Book Report: The Trackers

 

★★★☆☆

(3 out of 5)

Title of Book:  The Trackers

Author:  Charles Frazier

Genre:  Fiction

Started:  January 13, 2026

Finished:  February 19, 2026

Published:  2023

428 pages (Large Print)

Themes:  Historical Fiction, Depression Era, Suspense, Art. Wealthy vs. Poor, Survival

Tone:  Somber, gritty, reflective

One Sentence Summary:

The Trackers is about a New Deal muralist who becomes involved in a cross-country search for a wealthy rancher's wife, while working on a commission in Wyoming.

Setting:  Early 1930's Wyoming

What I Think:

Although I enjoyed the book overall, I found the story line to be slow moving and almost too detailed.  For me, the story lacked depth, and I found it to be somewhat monotone.  It was like I was reading it in the voice of the old Dragnet guy on television.  After all the detail after detail in the middle of the book, the quick wrap-up at the end left me a little frustrated.  It was almost as if the author himself was just tired of writing this book, and woke up one day and said, "I'm wrapping this thing up today."  And notice I used quotation marks - the author does not use quotation marks in this book.  So although I didn't dislike the book, I can't say I was enthralled with it, either.  This book, for me, was meh.  But I did finish it!

Rating Scale

On a scale of 1-5

Readability - 3.5

Setting - 3

Enjoyment - 3

Writing Style - 2 (no quotation marks)

Characters - 3

Overall, just an okay book for me.  

Weekly Menu Plan March 1-7, 2026

 

Yay, March!  My daffodils are popping up out of the ground!  Maybe that old groundhog isn't as smart as we think he is!

This week had its ups and downs, but all is good today.  I just finished deep cleaning a bathroom, which felt really good!  I got some sewing done:

I finished this sweet little zipper pouch for a friend of mine.  We had breakfast together this week, and I'm pretty sure she liked it!

I used a pattern from Ticklegrass Designs.  It's just a mini charm pack, plus the lining fabric and a zipper.  Super great instructions, very easy to put together.  I've made several others of this pattern, and loved how each one of them turned out.

Now I'm working on a different zipper pouch for a different friend, and I'm kind of making it up as I go along.  I'll share it when it's finished, hopefully I'll get it done this week.  I'm using a bunch of my pink scraps.

I have lots planned for this coming week, as I'm starting to get some spring cleaning done.  It's supposed to rain all week, so I'm planning on staying in most of the time.  Although we did get out and start walking again the other day.  My husband and I just walk through the neighborhood, but it felt so good to get out and get some fresh air.  We'll continue to walk if it's not raining!

Here's my menu plan for the week.  Nothing too exciting again, just some good home cooking.  As usual, links to the recipes are below.

Air Fryer Baked Oatmeal

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Banana Cream Pie

Cinnamon Sugar Cruffins

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Coffee Toffee Brownies

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

Oven Baked Omelet

Lemon Crumb Cake

Tuna Casserole

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Cups

So on to books.  I'm still reading Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl.  Really good, though, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.  After looking at the end of the book, which I should have done before I started, I found out it's a fictionalized biography of Estee Lauder, based on real events in her life, but some of the other characters have been created by the author.  So even though it's fiction, it's based on her real life.  I'm loving it!

Have a great week, everyone!  See you next week!

Hugs,

Book Report: A Man Called Ove

 

★★★★★

(5 out of 5 stars)

Title:  A Man Called Ove

Author:  Fredrick Backman

Genre:  Fiction

Started:  January 12, 2026

Finished:  January 26, 2026

Published:  2014

337 pages

Themes:  Love, loss, human connection

Tone:  Grumpy humor, deep sadness, hope, love, loneliness

One Sentence Summary:  A Man Called Ove is about a crabby widower, whose life and suicide attempts are put off by some new neighbors, leaving him to find friendship, love, and a new outlook.

Setting:  Ove's home in Sweden

What I think:

     I loved this book.  It is written so simply, so beautifully, yet has such a deep characterization of Ove.  I felt like I knew him!  He's seemingly simple on the outside, yet such a hurting, lonely man on the inside.  This book is compassionate, funny, sad, simple, complex, and intense all at the same time.  Yes, I cried for him, especially at the end.  Not a book I will forget.  I highly recommend this book.

Rating Scale 1-5

Readability:  5

Setting:  5

Enjoyment:  5

Writing Style:  5

Characters:  5

This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time.

Weekly Menu Plan February 22-28, 2026

 

Good morning!  How are you all doing today?                                         

Here we go with the last week of February!  On to spring!   I'm going to ignore the snow flurries outside this morning.  :(

I've been trying to get some sewing done this week, not as much as I hoped, but I'm almost done with a cute little zipper pouch.  I will post a picture later this week, IF I get it finished!

Lots of fun baking coming up this week!  I've never tried the Apple Butter Cookies, but I have a jar of apple butter that I need to use up, so I'm looking forward to seeing if these turn out.

I pretty much went easy on my cooking time this week.  Gotta use up those leftovers!  So leftovers it is for a couple nights this week.  I find it hard to cook for 1 or 2, so I don't!  I still tend to cook like there are 4 of us for meals.  Now my kids are middle-aged adults, so it's been a long time since I've had hungry teens!  You'd never know it, though, by my meal plans!

Here is what we're having this week:  Links are below.

Links:

Banana Crumb Muffins

Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Gravy

Pancakes

Cauliflower Overnight Salad

Apple Butter Cookies

Blueberry Toaster Strudel - *Note:  I just use refrigerated Puff Pastry Dough instead of making the dough from scratch.  Just unroll, cut into rectangles the size of Pop Tarts, layer with jam or blueberry pie filling, top with another sheet of pastry, and bake.  

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Red Velvet Cake

Crockpot Sausage, Potatoes, and Green Beans

Almond Joy Rice Krispie Treats

Chocolate Chip Scones

Bailey's Banana Bread With Chocolate Drizzle

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

As far as books go, I FINALLY FINISHED The Trackers!  Yay!!  I haven't posted my review yet (but there are a few other books I've read this year listed on my Book Report page), but I will say, it was okay but not my favorite.  I'll post my review later this week.  Stay tuned.

Just yesterday, I started this one:

I'm curious to read this one.  It's a fictional account of a friendship between Estee Lauder and Gloria Downing.  I'm not sure at this point if it's based on facts, or if it's entirely fiction.  I need to investigate that a bit further, but so far I'm enjoying what I've read.  

If you've read this one, please let me know in the comments and tell me what you thought!

Time to get busy!  Have a wonderful Sunday, and an even more wonderful week!  

Hugs,

Weekly Menu Plan Feb 15 to 21, 2026

 

Spring is coming!  I can feel it!

My bluebirds are already out by their birdhouse, getting things ready and fighting off the sparrows.

The snow is almost all melted, as we've had temps above freezing all week. And it looks like they're staying for the rest of this week!  Woohoo!

It is so nice to look out and see grass instead of snow.  I can't wait to see my daffodils popping up.  Any day now, I'm betting.

I had a very quiet, not too busy week, but I have to fess up, I was quite lazy.  I did some shopping, just for fun stuff, and generally just enjoyed being lazy.  That isn't a good thing for me to admit, I suppose, but I'm just being honest!  This week I am making myself get back into a more productive routine.  I guess I just needed a mini-vacation!

Here are my meals I planned for this week.  Nothing too fancy, just some easy-to-throw-together meals that aren't too boring.  

As usual, links are below.

Links to recipes:

Cherry Cobbler Muffins

Coleslaw

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Pancakes

Chocolate Pecan Overnight Oats

Meat Lover's Quiche

Mixed Berry Cobbler

Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake

Crockpot Swiss Steak

Cinnamon Roll French Toast

Crab Pasta Salad

Pineapple Coconut Bread

Pierogi Casserole

As far as reading is concerned,  yes, I am still reading The Trackers!  I'm 2/3 of the way through it.  As I said last week, it is easy to put down.  At least for me.  Lots of details, and it moves a bit slowly.  Even though it it keeps my interest when reading it.  

I'll try to finish it this week.  I hope.  I'm ready to switch to a new read!

I hope you all have a great week, and lots of good times with your families and friends!

Hugs,

Weekly Menu Plan 2-8 to 2-14, 2026

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know it's a bit early, but I probably won't post again until the 15th.  And I love these cute little lovebirds!

Last week was kind of crazy for me, almost every day was interrupted by something I hadn't planned.  Some weeks are like that!  Nothing terrible, I just didn't get done what I wanted to do.  I guess there's always tomorrow, right?

We've started to thaw out, thankfully!  Tomorrow we have temperatures above freezing, and then it looks like a pretty long stretch of upper 30's and 40's, with even a couple 50's thrown in.  I cannot wait to see all this snow melt.  Hopefully by the end of the week, we'll even see some patches of grass.  Spring is on the way!

Here is my menu for the week.  Right now, I'm wondering if I'll have time to get this all done.  I've got a lot of other things going on this week, and I'm not sure I'll have enough time during the day to get some of this cooking done.  But I'll try!  The worst thing is, I'll make it another time.  

But here's what I'm planning right now:  (links are below)

Recipe Links:

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Baked Oatmeal

Chili Cheese Dogs

Brownies

Black Forest Waffles

Egg Drop Soup

Chicken Lo Mein

Blueberry Pancakes

Baked Cod Fillets

Banana Cream Pie

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Crockpot Ham and Pea Soup

Cranberry Bliss Coffee Cake

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I didn't have much reading time this week.  I'm still reading The Trackers.  This book is good, and I'm enjoying it, but it's easy to put down and come back to later.  Does that make sense?  It's not a cliffhanger, or suspenseful enough that I can't put it down.  But every time I pick it up where I left off, I get right back into the story.  To me, that's a good thing, but I feel like it's taking me forever to get through it.  So I'm really going to try and finish it this week!

That's about it for now!  Take care, everyone, and have a beautiful week filled with love and valentines!

Book Report #2 - Twice

 

My Rating: ★★★★1/2   (4-1/2 stars)

Title of Book:  Twice

Author:  Mitch Albom

Fiction

Started Reading:  January 5, 2026

Finished Reading: January 11, 2026

Published:  2025

301 pages

Themes:  Love, Choice, Second Chances

Tone:  Nostalgic, Tender

Setting:  Shifts between the present (the Bahamas) and the past (Kenya, Philadelphia)

One-Sentence Summary:  

Twice is a love story about a life of second chances, and how our unchecked temptations may cost us everything we've had along the way.

What I Think About This Book:

I really enjoyed this book.  I liked the characters, although I was confused by some of their actions.  There was a bit of disconnect for me.  Not much, but enough that I noticed it.

My takeaway is that I should learn from my mistakes, instead of wishing to go back in time to change them.

My ratings on a scale of 1-5:

Readability: 5

Setting:  5

Enjoyment:  4.5

Writing Style:  4.5

Characters:  4.5