Bluebird Books

 Today was a big day for book nerds. The Aspen Words Literary Prize Long List was announced.  I love the hype of a good long-list reveal. It feels like football playoffs or March madness. There is excitement and anticipation and buzz.  When the National Book Award Prize List came out people were stunned. It was marked by short story collections, a genre that rarely gets attention on these lists, and debut authors that few people had heard of. The Pulitzer winner this year was also out of left field. A lot of people were scratching their heads about the direction of these two prizes.  Aspen seems to be a bit of a mash-up of these other prizes with a few more widely known novels sprinkled in. And I like what I see.  Am I surprised that Sea of Tranquility or No Land to Light On or even The Mutual Friend were left off this list...yes, a little. But I'm beyond happy for How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water . I can't wait to dive into Glory and Harry Sylvester Bird and Memphi

 Here are the books I read in the month of November. The beginning of the month was a bit chaotic but we ended with a lovely Thanksgiving. My daughter was home from college for a few days and we did a little Christmas shopping and decorating.  November is not my favorite month but I made the best out of it with these books. Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi This book was *chef's kiss* perfect. It was all the creepy vibes you want in spooky reading. It was a retelling of the classic story with a smart twist and in a completely new location and time so it felt fresh but recognizable. It was a book in translation that wasn't clunky or difficult to read and it still felt authentic and true to the people and culture of Iraq. Don't sleep on this novel. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune I've heard The House in the Cerulean Sea described as a warm hug and that description fits it perfectly.  I read this one during a stressful, busy week and it felt like coming h