Review: Circe

Circe by Madeline Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review to come!

So I didn't actually remember to review this book. It's been almost a year since I've read it, but some of it stuck with me more than I expected it to. It also reminded me a bit of Lavinia, which I read later in the year. I think I will pass it on to my mom. I think she might like it too.

View all my reviews

Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my husband's favorite in the series, but not mine. I did love this reread though. Because it's not my favorite in the series, I haven't reread it as many times as the others, which made this reread more enjoyable. It really annoys me how Harry is shouting at everyone all the time, but I could kind of understand why this time. I also loved the parts with the DA and how Ginny came out of her shell in this one. It will probably be another half-year before I continue my re-read of the series, but I'd like to try to finish the entire series in 2020.

View all my reviews

Review: Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honestly, I just read this so that I could meet my goodreads reading goal for the year. I hardly think it counts. It's incredibly short and has a bunch of illustrations. I'm counting it though! It was a great graduation speech and Rowling was both relatable and full of good advice. It was a good quick way to meet my goal! \


View all my reviews

Review: Hey, Kiddo

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was really good. I liked the main character and I could definitely relate to him. I appreciated that although he loved his grandparents (who were his parents), he didn't romanticize life with them. He clearly appreciated their love and support, but also recognized their flaws. He also successfully demonstrated his recognition that his mother loved him despite her struggle with drugs as well as his anger at her for her choices. I didn't love the art style, but it wasn't bad either. I guess I don't have strong feelings about it. I really appreciated the story and connected with the characters. It was a good one to read at the end of the year to try to meet my goodreads goal! Plus I had to anyway for the YSU English festival. :)

View all my reviews

Review: Educated

Educated by Tara Westover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this! I have to write a paper about it, so I'll be back with more thoughts once I've written it.

View all my reviews

Review: The House of the Spirits

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a well-written and sprawling family saga. It was interesting, but I really disliked the patriarch, Estaban. I guess I'm probably supposed to dislike him, although it did show how multi-faceted he was. I'd like to see the movie and I enjoyed Allende's writing well enough to read more by her in the future.

View all my reviews

Review: Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed

Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed by Barbara Park
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this aloud with my sons and we all laughed very hard at this one. It was hilarious! This was definitely one of the funnier ones and enjoyable both for my little guys and for me.

View all my reviews

Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just re-listened to the book for about the 100th time. Still doesn't get old! I love the later books in the series even more, but this is pretty great! And Jim Dale is a genius as far as reading aloud goes. There just isn't a better reader out there!

12/9/18 - Another fun re-read! I can't wait until I get to the later books again!

11/29/19 - This re-read was particularly fun because I read it with my sons! Only one was really old enough to understand it, but I've looked forward to reading them aloud with my boys for years. It was great! I can't wait to read more with them later (although I may wait a few years before I read the next one with them).

View all my reviews

Review: The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2020

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2020 by Bob Sehlinger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is great for planning a Disney trip! It is massive, but makes a big difference on the actual trip.

View all my reviews

Review: Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile - 57 B.C.

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile - 57 B.C. by Kristiana Gregory
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm listening to these to see if they still hold up (I loved them when I was younger). I thought it was pretty decent. There were a few phrases the author used all the time that really annoyed me (i.e. "In my heart. . ." - I think it was every few sentences), but other than that, it was a pretty enjoyable story! It definitely renewed my interest in Cleopatra and I'd like to read more about her.

View all my reviews

Review: Chains

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well-written and thought-provoking. I didn't realize that Laurie Halse Anderson wrote historical fiction! I was looking for something to teach a 9th grade English class that tied in with what they were learning about in social studies and this was one idea. I don't know if this is the one we'll go with, but it was very good. Good characters, interesting setting, and compelling storyline. I'm curious about what will happen in future books because this definitely left some loose ends!

View all my reviews

Review: Cherry

Cherry by Mary Karr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars, but rounded up because she is a very good writer. I was just somewhat upset by her experiences though and so I had a hard time enjoying it. I may post a longer review shortly, but my husband is waiting for me to watch something so I have to go. :)

View all my reviews

Review: The Testaments

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars at least. I may up my rating because I flew through it and I did really love it. The only thing keeping me from giving it the full 5 stars is the fact that the first one had SUCH a brilliant ending and this one just wasn't quite the same (probably because it was definitive). It was still great though. Truly, I couldn't put it down.

This story follows Aunt Lydia, Nicole/Jade, and Agnes (Nicole and Agnes being the two daughters of June from the first novel - Is that a spoiler? To me it seemed obvious from the beginning, but let me know if I should hide that). I am currently about halfway through the second season of the show (I really have to gear myself up to watching it and it takes me a while to get through) and maybe it portrays some of this, but I was quite surprised by a number of things. I was especially surprised by Aunt Lydia in the book.

Margaret Atwood once again proves herself to be a highly skilled author. I can't believe I've still never read anything else by her. I definitely have to because I love her compelling writing style!

View all my reviews

Review: The Kingmaker's Daughter

The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars - I liked this one! It wasn't amazing or anything, but it renewed my interest in this time period. I wanted to find out what happened, and I kept looking up what happened to the real Anne Neville and her family. I think it is one of the better Philippa Gregory books I've read in a while.

View all my reviews

Review: Pumpkinheads

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was such a sweet Halloween story. It wasn't super deep or anything, but it was fluffy and fun and I loved the art style. Rainbow Rowell stories always make me happy!

View all my reviews

Review: The Lying Game

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I know people say that this not one of their favorite Ruth Ware books, but I loved the friendship between the women and the author's depiction of motherhood. I really connected to the main character and she only did a few things that really annoyed me. Maybe it was a tad predictable, but I still found it extremely compelling and readable. I enjoyed this one more than The Woman in Cabin 10, and it convinced me to read more by her! It was a perfect October read!

View all my reviews

Review: The Lying Game

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars (rounded up to 4) - I know people say that this not one of their favorite Ruth Ware books, but I loved the friendship between the women and the author's depiction of motherhood. I really connected to the main character and she only did a few things that really annoyed me. Maybe it was a tad predictable, but I still found it extremely compelling and readable. This was my first book by Ruth Ware, but it convinced me to read more by her! It was a perfect October read!

View all my reviews

Review: A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I think I just don't get along with Hemingway's writing style. I did not like how he wrote dialogue at all and so much of his writing was just dialogue. It seemed very stilted and unnatural to me. The story itself was intriguing, but I hated the ending. I was discussing it with a former English teacher and he told me that I should try For Whom the Bell Tolls or some of his short stories. Honestly, I'm on the fence about whether or not I want to try any more of Hemingway, but maybe someday I'll try again.

View all my reviews

Review: Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I'm reading this series with my sons and they are LOVING them!! She is funny, but I skip over a fair amount of name-calling and excessive rudeness from Junie B. Still, the boys love them so much, so it's a very enjoyable reading experience!

View all my reviews

Review: Alex, Approximately

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was a very sweet retelling of You've Got Mail. Fun characters, well-written friendships, and a rare example of good relationships with parents. Not as compelling as some, but about where I rate most contemporaries (or a little better).

View all my reviews

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A surprisingly good read! I enjoyed the writing style much more than I expected to. I honestly didn't even want to read this, but I ended up really liking it.

View all my reviews

Review: Recursion

Recursion by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars (I may round up later, but I am very cautious about what I give 5 stars so I want to give myself a little more time to think about it.). If you liked Dark Matter, you will like this one too! It was very similar. Since I loved Dark Matter, I loved this one. I love how action-packed and mind-bending Crouch's books are. I can't put them down and they are just a whole lot of fun. I can't recommend them enough!

View all my reviews

Review: Recursion

Recursion by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars (I may round up later, but I am very cautious about what I give 5 stars so I want to give myself a little more time to think about it.). If you liked Dark Matter, you will like this one too! It was very similar. Since I loved Dark Matter, I loved this one. Crouch just writes such action-packed page-turners. They are mind-bending and just a whole lot of fun. I can't recommend them enough!

View all my reviews

Review: The Golden Tower

The Golden Tower by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. Still a good series, but the ending wasn't as good as some of the others in the series in my opinion. It seemed rushed in some places and didn't make a lot of sense in others. I was a little disappointed. That said, I liked the series overall and I'm sad that it is over. It seems like there could be more because I was left with some questions. But I got another series checked off on my list of series that I need to finish!

View all my reviews

Review: The Poet X

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. I really enjoyed this audiobook. The author narrates it and she is a slam poet herself, so it was a fantastic reading. I think listening to this definitely added to the experience. I loved it and I can't wait to read more by Acevedo!

View all my reviews

Review: The Wise Man's Fear

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. Really good, although a little longer than it needed to be. My dad was reading it, so I decided to read it at the same time so we could talk about it. That was a really fun way to do it! Talking with my dad about it heightened my enjoyment of it. I thought it was maybe about a quarter too long - especially the part when he was with Felurian. . . WAAAY too long there. However, I really enjoyed his narration and I can't wait until the next one comes out! I hope it is soon!

View all my reviews

Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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

A great reread! It's been at least 7 years (maybe more) since I last read this, so it was really fun to read it again. I still loved it!

View all my reviews

Review: The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I REALLY enjoyed the writing, although it is making me incredibly sad. I’m wondering if I would have been as sad reading this before I became a mother. There are so many lines where Offred is remembering her daughter and it actually almost makes me cry. I’ve read passages aloud to my husband and he tells me to stop reading them to him because they are too sad. That said, the fact that it got to me so much is a sign that it is a good book. The only thing I wish was was that (view spoiler)[ Offred's fate at the end would have been less ambiguous. I am really curious if she found her husband or daughter again. I hope she did, although I know it is unlikely. (hide spoiler)]I really want to read more Margaret Atwood. I’m glad I finally got to this one.

Update: I upgraded this book to 5 stars because it has stayed with me so well after reading it. Also, I don't mind the ambiguous ending anymore because I think it was kind of brilliant. I'm a little nervous about book 2 coming out soon!

View all my reviews

Review: Palace Walk

Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

More like a 3.75, but I'll round up to 4 stars. This was one of the books assigned to another group when I had my Middle Eastern literature class at Mercyhurst College (now University) with Dr. Rieger. I learned a lot in the class and have slowly read all the books that she assigned to other people (I got The Satanic Verses for this particular assignment). I think this was the last one I had to read!

There were things I liked and disliked about this book. I especially appreciated the relationships between the women and liked all three women a lot. I really disliked the father, especially how hypocritical and controlling he was. However, the people in the story felt really real to me. There were times when the story dragged a bit, but I can definitely see why Mahfouz was compared to Tolstoy! I'm a bit on the fence about whether or not to continue the series. I'm glad I finally got around to this one though!

View all my reviews

Review: Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series! I've had a hard time enjoying much middle-grade writing lately, but this series is truly exceptional. I told my husband and mom that the Harry Potter comparisons are not without warrant, but not because the plot is similar. Townsend definitely has an incredibly unique world, characters, and story. However, what I love about her writing is that she both writes a compelling main conflict/climax and about little mundane occurrences in an interesting way. Like Rowling, she infuses interesting foods, fun holiday celebrations, and more into her story which makes it feel more real. She describes in a way that makes me really want to visit Nevermoor! I hope these stories get as much attention as they deserve and blow up in popularity like Harry Potter. As I read, I just kept thinking, "This is so cool!" Townsend is very creative and this was a great second installment. I'm eagerly awaiting the third book.

View all my reviews

Review: Up a Road Slowly

Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars (I may round up in my goodreads rating later . . . Why don't they allow for half-stars on here??). I'm a sucker for a good coming of age story and this is the best one I've read in a while. It reminded me of L.M. Montgomery's writing, which is definitely a good thing in my book. I loved Julie's character and watching her mature. I wasn't excited to read this one, but I'm glad I finally got around to it and discovered a new favorite.

View all my reviews

Review: Immortal Reign

Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a solid ending to a series I've really enjoyed. I hope Morgan Rhodes writes more!

View all my reviews

Review: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando 2019

The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando 2019 by Seth Kubersky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just dreaming at this point but I'm hoping to visit Harry Potter world sometime!! This is definitely a very helpful planning guide. I highly recommend these guides if visiting Orlando!

View all my reviews

Review: The Sun Is Also a Star

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a bittersweet and timely book that was both thought-provoking and enjoyable. I definitely liked it better than Everything, Everything and it has more important themes. I look forward to reading anything else Nicola Yoon writes!

View all my reviews

Review: Crystal Storm

Crystal Storm by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was a little disappointed by this one, honestly. I've loved every book in this series so far, but I just felt like not much happened until the end of this one. I'm jumping right into the last one though so I can finish this series! I hope I like the last one a little better.

View all my reviews

Review: How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7

How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7 by Joanna Faber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started with How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, but found this one to be much better for my kids' ages. I also just liked this format a bit better. Part one discusses Faber's basic strategies, but applies them to life with little ones. Part two addresses common struggles with young kids, such as mealtime battles, shopping with kids, sleep struggles, and more. It was very practical and I hope it will be very helpful. I haven't had much time to try these strategies yet to see if they really work, but I am hopeful. I definitely could buy into these concepts. I'll report back once I've tried them for a few weeks and may adjust my rating accordingly!

View all my reviews

Review: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. A woman in my book club recommended it. I was getting a lot out of it, although some of it felt a little outdated to me (maybe not to everyone, but I don't know many people who think it is okay to hit your kid anymore. . . Which, to be clear, was one thing the authors were against). However, as I was reading, I found out that there is actually another version written for parents with little kids, How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7. I got it out of the library as well and ended up liking it better than this one. This one is good, but the other version seemed more applicable to my kids even though it had the same basic concepts.

I've just started trying some of the strategies with my kids, but we'll have to see how effective they are once I've had more experience with them. I do buy into most of the basic concepts. I just need more practice using these strategies (rather than using time-outs and counting down to get the boys to listen). I'll report back once I've had more time with the strategies. I do think I'd recommend it to other parents though!

View all my reviews

Review: Jubilee

Jubilee by Margaret Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a memorable book about a significant period in history. The protagonist is Vyry (short for Elvira) who was an incredibly strong woman who lived through slavery, the Civil War, emancipation from slavery, the terror of the KKK and more with grace and courage. What's more amazing is that she was based on a real woman - Margaret Walker's own great-grandmother. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great. I highly recommend this thought-provoking book!

View all my reviews

Review: The Woman in Cabin 10

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. This was very compelling and very readable. It wasn't the most outstanding murder mystery I've read, but interesting enough to keep my attention. I liked it!

View all my reviews

Review: Bone, Vol, 1: Out from Boneville

Bone, Vol, 1: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 or 3.75 stars (I rounded up this time because I felt pretty compelled to keep reading.). I liked this a lot! I picked it up (along with book 2 and 3) at a book sale randomly and didn't know anything about it. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the story was well-done and the cast of characters were charming. I am looking forward to reading the next one!

View all my reviews

Review: Briar Rose

Briar Rose by Robert Coover
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a postmodern retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but I couldn't get into it. It was short, but I didn't finish it, so I'm not sure if I should count it. I read almost half and then skimmed the rest (very, very quickly), so I'm going to count it. :)

View all my reviews

Review: The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting: Raising Children with Courage, Compassion, and Connection

The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting: Raising Children with Courage, Compassion, and Connection by Brené Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nothing mind-blowing, but there were a few good thought-provoking tidbits in there. The main idea is basically that it is important for parents to create a space for their children that is safe - A place where they are able to fail, be silly, and just be themselves. Parents need to model these behaviors in the home. I liked it! I just want to be intentional about being the best parent I can be to my little ones, and part of that is occasionally reading books about how I can do that. :)

View all my reviews

Review: Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I liked it, but it actually reminded me a lot of Rick Riordan's writing. The writing style was a little different but it had all of the same elements - a group of friends going on a journey to save the world with a deadline a few days away . . . Leigh Bardugo did a nice job with it, but I'm just a little tired of this formula. However, Wonder Woman is one of my favorite superheroes and I enjoyed this fun (if a bit predictable) book.

View all my reviews

Review: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. This was great! One of the best books I've read in a while. I think it has something that would appeal to most people - some action and adventure, some sci-fi elements, some historical fiction elements - and just a fascinating story overall with a very interesting premise. I would recommend it to most people!

View all my reviews

Review: Ever

Ever by Gail Carson Levine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've owned this book probably since I was in middle school and I've never read it. I didn't think I'd like it much, so actually giving it 3 stars was a pleasant surprise. It wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't bad either. I don't think I'll ever love Gail Carson Levine's other books nearly as much as Ella Enchanted (one of my favorite middle grade books ever!), but it was decent and kept me reading to find out what would happen.

View all my reviews

Review: Goose Chase

Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I feel like I would have loved this if I was still a part of the target audience (upper elementary/middle school). I did really appreciate how it satirizes classic fairy tales and the main character was pretty funny. However, I had trouble really caring about anything that happened. Honestly, I read about 100 pages (it was only a couple hundred pages total anyway) and then skipped to the last couple of chapters and googled what happened in between. Just not really my thing anymore, I guess!

View all my reviews

Review: The Story Girl

The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet story, but not much happens in it. That's okay because I always enjoy her writing style, but I do enjoy her books about older protagonists I think more than her books about children. I think I might like the second one in this series a bit more, but I did like this one.

View all my reviews

Review: North and South

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So I listened to the first half of this before the audiobook was automatically returned to the library. Then I took about a month (or longer) break from it before getting it out again about a week ago. I liked it alright, but I wasn't very upset when it automatically returned the first time. I wasn't even totally sure I was going to finish it, although I'm glad I did. It didn't hold my attention as well as I was hoping it would, but I was sort of interested in the basic plot. I debated about going down to 2 stars, but I don't think it deserves that low of a rating. It was fine, just not something I was fascinated by. I think when I read that it was "like Pride and Prejudice but for socialists," my expectations were a bit too high. I just didn't connect well to any of the characters. Oh well. I am looking forward to watching the mini-series! If I remember, I'll come back to this review and let you know how it compares. I hear the mini-series is quite good! We shall see. :)

Update: I watched the first episode from the mini-series last night and I really, really liked it!! I think this may be a rare case where I like the TV show better than the book.

Update #2: I just finished the show and absolutely loved it. I definitely enjoyed it far more than the book, which is unusual. I think it will be something I watch again and again!

View all my reviews

Review: North and South

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So I listened to the first half of this before the audiobook was automatically returned to the library. Then I took about a month (or longer) break from it before getting it out again about a week ago. I liked it alright, but I wasn't very upset when it automatically returned the first time. I wasn't even totally sure I was going to finish it, although I'm glad I did. It didn't hold my attention as well as I was hoping it would, but I was sort of interested in the basic plot. I debated about going down to 2 stars, but I don't think it deserves that low of a rating. It was fine, just not something I was fascinated by. I think when I read that it was "like Pride and Prejudice but for socialists," my expectations were a bit too high. I just didn't connect well to any of the characters. Oh well. I am looking forward to watching the mini-series! If I remember, I'll come back to this review and let you know how it compares. I hear the mini-series is quite good! We shall see. :)

View all my reviews

Review: Children of Blood and Bone

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really good fantasy novel! It took me a while to get through, but toward the end I couldn't put it down. I was told it was sort of a cross between Harry Potter and Black Panther. I think this heightened my expectations somewhat unrealistically. I can see the Black Panther similarity a bit (which is awesome!), but I really don't see any similarities to Harry Potter. However, it had some great character development and was action-packed all the way through. I'm glad I finally got around to it and I am looking forward to reading book two when it is released!

View all my reviews