pickMargery Benson is a spinster obsessed with finding a beetle that no one has ever seen. It‘s 1950 and Margery decides to go all the way to New Caledonia to find this beetle. She ends up bringing along an assistant who is full of surprises and secrets. Lots of challenges and funny moments but this is ultimately a book about how friendship can grow and flourish in the most unlikely of situations. It‘s fiction but love how it‘s based on a real photo!
pickFull of adventure and drama and Greek mythology! Lore, the last of her line of the Perseides) is trying to end the Agon, basically a 7 day hunt/ fight to the death of Greek Gods. Taking place in modern day NYC, I love how the author weaves ancient history with the present day setting. I was a little confused in the beginning with all the mythology and bloodlines but that didn‘t last long. Lots of adventure and betrayal kept me interested!
pickI‘m having a hard time finding the words to convey my feelings about this book. For me,this book feels like too much to put into words. It will stay with me and it is truly original- both in the storytelling and in the story. I can also say I like it more as time goes on-the descriptions and language have stayed with me-about the plantation, about slavery and it‘s horrific abuses, and the deep love between Samuel and Isaiah.
Happy Birthday to me 🎂🎉 Bought myself a few presents 😁📚
pickI really enjoyed this YA graphic novel about a girl from Korea that emigrated to America in the 90‘s when she was 14. I would definitely recommend this to my students- she really captures all the emotions of being an immigrant and how hard it is to learn a new culture and language.
Not enjoying this even though I loved his other books. Do I keep reading-maybe it will get better? Or stop- there‘s so many other good books to read! 🤷🏻♀️
pickJuliet & her husband Michael decide to sail the Caribbean for a year with their two young children. It sounds simple but this book has a surprising amount of depth about what can happen in a marriage and the complicated feelings we have with motherhood. Lots of info about sailing which can be tedious (I know nothing about sailing). The narration is also unique-told from both the husband and the wife‘s POV but it changes even between paragraphs.
pickIt‘s hard to believe this is a debut. It‘s excellent. But not for the faint-hearted. Lots of secrets and betrayals which impact families for generations until it all blows up. It was also really interesting to read a story that takes place on the south side of Chicago- which feels like a different city than the one I live in. I also felt like she has mastered storytelling while making important points about society.
pickThis is an easy, quick but also super creepy read. Patty has been in prison for 5 years for child abuse- she was found guilty of making her daughter sick for years. Rose Gold, her daughter, picks her up when she is released and allows Patty to stay with her. This is where the real story starts. Told from both perspectives-it‘s pretty twisted and really makes you think about mother/daughter relationships. Good summer read.
pickSince we have no power as a result of a tornado ripping through our neighborhood yesterday afternoon (we‘re all fine) now is as good a time as any for a book review!🌪
I‘m not usually a thriller fan but this book about 2 con artists and the long con they are playing was full of twists and turns. A lot that I didn‘t see coming! It‘s told from the viewpoints of the 2 main characters (the con and the mark) and I liked that aspect of the book too.
Yesterday was rough emotionally- there are really no good choices in terms of how we do school (for both teachers and students) in the fall. Anxiety is high- worried about my job and my own kids. So of course I felt like perusing a bookstore to make myself feel better. These are the books I found! It‘s a good haul and it made me feel better!
Trying to be ok with uncertainty but it‘s so hard...
I went for my one book that I had on hold. 🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
#libraryhaul #noselfcontrol
so-soI wanted to like this so much but it was just ok. Pretty wordy, not a lot of anything happening and the romance doesn‘t happen until close to the end. I also have this issue with some romance books-the main characters are actively against each other for most of the book and then, BOOM, they‘re in bed with each other. There‘s little to no transition in their thinking that makes it believable. Definitely felt that was an issue here.
pickThis book was alternatively awesome and heartbreaking. It really felt like a coming of age story-my heart ached for the way both Bunny and Michael went through so much in high school. As a parent, I just wanted to help them and protect them- these kids were given the worst in the parent dept. It reminded me that life can be so hard but we must go on. The writing was spectacular and detailed and deep; I liked this book than I thought I would!
It feels like a million degrees outside but it‘s supposed to rain later so I feel like I need to take advantage of the sunshine right now! This book is pretty fun and light so far. Just what I needed after reading The Knockout Queen (review hopefully coming soon).
pickThis book is based on a historical witch hunt/trial in the early 1600‘s in a very remote area of Norway. It was fascinating and drew me right in. A terrible storm kills almost all the men of the area (they live on the sea)-that is the event that starts everything going wrong for these women. So much more but I don‘t want to give too much away. Definitely intriguing and well-worth the read.
pickTHIS. BOOK. What a timely and important read. And I‘m not even a baseball fan. This is fiction at it‘s finest-good story, well-written that makes the reader stop and think about society and our future. Eleanor and Grant have a daughter, Gwen, who is a pitching prodigy. In AutoAmerica, where the country is run by AI and the Net, Society is divided into the Surplus and the Netted. Baseball gives Gwen the chance to escape being Surplus. (Cont‘d ⬇️)
Summer.
The sun finally came out! It has been so hot and humid the past few days in Chicago but there‘s a lovely breeze now so I‘m definitely taking advantage! Really enjoying this book and I‘m only 50 pages in.
An even better view today. Really loving this book.
#vacation #idontwanttogobacktoreallife
My view today. 🌴☀️
Vacation books. Happy 2020! 🎉🎉🎉
What a great passage to read as we start 2020. With all the current events happening recently these words are especially timely: “Only empathy allows us to see clearly. Only compassion brings about lasting change.”
I can already tell this book is going to be great.
The #weekendlibraryhaul 📚♥️ Now if the kids could just take care of themselves 😂😁
Best Chanukah present ever! My husband made me this bookmark! I‘m in love! (With him AND the bookmark😂)
📚💖📚💖
Just a little #winterbreakreading ❄️☃️📚 Yay for school libraries! #librariesrock
Hoping to dive into this over the weekend! 📚📚I‘ve heard great reviews! #currentlyreading
pickThis story of a secret that broke a family apart was good. Not great. It seemed slow to me in the beginning and was wordy in places I felt were unnecessary. But it did hold my attention and it was interesting. I just think it could have been even better with some editing.
pickSo much amazingness in this book! Very intense and powerful coming of age story told in verse about a girl named Xiomara. Her parents are from the Dominican Republic and the author really captured the essence of growing up in a immigrant family. I definitely understand how it won the National Book Award!
Reading in between running errands. Halfway through and really enjoying this one!
pickI really enjoyed this family saga that centers around a house. The characters were developed and nuanced-I was invested right from the start in Danny and Maeve‘s lives. The story follows them as they grow into adults and the plot was satisfying right up to the end without being trite or superficial. I am an Ann Patchett fan. I think her writing is beautiful and her stories powerful, and this book did not disappoint.
pickReally interesting graphic novel about the city of Chicago and architecture. I learned a lot about city planning and gentrification. Very well done!
so-soCute middle grade graphic novel. Great artwork and nice themes about working together but it‘s definitely not a crossover book-the writing needed more. My 6th grader loved it though!
Hoping to start this today. I‘m having a head time getting into something-hopefully this one will do the trick!
Maybe I‘ll get some reading done before I fall asleep?? Here‘s hoping! #longday #evenlongerweek #currentlyreading
Thanks for the tag @LoverOfLearning !
1. I like anything historical.
2. I am the BIGGEST scaredy-cat- Silence of the Lambs scared me for life when I was in high school!
3. I don‘t really read anything in the horror genre.
4. Nope
5. No gore
6. 🤷🏻♀️
so-soThis one is tricky to review. There‘s no doubt that Leigh Bardugo can write AND tell a good story. But. This story has so many side plots and extra details that didn‘t need to be there. And all of that bogged down the story and all the fantastical magical elements lost some of their appeal. I also think it should be a single book instead of the first in a series. I do love that the main character is a badass female!
pickWow. Intense and emotional. I feel like I gained a lot of insight about humanity while also being entertained. I have a lot to think about and process and I think this is the type of book that will have me doing that for a long time. Also, therapy is good. For all the reasons. ☺️
My #bookhaul from my wonderful night out with @TracyReadsBooks 😍 All of them were clearance books and such great deals I couldn‘t resist! I‘m so lucky to have such amazing people in my life- @TracyReadsBooks I‘m so grateful for you! ♥️♥️
I was doing so well. . . 😂🤷🏻♀️ #bookhaul
pickPowerful take on what it is to be chronically ill and not understood by the medical establishment. It‘s also interesting to read this book through the lens of the author‘s experiences with his own illness. Very well done.
pickI really enjoyed these short stories inspired by classic Poe stories. I haven‘t read all the originals but still really enjoyed the creativity and modern interpretations of Poe. I also like that the originals are included in this anthology.
Started this a few days ago. So far I like her writing style and how relatable she is. But I am reading it in short doses because reading about therapy and mental health can be too much to handle I‘m not in the right frame of mind.That‘s why I‘m trying to get a few mins in while I‘m waiting for my shower 😂🤷🏻♀️
