M. C. Beaton: The Hamish Macbeth series

I adore these books. They are truly delightful simple reads that might be quick and easy, but are not short on entertainment.

This series follows fictional Scottish police man Hamish Macbeth who simply wishes to be left alone in his small station, walking his beat, and avoiding promotion. Of course it's not quite as simple as that because there is always a murder or two cropping up and he is the one to solve them. 

Hamish is fair, honest, and good. He's a small village man who operates a little differently than most in stories that we read, but it just makes him all the more interesting.  The village is full of funny and interesting characters. Quite often I find myself laughing at loud at some of the antics in these stories. There's a bit of underlying love story elements that follow through the books, but for the most part, these can be read out of order which is bound to be the case for most readers because there are quite a few of these novels!

I have loved these from the first read and I cannot foresee a time when I won't still love them.  I don't tend to buy them unless I can get them second hand or as an e-book because they are quick reads for me (they only take me a couple hours) but if I can get my hands on a copy I can keep for a good price, then I am all over it! So far I only have these ones in paper copies, and a few more as e-books!

Recommendation: Treat yo'self! These are fast, easy, tasty treats for your mystery loving mind! 

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

I read this in one sitting as I often do and I have to say it was not what I was expecting. Having said that, I'm not even sure what I was really expecting.

It's a novel of pure betrayal and murder. It's written in slang and you can't help but read it in the voices of the characters. This novel is a classic, and as such, I really wanted to read it.

It's not like my usual reads. It's the kind of book that makes you witness something but leaves you on the side lines with a confusion as to how to feel. My usual reads pull you in, cuddles you up with a warm drink and a blanket, and tells you a story. This was not that kind of book.

It's a good murder mystery, its written in such a way that you'll not forget it very quick that's for sure, and its got an ending that I don't think many people would have chosen if it had been up to them. I wouldn't have ended it the way it ended. I understand the choice, but it still got to me. 

I know this has been quite a vague review, but since this is a classic, I don't want to go into too much depth because it is a short book and I am afraid of giving away too much.

I have not seen any of the movie adaptations that have been made either. I would like to though. 

Recommendation: It's a classic murder mystery and deserves to be read and appreciated. 

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

I've owned this book for quite a while and I've always counted it among one of my favorites. It might actually be one of the first books I read about writing.

A funny thing happened when I sat down to write my review of this book. I couldn't remember a thing about it. I drew a huge blank. If you had mentioned the title and shown me the book, I would have told you I loved it and that it was one of my favorites, but the details? I couldn't remember. I had even forgot who wrote it which is amazing to me because Anne Lamott is great.

Anne Lamott is a writer who inspires me. I follow her on twitter, and I see quotes of hers all over the place online. I even copy and write out her words in my journals all the time, making sure I pay attention. Somehow I completely forgot this gem of a book was hers. 

This book is an honest and serious look at writing. Anne Lamott
doesn't sugar coat it, doesn't beat around the bush, just tells you like it is. When it comes to writing, she lays it out in a beautiful way with words that are pure gold. It's anecdotal, full of writing tips and bits of her life. It's beautiful and great in all the ways books like these always are. I loved it.

To me, she's the voice I need inside my head speaking to me day after day, telling me to get my act together and write. No doubt that is the very reason I forgot about this book was because I didn't want to get my act together, it was easier to forget. 

That being said, I need to reread this book again very soon. I should never have ignored or forgot her words in the first place, but my devious lazy mind took over, as it so often does.

Recommendation: Pick this up, all aspiring writers. You are hurting yourself passing this one by.  I really cannot explain why this book is so impressive, you just need to read it for yourself. 

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This was my first foray into the writing of Elizabeth Gilbert and I was not disappointed. Of course I am aware of her because of Eat Pray Love, but (even though I own a copy of that book somewhere) I still haven't read it yet.

This book crossed my radar on twitter and after seeing a photo of the cover I had to look into it. It's a book about creativity and living the creative life. Elizabeth Gilbert gives her take on writing and living creatively and she does it in the most refreshingly honest manner. She is just such a down to earth person that tells it like it is and I am so grateful for that. It's part instruction manual, part story time, and part inspirational blanket. It's a book that will spark your creative flame and welcome you into a world of others trying to do what you do.

I loved every bit of this book. Some of her ideas were new and so interesting that I often find myself thinking about them at random times. I don't want to spoil it, but shes got some pretty cool thoughts about where ideas come from, and I think everyone should read it.

 This book is definitely among my most favorite books, and I know that I will be re-reading it in part, or in whole, over and over again for the years to come. Actually, I already have. It's been sitting on my nightstand for about a week now and I keep picking it up to look it over again. I even joined a group on Goodreads just because they were going to read this book this year and I wanted to know what they thought/make myself have an excuse to read it again.

I think I could honestly highlight and quote the whole book if I let myself, there's just so much useful and true wisdom inside. She may give out some tough love with her words, but they are so very necessary. 

Recommendation: This is so very necessary and helpful to anyone looking to live the creative life, especially as a writer. You will not be disappointed in this lovely book. Pick it up and cherish it like I have. 

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

This is one of those books that has been around quite a long time. If you've watched the movie Sister Act 2 with Whoopie Goldberg and Lauryn Hill then you will know that Whoopie told Lauryn to read the book.

It's a series of letters written by Rainer Maria Rilke who was a poet. The man writing to him was asking Rainer to look at his work and to give him advice on writing. There are no letters from the point of view of the man who wrote to Rainer, only the letters that the man received from Rainer. 

The reference that I have seen often when this book has been mentioned is what Rainer says about writing. I am paraphrasing here, but he says that if you look inside yourself and ask yourself "must I write?" and if the answer is anything but a resounding yes, then you should just walk away. If the answer is yes, then you must write. 

His point of view is very interesting, and the book is full of wonderful quotes about life and writing. He focuses on details of the self and of using whats around us in our work. 

It's not a easy read even though it is very short and comprises 11 letters that Rainer wrote. His thoughts are esoteric and at times a little difficult to follow. 

The beauty of it is, Rainer was being completely candid and open with his thoughts and feelings during this period of time. It was like reading some one's journal. I found it quite interesting. 

Recommendation: Pick this up if you are interested in writing, or even following your dreams. It's so full of wisdom that I think it's worth having around to pick up again and again because I'm sure you'll come across something new each time. 

Martha Grimes: The Richard Jury Novels

Martha Grimes is the author of one of my favorite series about fictional Inspector Richard Jury with the Scotland Yard. He works cases together with his old friend Melrose Plant who is not a member of the police force to solve mysteries.

I love these books. The mysteries are a tad heavier than, say, Agatha Christie's or M.C. Beaton's, but they are still very good. I am a huge lover of British mysteries and British mystery writers. 

One of the biggest things I enjoy about these books is that they follow two men who are simply friends, no partners on the job, not people required to work together. They are friends and they help each other out. It's an interesting partnership that I find quite refreshing. 

There is a whole cast of colorful characters that appear in a lot of the novels that add some lovely interest to each story. For one, Melrose Plant actually has a title or two that he no longer uses, but comes in handy in some cases. The stories tend to be titled after the name of a Pub that features in the story which is another interesting part of these books that I really do love. 

I have quite a big collection of her novels that I got second hand (for the most part) from used book stores. I have made it one of my missions to collect them all at some point. (So seriously hard to photograph though! So excuse the photo please!)

Recommendation: These are novels for any mystery lover, especially those who enjoy British mysteries. 

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

This book was intense. I cried at times, I felt sad, I felt inspired, I felt like what it would have been like to be married to Hemingway back in the day.

I really do enjoy reading about the lives of others especially when it comes to the lives of writers. Doesn't matter if the stories are fiction, I still love them. 

I won't lie, I was left with a bit of an empty feeling at the end. This book took a lot out of me. It was definitely an emotional journey. I won't go into details (as usual) but this book follows the life of one of Hemingway's wives. The good, the bad, the ugly, the great. It's all there imagined how the author, using details from her life, thinks it went. It's all there. 

I find that the same thing that happens with movies happens with books. So often you will hear of a new release of a movie on a topic and right after, or even at the same time, you see another movie just like it come out. This book came across my radar around the same time I heard of Z the book about the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. I have read both, and I think I read both in the same year (though I'm not saying they came out at the same time). It's just interesting how that seems to happen. 

Recommendation: Read this if you enjoy stories about people who lived, life stories, and stories about the lives of writers. It's worth the read.