SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2019

Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo / JF / **** / Hard Copy
This book was chosen by my friend Susan as our book group read. It tells the story of young Louisiana who is woken up in the middle of the night by her eccentric granny and taken on a road trip to find a new home.  A series of adventures and mishaps occur before they end up in a small town in Georgia.  There Louisiana meets a beautiful array of people with big hearts and down-home wisdom. This was a fantastic story reminiscent of "Pictures of Hollis Woods" by Patricia Reilly Giff and "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant


Book of Mormon X 2
Love this book the more I read it.





The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff / A / *** / Kindle
Read this one as we had our trip to Paris planned. It was interesting in that it I learned more about the French resistance during WWII.  But it was kinda choppy to me and didn't engage me as much as I hoped.




Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3) by Cinda Williams Chima / ***1/2 / YA / Kindle
These books are set in the same "world" as the Seven Realms series that I read and loved years ago.  This new series takes place later in time and does not involve many of the same characters. 
Stormcaster is the third in the new series. Each of the previous two has been about a distinct set of characters within an overarching story line.  My only problem with this book was it started out following one person (Evan Strangward) and then all of a sudden left this character and went back to the others. I understand the difficulty of gathering all the stories  ogether but it wasn't as masterfully done as the other two. It felt like too many points of view.





Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) by Meg Cabot / YA / ** / Kindle
Why did I read this? It was even worse than the first.  I love Cabot as she writes fun and strong female characters but this one was just off. The main character is no longer strong but now is manipulative and whiney. It feels super weird to give Cabot a "meh" book review....






The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson / A / *** / Kindle
I normally don't read self-help books but this one was part of some challenge or another. 
Despite the title, Manson basically admits you HAVE to care about things.  He points out that humans are flawed and limited and we are not all going to be extraordinary.  He advises us to embrace our faults, confront painful truths, and live an honest (and thus more fulfilling) life.  He also teaches that we can only care about so many things, so pick the ones that really matter.
The language bothered me but the book itself spoke a lot of truth.




On the Come Up by Angie Thomas / YA / ****1/2 / Kindle
Bri is 16, black, and poor.  She has dreams of following in the musical footsteps of her father - a rap legend in the neighborhood before being killed by gang violence. The odds of stardom are stacked against her as she is young and female and has a mother that wants her to just get a good education and stay away from street life.
As Bri's family faces job loss, problems with welfare, and mounting bills, Bri also feels the obligation to make money to provide for her family. 
This is one of those powerful books where you can feel the want / the dreams / the drive.  Bri has a flawed but poignantly beautiful support system.  She has to make a lot of hard choices in this book and has some amazing growth including her realization of the responsibility of the words she is speaking as she raps.  Amazing writing.




The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang / A / ** / Kindle
I read this for the 2018 Best of the Best reading challenge. This was the winner for romance. I'm not a prude but this book was too much.






The Trials of Apollo, Book One: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
Another of the Good Reads Challenge for 2018 was the third book of this series. In order to read the third I need to read one and two :).  I admit I have kinda lost interest in Riordan as his stories were all running together.  But this one has a fresh new twist in that they are narrated by the disgraced god Apollo.... whose punishment from angering Zeus is a new life as a pimply teenaged boy with none of his godly skills or powers.  Apollo, however, has not lost his zingy wit tinged with sarcasm.  So much fun.

JULY AND AUGUST BOOKS

CIRCE by Madeline Miller / A / **** / Kindle
*Read this book as part of my Goodreads book challenge for the year 

This one just got better and better. I did not know a lot about Circe before.... I knew it was something to do with Greek mythology. I really enjoyed the author's take on her life and her experiences.  It was really good.. one of the best I'd read all year.

the witch doesn't burn in this one by Amanda Lovelace / A / *** / Kindle
*Read this book as part of my Goodreads book challenge for the year

Unapologetically feminist. Definitely anti-Trump. Intentionally harsh.  
This book of poetry speaks out in defense of women, encouraging them to live their own lives and their own story.
Parts of it really spoke to me. Parts of it were ugly. Many parts I did not agree with. But it made me think and that is the point.


The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air Book 2) by Holly Black / YA / ***1/2 / Kindle
It is rare that I love the second book of a trilogy but this one did not disappoint. It continues the story of Jude, a human living in the land of fairies. It is a land where everyone is trying to trick everyone else... where you have to watch every word you say due to the power of those words.
The last book ends with Jude pulling the biggest trick of all to protect her baby brother, Oak.  This book covers the next time period as she tries to keep in motion all the plans she put in place. It had the right amount of adventure, the right amount of romantic tension, and the right amount of growth.

Abandon by Meg Cabot / YA / *** 1/2 / Hardback
This was a reread for me. It is a modern day tale about Persephone being kidnapped to live in the Underworld. I plan to read the second book and needed to re-read this one to catch up.  
It is a light teen book with characters that are easy to love and easy to despise. It is not Meg Cabot's best by any means especially a the narrator is a little immature and annoying... I'm hoping this is on purpose and that there is some growth that is going to happen. Stay tuned....


Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover / A / **** / Kindle
* Read this book as part of my Goodreads book challenge for the year

A family that is talented, charismatic, driven, hard-working, and loyal. 
A family that is led by a father with severe mental-illness and a mother with an untreated brain injury.
A father that believes that the government is out to get them, that the world is inherently evil, and that only and his view of God can save them.
A daughter that has never been to school and works long hours for either parent doing dangerous tasks beyond her age.
A daughter that is abused by one brother and has doors opened by another.
A daughter that self-studies enough to pass the ACT and get into BYU.
A student that has never studied history, has a world-view discolored by a fundamentalist father, and is exposed to a whole new world.
A student who achieves and achieves and achieves as the world opens up before her.
A whole host of friends and neighbors and professors and clergy that help her on her way.
An accomplished woman who has to cut some of the unhealthy ties to her family despite her love for them.

Fascinating book. Not as mormon-bashing as I feared. Very inspiring.  


The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo / YA / ***1/2 / Kindle
I love Leigh Bardugo. This series of short stories are folktales based on different lands from her Shadow and Bone series.  Just like her Ravkan has ties to Russia, some of these tales have ties to our world as well.
They are fierce, twisty, lovely, and real. They are beautiful and dark and sometimes disturbing. They are all well written.
Good job Leigh Bardugo. Can't wait to read your next book. 

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive book 1) by Brandon Sanderson / A / **** / Hardback
Spent a good part of the month reading this book. It has like 1200 pages. And it was so good. And so detailed. And Sanderson is a master at universe building. And I can't wait to find out what happens next. And I can't write what it's about because it would take too long. 

JUNE 2019

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah / A / ***1/2 / Kindle
*Read this book as part of my Goodreads book challenge for the year
This is a story of a Vietnam vet with PTSD, the woman that loves him, and their young daughter. Driven by grandiose ideas and trauma induced paranoia, the father takes the family to a remote part of Alaska.  While the required hard labor and clean water/air help the father in some ways, the long winters and harsh environment also took their toll.  
This book is about community. About loving people. About walking away. About how nature can reveal the heart of a person.
There was nothing really surprising in this story but I enjoyed it. I particularly loved the descriptions of Alaska and was not surprised to learn that the author was from there and had ancestors that helped homestead the state.

Dark Matter: A novel by Blake Crouch / A / **** / Kindle
Jason Dessnen is a physics professor living an average American life.  He has a loving wife, a great kid, a mortgage, and a comfortable life.  Like everyone, he sometimes wonders, "What If?". What if he had pursued his research... gotten that grant... published that paper.  
One night while walking home he is kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to a remote research facility. He loses consciousness and when he awakes he is in that world of "what-if's". His wife is not his wife... his child does not exist... he has fame and fortune as a premiere scientist. 
The rest of the book tells the story of him trying to get back to his own reality.
This story had a fascinating premise and is very timely considering Marvel's own exploration into what they call "The Multiverse".  I enjoyed it. It was a great balance of sci-fi, romance, adventure, and suspense.


I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara / A / **** / Kindle
*Read this book as part of my Goodreads book challenge for the year
I normally do not read "true crime" books as they freak me out a little too much. I was not looking forward to this one, but as it was part of my Goodreads Challenge for the year I decided to give it a go... as the point is reading things I would not normally.
It ended up being more about the search for the Golden State Killer.  It was interesting to read about the different crimes, how the police were not even sure if they were committed by the same person, the evolution of the killer and the investigations, the introduction of DNA and other forensic tests, and how he was ultimately caught.  
It also opened up another world in that I found there are regular people out there that try to solve cold cases as a hobby.  The author is one of these people and runs (ran -  she has since passed away which makes me go what the heck how does a healthy normal rich american just die like that? Gotta be drugs...) a blog where different scenarios are discussed. While the police do not really give her any official credit for solving this case, it sounds like she kept the case alive and in the public eye. Plus she had some great ideas.  
Anyway... it was interesting. But I'm going to stick with scrap-booking as my hobby if it's okay with y'all.

 My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella / A / *** / Kindle
Oh Sophie. Thanks for making me laugh. This wasn't your best but it was still dang enjoyable. I love your quirky but real characters. I love your insights of London. I love how it all works out at the end. Great summer read and a reminder that life is not perfect and that's part of what makes it unique.

Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage / A / **** / Hardcopy
I am trying to earn my Young Womenhood award before the end of the year when the program is being phased out. I never earned this while in High School and now the program has been opened up to any woman.  One of my goals was to read Jesus the Christ.  
It took me several months but it was SO FASCINATING.  I learned a lot and it has really deepened my understanding of the life of Christ and the atonement.

MAY 2019 Book List

The Sympathizer: A Novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen / A / **** / Kindle
I read one book last month. ONE. So weird.  I've been in full trip planning mode and full recovering from surgery mode )which you would think would make me more likely to read but I have surprisingly found that not to be true.  You really CAN be too sick to read).
This book won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016 for fiction. It is the story of a communist double agent, the fall of Saigon, escaping to America, and his return back to Vietnam.
I am super embarrassed to say this but I did not know Vietnam was communist.  I kinda blame it on my public school education in that my study of World History US History never seemed to get past WWI. But I have to take some personal responsibility here.
This book does not pull any punches about the United States and their role in the Vietnam war including what the author sees as an abandonment of the conflict by the United States and the consequences of such. So while I didn't read more than this one book I have been reading a TON of information about the Vietnam War.  
I will be the first to admit I mainly read for enjoyment.  But I love when I find a subject I'm interested in and go on these flights of discovery if you will.  Books like this are enjoyable as they cover both enjoyment and learning.  I plan to read more of this author's books.  

APRIL 2019

1) NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty / A / ***1/2 / Kindle
Liane Moriarty tells the story of nine strangers attending an expensive health spa to "re-set" their lives. They each have their reasons for being there... and they each have their secrets. They all are pulled together when their stay takes a surprising twist.
I read somewhere that this book hasn't been as well received as her others, and I can see that, but it is totally character-driven writing which is what I've always liked about Moriarty.

2)THE CLOCK MAKERS DAUGHTER by Kate Morton / A / *** 1/2 / Kindle
This book is a story of historical fiction written from several points of view. It alternates between the present and the 1850's.  It tells the story of an English artist that fell in love with a street urchin and a modern-day archivist unraveling the past. It was a bit of mystery / bit of mysticism / bit of ghost-story.
I enjoyed this book and the writing although it had a TON of characters to keep track of.



3)ONE DARK THRONE (Three Dark Crowns Series book 2) by Kendare Blake / YA / ** / Kindle
I don't know why I read this stuff.  I will tell you why - it is because my daughter and her friends read it and I want to be cool like them.  But then I also want to slap them for reading this crap.   I still remember the day Elissa's friend Elyse got a copy of the third and final book and read it in like a day and came giggling and screaming to our house to share it will Elissa.  I wanted to see what the attraction was. I'm still trying to figure it out.
As I said about the first book, the story line is actually pretty fascinating in a morbid hunger-games kind of way. Three sisters are destined to be Queen but to take the throne they must kill the other two sisters. The author tries to portray the mental anguish that each person goes through as they work to commit murder, gain power and decide their fates.  But it is just so full of mundane drama and ridiculous romance. And so many glaring discrepancies.  People don't stay dead.Their capabilities and powers change. It feels like someone is trying to jerk me around AND I DON'T LIKE IT.   But will I read the third book? Yes, yes I will. Someone slap me.

4)EVICTED: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond / A / *****
This Pulitizer Prize winner explores the role of stable housing in escaping poverty. It follows the lives of several individuals as they struggle to make ends meet, provide a stable home for their children, and climb the nearly impossible hill to a better life. The stories are interspersed with well-researched facts on the realities people in poverty face and the true societal cost of eviction. It touches on the different housing and subsidy programs out there... something I've administered for the last 23 years of my life ... and puts a human face on it. 
It also shares information from the point of view of landlords, court officials, law enforcement, social workers, and family members. 
This book was so engaging and thought provoking. It gave me all the feels as I felt angry and hopeless and heartbroken and mad and disgusted and discouraged and then suddenly hopeful.  It also  made me think about the literally 100's of people I've talked to on the phone calling for help to avoid eviction.  Utah has been working to reduce inter-generational poverty and has really focused on the trauma created for children when their home environment is not stable.  My Department is piloting some different programs to try and help the next generation succeed.  
One thing I loved about this book is that the author presented what felt like real honest information showing all sides of the issue but then lets the reader come to their own conclusions as to what CAN be done and what SHOULD be done.  


5) SHADOWCASTER (Shattered Realms Series book 2): by Cinda Williams Chima / YA / ****
I loved this sequel even more than the first book of this new series. This novel continues the story-line of the first but with an new set of characters and a return to the kingdom of the Fells introduced in the first series of books (The Seven Realms stories). It shares the story of a warrior princess trying to end the war that has plagued her people for 25 years.  It has the right amount of adventure and romance, and even more world-building as the author shares more information about the rest of the 7 Realms and what may lie beyond.  It also handles diversity right and has strong female characters. Good job Chima!

6) UNSHELTERED by Barbara Kingsolver / A / *** / Kindle
This is a story about a house.  And a family.  And a town. And how people can find it hard to change.

The timeline switches between two different families that lived in the same house 200 years apart. One group is working to understand (through Darwinism and evolution) that things are not as they previously thought. The modern group is also working to understand (through hard life experiences) that they too can survive and prosper even though their lives are not as they previously thought.  

Although this book did not change my opinion that Kingsolver is a beautiful writer, this story was not my favorite.  I think she was really trying to show that Willa (the modern day mom with the world on her shoulders) was a kindred spirit to Thatcher (the teacher struggling against the opinions of the day) but I just didn't feel it.  I also thought Kingsolvers unveiled contempt for conservatives or anyone thinking differently from her really detracted from the story.  I don't like getting preached to when I read.

7)CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler / A / **** / Kindle
I love me some Anne Tyler.  This was a typical Tyler book... her stories aren't earth shattering... but the tender way she writes characters is just special to me. This author recognizes and celebrates and shares the uniqueness innate in each person.
The ending was a little abrupt... I had to turn a few pages back and make sure I read it right... and it has a lot of similarities to other novels Tyler has written, especially the main character, Willa.  That being said, I still enjoyed it. And does anyone else think it is weird that both of the main characters in the last two books I read were named Willa?

MARCH 2019

1)THE BROTHERS KARAMAVOZ by Fyodor Dostoyevsky / A / ***1/2
* Read for the the Goodreads 100 Best books to read before you die
You guys. I finished it. It seriously took me TWO YEARS to read this book. Which would make you think I didn't like it. Which would not be true.  I did like it ... it was just hard to read and super long.  It was a murder mystery / courtroom drama which is surprising as it was written in 1879. It is the story of three brothers and their neglectful father. It is a story of rage and vanity and greed and lust.   At times it was a text on religion and the plight of Russia and the idea that how we each choose to live our best life is different for everyone.  I hated all the characters and liked them all at the same time.  It had surprising link to modern day America as the writer discussed how the decline of family values was causing the decline of the country.  Very interesting book.

2)AMERICANAH by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie / A / ***
This book had it all... it addresses race - immigration - the american experience - all in the form of a story of a girl that left her country for a better life and found the good and the bad that America had to offer.  I liked being able to read about this important social issues in a story form. It really made me think and empathize and want to know more, even though at times the observations made by the author felt a little generalist and heavy handed.

The novel is touted as a love story between two Nigerian teens whose life went on separate paths. But while the story did have a love interest it was more about the young woman and her personal journey. I did have a few problems with the book.... most of the characters talked the same.... like their words and sentence structure and etc just felt indistinguishable.  

My biggest problem with the book was the main character.  I just didn't like her.  She was shallow, disregarded the feelings of others, treated people with disdain, and treated people who did not agree with her as less-than. 

3) THREE DARK CROWNS by Kendra Blake / YA / ***
This is a YA book but it was dark.... violent... mildly depressing.
Every queen of the land gives birth to triplet girls. When they come of age, the next queen is chosen from the sisters... not by popular vote but by who kills the other two first.  Each sister has a magic power they can use to serve their kingdom... after they knock off the other two that is.
This book tells the story of the current three siblings.  The premise of the story is super dark.... but the story itself tries to keep it somewhat light. Unfortunately it strays into ridiculous with secret romances and forbidden trysts and talk of dresses and hair and jewels. The strong female characters do not end up being any of the three potential queens which is missed opportunity. It is not as bad as the Selection Series but close. There is some attempt at kingdom building but it is not as great as it could be. It had such promise.... I will stop rambling now...


4) LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT by Becky Albertalli / YA / **
*Read as part of the Goodreads Best of the Best for 2018
Bleh. Didn't love it. I was ready for a female character that is sassy and sarcastic as well as kind and confident.  Instead she felt moody and inconsistent and flat and kinda mean.  The writing felt like I was just inside her head as she thought every random thought and waited for love and attention and being part of the gang. I just couldn't get into it. 

5) QUIET - The power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan McCain / A / ***1/2
Oh I loved this book. It was like reading about MYSELF.  I can so do social events... but they are super draining to me. I like people ... but I'm just as happy being alone.  I have been confused by the fact that I love to plan parties or events but when it comes time to GO to the party I don't want to. I began a several year stint as a telecommuter thinking that by working at home I'd be more likely to want to go out on the weekends... only to find I got worse and didn't ever want to leave the house.  This book explains why and makes me feel so much better about it (Queue Elephant Mant: "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!").

6) Jacob Have I loved by Katherine Paterson
This was one of my favorite books as pre-teen/teenager.  I have read it over and over again.  I really felt for poor awkward Sara Louise and the injustices mounded on her by her twin, her parents, the townspeople and even ultimately her best friends ( the Captain and Call ).  
It is so interesting to read this book as an adult and perceive it so so differently... and to see that Sara Louise's perception of reality was part of the problem.  I can now see the story and events from the point of view of the other characters.   I love stories where the characters really grow and develop and this is one of the best. Plus, I love the tale of a simple island life full of hard work, the sun, and the sea.  Beautiful and poignant and touching on subject matter that makes me surprised it is for teens.

FEBRUARY 2019

1) The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo / A / ***1/2 / Kindle
Who knew Reese Witherspoon has a book group? Kerry does. Of course Kerry does. She is like my book muse.  She is like those people that dress the celebrities by finding them clothes except she finds me books and I'm not a celebrity and she doesn't get paid. Okay maybe that is a bad example.  But anyway Reese Witherspoon does in fact have a book group and "The Light We Lost" was the first I've read of her book group books and it won't be the last even though I don't think I "felt" this story as much as I should have.
It is a story of two young lovers full of passion and the need to live a remarkable life, especially after witnessing the horror of 9/11.  This need to make a difference causes one of the couple to part ways, creating another disaster in the life of the book's narrator.   Through the years she picks up the pieces of her life and finds happiness but can't quite ever let her feelings go.
This book was a bit of an enigma for me as it as a story where I didn't love the main characters and sometimes I outright detested them. I can't love characters that treat other people horribly. To me it didn't feel like love between the two but rather self-centered obsession.  I guess maybe they were both so horrible they deserve to be together? But seriously WHAT KIND OF ROMANCE IS THAT?? It was like a modern day Wuthering Heights!!   But despite that I found I couldn't put the stinking story down. Go figure. Sigh.

2) Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
Oh my. This book. It is the story of a 12 year old African American girl living in Mississippi in the 50's.  She has it hard on all sides. from parents that abandoned her, a grandma that is raising her but doesn't love her, and a society that is in chaos due to the South's resistance to the Civil Rights movement.  You found yourself really feeling for this character and rooting for her.  

3) Flamecaster (Shattered Realms book 1) by Cinda Williams Chima / YA / ***1/2 / Kindle
I was a few pages into this book and realized I had read it before.... but it was good to read it again as the fourth of the series is coming out next month. It takes up the story that was begun in the Seven Realms series and the main characters are the children of the original characters. The author has created a whole new plot line and crisis with enough new characters and lands that it was still super interesting.  Anyway, I have really enjoyed this author... especially her world building and her character development. I didn't find myself rooting for these new characters as much as her other books, but we'll see what develops.

4) Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight out of this Wild and Glorious Life by Jen Hatmaker / A / **** / Kindle
I first found Jen Hatmaker through a blogpost shared to me by my sister, Ashlee. I have followed Jen's blog off and on through the years but have never read any of her 12 books.  This book was just available on pioneer so I checked it out to see what her writing style was like. I laughed. I cried. I felt all the feels.  I was totally uplifted, took about 300 pages of notes, and finished it feeling hopeful and determined to show this world a bit more love.  Good job, Jen.

5) CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi / YA / ***1/2 / Kindle
* Read for Goodreads Best of 2018 Challenge
Four unlikely teens unite to save their country. Two are children of a cruel king, and two are commoners who have greatly suffered from the king's rule. The king's goal for the last 13 years has been to eliminate the native magic of the land.  The four are trying to restore it before it is too late.

You would think this would be my new favorite book as this story had great world building and was full of epic adventures. I'm not sure why exactly, but this book was just off for me. I had to force myself to read it. The pacing was just off and while I could appreciate the different characters I didn't love any of them. Even the chemistry was just meh to me.  


6) Orphan Island by Laurel Synder / JF / *** / Kindle
Nine children live on an island. Each year a green boat arrives, taking away the oldest child and leaving a toddler.  This has been going on for decades until one year, the oldest child refuses to leave.  This sets into motion a series of events that affect everyone.  The food sources start to dry up. The weather gets erratic.  The sky changes.
The great part of this book was the whole sinister island aspect combined with the mystery regarding the back story. The bad part of the book is that IT NEVER EXPLAINS IT.  So frustrating. I looked up the author and she said she may write a prequel but really wanted to leave us hanging to promote discussion. RUDE. The other thing is that the main character was super annoying.

7) The Mountain Between Us  by Charles Martin
A small plane crashes in the mountains of Utah.  Two strangers survive the crash, but are trapped in miles of snowy wilderness.  The book tells their story to survive while also visiting the lives that led them to this point.  It was really beautifully written and I liked it even though no one got eaten in this book.