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Jennifer Silverwood

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I have a full life. Many of us do, I hope. It's filled with (in no particular order) my full time work (I'm a clinical case manager), my marriage, my pup, and family and friends. That doesn't even include the other loves of my life: reading, drawing, embroidering, movies, and creating. That is a lot to hold onto - a lot to try and balance. Our lives are full of taking and giving - and sometimes it feels like you're giving much more than you're taking. 

I am realistic in my outlook - I know that I can't do everything, and I especially know that I can't do anything perfectly. What always gets me, however, is how my self-care activities (reading, drawing, movies, etc.) usually fall down the list when my priorities demand to feel their importance. Of all of these, reading is what suffers the most. Reading is also what provides me the most of my self-care.

Reading is the one thing that asks nothing of me. I don't have to think of something to create - books and their authors have created it for me to enjoy. I don't have to be in one place to enjoy a good book. Reading simply lets me exist with it and within it. I definitely take from it much more than I give. No amount of reviews or book-buying will ever match what reading has done for me. 

So - what happens when my favorite self-care activity falls down that list of priorities? Lots of things actually. I feel more disconnected and grumpy. I also find myself feeling empty. This sort of emptiness has nothing to do with my actual life - like I said, my life is full and I love all it's working pieces even when they are causing me all kinds of stress. No, this is the sort of emptiness that I feel myself regain at the end of the night when everything is quiet. Do you sometimes feel that? Our days are so full of other people and their needs, wants, and demands - then the stillness of the evening or night comes along and it can remind us of how little time we have to just sit in the silence. 

Now, if you're me, you will at times try to take advantage of that silence to fill it up with reading time. I have learned that, at least in my case, I cannot read a book before bed. I will eagerly try to finish it which causes me to actually lose sleep. So - reading before bed is a no go for me especially because I have close to no willpower when it comes to books. I can't say I'm upset about the fact, really. 

And this is where you'll find me, reader. In this place where I wish I had the energy and extra time during the day to fly through my reading. Instead you will find me exhausted, fighting sleep until I eventually succumb to it. And then do it all again the next day until I get the time to actually sit down and read. 

All in all - I'm going through a reading slump. It has nothing to do with the books themselves, but rather the time I have to devote to them. Do you feel this? How do you feel better about it and start reading again? Let me know what you think. 

The Great Witches Baking Show
by Nancy Warren

Synopsis

​A baker with secrets
Witches in trouble
The cameras are rolling
On your marks, get set, die!
Poppy Wilkinson is thrilled to be chosen as a contestant on The Great British Baking Contest. As an American with English roots, winning the crown as Britain’s Best Baker would open doors she’s dreamed of. In more ways than one. Appearing on the reality show is her chance to get into Broomewode Hall and uncover the secrets of her past.

But strange things are happening on the show’s set: accusations of sabotage, a black cat that shadows Poppy, suspiciously unsociable residents at Broomewode Hall—and the judges can be real witches.

There are murmurs that Broomewode is an energy vortex. It certainly makes Poppy see and do things that aren’t exactly normal, and seems to draw interesting characters to the neighborhood.

When a fellow contestant dies in mysterious circumstances, Poppy has more to worry about than burned pies and cakes that won’t rise. There’s a murderer on the loose and it’s up to Poppy and her new friends to solve the crime before it becomes a real show-stopper.

From USA Today Bestselling Author Nancy Warren, this delicious series of cozy paranormal mysteries will have you guessing until the end. Includes recipes.

Review

As soon as I read the synopsis for The Great Witches Baking Show, I knew that I was going to enjoy it. I am keen to cozy mysteries and I absolutely LOVE The Great British Baking Show. Nancy Warren does a fantastic job of combining my two loves into a fantastically intimate cozy mystery. Oh and did I mention that I also have a penchant for witches? Because I sure do - so make this the three top corners of my book catnip. 

There are two sets of witches - some set in traditional ways, and others are more modern. I enjoyed this juxtaposition, especially when it came to our main character, Poppy. We join Poppy on her quest to find out about her family since she was found alone when she was just a baby. I found this first book to be the perfect kick off to a series that I hope to continue. It has a sweet coziness due to its surroundings and its focus on baking. However, I also felt it tug at my heartstrings due to how important Poppy's story was. Anyone who is a fan of cozies, particular those surrounding baking, is definitely going to need to pick this up!

When I started blogging, coming-of-age stories were my bread and butter. To be honest, they remain my favorite types of stories, especially when they reflect such difficult emotions and experiences as Ann Swann has done with Yeah, but I Didn’t. 

For some background, I currently work at a university counseling center - I say this because it’s important to know how important the portrayal of stories like Benji’s are to me. As the protagonist, Benji is a seemingly average, but bright fourteen year old girl who has had to live through some of the hardest circumstances that I believe many individuals can identify with. I was truly thankful that Benji’s experiences were told the authentic voice given by Swann. Swann provided us a close look into the fear, loss, and grief of life. Grief is truly such a difficult emotion to express and focus on and Swann did such a beautiful job of doing that with Benji as the host. It is a harsh “real-ness” that we get to experience through the perspective of Benji. It is so brutal and vicious, but it is many people’s truth, and I don’t believe we could have experienced it for Benji in such an authentic way had it not been for Swann. 

And this is where my background comes back - one of the most important messages in this book is understanding that we cannot control everything that happens or is around us. The only thing that we can control is our reaction to what is around us. This can be considered by many as THE message to take from therapy, and to read it in and within the lines I’d Swann’s book is truly heartfelt. 

Yeah, but I Didn’t is a slow and easy read - but it’s true gift is the perspective it gives its reader. Swann gives a voice to all who see something of themselves in Benji. It can be hard to read as it does talk about rape and suicide, but it’s through these difficult topics that we get to the heart of Yeah, but I Didn’t. Reader, consider this a trigger warning, but also a push to read beyond what you know. Coming-of-age stories aren’t what they used to be and that’s a good thing. It means we are inching more and more toward truth. And if you can read without feeling triggered, I truly recommend this book to you.

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