the one by John Marrs

I could hardly put this book down.  The premise of finding you perfect match via DNA testing totally caught my imagination.  Even now, a week after reading it, I am pondering such possibilities.

Five very different people decide to send their DNA samples for testing and matching. Their results are very different.  As they proceed to contact and get to know their destined mate, things don't necessarily go as expected.  There are so many twists and tweaks  to their tales that I was kept on the edge of my seat continually.    I can't even begin to tell you more about this novel with out giving away delicious plot points.

I do want to talk a bit about the concept of finding your mate via DNA matching.  This takes away the choice of relationships in the traditional sense.  No randomly meeting and dating and exploring potential partners.  If you had never dated before and just went straight into a match, then you would have nothing to compare your relationship with.  Likewise, if one partner had had a very bad previous partner, how would they feel going straight into such a match.  How could one go from an abusive partner  right into a 'perfect match' and give it an honest try.

The DNA matching had a drastic and almost overnight impact on society.  Traditional dating was coming to an end, existing marriages were being abandoned and current relationship being second guessed.  People were jumping straight in with new partners without getting to know each other.    At the end of the book, I was left questioning whether these new marriages would truly last, or would the newness wear off and the usual things that break them up happen.  What would their children be like. Would they be happier with parents who were perfect for each other.  Then decades later, what would it be like for the children of matched parents to marry.  Would we be looking at some sort of designer people.  For me, one sign of a great book, is whether it sticks with me long after I finish the final page.  This is a great book.

#IndigoEmployee

The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

I was blown away by this book, it was amazing.

In 1936, American President Roosevelt started the Pack Horse Library project to bring books to people living in remote places.  One of these places was in Eastern Kentucky in the watershed of Troublesome Creek.

Cussy Carter wanted to one of those women.  She wanted to bring reading to her neighbours.  While carrying out this job she faced many difficulties: being a woman riding out alone, visiting people she didn't know and mostly, her colour.  Cussy was blue. She was one of the rare blue people of Kentucky, possibly one of the last.

I like the way author Kim Michele Richardson presented Cussy's clients.  Some welcomed her with open arms, hugging her and thanking her for the books, others greeted her at a distance yet were cordial, some were outright distrustful and wouldn't come near her.  It clearly showed the joys and challenges of the job.

This book is a microcosm study of racism.  Cussy's colour was held against her more so that of the brown/black people.  Much was blamed on her and her people such as bad luck.  Many blue people were killed just because of the colour of their skin.  Even when science showed that the blue colouring was a genetic condition that was treatable, they were still shunned.

We all accept today that literacy opens doors to jobs and increased income.  During the time in which this book was set, schools were not available to all in such rural areas.  The book women also helped to teach their clients to read, which brought them hope for better lives.

For those residents with a distrust of the government, the book women were a positive message that their president cared.

I learned so much reading this book.  There was a lot of history mixed in with the fiction which made for an amazing read.  It also made it hard for me to keep in mind that Cussy was a fictional character and not a real life hero.


I received an advance copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc., and Harper Collins Canada in exchange for an honest review.

#IndigoEmployee

Stitching Hiatus is now Over

It's been ages since I wrote a stitching post.  Not that I haven't been doing any stitching, I've just taken a break from writing about it.  I have missed the encouragement that that I get from my online friends and readers.  You are my conscience that kept projects from wallowing, always urging me along.

So, what have I been doing,

Crochet:  I've been working on a Cabled Hooded Cowl .  Pattern from Red Heart LM6196  I had some worsted weight yarn on hand and decided to use that as I wasn't sure that I would use the finished item much.  At this point, I have two repeats of the pattern  to complete and then I'll be ready to assemble the pieces.

Knitting: Not much in this area lately, though I have almost finished two pairs of socks that I knit on straight needles, two of them, not the usual four or five.

Quilting: Lately I have been working on a couple of wall hangings.  They all now have the binding stitched on by machine.  Next step is to turn the binding to the back and hand stitch it down.

Finally, I received this box of yarn from the kind people at Yarn Canada.  They have sent me some samples of a new yarn they are carrying.  I'll be sharing this with you in a future post. For now, I'll keep you in suspense.

In the past, I published my needlework posts on the same day each week, and I found that wasn't really working for me anymore.  My work schedule didn't always allow for that.  Going forward, I plan to post when I have something I want to share, whether it is once a week, or every couple of days.  So until next time, happy stitching.

#Crochet  #Knitting   #Quilting  #YarnCanada