Current Reads: The Little Paris Bookshop

 

Loved, loved, loved this book!  So much so that I plan to buy a paperback or hard copy edition (I read the Kindle version) of it so I can highlight so many of its beautiful passages.

It wasn't anything like I expected - I thought it would be light, cute, & fun.  And while it was some of those things, it had greater depth, knowledge, & emotion than expected.  It's about love, loss, life, getting stuck & how to get unstuck (you know, the universal issues :-) - there's a lot of beauty & wisdom within these pages.  It will also make you want to explore the South of France via the Seine (never a bad thing!).

This was my neighborhood book club pick for the month & I am so thankful for the recommendation.

The Little Paris Bookshop: A Novel

I am part of Amazon's affiliate program - affiliate links above.  All opinions are my own.

Currently Reading: The Storyteller's Secrets

So, so good!

After multiple miscarriages & a wounded marriage, Jaya travels to India for the first time as she learns the grandfather she's never met is near death.  In an attempt to escape her pain & learn more about her family, she meets Ravi, a trusted friend of her deceased grandmother.  Ravi's story of her family pulls the past into the present & Jaya learns more than she ever hoped to - about her family's history & secrets & most importantly, about herself.

The Storyteller's Secret: A Novel

I am part of Amazon's affiliate program - affiliate links above.  All opinions are my own.

Currently Reading: The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty

A few years ago when we were visiting Hoboken, a dear friend grabbed (as in, borrowed) this book from the library - I snapped a pic so I would remember it & happy I did!

A trip to Casablanca goes awry - how to do you navigate a foreign city with no passport or money - no identity?  What if you don't want that identity anymore?  How do you get back home? What does home mean?

This book is emotional, beautiful, sad, funny, & creative.

Diver's Clothes Lie Empty

I am part of Amazon's affiliate program - affiliate links above.  All opinions are my own.

Currently Reading: Still Alice

This was another heavy one!

It's worth the read though because although it's fiction, it gives excellent insight into Alheizmer's disease  - what it's like experiencing the symptoms, getting & processing a diagnosis, telling your loved-ones, & knowing you won't know when the day comes that it takes over your entire life. 

It's heartbreaking, to say the least (I think I had real nightmares while I was reading it!). I know this may not sound like a glowing endorsement, but I think the compassioned gained through Alice's journey makes this book a solid pick.

Still Alice

I am part of Amazon's affiliate program - affiliate links above.  All opinions are my own.

Currently Reading: Lion

Since I am only really good (sometimes) about updating my "Read with me" page, I've decided to now park it on the main page & because my book page is getting ridiculously long (which is a great problem to have = more books read!) - so here you go.  If you are not a book person, skip these updates, but if you love to read too, please feel free to leave recommendations in the comment section.

And here's the needed disclaimer:

I am a part of Amazon's Associate Program -  affiliate links below. I have, however, read & purchased all the books listed - all opinions are my own.  

Lion, Saroo Brierley

I haven't seen this film yet (want to rent it now) - such an incredible, true story.  A lost child's amazing journey from India to Australia. Saroo's story is about family, love, hope, courage, survival, & finding the strength to keep going. 

Read this is if you need a kick of inspiration & believe in impossible odds.

Oh Hey, March!

So it turns out that I'm a half-ass blogger.  

Maybe I should change the name to "Shannon Reads & Writes Sometimes." ???

If interested, I do update my Read with Me Page the most. Please leave any recommendations too; I'm always adding to my Wishlist. #allthebooks!

Some notes from the field:

Ottawa is charming. We got to visit back in September (!!!) & I want to post more pics (one day).

I painted an old (so old!) china cabinet with chalk paint. These are not great pics, but I love how it turned out! This was my first time using chalk paint & now I am eyeing so many other pieces around the house.

(the pale gray is the after)

One of my sweet dogs got diagnosed with lymphoma back in October.  He is responding very well to chemo & the vet's office has become my second home.

My other sweet dog loves to dig holes/go mudding (sigh), but we still love her anyway.

Christmas = NYC & we walked the Brooklyn Bridge (my first time doing so) - it was so freaking cold, but she's a beauty!

I've rediscovered my childhood love of latch kit rugs & now I want to buy & make every single one! :-)

I have Hashimoto's (which I think sounds a lot worse than it is) but my thyroid is acting stupid, and it looks like gluten & dairy are a thing of the past for me. I've cut both out a lot over the past few years, but I need to get serious about it. (double sigh) My doctor suggested the book "The Thyroid Connection" & it's next on my reading list. The good news is that I take naltrexone (see here) & it may have been masking the Hashimoto's. Naltrexone can keep your appetite down, so my weight hasn't skyrocketed. 

Silver linings, Y'all, silver linings!

Ta-da!

Cheers,
S