November 24, 2020
Thankful For Family Themes in Literature
I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl: Top Ten Tuesday: Thanksgiving Freebie.
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Families
This year during the Pandemic, most of us have appreciated our families more than ever. We’ve missed visiting them; we’ve missed family celebrations and milestones; we’ve been isolated at home with them; we’ve probably participated in or observed “drive by” parties; and some have lost loved ones during this year.
For this week’s TTT Thanksgiving prompt, my thoughts turn to how thankful I am for family…birth families…found families…blended families…adopted families…extended family…challenging or complicated families…all the families. This post is a collection of stories that focus on family and all its complexities.
*Titles are Amazon affiliate links.
10 Books With Family Themes
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
(Throughout this WW11 historical fiction novel, the family is an important underlying theme; I especially love the poignant ending in this story!)
My 5 star review of We Were the Lucky Ones here.
A Place For Us by Fatima Faheen Mirza
(A complicated, multi-generational family drama…on my lifetime favs list)
My 5+ star review of A Place For Us here.
All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penney
(Family themes run deep in this latest installment of the Inspector Gamache series)
My 5 star review of All the Devils Are Here here.
The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
(Family loyalty in this heart-wrenching, histfic Vietnamese story is compelling)
My review of The Mountains Sing here.
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
(A DNA discovery complicates relationships in this close family)
My review of Inheritance here.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (YA)
(A complicated and poignant story of discovered family)
My review of Clap when You Land here.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
(The compelling story of a family troubled by addiction and mental illness)
My 5 star review of Transcendent Kingdom here.
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
(A heartfelt story of found family)
My review of The Story of Arthur Truluv here.
More to the Story by Hena Khan (MG)
(A modern retelling of Little Women from a Pakistani-American perspective…perfect mother/daughter read aloud with your middle-grade reader)
My Goodreads review of More to the Story here.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (MG)
(A lighthearted, fun, and heartfelt family story….perfect for a read aloud with middle grade readers)
….and so many more!
QOTD!
Do you love a book with family themes?
Do you have a rec to add to this list?
ICYMI:
My Year in NonFiction #nonficnov 2020
Fiction and Nonfiction Book Pairings #nonficnov 2020
Play the Expert: Memoirs and Biographies #nonficnov 2020
Adding Nonfiction Titles To My TBR #nonficnov 2020
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Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.
The book covers are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.
© ReadingLadies.com
Some interesting books. https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/11/time-to-count-blessings.html
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Thanks for commenting and leaving your link! Hopping over now to read your post!
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I just put The Story of Arthur Truluv on the list of options for my first book club meeting with my grandma. Great list!
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I hope you enjoy it Kayla! By the way, your MMD postal book club book should reach you any day now!
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Aww, what a nice list.
My post.
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Thank you! 🙌😍
By the way, did you know that your name doesn’t link back to your blog?
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The seven sisters by Lucinda Riley. I do like that family dynamic as well! We were the lucky ones is on my TBR and The story of Arthur Truluv just caught my eye.
Lovely choices!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Elza is grateful for
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Thanks for the rec and for commenting! I’m hopping over to read your post now!
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I love this twist on the topic! Families are important and I love when they’re well-represented in fiction. I’ve only read a couple of these books, so I definitely need to check out the others.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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Thanks for commenting and I’m happy to hear we share a love of family stories! Hopping over to read your post now!
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Thank you for sharing this lovely list of books with family themes. I enjoyed The Vanderbeekers.
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Vanderbeekers is such a fun family and story! Thanks for commenting! I’m hopping over to read your post!
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Inheritance was a good read.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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Yes it was interesting! Thanks for commenting and leaving your link! I’m hopping over now!
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Wow I haven’t heard of any of these! In fantasy some of my favorite families are (found) families, like Harry Potter, The Diminished and it’s sequel, the one Blake just reviewed because the protagonist was adopted by like everybody, even The Golden Compass books where Lira is also adopted by like everybody. I really don’t read much general fiction 😦
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Found families are special! I don’t read fantasy so I appreciate your insights here! 🙌😍
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I read The Mountains Sing. Wow, powerful read and such loyalty within the family!
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Yes it was an unforgettable story!
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These are great! Several books I’ve read lately have had strong themes of found family rather than just family. The Wild Path was one of my favorites recently that featured family.
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Thanks for the rec! I’ll check it out Brandy!
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Not sure how into middle grade you are but it was a really good book 😍
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I love love a great MG read!
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Athena & I both reviewed it 5 stars 😻
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Yay! Good to know!
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I’ll be honest I read a lot of fantasy books, so 90% of the time, the protagonists don’t have families! The found family trope is one of my favourites though, I love it when friends in fantasy books come together and form their own little families.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/24/top-ten-tuesday-291/
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I love found family! 😍🙌 Thanks for leaving your post link….hopping over now!
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Thanks!
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I love books dealing with family. Of course you have a list full of books I haven’t read yet. I do have a few on my TBR though. Off to goodreads to check some of them out.
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Hope you find some good ones Carla! 🙌
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That is a nice twist to the topic. I have a post about Thanksgiving tomorrow so didn’t want to repeat myself. But I love your idea.
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Thanks! 😍
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Pingback: November 2020 Reading Wrap Up | Reading Ladies
I love the found family trope!
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Yes! Yes! So heartwarming! 😍😍😍
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