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You are here: Home / Reading / Books / Book Club Favorites for 2023

Book Club Favorites for 2023

January 3, 2023 By Kerry 2 Comments

Books are my favorite escape, but they have to be really, really good or I don’t bother to finish them. These 12 books are fabulous reads, with mostly clean language and content that won’t put junk in your mind.

Some of these fabulous books were published fairly recently. A few are classics. I also throw in a couple of holiday reads. Most of these books I’ve read with a group of ladies who have excellent taste. We hope you enjoy!

UPDATED: January 2023 to include more recent book club favorites. We left some on the list because we still love them, but we’ve swapped a few to reflect books we found and like EVEN BETTER!

Note: The following post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small sales commission at no cost to you if you purchase using any of the links. See my privacy policy.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021

Click image to order your copy.

Book Club Favorites You’ll Want to Read in 2023

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Michele Richardson

Do you know about the Packhorse Librarians in Appalachia during the Great Depression? Many avid readers don’t know about them, and their story is true grit. Even if you have read about them, this book has a new twist.

Did you know about the Blue People of Kentucky???? Their skin is literally blue because of an inherited recessed gene that makes their blood a chocolate color due to less-than-normal oxygen levels. In this story, blues are treated as coloreds. Literacy and racism are prominent focal points in this poignant historical fiction read.

UPDATE! The sequel just released!!! The Book Woman’s Daughter.

The Giver of Stars. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
Click image to order your copy.

The Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyes

Until I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, this one was by far my most favorite read of 2020. And it’s a close second now. The Giver of Stars is also about the Packhorse Librarians, which was a government-supported work effort started in WWI by Eleanor Roosevelt.

Meant to educate the poor in the back woods of Appalachia and supply much-needed work for a few locals, the effort was a successful between 1935 and 1943. In this particular account, sexism and racism are addressed, homosexuality is alluded to, and other problems of the day not often discussed are brought up. Love and justice do finally abound, but you have to hang on as you read this one.

Educated, by Tara Westover. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
Click image to order your copy.

Educated, by Tara Westover

As of February 2020, Educated has been on the New York Times best-seller list for two years and has been translated into 45 languages. It’s labeled as a memoir, a story of childhood abuse and the author’s remarkable rise in education, eventually earning her PhD despite a lack of formal education in her home growing up and adequate parenting.

I have a hometown connection to this book, though I do not know the author or her family. Many readers have questioned whether it’s true. Read what I discovered as I researched both this memoir and one written by her mother. Click here.

The Beantown Girls. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
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The Beantown Girls, by Jane Healey

Do you know about the Clubmobile Girls of WWII? I didn’t until I read The Beantown Girls, by Jane Healey. Of course, this is fiction mixed with facts from real events, which tends to be my favorite type of read. The Clubmobile Girls were operated by the Red Cross during the war to give the GIs a distraction from the war efforts, to boost their morale.⠀
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To be a Clubmobile Girl, you had to apply. Good looking, charming, and energetic were some of the criteria. The girls had to wear makeup, apply fresh lipstick, and be upbeat at all times around the guys. It’s so different from how our country would offer support during a war now. But I thoroughly enjoyed learning how these ladies were trained to drive, work in a combat zone, and make coffee and doughnuts.⠀
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There are a few fun romances, plenty of heartache, and an overall sense that, though seemingly unnecessary at first glance, their efforts did make a difference.

Before We Were Yours. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
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Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate

Child trafficking. In the mid-1900s the Tennessee Children’s Home got away with all kinds of horrific childcare. Supposedly an adoption home for truly orphaned children, there were many who had been stolen from their parents and sold to famous movie stars, politicians, and influencers who paid what was asked and, in return, asked few questions. Then many of those who adopted were later blackmailed. This fictional account is based on real kids and real situations.

The Fountains of Silence. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
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The Fountains of Silence, by Ruta Sepetys

This is an excellent book! Historical fiction is my favorite genre. This one is about Spain’s Civil War and the 40-year cruel reign of Franco, a ruthless dictator. Well into the late 80s, he ruled with terror. Spaniards lived in fear and could not question how their country was governed.

Much like Hitler, Franco determined to cleanse the Spanish people of “Republican blood,” those who had questioned and opposed during the war.  One cruel, common practice was to steal newborns from parents in the hospital, telling them their child had died, while secretly placing the child in an orphanage and charging exorbitant adoption fees to prospective parents, often foreigners who had no idea of Spain’s troubles. It’s estimated that over 300,000 children were stolen and adopted out.

Click image to order your copy of Gilded, by Marissa Meyer.

Click image to order your copy.

Gilded, by Marissa Meyer

I snapped this picture during a sub teaching break at a local school (thus the background). I had just started the book when I wrote the following:

Think Rumplestiltskin in a way you’ve never heard. Spinning straw into gold. It’s a lie. But Serilda can’t seem to stop herself from telling it anyway.

Now she’s lied to the Erlking and his death hunters.
I’m waiting to see what happens next. They’ve just come for her. 😬

This is a great pre-Halloween read. It’s got that feel to it.

My neighborhood book club ladies are reading it. I’m glad friend Korbie chose it because it’s one I never would have on my radar otherwise.

That’s the beauty of book clubs. We read stuff we wouldn’t normally pick up.

This one is completely clean. Enjoy!

Updated: I finished the book and absolutely loved it. Fortunately for me, the sequel—Cursed—was about to be released. So I didn’t have to wait long before reading it too. I highly recommend both!

 

The 13th Gift. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
Click image to order your copy.

The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle, by Joanne Huist Smith

Looking for a good holiday read? I really liked this one, and so did my book club ladies. It’s based on a true story about a family’s profound loss and struggle to subsequently celebrate the holiday season.

This is an excellent read, especially for those who have lost loved ones and can’t seem to find the joy in Christmas. I also recommend this one for anyone wanting a deeper look at the true meaning of Christmas.

It contains a bit of swearing initially, but it’s kind of funny because the daughter gets after her mom for the bad habit. Eventually, Mom tones it down, and the book is a beautiful read.

The Little Shop of Found Things. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
Click image to order your copy.

The Little Shop of Found Things, by Paula Braxton

This little gem was a keeper for our book club. It’s the first of three in a delightful series about an antique shop, a mother and daughter, and travel back in time. It reminded me a tiny bit of the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time, which I adored.

Daughter Xanthe and Mom Flora leave London for a fresh start in the historic town of Marlborough. They breathe new life into an antique shop through hard work and lots of talent. But the real story lies with an antique find–a silver chatelaine that transports her back to the 17th Century–and a resident ghost who insists she go back to save her daughter.

There’s also a romance with Xanthe and architect Samuel Appleby, who resides in the past. You won’t be able to put this one down! It’s an excellent gift too.

The Count of Monte Cristo. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2023

Click image to order your copy.

The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas

“’Classic’–-a book which people praise and don’t read.” – Mark Twain⠀
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I’d always wanted to read The Count of Monte Cristo. The abridged version is a pretty thick book–531 pages (but half the size of the original). So I put it off for years. Then the quarantine hit. Since I suddenly had a bunch of time at home, I set a few goals for myself, which included a few reading goals. And I finally bought a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo.
⠀
I can’t believe I waited all these years! Dumas is a brilliant writer, and his character development is phenomenal. Young Dantes is already a brilliant sailor and has a beautiful fiance awaiting him. Life couldn’t be any brighter.

And then . . . he’s framed. Self-absorbed Villefort is a sneak and a liar, and others lie too. Dantes pays the ultimate price–years in a deplorable prison for being falsely accused of treason.

His years in prison aren’t all bad though. A fellow prisoner and chaplain befriends him; they learn from each other. And, in the process, Dantes acquires a treasure map.⠀
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No spoiler alerts here, but I was so intrigued by the clever Dantes/Count of Monte Cristo. For those who betrayed him, Dantes arranges the ultimate revenges, allowing his betrayers to show their true colors.⠀
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If you’ve never read The Count of Monte Cristo, and I’ve piqued your interest, be sure to pick up a copy. I’m so glad I did.⠀

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

A 1943 semi-autobiographical novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of those “rise up against the odds” type of books. Young Francie Nolan, who lived in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn from 1902 until 1919, realizes her mother’s tremendous sacrifices to provide for their family, while her father drinks away their meager earnings and occasionally plays a few piano gigs.

Francie often finds solace at the local library, reading anything and everything she can. In the process, she does well at school and learns there are better ways and better opportunities through education.

Just like the stubborn tree trying to grow through the cracked asphalt behind her apartment building, Francie doesn’t give up. She digs her roots in deep, growing and flourishing–despite all odds.

Flight of the Sparrow. List of 12 Book Club Books to Read in 2021
Click image to order your copy.

Flight of the Sparrow, by Amy Belding Brown

I read this one with my neighborhood book club for Thanksgiving. It’s a novel about Early America and provides great insight as to how colonists may have felt toward the Native Americans.

In this story, some of the colonist women and children are kidnapped by the Native Americans. At first, their new lives are rough, but then something strange happens. The women begin to experience a new freedom they’ve never had before. The children roam in nature and learn the ways of the land.

In striking contrast to some puritanical beliefs, the Native American way of life shows a better way. Read this one to discover unique cultural and religious perspectives from traditional tellings of Early-American life.

 

You might also be interested in reading one of my most popular posts: 65 Clean Books to Read

Discover More Favorite Book Club Favorites

Join almost 800 women in my Facebook book club. We share clean books that won’t surprise you with a lot of foul language or inappropriate scenes. Books that lead to engaging discussions are frequently highlighted and recommended in the group. We are a unique, kind, drama-free group. Click here to see.

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12 book club favorites for 2023. Our group absolutely loved them. Take a look and see why. All clean reads.

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: book reviews, clean books

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Comments

  1. Melanie Eccles says

    September 14, 2021 at 4:08 am

    I have ordered several, thank you.

    Reply
    • Kerry says

      November 8, 2021 at 3:51 pm

      You are most welcome. Happy reading!

      Reply

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One of our favorite Christmas traditions! Frosty One of our favorite Christmas traditions! 

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland is free to visit in Salt Lake City. Find it easily on your GPS. 

The owner was out tonight, and we enjoyed visiting with him. He’s been doing this amazing display for 30 years. It takes him and a small crew about two months (working most weekends) to put it all up. 

On behalf of those of us who enjoy this visit every year, THANK YOU to Frosty’s owner. ☃️
This evening we visited my mom at her new care cen This evening we visited my mom at her new care center and took our buddy Cap with us. 

My mom has always loved dogs and while she was excited to see us, she was particularly enthralled with the dog’s visit. After all, he’s super cute! 

During our visit, we shared a picture book about dogs with her. It’s a coffee-table type book with gorgeous shots of all kinds of dogs. She loved it! 

Though it’s hard for her to follow a storyline in a regular book, books with fabulous art or photography are much loved. 

I’m including a link to a book similar to the one we gave her: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810996537/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_1BJBZ6KSW367HEK3TJW0?linkCode=ml2&tag=myransam-20
(affiliate link)
Happy Turkey Day! This is our buddy Cap, who’s s Happy Turkey Day! This is our buddy Cap, who’s staying with us for a few days. 

Hope you’re enjoying the holiday with family and friends. 🦃

#happythanksgiving #goldendoodle #eyesoncap #mrsladywordsmith
Dolly did it! 🎧Listen to this one. It’s such Dolly did it! 🎧Listen to this one. It’s such a treat to hear her shape one of the characters in her first novel, coauthored with James Patterson. 

Combine the talents of a #1 entertainer and a #1 writer and they KNOW how to tell a story that will rock your country world. 

Slight confession. I’ve always loved Dolly: since I was a little girl and her songs were on the Country’s Greatest Hits vinyls we kept in our stereo. 

I look past her big boobs and platinum blonde wigs to see an incredibly talented musician and a savvy business woman who has been incredibly, consistently nice to a whole lot of people for a whole long time. 

And she gives away lots and LOTS of books to children who need them. So how can I not love her?

Some takeaways for me: 

*I enjoyed listening to this one. The story draws you in immediately and the beginning isn’t what you think. I wouldn’t read this one. Let Dolly help tell it to you. 
*That said, the main narrator sounds like a robot. Just deal with it, because …
*The love interest (and there most certainly is one!) has a low, sexy voice. Nothing wrong with enjoying that feature, ladies. 😊

*There’s cowboy/farm language. But if there are f-bombs, they’re few and far between. Honestly, the story wouldn’t seem realistic without the language. It’s chosen well for today’s readers. 

*There’s no salacious or explicit content. Enjoy the budding romance without worrying whether it’ll become a surprising scene at some point. 

That’s it. Take Run, Rose, Run on a nice, long drive and enjoy the journey. 🌹
Our Class Is a Family. I designed this collaborati Our Class Is a Family. I designed this collaborative poster to show each of my students how much we need them and their talents.

Even one missing piece wouldn’t complete our puzzle. 🧩

We colored while I read Our Class Is a Family, by Shannon Olsen. 📘

Comment if you want links to the book or the poster. This week I’m sharing the poster for free to those who are followers here. Next week it goes in my shop. 

#ourclassisafamily #classroomfamily #classroomkindness #collaborativeposter #classroomdecor #classroomunity #unitygames #mrsladywordsmith
Hands-on learning can teach life skills. At the Hands-on learning can teach life skills. 

At the private school where I teach, we work on nontraditional, educational projects every Friday. 

These loom scarves and hats are perfect for finger dexterity and strengthening, something many of our youth are lacking as they simply swipe screens. 

Plus, while our hands are busy, we talk and discuss all sorts of interesting things. 

This is a class of six kids, an equal mix of boys and girls. 

For over an hour, electronics were off, students were helping each other learn a new skill, and we all talked and talked. 

It was the BEST educational experience. 

#privateschool #privateschools #microschool #microschools #homeschool #homeschoolersfollowtrain #homeschoolfun #homeschooling #homeschoolcollective #homeschoolteacher #mrsladywordsmith
Did you know you can return a book on audible if y Did you know you can return a book on audible if you don’t like the narrator? 

I recently tried West with Giraffes 🦒 but found the narration too distracting for me, and I couldn’t follow the story as well. 

After just a few chapters, I gave up and opted for the book instead. 

To make a return, go to your Amazon account, find your audible subscription. Then click on the book you want to return. It’s simple. 

You have 365 days from your date of purchase to make a return. 

We all know here that Amazon isn’t a library service and we wouldn’t want to listen to a whole book, enjoy it, and return it. 

But occasional returns (two per year so your account isn’t flagged) are acceptable when you find a product that just isn’t a good fit for you. 

Hope this helps. Any questions or thoughts?

#audible #bookreturns #bookstagram #mrsladywordsmith #booktips
Hester Prynne is back!!! This Scarlet Letter novel Hester Prynne is back!!! This Scarlet Letter novel is all about the possibility of Nathaniel Hawthorne being personally involved with her, instead of just being the original author. 

Juicy!!! 

The book is clean. I wholeheartedly recommend it. 

Sorry for the weird audio. Not sure why. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Hester, by Laurie Lico Albanese

#hesterprynne #scarletletter #nathanielhawthorne #laurielicoalbaneseauthor #mrsladywordsmith #cleanreads #cleanread #somethingwitchy #salemmassachusetts #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfictionnovel
Harry Potter Word Search. Got a Halloween class Harry Potter Word Search. 

Got a Halloween class party tomorrow? In a panic? 😱

HP to the rescue. Link in stories, or DM for it. 🪄

#harrypotterparty #halloweenclassparty #wordsearch #wordsearchpuzzle #wordsearchpuzzles #mrsladywordsmith #dontpanic #yougotthis #happyhalloween
New Diary of a Wimpy Kid TODAY! Since book one w New Diary of a Wimpy Kid TODAY! 

Since book one we’ve been fans. It started with my oldest son. We have every book. Both boys have read them multiple times. I’ve read a couple of them. Total BOY humor. 

But I love the fact that @jeffkinneyofficial is amazing and caring. When my oldest son was doing his Eagle Scout project, Kinney sent us a case of his books, an assorted variety. Two of them were signed. 

My son had organized a book drive, and we sorted books into genre piles for HOURS. Then we took them to our local homeless shelter for families. 

Thanks to Kinney, every family received one of his books—brand new! His signed copies were later auctioned off at a fundraiser gala for the shelter. 

My son was able to share bags and bags of free books, along with donuts and chocolate milk. 

But the highlight was Diary of a Wimpy Kid. You should have seen how excited the kids were! 

So we continue to preorder Kinney’s books and enjoy them, with fond memories of our volunteer event. 

Do you have a favorite author or an author experience to share here? 

Anyone else snag this new copy today? 

#diaryofawimpykid #jeffkinney #newbookrelease #newbook #newbookstagram #mrsladywordsmith #hopemykidfeelsbettersoon
Which witch has an itch as she eats her sandwich? Which witch has an itch as she eats her sandwich? 

Pair this adorable children’s book with a few of my printables. 

🧙‍♀️Long after Halloween, kids need to know how to spell these tricky words. So I read the book aloud to my students, then post a few of the posters from my homophone kit. 

It’s an instant download you can purchase through my Etsy or TpT shops. 

Comment if you’re interested in the link, and I’ll PM it to you. Or you can find it in my stories. 🧙‍♀️

#halloweenatschool #spellingactivity #homeschoolfun #halloweenideas #teacherresources #schoollessons #mrsladywordsmith #halloweenbooksforkids #halloweenbooksforchildren
I enjoyed snuggling up with The Secret, Book & Sco I enjoyed snuggling up with The Secret, Book & Scone Society. 

This is book one in a series of six. I’m not usually a series gal, but I think I’ll at least read the second one, maybe more. 

It’s about a bookstore owner in a small town who is a self-described “bibliotherapist.”

People come to her with their troubles, and she selects the right books to help them. She’s so successful that tourists come to seek her help. 

The shop owner of The Gingerbread House across the street is also part of the therapy, listening to her customers and making the perfect, custom scone for them. 

All is happy and well until … random murders start happening in town. Or are they random? 

Our shop owners form a small, secret society to find out.

***The book contains minor language. 

It’s a good, modern-day mystery. Not necessarily clever per se, but a good read nonetheless. 

I was in the mood for it, so it “scratched my literary itch,” if you know what I mean. 

I gave it 4 stars because it’s not a true standout for me. I’m not left pondering it much, but I have no trouble recommending it. 

#mysteryfiction #mysterybook #mysterybookclub #worththeread #goodbookstoread #ladiesbookclub #mrsladywordsmith
What kid wouldn't want a Pet Ghost??? My students What kid wouldn't want a Pet Ghost??? My students loved this writing prompt and didn't even mind that I asked them to do their best penmanship and drawing.

They get to name their ghost, decide its favorite things and where it would like to live. I was surprised by my students' creativity, and I bet you will too. 

This is an excellent activity for any child and for homeschoolers. Four options are included; select the one you like best and print. LINK IN BIO.

#halloweenfun #halloweenatschool #homeschoolers #teachingprintable #instantdownload #mrsladywordsmith
Book check ✔️What are you currently reading? Book check ✔️What are you currently reading? 

BONUS if it’s fall, witchy, or Halloween-related. 

And GO …

See mine in the comments. 🖤

#bookcheck #booklist #booklists #halloweenreads #halloweenbooks #halloweenbook #fallbooks #fallbookstagram #mrsladywordsmith #cozyupwithabook
For me, for you, for us all. “Think celestial. For me, for you, for us all. 

“Think celestial. … Your obsession becomes your God.”

#ldsconference 
#ldsconf
#thechurchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints
#russellmnelsonquotes
Zooming in on our homemade pretzel bites. Super Zooming in on our homemade pretzel bites. 

Super easy recipe: 

1 1/4 c lukewarm water
1 (1/4 oz) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/4 c unbleached bread flour

Mix water and yeast. Wait 5 minutes, then stir in brown sugar, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Stir by hand. About 100 strokes. (I use a mixer and put all the flour in at once.) 

Gradually add final cup of flour 1/4 cup at a time to make a semi-firm dough. 

Turn out onto floured surface and knead. Dust dough with flour until it’s not sticky. 

Place dough in slightly oiled bowl. (I just spray it quickly.) Toss to coat the dough slightly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap (not wax paper). Set in warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. 

Turn the dough onto a clean, floured surface. Knead 1 minute. 

Shape dough into pretzels. If you’re working solo, use portions of dough and keep rest covered so it doesn’t dry out. 

I let my son and his friends help with the whole process, especially this last part. 

And I just taught this recipe to a group of fun tweens at @family.lyceum. 

I portion out the dough and let them create their own shapes. Braids work well, but any shape will do. I’m terrible at making the 🥨 shape. 🤪

Mix together:
1/4 c hot water
1 tsp sugar

Brush on formed dough. Add coarse salt as desired. Slightly press into dough. 

Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. 

Brush with 3 tbsp melted butter. 

Makes 7-12 pretzels. I can easily get 12 of uniform size per batch. Making this recipe with kids varies the outcome. 😊

As a class, we even figured out that it costs about .27 per 12 pretzels to make them. And some were HUGE. 

Enjoy! Perhaps this will be a new, fun tradition for you. 🥨

#pretzels #pretzel #homemadepretzels #bakingwithkids #ldsconf #ldsconference #ldsconference2023 #ldsconferencefood
Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long for “my Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long for “my talk” this morning at General Conference. 

I have always loved learning from Emily Belle Freeman. 

Today her words were perfect for me. Broken vessels can persevere along the covenant path. 

I don’t feel necessarily “broken,” but my vessel has a leak. Emily’s counsel will help me fix it a bit. 

#feelinggrateful
#ldsconf
#ldsconference
#emilybellefreeman
#feelinglessgrouchynow
I’ve watched LDS General Conference all day toda I’ve watched LDS General Conference all day today. The talks are great messages. 

Yet I’m feeling grouchy. I’ve been battling this feeling for a while. 

I hide it from others. But my family knows. 

Personally, I’m not sure what the fix is. 

My usual tricks to “flip my script” aren’t working. 

Any tips? Thoughts?

#feelinggrouchy
I’m sneaking in a little pregame reading. Call i I’m sneaking in a little pregame reading. Call it Courage, by Armstrong Sperry, is only 95 pages. 

It won a Newbery in 1941. 

Mofatu, which means Stout Heart, has been scared of the sea ever since it took his mom’s life. 

Everyone calls him a coward. At age 15, he’s had enough and decides to set out on his own, determined to conquer his fears. 

I think I may have already read this one, but it’s what I grabbed from my son’s bookshelf. So I’ll enjoy the quick re-read. 

What book would you take to a football 🏈game? Only a book nerd would ask that, right?

#booksandsports #readingandfootball #newbery #newberymedal #newberyaward #childrensliterature #childrenslit #kidswhoread #momswhoread #childrensbookstagram #mrsladywordsmith
Don’t just trust anyone to recommend a book to y Don’t just trust anyone to recommend a book to you. 

I’ve been burned many times by recommendations in Facebook groups. 

Even when I specifically ask if the book contains profanity or explicit scenes, I’ve been reassured that it’s awesome … only to discover it’s full of ick. 

Many readers just don’t have a clean-reads mindset. They don’t notice the swearing, the inappropriate content. 

So what can you do?

My number one resource is my friends, my local book club. We have varying tastes, but they are usually spot on with their recommendations to me. 

I’m sharing this one by Lisa See as an example. It’s excellent and engaging. 

It’s not my first read about early Chinese women. But it’s my first one where the MC is a young woman studying to become a doctor when, according to Confucius, “An educated woman is a worthless woman.”

You and I bristle at those words, but it was very much a woman’s life in the era of the Ming Dynasty. 

The content is adult but is expressed in the polite Chinese manner. If you’re like me, you want to know the history but not feel as if you’re being subjected to pornography while learning. I’m halfway through the book and am pleased with the storytelling and tactful way history is shared. 

A new novel, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is an excellent choice for your next book. 

#lisasee #bestsellingauthor #cleanreads #cleanread #cleanreadsbooks #mrsladywordsmith #historicalfiction #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfictionnovel #booksirecommend #bookstagram
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One of our favorite Christmas traditions! Frosty One of our favorite Christmas traditions! 

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland is free to visit in Salt Lake City. Find it easily on your GPS. 

The owner was out tonight, and we enjoyed visiting with him. He’s been doing this amazing display for 30 years. It takes him and a small crew about two months (working most weekends) to put it all up. 

On behalf of those of us who enjoy this visit every year, THANK YOU to Frosty’s owner. ☃️
This evening we visited my mom at her new care cen This evening we visited my mom at her new care center and took our buddy Cap with us. 

My mom has always loved dogs and while she was excited to see us, she was particularly enthralled with the dog’s visit. After all, he’s super cute! 

During our visit, we shared a picture book about dogs with her. It’s a coffee-table type book with gorgeous shots of all kinds of dogs. She loved it! 

Though it’s hard for her to follow a storyline in a regular book, books with fabulous art or photography are much loved. 

I’m including a link to a book similar to the one we gave her: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810996537/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_1BJBZ6KSW367HEK3TJW0?linkCode=ml2&tag=myransam-20
(affiliate link)
Happy Turkey Day! This is our buddy Cap, who’s s Happy Turkey Day! This is our buddy Cap, who’s staying with us for a few days. 

Hope you’re enjoying the holiday with family and friends. 🦃

#happythanksgiving #goldendoodle #eyesoncap #mrsladywordsmith
Dolly did it! 🎧Listen to this one. It’s such Dolly did it! 🎧Listen to this one. It’s such a treat to hear her shape one of the characters in her first novel, coauthored with James Patterson. 

Combine the talents of a #1 entertainer and a #1 writer and they KNOW how to tell a story that will rock your country world. 

Slight confession. I’ve always loved Dolly: since I was a little girl and her songs were on the Country’s Greatest Hits vinyls we kept in our stereo. 

I look past her big boobs and platinum blonde wigs to see an incredibly talented musician and a savvy business woman who has been incredibly, consistently nice to a whole lot of people for a whole long time. 

And she gives away lots and LOTS of books to children who need them. So how can I not love her?

Some takeaways for me: 

*I enjoyed listening to this one. The story draws you in immediately and the beginning isn’t what you think. I wouldn’t read this one. Let Dolly help tell it to you. 
*That said, the main narrator sounds like a robot. Just deal with it, because …
*The love interest (and there most certainly is one!) has a low, sexy voice. Nothing wrong with enjoying that feature, ladies. 😊

*There’s cowboy/farm language. But if there are f-bombs, they’re few and far between. Honestly, the story wouldn’t seem realistic without the language. It’s chosen well for today’s readers. 

*There’s no salacious or explicit content. Enjoy the budding romance without worrying whether it’ll become a surprising scene at some point. 

That’s it. Take Run, Rose, Run on a nice, long drive and enjoy the journey. 🌹
Our Class Is a Family. I designed this collaborati Our Class Is a Family. I designed this collaborative poster to show each of my students how much we need them and their talents.

Even one missing piece wouldn’t complete our puzzle. 🧩

We colored while I read Our Class Is a Family, by Shannon Olsen. 📘

Comment if you want links to the book or the poster. This week I’m sharing the poster for free to those who are followers here. Next week it goes in my shop. 

#ourclassisafamily #classroomfamily #classroomkindness #collaborativeposter #classroomdecor #classroomunity #unitygames #mrsladywordsmith
Hands-on learning can teach life skills. At the Hands-on learning can teach life skills. 

At the private school where I teach, we work on nontraditional, educational projects every Friday. 

These loom scarves and hats are perfect for finger dexterity and strengthening, something many of our youth are lacking as they simply swipe screens. 

Plus, while our hands are busy, we talk and discuss all sorts of interesting things. 

This is a class of six kids, an equal mix of boys and girls. 

For over an hour, electronics were off, students were helping each other learn a new skill, and we all talked and talked. 

It was the BEST educational experience. 

#privateschool #privateschools #microschool #microschools #homeschool #homeschoolersfollowtrain #homeschoolfun #homeschooling #homeschoolcollective #homeschoolteacher #mrsladywordsmith
Did you know you can return a book on audible if y Did you know you can return a book on audible if you don’t like the narrator? 

I recently tried West with Giraffes 🦒 but found the narration too distracting for me, and I couldn’t follow the story as well. 

After just a few chapters, I gave up and opted for the book instead. 

To make a return, go to your Amazon account, find your audible subscription. Then click on the book you want to return. It’s simple. 

You have 365 days from your date of purchase to make a return. 

We all know here that Amazon isn’t a library service and we wouldn’t want to listen to a whole book, enjoy it, and return it. 

But occasional returns (two per year so your account isn’t flagged) are acceptable when you find a product that just isn’t a good fit for you. 

Hope this helps. Any questions or thoughts?

#audible #bookreturns #bookstagram #mrsladywordsmith #booktips
Hester Prynne is back!!! This Scarlet Letter novel Hester Prynne is back!!! This Scarlet Letter novel is all about the possibility of Nathaniel Hawthorne being personally involved with her, instead of just being the original author. 

Juicy!!! 

The book is clean. I wholeheartedly recommend it. 

Sorry for the weird audio. Not sure why. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Hester, by Laurie Lico Albanese

#hesterprynne #scarletletter #nathanielhawthorne #laurielicoalbaneseauthor #mrsladywordsmith #cleanreads #cleanread #somethingwitchy #salemmassachusetts #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfictionnovel
Harry Potter Word Search. Got a Halloween class Harry Potter Word Search. 

Got a Halloween class party tomorrow? In a panic? 😱

HP to the rescue. Link in stories, or DM for it. 🪄

#harrypotterparty #halloweenclassparty #wordsearch #wordsearchpuzzle #wordsearchpuzzles #mrsladywordsmith #dontpanic #yougotthis #happyhalloween
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