The books I read in April
and how Substack has become my home
It has been a hot minute since I have felt a sense of belonging on a social platform.
Not since Facebook circa 2016.
Back then Facebook felt like a fun place to meet new people, support friends, and read cool posts.
Until it wasn’t.
Then Instagram entered the scene.
Which never felt like home.
As someone who loves to read and write, Instagram felt noisy. My sensitive soul struggled with all the information, colour and lights.
Which left me off social media for the last few years.
I’d go on, try, then leave feeling more hollow then the last time I was there.
Enter Substack.
What started as a crush has developed into a full blown love affair.
The care, community, and ideas are blowing my mind.
I read articles that answer questions I didn’t know I had, articles that offer me new perspectives, and articles that fill me joy (and sometimes tears).
I’m equal parts inspired and awed every day.
Which is why I ported my email list there a few months ago (which is where you are reading this email from), and now my website exists within Substack as well. You can check it out at www.avalonstarlight.com.
It has become my home and it feels so good to have a place to root again.
I’ll share more about what this looks like for me at the end of this email.
But first… these are the books I read in April. A shorter list than most months, but that’s because I’ve been reading so much on Substack! (let me know if you want me to link to some of my favourite articles)
Fiction:
I loved Weyward by Emilia Hart with every cell of my body. It followed one family over multiple centuries, threading the character’s stories through a magical tapestry that left me with shivers on multiple occasions. It spoke to a generational gift passed down through the female lineage, and how that gift influenced three women specifically. The way the author moved from one story line to another, building on each to the passionate end was brilliant. Highly recommend.
Ink and Sigil by Kevin Hearne was a birthday gift for my husband a few year ago. I picked it up because I wanted something light and when Jeff read it, he would laugh out loud beside me in bed. Eventually the curiosity grew and I had to know if it was as funny as he made it out to be. It was. This is a laugh out loud story about a Sigil agent and his motley crew working to save the world from a Fae threat. The off the cuff humour was so absurd that you couldn’t help be left in stitches. If you are looking for a book that is light, fun and hilarious, this book is for you.
Tempest Blade by Danielle L Jenson is book six in a series called The Bridge Kingdom. This series is in my top 10 favourite fantasy series of all times. The character development, plot, and storyline are intricate and deeply woven. If you read the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, and loved them as much as I did, you will enjoy this series. It has drama, assassins (like I have never read before), war, epic love stories, some spice, and a unique way to tell three different story lines. Plus, it grabs your attention right from page one. A MUST READ.
Non Fiction:
There are books that come into your life at just the right time that change you forever. Return of the Divine Sophia by Tricia McCannon is one of those books for me. It wasn’t just a book, it was an initiation. Simply by readings it, I was changed. Re-arranged on a cellular level. Walking the path of the seasons, you step through the portal of the goddess and are transformed. It’s personal story woven with research woven with ancestral codes. If you feel any call to pick this book up after seeing it, trust that call.
I’ve read Working with the Law by Raymond Holliwell around 5 times now and this is the first time I feel like I got it. Like got it, got it. For the last 6 years everything I have worked on has been mental. Seeing my thoughts, not attaching to my thoughts, witnessing my thoughts. Noticing how my thoughts impact the world around me. Being aware of the spiritual laws and how they impact my thoughts. Reading this book, this time felt like a farewell. If you are struggling with separating from what you think and who you are, this is a great book to read.
I enjoyed Lightworker by Sahvanna Arienta. She did a great job of bringing important information to the reader, however, as with a lot of these books, I wanted to know her more. She shared quite a bit, yet the book still read more like a textbook then a personal story with important information. This isn’t wrong, it’s just not my personal favourite. I love a book ripe with vulnerability and message. Did the book make me want to get a reading from her, yes. Did I learn anything new, no. If you are at the beginning stages of your lightworker journey, you may find this book a good companion to explain some of the things you are experiencing.
As I said, this wasn’t a typical month of reading for me.
At the beginning of April I signed up to do a 6 week Accelerator with Amber Lilyestrom after signing up for her group Homeward in March.
They say when you are ready to expand the teacher will appear, and for the month of April Amber was all about showing us how to build our businesses on Substack.
It has been both exhilarating and terrifying.
So much so that I broke out in hives. My nervous system so overwhelmed by the expansion that it has forced all the old material out of my body in tiny, itchy red bumps.
Which I can say have finally disappeared. At least for the last 24 hours!
It’s been a journey!
If you want to learn more about making Substack your home, then I highly recommend Amber’s Substack Signal membership which shares EVERYTHING you need to know to build something authentic to you on this platform.
I’ve grown and learned so much this past month and it’s just the beginning!
With that being said, I’m doing LIVE’s on Substack every Monday at 11 am. They are an homage to my OG Facebook group called The Haven.
In these lives I’m doing card readings for anyone who asks for one, a collectice card for the week, and sharing tips and tricks to make working with energy part of your everyday life.
For two more weeks, these lives will be for everyone.
Then they will be in The Haven, a space for the spiritually inclined and those with spiritual gifts to explore what they are capable of.
This month in The Haven we will also be working through the 7 Sacred Flames by Aurelia Louise Jones. I will be dropping voice notes and meditations to open everyone up to their team of Ascended Masters! I’m SUPER excited for this.
If you want your card read, then join me on Substack on Monday at 11 am!!
If you want to step into a community of women working with their magic, then join me in The Haven.
It’s hard to believe April is over and we are entering May.
There has been so much shifting in the collective, I would love to hear how April went for you.
Hit reply and let me know.
We are all in this together!
Avalon