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“Ernest” Chitter-Chatter

Ernest Chitter Chatter Graphic October 2020

October 2020 Book Discussion

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell (St. Martin’s Press)

October 1, 2020

Dear Book Friends!

Can you believe that it is OCTOBER??? Wow…fall is in full force, that’s for sure. In my opinion, the best way to kick off October is to read a thriller. This month’s “Ernest” Chitter-Chatter book pick is The Wife Who Knew Too Much by bestselling author, Michele Campbell.

There are two ways to join in. The first is to participate in a private instagram chat (spoilers and all) with me and the book group after reading the book. The second option is to read the book, then join in on an EXCLUSIVE ZOOM with me and Michele Campbell! You can also participate in both options. Check out the details below….

Please Email me at dearmrhemingway@gmail.com or message me on Instagram @Dearmrhemingway to reserve your spot.

October 21, 2020~Instagram Rolling Private Chat

October 22, 2020 7pm EST Zoom with me, Michele Campbell and YOU!

Book Synopsis:

“Meet the first Mrs. Ford⁣

Beautiful. Accomplished.⁣

Wealthy beyond imagination.⁣

Married to a much younger man.⁣

And now, she’s dead.⁣

Meet the second Mrs. Ford.⁣

Waitress. Small-town girl.⁣

Married to a man she never forgot,⁣

From a summer romance ten years before.⁣

And now, she’s wealthy beyond imagination.⁣

Who is Connor Ford?⁣

Two women loved him. And knew him as only wives can know.⁣

Set amongst the glittering mansions of the Hamptons,⁣

The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a decadent summer thriller about the lives of those who will do anything for love and money. Who is the victim? Who is the villain? And who will be next to die?”⁣

Happy Reading Everyone!!!

I can’t wait to chit-chat!

❤️❤️❤️

Kelly

P.S.

Click on the book pic below to purchase!

The Wife Who Knew Too Much

“Ernest”Chitter Chatter

Ernest Chitter Chatter collage with Abdi Nor Iftin

The Dear Mr. Hemingway Book Discussion Group You All Have Been Waiting For…

 

July 10, 2020

Dear Lovely Readers,

I am excited to announce The Dear Mr. Hemingway Book Discussion Group….”Ernest” Chitter-Chatter With Kelly & Friends.  My goal is to connect all of my readers (and me too) with a wide variety of fabulous books and incredible authors.  Not only will you have the chance to discuss a monthly book with other book lovers from around the world, but you also will have the opportunity to connect with the author as well. All your burning questions can finally be answered by authors you know and love.  Not too shabby.

As of right now, there are two parts to this group.  You can choose to be in one or both parts.  Part one is a private group chat on instagram with our DMH community on a specific date about one of the monthly book choices.  The second part is a ZOOM with you, me and the author.  Talk about fun!!!!!

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞-𝐮𝐩 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥⁣:

𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 (Still time to join for final conversation and ZOOM)⁣

𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘔𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 by Abdi Nor Iftin⁣

Private Instagram Chat on July 9th & July 23rd⁣

ZOOM~End of July…TBA⁣

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎⁣

𝘛𝘪𝘯𝘺 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans⁣

Private Instagram Chat on August 20th⁣

ZOOM~ 7pm August 24th⁣

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎⁣

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 by Fiona Davis⁣

Private Instagram Chat September 24th⁣

ZOOM~End of September TBA⁣

𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎⁣

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘒𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩 by Michele Campbell⁣

Private Instagram Chat October 22nd⁣

ZOOM~End of October TBA⁣

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐒

👇👇👇👇👇

dearmrhemingway@gmail.com⁣

or DM me on Instagram @dearmrhemingway

Look forward to chatting with all of you

Kelly

P.S.

There is still time to join in on our July book pick. It is an awesome read with so much to talk about! Join in the fun!

Click the book pics below to purchase

Simon Says…”Read This Book”!

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer (St. Martin’s Press)

April 9, 2020

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

During your life, you experienced your fair share of despair. There was never a shortage of troubled times for you Mr. H…that’s for sure. It is now April 2020, and we are in the middle of a global pandemic…the Coronavirus (Covid-19). Comparing our experiences is pretty much like comparing apples to oranges. However, what they do have in common is uncertainty, which carries its own set of luggage.  Stress, worry, sadness, wonder, and confusion are just a few emotions that are now officially a part of our repertoire. One thing I know for sure is that escaping reality for even just a few minutes is often the break our brains need.  For many of us, reading is our respite. I may not be eager to read a post-apocalyptic novel, but a sick and twisted, domestic style psychological thriller is the PERFECT getaway for my mind. The New Husband by D.J. Palmer is the quintessential roller coaster ride of thrills and suspense that will not only hold your attention but will have you guessing until the very end.  Doesn’t this sound like a lovely distraction???

The synopsis of Palmer’s book is pretty straight forward.  You can rest assured, I like to tread lightly when talking about thrillers and suspense novels so as to not accidentally leak any spoilers.   If I seem vague, you will thank me for that later. First, we have Nina, mom to a middle school daughter, and a high school son. She is greeted suddenly with the horrific news that her husband, Glen, has gone missing and presumed dead.  Months later, she begins dating Simon, a middle school teacher at her daughter’s school. Simon is a widow as well, losing his late wife to suicide. Simon seems perfect to Nina. He is the opposite of her late husband Glen, who in hindsight, wasn’t really meeting her or her family’s needs. Here is where I have to leave you hanging.  Nina begins discovering things about Glen’s past that leaves her with more questions than answers. In addition to this, Simon, Mr. Wonderful, is beginning to appear less wonderful and more peculiar as time goes by. Bottom line… Nina may love him, but does she really know him???

The first half of this book is a slow and steady burn.  Palmer sets the scene (did I mention this takes place in New Hampshire…..Live Free or Die), while acquainting his readers with all of the characters.  Though the initial foundation of this story seems sturdy enough, red flags are peppered throughout signifying that something is amiss. The speed picks up quite a bit during Act II.  This is far from a love story of two widows finding love. This my friends is a disturbing story that will bend your mind every which way. Palmer does a killer job keeping you on your toes while trying to figure out what this “new husband’s” agenda is. I am not going to lie, the vibe is warped, the tale is twisted and the ending is insane…. that’s a good thing. With that said… I LOVED IT! This fantastic distraction is my cup of tea! Will it be yours???? 

Stay safe and healthy my friends.  Read more books! They are good for your soul!

Your Biggest Fan,

Kelly 

P.S.  If you live in the New England area, D.J. Palmer gives a nod to the restaurant Surf located in Nashua and Portsmouth, N.H. I have dined at the Nashua SURF and let me tell you this…Their Miso Marinated Salmon is out of this world. Check one of the locations out if you are ever in the area. You will not be disappointed!

Click on the pic of The New Husband below to pre-order. This book comes out Tuesday, April 14th 🤗🤗🤗.

The Best Books of 2019!!!

Collage for Best Books of 2019

December 31, 2019

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

Can you believe that today is the last day of 2019? The last day of this DECADE???? This year has turned out some tremendous reads. Today I am sharing my top nine reads of 2019. Whether I was excited, crying, horrified, or genuinely scared, these nine books delivered the feels!!!! My reading motto is and always will be READ WHAT YOU LOVE~LOVE WHAT YOU READ! If you follow this way of thinking…your reading life will be stellar! So without further ado…My top nine of 2019 (in no particular order)!

1. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (Doubleday)~This is the ultimate family drama/saga. It stole my heart ❤️❤️❤️!!

2. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware (Gallery Books)~Smart homes, technology and keyholes officially terrify me 😱.

3. The Testaments by Margaret Attwood (Doubleday)~This book was absolutely BRILLIANT! Click here for my blog post!

4. The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves (St. Martin’s Press)~I ran out of tissues reading this love story. My heart melted…….is a good way!!! Click here to read my blog post.

5. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Celadon Books)~This book absolutely lived up to the hype. Clever, sharp and impossible to put down.

6. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday)~ Whitehead does a fantastic job depicting the south in the early 1960s while getting his point across without overly graphic descriptions of the unimaginable.

7. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press)~ A poetic, thought provoking and stunning read.

8. Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison (Harlequin)~ An elite all girl boarding school, a murder and a couple of mean girls……..this was great!

9. If You Want To Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais (G. P. Putnam’s Sons)~. This South African story tugged at my heart strings. A truly beautiful story! Click here to read my blog post.

Well Mr. H…………..That is a wrap! Cheers to another decade of reading!!!!

Your Biggest Fan,

Kelly

P.S. Did you know that the most read book in the world is The Bible and according to PBS “The Great American Read”, Harper Lee’s To Kill a MockingBird is America’s most loved novel.

A Small But Mighty Stack

Small but mighty stack of books

September 23, 2019

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

I cannot for the life of me believe that today is the first day of fall. Here in Maine, we are waking up to crisp mornings, orange leaves on the trees, and pumpkin spice EVERYWHERE!  My September reading is off to a great start. From a quintessential Maine novel to a love story that had me at “Hello”, to a sequel 34 years in the making……..my mini book stack is a mighty one. Let’s dive in!

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout anyone?  A few quick notes about this book.  First, it takes place in the fictional town of Crosby, Maine.  Second, this book was an Emmy Award winning HBO mini series. Lastly, in 2009, Elizabeth Strout won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  Not too shabby. So why all the fuss? Strout masterfully captures the essence of small town living in Maine. Though Olive Kitteridge  is one novel, it is composed of thirteen short stories starring ordinary people.  All of the stories link back in some way to Olive Kitteridge, a retired school teacher.  Olive is not the easiest of characters to know or like. She will no doubt bother you, frustrate you and just plain drive you crazy.  However, as you get to know her throughout the book, you will find glimmers of her sensitivity much stronger than she lets on. With this said, it is the cast of colorful characters and their stories that paint the different shades of Olive.  Readers will experience Olive through many decades. There is no shortage of grief, loneliness and aging. Raw emotions are abundant, leaving readers vulnerable to their own feelings. Though this is not the most uplifting book I have read, it’s subtleties are extraordinary.  If you look hard enough, you will find love. I thought this book was brilliant. Give it a go! If you have already read this, guess what?????? The sequel entitled Olive Again, comes out this October.

Moving on, if you are looking for a novel that will keep you glued to the couch, try The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves.  This book has all the feels.  Annika and Jonathan have a unique love story, unlike any I have ever read.  Plan to fall in love with Annika from page one. She is quiet. She is awkward. She is completely lost in social situations.  She is about to throw in the towel with her whole college experience when she joins the chess team. Annika thrives playing this complex and ever changing game.  As she blooms in this setting, the feeling of finally belonging somewhere sets in. It is here where she meets Jonathan, the soon to be the love of her life. Let me just tell you this………… I LOVE THEM TOGETHER!!!!! Their relationship is filled with an innocence that will leave you speechless.  However, there is a catch. Something leads to their breakup. A decade later though, they end up running into each other. As they gingerly unpack their feelings for one another, new discoveries are made, leading them down a whole new path of love. Sorry, but that is all I can say without spoiling this.  Tender moments and harsh realities will keep you hooked. Believe me when I say, you won’t put this book down until the very end.

Last but not least, I devoured the highly anticipated sequel to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale..The Testaments.  First let me say…….. I LOVED IT.  But here’s the scoop. I read The Handmaid’s Tale a few years ago and enjoyed it, but was frustrated with the ending.  I simply wanted more!!! I then proceeded to watch all three seasons of the TV show, which really quenched my curiosity. Recently, I read The Testaments.  Without giving too much away, The Testaments takes place 15 years later.  It most certainly has more meat to it than The Handmaid’s Tale.  It is told by three narrators, one of them being Aunt Lydia. The perspectives have a much different tone in this story.  We know from the first book the basics of Gilead and its “purpose”. It set readers up with a dystopia that would be any woman’s worst nightmare.   The Testaments gives readers a deeper look into the Aunts of Gilead, what growing up in this twisted Republic really looked like and the perspective of the people living outside of this regine.  This book was much different than I expected (like many of us, I am not sure what I was expecting). Because I have seen the show, I had my visuals established and had a pretty good foundation going in.  I was pumped to get back to Gilead, get some more dirt from the people living there, and figure out once and for all a way to eradicate this absolute hell hole. The Testaments did reference a few things that occurred only on the TV show.  Because of this, I wonder if the book would have been more difficult to understand if I hadn’t watched the show.  I will never know! Nevertheless, if you are a fan………read this. It did not disappoint.

Your Biggest Fan,

Kelly

P.S. Click on the books below to purchase! Happy reading!!!!!

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

Maybe She’s Born With It…

Rouge by Richard Kirshenbaum

July 2, 2019

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

Makeup…So many of us wear it, adore it, and depend on it as part of our daily routine. The history of our modern cosmetic industry is swanky and unmerciful. Real-life makeup mavens Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein pioneered the beauty industry for women beginning in the early 1920s. Their bitter rivalry for superiority in the industry lasted for more than 50 years. With books written, a broadway play produced, and even a PBS special made based on their ongoing tug-of-war, these two ladies are beyond cultural icons.

In Richard Kirshenbaum’s new novel, Rouge, he tells the story of two fictional characters whose lives appear to be loosely based on real-life Arden and Rubinstein.  He cleverly incorporates history with his own fictional embellishments. Kirshenbaum’s story spans from the 1920s until 1993, with the bulk of the story taking place in the 1930s and 1940s. Though his book is a work of fiction, Kirshenbaum dives into the past with historical detail that makes it impossible to decipher what is real and what is fiction. Give your lashes a swipe of mascara and blot your cheeks with some powder, you are about to witness women who will stop at nothing to get to the top. Here we go!!!!

Richard Kirshenbaum’s story follows Josephine Herz, a Jewish woman born and raised in Poland, but who fled her native country before the Nazi invasion. Carrying her pots of beauty creams which she was constantly working on, she headed to Australia and eventually landed in New York City. It’s here that her cosmetic business became a global success.  With every successful business woman, there is bound to be a competitor to challenge them to the finish line. Meet Constance Gardiner, a New York City society woman whose vision was to make beauty accessible to every woman.  Not only did she believe in the power of cosmetics, she believed in the power women could have with the right tools. Developing a door-to door cosmetic sales model by women for women, Gardiner empowered women to be independent, earn money while raising their children and above all……. become equal to men.  Herz and Gardiner were constantly going head to head on developing the next big cosmetic breakthrough. From mascara to perfume to marketing approaches, they stopped at nothing (and I mean nothing) to outdo one another. Though these two beauties were top in their industry, there were other contenders lurking on the sidelines.  Cee Cee Lopez, a woman who worked for Gardiner, developed the first hair relaxer for the African American woman. Once loyal to Gardiner, she quickly jumped ship and worked for Herz after a major falling out. Lastly, Cee Cee’s lover, Mickey Heron, enters the playing field first as Cee Cee’s knight in shining armor, but then as a major cosmetic player himself.  The action is non-stop in this cosmetic industry drama. To make it to the top is one thing. To stay at the top is a whole other affair.

Richard Kirshenbaum’s storytelling is top notch.   He unveils his characters’ inner emotional turmoil that not only drives them forward in their quest for success, but is their number one enemy in the end.  Kirshenbaum explores how race, sexuality, and gender played such a significant role in these characters’ journeys. Though Herz and Gardiner‘s lives appeared glamorous and tidy from the outside, they were truly falling apart behind closed doors. Readers will get a glimpse of the sacrifices made to become the supreme beauty queen. Rouge is filled to the tippy top with mystique, lust and back-stabbing at its finest.  Enjoy this attractive and cutthroat journey into a world filled with lipstick, mascara and rouge.  Herz and Gardiner……..cosmetic entrepreneurs, household names and ruthless competitors…till death do them part!!!!!!

Enjoy my gorgeous readers!  Don’t forget to

Blot your lips!!!!!!

Until next time Mr. H.

Your Biggest Fan,

Kelly

P.S. Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the  advanced reader copy of Rouge by Richard Kirshenbaum in exchange for an honest review. It has been a pleasure being on this Book Blog Tour with Rouge!!!!!!!!

Click here to purchase Rouge by Richard Kirshenbaum

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