Thankful for you

 I am so thankful for those of you that started following me this year.  You have challenged me in so many ways and I am just so grateful. I hope that you will continue to follow me in 2021. I have high expectations for us in so many ways....the first is to get rid of covid19 and start living and being friends again.  The second is I hope to challenge myself (and hopefully you too) to a new reading journey.  While there may be some new releases that I just MUST share with you, I am going to try and focus most of our monthly books on backlisted titles.  I have already picked out January's book and in a few days, I hope to share it with you.  Before I share it I have a reading challenge that will go up on Monday morning.  Woo hoo!!!  

Thank you for everything and if you didn't already get this end of year gift (book journal page) please download it and post your end of the year "books read" on my Facebook page, I would also LOVE to see your reading stats for 2020.  I know some of you that have played along this year have read some awesome titles.  

30 days of books to be thankful for in 2020

30 days of great books!! 

This list is full of fabulous books that I loved and think you might too. I tried to go across different genres, but you know how I stay in that WWII historical fiction vein.  

  I have put a sticker on some of the book covers because they are my pick books of the year.  My sticker is not part of the cover, just a sticker to denote that I love it and think you should buy it and you should be able to see all of the fabulous covers under my sticker.

November 1-The Glittering Hour by Iona Gray---Serena is one of the Bright Young things that will do anything to stay in the limelight;  that is until she finds the man of her dreams.  Will she give it all up for him?  We will find that out and get a huge surprise at the end.

November 2-The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel---Eva is a Jewish girl that has to flee her home when her father is arrested. She takes her mother with her and they both assume false identities with documents Eva created.  Once the underground discovers her talent they recruit her to help them make identities for Jewish children in order to save their lives.  

November 3-Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson---Two children spontaneously combust at the worst of times.  That's right, the children catch on fire. The children are the offsprings of a senator and a beautiful lady that hires an old school friend to watch the children so the public won't find out that the children catch on fire.  This is a riot!   

November 4-Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens---Jessup Missouri has lots of problems, a factory worker has disappeared, a foreman has been demoted and replaced by an outsider that is African American, a gang of white boys are trying to take over the town,  and two young men form a friendship that will help them get through the hard teenaged years and a town full of prejudice.  

November 5-The Luckiest Man: Life with John McCain by Mark Salter---it is no secret that I love John McCain.  When I heard John's longtime writing partner was writing a book on John I just had to have it.  This book shows us some of the stories we already knew, but this time we hear the backstory and the true thoughts of Senator McCain.  A fantastic book was written by a man that admired his friend very much. 

November 6-The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles---Odile procured a job in the American Library in Paris, a job that she longed to have but did not think she could ever obtain.  Everything is perfect until the Nazis storm Paris.  When that happens the Library has to be creative in order to hide the most precious books and make sure that the Jewish families they serve can still get books to read. 

November 7-  Hope Never Dies and Hope Rides Again by Andrew Shaffer--- A couple of quick-paced murder mystery books where Joe Biden is your crime fighter.  These are short and very fun and yes, Barack comes and hangs out with Joe along the way.  

November 8-The Answer is: Reflections on my life by Alex Trebek---This book will give you little snippets of Alex's life.   He sums up 79 years of experiences in a nice little package.  I was going to feature this book on November 30, but I moved it up to celebrate his life.  I will miss him so. 

November 9-Camino Winds by John Grisham---This one is kind of like a sequel to Camino Island.  I think you can read it without reading Island, but you will not understand some of the references.  In this book, the island is hit by a hurricane and someone will be murdered during the hurricane.  The gang from the bookstore will be on the case.  I loved these two books! 

November 10-The King's Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal---This is a great series that features a spy named Maggie Hope.  This is number 9 in the series (if I have counted correctly), so if you have not read the first one, what are you waiting for?  Get you a copy of Mr. Churchill's Secretary and start this series.  

November 11- The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester---As you read this one you will be transported from a spy plane during the war to an event wearing a Dior gown. This book is set in WWII and has another timeline in modern times.

November 12- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett----This book is about twin girls that live in a rural black community ...they run away from home to fulfill their needs/dreams. One will be the prodigal daughter and return home, the other will be living her life as a white woman. She completely gives up everything to be a woman with a hidden past/story. Until......well you need to read this one to find out. I promise you it is worth your time.

November 13-Recipe for the Perfect Wife by Karma Brown--A modern-day woman who buys a house with her husband in a rural area. Buried in the basement she finds cookbooks and belongings of a 1950s woman. She immerses herself into a 1950 lifestyle because of the things she finds becoming the perfect wife. A second storyline features that woman from the 1950s and how she too might have been the perfect wife. This book went in a direction I didn't expect but LOVED!

November 14-Sex with Presidents by Eleanor Herman--Some of the stories you know already, others you will find shocking and a few of them are just jaw-dropping. While I enjoyed the read I also questioned it every time the author said "he was an attractive man", ewwwww no. I mean LBJ, handsome? This book will give you the scoop on everyone from a Treasury Secretary, to Senators, and Presidential hopefuls fall alongside the tales of Presidents from Grover Cleveland to William Jefferson Clinton.

November 15-Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano---I loved this book so much. Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed all the members of his immediate family. He has to move in with his aunt and uncle and somehow come to terms with why he survived and no one else did. The book also has flashbacks to the day the plane went down and how the passengers lived their last day on earth.

November 16-Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams---
What would a pilot give up to be the first female to bring all the air flight records? Then at the peak of her career, she disappears without a trace. A reporter will try to discover what happened to her, but she uncovers lots of secrets on the path to the pilot, Irene.

November 17-The Heart of the Lion by Martin Turnbull--Martin's books are some of my favorite out there. They are all about a subject in Hollywood long ago, and this one is the king of all (IMHO). Irving Thalberg was Mr. MGM. He put an unknown actor named Gable in a few movies and created a monster star. There were many Oscars won from films that came out of the Thalberg unit, Grand Hotel, Camille, The Divorcee, Mutiny on the Bounty, China Seas, Bombshell, so many good films. It was all over so fast, Irving died at 37. This book shows what the rise and death of Irving might have looked like, including his marriage to my favorite, Norma Shearer.

November 18- The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton-- A hurricane is barrelling down on Key West, three women will make choices that will change the course of their lives right before the hurricane, but the hurricane will have the last word.

November 19-Lana's War by Anita Aribel---I love the WWII books and I read many of them, most are set in Paris, and this one starts there....but it will end up in the French Rivera. I loved the setting and the very unique storyline a spy on the French Rivera, doesn't that just sound fantastic?

November 20-The Lions of 5th Avenue by Fiona Davis---What an amazing, perfect book. Just dream of what life might be like if you could live in an apartment over the New York Public Library. What a life!! Then throw in some stolen book drama and you have a perfect scenario. You need to read this one if you love libraries or just a good read.

November 21-The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare. I loved this book! It is all about a girl, Adunni that wants nothing out of life but to go. to school. However, she lives in Nigeria and she is only able to go to school until she marries and her father sold her off to a man much older than she when she was 14. I am not going to tell you what happens, but it is truly a wonderful story.

November 22- Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly
Yes, I read this one again this year. It is a great book, reads like a book report, just the facts no elaboration. Today is the 57th anniversary of the assassination.

November 23- Larry Hagman day brings a nice book penned by Larry....fun fact I once wrote him and got an autographed picture from him 4 days before he died. #imurderedjr

November 24- The Sundown Motel

I have been making everyone read this, so if you haven't you should. I loved this book so much! I thought it would be a book about a hotel in Key West when I picked it up (I judge all books by the cover) but no, it was a very unique tale set in Illinois and very difficult to put down. 

November 25-Surviving Savanah 

This one won't be released until 2021, but go ahead and put it on your TBR. This is about the Titanic of the South, a shipwreck from the 1800s. You will learn how it sank and what happened in the aftermath. There is a second timeline in modern-day because the shipwreck has been found!

November 26- Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel. This read is all about a mother who fakes her child's illness and uses this fake illness to pay all her bills for years until she is busted and ends up in jail. We will then see Rose Gold as an adult and this is where the twist starts. I could not put this book down!

 

November 27-The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book reminded me of a mix of Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, and Mary Miles Minter...Old Hollywood, lots of marriages for different reasons and true love.

 

November 28-Followers by Megan Angelo-What if all your life took place all on social media? What if you could not do anything without the followers of your social media page approving? What if you found a way to escape and live your life? I absolutely loved the plotline of this one!!!!!!!

November 29 Working on a Song by Anais Mitchell- This book is a wonderful gift to enjoy for anyone missing stage shows.  This book will take you through every song in the musical...you will get all the lyrics, notes on the conception of the tunes, how the songs evolved during the workshops and Broadway stage, and little insights by Anais herself.  

November 30 Mitch, please! by Matt Jones-  You will get political talk in this book.  I mean it is all about the reason Matt did not run for Senator, but that is not why I am thankful for this book.  I am thankful for it because Matt visits ALL 120 counties in KY.  He not only visits each county, but he also stops and talks with locals, goes to schools, eats at the best diners, and checks out the landmarks.  I loved this part of this book.  I loved that someone would take the time to talk. to people about the "best hamburger in the county" or another local specialty instead of just how does someone beat McConnell.  I found this book insightful but also enduring as a Kentuckian and the very unique folks and places that live in our state.  

November 30No

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30 days of books I am grateful to have read

Often in November, I see social media posts of 30 things people are grateful for.  One year I did a list of 30 days of objects you should buy and in an effort to be different and this year I am doing 30 books that I am grateful for.  These books fall into different categories for me so I will explain my choices after each book.

Nov 1-Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell-Before I had many books, I re-read this one all the time.  I was trying to do it once a year and finally, I can say I have read it 41 times. I remember reading this book for the first time in 8th grade because I was told by a teacher that it was too long for me to read and do a book report on.  She never thought I would get it done.  I did and completely fell in love with the text.





Nov 2-The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah-One of my favorite reads of 2018.  This book has Alaska at her best, her worst and her most violent.  Family drama and happy times.  This book has domestic violence in it, so if that might be an issue you may want to steer clear. It gets rather emotional for good feelings and bad.






Nov 3-A Night To Remember by Walter Lord-I am so in love with this book and have read it many times. I read this before they found the wreckage and afterward and it was almost like reading a new book because I could actually see it now. I have a sub-book on this day, Unsinkable by David Allen Butler, which is also about the Titanic.  Full of facts and tidbits....a true Titanic lover must have.  In my opinion, you can never read too many Titanic books.








Nov 4-The Jerk by Steve Martin-This was a companion book to the film and just as funny and it features many photos from the film itself.  I have probably read this a thousand times, I remember as a child reading it over and over and over.  I lost my book when we moved in 1990 and just replaced it a few years ago.  It was about 20 years in between readings and I loved it just as much as an adult as I did when I was a child.







Nov 5-Song of the Siren by Philippa Carr--I was highlighting the whole Daughters in England on this day because I love each and every book in this series.  It follows a family from Henry VIII to WWII.  The books are so hard to put down!! This one is my favorite in the whole series. It tells the story of the short life of Carlotta Main.  Carlotta was a spitfire from the day she was born until the day she died.  She wasn't afraid of anything or anyone and wasn't scared or ashamed to give up a sure thing for love no matter what the cost.






Nov 6 -Travels in Alaska by John Muir-I read this book before I ever went to Alaska but once I found myself in Glacier Bay it took on a whole new meaning.  The only thing I couldn't see was the Northern Lights.  This book was written was published around 1915, this is an Alaska I will never see.







Nov 7-The Radium Girls by Kate Moore-I had no idea this was real until I read this book. I mean this wasn't even on my radar.  Reading about the girl's stories made me sad, made me want to hug them and kick the butts of the companies they worked for.









Nov 8-The Secret of Nimh by Robert C O'Brien-One of the first books I ever remember buying myself.  It was purchased in downtown Paducah around 1982 at Readmore Books.  That was a place my parents took us to often.  We would read magazines, books and buy .25 jawbreakers. I loved this place.  Sadly bookstores like this don't really exist anymore.






Nov 9-Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton-One of the best reads of 2018 that is for sure, and without a doubt my favorite cover of all the books I have read that were published in 2018.  I longed to read this story before I went to Cuba in 2017, but it wasn't out.  I wish it would have been because we went to the cemetery described in the book.  We went to neighborhoods like the ones described.  I wish I knew more about them when we drove through.  I was mainly looking for Hemingway stuff.  This story is wonderful!! I do love how we have Cuba of the past and now the present.






Nov 10-Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford-I discovered this book a few years back and it was fascinating.  I never knew about the things that Jamie described that really happened right here in the USA.  This book started my love of WWII era historical fiction.








Nov 11-Faith of My Fathers by John McCain-I love this book so much.  The first time I read it I cried.  The second time I got even more out of it.  I really think that every American should read this.  It is about sacrifice, love of country, being a POW and how a POW comes back to society.

Nov 12-The Book of Royal Lists by Craig Brown and Lesley Cunliffe-This book is nothing but facts on the royal family.  It was written not long after the fairytale marriage of Chuck and Di so you only get positive stuff there, but you get the dirt on the other royal family members.  From Edward II and Richard III...oh, I am not going to tell you what you will learn, I will just say it is a fun and gross journey













Nov 13-A Farewell to Arms-by Ernest Hemingway-written by one of my favorite authors ever.  I am not sure what it is about Papa that I love, I just know I love him.  This is without a doubt my favorite book of his and I have read it so many times.  I still don't completely get Nurse Barkley, and the dialogue in spots needs work, but the story I adore.











Nov 14-A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner who is probably my favorite modern author.  She can write a beautiful story full of imagery and has a massive imagination.  This book is my favorite of hers because it is all about 9/11 and how our lives changed on that day.  The story follows a couple, but we all go back to our feelings that day.  Then it jumps 10 years into the future and ties that horrible past with a wonderful future.









Nov 15-The Prime Minister's Secret Agent by Susan Ella MacNeal- This series is like a female James Bond.  Maggie is an M5 agent in WWII times.  She doesn't get much respect because she is a female but keeps up with her male counterparts and in some ways surpasses them.  The series is kind of violent, but wasn't WWII?







Nov 16-The Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling- I am late to the game here as I did not fall for the books until I went to Hogsmeade in Universal Studios Florida in 2007.  I am not a huge fan of the younger years so I have only read those a couple of times, but I love the Deathly Hallows.  I mean LOVE!!!





Nov 17 North and South by John Jakes-What a GREAT novel.  Completely a soap opera saga in the TV series.  Here I think it is more of historical fiction with some trashy characters, but I love it!! Bent and Hazzard are my favorite characters in the book.  Bent is so twisted and sick and Hazzard is so good and honest.  Orry just kind of runs the middle of the road for me. I like he and George together as buddies and business partners.  Warning: this book is long but worth it.







Nov 18-Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery- I think this is a fun series. Anne Shirley is poetic, brattish and a little snooty which is odd for an orphan.  She is also a dreamer.  She dreams so much that she tends to miss the best things right in front of her face.  It takes her a while, but she eventually finds what she needs.









Nov 19 The Firm by John Grisham-I have read all of his books but the newest one, still awaiting my turn at the library.  I have favorites that are for sure, like this one, The Firm, A Time to Kill, The Chamber, Camino Island, The Last Juror, and the Rooster Bar are some of my faves.  He was my first crime novelist and I guess he will always be the best one to me.





Nov 20-The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot-I had no idea this book would be so emotional.  I had no idea that Henrietta's life was so hard.  I had no idea she was put through conditions that were inhumane.  I had no idea her cells were taken for research without the knowledge of her loved ones.  This book haunted me for a while and I had to read it again to try and make peace about what happened to Henrietta.  It was a grand book, but shocking because of the things that happened to her and her cells.

Nov 21-Looking for Alaska by John Green-A brilliant young adult writer that gets how teens think, act and feel.  I think his books are wonderful.  This one happens to be my favorite because I tend to be partial to the mysterious ways of Alaska.

Nov 22-Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly- A brilliant series that makes me think.  I chose this one on this date because it was the anniversary of the assassination of Kennedy.  This book details the events leading up to the moment in front of the Book Depository and gives you a backstory on both the Kennedy's and the Oswald's.  My favorite book in this series is the Killing Patton book.






Nov 23- Hello Darlin' by Larry Hagman-I enjoyed this book because it gave us a glimpse into the life of Larry.  Everything I had ever read about him said he was a good person, married faithfully to one woman and a prankster...a bit different than one JR Ewing.  This book talks about back stories and his mom, Mary too.

Nov 24-The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald-This book fueled my love for the Roaring '20s.  There was so much greed and an awakening of individuality.  Scott was a fabulous writer and I wished he had more success in his screenwriting so we could see more of his work (like the stuff he did on GWTW), he was just too much attached to the drink.  What a shame he died so young.





Nov 25-Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes-This is a YA book that is like Mean Girls and a girl with a conscience.  I adored this book from the first time I picked it up and then I did that audio and it was equally as entertaining.  A very fast read too.






Nov 26-If I Stay by Gayle Forman-A big car wreck where people die.  A girl hangs onto life by a tiny thread.  She has to pull through.  She has so much to still live for and experience.  While she is suffering she looks back on what life was and could be....what will she choose?  Another YA and a grand slam home run winner!! Actually, every Gayle Forman book I have read is exceptional.






Nov 27-The Garden on Sunset by Martin Turnbull- This was a fun ride.  I found it while surfing the internet for books on Old Hollywood.  This popped up and the first book was free so I had to jump.  I got hooked with the first book, but then I read Trouble with Scarlett the second book and it was just perfect. Marcus, Kathryn, and Gwen are all trying to make it in Hollywood.  They all have trouble making it work, and have many famous people they befriend.  I enjoyed the dialogue with people that have been dead for a very long time.  People like Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Rudy Valentino, and Clark Gable!!!  I  have nothing but good to say about this whole series and they are not very expensive to purchase.  I am reading book 9 now (the last one), but I am taking my time because I am going to miss this.



Nov 28- Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson-I like this book because it displays how great women were in WWI.  Jennifer writes a good female character and gives her a good love story too.  This was Jennifer's first novel, but her writing doesn't peak with this book...it just gets better and better so be sure to check out her other books.






Nov 29-The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy- I did NOT want to read this book. Our teacher made us and I wasn't happy about it.  I wanted to read new books not old then wanted to hug him.  So many emotions!!! It is an oldie but a goodie.
classics.  I wasn't going to read it but then the teacher made us read during class time so I had no choice.  Well, guess what??? I loved it!! I hated Michael Henchard, then I loved him, then felt sorry for him, then forgave him,

Nov 30-Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams-This lady writes books that thrill me so much.  She writes in the style that Philippa Carr did so you have to pay attention. She may mention a minor character and the next book may be about that person.  She may have a family pop up in different books and you have to think about the connection.  You can read any of her books alone and not miss a thing, but if you read them all you will pick up on those little connections.  Her book covers are wonderful, but her writing is perfection!!