Recent Client Recommendations
In each newsletter, I highlight several client requests, one of the books I recommended and why I picked it as a recommendation. Visit here to learn how to order your own curated list or purchase a gift card for a reader in your life. Sign up for my newsletter if you’d like to receive this content automatically each month.
The Ask
A pre-teen with a high reading level was seeking books to challenge her while also having age appropriate content. She loves history and adventure, and although she enjoys having magic in her stories, she prefers for them to have a realistic “every day” setting.
The Recommendation
I immediately thought of The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series by Michael Scott. Even though it is considered young adult, it is completely age appropriate for middle grade readers. I also think it is a perfect follow up for mythology obsessed readers who love Rick Riordan and The Lightning Thief series. The speedy reader should be kept busy for a little while because it’s a completed series with six books!
The ordinary lives of teenage twins Sophie and Josh Newman are upended when they encounter the legendary alchemist Nicholas Flamel. They are drawn into a secret world of magic, myth, and an ancient battle against the evil Dr. John Dee for control of the powerful Book of Abraham the Mage, crucial for saving or destroying humanity's future. It blends our world with magic, real-world history, mythology and alchemy along with a fast paced adventure.
The Ask
I also got to work with her mom, which made this extra fun. She mentioned she likes to seek out stories of different histories and cultures, especially the Jewish experience, and she enjoys a good food memoir. As I reviewed my own collection of food memoirs, I was immediately drawn to the most obvious recommendation. I knew it would have that mix of storytelling, historical/cultural context, and recipes that she enjoyed in other books she talked about.
The Recommendation
For her I selected KosherSoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty. Chef Twitty explores the intersection of his Black and Jewish identities through the lens of food and culinary history as part of his own journey in understanding his connection to Judaism. It is part memoir, part historical research, and part exploration of the culture of the Jewish diaspora. It also includes about 50 recipes.
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As a small thank you if you do place an order with them, use the code BOOKED2026 when you check out to receive 10% off your purchase. You will find links to each book by clicking on the book cover or the title of the book. These links also give you a more detailed description of each book!
