Today's Featured Book:
Wreck: A Novel
by Catherine Newman
Genre: Fiction
Published: October 28, 2025
Page Count: 223 pages
Summary:
Though he battled for seven years to marry her, Henry is disenchanted with Anne Boleyn. She has failed to give him a son and her sharp intelligence and audacious will alienate his old friends and the noble families of England. When the discarded Katherine dies in exile from the court, Anne stands starkly exposed, the focus of gossip and malice.
At a word from Henry, Thomas Cromwell is ready to bring her down. Over three terrifying weeks, Anne is ensnared in a web of conspiracy, while the demure Jane Seymour stands waiting her turn for the poisoned wedding ring. But Anne and her powerful family will not yield without a ferocious struggle. Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies follows the dramatic trial of the queen and her suitors for adultery and treason. To defeat the Boleyns, Cromwell must ally with his natural enemies, the papist aristocracy. What price will he pay for Anne's head?
"In one single day, in two different directions, my life swerves from its path."
THE FRIDAY 56 is hosted by Anne of Head Full of Books. To play, open a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on your e-reader). Find a sentence or two and post them, along with the book title and author. Then link up on Head Full of Books and visit others in the linky.
"The intake person asks a trillion questions to make sure I don't have secret metal in my body that will shoot up into my brain and kill me as soon as the magnet's on....She runs through her list: 'Artificial limbs or joints? Pacemaker? Defibrillator? Insulin pump? Shrapnel?...Do you have an older IUD?' she asks, and I think, Do I? God, did I ever get my IUD removed? A relic from a different time, like the expired ketchup in the back of the fridge from when the kids were eight. 'Oh,' I say remembering, 'I think it fell out on its own at some point.'
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Right from the very beginning, you know where this story is going.
Still, somewhat surprisingly, it's not really a story about Problems; it's a story about thinking about Problems, dealing with Problems, coping with Problems.
And (almost) the whole story is told with humor, which helps us think about Problems, helps us deal with Problems, helps us cope with Problems.
It's a very short book. Very, very short. And your enjoyment of it will hinge on whether you are a person who prefers plot or character. Character-thumbs up, but plot? Better dial down your expectations.
As a lover of character-driven stories, I liked it a lot.
Other posts about books that I've read by this author:
We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
Sandwich: A Novel by Catherine Newman
The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.
December 26th - How many books did you read in 2025? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)
With five days left in the month, I've read a ridiculous 341 books. Note: Lots of these are children's books and extremely short books.
I may still read one or two more.
Wow, Deb, you have read a lot of books. Children's books are such a delight 😊
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