I’m excited to have a short piece with Christianity Today coming out in March sharing about three books of fiction. I wrote in around the time I was finalizing details for my paid subscribers and I thought that would be a fun post to add for them. So each month I will share New and Not So New Notable Reads. I’ll feature a recent-ish fiction release, a nonfiction release, and a wild card of a read (could be upcoming, could be decades old, could be fiction or non!). I won’t share these on Instagram, so I can keep it fresh here (although after writing this up, I realized that a couple of these I did share awhile back on Instagram, but its expanded here and I promise this won’t be a normal occurance!). Plus I kinda like the nod to my book blogging days ;). So without further ado, here are my pics for January…
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
Following the lives of three women deeply impacted by Cuba’s battle to be free of Spanish rule at the end of the nineteenth century, we are drawn into newspaper and Cuban revolutions. Real life Cuban Evangelina Cisneros becomes the rallying cry for American intervention after imprisonment and labeled by American newspapers as “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.” Newspaper tycoons Hearst and Pulitzer battle against each other and caught in the mix is journalist Grace Harrington, who finds herself immersed in the story coming from Cuba. Finally, there is Marina Perez, a courier working for Cuban revolutionaries. This book tells the little-known history of women who courageously and bravely played key roles in Cuba’s history and reminds us of the cost of the everyday people and what it means to find the strength and willingness to risk it all. (Minor adult content)
The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller
I listened to this one on a recent CA to CO road trip with my Dad and it was fantastic. This is an oldie (originally came out in 2008), but I really enjoyed digging into all the ways to understand each person in the parable of the Prodigal Son. It’s a little under a 2.5 hour listen, but packs a punch. I continue to be thankful for the legacy Timothy Keller left.
The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden
Hoping to get a peek into the life she had always hoped for, Lolly Blanchard is at first hesitant when her great aunt gives her three mysterious lemon drops for her thirty-third birthday that she says will allow her to relive a single day in a life that she wished for. With her life having taken a path much different than she envisioned after her mom’s tragic passing, Lolly has nothing to lose. With questions like wondering if her mom hadn’t passed away, going after a dream in England, and lost romance, Lolly goes on a different kind of adventure of what could have been, reminding us that while life often turns out different than what our youthful hearts hoped for, the heartache and lessons shape us into who were are meant to be right where we are. One that makes you think but also an engaging and heartwarming read.
© 2023 Jamie Lapeyrolerie