2021 Book 2: SHELTER IN PLACE by @norarobertsauthor.⠀
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I’ll cut to the chase…I loved this book. And for a number of reasons. ⠀
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Possibly foremost, one of the supporting characters, CiCi Lennon, was the absolute SUM of my Grama and my dear friend, Emily. To witness CiCi’s relationship with and love for and influence on her granddaughter, Simone (MC), was so life-giving. My heart was in stitches probably beyond the author’s hope. ⠀
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Second, I’m a sucker for the creative artist + man in uniform combo. The dynamic between Simone and Reed is palpable, yet understated. I wanted even more. Reed is the unflappable yet spunky, solid, driven, protective type who balances the CiCi + Simone artistic, feminine energy so well. While also playing into their sass. Ah, I just loved these three together. ⠀
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And finally, I found the plot engaging, well-written, and just unpredictable enough to keep me reading. I like some thriller/suspense with my romance (and some romance with my thriller/suspense). And the darkness explored in Patricia’s character hit the spot. Y’all know I prefer my fiction dark (and steamy). ⠀
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Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)
2021 Book 1: BEYOND THE POINT by @clairecgibson. ⠀
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BEYOND THE POINT is the story of three female athletes whose paths cross at West Point. Despite their varied cultures, the trio form an unshakeable bond; one that is tested by boys, basketball, deployments, scandal, injury, geography, and loss. This novel makes accessible and relatable the plight of female soldiers. Women who cry and mess up and like fashion and weren’t born runners. Women who, despite the stress of life and love, band together as they traverse the peaks and valleys of life…within and beyond the Point. ⠀
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I chose this book for a number of reasons. (1) highly recommended. (2) debut novel written by a female author and has a few similarities to ALL MY ROADS. (3) lengthy for the genre but still got representation and rave reviews. (4) I love military fiction, especially something with an emotional plot and a bit (lot) of romance. (5) curiosity about West Point and Army life. ⠀
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On a scale from horrible to amazing, BEYOND THE POINT was goooood. I’m a sucker for female friendships and military, which were highly delivered. I also found the author’s ability to educate AND entertain impressive. I learned a lot without feeling “taught.” I had aspirations of joining the military after high school, but never believed I could fit the entire mold. I wonder how a book like this would have challenged those thoughts. ⠀
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I struggled with a few stylistic things. The book changes tense a lot, and I found it more distracting than creative. (Personal preference.) I thought it could have accomplished the same sentiment with less hopping. I also think it could have been a bit more concise…quite a few unnecessary prepositions, and similar words (in sound or spelling) used near each other. Definitely not deal breakers, but my aim is honesty and I notice that stuff. I also would have loved more feelings! I’m all for slow starts, but I spent much of the book waiting to get pulled in. ⠀
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BUT ONCE I GOT PULLED IN (around 60-70%), I was hooked. There are so many beautiful gems – in word and heart – in the second half of the book. A very strong finish that left me wanting more. ⠀
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Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2020 gets some pretty rotten press, and I’m not here to add to it. ⠀
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This year has held loss, tragedy, fear, illness, pain, hollowness, tears, sadness, anger, and despair…both personal and global.⠀
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AND…⠀
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This year has held beauty, healing, connection, intimacy, deeper understanding, adventure, expansion, and magic as well. ⠀
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Years aren’t evil. Bad things aren’t tied to a calendar. WE…humans…created the system by which we measure time. It’s not a universal construct. The end of 2020 promises nothing but a new page in our planner and a new number next to our signatures. ⠀
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Rushing time gives me the willies. We’re afraid to die, but want to speed through a year, sure the shift from 2020 to 2021 will bring more goodness? The only thing it’s guaranteed to bring is the nearness of our own end. ⠀
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(But this is taking a turn I hadn’t anticipated, though I’m going to post it anyway, even knowing it’s fodder for those of you who already think I’m hatefully dark.)⠀
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ANYWAY! ⠀
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2020, you’re going out as the year…⠀
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Of ducks. ⠀
Of drawing inward. ⠀
Or spiritual restoration. ⠀
Of deeper intimacy. ⠀
Of journaling. ⠀
Of confronting childhood programming. ⠀
Of ditching fear. ⠀
Of beautiful friendships, new and old. ⠀
Of new paths. ⠀
Of self-trust. ⠀
Of parenting my inner child. ⠀
Of rest and recovery. ⠀
Of dirt road miles. ⠀
Of Spotify playlists. ⠀
Of finding my voice. ⠀
Of saying “no.”⠀
Of saying “yes.”⠀
Of walking away. ⠀
Of holding on. ⠀
Of endless Progressive Rummy. ⠀
Of peppermint and thieves essential oil. ⠀
Of vitamin D. ⠀
Of nature walks. ⠀
Of sacred rooting. ⠀
Of better routines. ⠀
Of metamorphosis. ⠀
Of introversion. ⠀
Of the hot tub. ⠀
Of dreaming. ⠀
Of editing. ⠀
Of wishing time would slow down. ⠀
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If it was ONLY me, and I could spare everyone else of reliving their respective pain, I’d rewind and play it again. Because, as a heart type, 2020 brought so many reminders that I’m alive and my heart beats and my feelings exist. And call me dark, but I live for that magic.
It’s funny. Growing up, I never considered my dad to be the “intellectual type.” He’s the physical labor, dirt-under-the-nails, salt of the earth, work-alongside-not-bark-orders sort of guy. I now realize intellectual doesn’t always mean suit-and-tie, but I give my younger self a break in terms of my dichotomous thought process.
Anyway, it turns out my dad’s voice is one from my childhood I hear a lot. Because damn, the man gives sage advice. The three I come back to most include…
(1) Pay attention. It’s the only thing in life that’s free. (I would not be who I am if not for him *constantly* saying this. I used to laugh, but always took it to heart.)
(2) It’s all about staging. (He can maneuver a semi like nobody’s business.)
(3) Don’t lie. Just don’t do it. When you lie, you have to lie again. And again. And again. And again. And pretty soon, the lies grow so intense, so crazy…your entire life becomes a lie because you have to keep lying your way out of your other lies. And that is exhausting to keep up and really hard to remember. And even scarier, you actually start to believe your own bologna. So, as hard as it might be, just be honest. Take responsibility. The truth will come out and you’ll wish you would have told it from the start.
I put that last one in my own words because it was part of a bigger conversation we had at the dinner table when I was probably 6 or 7. I’d never actually seen Pinocchio, but I remember imagining my nose growing long as my dad talked to me and Emily. Memories are a funny thing, yeah?
All that to say, I think on these words a lot lately. And I’m glad my dad chose to impart them on us girls when he did. They stuck. And always will.
Finish the following sentence and write/ type your thoughts somewhere you can revisit them tomorrow.
“My life would be more abundant if I wasn’t a slave to…”
Quite the question, ey? If you’re struggling to finish it, let me offer some ideas.
* Debt
* Anxiety
* Someone else’s schedule
* Chronic pain
* Fear
* My emotions
* The weather
* Others’ opinion of me
* Dis-ease
* My phone
* The clock
* Guilt
* The scale
* Anger
* Desire
* My inner critic
* Negativity
* Food
* Routine
* Sleeplessness
Which parts of your life are holding you hostage? *Hint: they’re probably the things you’d remark about to others and follow with “but that’s just the way life is,” or “but everyone deals with stuff like this.” That might be true, but it doesn’t mean your reality is illegitimate.
Take some time. Write them down. Call them out.
Don’t be scared. Fight the temptation to be cynical. Think. Write. Keep living.
If you want to share, I’d love to hear in the comments. Especially if saying them aloud would help you claim their reality in your life.
Some of mine: TIME / someone else’s clock. Fear. My gut. My bank account.