I was sent an invite by Atria Books to read and review “The Parisian Chapter” and was delighted to accept the offer. A big thank you to Atria Books.
Lately, I have been busy with in-depth studies, and I definitely could mix things up a bit, and this book is just the ticket.
I love the idea of exploring a library’s attic that holds hundreds of unpublished manuscripts or finding a box of archives that takes one to the past. How mysterious and intriguing for such discoveries.
By the way, I highly recommend reading Janet Skeslien Charles’s book “The Paris Library.”
Stephanie
Pub Date: May 5, 2026 by Atria Books
240 pages
Description
Paris, 1995: It’s been five years since Lily Jacobsen and her best friend Mary Louise arrived in Paris from their small town of Froid, Montana. Determined to establish themselves as artists—Lily, a novelist, and Mary Louise, a painter—they share a tiny walkup and survive on brie and baguettes.
When Mary Louise abruptly moves out, Lily feels alone in the city of light for the first time and must find a new way to support herself. She lands a job as a programs manager at the American Library in Paris, following in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved French neighbor in Montana who told her stories of heroic World War II librarians when Lily was growing up.
Here in the storied halls of the ALP, she meets an incredible cast of characters—her favorite author, quirky coworkers, broke students, trailing spouses, haughty trustees, and devoted volunteers—each with their own stories… and agendas. Lily often seeks solace in the Afterlife, the library’s attic that’s home to hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, and there, she discovers a box of archives that may be a link to the past: to Odile’s own Parisian chapter.
I finished Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together by Ilana Kurshan. The book has been published but I haven’t turned in my review yet because there is something the author briefly mentions about a group of people that made me pause and I’m trying to work out how I’m going to address this issue objectively. I will say I wish she had fleshed it out a bit better to get a clearer picture and that is part of the problem I’m having with the passage. Also, the author’s narrative often moves rather quickly onto other things… Okay, that is all I’m going to say about the subject until I release my review. Be sure to be on the lookout for it!
The books I’m currently reading are enjoyable thus far and I recommend them to consider reading. In this post, I will show three of them and the fourth book will be for another post because it is a very complex topic that I will be talking about in depth.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend of resting and reading.
Stephanie
Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict
Not yet published Expected Date: March 24, 2026 – I have a review copy from the pubs.
1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.
The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.
Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.
About the author:
Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. Up next is the February 11, 2025 release, The Queens of Crime, the thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival, mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a real-life murder, and the power of friendship among women. And in April, her first children’s book will released, a middle grade historical adventure co-written with Courtney Sheinmel called The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.
Phoebe by Paula Gooder
Published September 4, 2018
Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, whom he describes as the deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman? Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder imagines Phoebe’s story—who she was, the life she lived, and her first-century faith—and in doing so opens up Paul’s world, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped his thinking and the faith of the early church. After the narrative, Gooder includes an extensive notes section with comments on the historical context, biographical details, cultural practices, and more. Rigorously researched, this is a book for anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul’s theology.
About the author:
Paula Gooder is a speaker and writer on the Bible, particularly on the New Testament. She began her working life, teaching for twelve years in ministerial formation first at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and then at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. Following this she spent around eight years as a speaker and writer in biblical studies travelling the country and seeking to communicate the best of biblical scholarship in as accessible a way as possible, after that she spent six years working for the Bible Society as their Theologian in Residence and then for the Birmingham Diocese as their Director of Mission Learning and Development. She is currently the Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright
Published April 1, 2025
In 1874, a battered woman awakens atop a forgotten gravesite by Lake Superior. Identified only by the locket around her neck inscribed with the name Rebecca, she seeks refuge with an elderly lighthouse keeper named Edgar. But as Rebecca struggles to remember who she is, she finds herself haunted by the lingering memories of Annabel, a mysterious woman who perished in the unforgiving waves of Lake Superior years earlier. With the spirit of Annabel seemingly reawakened, and an unknown adversary on the hunt to silence Rebecca once and for all, there is more at stake than just reclaiming her own memories. Rebecca must reclaim Annabel’s as well.
In the present day, author and researcher Shea Radclyffe escapes to the lighthouse outside a historic mining town in Michigan, seeking clarity about her failing marriage. Instantly drawn to the lighthouse’s landlord, Shea contends with the vengeful legend of Annabel’s ghost and a superstitious community that has buried the secrets surrounding a decade-old murder. As the secrets harbored around Annabel’s lighthouse unravel, Shea must navigate a fight of torn loyalty, self-discovery, and the haunting forces of love and a vengeance that should have drowned a century before.
About the author:
Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets.
The last couple of weeks or so, I’ve really picked up my reading pace and achieving a good number of books read and reviewed. I’m not sure how long it will last-life tends to get in the way-but I’m encouraged and I’m really enjoying what I’m reading. I’m almost through with “The Lies They Told” by Ellen Marie Wiseman and I recently picked up “One Little Lie” (Pelican Harbor #1) by Colleen Coble from NetGalley. I thought why not since I’ve never read this author’s work before. So far, it is an interesting read. I’m also working my way through “Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire” by Eckart Frahm.
I’ve turned in a review to the Publishers through NetGalley for “The Man in the Stone Cottage” by Stephanie Cowell and my review will be posted on September 13th here on Layered Page. There will also be a couple reviews coming up shortly. Excited!
Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there’s no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes someone is attempting to destroy the only family she has.
After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother–who refused to leave–ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?
Reid Dixon is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane’s career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.
Jane finds herself depending on Reid’s calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross–especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.
Yesterday, I blogged about my upcoming books I’ve selected and that post is a start in blogging about what I’m reading and why. In the past couple of years or so, certain themes in stories have weighed heavily on my mind. Not only that but if the themes and content is something I should be reading as a follower of Christ. I’ve always read widely but was cautious about content and my Christian conventions. However, I’ve agreed to review books that I wasn’t fully aware of its content and have done my best to honor those commitments keeping in mind that I’m not reading a biblical world view on morality and so forth. I have noticed in the past few years that a particular genre from certain authors I once enjoyed reading has become darker and too graphic in human nature to say the least which-I admit-reflects much of the world we live in today. This is not pointing fingers or making accusations towards others but a reflection on my own choices I make about reading material that I want to chose to read or omit from my life.
I’ve also reflected on the issue of how readers and reviewers on NetGalley are given information about the books we choose to read. I believe there is not enough information about its content and NetGalley should provide more information about any disclaimers of content we should be aware of since we are making a commitment to read said books. Yes, I am aware of the argument if that were the case, there would be so many books not selected to read because of the disclaimers and that wouldn’t be fair to the author and so on…I was onboard with that argument for a long time but I am no longer. After all, movies come with ratings and provide disclaimers.
I realize I haven’t always been consistent in my reviews to point out any content that people need to be aware of if they need or want to avoid for various reasons.
More times than not, I felt trapped into reading said books and recently I’ve rejected two books and stated my reasons to the publishers with respect of course. This may be difficult for many readers and authors to hear but as a long-standing book blogger, my experience as a book reviewer and reader needs to be voiced even at the risk of losing subscribers.
Christians are encouraged to engage with secular books-including fiction for an understanding of the world but we should also be discerning and cautious. That is true for secularist as well. For anyone in society really.
I have read many books that dealt with sensitive and difficult topics in such a way to make the story readable to a wide audience without compromising the readers convictions of what they can read without feeling uneasy or question if this is something they should be reading in the first place. My thanks to writers who weaves the story thus. I have more thoughts on this topic and may share more at a later time.
This past week and weekend we had family visit and Saturday we went to our local Half Price Books store and loaded up! It is not often I find more than two books on my wish-list in one visit. I scored four on my list and I’m quite happy with my finds. I also purchased two books from Costco and got, “The Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon at our neighborhood’s free library where you swap out books. In total, I acquired seven books and started reading two of them over the weekend. With my galley reads, I’m all booked up and reading for a spectacular fall season of reading. I almost forgot to mention another book I was just approved for through NetGalley! So, I guess that makes eight books. I may hold off on reading, “The Frozen River” and pick it up late fall or early winter.
Do you have a book list or stacks of books you want to read this fall? What usually are your go-to genres for the season? I find that with my moods. I normally read mystery thrillers-as usual-set in the past, modern times or a dual time-line. For non-fiction reading, I like to read true crime and history. Funny that, because I tend to stick to that year round but the true crime more so in the fall. This doesn’t include my other history and research studies (Biblical, Ancient History, 1st Century AD and church fathers) I delve in year round. Yeah, that is a lot. I have a system in place and it works. I tend to be a bit of an information junkie one might say. That and I love studying history in general.
Stephanie Hopkins
NetGalley Book: Murder at the Manor
by Colin Wade
Pub Date Sep 28 2024 by The Book Guild
Description:
The Cotswold Manor Hotel welcomes an eclectic mix of guests, and on one fateful Friday evening, two witnesses overhear an argument in a neighbouring room, followed by a loud thud. The next morning, the maid discovers the room has been vacated; all that remains is a dried bloodstain on the carpet.
Detective Chief Inspector Chloe Taylor attends the scene, and soon after, a body is discovered in the lake on the hotel grounds, launching a murder inquiry. It soon becomes clear that the case is much bigger than she initially thought when one of her key suspects is linked to a terrorism investigation. A DCI from the Counter Terrorism Unit is quickly assigned to work alongside her.
As the investigation progresses, they are confronted by lies and deceit, suspicious characters, fake identities, and a case that threatens to spiral out of control. As DCI Taylor wrestles with the murder case and the politics of working with CTU, the mounting pressure leads her to make impulsive choices, putting her own life at risk.
Will she survive and solve the Murder at the Manor?
“The starting point of discovering who you are, your gifts, your talents, your dreams, is being comfortable with yourself. Spend time alone. Write in a journal.”
— Robin Sharma
This week I have been busy making YouTube craft videos, writing, painting and reading! I’ve enjoyed every step of the way in these pursuits. My videos are geared towards paper crafting and the art of journaling.
The images shown are just a few of what I’ve been creating this week. I’ve recently had a thought about how interesting it is when I’m crafting, the journey inspires new pieces. That in itself is rewarding to find inspiration within your own endeavors. What are a few of the ways you find inspiration in your own creations? If this something you’ve thought about before?
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(Images are subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie Hopkins.)
I am a bit late in the game of posting my December book round-up! The Holidays, lots of work, painting, and crafting put this post on the back burner to say the least. Better late than never!
In the year 2021, I’ve enjoyed listening to books more than I’ve enjoyed reading physical ones. That is not to say that physical books have ceased to be my favorite medium of story-telling. I got through 75 stories for the entire year and there were a few I got half way through and put aside because they weren’t for me.
For the month of December, I listened to five audio books. I really enjoyed listening to these ones and I do believe you can find all of them on YouTube. There are as follows:
Coming soon, I will be posting my favorite stories of 2021!
I’m in the throes of cleaning out two closets in my bedroom and I discovered stacks of books I’ve forgotten about or rediscovered-if you will. How is that even possible with a book worm? Believe me, it happens. As I started to undergo the stacks of books, I came upon Garth Stein’s novel, A Sudden Light. I had purchased the hardback when it was first published and I cannot recall how it ended up in my closet. For shame! That said, the novel was sitting on a wired shelf, protected by leaves of clothes surrounding the stacks. The closet cleaning quickly became a distant memory, for about ten minutes, as I opened the book to read the description and peeked through the pages. Intrigued with the premise, I chose to start reading this extraordinary story the night of rediscovery and I’m delighted with my decision to do so. I have much to say about this story thus far. -Stephanie Hopkins
About the book:
In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant whole trees and is set on a huge estate overlooking Seattle’s Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch the ailing and elderly Grandpa Samuel to a nursing home, sell off the house and property for development, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after.
But as Trevor explores the house’s secret stairways and hidden rooms, he discovers a spirit lingering in Riddell House whose agenda is at odds with the family plan. Only Trevor’s willingness to face the dark past of his forefathers will reveal the key to his family’s future.
This is the last page in this morning journal I’ll decorate. I wanted it to be extra special. A memory of what I created the most in my childhood. I was always coloring, painting, sketching, doodling landscapes, water and skies whether it be at home, church, school, camp or at friends’ houses. I never thought about it really, I just created them. Maybe it’s being in the constant frame of mind of nature and God’s glorious creation. This page is a dedication to those memories.
The flower stem is from one of my painted papers I love to create and every time I glance at it, the stem reminds me of a zucchini peal. Ha! The ephemera in the pocket to the right side of the spread is for journaling. I like to keep my journaling hidden for the most part.
I really enjoyed working in this journal I made and I cherish writing in the morning time. Every morning is a new day with endless of possibilities. It is also a fresh start. Why not make the most of it?
I made this journal from scraps of paper that I collage onto a bigger piece, from mail packaging, for the cover. The signature is a selection of scrap papers, including vintage papers. I would say that this journal comes very close to be considered a junk journal. It is definitely a mixed media journal of created and found objects.
Do you journal? What do you like most about it and how does it impact your life? These are questions to think about.
“Writing is a time-honored moment. When the writer breathes life into the characters and gives them a place in the reader’s heart. Characters capture us in their embrace and we take refuge in their lives in a world of uncertainties.” My perspective as a reader.
My niche expands in several areas that influences my overall creativity. They consist of creating art, crafting, sewing, reading, exploring nature, blogging and journaling. Discovering quotes about these endeavors inspire and encourage one to rally on when one is feeling less than inspired for whatever reason. I like writing them and include them in my journals and often times, use quotes from other artists. Besides, they are fun to read, to inspire and you learn so much! Above is one I wrote years ago about the writer breathing life into characters.
Today, I’m sharing quotes from other artists about characters in stories. There are so many and I’ve compiled my top ten favorites. Which one do you favor? – Stephanie Hopkins
“You mean Piglet. The little fellow with the excited ears. That’s Piglet.” ― A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin Gives Pooh a Party
“I think all writers are always collecting characters as we go along. Not just characters of course, we’re collecting EVERYTHING. Bits and pieces of story. An interesting dynamic between people. A theme. A great character back story. A cool occupation. The look of someone’s eyes. A burning ambition. Hundreds of thousands of bits of flotsam and jetsam that we stick in the back of our minds like the shelves full of buttons and ribbons and fabrics and threads and beads in a costumer’s shop.” — Alexandra Sokoloff
“Whether a character is good or evil depends on your perspective.” ― Steve Jones Snr
“You cannot have an effective protagonist who simply responds to events happening around him or her. Your protagonist must act, not just react.” — Rachelle Gardner
“She had a way about her that spoke of homemade bread, and caring for people, and the kind of patience that women have when they help a ewe birth a lamb, or stay up in the night with a baby calf bawling for its momma.” ― James Aura, When Saigon Surrendered: A Kentucky Mystery
“Even if you find the bad guy generally repulsive, you need to be able to put yourself so thoroughly into his shoes while you’re writing him that, just for those moments, you almost believe his slant yourself.” — K.M. Weiland
“Usually, we combine internal and external conflicts for a richer story. That means we have to understand how our characters approach and resolve conflict.” — Jami Gold
“Developing a character with genuine depth requires a focus on not just desire but how the character deals with frustration of her desires, as well as her vulnerabilities, her secrets, and especially her contradictions. This development needs to be forged in scenes, the better to employ your intuition rather than your intellect.” — David Corbett
“How can you take characters out of their elements and still convey who they are and why they are the way they are? Their dialogue, their goals and their motivations move the plot and give us a glimpse. But how can we punch it up and create memorable characters without their usual surroundings? With the things they carry.”— Jessica Topper
“People—and characters—are made up of their past experiences. When crafting a character, one of the most important aspects we consider is her past.”—Skye Fairwin,
Layered Pages 