What's good is read. What's read is good.

RE:writes

Welcome to re:books

I owe you an apology. I'm sorry. The newsletter was late this week. But I have a good excuse, I was atoning for my sins (no small feat, I can assure you).

Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, began Tuesday evening. It's a holiday to reflect on, atone for, and repent the previous year's sins. In all seriousness, my list wasn't too long, but it did bring up a touch of guilt I have over my obsession with My Guy's pen... That's it. Period. His pen. If you thought penis envy was bad, you should see me fondling his ball...point pen. (Geez, it's just too easy with you!)

OK, but really seriously, the act of using a Power Pen escaped me until meeting My Guy, and now I'm convinced it holds a power that I'd like more women to adopt. (And no, this isn't my roundabout way of asking you to join my Pen15 club.) Learn why I spent a small fortune on a Santos De Cartier ballpoint pen ($500!) here.

My obsession with My Guy's pen isn't the only thing I'm admitting to this week. When I was 16, I got a tattoo with my high school sweetheart (which I don't regret), but a few years later I got a second tattoo with a friend I'm no longer friends with, of something that feels totally meaningless today. Needless to say, I have regrets.

My regrets led me to an essay by Chava Pearl Lansky on the truth behind the rumour that Jews can't be buried in Jewish cemeteries if they have tattoos. She also shares a new trend offering the same rush as a tattoo, without the body modification. If your curiosity is peaked, read her essay (with an intro by moi) here. (At the very least, you'll learn what's tattooed on my tuchus.)

I started with an apology, and I'll end with a thank you. THANK YOU to everyone who entered the re:book's #WriteAwaySummer Contest! I'll be pouring over the manuscripts in the following few weeks, and the top three will be announced by October 22.

Until next time, flip your hair and flip the page!

xoxo,

P.S. I have a book lover's dream tRE:at from us at re:books. Check it out below! 💳

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What I'm RE:ading

A balancing act of fiction and non-fiction.

I have been obsessing about getting a dog recently, so it’s no wonder Heart on a Leash and its two successor novels, Paws and Prejudice and Love and Let Bark, fell into my lap. This series is a Harlequin-style, small-town romance that defies cliché - led by dogs! In the first instalment, Taylor begrudgingly returns to her hometown of Alaska. But when three little Husky puppies lead her straight to the Porter family’s property (with whom her family has a long-standing feud), her plans to leave may be delayed. This is a funny, exciting, charming story filled with appealing characters and lovable dogs.

Called To Testify: The Big Story in My Small Life is the story of Judith Kalman, a secular Jew who grew up surrounded by non-Jews, who knew her family had a history in the Holocaust but had to educate herself to testify against a ruthless Nazi. In the process, she not only learned of her family history but also how her personal life was affected by events she was never aware of. It’s a profound and introspective memoir about coming to terms with the past and one’s own identity.

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guilty pleasuRE: tRE:asuRE

Easy, fun reads.

Lauren Weisberger, the author of Devil Wears Prada, does it again with Where The Grass Is Green and The Girls Are Pretty. Payton is a popular news anchor who’s the epitome of every woman’s dream with her fame, fashion, and fabulous face. But when her husband is seen on TV in handcuffs, her life is catapulted into humiliation and disgrace. She and her daughter retreat to the suburbs to hide and stay with her down-to-earth sister Skye, and their relationships are put under the microscope. Payton and Skye have to own up to secrets and mistakes in their pasts. Her disgraced daughter, Max, also gets a lesson about life’s opportunities and how they may not be handed to everyone on a silver platter. Where The Grass Is Green and The Girls Are Pretty is a fabulous example of the author’s reliable, exceptional character and drama development that is so believable it feels like it was ripped from the headlines.

RE:caRE:s

Jewish authors and characters.

The great Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated that she was inspired by diverse women and their respective accomplishments. RBG'S Brave & Brilliant Women: 33 Jewish Women to Inspire Everyone is a collection of biographies of Jewish women she listed as powerful sources of inspiration in her personal and professional life. The list starts with biblical figures like Deborah – the only female judge in the Old Testament. It continues chronologically, including amazing historical figures such as Golda Meir and Anne Frank, and concludes with modern notables. Nadine Epstein ensured that the cultural impact was included, yet she also aimed her book to inspire a broader audience.

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book RE:port

“I’ve been told this book is like an emotional guide to immigration, because of the range of emotions that it covers.”

— Gayathri Shukla, author of Landed: Transformative Stories of Canadian Immigrant Women. In it, she outlines what it's like to be a female immigrant in Calgary by interviewing 37 different women from 30 different countries. Her goal was to let these women know that their stories matter. I can safely say that they definitely do!

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tRE:at

No books here, just a giveaway to pamper one lucky winner.

Thanks to the outpouring of interest, we are giving away another copy of Don't Worry, Just Cook by Bonnie Stern, one more "Chai how are you?" t-shirt, and one more $25 Apple gift card (because of Rosh Hashanah).

Click here to enter the giveaway

P.S. I don't want to spam the newsletter with a long list of 15 names, so last week's giveaway winners will be contacted directly.

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Enco:RE

Missed the last few newsletters? Read them here.

09/21/2022 - I'm So Chai ✡️🍎🍯
09/13/2022 - Chapter 62: Who's got it worse? Writers or real estate agents? 🏠

Spread the love and forward this to a friend

Rebecca Eckler
Author, "Book Therapist"

Want to sponsor an edition of RE:books? --> Let's work together

Need a pRE:p talk? --> I inspiRE writers and authors

For all other inquiries, email info@rebooks.ca.

*tREat contest rules here.

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