This book was my September #BOTM pick. I thought it was very touching. I liked the way the ids in the story bonded together and looked out for one another. It was interesting to see who they encountered to help them along the way. I enjoyed the way the author ended the book as well. I took a long time reading this. I have been having a difficult time focusing on reading. Life has been hard. I wish I could hide in my house and hibernate for a while

I know I am somewhat late to the party, but I am glad I finally got around to reading this book. It lived up to all of the hype I have read surrounding it. The story was well-written and intriguing. I loved the references to the natural world. The thought of living the simple life of the Marsh Girl definitely sounds lonely yet beautiful.

A colleague recommended this book to me, and I am glad he did. It‘s a powerful look at a young man‘s response to his brother‘s death and the expectations of his neighborhood. I feel like this is a book that will definitely speak to my young students, especially the reluctant readers.

Honestly, this book was pretty meh. There wasn‘t anything terrible, but there wasn‘t anything too exciting either. I kept waiting for something, but it didn‘t really come. Even what we‘re supposed to be the big reveals were rather anticlimactic.

Wow, what a great book! The author expertly created characters that were believable. They were multi-faceted: at times wonderful, awful, and all things in-between. It was so interesting to consider the different faces people have, including what they show publicly, with family, and privately. Having Mia explore this through photography was especially poignant. This one really tugged at my heartstrings.

I got to go listen to Chuck Klosterman speak and read one of his short stories this evening. I have been a big fan of his since back when he wrote for the Akron Beacon Journal. He was hilarious!

I am back to school tomorrow, so I am spending today doing what I love best.

This book was a pleasant surprise. A friend gave me this, and I did not know what to expect. It ended up being an engaging story. I have to admit that the twists kept me guessing and they totally got me. I enjoyed not knowing what would come next. I liked this one. It has been a while since I have been kept so off kilter while reading a book.

Today is National Book Lovers day, so I decided to share some of my book love. Here are a few of the shelves in my library, my reading buddies, and my current book. The pets hang out with me almost all of the time when I am reading in here. They always know where to find me.

My current #BOTM choice turned out to be very good. It had some really creepy moments that actually gave me chills. There were also some very tense moments. I liked that there were some twists and turns where things did not turn out like I expected. Overall, a good book.

I was not on Litsy yesterday, so I missed International Cat Day. I will give a day-late shout out to my two handsome boys. They bring me so much joy. Here are Bandit and JB.

This book ended up being better than I expected. With that being said, I do not think it is as wonderful as everyone says. I am giving it a pick, but I struggle with that. I basically feel like this is a romance novel set against the backdrop of WWII. It did not feel realistic to me. For a beautiful WWII book, try All The Light We Cannot See. For WWII romance, try All But My Life.

I always enjoy reading books in Linda Castillo‘s Kate Burkholder series, and this newest one did not disappoint. It follows a gruesome murder of an Amish grandmother and the kidnapping of her granddaughter. As usual, secrets are uncovered and the reader gets a glimpse into the Amish community. Honestly, I liked that this book focused on the crime and pulled back from Kate and Tomasetti‘s relationship.

Richard Russo is so good at creating characters. The people in Nobody‘s Fool seem so real that I felt as if I know them in my actual life...like I could meet them at the coffee shop once I put the book down. They are complicated with both good and bad qualities, just like those we know in our own lives. While reading, I imagined the main character, Sully, as Ed Harris. I really enjoyed this book that has been on my #TBR for far too long.

While I was with my mom, we also went to the flea market. My area of Ohio has some awesome flea markets. I am fortunate to live by one of the best ones, The Hartville Flea Market. I scored big, because a seller had apparently decided to give up and go home and left their stuff at the trash can. Yep, I dug books out of the trash. To be fair, they were in a box and not in the trash can, but my son was pretty embarrassed just the same #sorrynotsorry

I have spent the last week and a half with my mom. We spent part of the time at her house and then the rest at my house. We both love to read, so we were able to visit two independent bookstores. First, we spent time at The Book Loft in Columbus, OH. 32 rooms of books!! Next, we checked out Trust Books in Akron, OH. It operates on trust!! I loved it so much. We were so happy to share our love of books. We did go to Barnes and Noble too.

This one was good, but not great. It was a quick and enjoyable read, but I figured it out quite early. Trust me when I tell you that I almost never figure out twists in books and movies. I kept hoping for more or that I was wrong, but I wasn‘t.

When I first started reading this, I wasn‘t sure I would like it. I thought it was too similar to stories I had read before like The Glass Castle and The Liar‘s Club. As I read, I realized that this was unique. Yes, there are similarities, but Westover has a unique story that deserves to be heard. I found it very compelling. Her strength and intelligence really stood out. I find these stories of perseverance very inspiring.

I just finished this month‘s #BOTM selection, and I loved it. I ignored everything else I needed to do today because I could not put this one down. It was a fascinating look at the lengths people will go to both to get what they want and to sell the fictional version of their family that they present to the world. Great book!

I saw Dear Evan Hansen recently in Cleveland and really enjoyed it. I actually thought I was getting the novel to read, but this is the musical. It was great but exactly what I saw performed. I still need to get my hands on the novel itself. If you haven‘t heard of DEH, you should check it out. The music is excellent too.

After my last book was a DNF, I knew I needed something that would grab my interest. This one did the trick for me. It was exactly what I wanted and expected. This one was interesting, because it‘s plausible. If you like John Saul books, you should enjoy this one.

I am nearly 100 pages in, and I notice that I have to force myself to sit down and read. It‘s not that it‘s bad; it‘s just boring.

This is another book that has been sitting on my shelf for a very long time. I saw someone mention it in a comment, so I picked it up. It‘s a true story about a plucky woman with an alcoholic husband who has ten kids. An eternal optimist, she enters contests sponsored by companies. I admire her resilience in caring for her family. I found the contests interesting, as I had no idea this was a thing. I guess it was, back in the fifties and sixties.

I have no idea how long this has been sitting on my shelf, but since it was written in 2000 it could be quite a while. Overall, it is a well-written story. It explores tragedy, unrealized dreams, and sacrifices people make. It also looks at love and how that affects the characters. It has a timeline that bounces around, and the reader must try to figure out what has happened. I enjoyed it.

This is definitely a book for book lovers. The descriptions of books and reading and the importance of both are lovely. The story is a wonderful example of gothic fiction. It has many delicious gothic elements that are reminiscent of other classics but with a modern lens. It has been in my #TBR for quite some time, and I am glad I finally got around to reading it.

This is a book that looks cute on the outside, but is actually full of wisdom. It has references to great works that would be on Belle from Beauty and the Beast‘s Reading list. If, like me, you fell in love with Belle for her love of books, then you will enjoy this one.

This has been sitting in my #TBR for a very long time. I‘m glad I finally got around to reading it. I have been on a Robert Langdon kick recently. This was another solid entry in the series. At first, I didn‘t think I liked it quite as much. As I continued to read, I was drawn into the story.

It‘s Friday night, and I am happily trapped under this precious kitty. My book is good and my wine glass is full. It may not sound exciting to some, but it‘s good for me. 💕

This is my final #BOTM pick for June, and I went 3/3 for picks. I think I saved the best for last, because I devoured this book. Right from the start, the characters pulled me right in. I could hardly put the book down. It follows two families and their interactions over decades. These interactions include friendship, love, tension, and tragedy. It examines how actions affect others in a ripple effect, how people respond, and resiliency.

This is another of my #BOTM picks for June, and once again BOTM has totally delivered. I have loved every pick this year. I‘m so happy. This book wonderfully jumps between different characters, places, and eras. It‘s a method that Williams does so well. The settings and people are glamorous and still relatable. I don‘t normally enjoy romance, but when Williams writes it, I do.

My neighborhood is a transition from suburbia into a rural area of NE Ohio. I really like where I live. It feels rural, but I am only a few minutes from everything the city has to offer. With all of the rain we have had, everything is particularly green and lush this year. #litsyneighborhood @MrBook

This is one of my #BOTM selections for June, and I really enjoyed it. This science fiction story was interesting and kept me fully engaged. The entire premise was mind-boggling, and as the story went on the reader got a real sense of just how convoluted the mess could get. Overall, I was intrigued and wanted to keep turning the pages to see how everything would turn out. Definitely an engaging story.

This was a good YA coming of age story. In it, a boy who has recently lost his mother and has a difficult relationship with his father has a unique experience with a grizzly bear. The story has religious undertones, so if that isn‘t your thing you should shy away from this one. Overall, I enjoyed this one.

Wow, my #BOTM picks arrived so quickly! I am very excited about the selections this month. That is why I had to go with three. So far this year, I have loved every selection I have chosen. Let‘s hope this month is no different.

I just finished my #BOTM pick from May. This was so good! It is historical fiction that takes place at the beginnings of WWII in France, prior to the US entering the war. It is different from other WWII books I have read. It is about an American organization trying to get refugee artists out of France. The book deals with issues of class, sexuality, and race. There is a lot to think about while reading this book.

My view while reading this evening. It‘s lovely and relaxing. I‘ll take it.

I really enjoyed this quick novella from Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. The story was very intriguing. It was easy to put myself in the story and try to imagine how I would have responded to the choices Gwendolyn faced. Very interesting, and a perfect way to begin my summer of reading.

I am not sure how I made it through my teenage years in the eighties without reading this book, but I did. That‘s a shame, because it‘s really good. I like YA books that have some meat to them, and the characters in this book face real-world problems.

This is another book that has been sitting on my #TBR for far too long. I have a student who has been encouraging me to finish reading the Robert Langdon books, and he is not wrong. This is another solid book. I enjoy having to think to try and solve the riddles while I read. I will go on to the next one now that I have more time to read (it‘s summer!)

I found this paragraph fitting for the current state of things.

I really enjoyed my April #BOTM pick. It was interesting in that all of the characters were flawed, and it showed how small actions can add up to something big. This is the first novel from this author, and I hope to read more from her in the future.

Hello @peaknit I am mailing the #24HRR package today. I am sorry it is a few days late. I lost track of time 😊

My Friday night dates are pretty cute, and they both like to cuddle ❤️❤️

This was a quick young adult story to read. I don‘t believe it will really stick with me, but I enjoyed it while I was reading it.

I had the honor this evening of attending the Schooler Lecture at The University of Mount Union. The speaker was Margaret Atwood. I am so excited that I was able to attend and hear her speak. Her comments were so intelligent and relevant, and she is quick with a joke. Overall, it was a wonderful event.

I finished this book this week with my freshman English students. I find it fulfilling that the majority of the students end up enjoying the story. When we begin, many of them (especially the boys) are convinced they will hate it. Then they realize how much fun it is to read and act out. I love it!

This was a very interesting book. I will definitely recommend it to my middle grade students. I was completely captivated by the story. While reading I was not quite sure what to believe, but I enjoyed speculating on possibilities. The ending did not really clear it up for me; it was ambiguous. I will need to go on and read the other books in the trilogy.

This was exactly what I wanted for a quick, vacation book. It was campy and fun, and I didn‘t have to think too much while reading it. If you like John Saul books, you will like this one too. Added bonus...This came off of my huge #TBR pile.

I see everyone posting #90sspringfling, so I had to jump in. I started the 90s by walking down the aisle with the man of my dreams. We spent the 90s building a life, having our two kids, and being poor, happy, and in love. It was the time of my life. I miss this man every day, yet I feel fortunate to have had the love we shared.

I have been trying to get into this thick behemoth, and I just can‘t. I don‘t know what‘s going on, and I finally had to admit that I just don‘t care. I normally like fantasy. I love Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings. For some reason, this one isn‘t cutting it for me.