The Next Always by Nora Roberts

 

Sometimes you just want something fun and easy to read. I also love that this is a first in a series and Nora Roberts can write a good series.

In the town a Boonsboro a transformation is happening. An old historic building is being renovated and made into a bed and breakfast. This keeps the Montgomery brothers quite busy.

Clare has her own kind of busy-three boys and a bookstore to run. Even though everyone is busy and there is much going on in town Clare finds herself wandering over to the renovation and also finds herself getting involved with one of the Montgomery boys.

The book reads with ease and makes you feel a part of the community. It was fun, easy, and left me wanting more. I am looking forward to book number two!

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

 

Subtitle: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

I had no idea. I picked this book up thinking it was historical fiction. Nope, it was non-fiction and I could not put it down.

Back in the 1920's in New Jersey a factory open that painted radium on watch faces and airplane instruments. This was a new and exciting thing and girls flocked of all ages to go work there. Radium had been touted as having many health benefits so there was no fear.

When the numbers were painted on the dials it had to be very neat and crisp. It was done by dipping a small paint brush into the radium, putting it in your mouth to make a fine point and then painting the dial. This was done over and over all day. They were paid by the piece so you can only imagine the thousands of times this was done in a day.

Nothing was talked about how unsafe this could be. Women started to have jaw problems, lose their teeth, eventually having other health issues. They were continually told the radium was fine.

What these women went through, how they were lied to, and the suffering they and their families went through is astounding. It took a long time for things to be recognized. Some very strong minded women to took a stand to make the companies responsible . They knew it was too late for them but they wanted to protect others.

Truly an amazing story that I knew nothing about. Why didn't I? Who knows,  but I am thankful I know it now and I hope you may take the time to learn about this too.

Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen

 

Whether or not you are a Hiaasen fan, if you were fed up with the last administration and the crazy people that supported it you will love this book. I laughed out loud and shook my head. Hiaasen has such a way with words and this story just pulls you in and makes you wish you had the nerve to do some of the things he came up with. Super fun and well worth reading. I might make you a Hiaasen fan yet!

Things you save in a fire by Katherine Center

 

Image from reallyintothis.com

A nice fun read to escape into. Cassie was excelling in her career as a firefighter in Texas. She was even getting an award, and that is when things fell apart. After those events she had to leave the department or transfer far away. Her mother had been begging her to come to Massachusetts and now it seemed like the time. 

There were a lot of hurts that needed mending, lessons to be learned, and trust to be gained. Very well put together and you felt lime a part of the story. If you want a fun read to finish up the summer, this is a good one.

Where the Sea Breaks Its Back by Corey Ford

 

Subtitle: The Epic Story of Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska

This was a challenging book. It was very informative and it was interesting learning the history of some early exploration. I have never been good with history and for me it was a bit dry at times,

Some things that really grabbed my attention were the struggles of early exploration. We really take for granted modern navigation and engines. So much of the time they were flying blind or using charts that could not be trusted as accurate.

Also, the joy of finding land, new flora and fauna. New discoveries and learning about places that had never been documented was quite exciting. Names of plants and animals that we use all the time had to be discovered and named at some point and through this expedition many things were added to the books of nature.

It was a good book and if you really enjoy history and early exploration this is a must read. As I said, a bit dry at times, but really shows the trials and tribulations of early discoveries and adventure.  

Little Big Year by Richard Wayne MacDonald

 

Subtitle: Chasing Acadia's Birds - What an enjoyable book. All of you know I love birds and bird watching. It can be frustrating, but when you accomplish an identification or learn a bird song it is pretty awesome.

I should say that I know the author and he is very enthusiastic about nature and birds so while I was reading this I could hear him reading it to me. I could feel his excitement and see the joy on his face.

He spent 2018 looking for, following, and chasing birds around Hancock County, Maine. If you don't know what a big year is here is a quick description. Within a calendar year you try to see as many birds as you can. You can pick the area that you want and go from there. In 2018 Terry and I did our big birding trip out west and that was the start of my big year(in the end we identified 278 birds). You could use your state, a park, even your backyard. Whatever gets you out in nature and looking at birds is a win win.

Through his adventures you not only learn about the birds in Hancock County, you learn about nature and ecology and history. This was very well written and even if you are not a "bird nerd" you will enjoy the enthusiasm he shares with his love of the outdoors.

Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan

 

Subtitle: The Story of Friendship, Faith, and One Old Dog's Choice to Live Again - I am a sucker for a good book about animals. Someday I will have a dog, but for now I live vicariously through others. 

I read Ryan's first book Finding Atticus and not only loved the story, but the writing. Ryan has a really good flow and you get pulled in and really feel a part of the adventure.

Ryan had had Atticus for several years and was always looking to help out other animals. Will came across his radar and it was more of a hospice situation. Will just needed a good place to live out whatever he had left of his life.

It was not an easy transition. Will was old, tired, trusted no one, and was just downright ornery. Ryan learned patience and promised Will he would have the best life he could have while in his home. It was a struggle and there were many set backs, but the steps forward made it all worth it.

Of course in the end it is sad, but you feel better for knowing this story. Feeling the pain and joy and learning that you can go the extra mile. A very feel good kind of thing with many lessons learned along the way. If you love a good animal story you better check this one out.

Hungry Heart by Jennifer Weiner

 

Subtitle: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing - I started listening to this when we were driving to Maine from Kentucky. It is always nice to have something to pass the time as the miles go by.

I have always enjoyed her books and now I will enjoy them even more. Learning more about her personally, where she gets her drive, what shaped her, and what makes her so like every other woman in the world. Finding your self confidence, knowing what you want, and knowing that you are enough is really empowering.

She has had a full life with usual family dramas, amazing highs and tough lows, but that is what shaped her into who she is today and she shares some of that in her writing. She is a pretty awesome person and if you like her books you will really enjoy what she shares of her life here. 

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

 

Meg has a career in hand lettering and has become quite famous. One other thing she is good at is seeing signs that other people don't. Reading signs gets her in trouble and actually breaks up a marriage before it even starts.

Many months after this the ex-groom finds her and what could be a disaster ends up as each of them helping each other out through a difficult time in both of their lives.

This is a fun romance that has the usual bumbles and gaffs, but also the insecurities and newness of finding your way in a new space. A great read to escape the world and enjoy new love.

Made for You and Me by Caitlin Shetterly

 

Subtitle: Going West, Going Broke, Finding Home

This book is about leaving a place you know and love to go spread your wings and expand yourself and your career. Unfortunately this happened just as the bubble burst. 

Things started out great in California and they were living the dream, loving work and loving life. She gets pregnant, which they are very excited about. But then the bubble bursts and work starts drying up. Everyone is struggling and everything that they had worked for was slowly disappearing. The hard decision was made to travel back across the country, back to family and familiarity.

When the bubble burst we all knew that people suffered and lost everything. This is a very candid recounting of what happened to them, their successes and their struggles. I feel that it was told very honestly and truthfully. I think it will help anyone who questions struggle and people really trying, pulling out all of the stops, and still needing to 'go back home'. Very well written and portrayed.

  

The Cross-Country Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini

 

This is part of a series but they seem to be able to be read independently without too much confusion.

This takes place around five women who have gone to quilt camp in hopes of escaping some of their troubles and get lost in fabric and patterns.  Troubled divorces, aging, children in difficult relationships, job challenges. Things that you would want to escape and each woman was able to help each other in their own way. 

Gatherings were planned and friendships were made that would last a lifetime. They all let each other take their time processing things and making decisions. They were friends that became family and supported each other without question.  A wonderful book and a wonderful series. 

The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson

 

After Rebecca's mother dies she is going through things in the apartment and finds letters from a cousin she knows nothing about and seems to be in need of some immediate help. Rebecca has nothing else going on so she goes to check this out.

This story takes place between current times and WWII. Olivia, Rebecca's cousin, is an old crochety woman with a very colorful past. She had many struggles during the war and that created many secrets.

Rebecca had her own battles that she was struggling with and through the process of meeting Olivia, working on the old house, and meeting new people that reawakened in her her self confidence a wonderful story unfolds.

I love historic fiction and learning about things that people went through during rough times in the past. There is so much we don't know and so many times we don't realize how good we have it. This was a wonderful story to get lost in, fall in love with characters, and to remember how strong and resilient we all are.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

 

Josey has lived in this little North Carolina town her whole life. She has felt like she is always making up for the past and always under her mothers shadow. She has developed ways to manage over the years-hidden romance novels and sweets-but has an abrupt turn in her life that sends her in directions she never would have imagined.

This was a fun read, easy and not a ton of substance, but good take-a-ways at the same time. We cannot let the past dictate who we are today and we have to try to go out for what we want. Living in the shadow of the past and letting others live your life is no way to live. It is not easy to break the mold, but sometimes it just needs to be broken. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

Imagine a place in between life and death and it is a library. It is a library full of all of the possible outcomes that could have been your life. And now you have to choose.

Nora has not been happy with her life and she has ended up at the library. At first she is quite confused and not sure what to do with all of the information. She picks endings that she thinks she would like and is surprised at how it didn't end up the way she thought it would. The ending that she does pick is a good one and a good reminder to all of us.

Such an interesting concept. I remember reading books as a kid that you could pick different endings and I would try them all. It was fun and nice to know that there was no end all really. We are all the masters of our own story and the choices we make lead us down paths with unknown endings. It needs to be embraced and we need to be thankful for what we have and where we have been. 

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

 

What a fun read! I was excited when I saw this because I really enjoyed Kwan's series that started with Crazy Rich Asians. This book is along the same vane of Asians and Americans and what is a good mix and not. There is a lot more new money, name dropping, and internal struggle.

Lucie, the main character, is caught between what is appropriate and what she wants. The struggle with her roots and her inner self do lead her astray, but she does find her way and the ride is a good one. 

Kwan has a great writing style and this was just as good as his first books. If you haven't had a chance to read those I highly recommend them too. If you want a nice easy read that will make you laugh and shake your head this summer this is a good choice.

Unf*ck Yourself by Gary John Bishop

Subtitle: Get out of your head and into your life

The title may be a bit harsh but everything Bishop talks about is pretty right on. I have worked very hard over the years to take responsibility for myself. I try to not let the past dictate who I am or where I am going. I am not discounting anything that I was taught or learned as I was growing up, but I am not going to let the negative things hinder me.

Truly, we do need to get out of our own way sometimes. Our mind is very powerful and can stop us from achieving so much in life if we let it. I am always so proud of myself when I accomplish something that I did not think that I could do. I am also proud of myself when I just do what needs to be done. It is so easy to just push things off, think it will take too long, or just think that it is too hard. I get off of my butt and just do it. It is an amazing feeling.

We all have off days, especially during this past year, but we can't let them rule our lives. If you are willing to do the work for something you really want then do it. Make it work. Enjoy life for what you have done and accomplished, it will take you far.
 

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

 

Why do people leave their country? Why do they risk their life and families lives to try to get to the border of the United States? Why can't they just make things work in their own country?

These are tough questions and questions that we truthfully cannot answer. We are not experiencing what they experience. We do not live where they have lived and seen the horrors that they have seen. In a way I admire what they put themselves through to get here.

This book follows a few different families and what has led them to try and make a new home in the United States. They have lost their entire family to cartels or been raped and injured to the point that they have to leave. They leave everything they know behind in hopes of finding something better.

Some of the situations they go through seem almost too much to bear, much worse that what they were going through, but it isn't. To live a life in constant fear of gangs and cartels, to never know if every time your loved one leaves the house whether you may see them again.

This is a very difficult subject and one that is really in our faces right now. These immigrants feel it is worth the danger to leave. Why aren't the countries they come from doing anything? Why are these countries not protecting their citizens? So many questions and not enough answers. How many lives need to be lost before there is an acceptable answer?

I feel that Cummins presented this story in a way that we can start to see the struggle. We can see the hardships on both ends. I felt for the characters and I was tense and angry and worried and relieved. So many emotions that I just read off of a page that these people endure everyday. If you want a glimpse into what immigrants coming to this country through Mexico is like take the time to read this and really think about the whole situation.

Buddha's Book of Sleep by Joseph Emet

 

Subtitle: Sleep Better in Seven Weeks with Mindfulness Meditation

I love it when I get a good nights sleep. A sleep in which I don't remember waking up for several hours. I am not talking all night long, but at least five to six hours. It is wonderful and it does not happen often enough.

This book talks about what happens when we go to bed, how our minds prevent us from falling asleep, how our world prevents us from sleeping well. There is so much that contributes to a being able to sleep, and maybe we need to reframe in our minds what a good nights sleep is.

I have not done the mediations yet but there are a few that look really interesting and am looking forward to trying them out. I have already worked on some things that seem to help me when it comes to falling asleep. I am off any electronic device an hour before bed, I journal right when I get into bed, and then I read. Most times a book, but sometimes a magazine. The last thing I do, when I finish reading, is breath. I concentrate on my breath so that is the only thing that is happening. There are many times that I do not even remember falling asleep. It is amazing. I have also found when I wake in the middle of the night and can't seem to fall back to sleep I go back to breathing and can sleep again.

Sleep is so vital to how we function, not only with other people and our jobs, but how our body functions. Our bodies need time to recover and recoup and heal overnight. Good sleep is just as important as exercise and eating a balanced diet. I think we sometimes forget that and then we stress about it and it all turns into a viscous circle. 

Sleep. Don't fight it. Don't stress over it. Just let it happen and you will feel so much better.

On a Farther Shore by William Souder

Subtitle: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson

Since March is Women's History month I thought I would read a book about a woman that loved nature and saw how humans and science were damaging the one thing that she loved most.

This was not an easy book to read. There was a lot of back story and history of  what was happening in the world and in the world of science. I appreciate knowing these things as it helps to understand the drive of Carson, but it was a bit tedious.

She was a perfectionist. It took her a long time to write, she never made a deadline, but what she wrote awed people. I will be honest in that I have not read some of her key works (they are on my list for this year!). Her love of nature and how it all worked together. Her love that made her present an amazing case against indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemicals. She spent her life getting her thoughts and ideas out to everyone, in a way that everyone could understand.

She died at a very young age and cannot imagine what she could have done. In her short life though she accomplished much and left a huge stamp on how we can look at the world.

Souder is wordy and in the end it seemed to me that only 25% of the book or so was about Carson. Again, I can see the importance of knowing what was going on during the time that she was writing but it was a bit much at times and a slog to get through. If you have the patience to get through the nuts and bolts what was written about Carson was very informative and enlightening.

 

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

 

I love this saga by Gabaldon and you need to be willing to dedicate some time to get through the books. It is well worth it, but I am always glad when I get to the end. And thankfully the end of this one did not leave me hanging like some of her others.

This is the continuation of the saga with Jamie and Claire, Roger and Bree, and the life that they are leading and where it takes them. 

In this volume there are marriages, a short war, death, and near death. There are past situations that need to be dealt with and figuring out how to take care of them and still be able to live with yourself is a huge dilemma in and of itself. 

There is a little interesting twist in dealing with time travel of the past/future and I am curious how Gabaldon will incorporate this in the following books. She never disappoints and is an amazing story teller. It amazes me how she keeps it all straight and cohesive.

If you haven't read any of the saga make sure you start with Outlander and be prepared to be pulled into an amazing story that keeps you wanting more. You will spend many, many hours getting lost in this wonderful tale of love and pain, sacrifice and triumph.     

Zero Sugar Diet by David Zinczenko

Subtitle: The 14-Day Plan to Flatten Your Belly, Crush Cravings, and Help Keep You Lean for Life

I guess if you are someone who eats a lot of sugar laden foods and snacks all of the time I can see how you could lose a lot of weight in 14 days. I really enjoyed the science and learning more about how your body works and uses what you feed it. I also liked the fact that the foods and meal plans were realistic. So many times there are strange ingredients or food substitutes that always make me wonder how people could stay on the 'diet' and continue it life long. I know that some of my eating behaviors and likes need attention, but I want to feel good while I am doing it and understand the long term affects of what I do.

The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how big cooperation's continue to skew the data to work in their favor. As my husband always says, follow the money. Not everyone has their best interest out for your health, it is all about the bottom line for them.  

I definitely learned a lot and took away some really good recipes that I have already tried. I am striving to stay healthy and strong as long as possible and every bit of information can be useful. Always do what feels right for you, as we are not all made the same. I want to enjoy life and enjoy food and this book gave me some great ideas and a better understanding of how the body works. 

 

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard

 

I enjoy reading historic fiction. I seem to be drawn to World War 2 for some reason and have really enjoyed what I have learned over the years.

This takes place in the mid 40's when work was being done in making the atomic bomb. A town was created in Eastern Tennessee, Oak Ridge. People were displaced and a town grew up almost over night.

This book follows several different people and how they are learning and finding their way. You have June who is just from a few counties over and wanted to do something for the war effort. There is CiCi who is trying recreate herself and find a better life after the war. Joe is a black sharecropper from Alabama just wanting to make a better life for his family.

Living conditions are not always ideal, work schedules could be grueling, and it was a totally different life for everyone. People learned who were and were not to be trusted. And keeping secrets was no easy task.

The joys, sorrows, and hardships seemed worth it to all of them. I don't want to give too much away, but in the end I think they all got what was deserved and earned. It is an amazing time in history, so much was accomplished. At the same time some things that were being fought for then are still being fought for today, more than 70 years later.

If you enjoy historic fiction, especially from this era, I highly recommend this book. It was very well written, easy to read, and I fell in love with all of the characters.

The Winter House by Joan MacCracken

Subtitle: A Season of Sharing

This book had a very interesting premise. Elizabeth was recently widowed and wanted to spend her first winter in Maine, but she really did not want to do it alone. She asked Marty to join her who asked Janet who asked Catherine. They were all widows and Elizabeth thought it would be a great way for them all to have some companionship and save some money in the process.

This all worked out very well for everyone. They encouraged each other to do things, they talked about and faced things that they were struggling with, and all became stronger women for the process.

I must have picked this book up at a library book sale in Maine. Not only was it a signed copy, but it was published in Maine as well. The writing was quite simple and at times felt a little manufactured but the idea and story line was very inviting and curious. It was an interesting way to approach a difficult subject and time in peoples lives. I have a hard time thinking about being alone in the future and hope that I have a circle of friends that these ladies created to help me through. 

Glow 15 by Naomi Whittel

 Subtitle: A Science-based Plan to Lose Weight, Revitalize Your Skin, and Invigorate Your Life

A friend recommended this to me and it was an interesting read. I am always curious about the different ways people and science think that they can help you feel younger, stronger, and healthier.

This book hits on a concept called autophagy. It is something within our bodies that can turn on and off our metabolism and make our bodies use what is has more efficiently. There are also foods and exercises that can trigger autophagy to make your body more efficient as well.

There are certain foods to eat and times to eat. You intermittent fast three non consecutive days and eat normally the other four days. There is also exercising that you do on certain days, either HIIT workouts or resistance band workouts.

In the scheme of things if you are able to make these changes in your life and if looking younger is that important to you then this might work. I am more from the school of trying to work with what I have, no special diets or exercises. And on the whole I feel pretty good.

We all want to loose some weight, me included. We all would like to look younger, me included. But we have to remember that we are all different, our bodies are different, and how are bodies work individually are different. And we have earned every wrinkle and gray hair and should be proud of how far we have come.

For me I have been working on eating the same number of calories everyday, drinking enough water everyday, and doing moderate exercise everyday. Will I be disappointed if I don't loose weight, of course. Do I know that I am doing something good for my body everyday, absolutely!

This is a good book. It gives us another view of how are bodies work and how we can make them work more efficiently. It is not something that I am going to do but it may work for you.

Dewey's Nine Lives by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

 Subtitle: The Legacy of the Small-town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions

If you have not read Dewey I highly recommend that you do. It is not necessary if you want to read this book, but it is well worth the read.

There is a wonderful partnership between Myron and Witter and when you sit down to read these books it feels like they are there tell you their stories. In this book we not only learned more about Dewey and how he touched so many lives but also about other cats that have had huge impacts on their owners.

In so many of the stories the cats are true confidants, they are there for the owner. They are there to listen and to comfort, to protect and be an ally. If you have never had a pet it may be hard to understand. But if you have been a pet owner you know what it is like to have an animal love you unconditionally. To have a live creature there to pour your heart out to and just sit there and listen. To have an animal that will just love you for who you are and help you grow into a stronger and more confidant human being.

In this book cats help fill the void of not being able to have children, of moving someplace new and knowing no one, of helping you through a tough time when you didn't even really know you needed help. Cats have always been considered stand-offish, but I think they are always there for you.

The last cat that I had was not a cuddler. She would be in the same room with you but she was very independent. She loved to bring me 'gifts' and learned to leave them at the door after I thanked her. The one thing she would do is cuddle me when I was not feeling well. She didn't leave my side, but once I was feeling better she was off.

Pets know how to take care of their owners and they are a wonderful addition to the family if is is a viable option. I am so thankful for the pets that I have had over the years and am looking forward to having one again (once I settle down, haha).