The Last Bookshop of London

 I finished another book by Madeline Martin titled The Last Bookshop in London. Although I can't say this book pulled at my heartstrings as much as the last (The Booklover’s Library), it gave a historical account of the German Blitzkrieg ( bombings) on London. 

This “sustained strategic bombing campaign” lasted from September 1940 to May 1941. The people of London saw their homes and businesses destroyed, along with a loss of 40,000 lives. 

The book tells the story of a young woman who moved to London right before the war broke out, looking for a job. She begins working at a dusty, old bookshop, where she falls in love with reading. 

It is a story of grit, determination, and love. If you want to learn more about what the British endured during World War II at their own doorstep, you will enjoy this book. From sleeping nightly in the tube (subway) to rationing of food, nightly bombings, children rehomed to the country, and the conscription and death of soldiers, you will come away with a much better understanding of this time in history. 

One of the most interesting facts I learned about was the Armed Service Editions of books distributed to American soldiers. These were pocket-sized paper books published for the troops. They could fit into uniform pockets to provide entertainment and education, with the motto: “Books are weapons in the war of ideas.”

Morning on Main

 

Well, it happened again. I began reading Morning on Main by Jodi Thomas. The book began with promise about a young woman trying to locate information about her father. She finds herself in a small Texas town whose zipcode had been scribbled in her father’s journal. Upon arriving, she meets the mayor/newspaper editor, who offers her a job at his mother’s quilt shop. 

As has happened before, I get to the middle of a book, and it begins to lose my interest, so I skim through the second half to get the gist of how it ends. I returned the book to the library, thinking I was through with it. 

But a couple of weeks later, I got to thinking about the book again. I had read just enough to become somewhat invested in the characters, and decided it needed a second chance. So off to the library I went. 

Now, can I say this was the best book I've ever read? No, but it was an enjoyable, relaxing read. As a writer, I'm finding I read books differently. I'm always on the lookout for ideas and wordcraft. I even think of ways I might have changed the story. 

I noticed that Jodi Thomas had written quite a few books while I was at the library, so I may try another one at a later date. 

Right now, I'm deep in another Madeline Martin book, which I'm loving! I'll keep you posted on that one soon. 

The Booklover’s Library

 Have you ever read a book that had you in tears by the end of the first chapter? I knew I'd happened upon a good one at that point. 

I'm still in my all-about-books phase, and I came across this book at my now-favorite bookstore, Venture No. 19 in Stephenville. I was immediately captivated by the title, The Booklover’s Library, by Madeline Martin.

The story takes place in 1939 England in the city of Nottingham (as in the sheriff of Nottingham). The Germans had already marched into Poland, and England had just entered the war. 

The protagonist, Emma, is a widow with a young daughter, struggling to make ends meet. Although this is against protocol because she is a widow with a child, she is hired to work at The Booklover’s Lending Library. 

Unlike the public libraries we are all familiar with, this was a subscription library with a concierge service for two customer levels. 

The novel tells the story of Emma having to make the heart-wrenching decision to send her eight-year-old daughter to the country away from the bombing in their town. 

The novel includes love, friendship, tragedy, and the rights of women during this time in history. 

Martin writes a beautiful story and is definitely a wordsmith. I enjoyed her writing so much that I've asked for another one of her books for Mother’s Day. 

If you are looking for an enjoyable read, I highly recommend this one!

Venture No. 19

I discovered the cutest little bookstore in Stephenville the other day. It's actually a store within a store. Venture No. 19 (Across from HEB) is a boutique/gift shop/bookstore combination. 

Tucked away in the corner, there is a nice selection of new books, primarily fiction. There are, however, some nonfiction titles and a collection of classics. 

The area is so inviting with a large comfortable couch, brick and wooden walls, and even a faux fireplace. 

Children’s books are included in the mix as well. 

I ended up getting two books: The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. 

If you haven't had a chance to stop by and are a book lover, I highly recommend this little gem of a store. 

The Indigo Girl

 

I just finished one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.  A member of my book club recommended I read The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd.

The story takes place in colonial America before the Revolutionary War. The novel is based on the true character of Eliza Lucas, the daughter of a plantation owner who is tasked with caring for her father’s property while he is serving in Antigua. 

She becomes determined to grow indigo as a crop. Her determination knows no bounds as her crop fails time and time again.

Boyd takes some liberties with the characters, as this is historical fiction, but she does an excellent job of portraying Eliza Lucas's courageous spirit. 

The story includes a love story and addresses slavery. I have often thought that reading a book like this should be the way to teach history, as it brings to life a period that is often reduced to a name, date, and place memorized for a test. 

In reading  A Note From the Author, I learned that Eliza’s story had been pretty much wiped from the pages of history because she was a woman. Her determination to make indigo a viable crop in South Carolina led to a crop that rivaled the indigo produced in France. She depended on enslaved people who had learned the complicated process in Antigua. 

I'm grateful that Eliza’s story inspired Boyd to write The Indigo Girl, a tribute to a remarkable woman and the hard-working enslaved people who assisted her. 

Sadly, at my first attempt, I stopped midway through my reading of the novel. This has become more common in my reading habits as I've succumbed to the fast pace of the internet, and my attention span has greatly waned. However, I'm so glad I picked the book back up, because it's honestly become one of my favorites. 

The Words Between Us

 

I think I’m on a bookstore theme when it comes to the last few books I have read. 

The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels is a dual-timeline novel about a young woman trying to live anonymously due to her parents' past crimes. 

As a teenager, she moves in with her grandmother and meets a boy named Peter, whose mother was the town’s high school English teacher. 

Together, they read a series of classics from his mother's collection. After the death of her grandmother, Robin leaves town, but not before she drops off a large box of books on Peter’s front porch. 

Years later, she returns to her riverside town and opens a used bookstore. 

Mysteriously, each one of the books she and Peter shared begins to arrive at her bookstore. Each book includes a poem written by teenage Robin. 

As family mysteries begin to unfold, Peter and Robin’s paths cross again. 

The words of Robin’s poems bring back the two years later. 

The bookstore, a cantankerous old parrot, and a former classmate all add to the suspense of the story. 

The Bookseller

 Imagine falling asleep and having a dream so real that, when you wake up, you struggle to tell which life is real.

The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson is a compelling novel about a life that could have been, but never was. Or maybe not. 

The dream life and the real life intertwine with each other so expertly that you begin to wonder what is real.

Just as in The Midnight Library, this is a story of what might have been if different choices had been made. 

I highly recommend this book, but I admit I was disappointed with how things turned out. It’s not that the ending wasn’t good (it was); it’s that I was rooting for the other life. 

If you read it, let me know what life you were rooting for. 

What You Wish For

 I recently came across a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I was halfway through another book (Indigo Girl), which I actually recommend, but once again, I was struggling to stay focused. 

The story itself is pretty interesting, and the writing style is top-notch. However, it began to lag in the middle, and apparently, I don't have the bandwidth for dragged-out middles anymore.

While perusing the library shelves, I came across What You Wish For by Katherine Center. It was a story about a librarian who reconnected with a man from her past. It intrigued me right away. 

As I began to read, I realized that what I was enjoying about the story was its primary focus on dialogue and action. It had minimal description, beyond the bare minimum. The story grabbed you at the beginning, and the pace kept you hooked throughout.

The story was endearing, and the setting, Galveston Island, is a place I've visited many times. The school setting was also fun, considering my years as an educator.

What I learned from this book is that I think I've been stuck in the historical fiction genre for too long. As much as I enjoy learning about historical events through the eyes of the characters, I need a lighter reading style. 

I'm thinking I'll need to check out some of her other books. 

(As a side note, I've been concerned about my lack of description in my own writing. What I'm learning is that a story doesn't necessarily need a lot of description if the dialogue and action carry the story along. However, I don’t have a problem challenging myself to do better with my descriptions.)