Fruity Lemonade: 2019 Reading Log

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid was a wonderful story to kick of the

New Year with. I have been wanting to read this book for some time and I decided to start the year

with it. This book just flows beautifully. There are parts that jump from present time to the past

however it feels natural and smooth. The story has so much interesting content and twists and turns

in it that it’s hard to put the book down. Evelyn and her husbands and the love of her life will

surprise you. Right up to the very end when Monica, the reporter, puts all the pieces together and

struggles with her decisions. This book deals with so many themes, fame, fortune, romance, love,

driving under the influence, right to live, and what constitutes a relationship/marriage. This is a five

star book.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is the Newbery Winner for 1990 and although this is my second

time reading it, I really did not remember the details of this book. I am glad I took the time to reread

the story. The story takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Nazi occupation. Lowry

writes about two little friends, Annemarie and Ellie whose lives have two different fates based on

religion. The story focuses on Annemarie as she learns how her family is helping the neighbors, The

Rosens, survive. She also learns more about herself and what it means to be brave.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is Agatha Christie first novel, she wrote it on a dare from her sister.

To be honest the book reminded me of the game Clue. It felt like in one chapter all the clues lead

to one person but then the next chapter all the clues lead to another person. But like all good

mysteries you have to put each clue together and start to eliminate suspects. The story is told from

the point of view of the character Hasting who was invited to recuperate after an injury during WWI.

When the Mistress of the house in murdered, everyone is a suspect. Hastings asks his friend

Poirot, an ex Belgium detective to help him solve the case. I watch a lot of NCIS and the case

always boils down to who stands to inherit the most and this mystery was no different.

A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza was my favorite book of the month so far. Thank you

#aplaceforgalsandbookpals buddy read for encouraging me to read this book. It is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

star book. I just loved the characters and the family dynamics. I didn’t realize it until the last

chapter but Rafiq was my favorite character. The story reminds you that there is always more than

one way to look at a situation. There are always many factors that influence decisions.

“Be thoughtful and make things nice for your husband or wife….it’s a two way street.”

George and Barbara Bush: A Great American Love Story by Ellie LaBlond Sosa and Kelly Anne Chase

was a wonderful short story about an amazing couple. This was their story from their first meeting through

their courtship and throughout their marriage. Their great-grand-daughters (the authors) have quotes from the

Bush’s letters they wrote to each other and from interviews that add great personal details to their story. Both

Barbara and George were very down to earth people and very much in love with each other. The book shows

Barbara’s love and support for George as he ran for office. And even in the face of disappointment they held

their heads high and moved on to the next thing with grace and dignity. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read.

“You may be ignorant...but you are kind, and kindness is the most underrated of all human

qualities.”

Midnight Magic by Avi, as with most of these Battle of the Books, was a book outside my comfort

zone. I would not have picked this book on my own. However, what I liked about the story was the

character Magnus. No matter what happened to Mangus or how people treated Mangus, he replied

with kindness and respect. To me that is a great lesson to teach kids as they read the book.

“I am just a tiny person in Africa, but there is a place for me, and for everybody, to sit down on this

earth and touch it and call it their own.”

The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith is the story about Precious

Ramotswe who sets up the No.1 lady detective agency in Botswana, Africa. The story starts out

telling her father’s story and then moves into her story. When her father passes away he leaves her

some money, well enough money to buy her own home and start her detective agency. Throughout

the book she has several small cases to solve. What stands out the most about the book to me is the

little bit that the Botswana people need to live.

“Sometimes what you’re most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free.”

Wild, by Cheryl Strayed is a book about an amazing young girl who sets out on a courageous

adventure of a lifetime. She hiked the Pacific Crest Trail of 1,000 miles from the Mojave Desert

through California, Oregon and Washington State. After her mother passed away, family fell apart

and her marriage fell apart. She was lost drinking and taking drugs so she decided to hike the PCT

on her own. She learned a lot about herself on this journey, From day one she had to deal with

unbelievable physical pain, unpredictable people, and unknown elements, Through it all she gained

some wonderful friends and developed a healthy sense of who she was as a person and woman.

Now I don’t know about you but there is no way I could survive this kind of journey. I am not cut out

for the outdoors. I could handle drinking water and hot tea, but I couldn't live without my granola

bars and not to mention my cell phone.

“We can believe this promise: In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have

been called according to his purpose"

Anxious for Nothing, by Max Lucado, was my spiritual reading for the month.

This statement from the book sounds like me, “Anxiety takes our breath, ….takes our sleep, our

energy, our well being….blood pressure rises, headaches…..Anxiety ain’t fun” Max quotes the

Bible, “Be anxious for nothing” Phil. 4:6 and as I read through the book there were so many

passages that spoke to me. I typed up several passages to put in my calendar book to remind

myself throughout the year to “put everything in prayer…..and thanksgiving.” I have been doing that

throughout the month and it has helped a bit.

I am enjoying my “snow day” finishing the book Miracles on Maple Hill #battleofthebooks2018 and spring

cleaning my kitchen. I am enjoying the story so far. It is very uplifting. It is told from a young girl’s point of view

about the struggles her family is facing now that Daddy is home from the war.

“Don’t waste your energy on the hate. That will kill you sure as anything. Focus on keeping your strength.

You’re resourceful. Find a way to outsmart them.”

Luckily me I had several extra days off this week because of the extreme cold weather. I curled up

on my sofa and read, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, this is truly an amazing book. I could not put

the book down. It is based on the real-life socialite,Caroline Ferriday, of New York who worked to

helped others throughout WWII and then survivors of concentration camps. Just Caroline’s story is

amazing. She is an inspiration for all of us to give selflessly. However, there are more characters in

the book. Herta Oberheuser is another real person from German history who worked as a doctor

at Ravensbruck, the women’s concentration camp where medical experiments were conducted.

Finally, there is Kasia and Zuzanna, two polish teenage sisters who are arrested for their role in the

underground resistance and sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, who are fictional characters.

However, their story is based on the real survivors known as the Rabbits. Each chapter tells the

story of the war from a different women's point of view. I loved this 5 star story. I am so glad I joined

the buddy read with #LilacBuddiesRead started by @buzzedaboutbooks. Thanks for giving me the

nudge I needed to read this book.

“I don’t believe in a lot of baggage….Life’s too short to fuss with it.”

Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting was one of the books I put off

reading for Battle of the Books. I never read it before and to be honest

I really didn’t want to read it. Animal Fantasy is not my favorite genre. I read this on my phone and it felt like the book that would never end.

Tommy wants to learn to be a naturalist just like Dr. Dolittle and he

convinces the doctor to let him be his apprentice. What parents are going

to let their 10 year old boy live with a strange man and a bunch of animals?

Of course the adventures they go on are beyond belief and completely

unrealistic.

My biggest concern about the book is the stereotypes portrayed in the book and the dated language. I would not recommend this book and I think it should be taken off the Battle if the Books list. This is my first year at my school participating in this program and most of our kids are reading the books on their own with no discussion. Books like this need to be part of a discussion of what is appropriate and what is not.

“A good friend is like a four leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.”

I wanted a light and fun read after some of the heavy topics I have

read about lately. Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch was just the

book. It is a YA book about a young girl, Addie, who makes a BIG

mistake at the beginning of her senior year of high school. How

is she going to tell her family and face her friends. She is

trying to deal with her feelings as her family vacations in

Ireland. However, her brother, Ian is also going through something

on his own as well. They have to work together to solve their

problems or as least come to a understanding. I am giving this

book ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars. It is an enjoyable and fun story.

“Sharing is caring and laughing is loving.”

Healthy, Happy, YOU by Nora Rosendahl, Nelli Lahteenmaki and Alesksi Hoffman is a 365 daily action book. I, of course, just read through it and made notes of things I think I should do now in my life to live healthier. I am going to try to add one new thing in my life and make it stick before I move on to the next thing.

Join the gym and go to water classes
Red basket of fruit on table--You must snack on fruit
My Daily Commandments: Always be positive with my husband, Put family first, Exercise daily, Eat Healthy
Mindful Eating -- more thinking on this
Think of little exercises to do throughout your day Start with one and then add more once it is a habit. (Double up and always sit down twice.) Add wall squats to morning routine.
Brainstorm a list of easy healthy meals to make for Friday Family Meals
Work to develop planks into my exercise routine
List my guilty habits and then work to eliminate them.
Add two fruits to breakfast
Evening Stretches
New Food Schedule(Breakfast, 10 snack, Lunch, 3:30 snack, Dinner, Protein Bedtime Snack)

“Pay attention, follow the directions, use good ingredients, practice techniques, share with friends, and voila! Happiness abounds.”

The Late Bloomer’s Club by Louise Miller is another fun and light read. To be honest I picked this book because of the bike on the cover. I was disappointed that the main character, Nora, only rode the bike one time when she borrowed her car to her younger sister. Nora owns a diner in a small town and has been running it since her parents past away. Nora and her sister, Kit, inherit a farm and have to make decisions together. This is a nice story about sisters working out their issues. I think this is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book.

I have taken all the hints, recommendations and suggestions and I am finally reading Anne of Green Gables. I did not read this as a child so this is my should not be too hard I already own six beautiful copies of it. I can alternate between books if I get bored. I am a little bit nervous about reading the book I have never been able to sit through any of the movie versions. Does this count as one unread book or if I read two chapters from each book does it count as six unread books?

“Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it…….yet.”

Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery is a classic book that has been around forever.

I don’t remember reading it as a young child most likely because Anne has red hair. I think if I read about the intro as a child I would have put the book down. I have come to terms with my red hair as I grew older but I hated it as a young child.

What I loved in this book was Anne’s spunky spirit. Her ability to always look at the positive, even if the situation was not positive to begin with. I even liked Marella as closed off as she was in most of the book unable to express her true feelings. She was so afraid of spoiling Anne.

“I might take risks, but they’re always worth it.”

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker is an adorable romantic story set in Alaska. I would like to thank the readers at #galsandbookpals for encouraging me to read this book. I enjoyed the discussion as well.

In the story, Calla has not seen her dad since she was 2 years old and for the last 12 years has not even had a phone call from him. Now a friend of her dad’s calls and says she should come to see him he has cancer.

She goes but she is not greeted with smiles from all of her dad’s friends. In fact one guy is just mean to her. He blames her for not having a relationship with her father.

In some ways this book hit home with me. I don’t have a father that lives far away however our relationship is a struggle. Nothing is easy with him. In fact he is the opposite of the character Wren. Wren was quiet and unable to express his thoughts or feelings. My dad is very opinionated and demanding. He does not move from his point of view nor does he even consider someone else might have an opinion different from him. But just like Calla in the book had to realize, Wren is her father, and nobody is perfect. He still is a good person and she needs to be there for him. That to is what I have come to accept with my own father.

The Calla/Jonah love story is adorable. It is a love/hate relationship. The similarities between Calla and Jonah’s story and Wren and Susan’s story add a nice twist to the story. I am giving this story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

In Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe by Bette Greene, Beth Lambert is always taking second place to Philip Hall the cutest boy in her class. But is he really smarter and faster than her or is she afraid to beat him. What if she beats him at something will he still like her? Beth has to find her own inner strength and confidence to let her light shine through because like ma says,

“It being you, you couldn’t hardly do nothing but what you did do …..your best.”

This is a great story of friendship and courage. Growing up is hard but when you have friends to count on life is easier. This book is a great example for kids to see how to work together and support one another.

“I had heard the old Indian legend about the red fern. How a little Indian boy and girl were lost in a blizzard and had frozen to death. In the spring, when they were found, a beautiful red fern had grown up between their two bodies. The story went on to say that only an angel could plant the seeds of a red fern, and that they never died; where one grew, that spot was sacred.”

Where the Red Fern Grows by William Rawls is an incredible story about a boy and his two dogs. It is a story that all young children should read. In our world of materialism and overindulgence here is a story of hard work and sacrifice. The main character, Billy, saves for two years to buy himself two hunting hounds. Billy’s love for his dogs is unbelievable. As the story continues you see Billy’s strong sense of responsibility towards his dogs. He feeds them and takes care of them and doesn’t expect his parents to do a thing for his dogs. As he goes hunting with his dogs and earns money from the raccoon skins, he doesn’t waste the money on candy or other stuff for himself. He gives all the money to his dad. He didn’t need the money he had his dogs. I’m not a fan of animal hunting but years ago it was done for survival so I am not going to debate that here. But Billy’s sacrifice/love for his family believes any money he earns should go towards the good of the family. That’s a quality that should be admire. This is a quick short read. It was on the #GreatReadPBS and that is why I picked it up. It is definitely a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read.

I enjoyed The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie more than last month’s selection. I didn’t find the character Hastings as annoying in this book. Poirot is called to France to help with a secret but before he gets there his client is murdered. Then to complicate things another person is murdered.

I have to say all my years of watching NCIS has paid off because I figured out this murder-mystery too.

These are the books I found at the Goodwill and Half Price Books today. I wanted to read The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden for the 2019 Newbery Read Along #newbery2019 hosted by @happylittlebirdy and @lollipopsandlyrics in February. Unfortunately I didn’t get the book from the library on time but I found the book and read it today anyways.

It was a quick read about a boy, a cricket, a rat and a cat. This animal fiction book is about the wonderful friendship formed between the animals.

This month I read some amazing 5 star books books, even the 4 star books were memorable. I have to say, Daisy Jones and Six was my favorite book. Where the Crawdads Sing and We Were the Lucky Ones were very emotional books and Britt-Marie Was Here made me laugh the most. The Bookshop had my favorite cover but I would have to say I didn’t care for the story.

Daisy Jones and The Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We Were the Lucky Ones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where The Crawdads Sings ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe in Another Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Winter Garden ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Britt-Marie Was Here ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Bookshop ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“There is nothing worse,

not even the daily hell of the ghetto, than for a mother to live with such fear and uncertainty about the

fates of her children.”

We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter is based on a true story of the Kurc family from Radom, Poland during WWII. They, like many other Jewish families, could not begin to imagine the hardship and cruelty they were about to endure at the hands of the Germans and Russians just because they were Jewish during the war. The family was split up during the war. The parents were forced to move from their home to the ghetto. Their business was taken from them and they were given labor jobs they were forced to work at long hours each day for very little pay. The family tried to write letters to each other but many of the letters were unanswered because each family member was changing their name and moving in order to avoid being sent to a camp. This was an amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star book about love, family and self sacrifice.

“I know there may be universes out there where I made different choices and they led me somewhere

else, led me to someone else. And my heart breaks for every single version of me that didn’t end up

with you.”

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a book that is completely different than anything I’ve read lately. You can tell it is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book when it leaves you thinking about the story days after you finished the book. It left me thinking which was Hannah’s real life? Both lives were amazing love stories. Both love stories were happy endings. But which guy was Hannah’s true love? Or was the point we make our own happy endings.

I’m not sure which ending I liked more. Either way Hannah’s life turned out wonderful.

“When I eventually retire I’ve no sooner read a few pages then I’m overwhelmed with sleep.”

This quote sums up my reading lately. Every time I snuggle up with a good book I fall asleep in the first few pages. That is one reason I am so thankful for audiobooks.

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald is a short little book about Florence, a widow, who takes her small inheritance and opens the only bookshop in a small seaside town. Her bookshop leaks and it is haunted but that’s not her biggest problem, does her little town want a bookshop.

I love reading books about books. This is a cute little story.

“You have to have one person in your life that you know would never do anything to steer you wrong.

They may disagree with you. They could even break your heart, from time to time. But you have

to have one person, at least, who you know will always tell you the truth.”

I know many readers have wrote how great Daisy and the Six is and they are not lying. I just love this book. I’ve already recommended this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book to all my close friends. I still want to read more about Daisy and Billy. The format of the book is perfect and I thought the audiobook was amazing with a cast of characters. I love that it is written as an interview. It is what you would expect of a rock band story. There is music, of course, drugs, alcohol, sex and a love story.

“To those who are here, those who are gone, and those who are lost.”

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah was a bit of an eye opener for me. I must admit I know little history of the Russian region. I know the people there have had some hard years and there has been censorship and political persecution. However I had not read anything about how the people had suffered during WWII. To be honest I was caught off guard on this book.

This book bounces back and forth between Meredith and Nina’s lives as they struggle to deal with the death of their father. They both make promises to their father to help with their mother whom they never really got along with. She was distant and cold to the girls as they were growing up. Now as all adults they need to find out how or if they can live together as a family. As Meredith is dealing with her aging Mom she feels it’s time to move her to a home but Nina wants to find a way to break down the walls around her and find out what she has been hiding all these years.

The story has love, history and family drama and it is a wonderful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read with a twist at the end.

“Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars for Delia Owens book, Where The Crawdads Sing. This is an emotional book about Kya who raised herself in the marshlands of North Carolina. After her family abandoned her around the age of five she is left to figure out life herself. She learns to earn money by digging up mussels in the middle of the night so she can by gas and food. As she grows up she opens up her heart only to have more people abandon her. However when the “marsh girl” is convicted of murdered she finds out that there are people who do love her.

“He was my friend, and you can’t just go around replacing friends.”

I read Bobby vs. Girls Accidentally by Lisa Yee with my fifth grade reading group. It was a cute book about Bobby who needs to work through his feelings of being lonely when his best friend Holly makes some new girl friends. At first when the girls picked this book I was not excited about it but it has some nice life lessons in it.

“One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to

understand how it’s happened.”

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman is a charming story of an older woman who has just found out her husband has been having an affair for the past two years and she leaves him and looks for a job. She has been the “proper” kind of house wife for Kent and his children for 30 years. She has a lot of preconceived notions based on what Kent has told her throughout the years and she is very set in her ways especially when it comes to the kitchen.

The unemployment office sends her to run down recreation center in a struggling community to be a caretaker. At first Britt-Marie doesn’t fit in with the community around her. They are different from her not that she would judge them for that. However one by one Britt-Marie wins over the people at the community center. She becomes a football (soccer) coach for the kids team, she becomes involved with a family with no parents. She becomes a beloved member of the community. This is a great story about opening up your heart and taking chances, I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

“When you’ve lived in a cage, you can’t bear not to run, even if what you’re running towards is an illusion.”

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien, won the 1972 Newbery Medal. Mrs. Frisby is on a quest to save her son. He is too ill to move to the summer home and she must move before the garden is plowed. Mrs. Frisby must find the courage to trust an owl and the rats to find a solution to her dilemma. This wonderful story teaches that with enough courage and determination anything is possible if you are willing to work together in your community.

April was a very busy reading month. I read some great books with my guided
reading groups in school as well as some wonderful books on my own. My
favorite book this month was The Beantown Girls. I highly recommend the book
if you love historical fiction with a little romance thrown in.
My favorite middle grade book was Sadako and the Thousand Cranes, which
was based on a true story.

The Beantown Girls ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Book of Speculation ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Firefly Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Music Shop ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Us Against You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Words in Deep Blue ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Because of Winn Dixie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

George’s Marvelous Medicine ⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Father’s Dragon ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sadako and the Thousand Cranes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“When you get to the end, you see that love and family are all
there is. Nothing else matters.”

K. Hannah

I am reading Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah for a buddy read with
@jesikasbookshelf and @rosie_tinted_books this month. I missed the
first chat but I hope to remember the the second one. I don’t know
about anyone else but I had to read the complete book. I can not
just read bits and pieces throughout the month. It is too

confusing especially when you are reading several books at a time.

Anyways Firefly Lane has been on my unread shelf for a long time so I
was excited to see the buddy read. It was the perfect reason to pick
up the book and get going. I have LOVED several of the other Kristin
Hannah books that I have read so I knew that this book was going to
be emotional and unexpected.

Kate and Tully develop a friendship in middle school and They plan out
their lives together. They go to college together and they work at
the same place. Tully is clearly the driving force in their lives
and you can see that Kate is unsure of their direction but she doesn’t
want to hurt Tully.

I was a bit disappointed in the character Kate. She didn’t seem to
take charge of her life and decisions until the end. Up until that
point she sort of let life happen to her with her job, motherhood and
her friendship with Tully. She had everything she always wanted but
she didn’t seem happy with it especially when she compared

herself with Tully. She was always jealous of Tully but at the same
time she didn’t want what Tully had.

Tully on the other hand didn’t realize what was important until the end
was there. Then she realized what she was missing in life and started
to make changes.

“I wish you courage

I wish you rushing blood

A heart that beats too hard

Feelings that make everything too hard

Love that gets out of control

The most intense adventures

I hope you find your way out

I hope you’re the kind of person

Who gets a happy ending.”

--F. Backman

My friend Cheryl talked me into reading Us Against You by Fredrik
Backman and to be honest after reading several reviews on bookstagram
I wasn’t really looking forward to it. However, my friend really
wanted to read it and so I read it with her. I was surprised, I

really enjoyed it. Mr Backman is an excellent writer. I have to be
honest I loved Beartown and gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and Us Against You
was good and I would say only ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I was totally into the storylines of Benji, Mia and Anna. I even was
interested to see what would happen with Leo. I liked how Peter ended
up but didn’t care for his character throughout the story. I don’t
want to spoil the story for anyone but I was a bit disappointed

in Benji’s game decision.

“It’s supposed to live for a thousand years. If a sick person folds
one thousand paper cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her
healthy again.”

E. Coerr

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr is a beautiful
book about a young girl who lived in Hiroshima, Japan during WWII
when the Atom Bomb was dropped by the US. Sadako is a brave little
girl who just wants to run on the school team, but an illness will
sidetrack her running ambitions. This book deals with some serious
topics: effects of war, cancer, and death. It is a captivating story.

I read this book with one of my reading groups at school and we had
some wonderful discussions. I love this time of the school year,
everything you have taught all year starts to come together. I’m
only sad that the school year is almost over because I will

miss these discussions.

“There ain't no way you can hold onto something that wants to go,
……

You can only love what you got while you got it.”

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo is an adorable story of a
young girl who moves to a new town but is very lonely. Opal has no
friends and she is missing her mama, until one day she finds a lost
dog. With the help of her new dog Opal begins to make new friends
throughout the town. Things change for Opal, her dog, and all the
people she meets in the town. It is a great story of friendship,
community and second chances.

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett is a book that takes some
time to warm up too. The first time I read it I was not too engaged
in it. I’m not a big fan of fantasy stories. However, now that
I read it two more times and had several book discussions with
different groups of students I’m starting to change my mind.
First of all the kids love all the different animals and their
personalities. The kids love how Elmer tricks the animals. They also
think it is random that Elmer just happened to pack those things.
Big topics we discussed were plan ahead and be prepared and use
your mind to get out of difficult situations.

“It is completely unimportant. That is why it is so interesting.”

― Agatha Christie

This quote sort of sums up my feelings about this book. Unimportant…
That is how I feel about the clues for The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd by
Agatha Christie. Roger Ackroyd is stabbed in a locked room but by
who and his fiance was murdered? Or was it suicide two day before.
OH and she was being blackmailed but nobody seems to know

by whom. In enters Hercule Poirot, the new neighbor, who is a retired
investigator. Step by Step and clue by clue he figures out who has
committed the murder. It will take you to the very end to figure it
out because Agatha Christie wrote so many clues and suspects with
motives it takes until the very end……...but once again I do have to
say I did guess this one too, even though it was somewhat tricky.
I give this mystery ***/5 stars.

“But I love you, and before you say it words do matter. …”. C. Crowley

How could you not love this book? First the cover is adorable.
Second it is a book about books. Third, it is a love story. Rachel
has always loved Henry. Henry has always loved Amy. Henry and Rachel
were always best friends. When Rachel comes back home to find a job
after the death of her brother, she doesn’t understand how her best
friend has never reached out to her especially after the letter she
left where she declared her love.

Henry is devastated when Amy breaks up with him again. Then Rachel
comes to town and takes a job at Henry’s failing bookstore and she
has a chip on her shoulder. Why is she being so mean to him? She
is the one who left and never responded to his letters. Why is she
acting like he did something wrong?

Henry and Rachel decide to be friends again, until the kiss. Things are
going well and then Amy decides she wants to get back with Henry.
Who will Henry choose this time Rachel who is always there for him
or Amy?

“Never grow up……..always down”.

R. Dahl

George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl is a humorous book.
I am reading this with one of my fourth graders at school and another
group of third graders practicing for Battle of the Books. I was never
really a fan of Roald Dahl however his books are starting to grow on me.
The kids just love the humor in them.

George is a little boy who is tired of being ordered around by his
grumpy and mean old grandmother. So he decides to make a medicine to
create some kind of reaction and maybe an explosion. His medicine is
so amazing grandma goes right through the roof. This is a cute little
story. Even my reluctant readers are enjoying this story and that says

a lot.

“How best to honor those we’ve lost? By not being afraid to live
life and take risks,
by daring to open your heart to possibility.”

J. Healey

Jane Healey delivers a wonderful story about the Red Cross Club
mobiles during WWII. I have read a lot WWII books fiction and
non-fiction however, I have never heard of the Red Cross Club Mobiles.

In The Beantown Girls, Healey tells the story of three young ladies
who volunteer during WWII and serve in the Red Cross to serve coffee
and donuts to the allied troops in Europe. Fiona, Viviana, and Dottie
are three college friends from Boston who volunteer together. They
expect the job to be hard but they are unprepared for the emotional
hardships they will see and endure so close to the front line of a war.
They are doing more than just serving coffee and donuts to the troops
they are providing the troops a bit of normalness in an unreal
situation. They talk to the troops and listen to their fears and hopes
and stories of families. They sing and try to cheer them
up and let them know that they are loved even if their family can not
be there to remind them. The girls make some wonderful friendships and
even develop some romantic relationships but they also suffer loses as
well.

The Beantown Girls will strengthen their friendship as well as develop
personal confidence and courage to move to the next level of their
lives. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read.

This is the first meeting of the book club my friend Cheryl and I are
started. So far we have invited teachers from the school where we
taught to be part of the club. I think this club will be fun and
hopefully it will grow as time continues.

“I think that loving another person and being kind is about the
best thing you can do.” R. Joyce

I have had The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce on my TBR list for several
months now and I finally read it. It was an enjoyable story about
Frank who owns a Music Shop that sells Vinyl records in 1988 on a
dead end, run down street. There are a couple other small shops on
the street and the vendors all stick together and watch out for
one another.

One day a beautiful young lady in a green coat passes out in front of
the Music Shop and the
mystery begins. Who is this woman? Where is she from? Why did she
come to the music shop?

Ilse Brauchmann wants music lessons. She has lost her joy of music
and she wants to find a new way back. Frank has a gift of matching
people with the perfect song to help them move on passed their problems,
however he can not deal with his own emotional problems. It is obvious
that Frank and Ilse are attracted to each other but Ilse has many
secrets and Frank is afraid of relationships.

Once you’ve held a book and really loved it, you forever remember
the feel of it, its specific weight,
the way it sits in your hand.
E. Swyler

Simon’s home is falling apart and he just lost his job. Then one day he
receives a book in the mail with no note. It is a really old book
and it has his mother’s name and his grandmother’s name in it.

Simon begins to read and research the book and begins to realize it
is his family’s history. He figures out that all the women in his
family died the same way, before they were 30 and some on the exact
same date. Now he is on a mission to make sure his sister does not fall
into that same fate.

May was a busy month but I squeezed in as much reading as possible. It helped that we went to Seattle because I was able to listen to books on the plane and then in the car as we drove to Spokane. My reading groups at school are doing some great work as well but sadly my time as a school teacher is coming to an end.

My favorite book this month was The Gown. It is an historical fiction book but is also had a bit of romance in it as well. My favorite middle grade book this month was Bridge to Terabithia. I am not surprise by this because this was a reread for me and it is one of my favorites.

Fiction

The Big Four ***

Caroline ****

The Cuckoo’s Calling ***

Fly Away ***

The Folded Clock DNF

The Gown ****

Just Look Up ***

Young Adult Fiction

The Outsiders *****

Middle Grades

The Boxcar Children ***

Bridge to Terabithia *****

Molly’s Pilgrim ****

The One and Only Ivan *****

The World According to Humphrey ***

6 Fiction

1 YA

5 Middle Grade Fiction Books

12 Total Books for May

“When you’re a mom, you learn about fear. You’re always afraid. Always.

About everything from cupboard doors to kidnappers to weather.” K. Hannah

I read Kristin Hannah’s book Fly Away, it is a sequel to Firefly Lane as part of a buddy read with #khbcbuddyreads. The beginning of the book seems like a recap of of the Firefly Lane but from different perspectives. However it really is about how Tully’s life spirals apart after the death of her best friend. The characters from Firefly Lane are all in this book as well. They all come together to support Tully in the hospital yet at the same time they all see how their actions since the funeral played into Tully’s situation.

What I liked about this book is that the reader was able to hear some of the voices that were not heard in Firefly Lane. I also enjoyed Dorothy's story. I would give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

“The dead could only speak through the mouths of those left behind…” R. Galbraith

I am struggling to find a mystery series to read now that I have read all of the Louise Penny’s books to date. My friend Cheryl recommended this book/series to me.

As with any new series it took me a bit to find Cormoran Strike likeable. At first he was a bit harsh. However as the story unfolds you learn more about him and understand what he is going through and see some of his life struggles.

***Spoiler Alert***

The murder and the suspects itself kept me guessing. I was confused to who had done it. But in the end it comes down to motive, however I didn’t expect her brother to be a killer. I question if Bristol already got away with it and the police ruled it a suicide, why he would hire a private detective to look back into it.

This the first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. I did enjoy it enough to give the second book in the series a try.

“With enough time, you can get used to almost anything.”

K. Applegate

I read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate last summer and just loved it. So when my fifth graders were looking for a new book to read I put this on the table as a choice. I was thrilled when they picked it. This book is just adorable. I did reread it and took so many more notes about feelings. This book was just great for our book talks because I am trying to get the girls to infer how and why the characters are feeling or reacting to situations and find the evidence to support their statements. I am trying to get them to read between the lines a bit. Both girls only see what is on the page.

Today our discussion was all about the difference between principal and principle. And when Julia said It was a matter of PRINCIPAL.” He father corrected and said PRINCIPLE, what did he mean and was this a major turning point in the story. Maybe it was Monday morning but that question landed with a THUD!

“You may be afraid, but you may not let your fear chase you away from what must be done.”

S. Miller

This past week I was back on the prairie in Kansas with the Ingalls family but with a twist in Caroline, by Sarah Miller.

I loved this historical fiction book. It was interesting to hear what life on the prairie would be like from Ma’s point of view. I could not imagine living in a small cabin with my three children. The book focuses on the family’s travel from Wisconsin to Kansas. Then their two years in Kansas.

My picture is from the window of the Airbnb I stayed at in Seattle. The simplicity of the window with the plant reminded me of the part in the book when Caroline rocked in her new rocking chair with baby Carrie. She would stare out the window watching for trouble.

The picture of the teal house is the Airbnb we stayed in. It was adorable inside. This was my first time staying at an Airbnb and it was a great experience. I highly recommend it.

“I've been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you're gold when you're a kid,

like green. When you're a kid everything's new, dawn. It's just when you get used to everything that it's day.

Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be.”

S.E. Hinton

This is the first book my sister and I are reading together for a buddyread. We both are avid readers but we rarely read the same books and we never talk books. As of today she has not read the book. We picked this book because I told her I was trying to read one book a month from the #greatreadpbs list.

I started listening to this book on Overdrive as we flew out to Seattle. I fell asleep sometime after **spoiler**Johnny died. When I went back to find the spot the audiobook would not work. So I had to buy the book on Kindle and stayed up til midnight reading the ending.

First of all I liked the names Sodapop and Ponyboy. Next I liked that this story was from Ponyboy’s point of view. He is the youngest in the gang and struggling with his own identity and his loyalty to the gang. The story centers around Ponyboys struggles with why the greasers are different from the Socs. The only thing he can figure out is that the Socs have money. Otherwise they are all kids who are just trying to fit in and belong in high school.

This is a wonderful book with many teaching opportunities for students in high school. I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars for addressing many issues facing children and for showing how to view situations from different viewpoints.

“You never know ahead of time what something's really going to be like.”

K. Patterson

Jessie thinks he has his entire fourth grade year planned out until he meets the new girl, Leslie. She opens up his thinking to all new possibilities. She introduces him to a whole new world of imagination.

I love this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book. This was a reread for me, I first read this book in my Children’s Lit. Class in college. How I loved that class. Our homework was to read two middle grade books and four picture books a week to discuss in class. I can not tell you how many books I bought that semester. I was already married with little kids and my husband said this was the most expensive class ever!!

Anyways, Katherine Patterson is an amazing writer. I quickly identified with the character Jessie because of his relationship with his father. Jessie had to hide his love of art because his father would not understand. It was interesting to me that Jessie appeared to have all the jobs in the family but it could have been because the story was told from his perspective.

This is a wonderful story for teaching standing up for friends, friendships and loss.

I read The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner with one of my reading groups. It was my first time reading this book. It is a realistic fiction (unrealistic) book about four children whose parents pass away in a car crash and they run away because they think their grandfather will be mean to them.

What I liked about this book is that it was easy to read and easy to comprehend. There was no complicated vocabulary for my struggling readers. What I didn’t like about it is that the children took on stereotypical roles. The big brother went to look for a job while the older sister set up a house (out of an old boxcar) and took car of the younger children. Overall I would give this book ⭐️⭐️ stars.

“You can learn a lot about life by observing another species.” B. Birney

Considering, The World According to Humphrey, is told from the hamster’s point of view, the story has a very strong message for the student readers.

Humphrey lives in classroom 26. He is learning to read, write and shoot rubber band. Rubber Band shooting is for self defense so it is a necessary skill. He is learning to speak English. Every night he has conversations with the janitor and each weekend Humphrey goes to a different student’s house. At each house Humphrey somehow helps the family out by solving some type of family problem. The story is very humorous and the students loved trying to figure out how Humphrey was helping in each chapter.

My students highly recommend this book.

Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen is an excellent story. I read this with several of my reading groups this week and they really enjoyed it. First of all they really liked how short the book was. Leave it to kids to make that a criteria for how good a book is. Secondly, all of my students were surprise that “Pilgrims” could mean more than just the people who came from England and found their way to Massachusetts.

This was just a great story dealing with bullying, understanding people who are different from you, don’t judge someone until you get to know them and be open to new ideas or interpreting things in a new way. I give this book 5 stars.

I read The Gown with my CK teacher book club and Wow did I enjoy the book. It was our second meeting and we now have six members.

It was one of those dual historical reads where part of the story took place just after WWII at the time of the queen’s wedding. Then there is Heather who is exploring her Grandmother’s connection to the gown in present time. Heather is given a box with embroidered flowers and a picture of her Nan and Miriam Dassin after her grandmother passes away. It has her name on it. Heather sets out to find out the history/story behind the pieces. She is able to find Miriam Dassin who knew and worked with her grandmother.

Miriam and Ann’s story is a beautiful story of friendship, secrets and sacrifices made after WWII. Both were young ladies working to make ends meet in the famous Mayfair fashion house of Norman Hartnell. They do a lot of the embroidery on the dresses. The Queen and the princesses order their clothes from this designer. So the make a lot of important dresses including the priceless wedding dress for the then princess.

After the dress is complete the ladies go their separate ways but their hearts are always close together. I enjoyed this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 star book.

“He laughs best who laughs at the end.”

A. Christie

I read my fifth Hercule Poirot Mystery this year as part of the #queensofmystery buddy read, however I was unable to participate in the buddy read because of my busy schedule. The Big Four by Agatha Christie was my favorite so far. It was very difficult to figure out who the main players were because they were all new characters. Hastings was back in this book and I found him to be likeable in this story. In The Big Four Poirot and Hastings are looking for four international criminals who have teamed up to cause instability in the world. Overall I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5 stars.

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh was the final book I read in May. I picked this book because it was written by a pastor’s wife. In January I started the Hope By The Book 2019 challenge and I thought I was signed up for the magazine. I follow @hopebythebook on Instagram as well and I thought there was going to be book recommendations throughout the year. I don’t know if I am missing something but it did not work out the way I thought. I feel like I am on my own with this challenge. I only got one magazine and I am struggling to find books to fit their categories.

Anyways, I read the book Just Look Up and it was a cute story about a young girl named Lane Kelly who has a high powered design job in Chicago and felt disconnected from her family. She comes back to Harbor Pointe, MI when her brother is in a serious motorcycle accident. She struggles to get along with her family, however, she does reconnect with a family friend Ryan who helps her re-evaluate what is important to her. It’s a fun and easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 star read.

I couldn’t get to Harbor Pointe, Michigan to take my picture however I do live on the other side of Lake Michigan. I thought Lake Michigan would be a fun background for my picture.

I feel like a very lucky reader. Every since I joined the bookstagram community I have enjoyed reading all the reviews posted. It has helped me pick the best books to read each month. Therefore I feel I am reading quality books with a variety of content. Historical fiction has become one of my favorite genres and I try to find books with settings in different countries and eras. Bookstagramers are so knowledgeable and great at finding true treasures. My favorite book this month was Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. It is a historical fiction with some romance. It is the first book I have ever read that takes place in Cuba and it was very informative. Out of My Mind was the only middle grade book I read but it was amazing. Reading about a young girl with severe disabilities trying to understand and be accepted in a world where friends and and verbal communication is so important.

Fiction Books: 5 books

The Cactus ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lost for Words Bookshop ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Mystery of the Blue Train ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next Year in Havana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Shadow of the Wind ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nonfiction Books: 4 books

Camp Grandma ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dutch Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Garlic and Sapphires ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Literary Paris ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Middle Grade Books: 1 book

Out of My Mind ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Total of 10 books

“What's right isn't always popular, and what’s popular isn't always right.”

S. Draper

This is⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star Book the final story I read with my fifth grade girls this school year. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is an excellent book to help students understand what it might be like to have a disability and to be judged by everyone around you. The main character Melody cannot speak or use her arms and legs. For my girls to begin to understand what that meant was eye opening experience for them. One of my girls just wanted her to “get better.” It took a bit of understanding to get to the point that there was no cure just adaptations. We had several conversations about the word normal. I ❤️ this book. It had so many discussion points for our book talks.

This book is also on my Battle of the Books list for the 19/20 school year.

“Few things leave a deeper mark on the reader, than the first book that finds its way to his heart.”

Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is an intriguing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 star book. I have been thinking through my thoughts of this book for a week now. The story is about a young man named Daniel who lives in Barcelona after the Spanish Civil War. When the book begins, Daniel, is just a little boy. His father takes him to the hidden library where he finds an old book, The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. His dad tells him it is his responsibility to take care of this old book for the rest of his life. As Daniel learns more about his book he finds out it is the only copy of it left in print. Daniel begins to research more about the book and its author which leads him into a lot of danger.

“What is better than a great relationship…...Camp Grandma, when all is said and done, is about bringing my family, my grandchildren together to build deep and lasting relationships. --M. W. Day

Camp Grandma by Marianne Waggoner Day is a book that caught my attention because I spend a great deal of time with my grandchildren. The book explores the teaching opportunities grandparents have each time they have their grandchildren over especially if they are a primary child care provider.

Day focuses her examples on older children but you can simplify and apply her ideas to younger children as well. What I like about this book is Day’s emphasis on providing continuous opportunities for all your grandchildren to experience activities and events together. To provide them with a sense of a larger family being together, working together, making decisions together and creating memories together.

My three little “buddies” a term passed down from my parents are my joy right now. I try to do as much as I possibly can with them. I know the boys will start preschool next year and I will lose a lot of my time with them.

This summer we started a butterfly garden. I hope to make this a yearly tradition. I love the joy and curiosity I see in their faces, however I hate cleaning caterpillar poop.

“Life is too short to be unhappy, to play it safe. To do what is expected of you rather than follow your heart.”

--C. Cleeton

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read. It is a historical fiction book written in a dual timeline in Cuba. It starts out with Marisol Ferrera in Miami, 2017, who just lost her grandmother. (Elisa)

Marisol was very close to her grandmother, she had raised her. Her grandmother’s dying wish was for Marisol to go to Havana and scatter her ashes.

When Marisol arrives in Havana, Cuba, she begins to learn secrets her grandmother had kept from her and the family for years. Marisol learns a lot of her family history from her grandmother’s best friend, Ana, and even more history from her grandson, Luis. The most important lesson Marisol learns is to be brave.

This book is well written. It has two love stories in it and a lot of history about Cuba. It is hard to put down I was very captivated by the story and just wanted to read one more chapter.

I read this book with my sister and I can’t wait for her to finish so we can have a discussion.

“When a person has lived generously and fought fiercely, she deserves more than sadness at the end.”

― R. Reichl

I picked up the book Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl because I saw it in Anne Bogel’s, Summer Reading Guide 2019. It was in her article 7 Favorites from 7 Past Years of Summer Reading Guides. How could I pass up a book with such high recommendations AND BONUS there was no waiting for it on Overdrive. I listened to it on audio and loved it. Ruth escapades as a food critic are hilarious. I know I would never eat some of the seafood Ruth eats but it was fun to hear her stories. My favorite part of the book is the costumes. I would give this book a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.

“Nobody bothers children who read.”

— S. Butland

When you read a book because it falls into the category books about books you never know what you are going to get. However I am rarely disappointed and always pleasantly surprised. The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland is just one of those books that just grew and grew on me until I couldn’t put it down.

Loveday Cardew has had a tough life but you will never know about it because she doesn’t share details of her life with ANYONE! She has worked in the same bookstore since she was 15 years old. She loves to read and she has some of her favorite lines from books tattoo on her body.

She appears to have her life all figured out for herself until she meets a poet.

Then things really begin to happen. Books from her childhood appear at the store. A former boyfriend is stalking her. Then there is the poet who is reminding Loveday of memories of the past.

Loveday is questioning everything she thought to be true.

I really enjoyed reading this book and give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

A good book is an event in my life.”

--Stendhal

I preordered my copy of Literary Paris by Nichole Robertson and received it the day it was published in June this year. I just didn’t have a moment to sit down and enjoy and absorb the book until today. This is the second book by N. Robertson that I have purchased. I also have Paris in Color. First I have to say I LOVE Paris! The books are like taking a quiet little tour of Paris every time you sit down and page through them.

Literary Paris is photos of bookstores, libraries and other famous places that authors and poets have lived or visited. I love the unique book statues that Nichole found throughout Paris. She mixed famous book quotes with her photos to create a tour of Paris through a literary lens. I love this adorable and charming book.

“I can testify to what UNICEF means to children, because I was among those who received food and medical relief right after World War II. I have a long-lasting gratitude and trust for what UNICEF does.”

—A. Hepburn

Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen was the book my teacher friends picked for our book club this month. The book intrigued me because when Audrey Hepburn was originally offered the role of Anne in the Anne Frank Movie she turned it down because it was too close to the life she lead during WWII.

This was the hook I needed to read this book. I wanted to know how her life was similar to Anne Frank’s. For most of the war it appeared Audrey’s life was very different. However toward the end of the war Audrey witnessed and experienced some horrible effects of the war. She lived on the front line of the war. Food and heat was scarce during the last winter of the war. Life for the citizens in the small town was extremely hard. Audrey did not talk much in public about her life during WWII and after reading the book I can understand why.

“But when a man is really in love he can't help looking like a sheep.”

—A. Christie

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie was by far one of her better books that I read so far. To me the story seemed to flow better. There was not a lot of unnecessary characters and details. I felt like I was reading a mystery and not playing the game Clue. This was the first time I didn’t predict the murder on my own. I just enjoyed this story. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

Susan is quite a character in the book, The Cactus, by Sarah Hayward. She is somewhere between Britt-Marie (Fredrik Backman) and Eleanor Oliphant (Gail Honeyman.) It took me a bit to warm up to her, she is so quirky and awkward. She comes off as a cold person but really she does have a big heart. She doesn’t know how to express herself and let people get close to her. All her life she has had to built a strong emotional wall around her to survive. This story was great. I thought is was going to be a light read and really there so much more to it. Family drama, romance, taking risks in life and a family secrets. Overall it was very enjoyable and that is why it was Reese Witherspoon’s Book of the Month. I give it **** stars.

July was a busy month but I was able to squeeze in 12 books. Some of
the books were absolutely amazing and a couple books just checked
off boxes for challenges. My favorite book was The Hate U Give and
right behind it was The Lost Castle. I really enjoyed Magical Miniature
Garden & Homes and I have been trying to create little fairy homes
in my garden. It is a lot of fun.

Fiction Books 12 Total Books

The Hate U Give ***** 5 Fiction books

Night Road **** 2 YA Fiction books

The Sun Is Also A Star *** 3 Middle Grade Fiction books

When We Left Cuba ***** 2 Nonfiction books

The Keeper of Lost Things ***

The Lost Castle ****

Summer of 69 ****

Middle Grade Books

Ella Enchanted ***

Anne of Avonlea *****

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle ***

Nonfiction Books

American Fire ***

Magical Miniature Gardens & Home

Happy 4th of July. I’d like to say I was relaxing by the pool reading a good book but we have a day scheduled with family fun. A morning parade, lunch at home, playing with grandkids, grilling out with the family and of course fireworks. ❤️

Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand is the perfect summer read. I loved reading the story of the Levin-Foley-Nicholson family as they told their story of the Summer of ‘69. Lots of historical information mixed with musical references all tell the personal stories of each member of the family. The story focuses mainly on Jessie, the youngest, member of the family as she deals with her mother and grandmother who are drinking a lot. She is almost invisible in the family as her parents deal with her two older sisters and her older brother who is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. The book addresses many social issues of the time. I have read several of Elin Hilderbrand’s books and this is my favorite. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

This is my book club book with my CK teacher friends and I can not wait to hear their opinions of the book. Many of the teachers were around the Summer of ‘69 and it will be interesting to hear their memories vs those in the book.

“If I’m going to have regrets in this life, I’d rather them be for the chances I took and not the opportunities I let slip away.”

--C. Cleeton

After my sister and I read Next Year in Havana last month for a buddy read we decided to read part 2 When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton. We both liked When We Left Cuba better than Next Year in Havana. I think because it was one complete story instead of two separate stories.

The story focuses on Beatriz Perez, she is the sister of Elise from Next Year in Havana. Her family left Cuba during the revolution and had to leave everything behind and is starting over in Florida. Beatriz is trying to balance her new life of freedom while missing her old friends and status from home.

She is retelling her life story and the decisions she made during the Cold War as a young girl. She shares her story of love for her country and her handsome young man. She tells her of her opportunities with the CIA to revenge the death of her twin brother.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction book. It has romance, adventure, historical events all rolled into one book. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

“Plants, like people, learned to grow in rocky terrain.”

K. Hannah

Night Road by Kristin Hannah was the July buddy read for KHBCbuddyread. I unfortunately did not meet any of the reading deadlines so I didn’t get to participate. However I did finish the book today and it broke my heart.

Lexi is a young girl who has had a very rough childhood. She finally ends up with a Great Aunt who provides a simple but stable home and most importantly love. Lexi finds a best friend on her first day of high school, Mia. Mia’s family, the Farradays, embrace Lexi and treats her as a member of their family. Lexi falls in love with Zach, Mia’s brother, and the three of them are inseparable.

Jude Farraday has dedicated her life to raising to raising and protecting her children to the best of her abilities. She has big dreams for them. But senior year is upon the trio and they have relationships to work through and parties. In a blink of an eye, one decision changes all their lives forever.

I was impressed with Lexi character. To me it seemed she stepped up and took responsibility for her decision. I was disappointed in Zach he didn’t stand up for Lexi and I feel he really didn’t take responsibility for his decision.

I was really disappointed in Jude. She only blamed Lexi and didn’t seem to see Zach and Mia’s role. Most importantly why Zach and Mia made that decision….they did not want Jude to be angry and they pressured Lexi. I couldn’t believe how Jude treated her family and Lexi.

This book made me go through several emotions and most importantly made me think how would I act in a similar situation. Would I be able to forgive or would I want to punish? This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star story.

Magical Miniature Gardens & Homes by Donni Weber is a book I purchased on my Kindle so I could put together a Fairy Garden. It is something I’ve wanted to do since I saw this little house on a book at the library. I found the fairy house on Amazon and I found the book through Pinterest. I really enjoyed looking at the pictures in the book. The first chapter was very informative and helpful. I read some useful tips and I put together this cute garden for the side of my house. Now I need to find the perfect fairy for the garden.

“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”

A. Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star book by far. It addresses present day problems in our society head on from both sides. I’m not going to say much about the topic because I feel I have little experience in the matter. However I will say that when you see the signs, Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter you can see that people are passionate about getting the message out. ALL LIVES MATTER and Angie’s book points out that our society needs to work together to solve problems…...LISTENING to all voices echoes throughout this book. My advice is to read the book!

“In books and in life, you need to read several pages before someone's true character is revealed.” G.C. Levine

I was encouraged to read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine by Brandi @lollipopsandlyrics and her list of #newbery2019 books. Ella Enchanted is the book to read for the month of August, unfortunately my library holds don’t always line up with the reading schedule so I had to read it this month.

Ella Enchanted was the perfect book for me to read this week because it was just after putting together my fairy garden. In the book Ella is given the “gift of obedience” by a foolish fairy who doesn’t completely understand the consequences of her gifts. Ella does not want this gift and goes on a quest to search for the foolish fairy who is the only one who can reverse the spell. However this quest is very dangerous because Ella must obey every ogre, wicked stepsister and anyone else that learned of her “gift.”

“…I'm so thankful for friendship. It beautifies life so much.”

L.M. Montgomery

Listening to Anne of Avonlea was such a breath of fresh air. To be able to go back to Green Gables for a couple of hours was so relaxing. I listened to this story while working in the garden this week. Anne is so optimistic and full of life anyone can get caught up in her carefree life.

I especially liked this book because it touched on Anne’s years as a school teacher and how she felt about her students. I also enjoyed listening about the twins that Anne and Marilla agreed to raise. It is humorous to me that at 17 years old Anne is working as a teacher, volunteering in the community, raising children and considered an adult herself.

I picked this edition Anne of Avonlea from my Puffin Classic collection for the photo because I don’t like the picture of Anne. I think the eyes make her look mean and don’t know if it is just me but if feels like an unpleasant picture of Anne. Anne is always so cheery and upbeat in the stories. What are your thoughts???

“The wonderful thing about books was that they were films that played inside your head.”

R. Hogan

I picked this book last year because I loved the cover. In fact I have this book in two of my challenges for a beautiful cover, #MMDchallenge2019 and #HBTB2019reads. I was hoping the story was as beautiful as the cover unfortunately I found the story confusing at times. There are three different stories going on. I felt two were tied together nicely and the third was just there and had some tie-ins but not enough to create a story line out of it. In fact the author did that a lot she even included the short stories one of the main characters wrote.

As an audiobook this book was hard to follow. Maybe the actual book would be easier to follow. I give this book ⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

“Maybe part of falling in love with someone else is also falling in love with yourself.”

N. Yoon

The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon is a sweet book about falling in love. I enjoyed listening to this book on Audible mainly because there were several readers which helped to keep the characters straight. I was glad I owned a hard copy of the book as well because there was a couple of times I got confused and was able to go back to the book and straighten things out.

I found Natasha and Daniel to be like-able characters. The story takes place over the span of one day while Natasha and Daniel are both skipping school to go to appointments that will change their lives. Daniel is drawn to Natasha as soon as he meets her, but Natasha needs some convincing. The story bounces back and forth between Natasha and Daniel’s point of view.

I was surprised by the end of the story however I still think the story deserves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

“A sailor may choose the wind to ride out of seaport,
but the wind has a mind of it's own.”

—AVI

The True Confessions Of Charlotte Doyle by AVI is the book I read
along with @lollipopsandlyrics and @happylittlebirdy during the month
of July. It is a Newbery Honor Book from 1991 and considered a
historical fiction book. Although I found some of the situations to
be a little bit unrealistic.

Charlotte is a young girl, 13 years of age who is going home from
boarding school in England to America in the 1800's. An employee of
her father leaves her on a ship with no other women to supervise her
which was unheard of in that time period. Women did not travel on
their own with a man in fact would she even had traveled with her
dad’s employee? Doubtful!!! Once she was on the ship, the captain,
I would think would had been more responsible with Charlotte there so
she doesn’t report him to her father.

I did like that Charlotte took her own responsibility as the voyage
continued, however I think it would be very difficult for a thirteen
year old girl to do the same tasks as an adult man. I was
disappointed in the ending I would like Charlotte to stand up to her
family.

“The story we’re writing in this life, day by day,
it’s a gift from God and we can’t afford to waste a moment of it.”

-K. Cambron

I picked up this book to fulfill a category in the #HBTB2019
reading challenge, I didn’t expect much and I was pleasantly surprised.
In fact I was captivated by this historical fiction piece.
This story takes place over three different time periods:
The French Revolution, WWII and present day. Each time period had
a wonderful story with mystery, suspense and romance.

The story begins with Ellie Carver who is struggling emotionally as
her grandmother is slipping away from her as she is suffering from
Alzheimer’s. One day her grandmother speaks of a past and a place
that Ellie knows nothing about. She is talking about a castle in
ruins and her past during WWII. Ellie goes to France to search for
her grandmother’s past.

Ellie sets out on an adventure to Loire Valley in France in search
of the castle known as The Sleeping Beauty. She is surprised to learn
of the castle’s history and secrets along with her grandmother’s
secrets all which lead to her future. This is a wonderful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
star book.

“The trouble with being the type of person who would do anything
for love was that you would do anything for love.”

― M. Hesse

I read this book to meet two criteria for two book challenges:
1. For MMD, read a book outside your genre comfort zone,
2. HBTB Reading Challenge, genre you don’t usually read.
In fact the entire time I was reading this book I was thinking
I am checking off two boxes on my challenges.

American Fire was written by Washington Post reporter Monica Hesse
who was assigned to cover a five-month arson spree in rural Accomack
County, Virginia. Charlie and his girlfriend Tonya were arrested
for lighting fires, however Charlie and Tonya’s stories did not match.

The reporter digs into the stories of Charlie, Tonya, the sheriff
and several of the volunteer firefighters.

September is over and I feel like I did some serious reading this month. I am working hard to finish up the

Hope by The Book challenge. I have a couple books planned for October and November and then I should

complete the entire challenge. I have two books left in the MMD reading challenge as well. I plan to read

one in October and one in November. December will be dedicated to fun Christmas reads.

My favorite book this month was, Note Yet Unsung. It was a really good historical fiction book.

The plot was engaging and I couldn’t wait to find out more of Rebekah and Tate’s story.

The book I liked the least would have to be Turning Point by Danielle Steel. It was too

repetitive and predictable for me.

Fiction Books

Anne of the Island ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hannah’s Hope ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Kiss Quotient ⭐️⭐️

Note Yet Unsung ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On Mystic Lake ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rules of Civility ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summerland ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Turning Point. ⭐️⭐️

Vintage ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Non Fiction Books

Love Dares ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Same Kind of Different as Me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Season of Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Middle Grade Books

Wednesday Wars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

13 Total Books

This week I read Danielle Steel ‘s book, Turning Point with my sister. It was my sister’s pick.

She loves Danielle Steel books. To be honest I used to like them about twenty years ago when

I read about two books during the summer and one during Christmas break however now that I

read more I find her books to be very repetitive with the basic storylines. I struggled with staying

interested in this book. I think this is a ⭐️⭐️/5 star book.

“The Word says God don't give us credit for lovin the folks we want to love anyway.

No, He gives us credit for loving the unlovable.”

—Denver Moore

I finished Same Kind of Different as Me this morning by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.

It is a powerful true story about a homeless man who meets Ron and Debrah Hall and learns

to trust them and the Lord. The three of them are on a spiritual journey that help them accept

and reach out to other homeless people in the Fort Worth, Texas Area. Denver’s life is filled

with hardship and sorrow yet he is a great example of what can happen when you truly give

yourself to the Lord. This is a remarkable ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book. It was also made into a

movie as well. I read this book for the Hope by the Book Challenge. I also think I am the only

one doing this challenge. Oh well I started it and I am determined to finish.

“All the things that make you different make you perfect.” ...H. Hoang

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is a cute, quirky story about Stella, a young successful girl

who has Aspergers. She struggles with social interactions especially dating. She hires Michael,

a male escort, to teach her more about dating and relationships. I really enjoyed this story as

it explored the struggles that people face when social interactions are not a strength for them,

however I could have done without the explicit sex. It was not for me, therefore I would give

this book ⭐️⭐️ stars because I felt I skipped through a lot of the book that I just didn’t care to read.

I’m a bit nervous now because I read this book because I thought it was the book to read before

The Bride Test. I picked the Bride Test a couple months ago for my Book of the Month. Now I’m torn,

should I read The Bride Test???

Today I finished Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand. It is the second book my sister and I are

reading together this month. Incase you haven’t put it together yet my sister likes to read light

romance novels. It is a bit of a challenge each month finding something she will like.

Summerland is a great summer read about a group 17 year olds that try to piece together what

happened the night of graduation. Penny the designated driver, who was sober, was so upset she

took off driving so fast she got in an accident. But what secret upset her????? The parents and kids

involved spend the rest of the summer trying to deal with the consequences and fallout of this tragic

accident. I give this story ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

I am looking for suggestions for other books my sister and I can read together.

“I have a dream," he said slowly. "I persist in dreaming it, although it has often

seemed to me that it could never come true.

I dream of a home with a hearth-fire in it, a cat and dog,

the footsteps of friends -- and you!” L.M. Montgomery

I am reading the Anne of Green Gables series from the beginning for the

very first time…..and I love it. I can not imagine reading this as a child/teen, I think

I would miss so much of the humor.

I love the character, Davy, and the letters he writes to Anne, he writes questions and follows up

with “I need to know…” In this book, Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery writes about Anne’s

years in college. She writes about Anne’s misconceptions about love and relationships. All her

friends are falling in love and getting engaged. Anne has been dating but she is not sure what

LOVE really means. She has been proposed too several times and she had to rejected them all

including a proposal from Gilbert her long-time school friend. She even rejects Roy, the boy she

dated for two years.

However at the end of the book she realizes who she truly loves but she is afraid it is too late.

Don’t fret for Anne, there is a happy ending.

“Whatever it means to be a friend, taking a black eye for someone has to be in it.”

—G. Schmidt

Today on our way home from Cedar Rapids, Iowa I finished listening to Wednesday Wars. It was

one of the best middle grade books I have listened to in a while. I loved the humor in the book

and the writing style of Gary Schmidt is wonderful. Young readers will easily relate to this book

and to the main characters. The relationship between and Holling Hoodhood and Mrs. Baker is

so funny. I enjoyed listening to how he interpreted his teacher’s thoughts and actions. I think

this Newbery Honor book deserves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I read this book along with @lollipopsandlyrics and @happylittlebirdy for a September buddyread.

“In the end it’s not the mistakes you make that matter. It’s what you do with what you

learn from those mistakes. And it’s how you respond to the mistakes of others.”

—Biff Poggi

Season of Life by Jeffery Marx is a wonderful story about Joe Ehrmann, who played for the

Baltimore Colts. After his football career and the death of his brother he changed his life and his

purpose to helping others. In doing so, he aligned himself with some other remarkable people

and together they started the Building Men for Others program. They created a philosophy for

coaching young boys in football which they hope will be the foundation of their character as they

develop into men.

This book was recommended to me by a former co-worker who is a mother of two little boys. I think

parents of boys and people who work with boys should read this book it has some really profound

thoughts worth thinking about.

Here is another quote that I am pondering….

When reflecting on your life it really come down to this quote, “What kind of father (mother) were you?

What kind of husband (wife) were you? What kind is son (daughter) were you? What kind of

brother (sister) were you? What kind of friend were you?” I added the words in parentheses

because this book mainly focus on men. But this quote can apply to anyone.

This week I listened to the book, Vintage by Susan Gloss, because it met the criteria for the

#HBTB2019reads challenge (a setting near you). This book takes place in Madison, WI, which

is about 70 miles from my home.

Violet owns a vintage clothing shop on a busy street near the University of Madison.

There she meets Betsy, April and Amith, who all become friends and a support network for

each other. As Violet struggles to keep the shop open the women deal with other issues such

as infidelity, unexpected pregnancy and moving on and accepting change. This is a sweet and

easy read and I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

“If we only fell in love with people who were perfect for us...then there wouldn't be so

much fuss about love in the first place.”

― Amor Towles, Rules of Civility

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is an amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star story about a young woman

living in New York City in the early 1930’s. Katey Kontent was from a working class family but

made some friendships with high society people. Katey, Eva, and Tinker were best of friends but

when Eva meets with a terrible accident the threesome becomes a twosome. However life is not

what it seems. Katey is looking back on her year and the decisions she made and she was falling

in love with Tinker. .

I love the writing style of Towles I don’t know how to explain it but the quality of the writing seems

so different from most of the books I have read. The quality of the language and the engaging

story just seems to flow effortlessly.

I read Hannah’s Hope by Karen Kingbury for the #HBTB2019reads (“hope” in the title.) It was a

short and meaningful ⭐️⭐️⭐️ star story. Hannah lives with her Grandmother and goes to a

private school where she is considered a smart and driven student. Her father is the Ambassador

to Sweden and her mother lives with him. Hannah is disappointed when her parents tell her they

are not coming home for Christmas, she begins to wish for a Christmas Miracle. But she is in for

a huge family secret for Christmas instead.

“Life isn’t always just, But God, who sees everything is. And He will bring good from it.”

----T. Alexander

Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander is another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read for me. This historical

fiction book was set in Nashville, TN just after the Civil War. Rebekah Carrington is an accomplished

musician, trained in Vienna. She can play three instruments, piano, oboe and piano. She wants to

join the Nashville Philharmonic, however women are considered to fragile for the stress of an orchestra

and prohibited from practicing in the orchestra.

Tate Whitcomb is Nashville’s new conductor, and he recognizes Rebekah’s talents, however he doesn’t

think Nashville is ready to welcome women into the orchestra. But Rebekah needs a job so she is

willing to work as Tate’s assistant as he composes his symphony for the grand opening of the new

opera hall.

Both Tate and Rebekah have secrets that they are holding back from each other that could

impact their relationship. This is an amazing story that addressing topics such as, slavery/race,

domestic abuse, stereotypes, inequality and of course romance.

I started the book, Love Dares, back in February as part of my Lenten goal. I wanted to read

a section each night and apply it to my life. As with most ideas I got a bit busy and was unable

to finish the book during Lent, however I’ve been reading it on and off all year. I finally finished

it this month.

This book has suggestions to build your marriage in a spiritual way. There are many ideas that

I took away from this book that I want to apply to my own marriage. The first point that stuck

with me was from the first day, “Love is built on two pillars patience and kindness.” After thirty

five years of marriage I would have to agree. This is something I learned from my husband.

He has an endless amount of patience and kindness it is amazing. He has modeled the quote, “Kindness is a blessing.” treating our children, extended family and me with kindness living his

Christian faith daily.

My mother-in-law told me a long time ago, do what you can each day in the house so when

your husband comes home from work you can spend the time together as a family. I took this

advice to heart, and each day I tried my best to make sure the needs of the house and children

were met and dinner was on the table so that when he came home he had time to spend and

enjoy the children with me. The book recommends something similar, “Being with you should

recharge them and lower their stress level, not drain them and wear them out.”

I can relate to this statement because after our children were school age, I went to work and

it seemed like our weekends were devoted to housework and yard work and there were times

were I didn’t feel recharged after the weekend and then I felt stressed all week. So anything I

can do to take some of the stress away from the one I love is helpful. “Every loving thought,

attitude or action in your marriage can become another way for you to say “I love you” to God.

The fact that it blesses your spouse in the process is simply a wonderful, additional benefits.”

This is a beautiful quote, each kind action you do for your loved ones is a sign of love. This thought

is so simple it is often overlooked.

“A dad... he teaches responsibility and accountability, but a mom... ah, a mom teaches her child t

o dream, to reach for the stars and to believe in fairy tales.”

K. Hannah

On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah is my last book for September 2019. I read this book with my

CK Book Club. The main character, Annie Colwater, just dropped her only child off at the airport

to participate in a 3 month exchange program. Then her husband of twenty years tells her he wants

a divorce. He doesn’t want to talk about it, he doesn't love her, he is in love with someone else at work.

Annie is devastated. She decides to go home by her father in Mystic, Washington. There she grieves

for her failed marriage until she meets Nick. Nick, her first love, who just lost his wife and is drinking

too much and neglecting his daughter, Izzie.

Annie finds a renewed purpose and love and she rebuilds her life, Nick’s and Izzie’s. But Kristin

Hannah always has a twist in the story and Annie will be left with some major decisions. I give

this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

Fiction

Anne of Windy Poplars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Chances Are⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Falling Are⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sea Keeper’s Daughter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Map of Salt and Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Perennials⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Middle Grade

The Penderwicks⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sounder⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

It’s that time of the month again, October Reading Wrap Up. Is it just me or do you feel the same way,

the month just flies by? I guess it is a good thing that I have so many things to keep me busy. I am

working hard to finish up the Hope By The Book Reading Challenge and Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading

Challenge as well. I have three books left to finish up both challenges and I hope to do that in November.

I have two very large books to read and finish, Middlemarch and The Forgotten Garden. I have been reading one section of Middlemarch each week and I am half way through.

My favorite book this month is The Map of Salt and Stars.

I loved reading about Nour and her journey through Syria. It was fascinating reading and trying to understand

how a young girl from New York City

had to navigate her way through hostile unknown countries.

“ I love you because you have made me laugh every day...I love you because you let me be me,

and you have from the start. I love you for saying 'please' and 'thank you' and for kissing me good morning and

good night. I love you for treating each day together as if it were a gift, not a curse...I love you for building me up and for

never tearing me down. for seeing my flaws and forgiving them all. For finding the good in me, especially when I struggle

to see it in myself. And for showing...how a woman should be treated with dignity and kindness and equal respect...I love you

for knowing when to take a stand and when to take a knee. And for always holding the door for me. Always…”

J. Cantrell

Could you ask for a more beautiful way for someone to say I love you. Perennials by Julie Cantrell has been on my list of books

to read for a looong time. I picked the book for its cover, no surprise there. I love the cover and the title of the book.

The story is about Lovey a successful career woman who struggles with the memories of her childhood. She grew up in a

southern family with her loving parents who didn’t quite seem to tune into Lovey’s needs. Her father avoided confrontation

and her mother was preoccupied with presenting a “ideal” role model to everyone.

When Lovey’s sister turns mean girl on her nobody does anything about it. Lovey finds herself running from her family, friends

and the town she loves just to get away from her sister’s hurtful words.

But now as her parents celebrate their 50th Anniversary, Lovey is struggling between being there for her family or doing her job.

She realizes how much time she missed with her parents, niece and nephew, and Fisher her high school sweetheart. But she

had always dependent on herself financially and her biggest account needs attention now.

Her dad wants her to help create a memory garden for her mother as part of the anniversary gift. Fisher is the landscaper, so she

ends up spending a lot of time with him. Working in the garden Lovey begins to see/re-evaluate her life choices and she discovers

she wants more in her life to be with her family. But how can she make that work with her job?

This book has love, loss, family drama, and a lot of garden references. I really enjoyed this story. I liked the relationship between

Lovey and her Dad. He really listened to her and valued her thoughts. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book.

“Living, really living, wasn’t about clinging to control but about giving it away.” — L. Wingate

This week I read, The Sea Keeper’s Daughters by Lisa Wingate, another Christian historical

fiction/romance book. The story is about Whitney Monroe a struggling restaurant owner who is

trying to save her two restaurants and keep her employees working. However she is called to take

care of her stepfather, who she never talks to in North Carolina.

There Whitney begins to go through her family history and heirlooms. She is hoping to find things to

sell to save the restaurants. But instead she found a fascinating story of her Great Aunt who worked

as a writer for the government who was assigned to document the history of the people of North

Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and a group of unlikely friends.

This story explores three different generations of the Benoit Family. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book

to me, although I found the audio version annoying. The voice of Whitney sounded wrong for the

character. The story itself was fascinating. I was interested in what was going to happen to Whitney

and I loved the story of her Aunt Alice and what she was learning about the people living in the mountains.

This is a Christian book about having faith in God’s path for you but that is it. I read this for Hope by

the Book Reading Challenge, I have now completed the “voracious readers” level.

“He loved her without reservations. Without keeping a record of her wrongs. As far as the east is

from the west, that's how far He'd removed her sins from her.

He loved her. And He forgave her.” B. Wade

Corbin and Willow find themselves in the same small town after breaking up four years before.

Corbin is determined to make Willow fall in love with him again. Willow does not think she can

trust Corbin and her list for what her future husband needs to be is nothing less than perfect.

Corbin already failed her once.

Corbin turns on the charm and gives his heart to Willow but is Willow willing to do the same?

Falling for You by Becky Wade fulfilled the requirement for INSPY Award Winning Book for the

Hope By The Book Challenge. This book was heavy with Christian Faith references. It was a

basic romance book and I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

“Every place you go becomes a part of you. But none more so than home.”

Z. Joukhadar

The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar is an amazing story of courage and survival.

Nour is a young girl from New York City, who speaks English primarily, who finds herself in living Syria

after the death of her father.

Throughout the story, Nour, is retelling a favorite story her father told of a mapmaker's apprentice.

The young heroine Rawiya, in the story must be brave in order to go on this extraordinary journey.

In Nour’s life her journey begins when her Syrian house is bombed and her mom and sisters must travel

across seven countries of the Middle East and North Africa, the same path as in her favorite story, to find safety.

Nour’s journey becomes very dangerous and is filled with life and death decisions. For a time Nour must travel with

her big sister alone because one sister is too sick to travel. The girls must find there way to safety on their own.

This is a very powerful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star story of bravery and perverseness. The book shows the depths

refugees are willing to go through and risk to get their families into a safe country. I thank @annebogel for her

reading challenge. The challenge has stretched me as a reader to take on books I normally might not read. This is

also my blue photo for @lollipopsandlyrics photo challenge of the week.

“Nobody is ever too old to dream. And dreams never grow old.”

L.M. Montgomery

I was able to go back into Anne Shirley’s world this month. I am on book four of the series and

Anne was the principal at the school in Windy Poplars for three years. She met many new people

there and she continued to try to help the people in the town. She wrote many letters to Gilbert as

he was away at medical school. I love how Anne takes the time to know her students and invites

them into her life.

I took my photo at Poplar Creek. I drive by the little creek everyday on the way to the gym. I never

thought about it before and now it reminds me of the book. I can imagine Anne daydreaming and

walking by this creek on her way to school.

“Take a walk, clear your head.” J. Birdsall

It took me forever to get motivated to read this story. I finally had to put together a strict reading

schedule for each morning. The story itself is cute but my interests were elsewhere.

The book is about four little sisters and their dad who go on a summer vacation at a cottage for

three weeks. The family is still dealing with the death of the mother. There the girls meet a lonely

boy who becomes an honorary family member. He is also the son of Mrs. Tifton their landlord. She

does not like the girls and believes they are a bad influence on her son. The children seem to find

themselves in a lot of unexpected trouble.

It is a sweet story about friendship, family and courage. It is an easy middle grade read.

“One day might be different from another, but there ain't much

difference when they're put together.”

W. Armstrong

This is an amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book based on a true story. Sounder belongs to an

African American family living in the South just after the Civil War. Sounder is a very loyal

hunting dog and when his master is arrested, Sounder jumps in to defend him. He is injured

and is just not the same but he hangs in there waiting for his master to come home. This historical

fiction story depicts the hardships and injustice that many families faced during this time in history.

This is a very short middle grade read. I highly recommend it.

Chances Are by Richard Russo is the book my friends picked for book club this month.

It was picked because it is a story that is a little different than what we usually read, it has

males as the main characters. But really it was not that different from what we read. Three

college friends get together 40 years after graduation. Lincoln is struggling with his commercial

real estate business. Teddy, a publisher, is struggling with anxiety attacks. Mickey, is a musician

but something seems off with him. They each hold a forty year old secret, they were all in love

with the same girl, Jacky. But whatever happened to her after that last weekend they spent together???

This was a quick and interesting read for me. I’d say this is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book.

Pages

2019 Reading Log

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