Hi Bookworms. You might have noticed that yesterday was the 82nd anniversary of D-Day when Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of France from Nazi occupation. Also known as Operation Overlord, D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in military history with nearly 7,000 ships and 160,000 Allied troops landing on the beaches. Sometimes we forget these things or take them for granted since it was 82 years ago, but it’s good to pay one’s respects and take heed.
I remember the history tour my husband and I went on back in 2018 with my parents visiting battle sites in Northern France, where we walked the Normandy beaches. It was quite a trip, which I talked about here. So many years ago the Allies saved freedom and liberty. I really hope we will step up to preserve it … along with the relations to our Allies and NATO.
I don’t have much new this week. I have started my summer bike rides and my Summer Book List, lol. Kin by Tayari Jones is the first book I received and so far it’s full of good storytelling. I also picked up John of John by Douglas Stuart from the library so I need to step it up and get reading. Things have been busy with projects, upcoming house renovations, sporting activities, and yard work, so you do what you can. This photo of my bike was taken next to a rural mailbox – the kind we use out here. We were out biking on a windy day.
In book news, I see that writer Julia Elliott has won the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction this past week for her short story collection Hellions. I don’t know of this author (who takes home $150,000 USD for the prize) but apparently she’s an English professor at the University of South Carolina and her book beat out a couple favored on the prize’s shortlist including: A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar and The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes.
The prize’s jury said of Elliott’s collection: “There’s folklore in these stories, and Southern gothic horror, and surrealism, and fantasy, and, at their center, a thread of uneasy, bodily realism. … But for all its wildness, there is tremendous control; Elliott is a gifted and thrilling writer.” So you might want to try it out; it’s said to consist of 11 “feral, Southern Gothic stories” in its 272 pages.
Also don’t forget the Women’s Prize for Fiction will be announced this coming Thursday. The shortlist can be seen here. It’s a big prize!
And now I’ll leave you with a review of what I finished lately.
Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su / Harper / 256 pages / 2025
3.7 stars. I thought this would be a somewhat light funny novel that I needed after some weighty reads, but I guess I was surprised that it was a bit deeper story and more troubled than I expected. Still it is funny in places — about a mixed Taiwanese girl Vi, a recent college dropout, who out with her co-worker one night finds a jelly-ish blob near the garbage bins of a bar’s back alley.
Drunk and curious, Vi takes it home and notices later it’s alive and begins to grow. She can mold it … and it eventually morphs into“Blob Bob” as she calls it and grows into a handsome human-like guy, who seems like her ideal boyfriend. But he’s not really human he’s just learned quickly from TV how to be and act. Soon Bob wants to be out and about and not stuck inside Vi’s apartment yet that could prove complicated for her.
Interspersed with this, you learn about Vi’s life before — how she’s had a hard time: her boyfriend broke up with her, she dropped out of school, her family is not attuned to her … and she works at an unexciting job at the front desk of a hotel … where her co-worker Rachel is her bubbly opposite. Friendless and awkward, Vi’s going through a breakdown of sorts in her life. At times she’s not too likable a person to root for, but her friendship and experiences with Blob Bob make things gradually come around. You have to wait to see what happens.
It’s a girl’s coming-of-age story about her 20s. The young author Maggie Su (now age 33) who wrote it, after she finished her PhD in fiction from the University of Cincinnati, said in an interview: “I imagine this book as a love letter to my younger self, the mess I made of my 20s, and the perfect blob who I imagined might come along and solve my problems.”
I look forward to seeing what she writes next. Ti at Book Chatter read and reviewed this novel before me and her good review is here. It reminded me very slightly of the 2024 novel Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino, about an otherworldly person who grows up in Philadelphia, lol.
That’s all for now what about you — do you know these books and what are you reading these early June days? Have a great week.
Hopefully things will change before Trump does irreversible damage to the Us relationship with it allies and NATO.
The description of Blob is interesting though probably not for me.
Thanks for sharing your week
Hi Shelleyrae, yes I hope things will change in the U.S. … but I doubt Canada will ever fully trust the U.S. as it once did. Something has been lost by this administration … sadly.
Hope you have a good week there.
What a strange concept for a novel. One marvels at the writer’s imagination.
My father was a part of the D-Day invasion and I grew up with his stories of that and of his subsequent march through France and, finally, Germany. He’s been gone for a while now but his stories live on with me.
Wow Dorothy — that’s very admirable — your father’s service during D-Day and after. Do you know his regiment? I’m just curious which branch he was with etc. That’s neat he was willing to talk about it after when you were growing up.
My Dad was in the Army three years … at a hospital in Hawaii for the Vietnam vets. Thx for sharing that info. Cheers.
It’s unfathomable how many people lost their lives during that invasion. I remember you read Love and Ruin by Paula McLain back then before going to Europe. Anyway, Blob sounds quirky, but probably not my thing. Glad you enjoyed it some though. Have a nice week with all your going ons and happy reading!
Hi Carmen, thanks. Gosh the McLain book seems a while ago now and it’s a good thing I write down these reviews otherwise I wouldn’t remember the details. But I am glad that you recall & have been a long-time visitor here.
Blob was a bit more dour than I expected but still sort of fun. The girl doesn’t seem too likable but she finally shapes up. I need to finish the PW review this week and then I’ll be free for reading the rest of the summer! Hope your reading is going well. Cheers!
Those lilacs are gorgeous. Wow, its been 82 years since D Day! You are absolutely correct, we need to remember, pay respect and hope nothing this horrendous ever happens again. I second what Shelleyrae said. Today I had a conversation with my oldest friend and once Trump was brought up…it changed things. He ruins everything.
I sent you the list of books, but I think the links go back to my blog again instead of Goodreads. I’ll post it Tuesday and the links will be properly directed.
What an interesting book, The Blob. I’ll look at her other work and see if it eventually gets added. Im going to try hard to stick to my library holds goal.
Cool photo ofvthe bike and mailboxes.
Hi Tina, I agree …. and D-Day and its anniversaries each year really put things into perspective … and shows us how the U.S. has really lost its way under this admin. Don’t get me started, grr.
Your book list looks good. And I’m glad you’ll be vetting these. The novel Ruins is one I’m curious about. The Blob’s author is young … but I hope she has a good future ahead of her in writing. It’s fun to find new authors.
And thanks about the photos. I hope the lilacs last longer. We have quite a few bushes of them. Hope you have a great week. talk later.
Lovely post. And the photo of the lilacs is beautiful.
We did remember the anniversary of D-Day. My father served in the China-Burma-India Theater in World War II. And he was always very proud of his service. He joined the Air National Guard after he left the Army Air Corps , and continued serving in that way for 30 years, getting called up for active service twice after the war ended (stateside in Texas for the Korean War and in Germany and France during the Berlin Crisis). Your post reminded me of this and I revisited a wonderful newspaper column my cousin wrote about my father after his death in 2009. Which made me sad.
I will look into Hellions by Julia Elliott. I am always interested in trying short stories. I am not sure about Southern Gothic, though. Blob by Maggie Su also sounds very interesting and I can see myself liking it, but it sounds like one of those that some people love and others hate.
Hi Tracy, Thanks for sharing the info about your father’s service. That is very admirable and I’m always very curious to hear of vets’ experiences and where they were. Your father served so many years! And was part of the Greatest Generation. I’m curious of your cousin’s article about him … if you feel like sharing it sometime but only if you’re ok about that. It seems many like him were outstanding and gave much of themselves to serving the country & greater good.
I’m also unsure about Hellions by Julia Elliott as I don’t typically read genres like gothic & fantasy but I’m a bit curious too. If you find it – maybe vet a story. The Blob novel had some fun parts but the girl was a bit unlikable … still she finally shapes up. I hope Maggie Su has a promising future. Cheers. Have a great week.
Susan, here is a link to my cousin’s column about my father (and his father too). At the time, John was the publisher of a small weekly newspaper in Batesville, Mississippi. His father (my Uncle Hunt) was the publisher for many decades before that.
https://panolian.com/2009/09/22/john-howells-column-62/
I have been wanting to reply to you about my thoughts on Middlemarch so far, but I have been on jury duty and can’t focus on much more than that.
Wow, loved reading that column about your Dad, Tracy. What a life of service. And I liked hearing about your cousin’s background as I was in newspapers too. So good, these small papers. I will check out more of his columns.
I can’t believe you’re on jury duty; argh, that’s time-consuming. I hope you won’t have to work too long.
I look forward later to your thoughts on Middlemarch. take care.
I am rereading The Remains of the Day for my legal book group (it is not very legal but I don’t recall why it was chosen).
I was picking up a book for my sister’s birthday today and listening to the chatter of the person in front of me and the staffer on duty, and trying to guess what book they were talking about. At first I thought they were talking about The Correspondent. The woman liked it but said the ending was a shock, and she said something about disasters, so I thought they were talking about Project Hail Mary which was prominently displayed. Then I thought she said something about stalkers, so I guessed it was the new Nora Roberts. Finally, I couldn’t stand it and asked – the book was Theo of Golden, which doesn’t sound very appealing. “But The Correspondent is next on my list!” the woman told me.
Hi Constance, ohh I love Remains of the Day … but the butler is so suppressed it can drive me a bit crazy … wishing he were different. But so fetching that novel.
Funny I’m glad you shared this conversation about which book the two were talking about. I admit to not knowing much about Theo of Golden but it seems people are quite split over it. For whatever reason, I’m not drawn to it but good to know what you heard. Now I have one PW review to do – then I’m free for the summer to read from my List. I hope your summer List is starting well. You’re a great reader. Enjoy your week.
Lovely lilacs! I miss those and their wonderful fragrance.
Thanks for the reminder about D-Day. It was quite an endeavor, wasn’t it? I would like to visit Normandy some day.
Gosh, your bike photos remind me so much of when I used to ride in the countryside just outside of Lincoln, NE. Good times (when I wasn’t riding into the wind!). How are your knees feeling when you ride? Mine complain a lot these days, but I should probably stop doing weighted squats until I get new knees.
I remember reading Ti’s review for Blob. Sounds like an odd book, maybe not for me. I’ve given up on two of my choices for my summer reading challenge, but have settled on one that I hope will hold my attention. After reading The House of Special Purpose, everything else feels a bit trite.
Hi Lesley, you’d be amazed by the Normandy coast and all the history there is to see there. I think you & Rod would like it. I’d like to go back.
I’ve never been to Nebraska but I guess it’d look much like the fields out here … the biking seems good for my knee (though it’s still quite tight) … but my body is more creaky than it once was. Keep up with your exercises but squats are a bit tough. Go easy. I’m so glad to be done with those two surgeries!
Which two books did you give up on? Sorry to hear. I’m sure you can find a couple subs. The Boyne novel seems a long one and one you were caught up in so it can be hard to change gears. I’m moving slowly so far with my list. lol.
Have a great week.
I’ve actually now given up on three! Looking for Alaska (John Green), Mink River (Brian Doyle), and One Italian Summer (Rebecca Serle). Wasn’t in the mood for YA angst, didn’t care for the writing in the Doyle book, and Serle’s was a ridiculous premise with an annoying protagonist. I’ve settled into Long Bright River (Liz Moore), which is keeping interested, thankfully!
Well it seems okay to give up on those. And whoa to Long Bright River – it should be good but gritty! It’s been a while now since I read that one …. but I think Mickey’s narration took me away. I actually think I listened to the audio of it in 2020. See what you think.
It’s a slow burn, but now that I’m in further, I’m really enjoying it. You’ve got me curious about the audio. Maybe I’ll do a read/listen before I get too much further in the print copy.
Normandy is somewhere that I’d really like to visit seeing as it is so steeped in history.
Enjoy your bike rides and the anticipation of the Women’s Prize!
Hi Helen, you’d love Normandy. I was pretty much transported by the place and all its history. Beautiful in the summer too.
Thanks. I love the bike rides here … and I’m glad you reminded me too of the Women’s Prize … will it be The Correspondent? Who will win ? Hmm.
Have a great week.
The lilacs are so, so pretty! Thanks for sharing them! My Dad was not at Normandy, but he did fight in the Pacific in WWII. I’ve always been very interested in all the aspects of that time, though Dad did not every talk about it much. Hope you have a good week!!
Hi Kay, thanks for sharing that info. That’s impressive about your father.
Glad you like the lilacs photo – I love those but they dont last too many weeks.
Enjoy your week too!
So happy to hear that your summer rides have started again.
Blob was definitely a lot deeper than it appeared to be. As humans, we do have a tendency to build things up to make them fit our idea of what they should be. Plus the commentary on outside influences such as TV programming. I thought about kids who sit in front of their TVs or tablets all day. What exactly is going into their little minds? Bob had only that to go on. A poor example, for sure.
Oh, the state of the world is a disaster isn’t it? I read two terrifying reads back to back for book club, Daikon and Nuclear War: A Scenario and the idea of that person sitting in the Oval office having the nuclear codes is unsettling but the idea of the rest of his cabinet stepping in should he not be available? No better.
Hi Ti, thanks. The Blob novel was a bit different than I expected … but I liked it. I’m glad you had highlighted it.
It is a disaster going on … and interesting you read Daikon … I gave that to my husband to read which he did … and I think it was a bit scary to envision. I will look for your reviews. Your reading is going well! Have a great week.
Lilacs. Sigh! Yes, I did know it was D-Day. Like you, I’ve walked the Normandy beaches. It is powerful beyond words, that feeling. And we must never, ever forget.
Hi Jeanie, The lilacs smell so nice. Great to hear you walked the Normandy beaches too … and I agree that feeling is so powerful … being there. It’s unreal and even eerie. I concur … that day can never be forgotten.
Hi Susan thanks for your post about D-Day. We should all remember that day and the brave soldiers. And if you get the chance you can check out the actor Charles Durning’s speech at the Day Day Memorial from about 5 or 10 years ago. Durning before he became an actor served in World War II. He was among the first or second wave of soldiers who landed at Omaha Beach. His experience of what he and his fellow soldiers went though is so powerful.
Hi Kathy, thanks so much for letting me know!! I have just played the video of his speech. Very powerful and moving. Makes me weepy just hearing it. I hope we will not ever forget the sacrifice & what they managed to do that day. It’s stunning. Walking Omaha beach in 2018, I sensed the hugeness of that day. Thanks.
My father-in-law was part of the 101st Airborne and he was part of the Battle of the Bulge. My dad (who is still with us) didn’t turn eighteen until 1945, and he trained as a Navy medic and was prepared to go fight in the Pacific. I hope people here in the US won’t let our freedoms slip away. But it isn’t a good sign to me that T was actually elected by a majority of people after the debacle that was his first term.
Hi Deb, I’m amazed by your Dad and glad you’ve shared his experience and your father-in-law’s. Brings it home a bit that they were there …. and part of the Greatest Generation.
I agree — not sure how anyone could vote that way after the flop & chaos of T’s first term. It’s beyond understandable. You wonder about the population. But we will continue to stand up to lawlessness and undemocratic ways … vote em out!
I’d love to visit Normandy someday. Remembering what all those soldiers did always brings tears to my eyes, especially for the ones who died. What a sacrifice! I can’t believe it’s been 82 years. Wow.
Hi Lark, I know what you mean: 82 years wow — it’s been that long ago now. I think you would be blown away to go to the Normandy beaches. It’s very powerful there. You get a visceral sense of what they did to fight for freedom …and we will never forget. thx for your words. Cheers.
Whoa that Blob book sounds strange and cool.
Hi Hena, ha ha. Blob is a bit different. It’s not everyday you find a blob of jelly by a trash can that comes to life. The girl in the book is so lonely & without friends she latches on to it … and goes on a bit of a personal journey. I hope the young author writes more in the future. Cheers. Have a great week.
The lilacs are gorgeous! Blob sounds like a unique and unusual story. Glad to see you enjoyed it!
Hi Rachel, thx – it’s always nice to see the lilacs once a year … they smell so nice. Blob was unusual … quirky. If you find a jelly blob by a trash can you’ll know …. it’s like this, lol. Have a great weekend.
Blob sounds like it had so much potential; it’s exactly the quirky kind of story I find hard to resist. Sorry to see that it didn’t exactly work, though, based on your rating of it. But I know I’m going to have to take a look…just too cool an idea.
Hi Sam, yes I think Blob had more potential … it is a bit more about the coming of age of the troubled young girl who finds it …. than the Blob itself but still it has some fun parts to it. I still liked it enough. But different than the old movie versions of the Blob taking over things. Have a great weekend & Happy reading.