Category: Blogs I Regularly Read

Blog Book Tour featuring an #INSPY author I used to interact with via Southern Belle View Daily! | “The Fifth Avenue Story Society” by Rachel Hauck

Posted Monday, 10 February, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Book Review banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: I started hosting with Prism Book Tours at the end of [2017], having noticed the badge on Tressa’s blog (Wishful Endings) whilst I was visiting as we would partake in the same blog tours and/or book blogosphere memes. I had to put the memes on hold for several months (until I started to resume them (with Top Ten Tuesday) in January 2018). When I enquiried about hosting for Prism, I found I liked the niche of authors and stories they were featuring regularly. This is how I came to love discovering the Harlequin Heartwarming authors & series as much as it has been an honour to regularly request INSPY stories and authors. Whenever I host for Prism, I know I am in for an uplifting read and a journey into the stories which give me a lot of joy to find in my readerly queue of #nextreads. It is an honour to be a part of their team of book bloggers.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of “The Fifth Avenue Story Society” direct from the publisher Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Why this blog tour reminds me of being engaged
with the Southern Belle View Daily community of INSPY authors:

It wasn’t too long ago I was an active commenter on author’s blogs (ie. 2012) wherein I had my first taste of what the book blogosphere involved and how readers were finding ways to interact directly with authors they had either read or were dearly hoping to read ‘next’. This predates when my vocabulary involved the term “TBR” and long before my own blog was as whispered dream which readily became a reality on the 31st of March (in 2013).

Just ahead of developing Jorie Loves A Story, I discovered Southern Belle View Daily (earlier in 2013) and it was happily bookmarked through my browser’s RSS feeds reader (remember that option?). I loved visiting with the authors who were at the helm of the blog: Lisa Wingate, Rachel Hauck, Julie Cantrell, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson and Beth Webb Hart were the original ladies I interacted with whilst Eva Marie Everson, Kellie Coates Gilbert, Amy Hill Hearth, Denise Hildreth Jones, Jolina Petersheim and Nicole Seitz joined them off/on over the years.

They would host interactive forum discussions on their blog and even the occasional bookaway – I won Beth Webb Hart’s  Moon Over Edisto whilst during my first month of being a book blogger in 2013 I had the opportunity to review Lisa Wingate’s The Prayer Box which also became my first blog tour! Whilst getting Jorie Loves A Story off the ground and dealing with life as it was being lived whilst juggling my chronic migraines – I found I wasn’t able to maintain the connections I had established prior to being a book blogger on the author blogs I had frequented before launching my own blog. Therefore by the time I had the chance to return to Southern Belle View I learnt it was switching over to Facebook and that in effect knocked me out of joining them as I elected to become active on Twitter instead.

Through the years, I’ve grown attached to the series The Prayer Box began whilst I’ve had my eye on reading through all their stories and finding my favourites. Towards that end, I started by reading Kellie Coates Gilbert’s Texas Star series with A Reason to Stay. I still remember being involved with the now defunct Blogging for Books programme and finding one of Ms Tomlinson’s releases was available to request – however, I waited to long to decide to request it and it went to other readers! I learnt not to contemplate those choices too long afterwards, laughs.

As I never quite ‘let go’ of following their literary careers, I found out about The Fifth Avenue Story Society prior to the announcement of the blog tour via Prism Book Tours. I was going to fetch a copy of it from my local library when the invite came into my Inbox. Talk about a serendipitous day!I was overjoyed I could host one of the authors I knew previously but also, this would mark my first story by Ms Hauck I could finally read and I couldn’t wait! I also always see a hawk when I pronounce her name (big smiles) as it was the only way I could remember how to say it aloud! The fact as a wildlife photographer I’ve been blessed to capture hawks IRL through my lens is an added bit of serendipity.

You could say I feel like as I move closer to entering my seventh year as a book blogger this New Year 2020 – I am coming full circle! To my roots as a reader, to the foundation I set down as a blog commenter and as a writer reclaiming her pen and her inspiration to write her own stories. It is an exciting year and one I already feel has become memorable! How lovely I get to kick-off February’s Romance & Women’s Fiction reads with Ms Hauck’s new book!

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On my connection to Rachel Hauck:

I discovered Southern Belle View Daily in early 2013 during the times I engaged with the lovely ladies who were ‘behind’ SBV I came to appreciate conversing with all the Belles, including Rachel Hauck. I was a regular visitor and commenter – up til a certain point as once my blog Jorie Loves A Story launched live in August, 2013 I was not able to visit as regularly as I had previously. In the years since 2013 I have been more at a distance from directly engaging with Ms Hauck (though a few times via Twitter as I recall?) and have followed her releases from afar always hoping to start reading them. One thing which prevented me from starting to read the Belles works of Fiction is that they were not always readily available via my local libraries.

I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her through Southern Belle View Daily and/or Twitter; as I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time.

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Blog Book Tour featuring an #INSPY author I used to interact with via Southern Belle View Daily! | “The Fifth Avenue Story Society” by Rachel HauckThe Fifth Avenue Story Society
by Rachel Hauck
Source: Publisher via Prism Book Tours

An invitation to join The Fifth Avenue Story Society gives five New York strangers a chance to rewrite their own stories.

Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed.

Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud.

Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.

Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.

Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’s multimillion-dollar empire.

When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.

Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls.

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780310350927

Published by Thomas Nelson

on 4th February, 2020

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 400

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Published by: Thomas Nelson (@ThomasNelson)
an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (@HCChristianPub)

Converse via: #FifthAvenueStorySociety, #RachelHauck & #TNZFiction
as well as #INSPYFiction and #WomensFiction

About Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pet and writes from her ivory tower.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Monday, 10 February, 2020 by jorielov in 21st Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Introspective Literary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Modern Day, Multiple POV, New York City, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Prism Book Tours, Realistic Fiction, Southern Belle View Daily

#WaitingOnWednesday No.8 | An interview with a book blogger whose using #Kickstarter to self-publish “The Best of Little Red Reviewer”!

Posted Wednesday, 16 January, 2019 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

a word about ‘waiting on Wednesday’:

#WaitingOnWednesday badge created in Canva by Jorie using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

I have decided to start participating in this book blogsphere meme with a few small changes of how it’s regularly blogged about by my fellow book bloggers. I will either be introducing my current reads of upcoming releases as I am in the process of reading them and/or I might be releasing a book review about a forthcoming title by which I had been blessed to read ahead of publication. The main purpose behind the meme is to encourage readers and your fellow book bloggers to become aware of new books being released which caught your eye and which held your interest to read. Sometimes if your still in the process of reading the books, its the titles which encouraged your bookish heart. I look forward to spending the next seasons of the year, talking about the books I have on hand to read, the books I’ve been reading and the books I might not even have a copy to read but which are of wicked sweet interest to become a #nextread of mine.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Promo banner for Little Red Reviewer Kickstarter Guest Post via jorielovesastory.com made by Jorie in Canva.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

A bit of a back-story on my connection to Andrea | Little Red Reviewer:

When Andrea first contacted me about her project emerging onto #Kickstarter in January, 2019 I was wicked OVERJOYED she thought of me to be part of her #streetteam to get the WORD out about this remarkable *idea!* she had to transform the words she’s etched into her online blog into a *tangible, touchable ‘book’* wherein you can take a more personal glimpse into the work she’s left behind in the book blogosphere.

She had such a valid point about our writings on our ‘book blogs’ – as a lot of people I am sure might want to readily ‘dismiss’ what we’re doing – they might not even understand the conceptional difference between ‘book bloggers & book reviewers’ as there is a bit of a difference between the two mediums of sharing our bookish ruminations; as book bloggers, we have the tendency to go a bit deeper, a bit further and explore a bit more of our emotional reactions as we’re reading than what a reviewer might consider to elude to in their (shorter) review as the reviews you’ll find on a book blogger’s blog are uniquely longer in length!

Our paths first crossed during the blogosphere (its reached pop iconic status now for those of us who are geeky on Sci Fi) even known affectionately as #RRSciFiMonth | Sci Fi November to those of us who’ve been round since it was first founded in [2013] by Rinn of Rinn Reads. Rinn has moved into other areas of interest outside of book blogging but her vision & her passion for Science Fiction lives on in her stead. The even is co-hosted by Lisa (@deargeekplace) and Imyril (@imyril) – who are my partners in crime when it comes to co-hosting @WyrdAndWonder as well as other events in the blogosphere or twitterverse such as our current RAL series for the Wayfarer series.

Andrea and I also share a passionate attachment to the writings of Julie E. Czerneda who gave us The Clan Chronicles (read through my archives of the ENTIRE 3x trilogy series as I read each novel in sequence of the world in which they reside). We shared some lovely moments in the latter trilogy’s blog tour(s) (see also this Post & this one too) leading into the final release which capstoned the series and gave us an emotional ‘ending’ to a beloved series.

She also hosts the annual January readthon #VintageSciFiMonth – an event I’ve never had the pleasure of joining until this coming January, 2019! With a bit of helpful suggestions being relayed to me via my fellow bookish geeks on LibraryThing as I pitched a Q about which Classic authors I ought to be reading if I wanted to seek out a certain variety of ‘Science Fiction’. I’m quite sure some of it will parlay into my readings for the 2019 #RRSciFiMonth as well!

Even though we’ve remained in touch over the years, sharing a love of Science Fiction & the Speculative Realms, I remain in awe of how being a book blogger has led to connections far outside the initial joys I envisioned I’d find in my life when I first started to take those tentative steps to find my blogging voice in [2013]. I love supporting my fellow book bloggers & in this case, it is a bold light on finding a route towards preserving the work we’ve left behind as each story in turn curated our ruminations & left us dearly affected for the journey we took into the STORIES.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Previously you might remember I shared a Guest Post

The Best of Little Red Reviewer Kickstarter Campaign banner provided by Andrea and is used with permission.

wherein Andrea shared her Kickstarter plans!

Today, I am showcasing the conversation which was sparked out of a desire to better understand what was motivating Andrea to self-publish the “best of the best” of her book blogger reviews whilst re-highlighting her Kickstarter campaign during the mid-point of January wherein she has currently (as of this post’s release) raised the following amount of her overall goal:

1,413 of 5,000 | by 41 backers

JOIN her Kickstarter Campaign *today!*

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Posted Wednesday, 16 January, 2019 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Blogs I Regularly Read, Book Spotlight, Indie Author, Waiting on Wednesday

#WaitingOnWednesday No.7 | A Book Blogger decides to [self-publish] her #bookblog’s best of the best ‘book reviews’ via #Kickstarter!

Posted Wednesday, 26 December, 2018 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

a word about ‘waiting on Wednesday’:

#WaitingOnWednesday badge created in Canva by Jorie using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

I have decided to start participating in this book blogsphere meme with a few small changes of how it’s regularly blogged about by my fellow book bloggers. I will either be introducing my current reads of upcoming releases as I am in the process of reading them and/or I might be releasing a book review about a forthcoming title by which I had been blessed to read ahead of publication. The main purpose behind the meme is to encourage readers and your fellow book bloggers to become aware of new books being released which caught your eye and which held your interest to read. Sometimes if your still in the process of reading the books, its the titles which encouraged your bookish heart. I look forward to spending the next seasons of the year, talking about the books I have on hand to read, the books I’ve been reading and the books I might not even have a copy to read but which are of wicked sweet interest to become a #nextread of mine.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Promo banner for Little Red Reviewer Kickstarter Guest Post via jorielovesastory.com made by Jorie in Canva.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

A bit of a back-story on my connection to Andrea | Little Red Reviewer:

When Andrea first contacted me about her project emerging onto #Kickstarter in January, 2019 I was wicked OVERJOYED she thought of me to be part of her #streetteam to get the WORD out about this remarkable *idea!* she had to transform the words she’s etched into her online blog into a *tangible, touchable ‘book’* wherein you can take a more personal glimpse into the work she’s left behind in the book blogosphere.

She had such a valid point about our writings on our ‘book blogs’ – as a lot of people I am sure might want to readily ‘dismiss’ what we’re doing – they might not even understand the conceptional difference between ‘book bloggers & book reviewers’ as there is a bit of a difference between the two mediums of sharing our bookish ruminations; as book bloggers, we have the tendency to go a bit deeper, a bit further and explore a bit more of our emotional reactions as we’re reading than what a reviewer might consider to elude to in their (shorter) review as the reviews you’ll find on a book blogger’s blog are uniquely longer in length!

Our paths first crossed during the blogosphere (its reached pop iconic status now for those of us who are geeky on Sci Fi) even known affectionately as #RRSciFiMonth | Sci Fi November to those of us who’ve been round since it was first founded in [2013] by Rinn of Rinn Reads. Rinn has moved into other areas of interest outside of book blogging but her vision & her passion for Science Fiction lives on in her stead. The even is co-hosted by Lisa (@deargeekplace) and Imyril (@imyril) – who are my partners in crime when it comes to co-hosting @WyrdAndWonder as well as other events in the blogosphere or twitterverse such as our current RAL series for the Wayfarer series.

Andrea and I also share a passionate attachment to the writings of Julie E. Czerneda who gave us The Clan Chronicles (read through my archives of the ENTIRE 3x trilogy series as I read each novel in sequence of the world in which they reside). We shared some lovely moments in the latter trilogy’s blog tour(s) (see also this Post & this one too) leading into the final release which capstoned the series and gave us an emotional ‘ending’ to a beloved series.

She also hosts the annual January readthon #VintageSciFiMonth – an event I’ve never had the pleasure of joining until this coming January, 2019! With a bit of helpful suggestions being relayed to me via my fellow bookish geeks on LibraryThing as I pitched a Q about which Classic authors I ought to be reading if I wanted to seek out a certain variety of ‘Science Fiction’. I’m quite sure some of it will parlay into my readings for the 2019 #RRSciFiMonth as well!

Even though we’ve remained in touch over the years, sharing a love of Science Fiction & the Speculative Realms, I remain in awe of how being a book blogger has led to connections far outside the initial joys I envisioned I’d find in my life when I first started to take those tentative steps to find my blogging voice in [2013]. I love supporting my fellow book bloggers & in this case, it is a bold light on finding a route towards preserving the work we’ve left behind as each story in turn curated our ruminations & left us dearly affected for the journey we took into the STORIES.

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Posted Wednesday, 26 December, 2018 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Blogs I Regularly Read, Book Spotlight, Indie Author, Waiting on Wednesday

Children’s #Classics Audiobook Review | “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” by Kate Douglas Wiggin, narrated by Ann Richardson a selection I added to my #theclassicsclub list under ‘Children’s Lit’

Posted Sunday, 26 August, 2018 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Audiobook Review Badge made by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Audiobook By: I started to listen to audiobooks in [2016] as a way to offset my readings of print books whilst noting there was a rumour about how audiobooks could help curb chronic migraines as you are switching up how your reading rather than allowing only one format to be your bookish choice. As I found colouring and knitting agreeable companions to listening to audiobooks, I have embarked on a new chapter of my reading life where I spend time outside of print editions of the stories I love reading and exchange them for audio versions. Through hosting for the Audiobookworm I’ve expanded my knowledge of authors who are producing audio versions of their stories whilst finding podcasters who are sharing their bookish lives through pods (ie. AudioShelf and Talking Audiobooks; see my sidebar). Meanwhile, I am also curating my own wanderings in audio via my local library who uses Overdrive for their digital audiobook catalogue whilst making purchase requests for audio CDs. It is a wonderful new journey and one I enjoy sharing – I am hoping to expand the percentage of how many audios I listen to per year starting in 2018.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” via Audiobookworm Promotions who is working directly with the publisher Post Hypnotic Press in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Why I was keenly interested in listening to this Classics Children’s Story:

Of all the Shirley Temple films I haven’t yet seen, the one film which has stood the test of time of being of apt curiosity is ‘Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm’! I have adored Ms Temple for most of my life – as her films are wickedly delightful to see at any age – in my twenties whilst appreciating binge watching TCM, I had the joy of finding her as a sixteen year old in the film “Since You Went Away”. The film lead was played by Claudette Colbert who had impressed with right next to Ingrid Bergman for their dexterity and their depth of character performances. This was a rare treat to see Temple in a nearly-adult role.

I wasn’t sure where this particular adaptation of ‘Rebecca’ would befit within the Classic novel – as when it comes to adaptations, you have to keep an open mind as some are strictly by the ‘book’ of what was disclosed and others have a healthy heaping of ‘liberties’ taken with how their filmed. Either way, you look on it, I knew I wanted to see Shirley Temple in this role, even if I would prefer another version for keeping in better step with the original story.

Quite shockingly, at the time of listening to the audiobook, as would you believe I never had the proper chance to source a print copy of this novel?! It was one of those ‘book-to-film’ reads I had intended to get and simply never did. I ought to work a bit harder at rectifying this pursuit in the future. For now, audiobook versions are my jam. I am seriously over the moon in love in finding Classical works of Lit in audio formats – and this first and foremost is a strong affirmative of credit towards the work of Post Hypnotic Press, of whom, had my path not crossed with theirs during the Betty MacDonald memoirs, I might never had even realised how keen I am on listening to the Classics on audiobook!

Another shocker for this reader and book blogger was discovering of *all!* the fastidiously ridiculous series of adaptations for Classical Lit in motion pictures, somehow, this particular field overlooked ‘Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm’ as there appear to be only *three!*? Imagine!? I barely could myself!

One thing I was thankful for – my introduction into ‘whom’ would alight off the pages of the novel came into my headphones by way of Ms Richardson on behalf of Post Hypnotic Press! They truly go the extra mile in placing the right narrator(s) in the right roles which give you a wealth of joy to be #amlistening! It isn’t the first time I felt the narrator befit the character and had a wholly individual way of presenting the character of the hour – the last time I felt this for a fictional character was during my listenings of Ms Henderson voicing ‘Anne of Green Gables’.

Rather oddly, I had overlooked adding this particular title to my tCC List, of which I’ve amended during this blog tour. It ought to truly have been inclusive all along and the oversight was decidedly a reader’s over enthused approach at trying to compile a ‘list’ to present as a list of #nextreads when altogether mindful of the fact she might ‘forget!” a few in the process! I am thankful I can continue to share these readings and listenings with my fellow Classic Clubbers! (as I link my reviews, including the audiobooks to the main review archives)

Happily I spied a fellow book blogger, Classic Clubber and friend on this blog tour (Maggie) and I truly look forward to reading her ruminative thoughts and see how she took to ‘Rebecca’.

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Children’s #Classics Audiobook Review | “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” by Kate Douglas Wiggin, narrated by Ann Richardson a selection I added to my #theclassicsclub list under ‘Children’s Lit’Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Source: Audiobook via Audiobookworm Promotions
Narrator: Ann Richardson

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm has delighted readers for over 100 years. Published in 1903, when girls were inevitably depicted as pretty, gentle and proper, Rebecca Rowena Randall burst onto the scene of children's literature. Sent to live with her prim and proper Aunt Miranda, who is expecting her much more demure sister, Rebecca is a "bird of a very different feather". She has "a small, plain face illuminated by a pair of eyes carrying such messages, such suggestions, such hints of sleeping power and insight, that one never tired of looking into their shining depths...." To her Aunt Miranda's continual dismay, Rebecca is exuberant, irrepressible, and spirited - not at all "proper" or "demure". She wins over her aunt soon enough, and the whole town, and thousands of readers and listeners everywhere.

In 1904, author Jack London wrote Kate Douglas Wiggin: "May I thank you for Rebecca?.... I would have quested the wide world over to make her mine, only I was born too long ago and she was born but yesterday.... Why could she not have been my daughter? Why couldn't it have been I who bought the three hundred cakes of soap? Why, O, why?" And Mark Twain called Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm "beautiful and warm and satisfying".

This recording, narrated by Ann Richardson, whose sweet voice has a facility for accents and character voices, is a satisfying listening experience you'll want to revisit. Upcoming from Post Hypnotic Press is a new annotated print/eBook edition of this book, with illustrations from the original publication and a new introduction, as well as a work-book for children

Genres: Children's Literature, Classical Literature



Places to find the book:

ASIN: B07819NB8D

Published by Post Hypnotic Press

on 8th December, 2017

Format: Audiobook | Digital

Length: 8 hours and 11 minutes (unabridged)

Post Hypnotic Press (@Post_Hypnotic)

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Previously I’ve listened to the following titles:

[ of Classical Children’s Lit by this publisher ]

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (see also Review)

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (see also Review)

Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (see also Review)

[ these were all narrated by the lovely Colleen Winton! ]

*I truly hope they will be creating more installments for ‘Anne!’

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Whilst I’ll be featuring two more reviews for this publisher:

The Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchet, narrated by Heather Henderson

Greenwillow by B.J. Chute, narrated by Ann Richardson

Whilst previously I listened to Heather Henderson narrating the Betty MacDonald memoirs!

And, Paula Becker leant her insight into Betty MacDonald as well!

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Kindly read the convo I had with Post Hypnotic Press!

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Sunday, 26 August, 2018 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 20th Century, Audiobook, Audiobookworm Promotions, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Brothers and Sisters, Bullies and the Bullied, Childhood Friendship, Children's Classics, Children's Literature, Classical Literature, Coming-Of Age, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Juvenile Fiction, Life Shift, Macaroons & Paperbacks, Maine, Poetry, School Life & Situations, Siblings, Small Towne USA, Teacher & Student Relationships, the Nineteen Hundreds, Transfer Student at School, Village Life, Young Adult Fiction

#ElizabethGoudgeDay 2018 | Announcing: read along with Jorie – “Towers in the Mist” by Elizabeth Goudge whilst I’m co-hosting this year’s event celebrating the author with Jean @ Howling Frog Books!

Posted Tuesday, 24 April, 2018 by jorielov , , , , , 2 Comments

Towers in the Mist Readalong hosted by Jorie for Elizabeth Goudge Day 2018. Badge created in Canva.

Last Spring, I stumbled across Lory @ Emerald City Book Reviews showcase on behalf of Elizabeth Goudge. She was hosting a series of posts celebrating the written works by an author I never had the pleasure of hearing about until then, whilst finding myself drawn into wanting to know more rather instantly! There was a bookaway being held during the event itself – wherein, I received quite the unexpectedly cheerful news I had won a copy of “Towers in the Mist”.

I was immediately looking forward to my participation this annual event in 2018, until I realised [2017] might be the last time Lory would be hosting the event for awhile. I had crossed paths with Jean @ Howling Frog Books round the same time, wherein we found we both have an equal love of reading and sharing our ruminative thoughts on the stories which interest us to be read – similar in vein, to how I loved visiting Lory’s bookish blog. The three of us share something else in common – our personal lives have their fair share of nuanced trials, tribulations and strife but somehow, we all come back to the heart of why we blog: the connections to other bookish souls who are equally ruminative about their own readerly lives.

I hadn’t realised Lory was taking a hiatus from blogging but I understood her reasons without knowing the fuller details. Sometimes you have to do what is right for you – especially if it’s a labour of love such as book blogging – I wish her well and I do hope whatever is happening will once again re-settle to the point where she can re-engage with her readers with the same joyfulness she had in sharing her bookish life previously. I am regretful due to my personal health being afflicted this past March and some personal strife of my own at the end of [2017] and the beginning weeks of 2018 – I was delayed in putting this event together with Jean.

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I am still hosting the Elizabeth Goudge Readalong – wherein we are reading ‘Towers in the Mist” – the breakdown of which will be as follows:

Week One: 24th of April til 1st of May – the first half

Week Two: 1st of May til 8th of May – the second half

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Towers in the Mist by Elizabeth Goudge

 

“One was born a certain sort of person, and though by ceaseless struggle one might become as nice as that sort of person ever is, one could never become as nice as a nicer sort of person.” —Elizabeth Goudge, Towers in the Mist

It is late sixteenth-century London when awkward teenage Faithful travels to Oxford to study in England’s great university. When Canon Leigh takes him in, Faithful enters into a family as exciting and educational as the university itself.

Woven into the narratives of Faithful and the canon’s daughter Joyeuce is Oxford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I with the pomp and sordidness of the spectacular era of England’s Golden Age. Not only a historical journey, Towers in the Mist is also a coming-of-age tale of young love and hope.

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Posted Tuesday, 24 April, 2018 by jorielov in Blogs I Regularly Read, Classical Literature, RALs | Thons via Blogs