The Night of Many Endings [Book Review] #BlogTour

October 20, 2021

The Night of Many Endings by Melissa Payne

The Night of Many Endings by Melissa Payne (cover) Image: white text over a background of shelved books

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Colorado, Drug Addiction, Public Library

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Welcome to my stop on the Let’s Talk Books Tour. Thanks #NetGalley #LetsTalkBooksPromo @LetsTalkBooksPromo @Getredprbooks @AmazonPublishing (Lake Union) for a complimentary eARC of #TheNightOfManyEndings by @MelissaPayne_writes upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Let's Talk Books (text plus a stack of three books inside a quote bubble

Nora Martinez is a kind and compassionate librarian in the small Colorado community of Silver Ridge. Nora has a heart for the homeless population and after work she can be found delivering blankets, coats, and food to those sleeping on city benches. She welcomes the homeless into the library to use the restroom, treats them compassionately, believes in second chances, and tries to learn their names.  Nora finds great comfort herself working in the library, and it becomes her home away from home. One reason she works tirelessly on behalf of the homeless is the concern she has for her brother who is living on the streets and is addicted to drugs. If she can’t help him, maybe she can help others. One night, a blizzard hits the small town and Nora and four others are stranded in the library overnight. As the storm rages outside, Nora and the patrons struggle to keep warm and to share their personal stories.

My Thoughts:

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Don’t be a Stranger: How to Make Connections in the Book Blogging Community [ReBlog] [GuestPost]

A HUGE shoutout to Eleanor @ notsomoderngirl for asking me to guest post! I enjoyed thinking and writing about this topic and I hope you will find my thoughts helpful!

Not-So-Modern Girl

This is a guest post written by Carol from the Reading Ladies blog. Find out more about her at the end of the post!

One of the first blogging lessons to be learned was also my greatest challenge: I needed a Community; I desired to make connections and find my people. I knew for certain that no one can blog in isolation, but the solution intimidated me.

I’m an introvert. I’m a reader, not a talker. I love cancelled plans so that I can stay home and read. I’m never lonely because I always have a book. These self-descriptors don’t set me up for making online connections. I also had fears: what if I attract creepers or someone makes a mean or negative comment?

How Did I Move From Frozen to Connected?

To be successful as a book blogger, I knew I had to extend myself, take chances, and…

View original post 967 more words

Is a Balanced Reading Life Important? #NationalBookMonth #LetsDiscuss2021

October 15, 2021

Is a Balanced Reading Life Important?

Is a Balanced Reading Life Important? (white text over a picture of a hand balancing a miniature book on an index finger)

Image Source: Pixabay

October is National Book Month

National Book Month

All through the year there are many occasions to celebrate books and reading!

National Book Month is held each October.
The month-long celebration focuses on the importance of reading, writing and literature.

To celebrate, I’m asking a bookish question… or two….

2021 discussion challenge graphic (a blue bird and red fox and wall clock and stack of books graphic)

I’m linking up with Discussion Challenge 2021.

Let’s Discuss!

  • Do you have a balanced reading life?
  • Do you think a reader needs a balanced reading life?
  • What is a balanced reading life?
  • Is a balanced reading life important?
  • What are the benefits of a balanced reading life?
  • What do you do to balance your reading life?

***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

10 Reasons For a Balanced Reading Life:

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The Things We Cannot Say [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

October 14, 2021

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
#throwbackthursday

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Poland, WW11, Love Story, Family Life

In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing a heartfelt and poignant story, The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“From the age of nine, Alina has been in love with her best friend Tomasz. At fifteen and engaged to Tomasz, Alina and her neighbors discount the rumors of Nazi soldiers at the Polish border, and she spends her time dreaming of her wedding. Tomasz is in college in Warsaw when the Nazis occupy Poland. While Alina and Tomasz briefly lose touch, Alina and her family’s efforts are focused on survival. In the present-day timeline, Alina is in a convalescent home in the U. S. recovering from a stroke and convincing her granddaughter that she must make a trip to Poland in her place and visit certain sites. The granddaughter, Alice, is leading a stressful life with two special needs children and an unsatisfactory marriage, but she feels compelled to honor her grandmother’s request. In dual timelines, Alice visits her grandmother, makes plans to visit Poland, and actually makes the trip, while the WW11 timeline involving Alina and Tomasz progresses. Readers find out what eventually happens to Alina and Tomasz as Alice meets the Polish family and unravels Alina’s most closely guarded secrets.”

Engaging…memorable…page-turning…and emotional!

Continue here for my full review of The Things We Cannot Say…

QOTD:

Have you read The Things We Cannot Say or is it on your TBR?

Ten Favorite Book Settings #TopTenTuesday #LetsDiscuss2021

October 12, 2021

Ten Favorite Book Settings

10 Favorite Book Settings (white text over a field of wild flowers)

Top Ten Tuesday (meme)

I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl for TTT: Ten Favorite Book Settings …

2021 discussion challenge graphic (a blue bird and red fox and wall clock and stack of books graphic)

…and I’m also linking up with the 2021 Discussion Challenge for October.

***This post contains Amazon affiliate links

Do you have a favorite book setting?

Do you love a strong sense of place?

My VERY FAVORITE setting is ANYWHERE a MEMORABLE story takes place!

In the following memorable and unforgettable stories, I can immediately and vividly recall the setting (the time and place) of the story. The setting becomes as important as the story.

Setting: A Bookshop

Many of my favorite stories take place in bookshops! A recent favorite is The Last Bookshop in London.

Setting: An Unusual Location

The Woman With the Blue Star takes place in the sewer system of Warsaw, Poland.

Setting: A Beach

Castle of Water takes place on a beach as two plane crash survivors attempt to survive and desperately hope for rescue.

Setting: Atmospheric or Strong Sense of Place

The swamp setting in Where the Crawdads Sing comes to mind when I think of atmospheric settings. Also, unforgettably atmospheric is the dust bowl setting in Out of the Dust.

Setting: Long, Long Ago

The time and place when Shakespeare and his family lived are vividly described in Hamnet.

Setting: Small Village or Small Town

I love the small town community in The Printed Letter Bookshop (also a bookshop setting)

and Gander, Newfoundland is an amazing small community in The Day the World Came to Town (NF)

Setting: the Site of a Disaster

The Nature of Fragile Things (earthquake)

Surviving Savannah (shipwreck)

A Fall of Marigolds (New York City)

The Only Plane in the Sky (NF; New York City)

Setting: Local (or somewhere I’ve been)

Other settings that are so fun are settings that I know well in real life. Two examples are The Beautiful Strangers (Coronado, the Hotel Del Coronado) and Dakota: A Spiritual Geography (prairies of South Dakota).

Setting: Rural

I love a rural setting and one that’s especially memorable is the rural mountains of Kentucky found in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

Setting: A Diverse Setting

One more setting I enjoy is one that is culturally different from my own. Some examples include The Firekeeper’s Daughter (Ojibwe reservation), The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters (India), Clap When You Land (Dominican Republic), Born a Crime (South Africa), The Girl With the Louding Voice (Nigeria), The Girl With Seven Names (North Korea/China/South Korea), The Island of Sea Women (Korean Island of Jeju), Amal Unbound (Pakistan), The Hate U Give (streets of L.A.), and The Peal That Broke Its Shell (Afghanistan).

QOTD:

What is your favorite setting?
Please share your favorite setting in comments!

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

Let’s Get Social!

Thank you for visiting and reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along (see subscribe or follow option), promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.

Find me at:
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***Blogs posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and/or author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

© ReadingLadies.com

Why You Need to Fail [Book Excerpt]

October 8, 2021

Why You Need to Fail by Jake Kneeland

Why You Need to Fail by Jake Kneeland (cover) Image: black and white text over a background of steep mountain peaks

Genre/Categories: Nonfiction, Self-help

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Amazon Summary:

“Do you feel like you are coasting through life? Are you struggling to find meaning after countless mistakes and the circumstances they put you in? Do you feel completely lost? Everything changes the moment we discover why we went through the turbulent times. How exactly do we find the answer? Join author Jake Kneeland as he guides you through Why You Need To Fail – a roadmap to rediscovering your purpose, energy, and vibrancy for life. Inside you will find moments of transformation, step by step techniques, and the momentum you’ve unleashed by removing previously held self-limiting beliefs. Are you ready? Grab a journal and pen and begin. A better understanding is at your fingertips. There’s no time to waste!”

***Full disclosure: Jake Kneeland is a member of my extended family. I’m choosing to highlight his self-published book today because I’ve observed his journey and know that this book is an authentic reflection of his personal experience and that he has important insights to share. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Jake!

Excerpts:

(provided by the author)

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The Water Dancer [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

October 7, 2021

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
#throwbackthursday

The Water Dancer review

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, African-American, Slavery, Underground Railroad

In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing a thought provoking and compelling story, The Water Dancer by Na-Hehisi Coates.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“The Water Dancer tells the engaging and powerful story of Hiram Walker who is born into slavery and who has a mysterious and magical power. He is compelled to leave his home and adopted mother as he follows his rebellious spirit and searches for freedom. Hiram connects with the Underground Railroad, masters his mysterious power, and seeks to return home on his own terms to rescue his adopted mother and his love interest.”

A powerful story with page-turning action…

Continue here for my full review of The Water Dancer…

QOTD:

Have you read The Water Dancer or is it on your TBR?

Ten Bookish Pet Peeves #TopTenTuesday #LetsDiscuss2021

October 5, 2021

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Bookish Pet Peeves

10 Bookish Pet Peeves

Background Image Source: Canva

top ten tuesday

I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl: Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Pet Peeves!

2021 discussion challenge graphic (a blue bird and red fox and wall clock and stack of books graphic)

I’m also linking up with the October 2021 Discussion Challenge.

Yes. I do have bookish pet peeves!
They do affect my reading experiences!

Do you have bookish pet peeves? Do we share any pet peeves?

I realize that these are only my personal preferences and opinions and you may or may not agree. That’s OK. Reading is a personal experience.

*Reviews are linked as available (and may contain Amazon affiliate links).

Bookish Pet Peeves

(in the general order of their annoyance factor)

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The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady [Book Review] #BlogTour

October 4, 2021

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragón

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon Mondragon (cover) a ball of yarn and two silver knitting needles

Genre/Categories: Christian Comtemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Friendship, Prayer, Ministry

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Out of your comfort zone and into the mall!

Thanks #NetGalley @KregelBooks and the I Read With Audra Blog Tour for a complimentary eARC of #TheUnlikelyYarnOfTheDragonLady upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry consists of four women (Controlling Margaret, Positive Rose, Hurting Jane, and Lonely Fran) who meet weekly in the lovely and quiet Prayer Chapel of their church to knit shawls for the prayer shawls ministry. When the pastor announces that the prayer chapel is being painted and they will need to find another place to sit and knit, he suggests they knit out in public somewhere like the local mall. Grumpy and difficult-to-love Margaret vehemently resists the idea of knitting in the mall with all its distractions. However, the others are open to the idea. After they get kicked out of the bookstore cafe (for never ordering anything), they find a satisfactory place to knit using the comfortable seating display in front of Macy’s department store. And, yes, there are distractions and encounters with the people they meet taking them out of their comfort zones in many ways.

My Thoughts:

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Crying in H Mart [Book Review]

October 1, 2021

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (cover) black and white text on a red backbround

Genre/Categories: Nonfiction, Memoir, Korean-American, Grief, Mothers/Daughters, Family Life

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Michelle Zauner shares about her Korean-American family, her childhood and young adult years, bonding over food, her relationship with her mother, and the grief of losing her mother to cancer.

My Thoughts:

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