The Tale Teller: A Leaphorn, Chee & Maneulito Novel by Anne Hillerman

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It's been a long time since I've read a Detective Joe Leaphorn mystery, so when I saw The Tale Teller by Anne Hillerman pop up on my library app's search results when I was looking for a mystery audiobook to listen to, I immediately borrowed it!

Synopsis

Navajo policeman Joe Leaphorn is retired from the Tribal Police, but he is still active as a private investigator. He agrees to look into an unusual case of a donation to a local Navajo museum going missing sometime between the time it was sent and the time it arrived at the museum. Complicating matters are the fact that the donor is anonymous and there is a need to keep these inquiries quiet so as not to create scandal for the museum or its director. 

Meanwhile, Sergeant Jim Chee is investigating a series of robberies of family jewelry and other valuables from members of the Navajo community, and his wife, Officer Bernie Manuelito, discovers a dead body on a popular trail while out on a run.

As each investigates his or her own cases, parallels start to be drawn, clues start to merge, and time starts to run out to find the answers before someone gets hurt.

My Thoughts

Hands down, I loved this book! I didn't want to stop listening to it when I had to go and do other things. It was the perfect novel to get lost in as I worked with my hands (I am an avid crafter and like to read and craft at the same time...thank God for audiobooks!)

When I saw the author name, I assumed Anne Hillerman was related to Tony Hillerman, original author of the famous Joe Leaphorn series. Turns out she is his daughter and has carried on his work after his death. I had read Tony Hillerman's first few books in the Leaphorn series when I was a young teenager, and I loved them, so I'm thrilled to see there are more books. I know that once I finish going through Martha Grimes's Richard Jury series in order, I'll probably start reading the Leaphorn series in order.

What I specifically liked about this book was the characters. Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito all came to life under the beautiful narration of Christina Delaine, and I quickly forgot I was listening to a narrator. But for a character to come to life via a voice artist, they must be written well. Bernie, Joe, and Jim are all complete characters on their own. I especially appreciate how strong and capable women are written in this book, and that respect for women is emphasized. The mysteries were great, too—there were no pat endings or loose ends. The way the mysteries intertwine was particularly well done. And finally, I appreciate learning some of the beliefs and traditions of the Navajo people, for whom I have great respect. The book gives you enough references that, should you choose to inform yourself of what happened to the Navajo people historically, you can learn more.

Get the Book

The Tale Teller by Anne Hillerman is available on Amazon (hard copy or Kindle ebook) or Audible (audiobook). 

While I am an Amazon affiliate and appreciate any support you give by clicking on my links, I also support libraries and indie bookstores. Small businesses and libraries can always use the business, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic shut them down for a long time. If you prefer to shop local, click here to find an independent bookseller near you. As I mentioned above, I borrowed this in audiobook format from my local library via the Libby app.

5-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Calm Your Body by Elena Welsh, PhD

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Below is a rare crosspost from one of my other blogs, positively b.e.e. I reviewed this book there due to its subject matter. I hope you enjoy it! If you're interested in regular, positive content, consider subscribing to positively b.e.e.'s updates!

Let's talk about stress this month. I imagine right now, a lot of people are stressed out over back-to-school stuff, more so in a pandemic.

Typically, parents would be preparing their kiddos to go back to school—buying new clothes, backpacks, school supplies and lunch boxes—but 2020 has really done a doozy on the process this year. 

I really feel for parents, teachers, and kids right now. Are schools opening or not for in-person classes? Do parents have to figure out home school or online learning options? Will kids ever get to see their friends during the school year and have normal, kid lives again? How are teachers going to cope with all of this, too? How do administrators keep kids safe if they return to in-person classes?

It's so incredibly stressful for all involved, with decisions literally impacting life and health to come. I don't envy anyone faced with these choices. 

Back-to-school stress isn't the only stress out there, but is a huge piece of the stress that I'm seeing in my circle of friends right now. Since stress is always a component of life, I thought it would be a good idea to review a book that may help.

5-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Calm Your Body by Elena Welsh, PhD

I chose this book because I thought it would help people during the particularly stressful times we are encountering this year. It is written by a licensed clinical psychologist, Elena Welsh, who is based in Los Angeles, California and specializes in self-help books informed by science. 

Synopsis

This book says it will “take the stress out of relieving stress!” Sign me up! 

It offers simple activities one can do in order to reduce your stress levels, and it claims each of these will help you feel calmer within a few minutes. The book is small and portable, making it easy to travel with. It starts with  the idea that stress will happen, but you can change your relationship to stress in order to shift your experience.

The book is organized in a few different parts: 

Part One explains why you’re feeling stress and discusses what is physically happening in your body during stressful situations. The author discusses the parasympathetic nervous system and how stress can potentially be useful either in times of danger or in other situations that are not dangerous. She even discusses how generally happy situations, like weddings and births, can cause stress, and what a person can do about that. Causes, symptoms, and the mind-body connection are all explored in this easy-to-read section.

Part Two consists of a series of 5-minute exercises. She starts with various ways to quiet the mind—including one of my favorite techniques: listening to the sounds around you—but she lists many other ways, too. She then has a segment about writing your stress out, which of course appeals to me, since I work in the writing world. She gives several examples of writing prompts and even space to write them within the book. There is a small surprise in the book that I don’t want to spoiler too much, but you might want to have some colored pencils on hand.

My Thoughts

For such a small book, it is extensively researched if the reference list is anything to go by, with sources primarily coming from scientific journal articles about cognitive behavior and the effects of cortisol and stress, to the effects of mindfulness and flow practices (such as tai chi, for example) on stress levels, and more. I’m impressed by this level of research, in particular. I don’t think I’ve ever seen SUCH a heavily researched work for a smaller self-help book like this one. It may be tiny, but it's mighty!

My advanced reader copy does have an error in the pagination of the table of contents, but that's not a big deal. Hopefully they fixed it in the final print run. 

I think this would be a worthy addition to anyone’s toolkit if you are looking for ways to reduce your stress, particularly with 2020 going the way it has been. It addresses many kinds of stress and Elena Welsh writes in a way that is accessible to any reader and is authoritative in her knowledge. It's also easy to use the book if you want to hone in on a specific issue you'd like to address, and it's a fun read.

Get the Book 

5-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Calm Your Body by Elena Welsh, PhD is published by Callisto Publishers, and I acquired my copy through their advanced reader program.  

You can purchase the book online at Amazon, and at the time of this writing, it is available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership.

While I am an Amazon affiliate and appreciate any support you give by clicking on my links, I also support libraries and indie bookstores. Small businesses and libraries can always use the business, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic shut them down for a long time. If you prefer to shop local, click here to find an independent bookseller near you.

Be well! 🐝💛

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~