It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journey and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. Kellee and Rikki 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.

My husband’s goal while I was gone was to keep the girl, the dog and the chickens alive. He succeeded on all counts. Even though I was glad to get home to see him and our daughter (and the dog, too), I was really excited to meet the chickens. I confess I’m spending too much time just hanging out with them and watching them. They are fascinating. They seem to be settling in pretty well, but they aren’t too sure about this going outside thing. I hope they will warm up to it once they get used to it. I hope we have eggs in a few weeks, too.

I finished…

Four by Veronica Roth – I loved these stories that tell more about Tobias, better known as Four in the Dauntless faction. The first three stories all take place before Divergent begins. Even though I knew most of the big picture from Divergent, I enjoyed seeing the events unfold. I also enjoyed the last story, which happened in the middle of Divergent. This time, though, the story is told by Four. He definitely saw things differently than Tris. If you are a fan of the series, I recommend this collection just for the opportunity to revisit that world.

I’m currently reading…

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs – Once again, I am amazed at how Riggs weaves this incredible story that ties together unbelievable pictures. The Peculiars are in dire trouble, and only Jacob and Emma and MacHenry are free to help them. They might be getting some help from a shady ferryman, but they aren’t entirely sure they can trust him. Come to think of it, I’m not too sure about him, either. I am sure that the rest of the story will keep me turning pages. Even better, my daughter shared our love of this series by lending the first two (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City to a friend. I hope she likes them as much as we do!

Nudge by Leonard Sweet – I didn’t read much this week, but one quote stuck with me in the midst of the vitriolic political conversations and even the disagreements which threaten to split the United Methodist church (which just held its General Conference: “The issue is not to avoid controversy or argument. The issue is for nudging to foster dialogue more than discussion. ‘Our duty is not to see through one another, but to see one another through.’ How many of us, when we come away from a conversation (or a sermon), come away with agreement or disagreement, like or dislike? Or do we come away with new insights, fresh understandings, refreshed connections, and varied ways of looking at things, regardless of whether there is agreement or disagreement?

Coming up…

A neighbor came by and dropped off a box of books for my Little Free Library. I spotted several I would like to read before a put them out. I can’t wait to read and pass them on!

Disclosure: I participate in the Amazon Associates Program. If you decide to make a purchase by clicking on the affiliate links, including in the linked picture above. Amazon will pay me a commission. This commission doesn’t cost you any extra. All opinions are my own.

It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journey and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. Kellee and Rikki 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.

The chickens are coming–on Tuesday! We were expecting them the end of the month, but they  are coming now. We’ve been working to finish up the last bits of work on the chicken coop–placing netting over the top so hawks and owls can’t swoop down. We also discovered that our coop is not quite as secure as we hoped when we found a nest of baby bunnies. We moved them out of the way (I suspect chickens would eat them) just outside the fence. They seem to be snug in their new nest. My husband even put up a temporary shelter over them. I just hope mama bunny finds their new location.

I finished…

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – The closer I got to the end, the slower I read simply because I did not want it to end. This book will stay with me for a long time, and it is one I will look forward to visiting again and again. As the competition within the circus drew to its end, I was afraid for all of the characters and could not see any way out. I’m glad Morgestern saw a way out that surprised me yet felt absolutely satisfying. Like my favorite books from childhood, this novel awakens and feeds my need for magic and makes me believe anything is possible.

Love That Boy by Ron Fournier – I enjoyed both the descriptions of the trips to presidential libraries/homes that Fournier took with his son and the reflections on parenting that infused each chapter. We all have dreams for our children, and we all have to let our children pursue their own dreams–especially those different from ours. As I read, I couldn’t help but reflect on my journey with my daughter. I hope that I have supported her in her dreams (and not just mine for her) as we have shared many things together. I’m excited to watch her take the next steps toward independence in the coming months.

I’m currently reading…

Nudge by Leonard Sweet – Pay attention! The sacred and holy fills the very ordinary things of our days. Am I paying enough attention to recognize the mystery in a blade of grass or the face of a neighbor? I am especially reminded that paying attention requires silence and much more time spent listening rather than talking. I think my challenge this busy week is to find time just to be, just to sit and be aware and to listen to what happens around me. I wonder what I will discover?

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs – I was so excited when I found this on the library shelf. I loved the first two books in the series, and so far this one is not disappointing. Things are even more dire for the peculiars. Jacob and Emma and MacHenry are on a mission to save not only their friends, but the entire world. Their journey leads them deep in to Devil’s Acre, a time loop in one of the worst slums of Victorian London. Jacob is trying to figure out his newly discovered connection with hollowgasts, and the wights are determined to lure them all into a trap. I can’t wait to see how it all ends up. Of course, the story is a masterful blend of fantasy with eerie pictures from the past.

Four by Veronica Roth – I’m finally enjoying my Mother’s Day gift. So far my daughter has been patiently waiting for me to read it first, but she occasionally asks me to read faster. I am enjoying the stories of Four. The first two explore Four’s choice to join Dauntless and his initiation experiences. Even though I knew the big picture from the Divergent series, I love seeing the details play out in these stories.

Coming up…

I am headed to a conference this week, so I don’t know how much time I will have for reading. I do have books ready to pack in my suitcase, though. What have you been reading this week?

Disclosure: I participate in the Amazon Associates Program. If you decide to make a purchase by clicking on the affiliate links, including in the linked picture above. Amazon will pay me a commission. This commission doesn’t cost you any extra. All opinions are my own.

It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journey and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. Kellee and Rikki 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.

Despite a wet and chilly week, we managed to plant a new flower bed between showers. This one is a pollinator garden, filled with wildflowers (sometimes known as weeds) that attract bees and butterflies and other critters that spread pollen and make the world blossom and fruit. I still have a few more plants to move into it from other places in the yard and have mulch to spread, but I hope these tiny plants take off and grow. If I’m lucky, I’ll find some caterpillars for monarch butterflies making a home here in the future.

I finished…

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett – I have fallen in love with Disc World and its quirky inhabitants. Moist Van Lipwig is a con artist extraordinaire–until he lands in a government job to resurrect the post office (after swinging from a noose for his past crimes). Much to his surprise, he learns that he enjoys the challenge of living straight-at least when it involves taking on a corrupt monopoly (the clacks communication system) and getting the girl (one whose nickname is Killer). The city of Ankh-Morpork is a place where the bizarre is commonplace and has eerie resemblance to our own world. I laughed out loud through much of the book and can’t wait to read more.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – I am swooning now that I’ve finally read this Printz honor book. The writing is gorgeous and the story is hauntingly beautiful. Neither Dante nor Aristotle quite fit in with the other kids in 1987, but once they find each other at the swimming pool that summer, they become best friends. Ari tells the story of their friendship as the two young men try to figure out their place in the world and how to become men. Along the way, they learn that love–in all its varied forms–may hold the key to the secrets of the universe. Ari’s voice will stay with me for a long time. Another plus–not only does the book focus on diverse characters, but both boys have parents who love and support them (even if they sometimes get it wrong).

I’m currently reading…

Love That Boy by Ron Fournier – My husband’s Sunday School class chose this book for their next discussions. I picked it up after reading Fournier’s article in Guideposts. A former White House correspondent, Fournier records his journeys to bond with his son (diagnosed with Aspergers at age 12) as they visit presidential libraries. Interspersed with his recollections are accounts of his interviews with experts and parents about the difficulty of letting go of our expectations for our children and learning to accept and love them for who they are.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – I am completely captivated by this story of magic and love and, of course, the circus. I want to become a reveur and follow this circus wherever it may go. Even better, I wish I could run away and join this circus. I have fallen in love with Celia and Marcus and Bailey and Widget and Poppet and Isobel and the others. Except for Hector and the grey man. Those I intensely dislike. How could they set up this competition between Celia and Marcus knowing the cost? As the circus grows ever larger and more magical, Celia and Marcus work together rather than against each other as they fall ever more in love. As I near the end, I find myself both wanting to know what happens and not wanting the story to end.

Nudge by Leonard Sweet – I started yet another book by Sweet this morning. This one may be my favorite yet as he transforms what is understood about evangelism. Rather than beating people over the head with your beliefs, evangelism invites people join in love and wonder. I love this quote from the preface: “You will not find in Nudge a gospel of religion; what you will find is a gospel of Christ. What’s the difference? The currency of the gospel of religion is fear and imposition. The currency of the gospel of Christ is love and invitation. Love engenders a spirit of wonder, where fear spawns anger and distrust. Fear seeks to quash wonder and to impose. Love frees to wonder and invite.”

Coming up…

I still have Big Magic waiting for me. My daughter also gave me my favorite gift for Mother’s Day: dark chocolate and a new book. I teased her that she gave me a book she wanted to read (she pled guilty). I’m looking forward to reentering the world of Divergent with the collection of stories in Four.

Disclosure: I participate in the Amazon Associates Program. If you decide to make a purchase by clicking on the affiliate links, including in the linked picture above. Amazon will pay me a commission. This commission doesn’t cost you any extra. All opinions are my own.