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Book Review: Lost Lake

01 Monday Jun 2020

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Sarah Addison Allen weaves magic into real life, and the enchanting Lost Lake does not disappoint. Emerging from her initial mourning period, widow Kate takes her daughter to Lost Lake for fresh perspective. The destination that used to draw crowds for vacations no longer holds its allure, but it still pulls Kate and Devin into its orbit. They connect with the regulars at the lake as they too face new adjustments. Together, they find hope and resilience no matter their ages. Rich in backstory, small town camaraderie, and love, Lost Lake has you rooting for its characters to reach their next growth point.

Book Review: Where the Red Fern Grows

20 Wednesday May 2020

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I recently reread this classic that also made the first spot on the list of books that brought tears to my eyes. Reading this as an adult affirmed its status in literature. Wilson Rawls wrote a story about a boy worthy of our cheers as he worked to buy and train his hunting dogs. Immersed in the poor, rural setting, I felt a content participant in Billy’s life. I wanted to encourage him on his quest to become the best coon hunter as I saw the people in his life come together for a common cause. Loyalty and dedication abounded as positive themes throughout the story, not only from the dogs but from Billy as well. He made a good example what it takes to overcome odds and meet goals.

K.I.R.B. Appeal: An Interview with Me

09 Saturday May 2020

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My library book club leader and friend Delois recently interviewed me for a book recommendation feature on the library’s website to highlight selections available on OverDrive and Libby courtesy of the library.

Here is the interview:

Anatomy of a Book Club: Up Close with KIRB Appeal Book Club Members #2

Posted on  in Book, OverDrive/Libby.

Delois Walters: Library Assistant, Book Club Moderator

In the upcoming weeks, I’ll introduce members of KIRB Appeal, a multi-generational, diverse book club that meets at the Bob Kirby Branch Library.

Our featured reader this time is Kayla Stierwalt.

The Gown by Jennifer Robson (Available through OverDrive/Libby)

DW: Kayla, I don’t think I have met anyone else with your last name here in Bowling Green. Are you from Kentucky?

KS: I do have an unusual last name—I haven’t me anyone outside of my family who bears the name. I am actually a native of Missouri.

DW: What brought you to Bowling Green?

KS: I came here from Texas right after Hurricane Harvey. You could say I was escaping hurricanes and the heat, mainly the heat!

DW: I remember your first visit to the library—you were excited about getting your library card, but dejected that you had just missed the Friends of the Library book sale.

Kayla Stierwalt, Teacher’s Assistant

KS: Yes, books were on my radar and since I missed the book sale, you invited me to KIRB Appeal for a book discussion. I was so happy to make connections there.

DW: You recommended the book The Gown by Jennifer Robson. Why did this book grab you?

KS: I really enjoy reading historical fiction and I was attracted to this book because it is about the wedding gown of Queen Elizabeth, and because it has an element of intrigue as well as a dual time-line.

DW: What else did you like about this book?

KS: I liked the themes of friendship and resilience, and it was hopeful.

DW: Kayla, you’re fascinating; you contribute book reviews to a blog, you enjoy doing research, and in addition to being an avid reader, you write as well. If you were writing the ending to this chapter in all of our lives about living through a pandemic, what would that ending be?

DW: Just as The Gown is a hopeful story; I would write a hopeful ending. This has been a time of hope and growth for me. I am fortunate to be employed and have everything that I need. My wish is that when this is over, people will reflect on what we’ve gone through, slow down, and continue to show kindness, so we can grow and become better people, because we are all in this together!

DW: I know literacy is very important to you. You said something earlier about your job as a teacher’s assistant that made me smile. Do you know what I am referring to?

KS: I’ll bet you mean when I said the favorite part of my job is when I take my group to the library—it’s my Happy Place!

The Gown is available to download through the WCPL digital catalog as an eBook or an audiobook through OverDrive & Libby.

 

Guys, libraries provide so many services for communies. Right now funding sources question that. I still am learning exactly how much they offer, but I can tell you I felt especially delighted when I realized I could get free access to Mango Languages to learn Arabic. During my time in quarantine I also have registered on Hoopla, which makes a good resource for trying new music, audiobooks, TV shows, and more. Next, I’m exploring research options as I help a student with a project. Let’s keep our libraries alive so communities can thrive.

Book Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

07 Thursday May 2020

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Last year I fell in love with Taylor Jenkin Reid’s Daisy Jones & the Six immediately after its release, ready to read it again before I turned the last page. Her prior book The Seven Husbands of  Evelyn Hugo did not disappoint either. Following a similar interview style format, the story followed actress Evelyn Hugo over the course of her career and husbands. Reid immersed readers in the Hollywood lifestyle and reminded us appearances do not tell the whole story. Though on some levels I couldn’t relate to Evelyn, I found myself wrapped up in her tension to propel her career and to fulfill her desires for her home life. Success in both posed an impossible challenge. Then despite some unlikable characteristics, Monique finds her own resolve strengthening as she interviews the star. The growth there made a great catalyst for moving forward with a proper foundation, one possibly not found in Evelyn’s history. I adore Taylor Jenkin Reid’s writing style and voice and look forward to reading more, especially Daisy Jones again.

Now

Book Review: Don’t Overthink It

22 Wednesday Apr 2020

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I received a copy of Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life by Anne Bogel from BakerBooks in exchange for a review. I also purchased a copy.

The delightful and bookish Anne Bogel did not disappoint with this book. It exceeded my expectations, giving me ample content to contemplate and apply to my life. In an early chapter she writes, “When it comes to overthinking, the same thing is true for many of us. We’re bothered by it, but we don’t do anything about it because we don’t know change is within reach” (28). She continues to share common obstacles and highly accessible and desirable information to make tangible progress. Using careful research within the chapters and leaving prompts and lines for reflection at each one’s end, she invites readers to do just that. Reading this felt like having a discussion with a mentor, and each time I set it down I felt a renewed encouragement for continued growth and even affirmation for some of the habits I already had in place. I highly recommend this book as well as the reflection and application sections (I know I sometimes gloss over them or intend to return to them later).

 

I am also a member of Anne Bogel’s Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and recommend that community as well. It feels so good to be among those who are reading. We share the joy of reading and a mutual desire to make the most of our reading lives.

Book Review: small great things by Jodi Picoult

02 Thursday Apr 2020

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My appreciation for Jodi Picoult has grown in the last couple years. She takes difficult topics and invites readers to contemplate them in ways they might not have otherwise. This story takes a common issue that we tend to not notice. Looking at racism through the eyes of a black nurse on trial, a white nationalist putting that nurse on trial while grieving his son’s death, and the nurse’s lawyer who witnesses prejudice she didn’t realize existed I noticed we all hold more prejudice than we like to think. As the characters interact with each other, they gain deeper understandings of all; I also gained an awareness of my own blind spots and felt encouraged to deepen my empathy. Each person faces very real obstacles, and each person has room to grow. This applies to readers as well. Though tough to read at points, I’m glad Picoult examined such a full spectrum of experiences and urged readers to consider where their perspectives fall and where they may grow in empathy.

Book Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

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Eowyn Ivey’s The Snow Child warms your heart with its realistic grown up fairy tale. Jack and Mabel live in the 1920s where, rather than encountering a wicked witch, they face the Alaskan wilderness in winter as well as the loneliness of yearning for a child. After the first snow, they meet a little girl named Faina. She lives alone in the woods but befriends this sweet couple. Heartrending yet also hopeful, this story invites you to sit by the fireside to enjoy life and love. In the flickers of the fire, you glimpse the raw pain, tenderness, and joy of marriage.

Book Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

24 Tuesday Mar 2020

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William Goldman’s classic fantasy adventure The Princess Bride provided the perfect escape for my Valentine season reading. It may do the same for COVID-19 social distancing too. Westley the farm boy and Buttercup the belle of the farm fall in love despite their odds. Though distanced for a time, they reunite when Westley rescues Buttercup from a kidnapping. Together and apart they face numerous foes, providing plenty of humor along the way. Full of comical quotes, Goldman lends a satirical voice to his story. It has delightful love quotes too, such as Westley saying, “Do I love you? My God, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches.” Westley’s quest to marry Buttercup and the friends they gain along the way have you rooting for each person’s goal. This story has a perfect balance of romance and action that may suit many for a date night to discuss the book or watch the movie.

Book Review: Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

22 Sunday Mar 2020

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Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts tells the story of a young woman who gives a baby girl birth alone in a Wal-Mart. Gaining the attention of the nation and then new friends in the small town of her temporary “home,” Novalee develops an unconventional family. The support she garners as she connects to the community help her raise her daughter, learn new skills for education and a career (appropriately rooted in the library), and grow personal strength. While the premise sounds odd, the characters welcome you right into their hearts. Their hospitality and support for each other makes you wish you could move into their town too. Novalee demonstrates we all have potential and that it may best come to realization with a support system.

Book Review: A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

21 Saturday Mar 2020

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A Curious Beginning, the first Veronica Speedwell mystery by Deanna Raybourn, makes for a fun and adventurous escape. Slightly outside my normal reading avenues, the strong willed Veronica Speedwell carries her weight in a plot driven novel. She steps outside of the expected or even accepted female role of her time to choose her own path. After she meets Stoker, witty banter and the mystery heat up. The dynamic between the two leads keep me smiling and turning the pages. This beginning has me curious to continue the series.