First Books of 2020 (In all Their Glory)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)

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First up, Happy New Year.  Thank you to all of you who sent me a picture over the last few weeks of the book you are reading into the New Year.  It is, as I have said many times, a big harry deal to me.  So thank you for following me down the rabbit hole.

Below, you will see the pics of the books sent in.  In the mix, you will find Authors Brian Freeman, Kaira Rouda, Randy Susan Meyers and Nadia Hashimi with their first books.  LOVE THAT.  There are also friends and book acquaintances, leaders in the book industry, champions of the written word…  you get the drift.

I chose The Summerhouse by Jude Deveroux as my First Book of 2020 because this book has wonderful memories for me and has a storyline that left me thinking about it for weeks… well years really, afterward.

Summerhouse is about three girls who meet back in their school days, Leslie, Madison, and Ellie.  They become friends over the fact that they share the same birthday.  Well, life happens and they all go their separate ways and onward with their lives.  

Then, as they are about to turn forty, they all have different things going on in their lives that are not as they had hoped.  They decide to meet up at a Summerhouse in Maine and connect over a weekend of catching up.   The girls all spend the first evening opening up about what is going on in their lives and they talk long into the night.  In the morning, they decide to go out shopping for gifts for one another and go into town and split up with plans to meet up later.  When they do meet up, they all find out that somewhere along their shopping time, they all received a little card inviting them to Madam Zoya’s.  Thinking it would be a hoot, they decide to do it.  Once they arrive, they are offered a chance to go back in time to a time when they made a choice that really set their future path and have an opportunity to make a different decision…  thinking why not… its all just smoke and mirrors, they all decide to do it.

The result is a book that still holds a coveted spot on my bookshelves.  It is still a book I hand out to friends and is considered a “book rescue” meaning if I see a used copy somewhere I have to purchase it so someone else can take this magical journey.

I have been reflecting a lot lately.  Perhaps that why I chose this book for now.  I know the great discussion my book club had around it when we read it in 2003.  I know it will hold a different message for me now.

Happy reading all.  May 2020 lead you to books that you too will hold as treasures long after you have read them.
~Sheila

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56 thoughts on “First Books of 2020 (In all Their Glory)”

  1. Pingback: First Book of the Year 2020 | book'd out

  3. I’m planning to focus on mood-boosting books during January, so I wanted to start out with a new book about Mister Rogers. Mister Rogers is a role model for me, an inspiration for what I want to become as a person.

    Thanks for hosting First Book. It’s always wonderful to see all those beautiful bright faces ready to take on their first books of the year.

    Reply

  4. Oh, Sheila, I loved The Summerhouse, too, and now you’ve made me want to read it again.

    I have another book by the author on my Kindle (As You Wish)…and should dive into it.

    Happy New Year.

    Reply

    1. Now I cant wait to review it – lol. The little time I have had to dive into it today I am finding some things in the beginning where I am making notes of the not so awesome… its still a great book… but I am finding I have some things to say 😀
      Happy New Year!

      Reply

  5. I see books I know. I see books I don’t. Already building a wish list for this year. Bon Chance everyone!

    Reply

  6. Hi Sheila! This is great. I sent you my picture on the 30th, but perhaps it got sent to your spam? Oh well…no worries! I still love seeing everyone’s choices! Hope you have a great New Year!!!

    Reply
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  11. Great pics, I don’t see mine there but I was surrounded by books so maybe it broke a rule in some way. Lovely to see these though and happy first read everyone!

    Reply

    1. I will look for it Liz… darn I missed a few this year.

      And typed your name in the search and found it. That is so crazy it did not show up until I searched for it. I had better check spam. Cool pic! I will update shortly here 😉

      Reply

    1. Hi Mary – I am listening to it on audio so I can be moving and there are some early on things that are a little far fetched that I had forgotten about – cant wait to review… I know once the book gets going it is as I described, but funny how things I didn’t notice before now all these years later I am like “come on!” lol Happy New Year!

      Reply

  18. Happy new year! I forgot to get you my picture this time. I read mostly history, biography, and historical fiction last year (only the last three Harry Potters were the exceptions), so I am starting 2020 on a recent fiction: Ready Player One. Loving it so far!

    Reply
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  22. Sheila, so nice to see you’re still doing the ‘First Book’ event. I love your ‘first book’! Read it many years ago and I remember it a bit. Think I might see if I still have a copy on my Kindle. I think I do. It would be a good book to start 2020 with. Hope life is treating you well and also hope that 2020 will be peaceful, joyful year for you. Take care!

    Reply

  23. Thank you for putting this event together! When I went to do my blog post for it, I realized I missed the last two years. I stopped blogging after my father died and I don’t know why, exactly, except that the only topic he really liked to talk about right till the end was books. I know how hard the holidays are for you and many other parents, and I’m glad this is a distraction for you. Are you picking a word this year? I always liked that idea but I’m bad at follow-through on things like that.
    I’ve never read The Summerhouse, but will put it on my Summer Reads list. This year I’m hoping to get back to blogging more regularly and keeping better track of what I read, but I tend to only last until halfway through January. On to a new year, with high hopes for all of us struggling book bloggers!

    Reply

    1. I am picking a word and hope to announce it tomorrow. It is hard to pick one and make it stick that is why it takes me so long to pick one – I want it to be significant for the entire year. think I got it though 🙂 Happy New Year!

      Reply
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  27. Sheila,

    What fun! Very cool to have some published authors with their first books, too! Thank you for putting this post together. I didn’t have time to participate, though, as I was still listening to and thinking about my LAST book of the year, Becoming by Michelle Obama, which is an incredible book, in my opinion.

    Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2020! 🙂

    Reply

  28. I didn’t get time to participate this year, but what a great collage of all your first books. Good luck in getting them read. Have a great 2020!

    Reply
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