Reading is a lovely way to escape, learn, and downshift to a cozy state of being, and I'm so excited to share fabulous reads from my own personal library. xo, E
Featured today:
On Tenterhooks by Elizabeth Rago
Review from C. Dulaney:
"I had a great time reading this book! It was a fun summer read - finished over a weekend of camping. I recognized the relationship between the two main characters (Lucy and Claire) as a friendship that is necessary to both in such different ways and will last through their ups and downs, hot days, and haircuts.
I loved the vivid and descriptive storytelling. Get this novella for your beach vacation or your afternoon snuggled on the couch."
Synopsis:
A story of hope despite the hand you’re dealt, On Tenterhooks is the story of Lucy, a job-hopping and scattered young woman, and her best friend Claire, a brilliant entrepreneur and single mother. Their lives simultaneously come to a halt when they discover the diary of a young woman from the 1930s hidden in the walls of Lucy’s Chicago apartment.
The story reveals all too similar parallels to their own lives and comfort knowing women (no matter what era in which they are living) all wrestle with similar struggles.
Local friends (Kane County, Illinois) can buy directly (email me at elizabetharago@gmail.com) or purchase on Amazon.
Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks (as "Anonymous")
A memorable read from my youth, Go Ask Alice impacted my young mind with the realities of silent struggles and teenage drug use. Reading this book as an adult was even more powerful, leaving me haunted by the voice of the author, wanting to rescue her with a mama bear embrace.
Goodreads Synopsis:
"It started when she was served a soft drink laced with LSD in a dangerous party game. Within months, she was hooked, trapped in a downward spiral that took her from her comfortable home and loving family to the mean streets of an unforgiving city. It was a journey that would rob her of her innocence, her youth -- and ultimately her life.
Read her diary.
Enter her world.
You will never forget her."
Find your favorite retailer to purchase from on Goodreads.
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
A quiet yet stimulating read, I found The Little Paris Bookshop a story of lost love and the torment of missed opportunities.
Goodreads Synopsis:
"Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.
After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.
Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people's lives."
Find your favorite retailer to purchase from on Goodreads.
Share your current (or favorite) read in the comments below!
xo, Elizabeth
About the author:
Elizabeth Rago is a mama, wife, writer, and the creator of The Modern Domestic Woman (MDW). After a series of unfortunate events including job loss, a car accident, bankruptcy, and a physical and emotional breakdown, Elizabeth felt compelled to shift the primary focus of MDW from pretty pictures and goofy memes to a space of honest support for the modern woman.
A pursuer of peace, Elizabeth is on a mission to help women from all backgrounds and walks of life to find their own strength and talents amid the chaos of life.
Readers can contact Elizabeth at elizabetharago@gmail.com