The God in the Woods by Liz Moore (5/5)
Tin Man by Sarah Winman (4.5/5)
We Spread by Iain Reid (4.5/5)
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (4.5/5)
July 3, 2025
July 1, 2025
A Month in Summary - June 2025
Point Hudson Marina & RV Park
Port Townsend, Washington
June 2025
It's summertime, my favorite season of the year! We don't experience the horrible heat and humidity that so many of you have during the summer months, so I'm always happy when it's warm enough to break out my shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Spring, fall, and winter you can find me in jeans and a thermal layered under a flannel shirt, and I get so bored with my daily "uniform."
We were on the road for a couple of weeks, and I feel like I didn't get a lot of time to read, but I wound up with the same number of books read in June as I did in the two months prior. It helps that one of the books was a very quick read despite its length. We're home for the rest of the summer, so I'm hopeful that I can knock several off from my Summer Reading Challenge list.
Books Read (click on the title for my review):
Table for Two by Amor Towles (3.5/5)
Tin Man by Sarah Winman (4.5/5)
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout (3/5)
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (2/5)
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (5/5)
Movies & TV Series:
Dept. Q - Great 8-episode mystery series, as long as you don't mind all the f-bombs. I really liked the chemistry between the three main characters (Morck, Akram, and Rose), and look forward to a second season.
Patience - A British–Belgian detective drama series set in Yorkshire. Patience works in the archive/records department and is autistic. Ella Maisy Purvis, who plays Patience, is also autistic. We enjoyed the show, but it lacks depth and tension, especially after watching Dept. Q.
Visitors:
Travels:
Tillamook, Oregon
Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon
Point Hudson Marina & RV Park, Washington
(Not the prettiest RV park, but check out
the views from inside our RV below.)
Our travel buddies, Dave & Molly
Quinault River Inn & RV Park, Washington
Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington
Rod had a book talk in Port Townsend, so we took the RV up to Washington, enjoying a few of our favorite camping spots along the way. I'll share more photos from that trip in the coming weeks.
We live in an area where fireworks are banned, and it's so nice to not hear explosions days before and days after the 4th. Such a change from our neighborhood in Nebraska! I hope you all have a safe and happy 4th of July.
June 29, 2025
The God of the Woods
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Mystery
2024
Finished on June 26, 2025
Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding!)
Publisher's Blurb:
When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances.
Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet, The God of the Woods is a story of inheritance and second chances, the tensions between a family and a community, and a history that will not let any of them go.
I loved The God of the Woods! I was immediately pulled into this captivating book from the first page, and had I been on a flight across the country, I would have ignored everyone around me, reading non-stop until the plane arrived at the gate. As it was, the first two nights I read long after midnight, and finished the book in less than four days. Normally, a book of this length (478 pages) would take me well over a week to complete. I can hardly wait to discuss it with my book group.
There are over two dozen important characters in Liz Moore's treasure of a book, and I kept a running list to keep them straight, as well as to jog my memory for my upcoming discussion. Between eight points of view, and multiple timelines (set during the 1950s, 1961-1962, 1973, and 1975), I was afraid that I'd get lost with the constant back and forth between characters and years, but the author handles these details skillfully. The chapters headings delineating the time periods were also helpful.
As I read, I was reminded of Chris Whitaker's exceptional novel, All the Colors of the Dark. Both authors kept me guessing until the very end, and their use of short chapters propelled their stories in such a manner that I didn't want to stop reading. I was somewhat concerned that Moore's denouement would feel rushed or convoluted, but her conclusion was clear and satisfying. Bravo!
I'm looking forward to reading from Liz Moore's backlist, most especially Long Bright River, about which I've heard great things. The God of the Woods is a superb page-turner. Highly recommend!
June 27, 2025
The Night We Lost Him
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave
Mystery
Narrated by Julia Whelan
2024
Finished on June 24, 2025
Rating: 2/5 (OK)
Publisher's Blurb:
Nora Noone’s father, Liam, was many things to many people. To the public he was a self-made hotel magnate, whose luxury boutique hotels were among the most coveted destinations in the world. To his three ex-wives, he was a loving yet distant family man who managed to keep his finances—and his families—separate. But to Nora, her father was always a mystery—especially after his suspicious death at his cliffside home.
Though the authorities rule Liam's death accidental, Nora and her estranged brother, Sam, believe otherwise. As they form an uneasy alliance to unpack the mystery, they start putting together the pieces of their father’s past and uncover a family secret that changes everything.
With Laura Dave’s “signature blend of pulse-pounding suspense” (PEOPLE) and “trademark emotional heft” (The New York Post), The Night We Lost Him is a “propulsive” (Oprah Daily) must-read, with a heartbreaking final twist you’ll never see coming.
Meh. I haven't read anything by Laura Dave, but decided to give her new book a try when offered an early release copy by Libro.fm. The mystery wasn't exactly compelling or propulsive, but Julia Whelan's narration kept me entertained. As others have said, the plot is flat with boring characters. I have a print edition of The Last Thing He Told Me, but I'm not inspired to give it a read anytime soon.
I received a complimentary copy from Libro.fm. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 24, 2025
Anything Is Possible
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
Amgash #2
Fiction
2017
Finished on June 22, 2025
Rating: 3/5 (Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Recalling Olive Kitteridge in its richness, structure, and complexity, Anything Is Possible explores the whole range of human emotion through the intimate dramas of people struggling to understand themselves and others.
Here are two sisters: One trades self-respect for a wealthy husband while the other finds in the pages of a book a kindred spirit who changes her life. The janitor at the local school has his faith tested in an encounter with an isolated man he has come to help; a grown daughter longs for mother love even as she comes to accept her mother's happiness in a foreign country; and the adult Lucy Barton (the heroine of My Name Is Lucy Barton, the author's celebrated New York Times bestseller) returns to visit her siblings after seventeen years of absence.
This is the second collection of short stories I've read this month, and I'm not a big fan of the genre, so I'm not surprised that I didn't love Anything Is Possible. The stories are more interconnected than those of Table for Two (Amor Towles), and some of the characters are familiar from my reading of My Name Is Lucy Barton, but the book is not one of my favorites by Elizabeth Strout. I struggled to keep track of the characters' relationships with one another as they overlap from chapter to chapter. Plus, the central theme to Strout's stories is shame and regret, and many involve mothers who leave their families. Thus, the overall tone is bleak and gloomy. The writing, however, is marvelous, so I was never tempted to stop reading. Anything Is Possible is best read right after My Name Is Lucy Barton, perhaps with a pen & pad in hand.
June 21, 2025
Tin Man
Tin Man by Sarah Winman
Fiction
2017
Finished on June 10, 2025
Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good!)
Publisher's Blurb:
This is almost a love story. But it's not as simple as that.
Ellis and Michael are twelve-year-old boys when they first become friends, and for a long time it is just the two of them, cycling the streets of Oxford, teaching themselves how to swim, discovering poetry, and dodging the fists of overbearing fathers. And then one day this closest of friendships grows into something more.
Many years later, Ellis is married to Annie, and Michael is nowhere in sight. Which leads to the question: What happened in the years between?
By the internationally bestselling author Sarah Winman, Tin Man is an unforgettable and heartbreaking novel celebrating love in all its forms, and all the little moments and small kindnesses that make up a life.
I finished this beautiful novel a couple of weeks ago, but we've been traveling, and I am just sitting down to compose my review.
Sarah Winman writes the most gorgeous prose, and while the storyline is a little confusing, I loved Tin Man. It's a tender story about friendship, love, heartache and grief. Much like her most recent work (Still Life), Winman's characters are memorable and well-drawn. This moving novel avoids cliche, and will enchant fans of John Boyne, particularly those who read and enjoyed The Hearts Invisible Furies. Sarah Winman has become a favorite author, and I intend to read more of her books.
"Plan to read it twice: first for the story, then to savor the beauty of the poetic symbolism threaded throughout the sparsely crafted prose." - Shelf Awareness
Highly recommend.
June 15, 2025
Umatilla Marina & RV Park
Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!
Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)
July 5, 2023
Fernie, British Columbia to Umatilla, Oregon
Daily Mileage: 214
Site: 2
Duration: 1 night
Cost: $40
Weather: Sunny and hot (95!)
Cell Coverage: 4 bars Verizon & TMobile
Meh. It was a long, boring (and windy!) drive from Athol, Idaho to this spot along the Columbia River. The RV "park" served its purpose for an overnight, but it's not a destination spot. There was some road noise, but it wasn't terrible. There are plenty of trees and grass, and our site looked out over the marina and river. Pretty sunset.
June 14, 2025
Ravenwood RV Resort
Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!
Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)
July 4, 2023
Fernie, British Columbia to Athol, Idaho
Daily Mileage: 205
Site: 100
Duration: 1 night
Cost: $64.80
Weather: Sunny and hot (82)
I didn't take any photos of this RV park, so I'm including a few from their website. It's a nice park right off of Highway 95, 30 minutes north of Coeur d'Alene. It was the Fourth of July and every site was occupied with lots of families enjoying the day.
We didn't have any trouble crossing the border at Eastport. Had a delicious lunch at Farmhouse Kitchen in Ponderay, Idaho.
Photo Credit: Ravenwood RV Resort
Photo Credit: Ravenwood RV Resort
Photo Credit: Ravenwood RV Resort
Only one day back in the United States and we were already missing Canada.
June 13, 2025
Fernie RV Resort - Mountains
Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!
Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)
June 30-July 3, 2023
Radium Hot Springs to Fernie, British Columbia
Daily Mileage: 142
Site: F6
Duration: 4 nights
Cost: $123! Canadian/night (forgot to convert; plus holiday rates)
Weather: Sunny and hot (80s) and windy
Cell Coverage: 1-2 bars Verizon & 1 bar TMobile
The mountains are calling, and I must go. ~John Muir
June 12, 2025
Fernie RV Resort - Duck Pond & Trails
Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!
Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)
June 30-July 3, 2023
Radium Hot Springs to Fernie, British Columbia
Daily Mileage: 142
Site: F6
Duration: 4 nights
Cost: $123! Canadian/night (forgot to convert; plus holiday rates)
Weather: Sunny and hot (80s) and windy
Cell Coverage: 1-2 bars Verizon & 1 bar TMobile
One of the things I liked so much about the Fernie RV Resort was the path/bike trail that campers could take into town. Townie bikes are available at no cost to guests of the campground.
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