Sara Reads Things

  3 Stars This one felt like a quiet walk through the woods with someone who is very wise… and just not speaking my language. The ideas of reciprocity, gift economies, and abundance in nature are thoughtful and clearly heartfelt, but I never quite clicked with them the way I expected to. Kimmerer’s writing is gentle and reflective, almost meditative, and I can see why this book resonates deeply with many readers. For me, though, the concepts stayed a bit abstract, and I found myself appreciating the intention more than the execution. I wanted something that grounded those ideas more firmly or challenged me in a way that felt personal. Not a bad read by any means, just one that passed through my hands without really taking root.   3 Stars Meltzer is a strong storyteller, and his writing is smooth and accessible, but the book leaned far more into biography and historical context than into the conspiracy promised by the title. If you’re already familiar with JFK era history or...

  Title:  Strangers in Time By:  David Baldacci Genre:  Historical Fiction Pages:  435 Release Date: April 15th, 2025   Rating: ★★★★☆   Summary from Goodreads: During one of the fiercest conflicts the world has ever known, three strangers’ lives collide as they confront the raining bombs of their present and the explosive secrets of their past. Journey back to wartime London in this historical drama from the number one bestseller. Charlie Matters’ life has always been a fight for survival. Orphaned with no prospects, Charlie steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he can enlist in the battle against the Germans. He miraculously emerges unscathed from the Blitz, but there’s no telling when the next bomb will fall, and whether it will be the one to end his life. Molly Wakefield’s dreams of a joyful homecoming are all she’s had to hold on to after being evacuated to the countryside via ‘Operation Pied Piper’ five years before. But when she finally r...

  WEEKLY MENU Monday Ground Turkey Taco Bowls Kids - Cheese Quesadillas   Tuesday Banh Mi Sausages Kids - Crispy Hot Dogs & Rice   Wednesday Mediterranean Stir Fry Kids - Buttery Noodles and Chicken Bites   Thursday Tuna Melts and Side Salad Kids - Chicken and Crackers   Friday Big Mac Sloppy Joes Kids - Pizza Sliders   Saturday Meatless Chili Kids - Cheesy Rice and Apples Sauce   Sunday Family Dinner Chicken Pad Thai

Sunday on my blog always feels like a quiet room after a loud week. The books are stacked like witnesses, my coffee’s gone cold twice, and I’m here peeling back the reader version of me that pretends everything I pick up was intentional and profound. This is the corner where I admit which stories surprised me, which ones I side eyed through entire chapters, which characters I loved out loud and which books I only finished out of stubborn spite and a calendar reminder. No polished reviews today. Just reader confessions, slightly dramatic, fully honest, and probably accompanied by a tottering pile of “what was I thinking?” Sunday Confessions #340 ~ Weekly Menu #643 And The Book Of The Week ~ Book Review: The Shinning by Stephen King ~ What I Read Last Week - January 12th to 18th Weekly Menu #644 And The Book Of The Week ~ Book Review: Strangers in Time by David Baldacci ~ What I Read Last Week - January 19th to 25th ~ Sunday Confessions #342 23/250 2026 Reading Challenge ~ 132/214 in my...

  4 Stars It still rattles my brain that this is real. Not “based on,” not “inspired by,” but an actual human deciding, “You know what my friends fighting in Vietnam need? A cold beer,” and then just… going. The entire premise sounds like something cooked up at 2 a.m. over bar napkins and bad decisions, yet here it stands in nonfiction clothing. What starts as a ridiculous dare turns into something surprisingly human and heavy. Chick’s journey barrels straight through war zones with equal parts stubborn loyalty and wide eyed naivety, and watching that bravado slowly crack against the reality of combat is where the book really lands. It’s funny in places, tense in others, and unexpectedly emotional when the weight of what he’s walking into finally sinks in. The writing is straightforward and conversational, which fits the story. No frills, no dramatic over seasoning, just a regular guy narrating an absolutely unhinged act of friendship. That contrast is what makes it hit so hard. ...

  Title:  The Shinning By:  Stephen King Genre:  Horror Pages:  497 Release Date:  January 28th, 1977 Rating: ★★★★☆   Summary from Goodreads: Jack Torrance's new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he'll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote... and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.   Add on Goodreads   Review: I love Stephen King, and this one delivered that slow tightening dread he does so well. The isolation creeps in first, quiet as snowfall sealing every exit, and then the hotel starts breathing through the walls. The tension builds brick by brick until the whole story feels like it’s leaning over you...