Five Things to Tell You Vol. 16
speak up for libraries, new romance releases, spring reads and more!
Well, hello there! So happy to see you today! We are thick in the middle of the boomerang of winter-spring-winter here in Wisconsin ~ 65 and sunny on Tuesday, freezing rain and 8 inches of snow on Wednesday, and this beauty on Thursday morning … and a mix of all of it predicted for this weekend yet again.
If you weren’t aware, public libraries are facing a major challenge right now.
Please take a few minutes to go read the FAQ document on the ALA website and take action using one of these suggested moves from the ALA:
We need every library supporter to show up and make their voices heard. Here are concrete, effective actions you can take now:
Call your Senators and Representatives urging them to overturn the executive order and protect IMLS funding.
Send this action alert to five people in your network.
Write a letter to the editor in your local newspaper explaining why IMLS is important and the impact of federal dollars on communities.
Share your story for ALA’s story collection about the impact of federal funding on your community.
Spring is my very favorite book release season! All of my favorite romance authors seem to release their new works in the months of March - June and it’s really just an embarrassment of riches. I always try to pace myself, but alas and hooray, last week, I just inhaled three new romance releases I had been eagerly anticipating. While they weren’t all the hits I wanted them to be, just being able to finally sink into these books was a treat!
Read Wild Side by Elsie Silver if you have already read and loved books one and two in the Rose Hill series and are up for something … a bit different than those. What hooked me here was a return to a familiar setting and friend group, as well as a parenting storyline, and those kept me around to grow into really appreciating an unconventional romance.
Read Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone if you want to be absolutely blown away with Bastone’s ability to turn a story of unthinkable grief into a deeply earnest and tender slowest-burn romance. I have read everything Bastone has written and she has reached a new level with this one.
Unfortunately, Story of My Life by Lucy Score was not what I wanted it to be, even though it was exactly what it promised to be in the description: A Gilmore Girls meets Schitt’s Creek redemption romcom. In my heart of hearts, I just hoped it would be something like her Knockemout series, and it very much was not. I know others are loving it though, so could just be me!
As you know, I work in a middle school, and have a middle schooler in my own house - this is an age group I am deeply interested and invested in. That’s why, when the latest email from The Pudding popped into my inbox, I immediately clicked on their new interactive essay about middle school. It’s enlightening. And disheartening. But as always with Pudding’s work, so very innovative and thought-provoking. Please do check it out!
Speaking of middle schoolers, my 7th grader is a huge fan of Conan Gray’s 80’s vibe album Found Heaven - we listen to it in the car quiet often, and it brings me right back to my days of locking myself in my room as a teenager and wailing along to Chicago and Air Supply.
If you’re of that era you might find this as fun as nostalgic as I do. And a short interview if you’re into it.
The Book Girls’ Guide is one of my (many) favorite online bookish places, and they have yet again come out with a delightful Spring Reading Challenge. I love their whimsical printable challenge coloring pages, and this year’s is my favorite yet.
If you want a little novelty or direction in your reading life as we head into spring, definitely check this out!
Related: here’s what I read for their spring challenge last year!
That’s all for this week ~ thanks for reading! Please feel free to reply to this email or use the link below to leave a comment to chime in about any of these things, or to share one of your own things ♡
Thanks for stopping by!
I've started Story of My Life by Lucy Score and it's not doing it for me. I wasn't a big fan of the Knockemount series either though. I did enjoy some of her earlier books like the Blue Moon Series and the Bootleg Series.
IMO, this book was fueled by BookTok and I'm sorry that's where her writing is going - I haven't read the Blue Moon or Bootleg series, so maybe I'll give those a try instead!