Lose Yourself in the World of Books
The Life and Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin I first came across In Extremis when going through front list (new release) publisher orders and, thanked my lucky stars I have such a good relationship with the rep because when I begged her to send me an advance copy, she happily obliged. And I think it is… Continue reading In Extremis by Lindsey Hilsum
A Family History I've been half-heartedly participating in a book club that used to be mine and has now migrated into someone else's, but I've still had a foot in the door. When a fellow member picked Jell-O Girls for today's discussion, I was thrilled to finally read nonfiction AND get to talk about it. Downside, my opinion and… Continue reading Jell-O Girls by Allie Rowbottom
I've started reading again! In an effort to ingratiate myself with our publisher reps at the bookstore, I've decided to read an advanced reader copy a month BEFORE the book comes out AND write an "Indie Next" pick for it - this is the first! Downside, I read it back in July so my memory… Continue reading The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher
Miss Marple #3 Summer is here which means it is once again time for my annual Agatha Christie! This year it's The Body in the Library, the second in her Miss Marple collection. Synopsis It's seven in the morning. The Bantrys wake to find the body of a young woman in their library. She is… Continue reading The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life Back in January 2013 I was trying to find a new favorite book (which never works, you can’t force it) and I had been eyeing A Discovery of Witches for a while and decided to take a chance on it. I read the first… Continue reading All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness
Laura: I found this book on my mom’s shelves and when she noticed that I had picked it up she told me I should absolutely read it. It is one of the few non-mystery type fiction books she has read in the past 10 years, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Knowing my love of all… Continue reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
One of my grandmothers grew up in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, specifically in Nürnberg and the surrounding countryside. She doesn't talk about it. As such, I have spent my entire life fascinated by the stories of German children between 1933 and 1945. I don't remember the first book I read that fit the… Continue reading Four Perfect Pebbles by Lila Perl & Marion Blumenthal Lazan
Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings I found this book on my very first visit to the Strand in New York City right after I finished student teaching. I’ve always loved multi-story books about historical women. Additionally, while reading this book at the Greyhound station in New York City while waiting for my… Continue reading Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Girls in Pants, Forever in Blue I have been best friends with Tibby, Carmen, Lena and Bridget for more than half my life now. The summer before I turned fourteen, I was attempting to walk to the Barnes and Noble of Virginia Beach… Continue reading Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares
I picked this book up a few years ago at my favorite local bookstore (where I now work). It was shortly after I moved to the southeastern part of Pennsylvania and I was really lonely, trying to make friends and I was drawn to the story (and admittedly the cover – I’m a sucker for… Continue reading My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Celebration of Books 