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GRACE by Paul Lynch
I have mentioned this book but not yet written a review on it. It is, unquestionably, a book with strong feelings. Before opening the first page we know 1) this is an Irish writer (they tend to be more raw and honest in their writing) and 2) the subject matter is the potato famine in…
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THE FAMILY by Naomi Krupitsky
It is difficult to believe that this is Krupitsky’s first novel. The Family is both riveting and endearing. I picked up the book casually but held on to it thirstily. After devouring it, I am closing the back cover, satisfied and intrigued for more. Krupitsky is a beautiful writer who seamlessly unfolds a story like…
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A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES by Shea Ernshaw
I was opening my Book of the Month box just as my dad called yesterday. I told him what I was doing and he (84 years old) immediately said he remembered the first Book of the Month they ever received: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1962) He also said he remembered ordering To Kill a…
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ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney
“Shhhhhhut UP!” That is what I yelled into my empty home. It was just me, alone, reading the twists in this fast-paced thriller. “Wait. What?!”, I continue my one-sided conversation as I rapidly flipped back to the earlier chapters. I still have questions. I’ve never googled, so quickly, to compare plot ending explanations online. 1.…
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THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett
I was glad to finally be able to sit down with this Book of the Month feature and all-around popular Bookstagram book, The Vanishing Half. The concept intrigued me. Stella and Desiree are twins and both born light-skinned Black. Both of them wanting to escape the confines of their small town and to live a…
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THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes
Books celebrating books. Authors paying homage to readers. This enticing concoction of book-celebrating is an intoxicating elixir when it occurs in a storyline and The Giver of Stars is no exception. This book is based on a true story in American history. Historical reference: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Works Progress Administration created librarians – primarily…
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A CHRISTMAS MEMORY by Truman Capote
Illustrator Beth Peck elegantly illuminates the words of Truman Capote as he tells the story of the uniquely loving relationship between seven-year-old, Buddy, and his ‘sixty-something’-year-old distant cousin, living in the same house. ‘We are each other’s best friend.’⠀ They make cakes together every year as the weather turns cold and fly homemade kites when…
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HARRY’S TREES by Jon Cohen
What a fantastic book. It hooked me quickly and kept me on the line the whole way through. What a beautiful celebration of books and nature and great love. ⠀ ⠀”To every story we bring the story of ourselves.”⠀ This book celebrated the freedom of forgiveness. The adventure of reading. The beauty of nature. The cost…
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MIDNIGHT AT THE BLACKBIRD CAFE by Heather Webber
It was a nice…quiet…weekend. I participated in the Instagram book challenge from @thebookishglow and @catebutler. We read Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber. #TheCozyBookishWeekend⠀ What an easy, enjoyable read laced with the magic of family and hometown and enduring friendships. (Imagine the undercurrent of Sweet Home Alabama but with pie.)⠀⠀ Anna Kate returned…
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THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger
I’m reposting this book, This Tender Land, because I’ve been voting for it all over the place lately. End-of-year polls on Goodreads and Book of the Month, for example. It’s been nice to revisit the characters in my mind. ⠀ This Tender Land transfixed me and swept me right into the storyline, feeling as if…