Hi everyone. First, thank you guys for all of your well wishes pre-surgery. They meant a lot to me! I just wanted to post a quick update this morning, and I will probably post a video update from me later on. It’s been rough and sometimes I need to talk through things to process them better. It has definitely been rougher on my kiddo, although he is handling things like a champ.
The first few days were very rough on Wyatt. The first 24 hours he was inconsolable from pain and muscle spasms. Literally screaming in pain for 12 hours. However, things have gotten better. His pain seems to be managed and he is able to sleep when he needs to now. He is pretty unhappy about everything and I don’t blame him. They said the worst days are the first few so we are praying he is feeling better in a day or two. He will still have to wear knee immobilizers and a wedge pillow between his legs 24/7 which will take some getting used to, but Wyatt is a trooper. The staff at the hospital was incredible though and did whatever they needed to take care of him.
We were able to bring him home yesterday afternoon, which was both awesome and scary for us as parents. However, we have all made it through the first night and we all were able to sleep. It sort of reminded me of bringing home a newborn, with lots of middle of the night tasks – instead of feedings we gave meds, but it felt the same, waking up, stumbling around, doing what we needed then collapsing back into bed for a few more hours sleep until the next alarm. He is up and watching cartoons and eating some toast this morning. We are praying and hoping for another good day today, and hope that as time goes on things just keep getting better.
We thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and messages about Wyatt.
This week’s prompt: Books I’d Like to Re-read (Share either your favorite books that you enjoy re-reading or books that you’d like to read again!)
What a fun topic! I have mentioned my first one on here millions of times, so I will start with that one then move on.
Watership Down is my yearly re-read. It is my favorite book of all time.
Next, I re-read Barbara Michael’s books all the time. These are the books by Michaels that I could read just over and over again. And I have. My copies are very ragged and worn.
And my final two, Little Women and The Westing Game. I mean, Little Women is such a classic and I have just always loved it. The Westing Game – I honestly don’t know why I read it so much! Lol. I just really enjoy it, every time. I guess that is my answer. I like it.
I can’t wait to see what everyone else has posted today!
I’ve been doing mini book reviews after every three books read, but today, I am writing this after two. I am anxious to get my thoughts out about The God of the Woods and I am reading so slowly right now! So two it is.
Let’s start with Dark Waters by Katherine Arden.
I love this middle grade series by Katherine Arden, the author who wrote The Bear and the Nightingale. It seems crazy to me that the same author wrote both of these series. They are just so different! This is the third book in the series, and takes place on the infamous Lake Champlain this time. The trio of friends has to face lake monsters, ghosts, and shipwrecks this time around, and the ending was a surprise. The next book should be a good one, and in video game talk, the one where they meet the “boss.”
It was a great spooky middle grade to read at the beginning of summer!
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore is amazing. This book is written from multiple viewpoints, and multiple timelines, each focusing on the disappearance of a child from the Van Laar family at their summer camp. On some level, this book is about the power of rich men, men in power, the women in their lives, and how they mistreat them. But this book is also very woman-driven, with smart, savvy, brave women making their way in the world. Underneath all the surface, this book is also about mothers- good mothers, bad mothers, overprotective mothers, neglectful mothers, and substitute mothers. Mothers who have lost their way and mothers who have lost children. It is also a story of privilege and the working class, power and the powerless.
This book is a chunk, and has so many different points of view and so many stories, that it feels almost impossible to write a cohesive review that encompasses all the plotlines and characters – or it is beyond my abilities, at least.
It dives right in, not with a bang but a squeak, or, lack of squeak, of the all important screen door of a campground cabin. Here we meet Louise, who quickly learns that one of her campers is missing – and of course, it is Barbara. Barbara, the misunderstood, intelligent, clever, confident, punk rock daughter of none other than the Van Laars themselves, the owners of the campground. The parents who lost their other child, Bear, almost a decade before, in the same woods. From here the story unfolds, and the time is fluid, and skips around, stirring up these characters and their stories, with something new floating to the surface with each perspective.
I absolutely loved this book, with one small exception that kept it from being perfect in my eyes. This didn’t prevent this book from being my favorite read of the year so far, because it definitely is. I am not one to throw something completely out because of one small defect. What is that expression? Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater? I can reject that one small bit because the rest of this book was outstanding.
I hate that I keep dancing around this part in my review but there is no way I can discuss it. The only way I could come up with, if you want to know and want to discuss it with me, is to record a small spoiler video and post it here. I have never done anything like this before, so please bear with me. This is an unlisted video on YouTube, but you can comment on there after watching. So, again, watch only if you don’t care about a major major spoiler or if you have already read the book. (that is my suggestion, read the book first).
Ok this video. Please excuse how I look and sound, lol. I did this in one take, no editing. I am running out of time before the surgery and I wanted to get this post up. I was very nervous, and things are not YouTube perfect. Lol. I really thought my voice sounded funny – I am not used to my own voice I guess. I also have this weird eyebrow thing going on too, please know my eyebrows are not like that. However, I did think this was fun, and I liked being able to connect with you guys on a different level, and have a different way for us to discuss spoilers without being here on the blog. You should be able to leave comments there as well. I am going to work on this whole video aspect and improve it but I figured, you have to start somewhere!
I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone! I hope that you have had a nice weekend! I did my best to forget what is happening Wednesday – the surgery I have been talking about for two months. It is all of a sudden here and I am trying very hard to not panic. I spent the weekend with family and hanging out, working on Wyatt’s little free library, and prepping posts. I will have posts up this week but after Wednesday I may not be replying for a while.
I had a rough reading week. Once the nerves started setting in, I began to have a hard time reading. I had to set the two books aside that I was reading, and find something a little bit easier to digest. So, I am back on the Tonya Kappes series, which is literally perfect for right now. Light, fluffy, short, there is a ton of them. Perfection. Lol.
What I am reading right now:
I imagine I will stick to this series until I start to relax a bit again.
We finished up Sirens, which I really loved! Then we were in sort of limbo, and we ended up watching a documentary about the Delphi Murders. Then we watched The Meg, and also The Great Outdoors. We are also starting Dark Winds, season 3. We usually watch Jaws on the 4th but this year, we went for something different, so The Meg it was. The Meg is sort of an homage to Jaws so that was cool. It’s shark month around here. We may try to watch Shark Night, and Deep Blue Sea while we are at it.
The past few weeks have felt more like the summers I had growing up. Slower. Simpler. Small joys. And I am not complaining – and Wyatt wasn’t either.
First though, I want to brag about my little Scouts for a minute. Last Saturday morning we assembled to pack lunches at the church to hand out to people who needed them, and the kids did such a great job. I was proud of my Scouts! Only half of our pack could make it, it is summertime after all, but the three of the kids who did worked so well together and packed 120 lunches! The kids who weren’t able to make it are going to fill some blessing boxes on their own, which is just as important.
Later that evening, we got together for ice cream with friends. Wyatt’s and mine! Just a summer night, scoops of ice cream, stories, and laughter, sitting outside at the tables behind the ice cream parlor.
When the weather cooperates, when it is not too swampy out or extreme heat, we have been enjoying the outdoors. You know, let me amend that. I decided it was a good idea to take Wyatt on a hike through the woods on a very muggy day. It was beautiful out, the water was sparkling, the birds were singing, Wyatt kept telling me how happy he was, and I was sweating profusely while pushing a child and a wheelchair through the woods. It was a good time although I looked like a wet tomato at the end. Wyatt was in charge of holding my phone and recording the birds on Merlin and we would stop occasionally just to record a spot that had lots of bird chatter. I plopped down under a tree at the end and told Wyatt we were going to enjoy the shade and breeze and take a minute. While we were enjoying this moment, a man walking by told me that we were sitting under his favorite tree, with a little smile on his face. I agreed, it was a really great tree, with giant roots all over the ground, wide and strong with lots of shade branches and leaves. And I loved that idea of a favorite tree! Do any of you have a favorite tree? I don’t know if I do, but I might need one.
While we were out sweating in the woods, Billy was at a friend’s house building Wyatt a Little Free Library! I use the term “little” loosely, as it is actually quite big. Like almost as tall as me. Taller than Wyatt for sure. It is awesome and Wyatt is extremely excited to get it set up. Billy is actually working on it right now, putting the final touches on it while I type this.
I have been spending mornings outside on our deck, drinking coffee, reading, working, while Wyatt plays or draws out there with me. I also usually wander about poking at all of our flowers, checking on the caterpillars (who are slowly disappearing, even before full size – I think the birds have spotted them too), and I found a chrysalis! Some silly caterpillar had formed its chrysalis on the grill, and since it was a black swallowtail chrysalis, I gently removed it and relocated it, and also the only remaining caterpillar, to a butterfly enclosure. I decided I would protect the last little baby ‘pillar from the birds.
We haven’t been outside all the time though. It’s been more hot than not. When my dad visited the other day we decided a shopping trip to Target was in order to stay cool yet get out of the house. I also wanted to see if there were any Camp Snoopy notebooks there, since Wyatt loves Camp Snoopy. I had seen a post online that there were, but we didn’t find them. However, we did find a bunch of other things! All three of us had a really good time honestly. We spent some time in the dollar spot, oooing at all the things there we could buy – tiny colorful plates with summer fruits on them, card keepers for flash cards and playing cards, a little metal lunch box with clasps that says “Happy Camper”, fun mugs. My dad and I each picked out a mug – mine is a pastel purpley color with clouds on it, and my dad chose a yellow one with a handle that looks like a banana. Wyatt wanted the Happy Camper tin so we picked that up too, and it now houses his markers. My dad and Wyatt each got some shorts and shirts, I grabbed a new nail polish color. We just wandered around looking at everything and picking stuff up. It was good time!
Also, at the urging of my friend Kelly, who I had drinks with the other night in her yard, I ordered a few new embroidery kits to do during Wyatt’s recovery. I am glad she convinced me, it will probably be the best distraction for me, and the most relaxing too. I have oodles of books to read but I will probably be doing more reading with Wyatt than I will for me. I tend to not be able to read as much when I am anxious, but I can embroider. I picked out a set of three, that are hygge themed and they are really cute!
Then yesterday we got together with my whole extended family for the fourth. It also marked the 100th Independence Day since my grandfather’s family, the Keedys, came to America! My cousin has a big party every year, and it is so nice to just hang out near the pool, chat with family, eat and drink, and listen to the bops in the background. He has a gorgeous house and yard, and the kids go wild in the pool, and so do the dads. It was a typical super muggy day in the midwest, so even if we weren’t swimming we were poolside, legs and feet dangling into the water, getting splashed by children, mostly Wyatt. I was so happy that I decided to take a second dress with me, since I ended up getting soaked at one point when I chased my littlest niece down to give her mom a break for a second. We were a happy, motley crew and I think I smiled and laughed all day. We came home and all crashed hard.
This is my favorite photo from this past week or so…
And with that, I will sign off for now. I hope that whatever you all do today that you do something that makes you smile!
I decided on doing books with a salty, watery theme for this post. I am feeling the coastal vibes and this spring and summer I have been picking up books here and there that are in that vein. This list will be both books I have read and books on my TBR.
I loved both House of Salt and Sorrows and The Wicked Deep! They were excellent and I would read them again if my TBR wasn’t so long. All the Murmuring Bones is one I have not read but looks fantastic.
I have all three of these on my hopefuls for summer but I will only get to one of these. I am not sure which one will be the winner! If you have read these, let me know your vote!
I got to ten way too fast. I have so many more!! For my last few though, I chose two that I have read, and two on my list. The Lamplighter and Tidepool are lingering on my TBR, waiting for their time to be read.
Wait for What Will Come is one of my very favorite Barbara Michaels books! It takes place in a crumbling old home on the cliffs of Cornwall, and I reread it at least once a year. Barbara Michaels is one of my comfort authors.
Malamander is a middle grade I read for the first time this year, and it was so atmospheric. I felt like I was in a Scooby Doo episode, or in Innsmuth, or somewhere equally creepy and coastal. I absolutely loved it.
And I still can’t believe how quickly this post went together. I may have to do a part two!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone! I hope you had a good week! We took it pretty easy around here last week, between the heat wave and just needing a slow down. It was nice to be summertime lazy with Wyatt.
We have been amassing books for his post-surgery recovery, and I feel like we have a good start! Wyatt is pretty into dragons now and his reading material reflects that… lol.
What I Am Reading:
This is my current slow read. I am reading it now, but I read nonfiction sooo slowly for some reason. So I am going to have to add in some fiction while I am reading it. I am really enjoying it, and learning a lot more about British books about Otters than I could have imagined, specifically Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell. I had never heard of this book or movie, but it is one of the books that Darlington read that formed her lifelong love of otters.
It also seems like the perfect time to start Pat of Silver Bush. I am looking forward to retreating into the world of L.M. Montgomery again.
Billy and I finished season 1 of Yellowjackets and are pressing pause on it until fall. We are loving it though.
We have been watching Sirens with Kevin Bacon and Julianne Moore, and it is really good! I also love seeing the shots of the interior design in this show. Everything is like a visual feast. I loooove Simone’s bedroom, and I love Peter’s study. The interior also serves to reflect the secrets of the show, the tone, the weirdness. This article explains it a bit. Anyway, the cool coastal interiors are perfect for summer tv watching.
When we finish this up, I think we are going to start the new season of Dark Winds.
Wyatt’s been watching a lot of cartoons on Apple TV+ mainly Frog and Toad and Camp Snoopy. I have to admit I like when he watches these because I enjoy them too.
Online Things Happening:
Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are still hosting our Drop In Crafternoons once a month. Lisa and I have been hosting crafternoons for fellow bloggers on Zoom since January, and it has been so fun. It is nice to meet the person behind the blog, hear their voices, and share more stories – all while we work on whatever craft we choose! There is no right or wrong activity, you don’t even need to craft if you don’t want to. Just hang out, that is fine too! I need to update the dates for this – hopefully I get to that today.
I am also participating in 10, 15, 20 Books of Summer which is hosted by Emma over at Words and Peace, and Annabel at Annabookbel. I am glad that one of the “rules” is that we are allowed to switch up the books from our list at anytime, because I have already done that a few times since the beginning of June. I hope to post a few reviews this week! I went with 10 books but who knows? Maybe I will hit 15!
And that is it for me today! I hope that whatever you do today, that you do something that makes you smile!
Hello everyone! I have been seeing this around the interwebs and wanted to play too!
Favorite Book of the Year So Far:
The God of the Woodsby Liz Moore
I became totally enveloped in this world and this mystery. I was sucked in, and once I was finished, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And this was even after I knocked a star off. Review coming next week!
Biggest Disappointment:
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates
I really don’t like to criticize books, because it is all so subjective to the reader. It just wasn’t the book for me.
Biggest Surprise:
Of Salt and Shore by Annet Schaap
There was so much emotion hidden in the pages of this middle grade. So many stories. So much love and found family and loyalty. I absolutely loved it – and cried too. So… you will see this book again on this list.
Made Me Laugh:
The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea
This book cracked me up! It was just so silly and cute and the perfect happy fun romantic read. It was full of adventure and goofiness.
Made Me Cry:
Of Salt and Shore by Annet Schaap
And…repeat from above. If I hadn’t read The God of the Woods, this would be my favorite book of the year so far.
Favorite New to Me Author:
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
I loved The Spellshop so much that I need to go find every Durst book out there.
Favorite New To Me Character:
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
I love Emily! I loved her sass and her moodiness and that she had a bit of a temper too. She sort of reminded me of Laura Ingalls, and as a kid I loved Laura because she wasn’t perfect and got into mischief – kind of like I did occasionally….
Most Beautiful Book I Have Acquired (Writing):
Nightwalking by John Lewis-Stempel
…all around us the earth had erupted with silver rabbits washing their faces with moon dew.”
New Release I Haven’t Read Yet:
What about you all? I would love to hear how you would answer these questions!
This week’s prompt: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025
Hello everyone! Wow, here we are already, looking at the second half of the year. I had to go look books up to get up to ten; the first few are books I have been anxiously awaiting, the others are books I read about on NetGalley that I am definitely putting on my TBR.
The Lady on Esplanade: I love this series by Karen White and I have been waiting and waiting for the next book to come out. It felt like a super long wait! It is the third in the Royal Street series, which is all about fixing up historical old houses – and some that have ghosts…. (Nov. 4)
The Enchanted Greenhouse: I LOVED The Spellshop so I am super excited about The Enchanted Greenhouse! (July 15)
We Love You, Bunny: This is a sequel to the 2019 book Bunny by Awad. That book was a crazy fever dream of a book, and I am super excited to read this one. (Sept. 23)
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: This is another one I had on my list. I really enjoyed Ancestor Approved, which is another compilation of stories by Indigenous authors. (Aug. 26)
A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Solving a Murder: This is one I found on NetGalley that is immediately going on my TBR! A cozy mystery with ghosts! That has my name written all over it. (Oct. 2)
Ugh! This weather! We are on day 3 of a 4 day heat wave here in Michigan, and I know we are not the only ones experiencing high temps! I am a fall/winter girlie so I am NOT enjoying this to say the least. The weather here is hot, humid, swampy, oppressive, downright disrespectful, if you will.
I pulled together a list of a few books that feel like a heat wave, in case you want to match the weather outside. These temps call for more than a light summer read!
Desperation: Desert heat, scary horrible creatures, and a gang of thrown together heroes battling an ancient evil. This is probably one of my top fave King books.
Lonesome Dove: More desert, minus the … gore? It still has its moments. Just imagine wandering the desert in all that gear. Bleh. One of the best books ever though.
Holes: This book is on my mind a lot right now, as it is a book Wyatt and I are reading next year for school. But dang, is it hot out there. Poor Stanley.
The Ruins: Jungle heat, humidity, swampy, bugs and plants and horror. So good!
Jaws: I don’t think this one needs an explanation. However, this book makes you think twice about swimming in the ocean to beat the heat!
The Sunlit Man: My husband suggested this one so I don’t know anything about it! However, Billy understood the assignment, as the description reads “Fleeing the fires of a sunrise that melts the very stones…” Yep, that is pretty hot.
Good Girls Die Last: This book is all feminist rage during a London heatwave. Em is just going through some shit, pardon my French, and is fed up.
The Summer That Melted Everything: I can’t describe this any better than this blurb.. “Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heatwave scorched the small town of Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.”
A Streetcar Named Desire: Literally the first book that popped into my head when I was thinking about this post. New Orleans in the hot summer is something to be experienced y’all!
The Great Gatsby: Another book that was an instant add to my list.
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 