Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

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What I Read // August 2021

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Maybe this is just a book blog now? It seems like these are the only posts I can really keep up with.

That said, it was a pretty good month for reading. I got six books in—two that were five-star-worthy. That’s a pretty good month!

The Dilemma by B.A. Paris • ★★★☆☆

B.A. Paris sucks me in every time. I don’t think the books are outstanding by any stretch, but they are definitely page-turners.

As with a few of her other books, this one rehashed details and thought processes a few too many times. Like, we get it, the characters are in a dilemma.

All this being said, it was a quick and satisfying read. Sort of like binge-watching a season of Drag Race All-Stars (which I’m doing now).

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell • ★★★☆☆

The Silent Companions remains one of my favorite Halloween reads of all time. Since then, I’ve picked up every Purcell book I could get my hands on.

While The Shape of Darkness isn’t quite as good as its predecessor, this book was still a fantastic spooky read. A silhouette artist teams up with a medium to contact the dead and solve a spate of murders? That’s some spooky perfection right there!

That being said, maybe this deserves 4 stars, but let’s settle on 3.5.

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner • ★★★★☆

I took a brief departure from domestic thrillers and gothic-y novels for this memoir about Wariner, the daughter of a religious sect’s prophet, growing up in rural Mexico (and later bouncing around the US).

I’ll be honest, this was a really difficult read in terms of subject matter. Wariner is a solid writer and her story was compelling, but what she suffered through as a child was traumatic and could definitely be triggering (so be careful).

The Umbrella Lady by V.C. Andrews® • ★☆☆☆☆

V.C. Andrews is a major throwback for me. I have vivid memories of all the book covers on display in Walmart and thinking I can’t wait to read a book like that because they just looked so so cool.

Eventually, I picked up Flowers in the Attic like every other 16-year-old and devoured it in two days. And then I read a handful of her other books.

But it’s been a long while since I’ve seen a new V.C. Andrews release (now with ®). When The Umbrella Lady came into my inbox as a cheap audiobook, I bit. And holy moly, this one was awful.

It had a lot of the V.C. Andrews signature elements: abandoned children, terrible parents, mysterious caretakers. But it was absolute trash (in a bad way). Nothing really added up. It didn’t build to any satisfying or scandalous conclusion. Also, I realized so much of the book was telling not showing (a big no-no for us writers).

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid • ★★★★★

I’m a bit late to the party on this one, but late is better than never with a five-star read like this.

I won’t say too much because you’ve probably read it! But I loved how this book followed a magazine writer as she chronicled the life of a Hollywood legend. How this all tied together was perfect and the story was beautiful along the way.

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland • ★★★★★

This just might be my favorite book of the year and one of the best summer reads on my list.

Let me say this: If you wish the Catskills episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel lasted forever, this is the book for you. Set in the Catskills (duh), this book follows members of the Goldman and Weingold families as they debate selling their once-great Borscht Belt resort.

This book was part nostalgia, part family drama and all wonderful. There were a lot of characters here—the story spans about 60 years—but they were so well done. Each was unique, interesting, flawed and loveable—like all our favorite family members.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads!

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What I Read // July 2021

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Summertime is prime reading time as far as I’m concerned. I love to sit out on the patio with a book after work or read a few pages at the beer garden. And this month I queued up plenty of audiobooks as I prepped for my first craft fair in 17 months.

Not every book was a winner this month, but there were a few standouts.

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones • ★★☆☆☆

This one has been on my TBR list for a while, and when my library hold came up, I was happy to claim it. But this story—about a family torn apart by a woman claiming to be a long-lost half-sister—wasn’t a thrill.

Sure, there were lots of turns and twists as characters tried to learn more about this half-sister and the family she supposedly belonged to, but the resolution wasn’t really satisfying. And it didn’t end up being that stunning. I think I’m becoming harder to please.

The Perfect Nanny by Leila Silmani • ★★☆☆☆

When I rented this from the library, I was really hoping for a twisty, domestic thriller.

But it just wasn’t. To me, there wasn’t much exciting here. A family hires a nanny and they are thrilled with her work. After a while, the polish wears off. This just didn’t seem new to me.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite • ★★★★★

This is an incredibly quick read at just 226 pages, but Braithwaite made the most of every word.

This book was thrilling, funny and left me thinking for days. What if my sister was a serial killer? Would I still love her like Korende loves Ayoolya?

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray • ★★★★☆

It became a bit of a summer tradition to pick up a bit of historical fiction like this each summer. It all started with a handful of Fiona Davis books and it grew from there.

The Personal Librarian definitely fits in this category for me and was such a good read. This book is a factionalized version of the life of Belle da Costa Greene, librarian to JP Morgan.

Belle is a fascinating character in this novel and IRL. In order to make her way in society, she suppressed her Black identity and passed as white. This helped her become a librarian at Princeton and then later for Morgan. She was intelligent, outspoken and intuitive. And this novel does a great job following her story.

The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey • ★★★☆☆

I had this book on my list for a while and really wanted to savor it. I mean the premise was great: A museum director moves her taxidermy to a great estate during WWII to protect the collection. Once there, pieces start moving and eerie stuff begins to happen.

Fantastic, right? The summary gave me The Silent Companions vibes (and I loved that book). The first two-thirds were satisfying but things took a less spooky turn toward the end. And it sort of felt lame and unexpected. But the build-up was good. It’s a B-.

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith • ★★★☆☆

I’ll say it, this description from Chirp grabbed me: “As curator Ellie prepares for an exhibition, she’s horrified to learn that the paths of a famous Dutch painting and its forgery — which she herself created — are set to converge.”

Ooh! Like what a scandal! The book was not as scandal-focused as I anticipated, but a good listen nonetheless.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads!

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Picking Up Stitching After a Long Break

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For a while now, I’ve been working a very small side hustle. I embroider silly things and sell them. I dabble in Etsy but I far prefer selling at in-person markets. It’s just way more fun!

But when the pandemic hit and events were canceled, I put down my needle. I focused a lot on making masks and filled the rest of my time with puzzles, books, TV and worrying. Embroidery didn’t feel as pressing without events to sell at and people around to sell to.

Picking Up the Needle

And honestly, I didn’t miss it. Not once did I feel compelled to stitch up an original design (I did buy and stitch quite a few cross stitches, though). For a while, I thought that I might just be done with the stitching side hustle.

That is until I saw a call from Madison Makers Market for an upcoming event. I thought to myself, I’ll give it one more go. I’ve got lots of hoops hanging around anyway.

And just like that, I was back in the swing of things. As I drew up a new design (and finished off some WIPs from a year ago), I found myself enjoying embroidery more than ever.

Sometimes craft fair prep can feel stressful, but this time, I look forward to sitting down with my floss. It’s a good treat at the end of the day to pick up a hoop and cue up an audiobook. (Currently, I’m listening to The Personal Librarian.)

The Craft I Keep Coming Back To

Time and time again this is a craft I return to. And I honestly never thought of it that way. I always thought of myself as someone that got really into a project for a short while before moving on to the next (see: latch hook, paper flower and plastic canvas). It wasn’t until I went to my parents’ house weeks ago and saw a lot of my projects in their home that I realized holy cats, I’ve been doing this a long time and this is something I’ve always loved.

Proof: The cat cross stitch hanging in the upstairs hallway. The teacup crewelwork hanging by my parents’ bed. The “bite me” cross stitch on my mom’s dresser. The embroidery hoop I gave my dad for Christmas a few years back. The embroidered anniversary art I gave my parents. The cross stitch Christmas ornaments packed away in the basement.

That’s a lot. And it spans a long time. I remember making that cat cross stitch back in elementary school, the teacup piece in middle school and the infamous “bite me” art back in college.

So what’s the point: I am, as always, oblivious to my own nature. And I’m really happy to embroidering again.

You can find me at my first fair soon. The Madison Makers Fitchburg Mini Market is coming up on July 24.

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What I Read // June 2021

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This month, I made it a priority to improve the quality of my reading. First, I went to renew my library card. That means more ebooks and audiobooks for me (provided I get myself on the waitlist ASAP). Second, I bought myself a salt lamp (just like ten years after the trend). I was reading with one when staying at my parents’ house and it made reading super soothing. So with these two things at the ready, I’m ready to share what I read this June.

The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham • ★★☆☆☆

I am a sucker for any story about dressmakers, seamstresses, textile artists and the like. If the protagonist wields a needle, I am in.

But I just could not get into this book. I will admit that the ending was very satisfying (aren’t all revenge plots?), but getting there felt long and tedious.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Café by Jenny Colgan • ★★☆☆☆

After reading The Bookshop on the Corner last month, I felt compelled to give another Jenny Colgan book a try. The bookshop book was sweet, easy to listen to and was the perfect amount of fluff.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Café was perhaps just a little too fluffy for me, though. I didn’t find myself liking the characters very much. I found them to be a little flat and pretty dull. If you’re really into British books about small bakeries, by all means, go for it. But I won’t be picking up any more books in this series.

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten • ★★★☆☆

Oooh I love a good scary book. I find I read them the fastest and it does feel good to sit at home and read all day.

Right away this book intrigued me when I saw it on some “Coming Soon” lists. A filmmaker travels to a rural Swedish town that was suddenly abandoned 50 years prior. No one knows exactly what happened and how the population disappeared overnight. He goal is to get to the bottom of the story, starting with letters here grandmother—a former resident—wrote around the time of the town’s collapse.

However, once the filmmaker and her crew get to the town, eerie stuff starts to happen, and soon what occurred becomes scarier than anyone thought.

It was a decent read, but I did have a few issues with some portrayals of mental health here. But I read it and if someone said they liked things like The Blair Witch Project, I’d suggest this to them.

One by One by Ruth Ware • ★★★★☆

I love a good Ruth Ware book. In a Dark, Dark Wood remains one of my favorite thrillers, and I have to say that One by One competes with it.

The gist here: A small tech company goes on a corporate retreat in the Alps. It’s all very fancy and they plan to ski the week away. Right away, it’s obvious that not everyone gets along. Then an avalanche comes and changes everything.

I really enjoyed this. I stayed up late on work nights just to get some extra pages in—a maker of a satisfying read.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris • ★★★★★

I have been waiting for this book to come out for a while now and I absolutely devoured it. Pitched as a mix of Get Out and The Stepford Wives, I was obviously sold on the synopsis alone.

I really don’t want to give much away here, but I’ll give you the setup. Nella works as an editorial assistant in a prestigious New York publishing house. By and large, she feels her perspective as a Black woman is overlooked. She works hard, she tries to get the company to prioritize diversity. When the company hires Hazel, another Black editorial assistant, she’s excited for how the company might just start to change for the better. But soon Nella is left behind as Hazel climbs the ladder.

I won’t give more away. I can truly say I didn’t foresee how this book was going to go. It kept my attention until the very last page.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads!

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Small Goals // July 2021

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June was a really wonderful and really jam-packed month. We had a lot to celebrate: My mom came home after spending months in hospitals and in-patient physical therapy. My family and I spent a lot of time helping her get readjusted and while it’s been challenging at times, I couldn’t be happier. All this considered, I still managed to tackle some personal goals which is shocking and satisfying.

  1. Celebrate our anniversary. Oh my goodness! Michael surprised me with a short getaway to the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee—perfect for our iron anniversary. It was a beautiful weekend to enjoy their patio and walk around the Third Ward.
  2. Get to the farmers market. Done! I visited the Wauwatosa one a few times.
  3. Visit the beer garden. Nope. I tried to get some coworkers together for this, but every time I planned, it rained. Another time.
  4. Organize a closet. Not a chance.
  5. Have my family over. Done! It was a real treat to have my family over for Father’s Day. It was my mom’s first trip out for fun (not to go to see a doctor, physical therapist or speech therapist), and I think she really enjoyed the change of pace.

3/5. You know what, 3/5 this month wasn’t so bad. I accomplished the three goals that were most important to me. A closet cleaned three weeks ago surely would already be dirty. And the beer garden will be open through the fall. I’m OK with missing those.

As for July, I’m going to continue to take things easy. I just want to be at the ready for my family and enjoy a big event I’ve got coming up!

  1. Prep for my first market in 16 months. !!! It’s been more than a year since my last craft fair, and I am ready to get back at it again. Selling in person is hard work, but I much prefer it to selling on Etsy. I’m going to be at the Madison Makers Fitchburg Mini Market on July 24. This event is all new to me, but it sounds like a lot of fun!
  2. Use some PTO. I am a lucky person to get paid vacation. It’s been a stressful year, so it’s time I take some time off for myself (and also to prep for this fair).
  3. Plan a getaway. Despite it being July, summer plans are very much in the air. I’d like something on the books by the end of the month.
  4. Make pickles. I’ve got dill drying in the kitchen just waiting on the cucumbers in the garden to get big enough. It’s time for I Can Pickle That 2021.
  5. Visit the beer garden. OK, I just really want to do this.

Alright, that’s all for now!

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What I Read // May 2021

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Five books in a month is pretty good! It’s outdoor reading season so that always helps me turn a few extra pages.

Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Better Luck Next Time introduced me to the concept of “divorce ranches.” These locales were essentially resorts where women in the ’30s-’70s would relax, gain residency in Nevada and bid their time until their divorces were finalized. I’d never heard of this before and was fascinated by the idea.

And Better Luck Next Time painted a really interesting, entertaining and compassionate picture of the women who temporarily called these places home and the men who worked these ranches—though in this case they were fictional.

Definitely pick this one up this summer. It was a solid four-star book, bordering on five.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

After reading the first two books in this series, I was really excited to finish with Act Your Age, Eve Brown. After all, this was the title that initially attracted me to these books. With a plotline about a girl taking over the kitchen of a quaint B&B, how could I resist?

But I didn’t enjoy the last installment as much as the other Brown Sisters books. I just never came around to the characters in this one. I found the other sisters (Chloe and Dani) much more interesting than Eve. That being said, if you’ve read the others in the series, don’t stop short. It was still light, fluffy and enjoyable.

The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reading a book set in the arctic in the middle of May when it’s 70º outside? Yep, I did it.

The gist here: Virginia Reeve and a team of women are hired by a wealthy woman to search for the members of a lost arctic expedition. This expedition (Franklin’s Lost Expedition) was a real thing—which I did not know going into this book. All along the way, the women have to deal with difficult personalities and even more difficult terrain.

So I learned something with this book and I got to try a new type of historical fiction. It was good (but not a standout).

Still Lives by Maria Hummel • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am a sucker for things that are labeled as Target Club Picks or Reese’s Book Club selections. These books are reliably satisfying. Need proof? Here are a few that I’ve read and really enjoyed: The Woman in the Window, The Sanatorium and The Guest List.

This was a satisfying read (though not the best thriller I’ve picked up in the past year). The night of her opening, artist Kim Lord goes missing. At first, gallerists think this may be a stunt to promote the show (a show depicts famous murders), but as time goes on, things become less clear.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been reading a lot of lighter fare recently, including this fluffy read from Jenny Colgan. It was sweet: A girl laid off from her job as a librarian moves to Scotland and opens up a mobile bookstore (so not a bookshop on the corner, despite what the title may indicate). She makes friends, learns to love her new home and finds her purpose in life.

Could I see the ending a mile away? Sure. But it was a nice easy-breezy listen.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads!

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Small Goals // June 2021

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May went by in a flash! And it was a good month to finally spend a little time outdoors. Here’s how I did on my goals:

  1. Get a few plants in the ground. Done! And more than a few. We planted more perennials, plenty of veggies and a good amount of herbs. I’m very excited about the growing season.
  2. Put out the patio furniture. Done and early in the month to boot! We broke out the patio gear on May 2 and got in a few rounds of croquet after.
  3. Go to a restaurant. I did it. Being fully vaccinated and hearing the new CDC guidelines, I feel pretty comfortable with this—especially with patio season here.
  4. For the love of all things good, clean up the house. You know what—I did it. It’s not perfect, but it is cleaner.
  5. Organize the pantry. Nooooo.

4/5. May wasn’t a bad month for goals! It was the first month in a long, long time where I got to do a few normal-ish things like eat at a restaurant, get my hair cut and have a few friends over.

I’d love to keep the momentum going for June, but I’ve got to reign that in a bit for now. After a few months in and out of hospitals and in-patient physical therapy, my mom is coming home! That means I’ll be spending a lot of time at my parents’ house helping out and probably not as much time doing summery stuff. So my goals for June are going to be pretty mellow.

  1. Celebrate our anniversary. On June 12, we celebrate six years! Unfortunately, I don’t think a grand vacation is in the cards this year (it definitely wasn’t last June either). But I’d still like to mark the day in the biggest way we can manage.
  2. Get to the farmers market. I love visiting a good farmers market. While I will be busy the first few Saturdays this month, I do hope to make it to the Wauwatosa market or maybe even Dane County if I’m feeling extra ambitious.
  3. Visit the beer garden. I also love a good beer garden, particularly the Landing at Hoyt Park. It’s a good feeling to be outside, grab a beer and bring some snacks.
  4. Organize a closet. I don’t care if it’s the pantry or my craft closet. One of these junk traps needs to be tidied.
  5. Have my family over. It’s been over a year since my family has visited me at my house. I’d love to have them over and grill for them!

OK, that’s all for this month. I’m hoping that it’s a great one for my mom!

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An Inexplicable Dessert // Angel Food + Pistachio Trifle

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Growing up, there was one dessert my mom would bring to family gatherings that I just never got: an angel food and pistachio torte (trifle? fluff?).

It was all sorts of things I didn’t really like that much: angel food cake (bland, dry and sticky all at once), pistachios and toffee. This dessert never held much appeal. Also, it was very ugly.

But one party, I finally gave this treat a try and I am not ashamed to say it: My mom was right; this dessert was delicious.

So in honor of Mother’s Day, here is the recipe for this absolutely inexplicable dessert.

Angel Food Pistachio Trifle Recipe

This one of those delightful Midwestern follies full of Jell-O pudding mix, Cool Whip and more. As much as I love scratch-made everything, I’m also a sucker for treats like this. Here’s what you need:

  • 1 package of angel food cake mix (preferably the one with the rainbow sprinkles inside)
  • 1 tub Cool Whip
  • 1 small box Jell-O instant pistachio pudding
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 Heath or Skor bars, crushed

Step 1: Bake the Cake

Before you ask, yes, you can absolutely make a homemade angel food cake for this recipe. But if you ask me, now is not the time to fuss with all the eggs and the tedium. This cake gets torn up, coated in fluff and topped with candy.

It’s really OK just to use a boxed mix—these are the best brands to use according to a very scientific test I conducted.

A few things about the cake, homemade or not, make sure not to grease the pan. Also, you want to cool it upside down once it comes out of the oven. It’s all on the box, but these are still some pro tips.

Once the cake is totally cool, remove it from the pan and cut or tear into chunks.

Step 2: Make the Fluff

Now here’s where the Midwestern comes in: Whip up a package of instant pistachio pudding according to the package directions. Once it’s set—about five minutes—fold a tub of Cool whip into the pudding. That’s your fluff.

Step 3: Assemble

All that’s left to do is to put all these pieces together. Grab any serving container you like. My mom uses a 13×9″ pan, but I pulled this Pyrex dish from my collection. You could also make this in a trifle dish or make individual parfaits.

Spoon a bit of the fluff on the bottom, then add some cake. Continue adding layers of the two until it’s all used up. Finally, topped with some crushed toffee bits.

Serving and Saving

Once this dessert is all put together, pop it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Then scoop and serve.

This trifle (torte? fluff?) does keep pretty well for a few days; I’d say eat it within three days of making it. It’ll get softer as time goes on, but it still tastes pretty darn good.

This year, I don’t get to celebrate my mom the way she deserves on Mother’s Day (she’s currently in the hospital), but I did get to see her. She even gave me a few tips on this recipe. And making this treat Mother’s Day morning did help me feel a bit better.

Just a reminder to everyone to hug their moms extra today. Like extra on top of the Mother’s Day extra. And then extra every day after that.

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Small Goals // May 2021

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April was a rollercoaster of a month. Yet, I still managed to do pretty well here. Let’s go over April before jumping into May (which I hope is way more fun).

  1. Visit Wind Point Lighthouse. Done! It was a gorgeous day out for it too.
  2. Master this baby bunny Bundt pan. Also done. The secret to greasing a Bundt pan is brushing it with melted shortening and then dusting it with flour. I learned that from one of the pros at Taste of Home. I made two batches of bunnies: one set of carrot cake bunnies and one set of almond poppy seed.
  3. Plant a few trillium plants. Planted! But the next day it snowed! Let’s see if they sprout.
  4. Start using my Caraway cookware. Checking this one off feels good!
  5. Celebrate my second vaccine dose. I treated myself a lot, but why not? I bought a new pair of sandals, a few new spices from the Spice House and sipped an Oreo shake. It was all medicinal, of course, because that second shot is no joke! But 12 hours of achiness is absolutely well worth it!

5/5. Who knew that five joyful goals would be easy to accomplish? But I think that’s a lesson for this season of life. My mom has been in and out of the hospital recently, so heavy goals are not going to happen. Instead, I’ve been trying to give myself the room to relax when I can and be available for her and the rest of my family whenever possible.

So I’m going to continue with some lighter goals for now. I really think that’s the best thing. Here’s what I’ve got on the docket for May:

  1. Get a few plants in the ground. As I’m writing this, it’s 43º and drizzly. But I’m hoping that May will be warm enough to get at least a few things planted. Over the years, I’ve learned a bit about what veggies are worth planting and which are just space-hungry flops (ahem, kohlrabi).
  2. Put out the patio furniture. Again, I’m hoping that May will be much different than April.
  3. Go to a restaurant. I am officially vaccinated! According to the CDC, it’s pretty safe to do a few more things, including eating outdoors. I’m ready to give it a try.
  4. For the love of all things good, clean up the house. I’ll be real: The house is real cluttered right now. We’re not living in filth, but we are living with a lot of items that just never get put away. I’m not going to feel bad or beat myself up about it because life has been hard, but I can take a few steps to a cleaner house.
  5. Organize the pantry. Hooo boy: I do not want to put this on the list, but it’s something I probably should do. This is what I like to call a stretch goal.

See you back here soon with some updates!

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What I Read // April 2021

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April was a good month for reading. I started a new series (I never read series) and even read a five-star book. I don’t give out five-star reviews regularly, so when I do, you know I mean it.

And I suppose this begs the question what makes a five-star book? So glad you asked! A five-star book (that’s a perfect Goodreads score FYI) is one that’s really well done for its genre. It’s also one that I think about for a good while after finishing it.

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers, pick this book up. The Girl Before trades off between Emma and Jane, two women that rented a smart home at different times. Both women moved into the house after undergoing trauma and both seem to have a lot in common.

It was a speedy book that I got through in less than a week. And while I did find it compelling and wanted to find out what happened, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. I’d say there are a lot of triggers here, so please tread carefully.

This being said, you might like The Girl Before if you enjoy books by B.A. Paris.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Before last year, I never really read a lot of rom-com-ish books. But after picking up The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living last year, I found these reads (and listens) really satisfying, especially during stressful times. I mean, I love a good thriller, but sometimes you want something to soothe and uplift instead of terrify.

Anyways, Hibbert’s title Act Your Age, Eve Brown was what initially attracted me to the series. However, since Eve’s story is part three of three, I figured I’d start at the beginning with Chloe.

Chloe is the oldest of the Brown sisters and is not looking for love. Of course, though, she meets a handsome but slightly aggravating neighbor. This read was quick, breezy and cute.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So quick, breezy and cute, in fact, that I instantly downloaded the second book in this three-part series.

Dani is the middle Brown sister and is also not looking for love. She’s a Ph.D student who is serious about achieving her goals but not serious about relationships. By some fluke, she and a coworker attract a lot of positive social media attention and are labeled as #couplegoals. The two stick together to take advantage of the fame all the while trying not to catch feels.

It’s cute. And yes, I do have the third book already downloaded.

The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox • ⭐️⭐️

What can I say? The idea of Hester Fox novels always seems better than the books themselves. Just like The Witch of Willow Hall, I found this book to be slow-moving and disappointing.

A minister moves to a small town in Maine (promising!) and finds that pretty much everyone in the town hates the widow who lives on the outskirts of town (cliche but I’m interested). And some spooky things start happening. But they never seemed that spooky. And they all seem contrived. Ooh the murderer is taking tips from Poe!

The characters were so bland! And it wasn’t spine-tingling. Maybe it’s time I take the other Hester Fox books off my to-be-read list.

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For me, a book is worthy of five stars if I can’t stop thinking about it after I’ve read it. That, to me, is the marker of a really well written, thoughtful book.

And that’s exactly what Yellow Wife was. This work of historical fiction is loosely based on the life of Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved woman who spent much of her life as the mistress of the jailer of Richmond Jail in Virginia.

In this book, Pheby Dolores Brown is born into slavery but with the promise of being educated and freed when she turns 18. Unfortunately (but predictably), this promise isn’t kept by the owners of the plantation where she lives. Instead, she is transferred to a jail in Richmond where enslaved people are punished and traded. There the jailer takes her as his favorite mistress or yellow wife. There she settles into an uncomfortable routine but manages to develop some warm relationships.

Yellow Wife is a challenging read because it doesn’t shy away from the heartbreaking and unsettling history of slavery. But it’s also a fantastic read because it’s wonderfully written and portrays Pheby’s really difficult story with compassion and understanding.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads!