Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Husband Hour

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Husband Hour
Jamie Brenner
Expected publication date: April 24, 2018

When a young widow's reclusive life in a charming beach town is interrupted by a surprise visitor, she is forced to reckon with dark secrets about her family, her late husband, and the past she tried to leave behind.

Lauren Adelman and her high school sweetheart, Rory Kincaid, are a golden couple. They marry just out of college as Rory, a star hockey player, earns a spot in the NHL. Their future could not look brighter when Rory shocks everyone-Lauren most of all-by enlisting in the U.S. Army. When Rory dies in combat, Lauren is left devastated, alone, and under unbearable public scrutiny.

Seeking peace and solitude, Lauren retreats to her family's old beach house on the Jersey Shore. But this summer she's forced to share the house with her overbearing mother and competitive sister. Worse, a stranger making a documentary about Rory tracks her down and persuades her to give him just an hour of her time.

One hour with filmmaker Matt Brio turns into a summer of revelations, surprises, and upheaval. As the days grow shorter and her grief changes shape, Lauren begins to understand the past-and to welcome the future. - from Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Could Reread Over And Over And Over...

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is books I could reread forever.  I wrote a post awhile ago about why I love to reread, so this topic was perfect for me!  Here are some stories I keep going back to:

What are some of your favorite books?

 

Why I Don't Really Talk About My Blog in Real Life

Last year, Lindsey over at Lindsey Reads had a really thoughtful discussion post about the pros and cons of telling people about your blog.  It's a topic that had also been on my mind for awhile, so I wanted to put down my thoughts on the issue, as well.

Do I tell people about my blog and talk about it in my "real" life?  Yes and no.  Mostly no.

Before I started my blog, I only told two people that I was even considering it: my sister and my husband.  Now that I've been blogging for almost two years, there aren't that many more people that know about it among my family and friends.  My parents read it occasionally; my brother and his wife know, but I don't know if they actually ever check it out. 

I feel like I talk about the blog quite a bit, but my sister has become the (lucky or unlucky?) recipient of almost all my emails and phone calls about it.  She's been really great to brainstorm ideas with or help me proofread upcoming posts (one of these days, I will convince her to start her own blog!).

So far, blogging has been a really wonderful experience and I'm proud of the things I've written and what I've been able to put together.  Logically, I should want others to know about this hobby of mine that has actually become a big part of my life.  So, why don't I talk about my blog with more people or promote my posts on my personal Facebook page?

If I'm going to be really honest, I think there is a little bit of a feeling of embarrassment.  I think if I started telling people, they'd be like, "You do what?"  There are so many blogs out there on every topic imaginable; it's not uncommon for people to have a blog, but for some reason, I think my friends and family might think it's weird for me to have one?  Like, I don't even text on my phone, yet I've created this whole corner of the internet for myself?  And even though it's a public blog and part of the reason I started it was to join this amazing community, it still feels a bit personal.  Even if I'm just writing a book review, it makes me nervous to think that someone I know and see often is reading my words and maybe even judging me for my thoughts.  For some reason, it's less nerve-wracking to have someone I don't know offline reading my posts. 

I think a lot of my family and friends just wouldn't be interested in it.  I know some of them read often, but I don't think it's on the scale and with the passion that I have for it.  I don't really want to be talking about something that no one cares about.  Somehow it would hurt less to keep it to myself than to tell others and not get a lot of support.

Other book bloggers just get it - we started our blogs for a lot of the same reasons; we have the same interests; we understand each other.  Whether we're super excited about an upcoming release or gutted when a book doesn't live up to expectations, we all know how that feels.  I love that I've been able to join this community and develop a friendship with other bloggers.  I have all of you guys - most of the time I don't even feel a need to talk about my blog at work or with friends.

 

So, this rambled a bit!  Am I overthinking this?  Should I tell my friends and family about my blog?  Do you talk about your blog in "real life" or do you keep it private?

 



5 Reasons Why You'll Love "Something Like Happy"

Something Like Happy
Eva Woods
Published September 5, 2017

“It's simple, really. You're just meant to do one thing every day that makes you happy. Could be little things. Could be big. In fact, we're doing one right now…”

Annie Hebden is stuck. Stuck in her boring job, with her irritating roommate, in a life no thirty-five-year-old would want. But deep down, Annie is still mourning the terrible loss that tore a hole through the perfect existence she'd once taken for granted—and hiding away is safer than remembering what used to be. Until she meets the eccentric Polly Leonard.

Bright, bubbly, intrusive Polly is everything Annie doesn't want in a friend. But Polly is determined to finally wake Annie up to life. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it's that your time is too short to waste a single day—which is why she wants Annie to join her on a mission…

One hundred days. One hundred new ways to be happy. Annie's convinced it's impossible, but so is saying no to Polly. And on an unforgettable journey that will force her to open herself to new experiences—and perhaps even new love with the unlikeliest of men—Annie will slowly begin to realize that maybe, just maybe, there's still joy to be found in the world. But then it becomes clear that Polly's about to need her new friend more than ever…and Annie will have to decide once and for all whether letting others in is a risk worth taking. - from Goodreads

Something Like Happy is the story of Annie Hebden and how her life changes when she meets the terminally ill Polly Leonard.  Here are five reasons why I think you'll enjoy this one:

1. You'll root for Annie.  When we first meet Annie, she's at a low point in her life and has been there for awhile.  She has a crappy job, a crappy apartment, and her mother has early onset Alzheimer's.  Her husband left her for her best friend, and she also went through the terrible loss of her son.  Even though she has every reason in the world to be unhappy, I still wanted her to find joy again.
2. You'll fall in love with Polly.  Diagnosed with a brain tumor, Polly doesn't have much time left.  Although she has sad moments, for the most part she is lively and vivacious, not wanting to waste a minute of her remaining days - and she wants the same for Annie.  I think we can all relate to her desire to do something important with her life and leave a positive mark on the world.
3. You'll laugh AND cry.  The characters all have their snarky moments, and there were some funny one-liners in there.  But you all know I love a book that makes me cry, and this one definitely did.  I was basically in tears for the last 50 pages of the book - both happy and sad ones.
4. You might be inspired to try your own 100 Happy Days Challenge.  Eva Woods took inspiration from a real-life challenge for her book.  Polly believes she has about 3 months left to live, so she embarks on this challenge to do one happy thing every day for 100 days.  She recruits new friend, Annie, to help her find joy in living again.  I love that the title of each chapter reflected what the characters were doing, but they can also act as suggestions for things we could all try, like "have a makeover" and "go outside."
5. You won't want to stop reading.  Woods' writing is readable and approachable.  I found myself swept up in the story, wanting to see what Polly would do next.  I felt invested in all the characters, even the secondary ones.  Even though the story is sad at times, I still felt hope.

Although the story isn't terribly original and there was at least one secondary plotline that I felt was unnecessary, there was still so much to love about this book.  If you're looking for an emotional contemporary novel, try this one out.  4 stars

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Elizas

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Elizas
Saras Shepard
Expected publication date: April 17, 2018

When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness.

Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional, isn’t it?

The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins. - from Goodreads

TV Shows I'm Obsessed With Lately #5

Hmm, am I watching TOO much TV lately?  Here are some more shows I've been watching...

Tyra. Is. Back.  I used to watch America's Next Top Model religiously, but I haven't seen it in so long!  I decided to try it out again this cycle, with Tyra Banks returning after leaving for a year.  The drama, the cattiness, the photos - I'm obsessed.

Future Man is a comedy about a janitor who is recruited by two resistance fighters from the future to help save the world.  If you're not easily offended, you'll probably love this one, too - it's raunchy, it's outrageous, but it's so fun!  And it stars Josh Hutcherson and Eliza Coupe, both of whom I love.

So, 9-1-1 doesn't have the most original premise (it focuses on the EMTs, police officers, and firefighters of Los Angeles), but it's so good and has a great cast.  I especially love Connie Britton as a 9-1-1 operator who is also dealing with a mother with early onset Alzheimer's.

Have you seen any of these?  What are you watching lately?

5 Historical Fiction Books About First Ladies

It's Presidents Day in the United States, and I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and put together a list of historical fiction novels about the women beside the men, the First Ladies! All blurbs are from Goodreads.

 Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini (2013)

In Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, novelist Jennifer Chiaverini presents a stunning account of the friendship that blossomed between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Keckley, a former slave who gained her professional reputation in Washington, D.C. by outfitting the city’s elite. Keckley made history by sewing for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln within the White House, a trusted witness to many private moments between the President and his wife, two of the most compelling figures in American history.

In March 1861, Mrs. Lincoln chose Keckley from among a number of applicants to be her personal “modiste,” responsible not only for creating the First Lady’s gowns, but also for dressing Mrs. Lincoln in the beautiful attire Keckley had fashioned. The relationship between the two women quickly evolved, as Keckley was drawn into the intimate life of the Lincoln family, supporting Mary Todd Lincoln in the loss of first her son, and then her husband to the assassination that stunned the nation and the world. 

The Secret Letters of Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy by Wendy Leigh (2003)

The Secret Letters is a thrilling, compulsive novel with a unique premise: What if Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy---the two most iconic women of our time---had met and begun a secret correspondence?

A compelling page-turner set against the glittering backdrop of Hollywood and Washington during the 1950s and 1960s, The Secret Letters presents Marilyn and Jackie as you have never seen them before. As the story unfolds, we discover the two legends, the wife and the mistress, as friends and enemies, both in love with the same man---Jack Kennedy.

Author Wendy Leigh has created a daring concept and delivers it in fascinating detail. Each letter is rich with factual research on both women, the turbulent era in which they lived and loved, and the people who touched their lives.

Dolley by Rita Mae Brown (1994)

She had the president's ear and the nation's heart.

She's the wife of the fourth president of the United States; a spirited charmer who adores parties, the latest French fashions, and the tender, brilliant man who is her husband. But while many love her, few suspect how complex Dolley Madison really is.

Only in the pages of her diary—as imagined by novelist Rita Mae Brown—can Dolley fully reveal herself. And there we discover the real first lady—impulsive, courageous, and wise—as she faces her harshest trial: in 1814, the United States is once more at war with mighty Britain, and her beloved James is the most hated man in America.

From the White House receptions she gaily presides over to her wild escape from a Washington under siege, Dolley gives us a legend, made warmly human. For there has never been a first lady so testedèor, one who came through the fire so brilliantly.

Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini (2015)

In 1844, Missouri belle Julia Dent met dazzling horseman Lieutenant Ulysses S Grant. Four years passed before their parents permitted them to wed, and the groom’s abolitionist family refused to attend the ceremony.

Since childhood, Julia owned as a slave another Julia, known as Jule. Jule guarded her mistress’s closely held twin secrets: She had perilously poor vision but was gifted with prophetic sight. So it was that Jule became Julia’s eyes to the world.
And what a world it was, marked by gathering clouds of war. The Grants vowed never to be separated, but as Ulysses rose through the ranks—becoming general in chief of the Union Army—so did the stakes of their pact. During the war, Julia would travel, often in the company of Jule and the four Grant children, facing unreliable transportation and certain danger to be at her husband’s side.

Yet Julia and Jule saw two different wars. While Julia spoke out for women—Union and Confederate—she continued to hold Jule as a slave behind Union lines. Upon the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Jule claimed her freedom and rose to prominence as a businesswoman in her own right, taking the honorary title Madame. The two women’s paths continued to cross throughout the Grants’ White House years in Washington, DC, and later in New York City, the site of Grant’s Tomb.

Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert (2016)

When AP political reporter Lorena Hickok—Hick—is assigned to cover Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1932 campaign, the two women become deeply involved. Their relationship begins with mutual romantic passion, matures through stormy periods of enforced separation and competing interests, and warms into an enduring, encompassing friendship documented by 3300 letters.

Set during the chaotic years of the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Second World War, Loving Eleanor reveals Eleanor Roosevelt as a complex, contradictory, and entirely human woman who is pulled in many directions by her obligations to her husband and family and her role as the nation's First Lady. Hick is revealed as an accomplished journalist, who, at the pinnacle of her career, gives it all up for the woman she loves. Then, as Eleanor is transformed into Eleanor Everywhere, First Lady of the World, Hick must create her own independent, productive life. Loving Eleanor is a profoundly moving novel that illuminates a relationship we are seldom privileged to see, celebrating the depth and durability of women's love.