jenkins | Nicholas Martin, Jasper Rees
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Mehso-so

This was a rare instance when the movie was much better than the book. Unfortunately this biography of Florence Foster Jenkins, renowned for her horrible singing, was on the dry side. It did bring to light her support of the arts and her charity efforts which I appreciated, however the movie and Meryl Streep in particular were much more riveting.

DrexEdit I loved the movie. So touching! 💜 1y
Ncostell @DrexEdit The movie was great. I am glad that I saw it first as the movie gave a much more sympathetic look at Florence compared with the book. 1y
51 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I needed a quick palate cleanser to start off 2022 and picked up this continuation of Joe Cawley‘s memoir of running a bar and grill in the vacation town of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It sounds great at first but the pressure mixed with tedium of the business catches up with him after awhile. It was still fun to live vicariously through this book for anyone who dreams of ditching their day to day job and moving to “paradise” to start over.

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Ncostell
Growing Up at Grossinger's | Tania Grossinger
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Pickpick

Tania lost her father at a young age and she moved to the renowned Grossinger resort in NY owned by her relatives where her charismatic mother took a job as a hostess. As I loved the setting of Dirty Dancing and the summer resort in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel this book did not disappoint with Tania‘s front row reminiscences of big celebrities of the time and the inside look at running such a beloved vacation getaway.

kspenmoll Good to see you again, friend! Hope you & your family are healthy. Happy New Year- 1y
Ncostell @kspenmoll I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are doing well! Happy New Year! 1y
42 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Ncostell
East of Eden | John Steinbeck
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I am finally reading East of Eden which I have meant to do for many years. No time like the present, especially during Banned Books Week! #bannedbook

BookwormM One of my favourite books ever hope you enjoy 2y
Ncostell @BookwormM Thank you! I am almost halfway through and can see why it is considered a classic. 2y
56 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Ncostell
Cold Comfort Farm | Stella Gibbons
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Took the kids to the #bookbarn in Niantic today as it was a beautiful day for a drive and wanted to get in a few last hurrahs before the end of summer. Of course we really should be back to school clothes shopping but book shopping is so much more fun!

Amiable Yay Book Barn! Was it mobbed there today, or not too bad? 2y
Ncostell @Amiable It wasn‘t too bad, the main parking lot was full so we had to park around back. Once we were in it didn‘t seem too overcrowded, people were spread out amongst the different areas. It was the perfect day for a drive out there today! 2y
Sills Where is Niantic located? 2y
See All 7 Comments
Sills Thank you I hope to visit CT one day. I love the New England area♥️ 2y
Ncostell Thanks @mcipher! Yes @Sills, if you‘re ever in the area it‘s a really cool place to visit. The main Book Barn store has multiple buildings with different subjects in each area and they have other stores that are a short drive away. 2y
kspenmoll What fun!!! 2y
54 likes7 comments
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Ncostell
Stationery Shop | Marjan Kamali
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Pickpick

I just loved this beautiful story of star crossed lovers who meet in 1950s Iran, a time when there was much political turmoil and eventual government coup. In addition to enjoying the captivating story, I also was intrigued by all of the references to lots of different Iranian foods and found myself Googling many of them. This book will pull at your heartstrings and make you hungry, a definite pick for me!

MallenNC I really enjoyed this one too. 2y
Ncostell @MallenNC It was so good, one I‘ll think about for a long time. 2y
BiblioLitten My friend recommended this one too. I hope to read it soon. 2y
Ncostell @BiblioLitten Hope you enjoy it, I know there‘s always so many books to get to! 2y
52 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Ncostell
The Lido | Libby Page
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Pickpick

Rosemary is an 86 year old woman who has spent her whole life swimming at her local lido. Kate is a young journalist trying to find herself and take control of her recurring panic attacks. The two form a friendship as they fight to keep the lido from being closed to make way for an expensive new apartment complex. I loved their relationship and the community involvement in trying to save the lido. A great beach read, perfect for the pool too!

kspenmoll Sounds really good! Stacked. 2y
JamieArc This was one of my favorite reads last summer! I really loved it. The tagged book reminded me of it a lot, except instead of a pool, it was a library they were fighting to save. 2y
Ncostell @kspenmoll It was so good, sweet and uplifting which I was in the mood to read! 2y
Ncostell @JamieArc This is going to be one of my favorites from this summer for sure. Thanks for the recommendation on The Reading List, I just stacked it! 2y
51 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Ncostell
Glassblower of Murano | Marina Fiorato
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Pickpick

This was a great beach read that I picked up on a whim at a library book sale. Set in Venice, the book has a dual time line. Corradino is a renowned glassblower in 1600s Venice who is embroiled in political intrigue of the time and Nora is his descendant in modern day Venice carrying on the family tradition while looking into secrets of her ancestor‘s past. As I won‘t be visiting Venice anytime soon, this book transported me there in its own way.

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Ncostell
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Excited to get my signed copy of this book in the mail today after I attended the virtual Zoom event with the author this week through #rjjuliabooksellers. It was a great event and Ballard is a very inspirational person who has lead such an interesting life. In addition to finding the Titanic, he has conducted so much important research on alternative energy and food sources from the ocean. I‘m looking forward to reading this.

Amiable My youngest son went to high school with Bob Ballard's daughter. He gave a presentation one time that involved penguins -- which he borrowed from the aquarium! 2y
Ncostell @Amiable That‘s really cool! What a memorable experience for your son! 2y
48 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

With my many years of reading mysteries behind me I have somehow never read P.D. James. This is book 13 in the Adam Dalgliesh series that I picked up at a library book sale so I jumped in with this one. I‘m a sucker for a mystery set on a remote British island so this was right up my alley. Now that I‘ve finally got around to reading her books, I will definitely seek out more.

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Ncostell
The Survivors | Jane Harper
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Pickpick

I finished this at Six Flags while waiting for my kids who were riding the roller coasters. While this was not my favorite of Harper‘s books, it was still a good read set in a beach town in Tasmania. She always does a great job in bringing a strong sense of place to her works which I appreciate.

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Ncostell
Age of Innocence | Edith Wharton
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Last week we took a trip to the Berkshires and visited The Mount, Edith Wharton‘s home in Lenox, Massachusetts. The home itself was lovely, and I learned that she was very interested in architecture and interior design and even wrote a well received book on the subject. The library contains her personal collection which was purchased back from a British bookseller who owned the collection. It‘s definitely worth a visit if you‘re in the area.

Mitch Now that‘s a library! 💕 2y
wanderinglynn Love that library! 😍 2y
BookishMarginalia 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y
BekaReid Yes! The Mount is definitely well worth a visit. The house and grounds are splendid! 2y
53 likes4 comments
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