It’s a new year, hallejulah! 2025 was, for this retired 67-year old, a trying time. Sure, interspersed with periods of calm aboard cruise ships, grandson fun times, and still lucky with spousal and personal good-enough health, but… Loss of my father, and all the executor duties that entailed, topped the stress meter for the year. Layered upon a son’s change of career, country, and life, with all such support required from his parents, 2025 was a test of a year.
We made it, though. Still a 99-year old MIL to watch out for, still a son and family living a continent away. A year older, some eyesight and dental and joint issues to get assessed and accommodated. Life ain’t gonna slow down its inevitable progression just because I want it to.
There were 11 issues of Stevie’s Read and Review in 2025. December didn’t make it – just too much going on that month, topped with above-mentioned son’s wedding that Christmas season, in Europe! I gave Stevie a break.
With that, I now announce that for 2026, I will ramble with my reading chats, and not stick to a schedule. A resolution to be kinder to myself.
Here’s your first look at 2026 January, Stevie’s Ramble and Reads. Hope you enjoy, please let me know.
First up for the year, a Louise Penny, “The Grey Wolf”. Poor old Inspector Gamache is getting up there. Another puzzle to put together to save, this time, Montreal’s drinking water from a poisoning plot. I hate to say it, as Penny is such a good author, but, for me, maybe this series has jumped the shark. I found myself wanting the book to hurry up and get it over with already – which is not what I enjoy reading for. The kicker was the “ending”, which didn’t end, but sailed straight into the follow-up book, “The Black Wolf”. I may or may not, we’ll see.
Next onto something I picked up last summer on our travels. This one a local author from Prince Edward Island. “Bound” by Theresa Redmond. A great setting for this historical fiction– post English take-over from the French of then- St. John Island in the late 1700s. So much to learn: for example, that this is the island that would become the province of Prince Edward Island. The background stories include resettled Acadians, immigrant Scots, Loyalists from New England with their slaves, and of course, the British governing hierarchy and their wranglings to create the new colony here. All bound up with the main character, a mistress to the governor. The only problem, which is easily overlooked in such a rich storyline, is that, only at times, the writing was somewhat weak? Jumping when it shouldn’t, scenes in awkward sequence? I think a better editor could remedy. And it was only annoying a little though. I really enjoyed this book.
Now here’s a book by a writer with great editing, research, storyline, characterization, etc, etc, it ticks all the boxes! By Kate Quinn, “The Huntress”. What a time and place in history: Nazi-hunting in the early years after WW2. Not for the big fish, as at Nuremburg, but for all the hundreds and thousands of run-of-the-mill war criminals. Like the protagonist in this one, the Huntress. A mistress of an SS officer who enjoyed the murderous blood sports with captives when in power, but a fugitive on the run with a new identity after the war. What a great story, told by a great writer. I myself lived in cold war Germany not too long after the timelines in this book, and I can tell you it opened my eyes to what was probably going on all around my clueless idyllic Canadian military brat childhood. I remember more old women around and few old men and of course now understand more about why. Understanding life through reading is a gift that never disappoints. Aging doesn’t preclude learning.
And is January over yet? Come on February, nice and short and with a trip to the Blue Jays spring training coming up to end this cold, snowy winter. After watching Olympics and curling championships, of course. And I’ll take my Kobo.
Tried Michele Sabad’s books yet? Please take a look. 😉
Stevie Szabad, Author 