Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Book Club Babies
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Oxford
STATE: MS
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
Father wrote under the pen name of R. Keene Lee. https://www.facebook.com/ashtonlee.net/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2013006952
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2013006952
HEADING: Lee, Ashton
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PERSONAL
Born in Natchez, MS.
EDUCATION:University of the South, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, publisher’s representative. Works as a publisher’s rep/book vendor to public libraries in six Southern states.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
American writer Ashton Lee is the author of the “Cherry Cola Book Club” series, about a small-town Mississippi librarian who forms a town-wide book club in order to save the local library. Lee knows whereof he writes: he has been a publisher’s rep/book vendor to public libraries in six Southern states. “I’ve done it for decades and have learned just about everything about the inner workings of libraries,” Lee noted in a Traveling with T website interview. “One of the biggest problems they often have is underfunding and dealing with budget cuts. Often, a library’s budget will be cut first, restored last. An author should always write what he or she knows best. So I decided to write an entertaining series about the problems libraries have, hoping to become a national advocate for them as necessary, educational community resources.”
Lee also has the benefit of growing up in a literary family. His father was a writer and editor, and his hometown, Natchez, Mississippi, is a “writing laboratory,” as he further noted in his interview. “Growing up, I was immersed in the quirky, eccentric behavior of many members of my parents’ and grandparents’ generations. I listened, observed and remembered.”
The Cherry Cola Book Club
Lee launched his series with the 2013 novel, The Cherry Cola Book Club. Set in the fictional town of Cherico, Mississippi, population 5,000, the novel details the efforts of young Maura Beth Mayhew, director of the Cherico Public Library, to save said library. She has been given an ultimatum by town councilmen to increase circulation and membership or the library will be closed in a matter of months. Thus she launches the Cherry Cola Book Club, encouraging local citizens to gather and discuss Southern literature and enjoy some tasty potluck dinners. These efforts are at first scoffed at by the pragmatic councilmen, but ultimately the small community rallies and the library is saved for the time being.
Reviewing this first installment in Booklist, Carol Haggas commented: “Lee’s buoyant David-versus-Goliath tale zestfully illuminates a real problem confronting libraries and cities of all sizes.” Writing in RT Book Reviews Website, Lauren DuBois also had praise, calling this novel a “delightful read, written in a light and breezy style, with a cast of characters that is equal parts kooky and genuine, all set in a picturesque, quiet Southern town.” Similarly, Lesa Holstine, writing in her Lesa’s Book Critiques Website, noted: “I don’t know if Ashton Lee knows it or not, but his novel, The Cherry Cola Book Club, is a wonderful love letter to libraries, librarians, and all the people who love and support them. He took all the turmoil surrounding libraries in recent years, wrapped it up in one small Mississippi community library, and gave us a librarian heroine to cheer for.”
The Reading Circle
The series continues with The Reading Circle, in which Maura must continue her struggles. The library has been given a one-year reprieve, but her major foe in the council, Sparks, desperately wants to use library funds to help build an industrial park named after him. To that end, he is planning on putting a mole in the regular book club meetings and disrupt the group. But Maura now discovers that she has her own spy in the Sparks’ camp when the councilman’s former secretary joins the reading club.
Writing in Booklist, Haggas lauded this second installment, observing: “The challenges of keeping any library anywhere open and effectively serving its patrons is a problem facing most communities. Lee … brings these salient topics to light in an unpredictably entertaining series.” Online RT Book Reviews writer DuBois also had a positive assessment, noting: “Lee enhances this installment by spicing the story up a bit more, adding even more opinions — and challenges — swirling around librarian Maura and her crowd of book lovers.” Likewise, writing in Lesa’s Book Critiques Website, Holstine concluded: “Whether you see The Reading Circle as a battle cry for libraries, a story of strained relationships, a novel featuring tasty recipes, or a charming story of the South, Ashton Lee’s latest novel is entertaining and thought-provoking.”
The Wedding Circle and A Cherry Cola Christmas
Twin challenges are presented in the third installment, The Wedding Circle. Things seem on the uptick for Maura and her circle, with a new library being planned and Maura’s wedding to English teacher Jeremy McShay in the offing. Then word leaks that a local politician is again trying to divert library funds and also Maura’s socialite parents present sudden obstacles to her wedding. “Members of the Cherry Cola Book Club and citizens of Cherico, Miss., are back and as wonderful to read about as they ever were,” noted DuBois in RT Book Reviews, Website. Holstine similarly dubbed this a “charming wedding story,” in Lesa’s Book Critiques Website.
Lee offers a holiday treat in the fourth installment, A Cherry Cola Christmas, “one of their most endearing and uplifting stories yet,” according to RT Book Reviews Website writer DuBois. Maura is back from her honeymoon, but the mood in town is sour with some businesses closing and small-time crime on the rise. She calls a special holiday meeting of the book club to brace the town’s spirits with good stories. Writing in Lesa’s Book Critiques Website, Holstine noted: “When you have time to settle in for a Christmas comfort read, don’t hesitate to reach for the A Cherry Cola Christmas. It’s a warm, comfortable visit with old friends.”
Queen of the Cookbooks and Book Club Babies
Queen of the Cookbooks sees Maura relishing the opening of the new library on July 4. Her arch nemesis, Councilman Sparks, is scheduled to cut the opening ribbon–and why not as the new library bears his name. Maura has arranged a cook-off to help the celebrations, but there are, of course, a few setbacks. The library furniture does not arrive in time and two competitive cooks start a fight at the cook-off, but Maura and her friends smooth things out. “Lee’s feisty heroine makes light work of some tough problems in this small-town, small-stakes adventure,” commented a Kirkus Reviews critic. Booklist reviewer Stephanie Turza also had praise, terming this series addition a “delightfully cozy novel that combines small-town politics and sky-high dreams.”
The sixth and final series installment, Book Club Babies, sees Maura expecting her first baby, as are two of her good friends in town. Thus she forms the Expecting Great Things support group intended to pass on tips on pregnancy and birthing. But there are unexpected results, with one friend to be a single mom and the other giving birth to a mixed-race child; the parents of both expectant mothers disapprove. “Lee’s group of close-knit friends and her family handle serious issues of racism and repudiation, love and loyalty with their trademark homespun wisdom,” noted Haggas in Booklist. Writing in Lesa’s Book Critiques Website, Holstine concluded: “Now that there is a new generation to attend story times, read books, use library computers, there’s the promise of the future in Book Club Babies. This is the perfect way to end the series.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 1, 2013, Carol Haggas, review of The Cherry Cola Book Club, p. 17; February 1, 2014, Carol Haggas, review of The Reading Circle, p. 24; November 1, 2017, Carol Haggas, review of Book Club Babies, p. 13; December 1, 2016, Stephanie Turza, review of Queen of the Cookbooks, p. 26.
Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2016, review of Queen of the Cookbooks.
Publishers Weekly, October 23, 2017, review of Book Club Babies, p. 62.
ONLINE
Book Series in Order, https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/ (February 13, 2018), “Ashton Lee.”
Fantastic Fiction, https://www.fantasticfiction.com/ (February 13, 2018), “Ashton Lee.”
Kensington Books Website, http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/ (February 13, 2018), “Ashton Lee.”
Lesa’s Book Critiques, https://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/ (March 19, 2013), Lesa Holstine, review of The Cherry Cola Book Club; (March 27, 2014), Lesa Holstine, review of The Reading Circle; (March 26, 2015), Lesa Holstine, review of The Wedding Circle; (October 24, 2015), Lesa Holstine, review of A Cherry Cola Christmas; (December 9, 2016), Lesa Holstine, review of Queen of the Cookbooks; (November 25, 2017), Lesa Holstine, review of Book Club Babies.
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (March 26, 2013), Lauren DuBois, review of The Cherry Cola Book Club; (March 25, 2014), Lauren DuBois, review of The Reading Circle; (March 31, 2015), Lauren DuBois, review of The Wedding Circle; (September 29, 2015), Lauren DuBois, review of A Cherry Cola Christmas; (November 29, 2016), Lauren DuBois, review of Queen of the Cookbook; (November 28, 2017), Lauren DuBois, review of Book Club Babies.
Times Record News Online, http://archive.timesrecordnews.com/ (November 22, 2015), Susan O’Bryan, review of A Cherry Cola Christmas.
Traveling with T, https://travelingwitht.com/ (August 5, 2013), “Interview with Ashton Lee–Author of The Cherry Cola Book Club.”
About the Author
Ashton Lee was born in historic Natchez, Mississippi, into a large, extended Southern family which gave him much fodder for his fiction later in life. His father, who wrote under the pen name of R. Keene Lee right after WWII, was an editor and writer in New York of what is now called pulp fiction. As a result, Ashton inherited a love of reading and writing early on and did all the things aspiring authors are supposed to do, including majoring in English when he attended The University of the South, affectionately known as Sewanee. While there, he studied Creative Writing under Andrew Lytle, then editor of the Sewanee Review, and a member of the Southern Agrarians in the 1920s.
Ashton lives in Oxford, MS, enjoying the amenities of a university town that many writers have called home. Readers can like Ashton Lee at: facebook.com/ashtonlee.net.
ASHTON LEE BOOKS IN ORDER
Publication Order of Cherry Cola Book Club Books
The Cherry Cola Book Club (2013) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Reading Circle (2014) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Wedding Circle (2015) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Cherry Cola Christmas (2015) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Queen of the Cookbooks (2016) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Book Club Babies (2017) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Ashton Lee is bestselling American author best known for A Cherry Cola Book Club. Lee was born in Mississippi, the United States in an extended family that provided him with much inspiration for his fiction books. His father was an author as well and wrote under the pseudonym, R. Keene Lee soon after the Second World War. He was also a writer and editor in New York of what is now known as pulp fiction. Due to this factor, Lee inherited the art of reading and writing from a tender age and did all sort of things that aspiring writers are supposed to do including majoring in English at the University of the South. While at the university, he became the editor of the local publication known as Sewanee Review and also a member of Southern Agrarians.
Lee is a resident of Oxford; enjoying what the scenic beauty of the university town that many writers have lived to call home. Lee became a published author in 2013, when The Cherry Cola Book Club, the first novel in Cherry Cola Book Club was published.
The Cherry Cola Book Club
If you have a passion for cherry cola, books, or the scenic southern towns, then this debut novel will surely find comfort in Ashton Lee The Cherry Cola Book Club. This book is quite interesting in which a local town joins forces together to try to spare the local library. We are introduced to Maura Beth, the town’s librarian who is approached by a local councilman, Durden Spark who gives her five months to improve the situation in the library or else the library will be torn down.
Maura has no idea of how she is going to fix her problem, but she knows the place to start is with her best friend, Periwinkle Lattimore and her little café, The Twinkle. With the assistance of Periwinkle and some of the guests visiting her café, Maura finally figures a way in which she could finally save the town’s restaurant. Maura and Periwinkle make a good team working together; you will greatly admire their friendship and the unique ideas each of them brings to the table.
The author Ashton Lee has done a brilliant job in providing a vivid and accurate description and the reflections of politics, libraries, politicians and the role that the citizens play in the type of arenas. This first book is not just for geared towards librarians only; it is also for anyone who wants an entertaining fiction full of Southern characters. The book club takes different angles when describing the Southern literature, first To Kill a Mockingbird and Gone With the Wind. The story also examines what exactly makes a community as the book club and the library bring the town’s people together. The characterization is also brilliantly done; you will appreciate how Lee has created his main character, Maura. The heroine is depicted as a courageous, hardworking and a person who does not easily give up regardless of the pressure from the town’s councilmen.
The Reading Circle
Once again, Ashton Lee takes the readers back to Cherico, Mississippi where a local town is threatened for the greater good. The Cherry Cola series symbolizes the threats that public libraries face even in the contemporary world. The details often vary from city to city often vary, however, the underlying themes is just the same, libraries are often engaged in a battle between against infrastructure. If it had been up to Councilman Durden to make a final decision, the Cherico Public Library would have been closed years ago to pave the way for the construction of an industrial park. The councilman often considered the library to be a luxury that the City Council could no longer afford to allocate funds. In the first book, Maura won the battle, and her Cherry Cola Club provided her with a space to breathe. However, the threat was not over yet, as she had one year to prove to the world that the library was indeed essential and deserved to stay open.
Maura apparently knows that the library needs more than just a book club, if it has to beat the possibilities of being closed down; it needs money for books, computers, more staff and an ambient parking space. However, her first approach had been to have supported using the book club. All of a sudden the book club seems to have a problem. The more people attend, the more are the divergent ideas on which book to read, and these differences divide the people that Maura has lived consider a family. Furthermore even the teacher that she had feelings for seems to put his own desires before the library’s.
Moreover, a club divided can quickly fall and Durden, the councilman, is counting on that. Ashton Lee brings back the adorable residents of Cherico in a book that once again stresses the significance of libraries while also emphasizing personal relationship. The author is skilled at creating characters that leap from pages and chapters will their habits and eccentricities. The heroine continues to mature and transforming from once an insecure young woman to becoming a library director who is determined at even waging a political war. Lee understands the importance of libraries and uses his storytelling techniques to emphasize their importance.
The Wedding Circle
Maura Beth has come a long way. She was once a naïve librarian who allowed Darden to bully her. Then she became an advocate for a new library scheduled to be built in Mississippi, and now it is the right time for her to make some crucial changes in her personal life as well.
Maura is set to marry Jeremy McShay, an English teacher. She intends to have the wedding at Cherico so that she can celebrate with her friends. However, her mother does not approve it as she is determined to see her daughter married in New Orleans, her birth town. Maura is not the only person facing rough time alone. Jeremy knows well that his sister, who is a prominent professor at the University of Evansville will not attend the wedding as well. In the face of these challenges, will Maura triumph in both her personal as well as professional lives?
Book Series In Order » Authors » Ashton Lee
ABOUT:
Ashton Lee was born in historic Natchez, Mississippi, into a large, extended Southern family which gave him much fodder for his fiction later in life. His father, who wrote under the pen name of R. Keene Lee right after WWII, was an editor and writer in New York of what is now called pulp fiction. As a result, Ashton inherited a love of reading and writing early on and did all the things aspiring authors are supposed to do, including majoring in English when he attended The University of the South, affectionately known as Sewanee. While there, he studied Creative Writing under Andrew Lytle, then editor of the Sewanee Review, and a member of the Southern Agrarians in the 1920s.
Ashton lives in Oxford, MS, enjoying the amenities of a university town that many writers have called home. Readers can like Ashton Lee at: facebook.com/ashtonlee.net.
Photo Credit: Ellen Ogden Hefley
QUOTE:
I’ve done it for decades and have learned just about everything about the inner workings of libraries. One of the biggest problems they often have is underfunding and dealing with budget cuts. Often, a library’s budget will be cut first, restored last. An author should always write what he or she knows best.
Natchez is a writing laboratory. Growing up, I was immersed in the quirky, eccentric behavior of many members of my parents’ and grandparents’ generations. I listened, observed and remembered.
Interview with Ashton Lee- author of The Cherry Cola Book Club
the cherry cola bk clubAshton Lee, author The Cherry Cola Book Club, stopped by for an interview! Ashton talked about Maura Beth, Cherico, MS, and his writing space. The Cherry Cola Book Club made Deep South Magazine’s Summer Reading List and it is also a Pulpwood Queen selection- I have to say, knowing those 2 things- this book has a lot going for it!
Interview with Ashton Lee
Ashton- thank you for the interview! And congratulations on The Cherry Cola Book Club being chosen as one of the books on Deep South Magazine Summer Reading List.
My pleasure. CCBC was also recently chosen as a July read for the 550 chapters nationwide of The Pulpwood Queens. They are a delightful, book-sharing, tiara-wearing army of women who are voracious readers.
What was the inspiration for The Cherry Cola Book Club?
Many writers have day jobs as well. Mine has been as a publisher’s rep/book vendor to public libraries in six Southern states. I’ve done it for decades and have learned just about everything about the inner workings of libraries. One of the biggest problems they often have is underfunding and dealing with budget cuts. Often, a library’s budget will be cut first, restored last. An author should always write what he or she knows best. So I decided to write an entertaining series about the problems libraries have, hoping to become a national advocate for them as necessary, educational community resources.
Maura Beth- what would be the type of words you would use to describe her character?
Maura Beth is at once idealistic, naïve and determined. As the novel opens, we find her in shock and slightly intimidated by a trio of local politicians who regard her as little more than eye candy and her library as utterly dispensable. As the novel progresses, she realizes that she needs to toughen up and find a way around these good ole boys. Thus, she is also resourceful, growing up before the reader’s very eyes.
Is there a Cherico, MS? Or is it a fictional town?
Cherico is fictional, but it does contain components of many small Southern towns. I was also recently in Knoxville, Iowa, as part of my book tour and discovered that Midwestern small towns aren’t very different from Southern small towns. There is that sense of community and charm, and that’s what I wanted to capture in Cherico.
You have lived in Natchez and now live in Oxford. I’ve never been to Natchez, but know it has a rich history. Oxford is definitely a literary town. How have the towns you have lived in shaped your writing?
Natchez is a writing laboratory. It’s the oldest city on the Mississippi River—founded in 1716—and the social and cultural layers it has developed are noteworthy. Growing up, I was immersed in the quirky, eccentric behavior of many members of my parents’ and grandparents’ generations. I listened, observed and remembered. Some of the craziest things that happened over the years, I could not use in my writing. The truth really is stranger than fiction sometimes and has to be modified to be believable. At any rate, I consider that growing up in Natchez has provided me with a tremendous advantage as a writer. And then living in Oxford has only reinforced that. It’s a charming university town that has preserved its architecture and offers many amenities to writers and non-writers alike. Its nationally-famous book store, Square Books, received the Outstanding Independent Book Store of 2012 Award from ‘Publishers’ Weekly.’ The literary profession is a vibrant part of the Oxford community.
How long did The Cherry Cola Book Club take to write?
It took me about five months to write. I had the outline fleshed out and knew where I was going.
If The Cherry Cola Book Club was made into a movie- do you have a dream cast?
Having CCBC and its sequels (this is a series—and the next novel will be released in April, 2014) made into a movie would be ‘dream come true’ enough. I haven’t thought about casting too much. Someone like Anne Hathaway might make an interesting Maura Beth Mayhew, the determined young librarian. Shirley MacLaine might want to tackle Miss Voncille, the authoritative spinster genealogist with a tragic romantic past. I could actually see Reba McEntire as Periwinkle Lattimore, the down-home, divorced owner of The Twinkle, Twinkle Café. Councilman Sparks needs to be charming and have that dark side as well—maybe Dennis Quaid, now that’s he’s a little older?
Do you, Ashton, have a writing space? A writing routine?
I usually write in my office which is just off the master bedroom in my home. Occasionally, I will take my computer with me on a road trip if I have a deadline and write in my hotel room. When I’m in the zone, I can write any time of day, but I prefer writing at night for some reason. I can do a one-hour session or take as long as four or five hours. I’m fond of revisiting what I’ve written not too long after, doing self-editing while the work is relatively fresh in my mind.
What are you working on next? More stories about Maura Beth and Cherico, MS?
I have already written ‘The Reader’s Circle: A Cherry Cola Book Club Novel,’ which is the follow-up to CCBC. I am now awaiting word from Kensington on extending the series with Books Three and Four. Both have been plotted and tentatively titled. If that new contract is approved, I will immediately start writing on Book Three.
*Thanks to Ashton Lee for agreeing to be interviewed!
Ashton LeeAshton Lee, author of The Cherry Cola Book Club, can be found on Facebook. He enjoys hearing from fans- so definitely give Ashton a “Like” and connect to hear the latest about The Cherry Cola Book Club and the possibility of future books. If you are near the Natchez,MS area (or would like a signed copy)- Ashton will be at Turning Pages and More Books on August 26th.
Want to know more about Ashton Lee? Read HERE to see my post about Meeting Ashton Lee at Lemuria Books in Jackson, MS (and his theatrical ways!)
Ashton Lee
Ashton Lee was born in historic Natchez, Mississippi, into a large, extended Southern family which gave him much fodder for his fiction later in life. His father, who wrote under the pen name of R. Keene Lee right after WWII, was an editor and writer in New York of what is now called pulp fiction. As a result, Ashton inherited a love of reading and writing early on and did all the things aspiring authors are supposed to do, including majoring in English when he attended The University of the South, affectionately known as Sewanee.
While there, he studied Creative Writing under Andrew Lytle, then editor of the Sewanee Review, and a member of the Southern Agrarians in the 1920s.Ashton lives in Oxford, MS, enjoying the amenities of a university town that many writers have called home.
QUOTE:
Lee's group of close-knit friends and her family handle serious issues of racism and
repudiation, love and loyalty with their trademark homespun wisdom
3/2/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Print Marked Items
Book Club Babies
Carol Haggas
Booklist.
114.5 (Nov. 1, 2017): p13.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Book Club Babies.
By Ashton Lee.
Dec. 2017.304p. Kensington, paper, $15 (9781496705808).
Lee (Queen of the Cookbooks, 2016) continues her entertaining Cherry Cola Book Club series. Crackerjack
librarian Maura Beth McShay finds herself in the relatively unlikely position of not having any town battles
to fight. Her new library is a hit with the community, which has united through the innovative programs
Maura Beth has created. But nature abhors a vacuum, and so Maura Beth rallies her troops once again, this
time around creation of another kind. Maura Beth is expecting her first child, as are her staunchly feminist
sister-in-law, Elise, and her good friend, star restaurateur Periwinkle Place. Thus is the "Expecting Great
Things" support group formed, welcoming all to share pregnancy tips and experiences. They have their
work cut out for them when single-mother-to-be Elise must reveal her unusual decision to her traditional
parents, and Peri faces her mother's rejection over the specter of a mixed-race grandchild. While frivolity
certainly ensues, Lee's group of close-knit friends and her family handle serious issues of racism and
repudiation, love and loyalty with their trademark homespun wisdom.--Carol Haggas
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Book Club Babies." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2017, p. 13. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515382898/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b3aaa0c0.
Accessed 2 Mar. 2018.
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Book Club Babies
Publishers Weekly.
264.43 (Oct. 23, 2017): p62.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Book Club Babies
Ashton Lee. Kensington, $15 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-4967-0580-8
This latest book in the Cherry Cola Book Club series by Lee (Queen of the Cookbooks) presents a rosytinged
pregnancy story with few obstacles for its characters. Cherico, Miss., library director Maura Beth
McShay is expecting, as is her sister-in-law, Elise McShay, professor of women's studies, and her friend,
Periwinkle Place, owner of a popular local restaurant. Maura Beth decides that the three of them could use a
bit of encouragement and so founds Expecting Great Things, an offshoot of her successful Cherry Cola
Book Club, so that expectant mothers can be supported by others in the community. The problems that the
three face are given equal narrative weight, though their problems are not equally weighty. Periwinkle faces
the racism of her mother, who won't interact with her black husband Parker, or her "mixed-race" baby on
the way; feminist Elise must inform her parents that she has chosen to be a single parent. Maura Beth is
simply facing pressure from her mother over her child's name. A series of family meals, potlucks, parties,
and visits to the local grocery for free samples comfort the heroines. Problems are resolved effortlessly,
which may appeal to readers looking for upbeat entertainment. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Book Club Babies." Publishers Weekly, 23 Oct. 2017, p. 62. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A512184162/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=455c97f9.
Accessed 2 Mar. 2018.
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QUOTE:
Lee's feisty heroine makes light work of some tough problems in this small-town,
small-stakes adventure.
Lee, Ashton: QUEEN OF THE
COOKBOOKS
Kirkus Reviews.
(Nov. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Lee, Ashton QUEEN OF THE COOKBOOKS Kensington (Adult Fiction) $15.00 11, 29 ISBN: 978-1-
4967-0578-5
Mississippians do their level best to cope with the minor calamities that threaten the opening of their new
library.Newlywed Maura Beth McShay is about to see her dream come true. After years of serving patrons
in a cramped facility in Cherico's Shadow Alley, she can barely wait for the unveiling of the new Charles
Durden Sparks, Crumpton and Duddney Public Library. And since Councilman Sparks is scheduled to cut
the ribbon on the Fourth of July, what better way to celebrate than with a cooking competition featuring
regional specialties from across the South and beyond? Aleitha Larkin plans to offer her Chicken on the
Sofa, Marzetta Frieze will dish up her famous Cheeze Ballz, and newcomer Ana Estrella is making her
family's Pigeon Peas Cake, using a recipe all the way from her native Puerto Rico. When opening day
draws near with nary a sign of the new library's furniture, Maura begins to fret. But her pals at the Cherry
Cola Book Club (A Cherry Cola Christmas, 2015) come through with a timely substitute. Equally upsetting
is a fight that breaks out during the competition between Bit Sessions and Gwen Beetles, who come all the
way from Corinth only to get into a tussle over ham and butterbean soup. But with her new husband,
Jeremy, at her side, it seems as if Maura can conquer all, even when a local fundamentalist church starts to
picket her new library. Lee's feisty heroine makes light work of some tough problems in this small-town,
small-stakes adventure.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Lee, Ashton: QUEEN OF THE COOKBOOKS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2016. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A468389170/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f710788d.
Accessed 2 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468389170
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QUOTE:
delightfully cozy novel that combines
small-town politics and sky-high dreams.
Queen of the Cookbooks
Stephanie Turza
Booklist.
113.7 (Dec. 1, 2016): p26.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Queen of the Cookbooks.
By Ashton Lee.
Dec. 2016. 240p. Kensington, paper, $15 (9781496705785).
Lee presents the fifth book in the Cherry Cola Book Club series, a delightfully cozy novel that combines
small-town politics and sky-high dreams. Maura Beth McShay can't wait to present Cherico, Mississippi,
with its new, state-of-the art library, and she's put together a grand opening ceremony for the Fourth of July.
Maura Beth has planned every minute of the festivities, including a country music concert, tours of the new
library, and a hotly contested neighborhood cook-off. Cherico is usually a sleepy southern town, but family
recipes and old grudges bring out the competitive streak in its residents. As the competition heats up, Maura
realizes that not every Cherico resident is thrilled about the new addition to the town. While she works to
save her new library, she draws on the help of some of her oldest friends, fellow members of the Cherry
Cola Book Club. Lee's heroine is charmingly spunky and unafraid to marshal her friends and family behind
her goals. Fans of Jan Karon and Mary Simses will adore the small-town setting, down-home recipes, and
emphasis on female friendship.--Stephanie Turza
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Turza, Stephanie. "Queen of the Cookbooks." Booklist, 1 Dec. 2016, p. 26. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A474717791/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0d34a79c.
Accessed 2 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A474717791
3/2/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1520048257830 5/6
QUOTE:
The challenges of keeping
any library anywhere open and effectively serving its patrons is a problem facing most communities. Lee
brings these salient topics to light in an unpredictably entertaining
series.
The Reading Circle
Carol Haggas
Booklist.
110.11 (Feb. 1, 2014): p24.
COPYRIGHT 2014 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
The Reading Circle. By Ashton Lee. Apr. 2014. 242p. Kensington, paper, $15 (9780758273420).
Having dodged a bullet when Cherico's city council granted her a one-year reprieve in which to prove that
her library was a vital town institution, spunky librarian Maura Beth Mayhew is dismayed to learn that her
nemesis, councilman Sparks, still has another round of ammo left in his chamber. Determined to divert
library funds to pay for an industrial park that will bear his name, Sparks plants a ringer to spy on the
regular meetings of the library's burgeoning Cherry Cola Book Club. But Mayhew discovers she has an
unimpeachable insider of her own when Sparks' former secretary joins the group. While romantic
entanglements otherwise distract most of the club members and prey upon Mayhew herself, it takes an act
of God to bring the standoff between the librarian and the politician to a head. The challenges of keeping
any library anywhere open and effectively serving its patrons is a problem facing most communities. Lee
(The Cherry Cola Book Club, 2013) brings these salient topics to light in an unpredictably entertaining
series.--Carol Haggas
Haggas, Carol
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "The Reading Circle." Booklist, 1 Feb. 2014, p. 24. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A358698817/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fc136f47.
Accessed 2 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A358698817
3/2/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1520048257830 6/6
QUOTE:
Lee's buoyant David-versus-Goliath tale
zestfully illuminates a real problem confronting libraries and cities of all sizes
The Cherry Cola Book Club
Carol Haggas
Booklist.
109.13 (Mar. 1, 2013): p17.
COPYRIGHT 2013 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
The Cherry Cola Book Club. By Ashton Lee. Apr. 2013. 260p. Kensington, paper, $15 (9780758273413).
Cherico, Mississippi: population, 5,000; home to a gourmet cafe, funky hardware store, vintage antiques
shop, and an underutilized library that is struggling to stay open. A newly minted librarian, Maura Beth
Mayhew, landed the directorship of the Cherico Public Library straight out of graduate school. Now, six
years later, her dream job has become a nightmare as she is presented with a three-month deadline to get her
circulation and membership numbers up--or else. Thus is born the Cherry Cola Book Club, a cute name for
a serious effort to save Cherico's library. As Maura enlists various townspeople to join the discussion group,
where they deconstruct classic southern literature while delving into potluck suppers showcasing classic
southern cuisine, her hugely successful efforts go roundly mocked and criticized by the recalcitrant
councilmen. In the quest to change the officials' opinion and hold on to this valued resource, vibrant
friendships transform the small but appreciative community. Lee's buoyant David-versus-Goliath tale
zestfully illuminates a real problem confronting libraries and cities of all sizes.--Carol Haggas
Haggas, Carol
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "The Cherry Cola Book Club." Booklist, 1 Mar. 2013, p. 17. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A322479363/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7046ae52.
Accessed 2 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A322479363
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction
Published:
November 28 2017
Publisher:
Kensington
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5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
BOOK CLUB BABIES
Author(s): Ashton Lee
Despite this being the sixth entry in Lee's Cherry Cola Book Club series, there's still something to love about how he writes his newest installment. He never fails to make his characters interesting, and all of their adventures in their small-town of Cherico, Mississippi, are fresh, fun and exciting. As he continues to expand their world, he also manages to craft a beautiful story of love, friendship and genuine caring. Though Cherico and its residents may feel as familiar as a second home or a group of old friends, the story is new enough to make it feel like we're getting to meet them all over again.
Maura Beth McShay doesn't just have her state-of-the-art library to focus on anymore, as she and Jeremy are finally expecting their first child together. To add to their excitement as they prepare to become first-time parents, Jeremy's sister, Elise, who is also pregnant, is coming to stay in Cherico to have her baby. To give an anxious Elise a proper welcome to the town, Maura Beth, along with the help of her Cherry Cola Book Club, starts a new group in town, which allows new friendships to form as the members share anecdotes and advice about parenting and pregnancy. As they all continue to grow close, they realize just how exciting it will be when they get to welcome their newest, and officially youngest, members of the group. (KENSINGTON, Nov., 272 pp., $15.00)
Mainstream
Image of Queen of the Cookbooks (A Cherry Cola Book Club Novel)
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream
Published:
November 29 2016
Publisher:
Kensington
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5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
QUEEN OF THE COOKBOOKS
Author(s): Ashton Lee
Lee returns to Cherico, Miss., for a fifth time and the Cherry Cola Book Club members are in their best mood yet, thanks to their new state-of-the-art library that’s set to open on the Fourth of July. But of course, their plans will come to a crashing halt when they once again encounter unexpected problems. Lee knows how to perfectly keep the stories of these characters fresh, and despite revisiting them once again, the story never seems to grow stale.
The new, state-of-the-art library is finally set to open in Cherico on July Fourth, and it's going to open with a bang: fireworks, a concert by country singer Waddell Mack and a cooking contest to crown the Queen of the Cookbooks. But of course, some problems surface to ruin the celebration. With furniture issues and Renette's huge crush on the event’s singer Waddell Mack, things could unravel. It will take the Cherry Cola Book Club's traditional ways of love and friendship to get to the opening day. (KENSINGTON, Dec., 304 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Lauren DuBois
QUOTE:
one of their most endearing and uplifting stories yet
Mainstream / General Mainstream Fiction
Image of A Cherry Cola Christmas (A Cherry Cola Book Club Novel)
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction
Published:
September 29 2015
Publisher:
Kensington
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Amazon:
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5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
A CHERRY COLA CHRISTMAS
Author(s): Ashton Lee
The citizens of small-town Cherico are back in one of their most endearing and uplifting stories yet. Lee never fails to make this series stand out as it tackles some of the hardest parts of small-town life, especially the struggles that face the Cherry Cola Book Club and the town’s librarian, Maura Beth Mayhew.
Maura Beth Mayhew has finally returned to Cherico after her honeymoon, and is happily adjusting to married life — but sadly, not everything around her is quite so bright. The small town’s economy has been hit hard, and several businesses have been forced to close up. To make things even worse, a small crime spree has also sprung up. In an effort to cheer up the town’s residents in time for the holidays, Maura Beth knows there’s only one way to go: call a special meeting of the Cherry Cola Book Club and invite the rest of the town as well, in an effort to share uplifting stories. As the night goes on, it could inspire the sort of hopeful change that is needed to keep Cherico from closing up for good. (KENSINGTON, Oct., 304 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Lauren DuBois
QUOTE:
members of the Cherry Cola Book Club and citizens of Cherico, Miss., are back and as wonderful to read about as they ever were.
Mainstream / General Mainstream Fiction
Image of The Wedding Circle (A Cherry Cola Book Club Novel)
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction
Published:
March 31 2015
Publisher:
Kensington
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Amazon:
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5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
THE WEDDING CIRCLE
Author(s): Ashton Lee
Once again, the members of the Cherry Cola Book Club and citizens of Cherico, Miss., are back and as wonderful to read about as they ever were. Lee once again employs a breezy style with his writing, and his characters are still the kind who feel like old friends and neighbors. Once again, his newest book comes with high recommendations.
The members of the Cherry Cola Book Club are in a celebratory mood — not only are they getting a new, cutting-edge library on the coast of Lake Cherico, but their fearless leader, Maura Beth Mayhew, is getting married to Jeremy McShay. But of course, their celebrations soon come to a crashing halt. Not only is a local politician trying to keep the library funds away from the project, but Maura Beth’s wedding planning is hitting some serious snags thanks to her socialite parents. Now, Maura Beth will need to do everything it takes to get both the library and wedding of her dreams. (KENSINGTON, Apr., 223 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Lauren DuBois
QUOTE:
Lee enhances this installment by spicing the story up a bit more, adding even more opinions — and challenges — swirling around librarian Maura and her crowd of book lovers.
Mainstream / General Mainstream Fiction
Image of The Reading Circle (A Cherry Cola Book Club Novel)
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction
Published:
March 25 2014
Publisher:
Kensington
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5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
THE READING CIRCLE
Author(s): Ashton Lee
Lee has crafted another pleasurable and diverting tale by revisiting the cast of characters in Cherico, Miss., who were first introduced in The Cherry Cola Book Club. His style is still wonderfully light and breezy, and the characters are just as kooky, genuine and charming as they were in the first book. Also as in the previous book, the appealing characters immediately feel like old friends with whom you would love to discuss literature. But Lee enhances this installment by spicing the story up a bit more, adding even more opinions — and challenges — swirling around librarian Maura and her crowd of book lovers.
Maura Beth Mayhew has successfully won a one-year reprieve to save the underfunded Cherico Library, but she still has some obstacles ahead of her. First, the Cherry Cola Book Club has increased in popularity, which means more outspoken input and clashes among members. Then, after a violent thunderstorm rocks the town and damages the library, Maura gets another visit from Councilman Durden Sparks, who is now even more determined to cut the library’s funding. Will Maura be able to save her beloved library for a second time? (KENSINGTON, Apr., 234 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Lauren DuBois
QUOTE:
delightful read, written in a light and breezy style, with a cast of characters that is equal parts kooky and genuine, all set in a picturesque, quiet Southern town
Mainstream / General Mainstream Fiction
Image of The Cherry Cola Book Club (A Cherry Cola Book Club Novel)
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction
Published:
March 26 2013
Publisher:
Kensington
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Amazon:
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5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
THE CHERRY COLA BOOK CLUB
Author(s): Ashton Lee
The Cherry Cola Book Club is a delightful read, written in a light and breezy style, with a cast of characters that is equal parts kooky and genuine, all set in a picturesque, quiet Southern town. It’s so easy to get into the novel that the characters start to become friends, and sitting in the small-town library discussing classic literature becomes a pastime. Lee makes this such a wonderful pleasure, and reading it is a perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon.
Maura Beth Mayhew loves working in the library in the small town of Cherico, Miss. While it’s nothing fancy, it serves as a place for the local community to mingle and browse through books without question. But now the city council wants to close it down for good, and Maura Beth isn’t going down without a fight. In a last-ditch attempt to boost circulation and save her job, she starts the Cherry Cola Book Club. As the book club grows, and more than just feelings about literature is discussed, Maura Beth’s hopes get higher and higher that this little book club could save the day. But will it really? Or is she going to have to pack her bags and find a new place to call home? (KENSINGTON, Apr., 272 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Lauren DuBois
LOCAL|BOOK REVIEW
Ashton Lee’s latest “Cherry Cola” concoction a sweet holiday treat
Posted: Nov. 22, 2015
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"A Cherry Cola Christmas" by Ashton Lee (Kensington, $15)
"A Cherry Cola Christmas" by Ashton Lee (Kensington, $15)
By Susan O’Bryan
The days are shorter, and the "to-do" lists are longer. "Jingle Bells" lyrics ring loud, and "ho, ho, ho" echoes through the busy stores and streets. Television programming is filled nightly with either violence or holiday reruns and specials.
Yep, it's that time of year when we make time for others, but sometimes forget ourselves.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle, the best way to kick back at the end of a long night or on a chilly weekend — when everyone else is watching football — is with a book.
If Mr. Scrooge seems to be taking residence at your home, pick up the latest edition of Ashton Lee's "Cherry Cola Book Club," a sweet collection with hope, friendship, romance (but little sex) and no violence. The latest by the Mississippi author is "A Cherry Cola Christmas," which follows, in order, "The Cherry Cola Book Club" (2013), "The Reading Circle" (2014) and "The Wedding Circle" (2015). Books 5 and 6 are expected in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Lee has created the fictional town of Cherico, Mississippi. It's a Southern community struggling with an older population, recession, development and sense of identity. It could be any town anywhere in America. Into town steps a young and enthusiastic Maura Beth Mayhew, determined to turn the dying library around and prevent its doors from closing.
In the first book, Maura Beth creates the Cherry Cola Book Club and becomes a part of the community. Potluck dinners and a love of mystery and gossip brings the town's residents together after so many generations apart. In book 2, the librarian uses unearthed information to force the town council, especially one particular scheming politician, to upgrade the library. In the third installment, she marries Jeremy McShay, a local English teacher, who shares his wife's love for history, Chico and its inhabitants. Along the way, Maura Beth must learn how to deal with family relationships to make her wedding a special day to remember.
With all that good news and merriment behind them, members of the Cherry Cola Book Club should be excited about the holiday season. Something is missing, though. Older friends are dying, local stores are closing, and crime, though minor, seems to be on the increase.
Just as with his earlier "Cherry Cola Book Club" novels, Lee draws upon stories, not the stories just found in a library, but the tales of people, their memories and their dreams. And as with any novel about the South, food plays an important part. Recipes are included in each book.
QUOTE:
charming wedding story
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015
The Wedding Circle by Ashton Lee
Lesa Holstine
Over the course of Ashton Lee's Cherry Cola Book Club series, librarian Maura Beth Mayhew has come a long way. She's gone from a timid librarian who allowed Councilman Darden Sparks to bully her to an outspoken advocate for the new library that's scheduled to be built in Cherico, Mississippi. Now, it's time for Maura Beth to make changes in her personal life as well, but she'll still have to fight for her happiness in The Wedding Circle.
Maura Beth wants to marry English teacher Jeremy McShay right there in her beloved Cherico, with all of her local friends around her. But, Maura Beth's mother is determined to see her only daughter married in her hometown of New Orleans, in a celebration fit for a socialite. It may break her heart, but Maura Beth may have to use all of the manipulative skills she learned in dealing with Councilman Sparks in order to handle her mother.
Maura Beth isn't the only one, though, to have to deal with family opposition to a relationship. Jeremy knows his sister, Elise, an outspoken professor at the University of Evansville in Indiana, won't come to the wedding.Two seventy-year-olds find their plans thwarted by adult children, while Maura Beth's best friend, Periwinkle Lattimore, has to contend with her ex-husband. In other words, life is normal in Cherico, Mississippi.
The latest Cherry Cola Book Club novel, The Wedding Circle, isn't quite as dramatic as previous books. Instead, it's a charming wedding story that includes recipes. There might have even been a tear or two during the wedding scene. And, the family members introduced in this book are fun, particularly Cudd'n M'Dear. But, there's still tension. And, you can bet Councilman Sparks will still be scheming in the next book in the series. Maura Beth just has a feeling.
Ashton Lee can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashtonlee.net
The Wedding Circle by Ashton Lee. Kensington Books. 2015. ISBN 9781617733413 (paperback), 242p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - The author sent me a copy of the book, hoping I would review it.
QUOTE:
When you have time to settle in for a Christmas comfort read, don't hesitate to reach for the A Cherry Cola Christmas. It's a warm, comfortable visit with old friends.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015
A Cherry Cola Christmas by Ashton Lee
It was 80 degrees here yesterday, and Halloween is a week away. A little early for a Christmas novel? Christmas novels are coming out earlier and earlier every year. Honestly? Those of us who love them enjoy them any time of year. But, Ashton Lee will be appearing at one of our libraries soon, so I kicked off this year's holiday reading with the latest charming Cherry Cola book, A Cherry Cola Christmas.
Librarian Maura Beth Mayhew has returned from her honeymoon, and has some planning to do for Cherico, Mississippi's library. For the first time in her seven years as director, she has the money to hire additional staff. Maura Beth may be happy with the library's situation, but things aren't looking rosy for Cherico. Shops are closing, which means the taxes to support the town are less. And, Councilman Durden Sparks' dreams of bringing in a factory to the town's industrial park just collapsed. Townspeople are a little suspicious after tips were stolen at The Twinkle. And, some beloved friends are losing battles with their health. "Cherico and many of its citizens were hurting and needed to feel better about themselves as the holiday season approached."
When Maura Beth's mood needs uplifting, she naturally turns to her friends and the library's Cherry Cola Book Club. She doesn't see the town's losses as the death of her beloved small town, as Councilman Sparks does, but she knows everyone can use some Christmas cheer. So, she proposes that the club members meet in December, and bring an uplifting story to share. The citizens of Cherico need to rally to support each other, and their town.
Despite the downturn in the town's economy, Ashton Lee's latest book has an optimistic, hopeful tone. It's a feel-good, reflective novel, more so even than the other books in the series. Once again, Lee gathers his appealing characters to support their beloved small Southern town. The stories told by the members of the Cherry Cola Book Club are inspirational, reminding readers how far the characters have come in their lives. The story is warm and comforting, just what a Christmas tale should be. And, it's filled with the atmospheric touches that make this Mississippi small town come to life.
When you have time to settle in for a Christmas comfort read, don't hesitate to reach for the A Cherry Cola Christmas. It's a warm, comfortable visit with old friends.
*****
And, speaking of old friends, Ashton Lee will appear at the Red Bank Library in Evansville at 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 10. He'll talk about his recent books, The Wedding Circle and A Cherry Cola Christmas. The books will be for sale, and he'll be glad to sign them.
Readers can follow Ashton Lee at Facebook.com/ashtonlee.net
A Cherry Cola Christmas by Ashton Lee. Kensington Books. 2015. ISBN 9781617733444 (paperback), 225p.
QUOTE:
I don't know if Ashton Lee knows it or not, but his novel, The Cherry Cola Book Club, is a wonderful love letter to libraries, librarians, and all the people who love and support them. He took all the turmoil surrounding libraries in recent years, wrapped it up in one small Mississippi community library, and gave us a librarian heroine to cheer for.
TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013
The Cherry Cola Book Club by Ashton Lee
I don't know if Ashton Lee knows it or not, but his novel, The Cherry Cola Book Club, is a wonderful love letter to libraries, librarians, and all the people who love and support them. He took all the turmoil surrounding libraries in recent years, wrapped it up in one small Mississippi community library, and gave us a librarian heroine to cheer for.
Maura Beth Mayhew is shocked and devastated when Councilman Durden Sparks informs her she has five months to increase circulation and make the public library relevant to the citizens of Cherico, Mississippi, or the city council will withdraw support by deleting the library from the budget. Maura Beth is Director of the small library of only 3500 square feet, and she runs it with just two part-time clerks, struggling to put best sellers on the shelf. Since the council won't even give her money for computers for the public, she doesn't now what to do. She was depressed when she stopped to see her best friend Periwinkle Lattimore at The Twinkle, Twinkle Cafe, but it was a new customer there who inspired Maura Beth. When Connie McShay mentioned the book club she left behind when she moved to Nashville, Maura Beth decided Cherico would have a book club. And, maybe the club could drum up enough support to save the library.
The Cherry Cola Book Club isn't just for librarians. It's for anyone who wants an entertaining story filled with charming Southern characters (and a villain or two). The book club takes unusual angles when discussing Southern literature, Gone With the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird. The story examines what makes a community as the book club and the library bring people closer. And, of course, it features a valiant heroine fighting to preserve the library.
One reader referred to Ashton Lee's fresh voice, a voice that easily gives life to a small Mississippi community where people know each other, but may not know each others' secrets. The Cherry Cola Book Club brings together an unusual group of people, just as libraries often do. Lee brings each of them to life in this captivating story.
To keep up with reviews, tour dates, etc. for "The Cherry Cola Book Club," please go to: facebook.com/ashtonlee.net and click on the big 'Like' icon. (And, if it's not there yet, you'll soon see he's scheduled to appear at the McCullough Branch of the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library on June 3 at 6:30 p.m.)
The Cherry Cola Book Club by Ashton Lee. Kensington Books. 2013. ISBN 9780758273413 (paperback), 260p.
QUOTE:
Whether you see The Reading Circle as a battle cry for libraries, a story of strained relationships, a novel featuring tasty recipes, or a charming story of the South, Ashton Lee's latest novel is entertaining and thought-provoking.
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014
The Reading Circle by Ashton Lee
Once again, Ashton Lee takes readers back to Cherico, Mississippi where a small-town library is
threatened for "the greater good". Lee's Cherry Cola Book Club novels symbolize the threats to public libraries throughout the country. Details may vary city to city, but the underlying theme for the books remains the same: libraries are threatened in a battle that often pits infrastructure against libraries. Lee's The Reading Circle puts Maura Beth Mayhew, a library director, right in the middle of the battle for libraries.
If it had been up to Councilman Durden Sparks, the Cherico Public Library would have been closed long ago so he could use the budget to build an industrial park. Sparks considered the library "a luxury the City Council could no longer afford", but Maura Beth won the first round of the battle. Her Cherry Cola book club and a petition provided a little breathing room. She had a year to prove the library was needed, and deserved to stay open.
Maura Beth knows the library needs more than a book club. It needs computers, money for books, more staff, better parking. But, her first hurdle had been to build support using the book club. Suddenly, even her beloved book club seems to be a problem. As more people attend, they have opinions as to what should be read. And, the book selections divide the people Maura Beth has grown to consider family. Even the teacher she was interested in seems to put his own interests before the library's. And, a house divided can easily fall. Councilman Sparks is counting on that.
Ashton Lee brings back the charming residents of Cherico in a novel that once again stresses the importance of libraries while also emphasizing personal relationships. Lee is skilled at introducing characters who leap from the page with all their eccentricities and habits. Maura Beth Mayhew continues to grow, changing from an insecure young woman into a library director more comfortable with fighting a political war. Lee knows the value of libraries, and he uses his storytelling skills to emphasize their importance.
Whether you see The Reading Circle as a battle cry for libraries, a story of strained relationships, a novel featuring tasty recipes, or a charming story of the South, Ashton Lee's latest novel is entertaining and thought-provoking.
Ashton Lee will be appearing at the Red Bank Branch Library of the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library on Wed., May 14 at 6:30 p.m. Details are available here, http://www.evpl.org/events/search/event.aspx?id=37685. And if you would like to know him better, check out the five questions we asked him at that site.
Ashton Lee can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashtonlee.net
The Reading Circle by Ashton Lee. Kensington Books. 2014. ISBN 9780758273420 (paperback), 242p.
Queen of the Cookbooks by Ashton Lee
Although Ashton Lee hasn't wrapped up his Cherry Cola Book Club series, he brings one of Library Director Maura Beth McShay's dreams to a successful conclusion in Queen of the Cookbooks. Faithful readers will rejoice along with the members of the club, but it's obvious Maura Beth faces trouble in the future.
Finally! It's been a seven-year struggle, but Cherico, Mississippi is finally ready to open the new library, with all the pageantry of a July 4th celebration. But, Maura Beth confides to her new husband that something's missing. It's on a wandering trip one day that she realizes they don't have food for the grand opening. Her plan? Tents offering food, and a contest to name the best dish, with the person who made the dish crowned as Queen of the Cookbooks. But, nothing comes easy for the Library Director. Two of the cooks are at war, determined to beat each other, using sabotage if necessary.
But, the two warring contestants are the least of Maura Beth's problems. Her teenage clerk, Renette, has a crush on country star and entrepreneur Waddell Mack. She has dreams that could only stir up trouble with her conservative parents. And, those parents have already confronted Maura Beth, complaining about the books in the library while demanding the removal of some of them.
Ashton Lee's novels always have charming Southern characters, lively book discussions, and mouthwatering recipes. Maura Beth McShay has grown into a confident library director who faces down controversy, and unites the citizens of Cherico once again in this enjoyable book. Queen of the Cookbooks is the culmination of an ongoing storyline, and what should be the culmination of any Library Director's career. It's time for Maura Beth to move on with her personal life, although, as always there will be issues to deal with at the library.
Queen of the Cookbooks by Ashton Lee. Kensington Books. 2016. ISBN 9781496705785 (paperback), 245p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - The author sent me a copy of the book, hoping I would review it.
QUOTE:
Now that there is a new generation to attend story times, read books, use library computers, there's the promise of the future in Book Club Babies. This is the perfect way to end the series.
Book Club Babies by Ashton Lee
Ashton Lee wraps up his Cherry Cola Book Club series with the promise of the future for the Cherico Public Library in Cherico, Mississippi. Of course, he's talking about a new generation of library users in Book Club Babies.
Library director Maura Beth McShay is pregnant. So is her sister-in-law, Elise, who is staying with her aunt and uncle in Cherico. Maura Beth's best friend, Periwinkle, owner of The Twinkle restaurant, is also expecting. Because the three women use each other as sounding boards, it inspired Maura Beth to start a support group at the library. It's called Expecting Great Things, and all the members of the book club are invited, as long as they tell entertaining stories about pregnancies. No horror stories.
The three women are perfectly capable of providing their own horror stories. Elise is going to be a single mother who planned her pregnancy, going to a sperm bank. Periwinkle's mother rejects the idea of a grandchild, because she's racist and won't accept that Periwinkle married a black man. Maura Beth's story really isn't horrible. She has to stop her husband, Jeremy, from having all her symptoms. He's using his wife and sister as the basis for a new novel. Writer's block really only stops when he teams up with a fellow teacher to write a different book, one for fathers-to-be. But, the drama in Book Club Babies doesn't end with horror stories.
All along, Ashton Lee's Cherry Cola Book Club books have been about the library as the heart of a community. As library director, Maura Beth struggled in the series. She faced a town council and its leader who did not appreciate the library. She headed a library that was in poor shape, with no parking for patrons. She faced down the council when they wanted to close the library so the money could go elsewhere. Lee's support of public libraries was evident in the series of books, as he introduced a young woman who faced obstacles to get town support for the library, and then support to build a new, modern library. Maura Beth grew in the course of the series, both professionally and personally. She met, fell in love with and married Jeremy, and, by this final book, she and her close friends have all moved on to motherhood. Best of all, though, in the course of this series, she helped a small town build a community.
These books, including the latest one, have gathered the townspeople together at the library. They formed a book club, ate wonderful food, and supported each other through death, marriages, and, now births. Ashton Lee never forgot his aim of showing the importance of libraries in the current world. He understands their role in communities.
Now that there is a new generation to attend story times, read books, use library computers, there's the promise of the future in Book Club Babies. This is the perfect way to end the series. Fans can see what the future might be for favorite characters. This is a satisfying way to conclude the books. But, Lee has one more gift for readers. This book also includes all the recipes that have been in the Cherry Cola Book Club books. He leaves all of us with the gift of food and community. What's any better?
Book Club Babies by Ashton Lee. Kensington Books. 2017. ISBN 9781496705808 (paperback), 272p.