Our Staff’s Favorite Places to Read

Published on by Payton KlineLeave a comment

When I think of cracking open a good book, I immediately imagine myself in my favorite reading nook—nothing is more luxurious than relaxing in my spot of choice, book in hand. Inspired by the solace my own favorite spot provides me with, I decided to ask some of our staff writers what their favorite reading spots are, and why. So, if you also love a good reading spot, scroll down to find some new ideas for where to spend your page-turning time.

Rachel Hagerman

Editor-in-Chief

Favorite place to read: Outside 

Why: Whenever my family goes on vacation, whether it’s out in the mountains or on the beach, we sneak in a few hours of reading time outside. I love this little mini-vacation within our vacation, where I get to travel to a new fictional world with the sound of ocean waves in my ears or the shadows from a tall pine on my cheeks. Bonus points for any reading scene where a cacophony of nature sounds (I absolutely love to hear the birds singing to each other!) replaces your everyday traffic and crowd noise, so you can fully immerse yourself in the fictional world.

Sharon Enck

Staff Writer

Favorite place to read: In a big, squishy chair

Why: If there is one thing that I have discovered about myself, it’s that I can read anywhere: in grocery store lines, on planes, trains, and in automobiles. Yet my favorite place to read has to be the enormous chair and a half that sits in our living room. The room is well lit, and I can see trees outside the window when I bring my eyes up for air. Typically, I have a candle burning so it always smells good, and there’s a lamp nearby for when it gets dark. The chair is squishy enough to sink into, and is big enough to curl my legs to the side. A throw blanket hangs off the arm in case I get chilly, or just feel the need to cozy up. A cup of hot chocolate and I am set! 

Payton Kline

Managing Editor

Favorite Place to Read: In bed

Why: I always love reading in my bed because it usually means I get to go to sleep soon! It’s also such a relaxing place to lay back and get lost in a book, of course, with my kitty by my side. Plus, you just can’t beat all the coziness that comes with the territory of blankets, pillows, and a nightstand candle—there’s nothing like it for reading time. 

Roxanne Bingham

Staff Writer/Communications Coordinator Apprentice

Favorite place to read: On the back porch

Why: My favorite place to read is my back porch, it is unbelievably serene. It has been my favorite spot since I was a little kid and could read. My house backs up to a greenbelt with a creek, so aside from the occasional runner/dog walker, it is quiet and peaceful. When the weather is nice, it’s the perfect temperature and a great way to get outside right now without going in public. It is so relaxing I have actually fallen asleep while reading here before! You get to be surrounded by nature and read a book, so it’s really the best of both worlds.

Makenna Knighton

Communications Coordinator

Favorite Place to Read: By the pool

Why: My favorite place to read is sitting in my backyard dipping my feet in the pool, probably because it is just nice to get outside and escape into whatever fictional world I have for that day. I like being able to tell when I am so engaged in my book that I stop hearing the bird calls and feeling the water ripples. There’s no better way to soak up the sun while beating the AZ heat!

Jade Stanton

Staff Writer

Favorite Place to Read: Coffee Shops

Why: Personally, I love reading at coffee shops. Nothing accentuates the (wonderfully) disorienting return to reality after getting lost in a good book like being surrounded by people, music, and the tantalizing smell of coffee. Locally-owned shops also have the added benefit of a calm and cozy atmosphere that ensures your reading experience isn’t hampered by the hustle and bustle of everyday life, as is often the case in other public spaces. Beyond this, a good cup of coffee or tea is an essential part of a complete reading experience. I have grown especially fond of Tempe’s King Coffee: the coffee is superb, there are plenty of cozy reading nooks, and the atmosphere is perfect for diving into a good book. 

If you also love to read in coffee shops and need some ideas, check out our blog post on the 5 Most Readable Coffee Shops in the Valley.

Abhilasha Mandal

Staff Writer

Favorite Place to Read: In bed

Why: Although I can read just about anywhere as soon as I’ve found myself a little nook and tuned off the outside world, my favorite place to read is in bed, just before I’m about to turn in for the day. Other than being cozy and peaceful, it’s also a great way to unwind and coax the body into sleep mode. Reading to sleep is probably the best antidote to stress insomnia.

A little tip: It’s better to read from a printed book than an ebook during this time because the light from the phone can keep you awake.

So there you have it, some of our staff’s favorite places to read. Where is your favorite place to read? Comment below!

Book Review

Published on by Roxanne BinghamLeave a comment

The Girl From Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Crime/Suspense
Pages: 321
Format: Paperback
Buy Local
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Summary

This novel follows Arden Maynor, now Olivia Meyer, on the 20th anniversary of the day she was found in the small town of Widow Hills. When Arden was six years old, she was sleepwalking and went missing for three days until she was found clinging to the bars of a storm drain.


After that, her life was never the same. Growing tired of the cameras in her face and the news constantly circling around her, she moved hundreds of miles away and changed her name to Oliva Meyer, hoping to start over. Which worked, for a while, until the 20th anniversary of the incident comes up, and everything Arden tried to bury comes bubbling to the surface.

Thoughts

This novel surprised me in many ways. I am a big fan of suspense/crime novels and because of that, I can be a bit critical of them. That being said, this novel delivered in every department necessary to make a good one. It had murder, mystery, a splash of romance, and a plot twist I never saw coming. Everything you think you know at the beginning of the novel is upended by the end, and I think I actually gasped at one point. The story truly whisks you away into the drama that seems to follow Arden everywhere.

Arden is a great example of an unreliable narrator, but somehow that made me trust her more. Being close to her as the reader brings the story closer—it allowed every twist and turn to be even more shocking as we found out things as they were revealed to her. The best stories are the ones that suck you in and make you a character, and this is one of those.

The only critique I have is that it starts a bit slow. The real action doesn’t occur until about a third of the way in. That being said, the characters are so interesting and mysterious that I was able to latch onto them immediately, and so, this didn’t prove to be too much of an issue.

If you’re in the market for a good suspense novel, The Girl from Widow Hills is sure to keep you on your toes. It will be in stores on June 23, 2020 and is available for pre-order from Changing Hands Bookstore here.

Thank you to Changing Hands Bookstore for providing an ARC
in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

Book Review

Published on by edolehan1 Comment

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 512
Format: Paperback
Buy Local
My Rating: 5/5

Summary

The Overstory is a vast novel with a dynamic cast of characters; at its core, it is the question of humanity’s compatibility with other forms of life. It is a novel that turns around the idea of man versus nature, where man is the protagonist and nature the antagonist, and makes it nature versus man, with nature as the protagonist and man as the antagonist. This is a story about trees, but it is not told from the perspective of trees, but rather those who have lived their lives alongside trees—and knowingly or not, formed a relationship with the objects that at some point they might have believed to be nearly inanimate. It explores complex crevices of our relationship to nature and shows that, like relationships between people, there is a give and a take. And also, just like relationships between people, imbalance in that give and take can be disastrous.

Thoughts

What was most striking to me about this novel was the way its form mirrors that of a tree. It starts with the seeds that would one day grow into the characters that it focuses on. Patiently, it nurtures those seeds until they pop up from beneath the soil and begin to intertwine around one another as they grow upward. As the characters form a trunk together, they continue to grow, and just as a trunk they begin to diverge from one another. Branches grow out in other directions, some fall off, but like a fallen tree in a forest, they cultivate a plethora of life, even after the life that they have known has transformed into something different. This carefully crafted novel feels groundbreaking in the way that it grows, and is breathtaking in the overall image that it is able to craft. 

On several levels this novel is epic in proportion—in its vast and dynamic cast of characters and in its actual length, but there is something else too. Reading it felt like a fantasy novel set in the modern world, particularly during the middle portion. There is a natural magic at play in this book, the whispering of trees, but also a sense of good and evil that goes beyond such a simple binary. This was another aspect of this novel that stood out as interesting to me. While I would certainly categorize it as a literary work, I think that it successfully borrows from tropes present in a lot of genre writing and manages to subvert and disguise them in a way that makes the story exciting while still feeling like a work of art.

I have always appreciated and admired trees while knowing relatively little about them. This novel changed that, not only because it is dripping with interesting facts about trees and the ecosystems they build, but because it made me curious to go out and learn more on my own. If you have ever felt even a slight connection to nature, this novel is likely to foster that connection and awaken something inside of you that you didn’t know was there. That is not to say that it stands on its stumps and pontificates about the preservation of the natural world though. Instead, it examines various relationships to trees and to nature from an empathetic viewpoint that reeled me in and kept me wanting more until the very last page.

I have nothing but praise for this novel, and I cannot recommend it enough. I think that it is a beautiful work of art that would enrich any reader’s life. With that said, I do have to make a note about how it took me over a month to finish it. When I said it was epic in proportion, I meant it. This was not an easy novel to consume, but it was well worth it.

Staff Book Spine Poetry

Published on by Makenna Knighton1 Comment

Since we were unable to meet in person for a social event this semester, our staff connected through a virtual book spine poetry reading, a great option that was both bookish and fun. Over video chat, each staff member shared a picture of their book stack, where they’d arranged book titles into a poem of their own. We found our results engaging and thought we would share them below!

Rachel, Editor-in-Chief

Wicked
headstrong,
big, little lies
FOOL
wise blood.

While creating this book spine poetry about the steadfastness of lies, I had to keep reminding myself to work with the titles I had on my bookshelf and to not get distracted by my wandering imagination. I needed to restrict my vocabulary to that of the authors in my library. In this challenging writing practice, I was reminded that limitations force us to be creative in new ways. What at first seems to be an unfortunate obstacle can actually help us to think differently and to create uniquely. As many of us find ourselves in uncertain and seemingly impossible situations during this new season, I think one hopeful silver lining is that this resilient, creative force we each have is able to thrive in moments of limitation. 

Payton, Managing Editor

Losers. 
Dispatches from the 
other side of the scoreboard;
Great expectations.
Girl, wash your face,
Eat, pray, love,
I'd give anything. 

My poem is about the struggle with perfectionism (very close to my heart) and the growth/pain of learning to accept weaknesses, picking yourself up, and not letting accomplishments or met/unmet expectations define your worth. 

Makenna, Communications Coordinator

This is What Happy Looks Like
This is what happy looks like:
a light in the attic,
love and gelato,
our family recipes.
Happier at home:
no one can take your place.

I dedicated this poem to my twin sister, who recently returned from eighteen months away from home on a service mission in another country. It represents our experience in two-week quarantine at home which was full of love and happiness through our reunion together as a family.

Roxanne, Staff Writer & Communications Coordinator Apprentice

Diary of an Oxygen Thief
A Dance with Dragons,
Imaginary Friend.
A Wrinkle in Time,
The Fault in our Stars.
Two by Two,
The Tenth of December.

The process behind this poem was a little chaotic. I essentially pulled out all of the books I have from my bookshelf at my college housing and stacked them in various ways, but it took a while to find a combination that I liked. Finally, I decided Diary of an Oxygen Thief was a great poem title, so I started there and moved down the line. I wanted to make sure it flowed like a poem, so I made sure some titles had determiners in them like “a” and “the” to add some separation. While it is still kind of list-like to me, I liked that it almost reads like thoughts or words someone (an oxygen thief?) jotted down quickly in a notebook. It adds an element of mysteriousness and that kind of became the mood of the poem in the end! 

Edward, Staff Writer

Pity the Reader 
We the Animals 
In the Dream House

I composed my poem specifically about the sound, wanting to put unique titles together.

Abhilasha, Staff Writer

Matters of the heart
Trouble the saints—
The cheapest nights,
Dead land.

When we’re emotionally involved, the lines between right and wrong get blurred. Matters of the heart need a margin of human error. Also, the most imperfect things can be beautified by a loving gaze—the cheapest nights, a stretch of barren land.

Jade, Staff Writer

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living:
Now that you're here, 
Don't be a stranger. 
Rise and shine, 
Chasers of the light: 
Start something that matters. 

When creating my book spine poem, my mind immediately went to the current state of the world and the fear and anxiety we are all undoubtedly feeling. My poem is meant to be a response to this and a reminder that the important things in our lives (connection, love, meaning) still exist amid the uncertainties. While worrying is an inevitable part of life, it’s important to remind ourselves that we can still choose to focus on the important things in life that bring us joy and a sense of meaning

Mackenzie, Staff Writer

One Hundred Years of Solitude: 
The Stranger Ruins 
All the Bright Places

My process for creating this poem was to try to construct a narrative, so I looked for a book title that contained a verb and worked from there. I also tried to incorporate different genres of books I liked so that it represented what I like to read.

Erin, Staff Writer

Lost Souls
Waiting
On Earth we are briefly Gorgeous
Mumbo Jumbo

My book spine poem was created by grouping together titles that evoked similar feelings or images. Although I was working with a limited collection of my books, I enjoy how the poem turned out. My untitled poem is about the feelings of confusion and uncertainty that are plentiful in the world right now. For me, the poem acknowledges the beauty of being human in a largely chaotic world.

Sharon, Staff Writer

"no rules!"
RULES
exciting times
but
hey, kiddo
look
both
ways

As my daughter turns 18, her thoughts are consumed with the “no rules” lifestyle that she believes college will bring her. My poem is about my acknowledgement that these are indeed exciting times, but hey kiddo, you have to look both ways and not get tripped up by your own sense of freedom.

Amanda, Staff Writer

Into the wild, wise child
What dreams may come
With wicked, reckless 
Beautiful creatures
Catching fire
Crazy making
Writing magic

My inspiration came from Reckless and Beautiful Creatures being next to each other on my bookshelf. This poem is about being a writer, and how the writing process includes a little bit of chaos and darkness.

Bonus: Mackenzie, Staff Writer

History
A Dark History, The Tudors. 
The Source: 
Six Wives. 
—The Executioner's Journal.

I used my history books to construct a little joke about the craziness that is Tudor history. Enjoy!

Reading With Your Ears: The Pros and Cons of Audiobooks

Published on by Sharon EnckLeave a comment

This time of staying at home, sheltering in place, and social distancing is the perfect opportunity to catch up on your reading. Right now, readers are lucky to have so many options when to comes to getting their literary fix. With hardback, paperback, ebooks, and, of course—the main reason we are here—audiobooks, there is a format for every type of reader. 

I am not a seasoned pro when it comes to the audiobook format. Until recently I avoided them, not out of fear, but because I consider myself to be too tactile of a creature to be able to just listen to a book. I like the feel of the paper beneath my fingers, that quiet little shooshing noise as I turn the pages, and the satisfying weight of whatever novel in which I have lost myself. I was also concerned that I would get distracted and lose my place if I wasn’t visually focused.

Yet, as a reader, I didn’t feel that I would be complete without at least trying an audiobook on for size. So, for my first foray into the audiobook arena I chose a novel that I had read before—a bit of a safety net you could say. At the time of my experiment Doctor Sleep was in the theaters (remember when we could see movies on something other than Netflix?), and I figured Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining would be a good one to cut my teeth on (or perhaps I should say perk my ears up) in anticipation of the cinematic adaptation. Based on that experience, I ended up compiling a list of pros and cons on listening to your literature.

Pro #1 – Master of Multi-Tasking

Without a doubt the audio book format gives you a ton of freedom. Need to do some housework? Plug in, turn on, and off you go. Although, I don’t necessarily recommend listening while vacuuming since the two sounds compete. Have to run an errand? No worries, use your car’s bluetooth and be entertained on the ride. The majority of my listening was done in the car, and the only downside was getting to a juicy bit in the story and having to step out.

Con #1 – You’ve Lost That Touching Feeling

The audiobook experience isn’t a particularly tactile one. I suppose you could lovingly stroke your phone or computer or play with your headphone cord (if you have one) but it is just not the same. Flipping pages, and holding a good solid hardback has its own particular joy.

Pro #2 – Perfectly Portable

All of touchy feely stuff aside, it has to be said that hardbacks and paperbacks are not easy to transport. That lovely weight? It’s not as pleasant when you’ve added pounds to an already overloaded suitcase or backpack. The audio book is far more portable, and you can keep a list of titles at the ready. Dragging three or four books around just isn’t as convenient, or good for your back. 

Con #2 – The Voices in Your Head

Do you know that voice you hear every time the main character speaks in a novel? Me too! If you are listening to a book that you have read before the voice actor might not portray the character the way you imagined. It was a bit of a letdown to discover that Dan Torrance didn’t quite sound the way I expected. The narrator could be too animated, or not animated enough; they may be dull, or their pacing may not suit you. You never know exactly who are you getting when you hit play.

Pro #3 – Accessibility 

Like ebooks, audiobooks can be downloaded within seconds. No trip to the bookstore or library necessary! This feature is even more convenient considering the lockdown situation we are all in. The library offers a plethora of titles for the price of just having a library card, and now, local bookstores like Changing Hands offer them! You can check out their system for purchasing and downloading here.  A quick internet search will give you lots of additional options.

Con #3 – The Price Is Not Always Nice

There is a price for all that accessibility. An audiobook can cost you significantly more than a paperback or ebook. A quick search of bestselling audiobooks through various services revealed prices upwards of $24 with some reaching nearly $40. The same novel in an ebook, paperback, and even hardback format can cost you far less. However, if you are an avid listener, many sites offer a membership deal which makes far more financial sense.

Pro #4 – Storytime

Remember when your kindergarten teacher would gather you in a circle and read a story aloud? I view consuming a novel through the audiobook format to be a different kind of experience in reading—you’ve engaged a whole different sense.

Con #4 – Time Is Not On Your Side

Depending on your individual speed, you can actually spend more time listening to a book rather than reading one. You can adjust the speed in which you listen, so that can help, but I can tell you that it took me quite a bit longer to listen to Doctor Sleep than it did to read it.

So, would I do choose an audiobook again? Sure. It added some variety to my reading routine by giving me flexibility to read where and when I wanted. Would I trust an audiobook for a literature class? Never. Was Doctor Sleep some scary fun with Stephen King? Absolutely!

3 Books You Should Read before You’re Thirteen

Published on by Abhilasha Mandal1 Comment

Whether or not you’re a nostalgic person, you will never forget your favorite books growing up. Your taste in literature may change, along with your reading habits, but the books you read when you’re young are imprinted in your brain forever. Here are a couple books I read and re-read through middle school, along with one I wish I had read before my teenage years.

What Katy Did—Sarah Chauncey Woolsey. In college, Sarah Chauncey Woolsey wrote this charming novel under the pen name of Susan Coolidge. It follows Katy Carr, a twelve-year-old daydreamer, into adolescence. As the oldest of six children who lost their mother years ago, she is constantly expected to set an example to her younger siblings, which she often fails to do, but not for lack of enthusiasm. She is reminded of this frequently by her father, Dr. Carr, and Aunt Izzie, a strict disciplinarian who has been raising the children since their mother died. Aunt Izzie’s general disapproval of her only adds to Katy’s disappointment at being “all legs and elbows, and angles and joints.”

Among the many relationships that the book explores, a notable one is the strong bond between Katy and her sister Clover, second oldest of the Carr siblings. Shy, soft-spoken Clover complements Katy’s wild, whimsical nature. Katy doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do when she grows up, but she’s sure it will be something marvelous, and Clover faithfully agrees. Through the countless escapades, Katy grows on you with her wit and artlessness. It is a heartwarming story filled with colorful characters with interesting turns in the plot.

Black Beauty—Anna Sewell. This famous autobiography of a horse personifies a handsome black stallion with a white star on his forehead. He begins at his dewy days as a foal on a farm. After he is broken in, he is bought by the village squire. Here he meets a few other horses, some of whom, he realizes, have not been as well-treated as he has. As he grows older, he moves from the countryside to the city, and has a diverse experience at the hands of several owners with varying temperaments. There are instances of animal cruelty in the book that give you the victim’s perspective on the subject.

The theme of empathy towards animals and their reciprocation to it is prominent throughout the book. When Black Beauty describes how uncomfortable it is to wear a bit, and how his first owner takes great care to make sure his breaking in is as comfortable as it can get, his affection for the farmer becomes prominent. Later, he grows to love his first ever groom, John. Black Beauty is the first popular novel to change the way we look at animal welfare, and is a classic for all ages.

Anne of Green Gables—L.M. Montgomery. The novel is set in the picturesque, fictional town of Avonlea where life is uneventful until the Cuthberts decide to adopt a boy from an orphanage to help around the farm. Matthew and his sister, Marilla Cuthbert, live in Green Gables, a house on the edge of the woods. When Matthew goes to receive the boy at the station, he is in for a surprise. A fortunate miscommunication brings Anne to Green Gables, which her extraordinarily imaginative mind transforms into something out of a fairy tale—something she frequently does with places and things. The only thing she can’t seem to improve with imagination is her red hair, which she hates.

Through many adventures and misadventures with her “bosom friend,” Diana Barry, and other assorted characters over the course of four years, Anne becomes irreplaceable in the hearts of her family and friends in Avonlea. Although Anne sounds mature for her age when she speaks, mostly because she uses long words, her naeïvete appears every now and then when she gets into scrapes, or when she tries to deal with the awkwardness of entering adolescence. Reading this book is a luxurious experience, full of eloquent descriptions of the most mundane things transformed into something exotic and beautiful through Anne’s eyes.

10 Books to Inspire Women

Published on by Amanda Thomas1 Comment

As a female book lover, there is nothing quite like being able to effectively identify with a female protagonist. This is especially true when the heroine of the book isn’t reduced to a simpering mess without a romantic driving force, or when the author is able to use that trope as a way to balance the strength of their protagonist. Some books are able to do this well, and some, not so much. But, it just so happens that sometimes the strongest female characters are created by writers who also are strong, independent women. Below is a list of books starring female characters that are able to overcome anything life throws at them. These women are real, flawed characters that are more than a pretty face or pining heart—they are mothers, sisters, wives, and lovers—fulfilling these roles in a way that represents strength, class, and perseverance. In turn, these books are written by female authors that also fulfill these roles: talented women that give a voice to women of all ages through their novels, empowering current and future generations through their work.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë—Let’s start this list off with a classic. Jane Eyre is the timeless story of a young girl’s life from the time she is passed into the care of her cruel aunt, to living in poverty at a derelict boarding school, to finally finding her purpose as a governess for an arrogant, but alluring gentleman. What makes Jane’s story iconic isn’t her romance with Mr. Rochester, but her tenacity through all the trials and tribulations that plague her throughout her story. She overcomes and remains true to herself throughout. The same can be said of the writer, the eldest Brontë sister. Despite having to don masculine pseudonyms to have their work published, the sisters have gone down in literary history for their role as women writers.

Ezperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan—Set during the Great Depression, Ezperanza’s story begins with the death of her father in Mexico, her family forced to flee to the United States to start a new life. To go from a position of wealth to one of hard work and toil is difficult for 13-year old Ezperanza to come to terms with, but, throughout the novel she grows as a young woman and learns to adapt and have hope. Writer Pam Munoz Ryan has won numerous awards for Esperanza Rising and other works, representing strong role models for young girls and her own Mexican heritage.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd—Lily Owens is haunted by the memory of her mother’s death and the abuse she sustains from her father T. Ray. Her only ally is their maid, Rosaleen. After an incident that sets them on the run, Lily attempts to track down the truth about her mother’s life and in the process, comes to terms with her role in her death, finding her own inner strength. Sue Monk Kidd continues to honor her role as a feminist after the immense success of The Secret Life of Bees and its important message not only for feminism, but for its depictions of the civil rights era and the relationship of a little white girl with strong women of color.

Untwine by Edwidge Danticat—Untwine is the story of 16-year-old Giselle and her twin sister Isabelle. This novel explores the bonds of family, especially those between sisters, as a horrific accident forces Giselle to look back on her past and come to terms with change, garnered by the love for her sister. Edwidge Danticat has become a driving force as a female Haitian-American writer. Her work continues to be praised for shedding light on historical and current issues ongoing in Haiti.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin—The Awakening has earned its place as a literary classic most commonly associated with female independence, a concept that is discussed and symbolized greatly throughout the novel. Edna Pontellier is a wife and a mother, but she takes on that role only because that is what society has deemed appropriate for a woman to do. When she falls in love with a younger man, for the first time in her life she starts to consider what it would be like to break free of societal constraints. While her thoughts might be tied to her romance, Edna still represents a woman struggling to break free, and that lack of freedom is what drives her. Kate Chopin also was able to cement herself among the great female writers of history, alongside Flannery O’Connor and Edith Wharton.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch—Astrid Magnussen is only 12 when her mother poisons her cheating boyfriend and is sent to jail. Astrid then begins a long journey between foster homes; dealing with addiction, abuse, and trying to grow up without her mother in her life and reconciling with who she is. This is a powerful novel about growing up and becoming your own person, and an equally important novel exploring the concepts of motherhood. Janet Fitch gained notoriety with this bestselling book after transitioning from her love of history to writing fiction.

Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison—Another novel that explores the complex feminine role of motherhood, Cavedweller follows Delia Byrd and her daughter Cissy. Delia has two other daughters that are estranged, working throughout the novel to establish a relationship with them. Dorothy Allison became a household name with her novel, Bastard Out of Carolina, another novel with a strong female protagonist, and often explores complex relationships in a brutally honest fashion. She champions her own fearless brand of feminist lesbian representation in her work.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker—Celie’s story is as iconic as it is tragic. A poverty-stricken African American girl, she suffers rape and abuse at the hands of her father. The two children she mothers in her youth are taken from her, and the only bond she can rely on in the world is the one she shares with her sister Nettie. Once she loses her, she must learn to find strength in herself. Celie finds this through relationships with other strong women throughout her life, until she is finally reunited with her loved ones. The Color Purple is an incredibly moving account of the bonds of sisterhood and motherhood. Alice Walker is a household name in the literary community, through this masterpiece and her work championing African American women writers.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah—In another story that explores the bonds of sisterhood, The Nightingale tells a tale of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, surviving through the Nazi occupation of France. With both sisters exhibiting their own unique display of strength during a time of violence and war, this book is a poignant and powerful tale of perseverance. Kristin Hannah used real women who resisted the Nazi occupation and rescued allied soldiers to inspire her bestselling novel.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott—Last but not least, we return to another classic. Little Women has been inspiring young girls and breaking hearts for many years—still remaining a testament to the roles of mothers and sisters to create independent women. The main character, Jo, defies many gender norms and remains true to herself in her journey to become a writer and was a source of inspiration for me as a young girl. It is a powerful novel of women supporting other women, and one that has stood the test of time. Louisa May Alcott based the character of Jo on herself, and was an abolitionist who was active in women’s suffrage throughout her life.

The artwork featured on our blog post above was provided by female local artist Kelly Seifert.

Book Review

Published on by Erin PetersLeave a comment

Universe of Two by Stephen P. Kiernan

Publisher: HarperCollins 
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Pages: 429 
Format: Paperback 
Buy Local
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Summary

Stephen P. Kiernan’s Universe of Two is a time machine back to the year 1943. The story takes place in the United States as the country is at war with the allied forces in World War II. Unlike many World War II novels, Universe of Two doesn’t follow the story of a soldier or officer fighting in the war. Instead, it focuses on the connection between two civilians who play just as significant a part in the war efforts as any man in battle.

Brenda Dubie is a spoiled nineteen-year-old girl who spends her time working at her family’s music shop and dating every soldier she can find who is home on leave. Her life changes when she meets a young mathematician named Charlie Fish who is at work doing calculations for the US government. As the pair build a romantic connection, Charlie is pulled deeper into the war efforts, eventually finding himself in New Mexico working as a vital piece of the Manhattan Project. His role in the project to create the atomic bomb riddles Charlie with guilt. Brenda, who pushes him so hard to pursue his work, shares the heavy moral burden Charlie faces when she finally realizes the consequences of his work. The pair are faced with the difficult task of trying to love each other while making up for the horrible destruction they helped to create.

Thoughts

What impressed me most about Universe of Two was the way it didn’t try to romanticize either war or love. Although it is a historical romance, the novel was utterly realistic about the moral challenges faced by its characters. The chapters alternate between Brenda’s narration and a omniscient narrator reporting on Charlie’s top-secret work. As a reader, I felt a deep frustration at how naïve Brenda was to the severity of Charlie’s situation. Kiernan was able to play with my emotions, drawing me into the story as if it were a train wreck that I could not look away from. Universe of Two is anything but the stereotypical romance novel—it is an honest look at the ways a relationship can be tested and morals overlooked in pursuit of victory. I would recommend Kiernan’s novel to anyone who relishes in the feeling of a bittersweet ending.

Thank you to Changing Hands Bookstore for providing an ARC
in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

Book Review

Published on by Mackenzie KingLeave a comment

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Buy Local
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary

This novel follows three generations of an American-Jewish family in 1934 Atlantic City. Florence, the youngest daughter, is intent on swimming the English Channel but tragically drowns while training. Her mother, Esther, decides to hide her death to help protect her other daughter’s dangerous pregnancy. Their situation is complicated even further when Joseph, the father, helps a young Jewish woman emigrate from Germany for seemingly no reason. 

The web of secrets ultimately untangles, in the process both harming and freeing members of the family. Florence Adler Swims Forever provides a nuanced account of a family broken on many levels trying to endure, despite the racism, the effects of the Great Depression and the looming threat of Nazi Germany. 

Thoughts

There is no one who loves family secrets and dysfunction more than I do, and this book definitely delivers! It takes a softer approach than these types of books normally do, though. It was wonderfully intimate and heart-breaking, since we got to hear how Florence’s death impacted each member of the family. It was also very well written and was so enthralling that it kept me up well after 2:00 a.m. to finish it. Their lives are messy and the way their stories tangle together kept me wanting more.

It was fascinating to read about how the American-Jewish were reacting to Nazi Germany, as well. Normally, historical fiction set during WWII takes place in Europe, much closer to the action. Reading about the Nazi’s rise to power from a distance both minimizes the threat as well as making it more relatable to the audience, since that is how those of us today learn about the Holocaust. In a world still facing many of the same issues, seeing how such a large threat can seem somewhat small from far away—as well as the true scale of the threat from the perspective of a German Jewish woman—helps contextualize the issue and can help us better understand similar issues that still affect us. 

My only critique is that I wish we had gotten to hear more from some of the characters’ perspectives, because the point of view switched so frequently. Thus, some of the storylines were not as complete as they could have been. The storyline that left me wanting more was how Esther and Joseph’s tense relationship unraveled and came back together. 

Overall, though, this book is definitely worth the read and I recommend this book to lovers of fiction and family secrets. It will keep you reading until the last page!

Thank you to Changing Hands Bookstore for providing an ARC
in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

6 Best Sherlock Holmes Stories

Published on by Jade StantonLeave a comment

Few works are quite as timelessly transcendent as the stories of Sherlock Holmes, and as such, the pipe-smoking sleuth needs little introduction. The legacy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works is made obvious through the many adaptations that have been created throughout the years, as well as the reshaping of the mystery genre as a whole. The last Sherlock Holmes story was published in April of 1927, and to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of our favorite detective, I have compiled a list of my personal favorite Sherlock Holmes stories. Don’t worry, I won’t give away any endings! So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot. This story has a title that’s as unique as its plot. Holmes and Watson find themselves vacationing in a cottage in Cornwall, as Holmes has been urged to take a break from consulting for his health. Their holiday is soon interrupted, however, by the news that a local’s house was struck by a terrible tragedy. Mortimer Tregennis explains that he had visited his sibling’s house one night, then returned the next morning to find his sister dead and his brothers sitting at the table maniacally laughing and singing. Judging from the grotesquely horrified faces of the three victims, the death and insanity was presumably caused by fear. At once baffling and eerie, I especially love this story for the way it shows Holmes and Watson’s unyielding dedication to unveil the truth, at times with no regard for their personal safety.

The Yellow Face. Initially appearing to be somewhat mundane compared to some of Doyle’s other works, this story shows itself to contain a great deal of depth upon its conclusion. Mysteries tend to highlight the darker side of human nature, and this story is a uplifting exception. A visitor arrives at Baker Street one morning seeking the detective’s help to discover a secret his wife is keeping from him. Mr. Munro swears by a happy and trusting relationship with his wife, Effie, until her peculiar behavior beginning a few months earlier. Without preface or reason, she asked her husband for one thousand pounds, then began secretly sneaking off to a nearby cottage in Norbury. Despite his wife’s insistence that he not speculate about her actions, Munro surveyed the house and saw a mysterious figure with a yellow face, and promptly decided to consult Sherlock to discover the truth. This story is singular in that it highlights a rare folly on Holmes’ part, and strikes a strong contrast to the typical nefarious acts carried out in Doyle’s other mysteries.

The Reigate Squires. This story begins, yet again, with Holmes and Watson taking a vacation from their investigative work, as Holmes has fallen ill after a particularly strenuous case. Rest continues to evade him, however, as a string of robberies in the area is brought to his attention. The first burglary was puzzling in that the thieves stole a number of items, but none of them were of any value. The second, however, resulted in the murder of the estate’s coachman, who was found with a torn note in his hand. Amidst the mystery, Holmes finds opportunities to use his illness to his advantage in order to discover the truth. This story in singular in that it highlights Sherlock’s cunning, and sometimes duplicitous, methods. The reader is reminded that the detective has a keen understanding of both crime and deceit.

The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton. Charles Augustus Milverton is a notorious blackmailer, and regarded by Sherlock as the most repulsive type of criminal. Presently, he and Watson are forced to meet with Milverton on behalf of a client currently at his mercy. The client, Lady Eva Blackwell, is hoping to buy compromising letters from Milverton that, if released, would scandalize and end her engagement to the Earl of Dovercourt. Upon meeting with Charles to negotiate a price for his silence, the duo finds Milverton to be uncooperative, and must result to alternative means to protect their client. As an independent consultant, Holmes is ruled more by his own morals than any legal obligations. As such, this story highlights the moral gray areas that exist in the detective’s business and provides an interesting glimpse into the sometimes criminal acts of the two men.

The Speckled Band. This story is widely-acclaimed, with Doyle himself claiming it to be his best work. It begins with Helen Stoner consulting Holmes and Watson because she fears that her stepfather is trying to kill her. Helen explains that Dr. Roylott was the widowed husband of her mother, and was known to be a violent man, having already served time for murder. Two years earlier, shortly before being married, Helen’s twin sister died, her last words being, “The speckled band!” Now, Helen has been the observer of many strange occurrences within her home, and has recently been relocated into the room where her sister died under the pretense of construction. This work is a classic locked room mystery and provides perhaps the best example of the way in which Doyle’s works forever altered the genre as a whole.


The Red-Headed League. Last, but certainly not least, is the baffling and entertaining mystery of the red-headed league. As the title suggests, the detective meets a client with shocking red hair and a perplexing story. The client, Wilson, explains that his assistant had previously urged him to respond to a newspaper ad offering high wages for employees with bright red hair. Taking this advice, Wilson attends an interview and is hired on the spot, as the other applicants had hair that was either too light or too dark, according to the interviewers. His “job” with the league entailed going to their office during the week and copying pages of the encyclopedia, a menial task which Wilson happily completed for high wages. A few weeks later, however, Wilson arrived to find a note announcing the disbanding of the league, and was unable to learn more. This story is amusing and singular in its plot, but the conclusion reveals itself to be far more sinister than it seems at a glance.