Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was pretty good. Not spectacular or anything, but I liked it enough and passed the book on to my mom because I think she'd enjoy it as well. The one thing I will say is that I listened to this as an audiobook, but I don't think that is the best format for this one. After I finished I looked at the print version and realized there were all kinds of charts and little illustrations throughout the book that I didn't get to see. I didn't realize it of course, but I did feel like I missed out on an important part of the story because of it.

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Review: The Ice Dragon

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an enjoyable short story that I read in about a half hour (which was perfect because that's all the time I had!). I guess I don't really have that much to say about it. . . But I've been meaning to read it for a while and now I have!

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Review: The Princess Saves Herself in this One

The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I read this quickly this afternoon. I enjoyed it. I liked the princess/damsel/queen metaphor and I also really appreciated her poems about the deaths of her sister and mother. I would also like to see some more of her political poetry. There was only one that I would consider really political in the book, but I think it was my favorite and something I think she would do really well if she does more of it. I don't know if it will really stick with me (maybe if I read it again a time or two?), but I certainly plan to read her next collection.

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Review: Catwings Return

Catwings Return by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My son and I are really enjoying this series. So sweet! Plus, who doesn't love Ursula Le Guin? This was just as good as the first one!

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Review: Catwings

Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book that I read with my son! It was sweet and another very enjoyable animal story. I borrowed the rest of the series from the library so you will be seeing reviews for them soon as well!

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Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. This book was hard to put down. I kept finding excuses to listen to my audiobook. I didn't really like the main character, but you weren't really supposed to. You were supposed to appreciate her and all of her complexities. I agree with other reviews that say that the narrator and biographer, Monique, wasn't very important to the story. Her character worked for the purpose of telling the story, but she was not nearly as vibrant or as interesting as Evelyn. Taylor Jenkins Reid created an incredibly vibrant and believable character in Evelyn, and it was very satisfying to read about her. I will not be forgetting this story any time soon.

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Review: The Ember Stone

The Ember Stone by Katrina Charman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just read this aloud with my sons (well, really just the one - the other is 2 and didn't really pay attention to most of it), and we both really enjoyed it. It was like The Capture and The Guardians of Ga'hoole series but for a younger audience. There were pictures on every page, which made it more enjoyable for my son. He was very proud of reading a chapter book. It was a fun story too! I liked it a lot more than most of the books we've read together. I bought the second and third books in the series so we can keep reading now that we are done!

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Review: After You

After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was very unsure about reading this one after reading the first one and then seeing somewhat mixed reviews. However, I am really glad I read it. I had some major issues with the first book, but this one redeemed it somewhat. I've always liked Louisa's character, I just hated the ending of Me Before You and the messages I felt it sent. The first thing I really appreciated about this book (as opposed to the last one) was that right from the beginning, Louisa is going to therapy to deal with her grief. Really, this entire book explores the grief and guilt that came from the aftermath of Will's death. It wasn't a perfect book, but I liked Louisa'a voice and her relationship with a new pivotal character. I was left feeling happy for her and curious about her future. I definitely plan to read Still Me, this summer if possible!

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Review: Blood Water Paint

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a powerful verse novel about the strength of a young girl who was a prolific painter in the early 1600s. I don't want to get into spoilers, but suffice it to say that she suffers and struggles greatly while also demonstrating her fortitude. It was a pretty quick read, but poignant. It was a Battle of the Books 2019 pick, and I'm very glad I read it.

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Review: The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet story, but not really the kind of story I most enjoy right now. I think I will enjoy it a lot more when I read it to my boys in a few years. :)

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Review: Chronicles of Avonlea

Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. This was a sweet short story collection with all the feel-good romance and sweetness of typical L.M. Montgomery stories. There were several reconciled lovers after years of silence or quarreling, rescued orphans, etc. Some of it is a bit silly, but it made me happy to read. There were several references and short appearance of Anne as well! I can't ask for much more than that. :)

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Review: Chronicles of Avonlea

Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was a sweet short story collection with all the feel-good romance and sweetness of typical L.M. Montgomery stories. There were several reconciled lovers after years of silence or quarreling, rescued orphans, etc. Some of it is a bit silly, but it made me happy to read. There were several references and short appearance of Anne as well! I can't ask for much more than that. :)

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Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook while cleaning, and it definitely helped motivate me to clean and get rid of more. It was a good book to listen to under the circumstances, but I feel like I could summarize the whole book in a few sentences here and you wouldn't miss much of it. Basically, the idea is that when cleaning, you hold each item you own in your hands and ask if it brings you joy. If if makes you happy, you keep it. If not, you get rid of it. She also recommends organizing by category rather than by room and moving from non-sentimental things to things that are harder to give away (i.e. from clothes to books to photographs). There. That is basically the whole book.

Of course she gets into a bit more detail about things like how to fold clothes to save room, the uselessness of many organizational items, and that sort of thing. However, the book could have been a lot shorter. Still, it was motivating to listen to and although it made me a little bit stressed, it probably did help me get rid of more while cleaning yesterday.

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Review: Gathering Darkness

Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. I am so enjoying this fantasy series! Some of the plot was a bit predictable, but I really love the characters and the world-building. I also wish the characters were more diverse, but this novel finally introduced a bit more diversity. I hope that continues in the future novels! I don't want to say too much about the plot since this is the third in the series, but it is fast-paced and engaging. I had no trouble getting into the story and I couldn't put the book down! I really can't wait to read the rest of the series!

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