Saturday, May 22, 2010

On My Wishlist #9



On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.


The Queen of Palmyra
by Minrose Gwin

"I need you to understand how ordinary it all was. . . ."

In the turbulent southern summer of 1963, Millwood's white population steers clear of "Shake Rag," the black section of town. Young Florence Forrest is one of the few who crosses the line. The daughter of a burial insurance salesman with dark secrets and the town's "cake lady," whose backcountry bootleg runs lead further and further away from a brutal marriage, Florence attaches herself to her grandparents' longtime maid, Zenie Johnson. Named for Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, Zenie treats the unwanted girl as just another chore, while telling her stories of the legendary queen's courage and cunning.

The more time Florence spends in Shake Rag, the more she recognizes how completely race divides her town, and her story, far from ordinary, bears witness to the truth and brutality of her times—a truth brought to a shattering conclusion when Zenie's vibrant college-student niece, Eva Greene, arrives that fateful Mississippi summer.

Minrose Gwin's The Queen of Palmyra is an unforgettable evocation of a time and a place in America—a nuanced, gripping story of race and identity.


Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley


Lizzie Buckley has a life many women dream of - a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home and darling (when they're not fighting) three-year-old twins. But ever since the birth of her children, she's had a fantasy about locking herself in her bedroom for twenty-four hours with a good book and a box of chocolates.

Unfortunately, her husband James doesn't understand her feelings. And when Lizzie unburdens herself in a flaming email to her sister Janie, then hits send at the wrong moment and accidentally shoots it off to James instead, her fairytale life gets a big dose of reality. With the word "divorce" ringing in her ears, Lizzie finds herself moving out and embarking on a totally different life - working hard to reinvent herself as a runner, a gardener, and a writer of children's books.

But despite transforming her body, her neglected career, and her libido (courtesy of the local landscape gardener), Lizzie can't get over her soon-to-be ex. As Lizzie discovers, sometimes the fairytale ending is just the beginning of the real story.


What's on YOUR wish list today?



7 comments:

E.J. Stevens said...

Great picks!

I realized this week that my wishlist has almost 2,000 books on it. LOL! Here are a few books I added On My Wishlist this week.

xx,
E.J.

Wall-to-wall books said...

Hey! I have "Your Roots are Showing"!! I'll do a trade with you if you want. Send me something I would like (you know my tastes) and I'll send you this. Let me know!

Aimee said...

These look like interesting books! I have my wishlist here.

Unknown said...

Your Roots Are Showing sounds like an interesting and possibly fun read. Will be looking into this one more! :)

Mrs Suvi said...

I have Your Roots are Showing but it's called The Wrong Sort of Wife, I haven't had a chance to start yet but it does sound really good, doesn't it!

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Oh, I'm late to your party here...but I know that I'm always going to find books I love here.

They both sound fabulous!

Priya Parmar said...

these sound wonderful. the queen of palmyra especially!

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