Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie

Fifty Words for Rain is at once achingly sad and poetically beautiful. I love a heart-wrenching plot and complex characters, and Asha Lemmie delivers in one sweep with her debut novel. Prepare to get lost in the range of emotions you’ll feel at every turn. Whether it’s friendship, siblinghood, parenthood, hope, or survival, there is a theme in Fifty Words for Rain that will speak to your heart.

Fifty Words for Rain tells the tale of a young girl named Nori who goes to live with her grandparents – only to be forced into the attic and punished for things beyond her control.

In a world where she is to be neither seen nor heard to save face for her highly esteemed family, Nori eventually finds an ally in her brother Akira.

Akira shows Nori new possibilities that Nori had previously been denied. As Nori learns more from her brother about the outside world, it becomes harder and harder to return to the isolation of the attic.

Throughout many ups and downs, Nori’s adoration for Akira blossoms into a love that transcends both of their circumstances and leads to daring and courageous acts.

After a lifetime of suffering, Nori feels like a shell of her former self. Although the siren call of death can be disguised as an endearing temptress, Nori must persevere to protect herself and her loved ones. When motherhood presents itself, Nori’s harsh reality becomes even more evident.

Throughout life we make many choices, some big and others small, but all can have lasting impacts on other people. Nori must eventually come to terms with her choices, especially when it comes to love. Will she have room in her heart for more than one person?

As a single mother, I think about this issue sometimes. One day if “true love” presents itself again, how will I balance it with the love of my child? Can’t the love of your sibling or your child or your parent also be true love, just in a different way? Love is multi-faceted.

Nori’s journey is deep and devoted. There were times when I was overcome with sadness or anger and literally had to put this book down to compose myself.

Asha Lemmie has proven herself an expert at eliciting emotion. The only thing you could regret is not reading this book!

Learn more about Asha Lemmie and Fifty Words for Rain at her website.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

CW/TW: depression, suicide, death

Nora Seed is trapped – in the Midnight Library.

Matt Haig’s latest novel The Midnight Library tells the story of a woman named Nora, who finds herself in the ultimate position between choice and fear of the unknown.

After a series of events leaves Nora feeling despondent, unwanted, and more alone than ever, she finds herself in the Midnight Library.

This library is like limbo, the place between your physical existence and your final resting place.

Its librarian is none other than Nora’s former school librarian, Mrs. Elm. Some of Nora’s most memorable childhood moments occurred with Mrs. Elm.

I purchased The Midnight Library at the Minneapolis-St Paul airport and absolutely devoured it. This phrase is old hat but it’s true: I could not put it down!

In the Library, each book represents a different life Nora could have led. There are infinite possibilities.

All you have to do is pick one and it pulls you into the story of What Might Have Been. And you can try out more than one.

The smallest decision have deep consequences. How would you feel if you found yourself in such a library? How do you even begin to choose or guess what life would make you the happiest?

Will Nora find happiness? Will she even make it out alive? Will she pick a new life to live?

No spoilers here!

Stylistically, this book is easy to read. The language is straightforward while remaining engaging and the chapters are short. I’ve found the older I get, shorter chapters are better for keeping my attention span – they seem to keep the flow going better.

The supporting characters have unique personalities and all serve the story well.

Very importantly, The Midnight Library is emotional. Nora’s feelings of aloneness and despair are very real. My desire for Nora’s situation to improve was compounded by the fact that I so badly wanted her to feel better.

I connect easily to books that are tinged – or in some cases, saturated – with sadness. If you’re like me, you may cry at least once while reading this story.

Don’t get me wrong. This book is more than sadness.

The Midnight Library represents hope and overcoming the dark places our minds can take us. Happiness doesn’t just magically appear because we think we did everything right or everything that we were supposed to. It is cultivated. It is crafted. It is built piece by piece from all the ways that we give ourselves grace and love and extend them to others.

Have you read The Midnight Library or any of Matt Haig’s other works? Drop a comment below!

A master of inciting emotion, if the rest of Matt Haig’s books are like this one, I can’t wait to read more. Learn more about Matt and his other works at his website.

If you or anyone you know is struggling or has concerns about their mental health, check out these resources listed on the National Institute of Mental Health website. Domestic violence resources can be found at the Hotline. An internet search of resources will also yield results specific to your local area.

Viaticum by Patrick Morgan

“Paradise has a price.

It isn’t just a job, it’s his dream job. This is everything he’s worked for and everything he deserves. One job offer, and Ethan Birch’s life changes forever.

Given immense creative control, power, and perks, Ethan falls deeply under the company’s spell. His Beverly Hills office is a modern mecca, complete with every imaginable convenience and delight. Employees walk around barefoot on floors of summer grass while flowering cornucopias bloom from the ceiling; a utopian fantasyland the likes of which he’s never imagined.

But beneath this paradise, a dark conspiracy breathes. Ethan soon begins to realize that to have everything he’s ever wanted, he’ll have to sacrifice everything he’s ever loved.”

Patrick Morgan’s latest novel Viaticum is a poignant tale of the consequences of maintaining a lavish lifestyle and choosing your own reality.

How do you define success? Is it accomplishing goals or building wealth? Somehow both?

Is there a threshold as you move up the chain where building wealth and status becomes the goal?

Is work success worth your home life falling apart?

What if it was going to fall apart anyway?

Viaticum is also an intriguing character study:

First is Ethan – a man who seems to have difficulty taking full responsibility for his actions, instead choosing to blame everyong and anyone else.

Second is Dr. Charon – one half of the husband and wife team that owns Olympus – who seems to revel in playing god to those around him, pushing them to the brink until he’s the last thing they can rely on.

From Ethan’s point of view at his new work place, Olympus: “Platinum-blue Los Angeles skies stretch out in every direction, and beneath them, a full nine stories down, I can gaze out over the urban sprawl of civilization in much the same way that God must look down upon us.”

There is tension between Ethan and his wife, Allie, and the more you learn about their history, you begin to see how certain actions have come to be.

Having read other reviews, I’m feeling alone in that I have little sympathy for Ethan’s predicaments. I don’t know if the author meant this to be ambiguous but I got the impression that Ethan was chosen by his new company precisely because things were going to implode for him anyway – if Olympus hadn’t been involved, how would his life have been different in the end?

Viaticum would be an interesting book club selection because there’s plenty to dissect.

Patrick Morgan excels at presenting the what-ifs.

What if you risked the consequences of doing whatever you wanted because the world was ending anyway? (Apparent Horizon)

What if your soul got lost in the ether and entered another person’s body while you were unconscious? (Realms)

And now, with his latest novel Viaticum, what if there’s a chance for you to have everything you wanted? What price would you pay to get it?

Patrick Morgan’s latest release Viaticum is available via e-book and in print and releases TOMORROW, 6 July 2021. Preorder your copy today from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Learn more about Patrick Morgan and his other works at his website.

Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

Can you repair a betrayal before it even happens? Should you even try?

Half Sick of Shadows is a reimagined, magical story of the Lady of Shalott, also known as Elaine of Astolat.

As a child, Elaine is plagued by visions which her mother – not wanting her to face the hardships of being an oracle in a world with distain for magic – forces Elaine to hide.

With destiny on her side, Elaine is befriended by Morgana. The pair sets out for Avalon and Elaine becomes the fifth member in the group that is Morgana, Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot.

As young love blossoms between Elaine and Lancelot as well as Arthur and Guinevere, Elaine must try to keep what she knows of the quintet’s futures to herself. What heartbreaks, tragedies, and misfortunes lie in wait for them?

Throughout the story it is emphasized that even the slightest decisions can change the future.

The story flips between the present, Elaine’s memories, and Elaine’s visions of what is to come. I did not find it confusing to follow and felt like the visions helped keep the story moving because I wanted to know what would come to pass.

Beyond that, Half Sick of Shadows is a story of friendship, family ties, loyalty and honor, and finding the balance between commitments and independence.

Laura Sebastian began this story as a teenager, and I’m glad she didn’t give up on it. I was not as familiar with Elaine as I was the other characters – perhaps they are easier to romanticize – so I was prompted to do some Googling and read more about her. I won’t spoil anything for you!

I received this book early because it was my June Book of the Month selection (post not sponsored). Half Sick of Shadows is set for release in summer 2021. Learn more about Laura Sebastian and her other projects – including the Ash Princess Series – at her website.

Happy reading!

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Have you read The Lost Apothecary? If not, add it to your tbr!

In present-day London, Caroline goes mudlarking and finds an old apothecary bottle that leads her on an exciting journey of personal and historical discovery.

At the end of the 18th century, apothecary Nella finds an unexpected friend in young Eliza.

When a poisoning goes wrong, Nella must work quickly to spare her shop from the authorities.

When Caroline looks into the history of the bottle and ties it to an abandoned shop, she unravels a story that had been lost to time.

I liked the character development, the easy switches in the setting between modern day and the past, and the story’s ability to draw me in.

Readers who are fans of detail will love the descriptions that Penner utilizes – you become engrossed in the settings and imagine yourself alongside the characters.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a story that spoke to me in a deep way. In addition to the emphasis on empowerment and being true to yourself – even after years of thinking you want one thing – it’s okay to realize you want something more and to go after it.

Learn more about Sarah Penner at her website.

(Learn more about mudlarking from this NPR article).

Here for It by R. Eric Thomas

Here for It was meant to be my next treadmill read – that is, the book I read while walking on my treadmill.

Eventually, I became too engrossed in the book and gave up on the treadmill part.

I know R. Eric Thomas would understand 🙂

This book is FUNNY! I laughed out loud multiple times.

Sprinkled in were deep moments that got me thinking about my own life and how we influence others’ experiences.

Life is messy and this author does not hide the messy parts of his story.

At some point, we all want to hide pieces of ourselves, or at least mask them with humor, self-deprecation, or even avoidance.

R. Eric Thomas reminds us to live our truths and be ourselves – even as we are trying to figure out who that is.

Explore more about R. Eric Thomas and his other works at his website.

The Last Tree Town by Beth Turley

In The Last Tree Town, Cassi Chord is coming to terms with growing up – identity, culture, heritage, sisterhood, friendships, family dynamics, and mental health are all important elements of Beth Turley’s latest work.

“It’s been forty-seven days since our last night of s’mores and scary stories. The number forty-seven has too many sharp edges.”

I really enjoyed The Last Tree Town. It’s classified as a middle school-aged book and I wish I had read a book like this when I was 12.

Turley’s story pieces together many of the things I hadn’t been able to say then and oftentimes struggle to say now.

Because of that, laughter and tears were also common as I read.

I stare at the threes until they look like eights and hearts and fish. I forget if the sum of a bunch of negatives is eventually positive or if it just stays negative forever.”

I really enjoyed Beth Turley’s writing style!

The mix of memories, present day narrative, and diary entries made for short, efficient chapters.

Quirky little details brought the characters to life. For example, Cassi loves numbers.

In the story, Cassi relates issues she encounters to math theories. I love that Cassi excels at math and that the Math Olympics group in the story has three girls in it and not just one “token” female mathlete.

I cannot speak to Cassi’s experiences growing up as Puerto Rican and Caucasian. I can, however, relate to the other things a 12 year old girl experiences – crushes, older sister dynamics, shifting friend groups, complete awareness of the self without actually knowing who that self is.

Depression is a key element of the story. Its effect on the Chord family and their friends is palpable and all too real. It’s inspiring and comforting to read about this health issue in The Last Tree Town because it gives me hope that there will be a positive impact around the stigma.

If you or anyone you know is struggling or has concerns about their mental health, check out these resources listed on the National Institute of Mental Health website. An internet search of resources will also yield results specific to your local area.

Learn more about Beth Turley and her works on her author website.

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

Things The Sanatorium has: murder, mystery, history, anticipation, and an unforgettable ending.

I finished this book on a cold, grey, drizzly night. Definitely spent the next hour or two feeling like there was someone watching me. Thanks a lot, Sarah! *accusatory but secretly thrilled stare in her direction*

One of the reasons I like this book is that Sarah Pearse did such a good job of making anyone seem like a suspect that I had to get to the end to find out who did it.

I even suspected the main character a few times!

And while along the way I had plenty of speculations, Pearse provides a few surprises to keep us on our toes.

And that ending! I can’t give too much away but let’s just say, it made me want to go back and immediately re-read the whole book to look for clues!

On a personal note, finishing a book lately has been a mental struggle for me. We are all exhausted with many things and I was so happy when I finished this. Starting to feel back in my groove!

Have you read The Sanatorium? Let me know in the comments what you thought or if it’s on your tbr!

Learn more about Sarah Pearse at her website.

Happy reading, friends!

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam is not your typical suspense novel.

The best way to describe Leave the World Behind is that it is somehow both subtle and specific.

Human nature + the unknown + what we do when we are put to the test are themes throughout.

I will not lie – while it picked up at the end, I struggled with a good chunk of this book. Leave the World Behind is certainly not an edge-of-your-seat thriller. It is at times (purposefully?) slow.

The writing style is also in stark contrast to the books I normally read. One thing specifically is that I had a hard time connecting to the characters.

After I finished reading, I watched a couple short videos of Rumaan Alam talking about Leave the World Behind and I think if I had watched them while I was having Motivation Difficulties, it would have helped – must remember this tip for future reading!

What kept me going were the overall themes and that I was intrigued by the concept itself. Plus this line specifically I really enjoyed: “if they weren’t human, in this moment, then they were nothing.”

This book was hard to read while I was reading it, but I’ve been thinking about the concepts ever since. Maybe that’s just as important, if not more so. That almost makes me want to read it again – so I can see what I missed the first time.

The mystery of the emergency in the city also compelled me to keep reading because I wanted to find out what actually happened.

In summary, I’m glad I read it. It was easy to put down but impossible to forget about so I kept coming back to it. I think it’ s important to explore texts outside of our “reading comfort zone”.

Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam sounds more my speed – it’s about two best friends who grow up and have to find out if they can still be best friends. That’s definitely a concept I’m familiar with. I think I’ll give that one a shot next 🙂

Read more about Rumaan Alam and his other projects here.

Successful reading, friends!

Happiness Week + Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies

Over the course of multiple weeks, I read Tara Schuster’s Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies while working out on my treadmill.

It took some adjusting, I assure you. I’ve read on a stationary bike before but the treadmill was a new ballgame.

I would definitely recommend that you do not read this book while on the treadmill because if you – like me – like to journal or take notes, it’s really hard to do while working out. I took pictures of a couple things with my phone or saved something in the notes app, but it’s not quite the same.

Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies will motivate you to create a life surrounded by the things you love from the inside out. Your existence will be full to the brim with reminders of the the things that make you happy. From the way you treat others to the way you respect yourself, this book will have something for you.

One thing Tara Schuster suggested in the book is writing down your wishes and putting them in a pretty place that is meaningful to you. Hers is a macaron box, mine also happens to be a macaron box. It’s a beautiful dark green with gold writing and is the perfect vessel for wishes both big and small. It had been sitting on a counter because I couldn’t bear to throw it away – destiny obviously had a plan for it. 🙂

She also shares a gratitude exercise she received as a recommendation – writing down a certain amount of things you’re grateful for every day in a journal. If you do that every day for a month, that’s 300 things to be grateful for! And if you did it for a whole year? That’s 3,650 things! You’ll likely repeat some things, but being able to recognize gratitude in even the smallest moments is important.

Her book (and some personal events) inspired me to do a “happiness challenge”. From January 20th to January 31st, I did one thing every day that made me happy, with the caveat that it be something I was doing intentionally for myself.

Doing things for your own happiness is so so so important to our wellness and self-worth. Tara Schuster reminded me that I am deserving of being treated intentionally well.

I am not an after-thought. I am not on this earth for passive consideration.

By treating myself well, I show others how I want to be treated.

This does not mean I want other people to buy me pearls and wine & dine me (don’t get me wrong, that sounds great!) This exercise helped shape my perception of treatment that I will accept from men in particular.

I have long struggled with less-than-adequate behavior from men being justified as something exceptional and noteworthy. I do not need a wealthy partner, but I do need someone who understands that the bare minimum will not fly. We all deserve to be treated in the best possible way.

This does not mean someone wealthy who can buy you things. This means someone’s intentions and actions match – if not exceed – the level of respect and care you know you deserve.

It’s been a few weeks since I finished the happiness week and a lot happened emotionally that sidelined the blog. Revisiting this post at this particular time is major because it goes to show how much I once again began to prioritize other things over my own happiness. Although, I have been able to stick with a daily journaling practice because of it – so something positive did come about.

I like to buy myself flowers every week or so to add color and freshness to my home.

My Happiness Activities

Day 1 – Got fancy at home in a dress + pearls
Day 2 – Bought myself beautiful white flowers that looked good everywhere in my house
Day 3 – Did a writing exercise (check out the blog post here)
Day 4 – Baking – almond flour chocolate chip banana bread
Day 5 – Watched some Jim Gaffigan stand-up
Day 6 – Taking photos and playing around with editing
Day 7 – Laughing with others and getting to know them
Day 8 – Running
Day 9 – Singing and listening to music I love
Day 10 – Hiking
Day 11 – Grocery shopping

I will note that on day 10, I did my activity – hiking – and did not feel happier in those moments. I fully recognized that hiking generally makes me happy and on that particular day it did not. This lesson was important for two reasons:
1. It reminded me that we are humans with various stressors going on internally and externally
2. I did the activity anyway, knowing that I wouldn’t at least feel worse for having tried.

White wine for little moments ❤

What makes you happy? What inspires you to spread joy or a lesson learned?

Check out more from Tara Schuster and learn about her book at her website.

Happy reading, friends!