Welcome to Quick Lit where I share books that I chose for my own reading enjoyment in a mini-review format. There are not books I received for review, but books that I’ve been wanting to read or that have caught my attention. Most of them have been talked about ad nauseam or have been on my to-read list for a long time so they don’t really need a full review. But, I’d still like to give them some space here on the blog, so instead, I’m offering mini-reviews of the books that won’t get full-page space here.
I’ll be linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and her monthly Quick Lit link-up. Be sure to head over to see others share their Quick Lit posts. This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read more about that.
My current reads are ones I’m trying to finish up that have been started and put aside for deadlines and mainly because I’ve been reading more on my Kindle as it is easier to grab and go. I’m finishing up THE LAZY GENIUS KITCHEN, THE PUZZLER, and I’m starting the brand new novel, IN HER BOOTS because I need something light and fun. I’m also reading THE HIGH 5 HABIT. My library loan ran out before I finished and now I have it back again.
Some of my recent reviews include OUR LITTLE WORLD 4 ⭐️s, MUSTIQUE ISLAND 5 ⭐️s, and THE PRECIOUS JULES 4 ⭐️s.
I’ve also been sharing a lot of excellent children’s books lately, See them all, HERE.
As I have mentioned, I am trying to read more books off of my shelves, but it’s hard to do that when review books come in the mail and new books are constantly being released. So, I added some of the books from my shelves to my Libby audio holds. Then I can read faster by dual reading…reading the physical copy and listening to it on audio. I’ve now read sixteen books from my shelves and moved them out of the house. Here are 3 books I read and listened to in the last month.
YOURS CHEERFULLY
The Emmy Lake Chronicles #2
By: AJ Pearce
Narrated by: Anna Popplewell
Published: August 10, 2021 – July 5, 2022 (paperback)
Publisher: Scribner
Historical Fiction
Format: Audiobook through the library
This is the follow-up sequel to the book, DEAR MRS. BIRD that I adored. I’ve been very impatiently waiting for my turn to listen to it on Libby. I knew I wanted to listen to the audiobook as that is how I read DEAR MRS. BIRD and the narrator is just delightful.
This one wasn’t as funny as the previous one, but it continues Emmy’s story as she is about to get married while still working at the magazine in London during WWII. I appreciated how this WWII story focused on the women workers and how they were treated and mistreated while they were trying to keep food on the table while their husbands were off fighting the war.
Emmy and Bunty befriend some of the ladies at the munitions plant and help them fight for their rights to have a daycare. Even though it didn’t have as many funny moments it was still a great story of friendship and hard work during the War. I truly loved it and British actress Anna Popplewell is a delight to listen to. 5 ⭐️s!
A PLACE TO HANG THE MOON
By: Kate Albus
Narrated by: Polly Lee
Published: February 2, 2021
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books
Middle-Grade Historical Fiction
Format: Audiobook through the library
I had seen several people whose recommendations I trust share about this book including Anne Bogel, Janssen at Everyday Reading, and Katie at the Currently Reading Podcast. I was able to get it pretty quickly on Libby and absolutely loved it as I expected I would. Set during WWII, three siblings are left orphaned and join in with a school group to escape the war to an area where families are taking children in to keep them safe. No one knows that this isn’t really temporary for this set of siblings. They are looking for a forever home…a place that hangs the moon.
Of course, as you would expect, things don’t go well for the three siblings and the homes they are in don’t work out for them until eventually one night they are homeless and have nowhere to go except to the only safe place they know….the library. Nora, the librarian has always been kind to them, but is she kind enough to give them a place to stay?
This is a perfect classroom or bedtime read-aloud and gave me all the hugs of a wonderful story even if it was middle-grade and fairly predictable. I gave it 5 ⭐️s. The narration was delightful and I do have a favorite quote I’d love to share from this book that I hope is correct. I had to write it down from the audio version.
The children followed a sign pointing them to Literature and Fiction and then another to Children’s Books. And then they were home. William, Edmund, and Anna knew somewhere deep in the place where we know things that we cannot say aloud that they had never lived in the sort of home one reads about in stories. One of warmth and affection and certainty in the knowledge that someone believes you hung the moon.
THE READING LIST
By: Sara Nisha Adams
Narrated by: Tara Divina, Sagar Arya, Paul Panting
Published: August 3, 2021
Publisher: William Morrow
Fiction
Format: Audiobook through the library and Hardcover
I received this hardcover copy through Literati a few months ago, but it was on my TBR list long before that. I had forgotten I had added it to my Libby holds a while ago so when it came up, I gave it a listen and read the hardcover copy as well.
The audio version has a full cast of narrators that read for the main characters which was a delight. But, I did have to slow my usual audio rate down to 1.15 due to the heavy accents in the narration. But, maybe the slower pace made me enjoy it even more. I don’t need to rush through a novel all the time to get to the next one.
Aleisha, a library worker, comes across a reading list of books that sets off a series of interactions and events that changes the lives of many people. No one seems to know who created the list or if it was meant for each person to find, but the books seem to speak to their needs perfectly. Mukesh is a widower that is trying to find his new purpose after losing his beloved wife to cancer. A chance visit to the library and an encounter with Aleisha lead to Mukesh also reading the books from the reading list. The friendship that develops between Aleisha (who is struggling with her own issues) and Mukesh is quite lovely and even typing this out, I’m getting teary.
I love stories that share a love of books and reading and how they can bring people together. I wasn’t expecting the story to be quite as sad as it was, but the final chapter ties it all together and it was a book that I hugged when I was done. I read the final few chapters out of the hardcover so I could soak the words and feelings in with my eyes.
If you like books about books or bookish friendships, get yourself to your local library and befriend a library worker while picking up THE READING LIST. I gave it 4.5 ⭐️s mostly because of the pacing as it felt a bit slow and repetitive in places. But, I did really love it.
This also made me wonder about my own curated book list. A list of books that have been the right books for me at the right time, ones that I still think about years later, and books that I have wanted to press into the hands of friends when they asked me for a book recommendation.
Here is my Reading List:
- THE RED TENT
- BEING MORTAL
- CALLING ME HOME
- THE LAST LECTURE
- THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS
- THE MARTIAN
- NIGHTINGALE
- EDUCATED
- THE DAY THE WORLD CAME TO TOWN
I plan to do a future post about this reading list and why I feel like it is the list I would want to share with someone. Have you ever thought about creating your own reading list?