Instructions for Traveling West: Poems by Joy Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“The last time I felt lucky was in fifth grade and my teacher was giving away a goldfish. She put all our names in a hat and miraculously drew mine. I was so excited, I cried. The fish only lived two weeks but, I loved him. It was years before I realized my teacher likely rigged the draw. Moments before, she had, in fact, whispered rather conspiratorially, that it just might be my lucky day. I was such a lonely kid and having a hell of a time adapting to the U.S. after living abroad and I think Mrs. Edelstein figured I could use a win. Of course the universe is full of deep magic, but I think most miracles can be traced back to someone’s profound and quiet kindness.”

This collection of poems beautiful, thought-provoking, deeply emotional and full of joy. It was honest and raw. Each time I read something that makes me feel less alone in the world, I am grateful for the bravery of the author to share a piece of themselves in a way that reminds us that we are all connected and suffering and joyful together.

“What curses us are rarely witches. Instead, it’s the stories the shape of someone else’s fear.”

There’s so much beauty in these poems, so much rawness and honesty. Regardless of where you are in your journey to self, I am confident you will find something here that resonates with you.

“In the Office We wear thin armor, as if approaching war. During a meeting, a man explains why his ideas are good, perhaps brilliant. The days rifle past, full of paper cuts, nerves, and filing cabinets. The copier, a monstrosity, glares in the corner and waits to break. In the lobby, there is enough sugar to kill a horse. At the company party, the receptionist gets drunk and begins to weep. We sneak our joy in slices—on holidays and weekends, sandwiched between calendars and PTO. Vacations smear at the edges. Traffic eats us like ants. Work-life balance, someone says. Outside, our lives ring, unanswered.”

Here’s to answering the call of our lives.

with gratitude to Random House and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Mercury by Amy Jo Burns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was more like a 3.5 and almost 4 but for me it went on a little longer than I wanted. I loved every single one of the characters and I loved how real and 3-dimensional they were. I loved that by the end of the book, I could relate to each and every one of them and my heart broken for almost each of their stories. So many themes explored here around family, marriage, sibling relationships, marriage, single-motherhood, young-motherhood, small towns and more. Beautiful story.

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Bright Side by Kim Holden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun book with dramatic and over the top moments. I think I am likely too old for these types of books at this point.

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The Gathering by C.J. Tudor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok this book was creepy. I had no idea it was going to have vampires or I might not have requested it but I had read C.J. Tudor’s books before and I knew they were slow burn mystery that I liked and this one was no exception. A kid is dead. Everyone assumes it must be the vampires because, come on, they are vampires! Right? Well, of course not right because if it was that obvious, it wouldn’t be a novel. At least not a good one, and she writes good novels. This is creepy, and fun, and interesting. I wasn’t crazy about the vampire bits but I loved the book.

with gratitude to netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Watercolor Textures for Artists: Explore Simple Techniques to Create Amazing Works of Art by Ana Victoria Calderón
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an awesome idea for a book! This book works for anyone who’s a beginner or intermediate who would like to have some fun with patterns. Even though it’s simple, she has some lovely ideas of how to combine all the simple patterns she teaches to make some really beautiful pages. I loved reading these and am really looking forward to practicing them.

with gratitude to edelweiss and Quarto Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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The 30-Day Embroidery Challenge: A Day-by-Day Guide to Learn New Stitches and Create Beautiful Designs by Jessica Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you want a gentle and really beautiful book on how to learn embroidery and commit to practicing regularly, this book is a fun way to learn and make a project out of it so you can learn all the different stitches and create some simple and beautiful patters. I loved it.

with gratitude to Quarry Books, Quarto and edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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