The Sentence<\/a>, by Louise Erdrich<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the beginning section of this story, I fell in love with Tookie, an Ojibwe ex-con, and all the other characters in this wonderful book, much of which takes place in the author\u2019s bookstore, Birchbark Books<\/a>. Although I did peter out a bit about two-thirds of the way through the book, overall I found it well paced, and easy to move through. So well written – it deserves another read through, just to absorb all the great words (and sentences!).<\/p>\n\n\n The beautiful poster lady: a life of Ethel Reed,<\/a> by William S. Peterson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What a serendipitous find! Many years ago, in graduate school, I wrote a paper about the artist Ethel Reed<\/a> (1874-1912), as I was intrigued by a short section of a book, about the history of illustration, that mentioned Ethel Reed, and stated that her fate was unknown. I didn’t get very far in my research for my graduate paper about what happened to her, but fortunately Dr. Peterson did. I stumbled onto this book at a bookstore in Rockland and was so thrilled to find it, and to finally discover what happened to Ethel. Sadly, her life beyond the mystery wasn’t happy, but I was still glad to learn about it, and see her beautiful posters and book art displayed in this lovely book. I was so taken by the book that I wrote Dr. Peterson, and he responded in a very appreciative way.<\/p>\n\n\n Miss Morgan\u2019s Book Brigade<\/a>, by Janet Skeslien Charles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A magnificent story, based on real people<\/a> involved in getting books in the hands of soldiers in World War I France – I was engaged and engrossed all the way through. I loved the characters, setting, story, charm, humor, and warmth. At first, I was disconcerted with the more modern-day story, but I soon fell in love with Wendy and Roberto, and so was thoroughly charmed by that section, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n The Emily Dickinson cookbook: recipes from Emily\u2019s table alongside the poems that inspire them,<\/a> by Arlyne Osborne<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A friend mailed me this book, as a distraction from an upcoming shoulder surgery. And indeed it was, as well as being a perfect book post-surgery, for curling up with, reading a few pages each time. It was a lovely blend of poetry, stories about Emily<\/a>, delicious looking recipes, and had a beautiful layout with visual appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n The British booksellers<\/a>, by Kristi Cambron<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another in the \u201cthe power of books during war time\u201d genre, this book goes back and forth between periods of time in the character\u2019s lives, and has likeable characters, good story, appealing setting, and interesting history (WWI and WWII Britain). The love the main characters have for each other is endearing. <\/p>\n\n\n A marriage at sea: a true story of love, obsession, and shipwreck<\/a>, by Sophie Elmhurst<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have read quite a bit of “sea stories” but was not familiar with this one. I really liked the style of writing in telling the story – I had no idea how it would end, so I found myself turning page after page to find out what happened to this British sailing couple, Maurice and Maralyn<\/a>, throughout their journey in life together, including many days adrift at sea. After finishing the book, I took a deeper dive into their story, which is always the sign of a good book.<\/p>\n\n\n The seamstress of Acadie<\/a>, by Laura Frantz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I always believe that historical fiction is a wonderful way to access history, and this novel did it beautifully. While I was familiar with the Acadian expulsion<\/a>, I really didn’t know much about it. I not only learned a lot, but was entertained by a good story, with interesting characters. And I love a good ending, which this one has.<\/p>\n\n\n Stargazing year: a backyard astronomer\u2019s journey through the seasons of the night sky<\/a>, by Charles Laird Calia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have always loved the idea of the night sky, and gazing at the stars. This book drew me in, with the dreaminess and gentle tone, and humor. I didn’t absorb it all, so I may have to go through and reread it – maybe out loud to Michael. I love how the author took us through the year, and interwove his past history (his mother, an astrologer, was very intriguing). Great dialogue, including with his young daughters, and overall such a beautiful, well-written book.<\/p>\n\n\n Still life<\/a>, by Sarah Winman.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a fantastic read, with a touch of whimsy and wonder, and quirky characters and beautiful writing. Admittedly, much of the earlier part, which takes place in a village in England, is quite depressing and dismal, but once the characters take off on a road trip to Italy, the magic happens. Towards the end, the earlier story of one of the main characters drags on, and I lost interest. But still, most of the book is a lovely tale of post-World War II Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n The New York Times: \u00a0Footsteps: From Ferrante\u2019s Naples to Hammett\u2019s San Francisco, literary pilgrimages around the world<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is my kind of writing – literary pilgrimages and travel writing makes for a wonderful combination, and on top of that, wonderful writing about both familiar writers and people I knew nothing about. I also liked the blue type, the illustrations, the cover, and the nice short chapters. Delicious!<\/p>\n\n\n So, from stargazing to the Canadian expulsion, and all in between, a wonderful variety of books sparked joy in 2025 \u2013 and this year is already off to a great start, too! (January is the best time to curl up with a good book). May the new year bring many wonderful books your way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" According to Goodreads, I read 52 books in 2025, averaging about 1 book a week. Here are some of the more enjoyable reads, of my favorite fiction and non-fiction choices. The Sentence, by Louise Erdrich Despite the beginning section of this story, I fell in love with Tookie, an Ojibwe ex-con, and all the other … Continue reading Notable books read in 2025<\/span> ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/liclblog.townoflongisland.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Notable-books-2025-The-Sentence.jpg\")
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