Happy Friday Links
1-7-22
Hi readers,
Well, how has the first week of the new year been for you? I hope it has started off good and stays that way. The weather has turned cold here, but fortunately, no rain or snow so far. I’ve seen the pictures on Instagram and FB of several friends and the snow they’ve gotten this week. It looks appealing as long as you don’t have to get out in it.
I love that the new year brings the feeling of a fresh start, putting the past behind us and moving forward. This last two years have been rough on almost everyone in so many different ways. One of the best things that the new year brings is new books. After book publishing seems slow during December, so many new and exciting books await readers during January and beyond, and this January is no different. I would need to take a months vacation to read everything that I want to read from just January’s releases; there are so many good books, too many to count.
But for now, let’s get to the weekly links:
As a kid growing up, I loved I Love Lucy. I can remember my Granny and me sitting and laughing almost the entire episode. I haven’t watched this yet, and I’m almost afraid to after some of the reviews I’ve read. Have you seen it yet?
In case you forget your book, these hotels have that problem solved. It sounds these would be the best kind of hotels to stay at.
The New York Public Library was closed for in-person use for over a year, which increased the use of their e-book and audiobook catalogs. The library lists their ten most borrowed e-books of 2021.
I haven’t read this book yet, but for some readers, this is their favorite book ever. The screen adaptation is coming to HBO sometime this year.
I loved this article about this 50-year-old book club. The number of books read, friendships formed, and pure fun experienced by the members over these 50 years; priceless.
Every writer’s dream is to have their debut novel rise to the top of the charts, but how often does that really happen? This NY Times (paywall) article details how celebrity book clubs can propel books to the top, but sometimes it is the hard work of all involved that takes the book to the top.
Book to screen adaptations usually draws mixed reviews from readers that have read the book before watching the movie. There are several on this list that I’m looking forward to; hopefully, the adaptations do the books justice.
If a child is lucky, someone somewhere sparks the interest of reading in them, and some of the time, that person is the school librarian. This article makes me sad that getting rid of the school librarian seems to be the first thought to save money in school districts.
I don’t read hundreds of books a year as some bloggers do, so if I only talked about books I’ve read, I’d run out of books fairly quickly. I try to be honest and state if I’ve read the book or not when I mention or recommend it. This Bookriot article goes a little deeper into why bloggers and booksellers may not be upfront about whether they’ve read the book or not.
There are a few books published this week that are worth mentioning:
The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels - “The best fiction tells the truth, but the truth is never simple.” Do writers often use truth in their writing? Novelist Kendra Brennan sometimes does, and this truth has sparked an angry letter from a disappointed reader. She sets out to confront the person that inspired the antagonist in her first book to prove that she told the truth in her novel. I have not read this book yet, but I have read one of this author’s previous books, The Words Between Us: A Novel, and really enjoyed it. Look for Erin to be featured in an upcoming An Author and Her Books series newsletter.
No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib - From Kirkus Reviews, “A tense, moving novel about the meaning of home, the risks of exile, the power of nations, and the power of love.” Set in the time of recent travel bans, this book tells the story of a Syrian couple, their newfound lives in the US, their separation, and ultimately their love. A heartwarming story, sad and representative of unjustified hatred, and ultimately the love that sustained the couple. I do have this book as an ARC, but I got behind on my reading, so I’ve yet to read it. It’s close to the top of my TBR, so there’s hope still.
Honor by Thrity Umrigar - A Reese’s Book Club pick for January 2022, Honor tells the story of “two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time.” From bestselling author Connie Schultz, “Thrity Umrigar continues her habit of laying bare the folly of our perceived differences. This book is an intense and spellbinding novel, ricocheting between fear and hope, betrayal and redemption. It is the story of the human heart in all its complexities and love worth fighting for.” It sounds like a worthy pick for Reese’s book club.
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez - This debut novel looks at the relationship between a brother and a sister and the family secrets that they are forced to confront, all against the backdrop of Puerto Rico’s most devastating hurricane. The siblings thrive on the outside, but behind the scenes tell a different story. From author Jaquira Diaz, “The story of an imperfect family shattered by secrets, grief and abandonment, and of people who rise up and refuse to be broken.” I’m almost at the halfway mark, and this book is so good. I should be able to finish it this weekend.
I’m always looking for new to me authors and different books than my usual reads. I’d love to hear about any books you are looking forward to reading this month. Are there any that you’ve been waiting not so patiently to read?
I hope you have a great weekend, stay warm and toasty, and make sure you set aside some time to read. Happy weekend and happy reading!
Some of the links in this newsletter may be affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase anything, I may earn a small commission. This costs you nothing and helps me feed my voracious reading habit, and for that, I thank you.
I wasn't nuts about "Becoming the Ricardos." I thought it was well done, but it was hard to relate to Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz; I never saw them as anything other than actors playing those parts. But I'd have to give them credit for having the courage to take on the role of two people we feel we know so well through "I Love Lucy," even though we don't. I think my enjoyment was also tainted by having just listened to a really excellent podcast series about the life of Lucille Ball, "The Plot Thickens" on TCM. It follows her life from beginning to end in multiple episodes that begin from her origin story in Jamestown, NY. Desi's story is an intricate part, and he's amazing in his own right, responsible for the success of the show and of Desilu Studios. Anyway, worth checking out--as is the movie despite its flaws.
Great list, and some of these new books are also on my list, especially Honor. And of course I'm always looking into new Austen retellings and screen adaptations - and this new year brings some exciting ones, including a new retelling of Emma, The Emma Project, by Sonali Dev, and also, a new screen adaptation of Persuasion starring Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding, and Dakota Johnson. I am also reading and writing about Persuasion, and January seems a good time to tackle what for me is Austen's saddest, bleakest story. Meanwhile, perhaps the dead of winter might also be a great time to get into the lightness and brightness of Alexander McCall Smith series (who also has a retelling of Emma) - any advice on whether that's a good idea appreciated! Happy new year, Gayla and book friends.