GALLERY: FireFighter returns to Mystic [Oct 2024]

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Photographed on October 28, 2024 when FireFighter returned to Mystic Seaport Museum from maintenance work in Rhode Island.

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See more photography from Knot So Loud here.

GALLERY: Essex, CT [October 2024]

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Photographed in Essex, Connecticut on October 19, 2024.

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See more photography from Knot So Loud here.

GALLERY: Cape Cod [October 2024]

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Author Spotlight: Jean Meltzer

Happy Pub Day to MAGICAL MEET CUTE!

I was introduced to Jean Meltzer in 2021 when she wrote THE MATZAH BALL. I was thrilled to read a Hanukkah book! In the book, we meet Rachel who is a Jewish girl who loves Christmas. She writes Christmas romance books while hiding this secret from her family. Her publisher requested she writes a Hanukkah romance so she finds inspiration at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration. It was the most adorable read and I loved how it included Christmas as I am interfaith (I celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah!).

Then came along MR. PERFECT ON PAPER. Dara has a specific checklist for the perfect husband. Her bubbe shared the checklist with a TV reporter, Chris who thought the search for Dara’s perfect Jewish husband would make good TV. Chris is a non-Jewish single dad, didn’t check any of Dara’s boxes but they both begin to fall for each other! It tugged at my heart. This book is a fun (and serious) example how we must expect the unexpected!

KISSING KOSHER is all about Avital who struggles from chronic pelvic pain who needs more help to manage her family’s kosher bakery in Brooklyn. Ethan stepped in, but he’s undercover for his grandfather who is the competition. He had a goal to steal family secrets but gets to know Avital. It was such a delight read where I was transported to the kosher bakery!

Out today, in MAGICAL MEET CUTE, Faye is a potter living in Woodstock, NY. Under the stress of antisemitic flyers circulating around the town, she focused on making pottery while she was drunk one night. She made a golem to protect her in this time of antisemitism. Next day, she meets Greg when she accidentally hit him with her bike. He loses his memory and she couldn’t help to find the coincidence that he’s similar to the golem she created. I adored this book so much. While it covered the serious topic of antisemitism, there also were funny parts that made me laugh.

What I love about Jean Meltzer is that she incorporates serious topics such as chronic illnesses and antisemitism, but also brings a lot of Jewish Joy! It’s the perfect balance and each book has an amazing amount of Judaism. I rave about her books ALL THE TIME — you really can’t go wrong with any of her books!

Book review: Pearce Oysters

Did you know today is National Oyster Day? This recent read came to mind that I must share! First, the cover art grabbed my interest. I was intrigued with how this book was about oyster farming as there are some in my area (Mystic/Stonington, CT).

Synopsis:

Golden Vale, Louisiana, is a hardscrabble coastal town 80 miles south of New Orleans but worlds away culturally. For generations, families have made their living working in commercial fishing or in the petroleum industry. After the sudden death of his father, thirty-five-year-old Jordan Pearce becomes the unwitting head of his family's storied oyster company. Amid Jordan's struggles with flighty employees, a fraught romantic life, living with his distressed, widowed mother, and a fishery that's been on life support for years, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig suddenly explodes off the coast of Louisiana, prompting one of the worst environmental disasters in history.

As fallout from the explosion and subsequent oil spill intensifies, Jordan must grapple with the existential repercussions for his family, and the surrounding community, which has already seen its fair share of hardship, having just barely recovered from Hurricane Katrina. Forced to seek help from his estranged brother, Benny―a beatnik musician who ran away to New Orleans years ago―Jordan and what's left of the quarrelsome Pearce clan are reunited under one roof, alongside a cast of unforgettable regional characters. Jordan’s desperation to save the business, coupled with Benny’s desire to distance himself from his past, test the bonds of their family and the strength of their principles. Together, they must commit to saving this long overlooked corner of the Gulf Coast―a final act of hope in the face of impending tragedy.

This tender, unflagging exploration of industry, class, culture, and the extraordinary beauty in the margins of life, is eye-opening, eco-fiction that elevates the voices of deeply sympathetic characters.

Review:

It definitely was one of my favorite reads of 2024! This book gave a lot insight in oyster farming and I learned a lot. It might be a historical fictional read but the aspects of oyster farming aren't that far off from reality. The characters felt very real making me invested into the Pearce family. I was sad when this book ended because I wanted their journey to continue! A gripping read that you must add to your TBR (to be read) list!