The A to Z of You and Me
Such a sad book, The A to Z of You and Me but well worth reading. I was hooked from the letter A and pretty much didn’t put it down until I’d finished it.
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The Weight of Zero
The Weight of Zero is on the YA Cybils shortlist and it’s good. It’s also probably very triggering for a lot of people. TW started reading it and before she got too far, she made me tell her whether Catherine dies or not…it’s a rough story. Definitely worth reading.
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When the Moon Was Ours
Well… When the Moon Was Ours is beautifully written. I appreciated the transgender characters and the Latinx influences.
The mystical realism genre just isn’t my thing, sometimes — particularly when there’s not a lot of plot to keep the story moving.
Beautifully written mystical realism needs a good plot — this one didn’t have the plot.
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Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
I can’t believe how good Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus was. I picked it up because the cover was interesting and fun but I almost didn’t read it because I have a huge stack of Cybils that I knew I’d want to get through. TW read it first and said she really liked it, I see why.
A girl with no arms. A boy with Tourette. A fat boy. And, an old wild west style amusement park. Win win win win!
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Off the Page
Awhile back, I was just wandering around the teen room in the library and noticed the sequel to Between the Lines (the book Jodi Picoult wrote with her daughter a few years ago.) I remembered thinking the first book was ok, and I needed some light and easy reads, so I grabbed Off the Page.
It was a light and easy read. It wasn’t great. I was compelled to keep reading to see how they solved the problem(s) that arose from characters jumping out, others jumping in, and some not where they want/need to be. I didn’t think there was a decent resolution to any of their situations and I pretty much hated the end. Though I shouldn’t because there is no decent resolution. Someone’s always going to be where they don’t want to be or where they shouldn’t be while some of the others have their “happily ever after” ending. Whatever. I’m not reading another, if there is another.
This Is Where It Ends
Ouch. What a painful book. This Is Where It Ends is on the Cybils shortlist. I reserved it at the library a few months ago and could not bring myself to read it. Too busy and absolutely not up for a book like this.
So, I tried again and I almost put it back down because ugh. School shooting. Ugh. But, I convinced myself to read it … and I’m glad I did. I ended up reading it pretty much one sitting, late into the night because… how can you not?
I’d love to know some teens who read this. I’d love to know what they thought of it.
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Reading in October
Nine total – not bad considering it was the month we pretty much lived in Orlando and it was GHC month. I’ll take it.
4 were Cybils
2 were audiobooks
2 were non-fiction
1 was a graphic novel
7 were middle grade or YA (Which really explains how I was able to manage nine books for the month.)
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Raymie Nightingale
Raymie Nightingale is on the Cybils shortlist in the audiobook category — so we listened to it on audio and I loved every single thing about it. I chuckled at the 70s southern characters. Little Miss Central Florida Tire… baton twirling… hahaha.
But it wasn’t all amusing, either. The three girls had a lot to deal with and they did it together. LOVED IT.
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The Velveteen Daughter
When I was little, The Velveteen Rabbit was one of my favorite stories so I had to pick up The Velveteen Daughter. HAD TO.
I didn’t know a darn thing about Margery Williams, except that she wrote a bunch of children’s books long before I was born. I didn’t know she had kids. Or, that her daughter was a child prodigy. Or any damn other thing about her. And while this book is primarily about her daughter, I learned a lot about Margery Williams. So interesting.
About her daughter, Pamela Bianco… what a heartbreaking story! (The book IS fiction but it’s based on news accounts and personal correspondence.)
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March Book 3
I finished John Lewis’s March series. Book 3 was just as well-written and well-drawn as the first two books in the series. If you and your kids have not read this series, do it now.