Books on Thursday

I didn't write a book post last week, so I've got several to tell you about this week. 

Etna is an inventive and unusual story, told from the perspective of a former military dog trying to find his way home after years of war. Having survived so much, Etna sets out across a devastated landscape in the hope of finding the place from which he was taken as a young dog. Along the way, he encounters people and animals who, like him, are struggling to make sense of a world that has changed beyond recognition.

I found it quite sad to think of Etna carrying the weight of so many changes and losses, with so little understanding of why his life has become what it is. His journey is as much about searching for a sense of belonging as it is about finding a physical home. Even when the fighting has stopped, the consequences of war remain, and trust and security are difficult to recover.

Paul Yoon has come up with a fresh and compelling way to explore the aftermath of war, displacement, and maybe the possibility of hope. There is something particularly affecting about seeing the human world through Etna's eyes, as he tries to navigate circumstances he cannot fully understand. Although I appreciated the originality of the premise and the questions it raises about home and starting over, I found the story's sadness more affecting than any hopeful message.

An imaginative, quietly moving novel, though not always an easy one to read. This was 3.5 stars for me.

I’m a big fan of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, so a story that reimagines that classic through the eyes of cats was bound to appeal to me. Licorice by Kara Lareau is an imaginative and unusual take on a familiar tale, mixing a bit of mystery and a tiny bit of spookiness with feline characters who have personalities of their own.

Poor Kitty arrives at her new home hoping for a fresh start, only to discover that the previous cat, Licorice, seems to have left his mark on absolutely everything. Between the lingering scent, Duchess the parrot’s reminders that she’s merely a replacement, and the unsettling feeling that Licorice’s presence might be more than a memory, Kitty has a lot to contend with. The parallels with Rebecca are fun to recognize, even as the story takes on a life of its own through its animal characters.

I’m not entirely sure how the intended audience will receive this middle grade book, but I enjoyed its originality. The combination of a classic story, a little mystery, a touch of the supernatural, and cats worked well for me. I would happily welcome more retellings of classic literature with cats in the starring roles! 

While Peck & Peck is a book about poetry, poetry is really just one small part of a rather madcap assortment of characters, complicated relationships, unexpected tangents, and more than a few people with their own devious motives. There is a lot going on here! Its central question is whether a young man who loves poetry can preserve that love while working inside an institution that seems determined to corrupt the very values it claims to uphold. Garmus also makes a case for poetry as something essential rather than ornamental. Her main character believes poetry has something to say about virtually every human experience, from love and jealousy to revenge and reconciliation. His faith in poetry gives the novel its emotional center.

In the first half of the novel, we learn that our main character, Batter Gray, was named after a family dog whose escapades were recounted in reverent tones throughout his childhood by his mother, Rainey. Rainey is a type designer with an extensive knowledge of typography, but it was her stories about Batter the dog, which she told to Batter her son, that made her my favorite character. I loved this wonderfully eccentric touch and the way Garmus uses it to establish the family's particular brand of oddness.

I listened to the audiobook, and while I enjoyed the experience, I suspect I missed some of the nuances and connections along the way. There are so many threads, tangents, and moving pieces that the story occasionally bogs down under the weight of its own cleverness. I sometimes struggled to keep track of everything that was happening and how all the pieces fit together.

Still, Garmus has a lively imagination, and there is plenty here to entertain and surprise. The characters are an eccentric bunch, the motives behind their actions aren't always what they seem, and eventually the various threads find their resolution.

I'm giving this four stars, with the feeling that I haven't quite absorbed everything the novel has to offer. I'll be rereading it with my eyes next time, hoping to catch more of the details and appreciate how all the pieces fit together. I'm looking forward to seeing what I missed the first time around!

"Poetry is problematic. First, it’s not easy. It forces you to think and sometimes thinking hurts. Also, poetry can make you feel stupid, like you don’t get it. And if you do get it, then it’s only because it just revealed something about yourself that you were hoping to keep hidden."

Now I'd love to know what you are reading! 

 

Unraveled Wednesday: 10/28/26

I’m happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today with a Hitchhiker in progress. 

I know I said something about maybe knitting at the wedding, but I didn't knit a stitch, even during the rehearsal or rehearsal dinner. It was quite chilly and while I thought I was dressed for the weather, I did spend a lot of time around the fire pit. Young men (and older ones also) can't seem to leave a fire alone, so there always seemed to be embers flying after they tried to get it burning better. A hole burned in my last precious STR yarn was not what I wanted as a remembrance of the wedding. 

I've also got a second dish towel cast on for Jess for Christmas, but I may currently be dish-toweled out. I did get my skeins of Purl Soho Japanese Denim Cotton out of the stash in case I felt the urge to cast on for a Saltwater Bandana, but that hasn't happened just yet. 

 

What are you making this final Wednesday in October? 

Justin & Jess

Justin and Jess got married last weekend, and it was wonderful. I don't have a lot of pictures; we weren't supposed to take any during the ceremony. I do have a few from the rehearsal and the reception, but to be honest, I was having too much fun to take too many pictures. 

Jess' bridesmaids are three friends that she's known since childhood. Justin's three groomsmen are Ryan on Justin's right and two friends that have all known each other since elementary school. We had lovely weather but it was getting quite chilly on Friday evening. (You can probably tell from the long coats and hands in pockets!)

This is John's older sister Phyllis officiating at the rehearsal. She got internet-ordained 10 or so years ago and married Justin's cousin. She's done several other services, including her mother's memorial service, and was nice enough to agree to help Justin & Jess. Technically, they got married with a self-uniting marriage license. Originally issued with Quakers in mind, PA doesn't require people electing that route to be Quakers. All it takes is two witnesses, but Phyllis put together a lovely and personal service for them. 

 

 

Some of the photographer's pictures were funny. This is supposed be Ryan helping Justin with his vest, but Justin has been able to dress himself for almost 30 years. Ryan did make sure he wasn't putting on his purple Power Rangers shorts with his backwards dinosaur t-shirt.

 

Here is the bridal party all gussied up. I can confidently say that most of the males don't routinely dress like this, but they do clean up nicely. 

 

 

They had chosen an electric violin player for music to walk down the woodland path, and I was entranced. I think the instrument is beautiful and so was the music.

Here they are being introduced as Mr. & Mrs. Becker. John and I smiled a bit about that. It took me quite a long time to get used to being called Mrs. Becker, but there's certainly room for another. 

Ryan gave a heartfelt, personal speech that he had worked on for quite a while. It was really moving, but thankfully that was the end of tears and sniffles and the beginning of the dancing. 

 

I don't have any pictures of me in my dress, but it was comfortable and I felt good in it. If/when I get some pictures, I'll share them. It's not often that I get dressed up so I hope it's preserved someplace. However I looked, I got to see someone I love marry someone they love who loves them, and it was the best part of a wonderful and exhausting weekend. 

I Voted!

New Jersey has Early Voting from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. I had an important engagement on the 24th but now I'm home. Once I unpacked and did all the laundry, the next important thing on my list was to vote. 

I've voted by mail for six years, so this was my first time voting in person in a long time. I was really impressed with how well-run and organized everything was, in addition to the friendliness of the poll workers. They have really made me seriously consider becoming a poll worker myself.

But for now I'm just going to wait, with a lot of hope and considerable apprehension. I'll be back tomorrow with a bit about that important engagement I attended last weekend. 

 

 

Unraveled Wednesday: 10/21/26

I’m happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today with my last (for a little while anyway) dishtowel finally completed!

If I’m honest, I wrote that first sentence on Monday to motivate myself to finish it by today, and knit like the wind yesterday to get it done. This one is for Jess for Christmas. I may dig through my stash to see if I have enough cotton yarn to cast on another dishtowel for Jess, but that can wait until after the wedding. My gift pile continues to grow!

 

 

I'm taking a little break from dish towels to work on my colorful Hitchhiker. I've knit in lots of places, including my mother's viewing, memorial services for both my MiL and my FiL, and my father's funeral, but I don't think I've ever knit at a really joyous occasion like a wedding. I might try to get in a few rows at the rehearsal, if only so I can say that I've done it! 

 

What are you making this Wednesday in October?

Bit and Pieces: October 2026

I did a Bits and Pieces post last month, but since I'm not sure what to write about today, it's time for another one. 

Fall may be finally here to stay. We had some thunderstorms on Friday, temperatures dropped 25 degrees, and we had our first frost. John is all ready to turn on the heat, but since I just filled our oil tank at the slightly exorbitant cost of $5.86/gallon, I'm going to be wearing sweaters, putting flannel sheets on the bed, and delaying turning on the heat for as long as possible. Can we make it to Thanksgiving? We'll see!

 

John has finally listened to my nagging recommendation that he sell the old Jeep he had been trying to restore for the past four years. I don't begrudge him a project, but this vehicle was some sort of Frankenstein cobbled together from parts of various model years. As a consequence, nothing fit. The drive shaft for four wheel drive never got installed but had a permanent place in the back seat. A very pleasant man bought it two weekends ago, and the good news is that this frees up a garage for my car when it snows. Last weekend John sold the top he bought for the Jeep (that didn't fit) and a leaf blower that he restored. He said he's glad that he's cleaning out the barn. Since I'm a supportive wife, I didn't burst his bubble by pointing out that there are probably 30+ other things in there for him to sell. At least he's started!

 

 

I got a letter from the president telling me about how hard he has been working for better, more affordable healthcare for people and how he believed in returning money directly into the hands of the American people. I call BS, and I'm also lucky enough that I don't need the $90 and wish he hadn't decided to do this. It hasn't actually shown up yet, but it's possible that it will be there with my Social Security direct deposit next week. But when and if it does show up in my bank account, I'm donating it (plus a bit extra) to someone who needs it more than I do. I haven't decided yet, but I'm considering the library, our local food bank, or possibly Planned Parenthood. Maybe all of them because that might help with my simmering rage. 

After chatting with our County Clerk, I decided that voting in-person might possibly be safer than voting by mail. She said she could guarantee that ballots would be sent out but couldn't guarantee that the USPS would deliver them. Voting by mail used to be so nice and easy, but I'll be trying to figure out how to work a voting machine this year. Early voting starts here in NJ on October 24th, but I'll be busy that day.

 

Next Saturday, October 24th, Justin and Jess will be getting married. It's at a venue in northern PA, Tall Timbers Barn. Justin had very few opinions concerning the wedding but didn't want to get married at a fancy hotel or country club. Weather permitting, the service will be outside, so half of our family has been calling to ask whether they'll be warm enough. I don't know; dress appropriately! I honestly haven't had to do too much for the wedding, but as it gets closer, I'm surprised at the amount of manufactured drama. Weddings seem to bring out the the worst in people (and sometimes the best, too), but I've decided that I'm just going to smile, pay attention, and enjoy myself. I wouldn't mind if you sent good thoughts for a good time and good weather. (Maybe then the family members that want to wear sleeveless dresses won't freeze!)

Books on Thursday

I only read one book this week, but it was a really good one. 

Mary Lawson has written the kind of novel that reminds me why I love literary fiction. Set in Northern Ontario in the winter of 1969, Solace in Winter is a quiet, deeply moving story about ordinary people whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. There are no great mysteries to solve or nonstop action to keep things moving. Instead, Lawson gives us something much more satisfying: a keenly observed portrait of people trying to make sense of their lives, with all their complications, sorrows, kindnesses, and possibilities.

Jack, a widower living a quiet, solitary life in his cabin, finds his routine turned upside down when he encounters an injured dog and then a seriously injured young American fleeing the Vietnam War draft. Suddenly, his home becomes a place of refuge, and his solitude gives way to the demands and complications of caring for others. Jack's daughter, Sally, isn't nearly as comfortable with these unexpected changes, and her reaction adds another layer to the story. Lawson understands that even well-intentioned acts of kindness can stir up uncomfortable feelings and expose differences in how people see the world.

What I loved most was the way Lawson shows people gradually finding their way toward one another. These characters have their own histories, disappointments, and private burdens, and they don't always understand each other or know what to say. But sometimes simply being there, offering help, or taking the time to listen is enough to begin changing things. The relationships develop with a naturalness that makes them feel true to life, and the emotional impact sneaks up on you rather than being forced.

And then there's Lola the dog! There's something especially touching about the way an animal can bring people together, offering affection and companionship without the complications that so often accompany human relationships. Having recently read another novel featuring a dog, I'm becoming quite a fan of the role a caring canine can play in a story.

I also appreciated that Lawson doesn't turn these ordinary lives into something artificially dramatic. Grief doesn't disappear overnight, family tensions aren't magically resolved, and kindness doesn't solve every problem. Yet there is hope here, and it feels earned. The novel is a reminder that people can make a difference in one another's lives through small, seemingly insignificant acts of compassion.

Solace in Winter is gentle without being saccharine, poignant without being manipulative, and utterly compelling despite its quiet pace. I was drawn into these lives and found myself caring about what happened to the people inhabiting Lawson's snowy corner of Northern Ontario. Sometimes a book doesn't need dramatic twists or larger-than-life events to leave a lasting impression. Sometimes it simply needs to remind us of the good people can do for one another. This one did exactly that, and Lola made it all the better. Four and a half stars. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and Vintage Digital for providing me with a copy of the book. It will be published on November 19, 2026. There is a Goodreads giveaway for this book for the next week if you are interested.

Now I'd love to know what you are reading!