The BookFetish Blog

2012 was an interesting reading year for me.  I started off thinking I was going to participate in the Chick Lit Plus reading challenge, and also Bookish Resolutions. My resolution was to read a book from my backlog each month. Almost immediately, I was faced with a desire to not read… .and then in May I started a program for a certification in Holistic Nutrition Consulting.  My time to read for fun was limited.  So I didn’t get to read everything I wanted to this year. But I still had a few standouts.

The first of these is Catfish Alley. This is the book that The Help, as good as it was, could have been.  It stayed with me long after I finished it, and it took me a few days to be able to write the review.

I was able to participate in a number of blog tours throughout the year. I enjoyed all of the books, but two still stand out to me.  Erik Atwell’s Thank You For Flying Air Zoe was humorous with an atypical heroine.  Kathleen Long’s Chasing Rainbows is the other one I adored.  As I mentioned in the review,  at times I felt Kathleen had written parts of my story.  I really enjoyed this one.

One of my favorite authors, Debora Geary, was quite prolific this year and published a number of books.  I’ve never read a Geary book I didn’t like, and I’m still hard pressed to say which of these was my favorite, but I’m going to with Witches In Flight as my favorite Debora Geary read of 2012.

My favorite thriller/mystery read for 2012 is Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl.  Everyone I know who has read this book has had strong opinions about it and the characters.  I’m looking forward to reading more of Flynn in 2013.

I didn’t read as much non-fiction this year as I normally do, although I did get through a few books.  One stands out beyond all the others for me this year: Shannon Moroney’s Through The Glass. This is another one that has continued to stay with me and has changed me and how I judge- or don’t judge- people and situations.  Rachel Thompson’s Broken Pieces is a close second because of the stark honesty in the essays.

I started a new column on the blog this year, My Author Crush. Meredith Schorr ,  Laurel Osterkamp, and Rachel Thompson get a shout out here for being wonderful partipants in this.  I really enjoyed getting to know more about each of them and sharing it with readers.  I’m putting together the list of authors I’d like to include in the 2013 Author Crush segments, and I can’t wait to continue this column.

Few modern songs are so deep in the cultural psyche as “Hallelujah.” The first time I remember REALLY hearing it was an episode of The West Wing, Posse Comitatus. This beautiful, haunting song provided the only sound while a number of scenes played out before our eyes. The song provided more emotion than even Aaron Sorkin’s writing and the stellar cast could convey.

I heard it again in Shrek, but it wasn’t until years later when I saw The Watchmen that I heard it by the man who wrote it, Leonard Cohen. And at that moment, Hallelujah became an integral part of the soundtrack of my life (and as an added bonus, exposed me to the genius that is Mr. Cohen).

Alan Light’s The Holy or The Broken explores how this originally obscure song became a global anthem, hymn, song of praise, song of mourning.

Light explores the origins of the song- after modest success, Columbia records didn’t want to release Various Positions, the album on which Hallelujah originally appeared.  Light goes on to recount how John Cale began the resurrection of the song, and ultimately how it  ended up in Buckley’s hands, and from there became a cultural phenomenon.

Part religion, part pure sex, Hallelujah means different things to different people. And although even most of us ardent fans are beginning to experience Hallelujah fatigue, few songs evoke the emotion this one does.  So many covers of this song. Some are brilliant, Rufus Wainwright, kd lang; others are atrocious- I’m looking at you, Bono, as much as it pains me to type it.  But still,  the song resonates with nearly everyone.

That is one of things I like best about the book. Light captures so well what the song means to different people.   I found myself marking pages, and highlighting passages.  One I adore is this:  “Leonard Cohen said the song represented absolute surrender in a situation you cannot fix or dominate, that sometimes it means saying, ‘I don’t fucking know what’s going on, but it can still be beautiful.'”   Yes! Yes! That is exactly how I feel about this song.  It’s a praise, a lament, a mourning, a cry of hope.

Fans of Hallelujah- and perhaps Cohen and Buckley- and maybe even music fans in general will enjoy this book, the history of the song. As I was reading the book, I found myself out on Spotify, putting together a playlist of every version of Hallelujah that I could find. I listened to it near constantly as I read the book.  Hearing the multiple interpretations discussed in the book only added to my enjoyment of reading it.  And, for what it’s worth, the line that still resonates with me most is: “I couldn’t feel so I learned to touch.”

One of the most courageous things a person can do is write their truth, and then share it with the world. It might be easier for fiction, although I imagine some piece of the author comes through in a novel.  But in essays, memoirs, and other personal works of non-fiction, the content is only the author’s truth.  I don’t know firsthand, but I imagine this must be terrifying.  You tell your story- in total honesty, the anguish, the anger, the grief- and people love it or hate it or, perhaps worst, are ambivalent about it.

It’s riskier, still, when your previously published books are humorous. Your readers think they know what to expect. They like your snark, they like your martini and Nutella references, and they feel they know you.

Then you blindside those same readers with things you’ve only hinted at before.  An ex-lover who killed himself and your questioning of your own grief. Other tragic and terrible events that have shaped you into the person you are now. Saying depression and anxiety out loud- exposing yourself to the opinion of every reader. Laying bare your soul.

Is that scary?  Maybe. It’s what Rachel Thompson (RachelintheOC) has done with Broken Pieces. Exchanging her trademark snark for brutal truth, Rachel shares with us the more serious events of her life. The stories that perhaps broke her in some ways. Although I prefer to say shaped her into who she is today.

Readers looking only for Rachel’s humor will be disappointed. Broken Pieces isn’t depressing, but it definitely isn’t funny. It is, I think, mournfully hopeful.  She tells her stories without melodrama, without asking for pity, but in a straightforward manner, saying almost, “These are some of the stories that shaped me. Take them or leave them.”

What readers will like about this book is that Rachel’s story is, at least in part, a piece of every person’s story. We’ve all grieved.  We’ve all survived something that could have destroyed us- maybe not the same experiences as Rachel, but something that forced us to grow up, changed our path, made us recognize hard truths.  It’s the shared ramifications of some events that is universal, that readers can identify with regardless of their own path.

Applaud an author for taking a different path, for telling her deeply personal story.

Once in a while, I learn something about a book as I’m writing the review. That’s what happened here. Read on to see what I mean…

Fans of Debora Geary got an extra treat for Christmas: A Different Witch, the latest book in the “Modern Witch” series.

I’m always excited to see a new Modern Witch book coming out, and you’ll know from my previous reviews of the series that what I love most is the Witch Central community.

In A Different Witch, Beth Landler, a minor character we met in A Modern Witch, reaches out to the  Witch Central community for help in tapping more deeply into her powers. But Beth is different, and the usual training methods- and trainers- just don’t work with her. Despite best efforts, Witch Central and Beth feel a sense of failure and frustration.  I don’t want to be too spolier-y here, so suffice it to say that sometimes, the people we least expect are the ones who point us in the right direction and help us connect with others.

I found myself really identifying with Nell in this book.  She has a strange trepidation about Beth, something she can’t quite place, and something that keeps her from connecting with Beth.  Similarly, I had a hard time connecting with the book at the beginning.  I’m not sure why, because we’re always welcoming new characters to Witch Central, and it’s usually very easy to dive into their stories.  But the more I think about it (and again, without trying to be too spoiler-y), that sense of disconnection could well have been the point.

Beth doesn’t interact with people the same way many of us do. Thinking back on it, I think the sense of disconnect added to the story: you want to connect with this character,  and as the reader, we have the inside details on Beth that our beloved characters don’t have, but like most of the characters, the connection didn’t come easily to me.  As I’m writing this review, I realize that intentional or not, that sense of being slightly out of synch added to the story.  I’ve just related to Nell, Lauren, Jamie, and Beth now in ways I didn’t when I first read the book.  And now it makes me want to go back and re-read the book with this new perspective.

We get to see previously minor characters really shine in this latest installment of the Modern Witch world, and we’re revisited by many of our favorites from previous books.  Reading any of the Modern Witch books is like a reunion with wonderful friends and family, and I’m glad to say that once again, the Witch Central community comes together to embrace with open, welcoming arms, someone who needs them.  We also get to see more of something else I love about Debora Geary’s books: the people who make up Witch Central are diverse, and strong. The girls are as awesome as the boys at coding and other geeky things; the guys know how to cook; everyone has a sense of adventure; everyone has their own strength that benefits the community; and they all love and respect each other.  It’s how we should be in real life.

As you know, from time to time, I post on something  other than books.  Earlier this year, I made the decision to go back to school to learn more about holistic nutrition. I found a school online, the American College of Healthcare Sciences, and began studies for a Certification in Holistic Nutrition.

That decision meant the free time I normally devote to reading and creating reviews for this blog took a backseat to reading textbooks, writing essays and research papers, and studying for tests and exams.  After so many years out of the classroom, and with a full time job and social commitments, it was definitely a challenge to make the time commitment required, but I ‘m glad I did it.

I started this journey after working with a naturopathic nutritionist.  I just didn’t feel “right” and thought it might have something to do with what I was putting into my body.  She made some suggestions, and within three days of incorporating the changes she recommended, I was feeling so much better.  More alert, less tired, and my allergies were finally under control.  That’s what sparked my own interest in learning more.

I’ve learned so much about wellness.  The premise behind holistic nutrition is eating whole, healthy, unprocessed foods.  Ideally, these foods are produced locally and with sustainable practices. It also follows, then, that if we are eating healthy foods, we are also kinder to our body through exercise, adequate sleep,  and a focused, healthy mind. As I’ve read and learned throughout this program, I’ve changed my own habits.

I now center my meals around vegetables, fruits, lean meats and seafood. What works best for me is to avoid gluten and dairy products. Everyone is different, but gluten and dairy seem to be allergen triggers for me and I feel better when I avoid them. That wouldn’t work for everyone, and I’ve had to work to make sure I replace the nutrients we get from grains and dairy by getting them in other forms and foods. I feel healthier when I eat this way. I’m fortunate to live in an area where I can get locally produced, organic, and sustainably and humanely raised foods. It takes time and research and costs a little more but the way I feel makes all of that effort worth it.

Changing what I eat made me want to take better care of myself in general. For the first time in my life, I want to exercise.  I bought a treadmill and started signing up for 5K’s.  Next week, I’m starting CrossFit, which simultaneously terrifies and excites me.  It will be a challenge for certain, but I’m excited about pushing myself and making myself stronger.  Remind me of that when I’m sore after a big workout.

I’m glad I took this journey.  I’ll complete the certification in January. I love that what I have learned, I can apply every day in the choices I make in what I eat, if I work out, choose to get a good night’s sleep, and work to retain mental clarity.  I’m looking forward to having time to read for fun and blog more frequently, too!  I’ll just be healthier as I’m doing it.