Where Is My Bookmark: A Peek Into Ida, In Love and In Trouble & Other Friday Fun

If not for my historical book club, I likely would not have picked today's featured book to read. It is a nice change after our last two selections though, which were both on the heavier side (but both 5 paw reads for me--so no complaints here!). 

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by Gillion of  Rose City Reader. Also linking to First Line Friday hosted by Carrie of Reading is My Super Power.

Ida perched languorously on the banister at the opera house, waiting for the curtain to rise. [opening of Ida, In Love and in Trouble]

 Not an attention-grabbing start, but I do not mind a novel that eases me into the story. 

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Our host Freda of Freda's Voice is on a break, and Anne of My Head is Full of Books  has stepped in to host! 

The dichotomy of a tremulous present and a very present past sat uncomfortably side by side, in her heart, and she thought, Was this what Dickens meant when he said it was the best of and the worst of, at the same time?  [excerpt from page 96]

A couple paragraphs above this passage, Ida thinks "it was a strange and hazy time when freedom--the feeling of it, and the knowing of it--was as changeable as the weather." One moment she is making the most of her life as a Black woman in a free America and in the next, she is reading stories of lynch laws and white mobs murdering Black men without punishment.

There are more light moments in the novel than heavier ones. I am enjoying the novel, but I do not think it will end up on my favorites list this year. But I still have over half way to go, so that may change!

Ida, in Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers 

Before she became a warrior, Ida B. Wells was an incomparable flirt with a quick wit and a dream of becoming a renowned writer. The first child of newly freed parents who thrived in a community that pulsated with hope and possibility after the Civil War, Ida had a big heart, big ambitions, and even bigger How to be a good big sister when her beloved parents perish in a yellow fever epidemic? How to launch her career as a teacher? How to make and keep friends in a society that seems to have no place for a woman who speaks her own mind? And – always top of mind for Ida – how to find a love that will let her be the woman she dreams of becoming? Ahead of her time by decades, Ida B. Wells pioneered the field of investigative journalism with her powerful reporting on violence against African Americans. Her name became synonymous with courage and an unflinching demand for racial and gender equality. But there were so many facets to Ida Bell and critically acclaimed writer Veronica Chambers unspools her full and colorful life as Ida comes of age in the rapidly changing South, filled with lavish society dances and parties, swoon-worthy gentleman callers, and a world ripe for the taking.

Does this sound like something you would enjoy? If you have read it, what did you think? 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. It is hosted by Linda Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About. Join in by answering this week's question in the comments or on your own blog.

What are three things you'll never get tired of doing?

I cannot imagine ever tiring of hugging my husband and daughter, cuddling the cats, catching a show with my family, or glamping in the mountains (what is more peaceful than being surrounded by trees?). That's four things, isn't it? Oops. I would like to say I would never tire of reading, but the truth is, sometimes I need break even from that.

What about you?  

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

What fantasy or Sci-Fi should be part of the literary canon? 

Is this where I recommend my favorite fantasy and science fiction novels or do I talk about books I think are essential to the fantasy and science fiction genres? I love Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books and think Ursula K. Le Guin's work deserves all the accolades it has received. Douglas Adams deserves more praise than he gets. The Grimm brothers and Homer are entrenched in Western culture and few would argue their spot in literary canon. But the problem with literary canons are that they tend to be subjective and limited, even to the point of sometimes being exclusionary. I think there is great value in stories from around the world, reflecting various cultures, folklore and mythologies. And that should be reflected in any literary canon. 

Fantasy and science fiction of today are just as worthy (in some cases even more so) as many of the older works that generally make the lists. Octavia E. Butler's work is amazing and continues to be relevant. Some would argue she is already part of the literary canon. I wouldn't be surprised if  N.K. Jemisin and Nalo Hopkinson one day make that list--their works are already notable. I would like to see books like Marjorie Liu's Monstress added to the canon as well. Too often graphic novels are dismissed as lesser literature, but I full-heartedly disagree. 

There really is not just one literary canon that is the end all, be all. There are many lists that claim the title, and while they may have some of the same authors or books on their lists, they include different ones too. Personally, I enjoy fantasy and science fiction of all kinds. Just as much as I love Lord of the Rings, Mercedes Lackey has also earned a place on my list of greats.

If you were making your own list of fantasy and science fiction greats (books or authors), who would be on it?

 I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

---

© 2025, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.