Author: michardillo
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My November Reads
FABULOUS month of reading! I enjoyed all of these books, but my two favorites were the two 5-star reads! And, The Correspondent may be my favorite book of 2025! I highly recommend you read it!
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Book Review: This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman
This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman (Random House, February 10, 2026) is described as âa kaleidoscopic portrait of a modern American family,â but in some ways, I feel like parts of this story could have been set way back in time. Yes, this story does involve a divorced couple co-parenting their two daughters,…
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Making Paradise Out of the Desert
I just returned from morning Mass. It is quite cold today, 33 degrees F as I write this, but with the wind chill factor it feels like 16 degrees F. Snow flurries greeted us when we began our short drive home from church. The sun is shining brightly into my writing space as I ponder…
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âEven the moon was embarrassed by the beauty of Barcelona.â
Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it? This quote is from Andrew Bargerâs book The Divine Dantes: Paella in Purgatory (Smashwords Edition, 2015), which is part two of Bargerâs The Divine Dantes trilogy, which takes the characters of Danteâs The Divine Comedy and brings them forward to modern times. Full…
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A Cajun, an Italian, and a Belgian walk into a barâŚ
What are your family’s top 3 favorite meals? The title of this essay is a take on the age old joke, âA priest, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a barâŚâ But, these three cuisines really define three meals my family loves time and time again. I grew up in southeast Louisiana, on a…
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Book Review: Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove
Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (St. Martinâs Press/Minotaur Books, February 17, 2026) is described by the publisher as a âlighter, modern gothic mystery,â and I think that is pretty accurate. I only recently discovered that I like a touch of magical realism mixed in with my mysteries, thanks to Evie Woodsâ books, The…
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My 2026 Reading List: An Essay About Books
Thanksgiving 2025 is nearly upon us and I canât wait to start my cooking and baking tomorrow! But, I am equally busy trying to complete my reading goal for 2025: as of today, Iâve read 64, halfway through my 65th, and have 10 more to read to meet my annual goal for this year of…
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Book Review: Every Tom, Dick & Harry by Elinor Lipman
I just finished my 64th book of the year, Every Tom, Dick & Harry (Harper, February 2025) by Elinor Lipman. First let me say right off the bat: I LOVED THIS BOOK. Elinor Lipman is one of my top favorite authors, and she sits amid some pretty prestigious company, with Elizabeth Strout, AJ Pearce, Ann…
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Book Review: Awake: A Memoir by Jen Hatmaker
First, thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this memoir (via audiobook) which was published by Macmillan in September of this year. Awake: A Memoir by Jen Hatmaker explains a lot. Some time ago I was aware via social media that something was going on with her, there was an ominous post on…
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France đŤđˇ or Scotland đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó ż, which would it be?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? My maternal grandparents were Scottish immigrants, born and raised in Glasgow, who came to America for better jobs and religious freedom. My grandfather fought (and was gassed) in WWI, and never fully recovered his health after that experience. They were born Catholics living…
Michelle Blanchard Ardillo 