Since You Went Away & Year End Reflection

Since You Went Away by Dean Hughes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One day this week, my husband and I went to breakfast with my family, and then we came home and I settled onto the couch to read. I got off the couch when it was time to get some dinner and go back to my parents' house to play games. That's how much I love Wally and Bobbi and the rest of the Thomas family. I ignored the social media posts of people cleaning up their holiday décor. I ate cold cereal for dinner that night. I only wanted to hang out with this family, and pretend we were neighbors. It was delightful.

This book will be my last completed book of 2017. Seems a fitting holiday reread to close out my best reading year in ages. 61 books is pretty great when you consider how many papers I grade and how much time Seth and I try to spend together. Here's to an even better 2018.

Happy reading--

A Bridge Across the Ocean

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I don't usually feel that conflicted about book ratings, but this one is tricky for me. Again - Goodreads and the lack of half stars is ridiculous, but here's the deal: Meissner is a good writer, and whoever designs her covers does a great job. BUT I also felt a bit thrown off by a historical fiction book that is partially a ghost story. The book lost a huge portion of interest for me as soon as that storyline was entered in, and then the twist was even more frustrating. Strangely, I had a creepy experience on the Queen Mary when I visited the ship in Long Beach a few summers ago, but not enough to make me relate to the story. All that said, I will for sure read another Meissner book because she creates great characters and compelling plotlines...

Happy reading...but maybe not this one. Life is too short to not read amazing books.

The Hundred Dresses

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not sure how I missed reading this book when I was younger, but in my attempt close some of my reading gaps, I fell into the school days of little girls. It's a sweet story with powerful imagery. I'd love to read it with my niece. I think it's the type of story we should be sharing more with younger readers.

Happy reading--

Rumors of War

Rumors of War by Dean Hughes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The nostalgia of stepping back in the Thomas family was perfect for a holiday book choice. The writing is cheesier than I remembered, but the characters are no less loveable. The five stars is purely for how much I enjoy falling back in their Sugar House world and how much I think these characters influenced my younger self...and because I couldn't put them down. It's December 31st, and my tree is still up. Some of the unwrapped gifts are still under the tree, and I'm reaching for the next in the series....

Happy reading--

Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone...Again

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes the word needs a bit more magic and bit less realism. Enter Harry Potter. Perhaps it's because my niece and nephew are debating which one of them is the bigger Harry Potter fan or because I cannot wait to read these books with future children. Either way, hours spent listening to Jim Dale spin Rowling's amazing tale are always welcome and strangely reminiscent of holiday times. Perfect for the end of the year--

Happy reading--

ps. I've lost count on how many times I've read this one. It's at least eight or nine....Yes, I'm that person.

The Deal of a Lifetime

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

I'm not sure this one should even qualify as a full book since it barely qualifies as a novella, but I appreciate this timely Christmas story. It's not the same as visiting the various Christmas scenes with Scrooge in Dickens' Christmas Carol, but it has that same feeling. Powerful message and imagery with the type of vivid character details as only Backman can write. After this story, I think it's time for Jimmy Stewart and "It's a Wonderful Life" while I work on decorating our team. It is that time of year after all-

Happy reading, happy living, and happy Christmas--

ps. I rounded up because, you know...Christmas magic...lots of chocolate...twinkle lights...and that little girl in the story had great lines.

Leap Year

Leap Year by Helen Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dear Helen-

I can't say that your book is life changing the way that Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project or Brene Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection were. But I still thoroughly enjoyed your ups and downs as you attempted to figure out how to get more comfortable with life and change. I identify so strongly with some of your challenges that the fact that you added wit and humor to them made me feel better about the world. Your way of describing things is so clever and at times, hilarious, that I couldn't help wishing I was one of your friends and you had given me a not-so-subtle moniker. Perhaps I could be something the "American who wishes she was a Brit"...I'll let you decide when somehow we stumble across each other's paths someday. A girl can dream--

Love,
Jaclyn

ps. Your audiobook reader is everything. She helps make the book.
pps. Am I allowed to say that your original title "The Year of Living Danishly" would have been closer to a five star read, but lost points for the weirdly candid details on Danish sex lives, and this one would probably be more of a 3.5, but I was so happy to listen more of your anecdotes that it gets a four? You won't read this for real, so I'm going to assume yes. Thanks for understanding.

[This book, for the record, is not to be confused at all with that less-than-great Amy Adams movie. Just FYI. :) Happy reading--]

What Alice Forgot - Round 3

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

I haven't read the same book three times in one year since I was a little girl reading the American Girl doll books. But I really love this book, and when I finished another book a couple weeks ago, I needed to hang out with Alice and Libby again. Through Libby, Moriarty gives voice to the infertility journey in a way that I have never heard another person say out loud. I needed that. Happy reading and happy holiday season--

QB: My Life Behind the Spiral

QB: My Life Behind the Spiral by Steve Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know what you're thinking - 5 stars for a memoir by a former NFL player seems a little high. But what you need to envision is a teenage girl sneaking out to her car between meetings at church to hear what the score of the 49er game was...a girl who nearly cried when news broke that Steve Young would retire after one too many concussions....a girl whose memories with her dad and many of the men in her extended family revolve around San Francisco sports. If we're honest, the adult version of this girl doesn't follow the NFL nearly as much as her younger self did. She decided ten plus years ago that she couldn't follow so many sports and still do all the things she wanted to, so she consciously decided to become a more casual fan. But reliving so many classic 49er games and getting to hear more of Young's story was strangely exhilarating. Perfect fall choice--

Happy reading-

(my Hawaii books for our 2017 Thanksgiving trip)

The War I Finally Won

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In short, a three star beginning and a five star ending. I love these characters and this world that Bradley has created. It didn't hurt that I got lost in this book overlooking the ocean and being kissed by perfect Hawaiian sunshine. I cannot wait to read this and the previous book in the set with my kids in the future. They're genuine and interesting middle grade books that make you think that the world still holds more goodness than sadness. Oh, and if I have a daughter, I hope she has a bit of Ada's spunk.

Happy reading--

ps. If you have ten- or eleven-old girls, these books would make great Christmas gifts. Honestly, I think the book is interesting enough for boys too, but not all younger boys like reading about female protagonists.

Life After Life

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every attempt at reviewing this book has come out cliché or made the book sound like a series of bad plot twists. It's one of those that is better to experience than to hear described, or at the very least needs a verbal interaction to do it any sort of justice.

Let me just say this - the feeling as you read it is akin to "The Time Traveler's Wife". It's not quite as compelling because it's not about a star-crossed couple, but it is just as thought-provoking. I finished the book ten days ago, and I find my mind wandering back to it over and over again. "Life After Life" is a four star book, but earns the extra star for originality and the lingering impact. I don't think it's for everyone. British literary fiction often isn't, but it's perfect for blustery, rainy days and cozy fires.

If you read it, please call me. I need to talk to someone who read this. Happy reading-

Dear Fahrenheit 451

Dear Fahrenheit 451: A Librarian's Love Letters and Break-Up Notes to the Books in Her Life by Annie Spence
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dear "Dear Fahrenheit 451":

I'm sorry I didn't love you as much as I wanted to. It wasn't that you weren't clever or that you didn't remind me of how much I love books. It's that your randomness sometimes distracted me, and I felt like occasionally you were trying too hard. Great books don't show their effort, and some of your commentary did. I actually think you would have been a four star rating if I'd read you instead of listening to you. I think the audiobook reader's tone was a little too flippant or self-assured.

All that said, I'd still recommend you to my bibliophile friends. We do tend to love books on books. Can't help it. And your title is pretty genius. Anyway, back to my other books--

Love,
Jaclyn

Braving the Wilderness

Braving the Wilderness: The quest for true belonging and the courage to stand alone by Brené Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you know me at all, you know I love Brene Brown. In fact, there's a good chance I've pressed one of her books into your hands and said "this book will change your life." That's how much I love her and her writing. Braving the Wilderness was just not my favorite of hers. Perhaps it's because the messages didn't resonate as much with my life or because I felt like her random political comments felt out of place and almost jarring with her normal eloquence. I'm not sure, but this is not her best. Rising Strong or The Gifts of Imperfection are both so much better.

All that said, Brene is the woman who kindly replied when I commented on one of her posts years ago and affirmed that I was not alone in one of my struggles. She lives what she preaches and makes the world a kinder place. I hope I can be more like her in the years to come, and if you still haven't read something by her or watched her TED talks, get on it. She's a game changer.

Happy reading--

Brave Enough

Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I love Cheryl Strayed. I gladly wandered with her in "Wild" (though I thought she was a touch crazy most of the time) and appreciate how authentically she lives her life. But while the concept of "Brave Enough" is great, the actual product is less than fulfilling. Rather than actual commentary, Strayed mainly has a series of her own disjointed quotes with more than one too many f-words. Out of context, she seems more adolescent than wise. That said, some of her words are still poignantly beautiful, but there are much better ways to access her writing. Skip this one and choose another quote collection or series of essays. You'll be more fulfilled because honestly the best part of this book was the YouTube fire I had in the background (yes I'm one of those), and the captivating introduction.

Happy reading friends. Hope you're enjoying the gorgeous fall weather-

Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can't remember the last time I read a book in a single day. That's how good Wonder is. It truly should be required reading for all middle school kids and their parents. Palacio does such a good job at capturing what it means to be human and why choosing kindness is always the right answer. The only thing I'm sorry about is that I did not read this book sooner. Read it. And then make your kids read it. And then when you're finished, talk about it. The messages are exactly what this world need right now.

Happy reading--

"Shall we make a new rule of life...always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?" ~J.M. Barrie

Turtles All The Way Down

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We have been waiting such a long time for John Green to write another book that I now have three signed copies sitting within fifteen feet of me. The first, I ordered on Amazon when I heard Green was signing an unreal amount of the original printing. The second and third came from going to a fantastic book tour event put on by Green and his brother in Pleasanton. I love John Green so much, and I would read his thoughts on just about anything.

So about "Turtles" - it's an interesting book filled with real issues and authentically loveable characters. It's the type of book that describing the plot doesn't actually make it more appealing, but it's clever and unique. I love that he took on a main character with OCD and the experience of losing a parent, while still making you laugh and fall in love right along with the main characters. And true to Green's style, there are beautiful references to other writers and poignant one liners which means there are at least a dozen tabs sticking out of my book. Can't help it-

As always, happy reading. I'm off to find my next book...and to probably rewatch The Fault in Our Stars...again. 

Ps. This is my 600th post. Seems fitting to write about a John Green book and a night listening to a favorite writer for that. 

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first Agatha Christie, and while it was an entertaining read, it wasn't as magical as I was hoping. That said, Christie was ahead of her time and Dan Stevens is an incredible reader. He made the book. Can't wait to see the movie--

Happy reading and happy movie going.

Britt-Marie Was Here

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My feelings about this book could not be put down in ink, something that Britt-Marie would very much understand. They are too mixed to lean towards being in love with this book. There were whole chunks where I wondered what was happening and others where I was just hoping they'd move on and stop telling us about her bicarbonate of soda. That said, Backman's characters end up being so loveable. There are some amazing plot twists as the story progresses (something I would have doubted based on the slow beginning) and a fully satisfying, yet still surprising ending. If you do read it, you'll appreciate how much I adore Sven and Sammy. Backman has a way of tugging on your heart with the unlikeliest of characters, and so despite the pacing issues, I'll be back for more of his writing very soon.

Happy reading--

*For at least the tenth time this year, this one would be a solid 3.5. Goodreads - you are fully capable of letting us do half star reviews. I promise that your algorithms and averages will not be that hard to adjust.

The War that Saved My Life

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was just wonderful. I love the characters, the message, and the way that it introduced characters that were not just another version of a character I've read about before. I'd love to introduce the tenacious Ada to a daughter someday. She has something in her of a Laura Ingalls Wilder or Jo March, and we know how I feel about those two.

Honestly, telling you more of the plot won't help hook you. The writing  and title alone will do that. The only thing you might care to know is that this is on the younger end of young adult fiction, sometimes referred to as middle grade. For some, I know that's a deal breaker, but I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless of the younger characters.

Anywho - happy reading and happy fall. We are on the edge of perfect reading weather. Cannot wait--

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was perfectly delightful - the details were clever and the writing also whimsical without ever losing hold of the story that was being told. I've enjoyed Zevin's young adult fiction, but this may actually be my favorite of her works so far. Her twists were unexpected and yet not jarring. I loved getting lost in Island Books and imagining A.J. and Maya's simple life. Subtle similarities to "Me Before You" without the same devastation - just similar quirky, honest, and loveable characters. Hope you love it too-

Happy reading--

ps. Probably a 4.5 stars but not quite the wonderment of a 5.

The Year of Living Danishly

The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My bags are packed, and now I just need to convince my husband it's time to move to Denmark. Okay, maybe that's a tad dramatic, but I can't tell you how many times I considered an out-of-country move during this book. I love the idea of pausing the chaos and just focusing on a few essentials. Russell's snark and topical research are well blended throughout her narrative. The fertility details also hit close to home. Without question, a great read especially if you've fantasized about moving to Europe at any point in your life.

Happy reading and happy Danish living--

ps. The Audible version of this is delightful. Any way you read it, you can't lose.

Rewind and Redo

The idea that we've been living in fear since 9/11 felt acutely true today when the news of the Las Vegas shooting appeared in my daily news summation email from the New York Times. I'm just sick about it. I don't know anyone who was there, though a past Dougherty student was shot and is in serious condition. My friend's friend broke her ankle trying to get away. None of those experiences are directly mine, but I am still so sad.

We also got district press release today that there have been threats made on two of the neighboring high schools. Besides the death of my loved ones, a school shooting is my greatest fear. Columbine and ten years in the classroom were a sure way to cement that. Though the threats are most likely the poor choices of bored teenagers, they will haunt my dreams and make me anxious all day tomorrow.

Seth and I are working tirelessly to bring children into this world, and I want so desperately to give them a hopeful existence. It's hard to imagine that today. Praying extra for light and love to win the day.

Reviewless Week

Since starting this school year, I have managed to finish at least one book a week. This week, I didn't. Lots of reasons why, but I surprised by how disappointed I was in myself for not finishing anything. Obviously, this is not a real problem, but it was a good example to me of putting unnecessary expectations on myself. Yes, I have the goal to read more. Yes, I am happier when I make reading a priority, but finishing the book cannot be the only satisfaction I get out of the process. And measuring myself against other people's reading pace cannot be a marker for success, either in support of what I'm doing or against.

I read recently in one of my Brene Brown books that expectations are resentments in the making. That's a tricky thing to say since expectations (which often lead to the goals I set for myself) can sometimes give us something to strive for, but I have been on a quest in recent years to not be defined by external markers. In living authentically, I don't want to use comparison to find my standard of living.

I'm not sure this is making any sense, but I wanted to write and had no book review to write. So, here it is.

Happy October. I'm so glad the fall is really is here.

Rising Strong

Rising Strong by Brené Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Can a person be a spirit animal? I love Brene Brown, and if she can't be my spirit animal, I want her to be my next door neighbor. I adore her candid feedback on life and well-researched ideas. She makes me want to be better, and her commentary is thought provoking and leads to endless hours of conversation with Seth and my friends. I can't help it.

If you haven't read anything Brown has written, start with "Gifts of Imperfection" or her TED talks. She really is a rock star.

Happy reading-

ps. Probably a solid 4.5, but like I said, Brene = spirit animal, so we round up.

Present Over Perfect

Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my "summer book" - the one whose premise spoke to what I wanted more of in my life. My book two months later is covered in post-it tabs showing a couple dozen quotes or ideas that I want to return to. Shauna's candor and collection of are insights are beautiful, and her commentary about the story of Christ saving Peter after walking on the water is potentially life changing.

So why the three stars then? Because the commentary was repetitive in parts and aimless in others. There are portions that I profoundly loved and then portions where I was left waiting for the point. I admire Shauna Niequist as a person and a writer. I appreciate how she helps others, myself included, cultivate our truth and the goal of living a life that is focused on only the essential. I just wonder if the book needed a bit more editing or more content.

Either way, I think you will find great takeaways in "Present Over Perfect". Happy reading and happy living-

Favorite Sections: You Put Up The Chairs, The Man in the Tuxedo, The Spring of the Basketball Hoop, Walking on Water, Baptism, And the Soul Felt Its Worth

Brown Girl Dreaming

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Woodson's writing is lovely. The childhood images she invokes are profound and still so simple. Stories written as a series of poems are great because they pare down the extraneous details, so that you don't get lost in side stories.

I loved seeing a glimpse into Woodson's memories. I could taste the arroz con pollo and see the fireflies on a summer night. I loved how she captured her desire to write and how she came to find her voice in a changing world. Plus, how can I not love another Jacqueline who didn't want to be called Jackie.

It may be out of your usual genres for reading, but give it a whirl. Happy reading-

ps. I am really torn between a 4 and a 5. The first half, I was enjoying it, but the second half was so, so good. So Goodreads, please help out your readers, so I can give half stars.

The Power of Vulnerability

The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connections and Courage by Brené Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cannot say enough good things about Brene Brown's work. Just listening to her speak makes me feel both more capable and more complete. I love these audio recordings because they link the concepts of her various texts together. While this was not described on Audible as lives sessions, her commentary is just as well organized as a traditional text. I cannot recommend this enough, whether this is your first Brene Brown experience or your sixth.

Happy listening--

ps. Brene's next book "Braving the Wilderness" comes out on September 12th (just in case you didn't know). :)

Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything

Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything by Anne Bogel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In graduate school, one of my professors said, "You share what you love." For me, two of my most commonly shared loves are baked goods and books. In the two days that I was reading Bogel's debut book "Reading People", I texted six different friends about various pieces of the book, and I talked incessantly about it to my husband. If that wasn't enough, I tabbed the heck out of my book for things I wanted to go back to. I emailed myself (a more common practice than I care to admit) at work with notes about extroversion and introversion that seemed imperative to share in regards to class discussions. I ordered a follow-up book, and then I made my husband take Kiersey's personality assessment after I'd already taken it twice. All this to say, that I was more profoundly entranced by Bogel's "Reading People" than I could have anticipated.

The book, itself, is not an ideal book for reading cover to cover (how I read it) but is meant, instead, to be used as a tool and lens with which to view our personalities and the personalities of those around us. Better understanding aspects of our personalities simplifies the guessing game of "why did I just respond that way?" and allows us to prepare practical courses of action when strange situations arise. This book does not have all the answers. Most books of this nature do not. Instead, it invites you like Carol Dweck's "Mindset" or Gretchen Rubin's "Happiness Project" to become the best version of yourself through more focused self-observation and self-actualization. That process is made all the more enjoyable with Bogel's insights and anecdotal candor. Bogel, who is best known for her "Modern Mrs. Darcy" blog and "What Should I Read Next" podcast, is on her way to being known for giving readers a better way to find their place in the world than their results from "Which Harry Potter House do I belong in?".

Happy reading friends, and when you're reading to talk all things personality, I'll have fresh cookies ready.

ps. On a personal note, this is the first time I've ever been invited to be a part of a book launch team and given an ARC or advanced reader copy of a text. Small reader dream come true.

The Women in the Castle

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While so much of the film portrayals of World War II focus on the men's side of the war, I love how much of the recent fiction features the women who were left at home. I am amazed by both the diversity in their experiences and yet also how much unites these strong women who battled incredible vulnerabilities. Readers who loved "The Nightingale" will like "The Women in the Castle". While the two stories are not the same, the complicated desires and instinct for survival resonate in both.

I am so impressed by Shattuck's ability to capture distinct voices and tell a new story about an era that has been written about so many times. Really well done-

Happy reading--

ps. There was a castle I visited in Germany years ago that played in my mind the whole time through this book. It was a tour that happened to be in German, so I only had my imagination to carry me through what the potential history might have been. As I went through this book, I loved picturing that ancient building and the three main characters holed up together inside.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Powerful and simple - great ideas for how to focus on what is most important. Many of the ideas McKeown discusses are similar to those that I have been working on since grad school, but the reminder is well timed. This is an easy book to apply to all aspects of life, though McKeown is more focused on the work place.

Happy reading and happy essential living--

New personal goals: "Don't major in the minor things." "Less but better."

Emma

Emma by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading Austen is not for everyone. In fact, at the risk of BYU coming back and taking away my BA in English, this is the first time I've finished "Emma". I've tried a dozen times before, and it just never clicked. The key for me with Austen is to get past the extra words to the core of her stories and the core of her characters. They're so cleverly constructed, and in the rare experience of having watched multiple film adaptations before reading the book, I still found so much that I have never considered about the infamous Miss Woodhouse. I loved getting lost in Highbury and falling in love with Mr. Knightley again.

Happy reading~

One True Loves...Again

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This summer I've given myself permission to reread books that I've loved and read before. I know that making that choice means I forego another book, but I love this story so much that I'm so happy to have spent more time hanging out with Emma Blair. This is still a favorite of mine. Can't help it. Great last book of summer.

Happy reading--

Exit West

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Exit West is a completely fascinating read - one that will linger in my mind and feel so relevant as I read sad stories about immigration and countries that seem far away falling apart in bloody civil wars. What Hamid does though is help those far away places and the people who call those places home feel as though they could be you. What a gift--

So why 3 stars (I'd probably do 3.5 if Goodreads allowed half stars) then? I wanted more. Hamid uses language sparingly and reminded me almost of Hemingway in his directness. All through the book, I craved the more lush descriptions of writers like Khaled Hosseini or Tim O'Brien when setting up the conflicts or the characters. And while I was totally willing to suspend reality and travel through the doors, the character development left me a little unfulfilled.

That is not to say that I wouldn't recommend this book. Its conflicts mirror today's society in frightening accuracy and challenge assumptions that all of us make. This book explores what it means to be human, and I always like to be reminded of that.

Happy reading-

ps. Unique reading choice because it was entirely informed by Anne Bogel's "What Should I Read Next" podcast and critics praise. Not my usual way to choose books....

Anne of Windy Poplars

Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Anyone who knows me knows that Anne is one of my all-time favorite fictional characters and the idea of creating a story built around letters is so fun...but this Anne book just was missing some of the wonder that the others hold for me. I think Gilbert should have gotten to include letters back as he is toiling away in medical school. It would have been fun too to have Marilla write Anne about the twins and goings-on at home. It was too one-sided and some of the side characters were borderline ridiculous.

I still love Anne, and I'm so glad to have finally found my way to this book, but overall not my favorite of the bunch.

Happy reading~

The Hypnotist's Love Story

The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up because I just love Liane Moriarty, and I can't seem to help myself. This book really has the strangest premise, but I will apparently fall into a Moriarty rabbit hole whenever the opportunity presents itself. "What Alice Forgot" and "Big Little Lies" are much more compelling, but I still appreciated the way that Moriarty gives so much depth to her characters. I can't tell you to rush out and read it, but I am not sorry that I did. It was a perfectly acceptable summer read.

As always, happy reading--

What Alice Forgot...Again

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

July 19, 2017
I don't usually reread books so soon after reading them the first time, but I really loved this book and I just needed to fall into Moriarty's well told story again. I love these characters and both Alice and Libby's conflicts resonate with life right now. If you haven't picked one of her books yet, you really should. They are exactly what summer ordered.

Happy reading--

ps. I would definitely suggest the Audible audio version. The Australian reader is fantastic. I wish she narrated my own life.

Textbook Amy and Wandering Powell's

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dear Amy--

After revisiting your Encyclopedia over the fourth, I decided that I wanted to make your Textbook Amy my "Powell's purchase". That simply means that when my husband and I were going to Powell's City of Books in Portland, I was going to let myself buy one book. Sounds ridiculously arbitrary, but I have a book buying "problem", and I liked the idea of going with a book in mind. As I'm sure you know, Powell's is delightfully huge, and we wandered the store for ages....

Here's the best part though: in the kids section, Seth and I were studying all sorts of books. There are so many talented illustrators that you can't help but want to touch each cover. We stopped though and laughed at a book called "Duck! Rabbit!" because of one of our favorite "How I Met Your Mother" episodes about the very same debate. And then the book was by you, and it seemed too seredipitous to leave behind.

So I left Powell's that day with two books. One about you and one about a creature that I tend to think looks like a duck. I read "Textbook Amy" on the plane ride home from that trip while Seth slept beside me. And I cried knowing that you had died and felt more poignantly your wonder and appreciation of the simple and the grand. You make me want to be more appreciate of people and the little things that make up our days.

Anyway - thought you'd appreciate the random anecdote. We miss you and appreciate all the pieces of your infectious spirit that you left behind. Can't wait to read your thoughts on heaven.

Love,
Jaclyn

ps. A book store that takes up a city block really is a wonder. Counting down until we can go back. 

Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, I have to say that I feel so proud of myself for getting through this book. Am I allowed to say that? I never read straight historical non-fiction, and I never would have expected to enjoy this book as much as I did, despite the fact that I love history and Chernow is clearly a gifted historian. But this is a remarkable book that only makes me think more highly of Hamilton's vision and work ethic, not to mention my increased awe of Lin Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. To see how many lines and details of the musical were drawn from real letters and speeches was just awesome.

One of the big takeaways for me, besides being even more obsessed with the musical, is how astonishing it is that the American experiment was successful. With unbelieveable hamartias in each of the founding fathers, Hamilton included, and just so much ego, I am blown away by what it took for the United States to come into being. The complexities and nuances of how every bit of the constitution, the financial system, etc came to being seem miraculous. It was a stark reminder that no individual history - hero or villain - is just that one great or one horrendous moment that they are most remembered for. Just as I do not want to be judged for one day or one trait, the founding fathers and their often overlooked wives, were not perfect. Far from it from Chernow's descriptions, but they still did build this great nation that I am so proud to be a part of.

I was surprised to find myself tearing up in the conclusion of this epic book. I've known since that "Got Milk" commercial from the late 80s or early 90s, that Burr was going to kill Hamilton, but it felt so tragic and so unnecessary as I lived the final days and hours with the Hamiltons. More so, I felt weepy as the details of Eliza's fifty years as a widow unfolded. She was an amazing woman, and I'm glad for the chance to have gotten to "sit with her" as she told of her Hamilton.

Happy reading-- It's worth it!

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life - Round Two

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

July 17, 2017
I picked this book up again because it was sitting on my mom's nightstand in Tahoe. After finishing another book that I loved and that had a happy ending, I wasn't quite ready to get into my other books with much darker, more intense themes. And so, I revisited Amy and her encyclopedia. I loved her book just as much as I did the first time, though I found myself almost in tears a few times thinking about how she had recently passed away.

Amy's candor and ability to describe the often mundane details of life with humor and wonder are just delightful. Cliche as it may be to say, rereading Amy's book was like revisiting an old friend who is dearly missed by many. Not to mention that Amy's writing makes me want to be a better journaler and writer myself - her seemingly random selection of details shows that the simple elements of life really are some of the most beautiful aspects of life. After finishing I started my own alphabet of potential entries. So far it includes Fire Sign, Tahoe, baby dreams, IUI, and book critic. I haven't added to it again, but I like the goal of looking at my days and weeks with more simple wonder and awe. It really is a wonderful life--

Happy reading--

The Sun Is Also A Star

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Things that I love about this book in no particular order:
*the cover - its colors and textures specifically
*the shared narration
*the insights into passing characters
*the various formats Yoon uses to tell the story (aka not all straight narrative prose)
*the specific visual details that make the story all the more tangible
*the resolution
*the well-expressed raw desires of each of the characters
*the fact that I can recommend this book to adults and teenagers without questioning whether either group will like it
*the whole story takes place in a day

Things that I didn't love about this book:
*it ended

Happy reading and happy summer--

Ps. It is one of great joys of life to read in the summer...especially when I finished this book on the couch in Tahoe with Seth fast asleep beside me. Perfectly delightful.

Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In seven sentences: Dystopian YA fiction is meant for summer reading. It's escapism at its best. This book was fast paced and intriguing. The book might have even been a four star read, but the ending was just not what I expected or wanted. And I can't tell if I 'm mad because I feel manipulated into the next book or because I somehow expected more positive outcomes despite this being clearly marked as a dystopian book. Either way, Oliver is clever and worth your time.

As always, happy reading and happy summer!

Born a Crime

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Short and simple: I was blown away by this book. Noah's life experiences are extraordinary and his candor remarkable. I think the audio is essential because of how many languages and accents that Noah can share and how true and natural his voice is. This is one of those stories that summing up any of the details does not do justice. Truly his life story is stranger and more powerful than fiction.

One more thing- I only knew vaguely of Noah as the new Daily Show host. I have maybe watched two or three clips of him speaking ever. You don't have to know his work to appreciate this book.

Happy reading and happy risk taking- Noah wouldn't have it any other way.

People love to say, “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.” That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.”