Summer Reading Celebration

This is considered an Young Adult book, but I enjoyed it. It is a dual memoir written by the 2 penpals. The letters change both their lives. It also gives an insight how different life is in other countiries, in this case Zimbabwe. I am sure that this book will have an impact for the better on anyone who reads it.

This book echoes a prominent theme in current parenting: get kids outside interacting with nature. I appreciate the practical suggestions on gardening, but the chapters on hunting and fishing were unrelatable.

Cute story. Read with Grandson.

Strong debut. I really wanted to like the characters....but they are so unlikable. And the killers reason -great- their crazy mentally unstable attitude....didn't really fit. I wanted them to be a bit more.....rational normal. The third act is a high emotion thing but I think having the killer be cool calm and collected would make it fucking CRAZY. I really did love it though. And the ending - epic loved them.

The Western Wind carries the changes that the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment will bring to 15th century England through the microcosm of a small, backwater town called Oakham. The story unfolds in reverse, beginning with the last day and ending with the first which makes for a thought provoking premise from the start. But soon you realize that the narrator isn’t entirely reliable and as the storyteller he attempts to put himself in the best light. It’s a mystery but not a typical whodunnit. The small focus questions center on is it murder, a suicide, or an accident? The bigger questions grapple with the nature of sin and forgiveness, the perceived need for an intercessor between humans and God, the role of art and music in religious experiences. The motivations of the characters are as real as yours and your neighbor’s. There is much to chew on here.

4.5 I liked that. Interesting but it didn't dwell on boring things. It knew exactly what we were in for. I needed a book about dinosaurs and got a manifest destiny, stupid boy goes on a ride of a life time for some dinosaur bones and I ate it up!

This was such a cute and quick read!

Good book

Harry Potter At Home is a Pandemic initiative and I highly recommend that you enjoy it while you can! Harry Potter is read “by familiar voices” with a wide range of HP movie and stage actors reading chapters, and other familiar famous actors as well. It is so well done! And the readings with new voices make the words fresh again. This is available on a website as a video but I prefer accessing it using Spotify and just listening while I go about my day. It is free, and such a pleasure to listen to. Add this to your audiobook listening plans!

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.