Wreck: A Novel by Catherine Newman: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop

 

Today's Featured Book: 

Wreck: A Novel

by Catherine Newman

Genre: Fiction

Published: October 28, 2025

Page Count: 223 pages

Summary: 

Catherine Newman explores the hidden rules of family, the heavy weight of uncertainty, and the gnarly fact that people—no matter how much you love them—are not always exactly who you want them to be.

 

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY is hosted by Rose City Reader. What book are you happy about reading this week? Please share the opening sentence (or so) on BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY! Add the link to your blog or social media post and visit other blogs to see what others are reading.

Happy Friday and welcome to the FIRST LINE FRIDAY, hosted by Reading is My Superpower! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line.

"In one single day, in two different directions, my life swerves from its path."

THE FRIDAY 56 is hosted by Anne of Head Full of Books. To play, open a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on your e-reader). Find a sentence or two and post them, along with the book title and author. Then link up on Head Full of Books and visit others in the linky. 

"The intake person asks a trillion questions to make sure I don't have secret metal in my body that will shoot up into my brain and kill me as soon as the magnet's on....She runs through her list: 'Artificial limbs or joints? Pacemaker? Defibrillator? Insulin pump? Shrapnel?...Do you have an older IUD?' she asks, and I think, Do I? God, did I ever get my IUD removed? A relic from a different time, like the expired ketchup in the back of the fridge from when the kids were eight. 'Oh,' I say remembering, 'I think it fell out on its own at some point.'

Right from the very beginning, you know where this story is going.

Still, somewhat surprisingly, it's not really a story about Problems; it's a story about thinking about Problems, dealing with Problems, coping with Problems.

And (almost) the whole story is told with humor, which helps us think about Problems, helps us deal with Problems, helps us cope with Problems.

It's a very short book. Very, very short. And your enjoyment of it will hinge on whether you are a person who prefers plot or character. Character-thumbs up, but plot? Better dial down your expectations. 

As a lover of character-driven stories, I liked it a lot.

Other posts about books that I've read by this author: 

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

Sandwich: A Novel by Catherine Newman

The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.    

December 26th - How many books did you read in 2025? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

With five days left in the month, I've read a ridiculous 341 books. Note: Lots of these are children's books and extremely short books. 

I may still read one or two more. 

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I know, I know. There are a good 200 books in my book cabinet, 100 books under the bed, and hundreds on my Kindle, all unread.

Still. It's Christmas, right?

And the only thing I want is books. 

Here are the books I want the most. None of these are available at my library, and none of them are on sale on Kindle. So you will have to go through a used book dealer or...some kind of magic? You can figure that out, I think.

Sunflower Splendor: Three Thousand Years of Chinese Poetry

Seeds from a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey by Clark Strand

Down the Common: A Year in the Life of a Medieval Woman by Ann Baer

The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday

Peak Human: What We Can Learn from History's Greatest Civilizations by Johan Norberg

The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist by Dorothy Day

I've been really good this year.

Take care and thank you, Santa.

Your friend, 

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.     

The Sunday Salon: Last-Minute Shopping

Welcome! I am happy you joined us at the Sunday Salon. 

What is the Sunday Salon? 

The Sunday Salon is a spot to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great opportunity to visit and join in the conversations on other blogs. 

We are so happy we got to celebrate with our granddaughter, Bailey, as she graduated from college. Yay, Bailey!

We came home and jumped rapidly into gift-buying and gift-wrapping and gift-packaging and gift-mailing mode. We are relying on Santa now to deliver the gifts in a timely manner to our family in Chicago, East Texas, and Dallas. Fingers crossed!

What I Read Last Week:

The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan (Thriller)

What I'm Reading Now:

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman

What I Posted Last Week Here at Readerbuzz:

The Sunday Salon: Dallas!

Books On My Winter 2025-2026 To-Read List

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon  by Matthew Norman: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop

We love watching our favorite holiday movies at this time of year. We always look forward to How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) and Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and Miracle on 34th Street (1947) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). 

This year we tried two new holiday movies, and I was glad to see them both, though they were very different movies. Both movies were on Netflix. 

Joyeux Noël (2009) takes place during the Christmas truce of 1914 as it was experienced by Scottish, French, and German soldiers. 

And, yes, Last Christmas (2019) is a rom-com, but the cast includes Emma Thompson and Michelle Yeoh so it might be a little more than just another Christmas rom-com.

I started listing 3 Good Things every day during the pandemic. Now I have a regular routine of writing down my 3 Good Things. Here are 3 Good Things from last week...

We have so many pretty flowers at our house this fall...

Good Thing #1:

Blue Mistflowers

Good Thing #2:

Lantana

Good Thing #3:

If you look closely...tiny spinach flowers.

Weekend linkup spots are listed below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

I hope you will join the linkup for Sunday Salon below.

 

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop

Today's Featured Book: 

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon

by Matthew Norman

Genre: Fiction

Published: October 14, 2025

Page Count: 337 pages

Summary: 

The new year had barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.

When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.

With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?

 

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY is hosted by Rose City Reader. What book are you happy about reading this week? Please share the opening sentence (or so) on BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY! Add the link to your blog or social media post and visit other blogs to see what others are reading.

Happy Friday and welcome to the FIRST LINE FRIDAY, hosted by Reading is My Superpower! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line.

All things considered, I'm doing okay. I get that sounds like something someone says when they're not doing okay. I also get that "all things considered" is putting in some real work there because I'm still wearing the black dress I wore to my husband's funeral this morning. But seriously. For real. I'm doing okay.

THE FRIDAY 56 is hosted by Anne of Head Full of Books. To play, open a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on your e-reader). Find a sentence or two and post them, along with the book title and author. Then link up on Head Full of Books and visit others in the linky. 

"I swear to God, Henry, if you ask me what I'm wearing..."

This is how Grace answers her phone.

"I won't, I promise."

"Actually, I already told you. Yea, Costco sweatpants. And I've combined them with my favorite lounging sweater. Last time I wore it home, my mom said she didn't know Goodwill had a section specifically for shut-ins."

"Jeez."

"She means well," says Grace. "I think. That's what I tell myself."

I really want to read a light holiday book. I've tried two others, and I read them to the end, but they were...well, ho-hum. 

This one is at least starting out well.

We shall see...

The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.    

December 19th - Are you more of a plot-driven reader or a character-driven reader? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

Definitely, without-a-doubt, totally, completely...character-driven. I could care less if there is a plot. Just give me characters, please....

Books On My Winter 2025-2026 To-Read List

I have a trick, a game, I play at the end of the year.

I have already finished my reading totals for the year; it's time to start reading for next year.

I pick 10-12 books and start reading them in December. I choose a variety of genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture books, cookbooks, philosophy. I read and read and read until I arrive at the last page, the last paragraph. Here I stop.

On January 1, I read the last page of all the books, and I review them.

My brain thinks I've already read 12 books. And, in a way, I have.

What am I reading this December?

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (fiction)

Saint Francis of Assisi by Demi (nonfiction picture book)

The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr (spirituality)

Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith (writing)

The Penguin Book of Haiku edited by Adam L. Kern (poetry)

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (classic; writing)

Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green (nonfiction)

String Too Short to Be Saved: Recollections of Summers on a New England Farm by Donald Hall (memoir)

Warrior Scarlet by Rosemary Sutcliff (classic; children’s)

Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make by Becca Rowland (nature)

Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love by Samin Nosrat (foodie)

A Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (play)

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.