Sparrow | 
pickThis book was SO GOOD. Dealing with the struggles of mental illness and the power of music, the main character in this book is SO relatable. I will be getting a few more copies of this one for my classroom, for sure.
pickMost YA I read gets a bit too soap-boxy for me but this is a great read I‘d recommend. Sparrow is the daughter of a single Mom. We don‘t know all the circumstances but we know she struggles to fit in. The book is specific enough to help you see Sparrow‘s issues but general enough that any teen who doesn‘t feel a part of a “group” can find this story encouraging.
pickThis was a beautiful YA read. I could identify a lot with Sparrow as a teen and her growth and transformation by the end. Love all the book and music references. 3.5 ⭐️ #mentalhealth
I did it! Finally! From beginning to end I devoured my first book of pleasure reading since graduating last August! This book was exactly what I needed. Poignantly written, I laughed, I cried, I saw myself in Sparrow, rejoiced in her triumphs and agonized with her anxieties. The music she loves reminds me so much of how music made me feel in my teen years. And a strong female lead with minimal male characters was an absolute delight. Girls rock!
pickThe structure of this followed the course of a Teen Mental Illness Novel pretty straightforwardly, but the subject matter was treated gently and respectfully. The issue was never labeled, which leans me toward #saytheword as an autistic reader, but otoh it left a lot to relate to regardless of dx, so I don't feel like it was done in a stigmatizing way.
It was a very quick read, and I'd call it a crossover middle grade>YA.
I took half a lorazepam this morning because I slept badly and was really jittery.
Now I'm very sleepy and unmotivated (s/o to the years-ago bio teacher who emailed my mom that I was "the sleepiest most unmotivated student [she'd] ever had.")
Guess there's nothing to be done but burn my old book candle and read. Oh no. What a tragedy.
(I wish I could burn it on the card table I read at but it isn't very stable and I kick it constantly by accident)
Next up! The cover completely drew me in when it first appeared at Large Bookstore Chain last year.
I've just dipped my toe into this but I like it already.
Happy to report I‘m 8 chapters in on this excellent book! I was immediately reeled I‘m from the first chapter. Sparrow is so incredibly relatable even though our backgrounds are so different. Moons writing evokes memories of my adolescence easily. I‘m super looking forward to finishing this book!
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#myjourneybacktoreading #bibliophile #booknerd #ya #sarahmoon #sparrow
After concluding that part of my issues getting back into reading is partially due to the fact that I‘ve chosen some “heavy” or “dense” books I dutifully consulted with my librarian friends for easily digestible YA. Sooo many friends pitched in with a wide variety of titles. Some Librarians and others librarian adjacent. My local library didn‘t have two books I was looking for, but they did have Sparrow and of course Gaiman is never a bad choice.
Easy choice since I‘ve only read 4 books so far this year! Sparrow was my favorite read of 2018 so far. And have I mentioned how much I love the cover?? Thank you for the giveaway @Liberty ! #thewallsareclosingin
pickI just made this list on Monday, but this morning I realized that Sparrow fits the #pop18 prompt for mental health. And being that I‘ve renewed it from the library twice I‘m also counting it as my first book for #mountTBR! This was a sweet book. As a Social Worker I like seeing therapy portrayed as something that is helpful and can make a difference for someone.
I have an unexpected day off due to oil spewing from somewhere under my car when my husband went to move it this morning. I forgot I had this e-book out from the library, so I may as well relax and read while waiting to hear what I‘m supposed to do. Hubs thinks it‘s related to the accident I was in before the holidays. (PS: I love this cover!!)
pickA beautiful story that follow‘s a young girl‘s journey out of deep social anxiety that involves birds and strong female rockers. A little hard to stay with at first but the waiting was well worth it.
This book is breaking my heart and striking a lot of familiar chords for me, both as a grown-up working with anxious teens and as an anxious person who was once an anxious teen.
