#JaneEyre #NetGalley

Andrews McMeel Publishing is re-issuing a number of well-known classics in gorgeous collectors’ editions. So far, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma are part of this series. Now there is also Jane Eyre. The novel is so well known but, nonetheless, each rereading offers new insights. From the Red Room, through a horrendous boarding school and on to being the governess hired by Mr. Rochester, Jane learns, feels, evolves and grows as readers observe her progress.

This new edition will add to the reader’s enjoyment of the classic. Even when the novel is at its most grim, the beautiful floral illustrations help readers to remember that there will be better days ahead for Jane. It is a lovely edition and should be a welcome addition to readers’ libraries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub Date 02 Mar 2021

A Novel

by Cecily von Ziegesar

Cecily von Ziegesar may be known to many for her Gossip Girl books. I have not read them (or seen the TV series) but know that they are set in a moneyed Manhattan world. Cobble Hill is in Brooklyn, not Manhattan, and the characters are adults not teens, but I wonder to what extent this title reflects the same sensibility.

One of the book’s protagonists, a British author named Roy, rightly observes that living in Cobble Hill is like living in a small town, not the metropolis. This means that there is none of that city anonymity. The novel tracks Roy and his wife, a band member and his family, a school nurse and others. They interact and intersect over the course of the story.

Many others have reviewed this book quite positively. For me, for some reason, I could not get involved enough in the story lines and did not care enough about the characters. We are all different so, if you are looking for a clever story by a successful author, you may want to give this a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Pocket Therapy for Stress

Quick Mind-Body Skills to Find Peace

by Claire Michaels Wheeler

Who hasn’t dealt with stress in the months since March? If, instead of just soldiering on, you could use some techniques to get through the harder times, this book is worth a look. It is written by a highly credentialed professional who wants to help folks to cope better.

In her introduction the author notes that reducing stress makes room for a person’s creativity and spiritual growth, improves relationships and helps one to appreciate their body. She then offers ways to decrease the harmful impact of an overload of stress. Advice and techniques are offered in chapters that include “Use Flexible Coping Strategies; Get Into Your Body; Express Yourself and Stress Tool Kit.”

One of the many things that I liked about this book, it that it is interactive. It includes questionnaires and writing prompts. Time invested in this title should yield some results. So…cope better in 2021!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This has been a year that none of us will ever forget. The move from normal to the “new normal” impacted every one. During this crazy time, reading and writing about books has provided such solace and joy. I look forward to more good reads and posts in the new year.

I wish each and everyone of you the best holiday season. I hope that for all 2021 will be a year of good health and better times.

Warmly,

Joyce

Rebel Girls Lead

25 Tales of Powerful Women

by Rebel Girls

This book belongs on the shelves of young girls. It will show them all that women can do and hopefully encourage them to feel that they can do anything on which their sights are set. Each of these women is worth reading about. Some of those included are Aly Raisman, Cleopatra, Eufrosina Cruz, Jacinda Ardern, Kamala Harris, Melinda Gates, Michelle Obama, Ricoberta Menchu Tu and Stacey Abrams. Some of these women may already be known to you and a child that you know but others most likely may not be. All are inspirational. Each is featured in two pages, one of text and the other with a bright illustration.

The biographies are followed by some activities. A girl can write her own story, draw a portrait, think about the kind of leader they are and more.

This is a terrific entry in an excellent series. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: January 26, 2021

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I read, enjoyed and reviewed The Printed Letter…, The Book Woman…, The Gown and The Woman Before Wallis.

A Graphic Novel Adaptation

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is perhaps one of the greatest of American novels. It is one that is often read in high school but there is something to be said about rereading this book as an adult.

This graphic version of the novel can be enjoyed both by those new to TGG and by those who are revisiting the novel. The essence of the story is here. The illustrations are clever and definitely complement and enhance the storyline. I liked that the text was creatively placed on the pages to best go with the drawings and add additional meaning.

Following the end of the novel, there is a good note by the author. It talks about how he came to work on the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Below are some thoughts from the last time I read this book for a class.

Chances are that you read The Great Gatsby when you were in high school.  If some time has passed since your first reading of the novel, I urge you to read it again.  I had read TGG when I was in college and had not thought about it too much since, except to recall that the paper I wrote on it got me my first A from a tough professor.  Well, this was the last novel that we read in my summer Currents in the Modern Novel class and it was a stunner.

Start with the title…was Jay Gatsby great?  Is the title genuine or meant to be ironic?  Lots of discussion on this in class.  What makes someone great?  Is it their accomplishments?  Is it who someone is inherently?  What does it mean to have money?  Does it make a difference as to whether it is “old” or “new?”  Is it okay to “carelessly” take the things that one wants in life?  What does it mean to be a “careless” driver?  How do we organize our lives around dreams?  What does it mean as these play out?  Are dreams illusions?

There was also lots of discussion about capitalism in class.  Is the novel an indictment of the capitalist system?  Some critics say yes while others say Fitzgerald did not intend that.  Your opinion?

I was more moved by Jay Gatsby after I finished the novel this time.  Will you be?  spend time with Jay, Nick (is he an unreliable narrator?), Daisy, Tom and Jordan and then let me know.

Pub Date for the graphic novel is 05 Jan 2021