Unraveled Wednesday: 7/17/24

I'm happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today with a potholder set. I got the bright idea that Ryan might also have a use for some smaller six-inch potholders in addition to the larger eight-inch PRO size, so I had to buy a regular loom. Here is the first matching set. They're real ROYGBIV potholders in the proper order since I knew that would matter to Ryan.

I read a couple of books this week, one slightly better than the other. The first was You Are Here by David Nicholls. For me, this was an enjoyable three-star summer read. It doesn't quite rise to the level of One Day but Nicholls has written two pleasant protagonists, Marnie and Michael. They are both divorced and living singular lives. Michael does not want to be at home by himself so he goes for long walks; Marnie is almost agoraphobic and doesn't want to leave home. Through pushy friends, she ends up on a walk from coast to coast in England, and of course, Michael is there. There is humor (not as many laugh-out-loud moments as others have noted), a light and predictable plotline, and charming characters. This might fit the bill if you're looking for a non-challenging, feel-good read. 

Sarah recommended the second book, A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus. I just love a good story set in England, and A Place to Hang the Moon fits the bill. It's a middle-grade book set in 1940 but sometimes that's what you have the bandwidth to listen to. Siblings Anna, Edmund, and William live with their grandmother after the death of their parents, but unfortunately, their grandmother has just died without making any plans for guardianship of the children. Her solicitor arranges for them to be evacuated to the country, and although they are lucky enough to be billeted together, they are often not housed with very kind people. Of course, there is a war going on and London is being bombed every night, so everyone is on edge, and William often has to take responsibilities that I would not wish on a twelve-year-old. I kept imagining my own children in a situation like this and that gave extra poignancy to the tale. The story is predictable, but it is also charming, sweet, with a little sadness, and just one fairly repulsive rat-catching scene. This book makes a welcome respite from reading the news and more bad news every day, so I rounded up my 3.5 stars.

What are you making and reading this week?