2 1/2. To be honest, the only reason I read this book is because it's modeled after Leavenworth, where my parents grew up. It's now a Bavarian village, (or was- I believe it's slowly changing), and in this book, there is a family owned chocolate company that is struggling to keep alive. And in swoops friends, potential boyfriends, and assumptions to make the book's plot an average romance. I do like that I know some of the places it mentions, and I also appreciate the cleanliness of the book. And during the ball, I had Alexa play the songs that were played at the dance so I felt like I was entranced in the mood. It's a Bavarian beach read. Oh, and recipes at the end. Always appreciated.
2.5/5 stars
2 1/2. To be honest, the only reason I read this book is because it's modeled after Leavenworth, where my parents grew up. It's now a Bavarian village, (or was- I believe it's slowly changing), and in this book, there is a family owned chocolate company that is struggling to keep alive. And in swoops friends, potential boyfriends, and assumptions to make the book's plot an average romance. I do like that I know some of the places it mentions, and I also appreciate the cleanliness of the book. And during the ball, I had Alexa play the songs that were played at the dance so I felt like I was entranced in the mood. It's a Bavarian beach read. Oh, and recipes at the end. Always appreciated.
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4/5 stars I can't say that this book makes me want to hike a million miles, or a thousand. I don't even like walking the dog, though, so that doesn't mean a whole lot. But I enjoy reading about it, and now I think it should be a whole genre. Walk in the Woods, Wild, and Into the Wild. I'm sure there are more, but it is kind of fascinating. Plus, learning about why people desire to do what they do is engrossing. In this memoir, Cheryl is dealing with the grief of losing her mother, losing any sort of familial support, and losing her marriage. I'm not sure if she is still on the path to drugs and other less than positive actions, but it's nice to appreciate her some-what self deprecation about her extra marital affairs, her loss of purpose, and her walking stink (she's in the woods for days, no showers). 4/5 stars In this autobiographical graphic novel we meet Ja, whose mom is an addict and he has no knowledge whatsoever of his father. In the 80’s, these things were not usually common knowledge of someone’s non-nuclear family, and so you feel for this kid who is being raised by his grandparents. It’s well done, and good for those kiddos who also are living lives that aren’t considered typical, even for today. 3/5 stars Sweet novella set in London during WWII. A young couple has lost their home (and currently still grieving the loss of their child) and find a home that is open. There, in that home they find a young 6 year old and the story progresses from there. Sentimental story for the time period and for Christmas. 4/5 stars
Punch to the gut. A young girl, Wavy, and a giant, Keller, and some other pretty important characters grow up in a home where meth is being made, and the two kids are just a side note. But Keller takes care of them. And then, he sees that Wavy grows up, and she has also been taking care of him. It's a challenging portrayal of what we consider first impressions, what love has to be, and why kids don't seem to act like we think they should. Not a light read. 5/5 stars How have I never read this book? And with Tim Curry narrating the audio, nonetheless? Oh, my. Again, the adage is true- the book is better than the movie. Reading the book did inspire me to watch the movie, though. And I think the movies I've seen have been pretty close, so no judgement. I like the one with Patrick Stewart, with the Flintstone version coming in at a close second. 3/5 stars
I loved the beginning of the book, where the students created a story using mythical creatures who will solve the problems of the world. However, I will not lie, then I started to get a little confused as all of the sudden the teacher went to an inpatient ward, there was always the missing journal issue, and a couple of students did or didn't like each other. It was creative, and I can say overall I thought it was pretty good. But I think it's one of those books that I was told was so amazing, and because of the expectations, fell a little flat. At the end, it was ok. I didn't feel like I made any friends through the characters, so when I closed the book, I didn't miss anyone. Not sure if that constitutes a real review, but I'm going with it. 4/5 stars Fascinating. I had heard a couple of theories behind what inspired the superman story, but I had no idea about all the issues the creators had for getting credit. I am so glad I read this book because now I will always try to figure out who created comics or figures. I'm sure if I were to delve even deeper I will be flabbergasted by all the injustices, which is fairly ironic since that's the thing about comic book heroes- that they help with the injustices of the world. I heard there's another good story about Batman, too, which was alluded to in this book. I may have to read that one (Bill the Boy Wonder) 3/5 stars
Good mystery for high school kids. Has the drama of romance, murder, abusive parents, over-achieving student, etc. But I figured out who did it. I think it's good for kids, but I still like to push the master of mystery, Agatha Christie. 5/5 stars Love it! I don't normally read graphic novels for elementary or middle grade, but I'm so glad I did with this one. It is a book for every child to read. The meaning is clear- don't be mean, help each other out, don't judge. The graphics are well done with the right amount of detail, and the dialogue is realistic and cute. 4/5 stars For pure enjoyment, feel good, Hallmark story type of book, this is your go-to. It's not as sappy as Hallmark (no offense to those Hallmarkers), but it's still a pleasant read. There are some dramatic points, and some spatterings of realistic fantasy, but nothing over the top. We get to follow two girls, one in high school and one in her 30's and their parallels. Every character (except for step mom) was likeable. Good book for when one is in a stressful time (i.e. Christmas shopping) to escape into a small town. 4/5 stars Provided by Edeweiss Wow, just wow. Ms. Anderson shares her biography in poetical format. She opens up in such a raw and unprotected way that you truly feel like you are experiencing it all with her. From her parents' issues naturally bleeding into her childhood to her experience of sexual assault, I see Ms. Anderson as a real person. So many times I think of authors as being glamorous (they are my movie stars), but I think for the first time, I get it. Laurie Halse Anderson is just trying to share her story to the world so that every reader will be able to have a support system in their lives for devastating experiences. And she delves into when and why she wrote the books she did. Amazing book, which will be front and center on our shelves when it comes out. 3/5 stars
Provided by NetGalley Well, I had no idea about the assumed liaison between Eleanor and Lorena Hick. I knew about FDR's indiscretions, but not this. I think I liked the book, but I'm not sure. Here are the points I am pondering to help me decide. First, I wasn't a fan of the writing. I guess it was very simplistic whenever there was dialogue. The sentences were very stagnant. I don't know if I'm explaining it correctly, but those are my opinions and I'm sticking with them. Second, I liked the historical portion, learning about many of the people who were involved in the Roosevelt's lives, but some of the people in the book were not real. Very tricky for someone who doesn't know a whole lot about the subject and couldn't decide who was real and who wasn't. Third, I guess I had a hard time trying to figure out what was current and what was reminiscing in the past. Maybe I was just overwhelmed or maybe it was the set up of the book. Can't decide. So there you have it. Interesting book, but sometimes fairly confusing. Doesn't take a lot for me to be confused, though, so keep that in mind. 3/5 stars Ha, this was a pretty funny book- good for those who just want to read something silly, funny, somewhat of a Big Bang Theory type of humor. Asteroid coming to destroy North America causes scientists to call in child prodigy from Russia. He comes to the US, meets up with some granola type brother and sister and tries to fit in with these new friends. He gets so frustrated with his fellow scientists who are trying to save the world, and wants them to know how they aggravate him, but he doesn't know any swear words in English, hence the help of his new friends and the title of the book. Why he doesn't look up cuss words on Google makes the plot seem somewhat like Swiss cheese, but regardless, cute book, lots of action without the nail biting suspense. Well, not for me, anyway. 4/5 stars First off, I would highly recommend you read this book rather than listen to it if you have trouble with accents, which I do. So I probably missed quite a bit of the plot. It sounded cool, but sometimes I couldn't figure out what the narrator was saying. So with that being said, let me continue. I enjoy reading books with a different cultural background than me. I feel like I learn so much. So this one, based in African heritage, fit the bill. Children also had a bonus in that the central or even side plot was not about romance, or about someone who suddenly realizes she has super powers and will destroy the government with it. Yeah, there is a hint of it, but it's not the same plot as so many others. This one showed true character change, flaws, and all with an exception cast of characters. The relationship between the brother and sister was extremely refreshing and I loved their love/hate relationship. I wish, however, that I had read the author's note at the beginning of the book. I think I would have caught much more parallels between today's racial tensions and the book. But, regardless, it was pretty obvious so hopefully I got most of the gist. The students really loved the book and can't wait for the second to come out. |
AuthorI'm a high school librarian. I love to read. Really. Love. To. Read. Archives
December 2023
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