Making my Morning Read rounds

 Some people need a cup of coffee to help them start their day off right; I need a jolt of good reading instead.

It’s become part of my daily routine for past several years to grab a pair of books early in the morning and read a bit from each one, what I tend to call my Morning Reads.

 Currently, I’m doing a TBR challenge (Down the Reader’s Road, highlighted on the side panel) that’s doing great so far. Four books finished at this moment and hopefully more to complete from my Book of the Month Club selections.

Meanwhile, I recently finished a project that had me reading Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon, a duel biography of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley along with a reread of Frankenstein and a first time read of Vindication of the Rights of Women. Great books and I highly recommend Romantic Outlaws as a fascinating and engaging look at the lives of two women who made impact upon our world in their own separate ways.

I do like the duo book concept so for a change of pace, I am doing a Jane Austen pairing with the classic Pride & Prejudice alongside Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne, a modern take on the iconic P&P.

While this may seem more lighthearted than the mother/daughter Marys, both Austen and Payne use the settings of romantic comedy to showcase the devious roles of gender expectations and social class that are placed upon their readers, then and now. Fun books, yes but more of a mental meal than one might think:

Speaking of food, my next reading duo will be the new essay collection by Alton Brown, Food for Thought that I am pairing with an anthology entitled Stories from the Kitchen.

The Alton Brown book(which was gifted to me by Gallery Books) is a new release and just from a quick browse of it, I can see that it has the trademark blend of savory knowledge and savvy humor that the former Food Network host is famed for.

From his thoughts on Martha Stewart to his favorite food movie scenes and even a mini play about chicken dinner, Brown’s flavorful words should make for delicious plates of page turning delight:

To round things off, I am going for a direct comparison between Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.

The latter is set in modern day Virginia where our leading man faces a rather similar number of challenges that his Victorian inspiration did; just how alike they are I am yet to discover but have no doubts about the qualities of each work.

I have a feeling that Dickens and Kingsolver would be good friends if the fates had them meet up. Both writers create vast in-depth stories with strong characters, plus tend to mix in themes of social concern. Kingsolver recently started an outreach program based on her research into the community that her award winning novel spoke about, which is something that Dickens did in his day as well. 

I might not get to these books right away but when I do, my appreciation for thoughtful updates on legendary literature are bound to be increased:

While the world around us is getting weirder and wilder by the day, it does help to have a steady supply of positive energy to refuel our weary spirits. That’s one of the benefits of my morning reading and I do hope that you all are able to revive your emotional fatigue in similar fashion.

It’s not at all easy these days; especially when the news seems bleaker with every headline and worthy journalists are being cast aside unjustly for simply doing their jobs. Yet, there are glimmers of hope getting brighter out there and folk gathering together to make their voices heard, louder and more forceful by the hour.

I know self care might seem like a cliche at this point but it is important to not be fully overwhelmed by current events. Read, rest, repeat-that’s a good way to hang on as we crawl out of this collective mess together. A good book is a good start to face a new day, if you ask me:

…And the BOTM nominees are a novel bunch indeed!

With everything going on in the world these days, it’s hard to find something fun to look forward to but fortunately, the winner of Book of the Month Club’s BOTY(Book of the Year) will be announced next week!

That means that qualifying subscribers will be able to add one of the five nominees as a free selection to their March box, a pretty sweet deal especially for me as my birthday is in April. That gives me two months with back-to-back free book picks!

For now, I have to consider which of the five contenders for the BOTY to choose from, or in my case, four as I already have Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods on my TBR in a BOTM edition. So, let’s take a look at the other books and see what will suit my bookish fancy;

The Wedding People:

Alison Epach’s story of two women unexpectedly connecting over a wedding(to which one of them was not invited) has garnered plenty of good reviews and word of mouth, not to mention being a Read With Jenna book club pick.

It’s made several best of the year lists and was a GoodReads Choice winner as well, strong points in its favor. While it does sound like a charming mix of humor and pathos, I do have quite a few books on my TBR with similar themes that I need to get to first. This does make me want to rewatch the 1989 movie Cousins (a good little film) that’s for certain:

Phantasma:

This first entry in the “Wicked Games” series is a dark romantasy about a young woman named Ophelia who must undertake a set of gruesome challenges within a haunted manor house in order to rescue her missing sister.

Along the way, she finds love and danger , both in the of Blackwell, a dubious guide who promises to help Ophelia in exchange for ten years of her life. Quite the price to pay yet will it be worth if she even survives at all?

This does sound wild and I have to admit that romantasy is a new interest for me. However, the second book, Enchantra, is not a BOTM selection so that does give me some pause there(yes, I do like matching editions of series titles, it’s a weakness of mine!).

It is a lively choice and certainly feels as properly chaotic as reality is at the moment:

The Lion Women of Tehran:

This touching novel by Marian Kamala chronicles the friendship between two young women in Iran, starting in the 1950s and taking them in the revolutionary era of the seventies.

Ellie and Homa first met as school girls, forming a lasting bond despite a family tragedy that forces one of their families to move far away.

Reunited in high school, they pick up where they left off for the most part; Homa is now interested in politics and social change while Ellie is going down the traditional path set up by her mother. As the world around them changes, Homa and Ellie find that they must reassess who and what they want their lives to be about.

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about this book and have been interested in reading Kamali’s work for some time now. This story , which features food, family and love, sounds like a true winner in the best sense of the term:

The Women:

Kristin Hannah’s epic novel follows Frances aka Frankie McGrath as she becomes a combat nurse during the Vietnam War and not only shows what she and other women went through during that time but her life after the war as well.

This book has become quite the blockbuster, with mixed opinions hovering around it. As the daughter of a retired nurse, I am intrigued by this story, not to mention that last year, I finally read one of Hannah’s novels to completion (The Great Alone) and it was definitely a page turner.

I do enjoy a good saga and Hannah does have what Stephen King calls the “gotta” as in “Yeah, I have stuff to do but I gotta see what happens next in this book!”. Plus , historical fiction featuring women in perilous times is hard to resist:

So, as you can see, I’m torn between The Lion Women and The Women here. Maybe I can get both but only one will be a free book yet a good story is always worth it. My congratulations to all of the nominees and I am

sure that many of us will be happy for whoever wins.

One thing is for certain; I really ought to read The God of the Woods sooner rather than later. Not the biggest dilemma out there but it’s one that I have some control over at least. Then again , a good book tends to age well like a fine wine, so my patience will probably be well rewarded:

Have a page turning Valentines Day party with these book mail buddies

The other week, I highlighted some of my book mail additions to my ever growing TBR and with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I have a nice trio of titles from Gallery Books that seem suitable for such an occasion.

First up is The Wedding Menu by Letizia Lorini, which begins with Amelie Preston preparing to get over the worst year of her life. Her dream wedding to her high school sweetheart Frank dissolved into nothingness, she’s lost her chef job and her best friend is barely speaking to her.

However, Amelie has a chance at a do-over by attending a major cooking expo, which happens to be set in the hometown of Ian Roberts,a charmingly snarky fellow that she met at a wedding and instantly clicked with. Trouble is, his family and hers are professional rivals and this new found connection between them is layered with business secrets seasoned to imperfection.

Can Amelie and Ian create a new recipe for happiness or are they stuck with the same emotional menu as before? This does sound like quite the engaging edible story that’s sure to be as sweet as any wedding cake tasting would be:

Next, the lovely paperback edition of Christina Lauren’s The Paradise Problem is now available and yes, I did read this in it’s hardcover incarnation (BOTM copy) last year.

When Anna married Liam back in their college days, it was strictly for better access to campus housing. Four years later, Liam shows up in need of a plus-one to a family wedding and since his inheritance is tied to maintaining a five year marriage, he is willing to pay Anna for her assistance in this matter.

Having just lost her retail job and still paying off her dad’s medical debt, Anna feels that this is her best shot at financial solvency at the moment. However, upon spending more time with Liam at the remote resort island where his sister’s nuptials are taking place and seeing him deal with his discordant family, this becomes less of a business arrangement for Anna there.

Can the two of them truly make a love connection or are Anna’s feelings simply one sided? I do enjoy Lauren’s well developed characters and the emotional complexity given to all concerned. If you’re in the mood for a romance with Succession vibes in a White Lotus type setting, this is must-read material indeed:

For something a tad different, we have Grace of the Empire State, a debut novel by Gemma Tizzard.

In June of 1930, Grace O’Connell is thrilled to be achieving her dream of being a dancer in a show at Times Square.

However, when her twin brother Patrick is injured on his job as a riveter, she must take his place on the work crew for the Empire State Building, a position that pays well enough to support their family still in dire straits upon the death of their father.

While her natural sense of balance aids Grace in doing such  dangerous work, keeping her true identity a secret is just as risky. Is she able to maintain this high wire act or will one misstep throw everyone off beam?

“Hey, this isn’t a romance!” No and not everyone needs a love story for Valentine’s Day. If instead, you want a well crafted historical fiction with a smart and savvy leading lady, then this book should be your best bet here:

I do wish everyone a happy Valentine’s Day and/or weekend on their own terms. Given the concerning headlines these days, taking time out for some romantic amusement is good and also for non-romantic entertainment as well.

Self care is important and if done in proper balance with regular life, a vital necessity in these troubled times. Do something good for yourself this week, whether it’s reading that book you’ve been meaning to get to or just going out for a nice lunch, treats are definitely fundamental:

 

A book mail bonanza of brave women

 Lately, my Instagram feed has been enjoying the welcome delight of book mail headed my way these days (check the top side of this post to get a better look) and today, I’m highlighting a trio of historical fiction titles sent to me by Harpercollins that showcase strong women stepping forward.

First up is The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. Warren which tells the tale of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, who became a major operatic star in the pre-Civil War era. 

Instead of following the standard role of wife and mother, Elizabeth took the chance to perform on a steam boat bound for Buffalo,NY and within a year, was on her first American tour. Known as “The Black Swan”, she played to packed houses and received great acclaim yet her fame also attracted bigotry and danger from those wishing to enslave her despite being a freed woman.

Discovering a previously less known historical figure in the arts is quite the hidden treasure and I’m sure that this engaging novel that centers the spotlight on a singer who paved the way for others on stage is a true gem indeed:

Next up is a debut novel by Shara Moon, Let Us March On.

Lizzie McDuffie joined her husband to work at the White House for Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt-he as a valet, she as a maid-but she didn’t take a back seat when it came to speaking her mind about calling social injustice.

Her positive influence upon the Roosevelt family helped to make a few early inroads towards what would become the full fledged Civil Rights movement in the years to come. Moon brings a human dimension to the woman who could have been easily overlooked yet displayed real strength when called to do so:

To round things out, we have P.C. Cast’s  Boudicca, which chronicles the legendary warrior queen from Celtic times.

When the Romans came to conquer, little felt any threat could come from a female leader. They were sadly mistaken as Boudicca and her various allies(including a Druid priest with the power of prophecy) took on their legions of soldiers and made great strides towards holding them off.

Cast is well known for her fabulous fantasy series of stories over the years and this blend of historical, mythology and magic promises to be the ultimate page turning saga for fans old and new:

Look, I know we’re all going through some challenging times to say the least and talking about books might seem to be a luxury right now. However, keeping hope alive is very important here and books are a huge part of that battle.

Whether it’s for knowledge or entertainment (maybe even a bit of both), the ability to read freely is vital to maintaining our democracy and also a good way to steady our emotional and mental health.

I’m very grateful to those publishers willing to gift me with any upcoming books, especially stories about inspiring women of the past who would want us to fight for the future, and glad to spread the good word with anyone truly interested in freedom of all kinds. Keep calm and read on is the best advice I can give at the moment for all of us: