I’m 98% sure that this book was based off of one of my past lives. I was definitely an independent, book pushing, pack horse librarian. Or at least, I hope I was. 
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The Giver of Stars, is a historical fiction book based on the real life American Pack Horse Library Project. The project began in the mid-1930s in rural Appalachia and was meant to bring books to remote residents. While this project only lasted for eight years, the idea of ensuring access to books and educational materials has always been, and will always be a primary driver for librarians. For this reason, there are almost 700 bookmobiles in operation within the United States to this day. Same idea. 

​I loved this book. The writing, the characters, the setting, everything was so compelling. However, my absolute favorite aspect of this book was how well that Moyes illustrated the importance of access to information. The teeny tiny little library with just a handful of books helped the residents protect themselves from their employer and helped women lower their chances of getting pregnant. This is exactly why libraries are so important, and I was so impressed by how well it was written.

I read this book for book club and it seemed like everyone really enjoyed this book. Our meeting was in late March, so we were already on lockdown and actually met on Zoom. We did not have as good of turnout as usual and people had to come and go a little more often, but everyone who attended had positive things to say. It was interesting to see that some people loved the setting, some people loved the characters, some people loved the complex relationships; there was something for everyone.

This book will appeal to readers of historical fiction and fans of Jojo Moyes. Anyone who loves libraries and truly believes in access to information will appreciate this book’s message. If you enjoy books about independent, strong willed, intelligent women then you will love this book. You may also like this No Spoiler Book Review of The Great Alone. 

Check back on Thursday for the June 2020 Can't Wait Book List!

The Family Upstairs is a psychological thriller about growing up in a cult-like environment. A previously rich family opens their doors to a con-man and his family. They slowly infiltrate every aspect of their lives, implementing bizarre rules and demanding complete submission. Before long they are all barefoot, wearing homemade tunics, and worst of all, VEGAN… Just kidding, things get way worse.
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Jewell’s writing of this book can only be described as “crafted”, everything is done on purpose. Some of the book is first person, while other sections are third person narratives. The narrative shift, added an interesting layer of complexity to the story. As if that weren’t enough to keep you guessing, the story is told through multiple perspectives with alternating timelines. This book is complex and thought provoking. 

Orla is fresh out of college and eager to prove herself as a reporter. She wouldn’t mind finding a boyfriend, but is determined to put her career first. So, of course she literally falls head over heels for Aiden.

Aiden is a wildlife photographer and won’t be in England for long. He lives in a tent and goes where the animals are. No serious girlfriends. He is not sticking around.

This book was the Goodreads Choice Winner for 2019 Memoirs. While I have been reading more memoirs, I don’t typically watch reality TV, so I didn’t know who Jonathan Van Ness was. I didn’t even know that they had rebooted Queer Eye! I was looking for something light and funny and this seemed to fit the bill. Plus it was available on audio from my library, score!

What I love about this book is that Jonathan Van Ness (JVN) is so positive! This book is crammed full of inspirational and body positivity quotes. I love how JVN is unapologetically original and completely himself. If you are looking for a positivity boost, this is for you!  

I never really knew a lot about Greek Mythology. I like the stories, but I always feel bogged down by the details and those impossible Greek names. I love pondering the religious aspect of Greek mythology, how all the Gods had different jobs and were tangible forces in the world. Their religion was so colorful, so awe and fear inspiring. Just don’t ask me to tell you which God had which job…    

What I like about Circe is that it takes a handful of Greek myths and connects them through one central character. You see everything from the point of view of one of the lesser goddesses. You learn about Prometheus, the River Styx, Helios, and the Trojan Horse from someone who was there at the time. It makes the stories more understandable and approachable. It’s not a collection of fairy tales, it is one story with a relatable main character.  

Release date: June 23, 2020

The Girl from Widow Hills is a “Baby Jessica” story. The details are a little different, there is an underground drainage system instead of a well and there is sleepwalking involved, but you get the gist. Arden/Olivia is six years old when she sleepwalks into an open grate on a stormy night and is lost for days in the drainage system. She unwillingly becomes a media darling and symbol of hope for the nation when she is miraculously rescued. The Girl from Widow Hills begins twenty years later.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader’s copy of this book and I was excited to get approved. I love the concept, who doesn’t love a good rescue story? Plus, anything about sleepwalking is so interesting!

This book feels impossible to review. I always feel like, the better the book, the harder it is to review, and this was a great book! I am going to attempt a review, but you should just skip this trashy blog post and read the book!

There are hundreds of books that revolve around doors to other worlds. Ten Thousand Doors of January is one of the best that I have read, it’s so creative and well written. Every door that is opened in this book leads someplace completely new, with unique lands, interesting people and terrifying, sometimes magical creatures. The writing is so immersive that you will feel like you can open a door to “The Written” and purchase a blessing. Or build a boat on a mountaintop and sail into an ocean. Ten Thousand Doors of January is a magical new take on an old concept.

Let’s go back to Valentine’s Day for a minute.

After doing my best to just ignore Valentine’s Day this year, I reluctantly got into the spirit. I was not planning on doing any Valentine’s posts at all. Then I ended up doing a guest post for UpcycledAdulting.com, entitled Romance Books to Make You Believe in True Love. The post was meant to get other people excited to read romance, but ended up back firing! Honestly, how could anyone resist those charming book summaries? Especially Flatshare!

You know how everyone gives new grads a copy of, Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss? It’s hopeful and sweet, and everyone cries (in a good way). After the Fall by Dan Santat is what you give to someone who just got laid-off for the first time, or is getting a divorce, or recovering from a serious illness. It’s understanding and accepting, and everyone cries (in a good way).

After the Fall, is a children’s picture book that takes maybe three minutes to read. It will probably take you more time to read this post, than to read the book. The pictures are charming and the story is exactly what you need if you are going through a rough patch. Let's be honest, we're all going through a rough patch.

Do you have Perfection?

This is the question asked again and again in this speculative fiction. Do you have Perfection? A life changing app that seeks to control who you are from the outside-in. How many people do you know that seek magazine beauty and social admiration? It’s not zero. Don’t we all covet perfection at least sometimes?

Speculative fiction is one of my favorite genres. I love pondering big “what if” questions. Not only does Sudden Appearance of Hope tackle sinister technology, but it also poses a lot of important questions. The main character, Hope, is utterly and literally forgettable. She is the embodiment of “out of sight, out of mind”, as soon as you are not with her, you forget her. She can’t form relationships, and she certainly can’t get a job. How does someone with that condition survive? What is justifiable when you are forced to live outside of society? What would you do to overcome?

Release Date: April 7, 2020
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Apparently, my book club and I need to up our game! We’ve been meeting for over six months and we haven’t slain one vampire. We’re a disappointment!

I requested this book, based on nothing more than the cover and the title. I knew that I just couldn’t go wrong. This book could have been tongue-in-cheek or seriously scary and I would have been happy.

As it turns out the “Guide” is traditional horror. There were parts that were disgustingly graphic and cringe worthy. I was constantly pulling up the blankets in a subconscious attempt to hide from this book. I kept telling myself I wasn’t scared and then I kept having nightmares, so one of us was wrong. 

The “Book Club” is set in the ‘90s and features a small group of stay-at-home-moms. They are all looking for a break and a chance to connect to other women in their town. So when it comes to selecting novels they opt for paperback true-crimes with lots of pictures. They may not be traditional book club selections, but they keep the Book Club turning pages and talking about books! 

When children start dying and disappearing, one of the book club members suspects her new neighbor. He certainly fits the bill of the murderers in the books they read. As the situation deteriorates, you start to question if the real villain is the vampire or the condescending and contemptuous husbands. They all dismiss and demean their wives, blaming book club for their “overactive imaginations”. Meanwhile, the Vampire gains trust by showering the families with opportunities, endearing himself to the husbands. This book is full of disturbing domestic and supernatural horror.

Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a good choice for most fans of vampire fiction. The only vamp fans that won’t like this are readers that stick to vampire romance. To be clear, there is nothing romantic about this book. The story is dark and disturbing and would be a great option for readers of horror and paranormal mystery. If you like Stephen King you will like Grady Hendrix.    

If you need me, I’ll be reading a romance and trying to re-convince myself that vampires are sparkling gentlemanly creatures.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me advance access in exchange for this honest review.

My feelings for Miracle Creek are complicated. This is an unquestionably good book. The story is complex and interesting. The characters have well developed psychology. It asks big and important questions. However, it may have been too real for me to enjoy. Not enough of an escape.

Miracle Creek is by debut author, Angie Kim. The book is loosely based on many of her personal experiences. Moving to the US as a young teen from Korea. Later, becoming a lawyer. Having special needs children that have benefited from non-traditional, borderline experimental treatments. Including the H-Bot treatment that is central to the story. Angie Kim’s passion and experience shows in the character relationships, treatment descriptions, and the courtroom drama.

I liked a lot about this book. I liked the way that she portrayed the same event from multiple points of view, without being repetitive. You really get to understand the complicated rationale for why characters did what they did. You see that sometimes terrible things happen because we excuse and accept small transgressions. I loved how Kim made you question the line between good and bad. When does treatment become abuse? When does a consensual act become assault? When is “doing the right thing” too little, too late? It’s a thought-provoking book.

Fans of courtroom, medical and family drama will enjoy this book. Parents of special needs kids and adult children of immigrants will feel seen. This might be a good choice for readers of contemporary, popular and general fiction. I would recommend reading a few pages to see if you think this might be a good fit for you.

I know I am a little behind on Kristin Hannah. Costco is selling value packs of her books, for god’s sake. I avoided her for a long time because, I don’t like sad books. I know it’s limiting, but it’s true. I finally read Nightingale about two years ago and now, Great Alone. I will never avoid Hannah again. She has earned my trust, and apparently Costco’s.

The Great Alone features a family that decides to live off the land in 1970s Alaska. It does not go well. Basically, if it can go wrong, it does. Which is probably pretty realistic for people trying to survive in Alaska. Somehow, even with all the devastating things that happen there is always the exact right amount of hope to keep you reading. Kristin Hannah is the master of manipulating my emotions.    
 
I don’t usually like books or movies set in the ‘70s. They focus too heavily on the nightclub and drug scene, which is completely uninteresting to me. While this book is set in the 70s, there are none of the typical elements that I avoid. The setting is perfect for this story, post-Vietnam War and limited technology. People living in rural Alaska at the time might not even have electricity, let alone a telephone. Lots of political tension and dangerous isolation. Perfect.

This is my first ever Bossy Book Club selection. The Great Alone would be a great choice for most book clubs. Discussion questions are available from Kristin Hannah’s website. This book will appeal to readers of historical fiction, family drama, general fiction, popular fiction and literary fiction. People who are interested in life in Alaska and living off the grid, might be interested in this fictional rendition of that lifestyle. Read this when you are in the mood for a devastating yet hopeful cry.

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Release Date April 7, 2020

Age of Witches is a perfect candidate for a good old fashioned book burning. Honestly, if some ultra-conservative Christian church group doesn’t buy boxes of this book with the sole intention of burning them, they are missing out!

Not only is this book about witches, but the main characters are basically the 1890s version of feminists. These witches refuse to submit to the men in their lives, and they go even further, using their power to influence men and elevate women. If all that weren’t enough to set off extremist Christians, parts of this book read like a grimoire, very “how-to”. PS I am now a witch…

This book is set in late 1800s New York and England. Women are expected to marry, support their husbands and have babies. The three main characters are all determined to be more than just someone’s wife or daughter and they are not afraid to use magic to get what they want. Harriet is an herbalist using her magic to heal. Frances is an ambitious social climber, she is an adept influencer. Annis is a witch’s apprentice with a horse obsession. Side note: a LOT of this book is about horses. If you are interested in opening stables or starting a breeding program, this book is for you. The characters are headstrong, confident and dangerous. They are exactly the kinds of women who would have been accused of witchcraft at that time, or even today.

This book was not perfect, but it kept me turning pages. While it works as a stand-alone, it would make me happy if the author wrote a sequel. I would certainly pick up another book about these women. Fans of Magical Realism, Fantasy and Historical Fiction may like this book. Anyone looking for fictional tales of witchcraft or women’s rights and history may also be interested.

Again, huge miss if there is not at least one book burning!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me advance access in exchange for this honest review.

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When I decided to become a blogger I had no idea what I was getting into. No clue. Fortunately, it did not take me long to find The Ray Journey Blog. Not only does Ray publish helpful articles on topics like, social media marketing and how to optimize your Pinterest efforts, she also helps bloggers connect with other bloggers and grow their audience. As a blogger it is a natural progression to someday publish a book, so I was excited to read Ray’s, Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch.

Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch is a concise guide on how to promote your self-published books. The book is 79 pages, but it is absolutely packed with information on exactly what to do at every phase of your book launch. She covers how to determine your niche and find your audience. She also includes a list of publishing platforms with a simple grid showing the commission structure, perks and rules of the various options. One of my favorite things about this guide is that it includes a thorough checklist at the end, so you won’t miss any steps. I know when I go to publish I will be referring to Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch.

If you’re not familiar with Ray check out her blog The Ray Journey. Not only does she have articles for bloggers, but also health and financial information as well. If you are considering self-publishing, be sure to check out her handy guide to a Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch. 

Thank you to Ray for allowing me advance access to this book in exchange for this honest review. Follow this link to purchase Powerful Book Launch.

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I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I’m not much for mysteries and I’m okay with Sherlock, but I’m not fanatical. I really just read this because I was in the mood for historical fiction and it was available for check-out. Plus, the cover is intriguing.

Study in Scarlet Women was a fun combination of Pride and Prejudice and Sherlock. The financially precarious Holmes family has an abundance of unmarried quirky daughters. One of whom takes up solving mysteries to pay the bills. This is the lady’s version of the famous Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

I felt such a connection to Charlotte Holmes. She’s beautiful, fashion forward, bold and one of the most intelligent people of her time. I am none of those things, but I am socially awkward. So, we have that in common. She is flawed and fun. I think most readers will enjoy spending time with her.
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This book will appeal to mystery and historical fiction readers. Fans of Jane Austen are likely to connect to the female protagonists. Fans of Sherlock will enjoy the challenge of solving the cleverly crafted mysteries. You may also enjoy this No Spoiler Review of Above the Bay of Angels.

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This was my third book club read and unfortunately it was not my taste. I don’t like to do negative reviews so I am going to be honest, but also try* to focus on what was good about this book. Just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean that it’s not the right book for someone else. In fact one of the book club members was beyond enthusiastic about this book. Good for her, not for me.

I get the feeling that most book club members would have rated this book two or three stars, but there was that one member who would have rated it an eleven (out of five). I think this was the best book she read this year and I think she will remember this book her whole life. For the right reader this is going to be their favorite book, maybe ever.

So, drag your favorite Lazy-Boy to the window and pour yourself a nice cold cup of lemonade. You’ll want to keep one eye on the neighborhood as you read this mystery…

A little street in lower middle class England suffers through an unforgettable heat wave and one of their neighbors goes missing. Everyone has secrets and everyone knows more than they should. This guilty little street is covering up for more than just a disappearance and nobody is who you think they are. Two young girls with the souls of middle-aged women try to solve the disappearance by looking for god (?). I don’t know… Anyways, it’s hot, everyone’s bored and guilty. The end.  

The tone of this book reminded me of the movie Rear Window, it is slow and there is a lot of whispering and peering through window shades. Readers of literary fiction, and mystery with an interest in psychology and sociology may enjoy this book. Readers that like wading through layers of heavy symbolism will find this book to be engaging. If you’re not sure if this is for you, maybe pick it up and read a few pages, see if it might be a good fit.

*I think I failed at staying positive.

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Release Date April 28, 2020

​This was the Okayest book that I loved the most. This book and I got off to kind of a rocky start. The initial writing, particularly dialogue made me question its historical accuracy. I am not a historian, so it is probably perfect, maybe just different than I was expecting. There was a big chunk of “memory” that maybe should have been sprinkled throughout the book instead of just dumped near the beginning. Hopefully, that will be corrected, since this was an advance copy… With that being said, I loved this book more with every page I read.

I have been into historical fiction lately and westerns are no exception. I would actually love to see westerns make a comeback. They are such an exciting mix of danger and naïve optimism. This book did a good job of illustrating that people did not put their lives on hold while they were on the trail. They continued their hobbies and work in some cases, got married, and had babies. Can you imagine? Having a baby. On the trail. Westerns are wild.

Naomi and John are fun, strong-willed characters that play off each other nicely. Amy Harmon does a good job of writing the sexual tension between the two characters and it helps add to the excitement of the story. It was amazing to find out that John Lowry and many other characters in this book were real people with a personal connection to the author. Don’t miss the author’s note, it was one of my favorite things about this book.
     
This is a western expansion, soft romance. If you like wagon trains, pioneers, settlers, Indians and sexual tension with modest sex, this is the book for you. Fans of the ancient series Into the West (2005) will love this book. If you are looking for a western with no romance try News of the World.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me advance access in exchange for this honest review.

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I think by now almost everyone has heard of Malala and knows the gist of her story. People know that she was shot by the Taliban for advocating for education for girls and women. She was 15 at the time. Shortly after she was attacked, she wrote and published, I am Malala.

About half of this book is entirely about Malala and her experiences growing up in Pakistan, and is very engaging. The other half of this book is about her family history and the history of Pakistan, which can be a little dry. The entire book is extremely important, but because about half of it is historical, I think a lot of people will have a hard time getting all the way through it.
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I have seen this book on required reading lists for SIXTH GRADE, and I have to say that is a mistake. This book is very rich in political and religious content that is beyond the grasp of many readers.  While Malala was a teenager when she wrote this book, she was exceptional. Most Americans would have a hard time with this book even as adults. If someone is drawn to this book, they will benefit from it. If they are forced to read it, they will be bored, at best.  

You may also enjoy this No Spoiler Book Review of Moment of Lift.

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I don’t tend to pay much attention to charities, there are too many stories of corrupt CEOs stealing from their organizations. We still donate, but we give directly to people in need. So, I never really knew what the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation actually did. I knew they were trusted and respected, but not much else. When I learned that the foundation focuses on empowering women, I added Moment of Lift to my list.

This book was always hopeful, but the horrible treatment of women described in this book was upsetting and infuriating. I have seen real poverty when I have traveled. I have seen women and children sleeping on the streets in a rain storm. I have been mobbed by homeless children after giving one child a few coins. After I get back home though, these memories fade and I begin to get wrapped in my own privileged problems. It’s easy to forget that not only poverty, but oppression still affect women and children around the world today.

This book brings to light case studies of oppression and abuse that are much worse than anything I have ever seen. Women are not only banned from education, but often beaten regularly, and sometimes mutilated. The stories in this book are devastating, but Melinda Gates does a good job of framing the problem alongside a solution, so it feels like things are getting better. This is an important book that highlights the necessity of equality for EVERYONE.

Normally, this is where I would write a list of who would like this book. I’m going to do something a little different. I am going to categorize this book as “Adult Required Reading”. I’m not saying everyone will enjoy it, but it’s an important book with a global call to action, that everyone should read. The topics covered in this book affect everyone and nobody should be ignorant of these problems. Let me know if you have read this and what your thoughts were.   

You may also enjoy this No Spoiler Book Review of I Am Malala.  

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