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Mom’s Favorite Reads

January 18, 2019 katemcginn09 1 Comment

I’m happy to be a member of this fast growing group, and wanted to introduce to the organization and one of its founders, Hannah Howe.

Hannah Howe writes psychological and historical mysteries. Her books can be found at over 300 outlets worldwide. Her novels have reached number one numerous times on the Amazon charts and her book, Saving Grace, a Victorian mystery was a bestseller in Australia this summer. With all of this activity, Howe found time to co-found the new magazine — Mom’s Favorite Reads.

What is Mom’s Favorite Reads? It’s a community of book lovers which produces a quarterly book catalogue, featuring over 400 books, and a monthly magazine. The magazines, available as eBooks, in print and audiobooks, have topped the Amazon Contemporary Women charts, the Seasonal charts and the Graphic Novel charts in America, Australia, Britain and Canada. Alongside leading independent authors our magazines also feature contributions from high profile mainstream authors. For example, in the new year the magazine will feature exclusive interviews with a Dr Who screenwriter, an expert on Sherlock Holmes and Terry Deary, author of Horrible Histories, one of the most popular series in the history of publishing.

Also, in 2019, the plan is to develop the community to support literacy amongst adults and children. One of the ways we will do this is by offering schools, societies and literacy projects bundles of free books.

If you are an author, you are welcome to join Mom’s Favorite Reads. If you are a reader, please visit our website and check out our video, book catalogue and magazines https://moms-favorite-reads.com

If you would like us to support a literacy project, please email Hannah Howe at momsfavoritereads@outlook.com and we will explore the possibility of supporting your project.

Blog, Kate Recommends..., What Kate's Reading

What Kate’s Reading

June 15, 2018 katemcginn09

A few months ago, I was asked to join the local book club. I’d always planned on joining when it was formed a decade ago, but life and my introverted persona thwarted any plan to attend.

I was excited and frightened to go. I knew most of the attendees — when you live in a village of less than 1000 people for over twenty years, you get to know who’s who. My fear was garnered by writer’s doubt. They would realize I’m a fraud. They hated my books and were planning to tar and feather me. Or even worse…they planned to review my book in front of me.

Well, despite my fears, none of the terrible things I thought would happen happened. I’ve enjoyed my time with the group, their insights and the books that we’ve read.

This month’s selection is Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. The New York Times Bestselling story is about Vance’s family, his youth and the culture of the Rust Belt areas of Ohio and Kentucky.

I felt an affinity to the characters described in this book. They fought to protect the family and the family fought among themselves. In my family, we were taught from a young age that “blood is thicker than water”. Another point the author made was how even as his family moved into the middle class, they were uncomfortable with the difference in the culture around them. Behaviors which were accepted in Jackson, KY were frowned upon in Middleton, OH.

Throughout the book, J.D. Vance chronicles the events of his life and how he could have taken a different road than the one he ultimately did — graduating from Ohio State and Yale Law School. His story made me laugh, cry and get angry. Bounced from household to household, a parade of “father figures” and dealing with a parent with substance abuse, J.D. grew up with uncertainty and fear. His only source of stability were his grandparents.

I highly recommend Hillbilly Elegy, it is a moving story which helps to shed light on the reasons we have a large social and political divide in our country. I believe it is important to see what other people have experienced and how their lives are affected by the politics of the day.