August 7, 2020
*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
My focus-challenged COVID brain craves lighter reads recently. Does yours?
Carla @ Carla Loves to Read suggested these two authors that were just right! So, in the event that you might be looking for some lighter women’s fiction at the moment, here are five suggestions! (I’ve also linked to Carla’s reviews)
June 19, 2018
*Linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books to Read By the Pool or Ocean. If you’ve clicked over from there, Welcome Book Buddies! Thanks for stopping in. I’d love to hear in comments what you’re reading by the pool or ocean this summer.
As an avid reader, I think that any book you take to read by the water is a pool or ocean read. It doesn’t necessarily need to be light even though that’s what many readers think of when grabbing a book for vacation. “Fluffy” or “Beach Reads” are typically not my favorite genre. Once in a while I find some light (or beach) reads that are somewhat substantial. Listed below are some lighter reads I can recommend. (in no particular order) Titles are Amazon links.
I often think of this story when readers ask me to recommend a vacation read. It’s purely escapist, beautifully written, with a bit of romance and a “castaways” theme. I would not recommend it while flying because the story begins with a plane crash!
I seldom read chick lit, but I was tempted by these because of many favorable reviews.
The first, Love Walked In, I rated the lowest because it was wordy and packed with too many literary and movie references for my taste. However, it does introduce the characters for the series. Of the three, it’s my least favorite, but it has received rave reviews and it’s popular with many readers.
Belong to Me is better written in my opinion and told from three perspectives. I loved the theme of belonging, “drawing a wider circle,” and creating a welcoming home.
I’ll Be Your Blue Sky is my favorite of the three because it brings in some historical fiction elements and has a complicated and engaging story line. This could be read as a stand alone but knowing the back story of the characters always makes for a richer reading experience. My Goodreads review here.
I adored this story! Better than average chick lit, it was filled with complex characters and a variety of engaging story lines. In addition, the author created a delightful sense of place. Also, I’m in love with books about books!
Full Review of Force of Nature Here
If you’re in the mood for some crime fiction, these are well written, solid reads without a focus on violence, profanity, or fright. Some readers refer to them as “atmospheric thrillers” because the author is skilled at developing a sense of place that helps to build tension. Although Force of Nature is a sequel, they can each be read as a stand alone. Reading The Dry first gives the reader some background information about Agent Falk which will enrich the reading experience of Force of Nature (but not necessary).
Music lovers will find an extra layer of enjoyment in this read by the popular author Mitch Albom (Tuesdays With Morrie, etc). Reading it feels like a Music Appreciation Class as many famous musicians make appearances as characters in the story and well-known music compositions are referenced; as a bonus, there is a Musical Companion on iTunes. It’s well written in typical Mitch Albom style with a touch of magical realism.
No war in this easy reading, light, histfic selection (for those who are burned out on WW11 histfic!). The backdrop in this story is New York City’s historic Penn Station in the early 1900s. The story involves a. bit of romance and intrigue and is told from a mother’s and daughter’s perspectives. Architecture as historical treasures and symbolism, the Suffragette Movement, and mother/daughter relationships are prevalent themes.
Some of my favorite characters are quirky and are usually struggling to overcome challenges as they strive to lead their best lives. For example, I’m especially fond of Eleanor (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine), Ginny (Ginny Moon), Ove (A Man Called Ove), and Britt-Marie (Britt-Marie Was Here).
Full Review of The Music Shop Here.
Goodreads review of Convenience Store Woman Here (blog review coming Friday).
These two recent releases have quirky characters: Frank in The Music Shop is frightened to fall in love and finds it difficult to accept help and other gestures of love from his neighbors and friends even though he is a great friend to them; Keiko in Convenience Store Woman is most likely on the autism spectrum (undiagnosed) and strives every day to appear normal by copying the clothing, mannerisms, and speech patterns of her coworkers and finds comfort and success in her routine tasks at the convenience store. I also love that this story explains the important role that convenience stores play in Japanese culture. Convenience Store Woman is almost a novella that can be read in one day and perhaps in one sitting.
That’s all book buddies! I could go on and on and on with book recommendations, but for this post I’ll cap it at 10 + 1 novella. For more reading ideas, you might look at my Summer TBR list or look through the A-Z Index Tab to find more great reads!
Here’s a FB video that depicts my reactions when someone asks me for a book recommendation!
“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
I’ll be updating my Summer TBR list as I complete each read, so check this link often!
(So far I’ve read a handful, and I’ve only abandoned one)
This might be fun for summer: SnapShop Kids: Online Photography Class For Kids (and the entire family!)
More about summer reading for children in this link: The Ardent Biblio: How to Design a Summer Reading Program For Your Kids
I’ll be writing a full review of Convenience Store Woman for Friday.
Thank you for reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along, promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.
What books are you packing in your beach or pool bag this summer? We’d all love to hear your suggestions in the comments!
***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. This money will be used to offset the costs of running a blog and to sponsor giveaways, etc.
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 author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s website.
March 16, 2018
Romantic….quaint English village….a book about books and bookish people….delightful
Genre/Categories: Women’s Fiction, Light Romance, Books and Reading
Emilia returns to her idyllic Cotswold hometown fulfilling a promise to take care of her father’s independent bookstore, Nightingale Books, after his death. It’s clear that the bookshop is important to the community, and villagers who come into the shop have their own stories to tell. It’s evident that Emilia’s father was more than a bookseller to his customers; in addition to offering personal recommendations, he was a confidant and a greatly admired and respected friend. Can Emilia save Nightingale Books?
Amazon Rating (March): 4.3 Stars
Frequently, in between my dense and heavy WW11 histfic reads, I need something light…like a palate cleanser and sometimes I read books because of the cover!
“Chick lit” is not my preferred or usual genre; however, How to Find Love in a Bookshop is a delightful and easy-reading light romance and book about books that stands out from the rest in the chick-lit genre with its interesting characters, multiple perspectives, varied storylines, and charming sense of place. Although it’s predictable, it’s also the perfect feel-good read. If this is the type of low-stress read you’re looking for, it delivers.
If you’re like me and at one time have had bookish dreams of owning an independent bookstore, it’s an added incentive to read the book as we vicariously experience the struggles and joys of bookstore ownership through Emilia. How To Find Love in a Bookshop is one of the best books about books I’ve read in a while, and it’s definitely engaging because I read it in one day. It might even land on my favs of 2018 list at year’s end.
Recommended for readers looking for a story that is light, escapist, a bit romantic (closed door), and has a happy ending (HEA). A great vacation read. Try not to expect more.
My Rating: 4.5 Romantic Stars
How to Find Love in a Bookshop Information Here
As an army child, I went to eight different schools, including the Royal School Bath, where I learned Latin, how to make rock buns and how to take my bra off without getting undressed. I went on to study Classics at Bristol University, followed by a bi-lingual secretarial course – a surprisingly useful combination.
I landed a job as Production Secretary on The Archers at Pebble Mill in Birmingham, where it used to take me two and a half hours to type out an Archers script on an Olivetti ET121 typewriter. Duties ranged from recording the sound of newborn piglets to playing Peaches the barmaid in the Cat and Fiddle. There was never a dull moment, and The Archers taught me that everyone needs an escape from everyday life.
From there, I became a script editor for Central Television, working on broadcasting legends Crossroads and Boon. I started a family and became a freelance scriptwriter, writing hundreds of hours of television drama, including Heartbeat and Holby City.
In 2000 I got my first book deal, and am currently writing my fifteenth novel, The Forever House.
I also write lifestyle features for newspapers and magazines, including Woman and Home, Red, The Daily Mail, Woman and The Sunday Times.
I speak regularly at Literary Festivals, libraries, WIs and charity events, talking about my career and the inspiration for my novels.
Have you read How to Find Love in a Bookshop or is it on your TBR?
I’d love to hear all about what you are reading this week!
Did you see the Wrinkle in Time movie? What did you think? All the glitter though! The movie was simply OK for me. It’s been ages since I’ve read the book, but I remember it as science fiction. The movie seemed to portray tessering as magical or by the power of one’s mind.
“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
Tuesday 3/20 I will post my Spring TBR and also review progress on my Winter TBR.
Next Friday 3/23, I’ll review We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
(notice…I’m back to heavy reads!)
We Were the Lucky Ones Information Here
DefinitelyRA: Thoughts After Seeing The Wrinkle Movie.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society coming to theaters April 20!
Before I forget, I want to mention two middle-grade histfic reads that I enjoyed recently: The War That Saved My Life (2016 Newbery Honor book Winner of the 2016 Schneider Family Book Award) and its sequel The War I Finally Won…. both by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Do you ever read middle grade or YA literature? I think good stories can be appreciated and enjoyed by all ages! I never felt like I was reading a “kids” book. Highly recommended for older elementary and middle-grade girls who might enjoy WW11 histfic.
If you live in Southern California near Corona, you might be interested in an Author Brunch at the Corona Public Library on Saturday morning, April 21. Featured authors are Susan Meissner, Laura Kamoie, and Michelle Gable. Here’s the flyer:
“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
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.
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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 author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.
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