2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
The trend continues downward. I skimmed most of this book and still can't tell you what the plot was...the tragedy here is Kinsey started as such a relatable and interesting character and now I almost totally dislike her. Another tragedy is that I am mostly through the alphabet. I need to buy M,N,O,P but alread have the other titles. Speaking of Killer: I think I am going to give this series a time out for the time being.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
This outing with Kinsey is even longer and with less plot development. I hate to diss authors (and RIP Ms. Grafton) but popular authors often get a lot of leeway with publishers. I mostly skimmed as this book mostly consisted of (2/3) overly verbose description of settings and people which seldom did anything other than add to the word count. Her plots are getting increasingly thin.
And speaking of Judgment--let's talk Kinsey for a moment. Kinsey is the first in line to defend and justify her sketchy behavior, fashion, hair, living, and eating habits but also places herself first in line when it comes to judging other people and places.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
Don't really remember much about this book. One would have hoped that as her books increased in pages they would also increase in plot development. Alas that is not the case, she increasingly fills the pages with useless over description. I have started skimming for the ever briefer passages that actually move the plot.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes, often it has been exactly this type of a year.
I was diagnosed with epilepsy this year, finally after almost 30 years of these episodes, I finally got a diagnosis. If you think being told that "if you have to have epilepsy, this is the type to have" is a comfort--guess again.
I have yet to do a lot of reading on the subject and this is book is my first foray into the reading. It is one person's journey, whose symptoms at least resemble my experience. Not quite but enough to hook me in to reading this book. I was dismayed to find out that he used the ketogenic diet to get his siezures under control. I have tried both keto and paleo--last time I lost about half of my hair--but no real weight. I have sworn off dieting altogether.
For now I will take my medication, and ponder whether I should read the other book I got about epilepsy.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes, it has often been exactly this type of a year.
I wanted to learn more about the constant anxiety that a family member was struggling with...imagine my dismay when the books I read began to uncover my own anxiety.
This is a quick read is stuffed with really good information. Highly recommended. Most of the things we believe about anxiety are half-truths at best and complete myths at worst. This book was the beginning of my education.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes often it has been exactly this type of a year.
This is the second book I have read on the subject of anxiety. Redefining Anxiety by Dr. John Delony began a journey of understanding and this book took me further along the path. After I read his book I came to the realization just how much anxiety I was holding on to--in my mind and my body. At some point during the summer of 2023 I began to have (panic/anxiety) attacks--what ever--giant chills would run through and sieze up my body.
For what it is worth:
Here are the methods I used to get my "chill spells" to simmer down, fade away and eventually stop occurring.
I am a yoga teacher and a birth doula. I know an abundance of technique to alieviate anxiety. It was time to practice what I preach.
1)The best breath practice to employ for anxiety is a two step process. Notice your breath--particularly which direction you are breathing. The breath of anxiety goes in and up to your chest--perfect recipe to produce the adrenaline that anxiety thrives upon. Deep belly breath, using your diaphragm to breathe is what is needed. Once that is accomplished then iniate the 4/8 breath practice. Four counts on your inhale, followed by an 8 count exhale. Not going into the science here other than to note that this methodology, slows your breath which changes the amount of CO2 in your respiration--thereby stopping adrenaline production and slowing your heart rate. Some times inhaling through the nose but exhaling through the mouth will calm your breath more rapidly. It is also more relaxing for the shoulders and your sphincters. (A person holds everything in and up especially when anxious or in pain)
Once I had my breath under control, it was time to practice some other technique (a mix of yoga and methodology from books I have read):
Instead of running away from these sensations I looked at them through the eyes of curiosity. Approach and an attempt to understand, looking in rather than out. Yoga trifecta (breath, movement, and one pointed focus) allowed me to look in towards these chills so that I could determine: What thoughts, people, situations where in my head, where I felt the anxiety as a physical sensation in my body.
So essentially I got my breath in control, used a science based breath practice, then I was able to find where I was holding my axiety, what it felt like, and I was able to breath into that space to encourage it to release. I had actual conversations with the people causing my out of control thoughts and calmed that down with the sound of their actual voices. Imaginary versions of these conversations (monkey mind) can get crazy and out there. I changed the things that I could and let go of things that where out of my control.
The more I employed these techniques during these episodes the easier they where to endure and the faster they cycled out of my system until they eventually stopped altogether--at least until next time.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes, it has often been exactly this type of year.
The full title also includes: (And Keeping Your Sanity). I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. This book advises, that in light of most resent scientific research, taking a different approach to helping an addict, an approach that is more effective, as it allows one and one's addict a path to taking back their own life and sanity.
To solve a problem one must first understand the problem. The author explains the effects of addictive substances on the brain and mind, and why addicts and alcoholics behave the way they do. He outlines how to form a bond with an addicted loved one and use this bond to move to a williness and mental readiness to accept the help they need. It addresses how the addicts "circle of chaos" can affect those who "try to help" and gives one effective means of support without becoming (or continuing to be) an enabler.
This book corrected so much of my faulty beliefs around addiction, and no doubt made me something of a teacher's pet in the family therapy portion of my addict's 30 day rehabilitation program.
If nothing else it taught me this: An addict is not a bad person who needs to get good; an addict is an unwell persion who needs to get well.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. And yes, it has often been this type of a year.
I probably need to go back and give this book a second read--in the light of what I have learned--I will no doubt be more receptive to the hard lessons a mother needs to accept. Myself, I needed more science backed information on the latest research into addiction and did not feel that this was answering my questions.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I alway enjoy a Michael Pollan book and this one is no exception. I was curious to read about the science behind using psychedelics as a means to treat despression, anxiety, and addiction. I was also pleased that it discussed the Default Mode Network (a more recent discovery) in more detail. Fascinating--finally a bit more science about why meditation helps. A subject that I will be devoting alot more of my reading time.
I would really like to find a pathway that keeps my DMN from shutting down all my previous attempts at a meditation practice.
Welcome to Book of the Month Club where my goal is to read a book with that particular month in the title for as long as the books hold out. I have separated the titles out into each month as it is cleaner that way.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
A bit of a twist as this mystery doesn't take place in Adams County. Larry and his dad, with girlfriends in tow go on "vacation" on the Florida coast, but of course murder follows along.
Welcome to Book of the Month Club where my goal read a book with that particular month in the title for as long as the books hold out. I have separated out the titles so that they appear as separate months, it is cleaner that way.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I do remember a bit of this plot but as it involves the unexpected murder of a co-worker I don't want to spoil too much. Another good round with Larry and the gang. I do count myself in the group of readers and characters that believe that Larry is using Eddie a bit too much. Eddie has fared well thus far and is in early recovery--I want him to stay that way.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I enjoyed this I'm sure. The author has yet to dissapoint and I always enjoy his books, so no doubt the same applies here, I just don't remember the plot.
One of my reading projects is known as Book of the Month Club where my goal read a book with that particular month in the title for as long as the books hold out. I have also separated out these reading lists so that they appear as separate months.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I did enjoy this fourth outing with Cormoran and Robin. This author (aka J. K. Rowling) gets a lot of leeway. There is a lot of rambling about and a lot of extra verbage. I will no doubt continue reading. I just wish I remembered more of the plot.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
Last time we will see a Larry Macklin as a monthly read, but rest assured these mysteries continue--going forward as a "seasonal" read so he switches to my Seasons category. My struggle is to wait until Spring.
This "Book of the Month Club" series weirdly enough started with November. This one finally sees the election and it's result as well as dealing with the aftermath of the hurricane. Hanging about with Larry and the gang is always a pleasure.
Dark as books about serial killers often are... I enjoyed this book. I believe it is the beginning of a series and I am definitely interested in reading more from this author.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
The most recent in the Outlander series and most likely the penultimate book. Another journey with Jamie and Claire on Fraser's Ridge. I took this is as a long leisurely read and spun it out as long as I could. Perfect book for this type of read. Not much happened and it seemed to be more of a place holder as the author decides how she is going to bring this epic to a fitting end. I shudder to think what that end might be...
The second book in the 4MK triology. I was a bit worried as it had been sometime since I read the first book (The Fourth Monkey Killer) but the author provided enough backstory for me to plow on. Deeper and more complex. Very interested to read the final installment and how this all plays out.
I didn't think I would but I really enjoyed this book. It was exactly the cozy cup of tea type of read that I needed. My worry was that the tale would be ruined by the shift of locale to an Italian vacation but instead it fit right in to this tale of middle age second chances at love and life.
I really liked this book and it's setting in what is now a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. An young adult book, told through the eyes of Annabelle, a tale of courage and kindness set in the immediate aftermath of WWII. It was reading time well spent.
Five young mothers meet in a neighborhood park in the late 1960's and the story follows them through the years, sickness, health, sorrows, triumphs as their writing group gathers each Wednesday in the park. As a child of the sixties I found myself relating with these women and it was a pleasant reminder of those days.
In my continuation of reading The Irene Huss Investigation series out of order--here is my next one. This one had ties to another of her previous books which thankfully I had already read--not that I remembered much. I remember liking this one as I read it but I don't remember much of the plot at this time, too much time has passed and I have been in a bit of a reading fog.
The second in this series that takes the reader around the neighborhoods of Paris. There are a lot of competing plot lines and this reads more like a thriller than a mystery but I'm liking Aimee Leduc thus far--no matter the opinion of various GoodReads reviewers. I will continue on... although for a girl who claims to be a cyber crime investigator there is no evidence of this to date--these have all involved murder and violence.
I liked this book as I read it--indeed I could hardly put it down. Alas it was read as an escape during foggy times (drama and trauma IRL) so I have very little memory of the plot. I'm definitely going to read the next book and hopefully most of the details of this one will float back into the forefront of my brain.
I am reading this series out of order, which hasn't been much of a problem. This title is I believe the first in the series involving parapsychologist detective Elizabeth Chase, and while it would have been nice having known all this back story while I was reading the other installments--I am glad to have it now. Alas the author stopped writing so I only have I believe one more book to read. Boy do I wish she had taken a full spin around the zodiac.
I really wanted to like this story more than I did. It has a great premise as it was inspired by the true events surrounding the New London, Texas school explosion in 1937. The story went back and forth in time, it had deep hidden family secrets, and the clearing out of an old house. But it also had a gazillion other side stories and these came at the expense of what could have been a more remarkable book. It was spread too thin, as if the author couldn't decide what story she wanted to tell so she just plopped in all of them.
One of my reading projects is known as Book of the Month Club where my goal read a book with that particular month in the title for as long as the books hold out. I have separated out these reading lists so that each month has it's own list.
Ms. McNamara became obsessed with trying to find the identity of The Golden State Killer. I became obsessed with the author's back story as it's a little infamous in and of itself. She was the wife of the actor Patton Oswald, became obsessed with true crime starting in her teens with the yet unsolved mystery of the death of a young girl in her childhood neighborhood. She became a true crime journalist and managed the website True Crime Diary. Alas Michelle died suddenly while she was writing this book, it was pieced together by members of her research team and published after her death. And yep I did some googling, accidental overdose (too many pills + a heart condition). She never uncovered the identity of the killer but it is thought that her research kept the case alive. The killer was ultimately traced by DNA evidence thanks to the development of website companies such as Ancestory and 23&Me. He is prison.
Larry Macklin #7. Another good outing with Larry and the gang. This case hits close to home as a body is found murdered at the vet clinic where his girlfriend Cara works. The case turns out to be drug related which brings back Larry's old nemesis, DEA agent, Matt Greene. I really like this series and this installment was definitely reading time well spent.
This is the first novel in the Declan Walsh series of novels featuring the detectives of the 'Last Chance Saloon'. A complicated story but a very good read. I look forward to reading more by this author.
My brain is getting better and I remember a lot about this outing with Kinsey. Not everything but more than the last book. She gets her apartment back as it is finally rebuilt after the explosion that mostly gutted it at the conclusion of "E" (I think). She is joined by a new fellow PI/body guard as it turns out that she is on a hit list of a baddie whom she helped put in prison. A favorite plot device of Ms. Grafton ---Kinsey takes what she thinks will an easy case that shortly turns out to be anything but...good quick read I'm looking forward to "H".
The first book in the Aimee LeDuc private investigation series. This series involves the investigative team of Aimee and her partner Rene. I started this series because each novel features a different Parisian section. It starts with The Marais or the old "Jewish Quarter". A mix of WWII history and present day (1990's anyway) Parisian mystery, murder, and other adventures. This series gets a beating on GoodReads but so far I like it.
My second outing with David Wolf and I wish I liked it more--I found the story a little convoluted and confusing. I will give this series one more try--because there is much to like about these characters--but if it is another strike then he's out.
A very good read but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read the prior book (Winter Cottage) but that being said it was easy enough to read as a stand alone. It had a lot that I love, a multi generational story that sprang back and forth in time, house restoration, and the epistolatory style (this time in the form of a stash of old hidden letters). If I remember next winter--Winter Cottage here I come.
A real life memoir and as it turns out a prequel to the author's more famous book (Running with Scissors). Dark and haunting. The author re-creates his childhood growing with a sociopathic and cruel father and his mentally unstable mother. Compelling reading.
One of my reading projects is the Book of the Month Club where my goal is to read a book with that particular month in the title for as long as the books hold out. As it looks cleaner, I have separated out this reading lists so that the months appear separately.
Larry Macklin #6. Larry's ex partner Pete gets himself in a spot of trouble and the prime suspect in a murder investigation when his daughter's ex boyfriend turns up dead. Mr. Howe doesn't disappoint and this is another entertaining go round with Larry and the gang.
I will admit to the fact that the majority of my reading during the spring of 2023 has been done to escape from the drama and trauma in my personal life and as a result much of my reading has been filtered through a heavy fog. I have no doubt that I enjoyed this outing with Kinsey while I was reading it but looking back over a space of several months since I read this book--I have to be honest and admit that absolutely none of the plot stuck with me. I feel I should read it again.
I don't read a lot of Ms. Picoult as I find her books to be a little too melodramatic for my taste. A book that revolves around the decision of whether or not to pull the plug. A father's obsession with wolves often at the expense of family. Plus many family secrets. It was a sursprisingly good read.
This was a good read and a good start to a series. The characters are interesting and likeable. Wasn't expecting to like the sudden story departure to Italy as David Wolf went off to investigate his brother's sudden death. Looking forward to reading the second in the series.
The second outing of the Thursday Murder Mystery Club. This was definitely reading time well spent. Can't wait to read what these 70 year old's get up to next. As I'm a gal in my 60's its nice to read about enterprising "old" folks. Witty, smart and spry.
I got this book because it fit in with my Wolf Out category. It was a good fast paced read. A little over violent and the plot was a little far fetched. I think I would have appreciated it more if I had read the series in order instead of reading the #5 outing first.
Hi! I'm Debbie. Here at Categorically Well-Read I give an extra layer to the reading life. Learn more about me, check out my current category of books, submit your own suggestion, or check out my latest post.
