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NEW BOOKS TO READ THIS FALL AND WINTER – 2020-21

November 15, 2020 /

With a lingering worldwide pandemic, we will continue to have lots of time to read these next couple of months. My fall/winter reading list below features new releases by many authors I’ve previously enjoyed as well as some of the best books I’ve read recently that I want to recommend. I hope you can find some books you will enjoy, and let me know if I’ve missed anything great that’s coming out this fall.

You can click on the titles or images to view and purchase on Amazon. While I appreciate a purchase through my affiliate links I also support buying from your local bookseller or using your local library.

‘LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND’

October 27, 2020 /

I’ve been branching out with my reading in the last week! After posting about some amazing fantastical fiction just the other day, today I am back to tell you about a reading experience that kept me in constant suspense and was one of the most exciting/stressful/disturbing books I’ve read for some time:

Leave the World Behind: A Novel by Rumaan Alam

‘THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY’

October 25, 2020 /

Last month I published a post on books set in libraries. I didn’t expect to be adding to the list so soon but I just did:

The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig

The New York Public Library, the setting of my most recent read. Photo Credit: Mandy Burkhart.

BOOKS SET IN LIBRARIES

September 30, 2020 /

I love my local library and use it to borrow many the books I read and write about on this blog. Just recently I borrowed a book about a library from my library:

The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel by Fiona Davis

The title refers to the lion statues outside the New York Public Library. Not being familiar with New York City, I didn’t even realize the setting when I put this book on my late summer reading list but added it because I have previously enjoyed Fiona Davis books.

BOOKS INSPIRED BY HEMINGWAY AND HIS WIVES

September 10, 2020 /

I just finished a really good book about Hemingway in Key West from the perspective of a fictional maid/girlfriend while he was married to Pauline:

Hemingway’s Girl by Erika Robuck

The story also covered the 1935 hurricane that I learned about recently in another book.

I love the setting of Key West and the other places Hemingway lived, Cuba, Paris, etc., and with his four wives, there is plenty of drama to inspire historical fiction. I LOVED the Paula McLain books, one is about Hadley and the other about Martha, and I got to wondering if I have missed any other good books based on these lives.

So, I put together this list of historical fiction inspired by Hemingway and his wives, some of these I have read and some I am putting on my list now.

‘JACKIE AND MARIA’

September 5, 2020 /

I just finished this intriguing book about Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas and how their lives interconnected with Aristotle Onassis:

Jackie and Maria: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy & Maria Callas by Gill Paul

We already know Gill Paul can write an amazing story, and I’m fascinated by Jackie Kennedy (who isn’t?) but prior to reading, I had no idea who Maria Callas was.

Maria Callas was the most famous opera singer of this time period. She and Aristotle seemed to be soul mates, but he enjoyed “collecting famous people” and eventually, he couldn’t resist the challenge of wooing the world’s most famous widow.

‘THE VANISHING HALF’

August 24, 2020 /

I stayed up late last night to finish this book because I had to know how it ended.

The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett

After a family tragedy and hardships, twin sisters run away from their southern black community at age 16 and attempt to start new lives for themselves. Eventually, one of the sisters returns to her hometown with a daughter. The other sister pretends to be a white woman and disappears into a new life. After many years, coincidences begin to connect their lives again.

NEW BOOKS TO READ IN LATE SUMMER

August 21, 2020 /

Several interesting books have been published in the last couple of weeks, many by authors I have enjoyed in the past. So…it’s time for a new “reading list” !!

Publishers notes in boxes. You can click on the links to view and purchase on Amazon.

SUMMARY OF THE MARY TRUMP BOOK

August 8, 2020 /

When I tried to borrow this new book from the library there were over 100 people waiting for it!

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump, Ph.D

I decided to purchase my own copy, and I am going to summarize it below for those of you who may still be waiting for it or are curious.

For several reasons I don’t think it’s necessarily worth recommending (though I’m glad I read it). So, if you prefer. you can read my summary, and move on to other books!

Usually I don’t “spoil” books, as you know if you read my blog regularly.

NEW BOOKS I’VE ENJOYED

August 6, 2020 /

Usually, I like to write a separate post on each book I enjoy and want to recommend…but I’ve been reading so much lately, partly due to being on vacation and because we have been using our motorhome a lot, I’ve gotten way behind on my posts. So I need to tell you about several books right now to get caught up! Hopefully you didn’t miss my last post on the best book I read on vacation.

Leslie's Bookcase