Meg Shaffer's novel is two parts Willy Wonka, one part Hallmark movie, with a sprinkle of The Westing Game, which all adds up to one cozy read!
Review: The Wishing Game
Odds & Ends 2/10-2/23
February has certainly not been business as usual. We celebrated my niece's birthday about two weeks ago, then it was my turn with a girls' afternoon out, and finally we surprised my dad with a quick visit (and ice cream cake) last weekend, and I got back to town just in time for one normal … Continue reading Odds & Ends 2/10-2/23
Review: The Djinn Waits A Hundred Years
Shubnum Khan's The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is a quiet but beautiful story about the different ways grief and pain can haunt us. Told in dual timelines, the story begins in 2014, as young teen Sana and her father move into an apartment in the rundown mansion of Akbar Manzil in a seaside town in … Continue reading Review: The Djinn Waits A Hundred Years
Odds & Ends 12/30-1/12
The new year is well under way, and I've had two great writing weekends to kick it off. This past one was even an unplanned 3-day weekend thanks to a snow day Friday! I'm hoping this kind of progress will continue to be the trend for 2025. I also managed to get all my Christmas … Continue reading Odds & Ends 12/30-1/12
2025: A Reading Preview
Another year brings more chances to read!
Odds & Ends 11/25-12/8
The past couple of weeks have been good ones for me. My mom was in town the night before Thanksgiving, so she took me to see Wicked, and it did not disappoint. I honestly can't imagine a better adaptation of this musical. Cynthia Erivo does a great job as Elphaba, and Ariana Grande sounds nearly … Continue reading Odds & Ends 11/25-12/8
Review: Once Upon a River
My thoughts on Diane Setterfield's Once Upon a River
Odds & Ends 10/28-11/10
The past couple of weeks haven't brought as much writing time as I might have liked, but I have made progress on my query letter, which is something I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to say! I've also discovered, through my new writing group, how helpful reading my work aloud is. It definitely helps … Continue reading Odds & Ends 10/28-11/10
Review: Sisters of Sword & Song
My thoughts on Sisters of Sword & Song by Rebecca Ross.
Odds & Ends 9/30-10/13
I've been running around quite a bit the last few weeks. My niece started soccer, so every Saturday I get to watch her play (three-year-old soccer teams are pretty entertaining, if not super competitive). I also joined a new writing group at the local library, which has renewed my excitement in my work and is … Continue reading Odds & Ends 9/30-10/13
Review: The Thirteenth Tale
Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale begins when Margaret Lea, an amateur biographer working in her father's antique bookshop, is invited by Vida Winter, a renowned and enigmatic author, to record her life story. A story she has worked her entire life to conceal. The premise had me intrigued and the setting of the story helped … Continue reading Review: The Thirteenth Tale
Odds & Ends 7/22-9/15
Well, the month of August came and went, and now we're already halfway through September! I ended up taking an unintended but necessary hiatus from blogging last month. I only had the mental energy to juggle so much, and the blog ended up being what I set down. I did get in a little more … Continue reading Odds & Ends 7/22-9/15
Christian Douglass Writes 