The Sunday Salon and Books on my Nightstand...

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's been a cold and rainy week in South Carolina. Perfect weather to curl up with a good book... and other inside pursuits. I guess I have to accept that it is winter in the South. Besides running around with my normal chores, I spent some time reading, finding interesting books and sewing, some of which I would consider book related. 

My book related sewing was with this fun Valentine's Day fabric with hunky readers. I started making these infinity scarves with hidden pockets and was looking for some fun fabric. I immediately thought of my readers friends and reading group ladies when I spotted this fabric. The scarf is perfect when you're going somewhere and don't want to carry your pocketbook. The pocket is big enough for a small wallet, credit cards, money, passport, etc. What do you think?

I didn't spend all my time sewing though... I did some reading and had some interesting book finds. Here's what's on my nightstand right now...

When We Were Viking by Andrew David MacDonald... 
from PublishersWeekly.com: MacDonald’s offbeat debut introduces 21-year-old Zelda, a Viking-obsessed young woman with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, who lives with her gruff, tattooed older brother and guardian, Gert. While he attends college on a hardship scholarship, Zelda enjoys spending time with Gert’s feisty ex-girlfriend AK47 and at the community center with her friends. She’s also determined to have sex with her boyfriend, Marxy, if only his overprotective mother would get out of the way. Money is tight, and when Zelda discovers that Gert has resorted to some possibly illegal money-making methods, she decides to help, because helping the tribe is what a Viking warrior does. What follows is by turns funny and tragic as Zelda navigates a new job at the library, explores intimacy with Marxy, and puts herself firmly in the crosshairs of some decidedly unsavory people.

I had seen this book everywhere and the publisher's blurb just left me scratching my head. It really didn't sound like anything that I'd like to read. And I wasn't really understanding the premise of the book either. And yet it was the Indie Next choice for February, LibraryReads book pick, and one of Book Riots best winter releases. So I looked for an actual review and not just a blurb and when I found Publishers Weekly's review it clicked. The main character made sense to me at that point and I decided to read it... and so, it is now on my nightstand. Along with...

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilain Lions by Mario Giordano... On her sixtieth birthday, Auntie Poldi retires to Sicily, intending to while away the rest of her days with good wine, a view of the sea, and few visitors. But Sicily isn’t quite the tranquil island she thought it would be. When her handsome young handyman goes missing—and is discovered murdered—she can’t help but ask questions. Soon there’s an investigation, a smoldering police inspector, a romantic entanglement, one false lead after another, a rooftop showdown, and finally, of course, Poldi herself, slightly tousled but still perfectly poised. This “masterly treat” (Times Literary Supplement) will transport you to the rocky shores of Torre Archirafi, to a Sicily full of quirky characters, scorching days, and velvety nights, alongside a protagonist who’s as fiery as the Sicilian sun. 

This is the first book in the Auntie Poldi detective series, which from my investigation seems to be 3 books so far. The series reminds me of cozy mysteries and has gotten great reviews. We all need a little mystery in our loves, right? It also will fulfill my Book Bingo square of "1st in a series"... Also on my nightstand...

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott... A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice--inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth century: Doctor Zhivago.

At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their mission: to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where no one dare publish it, and help Pasternak's magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world--using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally's tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops, and invisibly ferry classified documents.

I do love historical fiction and this story just sounds so interesting! Spies, love, sacrifice, how can you go wrong. It's also a Reese Book Club pick, and I'm not thrilled that I have that icon as part of my book jacket cover, but when I opened the book to read a bit, I really enjoyed the way Lara Prescott wrote, so now it is on my nightstand...

Also on my nightstand, is Woof Woof Story by the author Inumajin. It's a fun humorous Manga of a man reincarnated as a legenday Wolf King...

Woof Woof Story by Inumajin... After being worked quite literally to death, corporate slave Routa Okami's dying wish is to be reborn as the well-loved pet of a rich family. When a compassionate goddess actually grants his wish, Routa commits himself to the lazy, carefree, all-you-can-nap lifestyle of a pampered pup-complete with a beautiful owner and all the delicious food he can eat! But as Routa grows...and grows...and grows...he realizes something is terribly wrong. With his enormous body, razor-sharp teeth, and fierce visage, it's painfully obvious that he was reincarnated not as a dog but as a giant wolf. And not just any wolf-the legendary wolf king Fenrir!

In Japan, Adults read these Manga as well as teenagers. This is the first in a series and I haven't decided if I'm going to continue reading the series. I'm enjoying it though and probably will. What's nice for American readers is that this Manga is a novel and reads like a normal book. No trying to figure out front to back and up and down.

Do You Like Bookish Gifts for Yourself or to Give Your Reading Friends?

Week in Review...
Monday was Memoir Monday and I highlighted a memoir by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, called Gift From the Sea.

First Lines Friday was about When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald

How was your week?! Any good books?! I'd love to hear about them! You can share them in the comments! As for me, it is still cold and rainy here today, so I will be curling up with a good book and waiting for Spring!

Happy Reading ... Suzanne

Still Me by Jojo Moyes... A Review

I laughed, I cried, and I became totally enamored. Jojo Moyes weaves a story filled with love, humor, compassion and the need to be true to oneself. She does this by creating full of life characters that we grow to love and allowing us to still love the characters we've grown close to. I loved this book! Author Jojo Moyes amazes me. How you may ask? Let me tell you...

First, What is the storyline? Still Me is about how beloved character Lousia Clark leaves everything behind, England, her close family, her hunky new paramedic boyfriend Sam and moves across the pond to New York City. She's still trying to live in the moment and experience all life has to offer as her precious deceased love, Will Traynor, Me Before You, has inspired her to do. She accepts a job working for a very wealthy family, who is as dysfunctional as you can imagine and along the way she meets so many wonderful people, all of whom we really get to know because Jojo Moyes knows how to delve deep into the souls of her characters. The pulse of the story centers around the quirky people in the building Louisa works in and New York City itself (and let me tell you, Jojo really captures the sights and sounds of The City! You really feel like you are right beside Louisa as she is walking those streets!) There are a few twists and turns in the juggling act Louisa must do in order to keep her job, her boyfriend and her sanity, but you'll have to read Still Me to find out how that all works out. *Hint... have tissues ready, it's a bumpy, emotional fun-filled ride!

Now how is this story amazing? Well, revisiting a well loved character in a new book can be risky business. We loved Louisa Clark in England and the previous 2 books, Me Before You & After You, we loved character Will Traynor, we even loved Louisa's new love interest Sam, but would we love her moving across the pond? Would this new story pull us in or would we be missing everything Louisa and Jojo Moyes leaves behind in the last two books including those characters? The answer is that author Jojo Moyes does a fantastic job on all counts and Still Me is a wonderful read!

If you love the character Louisa Clark, if you've read the previous 2 books, or just Me Before You, you will love Still Me! If you haven't read the previous adventures of Louisa Clark, you still can enjoy Still Me and will fall in love with quirky, full of heart character Louisa Clark for the first time. In any case, pick up a copy of Still Me by Jojo Moyes and be prepared to be swept up in Louisa's newest adventure! A little romance, a little heartbreak, a lot of fashion and a great story! Coming to your bookstore of choice January 30th! Published by Penguin Random House.

I want to thank Penguin Random House for sending along a review copy of Still Me for an honest review! I loved it!