Happy Friday one and all! Welcome to damppebbles. I hope you’re having a good day so far. Today marks day ten of #R3COMM3ND3D2023 and what a corker of a year it’s proving to be! We’ve had twenty-seven unique and wonderful book recommendations thus far and they’re a good looking bunch, let me tell you! No duplicates, so no clear leader yet but today could be the day….

Joining me to share the #R3COMM3ND3D2023 book love today is the fabulous Carol of Reading Ladies. Carol’s wonderful blog is a goldmine of bookish delights so if you’re not already following, you know what to do! Head on over to Reading Ladies and hit the subscribe button. But make sure you come back, otherwise you won’t find out which three books Carol has chosen!

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2023? It’s about sharing the book love. It’s a chance for authors, book bloggers, reviewers and bookstagrammers to shout about three (yes, *only* three) books they love. They can be written by any author, in any genre and published in any way (traditionally, indie press or self-published). But there is a catch. All three books must have been published in 2023. To make things interesting there are a couple of teeny, tiny rules; 1) the book must have FIRST been published in 2023 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. See, it wasn’t too painful. I just like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉

Let’s not dilly-dally, here are the three books Carol recommends…

The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor
Inspired by the sinking of the SS Benares during WWII, The Last Lifeboat is a harrowing and compelling story of survival, endurance, and hope. The story follows two women: Alice (a volunteer chaperone in the evacuation of children from England) and Lily (a mother who decides to evacuate her children). Most of the story takes place in the lifeboat under dire conditions as survivors of the torpedoed ship fight for their lives and cling to hope. In addition to the hardships, we also see themes of sacrifice, leadership, compassion, nurturing, bonding, hope, and friendship. I highly recommend this page-turning and emotional read which has earned a place on my best-of-year list for 2023.
Carol’s Review of The Last Lifeboat

Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
Symphony of Secrets is a slow-burn mystery with a side of thriller told in two timelines (1920s and present day). It is set in the world of classical music with four memorable and unforgettable characters. Poignant themes include justice, greed and power, friendship, intellectual property rights, taking advantage of others, racism, physical and emotional abuse, music composition, courage, persistence, determination, and beautiful minds. Recommended for readers who appreciate historical fiction, “own voices’ authors, and classical music.
Carol’s Review of Symphony of Secrets

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Inspired by a real-life woman physician living in China in the 1400s, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a well-researched biographical fiction story of women supporting women. Lady Tan demonstrates extraordinary abilities in the field of medicine and cares for women who are neglected or misunderstood by male doctors. During my reading experience, I was intensely immersed in the culture of 15th century China, the customs and roles, and the relationships and traditions. Individuals and settings are vividly described in exacting detail. Recommended for readers who enjoy medical content.
Carol’s Review of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women

Wonderful, thanks so much, Carol. I love the sound of all three of your picks and once again, those covers are stunning! 🫶

About Carol:
I’m Carol, and if you love reading, then we’re already friends! I’m a retired 5th-grade teacher, an ardent and avid bibliophile, and a literacy advocate. My favorite genres are historical fiction, literary fiction, and contemporary fiction. The mission of my blog is to share a love of great literature across a variety of genres with an intentional focus on new releases, thoughtful themes, diverse cultures, and “own voices” authors. I desire to be a trusted reviewer for your next great read! Respectful conversations are always welcome.

Carol’s Blog and Social Media Links:
| Reading Ladies | X (formerly Twitter) @ReadingLadiesBC | Facebook | Instagram @readingladies_book_club |

#R3COMM3ND3D will only run for the month of November this year so places are very limited. If you would like to take part in #R3C this year (and I would LOVE you to!) then please get your three choices in ASAP. If I’m unable to fill all 30 dates then any posts scheduled for the end of November will be brought forward and I will close the series early (but I don’t want to do that, it sounds miserable! 😂). Here are two different versions of the form if you fancy taking part.

If you’re a book blogger, bookstagrammer, reviewer or an author and you have three books published this year which you want to shout about then please complete the following form (or click this link: https://forms.gle/d6HbMLZJjEtUSm8FA)