Return to the Celtic magic that began with the suspenseful, award-winning novel Circle of Nine – Beltany.
Descended from a legendary Celtic tribe that guards the secrets of the ancient stone circles, the Quinn women have a great responsibility to protect their pagan rituals and way of life. As members of the formidable Circle of Nine, they celebrate the holidays of the year from Yule to Samhain, keeping the traditions of the Tuatha de Danann alive through the centuries against insurmountable odds. We first met these women in Circle of Nine – Beltany, and now a set of three novellas reveals more of their engaging stories.
In Bressa’s Banishment the power struggle between Father Banan and village healer Bressa Gormley unfolds amidst accusations of treachery, heresy, and murder. Can the Circle protect their trusted healer and the path of the Tuatha against a growing religious fervor?
Dervla’s Destiny brings us to medieval Ireland where the beloved character Dervla Quinn learns of her gifts and fights tremendous loss, betrayal, and violence, all the while never giving up on finding the love she deserves.
In Phoebe’s Mission, when an evil force on a quest for ultimate power threatens the Circle of Nine, Phoebe Quinn must leave Ireland for the first time and travel to the United States to protect their way of life. Along the way, she meets the handsome Macklin Scott, taking her mission, and possibly her future, on a far different course than expected.
My Thoughts
The Novella Collection provides a fascinating backstory for the characters we first met in Beltany. The Quinn heritage, awash in Irish folklore, comes to life through Bressa, Dervla, and Phoebe. The injustice of the historic times in which the women lived will make your blood boil, but the golden thread holding it all together is the heritage and the importance of what the Quinn family guards.
Dervla’s story is especially violent and upsetting, as she comes very close to sexual assault.
The author continues to build the world of the Quinns with beautiful descriptive narrative, engaging characters, and lovely language.
Author Bio
Valerie Biel writes award-winning books for middle grade to adult audiences–stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland’s ancient stone circles. She’s also the author of HAVEN, a contemporary middle grade novel, and BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE, a mystery suspense story. She’s a founding member of the Blackbird Writers & a member of Sisters in Crime & the Wisconsin Writers Association. When she’s away from the computer, she’s likely wrangling her overgrown garden, reading multiple books per week, or traveling the world–often on trips for the The World Orphan Fund charity she and her husband run. She calls a (tiny) portion of her family’s century-old Wisconsin farm home, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.
Librarians will recognize Ranganathan’s Third Law of Library Science*: “Every Book Its Reader,” meaning of course that not every book is meant for every reader, but all books are meant for A reader.
When I retired, I was determined to start working through my To Be Read list, starting with my Goodreads account. I started adding titles I wanted to read as early as 2007, so I decided to start with the earliest ones.
A couple have been great reads: Moloka’i by Alan Brennert and Otherlands by Thomas Halliday.
Others were not meant for this reader:
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson – I usually enjoy Atkinson’s work, but this one just did not resonate. I found the repetition boring and irritating after several chapters. Fascinating premise, but just not for me.
Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen – An odd fictional exploration of Edgar Allan Poe’s relationship with his young wife. Dark, brooding, and very creepy.
The Resurrectionist: the lost work of Spencer Black – If Mrs. Poe was dark and creepy, this one was ghoulish and bizarre.
Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina – Enjoyed the first half but had to put it down when it got super gruesome. Not a fan.
I am moving on to more from the list – The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway and The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis. Hoping these live up to the hype of 13 years ago!
Not on my old Goodreads list but a couple I read recently that also missed the mark for me:
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab – Schwab is one of the more literate authors writing today. Her narrative is always beautifully rendered and this book is no exception. However I am just so done with vampire stories. And really, Anne Rice wrote this story 50 years ago. Not a favorite read for me but I imagine it will be a blockbuster.
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams – While I think the author wants us to see her as a brave whistleblower, she must certainly bear some of the blame for the heinous things she describes. You don‘t live and work like that for so long without being complicit. Overall, I was deeply disappointed and often horrified at the ridiculous behavior and dangerous decision-making that results when ordinary people acquire an unimaginable amount of money and power.
I’ve been retired for just a little over 2 months and have spent that time catching up on my lengthy Netgalley pre-pub reading. For the first time in years, my Netgalley queue is empty!
What’s next? Tackling my Goodreads “Want To Read” list, where the earliest entry is from 2012. I’m starting at the beginning and plan to work my way through all of them.
There are 700 books in that list, although I anticipate that some of them have been read but the status not changed in my Goodreads account. It will be fun to look back on what captured my attention so many years ago.
I’m starting with the beauty shown above: Moloka’i by Alan Brennert. All the reviews use words like “transcendant” and “heartbreaking” so I’m expecting an emotional reading experience.
Another change for me – as I adjust to life as a library patron rather than employee, I am becoming reacquainted with the holds system. I’m hoping to read most or all of the GR books in print format from area libraries. We’ll see how that goes!
I am a series reader. I find an author and set of characters that appeal to me and I keep going back for more. Turns out, many of my friends and family are also series readers and they had plenty of recommendations for your summer reading!
From Me…
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear – Follow the adventures of Maisie who grows from a teenage maid to an adult detective through this fabulous historical series set in the first half of the 20th century. Winspear has just published the final entry in the series, which you can read about here. Start with the very first book, Maisie Dobbs, and progress through the rest. Just as good in audio form as print.
James Rollins is the complete opposite of the previous author! He specializes in pulse-pounding adventure featuring the Sigma Force, a super-secret and multi-talented government agency whose job is to keep the world from imploding. Rollins has written multiple books in the series that all revolve around an intricate, well-researched piece of history. My favorite in the series is The Last Odyssey which features plenty of the monsters from the Greek myths I love. Start with the first in the series, Sandstorm, and go from there, although I started with #2 in the series, Map of Bones and was totally hooked. If you’re already a Rollins fan, there’s a new Sigma Force novel out this summer – Arkangel. You’re welcome!
Kate Mosse is the author of some very chunky books! However, those books will keep you up late turning page after page. My favorite is Sepulchre but her other work is just as fascinating. Meticulous historical fiction, mostly set in France. Reading her work is a commitment well worth your time.
Erin Hart is the author of what I call the “bog mysteries.” I found Hart’s work as I was randomly researching the topic after seeing a news story about an ancient body discovered in an Irish peat bog. Hart’s bog series features two recurring characters – pathologist Nora Gavin and Irish archaeologist Cormac McGuire. Start with the first in the series, Haunted Ground.
Katherine Arden is the author of one of my all-time favorite high fantasy trilogies – The Winternight Trilogy. Start with the first, The Bear and the Nightingale and immerse yourself in Slavic folklore and magic. This is an absolute stunner of a series!
From Cynthia Dana…
Record Shop Mysteries by Olivia Blacke is a fun series featuring three sisters who take over the operations of a family record shop and cafe in their small Texas hometown. They serve up delicious coffee, spin some hot tracks, and solve murders in their spare time. There are three entries in the series – easily readable during the summer months!
From Allison McDonald Fredericks
Scot Horvath series by Brad Thor is a thrilling, fast-paced action-adventure series in which the main character, Scot Horvath, protects the United States and its people at all costs. For fans of James Rollins, Steve Berry, and Clive Cussler.
Keeper of Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger is a captivating series for kids who are into fantasy. The main character is 12-year-old Sophie Foster who discovers she’s a telepath. The series follows Sophie’s adventures and includes plenty of action-packed mysteries and challenges.
Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbilia is part of the Rick Riordan presents series which features fascinating characters and world lore. In this case, Mbilia explores the world of African American folklore and West African gods with his engaging character, 7th grader Tristan Strong. Check out other entries in the Rick Riordan presents series.
From Beth Nash…
Ruth Ware is one of the best authors of psychological suspense fiction working today. She has a new one coming out this summer – One Perfect Couple – but there are plenty of others to dip into. Check out her catalog of work on her website.
Looking for a lighter mystery ion the cozy vein? Try Amy Van Sant’s books which include the Pineapple Port mysteries, the Shee McQueen series, and many others.
Louise Penney’s Inspector Gamache mystery series is a long-running, beloved set of suspenseful adventures set in Quebec. If you haven’t read these novels, start this summer and stay occupied for the rest of the year!
Here’s one more series for the mystery & suspense readers out there: The Cold Case series by Lissa Marie Redmond follows cold case detective Lauren Riley through many fascinating investigations.
San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright and her hunky security-expert husband, Derek Stone, face a locked-room murder mystery during the holidays in Scotland.
In the middle of a wonderful Christmas holiday in Dharma, Brooklyn and Derek receive a frantic phone call from their dear friend Claire in Loch Ness, Scotland. The laird of the castle, Cameron MacKinnon, has just proposed to her! They plan to be married on New Year’s Day, and they want Derek and Brooklyn to be their witnesses. And while they’re visiting, Claire hopes that Brooklyn will be able to solve a little mystery that’s occurred in the castle library—twelve very rare, very important books have gone missing.
Once in Scotland, Brooklyn starts working on the mystery of the missing books but is soon distracted by all of the thumping and bumping noises she’s been hearing in the middle of the night. You’d think the Ghost of Christmas Past had taken up residence. But when one of the guests is poisoned and another is killed by an arrow through the heart, Brooklyn and Derek know this is not the work of any ghost. Now they must race to find a killer and a book thief before another murder occurs and their friends’ bright and happy future turns dark and deadly.
My Thoughts
This series is like taking as vacation with old friends. I’ve been reading the Bibliophile mysteries from the start and still eagerly await each new entry. I can’t say that for many cozy series, and this one made me stop and think a bit about why this series is different.
Partly (and maybe above all) Carlisle is a top-notch writer. She has a mastery of words and description, is excellent at character development and planning (HOW does she keep Brooklyn’s family straight?!?), and plots a clever, clever mystery every time. I also don’t see her re-using bits of dialog and narrative description the way some other authors do. As a reader, I feel like she, as the author, has really spent time and attention on every detail, and I truly appreciate that.
Readers new to the series might want to go back and read them in order, but it’s not entirely necessary. You can read this one and still have a solid grasp of what’s going on.
As usual, I’m recommending this.
Publication Date: October 24, 2023 Published By: Berkley Publishing Group Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
Larry Marx is CEO of The Children’s Agenda, a Rochester-based organization advocating for policy change and evidence-based solutions for the health, education, and success of children. Larry has been an organizer and leader of political campaigns and social change organizations for the past 30 years, working in more than one hundred issue and election campaigns in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and New York. Larry co-chaired the board of the national Partnership for America’s Children for three years, a network of 56 state and local children’s advocacy organizations in 44 states. He is an appointee to the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council and the New York State Child Care Availability Task Force, and serves on the Executive Committee of ROC the Future and the Steering Committee of the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative. Larry received the awards named after the founders of Action for a Better Community and the Rochester chapter of the National Council for Jewish Women in 2016. He is married to Deb Rosen and has two college-age daughters, Natalie and Naomi. They make their home in the Neighborhood of the Arts in Rochester.
What character or author would be the librarian in your personal literary paradise?
It would have to be Tintin, the intrepid reporter from the Hergé series of what we now call graphic novels. The literary paradise he would bring me would be based on truth-telling, unfaltering moral purpose, travels to faraway lands, known and unknown, and breathtaking adventures with thrilling escapes. Plus, there would be lifelong friendships along the way with Chang, Captain Haddock, and my ever-faithful dog Snowy.
How do you treat the books you read? Do you make notes in them? Dog-ear the pages? Keep every page (and the spine!) pristine?
If they’re nonfiction, then quite likely I’ll write marginalia. It used to be a point of pride to mark those books up, kind of like an animal scent-marking its turf – Larry was here! I think of it as places , connections and thoughts I might want to return to, especially for work. But fiction, good fiction, is indelible in itself, so I like to leave those books untouched and immaculate.
Do you ever judge a book by its cover? What attracts you to a cover?
Wow, definitely. If I don’t know the author, then an intriguing title is my first and foremost point of attraction, followed by cool cover art.
What was the first book you read by yourself as a child?
Truly can’t remember. I’m old.
Is there a book you’ve read that you wish you didn’t?
I majored in political science and philosophy, and several Germans – especially Heidegger’s Being and Time – plunged me into both quandaries and depression. Also Stephen King’s It. I was so profoundly angry and disgusted at the turn the book takes at the end, I almost threw it away. It completely ruined for me what had been a great read over a long time.
What is the funniest book you ever read?
Jim Harrison had a series of novellas about a character named Brown Dog, an indigenous man from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula . His bawdy antics are wonderfully LOL and enlivening.
Have you ever decided NOT to do something based on what you read in a book?
Yes, continue reading philosophy.
What book marks a major milestone in your life?
A glorious summer when I lived in D.C. and read War and Peace. I bought a used hardback, 50th anniversary translation, that included a bookmark/booklet comprised of maps, character lists, and timelines that I referred to constantly. I was fully immersed for the summer summer in a deep, moving experience. And I think of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, Wendy Mogel’s The Blessings of a Skinned Knee. . . The chapters of my life are definitely book-marked.
Do you have a favorite picture book? What and why?
In addition to everything Tintin, there’s a gorgeous graphic novel called Habibi, by Craig Thompson, which we read in my book club. The images are Islamic-influenced, exquisite black-and-white pen lines swirling on the page – a real feast for the eye.
What was the last book you read that challenged your world view?
I read Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation as a 19-year-old and became close to being a lifelong vegetarian ever since. White Fragility – mirrors are hard on the eye (of the beholder). More recently, Ruth Ozecki’s The Book of Emptiness and Form and Grace Cho’s Tastes Like War both changed my understanding of the “madness” of people who hear voices. The Book of Emptiness and Form also has beautiful scenes of a library as a place of sanctuary, belonging and sanity, where books whisper rather than shout.
Have you ever read a book by your favorite author that you did not enjoy?
Yes, I devoured Jim Harrison’s works for many years. The language in his poetry and his nonfiction writing about food and wine stayed fresh, but the themes and language of his late novels got repetitively stale, unfortunately.
Is there an author or a book that you think is highly overrated? Why?
Sorry, Henry James is booooring.
What book would you recommend to heal a broken heart?
Pretty much anything ever written by the magnificent Louise Erdrich: Love Medicine, LaRose. . . I cannot read her without getting choked up, my heart cracking open, like Leonard Cohen’s “Ring the Bells:”
Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in
Is there a book you’re embarrassed to have read? What and why?
No longer being a teenager, I shall pass on this question.
What is a favorite quote from a book?
Is this cheating? Richard Wagamese, an Ojibwe author and journalist, had this to say on a wall I spotted in July at Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario:
“All that we are is story. From the moment we are born to the time we continue on our spirit journey, we are involved in the creation of the story of our time here. It is what we arrive with. It is all we leave behind. We are not the things we accumulate. We are not the things we deem important. We are story. All of us. What comes to matter then is the creation of the best possible story we can while we’re here: you, me, us, together. When we can do that and we take the time to share those stories with each other, we get bigger inside, we see each other, we recognize our kinship – we change the world, one story at a time.”
If you had a Narnia closet, what literary world would it lead to and what’s the first thing you would do there?
Probably David Mitchell’s The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. And I would immediately scream, run and hide for my life from the evil lurking there.
You’re on a dating app and all your matches are literary characters. Who do you select?
Can I please date authors? Padma Lakshmi, Louise Erdrich, Jesmyn Ward, Elena Ferrante (blind date), Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Nora Ephron, Jennifer Egan. . .
Where do you get your book recommendations?
I like to follow certain authors, so once I find a book I really like, I’ll start running after them until I either catch up or I’m out of breath. I’m part of a book club, too, and those become my reading priorities. And then I also like the New York Times book review, and whatever flotsam gets kicked up to my phone by the various algorithms tracking my every online move.
If you enjoyed this Reader Profile and are interested in doing one yourself, please contact me at patricia.uttaro (at) libraryweb.org.
Deadly Depths by John F Dobbyn July 24 – August 18, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
The death by bizarre means of his mentor, Professor Barrington Holmes, draws Mathew Shane into the quest of five archeologists, known to each other as “The Monkey’s Paws,” for an obscure object of unprecedented historic and financial value. The suspected murders of others of the Monkey’s Paws follow their pursuit of five clues found in a packet of five ancient parchments. Shane’s commitment to disprove the police theory of suicide by Professor Holmes carries him to the steamy bayous of New Orleans, the backstreets of Montreal, the sunken wreck of a pirate vessel off Barbados, and the city of Maroon descendants of escaped enslaved people in Jamaica. By weaving a thread including the Aztec kingdom before the Spanish conquest of Mexico through the African Ashanti beliefs of Jamaican Maroons and finally to the adventures of Captain Henry Morgan during the Golden Era of Piracy, Shane reaches a conclusion he could never have anticipated.
My Thoughts
As a longtime fan and reader of action-adventure fiction, I don’t know how I’ve missed out on John F. Dobbyn’s work! Deadly Depths is one wild ride, beginning in Boston and ending in a forbidding Jamaican jungle.
All the elements of a pulse-pounding adventure are here – the charismatic protagonist, the mysterious powerful benefactor, the stoic but powerful wingman, the treacherous partners, and above all the fabulous treasure at the end of the quest.
A well-constructed plot, a vivid and engaging narrative (there’s an absolute nightmare of an underwater scene that had me at the edge of my seat!), and a non-stop pace make this one a winner for any reader looking to escape into an adventure for a few hours.
Praise for Deadly Depths:
“Deadly Depths gives readers characters they care about and gets hearts pumping as the mystery and adventure unfold!” ~ Janet Hutchings, Editor, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
“Deadly Depths is an exciting mystery novel that asks who has the right to seek and exploit lost treasures.” ~ Foreword Reviews
Following graduation from Boston Latin School and Harvard College with a major in Latin and Linguistics, three years on active duty as fighter intercept director in the United States Air Force, graduation from Boston College Law School, three years of practice in civil and criminal trial work, and graduation from Harvard Law School with a Master of Laws degree, I began a career as a Professor of Law at Villanova Law School. Twenty-five years ago I began writing mystery/thriller fiction. I have so far had twenty-five short stories published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery magazine, and six mystery thriller novels, the Michael Knight/Lex Devlin series, published by Oceanview Publishing. The second novel, Frame Up, was selected as Foreword Review’s Book of the Year.
Set in 1960s Italy, this stylish, atmospheric debut spins a bewitching web of ruthless ambition, family secrets, and the consequences of forbidden love, as an ambitious American actress snags the starring role in a mysterious horror movie shooting on location in a crumbling medieval castle outside Rome…
Rome, 1965: Aspiring actress Silvia Whitford arrives at Rome’s famed Cinecittà Studios from Los Angeles, ready for her big break and a taste of la dolce vita. Instead, she learns that the movie in which she was cast has been canceled. Desperate for money, Silvia has only one choice: seek out the Italian aunt she has never met.
Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling castello on the edge of a volcanic lake. Silvia’s mother refuses to explain the rift that drove the sisters apart, but Silvia is fascinated by Gabriella, a once-famous actress who still radiates charisma. And the eerie castle inspires Silvia’s second chance when it becomes the location for a new horror movie, aptly named The Revenge of the Lake Witch—and she lands a starring role.
Silvia immerses herself in the part of an ingenue tormented by the ghost of her beautiful, seductive ancestor. But when Gabriella abruptly vanishes, the movie’s make-believe terrors seep into reality. No one else on set seems to share Silvia’s suspicions. Yet as she delves into Gabriella’s disappearance, she triggers a chain of events that illuminate dark secrets in the past—and a growing menace in the present . . .
My Thoughts
2023 is shaping up to be an awesome year for books and this one is no exception. A riveting and rambunctious historical mystery set in a dilapidated castle in 1960s Italy, it has everything – a resourceful but flawed heroine, a sick mother, a feisty and mysterious aunt, a handsome leading man, and a boatload of family secrets.
The writing is neat and engrossing, with plenty of attention to descriptive narrative that beautifully evokes the eeriness and creepiness of the castello, and the character development is spot on. Silvia is a strong, resourceful, realistic protagonist and immensely likable. Her tenaciousness is admirable! The relationship between Silvia’s mother and aunt is also fraught with tension and emotion. Such a good story! Add this one to your summer reading pile.
Advance Praise
“The 1960s in Rome, a crumbling Italian castle on the edge of a volcanic lake, a glamorous aunt she’s never met, and a starring role in a horror movie that begins to feel a bit too real…Kelsey James’s debut novel is a delicious Gothic filled with atmosphere, twists, romance, and dark secrets. Readers will devour it.” – Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin
“Cinematic and spooky…Readers will be swept up in the glamorous—and sometimes grungy—1960s movie scene” – Nicole Baart, bestselling author of Everything We Didn’t Say
“Like Jess Walters’s Beautiful Ruins, the glamour and heady indulgence of the era take center stage in this captivating, multilayered story.” – Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author
Publication Date: July 25, 2023 Published By: Kensington Books Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
Grace Engelbrecht is a public librarian whose home library as a child was the Gates Public Library. Outside of reading, Grace plays co-ed softball, enjoys movies, trivia and board games, and values relaxing days with her husband and son. She loves a good snack, especially popcorn on nights in at home or out at the movies. Grace hopes to finish writing her romance novel someday. Until then…
How do you treat the books you read? Do you make notes in them? Dog-ear the pages? Keep every page (and the spine!) pristine?
I treat my books well; no dog-earring for me! Recently for the first time, I highlighted and annotated a fiction book, which felt wrong and unusual, but I think when I want to peruse through it later, I’ll have notes of what stood out to me.
Do you ever judge a book by its cover? What attracts you to a cover?
Absolutely! I think it’s hard not to. I love covers that are colorful or cutesy or things with bold text. I don’t tend to gravitate towards darker covers.
Where do you get your book recommendations?
I am part of the ‘Bookstagram’ community, bookish posters on Instagram and that’s a lot of fun. I see a lot of great books that I’m interested in, and people are so great about sharing indie recommendations that maybe I wouldn’t have come across otherwise.
What is something you dislike in a book?
I would say the most annoying would be lack of quotation marks on dialogue. In college, we were assigned The Waves by Virginia Woolf, which is a stream of consciousness novel, so the lack of quotation marks makes sense, however the stream would jump from character to character without any text change and I just couldn’t get through it.
What is the funniest book you ever read?
When I was a teenager, I read a British series called The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison. She was a highschooler with many mishaps and embarrassing moments and I remember laughing and snorting out loud when I was reading during homeroom or lunch. I’m not sure if the humor would hold up now, but I really enjoyed those at the time.
You’re on a dating app and all your matches are literary characters. Who do you select?
The ‘classic’ choice would probably be Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice. Most recently, I enjoyed Daniel Grant from Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez and Leon from The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. I love a supportive and sweet book boyfriend.
What book marks a major milestone in your life?
The Doll People by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin is very special to me. It was really the first time I remember reading a chapter book by myself, while being so engrossed in a magical and adventurous story. I read that book five or six times.
Do you have a favorite picture book? What and why?
My favorite picture book as a child was Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, illustrated by Barbara Cooney. It was read to me in school, then I asked for a copy at home. It captures childhood imagination and nostalgia so beautifully. Now, reading to my son, one of my favorites is You Are My I Love You by Maryann K. Cusimano, illustrated by Satome Ichikawa. It’s a poignant rhyming story of a parent and child’s relationship: “I am your water wings; you are my deep. I am your open arms; you are my running leap” is one example of the couplets in that book.
Is there an author or a book that you think is highly overrated? Why?
I think the ‘it’ contemporary author right now is Colleen Hoover. I have listened to two of her books and liked them. However, the obsession going on right now, I don’t quite understand. There are many contemporary romances that are just as well-written, if not more so. I don’t think Hoover is the superstar of romance above all others. She is good, but I wasn’t blown away.
What book would you recommend to heal a broken heart?
This is a tough one. There is some heartbreak in The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams, but the story is hopeful and uplifting. It’s insightfulness into human connection was striking.
What is a favorite quote from a book?
My favorite book is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, so if I were to pick something from that, it would be from Will’s letter: “Live boldy…Push yourself. Don’t settle…Just live well. Just live.” I think given the story, Louisa really needed those words and she was inspired by them. To me, it’s a gentle reminder to make special the ordinary, dive into experiences when I can, and breath into the rest.
An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London.
London, 1944. Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While the world remains at war, in East London, Clara has created the country’s only underground library, built over the tracks in the unused Bethnal Green tube station. Down here, a whole community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theatre offering shelter, solace, and protection from the bombs that fall above.
Along with her glamorous best friend and library assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war rages on, the women’s determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it seems it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.
My Thoughts
This delightful book will give you ALL the feelings. Part romance, part mystery, part feel-good story, it’s got everything. Character development is nicely done, and paired with a sometimes startling and lovely descriptive narrative.
The importance of books is underscored here in a more serious side to the story. History has shown us that, in wartime, libraries and books are often one of the first targets for destruction. Books are dangerous to fascists, despots, and tyrants because they contain ideas and stories of the good and the different and the beauty in the human race, which is a threat to those who wish to conquer.
For the people in this story, books were a lifeline to a country and lifestyle they hoped would not be destroyed, and one they desperately wanted back.
A beautiful reminder of the power of story.
Published By: Grand Central Publishing Publication Date: February 21, 2023 Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
It's All About the Book 