“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Never has this been more true than this year. After spending last school year remote our kids have jumped back into activities with both feet requesting to participate in more things than ever. What’s been really nice is that they have started trying new things. It has been really nice to see which direction they are all drawn in and who they are choosing to become. The return to school has given me time to try out audiobooks more than I ever have as well as getting back into pick-up line scheduled reading. The return to a “new” normal has been so good for all of us. This ten stack has a bit of everything and wraps up with some new spooky suggestions for the season. Hope you are enjoying the beauty of fall here in the US and get to carve out some time with a good book.

“A Dozen Second Chances” by Kate Field

Before her dreams really had the chance to take flight Eve’s life as she knew it had ended. When her sister Faye passed away unexpectedly there was no question in Eve’s mind that she would take on the responsibility of raising her now orphaned niece, Caitlyn. However, Eve’s boyfriend had other ideas and left shortly after the two year old moved in leaving Eve to parent on her own. Now seventeen years later, Eve is saying goodbye as Caitlyn is headed out into the world leaving Eve an empty nester at thirty-nine. As a parting gift Caitlyn gives Eve hand-crafted vouchers challenging her to complete a dozen acts of kindness for herself pushing her to get her life back or better yet build one of her own for the first time. When cashing in her first “Be Kind to Yourself” voucher causes events to spiral beyond what she had envisioned, Eve has to force herself to remember that life is too short to not dream big and maybe return to where her life hit pause. “A Dozen Second Chances” goes beyond the light-hearted rom-com read that I thought I was getting based on the adorable cover. What I got instead was a heart-warming, mature, responsible and thoughtful main character, a grandmother that any of us would be lucky to have and a leading man that for some reason I kept picturing to be played by Andrew Scott. (Did I just find the perfect casting for the movie version?) If you enjoy a good rom-com but are tired of the cheesy, predictable plot lines, give “A Dozen Second Chances” a try.

“100 Ways to Be Kind” by Theresa Cheung

Theresa Cheung has written a refreshing book that will help bring perspective to anyone who reads it. Inside you will find ways to be kinder to yourself, ways to be kinder online, ways to be kinder to others as well as ways to be kinder to nature. I chose to listen to the audiobook version narrated by British actress, Joan Walker whose peaceful voice lost my focus at times. I recognized a few of Cheung’s suggestions in my every day behavior and learned some ways that I can adjust my routine to be better to myself and those around me. Though the list is based a lot on basic every day things it never hurts to hear reminders every once in a while of ways you can make a difference in the world and in your own life. One of my favorite facts was that based on a study, readers, more specifically fiction readers are found to be extremely kind people. Now, book people are even more my kind of people.

“The Children’s Blizzard” by Melanie Benjamin

What a beautiful day, January 12, 1888 started out to be on the prairie of the Dakota territory. Children headed out the doors to school dressed in light clothing as the sun warmed the day giving the homesteaders a break from the relentless winter. Everything changed in an instant as the school day was coming to an end when a fast moving blizzard sped through with no warning leaving the ill-prepared schoolhouses defenseless. With most teachers being merely teenagers themselves the impending life or death decisions placed on their shoulders were crippling. Stay and pray the sparsely built buildings would be strong enough to last the night or venture out into the storm and pray that no one got lost along the way. Based on true events and loosely based on actual survivors “The Children’s Blizzard” is a great example of why I love reading this genre. It is stories like these that have captured moments of history to be preserved for generations to learn from. I know for a fact there is no way this difficult way of life would have been one I would have survived for very long. How brave those who came before us were. Fans of His Fic give this one a try.

“The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper” by Hallie Rubenhold

Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly all have one thing in common – they all had the unfortunate circumstance of meeting Jack the Ripper. What “The Five” does that other true crime narratives do not is focus solely on who these five women were leaving out the criminal who took their lives. Author Hallie Rubenhold does not go into great detail about how these women left this world, in fact it’s almost not discussed at all, instead she immortalizes these women for who they were in life and what could have possibly led them into the path of history’s most famous serial killer. Learning who these five women were and what historical biases have been placed on them due to circumstance and situation opens your eyes to how difficult life was for women over a century ago. I flew through “The Five” audiobook which is beautifully narrated by actress Louise Brealey, who ironically can be seen in the now streaming TV series “Ripper Street”. If this centuries old mystery has interested you at all over the years I would highly recommend giving this book a try because taking the time to learn who these victims were is just as important as who committed these infamous, unsolved crimes.

“The Dating Dare” by Jayci Lee

They say weddings are a great place to meet someone unless you are Tara Park. As her best friends’ reception is winding down Tara is confronted by the Best Man – her bff’s new brother-in-law. Seth has had his eye on Tara all night and decides he wants to spend his last four weeks before moving away dating her. During a friendly game of Truth or Dare Seth proposes a dare to Tara – go on four dates without falling for him. Neither of them want anything serious so the dating dare seems like a perfect way to pass a few weeks. As Seth’s departure date approaches Tara starts to realize what she has been missing out on always keeping everyone at arms length. Can they both get out of the dare with their hearts intact? Y’all. This was a rough one. I love me a good rom-com so the genre has nothing to do with my issue with this book. The story was stale/boring/cheesy/predictable – you name it, there was way too much inner dialog with the majority of it feeling very immature and repetitive. I carried this book around for over a week and a half struggling to finish. I’m glad I got through it but I wouldn’t recommend picking this one up if it’s a rom-com you are in the mood for. “The Dating Dare” was just was not for me.

“It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too)” by Nora McInerny Purmort

Nora McInerny Purmont had a miscarriage, lost her father and then her husband all within a few weeks of one another. Yet, somehow, she managed to write this book sharing with readers the highs, lows, sad and hilarious moments that led up to those events and those that came after. Maybe it’s because we are roughly the same age but I found Nora’s humor and references to pop culture to be at times laugh out loud funny as I listened along to her narrating her own audiobook. (I love when authors tell their own stories. It just adds something extra to it.) Nora takes us through meeting her husband Aaron, his diagnosis with a rare brain cancer, their engagement in his hospital room to raising their son in those same halls. “It’s Okay to Laugh” is a beautiful reminder to never take for granted the time we have and the time we have with those we love. Nora’s honest look at her flaws, her imperfect marriage and attempt at motherhood is refreshing and feels as if you are listening to an old friend tell you about her life. I highly recommend this audiobook but get those tissues ready.

“Personal Effects” by Robert A. Jensen

When a large scale disaster happens someone has to come and sort through what is left behind. Robert A. Jensen has been present at the aftermath of some of recent history’s most tragic events – the Oklahoma City bombing, multiple locations in the days that followed September 11th, the ’04 South Asian tsunami, ’10 Haitian earthquake, the Grenfell Tower fire and countless aviation accidents. When an event like this occurs a plan must be set and Jensen’s company, the world’s largest in disaster management, is often called upon to respond. Jensen has personally been responsible for the recovery of bodies, assisting in their identification as well as repatriating and reuniting families with their loved ones belongings. Many international governments have turned to him in times of crisis to assist in managing response in unprecedented times. In “Personal Effects”, Jensen shares the behind the curtain happenings when the media has left the scene and the real work begins. Many never consider the enormous undertaking it is to forensically catalog, identify and reunite those that are left behind with the remains of their loved one and what effects they can recover when sometimes that is all that is left. Jensen’s job is not a glamorous one by any means but one that is extremely important to provide order, calm and reassurance during the worst possible times.

“Never Saw You Coming” by Erin Hahn

Meg Hennessey is trying to figure out who she is. Life has just thrown her a massive curveball and now she has decided to pack up her life and move closer to family that she never knew existed until recently. When she arrives Meg runs into Micah, someone who can relate to her ultra-conservative upbringing. Together the two navigate their complicated relationship with religion, their families and who they are becoming outside of the beliefs that they were raised with all while experiencing the bliss of a teenage first love. What was going to be a gap year has now turned into a lesson of discovery for Meg, one that she never saw coming. “Never Saw You Coming” is a heart-warming coming of age story that is so much more than a YA read. I’m sure I wasn’t Erin Hahn’s target audience when writing this book but I found this such an enjoyable read. This book is not an anti-God story at all but does hold a lens up to questionable practices in some churches and the hypocritical standards they can hold some of their parishioners to. I would highly recommend this book for older teen/YA readers in your life. Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Ex Hex” by Erin Sterling

When 19 year old Vivi experiences a devastating heartbreak she does what every respectable witch would do – she curses her ex-boyfriend. She never expected it to work – after all it was only a joke – but when her ex, Rhys Penhallow, arrives back in Graves Glen nine years later to represent his family at the 100 year anniversary of the town’s founding, a town named after the Penhallows, things start to go awry. Rhys’ one task while in town was to charge the ley lines, the source of the town’s magic, but when it goes horribly wrong Vivi has to confess that it may have something to do with the curse she may have cast almost a decade ago. Now the two exes must work together to restore things back to normal before the non-magic residents begin to question too much and before the curse does its worst on Rhys Penhallow once and for all. What a fun read this was! An absolute perfect addition to your spooky season library, “The Ex Hex” is a great combination of romance, mystery and magic. I would love to see this made into a movie to enjoy every October. I will definitely be adding this to my annual seasonal re-read list. Add “The Ex Hex” to your TBR list for some light-hearted, spooky fun.

“How to Hang a Witch” by Adriana Mather

“Group silence can be a death sentence.” Life has dealt Samantha Mather a few bad hands. She lost her mother when she was young and now her father has slipped into a coma. In order to be closer to his hospital in Boston, Samantha and her step-mother have relocated to Salem, MA to live in her grandmother’s house, a grandmother who recently passed who she never met. Samantha’s father never wanted anything to do with Salem no matter how many times she asked to go and visit his childhood home. On her first day of school Samantha realizes that she won’t be winning any popularity contests anytime soon thanks to her bloodline. Being a direct descendant of Cotton Mather, the man who is thought to be a main contributor to the hysteria back in 1692. She becomes a quick enemy of a group of girls who call themselves “The Descendants”, who all lost an ancestor in the trials. When unexplained happenings and then deaths begin around Salem, Sam discovers a pattern is emerging and anyone with direct ties to the city’s past is in danger. Can Sam earn the trust of the Descendants and convince them to work with her to undo an ancient curse before a deadly history can repeat itself? “How to Hang a Witch” is a great YA read that is authored by Cotton Mather’s actual relative Adriana Mather. Filled with lots of history and actual local sites, Mather has written the perfect read for YA fans who can’t make it to Salem during spooky season but want to feel like they are actually there. If this time period interests you I recommend checking out the Salem Witch Museum’s website where you can visit their virtual Witch Trials On Site Tour. Thanks to this resource I discovered that one of the accused, Mary Parker, lived about five minutes from my home and I have passed other important sites daily for many years without even knowing it. Glad this book sent me on a discovery to find history in my own backyard.

‘Til next time,

The Booked Mama

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