I realized today that my literary journey updates have been as rare as a unicorn sighting this year. Between the big move and business whirlwind, reading time at home has been scarce. Thankfully, my flights have turned into my little reading retreats.
So, here are the two books I’ve recently devoured, bringing my yearly total to a magnificent seven.
My book # 6 was The Story Collector by Evie Gaughan
| Genre: | Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction |
| Author: | Evie Gaughan |
| Originally Published: | 2018 |
| Print Length: | 376 pages |
Book Summary:
A captivating and enigmatic historical romance from the author of The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris. Thornwood Village, 1910: Anna, a young farm girl, offers to assist an intriguing American visitor, Harold Griffin-Krauss, in translating ‘fairy stories’ from Irish to English. However, things are not as straightforward as they appear, and Anna quickly finds herself entangled in a mystery that could jeopardize her community and her way of life.
Fast forward one hundred years, and Sarah Harper, enchanted by myths, folklore, and superstition, retraces the steps of Harold and Anna, uncovering dark secrets that both fascinate and unsettle her. The Story Collector delicately balances the everyday with the supernatural, exploring the visible and the invisible. Evie Gaughan’s latest novel weaves magical realism into the fabric of ordinary life, offering readers a rich tapestry of characters with extraordinary stories. Ideal for fans of Jess Kidd and Eowyn Ivey.
My Review:
I am a passionate reader of diverse genres, with a particular fondness for fairy-themed novels. Indeed, a touch of magic is something we could all use! This story masterfully intertwines past and present, spirit and flesh, folklore and ‘reality.’ It’s like a breath of fresh air, transporting you to another dimension. The writing is exquisite, and the conclusion of the last chapter left me gasping, closing my eyes, and smiling.
Some of My Favorite Paragraphs:
‘Above Erin, hovers a halo of romance, strangeness and of mysticism. Feel isolation, rest, wander, listen to the ocean winds, linger, lost in the mists. When there are dark days and stormy nights, sit beside a blazing fire of fragrant peat in a peasant’s straw-thatched cottage listening to tales of Ireland’s golden age – Gods, heroes, ghosts and fairy-folk. Then you will know Ireland and why its people believe in fairies.’
‘If we lose our stories,’ he wrote ‘we lose our selves.’
‘Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.’
‘Grief is like a hard lump inside of you,’ she said this tapping her gut. ‘It will stay there, hard like a rock, unless you begin working to soften it.’
‘It will never go away completely, but instead of a hardness, it can become a tenderness. Your heart will make room for your memories and you won’t be afraid of them any more.’
‘Life was like a great painting; if you only focused on one part, you would miss the full picture.’
My book # 7 was The Society of Shame by Jane Raper
| Genre: | Satire, Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction |
| Author: | Jane Roper |
| Originally Published: | April 2023 |
| Print Length: | 362 pages |
Book Summary:
In this timely and witty blend reminiscent of So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed and Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, a viral photo capturing a politician’s wife’s “feminine hygiene malfunction” thrusts her into unwanted fame. This story offers a satirical look at social media stardom and internet activism, while also weaving a touching mother-daughter narrative.
Kathleen Held’s life takes a chaotic turn when she returns home to find her house ablaze and her husband, clad only in his underwear, on the front lawn. The scandal isn’t just that Bill, who is campaigning for Senate, is having an affair with a young staffer. Instead, it’s that a witness photographing the scene accidentally captures a period stain on the back of Kathleen’s pants.
Suddenly, Kathleen becomes the unwitting face of a social media-driven women’s rights movement, #YesWeBleed. Mortified, she searches for a way to escape the spotlight. She soon discovers the Society of Shame, a group led by the notorious author Danica Bellevue, composed of individuals seeking to rebuild their lives post-scandal. Leveraging the society’s teachings, Kathleen transforms her newfound notoriety into a tool for personal gain and empowerment. However, her rising obsession with online fame begins to jeopardize her most significant real-life relationship: the one with her budding activist daughter, Aggie.
The Society of Shame is a hilarious and heartfelt journey through the realms of politics and the dangers of being “extremely online,” all while striving to maintain one’s sanity and true identity.
My Review:
I’m not particularly fond of social media, and if it weren’t for my job, I’d probably be even less active online—except for my blog, of course. This book brilliantly portrays various facets of today’s social media landscape, capturing the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. It highlights how social media can both harm one’s mental well-being and catapult others to fame, offering a comprehensive look at its impact.
If you find yourself caught in the whirlwind of social media, I highly recommend giving this book a read.
That’s all for now! I’m already diving into book number eight, but that’s a tale for another time.
Happy Readings!
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