by Aleisha Hendry

And the winner is…

All of us. For now, at least.

Our sovereignty will remain. We will not follow in the footsteps of our neighbours to the south.

Looking at the results though, It was a very near thing. This wasn’t Canada outright rejecting fascism, because holy there’s a lot of blue on the map of the west. Part of me wonders if it’s just the usual Canadian thing where we rotate out the Liberals and Conservatives every few cycles, or if people are still hating on Trudeau even though he’s gone now.

It likely would have been a Conservative minority at minimum if the NDP had kept all their seats. Seeing Jagmeet Singh resign after losing his seat was a little heart-wrenching. But while it stings to see, the NDP will bounce back. We need them in this country. They are why we don’t go bankrupt when we get sick and why we have worker’s comp and old age pensions and so much more that makes us Canada.

We are not a two-party system, and no one should want that for us. We are stronger with all the parties at the table.

I will say… PP losing the seat he’s held for two decades was poetic. Some poor sap in a safe blue riding in Alberta will probably be forced to step aside, because while PP should absolutely resign, he probably won’t. And if he does, no one should feel bad for him either, since he’ll be able to live large off his government pension for the rest of his life. Won’t have to get one of those real jobs he’s always talking about but has never actually done himself.

This would be an ideal time for the Conservative Party to do some serious self-reflection. Their last three leaders could not get them over the finish line to a majority, or even a minority… doesn’t that tell you something? They’re past due for some real hard consideration of what it means to be a right-leaning Canadian. And I don’t mean being a Canadian version of the Republican party.

Because this whole thing where they imitate the far right in the US? It doesn’t work up here. And leaning so hard into it over the last decade or so is what brought the country to this near tipping point. Making the media out to be your enemy really doesn’t help project the image you want, because again, we are not the US. Using the far right buzzwords of “anti-woke” and all that utter bullshit does not endear you to the electorate.

You will pry my right to choose from my cold, dead fist.

We have been bombarded by American media and social media for so long, it’s like people have forgotten that we are not America. I recall seeing a clip somewhere a while back of a guy yelling about his First Amendment rights at a city council meeting and him being told there’s no such thing because this is Canada. Imagine getting so wrapped up in your own rage that you completely forget that we are not the same country with the same laws and rules and regulations… It’s sad, really.

Yet another reason why education is so damn important. Belittling education as elitism is not going to help anything, but neither is gatekeeping. There’s a lot – and I mean A LOT – of bullshit out there on the internet, and while it’s more effort on your end, do yourself a favour and triangulate your sources. This means finding three sources confirming what you’re reading, and I’m talking about reputable sources, not a random Facebook post.

Also, there is a world of a difference between a news article and an opinion piece. What I’m doing here is an opinion piece. I’m just sharing my thoughts about a particular subject that I’ve read a lot about and formed an opinion of. You may not agree with me, and that’s okay. I don’t expect everyone to.

A news article will be the facts with cited sources. Not everything from the news is a “hit piece” or biased just because it doesn’t agree with your preconceived ideas.

At any rate, we’ve still got a lot of work to do. Go for a walk, stand barefoot in the grass, drink some water. Take care of yourself.

Elbows Up.

-A.

by Aleisha Hendry

How hard is it to say no to fascism?

Remember when I said I was going to write more? I used to be good at this.

I’m leaning into my old column writing days with this one, so buckle up.

It’s officially election season in Canada. Federal election, even. And with the implosion of the democracy to the south of us, it’s more important than ever to actually be an engaged citizen.

My riding is a Conservative stronghold. It has been held by Progressive Conservative/Reform/Canadian Alliance/And-back-to-Conservative-again since 1972. That’s not going to change, I’ve accepted that.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going to cast my vote for the conservative incumbant.

He does not represent my values or my ideals or anything else I care about. He only seems to care about guns and conversion therapy. His party will hurt people I care about. So I will not be voting for him. I will vote, but it will not be for him.

Some might ask, well then why vote at all? if you know your vote isn’t going to do anything, why bother?

Oh the privilege in those questions.

We are on the precipice of the most drastic global shift if the last century. I’m astounded I’m alive to see it happen in real time. The world’s dominate superpower is folding like a cheap suit into oligarchy, and as their neighbour to the north it is going to impact us directly. It already is. The Fall of the American Empire is happening right now, and we all get to witness it.

(Lucky us, she said sarcastically.)

We’ll see if 47 manages to enact his trade war; he seems to flip flop every time he sets a deadline for the tariffs to kick in. I’m not relying on the US to actually do anything about their descent into fascism, all I can do is plead with my fellow Canadians to not follow in their footsteps.

See, in most eras, the fact that a federal party leader refusing to get security clearance would be enough to eliminate him as even a possibility for Prime Minister. But this is not a bygone era, and disinformation runs rampant, so here we stand. A leader who, according to our intelligence agency, only got the role of party leader thanks to foreign interference, is about neck-in-neck with other likely candidate for PM. One who has essentially lived off the government for the last two decades as a career politician who has never worked a regular job.

Unbelievable.

Once upon a time I would have never seen myself thinking, ‘why yes, I’d like that former banker to lead our country’ but again, this is here and now and this is our reality. The Liberal leader is endearing himself to voters by making videos evoking Canadian patriotism with Mike Meyers for god’s sake. And somehow, it actually comes across as genuine? Or at least, not disingenuous?

I’m a little tired of hearing how much the other guys suck. All of you kinda suck, just tell me what you’re going to do for Canada that doesn’t suck. How are you going to move forward with Truth and Reconciliation? What are you going to do to protect trans kids? How are you going to start fixing the housing crisis? The opioid crisis? The very threat to our sovereignty?

Don’t tell me how the other guy(s) are going to tear it down; tell me how you’re going to build it back up.

In another life I’d written the following words many many times: You need to vote. It is an inalienable right we have as a democratic nation. People around the world die for the opportunity.

Voting for a Conservative majority or even minority is asking for fascism. Not voting is asking for fascism. Spoiling your ballot is asking for fascism.

The only way to say no to fascism, right now, is to not vote Conservative.

I know this sounds like hyperbole. I know it sounds like catastrophizing. But the US electorate didn’t take the looming threat and warnings seriously and look what’s happened.

University students are being taken and deported. People are being taken and sold to slave labour camps in El Salvador. Social Security and Medicare are about to be axed. They’re trying to shut down the Department of Education. Some ketamine-riddled dumbass has all their private information. The lunatics are literally running the asylum. Some of the stupidest people on Earth now have access to the scariest weapons on Earth and throw a hissy fit if you don’t kiss their asses. They want to annex us and take everything we have and destroy everything we hold dear.

And certain Canadian politicians will roll over and let it happen.

Don’t let them.

Election Day is April 28.

Do NOT fuck this up, Canada.

-A.

by Aleisha Hendry

The Dumbest Timeline

There are few things I thought would happen once that Orange Shitbag was handed the keys to the kingdom of America, but uniting the Canadian people wasn’t necessarily one of them.

Given the divisive campaign the Canadian Conservatives are running with the Other Shitbag at the helm, I was afraid that we were heading down a similar path. That PP would drive the wedge between the convoy Nazis and the rest of us even further than it was going…

Not that we’re all singing kumbaya around the campfire or anything, but nothing seems to unite a country than a good old fashioned Trade War and risk to sovereignty.

The latter has become less of a joke and more of an idle threat, especially after Trudeau’s hot mic episode last week. What are the odds of the US military driving a tank through our ports of entry? Would they actually listen and do it if Orange Shitbag orders them to?

Some folks say that yelling at the people that chose not to vote is useless, because what’s done is done, but I really think those people still need to hang their heads in shame for what they’ve allowed to happen. Like, really show some remorse for what they’ve unleashed upon the world. You know, like Germany had to for decades.

But they’re American, so we all know that won’t happen.

Normally here is where I’d say “I’m sorry, but…” and launch into an explanation or something, but I’m not going to lean into the Canadian stereotype of apologizing for my words. You done fucked up, America. Even worse than you did the first time BECAUSE YOU LEARNED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Alright, I’m done venting about that now.

Writing about this is almost a lesson in futility, since things are changing so rapidly. There’s no time to even process what’s happening before the next stupid thing happens.

There’s nothing we can do about what’s happened in the US. However, we can prevent things from getting worse here. Other Shitbag and the Conservatives cannot be allowed to gain power here. I know we have long been a country of flip flopping between Liberal and Conservative governments whenever one of them pisses enough of the country off.

We can’t do that this time, Canada.

We cannot allow what happened to our neighbours to the south to happen here. I know so many people hate Justin Trudeau, but good god, don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. He’s stepping down. Mark Carny will likely be the next Liberal leader, he will stand up for us; Other Shitbag will thank Orange Shitbag and ask for another.

Do not obey in advance.

-A.

by Aleisha Hendry

Dawn of the New Year – 364 days remain

So the dawn has actually come and gone, but whatever.

The house has felt ridiculously quiet since Dante’s been gone. I keep thinking I see him out of the corner of my eye, but of course there’s nothing there when I turn.

Stormy hasn’t been doing well. Dante was there for her entire life, and now he’s not. She cries when I leave the room, even if I’m just going into the kitchen or the bathroom. She knows I’m there, but is still getting upset like she’s been abandoned.

Leaving for a week to go to Victoria for Christmas probably didn’t help the situation. When I booked the trip, she wasn’t alone. She was going to have Dante with her.

Sigh.

She needs a friend. Or two. I wasn’t planning to do this for a while, because to be honest I’m still mourning Dante. But after five days of her wandering the house at night sounding so lost and alone it broke my heart to hear, I reached out to a local animal rescue and have adopted a pair of kittens.

They are boys, both black, about 14 weeks old. I’d seen them on the rescue’s FB page back in October and figured they’d get snapped up, but no one wanted them.

Maybe they were waiting for me and Stormy?

They are currently living in the spare room and are slowly getting acclimatized. The smaller of the two let me pet him without darting away and even gave me purrs. The bigger one — who is gong to have the grumpiest face I can already tell — is not flinching as much but still pulls away and hides the most.

Stormy knows they’re there… she gives the room a hiss every now and then and did a little growl when I showed her the little one… but she didn’t cry nearly as much that first night. She even trilled a little.

That gives me all the hope.

After much deliberation and consultation with stupid articles about what to name black cats, I’m decided on their new names.

The smaller one is mischievous and loves attention, his name is Loki.

The larger one has the most serious face I’ve ever seen on a kitten that I have no choice but to call him Sirius. It’s either that or a name befitting a human accountant.

And before anyone makes a comment about it, fuck TERFs, and fuck JK Rowling and all her TERF-ness. She doesn’t own the name of the brightest star in the sky.

I will update on how the introductions with Stormy goes down.

-A.

by Aleisha Hendry

Saying goodbye

My heart is completely broken.

Yesterday, almost without warning, I had to put my oldest cat down. I have never had to do that before (we’ve always had indoor/outdoor cats that would just wander off and not come home when it was their time) and good god I don’t want to do it again, even though I will have to eventually.

Dante was 18 years old, which I know is old as hell for a cat. He’s been slowing down considerably for the past year and a bit, but it wasn’t until yesterday morning when he just didn’t get up for his food and tried to stagger to his feet but wobbled and sat back down… he hadn’t used the litter box and just wasn’t himself.

I called the vet and made an appointment. He also had something weird going on with his eye (looked like blood in the iris) so while part of me just wanted to get him looked at, the other part, well…

The worst part was getting him into the carrier. I have never seen him fight that hard; hissing and spitting and swiping…much thanks to Jamie for helping with that… but that reaction made me question if he really was at his end. If he’s fighting that hard, maybe he’s okay? But a sick/injured animal will attack if feeling threatened, and in my logical brain I know that. But this is my baby, my familiar… I don’t want to lose him.

He wasn’t any better when we got to the vet. The vet couldn’t do an exam with how aggressive Dante was, sedation isn’t the best idea considering his age, but the eye blood was very concerning, and everything else was just… once again, many thanks to Jamie advocating for me when I was crying too hard to form words. Putting Dante through a bunch of testing to just go home, wait for results, only to find out that he’s got cancer or his kidneys are failing and have to go through the literal trauma of bringing him back to the vet for the inevitable just… didn’t seem fair to him. He would have gone into hiding once we got home and that’s not how I’d want his last days to be.

So I made the call that it was time.

They went to give him the sedation, through the carrier and with kitty gauntlets on…they even had to muzzle him which made me cry even harder, but they took it off once I held him. I felt like a monster.

But I saw it through to the end. I was not going to let him go alone around strangers.

And the he was gone.

I got Dante when I first moved up north. He was my first friend here, with his too big ears and tail, I knew he’d be a beast of a cat someday. He would sleep by my face and crawl over my head when I rolled over. He wasn’t the cuddliest cat back then, he’d rather sit beside me than on me, but he was always waiting for me at the door.

The older he got, the more willing he was to sit on me. When I had to have an emergency appendectomy and couldn’t have any weight on my belly, he waited so patiently to sit the way he normally would, and avoided that side of my stomach for a whole week.

He was the only cat I ever knew that loved having his belly rubbed. He’d run down the hallway ahead of me, turn around, and flop down onto his side. If I walked by without giving the belly rubs, he’d yowl at me. He’d also hop up onto the bed and flop over there too. He didn’t do it much in the last year or two… he wasn’t as spry as he used to me.

His name came about as a joke like six months before I got him. I was working for a landscaping company and we were talking about getting goats to eat the grass for us. When thinking of names for our imaginary goats, I said I’d call one of them Dante. After our goat dreams were kiboshed, I said I’d name my first cat Dante after the goat I’d never have… and I did.

He spent his the majority of his life inside my apartment in Fort St. John, but when I moved to Dawson Creek, he got to touch grass for the first time. He hated it.

His favourite place to be in the last few years was on the couch, on my legs, but only if I was covered by a blanket. He was always annoyed during the summer when the couch blanket went away for the season, because heaven forbid he actually touch my legs.

He used to be able to jump to the top of the bookcase, and he’d knock the Knick-knacks off the shelf below him. He’d look me dead in the eye while he did it.

He went by many names, aside from his given. He was my handsome boy, mister man, mister Dante butthead, baby boo, bubbies, baby boo bubalub, fuzzy butt, grumpus…

I love him. I miss him. I’ve cried so much my whole face hurts and I’m probably dehydrated.

Me and Stormy will figure out how we’re going to adapt without him, but for now, I just wish I could hug him.

– A.

by Aleisha Hendry

Been a while

I have been sitting on this blog for like four years and you’d think I’d have had a ton of things to say in that time, but apparently I had nothing.

That’s impressive in a totally not impressive way.

I can recall starting a post here and there during the pandemic, but for some reason I never saved any of the drafts and couldn’t bring myself to hit ‘publish.’

However, I literally just got the notification that I’m being charged for this, so I’ve decided to give it another shot and try using it SINCE I’M PAYING FOR IT. Maybe folks will read, maybe they won’t. We’ll see how it goes.

The world is a dumpster fire right now, and I think I need this as an outlet to vent my frustrations. I don’t think anyone ever thought they’d be around to see the fall of the American Empire, but here we are. History in real time.

So yeah, I’m gonna try writing more. Hope you’ll join me.

-A

by Aleisha Hendry

Bright spots in a shitty year

There is so much bad shit that’s gone down this year it’s almost satire.

Rampaging virus. Wildfires. Murder hornets. Elections. Zombie minks. That last one, what the actual fuck?

So amidst all that, I decided to think about some of the good things that I’ve managed to do in this dumpster fire of a year. Believe it or not, there were a few. Here they are, in no particular order.

  1. Dungeons & Dragons
Moragg, my half-orc barbarian.

This was the year I finally started playing D&D. I had no fucking idea how, but after suggestions from folks in the know, I joined a campaign at the library back in January. We only got a few sessions into the campaign when the lockdown hit, but we decided to continue it online through Roll20.net

This little group has continued to meet up online almost every week since then, and it has helped keep me sane. Essentially playing make believe with like-minded folks has been so good for my mental health, it’s rather astounding.

We’ve completed two campaigns, and I’ve created two characters that I kind of adore. I’m actually planning to crochet dolls of my characters at some point, because I kinda want to keep them around.

We’re now trying the original campaign we did, but this time we’re all playing monster races with evil alignments. It’s been ridiculous and I love every minute of it.

2. Writer’s group

Back at the start of the lockdown, I saw an email from the regional arts council saying an online writer’s group was looking to start up as a way for writers to get together (virtually) and encourage each other in their work.

Since then, I’ve discovered that I can sorta write poetry, and that I’m not completely terrible at prose. I’ve even submitted to a couple of writing contests, which I doubt I would have even considered if I hadn’t joined this group. I’m not expecting accolades or anything, but it’s helped boost my confidence a lot.

We were even featured at a writing festival that was normally in person , but like everything had to go virtual this year.

I think that’s pretty cool.

4. Cross stitch

After humming and hawing for like two years, I finally decided I wanted to learn to cross stitch. Over the Easter weekend, I got some supplies, watched some tutorials, and got started.

You’re goddamn right.

I. Am. OBSESSED.

Taking something that feels dainty and frilly and using it to make statements about female empowerment just does it for me.

I’ve also found a whole community dedicated to witchy cross stitch, which includes horror movies, ghosts, and other delights.

If I’m not crocheting, I’m cross-stitching. There’s always something on the go now.

I have plans to do some pretty massive pieces, but I also wanna do the tiny little quick ones. So many patterns, so little time.

3. Audiobooks

My favourite thing in school was always silent reading time. Second to that was when the teacher read to us out loud.

So it’s not a wonder that I finally got into audiobooks this year.

It was great for when I was driving to Dawson Creek and back every day for work. Listening to a story made the drive go by so much faster.

But then I found going for a walk and listening to a book was just as nice. And then I realized I could multitask by crafting not with the TV on like I usually do, but while listening to a book.

I have whiled away many a Sunday this year with selections from my sci-fi/fantasy book club. And I just adore it.

5. Animal Crossing

This one’s a late addition, but still worth noting.

When it became apparent that the Province wasn’t going to drop any and all restrictions for the holiday season and that I’d be spending my Christmas alone, I decided to splurge and get myself something I’d been humming and hawing about for the last year and a half.

Christmas Eve selfie.

I bought a Nintendo Switch.

Literally one of the best purchases I’ve ever made for myself. Mine came with MarioKart 8 Deluxe and I proceeded to win every grand prix cup in the game. I loved original MarioKart, and this version is spectacular.

Back in March when it originally came out, I saw everyone and their dog posting about Animal Crossing on Twitter. I had no idea what it was, but people seemed to really enjoy it. Once I got my Switch, I debated spending the money to buy this game that others had been playing for like 10 months.

I finally caved, and oh my fucking god, I’m so glad I did.

I love Animal Crossing. It’s so chill and laid back and exactly what I needed to wind down this dumpster fire of a year.

So there you have it. 2020 sucked all kinds of ass, but there were a few bright spots, at least for me.

I’m making no predictions about 2021, just that I’m assuming the universe isn’t obliterated at midnight tonight.

Happy Fucking New Year.

-A.

by Aleisha Hendry

Wear. A. Fucking. Mask.

I’m sorry, I have a great need to get a little ranty, and yes, it is directed at specific people. If you feel your dander getting up as you read these words, then guess what? It’s directed at you.

Covid-19 cases are on the rise in BC and we’re facing more and more restrictions if this doesn’t get under control. This spiel is directed at those that are refusing to wear a mask because of “muh freedums.”

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Do you not understand that we are in the second wave of a GLOBAL FUCKING PANDEMIC?! Do you not understand that this is bigger than your own personal comforts? Do you not understand that people could DIE because you don’t want to have a piece of material over your face?!

Are you that fucking selfish that you can’t put aside your own discomfort to keep other people healthy? Did you sneeze in people’s faces before the pandemic? Did you spit on them? So why the fuck do you want to go out of your way to possibly make people sick? Or get sick yourself?

I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if someone got covid and died because I didn’t want to wear a mask. Maybe it’s because I have compassion for other humans? I don’t know how the rest of you were raised, but clearly someone fucked up somewhere.

And oh my god, so many of you clearly missed the House Hippo ad from back in the 90s. Here’s a quick summary: don’t take everything in front of you at face value. If some rando on FB starts in on some conspiracy theory about how Justin Trudeau is head of some cabal that’s going to bring the military in to keep people at home, or that there’s going to be “covid internment camps” set up for those that catch it, I want you to sit back and think for a few minutes. Is the person posting this a reputable source? Where are they getting their info from? Second hand hearsay is not reliable information. Are they a brand new account that’s only posted the last month or so? Do a reverse image search of their profile picture, is it a stock photo?

Chances are, it’s some fucking troll or bot trying to get the gullible all riled up for the lulz. Don’t let yourself be taken in by it.

Anyone that claims they feel sick or lightheaded from wearing a mask is full of shit. You are having a psychosomatic response, you are not dying, you are not getting sick from it. You’re likely having suffering from anxiety. Welcome to my world on a daily basis, even outside the pandemic. Doctors and surgeons wear masks for hours upon hours at a time, and none of them have gotten sick from it. Are you saying you’re special in this regard? Get the fuck over yourself.

And it’s carbon DIOXIDE you exhale, not carbon MONOXIDE, you fucking idiot. The only way your mask is giving you carbon monoxide poisoning is if you’re wearing it while sucking on the tailpipe of your vehicle. Jesus fucking Christ.

Don’t wanna wear a mask? Fine. Then STAY THE FUCK HOME! You don’t NEED to go to Walmart, you don’t NEED your hair cut, you don’t NEED to go to a restaurant. Everyone else is in the same goddamn boat, so quit fucking rocking it so we don’t tip over.

Look, I know this year has sucked. Everything about this has sucked. You what’s sucks even more? Not being able to say goodbye to a parent in the hospital as they lay dying. Weddings, vacations, and other events can be postponed.

You actually don’t need to go to church to win Jesus points or whatever your reason for needing to go is. God isn’t going to damn you to hell for missing service for a few months. If Jesus really does love you, I would think he’d want you to not potentially infect your community.

We’re very likely going to be in this for most of 2021 as well, until a vaccine can actually be rolled out across the country, so you might as well settle in for the long haul.

Yes, Christmas is gonna be trash this year. I’m going to be on my own, and I’m already preparing. But I don’t want to risk picking this up on a trip to my parents to infect them or my grandparents. I also don’t want to risk catching it from someone else. I have asthma, I know what it feels like not to be able to get my breath. It’s scary as fuck. Clearly you anti-maskers have never experienced this, otherwise you wouldn’t act this way.

None of us want to live like this. But we’re going to have to for a while yet. So don’t be an asshole to the retail workers enforcing the mask rule…I’m looking at you, Dawson Creek…just get your essentials and go the fuck home. Don’t make a scene, don’t get all uppity. You’re not the only person dealing with shit right now.

Just…. wear a fucking mask. Please.

-A.

PS: Comments are off on this post because I am not arguing with people over this.

by Aleisha Hendry

Days Go By…

Holy balls, you’d think with everything going on in the world I would been writing up a storm on here.

Obviously, I haven’t. I don’t know why. I write for work, and I’m trying to write some fiction, and it just took too much goddamn effort to post here.

I aim to change that.

I want to get back to something resembling a weekly post about something… anything… as long as words are written and posted. I’m gonna call it a win if I can do that much.

2020 has sucked so much ass, and it’s probably gonna continue all that ass sucking for the foreseeable future. Might as well make the best of it.

Wear a fucking mask.

-A.

by Aleisha Hendry

Book Club Roundup II

Holy balls, I swore I wouldn’t do this again, but here we are. I’m gonna keep it short, since it’s been a while since some of these meetings.

Thanks to the pandemic, our last few meetings were done on Zoom, which worked out pretty well… it seemed to take longer to veer off topic than it did when we were face-to-face, or maybe we just had more to say about the books? Who knows.

Anyhoo, on to the books!

March: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

91s3CT1UtYLThis was my pick, so yay for that. I loved this novella, and I loved the whole trilogy. I think if I saw math the way Binti does, I would have done a lot better at it in school.

Binti’s journey to Oomza Uni is traumatic, not just because of the wholesale slaughter of everyone else on the transport ship, but also due to her decision to essentially run away from her home and everything she knows to do it. And for someone so connected with the very soil of Earth, as seen in the otijze she wears as a Himba woman, to leave that behind is beyond impressive and just showcases her strength and determination.

We had the option to read the whole trilogy as a complete story, or just the first novella. I can’t remember how many of us actually read all of it, but I did and I do recommend reading all of it. It’s a great story by a really great author.

April: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

716lFHpbiRLThis was my first foray into audio books, and I was worried I wouldn’t retain as much from listening as I would from actually seeing the words, but I did retain the story, so that was great.

I was convinced at first that the weird sorta fairy tale world was a coma dream that David was having after that plane fell out of the sky and into the garden while he was standing there. The way all the women characters – Snow White, the Huntress,  Sleeping Beauty, etc. – are decidedly unlikable, I figured they were his mind’s way of processing his relationship with his stepmother, Rose. He clearly didn’t like her and the portrayal of most women, aside from his own mother, reflected that.

It turned out that it wasn’t a coma, but I still think it influenced David’s view of the women in that world. It was an interesting story overall, and I liked how it ended.

The funny this is I ordered this and the next book back in March before all the shutdowns happened, and I received the next book first, which lead me to believe this book was indeed lost.

May: The Alehouse at the End of the World by Stevan Allred

51kW+3aIdoLOK, this one took a turn halfway through I wasn’t really expecting… mostly all the fucking. So many bird people/demigods fucking. Like…wow.

It had an interesting take on the afterlife, with the isle of the dead and how souls are kept in clam shells until they’re ready to be reborn. Plus the construction of the alehouse on the island to make the transition between life and death a little easier. Like I said, interesting concepts.

But then there had to be all the fucking. I’m not against fucking as a general rule, but that was a turn I didn’t anticipate. I’m glad I finished it, because we had a great discussion about it at the meeting and I love when that happens.

But yeah, definitely not my favourite.

June: Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

81lqd0DkyOLI wasn’t at this meeting, as I was in another part of the province and it was the club’s first foray back into face-to-face meetings, but that’s OK.

I quite enjoyed this story. I like fish-out-of-water tales, and when they involve magic it’s even more fun. Plus a murder mystery is always great. Having the protagonist not be a magical person while investigating a magical murder helps the reader navigate through this magical world. Granted, Ivy was constantly talking about how she’s not magic, but honestly, if I were surrounded by people that could do actual magic, I’d be kinda melancholy about it too. Especially if my friggin’ twin sister was able to and I wasn’t.

I don’t know if everyone does this, but when describing a high school in books, I always picturing it taking place in my own high school… which in the case of this book would have made for far more interesting classes when I attended, but yeah.

This was also an audio book for me, so when it ended I was a little surprised, since it was left kind of open-ended. I figured Ivy would have at least had one last discussion with her love interest, but nah. Let’s end with her sitting on his porch waiting for him.

So that was our year. We do have the summer read coming up, Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft, which will be discussed in August at the annual garden party.

I don’t know if I’ll attempt this book review thing again, since I kinda sucked at actually getting it done, but we’ll see.

-A.