I have an affiliate relationship with Bookshop.org and Malaprop's Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC. I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase merchandise through links on my site. Read more on my affiliate page.
Welcome to my weekly update for January 12, 2025!
I hope any of you who are in the Los Angeles area (or your friends and families) are safe and well. Fires are so terrifying. My thoughts are with all those who’ve been affected.
Despite my best intentions, I missed posting last week. I admire those of you make time to stick to a consistent blogging schedule.
We went for a hike last Sunday on the Boulder Canyon trail. It was gorgeous! My favorite hikes are those with big views from ridgetops and that’s exactly what we got. The air was a bit smoky for some reason here in the Phoenix area (this was before the fires started in LA, so it wasn’t anything to do with that) but we could still see far enough to love the views.
Slideshow:
All images © Jennifer G. at Introverted Reader 2025
- The viewpoint we hiked out to. The very oddly shaped peak in the far distance is called Weavers Needle.
- We liked that winding road below us and the view before us. After we finished the hike, we drove a little farther out that road to the tiny town of Tortilla Flat (As far as I can tell, this town has nothing to do with the Steinbeck novel, which is set near Monterey Bay, California).
- I always love rocky outcroppings like these.
- We started the hike at Canyon Lake, which you can see in the distance here. I like seeing the saguaros against bodies of water. It’s not something that I, as an East coaster, expect to see.
Posted:
Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery: Book Review–3 Stars
Wild Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Natural World by Mike Higgins, illustrated by Manuel Bortoletti: Book Review–4 Stars
Read:
Over the past two weeks, I’ve read all of these. Several are graphic novels and there’s one book of maps.
Hogfather (Discworld #20) by Terry Pratchett–4 Stars
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, illustrated by Wendy Xu–3.5 Stars
Wild Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Natural World by Mike Higgins, illustrated by Manuel Bortoletti–4 Stars
Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time by N. D. Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Shannon Watters, illustrated by Gus A. Allen–4 Stars
We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults by Susan Kuklin–4 Stars
March: Book Three by John Lewis with Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell–4.5 Stars
Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody #9) by Elizabeth Peters–4 Stars
Run: Book One by John Lewis with Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell and L. Fury–4 Stars
Currently Reading:
What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts
Euphoria by Lily King, read by Simon Vance and Xe Sands
Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are by Bill Sullivan
Noir (Noir Chronicles #1) by Christopher Moore, read by Johnny Heller (My husband and I listen to this together on road trips so it’s on hold until our next foray.)
Up Next:
I’m almost finished with What You Are Looking For Is in the Library but I don’t know what I’ll read next.
What did your week look like?
Hosts:
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer hosts Sunday Post. Kathryn at Book Date hosts It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
4 Comments
Loving the book haul and reads. The hiking views look lovely.
Yay to reading Hogfather!
And great photos!
Have a great week!
Thank you for your thoughtfulness regarding the Los Angeles fires…such devastation! Consistent blogging can be difficult. I love your photos! We pass through Tucson and Phoenix very often when we drive to Diego. Whilst reading The Booklover’s Library, Martin mentioned so many classics – to include Anne of Green Gables!
I loved Aoyama’s book and hoping she publishes again soon!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed Hogfather so much – it’s one of my favourite Discworld books:). And the views on that hike are simply stunning! I hope the coming week is a good one, Jen.