Note to Shelf: July 2021

Created on March 1, 2022, 1:27 pm

Last Updated March 4, 2022, 9:58 pm

We’ve waited a while for summer to arrive and this July offers us so much to celebrate! We're getting ready to reunite with family and friends while connecting with the richness and beauty of the outdoors. What a joyful process it is to contemplate where you might head on your summer adventure.
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Amanda D. reveals that "A Maine native, Erin French is a self-taught cook who has been cooking since she was twelve. In her book, Erin shares, “When you grow up in a restaurant, it’s inevitable that bits of it will rub off on you…There is a romance, there’s magic, there’s love”. When Erin was five years old, her family purchased a diner. Then when she turned twelve, her father put her to work on the line. As she grew older and more experience, she became proficient in every basic kitchen skill. In Finding Freedom, Erin shares her brightest and darkest moments. A secret supper club Erin created in the apartment she shared with her then-boyfriend soon evolved into a restaurant. The restaurant brought Erin fulfillment and moments of utter joy. Sadly, the stressors of a failing marriage and toiles of owning a restaurant weighed on her mental health. Erin French’s voice is honest and humble, and as a reader, I couldn’t help but root for her. Finding Freedom is a beautiful story about a woman on her journey to find freedom that will leave you hungry to learn more about the self-taught cook and hungry for a reservation."
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Maria tells us that "Sarah Penner’s debut historical fiction novel, The Lost Apothecary, addresses female empowerment in an unexpected manner: using two timelines, two different centuries, and three women impacted by deceit. In present day, we have Caroline visiting London on her 10th wedding anniversary after learning about her husband’s infidelity. Pondering about where she wants her life to go, she finds herself mudlarking in the Thames when she comes across a hidden treasure that would change her life forever. The Lost Apothecary is a spellbinding page-turner that you should add to your summer reading list!"
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Barbara M. shares, "It’s 1948, World War II had just ended and the Cold War has just begun. Thus begins the story of twin sisters in the historical fiction novel. In 1940, both sisters were traveling through Europe and visiting their brother who worked for the U.S. Foreign Office in Italy. When war breaks out one sister, Iris, who has fallen in love with Sasha Digby, a U.S. diplomat and communist sympathizer, remains in Europe to marry him. The other sister Ruth, a former model, returns to the United States to become a successful modeling agency executive in New York. Iris’ husband and her family eventually defect to Russia and the sisters remain estranged until Iris sends a postcard to Ruth in 1952 pleading for help. The story is loosely based on the Cambridge Spy Ring which was a ring of spies in Britain that passed information to the Soviet Union from the 1930s until the 1950s. As usual, Beatriz Williams has done her research and captures the atmosphere of the Post-World War II era making this a captivating read."
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Sarah enjoyed "In A Thousand Ships, where Natalie Haynes serves up a fresh, female-centered retelling of the Trojan War. Haynes challenges the mythic narratives of male triumph and conquest seen in books like Homer’s epics The Iliad and The Odyssey by exploring, instead, the experiences of the women in those stories. While the book takes place in an ancient time, it addresses timeless questions: whose voices are forgotten in the retelling of a war? What do we lose by dismissing those voices? And what defines an act of heroism – fighting in a war despite the risk of death, or raising a child alone because your husband has left you to fight in that war? A unique and thought-provoking read, this is a great choice for fans of Circe by Madeline Miller or The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker."
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Amanda G. reveals "Railway magnate Tom Severin's fortune and influence in Victorian England makes him one of the most powerful men in the country. When he spots Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he immediately offers financial incentives for her hand. His offer is rejected. Lisa Kleypas' Chasing Cassandra follows the diverging paths the couple takes over the next year that leads them back to each other. Cassandra's sweet demeanor and stubborn streak make her feel like that of a younger sister. You can't help rooting for her to realize that Tom loves in his own way, not the way she expects. Tom's journey from coldness to caring for others is the backbone of this novel. Cassandra is the instigator of these changes, but Tom himself is the heart as he finds himself along the way. Chasing Cassandra is a quick read that is perfect for listening to on your commute!"
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