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Reading Wednesday

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

    July 15, 2026
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    Note – this is the final Reading Wednesday book review in this format. Next week we will have our 2025-2026 Reading Roundup. After that, all Reading Wednesday book reviews will move to our Instagram account. Please follow us on Instagram.

    Kathryn Stockett

    It’s been sixteen years since Stockett’s wildly successful novel The Help came out. Readers have been waiting for her next work. Let me tell you, The Calamity Club was worth the wait. One of my favorite books of the year, and absolutely mesmerizing on Audible. Here is my book review The Calamity Club by Kahtryn Stockett.

    Mississippi 1933

    The depression is raging, money is tight and unemployment is high. But there is a class of women whose husbands or sons are handling the finances. These wealthy women have no idea how bad it is and it’s about to get worse.

    Birdie and Frances

    Birdie travels to Oxford Mississippi to find her sister Frances in hopes of getting a loan from her wealthy brother-in-law’s family. Birdie’s family will lose their house if the back taxes amounting to $250 are not paid.

    Birdie finds her spoiled little sister living in wealth, but something seems off. It doesn’t take long for the pieces to fall into place. Frances husband Rory Tart has been hiding their real financial situation.

    Meg

    In a parallel timeline of the story we meet Meg, a feisty and smart eleven year old orphan, living in poor conditions at the Oxford Orphanage. Frances volunteers, so Birdie does too while she is in town. Birdie is horrified by the conditions Meg is forced to endure. There is something bitter with the Orphanage Chairwoman Garnett. She is mean and nasty and harboring a deep secret of her own.

    Cat Call

    Charlie arrives on the doorstep of Idyewild, the historic home of the Tart family. Charlie is in search of Meg. Disheveled and desperate, she asks Birdie to help her find her daughter.

    When Rory disapears, Birdie convinces Frances and Mrs. Tart to go in search of him, while she and Charlie cook up a scheme to raise money and save all of them from ruin. An unlikely sisterhood is formed, defying all the strict social norms of the era, in a risky business scenario to save families, homes and human beings.

    Book Review The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

    One of the best books this year, I adored all the characters (and there are a lot of characters) in this novel. Both funny and sad The Calamity Club takes a deep dive into Mississippi and the south in the 1930’s. The novel touches on homosexuality, promiscuity, orphanages, infidelity, race and the southern hierarchy of wealth and poverty. But mostly this book is about a women’s drive to survive. Women’s health, still today, is poorly studied or properly diagnosed and in 1933 Mississippi it was downright appalling.

    *****Five stars for The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. One of my favorite books of the year.

    See last week’s book review Strangers: A Memoire of Marriage by Belle Burden

    COME BACK NEXT WEDNESDAY for our Ninth Annual (and final) Reading Roundup 2026. Our favorite reads of the past year.

    Thank you for reading our Book Review The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. We greatly appreciate your pins, shares and comments.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden

    July 8, 2026
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    Every woman should read this book – a cautionary tale about financial independence and marriage. Here is my book review Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden.

    NOTE – At the end of July these book review posts will move from this blog to Instagram. Reading Wednesday will continue on most Wednesdays but on Instagram. Please follow our Instagram page here.

    Betrayal

    After twenty years of marriage, Belle’s husband suddenly admitted to an affair and announced he was leaving her. Belle was blindsided, having seen no red flags. She is left to manage during the pandemic their house and three children.

    Strangers

    Despite her initial despair and hopes that her husband would change his mind, Burden spends the next several years bouncing from depression to self reliance. She realizes this man she has spent twenty years with was a stranger to her, and his casual refusal to update their prenup should have been a red flag to her. Despite her wealthy upbringing, she has allowed all of her assets to be shared, even while allowing her husbands income to not. A long drawn out divorce takes a tremendous toll on her personal health, her family and even her friendships.

    Her husband cuts off his relationship, claims he does not want shared custody and turns her life into a living hell during the divorce negotiations.

    Cautionary Tale

    I found the book to be well written and intriguing. Her story is believable, and a cautionary tale to women who cede all control of the family finances in marriage. Burden found herself not aware of the truth of the financial situation or prepared for the her precarious situation.

    Some people have criticized this author because of her families wealth, but I found her truth and honesty of the demise of her marriage both fascinating, educational and heartbreaking.

    ****Four stars for Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden

    Thank you for reading my book review Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden. See last week’s book review John of John by Douglas Stuart.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review John of John by Douglas Stuart

    July 1, 2026
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    I listened to this novel on Audible and it was absolutely poetic. One of my favorite books of the year. Here is my book review John of John by Douglas Stuart.

    NOTE – At the end of July these book review posts will move from this blog to Instagram. Reading Wednesday will continue on most Wednesdays but on Instagram. Please follow our Instagram page here.

    Remote Isle of Harris, Scotland

    After finishing Art School, Cal returns home to the barren croft where he was raised by his father. This is the last place Cal wants to be, a dying and hopeless island stuck in time. Cal has hidden his sexuality from his father, a leader in the Presbyterian Church, sheep farmer and weaver. The two cannot see eye to eye on much particularly as Cal explores his individuality.

    Living with his father and outspoken grandmother in his tiny childhood home, Cal feels as stuck as everyone else as this fragile community, it’s old ways and traditions, disintegrates.

    Truth

    The narrative in this book, so beautifully written, is above all else, about truth. A deep thread running through the novel is how difficult it can be, particularly in a small cutoff place, to become who you were meant to be. On this barren island old ways die hard. Religion is rigid. One of the last places where Gaelic is spoken and subsistence farming continues. How to be true to yourself when life is expected to only be a one certain way?

    Cal and his father clash over most things. But Cal has returned to the island because his father has told him his grandmother is ill. But on arrival he finds his grandmother in fine health. And so he begins to unravel the real reasons he has been called home. The truth.

    Emotional

    The prose of this novel are emotional and suspenseful and full of secrets. It is a story of family, hard work, religion and the truth of hiding from your true sexuality. John of John has vividly written characters and scenery and this book played out like a movie in my head. It is one of the most beautifully written books I have read in years. I have read Stuart’s Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo, but this one is hands down my favorite. It damn well better win the Booker.

    Thank you for reading my book review John of John by Douglas Stuart.

    *****Five stars for John of John by Douglas Stuart.

    See last week’s book review Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. We are always grateful for your likes, comments, pins and shares. Thank you.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

    June 24, 2026
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    What happens when Australia’s youngest convicted murderer grows up to be a cantankerous old woman in a quiet Melbourne neighborhood? Hepworth’s wonderful novel is full of engaging characters and laugh out loud predicaments. Here is my book review Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth.

    NOTE – At the end of July these book review posts will move from this blog to Instagram. Reading Wednesday will continue on most Wednesdays but on Instagram. Please follow our Instagram page here.

    A Quiet Suburban Life

    After a lifetime of misfortune, abuse, bad luck and misunderstanding, Elise is settled in to her quiet Melbourne neighborhood. She likes most of her neighbors, except the pesky 7 year old Persephone and her next door neighbor Ishaan and his annoying dog Nugget. She keeps to herself except for her one friend and only friend Daphne.

    More Bad Luck

    But when Ishaan turns up dead, and the police start to dig, Elise’s true identity gets out. She once again finds herself a suspect in a murder. Because Elise is actually Mabel Waller – Mad Mabel, Australia’s youngest convicted killer.

    The story and the characters in the neighborhood are full of both funny and sad events. Elise (Mabel) agrees to tell her story to some young vloggers, and through the telling we learn the astonishing details of Mabel’s life. An abusive narcissistic father, school bullies, a teacher-sexual abuser and a life of loneliness, Mabel has a surprising story to tell.

    And through it all she learns to love the inquisitive 7 year old Persephone, Nugget the dog and see her neighbors for the kind and supportive people they are. Some of the relationships she has with characters in the novel will surprise the reader, as we learn the depth of Mabel’s loneliness and regret.

    Book Review Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

    This was one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Despite much of it’s sad content, it made me feel happy and hopeful for humanity.

    *****Five stars for Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. See last week’s book review Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Thank you for reading my book review Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. We are grateful for your comments, pins and shares.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

    June 17, 2026
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    At a time in my life when I have been increasingly troubled by much of the fake and AI generated garbage that now makes up so much of social media – in drops this book. A deeply disturbing debut novel of a social media influencer and her double personality. Here is my book review Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.

    NOTE – At the end of July these book review posts will move from this blog to Instagram. Reading Wednesday will continue on most Wednesdays but on Instagram. Please follow our Instagram page here.

    Performance

    I have long complained about travel influencers and the flawless portrayals of destinations around the world. My first hand experience knows how fake most of that is. I remember standing in Santorini Greece hoping to get a photo. But instead, waiting for an idiot influencer in a long red dress to get her windblown photo as she stood dangerously close to the edge. Such an absurd and rude performance.

    Yesteryear reminded me of how hard it is to see the truth on Social Media. And the protagonist in this book, Natalie Heller Mills, is a perfectly written narcissist reminiscent of Amy Dunne in Gone Girl. Her crafted online performance is in direct contrast to her pejorative offline voice. Her life becomes one big performance.

    Yesteryear Ranch

    Natalie and her husband Caleb, along with their five children lead what appears to be a perfect life at Yesteryear Ranch. Growing their food organically, homeschooling the children and living without many modern conveniences, Natalie and Yesteryear Ranch become an internet sensation. Until dirty little secrets start to be revealed…pesticides on the farm, hidden modern appliances, Natalie’s lack of interest in her own children, and her disintegrating marriage.

    1855

    When Natalie wakes up one morning to find herself transported to a cold cabin in 1855 she believes she has been kidnapped. No running water, no electricity. And who are these children? These are not her children. When she tries to escape, she is seriously injured. But Caleb is here…older and warn down. Is it Caleb?

    Book Review Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

    Some people are gonna love this book and others will not. This novel looks closely at our world, through the layers of social media’s influence on society. Additionally through narcissism and mental illness and through powerful wealthy families and American Christian values. It hits very close to home in current American politics, with narcissistic American leaders and right-wing Christian influence. Yesteryear is a deep dive into how social media has degraded societies communication skills, attention span and ability to recognize fraud from reality.

    Burke has written a protagonist who will not be forgotten. Natalie Heller Mills will be remembered for her ruthless and desperate desire to appear to be someone she is not. A movie is coming starring Anne Hathaway.

    Thank you for reading my book review Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.

    *****Five stars for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. See last week’s book review Kin by Tayari Jones.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Kin by Tayari Jones

    June 10, 2026
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    Vernice and Annie are “cradle friends”. Two young black girls navigating life in the South in the mid 20th century. Each motherless, for different reasons, they cling to one another for comfort and family. Here is my book review Kin by Tayari Jones.

    NOTE – At the end of July these book review posts will move from this blog to Instagram. Reading Wednesday will continue on most Wednesdays but on Instagram. Please follow our Instagram page here.

    Motherless

    How does being raised without parents affect the outcome of a well intended life? What circumstances beyond maternal absence play a role in who we become as adults? This is part of the theme of Tayari Jones’ Kin. Is family who gave birth to you or who loved you and raised you?

    Vernice and Annie raised as sisters and best friends, will navigate through life searching for answers; Annie for why her mother left her at birth and Vernice why her mother was murdered by her own father.

    Life as a Black Woman in the 1950’s South

    Annie will take flight in search of her mother in Memphis, just as Vernice is heading off to Spelman College. Both girls will encounter the deep racism of the era, but in very different ways. Annie will struggle to find her mother, become so obsessed she will lose people she loves and end up in “trouble”. The kind of trouble no young girl in the 1950’s wants to find herself in.

    Meanwhile Vernice will also face deep racism from the minute she steps onto the bus headed to Atlanta. At college she will blossom, make friends and learn about true love, wealthy and reputation and the civil rights movement.

    Friendship Endures

    The ending of this book is sad and disturbing, but the enduring love and friendship of these two women feels sincere and real. This book really had me emotional, and a few times I had to put it down and walk away for a while. But in the end I am glad I saw it through. The collection of characters and circumstances really made this story unique and breathtaking.

    ****Four stars for Kin by Tayari Jones. Thank you for reading my book review Kin by Tayari Jones. See last week’s book review Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo.

    We are always grateful for your comments, shares and pins. Thank you.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo

    June 3, 2026
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    This unique story caught me off guard. The story of Gabriel Fisher, an unusually large child (and then man) is told in the voices of multiple narrators, but not his own. Rather, Gabriel’s remarkable life is told from the point of view of the people whose life was most affected by him. Here is my book review Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo.

    Rural Wisconsin

    The story is based in rural Lakota Wisconsin, home to a large Amish community. Lakota is also a Midwest town of “English” residents including the local veterinarian, a local bar owner, and a local high school football coach.

    When Veterinarian Tom Kennedy is forced to deliver a baby it is the largest baby Kennedy has ever seen. The size of the child takes the life of the mother, a local Amish women named Rachel who has been shunned from the community due to giving birth out of wedlock. The baby, Gabriel will be raised by his older brother, until the brother unexpectedly takes his own life.

    This is when Josiah and Hannah Fisher, parents of Rachel, will take the child to raise. It is Hannah’s greatest joy to have the child of her beloved daughter in her home.

    Giant

    Gabriel is a giant in body, towering over every other child and adult as he grows. But he is also a giant in heart, athleticism and kindness. Everyone who know Gabriel loves him. He is a star little league player and later a star high school and college football player. Even when a horrific accident ends his football career, Gabriel finds a way.

    Throughout Gabriel’s unique existence he transitions between the Amish life and the English world. He travels widely, finds love and his successful beyond his dreams.

    Back Home

    Hannah Fisher is meanwhile discovering some terrible family secrets that have her questioning her family and her faith and even her marriage. When Gabriel is diagnosed with a brain tumor, he returns home when the community – Amish and English alike -come together to care for him. Gabriel learns some dark secrets about his father, but also embraces the idea that he too is a father. All while dying. In the end, as Gabriel takes his final breaths, a miracle will occur that will make believers find faith again, and make non-believers question everything they think.

    Book Review Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo

    A moving yet somewhat strange story of faith, family, secrets and fortune. Rindo creates an eclectic but well crafted collection of characters in this novel while exploring the question of miracles around us.

    Thank you for reading my book review Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo. See last week’s book review The Blackthorn Women by Jess Laurey.

    We are always grateful for your comments, pins and shares.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Blackthorn Women by Jess Lourey

    May 27, 2026
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    Spark Point Studio provided this book to me gratis in exchange for my honest review.  This novel will released to the public May 26, 2026.

    Cursed

    When four generations of women find themselves all returned to the family home in Faith Hills Minnesota, decades of of magic and misunderstandings will manifest. The four strong women, each with their individual story, need to come together to fight the evil lurking.

    Returning Home

    Katrin Blackthorn has been living abroad for more than a decade. She isn’t even sure why? But after she discovers her husband infidelity, Katrin returns to the family Queen Anne mansion to see if and where she still might fit into her strange family.

    The person Katrin is looking forward to seeing the most is her sister Jasmine. They were so close as girls. But Jasmine is haunted by something unknown, and no one can reach her. Not Katrin, not their mother Ursula – known as the town’s brewer of potions, not even their grandmother Velda – the charmer of the women. Something deep and unsettling is hiding in each of these women, and now that Katrin has returned, the curse has too, and with it the snakes.

    The Blackthorn Women

    What is it about The Blackthorn Women, the secrets they keep, the giant Queen Anne mansion and snakes? Each women is a piece of a deep and sinister puzzle, and the unfolding of the truth makes for a gripping and magical story reminiscent of of Practical Magic, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Unmaking of June Farrow.

    Four stars for The Blackthorn Women by Jess Lourey – out in book stores this week. Thanks for reading my book review The Blackthorn Women by Jess Lourey. See last week’s book review The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner here.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

    May 20, 2026
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    Weaving together historical fiction and mystery through dual timelines, this is a story that is both intense and emotionally engaging. Here is my book review The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.

    London 1791 and Present Day

    Set in 18th-century London and present-day England, the novel follows Nella, a secret apothecary who sells poisons to women seeking justice against harmful men. Our present day protagonists is Caroline, a modern historian who stumbles upon clues to Nella’s past. Penner’s vivid descriptions of the apothecary shop and its hidden world make me think about a movie set in the making, drawing readers into a richly imagined, dangerous world.

    Female Oppression Then and Now

    One of the novel’s strengths lies in its exploration of female agency and the ways women navigate oppression across different eras. Nella’s story is compelling and morally complex, raising questions about justice and revenge, while her young protege Eliza’s involvement adds an element of curiosity and coming-of-age tension. In contrast, Caroline’s modern storyline highlights themes of self-discovery and personal reinvention, as she realizes she has put her dreams on hold for her husband. Though a bit predictable, the alternating timelines are engaging.

    Debut

    I enjoyed this book and it’s very good given it is Penner’s debut novel. The blending of mystery and magic with historical intrigue and feminist themes is reminiscent of early works by V.E. Schwab. Fans of historical fiction with a touch of suspense will likely appreciate Penner’s storytelling and the haunting world she brings to life.

    Thank you for reading my book review The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. Four stars for The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. See last week’s book review Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA by Amy Erdman Farrell.

    We are always grateful when you pin, share and comment on our book reviews. Thank you.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA by Amy Erdman Farrell

    May 13, 2026
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    I spent seven years of my life proudly as a Girl Scout. In 1966 when I was six years old I became a Brownie. At eight or nine I became a Junior. I remember being so proud of wearing the official green uniform. At 12 I graduated to a Senior, but my family moved that year and my Girl Scout days faded. But I have fond memories so was interested in this history. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Here is my book review Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA by Amy Erdman Farrell

    That’s me in 1967. I proudly represented all Brownies from my Girl Scout Council in a flag ceremony for a statewide Girl Scout meeting.

    Looking Back

    This book opened my eyes to the inequalities that were prevalent in Girl Scouting, including in my own little troop. The book is a blend of history and personal narrative of the Girl Scouts in the United States.

    Farrell traces how the Girl Scouts grew from a small movement founded in 1912 into a global institution . Drawing on extensive research and personal narrative, Farrell lays out the influence of more than 50 million girls and women.  Highlighting the organization’s role in fostering confidence, leadership, and community. Farrell’s personal experience, like many young girls built a sense of belonging and empowerment during difficult periods of their lives. 

    The Race Role

    At the same time, Farrell emphasizes that this history is “complicated”. The Girl Scouts have both challenged and reinforced social inequalities. The book examines how the organization navigated issues of race, class, feminism, and politics, including its involvement in segregated communities. Blatant racism was part of the early years while the organization segregated or did not allow black girls to participate. While the Girl Scouts created meaningful opportunities for many girls, it also reflected the discrimination present in broader American society.

    Book Review Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA by Amy Erdman Farrell

    By presenting both its empowering impact and its contradictions, Intrepid Girls encourages readers to rethink the legacy of this iconic institution. And in today’s world, better understand how it has shaped—and been shaped by—American history. It certainly made me think about my own role in the organization, for better and for worse.

    Thank you for reading my Book Review Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA by Amy Erdman Farrell. Four stars for Intrepid Girls: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA by Amy Erdman Farrell. See last week’s book review The Tortoise’s Tale by Kendra Coulter.

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