Welcome to April and springtime...and I'd like to say a few words about my mother, Roma Shalin, who just passed away on March 26, from Leukemia, at age 88. My mom is the one responsible for my lifelong love of books, as she began reading to me when I was just a baby. She would read to me every night before bedtime, and sometimes before naptime during the day. Then, when I showed interest in learning how to read myself, she shepherded me through the alphabet and the whole process of reading when I was 4 years old. By the time I started kindergarten a year later, I was well ahead of my classmates in learning my letters and reading comprehension. My kindergarten teacher, a lovely young woman who died of cancer unexpectedly, noted in my school files that I was a very bright child whom she felt would do extremely well throughout my school career, and she was right. And I owe it all to my wonderful mom, who shared my love of the printed word. In her later years, mom read a lot of cozy mysteries featuring kitty cats and female sleuths. She was also a fan of reading newspapers and doing the crosswords. She was a nurse for 43 years, and atheist, and a beautiful woman, inside and out. Rest in peace, and without pain, dear mom. I love you and miss you so much, already.
I lived in St Pete for years, and loved the fact that it sported several iconic bookstores. It sounds like this new one will be a big hit.
Pages
& Perks Bookstore & More Coming to St. Petersburg, Fla.
Pages & Perks Bookstore & More,
"a family-friendly bookstore with events, desserts, mocktails,
beer and wine," is opening this summer at 914 Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. St. South in St. Petersburg, Fla., I Love the Burg reported. Pages and Perks is in the
process of renovations and designinside the 1,600-square-foot space. As
the bookstore prepares, it will continue to host pop-ups at various St.
Pete events and festivals.
Kate Johnson, owner with her husband,
Ben Johnson, said the bookstore will carry everything from young adult
and children's books to graphic novels, sci-fi, thrillers, horror,
fantasy, and adult romance. In addition, the store will host events
and offer a range of desserts and mocktails by Curious Elixirs, as well
as an assortment of wines and local beer.
The owners envision a space where
locals can linger: "Pages and Perks isn't being designed as a place where
you run in, grab a book, and leave. If that's your style, we won't
hold it against you, but Pages and Perks is prepared to offer you so much
more than just a transaction. It will be a welcoming space where we
encourage you to hang out, get to know the owners and the community. In a
world that's becoming more digital, the ability to sit down with a
book and escape with us for a little while is a much-needed break."
I love Billy Porter and his iconic style! I wish that I lived near NYC for events like these.
Image
of the Day: Billy Porter at Barnes & Noble UWS
Barnes & Noble on Manhattan's Upper
West Side hosted Billy Porter for his picture book Songbird in the Light
(Abrams Books for Young Readers), written with Chris Clarkson and
illustrated by Charly Palmer. Porter was in conversation with director
Jerry Mitchell; the two longtime friends worked together on Kinky Boots.
They chatted for 45 minutes and then Porter did a photo op with guests.
I love the fact that Seattle and surrounding areas (I live in a community that is 35 miles south of Seattle) are committed to keeping the indie bookstore dream alive, especially with events like these.
SIBD Goes for Gold with 33 Stores
Seattle-area
bookstores are once again staging Seattle Independent Bookstore Day, which this year
challenges book lovers to visit all 33 participating stores (during
the 10 days between April 25 and May 4). The prize is a "bookstore
day champion stamp card," good for a one-time 25% discount at
each of the 33 stores. Those who visit at least five stores receive a
single 25% discount card good at one of the 33 stores.
To fund its activities, the
organization is selling official SIBD T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies
designed by Stephen Crowe of Third Place Books on Bonfire.
I've had to email my friend Roger, who lives in Des Moines, about the expanding bookstore in a suburb of Des Moines that has always been a bit fancy (and expensive) called Beaverdale. Hopefully he will go and suss out the situation there and get back to me.
Beaverdale
Books Expanding in Des Moines, Iowa
Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa, will expand into an adjacent
storefront this spring, Axios reported. The expansion will add about
500 square feet, allowing for more inventory and larger events; per
co-owner Hunter Gillum, the store's seating capacity will nearly double to 60.
Gillum noted that Beaverdale Books has
owned the space it will be expanding into for a few years already,
but used it for storage or as an occasional sublet. The store took the
opportunity to expand after the most recent tenant left in January.
"It's perfectly timed,"
Gillum told Axios. "A new layout, a new space. It's just kind of fun." Located at 2629 Beaver Ave., Beaverdale
Books will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Gillum
expects the new addition to be ready later this spring.
This sounds like a fascinating movie about a bookstore owner...I hope that it is made well and does well on Amazon streaming services.
Movies:
The Marriage Bargain
20th Century Studios has acquired film
rights to The Marriage Bargain, Jennifer Probst's bestselling romantic
comedy novel, with Laura Lekkos (Relationship Goals) adapting the
screenplay. Deadline reported that the project "is notable in that it
represents the first outing for Premeditated Productions, the
production arm of Entangled Publishing co-founded by producer Sheryl Clark
(The Gorge) and Entangled CEO and publisher Liz Pelletier, outside of a
first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios whose productivity recently led
to a five-year extension."
The Marriage Bargain "follows a
bookstore owner who enters a marriage of convenience with a billionaire to save
her family home, only to find the strict terms of their arrangement in
jeopardy when real feelings between them emerge," Deadline noted.
Cayla Tyne will oversee for Premeditated, with Sarah Shepard overseeing for 20th
Century.
Warrior, Princess, Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer is a romantasy action/adventure novel that doesn't really have any spice until the final chapter of the novel, but once it gets going, its a steam-train of hot and sweaty passion! Here's the blurb:
Fates collide and passions ignite in author Brigid Kemmerer’s steamy adult fantasy debut about
three characters torn between chasing, betraying, and craving each
other: a princess caught between duty and desire, the fearsome warrior
king she’s promised to, and the assassin tasked with hunting them down.
WARRIOR.
King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation
on the battlefield, but now his land is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance
to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring
nation of Astranza, and hope that their royal family’s power to
manipulate the weather will help his kingdom flourish once more. He just
needs to ensure no one finds out how this blaze began.
PRINCESS.
With enemies advancing on Astranza, Princess Jory’s home needs the
protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous
secret: her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her
duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that
she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is
surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a
compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what
will he do when he realizes she’s deceiving him?
ASSASSIN. Asher’s
done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands
dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory
caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing
much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say
no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Jory and Ky dead. With
the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to
protect the woman he loves and the maddening king who keeps getting
under his skin.
Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.
SPOILER! So the tea here is that the three main characters end up forming a "throuple" and having a three way sexual experience, with Jory being the only woman and instigator of the whole thing. While I love representation in novels of people on the LGBTQ spectrum, I felt that the male characters didn't really get more than a shallow veneer of gay representation, during the threesome, while we're left wondering what exactly Jory's sexual orientation is, other than not being able to make up her mind between loving two guys, one she grew up with and the other her royal fiance, whom it turns out isn't really a bad guy after all. I wasn't terribly fond of the politics of this book, but the author didn't get too deeply into it, and focused instead on the love triangle. The magic system is pretty beige, and the plot somewhat predictable, but BK's prose keeps the novel chugging along at a swift pace that will keep most readers going until the wee hours. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who likes unique sexual situations and adaptable characters.
Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg is a beautifully rendered book of contemporary fiction that has a lot of epistolary chapters filled with profound and poignant insights. Here's the blurb: A warm, intimate novel that reminds us of the richness that can be found all throughout our lives—by the author of The Story of Arthur Truluv and Open House
As
ninety-two-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene nears the end of her life,
she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her,
describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes
on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will
leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a
matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life
she has lived emerges.
The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but
it turns out to do much more than that: ultimately, it will transform
Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take
herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her
impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her
own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now,
and as long as she's going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a
blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to
make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a
full life has led her to understand.
Full of Elizabeth Berg's characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, Life: A Love Story
is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you're
alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably
follow.
I was reading this book as my own mother, who was 88, was dying, and I kept wishing that I could share it with her. Unfortunately, toward the end, she was given liquid morphine and was unable to stay awake long enough to read anything, which is sad because reading was one of her lifelong pleasures. Flo was a woman of her time, jotting down ideas and helpful hints to her friend Ruthie (oddly enough, my mother had a gal who grew up on a farm next to hers named Ruthie, who was her friend for decades until she passed away 15 or so years ago) and trying to let Ruthie know about Flo's life and loves, her happiness and regrets. A number of people who grew up during the Great Depression and the second World War felt the need to turn to religion to find meaning in their lives, and while the novel didn't turn preachy, I was saddened to think that my mother would have rejected the book because of its mentions of religion and church, since she was an atheist. Anyway, this short volume packs a philosophical punch, and is by turns funny and sweet. I'd give it a B, and recommend it to anyone who is interested in end of life summations that don't drag or become pedantic.
The Ruins Beneath Us by Sasha E. Sloan is a beautifully created novel with a gorgeous cover design and painted blue edges. It's a YA romantasy that has the whole "fish out of water" trope going for it, with little twists and turns that keep it interesting. Here's the blurb: She saved the prince. Now she must survive his world.
Lyria
and her mother have been on the run from the human kingdom of Verdinae
for as long as she can remember. She’s an elf born with magic—a double
offence in a kingdom determined to eradicate both. Under her mother’s
watchful protection, Lyria learns the rules that keep her alive: stay
inside, stay hidden, stay safe, and above all stay calm, lest her magic flair out of control.
But
when she finds a human boy being attacked by a deadly monster in the
forest, Lyria risks everything by using magic to save him. She doesn’t
expect his broken body to survive, and she definitely doesn’t expect him to be the crown prince.
Offered
a position at the palace as the royal apothecary, Lyria seizes the
chance to step into the light and prove to her mother she can control
her unwieldly magic. But Verdinae is not the paradise it at first seems.
The nobles are ruthless, the secrets are deadly, and Cygnus—the
brooding royal healer—seems determined to expose Lyria’s every flaw. As
she navigates a world of glittering gowns, deadly secrets, and stolen
kisses, Lyria must keep her identity hidden. . . even from the prince
who’s falling for her.
But beneath the palace lies a darkness far
more dangerous than any secret. And when Lyria and Cygnus uncover a
hidden world that could change everything, she must decide who to trust
and how much she’s willing to risk for a love that was never meant to
be.
Its always interesting to me how the young men in YA romantic fiction are nearly always jerks who treat the female protagonist like dirt, yet she falls for them anyway. Ugh. I just don't buy the "he's too hot to resist" trope in these books, and how "love" seems to conquer all the evildoings of the male characters, because the female protagonist is suddenly a spineless weakling due to her burgeoning feelings for the guys (there's usually a love triangle). I refuse to believe that young woman can't be in control of their hormones or feelings, and therefore they get dragged into whatever drama the guy or guys have going on. Still, there were a number of unexpected turns in the plot that kept the story fresh. I'd give it a B- and recommend it to anyone who is enchanted with healers and elves.
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson is at once a courtroom drama a Southern thriller that is well written and expertly plotted. Its un-put-downable, and yet manages to keep the reader fascinated from the first chapter to the last. Here's the blurb: Academy Award winning actress Viola Davis and the world's #1 bestselling author James Patterson’s Judge Stone “delivers
first-class courtroom drama, small-town excitement, and strong
characters all wrapped in a moral dilemma. Tense, readable, and
relevant.” (Kirkus Reviews)
All rise... for Judge Stone.
The most respected citizen in Union Springs, Alabama (population
3,314), is Judge Mary Stone. She holds two responsibilities sacred:
running her family farm and presiding over her courtroom. It's there she
draws the most controversial case in the history of the South.
Criminally, it’s open-and-shut.
Ethically, there is no middle ground. Essentially, it’s a choice between life and death.
No judge can satisfy everyone. It would be dangerous to try. But Judge
Stone is willing to fight to bring justice to the people and place she
loves.
I've been a fan of Viola Davis since her star turn on How to Get Away With Murder. She's one of those adaptable actresses who can enact Shakespeare and then go on to working in a blockbuster movie without batting an eyelash. Who knew she was also a talented writer? This novel has a ton of racial trauma and tension, as well as showing the profound misogyny toward female judges in the South (especially women of color). There's also (SPOILER) a inspection of how women/girls who are raped are mistreated by the system, and how the misogynistic laws against abortion, even in instances of rape and incest, are deadly for young women in the South, who often don't have anywhere to turn after sexual abuse when they become pregnant. Having been through something similar, Judge Stone is able to walk the tightrope between racism/sexism and justice for the abortion doctor and the 13 year old girl who had the abortion after being gang raped. This is a book that will definitely make you think, no matter what side of the argument you're on. The ending was splendid, and the book itself a page-turner. I'd give it an A-, and recommend it to anyone who likes courtroom drama and stories that deal with racial justice for women.
The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom is a historical women's fiction novel that allows for the middle-aged female protagonist to grow and change when she moves to a Greek Island to escape her nasty narcissist husband and her awful mother. Here's the blurb: A beautiful and escapist novel full of heart, for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and readers who love book club fiction.
For sale: Greek cottage. One euro.
Skye
MacKinnon is desperate for an escape. When she wins a lottery to buy a
run-down cottage on a Greek island for only one euro, Skye jumps at the
chance to get out of England and start over. As she unlocks the tattered
blue door of her whitewashed new cottage, the sun-kissed sea glinting
in the bay outside her windows, Skye immediately feels like she’s found
her true home.
Skye and the other lottery winners—the first
residents in these houses since the 1940s—form a tight-knit group,
finding in one another the strong relationships they’d been missing in
their own lives. When Skye and local contractor Andreas find a set of
mysterious letters, they begin to unravel the history of the prior
residents, and the truth about life on Folegandros during World War II.
Sweeping, escapist, and full of heart, The House of Hidden Letters
reminds us of the importance of human connection. Izzy Broom has
written a poignant and hopeful novel for those who have found love and
family in unexpected places.
I loved the fact that Skye was able to find the gumption to leave her horrible husband and escape to start her own life in Greece, but when confronted with her husband's return, she regresses into a childish coward who relies on the man that she met on the Island (who is renovating her cottage) to make sure her soon to be ex doesn't steal her away and enslave her again. I wanted her to save herself (she's middle aged, for crying out loud! Grow a spine!) and to tell the people from her old life to f-off so she can begin her life anew. I enjoyed the letters that she found and the story that unfolded from those, but that whole scenario seemed just a bit too convenient. Still, it was an interesting novel, with decent prose and a plot that had a few holes and moved along at a sedate pace, but was still worth it, in the end. I'd give it a B-, and recommend it to any woman who seeks to escape an untenable situation and start her life over.
Gorgon With the Wind by Devon Monk was a funny and fascinating cozy fantasy novel by the author of the Ordinary Oregon series, which I've read and enjoyed tremendously. Here's the blurb: A hilarious, cozy, magic-packed whodunit by Devon Monk
Come for the wacky festivals…stay for the murders…
Medusa, (yes, that Medusa)
is done with heroes and heartache. From now on, her life is going to be
filled with plenty of books, tea, and solitude. But when an unexpected
favor takes her to Ordinary, Oregon—the quirky little beach town with
vacationing gods, a bossy Valkyrie, and a book club run by Death—she
quickly discovers the town might have a slight murder problem.
Accused
of killing a local, Medusa teams up with her new friends—Jules, a witch
who’s lost her way, and Piper, a psychic unsure of her powers—to clear
her name.
But with time running out, it’s going to take all of
their wits, will, and magic to find the killer before the festival
crowds fade away, taking the clues and the killer with them.
Though it's short, this book packs a lot of mystery and fun inbetween its covers. I read it all in one sitting, which isn't unusual for books by Devon Monk (I've read all of her series, except for the hockey stories), but here some of my favorite characters from Ordinary, including Thannos the god of Death and the Delaney sisters make an appearance and help solve the crime that poor Medusa is accused of committing. It was fun to get a POV of a gorgon who can turn people or animals to stone with a look (but doesn't want to, and wears hats to cover her head of snakes and glasses to keep her eyes from turning everyone she meets into a statue), while still understanding her need to relocate to somewhere isolated where she won't have to hide her "curse" 24/7. Monk's prose is bouncy and her plots sizzle with excitement. I'd give this short but sassy ebook an A, and recommend it to anyone seeking a fresh take on classic myths.
