It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
Yippee! The books I requested from the library came in sooner than expected! I am so thankful for our library and all the services it provides. I had so much fun watching a former student lead the story hour for kids this week. Another more recent former student volunteered during the story hour. The best part, though, is watching my daughter pass on her love of reading by reading with the girl she is babysitting every day. They laugh together while reading Junie B. Jones books together. Then they share picture books and even read recipes while cooking together.
Blog Posts this week. Yea! I’m finally catching up with reviews of some of the books I’m reading.
I finished…
Amazon affiliate link
Dodger by Terry Pratchett – I absolutely love Dodger, and Simplicity/Serendipity is close behind. I found lots of excuses to listen while I mowed, washed dishes and ran this week just so I could finish. If ever I’m in a bind, I want Dodger on my side to bail me out. This story is quite the romp through Victorian England–sewers and all. Now I want a story that tells all of Solomon Cohen’s adventures. I bet he has quite a few good stories.
Amazon affiliate link
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater – I fell in love with the Raven Boys along with Blue Sargent through the first two books in The Raven Cycle. I devoured this book once it came in at the library. The magic Stiefvater weaves through these pages leave me breathless and wanting more. Blue and the boys are getting closer in their search to find and raise the King Glendower where he lies sleeping on the ley line. Along their way they must decipher the demands of Cabewsater, avoid the web of the evil Greenmantle, and find Blue’s mother (and possibly father) before it’s too late. Oh yeah, they also must avoid waking the wrong sleeper.
Amazon affiliate link
The Wright Brothers by David McCollough – When Orville and Wilbure took that first historic flight at Kitty Hawk, they proved that powered human flight was possible (even though most of the scientif world scoffed), but they knew their work had just begun. I was even more impressed with the work they did after that flight–learning everything they could about how to control flight on the winds, setting record after record, making adjustsment after adjustment to each version. McCullough brings their story (and that of their supportive father and sister) to life. Orville, who took the first powered flight, lived to see such advances in flying as jet planes and rocket engines, and even lived to see the sound barrier broken. That’s quite a was from their early flights of 40 mph a few feet above the ground.
Amazon affiliate link
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan – I finished reading this one last night. I must confess that the last few nights consisted of me taking deep breaths and sniffling while my daughter told me, “Pull yourself together woman. It’s not even sad at this part.” No, the end is not sad, but it does tug at my heart. Her verdict? This was a good book. She wants to choose the next book we read together: If I Stay by Gayle Forman. It is a book I’ve been wanting to read, but I doubt I will have any better luck reading without sobbing. Maybe, she’ll have to read it to me.!
I’m currently reading…
Amazon affilaite link
What Have You Lost edited by Naomi Shihab Nye – The poem that got to me this week is “On the Suicide of a Young Boy I Did Not Know” by Jennifer Weinblatt. A car accident this week tore apart several familes with the death of an adult and two children. Even though I don’t know the families, I am haunted by their loss.
Amazon affiliate link
Undivided by Neal Shusterman – This is Book 4 in the Unwind series–a disturbing dystopia that has entirely too many echoes of our present day. Just like the previous three books, this one makes me think. I love the alternating points of view interspersed with news stories and political ads. How will the pieces fit together before this all comes to an end?
Amazon affiliate link
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden – Nix kept me good company as I cleaned the house all day Saturday. Somehow dusting furniture and washing windows was much more pleasant as I listened to her story of marrying the Gentle Lord in order to save her people from his demons. I love the paralles to Beauty and the Beast–even more I love the differences wrought in this vision of Arcadia terrorized by demons. Nix is not good and kind or even all that beautiful, but she has fire and spirit and determination.
Coming up…
I’m not sure what is coming up this week. Since I finished quite a few books this week, I have some reviewing to do before I get lost in too many more books. We’ll see what books come across my path.
What have you read this week? Anything good I should check out?
Disclosure: I participate in the Amazon Associates Program. If you decide to make a purchase by clicking on the affiliate links, Amazon will pay me a commission. This commission doesn’t cost you any extra. All opinions are my own.
Myra from GatheringBooks
June 23, 2015 at 5:24 am (9 years ago)I am so glad that you enjoyed Counting by 7s as much as I did. I loved Willow’s voice – and the ride the entire story took me. I was ambivalent about The Raven Boys in the beginning, but eventually ended up loving it. And yes, I agree with you about Lily Blue, Blue Lily – it is becoming even more interesting for each succeeding installment in the series. 🙂
Cheriee Weichel
June 15, 2015 at 10:22 pm (9 years ago)I’m glad you enjoyed Dodger! Hope you get a chance to read Nation – I think it is Pratchett’s finest. I laughed when I read your comment on the audiobook keeping you company while you cleaned house. This is how it is for me. If the book is really good I can continue to clean for an indefinite length of time!
Mrs. McGriff
June 19, 2015 at 7:52 am (9 years ago)Yep, I washed a few more windows than I had planned just so I could listen longer. I’ll look for Nation. I definitely want more by Pratchett.
Ricki Ginsberg
June 15, 2015 at 7:37 pm (9 years ago)I am glad you liked Dodger. I suspect I wasn’t head over heels with it because I am not a huge Dickens fan. I did enjoy listening to it, but I wonder if it will stick with me. We will see, I suppose!
Mrs. McGriff
June 15, 2015 at 9:21 pm (9 years ago)I did enjoy it. I find that audio books don’t usually stick with me as long as books I read with my eyes. It may be because my attention is divided because I usually listen while doing other things, too.
Angie
June 15, 2015 at 11:26 am (9 years ago)I think I need to try Dodger. And I knew I was behind and needed to get a copy of Blue Lily. I’m not usually much of a non-fic (especially long, “grown-up” length non-fic, but I keep hearing how The Orville Brothers is pretty good so hopefully I will get to it this summer. Great choices!
Mrs. McGriff
June 15, 2015 at 1:53 pm (9 years ago)If you are a fan of Dickens or Vctorian England, I highly recommend DODGER. I think Blue Lily might be the best of the series so far. It does end on a bit of a cliff hanger like the past ones-but no one disappears this time. I’ve done more nonfiction this year than I’ve ever read. I’m liking it more than I thought I would.