Here is a piece of advice for you. Don’t bring a real page-turner kind of book on your honeymoon. Yes, I admit that while we were enjoying the sandy beaches in Mykonos, Greece, my mind sometimes wandered elsewhere. In between seeing the larger-than-life windmills, enjoying authentic Mediterranean cuisine, and drinking copious amounts of ouzo, I was also lost in the streets of Washington, D.C. I was reading The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer.
Oh, I was right in there with those young law clerks who were fortunate enough to work next to Supreme Court Justices. I got caught up in the politics, secrets, betrayal, and mystery of it all. Who wouldn’t?
I intended to read it on the seven-hour flight to Athens. But, the book was so good that I couldn’t put it down. Thankfully my husband forgave me. In my defense, he knew who he married. 🙂 I didn’t go anywhere without a book or two in hand. Besides, we had the rest of our lives together. What can I say? I had to know how the book ended!
Over the years, books have served as my tour guides. Right now, I am reading about 1950’s Hollywood and the starlets who did everything possible to make their dreams come true. In this novel, not only do I get to explore new and exotic locations – like film sets and mansions – but I also get to do a little time travel. It is fun to plant myself in the land of the rich and famous. The book is all glamour and grit at their very best.
And since we haven’t been able to travel due to the pandemic, the next best thing has been discovering new countries and historical periods from the comfort of my couch. Here is where I’ve been so far:
- Acapulco, Mexico in American Dirt
- Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in Big Summer
- New York City, New York in Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Food Critic
- A small town in Kentucky during the Great Depression in The Giver of Stars
- 20th century Soviet Russia in The Secrets We Kept
Where have you traveled to in your reading life? And where do you hope to go next? In the meantime, I’m going to look for a nice historical fiction novel set in the Greek Islands.
s are always tough for me. It is typically my day of work meetings, and today was no different. It started with a fundraising campaign planning session, then touched base with the website team about an upcoming launch. This was followed by a sales call to run ads for an upcoming program, and then I ended the day with a 30-minute calendar update.
I used to look forward to packing my weekends with people to see and places to go, but thanks to COVID, I’m delighted with quieter Saturdays and Sundays. After a busy week at work, all I want to do is curl up on the sofa with my favorite blanket and a good book. Luckily, I used my downtime wisely because April was another busy month of reading.
It was the opening scene that hooked me into this book right away. Casey’s landlord catches her outside and peppers her with intrusive questions about her book. And then, he has the nerve to say the most obnoxious thing that no writer wants to hear. “I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say.” I wanted to slap him. Once I have someone to root for in a book, the story has my complete and undivided attention. Casey is a writer and a waitress who is dealing with the grief of losing her mother and juggling her feelings for two men – all while trying to get a book published. I loved the details of her writing process and her posse of supporters that have her back. I finished this book in less than a week. Whether you are a writer or not, this is one novel to add to your TBR pile.