How did your reading go this month? Did you read something set in Ancient Greece that you enjoyed? Let us know in the comments!
I read our main title, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. This is a devastating book – beautifully written, heartbreaking, part love story, part cautionary tale on the perils of pride, this is a story that will stay with you long after finishing.
Patroclus is the son of a minor king in the Greek territories. He is a constant disappointment to his father. When he makes a fatal mistake he is exiled from his home and is sent to the kingdom of Phthia, ruled by the powerful King Peleus. There he meets the king’s son Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks”. That this golden boy and an outcast should become friends is unexpected, but soon they are inseparable. Patroclus blossoms in Achilles’ reflected glory and Achilles gains a true friend. When Achilles’ father sends him to study under Chiron, the wisest and most skilled of the centaurs, Patroclus follows. Together they learn many skills from Chiron, happy to be together and becoming more than friends.
Their idyll is ruined when word of the kidnapping of Helen reaches them. Achilles, hungry for fame and glory, joins the fight to retrieve her from Troy and Patroclus refuses to be left behind. What follows is the brutality of war, full of violence, cruelty and male egos. The fallout from Achilles pride is devastating and heart wrenching.
I was surprised at the violence of the scenes of the Trojan War and frustrated by Achilles and his refusal to compromise. In many ways Patroclus is the true hero, and a lesson to all. A fascinating look at the culture and customs of Ancient Greece as well as a story of love and sacrifice.
Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett investigates a mysterious death at a secret remote high-tech facility in Storm Watch by C.J. Box.
When a prominent University of Wyoming professor goes missing, authorities are stumped. That is, until Joe Pickett makes two surprising discoveries while hunting down a wounded elk on his district as an epic spring storm descends upon him. First, he finds the professor’s vehicle parked on a remote mountainside. Then Joe finds the professor’s frozen and mutilated body. When he attempts to learn more, his investigation is obstructed by federal agents, extremists, and Governor Colter Allen.
Nate Romanowski is rebuilding his falconry company—and financing this through crypto mining with the assistance of Geronimo Jones. He’s then approached by a shadowy group of local militant activists that is gaining in power and influence, and demanding that Wyoming join other western states and secede from the union—by force, if necessary. They ask Nate to throw in with them, but he’s wary. Should he trust them, or is he being set up?
As a storm of peril gathers around them, Joe and Nate confront it in different ways—and maybe, for the first time, on opposite sides. (from the publisher)
I’m a big fan of CJ Box’s books. There is a lot of action, eccentric characters and twisty mysteries. Box’s ability to describe the beauty of the American West is unparalleled – without flourishes or unnecessary description, he is able to transport you to the land, it’s weather and it’s wildlife effortlessly. Centering the entire series is Joe Pickett with his unshakeable morals and sense of fairness. Highly recommended.
“We don’t know how much our bodies can endure until we make cruel demands of them.”
― Jason Rekulak, Hidden Pictures
My latest read, Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, is my first 5 star read for 2023! It was the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Horror. I highly recommend that you read a physical copy of this book, instead of listening to it, as there are drawings scattered throughout that are essential to the narrative.
Mallory Quinn is right out of rehab looking for a job. On the recommendation of her sponsor, she lands a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey. Mallory will be spending her days taking care of their five-year-old son, Teddy. This job immediately appeals to Mallory. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, is able to continue her workout regime by going on nightly runs, and finally has the stability that allows her to thrive.
Mallory and Teddy’s relationship blooms. Teddy is sweet, yet incredibly shy. He doesn’t get along with other little kids and would rather hang out with Mallory exploring the forest behind their house. Teddy also always has his sketchbook and pencils within reach. He spends his free time drawing the usual kid pictures: trees, rabbits, people. One day, his drawings change. Mallory finds a drawing of a man in a forest dragging a woman’s lifeless body.
Mallory is shocked. As the days progress, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister. His drawing style also drastically changes. He starts drawing more lifelike images, something way more detailed and complex than a five-year-old should be able to draw. When Mallory learns the history of her area, a chill runs through her. She starts to think that maybe Teddy’s artwork is actually snapshots of an unsolved murder that occurred years ago. Could something supernatural be lurking in the Maxwell house, haunting and telling Teddy what to draw? What is Mallory willing to do to help Teddy?
This book is also available in the following formats:
You’ve probably heard of positive thinking, affirmations, and other ways to use the right messaging to create better thoughts, and thereby affect how you live your life. You may not have considered it in detail, however, including the studies that show how powerful your thought patterns really are. Recently we added Mind Your Mindsetby Michael S. Hyatt to the collection; this book delves into those studies and how you can apply those ideas to improve your performance in business and in everyday life.
However, this is not the first time these ideas have been explored in print. You might also try these other titles for other perspectives on an important concept.
Mindsetby Carol Dweck (2006) is the original text on the power of your thoughts – Dweck powerfully demonstrates that if you believe your identity and skills are not fixed, but can always grow and develop, then failure is not a threat to you and your identity, but rather a necessary step in the learning process. She calls this the “growth mindset” and the key to success and change.
In Feeling Good Togetherby David Burns (2008) (which I have recommended before, and probably will again) he shares the five secrets of effective communication, all of which hinge on a vital mindset change – let go of your need to be right and acknowledge the truth in others’ views, and your relationships will improve. A difficult thing to learn to do, but so powerful.
For a twist on this idea, revisit another of my old recommendations: Presence by Amy Cuddy. This book explores how our posture can affect our emotions, mindset, and performance, including studies that showed results and examples of effective poses. Pairing one of the books above with this one will give you a one-two punch to improve your general approach to life. Be warned, this book could also lead you down a rabbit hole of exploring the fascinating field of mind-body connection with other titles like The Body Keeps the Scoreby Bessel A. Van der Kolk.
Finally, for a more comprehensive overview, try Success: The Psychology of Achievement by Deborah A. Olson (2017). There are many, many facts and tips shared here including on managing emotions, expectations, AND your thought patterns for more effective interactions with yourself, with stress, and with others.
It’s a new month which means that Jenna Bush Hager and Reese Witherspoon have picked new books for their book clubs! Reminder that if you join Simply Held, these titles will automatically be put on hold for you.
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Jenna Bush Hager has selected Maame by Jessica George for her February pick.
Curious what Maameis about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher:
Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.
It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her heart on the line.
Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures—and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.
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Reese Witherspoon has selected The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson as her February pick.
Curious what The House of Eveis about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.
From the award-winning author of Yellow Wife, a daring and redemptive novel set in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, DC, that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.
1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright.
Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done.
With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.
Join Simply Held to have Oprah, Jenna, and Reese’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!
Join Simply Held to have certain celebrity book club picks automatically put on hold for you: Reese Witherspoon, Jenna Bush Hager, and Oprah Winfrey. While Reese and Jenna generally announce a new title each month, Oprah’s selections are more sporadic. She has just announced hew newest selection: Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Wholeby Susan Cain. Reminder that if you join Simply Held, you can choose to have these titles automatically put on hold for you.
Curious what Bittersweetis about? Check out the following description provided by the author.
In her latest #1 New York Times bestseller, the author of the bestselling phenomenon Quiet reveals the power of a bittersweet, melancholic outlook on life, and why our culture has been so blind to its value.
If you’ve ever wondered why you like sad music … If you find comfort or inspiration in a rainy day … If you react intensely to music, art, nature, and beauty …
Then you probably identify with the bittersweet state of mind.
With her mega-bestseller, Quiet, Susan Cain urged our society to cultivate space for the undervalued, indispensable introverts among us, thereby revealing an untapped power hidden in plain sight. Now, she employs the same mix of research, storytelling, and memoir to explore why we experience sorrow and longing, and the surprising lessons these states of mind teach us about creativity, compassion, leadership, spirituality, mortality and love.
This book is also available in the following format:
“She couldn’t help noticing everything about her existence seemed to be defined by someone who wasn’t her.”
― Robert Thorogood, The Marlow Murder Club
The Marlow Murder Clubis the first book in the series of the same name by Robert Thorogood. The tag line really sets up the whole book: ‘To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…’. This book has a whole cast of impossible heroes: the main one being Judith Potts, a seventy-seven year old woman who lives on her own in a mansion, drinking whiskey and setting crosswords for The Times newspaper. She recruits a mismatched group of women to help her solve a mystery.
One evening, Judith is out swimming in the Thames when she witnesses a murder. Well, she hears yelling and a gunshot. Desperate for answers, Judith talks to the police. They don’t believe her story however, so she decides to investigate for herself. In the midst of her digging, Judith recruits Suzie, a local dog walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar. The three women form the Marlow Murder Club. Unsure of what their sleuthing will bring about, they are shocked when another person dies. Thinking that there may be a serial killer running around Marlow, they realize that this puzzle they are trying to solve may instead be a trap with deadly implications for the Marlow Murder Club.
This book is also available in the following format:
Want the hottest new release from your favorite author? Want to stay current with a celebrity book club? Love nonfiction and fiction? You should join Simply Held. Choose any author, celebrity pick, nonfiction and/or fiction pick and the Davenport Public Library will put the latest title on hold for you automatically. Select as many as you want! If you still have questions, please check out our list of FAQs.
New month means new highlighted authors from Simply Held. February’s authors are Dan Brown for fiction and Maya Banks for romance.
Our February fiction author is Dan Brown. Dan primarily writes thrillers, though his latest book is a picture book! He has written numerous bestselling novels. His most popular title is The Da Vinci Code, which has also sparked debate all over the world. Brown’s novels have been published in 56 languages and over 200 million copies are in print today! He initially taught English at his alma mater before he decided to before a full-time writer.
Fun fact: Dan Brown was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME Magazine in 2005. Editors said he is credited with ‘“keeping the publishing industry afloat; renewed interest in Leonardo da Vinci and early Christian history; spiking tourism to Paris and Rome; a growing membership in secret societies; the ire of Cardinals in Rome; eight books denying the claims of the novel and seven guides to read along with it; a flood of historical thrillers; and a major motion picture franchise.”’
Brown’s newest book Origin, book five in the Robert Langdon series. This book was published in 2017. (Brown also published a picture book called Wild Symphony that was published in 2020.)
Curious what this book is about? Check out the following description provided by the author:
Bilbao, Spain Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.
As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.
Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.
Origin is Dan Brown’s most brilliant and entertaining novel to date.
This book is also available in the following formats:
Our February romance author is Maya Banks. Banks is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She has written more than sixty novels across many genres: erotic, contemporary, historical, and paranormal. All of her novels have a happily ever after.
Maya Banks is actually the pen name for Sharon Long. As Sharon Long, she writes historical novels and contemporary romantic suspense. As Maya Banks, she writes erotic southern romance. She currently lives in Texas with her husband and children, as well as a wide variety of pets.
Banks’s newest book is Just One Touch, book five in the Slow Burn series. This book was released in May 2017.
Curious what this book is about? Below is a description provided by the author.
Raised in a strict religious cult since she was a young girl, Jenna has no connection to the outside world beyond vague flashes of memory that seem to be from another life. Memories she clings to when the cult leaders discover her extraordinary ability to heal—and punish her. Years held captive and forced to do the cult’s bidding have turned Jenna into a meek, timid woman…or so they think. In truth, she is merely biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to escape.
When a terrified young woman tries to steal the SUV of Devereaux Security’s toughest recruit, Isaac’s anger quickly turns to a strange sort of protectiveness for the beautiful, bruised stranger. But when they are caught in a firestorm of bullets and Isaac is hit in the chest, he’s sure the end is near, until Jenna touches him and heals his wounds. As he tries to bring Jenna to safety, she refuses to tell him what danger haunts her or how she managed to cure him, but Isaac vows to do whatever it takes to gain her trust…and her heart. Because with just one touch, Isaac knows he wants Jenna to be his—forever.
This title is also available in the following format:
Welcome back to exploring different therapeutic approaches to figure out the best way to support YOUR mental health. (See our first post on this topic here.) Short version: taking care of your mind is vital, but there are so many ways to do it, it’s hard to know where to start. This time our titles delve into lesser-known styles including my favorite: nature therapy. Try any combination of the titles below to support your mental health and improve your thinking patterns.
“Our minds are hardwired to expect the worst, and these negative thinking habits can keep us feeling trapped and unable to experience true joy. In this friendly guide, life coach Amy Johnson outlines a no-willpower approach informed by ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience to help readers break the cycle of negative thinking, make peace with their inner critic, and experience more self-confidence and freedom.”
“The only self-help book you’ll ever need, from a psychiatrist who will help you put aside your unrealistic wishes, stop trying to change things you can’t change, and do the best with what you can control–the first steps to solving all of life’s impossible problems.”
“Thegarden has always been a place of peace and perseverance, of nurture and reward. Using contemporary neuroscience, psychoanalysis, and compelling real-life stories, TheWell–GardenedMind investigates the remarkable effects of nature on our health and well-being.”
“An investigation into the restorative benefits of nature draws on cutting-edge research and the author’s explorations with international nature therapy programs to examine the relationship between nature and human cognition, mood, and creativity.”
“As a society, we suffer from nature deficit disorder, but studies have shown that spending mindful, intentional time around trees–what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, or forestbathing–can promote health and happiness. In this beautiful book–featuring more than 100 color photographs from forests around the world, including the forest therapy trails that criss-cross Japan–Dr. Qing Li, the world’s foremost expert in forest medicine, shows how forestbathing can reduce your stress levels and blood pressure, strengthen your immune and cardiovascular systems, boost your energy, mood, creativity, and concentration, and even help you lose weight and live longer. ”
See also our Mental Health Guide for more information and local resources – and never hesitate to ask for help!
“Don’t let yourself get caught up in what-ifs. That way madness lies.”
― Ruth Ware, The It Girl
Ruth Ware has crafted another page-turning mystery thriller in her latest novel, The It Girl. This book follows a young woman’s search for answers a decade after her friend’s murder.
Hannah Jones was elated when she got into Oxford. Discovering she had a roommate was a shock, but April Clarke-Cliveden was incredibly bright and vivacious. She could also be vindictive and vicious, but her status as an It Girl pulled people into her orbit whether they wanted to be there or not. April quickly pulls Hannah, Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily close. By the end of their first term, they are inseparable and quick friends. By the end of their first year, April will be dead.
Flash forward a decade and Hannah is trying to move on. She and Will are married and are expecting their first child together. Her world is rocked when she learns that the man convicted of killing April has died in prison. Hannah feels both relief at the news of his death, but that soon changes to anxiety when a journalist pops into her life with evidence that the man convicted of April’s murder may in fact have been innocent. This is troublesome as Hannah’s testimony was critical to putting away the convicted murderer. In order to get closure, Hannah starts reconnecting with her old friends and examining the mystery surrounding April’s death. As Hannah begins to talk to them, she realizes that her friends are hiding secrets possibly related to the murder. Increasingly concerned, Hannah keeps pressing for answers, unwittingly putting herself right in the killer’s path.
This book is also available in the following formats:
Hello Fellow Challenge Readers!
