As you may recall, I solicited book suggestions in a previous post. To help me stay on track, and to keep up with new suggestions, I created a list on Goodreads. Please let me know if you have any suggestions to add to the list. You can see and vote on the books anytime by clicking on this link: Ken’s Life Book Suggestions. Let’s see which one rises to the top! You can also follow the list and leave comments.
Feel free to follow me on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/kenslife). It’s kind of lonely over there right now. If you leave your Goodreads handle in the comments, I will follow you, plus other readers on this site can follow you.
Have any great book suggestions? What was the last book you read? What are you reading now? Are you on Goodreads? Do you have any books in print? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!
I just finished reading In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves the mystery thriller genre. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.
This was the second book I have read by this author, the other one being The Woman in Cabin 10. This one was similar in its ability to build suspense and keep the reader guessing. The pieces didn’t start to fall in place until the end.
I couldn’t quite predict who did it because the motive didn’t make sense. I think that’s the real key to mystery. If the reader can’t figure out a motive, then the whole crime makes no sense. Once you’ve figured out everyone’s motive, you know who the killer probably is. The character is going through this in her own mind as well. It’s probably how most real crimes are solved, come to think of it. Motive creates the criminal in most cases.
The book is written from a more traditional single character point of view, rather than jumping from mind to mind (multicharacter point of view), which is something I have gotten used to in books like Gone Girl and The Paris Apartment. I don’t mind, but I have a growing love for multiple points of view, probably because in real life I’m always trying to figure out what other people are thinking. I’ve been pretty surprised a few times by real people.
Give it a go. I think you will enjoy this book.
Read any books by Ruth Ware? Do you like books written in single character point of view or multicharacter point of view? Have any great book suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and please like, share, and subscribe!
Initially, I wasn’t enamored by this novel. It was a slow start, and the characters thoughts were short and a bit jumpy, leaving you to fill in the gaps. There were times when I didn’t know where it was going, and I was wondering if I wouldn’t just put it away unfinished.
I think it was because the main character, an agoraphobe, just wasn’t someone I clicked with. I’ve spent plenty of time at home, but I can’t imagine not being able to venture out to the mailbox. I guess I felt sorry for her more than anything.
In final chapters, it did manage to redeem itself somewhat. There were some unexpected turning points, and the action picked up considerably, culminating into an exciting ending.
I enjoyed it enough to give it four stars. I think that’s about all I can say about it.
What would you do if you witnessed a murder? What’s your experience with agoraphobia? Read any good books lately? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Today’s question is how do I unwind after a demanding day?
Believe it or not, I am under quite a bit of stress. I have people who count on me every day. Business processes would fail if I was unable to properly manage the resources for which I am responsible. Knowing this, coupled with my natural desire to keep things up and running, builds up a lot of stress inside me.
A lot of workplaces are also highly competitive, though it is often masked by nice mannerism. The battle is fought using office politics, subtle manipulation, and passive aggressive behavior. I believe it’s just the nature of people when they come together and there is some perceived prize that they think they can wriggle out of someone’s hands. In my opinion, this greatly magnifies the stress in a workplace.
I know a lot of this competitiveness stems from envy, but I have never been that envious of anyone. It’s simply not my vice, but I have other vices to make up for it. I mean, different vices call to different people. I think my lack of envy probably stems from the fact that I have never been all that competitive. I hope we all win! I can also be fairly successful without being vicious or filled with hate. My ability to succeed stems entirely from my own creativity, hard work, patience, and of course, the blessings of God.
I could write at lengths on details about why I’m stressed, but this question is about unwinding from that stress. There was a time when I didn’t really need a strategy for this, but these days I would be dragged down without doing something to recuperate. Below is a list of the things I use to unwind from the stress of the day. It’s not exhaustive, and I’m always looking for ways to destress (suggestions please!). Honestly, I sometimes fear that my life will be reduced to just doing coping methods all day, while lying in a fetal position, hoping life will leave me alone for a change. Just kidding! (maybe).
Sleep
I sleep a lot more these days. Not necessarily at night though. My sleep cycle seems to be eight or ten hours off. I really don’t start to feel awake until the sun is on its way down in the afternoon. That being said, without sleep, I will fall apart, so I take naps during the day to compensate. I take a brief one around noon, and another one when I first get home from work. It is actually surprising how much energy is restored to me from only a few minutes of shut eye. I feel like naps were once a lot more common, but after the industrial age the focus was on long hours of production. Sleep was considered lazy, but your body and mind need it desperately.
Walking
Since I moved to this city, I started walking around quite a bit. I like being out and about. There is usually something to see, and I am always meeting interesting new people. For instance, below is something I saw while walking home the other day. I also work in a building that is pretty big and spread out, so I walk quite a way indoors just to get to where I need to be. Walking is good exercise, which is important for your health, and also reduces stress.
Video of someone doing motorcycle stunts in the street.
Reading
I spend a lot of time reading, and I also like to listen to audiobooks while I’m walking around the city. I have had a scription to Audible for many years now. I used to use it while commuting, but now I mainly use it while walking. I still listen to it while driving, but it’s a really short commute to the office these days. In the past, I read a lot of self-help books. I think they helped to get me where I am today because they motivated me to keep going. Motivational and inspirational reading can help you feel better about life, which reduces stress.
Writing
I have always liked the idea of being a writer, but I don’t know that there was a good outlet for that in the past. I mean, I would start writing stories I had in mind as a kid, but then I would stall. Discovering blogging and self-publishing has opened up a new door for creativity. I have always felt like I should give something back to all those writers I read over the years. They helped me to believe in myself. They gave me hope.
Storms
I’ve mentioned this before, but the sound of rain and thunder calms me down. I feel like I am one with the spirit of the storm. If you are wondering, people who love the sound of rain are called pluviophiles. It’s a real thing.
There’s a special app I use to play rain and thunder sounds through my computer speakers. It is called Ambie, and you can get it in the Microsoft store for free. There is a lot of sounds you can mix together to get whatever ambient noise you want to hear, but I usually settle for the rain sounds. I often sleep with this on all night because it relaxes me.
There are also lots of YouTube channels that specialize in ambient rain and thunder sounds. I subscribe to a few of those. Below is an example of what I’m talking about.
Video of ambient storm sounds in a bedroom setting with a fireplace.
Music
I sometimes listen to music. Music has a profound way of changing my mood. Every song has a different effect on me, some energize me, some pull on my heart strings, some make me sad, and some inspire me to be creative. If I select just the right one, it can help to destress me from a long day.
I’m always open to suggestions if you have any. I often try new artists. Actually, I’m always looking for new things to try out, not just in music. It keeps life interesting.
I heard the one below from a remix I saw on Instagram. The post kind of called to me, so I looked up the song and artist. It’s new to me, because I don’t typically hear this type of music where I live. I kind of like it though. Maybe you will too.
A music video of Katie Melua singing Wonderful Life.
Alcohol
I was taught this was a bad thing growing up, but I sometimes think it is helpful for unwinding from a stressful day. In a previous book I read, it was mentioned that alcohol is an agent of myopia. That is to say, it numbs the mind in such a way that it can only focus on one thing at a time. This can be helpful when there are too many thoughts going through your head. Unfortunately, if that one thing is bad, it doesn’t help too much, so you have to be careful.
If you want to read more about the alcohol myopia theory I mentioned here, I suggest you read Malcolm Gladwell‘s Talking to Strangers. It’s non-fiction, but definitely an interesting read. I’ve actually read most of his books. They are all pretty thought provoking.
Friendship
I occasionally stumble upon some really awesome person who teaches me so much about life and opens my eyes to my own undiscovered self. I know those special people are sent by God at just the right time in your soul’s evolution. I owe some of them a debt I will never be able to repay. They literally saved my life. The love I have for them actually brings tears to my eyes just writing this. I wish they could remain with me for a lifetime, but there is a season to everything in this world. Only Heaven is forever, and I know I will see them there one day.
Family
I had a wonderful family. I often look back on memories of my dad and grandmother. They taught me that being good was important and that there was greater meaning to everything we do in life. They taught me about prayer and instilled a belief in a higher power. They laid the foundation to a persona that has withstood everything that life has thrown at it and even thrived. God rest their souls eternally.
There is also this thing I sometimes do when I wake up and don’t know if I can do this day. I just lay there and imagine my grandmother petting my head like she did when I was young and sick with fever. The affection that someone shows you in childhood lasts a lifetime. Till this day, I don’t think I could make it without her. It’s just a memory, but it has a profound power over reality.
Faith
The most powerful thing I have in my arsenal against everything the world can throw at me is my undying faith in almighty God. When I am at my lowest, I pray. I feel an uplifting power coming from it. It is sometimes even overwhelming, sending chills down my spine. I know his spirit is with me always. It is the one constant in my life since childhood, the one person who will never desert or forsake me, the one person who was with me in the beginning of my life and will still be there to greet me on the other side.
How do you unwind? How do you deal with stress at work? Have you ever had to deal with office politics? What vice is your weakness? Have you met any special people who get you through? Do memories change the present? Are you a pluviophile? Do you have any song suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
I believe this is a good introduction to the craft of story writing for the aspiring author. I think the main thing that I took away from it was that you might want to cut a lot out. You should only include content that is very important to the story. I think the tips in this book would help you create a story that is very easy for the brain to process and understand. Some of the books I’ve read follow this design, but some authors seem to digress somewhat. I don’t know that any of the advice in the book was earth shattering, but I sometimes like to read books just to reinforce things I know, or at least I used to know. I enjoyed this book for that.
Are you an aspiring author? Do you like reading books about writing? Have any book suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
I just finished The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. This is the third novel I have read by her. I believe I am officially hooked on this author.
There is really good character development in this novel. I feel like that’s the strongest part of the novel. You really get to know them, get in their head, fully understand their motives. I found myself sympathizing with them half the time.
I think the first half of my life I viewed people in a very black and white manner. In my later years, I’ve learned that good and evil are very often related to the circumstances in which a person finds themselves. I think that really comes out in her characters. Most of us don’t have to deal with extreme situations like in this book, but we have all had thoughts like those her characters are having. Seeing how all these thoughts in their head come together to weave together the whole situation is very enlightening. It makes you realize we are living something very similar ourselves.
I think seeing inside the character’s mind also tugs on the inner real-world desire I have to know what those around me are really thinking. I’ve definitely been surprised before, by real people. Sometimes I wish we could read each other’s mind. It would be so much better than having to figure everything out by dropped hints and side conversations. I guess reading a novel like this is as close as we will ever come to this ability. I believe the author must have had the same idea, and studied personalities enough in real life to get them perfectly right in her characters.
If you like deep character development and the mystery thriller genre, I believe you will love this book, and other books by this author. She is truly a master of the craft.
Have you read this book or other books by the author? What is your favorite book genre? Do you have any book suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!
Today’s prompt is what book could I read over and over again? A few years ago, I was really into reading. I had this goal in mind of reading all the classics and then some. My Goodreads list was massive and some years I read over a hundred books. Unfortunately, a lot of things happened, and I’ve never really returned to my normal self, and maybe never will. I have started reading more lately though, and I’m picking up speed, mostly in the mystery thriller genre. I think this is rapidly becoming my favorite type of book.
To answer the question, I usually don’t read a book twice. My goal has always been to read as many different books as possible, not continually re-read the same ones. It’s the same way with movies. I will very rarely re-watch a movie on purpose. Lately though, there have been a few books that have made me reconsider the idea of read once and discard. I don’t think it would be as good as the first time, since I know the ending, but I sometimes think I might pick up on something new the second time around. I think this is because the first few chapters are not strong for me, since I’m just getting to know the characters. After I know them well, the book becomes way more interesting. I guess that’s true of people also.
I would say most of the books I have read recently would be worth re-reading, if I had the time. Unfortunately, time is always in short supply, and I would prefer to focus on new material. If you want to read my review of these recent books, and the review of any future books, you can go to a special page I set up to collect all my book reviews. There will probably be more to come.
Are there any books you have read many times? Do you have any reading goals? What is your favorite book genre? Do you have any new book suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!
I recently finished The Guest List by Lucy Foley. This is the second book I have read by this author. The first novel was called The Paris Apartment. I saw this book suggested in comments. Thank you for the suggestion! I am starting to like this author a lot. I may continue on with more books from her. They are very well written. This may be my new favorite novel by this author.
She used a first person format for each character, which I really love because it allows you to really get inside their head. The psychology of each character is quite understandable. You find yourself sympathizing with every one of them in some way.
The novel is similar to other books I have read in that it is somewhat difficult to determine who the bad guys really are. The lines between good and evil become blurred. I will say the ending wasn’t completely satisfying. Knowing what you know about the characters, you realize there are a few loose ends that need to be tied up before justice can truly be served.
There was a couple of statements made by characters that really resonated with things that I have experienced myself in my own life. Maybe I’m really just a character in a novel. It does seem like that sometimes. I hope I like the ending of my book.
If you like the mystery thriller genre, I would definitely add this one to the list. It’s a really good book, and you probably won’t guess how all the characters are connected, or how it will ultimately end.
Have you read this novel? Do you like this author? Do you enjoy reading books in the mystery thriller genre? Have any more book suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
One of my most recent reads is a book by Lucy Foley called The Paris Apartment. This was an excellent book, and very well written. The back and forth of character perspectives was done well. It kind of reminded me of Gone Girl, but with more characters. In the end, like in real life, the bad guys just end up being humans reacting to external factors in a bad way. The ending was quite unexpected also. I didn’t see that coming. One of my favorite characters in the book ended up being Mimi. I tend to like the naive innocent characters for some reason. Maybe because it brings back memories of when I also trusted the intentions of other people. I highly recommend this book!
For the record, I am really into this style of book right now. I love it when the authors get really deep into the mind of the characters in first person, only to realize that what motivates them is not entirely what you might guess. It adds incredible realism to the work.
If you have read this book, and have a similar book in mind, please suggest!
I created a new page that shows my Goodreads shelves, in case you want to follow along. You can access it below or from the main site menu. I tend to read multiple books at once. Surprisingly, I don’t get them mixed up. I hope to post a review of every novel I read. Always open to new suggestions!
Ken's Life 
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