A little slow in parts but honestly I don't think I would have been able to read it any faster as I had to pace myself with the extreme spousal violence. I have a few Puritan/ Witch/ Massachusetts history books set aside to read this year and this was the first. I cannot imagine a more woven narrative to correlate the abuse within a marriage of this time, when women are property and of the inability to leave a marriage.

Not sure how I missed this book back in 2022, the cover and roller derby theme is everything that would have caught my attention in reading material back then and now. This was a fantastic book of found family and though I tend to group bios/memoirs as lifelong recaps this story focuses in on a much shorter time between college and early 20s for Gabe, her girlfriend, and impact roller derby had on her life.
Comp I'm Glad My Mom Died by J. McCurdy

Yikes. Well that was way more violent then I expected out of a teen western.

This book made me feel ewwwy. Open door romances don't bother me but early on they clearly both understood the abuse of power involved in a student & T.A. relationship and continued on anyway. Just a big no for me, wish it would have mentioned that in the blurb.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1915 book Herland is a thought-provoking work of utopian fiction and a time capsule of early twentieth-century feminism. On the eve of the First World War, sociology student Vandyck Jennings goes on an expedition with two of his friends to search for a society rumored to consist only of women. On the way to what they will name "Herland," Van and his friends ponder the type of women they hope or expect to see when they...

Herland keeps showing up on feminist book lists I'm trying to read through. Noticed it's book #2 in a trilogy. But book #1 is rarely mentioned. Do I need to read the first to understand what is happening in Herland?

Teenage homelessness, food insecurity, adult mistrust, sexual pressure, bullying, and an imprisoned parent all wrapped up in one book that would work well for topic driven discussions.

Expected publication: April 1, 2025

I really enjoyed this book, told in alternating chapters from modern day/2019, and 1999, and 1800s all in Australia and it's waters. I found the cadence of the writing weaving the known history of women convict ships and transportation into a story with magical realism a unique way to shed light on a lesser known part of Australian history (for me as an American).

I loved the blurb and construction of a split timeline style- this just felt far, far too long.

Historical fiction set in during the Civil War, one I don't read nearly as often since WW2 seems to overtake the genre more frequently. A quiet love story on a farm close to the front lines. Each character has a backstory that adds complexity to the scenes shared throughout the book. Not everyone makes it to the end but the found family in the midst of chaos is heartwarming.

Is there a name for a trope where one main character is supposed to be setting up the other and ends up falling hard themselves? That's what this was. Very cute.

Expected publication: April 22, 2025

While I connected better to 'Eat Cake, Be Brave' more than 'Chicken Fried Women's I think it was the timing for me. Several chapters absolutely hit my funny bone and had me rereading excerpts to my coworkers in the break room, or my mom & sister... but other sections missed the mark for me, or were maybe too close to home and emotional?

I definitely have a tribe but would they help wrap me in electrical...

A perfect narrative history and resource for a then and now world from an author who lives and breathes all he has learned about Tuberculosis and is doing something about it! Well done and worth the read!

Expected publication March 18, 2025

While I loved Amanda's passion and I agree to speaking up and out to raise awareness about book banning/censorship overall, I wanted more from this book. Her speech isn't until the end and would have helped readers more if it was included in the opening chapter since it is alluded to so frequently in the book. I wanted more specifics about each court battle (but maybe since it's still ongoing it can't be?) and way less repetitiveness overall...

It took me a little bit to get into this book but once I understood the triple timelines, along with recorded memories, I felt emersed in the story as it all wove together like branches in a mighty tree. As citizens of the world we aren't far from our history, not the history we are making each day - fight forward! Fight for change for those to come!

February 2025
Host of Maggie's Book Bites Podcast
Goodreads.com/MaggieCarr
#2025SpineStack
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From politicians, to educational systems, judicial, historical, and the runway our bodies and what we put on them tells layers of stories of history, and sharing a narrative of who we wish to be day to day. This was a fantastic book and I learned a lot through this book.

This was a very quick read but didn't captivate me nearly as much as Alone did.

I haven't read many WW1 books, let alone from a teen Canadian girls perspective. In this book Rilla is left at home as her brothers and friends leave to join the fight. The book is half journal and is an insight into her day to day life during the war.

Anne is in this title so little. It's good but I miss her.

Reading this series with my preteen has us in varying agreement. I'm relating so much to Anne as an adult, while my daughter enjoyed the earlier books in the series more. In Anne Of Ingleside I found myself reflected in being on the visited end of long staying guests and their unwelcomed behaviors.

Love, loss, friendship, and so many heartfelt moments I can relate to.

Written mostly as a one sided epistolary, readers get a glimpse of life for Anne during the three years she spends at Windy Poplars while she's the principal at the school as she writes to Gilbert who is away studying to be a doctor.

"... Sometimes I feel as if being grown-up just frightened me and then I would give anything to be a little girl again." page 3

Such a different time in the world, I can't imagine being in charge of a classroom at 17.

Fixed our Wednesday/Thursday forecast. #LibraryFan

Listen to the newest podcast episode of Maggie's Book Bites!

In this episode, Maggie was joined by Sarah to discuss non-fiction books, the first of two non-fiction episodes for 2025. Listen on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google, Amazon, and Stitcher.

nar·cis·sist /ˈnärsəsəst/
noun
a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.

gas·light /ˈɡasˌlīt/
verb
manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.

Do not read this book if either are triggers. What an awful man from beginning to end. The ripple affects of his manipulation spread through the generations and surely would have continued had they not all died.

I very much enjoyed diving back into this book and intend to read the whole series this year, something I have never done before. Although this wasn't my first time through the first book, I never noticed how rushed the ending felt compared to the rest of the book.

A few years ago a simple conversation over a shared favorite author became a 6/year book club and I couldn't be more thankful for the deep friendships and community we have built. I got to host last night and my Forever Friends were over for 5 hours, leaving at 11pm. I know it's different for business and library book clubs, but for those that meet in homes how long do your discussions last? (P.S. this includes a carry-in supper)

January 2025
Host of Maggie's Book Bites Podcast
Goodreads.com/MaggieCarr
#2025SpineStack
#MaggiesSpineStacks
#StorygraphStats

I've had Storygraph since it was in beta but didn't want to long my books in, yet, another place. However seeing so many friends share their graphs with end of year stats really convinced me. I've claimed to be a varied reader for a long time, I really struggle with world building fantasy that has a new language and with psychological thrillers, but other than that I read most anything. I was fascinated with my fiction to non-fiction stats!

Absolutely fascinating to learn additional medical history from a female trailblazing (and often times ridiculed) account of so many remarkable women medical staff, some patients, and the family and societies that surrounded them.

Reread (2012, 2025)
I love all the Forever Friends, but Katie is my favorite. She grows up so much in this, her own series, while also remaining her authentic self.

A fascinating book. I applaud the author for trying so diligently trying to give credit where credit was due.

Not my first WKK book and likely won't be my last but I do think editing wasn't a priority for this, and as a reader of history, and random knowledge that sticks in my head some parts of the story simply don't work for a 1958 setting. For me, that overshadowed the story and consumed my thoughts, unfortunately. This book gave me Beartown (Backman) & The Lost Man (Harper) vibes but in an American setting instead of Sweden & Australia respectively.

Snippets of stories, centered around music and movies sharing an invitation to keep Christ the center of the holiday season.

Happy #LibraryShelfieDay from my growing home library. I am fortunate to surround myself with books as a hobby and as a career. 2025 will continue to be a reading year of becoming a better human being thanks to the perspectives I can read from, the places and cultures found in books, and the lessons we can learn and grow from. Read more about Library Shelfie Day on National Day Calendar's website.

Definitely not my favorite narrative history, I'm not sure that I liked the alternating chapters. I think I would have preferred two different books- one about the Chicago World's Fair and another about the murders. I get that they tie together in settings and influx of victims but I think they could have stood alone. Anyway, I'll definitely look at the area of Chicago differently the next time I visit The Museum of Science & Industry.

Not at all what I was expecting. Some lines really stood out, but I'd be guessing as to if I understood the real context or not.

While it isn't completely necessary to do so, it was helpful to reread The Scarlet Letter (Daniel Hawthorn) in reminding me of the cadence of that story to see the direct parallels in the true crime that inspired it. This book is written with a non-biased journalistic perspective of the author Catharine Read Arnold Williams telling of the case & trial surrounding the death of Sarah Maria Cornell.

Aside from feeling like I've read a rough version of this storyline before a few times (city hospitality finding the enjoy a family run establishment better while falling for one of the owners), I really did enjoy this one. As a closed door romance it was nice to read without pages and pages of descriptive intimate scenes throughout. The side characters are equally as lovely- hope they each get their own stories in the series as well.

Maybe it's just because I'm older, and wiser or see red flags more clearly due to my varied reading genres but the complexity of this story and all the symbolism will stick with me way more now than it did at 16. I'm eager to jump into the new true crime title that spurred on my desire to reread The Scarlet Letter. Up next:

"The Sinners All Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne By Kate Winkler Dawson"

I had already watched the movie before reading the book so there were no surprises but I loved the Deaf & hard of hearing representation included in this middle grade sports book.

Absolutely fascinating and the author helps readers by translating so much into a digestable information and context. The recipes are quite intriguing!

Photocopied the spines of the 158 books I read in 2024. On to 2025!

#2024SpineStack #SpineYear #MaggiesSpineStacks

December 2024
Host of Maggie's Book Bites Podcast
Goodreads.com/MaggieCarr
#2024SpineStack
#MaggiesSpineStacks

I've followed Erynn online for years and knew of her Mom's cancer returning and being called home to heaven. I was excited for a new book but once I saw the theme was centered around grief I just knew it would be authentic and heartfelt. It was just that. With a few funny moments mixed in, this book is a grief journey that reflects so much truth and questioning we find ourselves doing as Christians when we lose loved ones. Well done, Erynn.

So much truth and to know how flawed our judicial system still is is sickening. We can do better as a country.