Review - "A Lesson in Dying"
I love both the "Vera" and "Shetland" series, so I decided to branch out and start reading other books by Ann Cleeves. This is one of her earlier books and it seems she hadn't yet found her groove. There were a lot of characters and it was a bit difficult to keep track of everyone. In addition to that, Inspector Ramsay is not involved in most of the book, which was really disappointing. The fact that he allowed other characters to do his investigating for him made no sense, especially considering the way Vera handles cases. Quite the opposite, in fact. I love the way she keeps her cards close to her chest and has a genuine gift for solving crimes. Sad to say that this one let me down.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Review - "The Sleeping and the Dead"
It was a snowy Sunday and I decided to snuggle up with a cozy mystery. You can't get better than Ann Cleeves, whose stories are filled with rich descriptions of not just the characters but the settings. You can feel the icy chill of the wind coming up off the water and the cup of hot tea in your hands. Hear the top being taken off the biscuit tin and the sound of tires on a country road. You're taken on a journey and find yourself wondering, along with those investigating the case, "What are they hiding?".
This is a stand-alone about a body found by chance and the secrets that everyone assumed would stay buried. I found myself unwilling to set it aside, reading it as I was making supper and continuing as I ate, discovering that separating the guilty from the innocent wasn't quite as simple as anyone could have predicted.
Rating : 4.5 stars
Review - "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim"
I am between gigs, so naturally I decided to binge-read and I chose to borrow 5 of David Sedaris' books from the library. Reading his essays is a wild ride. He'll be telling you a story and all of a sudden POW! something comes out of nowhere that you really shouldn't be laughing at but you can't help yourself. His family is bonkers in both the best and worst ways possible, which he accepts as just the way things are and has a way of making you feel like your own family is actually pretty boring or at the very least, not nearly as weird as you thought they were.
Rating: 5 stars
Review - "Calypso"
Many, many years ago I bought a copy of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" for a friend. I am not entirely certain what possessed me, but I read it before I gave it to them. I still talk about it, especially the story about the F***it Bucket. I actually gave buckets full of candy to friends as gifts, one of which was packaged up and sent on a Greyhound Bus to someone that I lovingly refer to as Hobo. But that's a story that will take far too long and best saved for another time.
I am between gigs, so naturally I borrowed 5 of David Sedaris' books from the library and immediately created a blanket fortress on the couch so that I could see what his family had been up to. It's the sort of stuff you couldn't possibly make up if you tried and just on the cusp of being completely unbelievable. You start out feeling like a voyeur but then realize you're acting as a witness that David may rely on in court. You find yourself laughing at stuff that really shouldn't be funny, but since no one is watching you keep turning the pages because you simply can't help yourself.
Rating: 5 stars
Review - "The Sea of Lost Girls"
"The Seduction of Water" was my introduction to Carol Goodman's writing and it remains one of my favorite books. I followed that up with "The Lake of Dead Languages", which was also quite good. I was hoping this one would be another dark academia tale, but it left me disappointed.
The "twists" were rather predictable and those that weren't didn't make any sense at all. The main character revealed far too much information and these info-dumps weakened the story. There seemed to be nothing at all left for the reader to discover. I can't stand tidy endings and this was by far the most unfathomably tidy wrap up I have ever read. Every character isn't redeemable. Everyone doesn't have personality-altering revelations and experiences that make them do a 180. It was just too much and too little at the same time, leaving me wondering if this was the same author whose work I enjoyed so much.
Rating: 2 stars
Review - "Into the Forest"
This is a beautifully curated collection of stories about Baba Yaga from many perspectives. We find her in both classical and modern settings, deep in the wild and on the border of the urban. Those who seek her out are able to find her when they are ready and are put to the test in ways that we haven't seen before. My favorite was "Baba Yaga in Repose" by Heather Miller, but each of the stories has lessons and knowledge waiting to be uncovered, whether you simply have to dust it off or dig deep to find it.
Rating: 5 stars
Review - "Too Good to be True"
I love the TV series but am behind on the books because I don't buy crime novels anymore. Once I know "whodunnit", I don't tend to read them a second time. I have been seeking out "Shetland" books in my local second hand bookshop but anything written by Ann Cleeves is hard to come by, which I understand. This was a great short story, easy to immerse yourself in and a quick read. Always nice to spend time with the characters Ann Cleeves has created, as well as the places where they live and work.
Rating: 4 stars
Review - "The Woman on the Island"
I love the TV series but am behind on the books because I don't buy crime novels anymore. Once I know "whodunnit", I don't tend to read them a second time. I have been seeking out "Shetland" books in my local second hand bookshop but anything written by Ann Cleeves is hard to come by, which I understand. This was a great short story, easy to immerse yourself in and a quick read. Always nice to spend time with the characters Ann Cleeves has created, as well as the places where they live and work.
Rating: 4 stars
Review - "A Lesson in Vengence" by Victoria Lee
This is one of a dozen books I added to my eReader with Yuletide gift cards, after a recommendation from Literary Diversions on YouTube (if you aren't following them, you should be). It's quite chilly, the perfect weather for curling up with a cup of tea and a book. I am rather new to the world of dark academia and do enjoy it, even though I am typically much older than the audience intended for the books I have been reading. This one, unlike most others, does address the lack of diversity often seen at the schools portrayed in these stories. Having said that, I still acknowledge the genre can be rather problematic and it's something that I bear in mind when seeking out more to read.
I found this story to be a bit slow to start but once it got going it was extremely hard to put down. There were a few twists that I thought I saw coming but surprised me, which doesn't happen often. Did she? Didn't she? Will she? This one will keep you guessing until the last page.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review - "The Girls on the Shore" by Ann Cleeves
Ann Cleeves is a gifted storyteller and I have yet to be disappointed. I was given a gift card for Yule and used it to add 6 of her books to my eReader, including this one. I enjoyed the story (featuring DI Matthew Venn) but honestly the ending was rather abrupt and left me wanting more. The book also includes a preview of "The Rising Tide", which I would love to continue as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review - "Legends and Lattes" by Travis Baldree
Like so many people, I discovered this book on BookTok. I was given a gift card for Yule and this was one of the books I added to my eReader. This is often referred to as "Cozy Fantasy" and I understand why. I really enjoyed this story and found it a great book to snuggle up in bed with. I am not a coffee drinker but they way Travis Baldree describes it makes it sound very tempting. I am the sort of reader who usually gravitates toward so-called "supporting characters", so it's no surprise to me that I can't stop thinking about Thimble. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review - "False Witness" by Karin Slaughter
I have enjoyed a few of Karin Slaughters books and when I found this one at a little free library, I decided to give it a go. It makes you think what might have been if just one thing had been different. If two people simply hadn't met. If things hadn't gone too far to turn back. This is a great thriller with a few twists that I didn't see coming.
Rating: 4 stars
Reading Goals for 2023
Over the last several years, I have worked very hard to create my own version of a minimalist life. Much of that work was emotional, asking myself what the “stuff” meant to me and why I was keeping it. I dug deep, made a lot of difficult decisions, and am very happy with the result. This is why I am somewhat gobsmacked by the fact that I currently have almost 60 unread physical and eBooks, including a series that I borrowed two years ago and have not yet made a priority.
I moved last summer, and nothing is more eye opening than having to pack, move, unpack, and organize/enjoy/use what I had, including my books. I discovered the “Reading to Zero” challenge on YouTube and am determined to have zero unread books by the end of this year.
I am going to focus on all my unread books, keeping only the books that I know I will read again. The rest will be donated to little free libraries in my area. With regard to eBooks, if I am going to read it again, I will save it and if not, it will be deleted from my eReader. I am not really worried about eBooks, as they aren’t taking up physical space, but I still need to read what I have before I can justify buying more.
I tried to think of a creative way to decide which book I will read next. Would I create a TBR jar, with each title written on a colorful bit of paper? Make a list, roll the dice, and read the book that matches the number? Alphabetical order according to author’s last name? Start at the top of the book cart and read my way through? In the amount of time that I spent trying to figure this out, I could have read two books. Honestly, I don’t know why I do that to myself.
So far, I have just gone with what I was drawn to. Eventually, that may become more difficult and I will find myself avoiding certain books for whatever reason I haven’t read them already. In that case, I will read the first chapter and will know whether I want to continue. If not, then I will DNF the book, pass it on, and pick up something else.
I will be posting reviews here to share and hope that you will check back for those. I also hope this inspired you to see your own library with fresh eyes and perhaps find a new and creative way to explore your TBR.
Cheers!
Using Clear Quartz to Gain Clarity
In the spring of 2018, I experienced a shift. I had been involved with some very intense inner work and something happened that I wasn't expecting. I was deeply hurt and unsure about how to move past it. I was left wondering what lesson could possibly be so valuable that I had to endure this.
I decided that what the situation needed was clarity. Just two weeks prior, I had been guided to pick up 18 pieces of tumbled quartz. I was unsure as to why, but have learned the hard way that it's best not to question these things. Now, I understood.
I created a grid, using a clear quartz point and 13 tumbled quartz pieces. I placed them on a granite circle, as this would help focus the energy of the crystals as well as my intent. I left this on my altar and within 2 days, I began to feel better. Within a week, the answers started coming forward. Within two weeks, I understood why things had progressed the way they had and what I needed to do next.
I realize that I am extremely fortunate to have had the means to cultivate such an amazing crystal collection. I want you to know that if you seek clarity, you can do so with a single piece of clear quartz in whatever form you prefer (point, raw, tumbled, cluster) and a white tealight candle. Place the quartz and candle in a safe place where it will not be disturbed. Light the candle and say,
“Lead me to the tools that I need and the path I need to be on in order to gain the clarity I seek. I am open to all possibilities and am ready to do the work required.”
It is vital that you listen to your intuition. You can be led to a book, film, song, podcast, event, or any number of tools that will help you. But the fact remains that if you aren't willing to follow through, then you will not see results.
On the road
Fields dotted with sheep
accustomed to the commotion
Mountains cloaked in mist
much like our own assumptions
Thatch roofed cottages
standing since your great gran was but a girl
The church where she later married
her childhood sweetheart
The pub where he broke up a fight
between two friends
Hawthorn tree
remains undisturbed
in spite of the fact
they say they don't believe
Shrine
on the side of the road
dedicated to someone
I will never know
Do crows have accents?
That may seem like a poor attempt at humor, but hear me out. The crows in Ireland seem to sound different than the ones you find in the Great White North.
In Ireland, their voices are softer, higher pitched. In Canada, they are harsh, loud, and seem to be accusing us of forgetting. Unlike Ireland, rich in history, mythology, and all the stories that go along with it, I find that we have cast aside the past in favor of progress.
Are they screaming? Using their harsh tone in an attempt to remind us? Begging us to reconnect with the land and all who came before?
