July Read Off the Shelf: The Time Collector by Gwendolyn Womack

 

I reorganized my book stacks last week because they were getting out of control and I was forgetting books I wanted to read--it's so easy for them to get lost in the shuffle. 

This novel has been on my bookcase for about three years. I've looked at it countless times but finally picked it up a few days ago. I've read Ms. Womack's two previous novels and absolutely loved them-she writes novels that have elements of fantasy, history, and thriller, also with a bit of romance, too. Perfect combination for me. 

The Time Collector is about Roan West and Melicent Tilpin. Roan is a commanding presence who always wears black--and gloves. There's a reason for the gloves-Roan is a psychometrist. His talent lies in touching items and seeing the past-who owned them, what happened to them; he sees all the lives that held that object. It can be overwhelming, but it's also lucrative. He can say that yes, this is an original, or this was owned by this famous person. He's made a living out of it, even if it has cost him close relationships.

 Melicent is a young woman in Los Angeles who is struggling to make ends meet after her mother dies and leaves Melicent to raise her younger brother. Melicent also has the gift of psychometry and has just been featured on Antiques Roadshow with a rare pocket watch--worth millions. She's not quite sure why she has this talent, and what it is, but knows she may have found a way to provide for herself and her brother. 

Her appearance goes viral, and Roan sees it and immediately knows he has to visit her to make sure she's safe. Someone is preying on fellow psychometrists in Roan's circle, and he's afraid Melicent could be next. But who is this silent stalker, and what could they want? It all has to do with "ooparts": out of place artifacts that are challenging known history and timelines. 

This novel takes you all around the world as Roan and Melicent's relationship grows and the danger ramps up. It's a fascinating mix of history, physics, mysticism, and romance. You definitely have to suspend belief for a bit, especially at the end, but dang it's a clever novel and I loved every bit of it. 

I will read anything Ms. Womack writes, but she hasn't written anything recently, dang it! She's on my list of favorite authors. If you're a history geek like myself, and fascinated by mysticism (yep, like myself), you'll enjoy this novel. I found it in the bargain section of my local B&N. 

Rating: 5/6 for a refreshingly different novel about time, history, physics, the universe, and our place in it. Toss in an adventure around the world, romance, and some pretty interesting object histories and you've got a read you won't be able to put down. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read Off the Shelf: The Time Collector by Gwendolyn Womack

American Cozy: Hygge-Inspired Ways to Create Comfort & Happiness by Stephanie Pedersen

I've been curious about the idea of hygge--a Danish way of being that puts creating and living a comfortable, cozy life at the top of your priority list. This may seem very simplistic, and it is, mostly. What's not simple is wrapping your brain around it and changing your life enough that you feel pretty hygge all the time. And just for your reference, it's pronounced "hoo-gah".  I've found myself saying it over and over lately, in order to retrain my brain to think the pronunciation correctly and stop it from thinking "hi-gee".  

The author, Stephanie Pedersen, takes hygge and adds an American spin on it. I haven't read any other hygge books, so I can't say how different, if at all, it is regarding the Danish practice of hygge. But I think I can say with a lot of confidence that Americans seem terribly busy, busy, busy and distracted. We seem to constantly be scrambling to get things done, and are so busy cramming our days with so much, we're always tired, worn out, stressed, and frazzled. So what to do about it?

There's nothing in this little book that is mind altering, or radical. It's about being organized, having a plan, keeping things simple, and taking the time to chill out--even if it's just for ten minutes walking around the office building to stretch your legs. It's about leaving work at work, and committing to not looking at work emails after you've left the office. Saying no instead of always saying yes. Picking a few things you really enjoy doing, instead of trying to do it all, and being miserable. For me, it's about decluttering both at work and at home. I dread cleaning my house. I love a clean house, with everything in its place, but honestly, I'd rather read a book than clean. My house always has a slightly disheveled look about it--definitely lived in by a bookaholic. Reading American Cozy has given me thought about how that clutter grows and can become overwhelming, and really stifle my ability to function at full speed. 

Yes, a lot of hygge is about minimalism. Part of the clutter is about thinking we need to have a bunch of stuff, when we don't. While I didn't learn anything I didn't already know after finishing this book, it did remind me of how easy it would be to eliminate the clutter, get my butt into a routine to keep my house tidy, and to curb my mindless social media checking (this takes up waaaay too much time!) each day. So for me, setting up routines and taking the time to do bits and pieces every day--and committing to that--will go a long way towards establishing my own kind of hygge. 

I have made some changes in my life in the last 6 months that have helped me feel less overwhelmed, and I've mostly kept to them each day: setting up my coffee pot each night and programming it to start each morning; having my workout gear ready to go and my recovery drink mixed and in the fridge, so all I have to do it grab it and go. Having my gym bag packed each night with my water bottle (I can't live without it at the gym!). I've also worked on food prepping each weekend--grocery shopping and preparing breakfasts and food for lunches during the week, and having a pretty good plan for suppers. Those small changes, oh--they have made a huge difference. I make better food choices because I've got my meals ready, I'm not rushing around in the morning and forgetting things, and I walk in the door after working out and smell fresh coffee ready for me. 

So, for me, I did enjoy this book very much. It didn't teach me anything new, but reminded me of what I need to do in order to have a better balance in my life, and how to lessen my stress by not waiting to tackle housework or other chores until they are BIG and take too long to do. I've already decided to spend some time in January picking away at areas of my home that need some serious  decluttering and organization. I'm excited to start. 

This would make a great gift for anyone who is interested in living a bit more minimalistic, or is just tired of the clutter and needs some inspiration. It really is all the little things we can do to help us focus on being in the moment, enjoying the company of friends and family, and not wearing ourselves out with long, unproductive work days. Get your hygge on, people! 

Rating:  4/6 for a how-to on making your life an oasis of calm and relaxation. It's not about more time, but about using the time we have more efficiently, and more purposefully to achieve hygge in our lives. You can do it! 

Available in hardcover and ebook. 

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American Cozy: Hygge-Inspired Ways to Create Comfort & Happiness by Stephanie Pedersen

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

This novel has been on my can't wait to read list for months.  I happily tucked into reading as soon as I bought the book, and now, after finishing it, I am not sure if I loved it, or if I just liked it a lot.  

Anticipating a read can exciting, but I think sometimes it can be dangerous--expectations may not be met.  And that is no fault of the author, but rather my fault.  In any case, I did enjoy this book very much, even going in with  high expectations, and not knowing a whole lot about it other than a basic plot outline. 

Tom Hazard is a man over 400 years old.  He looks like a forty year old man, but he carries a very large secret.  He's not immortal, but a man who ages incredibly slowly.  He will, eventually, grow old, lose some of his immunity to illnesses that kill normal people, and die, but not for centuries.  Time is what Tom has, and time is what is also driving him slowly mad. 

For centuries, Tom wandered the world on his own, after a tragic childhood where his mother was punished for Tom's seemingly eternal youth.  Growing normally until thirteen, he slowed way down, looking fourteen, but actually being eighteen.  People began to notice, and gossip turned to suspicion, which created a horrible accusation of witchcraft.  Fleeing his home, Tom ends up in London, where he meets the absolute love of his very long life, Rose. But as Tom finds out, loving someone with a normal life span, and dealing with the obvious issues of very slowly aging and staying in one place, have a price to pay. It is easier, Tom believes, to never love anyone. His grief over Rose is never ending. 

The novel follows Tom as he lands in London in present day, taking a job as a history teacher.  He is part of the Albatross Society, run by Hendrich, a man who is even older than Tom.  He keeps people like Tom safe, by requiring they change lives every eight years, and gives them money and new identities.  He's convinced Tom that his survival is dependent on the society to keep him safe from those who would study Tom and hurt him. The number one rule Tom must live by is to never fall in love with a human being. 

Tom walks the streets of London, remembering his time with Rose, his experience working with Shakespeare, his happiness.  Memories that give him horrible headaches, as they can be too much for Tom to bear.  The only thing keeping him going is the hope that one day he may find his daughter, Marion.  She too has the gift of long life, and the last time Tom saw her, she was a young child in 17th century England.  Hendrich has promised Tom he is searching for Marion, but decades have gone by, with no luck locating Marion.  

I found Tom's memories of his past, and his back story fascinating.  Matt Haig did a wonderful job sending me back into Tom's experiences through the centuries.  I did understand Tom's melancholy, but it got a little frustrating sometimes.  He was a man trapped by his fear.  Fear of love, fear of Hendrich's power; fear of never finding his daughter.  Fear of time.  How do we think of time?  Tom can only think of time in a negative way; it's not until the very end that he finds it in himself to be free.  And that is the biggest message of Tom's tale.  

We're all given a limited amount of time to live, love, and experience life. We're so busy being busy, we pay no attention to the here and now; the moments of happiness and those moments where everything slows down, and we feel like they last forever.  Those are the best moments, and recognizing them, and living in them, is what stops time.  

I did like this book very much.  Tom was a bit of a drag, and I wanted to shake him sometimes, hoping he would stop being so damn afraid. I loved the stories of Tom's life before, and the people and places that made him who he was in modern day London. I feel that there should be another follow up novel, with Marion's story.  I hope there is; I want to know more about her!

Rating:  4/6 for an entertaining novel full of fantastic history; a novel about the power of love, grief, living life without fear, and enjoying every precious moment of time. 

Available in hardcover and ebook. 

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How to Stop Time by Matt Haig