This is the book I picked for October because, you know, Halloween. And it has vampires and werewolves and soulless humans (?) and the typical mortal kind. And they’ve found a way to co-exist in Victorian England. Mostly.
Soulless by Gail Carriger a combination of urban fantasy, victorian, romance, steampunk and mystery. I’ve never read anything like it. I enjoyed it. Alexia Tarabotti is an outspoken, sarcastic delight. She may have no soul but she’d got character in spades. Though I have to admit I had to do some backtracking. That doesn’t necessarily bother me, especially if it’s a genre I don’t regularly read. And there was a lot going on in this story. And a lot of characters. And layered world building to sort through. It’s not for everyone but if you’re curious definitely give it a try.
Here’s a sneak peek at a book I’m writing which may or may not have a ghostly character.
Speaking of baking, the heroine of my work-in-progress bakes cakes for people. Aside from getting ready to open up a bed and breakfast, she has a little side hustle called Buttercream. New in town, she’s getting to know the people of Whisper Creek one cake at a time. Or at least, she’s trying…
Sometime during the earth plague, I decided I enjoy baking. Weird. But yummy. I think my favourite thing to make is galettes, or pies. But I’m on a snacking cake kick at the moment. Today I’m going to make my Mom’s apple crumb cake. I’ll let you know how it goes. Hopefully, as good as my Aunt Alma’s Chicken casserole, which I made with leftover turkey, despite the rather sparse instructions. It’s from back in the day when you recited the recipe from memory to the person requesting. Like throw in a few peas. Add maybe 1/2 cup of milk – or maybe a 1/4. No indication of baking times or oven temperatures. Because if you have to ask you aren’t worthy. I made it anyway.
I’m thinking of Atlantic coast family and friends today as they batten down the hatches for Hurricane Fiona. A left hook of heavy rainfall and powerful winds expected to hit tonight and into Saturday morning.
This Friday’s mug is full of steaming Earl Grey tea, my morning favourite. It rained here last night and it smells glorious. All cool and crisp with brooding skies.
What a week it’s been. Tragedies around the world. It’s hard to set boundaries around what to take in and what to let go. Including the guilt of looking away. Because we aren’t meant to absorb all the world’s troubles 24/7. I hope you find peace this weekend. I hope it includes a book and a quiet moment in the mad dash fall rush. Also, thank goodness, there’s new programming on television. Looks like some good shows coming. I’m looking at you Alaska Daily, and East New York, because Jimmy Smits. I’ll watch anything with Jimmy Smits. I still miss NYPD Blue.
Until next time…
What are you looking forward to TV wise this fall?
It’s Labour Day weekend here in Saskatchewan. This weekend is synonymous with the end of summer. The last dip in the lake. Firing up the grill for one more big barbecue bash. Maybe it books and hammocks and soaking up as much sun as possible. It could mean biking, or hiking, or strolling. If you’re a fan of the Canadian football fan, the CFL, then you know it’s Labour Classic Weekend. Whatever it is you find yourself doing this long weekend, I hope you soak it all in.
A belated birthday present arrived yesterday. A new journal! Isn’t it lovely, with its hand painted cover? I’m going to use it as a gratitude journal and for quotes and doodles. There were also steel candles. Have you heard of these? They’re now my new favourite thing. And best of all an adorable photo of our grand.
Sunflower season. When the days are still plenty warm, but the evenings are cooling down. I wish I could bottle the scent that met me when I walked onto the patio this morning. Crisp air, dew on flowers, sunshine and blue skies. The perfect morning. I planted dwarf sunflowers in pots this year and I will definitely being doing it again next year. But these sunflowers are volunteers. A whole row of them sprouting up from seeds scattered by the birds.
I’m in a bit of a reading slump right now. I’ve borrowed books, started them, or skimmed through them, only to return them early. Or I’ve raced through them, which is unlike me. I’m a slow reader. I read every word. That inability to focus usually means my anxiety levels are creeping up. There were many things I wanted to get done this summer and didn’t. And now summer is ending and we’re transitioning into fall. I’m not ready!
I may have bought a new pair of shoes to cheer myself up. And possibly put another pair on hold. Always buy the shoes. At least, that’s what I tell myself. I’m not sure that’s sound advice, though…
We finished watching Only Murders in the Building! You can stream on Disney+. Highly recommend.
Until next time…
I’d love some reading inspiration. Only happily-ever-afters right now. Or a great historical mystery series, along the lines of Veronica Speedwell.
These days I’m enjoying my morning tea outside on the patio. That’s where you can find me most evenings too. Enjoying the riotous colour and hum of summer. I had no idea that chicks and hen plants bloomed! The bees love the tiny flowers. Apparently, the tall flowering stalks die off to make room for the plant to expand. You can also see budding sedum, which is one of my favourites.
Also, we’re watching the mystery-comedy Only Murders in the Building and it is wonderful! If you haven’t watched yet, I would definitely recommend. It is charming, nostalgic and funny. Steve Martin and Martin Short make an obvious pairing but adding Selena Gomez to the mix was brilliant.
Until next time…
Btw, you can view on Disney+ in Canada. What’s everyone else watching?
Where I talk about books I’ve read and enjoyed. Especially if they’re written by a Canadian and set in Canada. This week I’m talking about Fire in the Stars: An Amanda Doucette Mystery by Barbara Fradkin.
Fire in the Stars: An Amanda Doucette Mystery by Barbara Fradkin
Published: Dundurn Press, 2016
Length: 328 pages
Categories: Mystery / Amateur Sleuths / Canadian Detectives / Canadian Setting
The Blurb:
After surviving a horrific trauma in Nigeria, international aid worker Amanda Doucette returns to Canada to rebuild her life and her shaken ideals. There, the once-passionate, adventurous woman needs all her strength and ingenuity when a friend and fellow survivor goes missing along with his son.
A trained first-aid and crisis responder, Doucette — always accompanied by her beloved dog Kaylee — joins forces with RCMP officer Chris Tymko to discover the truth about the disappearance. Their search leads them to the Great Northern Peninsula, a rugged landscape of Viking history, icebergs, whales, and fierce ocean storms. Elsewhere, a body gets hauled up in a fisherman’s net, and evidence is mounting of an unsettling connection with Amanda’s search for her friend. Fradkin writes evocatively of the beautiful, often hostile, Newfoundland landscape where Amanda soon finds herself fighting for her very survival.
My Thoughts:
Fire in the Stars is the first book in Fradkin’s Amanda Doucette mystery series. Amanda, an international aid worker, has returned to Canada to recover from the trauma she experienced during her time in Nigeria. She plans a camping holiday in Newfoundland with her friend and former co-worker. When she shows up, she finds he’s gone missing along with his young son. What follows is a search through parts of Newfoundland’s more remote areas with the help of RCMP officer, Chris Tymko.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and we get a real sense of the rugged and beautiful province of Newfoundland. Amanda is on a mission to find and help her friend, Phil, before the worst happens. This places her in several precarious situations as she’s always ready to wade into trouble. Almost too ready, as she took more and more chances. Some to the point of folly and against sound advice. The author makes it clear that Amanda was in the habit of making crucial decisions with few resources in her former job. Still…it became a bit frustrating.
There is a lot happening in this book. We are learning who Amanda is, what drives her and the lengths she’s willing to go to protect the people she cares about. Dog lovers will enjoy the antics of Kaylee, Amanda’s faithful canine companion. Amanda and Tim grow close as they search for their friend. And plenty of other secondary and minor characters show up. It’s a complicated plot. Bodies start to turn up and the situation continues to escalate. All the different things at play make for a confusing read at times.
Overall, I think it’s an interesting start to a series that will take Amanda across Canada, which is an intriguing concept. If you’re looking for an interesting Canadian setting, a daring amateur sleuth, and a mystery that isn’t the least bit cozy, I recommend giving the Amanda Doucette series a try.
Here is a map of Newfoundland and Labrador. Fire in the Stars takes place mainly on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland.
Have you been to Newfoundland and Labrador? If you have, what is your favourite part of the province? It’s the only Canadian province I haven’t visited but I plan to some day!
August is my birthday month. Wave back if you’re also a Leo. Also true, I don’t read my horoscope. So, I don’t really know much about being a Leo…
I do know that August brings a fullness to the air that signals the end of summer. Flower pots are bursting with colour and gardens are producing. I don’t have a garden but I have a couple of vegetables planted amongst the flowers.
Fresh garden tomatoes are one of my very favourite things. This time of year always reminds me of growing up on a farm and harvest season, both in the field and in the garden.
And it’s all because of the bees.
We have leafcutter bees helping us out in our yard. The pre-built Pine Solitary Bee Barn (with Nesting Block & Larvae) is from Backyard Pollinator, a company that operates out of Imperial Saskatchewan. Jed and Kathy Williams are the sole owners of their alfalfa seed and leafcutter bee operation.
Our daughter got the kit from her brother and sister-in-law for Christmas. We stored the bees in our garage fridge for the rest of the winter. Our son came in the middle of June to hang the house outside. We’ve had fun watching them go in and out. Leafcutter bees are great non-aggressive pollinators and the last image is proof the leafcutter bees are busy in our yard. You can tell by the careful cutouts in the leaves.
Many of the holes are now plugged, which means the bees have laid their larvea and filled the holes with leaves. At the end of summer we’ll take the nesting block out and put it in a cool spot until next summer.
Book Recommendation:
This is a great book full of inspiration and recommendations of the fabulous places this province has to offer locals and eager visitors.
Shortlisted for a 2021 Taste Canada Award and four 2021 Saskatchewan Book Awards
A robust and inspiring travel companion for both local and visiting food-lovers alike that reveals the stories, inspiration, and friendly faces of the people who craft great food in Saskatchewan.
From the province’s southern grain fields to its northern boreal forests, from its city markets to its small-town diners, Saskatchewan is the humble heartland of some of the nation’s most delicious food.
Author Jenn Sharp and photographer Richard Marjan spent four months travelling Saskatchewan, chatting at market stalls, in kitchens, bottling sheds, and stockrooms. Flat Out Delicious is the culmination of interviews with small-scale farmers and city gardeners, beekeepers and chocolatiers, ranchers, chefs, and winemakers. Together they tell the story of Saskatchewan’s unique food systems.
The journey is organized into seven regions (including a chapter each for restaurant hotbeds Regina and Saskatoon), with essays that delve deeper—into traditional Indigenous moose hunts, wild rice farming in the remote north, and berry picking in the south. There are profiles of over 150 artisans, along with detailed maps, travel tips, and stunning photography, making the book the ideal companion for a road trip that involves plenty of stopping to eat along the way.
You’ll meet a lettuce-grower who left a career in the city, and the small-town grad who worked his way up in the Saskatoon restaurant world; couples who are the first in their families to raise livestock, alongside new generations maintaining century-old operations. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or are Saskatchewan born and bred, prepare to be surprised by the abundance of personalities and culinary experiences to be found here in the land of living skies.
Until next time…
Are you a gardener? Do you love farmers markets? And all the beautiful food that this time of year produces?
A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.
Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.
They’re polar opposites.
In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.
Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.SEE LESS
My Thoughts:
January Andrews is suffering from writer’s block. She’s also broke. Grieving the loss of the father she thought she knew, she ends up in the last place she wants to be, the beach house her father left her. Even worse, she finds herself living next door to her college nemesis, Augustus Everett. Turns out he’s also suffering from writer’s block. When avoiding each other doesn’t work, they strike a deal. She’ll write a literary novel. And he’ll write a romance. And they’ll help each other through the process.
I worry when writers, who are not romance writers, write romance. I worry it won’t be a romance at all but an attempt to ‘elevate’ the genre. I also shy away from romances written in 1st person perspective. Just not my favourite perspective when it comes to romance. So, why did this book work for me? The chemistry between January and Gus is immediate. The dialogue is witty and funny and surprising. The writing is clever. January’s grief and sense of betrayal is heart wrenching. So, is Gus’s. Gus is delightfully swoon worthy in a guy-next-door kind of way. And January is quirky and real and just the right amount of over the top.
Also, this was an audio read for me and I have to say the narrator is amazing. Julia Whelan does a fantastic job. I can’t say enough about the great job she does. It’s the first time I’ve haven’t cringed when a narrator switches from a female to male character or vice a versa. I enjoyed her narration as much as I enjoyed Emily Henry’s writing.
This book is a great look at what happens when our egos fail us and the necessity of grieving. And what it looks like to find your way back and forward. Definitely recommend.
June with its tentative greens and cool mornings. I love June mornings. With my tea in hand, I take a tour of the yard taking note of how my plants are doing, listening to the birds chatter. We’ve having a heatwave right now, with heat warnings and everything. Which is weird for Saskatchewan this time of year. It’s more the ten degrees above the normal temperature. I sense there is wild weather on the horizon.
Lilacs are another of my favourite things about June. This sweet Sensation Lilac is a new addition to our yard. But as the days stretch longer and longer, other delights are making their presence known. Chicks and hen, sedum (another favourite of mine), and my ornamental alliums. All hardy, zone 3 perennials. Great for prairie gardening.
“The smell of moist earth and lilacs hung in the air like wisps of the past and hints of the future.”
Margaret Millar
June feels like it should be a season of its own and last a little longer before we springboard into summer. Where we rush trying to fit it all in before the seasons turn again.
Reading:
An Image In the Lake by Gail Bowen – ARC (Advance Reader Copy) – ebook. Early impressions: Just happy to be catching up with Joanne and the gang again, and waiting to see who dies. LOL Will follow up later with a review.
Hellion by Bertrice Small – audiobook. Early impressions: or more accurately – middle book of the book (I think). Also known as the point where this book swerves sideways into What The Hell is going on territory. This is my first Bertrice Small book, and…I just don’t know…
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron – Print book. Early Impressions: So far, interesting. I’ll be working through the suggestions and exploring the idea for a new series as I read it.
