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7 Word Reviews: January 2019

February 5, 2019 By Talya Tate Boerner

January Book Reviews

7-Word Reviews

If you’ve been waiting for my January 2019 book reviews, here they are. If you’ve not been waiting, well, here they are. ?

I read State of Wonder and True Places for two different book clubs. I picked up a used copy of A Spot of Bother at Dickson Street Bookshop. Dickson Street Bookshop is a Fayetteville treasure and not to be missed if you visit northwest Arkansas. How to Be a Good Creature was a Christmas gift, and the perfect way for me to kick off my 2019 reading. Santa gave my husband a copy of Elevation. Once he finished it, I read it.

Yay, Santa. I like how he plans in advance.

I feel like I’ve left something off my January 2019 list, but for the life of me I can’t remember what it is.

I did try to read Milkman but gave up after page 200. If you read it and loved it, you amaze me. I’m marking it CNF (could not finish) because either 1) this period of my existence before death is too brief and transient and fleeting to devote one more heartbeat or blink of the eye to said prose, or 2) my organ of soft nervous tissue within my skull has grown dense, or 3) perhaps I’ve reached a certain age that renders me dull and confused, or 4) maybe I need my characters to have actual names, or 5) perhaps I subscribe to the philosophy that ninety-five words shouldn’t be used when four will suffice.

That’s just me.

I really wanted to like Milkman. When I walk away from any book, I am disappointed in myself. Does anyone else suffer from this ridiculousness?

The books I did read…

Continue Reading

7 Word Reviews: December 2018

January 4, 2019 By Talya Tate Boerner

I’m trying something new beginning with my December 2018 Book Reviews. 7 Word Reviews. 

Why?

Because over the past two years, I spent an inordinate amount of time writing my monthly book review blog posts. And I want-need-must spend that time elsewhere. But because I LOVE to read and I still want to recommend books to you, this is the idea I’ve come up with for now.

Writing a 7 Word Review feels like a fun challenge for me—like trying to tell the shortest of stories in the least amount of words. Yes, I’ll continue to provide my favorite quote from each book. I believe this gives you a glimpse into the author’s voice as well as the setting of the story. I will also continue to share my ratings on Goodreads, so I hope you’ll be my Goodreads buddy. I find so many great reads via books my friends add to their “want to read” shelf.

Tip: Adding books to your “want to read” shelf helps authors by making the books more visible to readers.

So here we go…Continue Reading

Book Reviews: November 2018

December 4, 2018 By Talya Tate Boerner

November Book Reviews

November Book Reviews:

Confession: This time of year, all I want to do is read. Here’s what I read in November…Continue Reading

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book
  • Sunday Letter: November 9, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 26, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 5, 2025

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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