​The Everyday Naturalist is a great introduction or refresher on how to start identifying nature around you.  I enjoy how the author begins with the joy of simply being out in nature, noting that identification enhances enjoyment and contributes to science as a whole.  The author also acknowledges that nature identification can be difficult and offers practical advice to overcome those hurdles.  Each section details tips on how to classify the animals, plants, or fungi you encounter so you can make positive identifications.  I appreciated the guidance on describing different living things, which can improve how field guides and other resources are used.  The information on using field guides, websites and other identification resources was also helpful.  

Author Amy Tan took up birdwatching in her backyard in 2016 in order to find peace.  As Amy watches and expands her bird feeding efforts, she learns about the birds both as species and as individuals. Continued observations allow her to learn more about their habits, find and draw birds she's never seen before, discover new things about her visitors and imagine their lives.  Through journal entries accompanied by field drawings, Amy shares her journey of discovery and connection with the natural world.  I enjoyed reading about Amy's insights into the avian world as she discovered their complex lives and behaviors.  As an avid birder, I found her detailed observations and her fears over injured birds particularly relatable.  The stories of what her birds might be thinking or doing while visiting Amy's yard were particularly interesting. 

Octopus have long been a misunderstood and mysterious animal.  With more resources and unique technology, octopuses (yes, this is the correct plural!) have been more widely observed and studied for a deeper understanding and connection into their world.  Octopus lover, Sy Montgomery focuses on octopus abilities, intelligence and community to help us to better know these fascinating animals. I enjoyed reading about the personal connections with octopuses and their unique personalities, often choosing to interact with people on their own.  Octopuses' ability to camouflage has contributed to their ability to survive and adapt, as well as being a contributing factor to why they are so misunderstood!  I was happy to learn more about the chromatophores of an octopus that can help them blend into their environment rapidly, impersonate other animals, or turn into what appears to be tumbling algae.  The studies and observations about octopus intelligence were amazing to read about.  I had no idea that octopuses essentially had a brain in each tentacle!  I can only imagine what else we have to learn about these amazing creatures. 

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​Who Deserves Your Love is an easy to read guide and toolkit for beginning to understand and manage relationships. This book can be valuable to anyone, but is especially wonderful for anyone struggling with a parent and child relationship, romantic relationship or friendship. Split into three sections: How to Work on Your Relationships, How to Make Decisions About Relationships and How to Use Boundaries to Have Better Relationships, author KC Davis gives meaningful advice on how to approach, understand and solve relationship issues.  I really appreciated that right from the introduction, the author tells you what sections to read if you are in crisis or need information now. The writing throughout is also direct, down to earth and extremely easy to read, making what could be a very heavy topic easy to digest and even fun!  I also got a lot of use out of the tools that are provided, the questions to ask yourself and the decision tree can be used everyday to help navigate any kind of relationship. 

I personally gained a lot of valuable information from reading Who Deserves Your Love. Right from the introduction, I gained insight into myself and why I react the way I do in relationships due to psychological safety needs. I appreciated the breakdown of the three types of relationship harm: screwups, mistreatment and abuse and the statement that "...your reactions can be traced back to some old wound when you were most vulnerable...Your past relationship wounds can cause you to accept unreasonable behavior from others.  These same wounds can cause you to hurt the people closest to you." Another large part of the book is understanding the Vulnerability Cycle, why you might feel like you keep having the same argument over and over and how to address your own behavior to help stop it. The Decision Tree was another great tool to help with the unique and personal decision of whether or not to stay in a relationship and at what level of engagement. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Jane Austen's Bookshelf is a delightful dive into the contemporary female authors that inspired and engaged Jane Austen as a reader and novel writer. Rebecca Romney, a rare book dealer, uses her unique set of skills in the antique book world to look into the question of why Jane Austen seems to be the lone, lauded female author of her time. Austen herself references other popular female authors in her works.  Why were other women writers dismissed and what led to "The Great Forgetting?"   Through examining eight female authors, Romney gives insight into their inspirations on Austen as well as their prolific careers and astounding lives.   Romney writes about each author with a passion and fervor that makes me want to go find all of their books and read them immediately.  Each chapter is filled with important insights into the history of literature, writing, who we read, what is considered a classic and why.  

Beginning with Austen herself, Romney reviews just why Austen has become revered.  I was amazed to learn that by the late 18th Century, many novels were written by women as well as the negative light that many novels were placed in, despite selling quite well.  Austen also outright praised other female authors in her books, the phrase 'pride and prejudice' being taken from another author of her time.  In reading through Austen's chapter, I am reminded that her characters and the situations they are in are still relatable today and that Austen poured much of herself into her work. 

Frances Burney is an author I've never heard of, but I now must read.  I was intrigued by Burney's start as an author; writing in secret since novels were considered negative at the time.  When she did find the courage to publish, it was anonymously and without her father's knowledge.  Reading about Burney's character's, it is no surprise how she captured the attention of her audience with complicated heroines, fully composed interior worlds and incorporating her own experiences into her characters to explore power from a woman's perspective. 

Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho is another automatic add for my to read list.  I was surprised to learn of a female gothic author, though I shouldn't have been.  Radcliffe's stories built up horror in creative landscapes and seem beautifully constructed.  I was happy to learn that Radcliffe also proved that women could ask to be paid for what they are worth. 

Charlotte Lennox, best known for her second novel, The Female Quixote, used her wit to create daring, intelligent, heroines that pushed boundaries.   I loved reading about the author's insights into re-reads as well as the parallels of why Lennox fell out of favor with the reading habits of today.  

Hannah More was an interesting addition to the mix, an author that Austen said she would read eventually and might like after she has read. More's characters were the opposite of what Austen wrote of, more concerned with morals, religion, and conduct.  More still proved an important author of the time, championing the rights of others and finding financial stability; although firmly believing that one should not rise above their station. 

Charlotte Smith was a determined author who wrote for survival, a career author who wrote to feed and house her children after a disastrous marriage. Austen mentions the sweetness of Mrs. Smith's novels in Catharine, or the Bower. I was amazed by Smith's drive to survive in a world that seemed set against her and how it influenced her novels, especially Emmeline. 

Elizabeth Inchbald was one of the more exciting authors, running away from home to become an actress as a teenager. Her time in the theatre led her to become a playwright and author who Austen's characters recreate in Mansfield Park. I was enchanted by the author's description of Inchblad's humor as well as her being "an expert at these efficient annihilations"  Inchbald seems like someone I would like to be friends with. 

Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi is another bold author of her time, often charting her own course and going against what was expected of a lady at the time.  Seemingly always pregnant, she found time to write of her experiences, run a brewery and keep up her social circle. In her second marriage, now Mrs. Piozzi, wrote of her journey and was read by the Austens and Burney, Piozzi was noted for being entertaining and clever, known for mixing styles of personal writing with biography, travel and history. 

Maria Edgeworth is known as one of Jane Austen's favorite authors.  As Austen was working on getting her books published, Edgeworth was succeeding. Edgeworth was creating female characters that didn't follow all of the rules of society, interesting female characters who had adventures but may not have been the heroine of the novel. Knowing that Edgworth and Austen read each other's novels creates a framework of support for these female novelists of the time.

As a lover of reading, I enjoyed learning of all of these women who made a name for themselves and challenged the norm. I enjoyed seeing how Austen interacted or was influenced by the other authors and how they helped her to form her own style and craft.  I truly had fun reading Jane Austen's Bookshelf and I think the author would enjoy all of the notes and tabs that I left in her book. 




This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 
​

Our Stories Remember: American Indian History, Culture and Values through Storytelling is an insightful look at Indigenous culture through the lens of Indigenous stories and how Indigenous culture has always fit so well into the natural world, spirituality, human nature and family. Through stories from a variety of Indigenous American groups, Joseph Bruchac relates Indigenous history and culture through a modern lens.  I liked the pairing of personal and traditional stories along with the author's thoughts, research and history of Indigenous groups.  Along with each story is an additional reading list that I found very interesting.  One of the best insights I gleaned was in one of the first stories that advised not to keep carrying something that is of no use to anyone and that you can always learn from a fall as long as it isn't too far.  Other favorite stories were that of Sky Woman and the circle of life.  ​

In this memoir, author Raven Oak shares her journey through an abusive childhood and adolescence to find themselves as an adult being able to properly identify through their gender, sexuality and other identities.  Their past helped to shape their career as a teacher in Texas, doing their best to serve youth in the Bible Belt.  A health diagnosis led Raven and their partner to a safer space in Seattle where they battled long COVID and a series of disabilities.  

Raven Oak is one of my favorite science fiction/fantasy authors, so I jumped on the chance to read their memoir.  Raven presents an honest look at a life with many bumps in the road as well as triumph through adversity.  Raven's writing pulled me in similarly to a fictional story and I was invested in their journey.  Raven writes about not only where they succeeded in life, but where they believe they failed, especially in the school system and with certain students.  I found myself identifying with Raven's story more often than not, even though we have had very different paths in life thus far. I identified most with Raven's time in schools, trying to help students to be their best while actively fighting administration and some parents every step of the way.  I also love to see the power of good documentation.   Raven's memoir is all about finding their voice and using it for the greater good.  Through Raven's life they share multiple instances of finding and redefining themselves and using their experiences to advocate for themselves and others. I took much of Raven's learned  wisdom in these experiences to be a better advocate.  I enjoyed seeing how Raven's experiences shaped some characters in their books.  Voices Carry is a story of  triumph as a person who has fought against evil, stereotypes, and outdated systems just to exist.  I'll wrap up with one of my favorite quotes that I'll be incorporating into everyday life, "If questioning others means I'm a threat, consider me armed and dangerous."

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

​Genesee Country Senecas is an overview of the history of the Indigenous Seneca population of Western New York from their origin up to 1992.  Straightforward and well researched writing begins with the Seneca Prehistory and their longstanding history upon the land.  The most intriguing and useful parts for me were the descriptions of Seneca daily life and customs. I enjoyed deepening my knowledge of the traditional family structure, traditional foods, and house structures. I really loved the few stories that were shared, especially the story of hermit thrush and their song.  From there, the history skips to the 17th century and the invasion of the Europeans. The interactions between the Indigenous people and the Europeans at this time set the stage for the treatment of the Seneca and other members of the Six Nations in the future.  I was very interested in how the nations played the French and English off each other. The lives of three influential Seneca men were also highlighted: Cornplanter, Red Jacket and Handsome Lake who became a statesman, religious leader and orator, respectively and interacted with the Europeans on the Nation's behalf. With an underscoring narrative of the importance of the Indigenous people and their impact on the stewardship of land and relevance in history throughout modern day, Genesee Country Senecas is a great overview of the original people. 

​Finding the Fox is Norwegian author Andreas Tjernshaugen's observations and stories about the fox in his neighborhood.  Andreas has often noted the evidence of the fox around him, but has not seen one.  He is keen to find out more about the illusive mammal that shares his homeland.  Throughout the book Andreas shares the natural history of foxes within Norway along with their trials and triumphs in survival with mange and the fur trade.  I enjoyed reading about the foxes' role in the ecosystem, prey they hunt and interactions with other animals.  The difference between North American and Norwegian foxes was also explained, which I was thankful for. Andreas' observations of the fox family whose den he finds near a hiking trail are definitely my favorite parts.  Andreas is able to watch the foxes through a season and has the most observations about the vixen and her kits as they hunt, play and determine dominance.  Finding the Fox is rounded out  with information about foxes in captivity, zoos and being bred for fur giving a different view to the wild fox he spent so much time observing.  While not the view of a scientist, the author is able to give a rounded view of foxes in his home country.