December Reading Wrap-Up

 

I can't believe it is the end of December already!  As you can see from the pictures, we have had a snowy month.  After the snow, we had frigid temperatures.  But, yesterday was unseasonably warm with temperatures near 40.  Much of the snow that covered the trees has fallen off.  We still have some shrubs in our backyard that are weighed down with snow.  We were fortunate that we didn't have any trees or large limbs come down.  Many of our neighbors did.

In December I read 7 books.  Here's the breakdown:

Historical Fiction: 1

Classic: 1

Christmas: 1

Non-fiction: 1

Mystery: 1

Amish Fiction: 1

Suspense: 1

Historical Fiction:

The Lost Melody (A Midnight Dance #2) by Joanna Davidson Politano

Classic:

Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables #4) by L. M. Montgomery

Christmas:

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

Non-fiction:

Own Your Past Change Your Future by Dr. John Delony

Mystery:

Death in Kashmir by M. M. Kaye

Amish Fiction:

A Season on the Wind by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suspense:

The Killing Tide (Coastal Guardians #1) by Dani Pettrey - (review coming soon)

That's it for December.  Stay tuned for my 2022 Reading Reflections post coming January 1st.  I hope you are all warm and cozy and have a Happy New Year!

~ Gretchen

I am linking up with The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight. 

I'm also linking up with The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb @ Readerbuzz.

A Season on the Wind by Suzanne Woods Fisher

A Season on the Wind.  Suzanne Woods Fisher. Revell (2021). 320 pages. Genre: Christian Fiction, Amish Fiction.

First Line:  "Penny Weaver stayed so still that the field sparrow in her yard didn't seem to know she was there."

Summary:  Penny Weaver and her brother Micah live at Lost Creek Farm, a home previously owned by their grandmother.  Micah is an avid birder and is hoping to begin a guiding business.  When famous author, bird-watcher Ben Zook hears that a rare White-winged Tern has been sighted near Lost Creek Farm, he books Micah as a guide.  It has been many years since Ben has returned to his Amish home in Stoney Ridge and he doesn't plan to visit now.  He plans to photograph the rare bird and get back to his life in Philadelphia before anyone spots him.  

Years ago, when Penny was staying with her grandmother, she and Ben spent many summer days watching birds.  She never thought he would return to Stoney Ridge.  The problem is that Ben doesn't seem to have any memory of her.  When Ben becomes ill and has to stay longer at Lost Creek Farm, Penny is hopeful this will give him time to remember her. 

My thoughts:  I was excited to see another book taking place in Stoney Ridge.  This is not part of a series, but a stand alone.  However, several of the characters we have met in previous books make appearances in this one.  The book starts out with a cast of characters and a Birder's Glossary which was really helpful and set the stage for what was coming.

Each of the characters in this story is realistic and relatable.  They each have struggles and difficulties and I enjoyed watching them work through them in ways that were not always easy.  I especially appreciated the way the author showed how God works in mysterious ways in hearts and lives.  One of the major themes in the book is forgiveness and this played out in the lives of the characters in several different ways.  

I learned so much about birds in this book as well.  There were several different birds mentioned and at the end of each chapter there was a page from Micah's log book which contained a plethora of information about the bird sighted.  Often these pages included a humorous thought as well.  Speaking of humor, Hank Lapp, who was a character in other Stoney Ridge books, makes several appearances in this one.  He is always good for a chuckle.  He often tells jokes on purpose, but sometimes unintentionally.  

This was a delightful read that I highly recommend.

Quotes:

"Like all the women she knew, Penny was a person of activity, moving purposefully through every waking moment."

"'I was crossing the yard to your house when I heard it first.  That buzzing sound of its whirling wings.  The ears always come first.  Most folks think watching birds starts with the eyes, then the binoculars.  They're wrong.  The ears come first. Listening, that's what bird-watching is all about.'"

"'Some church leaders feel very strongly about artistic expression, that it can lead someone down a path of pride.  But I believe that recording what we see sharpens our awareness and makes us appreciate even more God's most beautiful and varied creations.'"

Book Review: Death in Kashmir by M. M. Kaye

Death in Kashmir. M. M. Kaye. St. Martin's Press (1985) (First Published 1953). 320 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "Afterwards Sarah could never be quite sure whether it was the moonlight or that soft, furtive sound that had awakened her."

Summary (Goodreads): When young Sarah Parrish takes a skiing vacation to Gulmarg, a resort nestled in the mountains above the fabled Vale of Kashmir, she anticipates an entertaining but uneventful stay. But when she discovers that the deaths of two in her party are the result of foul play, she finds herself entrusted with a mission of unforeseen importance. And when she leaves the ski slopes for the Waterwitch, a private houseboat on the placid shores of the Dal Lake near Srinagar, she discovers to her horror that the killer will stop at nothing to prevent Sarah from piecing the puzzle together.

My thoughts:  The author begins the book with an Author's Note, which is something I really appreciate.  Next is a pronunciation guide and a map.  The combination of these three pieces put me right into the story.  In her note, the author tells the reader that she was living in Srinagar, the capital city of Kashmir, when she began writing this mystery.  Her intimacy with the area comes through in her writing. 

As you can tell from the first line, the story starts with some suspense.  A death has already occurred and now something has awakened Sarah.  She is on edge, but tries to tell herself she is being silly, after all the death was an accident, wasn't it?  She is not sure. A persistent sound gets her out of bed to investigate.  It is through this investigating that she meets Janet and quickly discovers Janet is not who she says she is.  From this beginning, the story never slows down.  It is not edge of your seat suspense the entire time.  There are dinners and dances and shopping in the market, but underneath it all is a buzzing uncertainty.  

The author was leaving clues throughout the story, and I remember having a slight suspicion of the culprit, but quickly dismissed it.  Due to circumstances, Sarah had to get involved in investigating.  Well, it wasn't entirely due to circumstances.  There was an instance where she went snooping around by herself in the middle of the night and discovered some things that she probably shouldn't have which put her in danger.  But mostly the mystery came to her.  

There were several scenes that took place at night with a moonlit sky.  The moon was definitely a theme throughout the story.  I'm not sure I would have picked up on this if the author hadn't mentioned in her note that she had originally titled the book There's a Moon Tonight.  After the first mention of the moonlight, I kept my senses on alert for another mention.  That added a fun extra layer to the story. Another fun layer was the humor and the little bit of romance. The story is peopled with interesting characters. 

The author's description of the countryside and the homes made me feel like I was there.  I can still picture the interior of the houseboat Sarah spent some time on.  

M. M. Kaye is a new author to me and I am glad to have discovered her.  I am also glad that I picked up several of her mysteries at a used book store this summer.  I am looking forward to reading another mystery by this author soon.

Quotes:

"'But then of course so many people are silly about a man who doesn't do any fighting in the war.  So stupid of them, because it's so much more sensible not to, don't you think? If we all just didn't, I mean, well where would people like Hitler have been?'  'In Buckingham Palace and the White House I imagine,' grunted her husband. 'Don't be silly, dear.  How could he have been in two places at once?'"

"The sky behind the feathery boughs of the pepper trees at the far end of the garden was turning from lemon yellow to a soft shade of green, and the air was sweet with the scent of roses and jasmine and fragrant with the smell of water on dry, sun-baked ground."

"She disappeared with the speed of a diving duck as the little gilt clock in the drawing-room struck the quarter."

Merry Christmas

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."  Isaiah 9:6-7

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Book Review: Own Your Past Change Your Future by John Delony

Own Your Past Change Your Future: A Not-So-Complicated Approach to Relationships, Mental Health, and Wellness. John Delony. Ramsey Press (2022). 261 pages. Genre: Nonfiction.

First Line: "I quietly slipped out of my bedroom, careful not to wake my wife or young son."

Summary: Dr. John Delony helps us understand that our past is made up of different kinds of stories and how those stories are affecting us today. He then gives us steps to take to heal from our past hurts and live a heathier, more whole life.

My thoughts:  John Delony takes a unique approach in helping the reader understand their past.  The first part of the book looks at the different stories that make up each of our pasts; stories about the world, about ourselves, about relationships, stories we're told and that happened and stories we tell ourselves.  He then asks the reader to own their stories. There are questions at the end of each of the chapters that he suggests you write answers for that will help you identify what your own stories are.  In each chapter he uses personal examples or examples of others to help you see what each type of story might encompass.  It was really helpful to pause and think about what my stories might be.

The second part of the book gives the reader five steps that will help with the healing process.  They are:

*Own your stories

*Acknowledge reality

*Get connected

*Change your thoughts

*Change your actions

He gives a clear explanation of each step and how this might play out in an actual life.  He repeatedly acknowledges that it will not be easy and that this is not a one time thing.  This is something you will have to do over and over, but eventually you will begin to see change.  I appreciated his honesty as he tells his own story of going through the process.  He has also worked with numerous people as a counselor and a student affairs administrator on a university campus.  

I had heard Dr. Delony interviewed and thought he sounded like a down-to-earth, practical person which is why I wanted to read his book.  All of us have trauma that we are carrying and many of us don't realize it.  Here is how Dr. Delong defines trauma: 

"We often think of trauma as the big car wreck, tsunami, heart attack - or when you find out your husband has been cheating on you after twenty-five years of marriage.  As Bessel van der Kolk notes, 'Trauma is an event that overwhelms the central nervous system.' But trauma is so much more than the single bad event.  Trauma is also neglect, not being seen, experiencing hard things alone, or any other experiential or environmental stressor that causes your body to take over and react for you, using its primitive response system.  Trauma can be big or small, and it can accumulate over time."

This book will open your eyes to your own past and give you a vision for a better future.

Quotes:

"Grieving is a practice.  It's the movement toward the pain, where you take ownership of what has happened and allow it to integrate into your body.  Grieving is allowing your amygdala to recognize that the threat has passed and allowing your frontal lobe to slowly come back online.  It's acknowledging that the loss is real."

"Control what you can control.  You can control what you think. What you say. What you do. What you want. Who you speak with.  Who you allow into your life and how much they influence what you believe.  Where you work.  Where you live. How you spend your money.  How you process emotions.  How you spend your time."

"You cannot control what happened.  You control how you think about it and what you do next."

Book Review: The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

The Christmas Swap. Melody Carlson. Fleming H. Revell Co. (2020). 176 pages. Genre: Christmas.

First Line: "Emma Daley had always loved Christmas as a child, but...not so much as an adult."

Summary:  Emma's parents are serving as missionaries overseas and she has no other family.  She has spent the past several Christmases with her friend Gillian Landers' family.  While it has been nice to not be alone on Christmas, Emma tires of their extravagance and bickering.  She thinks she will spend the holiday by herself this year.  However, Gillian can't imagine anyone wanting to spend Christmas alone and insists that Emma join her family as usual.  Besides, her dad has made arrangements for the family to swap houses with a family in Colorado so they can have snow for Christmas.  Emma gives in and joins the Landers family.  But things quickly become complicated and Emma wonders what she was thinking.

My thoughts:  I often read a Melody Carlson book at Christmastime.  They are usually fun, quick reads that put me in the Christmas spirit and this one was no exception.

The idea of a house swap was interesting.  There are members of both families who are not sure this is a good idea.  When a complication arises that caused the owner of the Colorado home to have to return after the other family has arrived, things get tricky.  It was entertaining to watch this work itself out.

Melody Carlson is an expert at creating deep characters within a small number of pages.  The reader learns to appreciate Emma's kindness and humility.  She is sensible and tends to put other people's desires above her own.  Which is the complete opposite of Gillian.  She tries to attract as much attention as possible and will use others to get what she wants.  She was very unlikeable.  

This is a quick, fun read that will put you in the Christmas spirit.

Quote:

"Emma hadn't said much about her sleeping quarters, but she still felt certain she'd scored the best room in the house.  It wasn't fancy in the way that Gillian or her mom would appreciate, and Gil wouldn't like the lack of closet space.  But to Emma, it was perfect.  The fabulous view had only gotten better as the sky turned dusky earlier.  While alone in the house, Emma had just stared in wonder as the sunset transformed the snowy slope into shades of indigo blue and purple.  Meanwhile the lights from the nearby ski lodge had glowed like golden torches.  It had been absolutely magical."

Book Review: Anne of Windy Poplars by L. M. Montgomery

Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables #4). L. M. Montgomery. Bantam Books (1981) (First published 1936). 258 pages. Genre: Classic.

First Lines: "(Letter from Anne Shirley, B.A., Principal of Summerside High School, to Gilbert Blythe, medical student at Redmond College, Kingsport.) Windy Poplars, Spook's Lane, S'side, P.E.I., Monday September 12th. Dearest: Isn't that an address! Did you ever hear anything so delicious?"

Summary:  Anne has taken a job in Summerside, away from Green Gables.  As she settles in at Windy Poplars, she discovers that the Pringle family runs the town.  And it seems as though everyone is related to a Pringle somehow.  Unfortunately, Anne is not the Principal the Pringle family wanted.  However, Anne is determined to win their favor.  In typical Anne-fashion, she not only wins their favor, but the favor of many others in the town.  

My thoughts:  This book is told partially in letters written by Anne to Gilbert who is attending medical school.  When it is not told by Anne in a letter, a narrator takes over.  

The story is primarily about the characters that populate Summerside and Anne's dealings with them.  I always enjoy the way Anne persists in setting things right.  She doesn't give up on someone just because they don't treat her right, she persists in making them her friend or putting her foot down and ordering them to do the right thing. 

One of my favorite characters in the book was the housekeeper at Windy Poplars, Rebecca Dew.  She is a bit rough around the edges, but soft in the middle.  She doesn't "suffer fools" as Anne remarked.  But she takes good care of Anne and the widows.  

"Rebecca Dew says cards are the devil's books and novels even worse.  The only things Rebecca ever reads, apart from her Bible, are the society columns of the Montreal Guardian.  She loves to pore over the house and furniture and doings of the millionaires."

"And I am sure Rebecca Dew thinks that no Christian woman should try to be beautiful."

"But she's really an old duck.  She has produced from somewhere a comfortable old wing chair of faded brocade that just fits my kinks and says, 'This is your chair.  We'll keep it for you.' And she won't let Dusty Miller sleep on it lest I get hairs on my school skirt and give the Pringles something to talk about."

This was an enjoyable read and a nice addition to the series. 

More quotes:

"Last night I had such a lovely walk with myself.  I really had to go somewhere for it was just a trifle dismal at Windy Poplars.  Aunt Chatty was crying in the sitting-room because her feelings had been hurt and Aunt Kate was crying in her bedroom because it was the anniversary of Captain Amasa's death and Rebecca Dew was crying in the kitchen for no reason that I could discover."

"'Too old!  Of course you're not too old, dearest,' I assured her.  'Nobody is ever too old to wear just what she wants to wear.  You wouldn't want to wear it if you were too old.'"