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Check out our reviews and recommendations:
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Misty recommends: The Red Queen: A Novel by Philippa Gregory What it’s about: The Red Queen tells the story of Margaret Beaufort, heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, a mother at fourteen, and a woman determined that her son would reign as King of England. Margaret is a patient manipulator, working behind the scenes. In the end she conceives one of the great rebellions of her time. Why you might like it: Author Philippa Gregory is a genius at conveying character. We are able see into their hearts and minds. We see their struggles, the twists and turns that surprise them and us, as the suspense carries us forward.
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Kristin recommends: The Kitchen Front: A Novel by Jennifer Ryan 1942: 4 women are competing in a cooking contest. The winner will become cohost of a British radio program, “The Kitchen Front,” teaching women how to use their rationed food in thrifty, nutritious, inventive ways. The contestants are widowed mother Audrey, her haughty sister caught in an abusive marriage, a kitchen maid who dreams of freedom, and an ambitious chef in a man’s field. As these diverse women strive to win, they strike up heartwarming friendships. But will the contest that is supposed to bring a community together end up pulling it apart? Reviewers say: “A positively uplifting read that is as soothing as a warm cup of Earl Grey on a gloomy morning. The perfect book for fans of The Great British Baking Show” (Booklist); “Readers with an appetite for homefront WWII novels will find this deeply satisfying” (Publisher’s Weekly).
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Aimee recommends: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner What it’s about: Caroline is taking her 10 year anniversary trip to London alone after finding out her husband has been cheating on her. While out with a tour group in the River Thames, she discovers a glass vial, etched only with the likeness of a bear. After doing some digging at the library, she learns more about the vial and discovers even more about herself. What sets it apart: This is not only the story of modern-day Caroline. There are 3 narratives happening simultaneously. Caroline, yes, but also Nella, an apothecary shop owner living in 18th-century London, who dispenses poisons to women, looking to harm the oppressive men in their lives. And also Eliza, a 12-year old girl, sent to retrieve poison from Nella. All three of their lives become tangled in this suspenseful tale of revenge.
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Astrid recommends: Monarchs of the Northeast Kingdom by Chera Hammons The location: Rural Vermont, the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state. What happens: An older woman with multiple chronical illnesses, who is dependent on her husband, has to learn to adjust to living on her own when her husband does not return from the woods one day. She slowly adjusts to having to take care of herself, her mule and her horse, while dealing with loss, grief and loneliness. Reviewers say: “A highly satisfying, delicately woven story about loss, loneliness, life, and death” (Kirkus Reviews).
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Laura recommends: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley Read this if you like: Stories that take you on a wild ride, Ojibwe/Anishinaabe culture, traditions, and language with a sprinkling of French American culture, ice hockey, and fake relationships. What it’s about: Family tragedies—her uncle’s death by overdose, and her grandmother’s stroke—cause Daunis to halt her plans to go away to college so she can remain at home and care for her fragile mother. After she witnesses a drug-related murder, she is recruited as a confidential informant to the FBI to help investigate the influx of a new drug that is destroying her community. Her undercover work introduces her to the new guy on her brother’s hockey team, who may be hiding something. This multilayered gripping thriller will leave you looking for Boulley’s next book. Tell me more: Daunis is biracial and uses her knowledge of her Ojibwe heritage to guide her actions and decisions throughout the story. Her special interests in chemistry and traditional plants and their medicinal uses help with the investigation, but also put her in danger as she follows her own leads. The tribal Elders who support and advise Daunis are wonderfully charming and play a key role in the book. Daunis herself is likeable, brave, and resourceful—it’s easy to cheer her on as she takes one risk after another.
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Roseanne recommends: I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart What’s it about: “New York Times bestselling author, superstar comedian, and Hollywood box office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word in this “hilarious but also heartfelt” (Elle) "memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself” (Amazon). Reviewers say: "Hart is an incredibly magnetic storyteller, on the page as he is onstage, and that’s what shines through…a genial, entertaining guide to a life in comedy” (Kirkus Reviews).
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Why She Wrote : A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers by Lauren BurkeWhat it’s about: Classic women authors take center stage in this inspiring, creative nonfiction graphic novel. Some of the authors are famous (Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Mary Wollstonecraft), while others are less well-known but equally fascinating. Varied in tone—some segments are grimly atmospheric, while others are sprightly—this book zeroes in on the reasons why each woman defied the odds to became a published writer.
Why you might like it: If you enjoy learning the story behind the story, this book is for you. Also, if you like books you can briefly dip into, the episodic nature of this graphic novel will appeal to you.
You might also like: Lauren Burke and Hannah K. Chapman have a podcast called Bonnets at Dawn, in which they further explore the lives and times of classic women authors.
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Christine recommends: Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith E. Heumann What it’s about: Judith Heumann became quadriplegic after contracting polio as a small child. Early experiences of being denied opportunities in education, transportation, and access to other services led her to advocate for all disabled people, including helping to organize a sit-in in a federal office building in San Francisco in support of keeping Section 504, a landmark statement for disability rights in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The sit-in lasted for three weeks and brought together an entire community of people with disabilities to fight for their rights. Why you might like it: Although I didn’t know about the struggle for Section 504, Heumann did a good job setting out the stakes for people with disabilities and pulling back the curtain on how legislation really gets made. This would be a great read for a new or current politician!
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