Summer Reading Celebration

Heartwarming and heartbreaking, all at the same time. The aftermath of Ben coming out is what every queer person fears and what happens to so many people. The story handles it in a good way, however; it doesn't feel like suffering for suffering's sake. Even after being kicked out of their house for who they are, Ben is able to find happiness, love, and acceptance. This is a story of heartache, but also a story of hope.

Once again, boring work is made lighter with the addition of an audiobook, The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, read by actor Richard Armitage. It is a work of historical fiction but based on a true story. The author captures the dehumanizing experiences, barbarous acts taking place in the prison camp and ambiguity of feelings among the survivors. This story is first and foremost a love story between Lale who is the tattooist and Gita, both prisoners in Auschwitz. That story is very enjoyable. I didn’t care for the reading by Armitage. Though he attempted many voices, they sounded very much alike. His tone and inflection were inconsistent at page turns and this was distracting. Even with that, I recommend the book because it has a good story in it.

It was a great book and one of the first to actually surprise me!

I read where someone compared this to an updated Huck Finn story, and that's pretty close. More of a fantasy-style fiction, but the setting is quite historically accurate, which made for a great read. Recommended!

Another great installment in the "Killing" Series.... I've already listened to "Killing the SS" "Killing the Mob" and "Killing Crazy Horse" Even if nonfiction isn't your thing, you will enjoy these books.

It was such a good book! Can’t wait for Love Arranged.

Good read with my grandson. A good introduction to learning about the Civil War.

I was obsessed! Theo, Winter, and Viv have my heart!!! This is by far my favorite of the series. Can’t wait to read Bailey and Beau’s story.

This was a amazing book. I enjoyed reading about the "sea women" and went further to find videos about these amazing women. This is a way of life that I never knew existed!! I have read other books by Lisa See and this is definitely my favorite.

The fascinating Hildegard was a composer, seer, nun, and spiritual leader in the 1100s, in Germany. In this historical fiction account of her life the “illuminations” referred to are less about her mystical visions and more about her personal enlightenment and growth. It is about her growth in understanding people, connections, relationships. She grows to understand that some can help and enrich the world and others hinder and harm. Hildegard’s naivety evolves through experience to wisdom. Though her life was nothing like ours, her wants, needs, and desires are as real as yours or mine. Read this book to learn what it is to be a woman ahead of her time.