Weekend Reading - The Lace Reader

Happy Friday everyone!

This week I recommend Brunonia Barry’s “The Lace Reader”. This book is getting lots of attention in Boston both because of its modern day Salem setting and for the author’s unusual route to publication. The 58 year old author self-published the book first, then after it gathered a following with book clubs, she managed to sell it to Harper Collins for a $2 million deal. Of course, a quick look at the bio on her webpage reveals that she’s certainly paid her dues; studying literature, creative writing and screenwriting and a building a career history that spans the communications world from copywriting to screenwriting to young adult fiction to devising logic puzzles.

There’s a whiff of J. K. Rowling fandom in reviews of this book so I picked up my copy on Tuesday as soon as it was released. Even though I practically never buy hard cover books (they’re too bulky for my purse and usually too expensive), since it’s a heavily promoted new release, the big book sellers have it on sale for 30-40% off, meaning it’ll only set you back $15 and change. Just go buy it now on sale. Everyone you know is going to be reading this book by the end of the summer (at least if you live in the Boston area) so you’ll probably break down and read it eventually.
And no, sorry, I can’t lend you mine. My mom is already dying to get her hands on it as soon as I finish, which shouldn’t be long. After 3 days I’m already half way through it!