Book whisperer Linda Sullivan goes with heartfelt romance novels this week written by one of her favorite writers and mine, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center. Center started writing in elementary school, winning a scholarship in high school, and then majoring in creative writing at Vassar College.
Katherine’s writing reflects her belief that joy is as important as sorrow. Her stories are all about finding ways to savor life’s moments of grace.
Linda’s first recommendation this week is Happiness is for Beginners teasing readers with a bit of the plot. Main character, Helen, signs up for a wilderness survival
course a year after her divorce. Several problems arise along the way including her younger brother’s best friend coming on the trip.
Linda quips, “This is a story about being brave and courageous even when you’re scared spitless.”
Sharing this one book quote with us to whet our appetite for more, Linda says there are many more, but we should read them in context: “The most important thing to remember is that getting what you want doesn’t make you happy. Happiness is more about appreciation than acquisition.”
So, so good, and when you finish the book, go to Netflix to watch Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos and Blythe Danner in the Netflix movie!
Linda’s second recommendation this week is What You Wish For.
Teaser: Two characters, two changed personalities, and two job changes
Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living. But, she wasn’t always that way.
Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen. But, he wasn’t always that way.
Samantha and Duncan must find their way to who they really are and what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance, but readers will have to find out what the chance is they are taking?
Readers will not be disappointed with Katherine Center’s books. Compelling and hard to put down! I am glad to have already read and loved these two as I am in the middle of last week’s recommendation, The Last Flight, which is riveting!
Remember: Knox County Online Library to search for Linda’s recommendations each week.
All of us have a story and I want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com