The Star-Crossed Book Lover

"It takes hard work to have a socially acceptable body and, as many feminist writers have pointed out, this work is - and was - harder and more exacting for women than for men." Author:  Jill Burke Title:  How to be a Renaissance Woman Genre:  Non-Fiction, History Publication Date:  January 2, 2024 Number of Pages:  336 Geographical Setting: Europe Time Period:  Renaissance Series:  n/a Plot Summary: Historian Jill Burke takes readers back in time to the Renaissance and details what it was to be a woman at the time, in its beauty, frustrations and creativity that are so often lost in history. From businesswomen of the beauty industry in the streets of Renaissance Italy to the palaces and villas of the nobility, no stone is unturned to present a full picture of how to be a Renaissance woman.  Burke begins with an overview of the world at the time and the powers (or lack thereof) that women possessed. She then evaluates different beauty trends, some rooted in racism such as whi

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum? o   Highly narrative (reads like fiction) ✔    A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fast-paced prose) o   Highly fact based (has few or no narrative moments) 2. What is the subject of the book?   The author's life, largely revolving around his Italian heritage and love of food. 3. What type of book is it?  A celebrity memoir 4.    Articulate appeal What is the pacing of the book?  While it reads quickly, Tucci never rushes and guide readers through his story and favorite meals and recipes at a medium pace. Describe the characters of the book. The main characters of the book are Tucci himself, of course, as well as his evolving family throughout his life. Tucci brings real life to his family, especially his mother and Italian-immigrant grandmother in the early parts of the book. Tucci occasionally (self-effacingly) name drops hi

I am a huge cheerleader for ebooks (and audiobooks, but to a lesser extent). I got my first Nook for my 14th birthday, and it changed my whole world. No longer did I have to fight with my mom about how many books I was allowed to take on any given car ride or family vacation. There wasn't a limit to how many books could fit in my purse, backpack or suitcase, all I could read could fit in the device slimmer than even one book! It wasn't available, or I wasn't aware at least, of ebook lending through my library back then, but once that came on the market and the barrier of money was removed, then I was truly unstoppable. Dunneback and Trott (2011) note that, even then, readers could "achieve an immersive experience similar to reading a print book" (p. 327) depending on the device they chose, accessories and settings they utilized. However, they say "The impact of digitization of books and stories on appeal factors is most prominently felt with pacing...the lac

  “Darkness was never as appealing as the light to most, but that didn’t mean it was any less integral to life. Too much sunshine withered the soul. Balance was the key.” Author:  Kerri Maniscalco Title:  Throne of the Fallen Genre:  Fantasy Publication Date:  October 3, 2023 Number of Pages:  564 Geographical Setting: London-like city, various magical realms Time Period: Regency-like fantasy time Series: Princes of Sin #1 Plot Summary:  In Waverly Green, the gossip of the ton can make or break you. Miss Camilla Antonius endeavors to avoid the scrutiny of the public eye, but as a woman artist and business owner, it's a challenge to remain off the gossip column pages. Her father recently passed and her mother long run off, Camilla refuses the idea of marriage, but in Waverly Green this only makes her more of an intrigue. Adjacent to Waverly Green lies realms of fae, demons, vampires and seven Princes of Sin. Envy is swept into a wicked fae game leaving his court at stake unless he c

  I am a book club girl, through and through. I’ve started many a book club in my time as team building exercises even (especially) at jobs that have nothing to do with libraries or books. There’s something about sharing a book with a group of people, chatting and dissecting, loving and hating, that is just l ike a warm hug , even when you have the obligational sour grape that always brings controversy to the meetings.   For my book club experience, I’ll be chatting about a Book Lover’s club at my library. I took over this book club in August from a librarian that retired. It was a bit of a challenge to win the l adies over, but they’re a wonderful and dedicated group! Each month, we have about eight to 12 ladies attend the book club, all around retirement age. Most have been attending for many years, and they usually all go to brunch after our 10 o’clock meetings.   Our February book was Lucky Us by Amy Bloom , a coming-of-age historical fiction set in 1940s America. Lucky