What I'm Reading: Tend & Befriend (Chelsea Forte)

So, this is my daughter's book. It's not fiction. It's a self-help guide to dealing with grief and loss and I am soooo very proud. She's also leading a grief retreat in March. You can find details here: 

https://www.embodiedsoul.art/exhale-2026

Tend & Befriend

A heart opening exploration of the liminal 

Chelsea Forte

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GFXQ3SFY

A compassionate guide for those navigating sacred territory. the liminal space, the subtle space, the place between what is no longer and what is not yet.

Through somatic practices, reflective prompts, and frameworks rooted in psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative traditions, Tend & Befriend invites you to befriend your shadow, cultivate loving awareness and expand your capacity to stand between grief and joy and be stretched wide by them. Return home to yourself better supported to navigate these tender places with presence, resilience, and compassion while opening to what wants to emerge.

Whether you're navigating loss, life transitions, or simply the exquisite ache of being human, this zine offers permission to feel fully, grieve deeply, savor small joys, and begin again with compassion.

A tender companion for anyone standing in the liminal.

"All changes, however longed for, have their melancholy, for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves. We must die to one life before we begin another." - Anatole France

Mug Shot: Cardinal Mug #2

 

Well, it's January. The holidays are over but it's still winter and this is definitely a winter mug. As far as mugs themselves go, I still really like last year's cardinal mug, but this (which, okay, is really more of a cup than a mug) does have the cute little teapot topper.  And I do LOVE cute. But it's more a breakfast in bed cup or an afternoon tea cup rather than a working at my desk mug...which, let's face it, is where I spend most of my time and drink most of my tea. 

It is cute though. And practical, in its own way. 

What I'm Reading: Game Changers (Rachel Reid)

So EVERYBODY I know has been raving about this series for months. I mean, they mostly mean the TV series, but I have a healthy amount of Demand Avoidance... 

By which I mean a much MORE than healthy amount, to be honest. And also I was busy. And I don't have time for TV anyway. And so, it took awhile for me to pick up this book. But eventually I did, and now of course I'm reading the entire series. It's good. It's set in NYC and the author is Canadian and I never once found myself muttering about how something was NOT RIGHT! in the book. So kudos to the author.  

I would recommend it. Still haven't watched the TV series, but I suppose I'll get around to that one of these days. 

Game Changer (Game Changers, Book One)

RachelReid

https://www.rachelreidwrites.com/

New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pre-game rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?

Mug Shot: Hamsa Hand

 

So, it's still the beginning of the year, so here's a Hamsa for protection during the coming months. Hamsa hands always remind me of mudras that you see used in yoga and meditation, and those are good too--especially at this time of year. 

It's a good sized mug, with a two-toned, satin finish that I really like. It's got a modern, minimalist feel that should be at odds with the slightly Boho vibe you generally associate with hamsas and yet...I dunno. It seems to work. It feels very zen to drink my morning tea from this mug. 

What I'm Reading: Wayward Gods (Devon Monk)

Well, this was a lovely Christmas surprise!  Devon Monk has three connected series--Ordinary Magic, Mystic Crossroads and Souls of the Road. The characters move between the series in a way that I just love so much. 

Wayward Gods is the 5th book in the Souls of the Road series, and it made me so happy when Cardamom (from Mystic Crossroads) turned up! 

As I read this book, I was mostly convinced it would be the last book in the series--Monk has a way of making you think she's wrapping things up. I should know this by now--but I was happy to find out that I was wrong, and that there is one more book to go. AS WELL AS two more Mystic Crossroads book to come AND a short series of mysteries set in Ordinary, OR. 

Also, I love these covers. 

Wayward Gods (Souls of the Road Book 5)
Devon Monk

https://www.devonmonk.com/souls-of-the-road/

It’s ancient, it’s dangerous, and it’s the only weapon they have…

Lula and Brogan Gauge made a deal with the god Cupid to find the spell book of the gods—but finding it put a target on their backs. 

Now they’re on the run across New Mexico with powerful gods on their heels. One who wants to kill them. One who wants to enslave them. One who wants to use them to destroy the world.

With nowhere left to go, they turn to a family of monster hunters and a rogue wizard for help. But only they can make the deadliest decision of their lives: flee to Oregon to hide the book, or wield the book’s magic to kill the monster they’ve been hunting for a hundred years.

They can’t trust the gods, they shouldn’t trust the magic, but can they trust each other enough to cast a spell no mortal can survive…

Mug Shot: Adventure Begins

 

Well, it's the start of another year, so this seemed like an appropriate mug to post. I wish you all a peaceful, prosperous and productive 2026. 

Good luck to us all! 

What I'm Reading Wednesday Rogues Lie (Jenny Schwartz)

It feels like I've been waiting longer than five months for this book--which is number three in Jenny Schwartz' Caldryn Parliament series. Which, as Jenny says, “is a homage to the Golden Age mysteries of the past, but set in a futuristic society that has magic.” Perfectly stated. If Agatha Christie had taken it into her head to write  Sci-Fi instead of Mystery, I imagine she'd have written something a whole lot like this!

I enjoyed this book a lot. My only complaint is that now I'm anxious to read book four. Jenny has revealed that there'll be a dead body in the next one. See? Just like Christie!

https://authorjennyschwartz.com/

Rogues Lie (Caldryn Parliament Book 3)
Jenny Schwartz

https://www.amazon.com/Rogues-Lie-Caldryn-Parliament-Book-ebook/dp/B0DXN289NV/ref=sr_1_1

A whisper campaign threatens Vanda Kavanagh’s hard-won position as Warden of Caldryn Parliament, but are the malicious rumors a personal attack or do they mask an uglier plot?

As Vanda investigates, long-hidden truths are revealed leading her to question everything she believed about herself.

In a city steeped in magic and political intrigue who can Vanda trust?