Archive for the ‘MomAdvice Book Club’ Category

January Book Club: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Friday, January 3rd, 2020

January Book Club Pick; The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Join us for our MomAdvice Book Club as we dig into, The Grace Year by Kim Liggett. This dystopian young adult thriller explores the topic of girls on the edge of womanhood with themes that hit all the right Handmaid’s Tale notes.

I am so thrilled to be kicking off the MomAdvice Book Club to share twelve of my favorite books this year. 

If 12 isn’t enough, I hope you caught my 20 Best Books of 2019 List because it is pretty darn epic.

If you haven’t heard of, “The Grace Year,” just know that you will be hearing a lot about it in the upcoming year. Not only is this one a big buzz book, but it has also been optioned for film by Universal and will be directed & produced by Elizabeth Banks.

January Book Club Pick; The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

January Book Club Pick: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Let’s talk about some questions you might have about this month’s discussion. 

NO SPOILERS.

Can You Give Me a Summary of The Grace Year?

Imagine mixing together a bit of The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and The Handmaid’s Tale and you have the perfect storm for a wildly inventive dystopian novel.

No one actually speaks of the grace year, but this is a rite of passage for all the girls in Garner County.

In this dystopian environment, the men believe that women are able to drive them mad with jealousy because of a powerful aphrodisiac that is emitted from their skin.

Their power to lure grown men, by emitting this powerful aphrodisiac, is why they must be sent to the forest to release their magic into the wild.

To save the men of the county, teenage girls are sent to the forest, to release this, so they can return to their town purified and ready for marriage.

When does their skin emit a powerful aphrodisiac with this potent essence?

Well, unfortunately their sixteenth year releases it and they then must become the grace year girls.

Most girls are resigned to their fate, but there is one girl who thinks this ritual takes her away from a better life.

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James quickly realizes though that these girls aren’t just resigned to their coming-of-age duties…they are out to stop anyone who gets in their way.

January Book Club Pick; The Grace Year by Kim Liggett shop this month’s book club pick

Why Did I Pick The Grace Year for Our Book Club Pick?

I listened to this book on audiobook (which I HIGHLY recommend!) and believe it to be an important discussion around the #MeToo movement.

While the themes could rely on just taking down the patriarchy, it delves even deeper into a theme that resonated with me more.

The profound moments lie within the changes and awareness in our own youth as a girl, the challenge girls face to band together when we are in constant competition, and the beauty in standing up for what you believe in.

The big problem?

You just don’t know if you’ll come home alive in this one.

January Book Club Pick; The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

What Should You Know About Kim Liggett?

I was not familiar with Kim’s work, but it turns out that I REALLY should be.

She’s so good, in fact, that she won the 2017 Bram Stoker Award.

If you are anything like me, I know you will be adding, The Last Harvest, to your reading list now too.

At the end of the audiobook, Kim had a bonus interview that moved me to tears. 

Kim shared, with such incredible emotion, how freeing it felt to tell this story and what inspired her to tell it. The way she captured the loss of innocence, and how quickly girls are objectified, ended up being the perfect platform for this novel.

When I interviewed her (to be published soon!), she described it as a, “purging.”

She, simply, HAD to tell this story.

Kim, certainly captures the potent essence of youth and I believe these gorgeous details will leave a lasting imprint on reader’s hearts.

While the themes are mighty, the moments lie in the small and powerful elements she weaves within.

Elizabeth Banks Directing The Grace Year

What Should You Know About The Grace Year Movie?

As I mentioned earlier, this book has been optioned for film by Universal and will be produced and directed by Elizabeth Banks.

A three-time Emmy-nominated actress, Banks is taking on several bookish projects that we can all look forward to.

The ones that I am aware of, so far, are a Paper Bag Princess adaptation and another YA dystopian story, The Red Queen, in the works.

I Have a Tween or Teen. What age is appropriate for reading, The Grace Year?

I rely on Common Sense Media for this decision and they suggest that this book is appropriate for readers ages 14 and up.

Personally, I believe that this should depend on your own child’s maturity and your own gut instinct.

There are many mature themes laced in about womanhood, community, oppression, gender roles, and relationships.

Personally, I believe these themes would be good for fostering communication between mothers and daughters.

Also, if the big takeaway is that girls should support girls, I will HAPPILY share this book with any tween or teen in my life.

Can We Expect a Sequel to The Grace Year?

At this time, there does not appear to be a sequel.

Fingers crossed, readers, that Kim will hear our cries for more tales from Garner County.

January Book Club Pick: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

How Can I Join the MomAdvice Book Club Chat?

You can read all about our FREE book club over here and click the link there to join. This post shares our entire year of picks (for reserving or purchasing!).

Once you have joined the book club, you will find this book club chat under our Events tab, within the Facebook Group.

This event will be happening on January 31st (2020) at 8 PM (EST)!

What Format is Best for Reading The Grace Year?

I opted for the audiobook version because I have a Scribd membership (HIGHLY recommend if you want to save on audiobooks).

This novel is narrated by Emily Shaffer and she did a phenomenal job.

I have found, from the current feedback, that people did seem to connect more deeply with the story when they listened to it versus reading it.

That said, this cover is so gorgeous that you will probably want to add that to your bookshelf too!

What Else Can We Expect With The Grace Year Discussion?

This year, we will be offering a project idea that goes along with each month’s book themes. I have so many fun project ideas in mind to help these books come to life and for a great activity/printable to enjoy with your own book clubs.

I have a fantastic interview, with Kim Liggett, to share with you this month. She shares more about her motivation for writing this story, what themes she hopes we will all walk away with, and how she made a pivotal career switch and decided to become a writer in her 40’s.

I mean, who could not be inspired by that?

I will also post all of our book club discussion questions, for The Grace Year, so you can replicate these chats with your local book club.

I hope that these twelve books (and their discussions) can enrich your reading life. While it is difficult to cater to everyone’s taste, I love knowing that many of these books end up being on YOUR favorite lists too.

Can You Explain The Grace Year Ending?

If I told you, I’d have to kill you.

Seriously, join the chat and we will discuss it there! I know many will be searching for this.

How Can I Save Money on My Book Purchases?

These are my recommendations for saving on our MomAdvice Book Club Picks:

Library- If you are unable to afford the book, check with your local library to see if they have it in stock. 

Send the Book to Your Electronic Devices Via Your Library- Can’t make it to the library? Check out my tutorial on how to download electronic library books onto your digital devices, e-readers, tablet, or Kindle.

Watch for Giveaways- I also recommend following me on Instagram because I will be giving away a copy of our book club books every dang month. 

Sign Up for the Kindle Daily Deals Newsletter- If you would like to be notified of the daily Kindle deals, be sure to sign up for my exclusive book club newsletter.  

Bookmark my Kindle Daily Deals Newsletter- Tired of email? Just bookmark this list and check it daily for the updates.

Try an Inexpensive Subscription Service- Looking for a way to save on your audiobooks? I, genuinely, can’t recommend Scribd enough. You will find this month’s pick on there (subject to change).  It’s an incredible deal for audio, e-books, sheet musics, and magazines.

Order Through An App That Pays You Cash Back on Your Books- Planning to just go ahead and buy your own copy? I highly recommend using the Rakuten app to get cash back on your book purchases.  Not only can you comparison shop, new users can get $10 back after just shopping through my referral link and spending $25. It is connected to loads of bookstores and can give you a percentage, IN COLD HARD CASH, on all your book shopping.  You can read my in-depth review on Rakuten over in our Passive Income For Busy Moms Series.

I hope you feel inspired to read and join in on our discussion this month! I can’t wait to share more great book discussions with you.

Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

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January Book Club Pick: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

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MomAdvice 2020 Book Club Selections

Monday, December 16th, 2019

MomAdvice 2020 Book Club Selections

Have you been looking for a free book club to join? Check out the 2020 MomAdvice Book Club Selections and join our FREE book club today! These 12 selections have all been read and loved, by me.  I look forward to our free book club chats, interactive book club crafts, and our interviews with this year’s chosen authors.

This is one of my favorite days of the year. I am so excited to reveal our MomAdvice Book Club selections with you today. 

I have read each of these selections and couldn’t be prouder of the gathering this year. Not only do I love them, but I think that they will lend themselves well to a great book club discussion.

Why?

Well, each of these books have challenged my viewpoint, in some way. I really believe that this is one of the BEST side effects to being a reader. It expands your world in a new way and reminds us that we all have the capacity to grow.

After reading each of these, I contacted each of the authors (with the exception of Betty Smith, of course) to let them know that their book had been officially selected as our official monthly selection.

I admit, I am no Reese, Jenna, or Oprah, but I do believe that I have gotten many to read books that they never would have picked up.

I consider this one of my superpowers.

I am hoping there will be a few on this year’s list that will be new to you and that they will top your list of favorites too.

If one of your goals this year is to join a book club or read more, I’d love to introduce you to our FREE book club you can join. This is  an AMAZING Virtual Book Club group filled with almost 3,000 (!!!) readers where we all share in a monthly discussion together.

MomAdvice Free Online Book Club

What Will Be Different in the MomAdvice Book Club This Year?

This all has been a big learning process, for me, on how to expand and make the book club even more beneficial to you.

In the past, I selected novels based on awards, authors that consistently delivered great reads, or anticipated buzz books for the year. 

This strategy ended up working a lot, but there were books that I wasn’t as crazy about that ended up on our list.

This year I made it a goal to read all the 12 selections to (hopefully) deliver consistently great books that you will, truly, love. 

I also  contacted the authors to let them know that their book had been officially selected as our official monthly selection.

With their help, we will be having interactive discussions, reviving the author interview series, and we will have a copy of each book to giveaway to a reader.

In addition to our chats, this year, I am partnering with MJ, at pars caeli, to craft a project around each read. 

MomAdvice Book Club Chats

How Does the MomAdvice Facebook Book Club Work?  

Scroll down to see my list of the twelve books that we will be discussing.

The Book Club Chat is held on the last Friday (of the month)  and an Event invite is sent out to members at the beginning of each month.

Once you RSVP to an event, Facebook does its thing and sends out reminders to you.

Discussion questions are posted throughout the event and you are able to hop on at anytime during the day (or when you finish that book) to answer the questions at a time that is convenient for you.

This year, we will have many authors also participating in our chats.

How fun is that?

Feel free to join us and let your friends know about the group too.

The more the merrier!

How Much Does it Cost?

Nada.

Well, What Do YOU Get Out Of It?

I want this to be fun and free for you. I post the daily Kindle book deals (sign up for our daily deals newsletter to receive these directly to your inbox)  and I share our book club picks through something called an affiliate link.

What is an affiliate link? 

Great question!

Basically, this link gives me a few pennies on each of your purchases that help pay for the web hosting on our website.

The web hosting currently costs me approximately $200 monthly and your purchases from this group basically help to offset that cost for our family at no cost to you. This year, I will also have the additional expense of mailing giveaway books and the cost to hire a designer for our crafts.

Thank you for helping me make this book club great with your purchases.

I promise that I try to only share the good stuff and good books.

I know I can’t appeal to everyone’s taste, but I do try to pick books that I think you will enjoy.

I also would like to think I made a lot of great bookworm friends too in this group. It’s been fun to have a place to obsess about books, to share what we are reading each week, and just hang out with other people who just get you.

I have tried to cultivate a positive environment and the group is filled with those kinds of drama-free people that you want to have filling your Facebook feed.

MomAdvice Reading Retreat

How Do I Meet People from the MomAdvice Book Club?

Did you know that we hosted our first MomAdvice Reading Retreat this year?

I can’t begin to tell you how magical it all was and how thankful I was to meet these incredible women.

You have to be an active member in our club to participate in our face-to-face weekend retreats so be sure to join!

Enough waiting! I’m thrilled to share these twelve 2020 book club selections with you today! I can’t wait to hear what you think about this year’s list.

MomAdvice 2020 Book Club Selections

MomAdvice 2020 Book Club Selections

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett January- The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali February- The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica March- The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

When All Is Said by Anne Giffin April- When All Is Said by Anne Giffin

Dominicana by Angie Cruz May- Dominicana by Angie Cruz

Formation by Ryan Leigh Dostie June- Formation by Ryan Leigh Dostie

The Warehouse by Rob Hart July- The Warehouse by Rob Hart

We Came Here to Forget by Andrea Dunlop August- We Came Here to Forget by Andrea Dunlop

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson September- Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake

October- The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake

November Road by Lou Berney November- November Road by Lou Berney

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith December- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (my favorite classic!)

MomAdvice 2020 Book Club Selections

 

Join in on the MomAdvice Book Club HERE! Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site!

Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads

You can also sign up for the MomAdvice Daily Book Deals Newsletter with the latest book news!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

MomAdvice 2020 Book Club Selections

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How To Host or Join a Reading Retreat

Thursday, July 25th, 2019

Have you ever dreamed of going on a reading retreat? Check out this post for reading retreat ideas and discover how you can participate in one!

This past week was a whirlwind of excitement as I hosted my very first MomAdvice Reading Retreat.

I, honestly, still can’t believe that this actually happened. 

The first time I uttered the words, “reading retreat,” I was met with a lot of confusion. 

As soon as I began to explain my idea for this though, almost everyone said that they could use a retreat like this in their life.

Let’s be honest, it seems that there has been a retreat for everything including writing retreats, yoga retreats, retreat centers for wellness, and even social media retreats.

With all these types of retreats offered, I began to wonder why I couldn’t find a reading retreat for bookish people or an introvert retreat that catered to people like me.

Today I wanted to share some book club retreat ideas and strategies for how to host a retreat. More importantly, I would love to invite you to join the next one. The quickest way to stay in the loop is to join our book club and retreat mailing list. Please note, the retreat mailing list is separate from your weekly happy newsletter.

Should history repeat itself these spots go REALLY fast and that just might be one reason why I think the bookish retreat is going to be the next big thing for our community. 

I could not have done it without these two ladies- thank you, Meg & Symbol!!!

Personally, I have felt like blogging is just not filling my cup the way it used to. I have missed the feelings of connectedness that we used to have through comments and interactions.

The book club has been my way of coping with these changes and figuring out how my path might look moving forward.

The idea for a reading retreat really was hatched when I read about retreats happening in other parts of the country.  Although they were hosted much differently than mine, I began to brainstorm a different type of reading retreat that would build better connections within our book club community.  Keep in mind, I began the research and planning in January to execute this in the summer.

We also surveyed our book club members to see if they were even interested in the retreat, what part of the country they were in, what the best price point would be, and also what months worked best.


Once that data was collected, I scouted midwest retreat rentals, set an attendee amount, and established an application process for these spots. I read through all of the responses and tried to gather a group that I thought would mesh well together,  as well as support the most active members in our community. 

Catering to introverts (not to say that ALL readers are introverts, but many are) helped me make the decision to keep the group more intimate.

Each of our attendees received a copy of, “The Masterpiece,” by Fiona Davis,  for our discussion, in the mail.

Have you read it?

I am pretty sure that every person walked away with a brand new impression of the Grand Central Terminal.  For example, not many of us knew that an art school was tucked away in this historic building or the woman who made history streamlining the interior design of the Studebaker. 

You’ll have to read this one to get the scoop on these exciting times in history.  

thank you, gae, for joining our book club- check out her books here

I also encouraged everyone to dig into, “In Sight of Stars,” so that we could have a great chat with this month’s author, Gae Polisner. It was so fun to chat with our author this month and to better understand her writing process.  

As expected, Gae was amazing and we all loved being able to connect with her in this way.  I am hoping that we can offer more chats like these in the future!

Out of Print shared these adorable book totes for our reading retreat. 

Aren’t these the cutest? They even have a library card holder!  I put my Cricut to work and made name tags for each of these bags so the ladies could pick these up on the way to their room. 

Thank you, Out of Print, for making these bags so darn special!

I designed another custom shirt with Bonfire (you can view our book club shirt here too!) and had these camp shirts made with our retreat name and date on the back! 

I wanted each of the retreat attendees to feel special and for this to feel like a true getaway experience so I requested the women share their favorite drinks, dietary restrictions, shirt sizing, and morning beverage choice before they arrived.

It was so fun to surprise them with a fridge full of their favorite things. 

I also reached out to many authors and publishing houses to see if they had any books they might want to share with our retreat attendees. We had so many generous authors who shared their work with our group. 

Want to see who shared their books? Here are a few pictures of what books the reading retreat attendees received. Thank you to ALL who donated!! 

evvie drake starts over by linda holmes

keeping lucy by t. greenwood

the buddha at my table by tammy letherer

i’m fine and neither are you by camille pagan

i’ll never tell by catherine mckenzie

bare by susan hyatt

We spent the entire weekend doing loads of bookish things like talking about books, book swapping, movies based on books, and reading time. 

I just loved coming into a room and seeing everyone curled up with their books and Kindles.

Is there anything better than being surrounded by YOUR people?

thank you to Best Hair Days With Carolyn for providing our hair care products for the event- what a treat!

look how cute Dine & Dish and Good Life Eats are!

These incredible women came from all over the United States and Canada to spend a weekend with me. I could not be more grateful.

On a personal (and selfish) level, it was an incredible experience to meet people who have been reading the site for years and years. I was so honored that they would make this trip to connect with me and with each other IN REAL LIFE.

We did our best to spoil all these special ladies with homemade meals and snacks (all day and all night long!), lots of wine, quiet time for reading, and EVERYTHING BOOKS.

Organizing a retreat came with some important lessons for the next gathering.

Here’s the thing, no one becomes an expert by doing something only once and I have lots to learn.

I do plan to extend the retreat by a day so people have a quiet day of reading when they arrive (and to hopefully weather those flight delays better), I have a better grasp of retreat expenses now that I have done this, and I need to continue working on solidifying great partnerships for our attendees for the future to keep the expenses down.

All in all, I couldn’t be prouder how this event turned out!

If you are interested in connecting with our book club, I’d love to have you!

What would you like to know about the MomAdvice Reading Retreat? I am happy to answer any questions!

This post contains affiliate links

 

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MomAdvice 2019 Book Club Selections

Monday, November 26th, 2018

Check out the 2019 MomAdvice Book Club Selections and join our FREE book club today!

Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more great reads for your stack!

Can you believe that I am picking our 2019 MomAdvice Book Club selections this week? This year has flown by and I have SO enjoyed sharing books and discussions with you.

If one of your goals this year is to join a book club or read more, I’d love to introduce you to our FREE book club you can join. This is  an AMAZING Virtual Book Club group filled with almost 2,000 (!!!) readers where we all share in a monthly discussion together.

The best part?

There is no commitment to participate in chats (although I love it when you do!). This is a place to get opinions about books, find out what everyone is reading, and start chats of your own about books you would just love to talk about.

I wanted to get this list up a little early so you have loads of time to make requests to your local library or read ahead on any of these selections.

How Does the MomAdvice Facebook Book Club Work?

Scroll through the book list below to see what we have in store for you in 2019.  The discussion is held on the last Friday and an Event invite is sent out at the beginning of the month to join a virtual chat. Once you RSVP, Facebook does its thing and sends out reminders to you.

Discussion questions are posted throughout the event and you are able to hop on at anytime during the day (or when you finish that book) to answer the questions at a time that is convenient for you.

How fun is that?

Feel free to join us and let your friends know about the group too.

The more the merrier!

How Much Does it Cost?

Nada.

Well, What Do YOU Get Out Of It?

I want this to be fun and free for you. I post the daily Kindle book deals and I share our book club picks though through something called an affiliate link. Basically, this link gives me a few pennies on each of your purchases that help pay for the web hosting on our website.

The web hosting currently costs me about $200 monthly and your purchases from this group basically help to offset that cost for our family at no cost to you.

I promise that I try to only share the good stuff and good books.

I know I can’t appeal to everyone’s taste, but I am really trying!! 

I also would like to think I made a lot of great bookworm friends too in this group. It’s been fun to have a place to obsess about books, to share what we are reading each week, and just hang out with other people who just get you.

I have tried to cultivate a positive environment and the group is filled with those kinds of drama-free people that you want to have filling your Facebook feed.

Escape the political nastiness and join a feel good kind of space.

I’m thrilled to share these 12 selections with you from a pool of talented writers. As always, I try to keep a good mix of fiction, nonfiction, YA, memoirs, and mysteries.

MomAdvice 2019 Book Club Selections

January- A Ladder to the Sky

February- My Sister the Serial Killer

March- The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

April- Little

May- The Friend

June- The Editor

July- In Sight of Stars

August- There Will Be No Miracles Here

September- No One Can Pronounce My Name

October- The Lying Woods

November- The Library Book

December- Virgil Wander

Join in on the MomAdvice Book Club HERE! Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads! xo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

The 2018 MomAdvice Reading Challenge (FREE PRINTABLE)

Monday, January 1st, 2018

2018 MomAdvice Reading Challenge Printable

I have had such great feedback on last year’s Reading Challenge Printable that we shared with you that we decided to create another one this year for you!

Last year’s challenge was CHALLENGING with 52 challenges to add variety and interest to your book stacks. I ended up coming about eight short on the sheet myself, even with 100 books under my belt this year. I am still REALLY proud though because this really did stretch me out of my reading comfort zones and many of the books ended up being my favorites of the year.

Based on feedback from our book club members, I scaled it back this year to 26 categories and added many of their own category suggestions that they were interested in tackling this year.

MomAdvice 2018 Reading Challenge Printable

The 2018 MomAdvice Reading Challenge Printable– DOWNLOAD USING THIS LINK!!

designed by MJ from pars caeli!!

Start your engines, friends! I hope this helps you reach your reading goals! Don’t forget to join our book club and check out my list of top ten books of 2017 for inspiration for this fun challenge! xoxo

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MomAdvice 2018 Book Club Selections

Monday, January 1st, 2018

"MomAdvice

Is one of your goals to join a book club this year? I’m thrilled to share that we have an AMAZING Virtual Book Club group that I’d love for you to join. I’m so excited to share with you our MomAdvice 2018 Book Club selections.

Our book club now has over 1,200 bookworms (!!!) and we would love to have you join in on the fun discussions this year. I loved last year’s selections so much that they even found their way on my Best Books of 2017 list.

How Does the MomAdvice Facebook Book Club Work?

I will be your book club hostess this year and have selected the entire year of books for 2018 to round out your book stacks.  The discussion is held on the last week of the month and posted in the group with a thread for each question.

To make finding these discussions easier (and so you can hop in at anytime!!) we have moved our discussions into the Events tab. You will receive an invitation to each discussion and can find the entire discussion in the Events, instead of searching through our VERY active page.

You can jump in to answer questions at any time throughout that week, interacting with loads of other fellow bookworms.

How fun is that?

Feel free to join us and let your friends know about the group too.

The more the merrier!

How Much Does it Cost?

Nada.

Well, What Do You Get Out Of It?

I want this to be fun and free for you. I post the daily Kindle book deals and I share our book club picks though through something called an affiliate link. Basically, this link gives me a few pennies on each of your purchases that help pay for the web hosting on our website. The web hosting currently costs me about $200 monthly and your purchases from this group basically help to offset that cost for our family at no cost to you.

I try to only share the good stuff and good books.

In fact, I have been reading our book club picks before we get to them to make sure that not a moment of your time or penny is wasted.

I know I can’t appeal to everyone’s taste, but I am really trying!! 

I also would like to think I made a lot of great bookworm friends too in this group. It’s been fun to have a place to obsess about books, to share what we are reading each week, and just hang out with other people who just get you.

I have tried to cultivate a positive environment and the group is filled with those kinds of drama-free people that you want to have filling your Facebook feed. Escape the political nastiness and join a feel good kind of space.

Here are the books we will be talking about this year!

MomAdvice 2018 Book Club

MomAdvice 2018 Book Club Selections

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood January- Alias Grace

Lucky Boy February- Lucky Boy

American Fire March- American Fire

Lilli De Jong April- Lilli De Jong

The Music Shop May- The Music Shop

Everything Here is Beautiful June- Everything Here is Beautiful

Salt Houses July- Salt Houses

Little Broken Things August- Little Broken Things

Far From the Tree September- Far From the Tree

The Hunger by Alma Katsu October- The Hunger

Steal the Stars by Nat Cassidy November- Steal the Stars

Girls Burn Brighter December-Girls Burn Brighter

MomAdvice 2018 Book Club

Join in on the MomAdvice Book Club HERE! Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads! xo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

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October 2017 Must-Reads

Thursday, November 2nd, 2017

October 2017 Must-Read Books

Well, hello! I hope you guys are having a wonderful week. Can you believe it is NOVEMBER? Yeah, me either! It means the blog will be back in full swing as I prepare for the holidays and hopefully I can squeeze in a few good books. Speaking of good books, I’m excited to share eight great books I enjoyed in October.

A couple of long books slowed my pace this month. That said, I’m happily chugging away at my GoodReads goal of 100 books.

I think I can, I think I can.

How is it going with your reading goal for 2017?

Oh, don’t forget if you want to see more of what I am reading,  please feel free to friend me on GoodReads! You can find me right here and I am always happy to connect with people there! There is nothing more motivating than seeing what other people are raving about and my to-be-read pile continues to grow with all of my new friends on there! In fact, many of the books featured are ones that I have found through my friends on GoodReads.

Looking to add some variety to your stack? Feel free to join our book club! This month we will be reading this book (you can see the full list over here). It’s totally FREE!

Not enough variety? Print out our Reading Challenge Worksheet! I’m having a blast working my way through it! I have quite a few more that I need to check off, but I’ve made a good dent in these categories.

I’m excited to share a wide variety of books for you to check out this month. I did tackle a couple of big buzz books this year and tried to weave in a few older ones that have been in my to-be-read pile for a LONG TIME!

Here are 8 must-read books that I tackled in October!

 

Stay With Me

Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo

This enthralling novel is set in Nigeria and shares the story of a marriage that has been threatened by infertility and polygamy.

Yejide & Akin met, fell in love, and looked forward to welcoming many children in their home. Unfortunately, the couple is heartbroken that after four years of trying, they have been unsuccessful in bringing a child into the world. In their culture, this is of the utmost importance and their entire family is disappointed in this turn of events.

When their family finally loses its patience though, they insist that Akin take another wife. The problem? They both agreed that polygamy would never happen in their marriage. This sends Yejide spiraling into a deep depression and loneliness.

The reader is taken on each heartbreaking turn for Yejide & Akin as they struggle through this difficult chapter in their lives and deal with a third person in their relationship.

Equally heartbreaking and captivating, this is a fantastic debut that you won’t be able to put down.

4 Out Of 5 Stars

Tipping the Velvet

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Fingersmith is one of my all-time favorite reads and had been the only book I had read by Waters.  I was so excited to dive into another story by her and this one did not disappoint. This is Waters debut novel that was published in 1998 and a strong introduction into the love stories that Waters writes for and about women.

This story is about a young girl named Nan who becomes obsessed with a young female performer, named Kitty, who performs in a local show. The thing that makes this woman so very different is her male costuming that intrigues Nan so very much. A relationship blossoms between the two and Nan eventually becomes a part of the act…on and off the stage.

What makes it all so risqué is that this story is set in the 1890’s London when women were really exploring the boundaries of gender roles during this era. Many women bucked the system and challenged these roles in some pretty shocking ways and Waters doesn’t shy away from the scene.

In short, this is a steamy read that should come with a pack of smokes. Waters definitely pushes the envelope in this one. While I found it more shocking in passages, I felt it lacked the story depth as my beloved Fingersmith.

4 Out Of 5 Stars

The Stolen Marriage

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain

I love that Chamberlain has decided to stick with writing in the historical fiction genre. This gifted storyteller is back again with a twisty love story with a few well-developed twists that should keep you up late at night.

Set in 1944, Tess has a promising future with the love of her life and is just getting ready to take her final exams to become a nurse. Frankly, it is a life that any girl would envy.

Unfortunately, after a fun night on the town, she finds herself pregnant with another man’s child. This encounter comes at an even higher cost though when she shares the news with the father and he feels it necessary to marry her to, “protect the family name.”

Guess what?

Terrible family.

Terrible town with terrible people.

Terrible husband.

Yup, terrible life.

Tess and her loveless marriage are the least of the town’s problems though when the polio epidemic strikes and they must provide medical care to the victims. Relationships are challenged and a surprise guest adds a fantastic twist on this riveting story.

Chamberlain always delivers a solid plot and The Stolen Marriage, is another winner. You definitely will want to add this one to your book stack and do a little Googling to read more about the real-life polio epidemic!

4 Out Of 5 Stars

Braving the Wilderness

Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

“True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.”

I will be honest and share that I have not drank the Brené Brown Kool-Aid until now, but this book made me so excited to dive into her other books. This well-timed piece explores a lot of the disconnection we are feeling thanks to technology and the current political climate.

This was not a feel-good-about-yourself book and that is why it resonated with me. It challenges us to look at our own rhetoric about politics and also at how we are dehumanizing people in the process.

She asks us to explore braving the wilderness alone and what it feels like when we find we don’t belong… even among our own families. She shares her own vulnerable stories of trying to belong and sage advice on what we should be looking for from the people in our lives.

A smart acronym aids in who we should seek to be a part of our life’s story. It is a great checklist on what makes a good friend and how we need to get in a place where we are okay being alone.

At a place in my life where I have felt so much of this, Brown’s words ring true and challenge me to rethink my abilities of being alone in the wilderness.

5 Out Of 5 Stars

All the Ugly & Wonderful Things

All the Ugly & Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

This is, perhaps, one of the most controversial and challenging books I have read. I have very mixed feelings about the story, but marvel in Greenwood’s abilities to write such captivating characters.

Let me be clear, I do not think this book is for everyone- it is an emotionally disturbing read and often felt like an attempt to normalize or empathize with criminal behavior.

This is the story of Wavy who is neglected and unloved by her parents.  Her whole world changes though when her meth-dealing father’s wingman, Kellan, becomes a fixture in her life. Kellan provides the things she and her brother need like food, and helping her with school, and making sure she has shoes…

You know, the stuff your parents are supposed to do.

Lines become quickly blurred though when Wavy develops a crush on Kellan and the two become inseparable. She is a CHILD though and Kellan goes along with Wavy’s story for a while, until it is no longer a story, but the truth.

It is interesting though that I had very strong convictions about it being about pedophilia and my friend called it an unconventional love story. I think it has, perhaps, a lot to do with what you have witnessed or experienced in your own life and your own personal triggers.

If you are looking for a controversial read, this would be it. As a parent though, one can’t help but think of your own children and how heartbreaking Wavy’s story is. This child was robbed of a childhood by everyone in her life and the scenes are brutal to even read.

Overall, a solid story, even with the triggers.

Trigger warnings- pedophilia, child sexual abuse 

4 Out Of 5 Stars

The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

I finally read, The Things They Carried, since it was selected as a book selection for a local book club.  This book reads like a collection of short stories about the Vietnam War and opens with the captivating story of what each of the soldiers are carrying with them as they go into war (both emotional and physical).

What really captured my attention wasn’t O’Brien’s support of the war, but rather his own grappling with war when he didn’t want to serve or believe in the war. It reminded me that there were many that felt that way and still had to serve. His decision to not participate in the war and heading to Canada, only later to return and serve, made his storytelling even more real for me.

O’Brien shares the soldier’s stories, but points out that no story about the Vietnam War should be a beautiful one with a good ending. The stories are gritty, raw, and real. You can’t help but connect to these men and feel compassion for them. I can see why so many say that this should be required reading. It gave me a lot of food for thought and made this war tangible to someone who has not served.

Trigger Warnings- graphic violence

Reading Challenge Category Completed- A book recommended by an author (you can see author recommendations over here! This suggestion was made by Mary Kubica!)

4 Out Of 5 Stars

The Heart's Invisible Furies

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

This book was just EVERYTHING and reminded me a lot of one of my all-time favorites , A Little Life. At almost 600 pages, I was worried if this book would hold my attention, but Boyne crafts the perfect boyhood friendship as it sprawls decades of time in this gorgeous and gripping saga.

You may be familiar with Boyne’s work, but I was not.  I picked this book up on a whim and devoured it in just a few days.

A faithful Catholic Irish family casts out their daughter when they discover she is pregnant.  Knowing she is not in a position to raise a child alone, she gives him up for adoption to his new parents…

That love to remind him that he is not their real son.

He is their adopted son.

This dark humor is layered so beautifully as the boy, Cyril, becomes dear friends with a boy named Julian. The problem is, as Cyril gets older, he realizes he has a deep and undying love for his best friend. Cyril must keep his sexuality under wraps and keep his affection for him a secret which ends up costing him a lot.

The book follows these two through the decades, beginning in 1945 and ending in Cyril’s elderly age. It finishes in the present day while tackling everything from being closeted to the AIDS epidemic to what it really means to be family.

I laughed and got a little teary-eyed following Cyril as he goes through this identity crisis and finds love. I was really swept away in this story and Boyne builds a beautiful supportive cast.

I know this one will be going in my top ten list of best books of 2017.  Be sure to add this one to your reading list!

Reading Challenge Category Completed- A book over 500 pages

5 Out Of 5 Stars

Sing, Unburied, Sing

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

The big buzz book this year is definitely Ward’s latest novel, Sing, Unburied, Sing! This was a MomAdvice book club selection this month so I was really looking forward to reading it. Sing, Unburied, Sing vividly tells the story of  Mississippi’s past and present and shares some of America’s ugly truths that many are not aware of (including myself!).

This story is told in alternating viewpoints  from a thirteen-year-old boy named Jojo, to his unstable mother Leonie, to the ghost of a dead inmate who carries some of these deep and awful truths from the South in haunting prose.

Ward does an excellent job sharing the story of the Parchman Farm (the state’s penitentiary) in heartbreaking and vivid detail through the voice of the prisoner. She also does an excellent job creating family dynamics, particularly, with his imperfect mother’s story.

I enjoyed this book, but struggled to connect with it, in the ways that I had hoped I would. I’m not sure if it was because I didn’t enjoy portions of it because of the narrators of the audiobook or if it is because I’ve been reading so many heart wrenching books like it and couldn’t connect because of that. That said, her writing is poetic and her words felt lavish for the characters they were portraying, not always fitting the voices of the mother & son.

I will say that I learned a lot though, particularly about the dark history of the Parchman Farm and the inmates that were housed there. As I gathered our questions for our discussion, I felt like I connected with the story more through the articles about those true stories and the interviews with Ward about her new novel and why she felt called to tell this story.

Overall, our readers really seemed to love this one!  I definitely think it would be a good one to pick up, but would recommend this one as a book and to skip the audiobook.

4 Out Of 5 Stars

BOTM November Selections

The Book of Month Club Selections Are Out!!

Starting now, anyone who purchases a 1-month BOTM subscription will get 1 month free! That’s two months for the price of one––two brand new hardcover books for only $14.99!

Here’s how it works:

❃ Get your first month free (just put in your credit card details).

❃ The second month, pay $14.99 for one book of your choice.

❃ Cancel anytime after your second month.

❃ Skip any month free of charge.
BOTM November Selections

November Selections:

Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

Bonfire by Krysten Ritter

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

Artemis by Andy Weir

Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich

Join today and get a free book with code FREEBIE

Amy Allen Clark

Read With Me This Year:

January 2017 Must-Reads

February 2017 Must-Reads

March 2017 Must-Reads

April 2017 Must-Reads

May 2017 Must-Reads

June 2017 Must-Reads

July 2017 Must-Reads

August 2017 Must-Reads

September 2017 Must-Reads

October 2017 Must-Read Books from MomAdvice.com

What did you read this month? Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads! xo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

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UPDATED!! MomAdvice 2017 Book Club Selections

Thursday, January 12th, 2017

2017-MOMADVICE-BOOK-CLUB

I hope your year of reading is off to an incredible start this month!  Between my two book clubs and our MomAdvice Reading Challenge, every surface and moment is book-filled over here!

How obsessed have I got with my reading this year? Totally figured out my wireless headphones are perfect for soaking in the bathtub with a book in my ears (just avoid sliding down into the water!) and I bought a $10 plant stand for my coffee propping so I can soak until the water gets cold every single day.

I do it for you guys. You need my recommendations!

Just kidding!!

Last year our MomAdvice Book Club on Facebook really began to take shape for our readers. I envisioned a place where bookworms could gather, a good spot to share the daily book deals that happen on Amazon, and a monthly book club discussion. It’s grown SO MUCH and last week we grew to over 700 bookworms last week.

Do you want to join my book club? Let me explain how it works!

How Does the MomAdvice Facebook Book Club Work?

I will be your book club hostess this year and have selected the first seven books to get you started on a fun journey of reading.  The discussion is held on the last week of the month and posted in the group with a thread for each question. You can jump in to answer questions at any time throughout that week, interacting with loads of other fellow bookworms.

How fun is that?

This post will be updated with our monthly selections so you can join in at any time with our group! Feel free to join us and let your friends know about the group too.

The more the merrier!

How Much Does it Cost?

Nada.

Well, What Do You Get Out Of It?

I want this to be fun and free for you. I post the daily Kindle book deals and I share our book club picks though through something called an affiliate link. Basically, this link gives me a few pennies on each of your purchases that help pay for the web hosting on our website. The web hosting currently costs me about $200 monthly and your purchases from this group basically help to offset that cost for our family at no cost to you.

I try to only share the good stuff and good books.

In fact, I have been reading our book club picks before we get to them to make sure that not a moment of your time or penny is wasted.

For example, one of the books I selected, I did not enjoy. It has been removed from the list and replaced with a better selection. I want to make sure this book club is an enjoyable thing and that you don’t feel ripped off if you are purchasing books.

I know I can’t appeal to everyone’s taste, but I am really trying!! 

I also would like to think I made a lot of great bookworm friends too in this group. It’s been fun to have a place to obsess about books, to share what we are reading each week, and just hang out with other people who just get you.

I have tried to cultivate a positive environment and the group is filled with those kinds of drama-free people that you want to have filling your Facebook feed. Escape the political nastiness and join a feel good kind of space.

Here are the books we will be talking about this year!

MomAdvice 2017 Book Club Selections

Miss Jane by Brad Watson

January

Miss Jane by Brad Watson

Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam

February

Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

March

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston

April

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

May

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Darktown by Thomas Mullen

June

Darktown by Thomas Mullen

All the Birds in the SKy by Charlie Jane Anders

July

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

If We Were Villains

August

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Words in Deep Blue

September

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Sing, Unburied, Sing

October

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu

November

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer

The Changeling

December

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle

Touch

January ’18 (if you are getting a jump on the next year!)

Touch by Courtney Maum

2017-MOMADVICE-BOOK-CLUB

Join in on the MomAdvice Book Club HERE! Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads! xo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

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The 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge (FREE Printable!!)

Wednesday, January 4th, 2017

The 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge (FREE Printable!!)

It has been a dream of mine to put together a reading challenge for you and this is FINALLY my year to make it happen! This challenge is a 52-week challenge to help motivate and inspire you to tackle your reading goals.

I am so thankful for what reading has brought to my life.  I had such a good chat with my dad on the phone yesterday and, through our conversation, I brought up a bit of my own disappointment in myself for not finishing that college degree.

As silly as it seems, sometimes I wish I could say that I completed something that I had initially walked away from. It isn’t even a field I’m interested in anymore, but it is that sense of completion.

He said, “Amy, you have something way better than a degree. You read. Reading helps shape your viewpoints, it helps you travel, and it gives you so much knowledge to continue growing and learning. So many people don’t have that.”

Even as an adult, who wouldn’t want to hear that from her dad?

Books are my education and my addiction. There are so many books that have challenged my views on life and made me a better person. Challenges, like the one I am sharing today, are intended to push and stretch you even further. 

Can you imagine how differently you will view the world after a touching memoir from someone you never knew about, a book on poverty, a book about a religion you are unfamiliar with, a new look at race, or a political memoir? I can’t wait to reflect back on how much this year’s challenge has shaped my new viewpoints!

I’ll try to have a printable diploma for you at the end of this year to hang on your wall. If you read 52 books, you should have that and a printable medal too! Ha!

Not only am I sharing my reading challenge with you, but I am also sharing how I plan to tackle this challenge for myself this year! Of course, do not feel pressured AT ALL to select the same books, but just as ideas if you are looking for a little inspiration in any of these categories!

The 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge (FREE Printable!!)

My Picks for the 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge

1. A book about travel- The Geography of Bliss

2. A book that’s more than 500 pages- Illuminae

3. A GoodReads Choice Award Winner (from any year)- A Tale from Time Being

4. A memoir from someone you have never heard of- Alligator Candy

5. A book recommended by a library- Nine Women, One Dress

6. A book you own, but haven’t read- Rebecca

7. An audiobook- The Sound of Gravel

8. A book that’s becoming a film- The Zookeeper’s Wife

9. A book about a culture/religion you are unfamiliar with- Pull Me Under

10. A book that takes place in your state or town- A Girl Named Zippy

11. A book that you loved as a child- Anne of Green Gables (truth be told, I never finished it, but I think I will now!)

12. A book that will help you be a better person-  An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth

13. A book on mental illness- The Bell Jar

14. A political memoir- The Speechwriter

15. A book that challenges a viewpoint- Consequence

16. A PEN/Faulkner Award Nominee or Winner (from any year)- Delicious Foods

17. A book about marriage- Commonwealth

18. A classic novel- Jane Eyre

19. A book written by a comedian- The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo

20. A book written by a woman- Another Brooklyn

21. A book written by an author under the age of 30- Homegoing

22. A YA Novel- The Sun is Also a Star

23. A book you meant to read in 2016, but never got to- Lilac Girls

24. A sci-fi/fantasy book- Version Control

25. A book about time travel- Kindred

26. A book that takes place during a war- Mischling

27. A book set in a place you wish you could live- Four Seasons in Rome

28. A book by a debut author- Sweetgirl

29. A story that takes place in a bookstore- Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore

30. A book published this year- Juliet’s Answer

31. A thriller- Her Every Fear

32. The first book in a new series- Red Queen

33. A true crime book- The Stranger Beside Me

34. A book you can read in a day- The Vegetarian

35. A historical fiction novel- Darktown

36. A book recommended on a podcast- Spill Simmer Falter Wither

37. A book of short stories- American Housewife

38. A Southern Gothic book- The Heaven of Mercury

39. A book from the NPR Book Concierge (any year)- Eleanor & Hick

40. A book recommended by an authorLong Man

41. A book about financial hardship- The Short & Tragic Life of Robert Peace

42. A Dystopian novel- The Handmaid’s Tale

43. A book with an unlikable narrator- A Pleasure & a Calling

44. A book recommended by a blogger- The Passage

45. A book written by an author that wasn’t alive in your lifetime- Persuasion

46. A National Book Awards Finalist (from any year)- News of the World

47. A book on race- Born a Crime

48. A book about art- The Mirror Thief

49. A book from your TBR (to be read) stack- Brutal Youth

50. A MomAdvice Book Club selection- Carrying Albert Home

51. A nonfiction book- The Latter Days

52. A book you will be proud to share you finally read this year- Evicted

Get Your Free 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge Download !

The 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge (FREE Printable!!)

The 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge Printable

designed by MJ from pars caeli!!

The 2017 MomAdvice Reading Challenge (FREE Printable!!)

Start your engines, friends! I hope this helps you reach your reading goals- xo

This post contains affiliate links. I promise to only recommend what I truly love!

 

 

MomAdvice 2106 Book Club Selections

Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

MomAdvice 2106 Book Club Selections

It may be news to you that we have an underground book club lurking in the shadows of Facebook, but we really do! Joining the MomAdvice Book Club is free and a great opportunity to get motivated to read books that you might normally not have picked up on your own.

I wanted to give this year a try to see how successful it was before doing a proper introduction here. I can honestly say that I have read several books this year that I would not have picked up on my own and had some great discussions about these incredible books.

The way I have the club set up is that we have a volunteer hostess each month who makes our selection and leads our discussion. It gives the book club variety to have such different readers leading with very different tastes in books. The discussion is held on the last week of the month and posted in the group with a thread for each question. You can jump in to answer questions at any time throughout that week, interacting with loads of other fellow bookworms.

How fun is that?

This post will be updated with our monthly selections so you can join in at any time with our group! Feel free to join us and let your friends know about the group too.

The more the merrier!

MomAdvice 2016 Book Club Selections

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

January:

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams

February:

Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

March:

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton

April:

A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton

A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold

May:

A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold

The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman

June:

The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

July:

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

the-girl-in-the-ice

August:

The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

September:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach

October (discussion coming soon!):

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach

Arrowood by Laura McHugh

November (discussion coming soon!):

Arrowood by Laura McHugh

December: To Be Announced

MomAdvice 2016 Book Club Selections

Join in on the MomAdvice Book Club HERE! Looking for book ideas? Check out our entire Book section of the site! Don’t forget to friend me on GoodReads! xo

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

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