Creative Wanderings

Enticing Writing or Emotional Manipulation?

Thoughts on The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Overview: The Nightingale is a historical fiction romance, set in WWII occupied France. Two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, are swept into a tenuous world where uncertainty, fear, and secrets define their futures. Vianne must consider the safety and survival of her small family once her husband is conscripted and a German officer commandeers their home for his lodgings. Isabelle, on the other hand, seems to throw safety and survival to the wind, concentrating her passions on the Resistance efforts. I read this book over the holidays and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since! When I was deep in reading it, I felt pulled into the narrative, eagerly devouring pages to see what would happen next in the story. Several times the story brought me to tears – deep, heart-rending moments where I simply could not ignore the emotions of the characters because Read more…

By Erica, ago

The #1 Back-to-School Journaling Tip You Need

And it’s not too late to start now and save memories! I love journaling as a way to record special memories – writing has just always been a go-to for me that way! It’s great to take a few moments to reflect on the experience and savor it all over again, plus going back and reading the words and thoughts of myself is like literally getting in time machine! Journaling is worth the time and effort, but it’s also challenging to journal for myself AND all my kids! And that’s how this gem came to be. One thing I love about reading over my old journal entries from childhood is the recurring list of what I loved to do at that age and what my favorite food was. It gives me a glimpse of the person I was and the person I was growing into! I took that idea and Read more…

By Erica, ago

Sugar Cookie Must-Haves

I try to practice minimalism with my household items, so having high-quality, multipurpose tools is essential for me! Here are the kitchen items I can’t live without when making sugar cookies! 4. Half Sheet Baking Pans – My half sheet baking pans are total workhorses in the kitchen. I use them at least twice a week, sometimes more, depending on what I’m cooking and baking! You’ll want the pair of pans – I have three and sometimes wish I had even more to use when I’m deep in baking. I like this thicker, rimmed style of pan because it can handle the heat, doesn’t warp, and lasts forever. I’ve had my set of pans for about 9 years now, and they’re just now starting to get a nice patina building up. And I can’t even tell you how old my mom’s pans are, except that they’re the ones I used Read more…

By Erica, ago

Pub Day for Shannon Hale!

Best Friends by Shannon Hale 3 hours 11 mins It’s publication day! Shannon Hale’s latest graphic novel hits shelves today, and it is a winner: 5 stars for sure! I’m such a fan of Shannon Hale’s work that I picked up this title on audiobook, not realizing that it was a graphic novel! I can’t speak to the illustrations, but the story and narration in the audiobook are an immersive auditory experience. It had a full cast, plus excellent sound effects, and I got the sense of place simply from how well the background audio paired with the storyline. Shannon shares her own 6th grade experiences, and having her narrate the story is the cherry on top! The tween years are so formative and challenging – truly a rollercoaster like the cover art suggests. I thought she did a great job capturing the intricacies of friendships, along with navigating the Read more…

By Erica, ago

The Bookbinder by Pip Williams – a review

Pip Williams is a new author for me this summer, and I’ve really enjoyed her unique take on historical fiction! Both her debut novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words, and her newest book, The Bookbinder, center on the experience of women at the Oxford University Press during WWI. The Bookbinder gives an inside look at the women who helped fold, collate, and combine the printed sheets, while also tackling several challenges and changes happening during the Great War. We meet Peggy, our main character, who works at the bindery with her twin sister, Maude. Though twins, they have very different personalities and demeanor. Throughout their story of adapting to the changes at the Press, particularly when army enlistments take away a wide swath of men and open up more jobs for women, we meet additional women who enhance the plot. These are strong women, brave and capable, who don’t shy Read more…

By Erica, ago

Empathy in reading

Khaled Hosseini’s book A Thousand Splendid Suns recently popped on in a friend’s post of Kindle sales, and seeing that title immediately transported back to the summer in college when I first read this stunning novel. It was summer 2007, and I was home from college for a few weeks to visit family. That summer dealt me some disappointing (heartbreaking!) news and left me wondering what I would do next. My carefully laid dreams and plans, along with years of effort towards those goals, were shattered, and I had a lot of feelings. Cue picking up a new book to escape my reality! It’s always been a way for me to find balance and relief when stress runs high. Already knowing the author and his evocative writing, I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns. This book, much like Hosseini’s first novel, The Kite Runner, focuses a lens on regular life Read more…

By Erica, ago

Let’s talk about Barbie!

Although I don’t consider myself a die-hard Barbie girl, I probably am at heart, because those were my go-to toys when I was growing up. I had four brothers and spent plenty of time playing cars and Legos, but there was nothing quite like the girly, imaginative play I created with my Barbie friends. It was almost like I could be part of the cool kids, because she was cool and I made up her stories and adventures! I could be stylish because I knew how to dress her stylishly, sophisticated thanks to her, and I got to dabble in worlds that weren’t open to me in reality the same way (gymnast Barbie had way more flexibility than I ever would!). I didn’t ever gravitate to playing with baby dolls, but Barbies were my jam. For all that I loved Barbies as a kid, and happily channel that bold feminine Read more…

By Erica, ago

Female Spies in Soviet Russia – historical fiction

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay This novel stars two female narrators, Ingrid and Anya, who become spies in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. I really loved reading a historical fiction set a bit more “recent” in the timeline – it opened my eyes to a time period I’m less educated on. Seeing Russia through Anya’s eyes gives it greater dimensionality, as opposed to the common tropes and stereotypes of Soviet Russia that are prevalent in media. I would definitely take more of this background and perspective, but of course you can only fit so much into one book. After reading the book blurb, I was slightly underwhelmed by the climactic point of betrayal in the book. I was emotionally invested in the characters and cared for their sake that someone was leaking spy names back to the Soviet Union, but much around that scene (and the Read more…

By Erica, ago

Three Summer Reads For Any Mood

If there’s one common theme I’ve noticed in my reading habits, it’s that I tend to like certain types of books in certain seasons of life. They don’t always correspond with the actual seasons (although I do really like reading mysteries or thrillers in October). More like, what can my brain handle right now? If I’m going to tackle a hefty non-fiction title, I want to be in the right headspace for it. This summer, I’ve been reading mostly fiction – some light romances, beach reads, fantasy, and historical fiction. Nothing heavy, just enjoyable and light. In fact, I was listening to Honeymoon for One by Portia MacIntosh while jogging the other day and basically laughed out loud because it was so hilarious! (Sidenote: it definitely wasn’t the jogging making me laugh. That’s hard work for me.) So if you’re looking for just the right book for your mood, take Read more…

By Erica, ago

Three Summer Releases on my TBR

Okay, confession time. While I adore books, I don’t do a great job keeping up with what’s new or being released soon. Maybe it’s from a sense of self-preservation, since I use my library for most of my book reading and I don’t like waiting in interminable queues? Either way, I felt really proud of myself for doing some research and learning about some great books coming out this summer! I’ve already added these ones to my reading list and can’t wait to get started! The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher MurrayPublished June 27, 2023 When I saw that Marie Benedict had a new novel being published this summer, I was elated! She consistently does a phenomenal job telling the stories of women in history, many who have been forgotten or overlooked through the ages. She writes some of my favorite historical fiction, and I can’t wait Read more…

By Erica, ago