Wow, 2020 is certainly something, isn’t it? I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to say that most, if not all, of you reading this are quarantined inside our homes for better part of the day. I went out to the grocery store yesterday and there was nary a kernel of corn in the place. We hope the books on sale have been helping you keep stocked with reading material, but if you need more ways to … Continue reading Links: Keeping Busy
So, you saw those content warnings and you’re feeling concerned? Will it help if I tell you that this is a book where scary plot turns appear to be just around the corner—and the dark backstory of the hero makes bad things feel inevitable—but in the end Relationship Material is just an angsty romance where most of the tension is about falling in love? Evan is a nurse in Portland, Oregon who has been in … Continue reading Relationship Material by Jenya Keefe
I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to get a little bit personal in this column. Since I began knitting about ten years ago, I’ve used the craft to address my anxiety. Specifically I have PTSD, and I’ve found that certain anxiety-combatting techniques, like mindfulness, don’t always work well for me when I’m feeling panicked: I’m already hyper vigilant during an anxiety episode due to the trauma part of PTSD. Being mindful often makes … Continue reading Knitting for Anxiety and Pain
Escort by Skye Warren is about a male prostitute who falls in love with his client. Man, do I hate when that happens. I mean, you’re just there for a night of good fun and then suddenly this sexy dude is in love with you and can’t stop thinking about your freckles, and it’s such a hassle, honestly. Anyway, this is a quick read (or was for me) told entirely in the hero’s first person POV, … Continue reading Escort by Skye Warren
Hi there, Wednesday! Today is a busy day for me as I’m picking up new glasses, buying booze for this week’s Covers & Cocktails, grabbing some groceries to make some slow cooker Mongolian beef, oh and I joined a gym. So I’ll be getting sweaty and awkward somewhere in that schedule. But I hope you all are having a productive day and if not, that’s totally okay! … I love Kickstarter so much. I’ve backed … Continue reading Links: Ursula Le Guin, Quantum Leap, & Maple Trees
It’s the last links post before the holidays start. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! And for those who celebrate anything else or nothing at all, I hope you have a peaceful time filled with love! … Sarah was a guest on a recent episode of Read It and Weep. This time, they were talking about the movie, Merry Kissmas. Here’s a description of the episode: Netflix thought Tanya would give this movie 4 stars. Sure, it’s a Christmas … Continue reading Links: Williams-Sonoma, Calming Tunes, & SNL
Perfect Prey by Laura Salters stands out from the psychological thriller crowd due to it’s excellent portrayal of a heroine with a mental illness. Like The Woman in Cabin 10, Perfect Prey depicts a heroine who is unapologetic about struggling with a mental illness (in this case generalized anxiety), who is gaslit because of it, and who perseveres even when she has to overcome the dual obstacles of physical danger and mental distress. The only … Continue reading Perfect Prey by Laura Salters
As many of you know, psychological thrillers featuring kickass ladies are just about my favorite thing ever, and when I got my grabby little hands on The Woman in Cabin 10 I was super excited. It’s a creepy locked room mystery with an amazing narrator, a couple of good red herrings, and lot of delicious twists. The mystery maintains a good pace too, and once I started reading I had to finish that same day. … Continue reading The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
I’m admittedly very cynical when it comes to New Adult. I haven’t read very much of it that I’ve liked with the notable exception of anything by Kylie Scott. I found Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill to be exactly what I was looking for: a romance about people in their young twenties who live and behave like they are in their young twenties, without a ton of navel-gazing. The book is told first person POV, … Continue reading Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill
Patrick Ness’ book The Rest of Just Live Here turned out to be completely different from what I expected – but in a good way. This YA follows the narrator, Mikey, his friends, and his family as they try to get through their last months of high school. This is a story about all the kids in high school who are not Scoobies, Gryffindors, Cullens, or Chosen Ones. There is some romance, but the aspect … Continue reading The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
I’ve been a fan of Jenny Lawson’s blog The Bloggess for a long time–she’s a truly funny writer who posts stories about her crazy childhood, her crazy adulthood, and balances them all with reflections on mental illness. Furiously Happy is the same way–it’s two parts humor and one part discussion of something that most people find hard to talk to about. It’s one of those rare books that makes you snort-laugh in public and also … Continue reading Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
