When it is too hot to move it is time to just sit still and read. If you have been outside in south Louisiana lately then you know that I have been spending a lot of time sitting still and reading and I have found some great new books I thought I would share with you today.
First, and foremost if you have not read Love and Ruin yet start this one today. And yes, I meant to type Love and Ruin, not Love in the Ruins. While Love in the Ruins by Walker Percy is one of my all-time favorite books, Love and Ruin by Paula McLain is climbing the ranks. For those of you who love historical fiction, and those who enjoy a good World War II book (and I know I swore I would never read another of those after last year when every book on the best sellers list seemed to be set in World War II, read this one anyway). For those of you who are fans of Ernest Hemmingway, and those of you who just like a good read with beautiful character development, this is the book for you. Written by the author of The Paris Wife, which gave us a glimpse behind the scenes into the early years of Ernest Hemmingway’s writing career here comes Love and Ruin to give us more to feast upon. Some might call it a Moveable Feast - pun fully intended – with the many shifts in continent and country that this book serves up. Get a copy today and get swept away.
Next up, what is ostensibly a Young Adult (“Y.A.” in the lingo) novel but I believe people of any age will enjoy. The book is titled “The Bird and the Blade” and is written by Megan Bannen. It tells the story of a slave girl, a prince, a displaced Khan, a beautiful and cruel Princess, three riddles and one dangerous secret. If that storyline sounds vaguely familiar that is because it is based on the opera Turandot by Giacomo Puccini. Even if you are not really an opera fan you will enjoy this book. With its intrigue, action, and descriptions of distant lands and times this book will keep you engaged. And for those of you familiar with the opera you probably know that Puccini actually died before finishing it and the ending you may have seen performed was actually written by someone else. In my opinion the ending in the opera leaves a lot to be desired. When I met the author Megan Bannen she told me she had “fixed the ending”. While I am still not completely satisfied with the ending it is a bit more satisfying if still not all tied up with a bow.
The last new book I will share today is my favorite new book for children. It is called My Stinky Dog by Christine Roussey. This book tells the story of a little boy and his dog and best friend, Alfred. Alfred is a great dog except for one little problem, he smells really bad. The little boy tries everything he can think of to correct the problem but when he finally does get Alfred spiffed up he discovers Alfred just isn’t the same. In this book’s few short pages it teaches us that it is our little flaws that make us all so perfect.
I hope you enjoy these new reads, and there are lots more new books to choose from on the shelves. Speaking of which, it is hot outside – I’ve got reading to do!