Falcon's Bookshelf

What is your favorite genre? Which do you avoid? 
My favorite genre would have to be murder mysteries and psychological thrillers. Being a children’s librarian, I tend to read a lot of kids’ books, so murder mysteries are a bit of escapism for me. Sometimes I choose a cozy mystery like the Rita Mae Brown Sneaky Pie mysteries, sometimes I go for the more gruesome novels. Another favorite series of mine is Longmire by Craig Johnson.  

What book is currently sitting on your nightstand? 
I have a copy of The Pact by Jodi Picult that has been collecting dust on my nightstand for about a year. Otherwise, I have about five other books floating around my house that also need some attention. I am actively reading a nonfiction title, High-Five Discipline: Positive Parenting for Happy, Healthy, Well-Behaved Kids by Candice W. Jones, as I have an almost 4 year old. I also JUST finished The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. 

What’s the last great book you read? The last book you recommended to everyone you know? 
The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté. This is a nonfiction title that dives deep into how trauma, be it small traumas or big traumas, impact all facets of our lives. Dr. Maté worked both as a family physician as well as in the field of mental illness and addiction for several decades. He pulls from his experience and expertise in The Myth of Normal. I found the book eye opening as he tackles both health issues and the failure of Western medicine to address the whole person. 

Are there any classic novels you read recently for the first time?  
I re-read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, which I loved in high school. I do not like in now. It really did not hold up for me as an adult.  

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, what, where, how). 
Outside in a rocking chair with my feet up on a warm, sunny, slightly breezy day. If it’s morning, a cup of coffee at my side; if it’s the late afternoon/evening with a glass of wine. 

Do you prefer books that reach you emotionally, or intellectually? 
I enjoy both, but I find that a book that makes me feel something, whether it be anger, happiness, or sadness ends up being a book that I remember best. So, I guess that means I prefer to read books that reach me emotionally a bit more. 

What book might people be surprised to find on your bookshelf? 
When I lived in Connecticut, we had backyard chickens for eggs. One Christmas my brother gave me a book called Drinking with Chickens by Kate E. Richards. There are some tasty recipes in there for the over 21 crowd. When we moved down to Texas we had to donate a lot of our books, but this one stayed with me.  

What kind of reader were you as a child? Which childhood books and authors stick with you the most? 
Even though I am a librarian now, I was not much of a reader as a kid. Once I reached middle school, the curriculum pretty much drained all the fun out of reading for pleasure. Thank goodness I came back to reading for pleasure in college. I have a few favorite picture books from when I was little that I still remember my mom reading to me – The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice Provensen and the Henry the Cat books by Mary Calhoun. I am fortunate enough to still have copies of these from my childhood to read with my son. My only favorite book from my high school days is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I could read that book any day.  

What book would you most like to see turned into a movie or TV series that hasn’t already been adapted? 
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. Although this is a book written for middle grade readers (10-12 year-olds), it is amazing. The novel is in the fantasy genre, which isn’t my usual choice, but Alston’s writing is excellent. Her characters are well developed, and the pacing is engaging. Amari is a middle-schooler whose brother has gone missing. She quickly is recruited by Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and lots of magic happens. Literally. Who doesn’t want to see awesome magic on the screen? 

What’s the last book you read that made you cry? 
I recently listened to Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane. The novel is contemporary fiction about a middle-age landscape architect who realizes that she is missing something in her life. She decides to reach out to high school and college friends to rekindle relationships. There is a scene toward the end where she reveals a story about her mother, and it really got to me. And of course, I was driving in my car while listening and crying!  

What’s the last book you read that made you furious? 
The Gulf Coast Read for 2023 The Fishermen and the Dragon by Kirk Wallace Johnson. I listened to the audiobook. The nonfiction story starts in the late 1970s when the Gulf Coast fishing industry had some growing pains (to put it lightly.) The second part of the story is about the pollution of the gulf waters and its impact on the fish and shrimp. I just moved to Texas two years ago, so I learned a lot about the history of the area. The story is infuriating in many parts both because of the treatment of the Vietnamese by the American fisherman, but also the abysmal behavior of the corporations polluting the gulf waters. I don’t think I’ll be eating many of those gulf shrimp anymore.  

Where do you find your books? Where do you look when you’re searching for your next great read? 
The Libby app! I live up in Old Magnolia, so I have quite a commute, and I find that listening to audiobooks is a great way to get through more adult books (since I spend a lot of time reading kids’ books here at the library.) Usually when I am stumped for a read, I go to the last title I read and look at the recommended books.