A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

LOVED IT!!
One of my all-time favorite books, IT CHANGED MY LIFE.
I read it 30 years ago in my bookclub and I am currently re-reading it. I read the series, each about the next generation of the Harte family, and enjoyed them immensely, but each book stands alone with satisfying endings.
A friend described it as a "delicious read," which is an apt description. Another friend refers to as "your biblical guide for attaining excellence."

I remember devouring every page as I learned more about the central character, Emma Harte, her focused commitment to experience success, her determined belief in herself, and her passionate ability to love. I had read Gone With The Wind, but this was the first novel I ever read that modeled not only what it was like to be a strong woman, but also someone I would recommend as a strong role model to any of my daughters or granddaughters.

A rags-to-riches story, it is about a British woman who begins as a simple maid to become the powerful head of a business empire in the early 20th century. It is a magnificent novel about the strength and commitment one woman has to pull herself out of poverty and the sacrifices she makes to survive and become powerful in an age dominated by men. However only her career ends happily ever after... her personal life was a mess (something many years after the fact, to which I can personally relate). Yet in the midst of numerous personal trials she found some of the best friends and business partners for life, and (again, as I am able relate) the book has a happy and upbeat conclusion. When the series ended I missed them as I did a dear friend.

Shortly after reading this I read a news article telling about the life of Estee Lauder and the rise of her eponymous cosmetics empire. It was so similar to Emma Harte's story I told my mother, a devotee of all things Estee Lauder, and she recommended A Woman of Independent Means, which I devoured and it was an equally wonderful novel which also changed my life. I believe I recommended both novels to my newly married daughter at the time.

I highly recommend this wonderful novel. Barbara Taylor Bradford is a master storyteller!

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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite reads ever! Absolutely engaging, I was emotionally invested in the story and the characters and I could not put it down. Ng's prose is stunning and her insight into human nature, motherhood, professional ethics, freedom, and preconceived ideas is impressive. Little Fires Everywhere depicts a number of heart-wrenching yet frequently occurring issues in today’s society. It is complex, multi-layered, and so beautifully written I've decided I will read anything by Celeste Ng I can get my hands on.
I need my friends to read this so we can talk about it!
quotes:
"She smelled, Mia thought suddenly, of home, as if home had never been a place, but had always been this little person whom she’d carried alongside her."

"One had followed the rules, and one had not. But the problem with rules... was that they implied a right way and a wrong way to do things. When, in fact, most of the time they were simply ways, none of them quite wrong or quite right, and nothing to tell you for sure what side of the line you stood on."

"Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way."

"Rules existed for a reason: if you followed them, you would succeed; if you didn't, you might burn the world to the ground."



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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this audio book and because of her metaphors, vivid descriptions, colorful characters and lyrical style I would like to read the manuscript as well! One reviewer said, “She wrote as a Black woman-identified Black woman, valuing her experiences…in a society where these areas of experience are generally regarded as valueless, insignificant, and inferior to white/male culture.” If you have already read the book (or saw the movie) you will love the audio version read by Ruby Dee (who also played the role of Janie's grandmother in Oprah's movie). It is simply fantastic, a real treat! Definitely listen to it if it's available from your library.

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Babette's Feast and Sorrow-Acre: Two Isak Dinesen Short Stories Unabridged

Babette's Feast/Sorrow-Acre by Isak Dinesen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These are both short stories/vignettes, by Danish writer Isak Dineson, the pseudonym of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa and her writing is superb.
"Through all the world there goes one long cry from the heart of the artist: Give me leave to do my utmost." So writes Dinesen in Babette's Feast as she spins a tale of friendship's ultimate sacrifice and the deepest values of life.
Sorrow-Acre is a lyrical story of heartbreaking beauty about an old woman who gives her life for her son's life. These two complete stories echo Babette's plea with haunting poignancy. I listened to the audio book.

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Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This is a fantastically brilliant, heartwarming, and beautifully uplifting little book! It is an amazing story told with empathy and humor.
10 year old Augie Pullman, born with a terrible facial abnormality, won't describe what he looks like but says, "Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." Previously homeschooled, this narrative is about his being mainstreamed into 5th grade at a middle school. It is described in short chapters by 6 different narrators: his older sister, 2 of her friends, 2 of his classmates, & himself.

Palacio, the author, does a skillful job giving each of the narrators a very honest and distinctive voice. They all sound sincere & real. It makes you feel like you really are taking this journey right alongside Auggie as you are given a glimpse into all their lives. The characters are complicated. No one, not even Auggie, is all good or all bad. The situations are realistic, from the bullying in the halls of Beecher Prep to the small family dramas in the Pullman home.

The multiple perspectives also allow the reader to know more than any one character does, even (especially) Auggie. As Mr. Tushman, the school principal, points out, "there are almost always more than two sides to every story."

This is an awesome book about a kid who is truly a Wonder. At times heartbreaking & at times triumphant, it is a story of how one person can make a difference. Despite the expected sadness in Wonder, there is also much humor, joy and hope. Kids and adults alike will love this stellar debut by a first time author. If you haven't read it yet, I think you should - it's worth all five stars and even more.

favorite quotes:
“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”
“Kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”
“My mom smiled at me. Her smile kind of hugged me.”
“It’s not enough to be friendly. You have to be a friend.”
Don't try too hard to be cool. It always shows, and that's uncool.”

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Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

arghhh.........so disappointing. The story is not particularly exciting, too many POV's , the characters unlikable, writing uneven. This could have been edited to half its size and been a decent novella. It felt like it was written to meet publisher deadlines. I "read" the audio version which was well executed with several narrators.

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Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is 1776 and the Colonies are fighting for freedom from England. In New York a 13 year old girl, Isabel, is looking forward to her own freedom from slavery. She has witnessed her loved elderly owner sign a release from slavery for herself and her younger sister, Ruth, upon the lady's death, but when her owner dies, a distant nephew and the lady's only heir states the promised release from slavery does not exist, and claims the girls as his property.

Isabel and her sister are sold at auction when she meets Curzon, an older boy with ties to the Patriots. He tries to convince her to spy upon her new Loyalist owners. But she is unsympathetic and declares she will aid either Patriot or Loyalist as long as they can help her to break through her own chains. The girls endure harsh work conditions and hateful treatments that are getting worse and worse. "Madam," her mistress is an especially nasty piece of work. Isabel becomes spy for the Patriots after they promised her freedom. She becomes disenchanted with them when it becomes clear they only want freedom for white people. When she learns the Royalists offer freedom to slaves who escape and join the army she switches sides to help them. However, once again she becomes disenchanted when she learns that if a slave does escape from a Loyalist household, that’s a whole different matter.

Her friend Curzon is captured and cruelly treated in a Royalist Prison and she is reluctantly drawn back into the Patriot cause against the Crown, carrying messages from prison to captured officers and back.

The historical context isn't simplified, the Patriot cause isn't glorified, and the characters on both sides are flawed, complex, and rich. A masterful use of period turns of phrase and vocabulary along with a touch of dialect give Isabel a narrative voice that conveys a convincing picture of her times.
Each chapter begins with a quote from a primary source of that time period, which could spark discussion around blending multiple texts, author's craft moves, and integrating non-fiction sources.

Extremely well-written with wonderful metaphors and similes, impeccably researched, exciting, and heart-clenching, this is a fabulous read and a definite contender for the Newbery Award.

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The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderfully written fantasy, with a sprinkling of magic in it. It is a tale of love, loss, and the inevitable. The characters are delightful. If made into a movie it will be a box office hit. I listened to the audio version which was very well cast. Highly recommend this heartwarming tale.

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Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a well crafted mystery within a mystery, told from two points of view. It is rich in detail with multi faceted characters and even occasional humor. Engaging but at 500 pages a bit too long for me.


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Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier by Stephen E. Ambrose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's incredible trek West to discover an all water route to the Pacific Ocean is certainly one of the most American stories ever. Ambrose has written a detailed account of the courage, determination and resourceful self sufficiency displayed by these men and their companies to complete the expedition, giving great attention to the science, geography and their everyday life on the journey. This was a wonderful, informative and highly enjoyable read.

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As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I so loved reading the Princess Bride many years ago that I encouraged my kids to read it and then we really enjoyed the movie. I reread the book probably 10 years after the first reading and was delighted last year to read Elwes' account of the making of the film. Such a fun read that we watched the movie again on Netflix.

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Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this quirky, fun, sweet, optimistic, highly relatable book. An "experimental memoir," it is a wonderful glimpse into a woman's life and feels like chatting with a best friend. It is an interactive book that contains a pre-test, midterm, and post-test for the reader. It can be read in just a few hours, but if you are like I, you will want to get your own copy, reread it, and give it as a gift to people you love. It is whimsical, poetic and unlike anything I've ever read. It will make you smile, ponder, laugh, and perhaps shed a tear or two. It contains lots of good visuals...photos, diagrams, drawings, illustrations. Don't wait to read this one!

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