Mackenzie Carose

January Musings

By Mackenzie Leave a Comment

typing

Hello all, hope you are doing well 🙂

It has been a minute since I have been in this space and I wanted to drop in and say hello.

I mentioned back in November that I had started a Substack account where I was sharing more of my writing. If you want to know more about that decision, you can read it about it here. At the time, I naively thought that I would be able to write posts for both my blog here and for Substack. Alas, I was wrong. All of my writing has primarily been on that particular medium and for the foreseeable future, that is where I will be. I would love to see you over there and have some lovely conversations with you!

Some posts I’ve written on Substack you might enjoy:

My Word For 2023

Comforting Books for the New Year

Motherhood is Lonely

In other big news, I am moving to the East Coast this summer! I am so excited and looking forward to this new chapter in my family’s life 🙂 I will be sharing more updates on this big change as they happen, on both Instagram and Substack.

Take care everyone.

xx

As The Page Turns: October Edition

By Mackenzie Leave a Comment

New month of book reviews 🙂 Let’s get to it!

Disconnected by Emma Gannon

I actually meant to add this to last month’s book round-up but completely forgot. The subtitle to this book is “How to Stay Human in an Online World” and Gannon shows how to do just that. I have really been interested this year, in how we use social media to connect with each other but also how social media leaves us feeling awful at times and we wonder why we even use it. The influencing and advertising culture is at an all-time high and people are starting to feel the effects of it all and are unhappy. I found this book so interesting, and I definitely recommend giving this one a read.

Minimalista by Shira Gill

It is marketed as a step-by-step guide to a better home, wardrobe, and life, but it is so much more than that. This book really helps you to understand why we hold on to things and shows you really and truly how much easier your life will be if you have a place for everything. Life moves so much smoother when you know exactly where your keys are when you need to leave each morning. Little things like that and so much more are in this book, and I just loved it.

The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams

I have really been into cozy mysteries this year which used to not be my thing. I think I have been drawn to them because the real world is so awful at times, I think I need an escape. The Vanishing Type is the latest book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series and I absolutely loved it 🙂

Village Affairs and Trick of the Mind by Cassandra Chan

Same series, two different books, two different reviews. Village Affairs was just okay. I figured out who did it and then had to slog through most of the book until the denouement which was a let-down as far as mysteries go. Trick of the Mind however was so, so good and I literally stopped everything I was doing, just so I could finish it and find out who the culprit was. Definitely night and day regarding these books but I enjoy this series which revolves around Scotland Yard Detective Jack Gibbons, so much.

That’s it from me! Anything interesting you have read lately? Let me know 🙂

As The Page Turns: July Edition

By Mackenzie 2 Comments

I have probably read more books than what I have listed in this post but what is listed here, is what I actually remember reading 🙂 #gettingolder

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

book and coffee

I absolutely enjoy anything that Matt Haig writes. He is brilliant. The Comfort Book is a collection of lists, stories, quotes and beautiful words to help you get through when you are having a particularly difficult time in your life. Again, brilliant. My copy that I read, was from the library but this book is definitely one I would like to purchase and keep on hand for those days when life is getting the better of me.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

book on a table

I have previously read St. James’ other works including The Sun Down Motel and The Broken Girls. She is amazing at building a really great mystery while weaving in supernatural elements to the story without inducing eyerolls or heavy sighs. Her books are so good and once you start on page one, you are hard-pressed to actually put the book down. I definitely recommend giving The Book of Cold Cases a read!

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

This was my first time reading anything by Lamott and I have to say, I absolutely enjoyed this book. There were parts that made me literally laugh out loud and parts that brought tears to my eyes. She is a fabulous writer and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Fixation by Sandra Goldmark

Fixation was recommended by another blogger that I follow. This book revolves around people’s consumerism and how we don’t really fix anything anymore, we just go and purchase another trinket, widget, item, etc… and throw the broken item away, filling already overflowing landfills. While in some cases, there are definitely items that are not able to be salvaged, many, many items are fixable but companies either don’t want to fix it, they just want you to purchase a new one or companies don’t make the parts available needed to fix said item. The author also goes into detail about planned obsolescence and how companies purposely make things that will break sooner rather than latter so you have to purchase another one of their items. I found the topics interesting, and it really does make you look at items differently.

That’s it from me! Anything interesting that you have read recently? Let me know 🙂