It’s another slow day but still, not a total loss. BookRunes has a FREE suggestion that is quite a departure from the selections we normally see. I like departures and the chance to read something out of the norm for me. As always, with an author new to me I can’t guarantee if it will or it won’t meet expectations as a good read. The first page or two suggests it will be good so I’m hoping it will be awesome.

I think one of the reasons I am drawn to this novel is related to my fascination with retreats. Especially monastic retreats with a vow of silence and simplicity, along with the structure of daily rituals. I’m not Catholic although my paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles are. I was raised Protestant with my maternal grandparents but there is still an underlying connection somehow. Between the sight of the monastery 30 miles from where I grew up and the stories of one of my high school Catholic girlfriends, a retreat has always been on my bucket list. I’m sure the picture formed in my teenage head would be quite different from today’s reality. This introvert will probably keep it just as that… a fanciful dream.

In the meantime I plan to enjoy this book.

Poustinia: A Novel (Poustinia Series Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

The nuns need income. The guests need hope. Can Victoria provide a solution?

When Victoria Sullivan finds herself at a crossroad in life, she books a rustic cabin in the woodlands of the Monastery of St. Carmella. While trying to discern her future, she meets other guests who face their own challenges.

The Sisters also have a dilemma, as they anticipate a merger because of their dwindling numbers and an aging congregation. Will they lose their beloved homeland, nestled among the vineyard, forest, and lake?

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I’m currently reading Taken, just started actually. I’m a fan of Dee Henderson and do not expected to be disappointed. This is still a bargain at $0.99, read along with me -especially if you’ve not yet met this author.

Taken, Dee Henderson

Amazon quote:

An investigator who knows tragic loss firsthand,
and his new client, missing far too long…

Abducted at the age of sixteen and coerced into assisting the Jacoby crime family, Shannon Bliss has finally found a way out. She desperately wants to resume some semblance of normal life, but she also knows she has some unfinished business to attend to. She might have enough evidence to put her captors behind bars for a very long time.

When Shannon contacts private investigator Matthew Dane, a former cop, to help her navigate her reentry into society, he quickly discovers that gaining her freedom doesn’t mean her troubles are over. If the Jacoby family learns she is still alive, they’ll stop at nothing to silence her.

If justice is to be done, and if Shannon’s life is ever to get on track again, Matthew will need to discover exactly what happened to her–even if it means stirring up a hornet’s nest of secrets.

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Good news where I live. They are starting to ease up on Covid-19 restrictions starting next week. Our province has wide open spaces with low population density and our health officials have been proactive in putting protective measures in place. Our affected numbers are low because of all that. Hopefully this easing will happen soon for the rest of the world too.

In the meantime….

Enjoy Reading!