This post contains affiliate links. If you click and/or buy, I make a few pennies, which I will undoubtedly use to fill my bookshelves. It’s a terrible habit, to keep acquiring books, but if I don’t buy them who will?
In my last “What We’re Reading” post, I mentioned that I kept renewing the same stack of books over and over. On one hand, I’m glad I did because I loved two of them so much I bought my own copies, and I may end up buying this one too. (If you’ve talked to me in the last month or so I probably recommended it to you. Sorry if I’m sounding like a broken record, but really. Read it. It’s FASCINATING.)
On the other hand, I wish I hadn’t kept wasting my time with a few others. I don’t usually choose to stop reading a book before I finish it. Sometimes I put it down and forget about it, but I have every intention of finishing eventually. This time? Bleh. I plan to come back to the ones I never finished eventually…when I’m feeling less frazzled and overwhelmed. But not now. I already returned them to the library. Serious books simply require more concentration than I can give them at the moment.
Which is undoubtedly why I’m having a fluffy reading moment. No shame in my YA lit game.
I love a good fairy tale retelling, and this one was a clever, twisted take on the Oz stories. Unfortunately I didn’t realize it’s the first in a series of at least four, and the fourth book isn’t even out yet. Plus there are like three novellas too? Since I’d rather binge watch an entire series on Netflix than wait for new episodes every week, I’m sure you can guess how I feel about this situation. Also, I wish the tone of the book had been more consistent. It almost seemed like the author suddenly remembered she was writing for a teenage audience and felt she needed to throw in some extra casual, slangy language and sudden violence to keep them interested. It felt forced. Good story, I just wish the execution had been a little more polished.
This one was SO GOOD. A really quick read and not at all what I expected it to be. I highly recommend it for teens and tweens who are trying to cope with difficult life circumstances, or adults who aren’t sure how to help them cope. The biggest takeaway for me: you can’t protect kids from tragedy by not talking about it. They need to understand the truth of the situation so they can process and grieve and move forward. Kids are people too, and the adults in this book just did not seem to want to acknowledge that.
My mother-in-law loaned me this Jane Austen fan fic and told me to pass it on when I’m done. It’s been through quite a few hands already…I think she said she got it from her friend from New Zealand? Anyway, if anyone wants to be the next recipient, let me know and I’ll send it your way after I read it.
I’ve got another loaner, from my friend Roxy this time. I quoted her patron saint in an Instagram post recently, and she immediately offered me her copy of St. Therese’s memoir. I’m excited to dive in when I get a minute.
One of these days I should tell you about the first time I ever ate a mango, since that’s the only reason I picked up this one. And my recent post about creating space inspired this selection. We’ll see if they’re any good.
As for children’s books, we keep having surprisingly good success with picking things at random. Lions and bears and penguins, oh my! I almost feel like I’m pushing my luck by not putting in hold requests for picture books, but if I did that I probably wouldn’t have picked up this one featuring my favorite QE2 and her ubiquitous hat. (I saw her in person once and have been mildly obsessed with the royal family ever since.) (Okay, let’s be honest, I was obsessed with them before that. When I was in 5th grade I was convinced I was going to marry Prince William. Good thing that never panned out; David has much better hair than Wills.)
That said, I did take Janssen’s recommendation of the audio version of this book for the girls. We listened to it while running errands all last week and they adored it. I liked the Inkheart series, so I’m not surprised I like the author’s other work. My only issue was the TERRIBLE American accent the narrator used for the Sorrowful Knight. Just…no. Otherwise, two thumbs up.
Anyway, not a bad month for books. Lots we’ve enjoyed, lots to look forward to. Just the way I likes it.
What about you? What are you reading lately?
*raises hand*
I’m always down for Jane Austen fanfic. I’m just not inclined to spend money on account of being burned before. Twice.
Oh man, I know how that goes. I still want my money back for “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” Not funny, just stupid. I’ve been skeptical ever since.
I think I’m crying. It’s that beastly.