Hi Reader, Want to celebrate Asian American Heritage Month through words? The Asian American experience in literature offers impactful themes of immigration, racism and discrimination, generational trauma, biracial experience, assimilation, and intergenerational conflict. On The Literary Lifestyle, you’ll find my favorite books on "walking a mile in their shoes" in various genres from young adult to mystery, suspense, comedy, romance, historical fiction, and literary fiction. Hint: Many are...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Want to take a virtual vacation to the most jaw-droppingly beautiful bookstores around the world? I’ve realized that what makes these spaces so special is not just their architecture. It’s the artistic beauty of books that makes their homes feel like a museum, and the hope springs from picking up a new book. So many possibilities! On The Literary Lifestyle you’ll find some of my personal favorites from my travels, including Tampa’s Oxford Exchange, and some of the most swoonworthy...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, We're just days away from Mother's Day! Naturally, the best books about mothers are emotional. Good books about motherhood are as all-encompassing and immersive as this role is in real life. They span relatable and raw non-fiction books, as well as thematic fiction that explores the maternal bond, generational trauma, self-sacrifice, caregiving, the postpartum experience, grief and loss, and more. In my curated list of the best books about mothers, you’ll find something for your...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Today's email is a more personal one. Yesterday, I celebrated my sixth wedding anniversary. (Bookmark is very old from Etsy and the shop is no longer active.) In case you were wondering, yes, books were mentioned in the ceremony! My husband and I each filled out a questionnaire for our officiant, and I talked about The Five Love Languages in mine, which he repeated to our closest friends and family: If you all know Julianne, you'll know that she's literary. She's a reader, a book...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, April showers don't just bring May flowers, they bring May books! We're sprinting towards summer, and I have five things to share with you as a new month blossoms. Similar cat reading statues | Rifle Paper Co. classic books 1 - April's Bestsellers I compiled my unique list of the bestselling books of the month based on all the bestseller lists combined, and the #1 book is no surprise this time! 2 - April's Book Reviews I read three five-star books in April and wrote a full book...
17 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Happy Hump Day! I wanted to let you know today is the LAST day for Audible's spring audiobook sale. The Audible deal is .99 cents/month for your first 3 months, then $14.95/month thereafter. (But you can cancel anytime.) The Audible subscription gets you one audiobook credit for a book of your choice each month and unlimited access to their Premium Plus catalog, which is loaded with goodies. While I prefer supporting the library and Libro.fm (independent bookstores) for audiobooks,...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I've been brainstorming ways to make my blog posts more fun and interactive for YOU, the reader. Last week, I developed a few ideas that I implemented across approximately 50 blog posts and am excited to share with you! Vote For Your Favorite Book These polls let you vote for your favorite book, particularly on posts about one specific author. It's fun to support your favorite, and it's helpful to learn what other blog readers besides me think! See an example on: Best Kristin...
21 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Happy Independent Bookstore Day! I'll be celebrating at my new local shop and getting coffee with a local Bookstagrammer. Independent bookstores are vital to your local economy. But your indie bookstores often struggle to compete with big-box stores, particularly online. (For example, Amazon can take losses on books because they make up the profits elsewhere. Your local indie cannot.) To celebrate this holiday, learn more about why independent bookstores matter and how you can...
24 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, For the final time during this campaign, I'm celebrating today's sponsor, a brand that loves a good story by talking about stories that shaped me. Sponsored by: The Story Grid Learn how to write stories readers will love so much, they’ll tell their friends about it. Based on 30+ years experience as a writer and editor. Join the Story Grid email list and we'll immediately send you a free 5-part video series on using our tools to level up your writing. Over the last two weeks, I...
27 days ago • 2 min read