-
What I’m Reading Wednesday, Redux
I’ve been doing so much reading and not enough reviewing – at least, not here on the blog. Between my own writing (which was going well, and now is – not) and reading and life in general, I feel both overwhelmed and behind. (Is it possible for the year to have passed both quickly and painfully slowly at the same time?) Reflective of my brain, the blog feels both overweighted with book reviews and also…empty. What I need is consistency, and a schedule. So with that, I’m bringing back “What I’m Reading Wednesday“. With this, I can – at a minimum -share with you some of the good stuff that…
-
Love In the Afternoon by Karen Hawkins – A Dove Pond Novella
If you read The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins and enjoyed it, then you will love Love in the Afternoon. It’s a sweet, quick read. All opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. Synopsis My Thoughts on Love in the Afternoon Love in the Afternoon is a novella in Karen Hawkins Dove Pond series This story is short, fun, heartwarming, and a little quirky. (I really delighted over Doyle’s shenanigans.) The story deals with real-life struggles – like trusting yourself, finding yourself again after you’ve lost yourself in a relationship, parenting a neurodiverse child, venturing out…
-
How Lulu Lost Her Mind by Rachel Gibson – Book Review
Today I’ve got a book that brings all the feels and deals with some tough topics while managing to be laugh-out-loud funny. Interested? Rachel Gibson’s novel How Lulu Lost Her Mind is the book for you! I think this book is making my list of top 10 favorite books of 2020. Read on to learn more about this wonderful book! I received an advanced copy of the book from the Gallery Books via NetGalley; all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. About the Book My Thoughts On How Lulu Lost Her Mind I adored this…
-
Book Review: Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin
I’m on a historical fiction kick lately! Perhaps I’m finding stories of female resistance fighters particularly inspiring at the moment, maybe I just need stories with a strong female main character. Either way, Melanie Benjamin’s Mistress of the Ritz ticking all the boxes. All opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. Book Details & Synopsis My Thoughts on Mistress of the Ritz This is my first Melanie Benjamin novel, but it definitely will not be my last! It ticked all the boxes for what I look for in a historical fiction tale. It is beautifully written,…
-
Books to Help Understand Anti-Racism and Race
Wanting to be a better white ally means learning about systemic racism. To do that, we need to dig a little deeper into U.S. history, because we’re simply not taught it fully in school, at least in a way that we understand the nuances and all that shaped how we ended up where we all are today. As the fantastic graphic above by illustrator Jane Mount shows, there is no shortage of books that talk about race and racism. Non-fiction offers a direct (and often blunt) path to understanding. Fiction provides an excellent means to see and feel things from a different perspective. Putting both together marries the factual aspects…
-
Book Review: The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
Warm-hearted and relatable, Rebecca Stead’s middle-grade novel The List of Things That Will Not Change is simply wonderful. Read on to learn more about this lovely book. I received an advance copy of the book from Random House Children’s Books via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. The Book My Take Straight up – I absolutely adored this book. The writing is warm and funny, and the characters are relatable and REAL. The voice of this book is spot on for middle-grade readers, and the author tackles some tough subjects head on. She really understands anxiety and guilt…
-
Five Christmas Romances to Curl Up with this December
Confession: I find it difficult to get into Christmas novels when it’s (1) not even Thanksgiving and (2) it’s still 97º here in Texas. I was naughty. I waited until closer to Thanksgiving to begin to read these five lovely, uplifting Christmas romances and then share them with YOU in December, when you’re REALLY in the Christmas spirit. Except that this year has been more disorganized than most, so I’m even later getting this out. Which, really, should be perfect timing, actually. You’ve probably knocked out most of your list over Black Friday and Cyber Monday (well done, you)! Now, you’re looking for something to curl up with while you…
-
Secrets of the Chocolate House – a book review
If you like historical fiction and time-slip books, Paula Brackston’s Secrets of the Chocolate House is right up your alley! Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced digital copy of the book. This review contains affiliate links, which if you click may generate a commission for me. I had recently discovered The Little Shop of Found Things (the first book in the series) in the “New books” section of my library when Secrets of the Chocolate House, the second installment in the series, became available to read on NetGalley. I was thrilled to read this so soon after! To that end, while not…
-
MG Book Review: The Benefits of Being an Octopus
My brain is usually a bit of a hot mess. I have texts I thought I sent, things I put in a safe place only to promptly forget where I stashed it – and apparently, books I reviewed everywhere (Goodreads, Amazon, NetGalley) EXCEPT for my blog. The Benefits of Being an Octopus was one such book, discovered missing last night when I needed it. I really loved this one – it had great themes and approached tough topics. A digital advanced reader copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher a while ago. This book contains affiliate links, and if you click on one I…
-
Book Review: The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston
The danger of writing at the library is that I rarely leave without grabbing a few books from the “New Books” section, no matter how many books are waiting at home. The Little Shop of Found Things was one such find and I’m so glad I picked it up. Read on to learn more about this book that blends historical fiction and fantasy. This post contains affiliate links. The Little Shop of Found Things is the start of a new series by author Paula Brackston. (However, it works well as a standalone if series and cliff hangers put you off.) It’s a lovely blend of historical fiction and fantasy/magical realism…
