Spring is slow in coming to this corner of the world. Daffodils are the only flowers brave enough to bloom. Their cheerful yellow blossoms hold up under sudden rains and frosty nights. You would think, in early April, that other flowers would at least try. Maybe next week? I am ready for flowers and warm weather and beginning my vegetable garden again.
In other news, I had spring break last month, so I was able to read a little bit more than I otherwise would have. I also did some spring cleaning. So my house at least looks like spring! Anyway, onto the books!
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
By John Mark Connor
This was a reread for me. I read it a couple of years ago, smugly decided I was doing everything in the book, and moved on. This time, I was a little more humble… The book is about a pastor who realized his life was so fast, he wasn’t able to concentrate on what mattered to him most. He was so busy he was disconnected from his family, and his life did not reflect his values. So he made a whole bunch of big changes in pursuit of a restful life. I always find it interesting how one persons story can teach me more than a list of do this and don’t do that. Sometimes, one persons life story is more helpful than the best written self help book.
Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
By Julie Andrews
I read this one for a book club I am a part of. I loved the tone and voice of the book. It was smooth and gentle, I was never jarred out of the book by a clunky turn of phrase. It read almost like her voice sounds, if that makes any sense. Her early life was not what I expected it to be! I liked reading about how she got into acting and singing. She is very honest about her struggles as an artist, but also honest about what she was able to do. She didn’t downplay her strengths, or inflate them either. She seemed to have a very truthful view of herself, which is something I aspire to.
On Old Age
By Cicero
No, I am not cool. It was really short. I picked it up because someone I admire read it and recommended it. Also a very uncool reason to read a book. I thought it was going to be dry and hard to understand, but it actually wasn’t. I found that I could follow the arguments he was making and the thoughts he was expressing. I do think it helped that it was pretty short, and evening read for me. It was a breath of fresh air to read such a positive view on growing old, even if it is from thousands of years ago. It almost made me look forward to it. Almost, not quite. If you are wanting to get into Greek philosophers, start with this one!
Dreaming in Turtle
By Peter Laufer
Another turtle book! They are taking over my Goodreads list… I can probably tell you more about the illegal turtle trade than you would ever want to know because of this book. But don’t listen to me, read the book instead! It is written by an investigative journalist, as such it is well researched. How the author described the people he met with was one of the best parts. His quick sketches of the variety of people he met brought them off the page and made me feel as if I too were meeting them. If you like turtles, I would recommend this book.
The Broken Girls
By Simone St. James
We finally get to the fiction books! No wonder I feel so antsy, I need some more fantastical places in my reading diet.
This book was waaaay out of my normal reading fare. It is a murder mystery, which I do enjoy, but not a cozy one. I usually go for the cozy mysteries where everything gets wrapped up over a cup of tea. Not so in this book! Enter police corruption, cold cases, a dual timeline, and a ghost! Yes really, a ghost. The book is honestly a little scary. It is best read on a sunny day. I usually steer clear of scary books and ghosts, but this one was a good read. It kept me glued to the page, wondering what was going to happen next…
The Invisible Library
By Genevieve Cogman
A cute lil’ story about a timeline hopping librarian and her mysterious sidekick. Mostly, I was there for the books. I wish the whole story would have taken place in the Library, instead of just the beginning and end. The plot got a little complicated for me, there were so many threads I got confused as to what was happening and who was involved. I did like the main character though, who isn’t out to save the world, just read all the books! I understand that sentiment very well.
…
There you have it folks, my whole reading month. Looking over it, I think I need some more fiction in April. Also, I did not read my nonfiction book. Oops… I did start it, but I never got around to finishing it. Maybe because I was reading so many other nonfiction books? Hm, that’s a thought.
I hope spring comes quickly to wherever you are.
Shaina Merrick
The Beauty of a Story 