Last night was so joyful! @cuyahogalib hosted Monica Comas and it was such a pleasure to hear her talk about her book, Recipe for Joy, a novel that was born from a period of intense grief in her life, as so much beautiful art often is. What she found and what we as the readers experience through her characters, however, was joy. Her story is that of a family fractured by loss and the little things that bring them together and allow them to heal.

Monica and I connected a few months back after @BookSparks sent me a copy of Recipe for Joy as part of their Spring Reading Challenge Ambassador program, and I am so thankful! Monica's DMs never fail to brighten my day 💕 I am so looking forward to her next book, Upton Retreat which releases in April 2027 and which she described as "Recipe for Joy's younger, wild sister". Sign me up!

It was also wonderful to see @taylorreadsincle again and meet his adopted book grandmas! I am continuously amazed by the book community and how stories have the ability to bring together people from all walks of life.

Thank you to the Cuyahoga County Public Library and @monicacomaswrites for a great evening. I can't wait for next time!

🗨️ Share something that brings you joy in the comments!