Awareness for this month
August topics
Celebrations for this month
The Feminine Touch
Women are the integral part of our society and as such, we need to appreciate and grace of their presence. They have been the pillar of strength in our societal struggles, helping in shaping and grooming the lives of the young generations socially, politically and economically, which is what a feminine touch do.
The UJ Library gives you the taste of the feminine touch e-book collection just to show how immensely women have contributed even on literature.
All the Forgivenesses by
Set in Appalachia and the Midwest at the turn of the twentieth century, this exquisite debut novel paints an intimate portrait of one resilient farm family's challenges and hard-won triumphs—helmed by an unforgettable heroine.
Growing up on their hardscrabble farm in rural Kentucky, fifteen-year-old Albertina "Bertie" Winslow has learned a lot from her mama, Polly. She knows how to lance a boil, make a pie crust, butcher a pig, and tend to every chore that needs doing. What she doesn't know, but is forced to reckon with all too soon, is how to look after children as a mother should . . .
When Polly succumbs to a long illness, Bertie takes on responsibility for her four younger siblings and their dissolute, unreliable daddy. Yet the task is overwhelming. Nine-year-old Dacia, especially, is resentful and stubborn, hinting at secrets in their mama's life. Finally, Bertie makes the only choice she can—breaking up the family for its own survival, keeping the girls with her, sending the boys off to their grown brothers, long gone from home.
Ever pragmatic, Bertie marries young, grateful to find a husband willing to take on the care of her sisters, and eventually moves to the oil fields of Kansas. But marriage alone cannot resolve her grief and guilt over a long-ago tragedy, or prepare her for the heartaches still to come. Only by confronting wrenching truths can she open herself to joy—and learn how to not only give, but receive, unfettered love.
"This emotional story of deep hardship is told in Bertie's distinct voice and is recommended for readers who enjoyed Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell, and Jane Hamilton's Book of Ruth."
The Diva Cooks Up a Storm by
The Domestic Diva investigates a secret dinner club that leaves some guests six feet under the table in this New York Times bestselling mystery series.
Sophie Winston can whip up an elaborate event in her sleep, but she rarely gets to enjoy the pampered guest treatment. Luckily, her best friend just looped her into the latest culinary craze: a pop-up gourmet dinner party. The celebrity chef, epicurean menu, and high-profile attendees are all a surprise, turning the decadent dining experience into the hottest ticket in Old Town Alexandria. Sophie's just pleased as punch to join in the fun—until the posh party proves to be a recipe for disaster.
Spirits start to sour when Sophie's tablemate Hollis Haberman brings his own hot new dish—his young trophy wife. With Hollis's son and ex-wife in attendance, there may be more heat at the table than in the kitchen. But the next morning, Sophie discovers Hollis swallowing his last bits of air, and she must scramble to stop a killer before anyone else eats their last meal.
Includes delicious recipes and entertaining tips!
Empty Vows A Riveting Depression Era Historical Novel by
In this scandalous follow-up to the Depression-era tale Mrs. Wiggins, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe brings even more period drama as a proper church-going woman ensnares a widower living too many secrets—and lies.
Reminiscent of Monroe's classic, captivating, scandalous Mama Ruby series.
Forty-something widow Jessie Tucker is beloved throughout Lexington, Alabama, for her kind heart and endless generosity. But she feels it's past time she rewarded herself—especially when upstanding Hubert Wiggins tragically loses his wife and son. Making herself indispensable, yet discouraged by Hubert's lack of romantic interest, Jessie cooks up a deception she knows will make pious Hubert do right by her . . .
Hoax or not, Hubert couldn't be happier. The passionate self he's long hidden from everyone has a new, much-riskier secret love. And the unsuspecting second Mrs. Wiggins will help him maintain his ever-so-devout image in the community . . .
But when Hubert is not the ardent lover Jessie always dreamed he was, she turns to handsome younger man Conway. Suddenly the "good church wife" can't resist temptation at all. And someone is watching: Conway's new girlfriend—and Jessie's longtime rival—Blondeen. Now Blondeen has the perfect opportunity to destroy Jessie's reputation—then become the wife Hubert should have had all along. Unless all their secrets destroy them first.
A decade after Zuma's acquittal, Khwezi died. But not before she had slipped back into South Africa and started work with journalist Redi Tlhabi on a book about her life. About how, as a young girl living in exile in ANC camps, she was raped by the 'uncles' who were supposed to protect her. About her great love for her father, Judson Kuzwayo, an ANC activist who died when Khwezi was almost ten. And about how, as a young adult, she was driven once again into exile, suffering not only at the hands of Zuma's devotees but under the harsh eye of the media.
In sensitive and considered language, Red Tlhabi breathes life into a woman for so long forced to live in hiding. In telling the story of Khwezi, Tlhabi draws attention to the sexual abuse that abounded during the struggle years, abuse that continues to plague women and children in South Africa today.
The Girl with the Kitten Tattoo by
The fur is going to fly . . .
Wedding bells will soon be ringing in Whisker Jog, New Hampshire. But instead of church bells, they may be tinkling above the door of Bowker's Coffee Stop. Lara Caphart's best friend Sherry and her fiancé David want to tie the knot where they met—in her family's coffee shop. Lara is overjoyed for her friend, but as she feeds and grooms the kitties at the High Cliff Shelter for Cats in her aunt Fran's Folk Victorian, she can't help but wonder when her own beau, lawyer Gideon Halley, will stop hinting and make their union legal.
It doesn't help that Gideon's old flame, Megan Haskell, just showed up with a tearful yarn about being fired that smells fishier than a can of tuna. But Blue, the Ragdoll cat who only Lara can see, appears to be on Megan's side. Should she ignore her green-eyed monster of jealousy in favor of her blue-eyed spirit cat? When Megan's ex-boss is found dead, Lara has to retract her claws long enough to follow Blue's uncanny clues and clear her rival of a murder charge . . .
[For POD Only:
Don't Miss the Other Cat Lady Mysteries!
Show cover: ESCAPE CLAWS / CLAWS OF DEATH / CLAWS FOR CELEBRATION / CLAWS OF ACTION]
Praise for Linda Reilly's Mysteries
"I was kept guessing until the final chapter. . . . A perfect cozy mystery."
—Susan Furlong, author of the Georgia Peach Mysteries, on Escape Claws
"Engaging characters, the psychic cat Blue, and the extraordinary healing power of cats are a winning combination for this enjoyable, heart-warming novel." —Kings River Life Magazine on Claws of Death
"I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzler of a mystery. Reilly cooks up a perfect recipe of murder and mayhem in this charming cozy."
—Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the Hat Shop Mysteries, on
Fillet of Murder
"Smart, sassy, and a little bit scary. Everything a good cozy should be!" —Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, on Fillet of Murder
The Madams by
She was asking for it.
She should have known better.
Bekezela (persevere), she was told.
It's because I love you, he said.
It's not that bad, she told herself.
In sharing their experiences from girlhood to the boardroom, from Cape Town's suburbs to the hills of KwaZulu- Natal, women from different walks of life show how chillingly common male violence against women is. Together, their voices form a deafening chorus.
Gender-based violence feeds on shame and silence but in this extraordinary collection, brave women reclaim their power and summon the courage in others to do the same.
In speaking out, sharing what was once secret, shame's hold is broken.
Heart-rending at times, it is the honesty and courage of the writing that truly inspires.
Raising Worry-Free Girls by
In a world fraught with worry and anxiety, veteran counselor Sissy Goff offers practical advice on how you can instill bravery and strength in your daughter, helping her understand why her brain is often working against her when she starts to worry and what she can do to fight back.
Strong, Calm and Free A modern guide to yoga, meditation and mindful living by
If you have always wanted to live more peacefully, love more fully, and discover a deeper, more meaningful spiritual life, yoga is the path.
Heartfelt and deeply practical, Strong, Calm and Free brings alive the possibility of a life of inner peace, compassion and joy. Grounded in both modern science and ancient wisdom, this beautiful and inspiring book demystifies the philosophy and psychology of yoga, making the 4000-year old practice accessible for modern life.
Whether you've never stepped foot on a yoga mat before or want to deepen your home practice, this beautifully-illustrated book is suitable for all abilities, gently guiding you through a ten-week journey of yoga sequences, meditations and mindful living practices that will build strength, bring insight and offer a path to healing and freedom.
Written by holistic counsellor and international yoga and meditation teacher Nicola Jane Hobbs, Strong, Calm and Free shares the tools to help you navigate the peaks and valleys of modern life, to dispel the "I'm not good enough" myth that holds so many of us back and to experience the miracle of being yourself.
By sharing her gentle wisdom alongside simple, practical exercises, Nicola invites you on a path of inner transformation. A mindful adventure of self-discovery. A journey towards health, happiness and wholeness. Towards strength, peace and freedom. Towards becoming fully and fearlessly who you are.
Financial Feminist Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love by
From the globally-recognized personal finance educator and social media star behind Her First $100K, an inclusive guide to all things money—from managing debt to investing and voting with your dollars
Tori Dunlap was always good with money. As a kid, she watched her prudent parents balance their checkbook every month and learned to save for musical tickets by gathering pennies in an Altoids tin. But she quickly discovered that her experience with money was pretty unusual, especially among her female friends.
It wasn't our fault. Investigating this financial literacy and wealth gap, Tori found that girls are significantly less likely to receive a holistic financial education; we're taught to restrain our spending, while boys are taught about investing and rewarded for pursuing wealth. In adulthood, women are hounded by the unfounded stereotype of the frivolous spenders whose lattes are to blame for the wealth gap. And when something like, say, a global pandemic happens, we're the first to have jobs cut and the last to re-enter the workforce. It's no wonder money is a source of anxiety and a barrier to equality for so many of us.
But what if money didn't mean restriction, and instead, choice? The ability to luxuriously travel, quit toxic jobs, donate to important organizations, retire early? The freedom to live the life you want, and change the world while you do it?
Tori founded Her First $100K to teach women to overcome the unique obstacles standing in the way of their financial freedom. In Financial Feminist, she distills the principles of her shame- and judgment-free approach to paying off debt, figuring out your value categories to spend mindfully, saving money without monk-like deprivation, and investing in order to spend your retirement tanning in Tulum.
Featuring journaling prompts, deep-dives into the invisible aspects of the financial landscape, and interviews with experts on everything money—from predatory credit card companies to the racial wealth gap and voting with your dollars—Financial Feminist is the ultimate guide to making your money work harder for you (rather than the other way around.)
We Should All Be Millionaires A Woman's Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by
Are you ready to fill your life with more peace, power, and joy?
We Should All Be Millionaires details a realistic, achievable, step-by-step path to creating the support, confidence, and plan you need to own your success and become the millionaire the world needs you to be.
Only 10 percent of the world's millionaires are women, making it difficult for women to wield the economic power that will create lasting equality. Whatever is stopping you from having seven figures in the bank—whether it's shaky confidence, knowledge gaps when it comes to wealth building tactics, imposter syndrome, a janky mindset about money (it's okay, we've all been there!), or simply not knowing where to begin—this book shows you how to clear every obstacle in your way, show up, and glow up.
We Should All Be Millionaires will forever change the way you think about money and your ability to earn it.
In this book, Rachel Rodgers— a Black woman, mother of four, attorney, business owner, and self-made millionaire— shares the lessons she's learned both in her own journey to wealth and in coaching hundreds of women through their own journeys to seven figures.
Inside, you'll learn:
Why earning more money is not "selfish" or "greedy" but in fact, a revolutionary act that brings the economy into balance and creates a better world for all.
Why most of the financial advice you've heard in the past (like "skip your daily latte to save money") is absolute, patriarchal nonsense.
An eye-opening history lesson on how women and people of color have been shut out of the ability to build wealth for centuries—and how we can fix this.
How to stop making broke-ass decisions that leave you feeling emotionally and financially depleted and start making million-dollar decisions instead.
Why aiming to earn $100K per year is not enough, and why you need to be setting your goals much higher.
Strategies to bring more money in the door and fatten your bank account immediately. (Including Rodgers'$10K in 10 Days Challenge which hundreds of women have completed—with incredible results.)
It's time to construct an entirely new attitude about money, claim your power, and build the financial security that you need and deserve — so you can stop just surviving, and start thriving. Let's begin.
For the first time, Angelou reveals the triumphs and struggles of being the daughter of Vivian Baxter, an indomitable spirit whose petite size belied her larger-than-life presence—a presence absent during much of Angelou's early life. When her marriage began to crumble, Vivian famously sent three-year-old Maya and her older brother away from their California home to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. The subsequent feelings of abandonment stayed with Angelou for years, but their reunion, a decade later, began a story that has never before been told. In Mom & Me & Mom, Angelou dramatizes her years reconciling with the mother she preferred to simply call "Lady," revealing the profound moments that shifted the balance of love and respect between them.
Delving into one of her life's most rich, rewarding, and fraught relationships, Mom & Me & Mom explores the healing and love that evolved between the two women over the course of their lives, the love that fostered Maya Angelou's rise from immeasurable depths to reach impossible heights.