Well, those of you in Minnesota have had quite the winter to get through! I was there for the start of it and survived some really cold days in January, but have been enjoying sunshine and warmer temps in Mexico for several weeks. Even though we’ve had several batches of company here, I have managed to find time to do some good reading. Some of the titles I enjoyed were mentioned in the last newsletter. They include The Promise by Damon Galgut, Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, and The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris. All excellent! Harris’ novel will be coming out in paperback fairly soon and I hope you will pick up a copy. It takes place at the tail end of the Civil War in Georgia and focuses on the fate of two newly freed slaves. Excellent story!
Valerie Perrin’s novel, Fresh Water for Flowers, was a #1 best- seller in both France and Italy, where it was called “Italy’s favorite lockdown novel”. Katie MacKendrick, a librarian at the Denver Public Library, said “The only way I can describe this book is that it’s epic … It is contemporary fiction, a murder mystery, a thriller, a tragedy, and a romance all rolled into one.” Violette, the main character, is the caretaker of the cemetery in a small town in France. Her life has not been an easy one, but she always seems to find happiness in the small things of life. Filled with great characters, intriguing plots, and little gems of wisdom that will make you think. It’s a winner!
A friend who was visiting had a book from the Minneapolis Public Library with her. She finished it, so I decided to read it quickly before she had to leave. Author Yaa Gyasi’s novel, Transcendent Kingdom, is fine writing. I did not read her first one Homegoing. Did you?
Next on my list is Diana Gabaldon’s famous book, Outlander. We’ve had it on the shelves at Cherry Street since we opened and have sold many copies. I’ve always meant to read it and now it’s finally time! Isn’t it fun when you have a book (or a pile of books) you can hardly wait to begin? According to Gabaldon’s many fans, when I finish this one I will wish I had the next books in the series here with me to plunge into. We’ll see…… I’m not usually a series reader, but maybe this time I will be.
Keep warm. Keep well. Keep safe. Keep reading. Keep your hopes up ..… spring will come.