In the Time of the Butterflies and sweeping historical fiction
Hey, listeners!
We’ve been teasing how much we enjoyed Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies for a of couple weeks, and today our full discussion of this wonderful book is available in your podcast feed! This is a wonderful book about sisterhood, resilience, and fighting for what you believe in, and we loved getting to gush about the Mirabal sisters. We decided to keep this episode spoiler free so you can listen before, during, or after reading the book. And, of course, we’re also recommending six contemporary reads that pair with this modern classic, including an under-the-radar memoir in translation and an upcoming family story about sisters and secrets.
Listen to the episode here or download it in your favorite podcast app (don’t forget to subscribe!).
If you want to read more about Alvarez and the Butterflies, these are great places to start:
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Coming up:
Next week we’re releasing a TBR toppler filled with some of our favorite coming-of-age stories by women authors. We take a generous approach to the term “coming-of-age” so there are a wide range of books on this list! And then, for our last book discussion episode of the spring season, we’ll be dropping an episode about L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle on May 18th. This is a delightful chaste romance that’s a great close to spring and kick-off for summer.
For a reminder of our spring lineup, check out this Instagram post for a full list and dates.
Currently reading:
We’re both gearing up for our summer season by reading our June book. We’ll announce our summer books on Instagram on May 11th, but we have already shared those books on the Patreon feed. In addition to NP reads, we’ve both been diving into some nonfiction. Chelsey recently finished Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and Sara listened to* (and loved!) Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc.
*You can support your favorite independent bookstores and get two Libro.fm audiobooks for the price of one by signing up with our link, or entering code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout!
Where to find us:
Download episodes of Novel Pairings wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our blog for bonus pairings, reading tips, and book recommendations. Find Chelsey at @chelseyreads or @hereadsheread. Find Sara at @fictionmatters and her newsletter. We love hearing what you’re reading, so tag us in your #bookstagram posts!
We declare after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!
-Sara and Chelsey