I told my poetry professor that I will be using this well after class has ended and I meant it. There are some amazing challenges in here. Who knew I would write TWO Abcedarian poems in one week and LIKE IT!? ☺️☺️☺️ I‘m getting some of my best writing from this class, I swear. The poem pictured is the second half of one I wrote: An Abcedarian for Abcedarians. #poetry

This was really helpful to me! I‘m taking a poetry boot camp course over the J-term and this was on our reading list. I am relatively new to writing poetry & this made me think about the process differently. There are some great prompts in here too!

There is no way I will be able to put into words how much I enjoyed this. This is a story of belonging, of longing, of hope, and destruction. It‘s so sad, but it‘s so authentic, too. I cannot believe this is my first Erdrich. I used this for the #FlourishAndBlotts reading challenge prompt, “Angelina Johnson: BIPOC author.” (Erdrich is “a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized tribe of the Anishinaabe.”)

Our protagonist is a 9-year-old boy & he has found a body in a hole in an abandoned building…The prose reads like poetry. The plot is as bleak as the landscape. Animal imagery woven throughout to illustrate that sometimes we can‘t fight our deeper nature. It would be tempting, as an author, to include the grown-up world and it‘s motives/actions, but I think that would‘ve ruined it. This is first person and we only know what Michele knows.

This book is an absolute TRIP. It was like an episode of Jersey Shore as far as I wasn‘t able to stop reading because I was like, WHAAAA!? At no point did I have firm footing and I was just swept away for the ride. The idea of a giant helmet getting yeeted onto a groom on his wedding day absolutely sent me. What even is this book!? I can see why people devoured these & also why novel readers had others questioning their sanity…

This is out of my comfort zone, so take that into account! I‘m using this for #Pop23 #ABookYouThinkYourBestFriendWouldLike & B&N‘s #FriendFavorites. I think this was *trying* to go somewhere & I wasn‘t expecting anything earth-shattering. I liked the witty characters. I felt some of their behaviors/reactions challenged my suspension of disbelief. Not bad but not great. It didn‘t ask too much of my brain & that kind of reading‘s okay sometimes!

I dunno. I‘ll give Moshfegh another go, I just felt a bit meh. I think it‘s an interesting commentary on organized religion, the corruption of power, & the pitfalls of capitalism. I think it was just slightly out of reach of being a solid pick, for me. I can see why it caught a lot of buzz, so I won‘t dim that candle. I‘d give you a trigger warning, but…it‘s the whole thing. This was my December double #bookspin! I completed all 24 books for 2022!

This is a second read-through for me and she STILL got me! This is such a fantastic example and upgrade of the locked room mystery. You think you know? You think you‘ve solved it? No you haven‘t. Ten people are lured to an isolated island where they are absolutely alone. Not one of them leaves the island alive…so who did it? My insomnia was acting up, so I decided to do the audio. Didn‘t cure the insomnia but it did help me relax. ☺️😂🧡📚

Axl & Beatrice and everyone in England are affected by a mist that induces memory loss. They embark on a journey to find their son, but they barely remember him nor know exactly where he is. They meet up w/ a Saxon warrior and a young boy who has a dragon bite. What will they uncover? This is, among other things, an exploration of the inevitable differences between age and youth. Are some things best left forgotten? My December #bookspin

Here is my #bookspin list for January 2023 (and most likely for the rest of the year)! I removed the PBS Great American Read, RM Book Rec, and Rory Gilmore prompts and added in the three reading challenges I hope to accomplish this year! (PopSugar, 52 Book Club, and Flourish & Blott‘s) Here‘s to another successful reading year in 2023! Happy reading, everyone!! ☺️🧡📚📚📚

@LiteraryinLawrence really knocked it out of the park for our #jolabokaflodswap 😄 This book was such a fantastic pick and I am really excited to read it soon! I am so grateful for the chocolates as well! I have to agree: I felt the Wilber buds were better than Hershey‘s kisses too! Thank you so much! Whatever you and yours celebrate this season, Allison, I hope it was magical! ☺️🧡📚 Chelle, thank you for hosting! Such a wonderful idea!

I almost went with a so-so rating, but I‘ve changed my mind. I think the issue is that this book is SO culturally pervasive, that it‘s hard to avoid some knowledge of the plot. The writing was engaging enough that I basically stayed up all night reading and didn‘t even realize it was 2 a.m. I think she weaves a good tale, and it is worth reading an OG. ☺️ 224/1,001 #1001Books October‘s Double #BookSpin

Some of the stories in this collection I felt a little “meh” about. That being said, I think this is a great collection as a whole. There are some stories that I am going to be thinking about for a long time to come. I love when authors make me look at life at a different angle & Joe Hill always does this.

I was SO excited to send this package on to @quietjenn for #jolabokaflodswap I really hope you like everything! The chocolate I sent is from an amazing shop in Greenwood, Nebraska called Bakers Candies (https://bakerscandies.com). I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a lovely jolabokaflod! ☺️📚🧡

(Your package should be to you by Thursday 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻)

The art in this graphic novel is unlike anything I‘ve ever seen. The narrator is a young girl with a complex life. There are a lot of storylines up in the air, but this is part one of a (I‘m guessing) 2-part series. (GoodReads said May of 2023 for part 2,but we will see.) I was really invested in everything that was happening. Seriously though, if I could, I would hang this artwork in my home. Stunning.

It‘s the last month of #BookSpin for 2022!? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!? Did we time travel because it feels like we time traveled…anyway, I really surprised myself by sticking with the challenge all year! It saw me through a couple of slumps, and I was able to knock off some long-standing titles from my TBR! Here‘s to 2023!!

What I love about this is that there are literal centuries separating me from Rousseau, yet so many of his musings were surprisingly relatable. Is he a bit of a drama queen & kinda whiny? Yeah, but I think he was going through it. Some of his writing made me think he had anxiety because I do & boy have I said some of the same things. Anyway, books like this remind me why I read: to see through someone else‘s eyes. 223/1,001 #1001Books

These poems were absolutely haunting and beautiful. I cannot BELIEVE I‘m all alone in the comment section. I *think* this is featured on the #RoryGilmoreChallenge list (probably included in the revival?) and that‘s how I stumbled on this. I was savoring every poem. Im looking forward to Time Spent Falling. I had to take a screenshot of my GoodReads update, just so I could always remember this one.

I wish there had been a bit more background on this one, but I‘m not too mad about it. This was an interesting read. We‘re never really sure if King is crazy or correct. It reminded me of all the ways we hurt/are hurt in the name of love: “I‘m doing this for your own good,” “I do this because I love you,” etc. It made me think about the power of abuse, the vulnerability of women, and the fact that we can never really *know* anyone.

I was wavering on so-so with this volume, but I think this ties everything up well. There were bits I adored and things I could do without. That‘s the game, though. I was definitely not sorry I revisited this series. It‘s always a treat to go for a magic carpet ride with the Master. ☺️🧡

I may be on my own here, but I think the series could have ended with this volume…it is so masterfully done. Everything is woven together like a tapestry and when you step back, you can see how all the parts make a whole.

Stories within stories within stories within….This is heavy lifting by Gaiman. He builds and swirls together his universe. There is so much to notice in this volume. There is some foreshadowing and I already know I‘m not ready. This isn‘t my favorite, but I do appreciate the journey. Also, it wouldn‘t upset me to spend an eternity working in the World‘s End Inn and hearing the travelers‘ tales.

Delirium misses Destruction and tries to recruit her siblings to find him and bring him home. Dream is the only one who joins her. At first, it‘s for selfish reasons. The trouble is, Destruction does NOT wish to be found. This volume covers their journey and reveals more of the Endless‘ backstory. It‘s interesting to see the changes in Dream. Poor little Delirium. I love her character.

I enjoyed this one, not as much as I liked the other volumes, but still…There are 9 stand-alone tales that still belong to this universe. Side note: The next tattoo I get just may be Lil Death and Lil Dream from Abel‘s story. 😄

This comic was written in the early 90‘s and I don‘t think it gets enough credit for that. I really hope we get to see Wanda again. I loved this little group of humans and the importance of found family. I loved Wanda for her strength, sass, and her vulnerability. At one point, I was a smidge bored with Barbie‘s dream world, but not so much that I wanted to quit reading. It‘s not the main plot, but we do see some of Morpheus‘ power at the end.

Gaiman has this gift. He takes a story that is head canon, widely known and accepted and he says, “Okay, but ✨WHAT IF✨” It‘s absolute magic. What if Lucifer said, “Nah, fam, this ain‘t the vibe for me,” and QUIT. Sure, he‘s trying to stick it to Morpheus, but also…he has a point. To use an inhuman vehicle to say something about humanity? Gorgeous.

I think what I like most about Morpheus is that Gaiman avoids the temptation of making his main character this great guy. He‘s kind of an ass, he‘s stubborn, has a temper, but he also cares in his own way. Morpheus is truly a complex character. While these stories aren‘t central to the plot, they do give us important background information to the Endless, to this world that they inhabit.

This was maybe my least favorite, but I really loved the inclusion of the “minor” characters in Rose‘s storyline. I really appreciate the willingness to tie in previous stories, to “tie up loose ends” you didn‘t even know were still unraveled. As always, Gaiman‘s sense of humor keeps me coming back. Also, this side plot of Hob Gadling. Proof Morpheus really does care sometimes, even if that fact pisses him off. 😂

I will never not revisit this comic. Gaiman lives on another plane and he gifts us his musings. An occultist tries to trap Death, but ensnares her little brother, Dream. For 70 years he is held captive. When he gets free…well, good luck. I absolutely LOVE the issue at the end of this volume: The Sound of Her Wings.

My GOSH. The art in this volume has no business being this stunning. It is an absolute feast from start to finish. It took me longer to read the story than usual because I kept pausing to take in the art. Did you ever wonder why Morpheus was so worn out when he was trapped by Burgess? This story answers that.

I realize that not every story needs to give me a complete backstory, but being utterly confused the majority of the time isn‘t a good idea either…I *really* wanted to love this. The premise is great, I enjoyed her writing style, it was just a little too silly for me. I dunno. Maybe I‘ll try it again someday when I can appreciate it more?

I‘m torn about this one. I really dig the characters‘ fight against tradition, swimming upstream, that fight for individuality/identity while being completely empty inside. I really liked that. But this just fell a little short for me, and I can‘t figure out why…I wonder if the movie version would be better. My #BookSpin for October! ☺️

I am farther behind than I would like, but it‘s been a rough few months. Thankfully, I‘ve kept with the same list all year, so here is my November list. ☺️ #BookSpin

This is a tough book. It is also a necessary book. I used a personal connection with my own students to help them understand that this is still affecting people in so many ways. (I have ancestors I can‘t trace too far because the church where our records were kept was ordered to be burned down.) We shall never forget, and we MUST never forget.
📷: Yiddish Book Center

There‘s nothing I can add about the plot that we all don‘t know. I‘ll tell you this, if you want me to teach irony and inference to students, I can find other ways. The only good time we had reading this was when they acted out the final scene and we had “dead bodies” laying all over the classroom. 🤣 This is a good way to teach caution in relationships, though…I‘ll say that…

Hamlet, but if Hamlet were in utero. Stay with me; it‘s amazing. Even though the plot of Hamlet is so well-known to me, I was still hoping against hope that it would change in this story. It‘s so interesting and insightful. McEwan is one of those authors who, even if you‘re not sure about the book, still manages to get under your skin.

I‘m late, but since my list isn‘t changing anytime soon, who cares! 😂😂😂 Here‘s my October #bookspin list!

When life gets a little stressful, you need to get your serotonin on. I always find something nostalgic to bring back my smile. ☺️ It‘s no secret how much I love Sesame Street. I bought volume one as a depression purchase and I am so grateful to past me! 😂 The little story about Grover and Prairie Dawn figuring out how to tell a good story was so sweet. Just such well-produced educational tools. 🧡

Oscar Wilde is one of the greatest wits of all time. I was reading this play, laughing the entire time, and scheming lessons/activities I could do with future classes. This is an absolute riot from start to finish.

If you think I‘m not going to do this absolutely perfect assignment with my students, you are wrong. 😂 This is a modern re-telling of Shakespeare‘s The Tempest. Felix (Prospero) has been ousted from his job. To get revenge, he becomes a theater teacher at a prison. This was a fun read. I may be biased, though, because I haven‘t found an Atwood I don‘t like. My #DoubleBookSpin for September! I ordered my #bookspin book and it just came in today!

The description says that this is for those with no prior exposure to Shakespeare. I can see that. I was hoping for some insight to get my freshmen students to get into Shakespeare, but this came up empty. The answer is jolly ranchers, in case you were wondering…Also, SparkNotes‘ twitter puts the lit in literature.

Honestly, after sitting on this one for a bit, my review can only be positive. At first, I was thinking, “Man, a lotta tell and no show.” But I think that‘s the point. No one in this novel could tell anyone anything. It‘s claustrophobic and you begin a mad spiral of distrust. I don‘t know much about this period in history (Romanian Revolution). Such a fascinating read. I will read this author again.

I‘m not sure how I have never read this delightful short story, but I‘m glad I have now! Is it a bit ridiculous? Sure. That doesn‘t stop it from being a fun little look at civility and savagery. That‘s right, I said “and” and not “versus.” 😂☺️ Rainsford is washed ashore on an island with a host who is interested in hunting the most dangerous game. What could he mean? If you haven‘t read this one yet, enjoy!

I‘ve had this list saved for a while, but this semester has been busy! I‘m enjoying student teaching so far! ☺️ I will say, this is a different kind of busy than my usual! As always, this mood-reader is staying with the same list. I will say, though, it is making me read books that have been languishing on my TBRs for years! Yay!! #BookSpin #DoubleBookSpin

The writing in this book alone is worth it. This book follows Daisy Goodwill from her birth to her death. The way life can sometimes just happen to us, the way it can just slip right through our fingers. I love the addition of letters and snippets of dialogue from other characters to fill in Daisy‘s story. 222/1,001 #1001Books

I really did enjoy this one. After knocking out The Nix earlier this year, this book was on my GoodReads TBR the longest. It‘s a thriller involving a doctor working at a skid-row clinic. When a woman & a young boy show up at his clinic, and the woman disappears, it dives Dr. Knox and his friends into a web of greed and high-power. The end got a *little* silly, but I loved the characters, so I didn‘t mind. My #doublebookspin for August. 📷: NYTimes

I would have to agree with this blurb about Zorrie. It‘s beautifully written and, as a Midwesterner, I felt at home in these pages. I appreciated the contemplative, lazy-river ride through Zorrie‘s life. (If you need a lot of action and climactic events, this one isn‘t for you.) Lovely read that will stay in my mind for a long time. My #BookSpin for August ☺️

This book was done a disservice by its marketing company. I'm going to start with that. This is not a thriller. It's a fascinating look at two psychologically flawed individuals, the chaos and harm they inflict on each other and everyone around them through their reckless/passive aggressive decision-making. There was a subplot involving Jodi & her brothers that needed more or to be left out. This was not a bad read, just not what I was expecting.

Had to make myself a little Who‘s Who packet for this book…😂🤷🏻‍♀️

So, this was interesting. This came up on my Scrib‘d app as something I might be interested in, so I gave it a go. The cover led me to believe it would be something akin to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, but it wasn‘t. Instead, this collects stories and folktales from the Jewish community. There were a couple stories that I didn‘t like, but overall it was an interesting read. ☺️