A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2023 – Halifax, Nova Scotia

I know I said that we really loved everywhere that we stopped on this year’s Summer Holiday, but I feel like Halifax might…just might have topped the list? I don’t know, so many good stops, but this one was just…stuck with me. Maybe it’s because of timing and what we did, maybe it’s the vibe of where we were, maybe it’s just a magical thing that Halifax has. Regardless, I am so excited to talk about the few days we spent in Halifax. 

We arrived in Halifax on Canada Day. And everyone has asked (especially with our timelines of summer travel), what Canada Day is like in Canada. Is it similar to America’s Independence Day? Is it wildly different? What is it like?

And I am here to say- it’s by and large probably about the same. You have some people who are loudly pro Canada and choose Canada Day to proclaim it, but honestly, for the most part people…calmly celebrated? I don’t know how to explain it. For us in Halifax, everyone was wearing red/white, there was a massive block party on the pier, but it was also just chill. Some of that was possibly due to weather- it was overcast day with low hanging clouds (so no plane show or fireworks), but I do also wonder if this is just the way the people of Canada celebrate. 

So, we had a delightful first afternoon/evening in Halifax. After checking in, we headed over to the Halifax Citadel. But let’s talk a little history first. 

Halifax is the capital, and largest city, in Nova Scotia. Originally known as Mi ’ kma ’ ki it is the ancestral home of the Mi ‘ kmaq people- something they acknowledge and honor very well. The “Town of Halifax” was established in 1749 and marked the beginning of Father Le Loutre’s War. The establishment of Halifax the British violated their treaties with the Mi’kmaq. To bolster the town defenses, the British built the Citadel in Halifax, along with several other fortifications in neighboring areas. 

Halifax Citadel was initially fortified in 1749 intended to not only serve Halifax defensively, but also as a counterbalance to the French Louisbourg. It was small, part of a western perimeter wall and was protected by five stockaded forts. The city of Halifax was raided four times during that initial war; however, the Citadel was taken care of, and by 1761 it had deteriorated so much that the British built a new one…in 1776 (thanks to the Seven Years War). This second fort was a permanent fortification. There were redans, a blockhouse, and 72 mounted guns. This Citadel gave the Royal Navy the most secure and strategic base in North America. Halifax became known as the “Warden of the North”. It is also thought that this presence is why Nova Scotia stayed loyal to the British during the Revolutionary War. However, permanent these fortifications were intended, by 1784 they were once again in ruins and with the French Revolutionary War coming (and parts of Canada very much French), a new Citadel was designed and built. With the Third Citadel, they levelled and lowered the ground to allow for a larger fortification. We see the initial signs of the current set up, with four bastions surrounding the barracks and magazine. In 1803 the Halifax Town Clock was opened to keep time for the soldiers (this was a real issue then). This third Citadel is also where we see the system of flag communications come into play. While it didn’t fall into complete disrepair, it did need a new magazine and a slew of repairs when the War of 1812 came around. However, in 1825 they decided to scrap most of the citadel (due to disrepair) and rebuild. After 28 long years of construction, the Citadel as we see it today opened in 1856. The overall history of the military AT the Citadel has been quite varied. It’s seen a fair number of soldiers, but never an attack. The British Army pulled out in 1906, with Canada taking over. 

While the hill and fortifications were designated historic sites in 1935, there was still quite a bit of talk about tearing it down. Thankfully that was struck down, and in 1956 it opened some of its’ doors to the public. Over time it has been repaired and in the 1990’s it became fully restored to the Fourth Citadel appearance. Nowadays it is fully open to the public, with it transforming into a living history museum during the spring/summer months. There is a noon-time canon firing, a war museum, ghost tours in October, and reenactments throughout the year. We always enjoy walking through military history- especially if it’s from another country, with a different insight. And in this case, it was a defensive fort that never really got attacked. 

While in town we also wandered over to the Old Burying Ground. The cemetery was founded in 1749- with its’ first burial taking place the same year. Intended as a common burial ground it remained open for burials until 1844, when Camp Hill Cemetery was established. If you’ve read enough of my travel blog posts, you’ll know we find it interesting and cool and just a piece of history to wander through older cemeteries. In the 1980’s the site was restored by the Old Burying Ground Foundation, who now not only maintain the cemetery, but also work to restore the grave markers. This particular cemetery is said to hold 12,000 graves, to include the British Major General who burned the White House during the War of 1812. The monument at the front of the cemetery is the Welsford-Parker Monument. This is the first public monument in Nova Scotia, and the fourth oldest in all of Canada (and the only monument to the Crimean War in North America). Built after the cemetery closed, it commemorates British Victory in Crimea and serves as the last grave marker in the cemetery. 

I would say the real highlight of our entire Summer Holiday occurred on our second night in Halifax. We were able to attend the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. And honestly, before I go any further, if you are ever able to make it to an International Tattoo- go. It is incredible to watch.

The Tattoo is intended to serve as a theatrical experience where military bands and display teams are able to showcase their abilities. The Halifax one has been taking place since 1979- ever year. Aside from being able to showcase a variety of military bands across the world, there is also a theme of friendship and bonds between countries in each year’s performances. The Halifax Tattoo was given the “Royal” designation from Queen Elizabeth II in 2006. This past year we were able to watch acts not just from the United Kingdom, America, and Canada, but also from Germany and South Korea- which was really cool! Germany was a hilarious performance, and the boys loved the Sweet Caroline singalong as well as the bagpipe rock n roll. My personal favorite was the Switzerland Drummers. For a little insight into the performance- check out my Instagram where I’ve posted a video. It was incredible- a real highlight. 

Our last day in Halifax we started off back at the Marina and checking out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Located at the HMC Dockyard, this is the first known maritime museum in Canada and also includes a visit to the CSS Acadia.  The Museum has a large number of artifacts and photos, but also charts and rare books. You can see everything from the artifacts to replica’s that are being worked on (and the workshop where they get worked on!). You can wander through numerous exhibits, and the boys got to learn how to spell their name in Morse Code. There are actually two truly notable exhibits in the museum- one on the RMS Titanic and one on the Halifax Explosion. 

The Halifax Explosion was one of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions (and is actually a standard of measurement for other large blasts). In December of 1917 a French Cargo Ship collided with a Norwegian Ship in the harbor. This is actually quite a tragic, but fascinating event in their history. The Mont-Blanc was carrying quite a high number of explosives (unannounced too so only those on board knew), which upon the crash caught fire and exploded. The explosion destroyed almost all the immediate radios buildings, and anything that wasn’t immediately destroyed by the explosion was then destroyed by the pressure wave and tsunami.  1600 people were killed instantly and 300 of the 9000 injured succumbed to those injuries. A good amount of the city ended up burning due to the gas stoves and lamps, and if you had been watching the fire? You surely lost your sight when the explosion blew your windows out. In fact- there is an exhibit of replacement eyeballs. 

To make matters worse- the day after a blizzard dropped 16 inches of snow on Halifax the next day. Not only stalling recovery efforts and supply deliveries, but also making it incredibly difficult for those trying to find shelter. 

While it was a horrifying event, it did lead to some good- quite a few medical advances came from the months post explosion- specifically in eye care, public sanitation, and maternity care. It also helped deepen the bond between Boston and Halifax (which dated back to the founding of Halifax). Boston was such a help that every year Halifax sends a Christmas Tree to Boston- which is the official Christmas Tree of Boston and is on the Boston Commons every year. 

The Titanic Exhibit is equally fascinating as it has the foremost collection of wooden artifacts from the Titanic (including one of those infamous deck chairs). Nova Scotia and Halifax in particular played a large part in the collection of bodies from the Titanic. As the only unfrozen port, they were dispatched to help provide assistance. I’ve already mentioned the deck chair, but they’ve also got the shoes that were used to identify the “unknown child” of Titanic, an original copy of the senate hearings/testimony from after the sinking, and so much more. We were at the museum not long after the situation with the Titan, which made it all the more real and sobering for the kids (who followed what was happening with the submersible). 

We did two more things during our time in Halifax, one being a wander through the Halifax Public Gardens. This is a Victorian-era public gardens dating back to 1867. The Public Gardens are 16 acres, landscaped in the Victorian style, with all the standard garden fare, but also three fountains, two stone bridges, three ponds and a concession stand. There is a public bandstand that allows for concerts in the summer, and we spent a lovely hour or so wandering through the gardens. 

And how did we find the gardens? Well, yes, it’s on Trip Advisor and such, but also by taking a Duck Boat tour of the city. Yep, we finally did a ride along tour of a city. The boys saw these vehicles that would drive around on land, but also head into the water and they were obsessed. Since the weather wasn’t entirely cooperative during our stay (though we still loved it), we decided why not. It was actually a really interesting time, and we enjoyed learning a little bit more about city and some little bits and pieces we probably wouldn’t have learned. And of course- the boys loved when the truck turned into a boat, and they got to ride along the harbor in the water. 

And that basically sums up our time in Halifax! In just looking at the length of this post, I think you could probably tell how much I enjoyed our time there, but in case you can’t- we really did like it. There’s only one more post coming about our Summer Holiday- I’m sad to say a farewell to it, but it was a good one. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2023 – Prince Edward Island

Ah an island is a sure-fire way to spend a little time relaxing while you are on a holiday. And that is exactly what we intended when we booked a few nights on Prince Edward Island. A slower pace, surrounded by water, what more could you ask? We decided to stay in a little cabin (it’s a hotel, cabins with 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and living room) right outside of Cavendish. This spot allowed us to see most of the Island one way or the other and still allowed us to be in an inlet on the island. It was also very close to the home of L.M. Montgomery…yes Anne of Green Gables. Which is where we’ll begin…

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in what is now called New London on Prince Edward Island. Her mother died when she was just under 2 and her father placed her in her grandparents’ care who raised her in the Cavendish community. She spent much of her childhood alone and that fueled her creativity. She spent a single year with her father in Prince Albert, but it was not a time she enjoyed, having not liked her stepmother. She later attended college for her teacher’s license- completing her requirements in half the time allotted for the degree.  She did continue to study in Halifax in the following years. Teaching was not her passion, but it did allow her to write freely- and write she did. 

Now, L.M. Montgomery is most known for her Anne of Green Gables series, but she published a total of 20 novels, 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays in her lifetime. She also had a fair amount of suitors before marrying Ewan MacDonald in 1911. Now they were quite a mismatch, and they had their own struggles throughout their marriage, at one point they did in fact consider divorce, but in the end tried to work through it. They had three children, though the second was stillborn. She suffered a very serious depression after her third child, dealt with migraines, as well as almost succumbed to the Spanish Flu in 1918. She is the most successful Canadian author of all time, though many in her time dismissed her works. She died in 1942, her cause of death was listed as due to a blood clot, however this was disputed by a family member who said she may have overdosed after years of battling depression. 

We spent our first afternoon in Cavendish visiting the Green Gables Heritage Place. This is a National Historic Site that, while isn’t the actual farmhouse of her childhood (that was torn down by her family due to tourists), this is a replica of the Green Gables of her books. When I say it was like walking through a fairytale- I’m not joking. You can wander through the farmhouse, see the homestead, walk along Lover’s Lane, or go back to the Haunted Woods and Balsam Hollow. You are also able to see the remains of L.M. Montgomery’s home as well if you want to. It was raining off and on while we were there, so we stuck to the farmhouse, the Lover’s Lane, and the museum. 

Fun fact- the land was purchased by the Government of Canada and was initially set aside to become a clubhouse for the golf course right down the road. However, the public would not stand for this and after her death it was turned into a historic house. The interpretative center was added in 2017 to make it what it is today. It was quite the property to visit and a truly special way to spend an afternoon! We loved it- there was something for everyone. 

Now let’s talk about Prince Edward Island in general. One of the three maritime provinces, it was originally the traditional lands of the Mi’kmaq. The French landed and colonized in 1604 and held on to it until the end of the French and Indian War- where it was ceded to the British. Most of the island is devoted to farming- in fact a quarter of Canada’s potatoes comes from Prince Edward Island. Another fun fact- they used to have quite a large population of large game- moose, bear, caribou, etc.- but due to over hunting and other factors, they are no longer found on the island. You can see small game, foxes, coyotes and several bird’s species. 

We spent one day exploring a variety of beaches and cliff sides of the island. Most of these were actually red dirt, which, made for a very pretty site against the backdrop of the green grasses and blue waters. It was actually so pretty! The second day we drove over to Charlottetown to wander the capital city. Named for Queen Charlotte, it was selected to be the county seat of Queens County. It was also the location of a raid during the American Revolution. Charlottetown became a city in 1855 and in 1874 a railway opened a main line between Charlottetown and Summerside. One of my favorite spots was to walk along the marina in Charlottetown and then up through some of the areas that still hold on to the Victorian era architecture. 

And that really sums up our time on Prince Edward Island. It was slow, it was easy, it was beautiful. It was somewhere we would go back to- happily. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2023 – Quebec City

It is finally time to start breaking down our Summer Holiday. It’s a bit late in the posting lineup, but we had a truly fantastic trip, and I can’t wait to share all the details! We did a bit of an East Canada tour de force- starting in Quebec City and ending back in New York. I think this was one of our top trips in that we loved everywhere we went. We found some real gems in these cities and really fell in love with some of these spots. So, here we go with where we started…

We spent three nights in Quebec City and the bulk of our time was spent wandering the city. We stopped in places from time to time, but we really just walked the streets of the city and enjoyed our time. I’ll highlight a couple of the spots we did go to and the history, but I highly recommend just wandering the city streets of both upper and lower downtown. The days that we were there we did (and you’ll see) have some air quality issues, with the wildfires raging out of control. 

A real quick note on the “Upper Town”/” Lower Town” designations. I’m not making these up- this is very much how they are referred to. Upper Town is the location of the military and civic/admin district. Most buildings in this area are 19th century, though there are some 17th/18th century ones. Lower Town is at the “bottom” of the cape. This is the site that Samuel de Champlain built a settlement. The Church Notre-Dame-des-Victoires is located in Lower Town (dated back to 1723) as well as the Musee de la civilization.

Quebec City dates back to 1608 when the French, specifically Samuel de Champlain, settled the area- making it one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The ramparts (which we walked) are the only remaining fortified city walls remaining in the North Americas (north of Mexico). The “Historic District of Old Quebec” is a World Heritage Site (as of 1985) and honestly one of the coolest spots to walk around. Now, while the French “founded” the city, it was actually an abandoned Iroquoian settlement called Stadacona. The city itself has quite the history, specifically during the French and Indian War where it served as the headquarters for raids against New England. However, Quebec was captured by the British in 1759 and held by them until the end of the war. It was then officially ceded to Britain, though Quebec is still heavily French and both French and English are spoken interchangeably (which gave our boys a chance to learn a couple phrases in a new language!). 

To get a little ahead of myself on our time in Quebec, but stick with the history, we spent an afternoon wandering and touring the Citadelle of Quebec. The Citadelle was initially built due to concerns of an American attack post the American Revolution and the War of 1812 (as America did try to “liberate” Canada from her Sovereign- unsuccessfully). Now, the Citadelle is an active military installation and a secondary (official) residence of the Canadian Monarch and governor general. The Citadelle does join the original fortifications, which is really cool when you think about the history of it all. The entire city itself is surrounded by fortifications. 

When Samuel de Champlain was initially building up the settlement of Quebec, he immediately noted that the Cap Diamant would be of importance and value to any fortifications of the region. When he built up the settlement, he built it in the way that the city would be at the base of the cape, thus allowing the landscape to provide a natural defense. The French initially built up the walls but determined that a fort would cost too much, and it wasn’t until Louisbourg fell that they felt a true need for a fort. The British saw the need for a full fort, but, similar to the French, didn’t want to pay the cost for a full fort. It wasn’t until the late 18th century that they fully committed to building the fort. The present star fort was built from 1820-1850, with the British remaining within the Citadelle until 1871. 

It was really neat to walk through the Citadelle, seeing and learning the history, as well as hearing about their mascot- a goat (affectionally named Batisse)! Even though it is a fully functioning military base, you are able to see quite a bit of the buildings and museums. It is well worth the visit.

Now once you pass through the Old Fortifications to wander through downtown you can head through the streets and up towards the Promenade. This includes the cite of the Chateau Frontenac- one of the most photographed spots in Quebec City. Located in the Upper Town, it dates back to 1893 and was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway company. It is a National Historic Site of Canada and is one of the first completed grand railway hotels. These hotels are hotels that are built as an attachment to the major railways within Canada and were designed to serve railway passengers. A lot of these hotels then became landmarks and are linked to the history of the country itself. And I can definitely understand why- it is just as stunning in person as it is in photos.

Once you walk through the Promenade- called Terrasse Dufferin (and feel like you’ve stepped back into another era- just imagine it!), you can wander down to Lower Town. There are two ways to head down, by funicular or by stair. We chose the stair option because we have a thing for stairs (this is a long running theme from our European Travels). Lower Town has a very definitely different feeling to Upper Town. As you descend you can definitely feel a different vibe- in a way that…might even live up to the names. Upper Town is very…. business like, very prim and proper almost. Where Lower Town can have a bit of a frenetic feeling, a bit of a lighthearted, let loose, kind of feeling. Rue du Petit-Champlain in particular is very neat. We wandered through tight streets, picked up some ice cream, and sat riverside looking up at the Old City. 

Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Quebec was THE church we wandered through during our walks. And let me tell you…it lives up to that name. This is the oldest church in Canada and the first to gain the rank of minor basilica- which happened in 1874. However, this massive cathedral started off as a chapel- the Notre Dame de la Recouvrance- dating back to 1633. In 1647 construction of the actual Cathedral began under the name of Notre-Dame de la Paix. It was destroyed in 1759, rebuilt, and then destroyed again in 1922. Upon its 350th anniversary, a holy door was constructed, the second only to exist outside of Europe, only the eight in existence in the world. It was opened in 2013, for a little over a year, then opened again in 2015. It is not to be opened again until 2025. This particular Cathedral is absolutely incredible- it is pretty high up on my list of Cathedrals and churches, and I’ve seen my fair share. 

We spent a little bit of time exploring the Parliament Building of Quebec, which houses the National Assembly of Quebec. This present building was started in 1877, the first assembly met there in 1884, and the building was completed in 1886. The original building that housed the government was built in in 1648, rebuilt in 1694, and then destroyed in a fire in 1834. The clock tower was installed in 1888, the first addition was completed in 1915, and several more throughout it’s time. The new entrance was completed in 2019. We were able to walk through the halls, see where the government conducts business and learn a little about how it functions. 

One of the final things I want to talk about in Quebec City is the Morrin Centre. This is a 200-year-old building that was initially one of the first jails in the city, turned school, and now is the leading English-language cultural centre and library. A little history, because this building has a LONG one. Initially this space was called the Redoute Royale and served as a military barracks, with the occasional prisoner of war. The original building was demolished in 1808, with the intention of building a new building to serve as the public prison. The new prison was completed and opened in 1813- though it housed prisoners starting in 1812. The prison was quickly put to full use and became overcrowded quickly. In fact, our tour guide told us that it was a common occurrence to get in light in trouble in order to go to the prison and get a meal. There was a total of 16 men hanged in front of the prison and you are able to walk the very same steps those men would have walked. You are also able to see a variety of markings in the basement cells from the prisoners. The prison was officially closed in 1867. 

However, the building history doesn’t end there- it is quickly turned from a prison to a college. Morrin College is the first English language higher education institute. The college partnered with McGill University to allow students to earn Arts degrees, and starting in 1885, the college admitted woman into the program. In 1868 the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec (dated back to 1824) moved into a wing of the College. This Society has played quite the role in preserving the history of Canada- not only gathering and preserving historical documents, but also creating the National Archives, creating a lending library focusing heavily on English-language books, and republishing rare manuscripts. 

The building presently serves as a museum, a cultural centre, as well as a fully functioning library. But also, I mean look at this library- is it not dreamy?

The final stop on our time in Quebec City was the Artillery Park, which is part of the Fortifications of Quebec. This is a “living history” museum that combines actors and artifacts to give a hands-on experience of life under the different rulers of Quebec. We got to experience the British, the French, and the Canadians. The “tour” starts in the arsenal foundry which gives you a full history of the City and its’ fortifications, then a model of Quebec City before you head down to the Dauphine Redoubt- one of the oldest military buildings in North America. Again, you experience life during different military rules. Finally, you stop in the Officer’s Quarters and see how they would have lived in the military area of the city. This building was actually originally a bakery but was repurposed to hold and officer and family. Definitely worth a stop!

And that really wraps up some of the highlights of our time in Quebec City. I will say- we really enjoyed our time. I always note what cities we like to be in (as we aren’t really a city family) and it’s always these Older European or full-on history spots that we prefer. Somewhere we can walk everywhere, see some architectural variety, and surround ourselves with history on every corner. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – June & July 2023

Am I in my romance era??? I’ve always been a proclaimed…romance belongs in movies not the sole plot of a book, girl, but I feel like maybe that’s changing? Or maybe it’s just these dog days of summer getting to me. Regardless, I think I’ve figured out what I like in romance (yes it only took a handful of books to do that) and I’m excited to start intermingling this genre more into my monthly reading. Also- I’ve entered my rereading era- I’ve decided to dive back into a couple of my favorites and mark the living…pages out of them. It’s a fun activity and I am finding all sorts of little tidbits I didn’t get the first time around. 

(The whole era thing has rubbed off on me…sorry not sorry?)

It’s a double header today (a sports- specifically baseball- metaphor today, the boys are also rubbing off on me)- summing up 2 months of books in one post. When June started, I wasn’t doing a lot of reading (I was doing a lot of stressing and anxiety moments, and A LOT of disassociating/scrolling on social media), so when my reading finally took off it was almost halfway into the month. I figured I wouldn’t get too much read as we were headed on holiday…6 books later I realized my mistake haha. Then July was a bit of a hit and miss- the first full week back home from holiday I struggled, but then got back into the swing of reading and haven’t stopped since. 

Over the two months I read a total of 16 books and gave an average rating of 3.46. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas 5 Stars – Welcome to my re read era, where I am re reading certain…fantasy romance novels ahead of releases and just for the sheer delight of it. As I’m going, I am marking up my books (I purchased copies specifically for this purpose) and, it’s just been a really fun addition to my reading. A delight. I really think that this particular one is her best in this series objectively. The world expands, we see character growth, and the romance is top notch. 

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren 4 Stars – I want to say this opened the romance era can of worms. I picked it up because I love a good science experiment tells you something about mankind, and this gave me The One by John Marrs but not killer=y vibes. And that’s exactly what it was, and I loved it. Color me shocked (no seriously- romance was the only plot of this book and I loved it). 

The Measure by Nikki Erlick 5 Stars – I have to say, I was not disappointed by this book. In fact, I was crying at the end. This is one of those books that really makes you think, what would I do? I enjoyed seeing a variety of perspectives that fell…real (my biggest gripe- as someone who sees every side- is when an author is clearly one sided but trying to write multiple sides). I highly recommend this one- it is worth it. 

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman 4 Stars – This solidified my romance era as, like The Soulmate Equation, I really enjoyed this solely romance novel. The subtle Jewishness of it all, the Hollywood commentary, the female writer commentary- this was beyond just a romance but also just a romance. 

Royally Not Read by Meghan Quinn .5 stars/No Rating – Boy was this a miss for me. To be honest, I’m not going to talk too much about this one as I don’t want to bash it- it just…was not the book for me. And we’ll leave it at that. 

A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chamber 3.5 Stars – I really liked this one. It’s just soft and cozy and introspective and gentle. It allows the reader to follow on one person’s journey inwards, while journeying outwards. And a robot who is just trying to understand humanity. Together there is magic, and I loved it. I will say- it did get a bit too slow at points, but only in a mild detract. 

Episode Thirteen by Craig DeLouie 3.5 Stars – I enjoyed this, but I wasn’t freaked out by it, nor do I really know entirely the point of it. I enjoyed that it was all written in transcripts and journal entries, I do feel like that added something and I did enjoy the very last entry of the book, BUT I think that something about this…missed the mark it was trying to hit?

The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman 3 Stars – This was fine! A short story for Kindle and I didn’t feel strongly one way or the other- a cute coming home story. 

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison 5 Stars – The last time I felt so conflicted about giving 5 Stars was Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter…but as I said then, I really loved the book, not the content and it was done so well. This was GOOD, from the writing to the story, to the ending. I enjoyed the reading experience, even if the contact is twisted. 

SpyxFamily 3 by Tatsuya Endo NR – This is the next volume, and this was heavily focused on the family life of this little Spy Family. There wasn’t a lot of content, but I feel like it is really setting the story up to move forward in future volumes. 

Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca 3 Stars – Boy Eric LaRocca writes some dark stuff. Stories that you don’t really understand while you’re reading, or when you finish it, but is just dark overall. I don’t know how I really feel about this one, other than uneasy. 

Forever Never by Lucy Score 4 Stars – This was a romance that had just enough for me. There was enough outside the romance to move the story forward, the romance was believable and enjoyable (a very will they won’t they set up). This is, I think, the kind of romance that I would read more of. 

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas – 4 Stars Another reread to round out this trilogy and again, I’m loving everything that I am picking up on on this reread. It has me excited to pick up the next couple of books as I know I’ve missed more, and Sarah has a new book coming out soon!

A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout – 2 Stars Let’s talk about books that don’t need to exist and maybe how sometimes giving your readers what they want isn’t the…greatest idea. Because I didn’t need to read the entirety of the first book just retold through someone else’s eyes. Nope. Didn’t need to happen. And we didn’t get any…true insight into the present circumstances of our character that couldn’t have been handled in the next book, or as a novella to bridge books. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang – 4 Stars I’m not sure how I want to talk about this book. I really enjoyed it, R.F. Kuang is a truly incredible writer. BUT the topic of conversation in this book is one that we are actively working on within the public and the industry. While publishing is not truly changing anytime soon, there are various bodies within the industry that are working hard to change it and are aware. I think it’s important to read and absorb, but it is difficult to read from this perspective. 

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace – 1.5 Stars Ok- hear me out. I stay far away from figure skating books – unless they are written by actual figure skaters (and sometimes even then too). They are typically quite far-fetched, and I just can’t help but side eye them. But everyone has been raving about this book, its all-over social media, and I do enjoy hockey (despite my better instincts…side eye). And…I mean this ended up being a hate read by the end of it. Not only was the figure skating aspect unbelievably far-fetched to absolutely anyone who is either in the sport or follows it, but the hockey player was a piece of cardboard, and the figure skater had her head stuck so far up her own behind (so maybe spot on?) and was just “so emotionally mature” yet missed the signs of emotional abuse and manipulation by her partner…ok I’ll stop. 

And that wraps the past two months of reading up! Anything stick out to you? What’s been a favorite of your Summer Reading? Overall, I’m glad I’m starting to reach out genre wise once again and it’s paying off- for the most part. 

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A Hearty Hello…Again

A fun fact to start your day off that I’ve just learned this week. Melvil Dewey, of the great Dewey Decimal system, was born in raised in this (where we live) region of the country. He loved education but found the library system lacking in organization- thus the Dewey Decimal System. He came up with it while in his 20’s (but none of us are behind the curve if we haven’t done something incredible yet…) and he was actually the person who created the American Library Association, Library Bureau, Library Cards, and the first library school. But it wasn’t all great (because let’s be honest…it was a certain time in the world), he was also antisemitic, racist, and a serial sexual harasser. 

It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I didn’t mean to wholly just take such a big break, but there was so much going on that blogging just didn’t feel right. My brain was full of so many open tabs (yep, I’m about to use that analogy) and I couldn’t look at a blank word document and turn it into a full, well rounded, and thought-out blog post. So, I took a step back (though if you follow me on social media, I still updated and posted there). It was partly because I had a lot of moving plates – some I couldn’t share about; some I didn’t want to share about and honestly partly because I went through a little…introspection.

There’s a lot of noise on social media. There’s a lot of noise in our everyday world. And I’ve always been a person that didn’t want to contribute to the noise if it wasn’t…helpful. If I wasn’t sharing something of value, I’d rather not share at all. And to be honest, for a minute there I didn’t really know what was or would be of value. And I don’t mean this in any self-pitying way, or like I don’t think I hold value (or my words hold value) more so I felt like there was a lot changing in our life and I needed to figure out how blogging and sharing was going to fit into it. 

I’ve been blogging for 8-10 years now, and regularly on here for 6 years now. I’ve seen a lot of changes to both myself and my posts and I think I hit a bit of a wall. A bit of…what now, where next, how am I fitting this into my vision. What do I want to talk about? What do I find value in? How do I not just be…noise?

I can’t say that the past couple months have provided any…clarity in that. However, I’ve been reading other “newsletters”, other blogs. I’ve been listening to podcasts. I’ve been handling things and changes and staying open. 

It would be easy to say, oh I’m back because I want to share about our Summer Holiday. And that would be partially true. I do want to share about our Summer Holiday. Talking and sharing about traveling to new places, learning new things- it lights me up. It’s something I love. But I also just feel like we’re entering a new chapter over here (one I WILL talk about at some point), and life is about to get a whole lot more hectic and…I kinda want to talk about the juggle of it all. Because…well I’m a sucker for being over busy (as spring sports season very much reminded me of). 

So…here’s what’s coming your way to start with- a reading wrap up, because we have a lot of books to discuss, 4 travel posts detailing our Summer Holiday, and a little update to my Jewish Reading Project. I want to infuse a little more of the bare and raw Mia into my posts, so don’t be surprised if the voice of the post’s changes ever so slightly. Also, don’t be surprised if those Round the Kettle posts come back at some point. They were fun and didn’t quite translate to a podcast as easily or as well as I’d hoped. 

Fin :)

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Ottawa, Tulips, & Mother’s Day

Over Mother’s Day Weekend we took a quick overnight trip up to Ottawa to not only visit the city once again (this time as more experienced travelers), but also to see their famous Tulip Festival. A little moment to say, that above all, the Tulip is my favorite flower. When we went to the gardens at Keukenhof I was beyond excited and, when my husband had sent me the link to this festival in Ottawa I couldn’t wait to go. 

The Canadian Tulip Festival boasts that it’s the world’s largest tulip festival- which I suppose if you look at the basics of that statement, would be factually correct. That’s not an insult, or to say that it is anything but gorgeous to walk through the park and along the water and just marvel at the beauty. I’m just saying that the reason they can claim that is because places like Keukenhof plant beyond just the tulips they are known for. 

This festival, and partnership with The Netherlands, dates back to World War Two. The Royal Family of The Netherlands, Crown Princess Juliana, secretly fled to Ottawa for safety, and in fact Prince Margriet was born IN Canada in 1943. In 1945, Canadian Troops played a sizeable role in the liberation of The Netherlands. Every year since, the government of The Netherlands has sent a package of Tulip Bulbs to Canada. In fact, much of the stops on the park walk speak about Dutch War Brides immigrating to Canada with their soldiers and making new lives together. 

The festival itself is free of charge and open to the public. It is a STUNNING to walk through- there is no bones about that. There are activities for children, food trucks, and education throughout. As with any “touristy” thing, I would highly suggest getting there early. We got there about 11 and it was already pretty packed with people. We wandered through the festival, stopping to look at all the varieties of tulips, as well as snap a couple of photos. I would say overall we spent a couple hours at the park total, we could have spent longer, but the kids were feeling a bit out of sorts, so we headed out.

 

One of the spots right near the main festival is the Canada Agriculture and Food Festival. This is, ironically, the spot that actually stuck with both boys and we all found something neat in it. This museum is actually part of a larger connection of museums that make up Ingenium. The idea behind the brand is to provide an experience that immerses all, showcasing how science and technology influence and connect with our everyday lives. It’s built three museums, each with their own focus, but the Agriculture and Food Museum is unique in that isn’t the only working farm in the heart of a capital city. Visitors are able to see a variety of farm animals, as well as learn about the history of farming in Canada, and the relationship between us, our food, and our environment. We wandered through the exhibits (there was a really interesting one on sustainable salmon farming), checked out the animals, and were able to watch a cow milking demonstration (which happened to be our older son’s favorite thing). 

I already mentioned that this was just an overnight trip for us (and actually upon review, one we could have just done as a day trip), but before we headed home, we decided to go walk through Ottawa a bit. We’ve done this before, but it was fun to do again. We wandered around (the exterior) of Parliament, down to the massive Spider statue, through more tulip displays, and finished off with a bookstore run.

We then headed over to the Canadian War Museum. These stops are as much for my husband as they are for our boys. This museum is Canada’s national museum of military history and has been recognized for its incredible study and understanding of conflict. Dating back to 1880, the current museum opened in 2005, on the 60thAnniversary of V-E Day. The unique part of this museum is that not only do you learn the history of the wars, but you learn a lot of information about war at home- what it was like for those at home during war time (something that I’ve always wanted to learn more about). The analysis is not only on the wars/conflicts, but how those conflicts pushed nations forward. 

The museum contains A LOT of artifacts- some you might even be surprised (Hitler’s limousine with bullet holes? Fuselage of a plane that belonged – and was salvaged- from one of the most famous pilots in Canadian History? And a whole floor of JUST military vehicles- some of which were used during WW1.). It was truly incredible to see the sheer amount of history amassed in this one building. Not just in military terms, but also in everyday terms- artifacts from any conflict that Canada has been involved with- games for kids, toys, newspapers, books, clothes and tv shows. It is all there. It’s really a spot that will have something for everyone. 

Our final stop was just outside of Kingston, and it was the tunnel for the Railway Tunnel. The tunnel is right off of Brockville’s waterfront and is about ½ a kilometer long. You are able to walk the entirety of it, with lights and music to guide your way. Stop at signs throughout that read through the history as well as the natural landscape of the tunnel. The tunnel dates back to the 1850’s and was intended to be able to connect the industrial Brockville area to other areas along the river. There were detractors to the plan to build the tunnel, in fact, the highest engineer in Canada was not on board. Work began in 1854, however quickly ground to a halt due to financial difficulties and wasn’t started again until 1856. The first train pulled through the tunnel in 1860 (just barley squeezed in on December 31) and trains ran through the tunnel until 1970. It is now a walking path, but there is hope for more development in the area. 

I will say- it was a pretty cool stop to see this history and stretch our legs. If you are in the vicinity, driving through or what not, take a stop. It’s only about 20 minutes to go through and you can say you walked right through history. 

All in all, it was an absolutely lovely weekend! And it’s revitalized our traveling- we don’t travel as much in the winter months, but with summer coming up soon we are planning some trips. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – May 2023

***Before I get into this post- I recognize that it’s been radio silent over here for the full month. I’m sorry- More info coming soon!!***

Another month has come to an end and boy was it a doozy. I saw a reel that talked about how May is busier than December and, to be honest, I wholeheartedly agree. It was incredibly busy, with changes and meetings and a whole lot of waiting around for documents. But it was also good- we got a taste of Spring, a taste of Summer, and I got a whole weekend to myself when the boys went camping. I didn’t think I was going to have the greatest reading month, but I am here to say- it wasn’t as bad as expected! I somehow managed to read 7 books and give an average rating of 3.1. I keep wondering- as life gets busier, when will my reading slow down a bit more, but I don’t know that it will. I’ve found myself trying to be better about turning to books (rather than my phone) to wind down and decompress (aka disassociate after being around people so much). It’s a slow, over time goal, but it’s happening. 

So, the books…

Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams 4 Stars As always, I really enjoy stepping back into this town, into these characters and the stakes stay low but not too low. It’s more lifechanging stakes rather than death stakes and I really appreciate that in a cozy mystery. This book was unique to the series as we learned a bit more of our main characters backstory and history prior to present day. 

Authentically Izzy by Pepper Basham 3 Stars So…I enjoyed this- it’s written 60% in emails and such between our characters and while I felt like that added to the story, it then made the “in person” interactions feel different. It was a fine romance and one I enjoyed but I found the main character to be a bit too much of a pushover at times and it took her a bit to figure herself out (which I get is normal and human, but for me was a bit…much).

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 5 Stars Welcome to my new obsession. I’m in love. I’m going to push this book on to everyone that I can. Picture- dragons, dragons that actually play a prominent and important role, picture a school where all the kids are above age, picture a rivals to lover’s slow burn, and then picture a twist at the end that leaves you wrenched out of yourself. Enjoy!

The Marriage Act by John Marrs 3.5 Stars I feel like John Marrs is one of those authors I will always buy because I know the books will be good, even if they start to get a bit…tried and true and old at times. This is the third of his (I think) in this futuristic world- post The One. I would say this was probably my least favorite of the bunch, mostly because I think something needs to change in these novels. It’s becoming a bit – same plot, different characters/story. 

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose 3.5 Stars I was hesitant to pick this one up after the disaster that was The Hunting Wives, but I’m glad I did. It’s fast paced, well written, and the small rich community politics is…accurate. The twist was…not shocking, but it didn’t ruin the vibe the book was going for and I enjoyed it. 

Awakening The Zodiac Academy (1) 0 Stars I despised this book, and I don’t know how much of that is the author’s fault- because had I been fully aware of the trope this book follows (and it’s a bully romance so there you go), I would have never picked it up. I spent the entire time beyond uncomfortable and I got rid of the book almost immediately. 

One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake 3 Stars So this would be my second Olivie Blake book. I read 75% of Atlas Six, which I ended up having to put down as it just went…too far and too overcomplicated in the plot, and I am not sure if she is the author for me. I LIKED this book; HOWEVER, I feel like in the last two acts it became to wrapped in making this grand plot work, this large overarching scheme to the story, which then led to the actual story becoming tedious and…not boring but boring. And I think this was a similar problem that I had with Atlas Six. So, I’m not sure where I stand with Olivie Blake. 

And that wraps up my May! I’ve kicked off June with a reread and a whole bunch of new books! 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – April 2022

How is it already May??? Just how? April has completely flown by, and I don’t even know where it went. It’s been a wild time over here- a life update is coming your way very soon, but I still somehow managed to read several books and they were almost all wins! I read a total of 9 books with an average rating of 4.22. A win indeed!

Severance by Ling Ma 4 Stars – I enjoyed this though I recognize that this will definitely not be for everyone. In fact, I don’t know many that I would recommend this to. There is a pandemic which leads to a commentary (which is what I would say this book is) on capitalist society and its’ downfall. It looks at the downside and maybe leads the reader to what maybe we could do differently, though it’s not a full condemnation of capitalist society. There isn’t much plot propelling the story forward, which is why I think it leans more towards commentary. 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson 4 Stars I just really enjoyed this murder mystery. It’s a fun one from start to finish and even though the twist wasn’t really my favorite thing ever, it’s one that I didn’t see coming and one that I don’t feel like detracted from my feelings about the book as a whole. The only reason it’s a 4 is I feel like the narration got a bit…much at times. 

The Reunion by Kayla Olson 4 Stars Oy- it’s a romance. I’m reading romance from time to time, mostly because I don’t think I’m finding what I really want in my fantasy romance areas- it’s either too much for me, or it’s just not capturing me. So, I’m leaning more into traditional romance that meets some of the niche things that I like (multimedia, royal, celebrity). And this one I really enjoyed! The multimedia is…slim but added to the story and the romance was sweet. 

The Savior’s Book Café Story in Another World Vol 3 & 4 by Kyouka Izumi 5 stars each I’ve read the next two volumes in what is easily my favorite manga at the present. I mean this woman is living my dream life (except I already have the husband and kids’ part). 

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen 4 Stars This one is the one I’m not sure that it’s really worth the 4 stars that I gave it. I enjoyed it well enough, loved the twists it presented, loved the whole conversation around counterfeit merchandise, but I also recognize that this didn’t really do anything super groundbreaking. It was a fun ride when I read it and then it was over. 

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter 4 Stars Ok, this filled all my niche Royal needs, and I loved it every step of the way. It is a YA and definitely reads it, but I enjoyed it none the less. And it’s a series so looking forward to the next one.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz 4 Stars This is a mystery, almost a thriller but not quite, that I don’t think will be for everyone. It’s a slice of life meets secluded cabin mystery, and I really enjoyed it. If it could do anything better it would be the balance of the book- it felt a bit…off in the pacing, but again didn’t entirely detract from my enjoyment. 

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke 4 Stars Ok, I haven’t read a book in that IM format in a long time, and I really think it’s a great format for storytelling. It certainly adds something to the storytelling and makes the reader feel a certain way. I might be looking for more of these…but anyways- this is a book following a short period of time and a person who has “fallen into” a computer. Talking, again, about what’s important, how you can have feelings about people through the office lens you view them in, and remote work. 

And that was it! A really solid reading month. I’m hoping to keep the same upward ratings for May, though we will have to see how that goes.

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Jewish Literature 3rd Edition – Young Adult Fiction

It is time for the 3rd Edition of the Jewish Literature series! This time (and the next) I’ve decided to lower the reading levels and take a look at some young adult fiction and then Juvenile fiction works. I tend to read both in the Young Adult and Adult sections, and I’ve got kids who will eventually be transitioning into the Juvenile reading level (though we’ve still got some time). I know several folks who do have children in that age level who are interested, so I figured I would deviate and look to see what is out there. 

For the Young Adult selections-I stayed away from the Holocaust leaning books. I spoke about this several times, why I’m trying to not read Holocaust literature for this (though I will be several times over I’m sure) in my blog post introducing this series HERE. I’ve gone for two books- one a collection of short stories centered around Hanukkah and another a Historical Fiction that I found to be so relevant on so many different levels that I just had to talk about it in depth.

It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories by Edited by Katherine Locke, Laura Silverman

This is a collection of short stories that all revolve in some way around the minor Jewish Holiday of Hanukkah. I read this book actually a couple years back and loved it so much. I included it in my recommendation list and still do to this day. I don’t have too much to say on this one as, being a short story collection there aren’t a lot of themes that I can touch on that push throughout the entire collection (beyond Judaism). When I originally read it, it was at a time where I was starting to share more and more of my own Jewishness online and I hadn’t really read anything like this before. These types of books didn’t exist when I was younger, going through the same ages as these characters, and I think it’s great that they are around now. 

I will say, something I really appreciate about this particular collection is that there is a wide wide variety of levels of faith, practice, and ethnicity. You have everything from Orthodox to agnostic, and almost all the stories, while centered around some aspect of Jewish life, also talk to other issues as well- whether that’s LGBTQIA+, political landscapes, able vs not, and more. I love when we can tie our Jewishness with other issues and conversations as well. Where we can see those through lines in these issues it helps universalize the problems everyone faces. 

I think overall, I think this is a great collection to pick up for teens! It does a great job at intertwining various issues and discussing them, while also keeping the reader engaged. I found that the representation of a wide cross section of Jewish life (that is the various levels of practice and life) to be very well done and representative of Jews in general. 

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

Ok to start with- I highly recommend this, to any age level. It’s one of those books that I feel like can really work for anyone. A quick rundown, we’ve got Elijah, a street vendor, Helena a high society culinary student, and Penelope, a culinary student with a non-European background, all three of whom come together in a Pygmalion reimagining (think gender swapped food centered My Fair Lady). But what is at the heart of this book is the conversation around the rights, the lives, and the history of those who are not considered “white” or “Anglo”. In this we have two viewpoints represented – a Filipina and a Jew. 

The way this book effortlessly highlights the microaggressions and the assumptions and the really subtle way that Jew Hatred pervades our everyday is incredible. There are small moments where a character says side comments “Jewish Hawkers” or “those people”, the use of the word “Jew” as something vulgar, degrading, subtle digs at the othering of a group of people that occur even today, but we don’t always pick up on, to the more overt tones of being called a “dirty Jew”. We can really see the range of how being Jewish not only affects businesses- but Jews were also not allowed in the business district, were mostly stuck to selling oranges (thus anyone knowing their oranges was assumed to be a “dirty Jew”), to the history of Elijah’s family, changing their name to try and not “proclaim their religion and heritage to the world”. 

There were a lot of moments in this book that truly applied to our present day, though this was supposed to take place in the 1830’s- which I think just speaks to the unending hatred that the Jewish people face. There is also an element that speaks to the dual edged sword of Jew Hatred- there is hatred when the Jews do well- “the pursuit of wealth”, the greed and money hoarding- but also when they do not “the poor Jews of the street who eked out a living as peddlers and old-clothes men a blight on society”. So often this hatred is this double-edged sword, which is what makes it so long standing and dangerous. 

It’s important to note that this book not only speaks to Jew Hatred, but also to the othering of Penelope who is Filipina and that is something that both her and Elijah bond over. This shared feeling of otherness, the shared almost segregation of self due to experiences and community and life beyond their control. It’s amazing, as a Jewish person, to see a shared experience. As Jews we are often told that we cannot be subject ot discrimination for simply being a Jew because we don’t “appear different”. So, to read this…shared experience of these characters meant so much. 

In terms of the actual religious representation, there wasn’t a lot- mostly as Elijah is trying incredibly hard to be himself and not draw extra attention to any differences. He actually talks about this in the book, after his Jewish-ness is exposed as he doesn’t want to break a rule of Kashrut (Kosher eating). A lot of the Jewish history of this time period and this group of people is just about surviving, about not standing out, about holding on to the candle sticks, or the keys, or the mezuzah, but not practicing, not putting anything out that would easily identify who you are. And that is real, that is honest to how the Jewish People were for a long time. They either practiced under concealment or not at all. 

I highly highly recommend this one- great for all ages!

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – March 2023

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like the month of March really dragged by. I’m not sure what it was about it, but it was just slow moving…and not in a good way! I honestly don’t know what to really say about my reading- it was alright, but I feel like none of my ratings are really sticking- they may change over time, they may not. But here we are- I read a total of 7 books and gave an average rating of 3.43 and wow is that average beyond average. Let’s get into it. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – 3.5 Stars This was my second time reading this and once again, I found it alright. Having read her other works, I can definitely tell this is a debut (and to be honest- I only set out trying to read this series as to how it will potentially tie in to her other two series). I enjoyed it, but I will say- I DNF’d the second book in the series and I don’t know that I’ll be trying again…in all honesty I’ll probably watch some review/spoiler videos/blog posts to get my information about this series at this point. 

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell – 3 Stars. This was ok- standard fantasy romance, not quite enemy to lovers, but along those lines. I will say- as of writing this review, I read this book not quite a week ago and I’m struggling to remember any further thoughts about this book. So maybe that says something.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano – 3 Stars I feel like this series had a strong start, a stronger second book, but has lost readers a bit in this third book. I enjoyed it, but also felt bored at moments (this is a theme for the first half of the month I suppose). I’m glad I got it from the library and while I will probably check out the fourth book when it comes out, I don’t think I would go much further past that. It’s losing steam across the board. 

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers – OOF I don’t know what I rate this one. I was so intrigued by this book, and it started off so strong, but then it just…withered and died- like our main character would do I imagine. There was just so much…I don’t know, dynamic missing in this whole book. It felt so flat, and I don’t know if that is because we are reading from a self-proclaimed psychopath or if the author was not able to engage the reader in a meaningful way- as we should have had such a great book from this premise.  

Planning Perfect by Haley Neil – 4.5 Stars – I really enjoyed this book. This is a YA contemporary romance that features a Jewish main character on the ace spectrum with an anxiety disorder. To be honest this felt very much like if Gilmore Girls was Jewish and queer. I loved it. I’ll have more to talk about in a Jewish Literature Edition, but again- a big hit! 

Skyward Flight by Brandon Sanders – 4 Stars Oh Brandon Sanderson has me wrapped around his finger. At this point, I just pre order whatever it is that he’s publishing, and I ask questions about those decisions later. This is a collection of short stories that are set in the Skyward world. I love Skyward and I loved this collection and being about to read other perspectives from some of my favorite side characters. And it got me back in to the world- now eagerly waiting for the next full book in the series!

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murder by Jesse Q Sutanto – 4 Stars I’m really liking the adult comedy of error stories that Jesse is publishing. She really has a way with them that allows them to be funny, for the reader to suspend their beliefs, and just enjoy the ride. This is the third that I’ve read now, and I’ve loved every single one. 

And that’s it! I did DNF two books, though one I do plan on picking back up (when it’s not just me in the house). I DNF’d Simone St. James Silence for the Dead- I think this was on its way to being great, it just wasn’t quite doing that for me. Especially after reading The Book of Cold Cases, which was much eerier and dread inducing. I also DNF’d Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. I hope to pick this one back up once my husband is back- as it is definitely unnerving, but also because I need to wrap my head around the main characters POV. So, all in all I think a good month, if not as strong as my prior ones. Looking forward to April, which has already been strong!

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