Almost Sisters

The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unique premise, quirky and memorable characters, engaging writing, flawed ending. Loved that the main character is a comic book writer because the details about her artwork helped propel the story forward, while also establishing Leia's character. The characterization and subtle details are a four. The plot is only a three star for me. Either way, this is my last completed book for 2018.

Happy reading and happy 2019!

The Book of Mormon...Again

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't typically write reviews for religious texts. In fact, if you go to my Goodreads account, I didn't write a review.  It doesn't feel right to label a text that has meant so much to so many people with a starred review. Still I want to see it alongside the other books that I've read in 2018. I've never read The Book of Mormon twice in one year, but a youth challenge from my ward during the summer and President Nelson's challenge from General Conference has spurred me on. I listened both times, and perhaps that's not the slow, methodical study that was intended, but this was a big jump start for me into making sure I started each day with the scriptures. I saw connections between scripture stories that I hadn't previously seen because I was reading huge sections at a time instead of isolated chapters or verses. Seth and I had regular conversations about our takeaways from our daily reading to the point that I felt like we were personally prepared for the transition to a more home centered Gospel study. We are so blessed to have the scriptures to guide us and help us in our quest to be faithful disciples of Christ.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Round Two

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

December 14, 2018
I am a rereader. I can't help but come back to visit stories that I love. I picked up this book again because of the movie that came out this past summer. The book is just as wonderful as my first time through. I love the characters, the island, the epistolary format. My hours reading this book were like getting a birds eye view of one of the Society's meetings. The book makes me want to write, to hug the people I love, and to live with more fervor. Absolutely worth a read if you haven't yet-

Happy reading and potato peel pie eating--

ps. If you haven't watched the movie yet, it's really well done. The story changes quite a bit, but the core is the same. Lily James and Michiel Huisman are perfect as Juliet and Dawsey, not to mention the rest of the cast.

December 25, 2008
This book about reading, writing, loving, losing, and finding hope after losing so much, surprised me both in its simplicity and ability to capture candid conversation. It's rare the books written as a series of letters make you feel like you are getting all the detail you want about the character, but "The Guernsey" succeeds. I know I gravitate towards WWII era fiction, but I think this book transcends traditional historical fiction. I hesitate to use the word "delightful" - but it's the only word that comes to mind. I picked this book up and was entranced immediately--

Harry Potter: A History of Magic

Harry Potter: A History of Magic by British Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a remarkable collection of backstories on many elements found in the Harry Potter series. It is a bit like a topical encyclopedia, so it's definitely not for the faint of heart or a casual Harry Potter fan. I actually think a great audience for this book would be middle grade age kids who love learning and the world J.K. Rowling created.

All in all, while the book felt a bit like homework, I am again struck with how amazing J.K. Rowling is. Her ability to combine so many historically significant legends and stories while also creating her own magical world is almost impossible to grasp. So many of her storylines are layered in folklore and real history, but it is done with such a deft hand, that I didn't even notice. I had no idea that a hippogriff wasn't something she created. More than that, I love that this book showed some of her drafting process. Every detail was included on purpose and drafted and redrafted. If I was still in a classroom, I would have been sharing how many drafts Rowling's beloved stories actually went through.

And until I can go to the British Library for this exhibit, I have had a fantastic taste of it.

Happy reading and imagining--

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everyone knows the story found in "A Christmas Carol", but watching Mickey's version or even one of the spectacular stage versions is different than reading the full text Dickens penned so many years ago. I loved revisiting this book as an adult. The lessons Scrooge learns as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future visit him are ones we need in our lives today. And living as though it's Christmas every day - that's something I can fully get behind.

Happy reading and merry, merry Christmas!

The Deal of a Lifetime - Round Two

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This week I wanted to read books that were adult versions of Christmas stories - meaning stories you return to again and again each holiday season. This is one of those stories for me. It's powerful and well told, but not conventional. Told in a the sparse, direct way that only Backman can do, I found myself seeing this story so differently now that I am a parent. Definitely worth the read!

Happy reading and happy Christmas!

Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done

Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done by Laura Vanderkam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished this book just yesterday, and already I think I'll read it again in a few months (if not sooner). Like Greg McKeown's Essentialism, Off the Clock boils things down to a very basic level. We all have 168 hours in a week - what we do with those hours is up to us. We walk around often feeling the victims of circumstance; too many responsibilities and to do's. Vanderkam challenges those assumptions we have about time in tangible, practical ways that can be acted upon immediately. In my professional life as a teacher and private life, I lived and died by my to do list and schedule - I purposefully put in things I love to do alongside the things I had to do. However, as a new mom and now stay-at-home-parent, my rhythm is dramatically different. I seemingly have less to do, but find myself much more at the mercy of things outside of my control. This book was timely in that regard. Vanderkam's commentary that we are wasting more time than we think through our overall media/social media consumption was also a key takeaway. We need to be intentional about how all time is spent. That's how we find the time to do the things we love with the people who matter most. I'm a work in progress, but every minute found means a lot.

Happy reading--

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Elsewhere

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Gabrielle Zevin won me over years ago with her book "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" - the title alone and cover alone were enough to compel me to buy it. Fast forward to now, and I still gladly pick up any of her work. This book has a unique premise in its take on the afterlife, but the twists are a bit predictable and the teenage angst too keyed up. I do like Zevin's ability to try different types of stories - no two of her books read the same. That, in and of itself, is impressive.

Happy reading and happy living--

A Place for Us

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's hard to define the intangible qualities that sometimes help a book resonate with their readers, and "A Place for Us" had so many intangibles for me. It's too simplistic to say that this book is a multi-generational book on faith, family, culture, and expectations, but to get more specific about the plot would do this story a disservice. The prose is beautiful and purposeful while the depth of human emotion and characterization so nuanced that thoughts shared by the characters felt like mini-revelations.

In the days since I finished "A Place for Us", I've tried to decide if the storylines were too well matched with my life experiences, and if that's why I loved the book so much. After all, I was raised to be very devout in my faith and at times felt torn between what my faith and familial expectations were as compared to what overarching questions I had. I am also a very driven, goal-oriented oldest daughter who desperately wanted to please her father with a brother whose choices have complicated things time and time again. I am a new mother who wants her son to feel safe and loved amid the chaos of this world. But this story is bigger than my own personal ties to it. We all have parents, beliefs, siblings, hopes, failed dreams, and questions. This book seems to explore what it means to be human, to love, and to be loved. It doesn't necessarily even tell us a concrete answers in those explorations, and yet, isn't that also so profoundly true to life?

In short, this debut novel by Fatima Farheen Mirza is worth the investment and time. Her narrative style requires focus as she moves between characters and years. She is also less focused on events rather than reflections on those events, but her details are not superfluous or tedious. Instead, Mirza adds texture and voice to already vivid characters. Read it please because we really need more books like this and more courage to face what these characters are grappling with themselves.

Happy reading and happy November--

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Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite the fact that I like to read current fiction, I avoid books that are trendy. The Twilight phenomenon just seems too easy to repeat. But this book just kept being talked about...and then they made a movie of it, and I have to read a book before I see the movie version, so here we are...

I am blown away by the level of detail in this book. The tangible specifics about what the characters are wearing, driving, and buying must have taken an incredible amount of research. What's more impressive is the amount of characters Kwan deftly wove together. Sometimes books lose their grip on reality because the characters all seem to be only children with four people who come to holiday gatherings. This book showed the aunties, the cousins, the neighbors that become family, etc in all their messy glory.

My main issue with this book lies with the cruelty of some of the characters. The unfortunate existence of the Real Housewives shows is proof that people scheme their way to the top, but in book form, it made for entirely unsympathetic or hateful characters. I inwardly cringed over and over again at the lengths that some of the characters would go to in order to reach their own selfish goals. Still the story is well told.

This book gets a mixed recommendation from me. On some levels, it is great, but the language is rough and some will find it hard to keep the families in order. That said, if this doesn't make you want to go to Singapore and Paris (especially if it's Astrid's couture version), you're missing the luscious imagery of the book.

Happy reading and happy street food eating--

Persuasion

Persuasion by Jane Austen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am late to the game when it comes to Austen's lesser known stories. I, of course, have watched the movies many times, but most of my "Persuasion" knowledge comes from references in other books and films. It's fun to get lost in Austen's stories - to walk the streets of Bath or to sit in a quiet library with her characters. It's comforting to know that her heroines will get what they most desire by the end of the story and to be a part of a world that is so blithely unaware of the world at large.

That said, this is not my favorite of her books. It's solidly good. I just get too frustrated with the side characters, especially her father and sisters, being so unlikeable. A woman in my book club pointed out that having unlikeable characters is part of Austen's own maturation, but in this stage of life, I need the balance of good people to negative, back-biters to be on the side of the good. Still like I said, Austen is faithful to her heroines ultimately winning the day. I love that about her.

Happy reading and happy fall--

ps. I never thought I'd say this after her convincing portrayal of the horrible Mrs. Elton in "Emma", but Juliet Stevenson is a great reader for all things Austen. If you haven't fall in love with a Jane Austen book yet, try her version of "Emma" or Rosamund Pike's version of "Pride and Prejudice". They're wonderful.

I'd Rather Be Reading

I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love books about books and reading. Bogel, who is best known for blog "The Modern Mrs. Darcy", writes a series of delightful essays on the wonders of being a reader. What I loved most were here reflections on how she has evolved as a reader throughout her life. I was hoping for a little more depth or detail, but overall, perfectly delightful. Happy reading-

ps. Probably more of a 3.5, but the cover is so pretty and I love Anne. Can't wait to meet her at a speaking event next month.

Girl, Wash Your Face - Round Two

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't usually do rereads just a couple months after reading for the first time, but this new momma needed something uplifting and engaging for late night feedings. Hollis' chapters on being a mom were exactly what 3am needed. Still one of the highlight books of the year. Happy reading--

ps. Hollis has a whole section where she talks about giving up Diet Coke. Guess who also has done the same? Miracles do happen. 

Some favorite quotes from this time through-

"Forward momentum is the only requirement."

"I figured out what makes me happy and did those things."

"The only thing standing between achieving my goals is the ability to build on past success."

"You can't fail a job you were created to do." (On motherhood)

"Envision a very specific future."

"I'm still here and so are you." (On our hardest or most traumatic moments)

"I do believe it's possible to find purpose in the absence of explanation."

"But what if?"

Olive Kitteridge

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Before I get going, I need to say that I finished this book almost against my will. It was like a documentary on an important, but enormously depressing subject - the kind where you should as a person know about the topic, but really don't want to. So why finish the book, especially considering that life is to short to read books we don't want to? Because the writing is so good. Strout is a fantastic writer capturing well human frailty and disappointed expectations, but in her writing, there is almost no hope. She has a gift for capturing the bleak and the raw realities of life, but she leaves out what makes life worth living.

I think I would classify this book as a book that felt like it was assigned in school. After all, Strout won the Pulitzer for this short story collection. I can see its merit, its strengths, and why people talk about it - hence the high rating. But I would not recommend it to most people. There's too much beauty and hope in life and literature to stay bogged down in cruel realities. I don't mean that literature shouldn't take on hard topics, but opposition demands that the light be included alongside the darkness. As a person who strives to seek out the light, I need stories and writers that do the same.

So as always, happy reading, but maybe not this one? Your call, of course.

Chasing Slow

Chasing Slow: Courage to Journey Off the Beaten Path by Erin Loechner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I heard Erin Loechner interviewed on a podcast, and as soon as I finished listening the interview, I downloaded "Chasing Slow". I clearly continue to be drawn to writers who explore living a more authentic life that isn't dictated by societal norms or social pressures. Loechner has some great things to say, but there were whole portions of her book that lost focus for me or were too much of an attempt to be clever or to push a metaphor. This book felt a bit like Shauna Niequist's "Present Over Perfect" for me where I loved some sections and totally could have done without others.

Still, I'm glad for the chance to have read this book - the idea of the title will actually be the most lasting takeaway. That we so often are chasing ideals or aspects of life that we don't even realize we're seeking...Attempts to live a better life can also thwart actually just living life. Good food for thought, and you know how hungry pregnant women are for all sorts of food.

Happy reading--

My Oxford Year

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perhaps it's because I traveled with my sister when she went to study at Cambridge or perhaps it's because I harbor a not-so-secret fantasy to disappear to Derbyshire someday, but "My Oxford Year" fits perfectly into that dream life so many of us, Anglophiles, have. A whole year to live in England - to study, to read, to immerse yourself in the history of one of the great universities and towns....not your fantasy? Then perhaps not your book, but this one was perfectly delightful for me, albeit, a bit more saucy and surprisingly serious than I expected. I can't say I always loved the heroine, but Professor Davenport and Maggie had me from the first pint. Happy reading and happy England dreaming--

The Thing with Feathers

The Thing with Feathers by McCall Hoyle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In short: I think this book has lots of things going for it - compelling protagonist, unique setting, well set-up conflicts, etc. Though its target is a YA genre, it still can captivate an adult audience. So why three stars instead of higher? It just wraps up too quickly. After a well set-up beginning and middle, I needed more from the story's resolution. Still glad to have read it and still really love the cover. Happy reading--

What Alice Forgot - Round 4

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yeah, so I read "What Alice Forgot" again...it's as though these characters are speaking to life experiences that I need articulated or that I find so comforting that I cannot help but spend another chunk of time with them. Summer reading really is the best. Happy reading--

Falling Together

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just love how Marisa de los Santos writes. Even when I don't fully buy plot details, I'm so captivated by her descriptions and her characters, that I'm willing to ignore the implausibility of something. "Love Walked In" is still my favorite of de los Santos' books by a long shot, this was a perfect companion for those "middle of the night" reading sessions that are so common during third trimester pregnancy. If you need a beach read, this is it.

Happy reading and happy summer--

I'll Be Your Blue Sky

I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was such a pleasant surprise to find out that Marisa de los Santos was revisiting some of the characters that readers couldn't help but fall in love with in "Love Walked In" and "Belong to Me". Because so much time has theoretically elapsed between the books' respective timeline, I think anyone could pick up "I'll Be Your Blue Sky" and be just fine following what is happening. I half wished I had used the book coming out as an excuse to fall in love all over again with "Love Walked In", which is still one of my very favorite books.

Marisa de los Santos is an effusive writer - she loves adjectives, setting descriptions, and homages to the book and movie characters that made many of us love story telling in the first place. That said, her writing is like sitting in the sun on a perfect summer day with a drink in hand and the sound of a refreshing breeze in the trees. You can't help but give in. At least one of her main characters tends to be melodramatic, but many of the greats, like Anne Shirley, were too.

Explaining the plot of "I'll Be Your Blue Sky" would only take away from the reading experience and make it sound overly trite or formulaic. It is hardly that. The only thing I will say is that yet again, de los Santos explains love as I think it feels. I love that about her writing....and perhaps that's why I've already started another one of her books.

Happy reading and happy summer--

Alex and Eliza

Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this book - after all, I thoroughly enjoyed Chernow's biography of Hamilton and loved reading Miranda's libretto and background book on the musical. But the charm and wonder of the respective real life and fictional characters was lost in this story. There were brief glimpses, but mostly I just felt bored or in a hurry to press forward. If I hadn't been so determined to finish (or stuck in a doctor's office for three and a half hours), I'm sorry to say I might have moved on without finishing.

Glad to be on to the next. Happy reading and happy summer--

Girl, Wash Your Face

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I stepped into summer, I needed something light-hearted and encouraging. Hollis' "Girl, Wash Your Face" is exactly that. I honestly had no idea who Hollis was in terms of her social media presence, etc, but you know need to know her brand to enjoy her content. She's smart, real, and funny - all the characteristics you need for someone who is going to draw life lessons from her personal experiences. The content isn't new, but her delivery is great and I will revisit her ideas as I define this new chapter of my life.

Happy reading and happy living--

ps. This is probably too sedate of review - third trimester tiredness fog has definitely settled in, but if it helps, I've told at least half a dozen friends to read this in the last two days...so I really, really liked it.

pps. Hollis also harbored a not-so-secret belief that she would marry Matt Damon. As someone who signed my handwritten notes to friends as Mrs. Damon in high school, I loved her anecdotes about this.

The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lastting Connections with Your Kids

The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If we're honest, I have no interest in parenting books. Each kid and each parent are so different that I can't quite wrap my head around blanket statement advice on how to get my future children to sleep on a schedule or to be polite to others. I'm sure there is some naiveté in that view, but for now I am not pouring through parenting books like many other first time mommas. Enter "The Read-Aloud Family" - it is the only parenting style book I have purchased and read because when I heard Sarah Mackenzie interviewed about connecting with your kids and how to make kids life-long readers, I felt like she was speaking my hopes and dreams for my future family.

I loved this book. I loved how simple and straight forward the suggestions are for how and why we should read with children. I love that she has dozens of book recommendations for readers of all ages, including Little Mann who will fall into the 0-3 bracket. The ideas in Mackenzie's book are not revolutionary, but they are rooted in real life and so they can be applied to most individual situations - whether you have toddlers or teenagers and whether you have children who are readers or children who run whenever you say it's time to read for their assigned 20 minutes a day.

I truly cannot wait to use her ideas with my son. It feels a little strange to read to him before he's here (I've tried it a couple times), but I am ready as soon as he arrives.

Happy reading to you and your family--

There Are No Grown-ups

There Are No Grown-ups: A Midlife Coming-of-Age Story by Pamela Druckerman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because I read an excerpt published in the New York Times and was totally hooked. I resonate with the idea of looking around and expecting what I call "certifiable adults" to enter a room, only to realize that my peers and I are the adults. Druckerman's book focuses more on being in your 40s, but I, as a 30-something, still found her thoughts and anecdotes relatable. That said, I don't think Pamela and I are meant to be future BFFs who are going to go do dinner while our husbands are out at a basketball game. Our world views are wildly different on some subjects, and so a few of her chapters that are meant to be progressive, especially the ones on sexuality and her husband's birthday, read as juvenile or too one-sided.

All that said, this is probably a 2.5, but it was a perfect escape as I wrapped up the school year. I cannot recommend it to my more conservative of friends. If you liked her book on French parenting ideas (I didn't realize this was the same woman until part way through the book because I haven't read that one yet), then you will fall right back into her narrative style. If you're turning 40 this year, it might be an ideal read, but Nora Ephron's "I Feel Bad About My Neck" is more my style.

Happy reading!

Asking for a Friend

Asking for a Friend: Three Centuries of Advice on Life, Love, Money, and Other Burning Questions from a Nation Obsessed by Jessica Weisberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this book. The premise is awesome. Americans, myself, included thrive on the advice of strangers, but I found myself losing focus as Weisberg talked through some of her chosen advice givers. The short version is that most advice givers of the last three hundred plus years were self-made. They had no real claim to their expertise, but Americans listened anyway. That said, there are some great anecdotal stories along the way, but they didn't make me any less eager for the book to end.

On to the next. Happy reading-

ps. Probably a 2.5, but you know...no half stars....

The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm so glad to have finally read The Hiding Place. While the writing style wasn't perfect, the story is beyond incredible. I'm so inspired by Corrie and her family's efforts to live their faith and to serve others. They're wonderful examples of what it means to live what you teach and a powerful reminder that there is always reason to hope.

Happy reading-

Soulful Simplicity

Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More by Courtney Carver

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is not a subtle trend in tendency to pick up books on living intentionally. I started following Courtney Carver because of her association with The Minimalists. Her experience of paring down possessions and obligations in order to lead a fuller life resonates so much with me. As we prepare to bring a baby into our home, I keep thinking about the weight of non-essential things and the weight of superfluous to do's. I want more than that for my little family.

Happy reading--

The Bookshop on the Corner

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Years ago, I stayed in a small town on the edge of the Chatsworth estate in England. The village was so picturesque, I told people that if I ever disappeared, I would be there. Colgan's book was like getting to know the people in that town and the city girl who decides to relocate there when she decides on a life change.

While portions of the book were delightful, the overall plot wasn't amazing. Honestly, I think the reader, Lucy Price-Lewis who also read "The Year of Living Danishly" is half the reason I enjoyed the book so much. Pure escapist fiction that fit the bill after a couple of intense reads.

Happy spring and happy reading--

ps. The author's note at the beginning is almost better than the book. Jenny Colgan seems like a character in Calendar Girl.s - you just want to sit down and chat with them.

We Should All Be Feminists

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've never loved the word feminist. It's too loaded with other people's expectations and assumptions. Adichie, however, shows that feminism is simply the desire for women and men to be recognized and treated fairly for who they are and what they can be. It's about one gender being good and one gender being bad. It's about respecting and accepting people. I can 100% get behind that.

For the record, Adichie really is a masterful speaker and writer. I would not be sad to hear her thoughts on just about anything. Happy reading-

ps. This resonated with me the same way Emma Watson's original "He for She" speech did. If you haven't watched that, it's the one she delivered to the UN a few years ago.

Educated

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In high school, a boy at church told me my place was in the kitchen. During my undergrad, a professor jokingly bragged that he had come home to find his wife “barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen” and what a success that was. In graduate school, I was told I was taking the place of a “bread winner” by being there as a female student. I was also told by a guy in my program that I wasn’t marriage material because clearly my focus wasn’t on having a family if I had chosen continue higher education.

Enter Tara Westover’s “Educated”. My life experiences look nothing like hers. Her story of growing up in rural Idaho with a father who feared the government and didn’t allow his children to get birth certificates or attend school is the kind of reality you struggle to believe is true. Add in the abuse and distorted religious views, and it’s a wonder she made it out, let alone earned a PhD from one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Here’s the thing though – while I was astounded by her story and her telling of it, I couldn’t get out of my own head as she made her way to BYU and on to Cambridge. I was trying to understand her experience while trying to process my own personal details in a new light. And so, I think I wanted more resolution from Tara. Perhaps I wanted more “so what” – what she’s learned, how she’s living now that she’s had time to process where she came from and what she’s accomplished. Maybe I’m already anticipating “Educated: Volume 2”.

Empirically, I know I don’t need an author or anyone to define their experiences, so that I can define mine. But I really enjoyed the chance to hear such an authentic and candid thoughts that give voice to issues like education and the role of women in society. I’m hoping Tara becomes more present as a speaker and a writer, and I’m really hoping people I know read this book soon because I’m dying to talk about it.

Happy reading--

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is really hard for me to put into words. I almost abandoned this book...twice. I just didn't understand Eleanor and her quirkiness. But person after person said they loved this book and loved Eleanor. And well, I love books that take place in the UK, and after Alan Cumming's "Not My Father's Son", I was in a better head space for a book about dysfunctional families (not to mention, another book set in Scotland). So I came back and decided to power through more of it, and it was Raymond, rather than Eleanor that was my gateway in. Eleanor works with Raymond in the story, and as one of her only regular contacts, he quickly became my access point to seeing Eleanor in a more relatable way.

All of this to say that this book is really good. Its characters are more than caricatures, and its plotlines powerful, but not in a self-important way. In fact, the deft hand with which Honeyman weaves humor and tragedy is so profoundly human. This book was a better version of Fredrik Backman's "Britt-Marie was Here" and a modern and more comical version of the gothic "Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. Read it. It's worth the journey.

Happy reading--

Not My Father's Son

Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cumming is not an actor whose life or career I've followed closely, but the audiobook came so highly recommended that I picked it up during one of Audible's sales. Cumming is a great storyteller, and his book has an actual narrative arc (something that can't be said for most celebrity memoirs). His reading is excellent (the Scottish accent doesn't hurt at all), and his message profound. I would highly recommend it with the caveat that Cumming details some very intense physical abuse that he experienced at the hand of his father (hence the title). It was disturbing to me, and I have no memories that would remotely relate. That said, nothing shared is superfluous or over-dramatic. It's candid and honest and a strong reminder of why I loved him Eli Gold in "The Good Wife".

Happy reading!

I Have Lost My Way

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Since first encountering Gayle Forman's "If I Stay" when I was in grad school, I have picked up everything Forman writes without questioning the content of the book. That's how engaging her stories are for me. Engaging was exactly what I needed on Friday when I was stranded in the airport with three hours to kill before my delayed plane took off.

"I Have Lost My Way" again held my attention from start to finish, just like all her others. I didn't wonder what was on my phone or wish I had bought a different, over-priced book from the airport book store. Forman writes in such a way that you immediately connect with her characters and you are strangely invested in them despite the book's fast beginning. I don't always love the "books that happen in a single day" format because you know you'll only get part of the story. Still though, totally worth reading and perfect companion for an afternoon in the Salt Lake airport.

This is a 3.5 for me, but Goodreads still has ignored my request for half-stars. Someday, right? On to the next, and happy reading.

Little Fires Everywhere

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ng has a gift for capturing character motivations in a way that is neither cliché or expected. She breathes life into stories in a way that you can see the way the characters enter a room or throw their bag down on their bed. I love that nothing is as simple at it seems on the surface and how she takes on the dynamics of a large family. The intricacies of a family with four kids set against a single mom with an only child created a unique dance of family dynamics. I like too that even though I was captivated by Mia and Pearl, I didn't support all of their decisions. I think it takes a deft writer to make sympathetic characters that are lovable despite their flaws. Not to mention, clever writing to make the hard working mother of four be almost villainous.

I will say that I went into this book with low expectations, not because I didn't like Ng's debut novel, but because other friends didn't love this story. I will say that I think it's worth reading the actual book. The preview of the audio version does not seem promising, and the book is so popular and on enough lists that your local library should have a copy. Reese Witherspoon's book club chose it as one of their monthly choices earlier this year, so I wouldn't be surprised if Reese's production company has already optioned this book for a movie. I'd love to know already who they'd cast to play the mysterious Mia Warren or the controversial Izzy.

A final note is that Mia's question of "What are you going to do about it?" is going to stick with me for a long time. And Izzy's reaction to that question might stay with me even longer. Happy reading--

Countdowns

There are 3 days and 6 hours until Spring Break begins.
There are 10 days and 22 hours (ish) until Jenessa's twins (and Little Mann's newest cousins) are here.
There are 67 days and 6 hours until Summer begins.
There are 156 days and 15 hours until Little Mann's due date.

Lots of amazing things in the next five months. Can't pinch myself enough.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...Again

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My review from nearly two years ago still seems like my exact sentiments, though I'll add that now I am debating when I can introduce my soon-to-be son to Harry and the gang. When is too soon? It's probably never to early. It's also never too late if you haven't read Harry Potter yet. Happy reading-
March 22, 2018

I want to write something that does justice to how much I love the conclusion of this series and to the series overall, but it all comes out in "fangirl" and I just don't want to do that. So, today the short version is that I love the detail in this book. I love that Rowling pays attention to little characters and nuanced detail as much as she does the title characters. I love that there are stories within stories and that I notice new things every time I read. Few reading experiences leave me feeling as satisfied as the Harry Potters. Rereading the series over the past six months is no exception. There is always a perfect blend of nostalgia and magic - I can't get enough of it.

Happy reading to all the muggles who are also still waiting for their letter to Hogwarts--
April 27, 2016

I am one of the millions who loves Harry Potter. As odd as it sounds, I think of Harry, Hermione, or one of the many aspects of the world J.K. Rowling created enters my consciousness every day. Naturally, in preparation for the final movie, I had to reread this book. I loved just as much as I did the first few times. As always, it’s sad to see the series wind down, and yet amazing to look back at what Rowling and her magnificent characters have done.
If you are one of the few hold outs who has refused to read one of the books, get over yourself and pick them up. They are too fantastic not to.

Ps. On a theatrical note, I cannot wait for the Bellatrix – Mrs. Weasley fight scene. “Not my daughter you b****!” LOVE it. Thursday night kids—it’s almost here!!
July 2011

Books on tape are magical - I love being carried away into another world while I'm driving in traffic (of course, still focused on the road). I "reread" the seventh Harry Potter and thoroughly enjoyed being more keenly aware of what was coming - being able to watch Rowling's craft in action as she built her story detail by detail. I confess my interest in the Harry Potter series clouds my judgment (I love them more than I probably should), but I do not get tired of reading them.... The magic, the fight between good and evil, the romance, the fact they are British - love it! I'm looking forward to Rowling's new book - Beedle the Bard - coming out in December.
Feb. 13, 2008

(Had to leave all ten years worth of reviews in one entry. Ten years of loving this book and multiple readings seems worth documenting. There are four reviews here, though I feel like I've read it one or two other times. Can't seem to help myself.)

Romeo and Juliet...Again

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read this play aloud 2-3 times a year for the last six years straight. To say that its lines randomly float through my brain would be an understatement. Despite repeated readings, it is still not my favorite of Shakespeare's plays. However, when I watch the concluding scenes of "Shakespeare in Love" or watch the Reduced Shakespeare Company act it out, I can't help but fall in love a bit more with this fateful love story. Shakespeare really is a master of words and characterization. We could all stand to have a bit more of him in our days.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince...Again

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure how many times I've read through this series, but this time through I noticed so many more subtle details that hint at what is to come in the seventh book. I really cannot get enough of these characters and this imaginary world that Rowling so deftly created. Already into the seventh, and I just finished the sixth this morning. That's how good these books are. Happy reading--

The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry

The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears at the World's Most Famous Cooking School in Paris by Kathleen Flinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was delicious. Though I'll never cook the recipes Flinn mastered at Le Cordon Bleu (French wine and aspic aren't my things), I loved getting lost in her world of perfect mise en place and sharpened knives. I daydream at least once every few days about packing up and moving to Europe, so this was a perfect escape.

Now if only Julie as in "Julie and Julia" had been this likeable....

Happy reading and happy eating~

ps. I devoured this book in two days. It was so good I brought it to school to read during downtime. Like I said, delicious.

Notes from a Blue Bike

Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World by Tsh Oxenreider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I stumbled upon Tsh's writing through other bloggers and podcasters. I love her simple approach to life and her candor at her attempts of living more intentionally. I read a fair amount of this style of book that is neither an actual self-help book or memoir, but still is a reflective recollection of experiences and the lessons the writer took away from those experiences. Tsh is the type of woman you hope moves in next door. I really like her as a person, and so I'm willing to go on a quiet journey through a few years of her existence as a parents, wife, writer, and person.

I feel like this review reads like the literary equivalent of valium, but this book was in fact, calming and insightful. I felt better about the world after reading it and more eager to go out and create the kind of life I want...rather than waiting for it to come to me.

As always, happy reading and good luck living a more intentional life.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...Again

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While the fifth iteration of Harry is a bit too angry for my liking, I do love this book. Definitely one of my very favorites of the series. The ending as I've said before is epic. I needed a couple hours with this book today. Perfect start to my weekend. On to the next....

Happy reading--

Sourdough

Sourdough by Robin Sloan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A book whose title shares its name with one of my favorite foods and is based in the Bay Area has so much going for it already. I love when authors use local knowledge to create a more authentic setting, and Sloan, though not a San Francisco native, understands the Bay and the thriving, albeit bizarre, tech industry that drive much of our local economy....

I loved the beginning of this book. I loved Lois and how she fell in love with her takeout dinner place. I loved her discovery of baking bread and how it fed her in so many ways. But then the book got a little weird. Sloan likes intricate puzzles, mysteries, and the idea of breaking the status quo. And I felt like the story lost a bit of its heart in the overly complicated plot twists through the second half.

I'm not sorry to have read this book. I love books that center around food and the people who make it. Perhaps it all goes back to my capstone English course in college that centered on food and folklore, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you really, really love food, you read a lot, and/or you liked Sloan's first book.

Happy reading and happy, happy sourdough eating--

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...Again

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ironic that I finished this book almost two years to the day that I finished it on my last read through of the series. I love these books, though like I said a couple years ago - there's much too much rehashing of previous stories' details. The characterization is remarkable, especially as you look at the nuance Rowling creates of what good and evil looks like. It's not nearly as black and white as I believed when I was younger. Love that Rowling challenges assumptions as she tells her stories. Already into the next one as I write this. Can't help myself. Happy reading--

Maus I

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

February 5, 2018
I am more and more impressed with Spiegelman's Maus each time I study its pages. He embedded so many symbols and details as he told his father's story. So well done. Glad I got a little time to reread at least this first volume alongside my students.

June 21, 2014
Every once in a while a book comes along and does something no book has done before. Maus is like that for me. Perhaps it's because it's only my second graphic novel. Or perhaps it's because I had low expectations because I didn't expect a book told in graphic form could illicit the type of emotion that comes from prose. Either way, Spielgman's Maus tells a story of the Holocaust in a way that is relatable and poignant. The choice to make the Jews mice and the Nazis cats while also choosing to have story be delivered in a narrative from a father to a son made it eerily like a horrifying bedtime story - the type where you are hoping there is a happy ending that is coming rather than a perpetual unfolding of despair and tragedy. Alas, there are no happy endings when millions were killed simply for clinging to faith or for being born with characteristics they had no control over. This is storytelling at its finest.

The First Phone Call from Heaven

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've always liked how direct Albom is when he creates his characters and how real the people seem because of the little details Albom includes from the color of their cell phone to the breakfast routine they follow every day. "The First Phone Call from Heaven" is no exception. I genuinely liked his characters, but I didn't love the plot. It was convoluted and seemingly, had too many moving parts. His asides about Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone were almost better than the story because they were more grounded.

I'm never sorry to read an Albom book, but I wouldn't start here if you are new to his work. His other books are much more compelling. Happy reading~

As Long As I Have You

As Long As I Have You by Dean Hughes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's a little sad to be reaching the end of the Thomas family's stories, but I have loved going through them again. The nostalgia of these stories is so powerful that I can feel my teenage self every step of the way as I race through what is going to happen next to each of the characters. Hughes writing is sometimes too simple or the plot sequences too prosaic, but I can't resist the overall book and series. So glad to read about a few more classic Thomas memories. Happy reading--

When We Meet Again

When We Meet Again by Dean Hughes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book may be one of the most fulfilling of Hughes' series because so many of the early storylines hit their high points. Really do love these characters, especially Wally and Heinrich. One more to go in the series...good thing we have a three day weekend. Happy reading~

Consistent Scripture Study

If you know me well, you know I've never been very good at consistent scripture study. I've tried on and off, but the habit never stuck. Enter Seth Mann and my realization that if we were ever going to do family scripture study (aka reading with kids), we would need to start with each other. We started reading together a few weeks before we got engaged, but we still would occasionally miss a day. Then our Sunday School teacher gave an awesome lesson on the power of daily study of The Book of Mormon two years ago on the first Sunday after the new year. He challenged us to read every day for thirty days. That first week after his lesson, I missed a day, and I was so bummed. I didn't miss a day after that...and I haven't missed since then. Most of the time, Seth and I read together. It's not always a lot, but it is truly a habit.

We finished The Book of Mormon (another goal and technically my 62nd book for 2017) on New Year's Eve driving to the Taylors' house for a party, and I was profoundly touched in part because of the truth of that great book and in part because of becoming a daily scripture reader. I'm so glad to add that to my days. It's truly a blessing.

Far From Home

Far From Home by Dean Hughes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's strange that all my books are rereads this year, but I can't help it. I need to see the Thomas family through to the end of the war, and I definitely have favorites amongst the kids. Already have the next book in the series out...bring on the cheesy dialogue and warm fuzzies as the family members finally get to see each other again. Happy reading and happy new year!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...Again

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once I've fallen back into Rowling's world, I can't seem to see my way out again until I've reread them all. This reread had me falling in love with Remus Lupin all over again - he's such a good mentor to Harry and the other characters. And let's be honest, I wouldn't be sad to borrow Hermione's time-turner because I could sure use a nap...or at least more time to read. Happy reading!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets...Again

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh Ginny Weasley, who knew we would love you so much as the books would continue to go on? Love these stories, and not sad at all that this reread was my first book of 2018. On to the next--

Happy reading!

ps. I listened to over six hours of this one in a single day while I took down Christmas decorations and worked on my house. Perfectly delightful way to spend a day. I love winter break.