Between The Pages - Enough Already

Enough Already

Valerie Bertinelli

January 2022 

Behind the curtain of her happy on-screen persona, Valerie Bertinelli’s life has been no easy ride, especially when it comes to her own self-image and self-worth. She waged a war against herself for years, learning to equate her value to her appearance as a child star on One Day at a Time and punishing herself in order to fit into the unachievable Hollywood mold. With an intimate look into her insecurities, heartbreaks, losses, triumphs, and revelations, Enough Already is the story of Valerie’s sometimes humorous, sometimes raw, but always honest journey to love herself and find joy in the everyday, in family, and in the food and memories we share. 

Between The Pages 

Valerie Bertinelli’s Enough Already is an engaging and heartfelt memoir that offers readers an intimate look into the life of a woman many have grown up watching. As a longtime fan of Bertinelli since her One Day at a Time days, and of her former husband, Eddie Van Halen, this book feels especially resonant. What stands out most is the enduring bond between Valerie and Eddie, a relationship that remained tender and meaningful long after their marriage ended. Her reflections on their connection and the grief that followed his passing are among the book’s most moving moments. Bertinelli writes candidly about her struggles with self-image, weight, and family dynamics, giving the memoir its emotional depth. The inclusion of personal photos and favorite recipes adds warmth and invites readers further into her world. Enough Already is a story of acceptance, letting go, and embracing oneself with compassion. It’s an enjoyable and relatable read for those who have followed Valerie’s journey over the years. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Monday Moments - The Comforts We Reach for When the Weather Turns

The Comforts We Reach for When the Weather Turns

There’s a particular moment each year when the air shifts, just enough to make you pause. A cooler morning, a darker evening, a breeze that carries the faintest hint of change. And almost without thinking, we reach for comfort.

Sometimes it’s something tangible, like the warmth of a favourite sweater, the first hot mug cradled between our hands, or the blanket that lives on the back of the couch all summer waiting for its season to return. Other times it’s quieter, like a recipe we only make when the days get shorter, a playlist that feels like autumn, or a book that pairs best with a chilly night. These small rituals aren’t just habits. They are reminders that transition doesn’t have to be jarring. It can be gentle, even welcome.

Take a small moment to take comfort in the things you instinctively reach for. As the weather turns, we're invited to slow down and reconnect with what makes us feel steady.

Monday Moments - Embracing Fall’s Quiet Shift

Embracing Fall’s Quiet Shift

Fall arrives softly, reminding us that change doesn’t always need to be loud to be meaningful. The air cools, the colors deepen, and the world seems to exhale. Leaves let go so new growth can come. Days shorten so we can slow down.

Change can feel uncertain, but fall shows us its beauty in what’s shifting, and even more in what’s ahead. In this season, we’re invited to do the same. Pause, notice, and welcome what’s next with a little more grace.

Take a small moment today to carry fall’s lesson. Embrace the shift with curiosity, courage, and calm, and step forward knowing that every season brings its own kind of magic.

Weekend Page-Turners - Redford Falls Series

Our Weekend Page Turners recommendation is the seven book Redford Falls series by Darlene Fredette, a collection that blends romance, drama, and community spirit into an addictive reading experience. 

Still Moments has devoured all seven books, and each one delivers something special. These stories are rich with friendship, humor, holiday sparkle, and emotional twists that keep you turning pages long past bedtime. You’ll meet characters you’ll root for, laugh with, and fall in love with. Plus, a matchmaking rabbit who steals every scene he hops into.

If you enjoy small town charm, slow burn romance, cozy settings, a dash of suspense, and feel good storytelling that wraps around you like a warm blanket, Redford Falls is the perfect place to spend your weekend. 

Your next heartwarming series obsession begins here.

Monday Moments - When the Weight of Being Stuck Feels Too Heavy

When the Weight of Being Stuck Feels Too Heavy

Some days come with a heaviness that’s hard to name. A stuck feeling where you wonder what you should be doing, or what you could change to reach that one dream that feels just out of reach. It’s frustrating, and it’s human. Wanting something deeply while feeling motionless can make you question your direction, your timing, even your purpose.

But life isn’t only about chasing one big dream. Patience is part of the journey, and while that larger vision may take time to unfold, you’re allowed to reach for smaller dreams along the way. Little goals, gentle ambitions, and simple joys. They keep you moving, growing, and hopeful. Stay positive and let those smaller dreams carry you forward while the big one quietly prepares itself.

Take a small moment today to stay open to the possibility that your life can hold more than one beautiful ambition at a time.

Weekend Page-Turners - Women's Murder Club Series

Our Weekend Page-Turners recommendation is the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.

Still Moments has read twenty-three books in this series so far. While a couple of the books earned four stars, the majority continue to stand standing strong with five-star ratings. This series is addictive.

If you like crime fiction, mystery, thrillers, plenty of action, strong female leads, twists, turns, and nonstop momentum, then this is the perfect series to dive into this weekend.

Your next great series obsession starts here.

A Bookstore Experience - Fluffy Cat Books

 

Fluffy Cat Books

First Impression - The bookstore immediately felt welcoming, with a warm atmosphere that invites you to explore.

Ambience - Small, cozy, well-lit, colorful painted walls, creating a comfortable space to browse and linger.

Store Layout - The store layout was easy to navigate, with organized book sections on shelves, neatly lined up and arranged alphabetically, making it effortless to find specific genres or authors.

Book Selection - Offered a wide range of genres, diverse authors, and both new and used titles, including local writers, and even featured a few vintage magazines.

Customer Service - The owner was welcoming and very friendly.

Pricing - Reasonable overall, with a good mix of affordable used books and a selection of discount titles.

Unique Features - Playful cat statues, whimsical and fun decor, cozy reading chair, and a delightful selection of journals, bookmarks, stickers, and more!

Overall Experience - Fluffy Cat Books delivered an enjoyable and charming visit that leaves you wanting to return.

Fluffy Cat Books - Five Star Bookstore

(Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia)

Books we purchased at Fluffy Cat Books - The first two fantasy books in a series by Hannah Witten, and The Bright Spot (Sunrise Cove Series) by Jill Shalvis. We went back a couple of weeks later to look for the first book in the Sunrise Cove Series, but they unfortunately didn't have it, so I picked up, Enough Already by Valerie Bertinelli.

Support Your Local Bookstore

Monday Moments - The Power of Achievement

The Power of Achievement

Achievement isn’t just about crossing finish lines; it’s about recognizing the moments, choices, and quiet victories that shape who you’re becoming. Too often we rush past our accomplishments, treating them like stepping stones instead of milestones. But we need to pause and celebrate them, the big leaps, the small steps, and everything in between.

Every achievement tells a story. Maybe it’s finally completing a project you’ve been chipping away at. Maybe it’s choosing yourself in a moment when it would’ve been easier not to. Maybe it’s simply getting out of bed on a day when motivation felt miles away. These moments matter. They build confidence, resilience, and momentum.

But achievement doesn’t happen by accident. It grows from intention. Setting goals, even small ones, gives you direction and something to strive toward, reminding you that you’re capable of more than you think.

Take a small moment today to celebrate what you’ve already done. Then choose one thing that you want to achieve next. Let it be meaningful. Let it be yours. And let it pull you forward. Here’s to your achievements, past, present, and the ones waiting for you.

Monday Moments - The Power of Saying Good Morning

The Power of Saying Good Morning

There’s something beautifully simple about the words Good Morning. It’s a small greeting, a tiny gesture, yet it carries a spark that can shift the tone of an entire day.

When we say, Good Morning, we’re doing more than acknowledging the start of a new day. We’re offering a moment of connection. A smile. A bit of kindness. And that energy doesn’t just lift others; it lifts us, too. It’s a reminder that positivity doesn’t have to be loud or complicated. Sometimes it’s as gentle as a greeting shared between neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers passing on the sidewalk.

Starting the day with positivity sets the tone for everything that follows. Whether it’s a quiet cup of coffee, a walk with the dogs, or diving into a busy schedule, choosing to begin with warmth and optimism helps us move through the day with a lighter heart.

Take a small moment today to say Good Morning to someone else, and to yourself. It’s a small phrase with a big impact, and the perfect way to begin a new week with intention and joy.

Monday Moments - Believe

Believe

Belief isn’t only for the big, life changing moments. It’s for the quiet ones, the foggy Monday mornings when you’re trying to get yourself moving. It’s for the small decisions no one sees, the ones that shape your day long before anything dramatic happens.

Believing in yourself is a balance. Choosing to trust your own voice when doubt tries to speak louder. Remembering that you’ve already made it through harder days than this one. And giving yourself permission to grow, even when the steps feel small.

Take a small moment today and let “believe” be your anchor. Believe in your ability to handle what comes. Believe in your worth, even when you’re not at your strongest. Believe in the simple truth that you are becoming someone braver and more you. You don’t need perfect conditions to believe in yourself. You just need to begin.

Between The Pages - The 23rd Midnight

The 23rd Midnight

James Patterson

May 2023 

Detective Lindsay Boxer put serial killer Evan Burke in jail.

Reporter Cindy Thomas wrote a book that put him on the bestseller list. 

An obsessed maniac has turned Burke’s true-crime story into a playbook. And is embellishing it with gruesome touches all his own. Now Lindsay’s tracking an elusive suspect, and the entire Murder Club is facing destruction. 

Between The Pages 

23rd Midnight is a fast paced, compelling addition to the Women’s Murder Club series. The story grabs your attention from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Patterson and Paetro deliver a tense, emotionally charged plot as Lindsay confronts a chilling copycat who’s using Evan Burke’s crimes as a blueprint for new horrors. Maxine Paetro’s contribution continues to elevate the series. 

The stakes rise sharply when reporter Cindy becomes the target of a dangerous stalker and ultimately goes missing, pulling the entire Murder Club into a desperate search. This installment stands out for the way it deepens the emotional connection among the characters, highlighting how personal the danger feels when one of their own is at risk. A gripping read that blends suspense, heart, and intense storytelling. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Monday Moments - The Power of a Smile

The Power of a Smile 

Some days feel heavier than others. Sometimes you wake up carrying more than you’d like, and the world feels a little dimmer around the edges. But even on those low days, there’s a small, quiet thing that can shift your mood. A smile. 

A smile is uplifting. It’s a tiny spark that can brighten your own spirit and ripple outward to someone else. When you smile at someone, they often smile back, and in that moment, you may have made their day just a little better. It’s a simple exchange, but it matters. 

Take a small moment today and smile. Think of something or someone that makes you happy—a memory, a person, a place, a dream—and let that feeling rise to your face. Share a smile with the world. You never know who needs it.

Monday Moments - Choosing Joy in the Aftermath of a Busy Weekend

Choosing Joy in the Aftermath of a Busy Weekend

Weekends have a way of sweeping us in a whirlwind of plans, errands, family time, and the kind of busy joy that leaves us both fulfilled and a little worn out. It’s easy, come Monday, to focus on how fast it all went by or to dwell on the things that didn’t get done.

But Monday isn’t meant to be a recap of what slipped through the cracks. It’s a fresh start. A clean page. And it deserves better than tired thoughts and quiet frustrations. Let Monday be a reminder that progress isn’t measured by perfection. It’s measured by joy, effort, and the simple fact that you showed up.

Take a small moment to celebrate what did happen over the weekend. The laughter. The small victories. The tasks you tackled. The moments you enjoyed without rushing. Those are worth carrying with you. Everything else can wait until next weekend.

Between The Pages - 22 Seconds

22 Seconds

James Patterson 

May 2022 

SFPD Sergeant Lindsay Boxer has guns on her mind and only twenty-two seconds until she loses her badge—or her life. 

There’s buzz of a last-ditch shipment of drugs and weapons crossing the Mexican border ahead of new restrictive gun laws. Before Lindsay can act, her top informant tips her to a case that hits disturbingly close to home. 

Former cops. Professional hits. All with the same warning scrawled on their bodies: You talk, you die. 

Now it’s Lindsay’s turn to choose. 

Between The Pages 

22 Seconds by James Patterson delivers exactly what fans of the Women’s Murder Club series crave: a high stakes thriller that refuses to let go. The storyline is fast paced and engaging, showcasing Patterson’s trademark ability to hook a reader from page one and hold their attention through every twist. Joe’s expanded presence added welcome texture. The novel’s pace is relentless, its twists well timed, and its characters as engaging as ever. Another strong, entertaining entry in a long running series that continues to deliver. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Monday Moments - Monday Is a Fresh Page

Monday Is a Fresh Page

There’s something quietly powerful about a Monday morning. Not because it demands anything from us, but because it offers something. A beginning. A blank space. A fresh page waiting for the first mark.

We often treat Mondays like a hurdle, but what if we saw them as a canvas instead? Not a test of productivity, not a race to catch up, but a gentle invitation to start again. You don’t need to fill the whole page today. You don’t need to write a masterpiece. You just need one honest stroke. One choice. One moment. One small action that feels true to who you are becoming.

Maybe it’s taking a breath before you open your inbox. Maybe it’s choosing kindness in a conversation that could go either way. Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to move a little slower or dream a little bigger. Fresh pages don’t ask for perfection. They ask for presence.

Take a small moment as you step into this Monday to consider what you want your first mark to be. A word. A feeling. A tiny intention. Let it be simple. Let it be yours. And let it be enough to begin.

Between The Pages - Winter L.A.W.: League of Amazing Witches

Winter L.A.W.: League of Amazing Witches 

Ashlyn Chase 

June 2026 

Winter L.A.W. Part 1 

     Freya Suretti used to love Yule. Now it’s just a reminder that her grandmother and sister vanished without a trace nearly a year ago. Alone in a too-quiet New England cottage, she’s running out of hope… until a wounded, charming Brit appears, seeking magical healing—and finding far more than he expected. 

     Devon knows magic is real. He’s from Avalon. But even he isn’t prepared for Freya, or the pull between them. As snow falls and sparks fly, Freya’s search for answers takes a turn neither of them saw coming. Because her family isn’t just missing. They’re lost in time. 

Winter L.A.W. Part 2 

     Brianna Suretti is a CPA and a witch with a very inconvenient quirk: accidental time travel. When a looming magical crisis hits, she’s forced to partner with Chad—an ex-English professor the League is rapidly training to survive the supernatural deep end. 

     Chad’s new reality involves decoding magical chaos, dodging danger, and pretending he’s not completely captivated by Brianna. In this friends-to-lover's found family workplace romance, they must unravel cryptic emails from the future, stop interdimensional pirates, and keep their growing chemistry from wrecking the timeline. Because if they get it wrong, there won’t be a future left to fix. 

Between The Pages 

Winter L.A.W.: League of Amazing Witches launches a paranormal series filled with humor, heart, and high stakes magic. Split into two interconnected parts, the novel follows sisters Freya and Brianna Suretti as they navigate time bending mysteries and unexpected romance. The author blends action, witty dialogue, and imaginative magical talents into an engaging read. The cast of witches, each with their own unique abilities, adds charm and momentum to the story. A fun and charming start to the series. Readers will be eager to see where the League’s adventures lead next. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Monday Moments - The Magic in the Middle

The Magic in the Middle

If Mondays had a personality, they’d be that overly enthusiastic friend who shows up early with a to-do list, a smoothie, and big plans. But the real magic of Monday isn’t in the grand plans or the color-coded calendar.

It’s in the goofy little moments hiding between them.

The mid morning spark when your brain finally clocks in.

The discovery of a pen that actually works.

The laugh you didn’t expect.

The idea that pops up out of nowhere.

The tiny victory that reminds you you’re doing better than you think.

That’s where the fun hides. That’s where the week begins to sparkle.

Take a small moment to celebrate the middle—the messy, funny, ordinary bits. That’s where Monday stops being a menace and starts nudging your week in the right direction.

Monday Moments - The Monday Morning Challenge

The Monday Morning Challenge 

Welcome to that weekly obstacle course none of us signed up for but somehow keep competing in.

Challenge One: The Bed Extraction. Your blanket weighs a metric ton, your pillow begs you to reconsider, and your alarm is aggressively optimistic about your abilities. 

Challenge Two: The Coffee Quest. You fumble through cupboards like a raccoon in a recycling bin, praying caffeine arrives before your brain starts sending error messages. 

Challenge Three: The Inbox Ambush. Overnight, your inbox has become a digital booby trap of urgent emails, mystery tasks, and at least one reply all that needs to be studied by scientists. 

Challenge Four: The Social Interaction Sprint. Someone chirps “good morning!” and you attempt a smile that looks medically concerning. 

Challenge Five: The Motivation Maze. Has your motivation fled? Is it hiding under a blanket in another dimension? You chase your motivation with coffee in hand, a smile on your face, and hope your motivation arrives before lunch. 

Take a small moment because despite the chaos and the emotional negotiations with the five challenges, you’re upright. You’re participating in society at a level that is, frankly, impressive for a Monday.

Between The Pages - Dragonslayer's Valkyrie: The Legend of Sigurd and Brynhildr

Dragonslayer's Valkyrie: The Legend of Sigurd and Brynhildr 

Jennifer Ivy Walker

June 2026 

Last of the Völsung line of kings descended from Odin, Sigurd is one of the elite Sjórúlfar—the fearsome Sea Wolves of southern Norway. Endowed with the divine blood of the wolf, he seeks glory at the Sólhjarta Summer Solstice tournament to avenge his father’s death. 

Brynhildr, daughter of the Raven King, is the Sun Falcon shieldmaiden and gifted seeress who has glimpsed her fate as a Valkyrie in a seiðr vision. When her father decrees she must wed the tournament’s champion, she summons Freyja for guidance—only to learn her future is bound to Sigurd. 

As the Norns tighten the intricate threads of fate, Brynhildr must guide Sigurd toward his destiny as a dragonslayer—by defying the web of wyrd and incurring the wrath of Odin. 

Between The Pages 

In Dragonslayer's Valkyrie: The Legend of Sigurd and Brynhildr, the author proves once again that she is a master of visual storytelling. Her worldbuilding is lush and cinematic. Every scene feels textured and alive. The Norse setting is especially engaging, even when stumbling over pronouncing the names. The characters are compelling and pull you straight into their fates. 

Sigurd and Brynhildr are both fascinating figures, and their intertwined destinies give the story emotional weight. However, one pivotal moment involving Sigurd lost some of its impact when told through the eyes of a secondary character rather than allowing readers to experience it directly with him. In addition, Brynhildr is introduced as a fierce, formidable warrior, and because her character is rooted in that strength, she should have retained more of her trained resilience and fighting spirit; losing it softened the impact of her arc. Even so, the novel delivers plenty of action, conflict, and drama, making it an enjoyable and immersive read. The author’s evocative prose and mythic atmosphere shine throughout, earning this story a strong 4.5 stars. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Monday Moments - The Quiet Magic of Summer

The Quiet Magic of Summer

There’s something about summer that makes even the smallest moments feel a little brighter. Maybe it’s the way the early light slips through the curtains before the alarm has a chance to intrude, or how the air carries that soft, sun-warmed scent of possibility.

Summer has a way of reminding us that joy doesn’t always arrive with fanfare. Sometimes it’s tucked into the ordinary - like the first sip of coffee in the morning, the hum of a neighborhood waking up, or the promise of longer days that invite us to linger, wander, and breathe a little deeper.

Take a small moment to celebrate those simple, sunlit pauses. The ones that lift us without asking for anything in return. Whether it’s a walk by the water, a moment on the patio before the day begins, or the quiet thrill of planning something spontaneous, summer gives us permission to slow down and savor.

Here’s to a Monday filled with warmth, light, and the gentle reminder that even the smallest summer moments can carry us forward.