Oh, August. It’s really good to see you. You bring such a delightful energy coupled with that brand-new Crayon smell and frantic parents filling parking lots of new schools. Good times all around!
This month’s reading challenge had me finding a book I chose because of the cover. This was fairly easy, because I’m totally guilty of wandering bookstores and simply browsing covers. I’m 100% certain I’ve missed numerous amazing books because the cover was outdated or ugly. Does this make me a snob?
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m working on writing children’s picture books, and part of my journey is meeting with a monthly Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI or “squibby” for those of us on the inside track) critique group. It’s also a really nice time to spend away from my babies’ demands and in the presence of talented, creative minds. We meet at the local Books-A-Million, which is amazing, because I get to browse to my heart’s content after our meeting (don’t tell the husband! He’s already done the bath/bed routine by the time the meeting ends anyway!).
Last month, I came across The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin and decided it needed a new home on my bookshelf…next to my stacks of other books that I’m sure I’ll get to someday very, very soon.
Daisy Goodwin is the creator and writer of Victoria. Yes, THAT Victoria, the one on Masterpiece everyone loves.
The American Heiress was published in the United States in 2011, but it was first published in the UK in 2010 as The Last Duchess. It was Goodwin’s first novel. Just some fun facts for ya.
The story itself is about the wealthiest woman in American society, Cora Cash. Her mother takes her to England for “the one thing money can’t buy in the States: a title.” But, of course, be careful what you wish for, as Cora makes a “brilliant match,” according to the back cover, but finds herself in a life very different than expected.
Frankly, I’m looking forward to an easy read for my final vacation of the summer. I made the mistake of looking at GoodReads reviews (which I always tell myself not to do, as they color my opinion), so my standards aren’t overly high for this book.
It does, however, have a very nice cover.
I’ll keep you posted.