Ever Tales

An exhausted-bookseller post to say I just finished Ready for Air by Kate Hopper, and loved it. While it is her memoir of her daughter's premature birth (and I have no children), I found myself identifying with her emotions: stress and fear, being ashamed of the less-than-beautiful emotions, letting go of the "ideal". I loved it, even the parts that made me squirm a little. We all have squirmy parts of our lives, and she addresses them in such a beautiful and honest way, I think anybody (male or female) would find themselves in her journey. As Hopper is a local author, I also enjoyed "knowing" the world in which she travels. And wondering if I've run into her, since we have a literary life in common. Worth reading. Happy 2014.

My mid-December confession: I work retail. This time of year, if I brush my teeth and shower and make it through the day without eating a customer, I consider it a success. One would think that after selling books all day, I'd be tired of those paper-cut-inducing things. No, no, my friend--instead, I pad my nest with books like I'm saving for Armageddon, and do rash things like judge books by their covers and return them to the library if the first paragraph wasn't Caldecott-worthy. I have returned 3 books partially-unread this month. It's been that kind of season. So, 25 pages in, I am blogging about Jessica Grose's Sad Desk Salad . New York. A snarky-ish, 20-something female writer living a life I've always imagined. And Grose's great writing style. Love it. Thank you, Ms. Grose; I was getting desperate. Happy Holidays from those of us who forsake our own shopping to help you finish yours!

I have just finished devouring Jen Lancaster's The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog. After a rough couple of years, author Lancaster decides that she needs a new "path" to happiness--and that path might be found by following her idol, Martha Stewart. Just the right combination of snark, 90's-wardrobe-self-deprecation, pop culture and candy, organic fertilizer and a household of glitter-sprinkled gourds made this book both hilarious and sweet. Halfway through her description of the great duvet-n-comforter battle, I was laughing so hard I had to take a break. If you need an easy, delightful read with a great message (spread a life lived with humor and hard work. And glitter), this is it. I don't know about you, but MY November needed this book :-).

Dear Universe, On the advice of a dear friend, I've decided to make more frequent, less verbose book posts; I read so much and share so little of what crosses my reading brain. Perhaps letting you in on the many amazing stories I encounter will encourage you to seek them out and pass them along. Here goes. The View from Penthouse B by Elinor Lipman. I found myself in the main character on every page--even though she is middle-aged (which, I suppose, I may be nearing), widowed, living in NYC. A sweet story of sisters, of friendship, of getting through the tough times, of very bad Match.com profiles (again, my life), of repentance. And cupcakes. And NYC. What more could you want? Happy reading (I hope!).

We've all been there: you do your research, save your money and go shopping, and return home only to find out your recently purchased monster is defective. Sigh. What's a kid to do? Unfortunately, there are no returns at the Monstore. Fortunately, you won't want to return this non-terrifying picture book! The Monstore by Tara Lazar, illustrated by James Burks, is a great Halloween gift--not too scary, enough story and plot to interest kids from 3+, quirky and funny (the broken monsters are goofy, rather than frightening). And, since it is not only a Halloween theme, this book is a great year-round read. So, head to your bookstore for The Monstore !

If ever I were to become attached to a vegetable, it would surely be a squash. Or a sweet potato. Which is why Sophie's Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller became an instant favorite. Sophie's parents find the perfect squash at the farmers' market--perfect for cuddling, doing somersaults, rocking to sleep at night--in Sophie's opinion. Of course, as Sophie's love for her little baby grows, her squash grows a little old, a little . . . mushy . . . At the advice of a farmer, Sophie puts her squash to sleep under a bed of leaves for the winter. You can imagine her surprise in the spring! The illustrations are adorable, the humor is charming (Sophie defends her squash as having "freckles" when classmates comment on its less-than-ideal appearance), and the story is a nice message about the circle of plantlife. I look forward to reading this book to my little pumpkin godbaby.

I just returned from a mini roadtrip (4 hours there, 4 back) and (while I'm not a fan of driving long distances alone) I had great friends along for the trip; Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the Hogwarts crew. Jim Dale's audiobook of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling was phenomenal--hilarious, frightening, completely enthralling. How one man can create so many distinct characters with his voice alone is astonishing. I know audiobooks are expensive, but when you consider Rowling's time and talent, and the immense number of hours and skill it took to record--as well as all the people a book supports (author, editor, publisher, bookseller, dust jacket artist, voice talent)--it is money well-spent. So, fly on over to your local wizarding bank and make a withdrawl from your vault!