Book Review: The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams

The Secret, Book, and Scone Society

by Ellery Adams

Here is a mystery that’s a little a little bit of a chick lit, and a little bit of magical realism – all things I love.

I hit on this book because the main character had been burned and I was embarking on writing a story where the main character had been also. I wanted to see how the author dealt with the issue of scars.

Nora Pennington has opened a small bookstore in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, and she has a particular talent for picking the books that people need most in order to heal from the hurts of the world. 

People come to this town for the spa and the hot springs cure, but if that doesn’t work, they may find themselves at the bakery or bookstore.

Now, Nora has come across someone she really feels the need to help, but before she can, he is murdered. Four people are brought together by this tragedy. They form the Secret, Book, and Scone Society.

(One is the town baker, who has an even more mystical talent, in baking “comfort” scones that have just the flavors to bring comfort to a person.)

The premise was lovely, and I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t quite live up to the promise. I’d give it a 3.5. I’ve not read anything else by the author so I can’t say whether this is the norm for her, and opinions on Goodreads varied. I saw a few 5 star reviews for it, but the average on Goodreads was below 4 so I don’t feel like I’m being unduly harsh.

Adventures in Home Learning: Episode 10

Some of my friends are concerned with the CDC guidance for schools reopening and here I am, wondering how I can get my my daughter to , willingly, shred papers I meant to burn into a bucket so we can turn them into paper logs for the wood stove this fall.

Yesterday, she helped with planting a kitchen garden. I’m afraid I was a little top down instead of engaging her in the planning of it. I simply told her how I had planned it and why then gave her small tasks to accomplish. She planted the seeds for 4 out of 13 plots. (She is a very methodical child, I was much more haphazard in my planting to get it done.) I had her fetch and carry seeds I had started and the watering can. In the end, we have a garden planted with pumpkin, sunflowers, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, spinach, lettuce, wax beans, cherry tomatoes, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and yellow summer squash. Tin pans were strung up to scare off birds and used kitty litter put down a mole hole. We’ll get marigolds to go around the garden when we can.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the CDC has issued some guidance for schools to reopen. (I’ll put the link at the bottom.) That’s not going to happen this school year where I am so I’ve kind of taken it off my mental radar. Honestly, I figure why borrow trouble? I mean, the schools are going to look at it and come up with a plan. There will be time to decide whether we think those plans are sufficient.

Friends who home school are planning to get their supplies because they figure there will be a lot more people home schooling next year. For my part, I don’t really see that as an option. I’ve taught. Writing lessons plans and actually teaching my daughter cannot coincide with working a full-time job. I would have to enroll her in some kind of online school, if it came to that.

But I think that is jumping the gun. I believe that our school district will come up with a reasonable plan, that is somewhere between the ideal CDC guidance, and reality. If the school requires she wear a mask to school, we’ll come up with something she can stand to wear. I mean, it may seem like a horrible thing to ask, but the reality is that kids are highly adaptable, and we’ve seen kids in other countries do so during outbreaks before. Our kids can handle it. I think part of the key may be not making a big deal out of it.

Also, if some kids start homeschooling, and some kids go to online schools, that will make the social distancing in the regular school that much easier.

Next week we go in for bench marking, and before we know it school will be over until fall!

Now, how am I going to keep her off the computer most of the day in the summer, while I work? Ugh. Time to start a list, starting with shredding paper for wood stove paper logs.

*****

CDC guidance for re-opening of schools - includes: FAQs for administrators, teachers and parents / Talking with children about COVID-19 / Checklist for teachers and parents / Tips for parents while school is out. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

Book Review: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Corner

by Jenny Colgan

Our book club picked a theme for this month of “titles with a book store in them.” I did a search in our digital catalog and came up with this one. I didn’t know the author, but I am glad I do now.

The “Message to Readers” at the beginning had me in stitches. Colgan talks about all the different places she reads, one being with her e-reader in the bathtub.

“You may not have been blessed with a magnificent Scots-Italian Peter Capaldi nose like me, but with a bit of practice you should soon find it’s perfectly possible to keep one of your hands in the water and turn the pages at the same time.”

The main character, Nina, is a librarian who has lost her job to a restructuring, but she attends a workshop that asks the question, “What do you really want to do?”

Nina hadn’t admitted to anyone that what she really had always wanted to do was to open a little bookstore. In fact, she has been hoarding books in her Birmingham flat for years, and her roommate, Surinder, is very much afraid the floor joists are going to go one of these days.

“Yet much as she disputed the fact, it was time to admit that books were not real life. She’d managed to hold reality at bay for the best part of thirty years, but now it was approaching at an incredibly speedy rate, and she was absolutely going to have to do something – anything – about it.”

Reality is a big theme in this book. Nina, like many of us who spent a good part of our lives in books, is incredibly adept at creating her own reality. That can lead to problems, but sometimes it takes the dreamers to dream something big and make it possible. If we can’t imagine it, we can’t create it.

With that desire in her brain, Nina does a simple little search for a van that she could turn into a mobile bookshop. She finds the perfect one, but it’s all the way up in Scotland.

The whole thing snowballs and it seems like the Universe has heard her desire and approves. Everything moves her in that direction. She has a little help along the way, from a barkeep and his patrons who want a local bookshop to a lady who knows the perfect place for her to rent, to a train engineer who helps her when her truck stalls on a rail and is a hairsbreadth away from being creamed.

There are friendships, and romance, and even love in the end. The journey zooms along and I would have given this book something between a 4 and a 5 but for the about face one character does. I could buy it, if the author had described it better, shown us the outward signs that signaled the inner journey taking place in that short amount of time, but she rushed it, and it really hurt the story for me – so I would rate it 3.5.

Though some things are glossed over, it’s a great journey and there are some wonderful observations.

“A dead Web site was a sad thing, she thought. Full of hope when it had been set up, and now floating away down the Google drain, gently decaying.”

I’m currently reading her second novel and it is even better than the first. I think Colgan grew as an author and there is so much wonderful in The Bookshop on the Shore, that I can’t wait to get back to reading it tonight. You could read the second before the first, but I don’t regret reading the first and would still recommend it for a modern slice of life and journey of growth.

Adventures in Home Learning: Episode 9

We’re still here. Still doing. Still having to make sure she makes her list of things to do — besides watch videos and play games. (It doesn’t happen without a reminder from Mommy.)

Our veggies are still growing though I despair a little for the carrots unless I transplant them into the garden, but the time is coming for that. We usually plant the garden around Memorial Day weekend, after the worst of the rain is over so there aren’t big swampy puddles.

We recently got some turkey chicks which are enjoying the heat lamp right now.

One of the easiest things to do with my daughter, honestly, is cook. Occasionally she doesn’t want to, but it’s pretty rare. This past week I had her make three big salads with tuna for lunch. Of course, doing things this way takes longer and requires supervision, which is why it doesn’t happen all the time.

And I’ve gotten her to draw a couple pictures in the past week. I am apparently a radish and Dad wears a cap made out of a raspberry filled macaron.

She isn’t big on reading by herself, 20 minutes a day is usually the most I can get out of her, but she loves some of the kids anime shows, so I bought her the first three books in the Sailor Moon series for her birthday recently and she loved them! We’ve ordered more and I’m hoping I can parlay that into an interest in learning Japanese via our Mango Languages database from the library.

Speaking of which, you do know that our library, and most libraries I know of, make a number of databases available for free with your library card, right? The Southeast Steuben County Library list is on their web site at https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

It’s a great resource for kids needing to do a final report or any kind of research.

And did you know that in New York State you can get a library card for the HUGE database of ebooks, movies, and music available from the New York Public Library? It’s called SimplyE. You fill out the online form and you’ve instantly got access. https://www.nypl.org/books-music-movies/ebookcentral/simplye

Some other resources from our library —

• Miss Sue’s Preschool Friend’s https://www.facebook.com/events/975559216173918/
• Maker Monday with Erica: Seed Bombs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqTdjgeFGDo
• Science Time with Miss Abby https://www.facebook.com/events/219484586094767/

Hang in there, Moms and Dads!

Book Review: A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman

I'm shocked that I haven't reviewed this book here already. I loved it!

At first glance, this sounds like a morbid story. Either that or a moral story about depression. But it isn't treated that way. It's a fantastic story with a rich vein of humor running through an incredibly moving story.

Perhaps it is the Swedish point of view that makes it so different. I was glad that I listened to it in audio because I certainly wouldn't have known how to say the main character's name, and knowing gives it a very different feel.

Ove (Oo-vah) just seems like a cantankerous old man at first but as you learn more about the events that shaped him and his heartaches, you can't help rooting for him. He seems to be done with life, but life isn't done with him.

Ove lives in a small community with a variety of characters but he is keeping to himself when the story begins. He also has every intention of committing suicide. We don't know why at first. When a family moves in next door, events seem intent on thwarting his attempts at every turn, often in humorous ways.

Ove gradually finds there are things he needs to do before he dies, and he is drawn back into the lives of those around him. He doesn't want to help them, but he simply can't stand incompetence, and often he can't stand cruelty to others either.

It was just beautifully written. At every turn, it opened up more of the story and a different perspective. It is one of the best books I've ever read and I can't wait to read more by the author.

I did watch the movie later but it simply didn't hold a candle to the book. I highly recommend it.

Adventures in Home Learning: Episode 8

With the announcement from our school that the last day of instruction would be June 12^th, three things are paramount in my mind. 

• I just need to survive this another month. 
• What the heck am I going to do with her after that? 
• Do we really have to come in for a benchmarking meeting?

Most days she needs to do 2 things online to complete tasks assigned by her teacher. They aren’t too difficult. Most of them she can do independently. Sometimes she needs help, especially with math or finding answers in the text that she has just read. It simply doesn’t take up much time, and every time I turn around, she has either put her headset on and started watching a video or got out her computer and opened up Minecraft. 

I realize this is a tough time for her too and that wanting to retreat into that world is natural, but I don’t have to like it. I explained to her that I need a daily list to help me feel like we’re accomplishing something. She seemed to accept that.

She is also still resisting my method of keeping track of her work in a notebook, and of trying to plan extras beyond her assigned work from the teacher. I’m trying not to let it get to me, just keep tabs in between my work and remind her without rancor.

Some friends sent crafts for her birthday to do so I need to learn that with her so she can do them on her own when she wants to. Our local arts council has been posting daily arts activities on Facebook that I’d like to do with her but, again, that means I have to take the time to do them too. (If you can access Facebook, the activities are in their feed here https://www.facebook.com/pg/tiogaarts.council/posts/?ref=page_internal)

So, what are we going to do to least break up the time she spends on her devices this summer? So far, I have a few ideas.

• ·       I’ve found a series of books she actually likes to read on her own – Sailor Moon anime. I’ll take it, especially if it gets her (willingly) off a device for any length of time. I’m hoping the library will be reopened so I can get Sailor Moon books for her without paying for them all.
• ·       I think I’m going to get her a pretty notebook for a summer journal and require she spend at least 20 to 30 minutes a day on it, either writing a journal entry or a story.
• ·       I really want to get her outside so I need to work on the garden plan so that we can plant some things when it is time. I’m going to require she help me weed the garden, whether she likes it or not.
• ·       I’m hoping to get her a 4^th grade math workbook and maybe do one worksheet a day during the week. Not sure how that is going to fly, but she used to like doing those.
• ·       I also really want to teach her to sew. We were going to work on that a bit today with a llama kit she was given at some point in the past, but she quickly got entirely frustrated with it. Now I’m thinking to have her try to help me with a little hand sewing a straight line to start for a quilting project.

The school asking all the students to come in for benchmarking appointments surprised me a bit. I checked with another teacher and found her school is not doing that. I question how much benchmarking is going to tell them right now. I would think they would have an adequate idea of how students are doing based on the assignments up to this point and benchmarking would be better done in the fall when students are returning, but this is the route we’re going.

Book Review: Playing with Fire by RJ Blain

Playing With Fire

A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count)

RJ Blain

I admit it, I like paranormal romances with a high amount of comedy in them and this one was packed with it!

The story starts with a barista named Bailey who works in a coffee bar where pixie dusted drinks are sold. It’s a legal drug that doesn’t seem to have side effects. (Basically caffeine on steroids?)

Enter the hunky Chief Quinn, who Bailey is sure hates her because she discovered his wife having an affair. But, he asked her to locate his wife.

Which is our first indication that there is more to Bailey than meets the eye. Why would the Chief of Police ask a barista to find his wife? Well, Bailey has a certain talent for finding missing people.

And, we are in a world where there is pixie dusted coffee.

The biggest problem right now is that Bailey is HIGHLY attracted to Chief Quinn but the feeling doesn’t seem to be mutual.

Then her boss, a pixie named Mary, asks Bailey to watch the coffee shop for an hour on her own. Bailey doesn’t like it but agrees. However, no one comes in to relieve her at the end of her shift, or all day. Bailey closes the shop up, leaves a letter of resignation, and goes home.

The action and the humor keep ramping up from the moment Bailey gets home.

Bailey is obviously not JUST a barista. She has MANY other talents.

And maybe Chief Quinn doesn’t actually hate Bailey.

And he’s single now.

Some great things about this book – coffee, a black and red napalm eating unicorn, angels and demons, gorgons, hazmat suits, hallucinations, and glass coffins.

Enjoy.

Adventures in Home Learning: Episode 7

I’ve heard one friend say that what her kids are getting is basically busy work, but I can tell you that is not the case with mine. The other day I sat and helped her work through math problems that weren’t difficult for me, but it took some mental gymnastics to think of the right questions to ask in order to get her to do the calculations herself.

With a typical math worksheet, a child learns the concept, applies it to the problems on the worksheet, gets to the end, and turns it in. The sheet is graded and returned to her to fix what she did wrong. There’s a clear beginning and end.

With the Google classroom work my daughter is doing, she answers the problem and if it is wrong she immediately gets knocked down a number of points. She doesn’t move up to the next point level unless she can get three in a row right. It seemed like the system didn’t tell her what she was doing wrong either.

There was no clear end in sight for her under a system like that and it was very frustrating to her. I certainly never had an online course like that. Thankfully, my husband has. Scrolling down below the screen, he found that it did show her how she should have arrived at the correct answer.

I’m still not sure how she was supposed to know that. Is there a tutorial we missed? It seemed like she was just stuck unless she was willing or able to ask a parent. Luckily, I’m reasonably capable with 4^th grade math, my husband is great at math, and we’re both home. Not the case for everyone.

With the work being sent home, I’m seeing math and science, some writing, and reading encouraged. There was an initial sheet in the packet that encouraged the student to think about physical exertion but nothing to log or turn in. Same with art. I’m most surprised at there being no social studies of any kind. I feel the need to require a bit more of her, but then I’m not sure what that should be.

We did make cloud dough- 1/4 cup of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of conditioner, and a few drops of food coloring - for an arts and crafts project. We both had fun with that.

I’m hoping we’ll be back to regular school this fall, but then I wonder - is that realistic? Every time someone says, “no school for the rest of the year” on a news program I wonder if I missed something and they really mean the rest of the calendar year, or if they just mean the rest of the school year?

I found one article that addressed the majority of concerns regarding sending children back to school or keeping them home.

Will schools be open in September? We asked several experts to weigh in

By Alex Sherman

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/04/will-schools-be-open-in-september-experts-weigh-in.html

How are you feeling about sending your child back to school?

Book Review: Cancer Just Is by Morgan Bolt

Cancer Just Is

by Morgan Bolt

Morgan was a member of my writers group. I’m so very grateful to have books from him because when I read his words, I can hear his voice.

Morgan’s wry wit shines through the passages of this book as he chronicles his struggles with cancer treatment and endeavors to get as much out of life as he can.

“My interest in cancer before I was diagnosed with the disease was pretty close to zero, and if anything that interest has decreased in the years since then.”

First, Morgan gives us an intimate view of what his cancer treatment was like, from the experimental treatments he went through to the effects of more common treatments. Radiation is a treatment we’re all aware of but he demonstrates how the side effects can sneak up on someone and last far longer than one would expect.  

He also offers his perspective on faith in God - how it was, and was not, affected by his cancer. His faith was a significant comfort during his experience with cancer but he also talks about why he did not look for some kind of miraculous healing. He discusses the notion that some people subscribe to that says illness is a judgement and if we just have enough faith, we’ll be healed. Instead he contends that “Cancer Just Is” like a force of nature. Cells divide and sometimes cells divide too much and in unexpected ways. His contention that “prayer is weird” is a delightful consideration of all that prayer is and isn’t and what it means to him.

He shares his gratitude for all the Ronald McDonald House of New York City made available to him and eased his treatments, his search for easy access to bathrooms, and his gratitude for just being alive and getting to experience as much of life as he could in the time he had left.

He shows us how his experience changes the lens through which he views the world and the culture around him. His experience dealing with opioid pain medications after surgeries showed him how difficult addiction would be to overcome.

“I switched too quickly from one painkiller to another after my stent removal and laparoscopic chest surgery. On paper, there is no reason I would have experienced withdrawal symptoms, but I did. I don’t know how anyone can expect a person who is actually addicted to any opioid, especially higher doses than the small amount of hydromorphone I was on, to ever kick the habit.”

Through this book, Morgan has his say on “insidious problems and implicit prejudices.”

Though it’s a short book, it is a rare look at life from a different perspective than many people have or will ever experience. There is a lot of wisdom to be found here. I highly recommend it.