If you're like me, you’ve fallen in love with countless books, only to realize later that you can’t quite remember what they were about. If you’re an avid reader, you’ve probably experienced it too. Once again, I’m using this blog to document the books I’ve read and loved, along with key details to help me remember why they resonated with me. With my leisure reading time limited this year due to active writing for my second book, I have even more reason to slow down and savo

What began in 2013 as a group of friends sharing book suggestions on Facebook and tallying up their favorite reads at the end of the year evolved into a dedicated Facebook Page with over 130 readers. Over the years, we’ve compiled an impressive list of 1,500 titles, ranked annually by participants’ Top 10 lists. Here’s my personal list of #1-ranked books since 2013, arranged in alphabetical order. (As any passionate reader knows, "book math" often includes ties or extras beca

April is Genocide Awareness Month and a time to honor the memory of victims, raise awareness about past and ongoing genocides, and...

If you're seeking historical fiction novels  that portray strong women  during some of history's darkest times, here’s a unique list...

If you're like me, you’ve fallen in love with countless books, only to realize later that you can’t quite remember what they were about. You recall the way they made you feel—the heartache, the excitement, the sense of wonder—but the details? Gone. If you’re an avid reader, you’ve probably experienced it too. In 2025, I’m using this blog to document the books I’ve read and loved, along with key details to help me remember why they resonated with me. With my leisure reading ti

Q: Which Milestone Best Represents the First Year of Who She Left Behind ? 5 Esteemed awards Over 100 combined reviews averaging 4.85...

I was recently invited to speak at a prominent women’s leadership conference on the topic, “ Failing Forward: Embracing Setbacks as...

Recently, I asked members of several Facebook book groups to share their favorite historical and literary fiction titles featuring female...

By:  Angela & Melissa, The Book Girls’ Guide. Reprinted from June 4, 2024 “Summer days are perfect for soaking up some much-needed...

Who else enjoys exploring vacation destinations through historical fiction? Whether it's a local getaway or a river cruise on the Danube,...

As with several of my research questions, Facebook groups have provided invaluable answers and encouragement. One of my latest...

I never heard of the Armenian Genocide. Why didn’t I learn about it in school? My Armenian grandparents never talked about how they...

A month dedicated to library lovers seems like the best time to thank my readers who have generously purchased two books at events – one...

HER CHRONOLOGICAL TIMELINE FOR 2023 Conception & Congratulations June 29, 2023 Her author opened a letter that would be the exciting...

Did you know that 50 is the magic number of book reviews for Amazon to begin promoting a book? That is when the mysterious algorithms...

Published in The Armenian Weekly, October 28, 2023 Photos: Ken Martin WORCESTER, WHITINSVILLE, Mass. - Over 75 friends, family members,...

One of my newfound semi-retirement hobbies is creating puzzles. Although I may not be a true hobbyist or do-it-yourselfer, puzzle-making...

For me, I would jump at the chance to meet KAREN JEPPE, the Danish missionary, trail blazer, and extraordinary business leader who...

What started with an invitation to attend a Black Doll Power Workshop from my friend and fellow doll collector, Debbie Hall, resulted in...

At least three generations of women in my family were devout Christians; yet they deeply believed in Superstition as if it were a cult...

It’s not every day a city turns 300 years old! To commemorate the Worcester Tercentennial this month, I’ve gathered a few fun facts about...

Published in The Armenian Mirror-Spectator 5/26/22 By Victoria Atamian Waterman Well-known doll collector and entrepreneur, Mildred Seeley founded World Doll Day on June 11, 1986, to spread a message that a common doll could be an instrument of world understanding. Since then, the tradition has been celebrated on the second Saturday of every June and encourages participants to give someone a doll, especially to a child that does not have one. There are many ways to observe

It has been 7 years since that significant Memorial Day when I found flowers at my great-aunt’s grave. Worn silk flowers thoughtfully...

.... or so I thought … until I found this pillow in a pricey gift shop in Newport, Rhode Island. At first, I was stunned and incredulous...

Nuri Dolls with their favorite donkey While this was exclaimed by Armenian girls all across the land who loved their dolls, it was one of...

"As I See It" Editorial Published 9:03 p.m. ET March 3, 2022 It never occurred to me that being a female author, writing a historic...

Most people who know me and my passion for reading also know of my love of historical fiction novels. It occurred to me recently that...

Little did I know that asking for help to identify the embroidery made by my grandmother, Lucy (Karadelian) Kasparian, would lead to a...

Imagine..... Had the nations taken punitive action against the Turkish perpetrators of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, would Hitler have...

I am starting to get that child-like magical feeling now that we're in the holiday season. Sure, its about getting together with family &...

The forget-me-not flower expresses the theme of eternal remembrance, and is also meant to symbolically evoke the past, present, and...

THIS LITTLE GIRL grew up in a bilingual (Armenian/ English), multi-generation, single parent home in the suburbs of Rhode Island, USA. ...