Happy weekend to YOU! I’m back after taking a short newsletter break last weekend. It’s been a whirlwind lately with back-to-school prep. Our school district keeps the supply list pretty minimal, but that doesn’t stop me from wandering the back-to-school aisles like a kid in a candy store soaking up all the fresh notebooks, colorful pens, and sweet, sweet nostalgia.
This week I’m diving into a recent TBR add, a Lattes for Literacy update, my take on the new album announcement, the specialty book stand I would (hypothetically) like to own, a new favorite quote, and a few e-book deals. Enjoy!
To Be Read
You know I’m from Texas, so when The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore popped up on a recommended reading list, I instantly added it to my TBR! The story is about Dr. Tucia Hatherley who gave up medicine after a tragic mistake. She’s forced to join a questionable traveling medicine show to make ends meet. As she battles guilt and deception, a looming hurricane in Galveston tests her courage and maybe even offers a chance at redemption.
My family has spent so many summers in Galveston and I’ve been hearing about the hurricane of 1900 my entire life. I’ve also read Skenandore’s other book, The Second Life of Mirielle West, and loved it!
Lattes for Literacy: Week 20 Update
In Week 13, I made a $50 donation to the Walnut Creek Library Foundation. This week, I’m thrilled to share that the 50% ($25) match was confirmed by my employer for a total donation of $75. For the year, that brings my donations to $120 plus $50 of employer matches, for a total of $170 toward local libraries and literacy programs in the East Bay!
I’m preparing for another donation soon so I’ll keep you posted! If you are new around here, you can learn about my Lattes for Literacy project where I modify my daily coffee order and make donations toward local libraries and literacy programs.
Beyond the Bookshelf: The Life of a Showgirl
Earlier this week, I shared my own take on Taylor Swift’s latest album announcement and appearance on the New Heights podcast. You can also learn all about how I believe one of Shakespeare’s works is recommended reading before this album release!
If I Owned a Bookstand
I saw a writing prompt the other day that asked the thought-provoking question: if you owned a store, what kind of store would it be? Here’s the truth: I don’t want to own a whole store, however, I would (hypothetically) love to own a book stand that specialized in historical fiction. I wouldn’t sort the books by author’s name, but rather by setting or time period. Here are three books that I would keep fully stocked at all times:
The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: During World War II, blind French girl Marie-Laure and German orphan Werner are drawn together in the walled city of Saint-Malo, as she flees with a priceless museum jewel and he is sent to track the Resistance with his radio expertise.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon: In 1789 Maine, midwife Martha Ballard investigates a suspicious death linked to an alleged rape.
The Women by Kristin Hannah: In 1965, nursing student Frankie McGrath joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. She discovers her strength amid the horrors of battle and faces an even greater struggle when she returns home to a divided and unwelcoming America.
Quotable
I’m reading Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry and this quote about writing and creating made me put down my e-reader and stare up at the tree I was under (high praise). One of the main characters in the story is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer and he’s now working on his next project. Another character asks him a question about when he will stop caring if people are proud of his work.
“When you win a Pulitzer?”
He scoffs quietly. “No, not then. Because then, suddenly, they’re incredibly proud, but they’re proud of the accomplishment, not of the work. So you feel like you have to keep accomplishing instead of just creating. It affirms the idea that the value in what you do is how people react to it, and not just in the making of it. I’ve written stuff I’m really proud of that hardly anyone read. I’ve written stuff I’m proud of that no one liked. That doesn’t mean it didn’t deserve to be written.”
E-book Deals!
If you are a celebrity book club fan, you’re in luck! Check out these e-book deals for titles that have been previously selected for Jenna, Reese, and Oprah’s book clubs!
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan – $1.99
The Library Book by Susan Orlean – $2.99
The Tell by Amy Griffin – $1.99
That’s it for this week. This afternoon I’m meeting up with my very first mom-friend! We haven’t seen each other in years and we aren’t even connected on social media, but we’ve kept in touch with holiday cards and texts every few months. She lived just down the street when my son was born, and her daughter is the same age, so we shared a lot of those early parenting moments.
Questions for your weekend:
- Do you walk down the school supply aisles this time of year even if you don’t *need* to?
- If you owned a bookstore, what books would you always have in stock?
- Do you have a hobby or creative outlet that you’re proud of, but may not win any awards anytime soon?
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