Book Ritual Updates

I love my bookish rituals each month.

You already know that I look forward to spending my Audible.com audiobook credits each month.

Let me catch you up on the other bookish rituals.

I love choosing a Book of the Month Club title each month.  For a while there, I was choosing more than one.  However, it's fair to say there is a BOTM Club pile-up on my shelves so those days are over.  I've also found that these are buzzed-about books that are often part of one-day ebook sales and/or easy to reserve at the library.  I'm currently enjoying Startup -- I'm not a millennial, a tech gal, or a New Yorker/Brooklynite, but it's fun to read about the scene and to have sympathy for the book's old lady (36, ahem) who's juggling career, kids, debt, and marriage woes. 

I also peruse the Literary Guild selections each month.  Though there are often books on offer that I would enjoy reading, my choices are rarely among the three curated monthly selections.  Those tend to be books that don't appeal to me (AT ALL) and the discounts for additional books don't kick in unless you start with one of those three selections in your box.  Makes it easy to click "skip my monthly credits" at the beginning of each month.  The selections refresh on the 15th of the month so I always check back.  However, a few months ago, a book I was super excited about was a monthly selection.  I boxed up Jennifer Ryan's The Chilbury Ladies' Choir and Jane Harper's The Dry.  Although I am very close to my saturation point with WWII novels (not forever, just for a bit), I did like Ryan's story of community, family, romance, and friendship set in the wartime English countryside.  It's told through letters and journal entries -- all of which are way too long to be believable, but which tell a good story.  Haven't cracked the spine of The Dry yet.

I get my fix for free when I choose my Kindle First selection each month.  I've mentioned this perk before:  if you have Amazon Prime, you can choose one free Kindle First selection each month (a month before the book is published).  To be honest, I don't always read these books in a hurry (or ever), but there's nothing to be lost (except five minutes of my time) by choosing one.  Last month, I chose Laura McNeal's The Practice House (which sounds kind of creepy but also kind of good).  I surprised myself this month by selecting A Small Revolution by Jimin Han.

January & February Kindle First Selections

If you're an Amazon Prime member, remember that you have access to one free book each month to be selected from the six Kindle First offerings.  You have nothing to lose except a few minutes of your time.  Even if I don't immediately read all my Kindle First selections, I enjoy the "free shopping" experience.  It's fun to browse when there's no money on the line.

My January Kindle First selection was Elizabeth Blackwell's In the Shadow of Lakecrest.  I think the Chicago setting is what swayed my decision here.  Current Goodreads rating is 3.68.  I'll report back if I actually read it.

My February freebie was The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter, written by JS Drangsholt and translated by Tara F. Chance.  This description of the main character drew me in: "neurotic Norwegian mother of three small children and an overworked literature professor with an overactive imagination."  Hmmm, I'm not Norwegian, nor currently teaching, but still...  Current Goodreads rating is 3.16, which isn't that great, but I'd love to know the average rating from neurotic mothers of three who also love literature (and who feel an affinity for Norway ever since their son's Christmas In Norway project from 2015 -- God Jul).  Again, if I read it, I'll report back.

What about you?  Are you Prime?  Do you take advantage of the Kindle First offerings each month? 

Kindle First -- Whatdya Think?

I've been an Amazon Prime member for about ten years, I think.  I joined for the free, fast shipping.  A few years ago, our family began accessing the Prime videos for streaming television shows, movies, and original series.  I downloaded the Prime Music app on my phone, but I'm not exactly sure what's going on there yet.  The idea of Prime Photo Storage is appealing.  However, the whole arena of digital photo storage, clouds, etc., makes me feel anxious.

My awareness of the Kindle First book offerings for Prime members was only foggy.  Basically, Prime members can choose one book each month for free that is going to be released the following month.  I always assumed the books wouldn't be any good so didn't follow up until a friend of mine told me she had gotten a book we ended up selecting for book club for free via Kindle First.  I started paying attention. 

Now, checking out the Kindle First selections and choosing one has become another monthly ritual.  I've read a few books so far, my favorite of which was Kerry Lonsdale's Everything We Keep -- crazy mystery/romance page-turner.

Here are screen shots of this month's offerings.  I couldn't fit the Amazon-provided tag lines in my collage, but I will list them below.  By the way, I'd love to be able to write these kind of tags.  I should practice.

Sister One, Two, Three by Nancy Star -- CONTEMPORARY FICTION

Three sisters.  Three Memories.  One chance to reunite them all.

Hope's Peak by Tony Healey -- THRILLER

Detective Jane Harper is learning that secrets in Hope's Peak don't just die hard.  They kill.

The Missing by Caroline Eriksson -- PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE

When a father and daughter vanish during a family trip, Greta questions her sanity.

Fate of Perfection by K.F. Breene -- SCIENCE FICTION

A corporation made her.  Now it wants her child.

Into the Thickening Fog by Andrei Gelasimov -- LITERARY FICTION

A state of emergency turns wickedly funny for a famous Russian director in his hometown.

The Original Dream by Nukila Amal -- MAGICAL REALISM

What happens when life is like a dream and dreams are like real life?

So what did I choose?  One of the three translated novels on offer ...  A novel that is not magical realism or science fiction...  A novel that sounded compelling, funny, and smart...  The one set in Russia ...

Drumroll please.  I chose Into the Thickening Fog by Andrei Gelasimov, who is apparently a popular writer in his own land.  Russia's been on my mind since reading A Gentleman in Moscow, and reading a book where cold features prominently seems like a perfect activity for January (on comfy couch with warm blanket).

If you're Prime, it will cost you nothing but a few minutes of your time to treat yourself to a Kindle First selection.  Enjoy!