Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

I had thought that Twilight from Edward’s perspective might be fun – cuz vampires. But… this is a 26+ hour audiobook. It starts with a very droll Edward in class listening to other high schoolers thoughts and in walks Bella. Nope nope nope. Cannot will not do 26 hours of high school love. Twilight will have to stay where it is in those books I read a long time ago and movies I forced myself to watch. On to the next.

One by One by Ruth Ware

A murder mystery in the French Alps plus an avalanche. This was a very fun read over Xmas. Good twists, interesting characters, descriptive settings. A small British tech company has an important meeting at a chalet in France run by 2 workers. They all end up getting to know each other well after 1 goes missing while skiing and multiple others get murdered inside the chalet. The narrative switches between 2 different women which was a cool way to reflect perspectives and how those shift as the book progresses keeps you engaged. Recommend this for a winter read curled up under a blanket in front of the fireplace.

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Same author/series now apparently as Magpie Murders, which I read 2+ years ago and liked that a lot too. There are 2 separate gruesome events to be solved within 1 book. I really like this way of telling these stories. The overlap and clues are intriguing enough – some stuff is obvious, other stuff you could maybe guess parts of but the whole truth is well done. A fun read/listen. Definitely recommend. No need to read the books in order.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Ummm why am I 43 and have not read this?! What an amazing beautiful story/journey/life lesson/universal truth! I will be asking my mom why she did not read this to me and it will not be the last time I read/listen to this either. If you have not read this yet please do so now as it is very reassuring and uplifting. I feel hopeful and energized so off to meditate for a bit!

40 Days to Personal Revolution by Baron Baptiste

This is a book, yes but it is something you DO, hard-core, for 40 days and longer. It is something to come back to. It is how you change your life and grow. It is a recipe for happiness and truth. Simply transformational. I ended my 40 days a few weeks ago but posting now because I just now read the last chapter in the book – perhaps I did not want it to be ‘over’ though really it never will be. Once you have this experience it is not one that you will ever forget because it touches your core (literally) and your soul. I did the program virtually though my yoga studio (Up Yoga in Minneapolis) – they offer it a few times a year. My interest in it grew over time and with COVID I knew my time was now. It was wonderful to do this with others but that is not essential. The book alone is all you really need. But this is not easy so you will probably need some accountability- figure that out before you start. This is mindful eating, journaling, meditation and asana practice which grows and builds. It may not be for everyone but it is certainly for me. An excellent use of time as the benefits will continue. It will not be my last 40 Days. I have a daily meditation practice now and that is everything. I get quiet and still and look forward to being with myself and this is powerful. Life is so good. The book is less than $20 & is available everywhere. Would love to hear about your experience or answer questions about mine. Namaste y’all!

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

This was a book about a lady cop from Philly and her hard life/lack of love all stemming from the addiction of others to opioids. There is a serial murder on the loose to make things both interesting and more dismal. Not sure how this wound up on my list nor what the appeal was… I have a 2 tier decisioning system meant to prioritize my reading and let only the most interesting stuff float to the top. I do not like cops and I do not like family dramas about drug abuse – this is that book. Alas the main character is a good person – she is THE most ethical cop in the entire chauvinistic police department and she is not an addict. She does look out for people. She is a good mother. Just kind of a blah character. Her neighbor on the other hand is cool. The murder mystery is somewhat compelling. Not too graphic. I suppose this is an OK book. Not my style but maybe others may like. Depressing but a good ending. Will probably be a movie someday, which I will not see.