Book Club

The snow that fell so beautifully yesterday is already melting. Typical March snow here in Northern NJ.

I spent the past week working on my iPad as my laptop suffered a flooding. Yes, my 3 year-old leaped into my lap, arms waving as I sat at the table having my morning coffee. The coffee cup was bumped and the liquid inside did the most beautiful jeté out of the cup landing right on the laptop pouring through the speakers. I heard the sizzling.

Thankfully I have always found that paying for the “you break it and we’ll fix” insurance to be most beneficial in my life. Still it was extremely frustrating to be without the laptop this week. Or at least I thought it would be. The laptop returned today and I admit to having mixed feelings about its return. I realized that even when I try to be mindful of the time I spend online not having the laptop made me realize just how much time I still spend online. Time that I could spend on my creativity, reading or with the family. I’ll try and write a bit more about that for next week.

This week I thought it would be fun to share with you my current reading list. It looks large but I am basically including all the books I am actively reading. What do I define as actively reading? In most cases I have started all of them-with the exception of the most recent additions. I also consider them active if I am enjoying reading them and want to read them regularly throughout the week. If I don’t enjoy a book I just let it go, I used to always try and finish them but when I realized how many books I want to read it seemed silly to spend time on a book that wasn’t for me.

I am sharing the books in categories. As you can imagine, in true dilettante style my taste in books is eclectic. I am sharing these titles in categories so hopefully you can find something you might be interested in.

The following books are ones I purchased with my own money or borrowed from the library. The links provided are affiliate links for Bookshop.org a site that supports local bookstores. If you use the links provided it does not cost you any more money but I earn a small commission.

Spirituality

The Bhagavad Gita: (I wasn’t able to find a copy for the exact set I purchased so I didn’t provide a link)

I found this set when I was having a day out last weekend. I finally made it up to a used book store that I had never been to and during my browsing I found this collection. In the course of my spiritual studies I have heard of this religious text as it is quoted by many but I have not read it for myself so I decided to pick it up. I don’t see this is one of the books you read to finish but rather you read and let it soak it, read a little more and that soak in. I imagine you have to grow into the person who can understand this work. Much like my second book I am reading…

A Course in Miracles:

I have been reading this for about 2 years. It was another thrift store find and I loved that inside was the receipt from when it had been purchased new in the 1980’s and even the original owners name was written inside. I have been reading and highlighting and noting from this book and find whenever I am feeling low or need a spiritual reminder this is one of the 2 go-to books I pick up. In my humble opinion I feel this should be the most read book in the world for those on their own unique spiritual path.

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist:

I am not sure how this book came to me but I requested it from the local library and it just came in last week. I haven’t started it yet and to be honest I didn’t remember much about it but mindfulness is really at the focus of my personal journey right now and I am excited for what this book has to share.

Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali:

I found this book at the same bookstore that had The Bhagavad Gita. The synopsis on the back was all I needed to pick it up. Only a few pages in and I feel as if the author is talking directly to me and understands me. I am really looking forward to finishing this book.

The Dance by Oriaha Mountain Dreamer: (I couldn’t find a copy of this at Bookshop.org either)

I have been reading this book off and on all year. I enjoy it and usually find that I read a few pages before bed. It’s based on the poem written by the author and she weaves her personal stories into the meaning in a really beautiful way.

Lessons in Truth by Emilie Cady:

I believe this book is one of the foundational books of Unity Church. While I am non-dogmatic in my own spiritual practice-so is Unity so it’s a wonderful fit. I find this book to be grounding and inspirational at the same time. When I am struggling reading it feels like I have a strong maternal figure there guiding me along the way and offering comfort.

Hiring the Heavens by Jean Slatter:

This book is wonderful if you feel called to the angelic realm. Since a child I had a strong connection with angels and as an adult I have studied a great deal about them. I love the approach of this book as it is about having an easy relationship with helpers who are eager to offer their assistance.

Writing

Little Stories of Your Life by Laura Pashby

This book came to my attention from a blog post I read by Laura Bray. As primarily a fiction writer I find that I am still working on my blogging voice. Finding a way to share in a way that is authentic to me but also engaging and real. I haven’t read much yet but the book is full of gorgeous photos which I think will be very helpful in a new project I have planned so be sure to stay tuned!

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

I heard about this book when I saw a review for another book and decided to give it a try. I bought a second-hand copy and to be honest I had trouble connecting with the book initially but as I went on a bit it seemed to be a better fit. I’ll keep you posted as to how it goes from here.

Gardening

Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler

This book was recommended on lots of the gardening videos I have been watching. I am enjoying it but I won’t be able to enact most of the practices until this fall which is fine. I am focusing on my cut flower garden this year and will be on the search for books related to bouquets and arranging and cutting flowers. I’ll be sure to share what I find but if you have any recommendations please let me know!

Fiction

The Darling Dahlias & The Silver Money Bush by Susan Wittig Albert

I really enjoy this series of historical fiction. I had started this book a few years ago-borrowing it from the library and then I went into one of those seasons where I wasn’t reading much and had to return it. So I found a used copy and since I don’t remember where I left off I decided to just start again from the beginning and I’m enjoying it all over again.

So that is what I am currently reading. I will be sure to come back with an update on these books on my next Book Club post. Please comment below if you have or are reading any of the books on my list or feel free to share what you are working on. I also have a link party below if you would like to join in the fun and share a blog post about what you are reading.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

I have always loved to read. One of my earlier memories with books was sitting on the cool basement floor in my childhood home with a book in my lap. I couldn’t read then so I made up stories based on the photos and wove tales that lasted much longer than the original story.

Through the years my love of reading continued. When I was older and staying home alone while my mother worked I would spend summers reading late into the night-sometimes early morning only to repeat the process later the next night. My mother would take me to the library every Friday and I would leave with a stack of books to get me through the week.

I would save up any money I earned to buy the special books-the newest addition to a favorite series. They changed over the years: The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High and pretty much anything written by author Christopher Pike. I would plop down in the section of the bookstore and pick out one new book that I would devour in a day and later bring several of them to the local used book store that would buy them back from me for $.50 each. Money I would then hand back to him when I picked out a stack of books from his inventory.

Over the years my reading has lapsed a bit depending on my life circumstances but I always come back to it. There may be times when I don’t read with as much rigor as I did in my childhood days however I don’t believe there has ever been a time there wasn’t a book I was in the process of reading-even if it took me a while.

Last year I reconnected with the love of reading all the time. I had let go of all social media accounts and was becoming aware of how the time spent on my laptop seemed to be directly correlated with how I was feeling. More time on the laptop seemed to yield less patience, kindness and more anxiety and worry. It seemed that the aimless hours spent wandering the Internet sapped my joy and excitement for actually living life, as my kids would say, IRL (in real life).

So I started decreasing my time online more and more and replacing the time I would have spend on the laptop doing non-essential or fulfilling activities with reading. It’s a choice that works for me and is in no way a judgment on the activities of any other soul on the planet. Our journeys are all individual and we are all affected by things very differently-this is something I have found improves my life so I try my best to honor that.

Plus I love it.

It’s interesting how little attention I give to the activities I love and how much I give to the ones I hate. I am consciously choosing to shift that each and every day and reading is just another activity that leaves me feeling restored and happy. Like writing, art and journaling, reading leaves me feeling restored and inspired.

I thought it might be fun to share some of what I am reading here with you. I am by no means a literature afficianado nor do I have any airs about what I read. I like inspiration, happy, light reads and so that’s what I read. I am trying to expand out and actually read some of those books I was supposed to read in high school and if I actually finish any of them I’ll be sure to post here.

A few days ago my daughter and I went to the local library. It’s tiny and doesn’t have a ton of books but I was picking up one I had put a hold on and while there started browsing. In total I came home with 5 books and I was very excited about the prospect of reading them all. I even set a goal of how many pages I wanted to read each day so I can finish them all before the first one is due back and so far I have read 2 books which feels really great. Not just as a box to be ticked or an accomplishment won but rather it feels good that I spend that much time in the past 2 days participating in something that brings me joy and subsequently spending much less time on something that depletes me.

It’s my favorite version of self care.

And that brings me to my post today. I thought it might be fun to share a little about the books I am reading. I am not sure how often I will update-I would love to say weekly but as you may know I am not one much for routine. Still I will do my best to tell you a bit about the books I am reading. I won’t be doing reviews namely because I find it unnecessary to criticize the creative work of another. If I don’t like a book I put it down and pick up another without feeling the need to share my lack of enjoyment with the book to others. I would much rather share with you all the books I really enjoyed-which for me is any book I have finished so that is what these posts will be about.

What I read this week:

1. “Spellbinding Blend” by Kennedy Lane: This is a series of books called “Paramour Bay” and they are considered “cozy mysteries.” This one takes place in a small Connecticut town where the main character learns not only that she is a witch but that she is from a family of witches. She uses her abilities, and of course here friends, to help solve mysteries in her new town.

This series is really a fun and light read which I love. I am reading this series on my Kindle. I was never someone who liked reading on an e-reader but a few months ago I decided to give it a shot and I am really happy with. I love it for the series that I can read through quickly but still prefer a physical book for some reads.

If you like a cozy mystery and a little magic weaved in-along with a series that currently has 22 books for you to devour you might want to check it out.

2. “I Was Amelia Earhart” by Jane Mendelsohn: I have really become fascinated by the story of Amelia Earhart since my daughter and I watched a recent exploration that was seeking to find her and her lost plane. This book was unlike anything else I have read in it’s prose and at times and for that reason I continued through and was glad I did. The story deepens as it goes and you watch the unfurling of the fictionalized version of the two main characters.

3. The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews: This was the books that sent me to the library first and even though I was reading it after Christmas I was really enjoying the story. It’s inspirational and uplifting and just an all around good feeling book. If you like your Hallmark movies and shows you just may like this one as well. I found myself sad when I remembered this wasn’t a series and I would be saying good-bye to these characters at the end of the book.

And that is what I have read this week, how about you? Do you love reading? Please comment below and tell me what you are reading and your favorites. It would be so much fun to have a list of recommendations going in the comments below!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

If you would like to take part in a fun reading bingo for January 2022 then check out the. blog below!

March Book Club: What I’m Reading

Book Club: A Love for Reading

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