A red rose means love. A daisy, innocence. A violet signifies faithfulness. Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s bestselling novel The Language of Flowers (Ballantine, 2011) sparked renewed interest in Victorian “floriography,” or flower symbolism. Recipients used floral dictionaries to decode the meanings of complicated “talking bouquets” and made floral arrangements to communicate feelings…
Kim KankiewiczMay 10, 2014
What was your childhood dream? Growing up in China, Lisa Bu wanted to be a Chinese Opera Singer – but her parents didn’t approve. In her TED Talk from TED 2013, Bu describes how books helped her discover her identity and branch out within her own culture. She also discusses…
Katie HiresDecember 22, 2015
“With echoes of Station Eleven, The Martian, and, yes, Jane Eyre, this is a gripping and unconventional novel with an unforgettable heroine.” — Observer —∞— "An enthralling, romantic and powerful testament to human strength and frailty." — Courtney Summers, author of Sadie —∞— There’s a timeless quality found in the pages…
Jenn GottMarch 26, 2021
Having written more than 50 novels, Brenda Novak is an expert at pulling our romantic heartstrings. But in addition, a mysterious disappearance forms the backdrop in Before We Were Strangers (MIRA). Inspired by a segment from a true-crime television show, her latest novel is a story of intrigue, mystery, and…
K.L. RomoOctober 19, 2018
Everyone loves The Real Housewives! OK, to be fair, not everyone is aware of how magical the Real Housewives can be on occasion. While a lot of people find them irritating, where else are you going to find crazy moments where weird rich women debase themselves like insane animals in…
Katie HiresOctober 12, 2016
The Lost History of Dreams (Atria Books) may be Kris Waldherr’s debut novel, but this tense, atmospheric and sensual Gothic mystery has been influenced by both her earlier writing and her work as an illustrator and designer. The novel begins in Victorian-era London when historian-turned-post-mortem photographer Robert Highstead receives a…
Nancy BilyeauApril 8, 2019
When I first wrote about my book boyfriends, I didn’t realize how hard it would be to narrow it down to only five. I’ve been voraciously reading since I was a kid, and at this point my book-crushes are a little out of control. How could I have skipped Mr.…
Rachel CarterAugust 3, 2015
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/charlotte-bronte-before-Jane-Eyre-.jpg At a time when the topic of feminism is more prevalent than ever in children’s literature, the deeply motivating graphic biography Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre (Disney-Hyperion) by Glynnis Fawkes is a great introduction for children ages 11 and older to this literary classic. “Literature cannot be the business…
Lee PelletierSeptember 20, 2019