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What to Read for Spring

3/12/2019

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Dear Martin

10/1/2018

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WARNING- READ WITH A BOX OF TISSUES!

Justyce is the smart kid who stays out of trouble until one day he is arrested by a police man while helping out a friend. After his experience, he begins journaling and following the teachings of Martin Luther King. Throughout his experience he learns about the racism he faces at school and struggles against. One day while driving with the music up, he and his friend get into an argument with an off - duty police officer and shots are fired. This book will open your eyes to the struggles African Americans face into today's society. You will find yourself sad and angry, but you won't be able to put it down. It's a short book that's worth a weekend read. Pick it up. You won't regret it. 

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Reads for November

11/29/2017

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With grad school winding down, I've been a super crazy reader. I read 5 books during the past two weeks. There is something about the winter weather that makes me want to curl up with a tea, book, and Molly on my lap. Awwwww kitties! Anyway, here are my latest reads. 


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Simon is the typically teen except he's hiding something from everyone. He's gay, but he's afraid to tell others. Simon strikes up an internet romance with a student at his school, but the student, Blue, doesn't reveal who he is. Someone finds out and Simon has to protect Blue. Does this book read like a typical teen romance? Yes, ir has blackmail, a mystery romantic interest, and teenage angst. However, I found myself really connecting with Simon and of course hoping he'd find out who Blue was. I thought I could guess the character Blue was, but I was totally surprised.
     This novel is so feel good. I originally tried to read it last year, but couldn't get past the first few chapters. Everyone's been raving about it so I downloaded the audio book. It was awesome. I enjoyed hearing Simon's inner monologue. You really connect with him and want all the characters to find happiness. PS check out the movie trailer. 
I cannot brag on this book enough. I'm addicted. I need the next to come out! It does start out slow, but I found myself immersed. Sunny is an albino who was born in America but now lives in Nigeria. She soon discovers she has powers beyond her imagination. She teams up with three friends to learn magic and discover the mystical world of the Leopard people. They soon find out they have to complete a mission on a scale they never dreamed of. 
     Did you love Harry Potter? Yeah, me too. This book makes me think of the what it would be like to go to Uagadoa, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Africa. It has all the elements of a a great story about magic. I loved this book so much, I scrambled around the house to find my kindle so I could download the next one. I finished both of them within a weekend! 
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On the night of a bonfire, people in a small Irish village begin losing things. No one knows exactly why. Olive, the main character, notices her best friend drawing away from her and can't figure out why. Meanwhile three mysterious strangers show up in town and diary pages begin to appear. They all seem to be connected. 

I was really excited about this book. I enjoyed Moira Foyle-Doyle's first book Accident Season. However, this book felt more generic. It didn't have the same mystery and appeal that Accident Season did. I would suggest this if you want an easy read that is mindless. Otherwise, I was less than impressed. I figured out the ending within the first 100 pages. Boo!
Another book I was excited about, but it turned out to be meh. I listed to the audio book and that's what really made the books worth it. The performer is one of my favorites. If you can't tell, I've been really into books about magic. This book follow Kat and her siblings as they travel to Rookvile castle to escape the bombing of London during WWII. Kat notices eerie things start to happen once they arrive in castle. Soon, children start to disappear and she tries to solve the mystery. This book would have been much better if we didn't actually know what was happening. It's a quick read though. 
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Creepy Reads

10/30/2017

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Woah! Based upon my last post, grad school has me in a slump. Want to know what I read between January and now? Just ask. Here are my latest reads. 

1. The Victorian Book of the Dead by Chris Woodyard and Jessica Wiesel: Okay, ya'll know I like weird books. This book is super macabre, but it sucks you in. As you may or may not know, the Victorians were weird. I mean super interesting and weird. They had very strange beliefs, and this book shows us the inner lives of the Victorians. The book is comprised of news articles from the 19th century all regarding funeral practices and rights of the Victorians. Each chapter focuses on different practices such as ghosts, being buried alive, and art of the dead.  

2. The World of Lore : Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke: Do you like the podcast Lore? This book is a collection of stories from the podcast. As someone who hasn't listened to to podcast yet, (don't judge me) I found this collection of stories creepy, but fascinating. My favorite chapter was on Vampires. 

3. If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley: Have you ever wondered the history behind you bed or perhaps your kitchen table? This is the book for you. Each chapter tells the history about modern day inventions. I became a fact-o-sarous after reading this. 

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Reading Update

1/10/2017

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I've been kinda in a reading slump, but I got back into it during Christmas break. Here are my latest reads and all of them are fantastic. 

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I loved this book. I've been looking for something a little more diverse lately and this was perfect. Based in Brooklyn, this book follows Sierra Santiago whose gradfather has become almost speechless after a stroke. Soon Sierra finds out her grandfather played a huge part in a super natural battle. She discovers she can save everyone from these undead creatures by creating murals that channel spirits. 

The book starts a bit slow, but once you get into it, you will want to keep turning the page tp find out what happens next. As I read it, all I could was what is going on. This is crazy. If you loved Ms. Peregrine or the Mara Dyer series, this book should be next on your list. 
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The Bell Jar has become part of my top 5 favorite books. The main character, Esther, is witty and sarcastic. I love her personality. This book follows her struggle with depression. As someone who struggles with mental illness, so many of the passages hit home. Thought this book is dark at times, I truly loved it. In fact, I can't stop talking about it. If you loved It's KInda a Funny Story or Eleanor and Park, I highly suggest trying this classic. 

Okay, I know what you're thinking. A book about lighthouse, really Ms. Ford? I enjoyed this book a lot. Non-fiction isn't usually my jam, but this one peaked my interest. I am obsessed with lighthouses. There is something mystreious and romantic about them. Brilliant Beacons intertwines the history of the lighthouse with US history. The stories in here are like listening to old mariners and keepers tell the truth about the lighthouses. I highly suggest tis one. 
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October Reads

10/24/2016

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Okay totally should have updated this early. October has been a super crazy month. Check out my blog with all that has been happening. Here are my reads for October. I've been really into audio books. DID YOU KNOW WE HAVE FREE ONES?!


A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle- This is a classic children's book I've never read. I want to thank one of my students for the suggestion. As far as sci-fi goes, this is soooo good. This classic novel focuses on higher elements of astrophysics. While a child might not quite understand it, I love all the science of space time dimension in this. Imagine if Dr. Who was turned into an award winning novel and you have A Wrinkle in Time. Not only is this a rocking science fiction, but it is also a perfectly sweet children's novel. I love that it let me escape my own world. If you just need a quick, good read, pick this one up. 

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone- This book is beautifully written but very predictable, but some of my students said it was a twist for them. Maybe I just read too much. Anyway, this book covers the life of a girl who is struggling with who she is. The story is a coming of age story that focuses on poetry. I love the hidden underground of friend she forms. Stone also does a great job of addresses mental health. If you struggle with mental health or are just interested in the topic, this is a great book to read. As someone with anxiety, I could definitely relate to the character at times. 
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Book of Ivy

9/6/2016

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I've been trying to get through all the Peach award books, so I picked up Book of Ivy. The first book ruled! It was a dystopian, love story with a twist. I would for sure say I wanted some more kick-butt action. This story revolves around character development so if you are looking for action, this book is not for you. The plot twist at the end made me immediately pick up the Revolution of Ivy. It was this book that made me sorely disappointed. The author, Amy Engel, takes what could of been a well written exciting series with major twists, and turns it into a typical Young Adult novel. Revolution of Ivy goes nowhere and has an extremely boring ending. After reading the first book, I was just expecting more. Everything about the Revolution of Ivy was predictable and boring.Honestly, I thought about not even finishing the book. 



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See what I read over the summer

8/2/2016

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My latest read

4/25/2016

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Okay, so lately I've been busy playing Animal Crossing on my DS. I don't know what it is about that game, but it is so relaxing. Anyway, my latest read was time Timebond which is the first in the Chronos Files series. This is a book I randomly grabbed off our shelves. As far as books go, this one was OKAY. It had enough plot for me to keep reading, but the story was pretty generic. This one is a fun mindless read if you just want to pick something up on a Saturday. The book feels like it has a ton of plot holes and seems like it resolves some of things to easily. I'm torn on whether or not to read the next in the series. I feel like I might buy the next book, but there is a strong possibility it will just sit on my shelf. 
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Spring time!

3/24/2016

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When did it become spring?! I am loving the outdoors. Here is my latest read. I LOVED Archivst Wasp. Recently, I've been really burnt out on dystopian novels. They all feel the same. This book had a completely different plot. It follows Wasp, who is a ghost hunter in a destroyed world. When she finally meets a ghost who can talk, she must follow him to help him save someone he loves. Throughout this, she gets glimpses of the past world. The book is a dystopian novel that is also an action, sci-fi, and mystery book all wrapped up in one novel. I loved how fast paced the book was. It seemed as if I was hooked during the first few chapters. 

PS Sorry If I don't read for a while. Life has been BUSY. Also. I've been sucked in to Animal Crossing. Those darn cute animals. 

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