I typically have more than one book on the go. I will read one on my kindle and also one paperback (real life) book. I don’t know why, but it is necessary to me to have a book in my hand at some point during the day. It’s as if my kindle, e-reader doesn’t count. Strange, I know. The good thing is that this ‘feeling’ causes me to read twice as much.

currently reading

Currently…reading; Nightbird by Alice Hoffman and Watching Glass Shatter by James J Cudney.

First, Alice Hoffman is one of my all-time favorite authors. Her older novels especially. She has gotten into some heavier themes with her last few novels. Her latest book, The World That We Knew is on my TBR. D.G. Kaye reviewed that book and you can read it here.

Back to Nightbird; I didn’t realize it’s a young readers book. Accounting for that, I’m still truly enjoying it. It’s got that young reader innocence and not quite as edgy as most of her novels. I’m not disappointed in it though. One of the things I love about Hoffman’s novels is her ability to write about magic and surrealism. She really creates atmosphere and characters that are magical. This is where I’m going (trying to go) with my novel Daughter Of the Moon, a work in progress.

Next, Watching Glass Shatter by James J Cudney is wonderful. It’s funny, touching, sad…and full of well developed characters. It’s about a big family who has lost their patriarch. Their father’s death has revealed a devastating secret to the mother of the Glass siblings. Tension builds as each of her five adult sons wants to know “…what’s in the letter, mom?” While mom struggles with how to share with her sons this secret, she discovers her sons all have secrets of their own. Can this family survive the secrets they must eventually share with one another?

I’d like to mention that James J Cudney is an Indie author and has published several novels. Watching Glass Shatter is his first novel and judging by this one, I will be reading many more of his.

recently finished

Recently…finished and reviewed; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and The Second Chance Supper Club by Nicole Meier.

I read Wuthering Heights a few decades back. It was before I had my kids, so I know it was pre-1992. A lifetime ago!

Funny story, I was enjoying a girlfriend’s weekend at my friend Catherine’s on Mayne Island off the coast of B.C. She was gifted a deck of tarot cards called Witches of Literature. I was immediately intrigued and began perusing the cards. They are gorgeously illustrated and includes a handbook which details the meanings of each card. The female authors featured vary from the 1700’s up to 20th century. In fact, now that I’m talking about it, I asked Santa for this particular deck and I did not get them (note to ask again)!

Anyway, of course Emily Bronte was among these witch authors and her cards were full of symbols for the brooding Heathcliff and the flightly Catherine Earnshaw. SWOON. In addition, the landscape of the rugged moors were illustrated.

While I was admiring this gorgeous deck I asked my friend (also named Catherine but I call her Cath) if she had ever read Wuthering Heights.

“No,” she answered. “What’s it about?”

Well, how do you answer that one? I began my lame attempt of describing the love trio, the destructive Heathcliff and of course Catherine, his love obsession. My friend wanted to know, “Is she a ‘C’ or a ‘K’?”

“She’s a ‘C’ like you,” I said with a smirk. This pleased my witchy friend.

Well, I kid you not that later that day we were in a used book store on the Island. What did I come across? A copy of Wuthering Heights! A pocket version…so perfect for travel. Yes, I bought it…and began reading it a few weeks later.

So this second read was quite eye-opening. As I may have been guilty of what many readers of this dark piece of literature are. That is, romanticizing the love between Catherine and Heathcliff.

In my recent read of the book I found it disturbing and was cursing out the father for adopting the little street urchin. That is what began the relationship between young Catherine and young Heathcliff who, by the way, had no name when Mr. Earnshaw took him off the streets of London. Catherine’s father named him Heathcliff as though he had a new pet. Thus was the beginning of the saga and trauma of the Earnshaw children and the demise of Wuthering Heights (the Earnshaw home).

Below is a quote to give you a taste of this classic (do note the punctuation 😉

I was superstitious about dreams then, and am still; and Catherine had an unusual gloom in her aspect, that made me dread something from which I might shape a prophecy and foresee a fearful catastrophe…she recommended in a short time.

‘If I were in heaven, Nelly, I should be extremely miserable.’

‘Because you are not fit to go there,’ I answered. ‘All sinners would be miserable in heaven.’

‘But it is not for that. I once dreamt I was there.’

‘I tell you I won’t harken to your dreams, Miss Catherine! I’ll go to bed,’ I interrupted again.

‘She laughed and held me down; for I made a motion to leave my chair.

‘This is nothing, cried she: ‘I was only going to say that heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy. That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other…It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton’s as different as a moonbeam from lightening, or frost from fire.’

Now I’ve gone on too long. You can read my 5 star review on goodreads here.

Last, I finished Second Chance Supper Club a few weeks ago. I have not ever read any Nicole Meier novels. If you have, let me know what you think. I bought this ebook on a whim based on a bookbub mail out. I did enjoy it although it certainly isn’t on my list of all time favorites nor is it outstanding literature. That’s okay though, because it’s fairly entertaining. My 3 star review:

The Second Chance Supper Club by Nicole Meier was a satisfying read. Two estranged sisters find their way back to one another but it isn’t all roses. Each one has their own problems and personality flaws and combine them together and you have two very different women who do not see eye to eye. Nor do they share the same memories of “how things happened”. Ginny and Julia are two women who share roots but not necessarily the leaves or fruit of the family tree. I think right there, many of us can relate to these two characters.

The only reason I didn’t give this book 4 stars is because I found the writing a tad bit bland. The writing was very clean but bordering on sterile. I know, I’m sorry to say this because I believe this writer is a true talent (and obviously so do millions of people). This simply comes down to taste. I tend toward enjoying more meaty prose, more flawed characters and grittier environment. Still, like I said, this was a satisfying read for a general distraction and bedtime entertainment. I do recommend if the plot intrigues you.

Well, those are the words on my sleeve today. What are you reading currently or recently?