Spring Reading
Spring is finally here! Everything is fresh and new, and our time for hibernating is coming to an end. This is one of my favorite seasons. I wake up early in the morning to the sounds of birds singing. Flowers are beginning to bloom and trees are filled with lush green leaves. It’s a fresh start – literally!
What’s interesting about this season is that it’s almost an invitation to a party celebrating new experiences, second chances and growth. Maybe it’s time you take on that massive novel you’ve been wanting to read but have been putting off. Or perhaps you try a new genre? If you love horror stories, maybe do a 180 and try a romantasy? One book I’m looking forward to diving into is A Kiss of Crimson Ash by Anuja Varghese (to be released May 26).
One of the easiest ways to add a little freshness to your reading repertoire is with a book swap. Have friends bring in books and expand your horizons for free! You can even create your own book club. Don’t worry if you haven’t done it before. Just pick a book and invite some friends. I’ll even help you with a theme if you email me.
There are a lot of great books coming out this season. For thrillers, I’m excited to read Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (to be released April 21) and Hope Rises by David Baldacci (to be released April 14). And if you’re looking for a fun mystery told from a unique perspective (that is, Chet the dog), find a copy of Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn (to be released April 14).
Check out the Booklist Six for other titles coming up and share them with others. Reading is not only fun, but it’s also fundamental in our lives. Encourage others to read, share the stories you’ve read (as well as your books), and try something new! Spring’s invitation is calling so get outside, read a book and find your story!
One final note: While Jennie and a Book tends to focus on books geared toward adult readers, it’s important to remember that a love of reading starts at a young age. Readtothem.org has a wonderful calendar of ways to celebrate and encourage reading. Here are the spring season opportunities:
· APRIL 12th – Drop Everything and Read Day – This holiday is celebrated on Beverly Cleary’s birthday. In honor of this beloved author, DEAR Day is meant to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.
· APRIL 16th – National Librarian Day – Take the chance to be thankful for all the knowledge librarians give us on a daily basis– like keeping libraries running, organizing programming, and updating their collections.
· APRIL 19th – 25th – National Library Week – During this special week, celebrate all that libraries and librarians contribute to our society and promote the use and support of public libraries!
· MAY 4th – 10th – Children’s Book Week (Spring) – Serving as the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country, Children’s Book Week encourages young people to participate by attending events at schools, libraries, and bookstores. You can also celebrate at home by engaging with authors online. There are two dedicated weeks for this event – one in the spring, and one in the fall.
Happy Spring Reading!
Booklist Six: Books to Check Out for Spring
You Did Nothing Wrong by CG Drews – Thriller
A dark, psychological horror novel about a single mother, Elodie, whose seemingly perfect new life with her husband Bren and son Jude unravels as Jude claims to hear voices in the walls of their old, renovated house, blurring the lines between a haunted house story and a deep dive into motherhood, trauma, and family secrets. Will be released March 17. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/4cazeAj
Dark is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce – Thriller
The woods are known as the place to avoid. What goes in, doesn’t come out. Hazel has been gone from her small hometown of Idless in the English countryside for years. Now returned in the wake of a traumatic divorce and crumbling personal life, her simple plans are to lay low at her parents’ vacated house, reconnect with her prickly sister Cathy, and slowly get back on her feet. She's his captive but something has come home with her. Cathy is surprised when Hazel doesn’t show...Something isn’t adding up. Other people in town whisper of a threat that can’t be shaken. The woods are known for being restless. And Cathy knows the old saying. If you go looking for trouble, you just might find it. Will be released April 26. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3QmwMy6
Mad Mabel: A Novel by Sally Hepworth – Thriller
Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea—or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying. Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller—Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades. Will be released April 21. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3O62xLk
A Kiss of Crimson Ash by Anuja Varghese – Romantasy
Nandapore is a city of secrets and spellcasters where seduction reigns and a power-hungry king is never satisfied, plotting to unleash a weapon that has only lived in myth… until now. To stop him, an ancient goddess seeks out a newly crowned queen, a heartsick prince, a common thief, and a courtesan with magic in her blood. Together, they chart a course through brothels, temples, taverns, and palaces, setting a trap for the empire’s most powerful men. Linked by desire, destiny, and a dangerous foe, they each must decide…What will they risk for a weapon worth dying for, and a love worth staying alive? Will be released May 26. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/4dIogDr
Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn – Mystery
Chet the dog is less than enthusiastic about the Little Detective Agency’s next case. Chet and his human partner, PI Bernie Little, have been hired to find a missing person—only the missing person is a cat. Miss Kitty, an internet sensation, has disappeared, and Chet and Bernie have been hired to find her before her many followers realize something is wrong. Will be released April 14. Check it out here: https://amzn.to/48KMt8y
Hope Rises by David Baldacci – Thriller
Walter Nash, working under the alias of Dillon Hope, is on the road to revenge after becoming an informant for the FBI against a global criminal operation headed up by Victoria Steers. Steers has ripped everything Nash held dear away from him. He has nothing left to lose and with long, rigorous training under his belt the gentle and sensitive Nash has transformed into something he never thought he’d be: a physically imposing man with lethal skills. And now he has only goal left in life: taking down Victoria Steers. Will be released April14. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/41ykncP
COOKIE and a book
Enjoy your book with a cup of coffee and a snickerdoodle
This recipe comes from my mom’s friend and they are delicious. Perfect with a cup of coffee and, of course, a book!
1. Mix 1 C soft shortening with 1 ½ C white sugar. Add 2 eggs.
2. In separate bowl, sift 2 2/3 C flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of baking soda.
3. Add to shortening mixture and combine.
4. Refrigerate 3-4 hours until firm. Shape dough into “walnut” size balls.
5. Mix 2 T white sugar with 2 tsp cinnamon. Roll dough balls in them.
6. Back at 400º on an ungreased pan until brown and soft.
