Book report: Ink and Shadows

Through her characters, Ms. Adams displays exceptional grace to those who wrong others. Her writing is characterized by compassion- she touches on social issues in ways that seek to understand the marginalized and the victims, but also the villains of her stories. 

Ink and Shadows centers on four women who have grown close over their time in Miracle Springs; through their individual talents they uplift their community and do what they can to protect the core values of the small town: community, friendship, and protecting each other. 

When newcomers Celeste and Bren are targeted by the local busy-bodies, the Secret, Book, and Scone society gals offer their trademark friendship to rally around them.

Mystery, secrets, and scars from the past are ever-present in the newest installment - and, of course, book-lovers will take extra delight in seeing what Nora and Sheldon are up to at Miracle Books. Ellery Adams doesn’t disappoint this cozy mystery fan!

Thanks to Ellery Adams and Kensington Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Year in Review - 2020

Last year's focus word was Intention and my goal was to approach life with more awareness; to go about my days with more engagement, and not allow myself to slip into mindless behaviour or activities that would eat up my time.

At the start of the pandemic and during the first days of shelter-in-place orders, I went into a sort of vacation mode in my brain. Every day was a day without responsibilities; I already worked from home, so I had that routine down. But things like exercise, which I could no longer do with my work-out buddy in a classroom environment, eating healthy, bedtime routines... all of it ceased, immediately. And I never got it back on track.

I've always struggled with cleaning and cooking and the domestic aspects of life; when quarantine orders were issued, I abandoned even the small routines that kept my life running in an orderly manner. Not intentionally ... just sort of passively.

All around me I am seeing and reading about folks who are using their quarantine time to learn a new skill - COVID skills, they call them. Michelle Obama took up knitting and is making her family sweaters. Not only did I not take up a new skill, but I mostly abandoned all the things that bring me peace and clarity. My focus word didn't help me at all in 2020 - there I was, there I always am, struggling to face each moment with grace.

I am not sure precisely how I will change that in 2021 - I've chosen a new phrase for the year and I've got a list of things I want to do with my time. 

I am hesitantly hopeful about this year; I need an internal reset in the worst way, and I'm looking forward to seeing how I can accomplish that by letting go of the things that are keeping me... un-reset.

2020 Reading Wrap up

Here is what my year in books looked like:

130 total books - 46,734 pages
112 of those were audio
15 were physical books
2 were a combination physical + audio
1 was electronic that I read on my phone

11 of those books were written by people of colour; 1 by an LGTBQ+ author; 33 were written by women.

I had several 4 and 5 star reads this year - it was hard to choose 10 top faves.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

My 2021 reading goal will include fairy tales - Grimms Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson; I am reading a couple epic series- Song of Ice and Fire (re-read) and Outlander- I'd like to dive into the next books of both these sets; and finally - more non-fiction.

Happy 2021, and happy reading!