This was not the Emily Henry writing I have read before. Yes, there is a love story, or two, if you include both sets of the dual timelines. While I didn't piece the whole storyline together- I did figure out quite a bit of it. This story, the glamor, the larger than life fame, tragedy, etc reminded me a lot of "All The Stars In The Heavens" by Adriana Trigiani, a book I read back in 2021.

While I enjoyed the storyline about loving yourself before you can love others and related to that a lot, the rest of the story just okay. I'd like a full complete story about Rue and her marriage and the day that connected her with Cole & Hutch through found family.

Way more open door than I prefer to read but second changes are my second favorite trope so that was good. It was also fun to get a few updates from other Spoons couples from earlier in the series. P.S. this book made me so hungry for baked goods, especially the holiday pie! 🤤

Well, I didn't see that coming.

Wow. I don't think I've read a better book with a character in the thick of loss and alcoholism. I rooted for Cass, got mad at her, understood, and mourned with her.

A little late coming to this great parenting resource, but I'm still going to implement some of other over great conversation starter ideas and bonding moments. Thanks Robin!

Absolutely left me emotional through the entire book, as I am with most of Abby's titles, since she always has characters that I connect with so deeply.

I've shelved this book dozens of times as a library staff member but watching my tween be engrossed in it and reading ahead of her assignments for school is what made me finally pick it up. Definitely left open for more titles in the series.

P. 104
What if, instead of being so frustrated by what we don't see, I let God's Word be the lens through which I get to receive glimpses of His goodness that only those of us who suffer get to see?

Lysa TerKeurst Adams
I Want To Trust You, But I Don't pages 102-104

Less about the list and more about trusting yourself as you are thrust into the big wide world. Love the technology ideas/apps mentioned; I wonder if something like The Dispatch and Getaway Lists are based on real things in big cities?

Reading spots don't get much better. #CampingPace

Well researched and I learned a lot from the Victorian Era about the luxury side of numerous objects and the history of imported trinkets at vacation destinations- way before I ever would have ever considered possible. Many other clutter/decluttering authors I've also already read included as well.

Is it normal to refresh the app continuously? 🤪

What a fantastic read. Part storytelling, with science and inspiration to reevaluate the ways we've supplemented everyday tasks with needless screen time. A few things Carlos touched on is that we aren't content with the quiet anymore, we can't maintain eye-contact, we don't know how to get lost, and we've lost our ability to wonder- simply because we can have answers immediately with a quick Google search.

I want a 13 year do-over. So many thing I could have done differently since taking on the mom-role. But I'll be implementing so many Danish things thanks to this books, so better late then never. Sigh. After reading a few excerpts to my husband, he's ready to up and relocate to Denmark. Highly recommend!

March 2025
Host of Maggie's Book Bites Podcast
Goodreads.com/MaggieCarr
#2025SpineStack
#MaggiesSpineStacks
#StorygraphStats

A little slow in parts but honestly I don't think I would have been able to read it any faster as I had to pace myself with the extreme spousal violence. I have a few Puritan/ Witch/ Massachusetts history books set aside to read this year and this was the first. I cannot imagine a more woven narrative to correlate the abuse within a marriage of this time, when women are property and of the inability to leave a marriage.

Not sure how I missed this book back in 2022, the cover and roller derby theme is everything that would have caught my attention in reading material back then and now. This was a fantastic book of found family and though I tend to group bios/memoirs as lifelong recaps this story focuses in on a much shorter time between college and early 20s for Gabe, her girlfriend, and impact roller derby had on her life.
Comp I'm Glad My Mom Died by J. McCurdy

Yikes. Well that was way more violent then I expected out of a teen western.

This book made me feel ewwwy. Open door romances don't bother me but early on they clearly both understood the abuse of power involved in a student & T.A. relationship and continued on anyway. Just a big no for me, wish it would have mentioned that in the blurb.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1915 book Herland is a thought-provoking work of utopian fiction and a time capsule of early twentieth-century feminism. On the eve of the First World War, sociology student Vandyck Jennings goes on an expedition with two of his friends to search for a society rumored to consist only of women. On the way to what they will name "Herland," Van and his friends ponder the type of women they hope or expect to see when they...

Herland keeps showing up on feminist book lists I'm trying to read through. Noticed it's book #2 in a trilogy. But book #1 is rarely mentioned. Do I need to read the first to understand what is happening in Herland?

Teenage homelessness, food insecurity, adult mistrust, sexual pressure, bullying, and an imprisoned parent all wrapped up in one book that would work well for topic driven discussions.

Expected publication: April 1, 2025

I really enjoyed this book, told in alternating chapters from modern day/2019, and 1999, and 1800s all in Australia and it's waters. I found the cadence of the writing weaving the known history of women convict ships and transportation into a story with magical realism a unique way to shed light on a lesser known part of Australian history (for me as an American).

I loved the blurb and construction of a split timeline style- this just felt far, far too long.

Historical fiction set in during the Civil War, one I don't read nearly as often since WW2 seems to overtake the genre more frequently. A quiet love story on a farm close to the front lines. Each character has a backstory that adds complexity to the scenes shared throughout the book. Not everyone makes it to the end but the found family in the midst of chaos is heartwarming.

Is there a name for a trope where one main character is supposed to be setting up the other and ends up falling hard themselves? That's what this was. Very cute.

Expected publication: April 22, 2025

While I connected better to 'Eat Cake, Be Brave' more than 'Chicken Fried Women's I think it was the timing for me. Several chapters absolutely hit my funny bone and had me rereading excerpts to my coworkers in the break room, or my mom & sister... but other sections missed the mark for me, or were maybe too close to home and emotional?

I definitely have a tribe but would they help wrap me in electrical...

A perfect narrative history and resource for a then and now world from an author who lives and breathes all he has learned about Tuberculosis and is doing something about it! Well done and worth the read!

Expected publication March 18, 2025

While I loved Amanda's passion and I agree to speaking up and out to raise awareness about book banning/censorship overall, I wanted more from this book. Her speech isn't until the end and would have helped readers more if it was included in the opening chapter since it is alluded to so frequently in the book. I wanted more specifics about each court battle (but maybe since it's still ongoing it can't be?) and way less repetitiveness overall...

It took me a little bit to get into this book but once I understood the triple timelines, along with recorded memories, I felt emersed in the story as it all wove together like branches in a mighty tree. As citizens of the world we aren't far from our history, not the history we are making each day - fight forward! Fight for change for those to come!

February 2025
Host of Maggie's Book Bites Podcast
Goodreads.com/MaggieCarr
#2025SpineStack
#MaggiesSpineStacks
#StorygraphStats

From politicians, to educational systems, judicial, historical, and the runway our bodies and what we put on them tells layers of stories of history, and sharing a narrative of who we wish to be day to day. This was a fantastic book and I learned a lot through this book.

This was a very quick read but didn't captivate me nearly as much as Alone did.

I haven't read many WW1 books, let alone from a teen Canadian girls perspective. In this book Rilla is left at home as her brothers and friends leave to join the fight. The book is half journal and is an insight into her day to day life during the war.

Anne is in this title so little. It's good but I miss her.

Reading this series with my preteen has us in varying agreement. I'm relating so much to Anne as an adult, while my daughter enjoyed the earlier books in the series more. In Anne Of Ingleside I found myself reflected in being on the visited end of long staying guests and their unwelcomed behaviors.

Love, loss, friendship, and so many heartfelt moments I can relate to.

Written mostly as a one sided epistolary, readers get a glimpse of life for Anne during the three years she spends at Windy Poplars while she's the principal at the school as she writes to Gilbert who is away studying to be a doctor.

"... Sometimes I feel as if being grown-up just frightened me and then I would give anything to be a little girl again." page 3

Such a different time in the world, I can't imagine being in charge of a classroom at 17.

Fixed our Wednesday/Thursday forecast. #LibraryFan

Listen to the newest podcast episode of Maggie's Book Bites!

In this episode, Maggie was joined by Sarah to discuss non-fiction books, the first of two non-fiction episodes for 2025. Listen on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google, Amazon, and Stitcher.

nar·cis·sist /ˈnärsəsəst/
noun
a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.

gas·light /ˈɡasˌlīt/
verb
manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.

Do not read this book if either are triggers. What an awful man from beginning to end. The ripple affects of his manipulation spread through the generations and surely would have continued had they not all died.

I very much enjoyed diving back into this book and intend to read the whole series this year, something I have never done before. Although this wasn't my first time through the first book, I never noticed how rushed the ending felt compared to the rest of the book.

A few years ago a simple conversation over a shared favorite author became a 6/year book club and I couldn't be more thankful for the deep friendships and community we have built. I got to host last night and my Forever Friends were over for 5 hours, leaving at 11pm. I know it's different for business and library book clubs, but for those that meet in homes how long do your discussions last? (P.S. this includes a carry-in supper)

January 2025
Host of Maggie's Book Bites Podcast
Goodreads.com/MaggieCarr
#2025SpineStack
#MaggiesSpineStacks
#StorygraphStats

I've had Storygraph since it was in beta but didn't want to long my books in, yet, another place. However seeing so many friends share their graphs with end of year stats really convinced me. I've claimed to be a varied reader for a long time, I really struggle with world building fantasy that has a new language and with psychological thrillers, but other than that I read most anything. I was fascinated with my fiction to non-fiction stats!

Absolutely fascinating to learn additional medical history from a female trailblazing (and often times ridiculed) account of so many remarkable women medical staff, some patients, and the family and societies that surrounded them.