This year, I read 131 books (my Goodreads challenge was 110). Included are all 51 books in the Spenser series, which I really enjoyed. Don’t get me wrong, Spenser is a kick-ass private investigator, but none of them stood out for the book year of the year. So, let me glance through my Goodreads list…
Author: Mark
Happy New Year
After everything that has happened in the past month (moving and being hospitalized with emergency surgery), I am glad I took time off from work to end the year. I don’t go back till next Thursday. My mother thought my job was closed! I told her my job is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day…
My Friends – by Fredrik Backman
I got this book from Netgalley so I can and review it before it’s published. Now, let me also preface that I really enjoy his style of writing and have read all of his prior books. As I was reading this new one, it reminded a bit of two books: Niko Draws a Feeling (a…
Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches – by Tim Matheson
I only knew of him as being in the movie Animal House. I had no clue he was a child actor and he started work with the greats of Lucille Ball and Dick Van Dyke; just to name a few. I enjoyed reading about his story growing up, his relationships, his stories from television series…
So This Happened…
We accepted an offer for our house a few days before Thanksgiving and moved last Monday to less than a mile away in the same neighborhood. I have to give a lot of thanks to Nina as she did 99.9% of the packing. We are leasing till the end of the school year as Niko…
Your Mom’s Gonna Love Me – by Matt Rife
I knew who Matt Rife was as for some unknown reason, his comedy clips of reacting with his audiences, kept hogging my feeds on Facebook and Instagram. Of course, I stopped to listen and he was funny and vulgar. I needed this type of memoir as I have been reading a lot of fiction thrillers. …
Robert B. Parker’s Hot Property – by Mike Lupica
This is the last book in the Spenser series, and I am sad to say goodbye, but I am hoping that more books appear. It took me a year to finish all of them. Will I watch the television shows for Spenser and Hawk? I started them, so maybe, but I will admit and tell…
Sometimes I Think…
Sometimes, I think about things that don’t even matter and have no impact on anybody, but me. So, a few days ago, I was thinking about ditching my websites and finding someplace free to write. I even looked at two older free blogs I had, and even backed them up should I make that choice….
What You’re Made For: Powerful Lessons from a Life in Sports – by George Raveling
I got this book from Netgalley so I can read and review it before it’s published. I really thought I would enjoy this book, but I struggled through it. It wasn’t a chronological timeline of his life, rather advice from his life with his career scattered throughout it. One of the coolest things about him…
The Wild Robot Protects – by Peter Brown
This was written by Niko, my 8-year-old son with a just a teeny bit of editing by me. Yesterday, I finished The Wild Robot Protects because you know it’s a bestseller and that’s not a joke. It’s the best book in the series and the best book I have ever read. I am going to…
Protecting Whitney: The Memoir of Her Bodyguard – by David Roberts
I got this from Netgalley, so I can read and review it before it’s published. So, David Roberts was indeed her bodyguard or as he calls it, her CPO (close protection officer) during the 1990’s with this stint starting during her European tour. He got to be up close and personal with Whitney, her entourage,…
Feeling MUCH Better
Niko goes back to school and I go back to work tomorrow. Both of us are feeling much better. Niko has two more does of medication remaining. We didn’t do anything fun in the world, although I tried yesterday, and it was a huge NOPE from him. I did a quick run to Half Price…
While I Have Your Attention: It’s Never Too Late for a New Beginning – by Lucille O’Neal
I got this book from Netgalley, so I can read and review it before it’s published. When I saw this book, I was immediately intrigued, as she is the mother of Shaquille O’Neal, and I wanted to know more about her life. And, what a life it was for her. Lucille and her siblings were…
Thanksgiving Break for Niko
Niko is off this week for Thanksgiving. I am off on Thursday and Friday. And, just like the past few Thanksgiving’s, Niko is sick again! I had to pick him up early from school last Wednesday, and he stayed home Thursday and Friday. On Friday, Nina took him to an urgent care clinic and the…
Stand Still – Niko Vs Dad
Every weekend, I am primed and want to explore the world. I am at home all week working. Every weekend, Niko wants to watch his iPad and play his games. He is at school all week learning. So, who wins? Well, Niko wins most of the time. Last week, though, I won as we went…
The Wild Robot – by Peter Brown
Niko’s teacher has been reading this book to the class, and last weekend, we saw the movie. This is the first time Niko has seen a movie based on a book, and he was impressed on how the movie portrayed some of the events from the book. I did tell him that books are always…
The House of Cross (Alex Cross #33) – by James Patterson
After I read the James Patterson autobiography in 2022, I was interested in seeing if I could into the Alex Cross books (as it’s not my preferred genre), and I was hooked after I read Along Came a Spider. Yeah, when I saw a new book in April of this year, I was ready and…
The Legend of Red Klotz: How Basketball’s Loss Leader Won Over the World—14,000 Times – by Tim Kelly
This book was referenced in the book I just read about Abe Saperstein, and I was intrigued. You may not know the name, but if I tell you Red Klotz was a player, coach, and owner of the Washington Generals, you will now know who he is. Red won championships in high school, college, his…
Globetrotter: How Abe Saperstein Shook Up the World of Sports – by Mark Jacob and Matthew Jacob
I have had this book in my Goodreads Want to Read list since August 31st when I saw a Tweet from @SprtBookReviews about it. I was immediately intrigued as in 2022, I read Spinning the Globe: The Rise, Fall, and Return to Greatness of the Harlem Globetrotters by Ben Green. So, I was already familiar…
Veteran’s Day Recital
Tomorrow, Niko has his first recital at school to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Now, before I proceed, I need to be honest and tell you that when Nina first told me about this about two months ago, either I wasn’t listening or she never told me. So, since I am smart and even though, I don’t…