Nature | Book Chatter

The Bird Hotel
By Joyce Maynard
Published by Arcade, May 2, 2023,9781956763737, 432 pp.

The Short of It:

Maynard never fails to tell a story, and tell it well.

The Rest of It:

After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artist, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a volcano.

The Bird Hotel tells the story of this young American who, after suffering tragedy, restores and runs La Llorona. Along the way we meet a rich assortment of characters who live in the village or come to stay at the hotel. With a mystery at its center and filled with warmth, drama, romance, humor, pop culture, and a little magical realism, The Bird Hotel has all the hallmarks of a Joyce Maynard novel that have made her a leading voice of her generation. ~ Indiebound

I was delightfully surprised by this novel. I expected to love it, but I didn’t expect La Llorona to find a place in my heart. I love it when a home, village or dwelling is so well-imagined that it takes on an identity of its own. The crumbling hotel with all its challenges is lovingly restored by Irene. Her sensitivity to the environment around her and the respect she has for the hotel’s original staff, earns her respect in the village.

People come to La Llorona for many reasons. To get away from it all, to find elusive herbs, to profit off the locals and yes, sometimes to hide as Irene continues to lay low to protect the secret she is hiding. Irene’s grief over losing a child and husband continues to grow and hold her captive, Memories of her mother’s last words replay in her head. She is heavy with grief and La Llorona gently calls her mind to other things.

People come together. Some become family, others become enemies. There’s heartache and great displays of loyalty. I found myself completely absorbed by the hotel and its people. It was one of those reads that you fall right into.

Recommend.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Neighborhood plants

Good morning! I don’t know what it is but I’ve been in a really good mood. Perhaps I am feeling hopeful that this pandemic is finally being dealt with in a proper way. We are still ridiculously short on vaccines here in LA County but every day I hear that someone has gotten their vaccine so that is very good news. We are definitely moving in the right direction.

As you can see from the photo, our weather has been very mild and pretty. That photo above is a plant the pup and I walk past almost every morning. I love the pop of color. A piece of it broke off in the wind so I picked it up and popped it into soil. We shall see if it takes. Plants and the outdoors in general continue to keep me happy so whatever I can do to be outside, is done.

On a health note, you know how my doctor suggested I try a plant based diet because I was unable to lose any weight and she felt that my issue was inflammation? I didn’t go fully plant based although “I” easily could have. Between the Celiac and plant based diets it would be too much for the fam to digest. Pun intended. I went vegetarian. I have lost ten pounds in about a month. I am not tracking food or recording weight or anything. Just eating plant based when I can, vegetarian other times and the energy is there and good and I am happy. I am now looking into reactive foods which cause inflammation and one food that was a staple of mine before was salmon and it’s highly reactive. You do what you need to do for your own body so this is just what I am doing but it’s so interesting.

Okay, now books. I am really making good progress with my review copies. So much so that I’ve been dipping in and out of Edelweiss and NetGalley to find some new reads to add to my list.

This one is not a review copy but it just came out and it looks so good, The Oak Papers by James Canton. All about the human need to connect to nature. This is my new thing. Connecting to nature. I hope to pick up a copy soon.