Book Club September Pick: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Dear Readers, 

Our Book Club pick for September is all about kicking off the holiday reading season! While all things pumpkin spice have made their debut, fall and Halloween decorations are slowly replacing school supplies in store displays, and Halloween movies are starting to play at home, it is time to get our witchy on. (I write this while wearing my “It’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus” t-shirt.) The goal, beyond reading what is hopefully a wonderful book, is to add a little magic, love and spookiness in our bookish world by reading Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.

To further add seasonal magic, especially if you are locked indoors from the west coast fires, I challenge you to not only read the book but then to find and watch the movie Practical Magic. I LOVE the movie! I can’t imagine the book being better or different in the best way but, we will see! It may be the book is the exception to the rule “the book was better”. Let me know what you think!

As I was creating this post, Goodreads showed that there are two other books about the Owen’s women and the curse they deal with in Practical Magic. Wahoo! One comes out in October this year! Let’s get reading!  

Oh! And one last thing before I close. I wanted to share some Practical Magic advice for your everyday:    

 "Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender for luck. Fall in love whenever you can."

Author Shout Out & Recommendation: Sarah J Maas!!!!

I have fallen absolutely in love with Sarah J. Maas. Her latest book release and new series, House of Earth and Blood, Crescent City series, was recommended to me. I started it, I then devoured it and was left immediate wanting more!!!! While waiting for the next in that series to come out, I decided to explore some of Maas’s other series. I started reading her other adult series A Court of Thorns and Roses. Recommendation: Don’t do what I did and buy the books individually for this series. If you like, or think you will like Maas at all, just buy the boxed sets (or all available books). You won’t have to do what I did and wait impatiently for the next book to arrive, or even gamble with your anxiety level it might be delivered late!

Maas creates a magical world (in each of the two series I have read so far) with details, language, history, sounds, smells, sights, characters and descriptions that left me feeling like I fell into the story, almost shadowing the characters, feeling their feelings… all the beautiful lovely things a great book and author are supposed to deliver and evoke. There is love, betrayal, romance, history, language, magic, darkness and light, fae and mortals, war time and peace. Maas has created characters who are strong but she also allows the supporting charact
ers to shine, plot, and weave a more in depth plot than many books I have read in recent history. She made me want to invest in not just the main characters plot twists, but also those around them.

Next up is the Throne of Glass series. The question is: do I wait until February 2021 to start it or jump in now. January 2021 is the release of the next in series book for A Court of Thorns and Roses. Currently, I know these characters and their world, I just caught up with them, reading about them in over 1900 beautifully written pages. Do I mix the characters and worlds? Reread the series prior to reading the newest when it is published so it won’t matter? Wait? I just can’t decide right now while still digesting all that I have learned of Feyre’s world and wanting more of the Crescent City series to hurry up.

Luckily Sarah J. Maas, like J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, Diana Gabaldon, J.R.R. Martin, and Jane Austen, to name a few, has entered a master class of fandom that helps fill in the times of reading droughts with websites, artwork, and all kinds of lovely things dedicated to their worlds.

Book Club August Pick: Helena Hunting's Pucked!

In 2015 I read and reviewed the novel Pucked by Helena Hunting. Since that time I have re-read Pucked, as well as read a few more in the series. For me, I like Pucked as a stand-alone.
At this point I want to pause and say this for people whose sensibilities may be rubbed the wrong way by dirty, explicit or crass language. If you are one of those people, don’t even read the rest of my book promotion. Try a different type of romance. For others who may try to compare this to Fifty Shades of Grey. I would say you can and cannot, they are at their core romances with complications that need resolution, explicit language and sex scenes but are widely different from there. Pucked is everyday life and a comedy. It’s an imaginary yet potentially attainable world (minus the mom’s hair in the book J) that probably won’t require safety words, crazy storage space or therapy. (Side note, I do like the Fifty Shades series!) The author of Pucked toed the line of language but even the characters don’t take themselves seriously so it works. It’s the exception to the rule.

Okay- back to the topic at hand. Thanks for listening and sticking with me. With Pucked, the author, Helena Hunting, is able to create a book that is a romance at its core. Sure it is colored with a foul mouthed leading lady (think of classic lines in movies like: “Yippy Ki Yay MotherF@cker!” or “Abso-F@cking-lutely”), strong caring men, and overall is excellent girl porn, but the formula for romance that we all love to read is there and you can sink into it… and other things, *ahem*. There are scenes Ms. Hunting created in the book that had me laughing at the absurdity of them or laughing because I can't imagine how she came up with them but I was so thankful she didn't take the scenes out. How many authors would do the cape scene for one!? That’s right; you have to read the book to find out what the Super MC cape is in reference to but OH, it is SOOOOO worth it! 5 years later and I still giggle.

At our last book club meet up, we were trying to decide what to read next. With all the stress and less than normal lives we are living during the COVID19 pandemic, I wanted to read something happy, funny, not heavy, and sexy. So, I nominated Pucked. I don’t know if any of my fellow book club ladies have read a novel quite like it so I am excited to introduce this new (to them) author and brand of romance to those who have not. That said: August 2020 book club pick- hang on to your masks- is Pucked! Wahoo! You’re in for a sexy and fun reading adventure ladies! Everyone deserves humor, happiness and a little erotic treat. I’m anxiously awaiting their (and yours if you want to share) reviews….     

                                                                                                                

Book Club July Pick (Sorry it's Late!): The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Okay- I may be a month late sharing but, our book club read for July 2020 was The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It is a great addition to historical fiction, regarding the Nazi occupations. The novel takes place in France from when the Nazi’s move in, during and when they leave. It is a long book and covers a lot of ground. We follow the interweaving stories of two sisters living very different and dangerous lives during this time.

From the opening, the reader is hearing the history of this time from one of the sisters. It is not until later that we can figure out which sister is narrating. For me, this was the mysterious angle to keep me drawn to the story to figure out who was telling the tale and kept me reading. By the time I figured it out, I wanted to keep reading to see how it all ends up and how the author will close the story. Kinda like the movie Titanic did for people, having the older lady telling her tale but you don’t know how she’s a part of the story and want to know more.

There are history and heroics shared throughout the story that I have never learned about. Kristin Hannah has a gorgeous style of writing that gives you everything you could want to sink into the world she is creating, yet it’s not overwhelming and so depressing you want to stop reading. As we know, during this time in history, there was not a lot of goodness. For me, my biggest takeaway from this book was that the true essence of the story is the power of love. The love of mothers, fathers, lovers, children, friends, family, of county and religion. It’s heartbreaking, brutal, leaves you vulnerable, but also beautiful and the greatest gift and blessing of all. I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Stay tuned for our August 2020 book club pick!

Book Club June Pick: Delia Owens's Where the Crawdads Sing

Hello Dear Readers! 

June's book club pick is Where the Crawdads Sing. I am only halfway through the book so far so not much to report other than the language is beautiful. I had trouble getting into the novel initially but it's picking up steam now. Next week is book club so I better get to reading so I'm done on time! Have a safe and sparkling day! 

!

Suzanne Collins' The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Hello Dear Readers! 

I just finished reading the new Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes! I was so nervous when I started it that I would start understanding Coriolanus Snow and it might lead me to like or love him. After reading the original Hunger Games trilogy, it felt like, should that happen, it would be a betrayal! Rest assured though, I am beyond satisfied 
with this entire book but no therapy will be needed.

Suzanne Collins did an AMAZING job walking the tightrope of feelings with the reader and characters in the book. I stayed up late last night finishing the book and wow. I was surprised, I was taken on storylines I never expected, I was educated with the Hunger Games history and how it morphed into the complex games we were introduced to with Katniss and Peta. I can also say, I did not have to have any talks with myself about my feelings towards Snow. I am happy to have learned his history and what quarks and personal things we were introduced to in the Hunger Games, where they came from and why somethings were so important to him. An example- his love of roses and what they represent both in their physical sense and sense of smell. The novel was also beautifully balanced with Snow and Lucy Gray’s (check spelling) relationship and how that transcended time to Snow’s odd, almost affectionate relationship, with Katniss. I can see now how Snow struggled with what to do with Katniss and why. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I can’t say much more, but read the book- it’s SO interesting watching Snow and Lucy Gray’s relationship!

Overall, it was a fantastic addition to the Hunger Games series and something I didn’t even know I wanted until I was reading it and devouring the story. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sheds a whole new level of feeling and meaning to the Hunger Games trilogy with the story I just read of Snow’s origin. Thank you Ms. Collins! Snow lands on top.

The Book Club March Pick: Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us!

Yesterday the sun was shining, the temperature was in the 70’s, the breeze was nonexistent and the Book Club was able to get creative so we could meet in person and be kid free. As everyone is aware, most of us are on “Stay Home Save Lives” status during this COVID19 period of time. With some ingenuity, one of our lovely ladies found a safe space for us to meet outdoors, away from people, sit socially distanced and be able to connect in person. It’s a rare thing these days and sooooooo necessary for our mental health. With a cozy camp chair and yummy drink in hand we discussed all topics of our lives, listened to music, and talked books.

The book we just finished was Colleen Hoover’s It Ends with Us. Everyone in the Book Club seemed to have not only read the book but also devoured the words within days. I was so happy! (It was my pick…) A few of the ladies have gone on to read more of Hoover’s other novels. (*happy dance* I have a list of recommends if anyone wants!) There were a few gals in book club that read different genres than your everyday romance or romantic thrillers. One in particular, I was eagerly waiting to hear how she liked it (because it’s so different than her usual taste in characters and story), grudgingly she admitted she was sucked into the story and was happy for the new author.

Hoover’s books, and It Ends with Us is no exception, are something unique, deep, marvelously described, plots with the best and unexpected twists and turns, wild reading ride that takes you to the end reveal of what is really happening in her novels, that sucks you in. She always has romance but braids it with bigger, sometimes heavier, wholly different and creative topics the characters have or are facing, like grief, D.V., characters rebuilding themselves, etc., to reach a climax that has the reader opening their eyes going, “wow! I was not expecting that but okay, here we go, NOW WHAT!” Hoover’s stories have it all and she presents it with a view that is encouraging and honest.  Hoover is also incredibly talented at creating characters that suck you into their lives and you want to know them and find out their story. You become invested. I highly recommend Colleen Hoover to anyone!

April’s book club pick is going to be Tami Hoag’s Cry Wolf. It was written in the 1990’s so it will be fun to remember what cassette tapes were, when smoking was allowed indoors, no one had cell phones to use if you needed help or a quick photo… Happy Reading dear readers!

Does Reading Help Deal with COVID19 Struggles & Fun News!

Hello Dear Readers!

With COVID-19 changing our lives, I find myself wanting to sink into the alternate reality that our beloved books can provide. I constantly have an e-book and a paper book going, making sure they are different genres so I don’t start getting too dark or fluffy or mix up the stories and characters in my mind. Sooo many options to read for us to self-love, stay sane, and lower anxiety during these tumultuous times!!!! 

I am excited to brag and share that I was blessed with reading, for the FIRST TIME EVER, the unedited version of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch book 2, also known as Legend of the Viking! Author Becky Banks had me do a peer reading and it was such a fun story to read and continue to break curses with Cole and Rowan.  I can’t wait to zoom with her and talk through it all. I totally recommend reading or re-reading The Legend of Lady Maclaoch so you are ready when book two is published sometime this year.

One last thing to share is my book club has picked our March book. I am waiting for the paper version to be delivered to our local bookstore before I read so all I can share is my excited impatience to start reading! Book Club is reading It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. Grab a copy and read with us! 

Book Club!!! February 2020 Book Pick: Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Hello Dear Readers!

Sorry, for the delay with book club updates! COVID-19 seems to defenestrate our daily schedules! To catch up- Book Club read Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine for our February 2020 read. It is a first in series novel (although after reading it, I don’t know if I have the guts to jump into book two!) Anyways, Wowzers! I have read Ms. Caines YA series and this was definitely not anything like those. She went deep and dark. The pace in the beginning, maybe about a quarter or so of the book, is a bit slow setting up the plot, daily lives of the family, flashes into how AWFUL the ex-husband/dad is with his serial killer history (or is it just history?!) and the characters. Then, BAM!, the book explodes into action and I cannot imagine living with the constant adrenaline ups and downs, emotional baggage and precautions the Proctor family live with and through.

One thing I appreciated about the story is that it really made me think and expand my understanding on victims of crimes, especially prolific murderers, and that there are more than “the usual” types of victims out there. Beyond the victims and their families, it is the family of the criminals left behind that are (or can be) victims, innocent to what is/was going on around them. Stillhouse Lake uses that as the impetus for us to follow Gwen and her teenage kids, surviving day to day after they find out their husband/father was a horrific serial killer. With him in jail, they are blamed and stalked for crimes they had nothing to do with or knowledge of. The support system for the family of the murderers is definitely not set up for help, safety and mental health.  However, for us dear readers, it makes for a thrilling tale of suspense.

Book Club!!! I'm Finally a Member of One & January 2020's Pick

I am excited to announce I have been invited to join a book club! I have been interested for years but

the timing has never worked out, nor my courage to join if I am being honest, as well as the types of book clubs I have had access to. This book club, my book club, was recently dreamed up by a friend so it’s brand new! The idea that everyone she invited are newbies is very appealing to me. I get anxious meeting new people, remembering names and faces, the small talk, learning what people are ok or not okay with, etc. Having everyone in the same proverbial boat eases the ol’ anxiety.

For those of you involved in book clubs- do you have a theme or dos and don’ts? How do you choose the books? We decided that we will rotate local eateries with happy hours! No house cleaning! Wahoo! Every month a different member will get to choose the location and then announce the next month’s book we get to read and discuss the following month. Topically we have it narrowed down to no books from the horror genre and under 400 pages.

At our January meeting the book announced as our first ever read was: Ines of My Soul by IsabelAllende. The novel is based on real life people and events from Spain to Peru to the conquering of Chile in the 1500’s. Ines is writing her memoir for her daughter of her time helping and experiencing these events and the men she loved throughout her life.

I am happy to announce I finished the book prior to our upcoming meeting! Ines of My Soul is not a book to escape into but, if you have time, to sink into. You need the chance to immerse yourself into the words, language, historical culture… As mentioned, it is written as a memoir. Ines is very honest and candid about her life, loves, actions and choices she has made. She is an amazingly strong and resilient woman living in awful and violent times. The atrocities she recounts can turn your stomach.

One thing that was disappointing for me, is that the book is a little dry with the story I thought I was going to get. I wished for more romance and personal interaction of the main characters. I suppose more like Outlander. You are following a strong woman traveling and supporting the men she loves throughout her life and receiving large chunks of interesting history. I felt like the author did an amazing job giving us the history but it was all a little dry. It was almost like someone was narrating the history of the times and expeditions for me, documentary style, and sometimes she was actually part of the story herself. It’s more the story of the men and their battles than of Ines, other than her movements around them and following them. I found myself skipping here and there to get back to those portions of the story.

Isabel Allende is a remarkable, talented, award winning author with a large list of books to read. This is the only book I have read of hers and I would say that I would try her out again when I am in the mood for a book I can sink into for hours, uninterrupted. I would also say, for those of you who read books male vs female writers, based on their voices when reading them, this author almost sounds like a male writer in my mind, for this book at least. Also, if you are interested or visiting/visited Peru or Chile this book would give some really interesting history and understanding of their cultures.  

Anne Bishop's The Others Book Series

I just finished racing, I mean reading, Anne Bishop’s the Others 5 book series (see photos for individual novel titles). I could not stop reading it! The story just clicked and I needed to see what would happen to everyone. I will admit, I am one of those that might hop onto Goodreads to see if there is an end to a series or if there will be more books… no spoilers though. I have to draw the line somewhere. When I saw that there was an actual end (not counting the spin off series, Wahoo!) I knew I was happily in trouble, and sleep would be in peril. It helps that this series is best read as one long, continuous “book”, rather than a book here and a book there. The horror will enthrall you and you embrace why it needs to be there. The lives of the characters will peak your interest to see how they can, or if they can, live together peacefully. You’ll ponder if the Others will finally eradicate all the humans or what?! Ultimately, the Others rule this fantasy world, however, the humans have somehow forgotten it. Gulp…

Anne Bishop creates a world where humans and Others (Elementals, shifters and Tera Indigna) try to live in an everyday world together. There are strict boundaries, rules and expectations. Defiance, mostly by humans, will be punished with swift and violent justice by the shifters and Sanguinetti. Humans are only meat after all.

The series unfolds with the author introducing Meg, a cassandra sangue, or sweet blood, who has escaped captivity from her controller. She is a blood prophet. She needs to hide and she wants to survive. She finds herself following visions to the Lakeside settlement, controlled by the various forms of shifters, and is beyond reach of human law. Meg is the butterfly whose wings cause unknown changes that will forever affect the world as the characters know and understand it. Meg is both feared and coveted for her abilities but fragile because even a paper cut can cause a vision of the future, all at great cost to her and the safety of the Others.

The language is descriptive and visceral. You can feel yourself in the midst of everything, visualizing it, smelling it, watching it as the crows flying above it all might see the world, while rooting for various sides and characters. To be honest, I just wanted the Others to win the wars. You’re amused at the shifters trying to figure out Meg and how to help her. She’s not meat like most humans. You love that the characters are drawn to the wonderful kooky person Meg is. They want to protect her, help her, and be around this innocent strong woman. You meet vampires, shifters, elementals and their amazing ponies that command specific natural disasters, the keepers of the earth, amazing humans, and awful humans.

For the romantics our there- There is a romance sewn into the story but it’s only tugged here and there. I would describe it as you would watching two best friends, who people assume are together but aren’t romantically together…yet. You secretly wish they would try dating and kiss, becoming more, but fear what would happen if it failed. They are so in sync it would be unfathomable to not see them together as one whole. Myself, I really wanted the romance to happen, to show promise quicker but that’s not true to the world the Others and humans live in. However, there is love and it does bloom.

This series has intense moments, charming moments, side stories you hope don’t last long as you try to get back to the main story. Yes, I admit to impatience. The author creates a pace I had to force myself to stop reading rather than what my brain kept whispering, “Just one more section, one more chapter.” What is going to happen next?! How are they going to figure out what will really occur and what will the future really look like! I was on the fake edge of my seat, cuddled in my bed, devouring these books to see what would happen. I would definitely recommend this series for readers of fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, light romance readers wanting to expand their bookshelves, and fans of Patricia Briggs or other Anne Bishop novels.