Under the Thrall

OK guys, I haven't been reading my share of paranormal books lately. I haven't been reading at all much lately. And I don't usually like doing book blog posts, because I like to hold anything I read very close to me and pretend I am the only reader on earth. (Confessions of a book nerd.)

Then a few books stampeded into my life, grabbed me by the throat and enthralled me. I usually let books come into my life and if I really like an author I will go hunt down the rest. Otherwise, books come to me. I don't usually go out to look for new ones, I just know what when I get there. It's kind of like going to a humane society to adopt a pet, you just know what you will connect.

Anyway, I wrote a reading list for 2014 way back here...and those are the books that have stampeded into my life. I am trying to kind of read them in order. Kind of...but again, sometimes I just have to read what takes me in at the moment. The books are adopting me, you see...

Hell, adoption? The last book I read left me in a book hangover like I haven't had since last year when I read Bound by J. Elizabeth Hill. The rest of *her* books are on my list too. The Mirrors of Bershan trilogy is complete.

These debut authors are both intimidating to me as well as incredibly inspiring. I am not kidding. I could totally curl up in a corner and wonder if I will ever write as well as these writers. I write my own way, but I really want to be able to leave my readers with the kind of book hangover I got from reading their stuff.

I am totally under their thrall. Read their books to understand. Now, I also understand that I can't expect everyone to like what I like, but I highly recommend these authors.

Here's my review of Running Home by Julie Hutchings. I'm going to go curl up and wallow in my book hangover now.

5 Gold Stars!

Way to Get Me Back Into Vampires

A beauty and the beast/rite of passage tale unlike anything you have ever experienced. This book lit a fire in me. Intricately and passionately character driven, the story will wedge its people into your soul. At once inspiring and tragic, you will be left feeling a physical need for more, and you'll be wondering just what Fate might have in store for you.

Be Gentle with Yourself

January always seems like the Month of Limbo before the Big Change. It's the process after finishing a full year of uncompleted tasks, unmet goals, and disappointing outcomes. Or maybe it's the process of getting through the let down after an amazing year of successes, dreams come true, and answered prayers.

The holiday season comes to a close with many families drawing together to be grateful for each other and share in each other's love and presence, and sometimes exchange presents. The end of the year *should* be about celebrating the successes, the dreams come true, and the answered prayers.

Instead, a lot of us get uncomfortable get togethers, stressful holiday parties, extra work loads, disappointments and even tragedy. So, January opens with the detritus of our previous year spilling into the new year. We struggle to "clean up",  make new year's resolutions, force changes, or accept the changes that were we were "forced" into.

Every new year moves us forward. Every new year is a time of change regardless of what happened the year before. January always seems to be the hardest part - the initiation into what the new time has in store for us. Or maybe it's the initiation into being the same we were the year before, into a year of more learning. None of us change at the same pace.

Through all of this, we are molded, we are taught things that only our subconscious, sometimes only our souls, can understand and we might take another whole year to understand what we are being taught.

My wish for all of us initiates is this; Be gentle to yourself. You are a wonder of creation and you should treat yourself that way. We are all on a journey to learn about ourselves and each other. And in case you think I am just spouting platitudes, I'm not. I am speaking a flowery language to describe what I am personally going through, what most of my friends are going through right now, and what I expect a lot of my unseen readers are going through. Take heart!

Be gentle, and may your initiation bring you to the place you need to be in your life!

Mess!

Before creating anything sometimes things have to be destroyed, or at least thrown into chaos. Out of the chaos, like a phoenix, arises something beautiful.

I'm in that chaos phase with *everything* right now. So, I appreciate your patience.