The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley is the story of four women, at different stages in life, when circumstances open their eyes to new possibilities and new dreams. Jessica Coleman’s marriage has gone cold. When she discovers her husband has been having an affair with his assistant, she retreats to her hometown on Cape Cod. Caitlin, her daughter, decides to join her mother on the cape. Allison Page, Jessica’s lifelong friend, is at a crossroad in her life. While her daughter, Julia, has opened a successful jewelry shop, Alison is looking for a change. When a local bookstore comes up for sale, it is too good to pass up for Allison and Jessica. As they reopen the store and add a coffee shop, they find new romances, stronger bonds of mothers, daughters and friends, and new life in second chances.
The Bookshop by the Bay is a women’s fiction about the unexpected changes of life and the strength to rise above them. All the characters were believable as to their reactions to the circumstances. Even when some characters tried to be hard nosed and the villain, they were quickly shot down and put in their place. I enjoyed Jessica and Allison’s friendship. I enjoyed their relationships with their daughters. I loved to see Julia and Caitlin develop a friendship despite never being close growing up. The potential romances were fun to watch develop. I loved how the characters came to realize what they thought they wanted wasn’t what they truly needed. Overall, I enjoyed The Bookshop by the Bay. If you enjoy women’s fiction with friends and second chances, you may enjoy The Bookshop by the Bay.
The Bookshop by the Bay is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook
Ofra Haza was an international Israeli singer whose voice
dazzled audiences for decades. Her music would be known as World pop, ethnic
electronics synthpop as well as a mixture of traditional and commercial styles
of her Yemeni heritage. She became known as the Madonna of the East. I was
first introduced to her in the 1998 film The Prince of Egypt as the
singing voice for Jochebed, Moses’ mother. I was reintroduced to her recently
as I did a study on Jochebed and discovered her other music. Sadly, she died in
2000. Today would have been her 63rd birthday. I would like to
introduce everyone to Ofra Haza. She may be done but she left behind such a
beautiful success story and amazing music for us to remember her.
Born Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza on November 19, 1957 in Hatikva,
Tel Aviv, Israel. She was the youngest of nine children to Yefet and Shoshana
Haza, Mizrahi Jewish parents who had immigrated from Yemen. At the age of 12, Ofra
joined a local theater troupe, and manager Bezalel Aloni noticed her singing
talent and featured her in many of his productions. Aloni would become her
mentor and manager as her singing career progressed. At 19, she would be Israel’s
foremost popstar. After her first album, Al Ahavot Shelanu (About Our
Loves) was released in 1980, it produced a string of radio hits. She would be named
Female Vocalist of the Year by Kol Israel Radio for four years straight,
1980-1983. In 1983, she released Shirey Moledet, her renditions of Israeli
folk songs which went platinum and produced two volumes in 1985 and 1987. She
was so popular that she was asked by Michael Jackson to do a joint
international concert tour in 1990, which she turned down (Shahar). In 1997,
she married Doron Ashkenazi.
Her career would include many collaborations and
performances. She would provide vocals for Sarah Brightman’s Harem (2003)
on the song, “Mysterious Days.” She did duets with Paul Anka, Cliff Richards,
and Iggy Pop (Shahar). She sang on various movie soundtracks including Colors
(1998), Dick Tracy (1990), Queen Margot (1994) and The Prince
of Egypt (1998). The animators for The Prince of Egypt were so moved
by her beauty that they used her image for Jochebed. She would also sing “Deliver
Us” in each language the movie was translated in, 18 in all. Ofra would also do
a series of covers from Carol King and James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” to
Madonna’s “Open Your Heart.” One of my favorite covers by Ofra is Led Zeppelin’s
“Kashmir.” She did two versions. One was upbeat and sounds similar to Zeppelin’s
version and a second version which is slow and very haunting (which is my
favorite of the two versions).
Ofra Haza died on February 23, 2000 at the age of 42 from
AIDS related pneumonia. Her death was controversial in Israel despite her HIV positive
status was generally known. Many people would blame her husband, Doron, for
giving her HIV. However, she got HIV from a blood transfusion in a Turkish hospital
following treatment from a miscarriage (Paphides, 2010). When her death ws
announced, Israeli radio played her music nonstop while then-Prime Minister
Ehud Barak praised her as a cultural emissary and an Israeli success story. He
would say that she “emerged from the Hatikavh slums to reach the peak of Israeli
culture. She has left a mark on us all” A park in the Hatikva Quarter was renamed
in her honor. Her death from AIDS related causes added another layer of
mourning for her fans and the people of Israel as “She was a beautiful crystal ball
that suddenly shattered without anyone knowing it was cracked” (Shalev, 2020).
In conclusion, Ofra Haza was a rare beauty and talent who
left an undeniable mark in Israel and on me. She is a success story that one
can rise above their beginnings and leave their mark on the world they leave
behind. It saddens me that I didn’t know her and her music during her lifetime.
However, I love that I can enjoy the music she left behind. One of my favorite
songs is Yershalayim Shel Zahav (“Jerusalem in Gold”) which she sang at
the officially ceremony marking Israel’s 50th anniversary. I have
posted the link to her performance above. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Where Dragonflies
Hover by AnneMarie Brear is the story of two women connected through a
diary. The story opens in 1945, Alexandria “Allie” Jameson, whose health is
fading, is determined to finish the
story of her and Daniel. Allie was a nurse in France during World War I when
she meets Captain Daniel “Danny” Hollingsworth as she nursed him back to health
after he was wounded in battle. Fast forward to 2010, Alexandria “Lexi” O’Connor
is a successful solicitor and married to a successful doctor but something is
missing. Hollingsworth House, an old estate, is up for sale and she is
determined to have this house despite her husband, Dylan’s, objections. Her
desire for the house intensifies when she find Allie’s diary. She buys the
house and begins to fix up the house as she continues to read Allie’s diary.
She and Dylan split when it seems they want different things in life. When an emergency
seems to bring them back together, will they be able to reconnect and
rediscover their love for each other? Will Allie and Danny have a happily ever
after?
Where Dragonflies
Hover is a wonderful story which blends past and present into a heart
wrenching love story. One love during a terrible war and another during a war
within themselves. I loved that Ms. Brear chose the backdrop of World War I for
Allie and Danny’s story. So few books have stories set during the Great War or
tell the story of the brave men who fought in the trenches and the women who
were in the field hospitals who worked tirelessly to save their lives. I also
loved Lexi and Dylan’s story which is such a modern story of trying to find the
balance between one’s career and their heart’s desires. I highly recommend Where Dragonflies Hover!
Meet Me Halfway by
Kim Carmody is Book 2 in the Off Field Series. It is the story of a young
woman, Olivia Callahan, an ambitious journalist and Nate Sullivan, the newest
recruit for the New York Warriors as a tight end. Olivia is persisted to get
the story behind Nate and his rise to the NFL and Nate will do anything to keep
it secret. While they go to battle for his privacy and her determination to get
the story which will make her career, the sparks fly. As they fall in love,
Olivia and Nate both must decide what they will do, and won’t do, in order to
be together. Will Nate open up about his past? Will Olivia choose love over
career?
Meet Me Halfway
started out strong. Olivia is given a chance to jumpstart her career with a new
idea for a series of in-depth stories about football players. With Nate’s first
round draft pick, the media and the football world is going nuts and all Nate
wants to do is hide. However, I could not finish this book. I enjoyed the
Prologue which feature Olivia but the opening chapter featuring Nate sealed
this book for me. Nate and his friend, Jake, are talking as guys do. Nate’s
girlfriend comes up and Nate makes a comment that she “fucks like a porn star,”
I had it. I don’t like that language. I understand that men will talk like that
but I don’t want to read it. If you are already a fan of Ms. Carmody, you may
enjoy this book.
When I grow up I want
to be…in the US Navy by Wigu Publishing is a book in the series which
children are introduced to different careers. Wigu Publishing is a
collaboration of talented and creative individuals to publish books that are
fun yet informational for children.
I have a great respect for the military. Both grandfathers
served in World War II, my late father-in-law served in the Korean War, two uncles
and a cousin-in-law served in Vietnam. I have cousins who served in the
Afghanistan War and I have three cousins who are currently serving in the
military. All military branches are represented in my family’s proud service. To
say that I was excited to read this book is a little bit of an understatement.
The story begins with Noah and his sister, Marina are going
with their Veteran grandfather to visit an aircraft carrier. The book gives a
little history about the formation of the US Navy and the famous naval ship,
the U.S.S. Constitution aka Old Ironsides. As the carrier explore the aircraft
carrier, the different areas are discussed about what the space is called, used
for and who uses the space. The importance of each job on the aircraft carrier
is discussed from the pilots to the cooks, everyone is important to the
function of the ship. At the end of the book, the different ships in use in the
U.S. Navy are pictured.
I love the wealth of information in this book. Real pictures
of the carrier and its crew are used with the cartoon characters inserted into
the picture. It helps visualize the aircraft carrier. I also love that the book
opens with the Sailor’s Creed as well as an anonymous quote about the American
Sailor. This book and other titles in the When
I Grow Up I want to Be… series are available on Amazon.com and other online
retailers for $12.95. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers who
want to introduce children to the different careers that are available.
