Author: The Bookly Club

February Book

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Image © Haiku Deck We’ve come full circle! This is our last book of 2015/2016 before we start anew in March. If you’ve been with us since the beginning you’ll recall that we first launched Bookly in March 2015 with Still Alice as part of our Screenplay theme in honor of Hollywood’s awards season. For February, the month of Valentine’s Day, we’ll be reading a love story… … Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Although many are now familiar with Rowell’s name, and her books (Fangirl, Attachments and Landline), this was her first young adult novel. Published in 2013, Eleanor & Park follows these two protagonists from Omaha, Nebraska as they fall in love in the late 1980’s. At the young, innocent age of sixteen Eleanor and Park build a connection over mix tapes and comic books, and find themselves in the dramatic world of young love. And since this book has such a strong emphasis on music we’ve brought back our Bookly playlist this month. So during your reading sessions, take a listen to the Bookly {February} “mix tape” on Spotify: …

The Best of 2015

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Image © The New York Times It’s that time of year when all the ‘best of’ lists make their appearances. So we thought we’d share a few of the best books of 2015 as decided by a few trusted sources: NPR has the most comprehensive list of all. They’ve shared 260 titles that both critics and NPR staffers have loved from this past year. And their website offers visitors a great way to sort through their long list… you can select from nearly 30 filters to find just the right type of book (including book club ideas, poetry and kids books). Looking for your next great read? This is a great list to visit. Last week The New York Times debuted their list of the 10 Best Books of 2015 (selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review). Their list is diverse, short and sweet. It’s definitely worth a look for 10 great book recommendations. Goodreads shares a best of list that’s unique in that it’s decided by the readers. The awards are broken up …

December / January Book

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Book map / sketch © Austin Kleon With 2015 coming to a close, we decided our December / January pick will be a New Year’s resolution of sorts. Not to mention how busy things get during these months, hence the combining of December and January. Anyway, our resolution is to learn something new. So for these months we’ll be choosing a non-fiction book to begin 2016 with something new and different. Without further delay… this month(s)’ pick is Michael Pollan’s #1 New York Times Bestseller In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. Pollan is an American journalist, activist and author. His books focus on our country’s growing dilemma with food, its process, the way we eat, and what we eat. In one of his earlier books published in 2006, An Omnivore’s Dilemma, Pollan established a critique of how agribusiness have lost touch with the natural cycles of farming, wherein livestock and crops intertwine in mutually beneficial circles. His perspectives on food, farming, and our consumptions are unique, controversial and modern. Our selection, In Defense of Food published in 2008, …

November Book

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Image © Our City Lights And so the holiday season officially begins (or at least for those of you who don’t count Halloween)! This month the family events begin starting with the loud, turkey-roasting, over-served event that is Thanksgiving dinner. Along with this deliciously gluttonous meal comes a fair amount of family dramatics (good, bad and ugly alike). So it only seemed fair that our theme for November should be {Family Feud}. A great story about a lovable (or not) dysfunctional family. And so, we’ve selected Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt; “a tender story of love lost and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again.” This debut novel was published in 2012 to rave reviews and quickly became a New York Times Bestseller. Set in 1987, the story follows the life of 14-year-old June Elbus. She lives in Westchester and struggles with feelings for her gay uncle who is dying of AIDS. Brunt says the inspiration for this novel came from the idea of an uncle painting a portrait of …

30 Years in 30 Books

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{Image © ELLE Magazine} Of all the magazines cluttering newsstands—all fighting not to get lost in the declining world of print—Elle Magazine is a stand out. Among the options with pretty actress/model cover girls, Elle also offers substance. It’s the only magazine where you can find both an article on the 10 best facial exfoliants AND one father’s brilliant financial solution to the future wage gap faced by his boy/girl twins. We also happen to love Elle because they always give their fair share of attention to books. For example, in the latest September issue they present The Lit List… “There are certain books that change the conversation and the way we see the world. The editors of ELLE dug deep and picked the 30 from the last 30 years that every self-respecting reader should have on her shelf.” It’s definitely a list to take a look at! Here are a few of our favorites from the 30… 1986 The Handmaid’s Tale 1992 The Shipping News 1996 Into the Wild 2000 The Tipping Point 2006 Eat, Pray Love 2012 Gone Girl   For …

October Book

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Image © Beck’s Books Happy Fall everyone! It’s the perfect time of year to curl up with a hot beverage and haunting book. So, for this month’s selection we’ve gone with the theme: {Ghost Stories}. We had a long list to choose from… but there was one classic that made its way to the top: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Surprisingly, none of us have read this highly acclaimed novel, named on such Goodreads lists as: Best Books Ever and The Most Disturbing Books Ever Written. Published in 1986 by award-winning, Canadian author Margaret Atwood, this is the story of a dystopian United States set in the near future when a totalitarian Christian theocracy has overthrown the government. In this disturbing world people are segregated by categories and made to dress according to their station. The bodies of those who rebel swing from the walls that surround the new world. This new world is a haunting look at humanity’s capacity to impose a social control so disturbing, so all-consuming, that the citizens wander as ghosts of their former selves. Some might categorize this as …

Print Books for the Win!

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The argument goes on and on, and on… e-book vs. print book, which will come out on top? Well, it seems the easiest answer is: to each their own. But according to the New York Times the competition has taken an unexpected turn. As they say in a recent article The Plot Twist, “… the digital apocalypse never arrived, or at least not on schedule. While analysts once predicted that e-books would overtake print by 2015, digital sales have instead slowed sharply.” Readers are becoming hybrids, purchasing both print books and e-books. And this is creating a resurgence of brick-and-mortar bookstores and more competition for Amazon and e-readers. It’s probably too soon to tell, but print books are putting up a bigger fight than most predicted (not us, we knew books weren’t going anywhere). So only time will tell, but our prediction is that the unique charm and magic of hardcovers and paperbacks will keep them around for future generations (it’s not like you can read a children’s book to a 2-year-old on a kindle or …

Happy Force Friday!

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No idea what we’re talking about? Let us explain: Force Friday is “the highly-anticipated midnight release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens toys, collectibles, gadgets, and more — is almost here. It will be the world’s first chance to own official product celebrating the next installment of the Star Wars saga.’” Technically it’s a made-up nerd holiday. But exciting nonetheless! We think it’s safe to assume you’ve heard (one, twice, or dozens of times) that the new Star Wars movie is coming out this December… Star Wars: The Force Awakens? (Don’t worry, we’re getting to how this relates to books) Since this new movie takes place a few decades after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (the one with the Ewoks) there’s a large gap in time to fill. So, books to the rescue! Force Friday also marks the launch of the new novel Star Wars: Aftermath. It’s a new Star Wars book that takes place in the many years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. So after the good guys win (and the Ewoks have their dance party), this book follows their …

September Book

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American Broadcasting Company © 2005 “Their Eyes Were Watching God” TV Movie Okay folks, Summer has come to a close and school’s back in session (or soon to be). But have no fear, that means fall is on its way! Maybe you all don’t feel the same way, but we look forward to this colorful season of cooler weather, layers, and school supplies (is our inner nerd showing?). So for this month’s book choice we’ve gone with the theme: {Back to School}. There are so many great options to choose from, but we’ve decided to go with Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960). Set in Florida in the early 20th century, the story follows Janie Crawford on an extended flashback as she tells her story in three parts from her grandmother’s plantation shack to the Everglades—until a tragedy brings her home. Janie narrates her life story to her best friend, satisfying the “oldest human longing—self-revelation.” Maybe a lesser known option, but the more we learn about this book the more excited we …

I Want to High Five Sylvia

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I am going to admit this up front: when I started reading The Vacationers by Emma Straub, I was a bit unsure. It’s not a book I would gravitate toward, but I knew it was a book I would enjoy. There was something about it that reminded me of Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan, a book that I basically anger-read because I was so irritated that I wasn’t reading another completely delicious book like Commencement (though in hindsight I should’ve seen it coming, and I have a lot of thoughts on Sullivan’s writing in general – specifically that she’s very good at what she does, but I digress – that’s fodder for another post). I was prepared to force myself to read The Vacationers. Before you read any further, know that I did change my tune! I enjoyed it, it was the perfect book to read while lounging poolside during my break between summer camp and back to school. It lacked a bit of the urgency I usually crave in my beach reads (the kind where you find yourself …