Tag: writing

• First Quarter 2025 Reading Tally

  I looked forward to several things as I approached retirement in January of 2024: more travel, get serious about writing my novel, reach out and reconnect with family and friends who live far from me, exercise more, and finally, but certainly not least, READ MORE. I believe I have indeed accomplished all of them, but…

  michardillo

  March 31, 2025

  books, Essay

  app, book-review, books, friends and family, goals, Goodreads, NetGalley, novel, reading, Reading Wrap Up, retirement, Storygraph, teaching, travel, writing

• Book Review: Teacher Jitters by Julie Danneberg, illustrated by Judy Love

  As a teacher for nearly 20 years, I can truly identify with the premise behind this soon to be published picture book titled Teacher Jitters (Charlesbridge, 2025) by Julie Danneberg, illustrated by Judy Love. Although this is part of The Jitter Series, it is my first read from this author and illustrator. I recall my…

  michardillo

  March 29, 2025

  books

  book-review, books, Charlesbridge, education, Judy Love, Julie Danneberg, Kindle, NetGalley, reading, teacher, teaching, writing

• Book Review: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

  Yes, I am late to the party. Yes, the rest of the world of book reviewers read this book and reviewed it already. Tons of people have read this book for their book clubs. Somehow, I got behind on this one. Last night, well after midnight, I finished The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry…

  michardillo

  March 27, 2025

  books

  Alfred Hitchcock, Alison Espach, book clubs, book hangover, book-review, books, Daphne du Maurier, depression, fiction, Goodreads, Henry Holt and Co., Joan Fontaine, Kindle, Laurence Olivier, literature, Manderley, Mrs. Dalloway, mystery, Newport, novel, reading, Rebecca, Rhode Island, Romance, romcom, The Wedding People, Victorian, Virginia Woolf, writing

• A Travel Essay…or Is It Much More?

  A former colleague of my husband’s is recently retired and is transferring his work writing skills to his personal writing. He recently created a Substack account called Into the Blue, and after just one post, I immediately subscribed. In this post, Jeff describes a “van” road trip to Portland, Maine, he and his wife took…

  michardillo

  March 22, 2025

  books, Essay

  book-review, books, dog, Essay, fiction, Into the Blue, John Steinbeck, literature, Maine, Nobel Prize for Literature, nonfiction, novel, poodle, Portland, pup, reading, retirement, social media, Substack, Travels with Charley, writing

• Book Review – Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life by Kate McKean

  I recently registered for a book reviewer’s account with Edelweiss, which is a service very similar to NetGalley where I have typically received the ARCs I have reviewed here on my website. Write Through It by Kate McKean was the first book I requested, for two reasons: (1) I am a little burned out on…

  michardillo

  March 17, 2025

  books, Essay

  Agents & Books newsletter, Anne Lamott, ARC, Big Five, Bird by Bird, book-review, books, Edelweiss, editing, editor, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Kindle, literary agent, Louise Miller, MFA, nonfiction, novel, On Writing, publishing, reading, Stephen King, writer, writing

• Book Review: The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

  In a familiar refrain—if you have been reading my book reviews—once again, I am not sure how I feel about this book. Did I hate it? No. Did I love it? No. Yet, somehow, I’ve given it FIVE STARS. I’ll get to the why a bit later. The Christie Affair (St. Martin’s Press, 2022) by…

  michardillo

  March 5, 2025

  books, Essay

  Agatha Christie, book-review, books, British, England, fiction, Goodreads, literature, Marie Benedict, mystery, Nina de Gramont, novel, reading, Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, St. Martin’s Press, The Christie Affair, The Queens of Crime, writer, writing

• Book Review: The Best Daddy of All

  Thank you to NorthSouth Books, specifically Marian Hernandez, and to NetGalley for the ARC of The Best Daddy of All, this delightful picture book for young children. I must say that I read this book with a lump in my throat. Author Peter Horn and illustrator Jessica Meserve brought up so many wonderful memories of…

  michardillo

  February 28, 2025

  books, Essay

  ARC, author, book-review, books, children, dads, fiction, illustrator, Jessica Meserve, literature, Louisiana, NetGalley, NorthSouth Books, Peter Horn, picture book, reading, writing

• Book Review: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

  The Husbands (Knopf Doubleday, 2024), debut novel by Holly Gramazio, a writer and video game designer, is an interesting read. I waited for quite some time to get a copy from my local library. I read it quickly, but it’s taken me several days to decide what I want to say about it in this…

  michardillo

  February 28, 2025

  books, Essay

  book-review, books, Choose Your Own Adventure, Christian, death, debut novel, education, faith, fiction, Groundhog Day, Holly Gramazio, library, life, literature, Louisiana, Matt Haig, novel, reading, Sliding Doors, The Husbands, The Midnight Library, writer, writing

• Book Review: The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

  Those of you who know me, I mean really know me, know how much I love to read! Growing up, I would read just about anything; of course, the back of the cereal box, but also, the back of the shampoo bottle in the bathroom. But, my favorite all time thing to read is a…

  michardillo

  February 17, 2025

  books

  Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, book-review, books, British, cozy mystery, Dorothy Sayers, England, fiction, Golden Age of Detective Fiction, literature, London, Margery Allingham, Marie Benedict, NetGalley, Ngaio Marsh, novel, Queens of Crime, reading, St. Martin’s Press, The Queens of Crime, writer, writing

• Book Review: How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

  How do you feel about books that start with an epigraph? Yea or nay? I generally like it, but sometimes I have no idea of its relevance until deep into the book. Not with this one, however. Last night I finished How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley. This book is VERY popular right now.…

  michardillo

  February 5, 2025

  books, Essay

  aging, Andy Griffith, Are You Being Served, As Time Goes By, Aspen Hill Public Library, Bonnie Garmus, book-review, books, British, British TV, Clare Pooley, Dylan Thomas, epigraph, fiction, Goodreads, How to Age Disgracefully, invisibility, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting, Kathy Bates, Keeping Up Appearances, Kindle, Lessons in Chemistry, library, literature, Maryland, Matlock, Montgomery County, Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame, novel, old people, Pamela Dorman Books, reading, Richard Osman, seniors, Six-Thirty, The Authenticity Project, The Sober Diaries, The Thursday Murder Club, Waiting for God, writer, writing