Hello, dear readers! What a lovely May day it is to be sharing this list of recent favorites with you. Spring is definitely here...our mornings begin with birdsong early, early in the A.M. and evening into nighttime brings the musical concert of crickets. Ah, the sounds of the season...there's nothing like it! Of course, with this season also comes mosquitoes and plenty of them. But I shall try to ignore those annoying little pests and savour the delights this season holds.
Today I want to share with you five bookish favorites and a two new-to-me shows that I've loved recently. I began the year with a bang in my reading and really found book after book after book that made me swoon. I was so glad for that because December really brought a reading slump for me as I had the most difficult time trying to find a festive holiday novel to enjoy. Anyway, 2022 started out with some awesome reads! However, in April, though I intended and was excited to read a ton of books I'd pulled from my shelves, one of our cats had an extremely scary and terrifying health situation. It went on for nearly three weeks before life was able to get back to normal. So needless to say, April was a completely empty month of books and reading. But other things needed to take priority.
However, in the last week, I have found myself deep into a couple of stories and a delightful memoir that are bringing me endless bliss...but that's for another post on another day. Today is about some favorites from just a wee bit ago. Let's get started, shall we?!?!?
First, I must begin with Because of Winn-Dixie. I really couldn't start anywhere else. This is a book that I first read when I was ten or eleven years old and I remember loving it so much then. Now, nearly seventeen or so years later, I picked it up again and fell in love all over again. I seriously can't say how much I dearly love this story. Truly, this is one of the most heartwarming, sweet stories out there. It's about friendship without barriers and it just makes your heart swell reading about Opal and her new circle of friends, which all come together thanks to her lovable dog, Winn-Dixie. It is touching and meaningful and makes you believe in the goodness of the world again and have newfound hope. Most of all, it just makes you smile. It is what I would call a definite gentle, comfort read and is indeed fit for any age reader. As I was reading it, I kept realizing just how magical and enchanted it felt too. My sister just finished reading it for the first time and, now, it's one of her favorites, too. The movie is also a favorite and one that I love watching again and again...but the book is just extra special.
Last year, thanks to some bookish videos I came across, I learned about an author called D.E. Stevenson and immediately after hearing about her style of writing and general storylines, I knew she was an author I had to check out. And so, I received Vittoria Cottage for Christmas and it was the first novel I read this year. Oh, it was charming! I do believe I have found a new favorite author and have since picked up another one of her books because it was just that good. It was an absolute delight of a book...hilarious, laugh out loud funny...and I don't find that to be true about many books, but with this one, I was literally laughing out loud to myself. It features a kind of quirky village, set in the English countryside with a slew of characters with stories and personalities all as unique as they are. (Those English village settings are my favorites!) I just loved it to bits...and still haven't gotten over how wonderful it was.
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What really got me to check further into Stevenson's books was that I had seen through several sources that her books were well-loved by fans of Miss Read. Well, last autumn I read my first novel in the Fairacre series entitled, Village School. And again, a charming village in the English countryside, a cast of quirky characters and funny antics, and well, I found myself another favorite. I've got book two in the series pulled to be read soon as I can't wait to return to Fairacre. Miss Read is the quintessential comfort reads author. Jan Karon recommends her books, so that's a good sign right there. All these authors seem to have the same style, and it's exactly the style I love most. Village School began in the early autumn, with the start of the school year and went though the following months, including holiday celebrations and traditions and such. So it felt perfect for a September read...but truly, anytime for Miss Read is lovely.
Another new-to-me author is Erica Bauermeister. And late last autumn, just before Christmastime, I read The School of Essential Ingredients...and it, too, was a marvellous find. I don't make a habit of reading reviews of books because I find that can really damper my excitement about a book and even sometimes influence my own thoughts and feelings, even before I begin the story for myself. But with this one I did and one of them mentioned that this book was too sentimental for them. Well, let me just say that I'm glad I didn't let that person's opinion deter me from trying out this novel for myself. I loved it. I would call myself a very sentimental, feeling person, so maybe that's what I loved most about this book. The author had a way with words, I will say. Reading this novel felt like hearing beautiful music for the first time in a gorgeous setting and just feeling every bit of it with all of your soul. The writing was lyrical and poetical and her descriptions were out of this world. For me, I love that kind of writing. It's not just a story. It's certainly not just words. It's magic, beauty and wonder woven together to create something magnificent. There is a book two which I shall read later on, but goodness me, this was a lovely book. (Plus it had major Julie and Julia vibes, in my opinion.)
And finally, my last bookish favorite is a nonfiction find called Seeking Slow by Melanie Barnes. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, definitely inspiring and made me want to incorporate lots of the ideas into my own life. It certainly had cozy vibes about it and makes you want to cuddle up in a fuzzy blanket whilst reading it. My favorite chapters were on well-being and wellness for mind, soul and body. My least favorite chapter was, for sure, the one on minimalism, because you don't even want to get me started on my opinions and thoughts on that crap. Other than that one section, it was an inspiring book and one that I will definitely return to...both for ideas and just for some coziness. I gave this one 4.5 stars. Oh, and it had the most delightful photographs throughout...and would make for a perfect teatime book to flip through in an afternoon or evening.
As for TV shows, well, I had some darn good fun with that here recently. I've been in the mood for a good crime/mystery show, but I'm quite picky about what I like. Blue Bloods is the only one I've found so far and I've watched every episode of that show at least a dozen times. Though I still love them and watch them regularly, I wanted something new...and fresh. And something where I didn't know what all happened within the storyline. So I ventured out into the world of BritBox on Amazon Prime and discovered Shetland and Vera. Both of these shows are based on series of books by the same author, Ann Cleeves. (I ordered book one of the Shetland series but haven't quite gotten to it yet.) I binge-watched the entire series (up to date) of Shetland in just over a week and I do believe I am addicted. Set on the misty island of Shetland, it is thrilling, a bit creepy, mysterious and completely puzzling. It makes you sweat a bit as you sit on the edge of your seat and that is just my cup of tea. I love those kinds of shows! Vera is what I'm currently watching and while I love it and am completely enjoying it, I do believe I love Shetland more. There aren't any particular characters on Vera that are especially likeable or favorite-character-material. And the stories aren't as creepy, thrilling, and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat quality as Shetland. The setting of North England is stunning though. Both shows come highly recommended by yours truly though!
Whew! That was quite a lot of ramblings, but I had such a splendid time sharing these recent favorites with you, my dear reader friends. I would absolutely love to hear from you and hear about your recent favorites...so do please feel free to comment or email me a note. And I hope to share more favorites here soonish...the books I'm currently enjoying seem promising!
I hope you all are keeping well and enjoying your days wherever you are in this grand world...
Until next time, may your days be filled with lots and lots of beautiful moments!
♥
