I enjoyed the second installment of The Raven Boys more than the first. The story began to expand into new territory and moved at a faster pace. I also liked the development of "magic" even if some of it felt like it came out of no where at first. Overall, a solid read.

I cannot thank my friends enough for today. We spent 6 hours holed up in a room organizing and labeling my classroom library. I am so excited to bring these books to my students and so thankful my friends helped me with this tedious task!

Another successful week for #bookfitnesschalenge #bfrc2 . I hit at least 100,000 steps during the week, did yoga 3 times, and finished 2 books instead of just 1! Here is to week 3!

@wanderinglynn @crazyspine @BookBridget @BookishBelle @Econaghan @jmtrivera @laurar311 @mc916 @honeybeegirl

Not my favorite book out there, but a decent read nonetheless. This story follows a group of prep school boys and a local daughter of a psychic as they try to find lay lines. Trouble arises, especially when Blue, the psychic's daughter, who knows what her fate is suppose to be with these boys.

What a cute story about being true to yourself. Thank you Litsy for this recommendation- now I have another good story under my belt!

Finished this one off at the beach today #womenreading . Not really my type of nonfiction, but I read the whole thing and learned some stuff. @Julie548, I will be sending this your way on Monday when I return home.

@Melismatic @TheReadingMermaid

I enjoyed the second book a lot more than the first. The idea of otherness was still prominent and I enjoyed the storyline that developed because of the events of the first book.

#bfcr2 - Finished my one book for the week while already having completed Body Combat from Les Mills, walked 5 miles, and about to do some yoga. A day of accomplishments!

@BookBridget @BookishBelle @Econaghan @jmtrivera @mc916 @Honeybeegirl @crazyspine

For #BFC this round, my goal is to get back into a healthier eating style and to focus on my mental health by practicing more yoga and meditation (let's go with at least 3 days a week). Then for a little cardio, I want at least 100,000 steps per week. For reading, I would like to do at least 1 book a week.

Here is to exercise and books- my favorite things!

@crazyspine @wanderinglynn

This book started off as one to fill some time waiting for another book in the library, I was drawn into Henrietta's story and the debate of cell ownership. I never knew the importance of HeLa cells or what they were. Thank you Rebeccca Skloot for telling her story.

Such a cute story about our ideas of love and meeting the right person at the wrong time. Nothing overly profound, but it was an easy read that just made me smile.

So this book started off slow for me, but by the end, I actually really enjoyed this one. The standoff between humans and gods while both feeling the effects of otherness became an interesting concept for me. Already have a hold on the next book.

Okay C.J. Redwine- I see you! If you are into YA fantasy, Redwine's retellings are great and I cannot wait to read the next one! This novel is a Snow White and the Huntsmen retelling and our "Snow White" is a fierce warrior who will do anything to save her Kingdom.

I told my students I wanted to build my classroom library and asked for donations. This is what I've collected over the past week! I am so excited!!!!

I had enjoyed the story of "The Glittering Court" and was excited for this read. Mira seemed like the most interesting character and I knew that her story would be great. And it was- eventually. The story takes place during the same events of "The Glittering Court" and some of the beginning dragged when I already knew what happened. However, since we hit the girls get on the boat, the two characters are separated and Mira finally gets her story.

Sending out my #mysterymessageswap today! @TheReadingMermaid - this was such a fun idea!

Words cannot even begin to describe how touched I am by this novel. A story weaved from true events about a children's home who stole poor children and adopted them to rich families, Wingate creates a story that both made me tear up and feel a strong sense of family and belonging. Absolutely fantastic read!

This book fell on my radar because it is so popular with my students- winning the March madness book tournament easily. I am glad I picked this up. Not only is it informative culturally, but it also covers a number of topics that young adults have to deal with. The female lead is strong, but struggling and I think it is important for teens to see that.

This was a book I randomly picked up while waiting for a library hold to come my way. I cannot say I was disappointed with this Rumplestiltskin retelling. The main characters are real and down to earth and the Rumplestiltskin character is quite crafty. Intrigue, death, and a captivating plot, I recommend this YA novel for fantasy enthusiasts.

While I am at my boyfriend's bowling tournament, I am working on my end of year escape room to review for finals with all the reading we have done the second half of the year.

I kept putting off "An American Marriage", but I am glad I finally got to it. A socio-political novel about the impacts of incarceration on one's relationships in life, "An American Marriage" brings up questions about love and loyalty and how we change overtime.

After reading book 1, I was thrilled to see there was a second book that followed. While Monty had to come to terms with his love life, Felicity has to learn how to be the women she wants while not deeming other women or be defined by men's standards. The feminist in me was happy to read Felicity's story that begins about a year after book 1. With new characters and adventures, I was thoroughly happy with Lee's second novel.

1. Yes. Please no Middle Earth type fantasy or superhero.
2. J.K. Rowling - I attribute my childhood and live of reading to her.
3. Doesn't matter.
4. Harry Potter, Poison Study, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Parks and Rec, Sabrina (the Netflix version), Jurrasic Park, Dr. Who, Stranger Things, D&D, Disney,
5. No
6. Savory
7. Don't mind them
8. Yes
9. Yeah, but I don't use them much.
10. Elephants.
#MysteryMessageSwap

I just couldn't get into it. "Crazy Rich Asians" was a bit slow at times, but this was just not doing it for me. Too much focus on the riches and not enough storyline.

Though I found the pace a bit slow at times, I absolutely adored this novel. It helped me make connections in mythology that I hadn't before and I loved hearing the mythology from Circe's perspective. Well researched and thought out, I would recommend this to anyone who loves Greek mythology that centers around Circe's role in it.

It looks like this is not a Litsy favorite, but for a random read while I was killing time, I actually really enjoyed this. A countess wanting to make a new life for herself ends up moving to a colony where she finally takes a hold of her own life- even if it wasn't what she thought she wanted. Historical, adventure, romance- nice relaxing, don't have to think too hard read.

"Five Feet Apart" is a fast paced YA romance where both of the main characters are dealing with CF, having to stand at least six feet apart from each other at all times. Despite this rule, Stella and Will still seem to fall for each other as they both deal with their own health issues and the restrictions CF brings them both.

I enjoyed "The Cruel Prince", but this was incredible. Jude has really become a solid character and the ending had a lot of ups and downs. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book! Here's to a nice long wait, haha!

I cannot even tell you how happy this book makes me. I have always been a fan of RBG, but this just makes me appreciate her even more. Everything she has done and how she has done it is simply amazing. I am proud this is a women I can look up to.

#WomenReading

@TheReadingMermaid @Julie548 @Melismatic

A cute historical queer YA adventure novel, "A Gentlemens Guide to Vice and Virtue" was the story to help me out of my reading funk. Monty is a quirky narrator who is in love with his best friend Percy. After circumstances push them off the path of a tour of the European continent, the pair learn how to be true adventurers as they learn about theirselves and each other.

This book was almost a DNF for me. The moodiness and everything seemed incredibly predictable and at times, forced. Book two of the series redeemed the first, but this did not. I did enjoy the ending when everything started to pick up, but I was annoyed by the main character through most of this read.

I wasn't much fan of the first book, but after Litsy encouraged me to keep reading, I can say that I did enjoy the second book much more than the first. The story was more engaging and though I was able to guess the major plot point, I found myself drawn into Gemma's world more than before. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the Doyle trilogy.

This is a book my students love, but I just couldn't find a passion in. The pace was alright and the characters are fine, I just wasn't wowed by this one.

This was a book that I really wanted to like, but found it so-so. A lot of character development that didn't go anywhere and a mystery that seemed second to the development.

With that said, there were moments that I enjoyed, I just wish there were less gotch-ya moments with cliff hangers. After a while, it just started to make the book predictable for me.

So this isn't the best YA romance novel out there, but it was a sweet and easy read, something I needed after the crazy week I had last week.

Today is opening day for the #SpringAtHogwartsSwap and I am so happy! Thank you @ashley_o13 for the wonderful gift!

#litsyswap #litsyswaps @Endowarrior21

Happy Spring fellow witches and wizards!

After reading "The Bone Witch", I was glad to see that "The Heart Forger" was immediately avilable for me to read. Following these geshia-like warriors, I was once again enthralled by the storyline and cannot wait to hear the third book... once the library adds it that is.

Today a student of mine surprised me with some new books for my classroom library. She said she was going to try to sell them, but then she thought of me and wanted to donate them.

My day was just made. #teachermoments

I very much enjoyed the gesisha-esque women who wield ancient runes and dark magic.

Tea is a dark asha who can control the dead- making her a feared bone witch. However, her mentor Makayla opens the girl's eyes to a new world and begins training her to search and hunt for Daeva- deadly creatures only dark asha can control. Told from both the past and present, one tries to figure out Tea's story and why she turns out the way she does.

Hey #GroupO - I know that we got off this past cycle with books and wanted to know if everyone was good starting nonfiction now or if we needed to wait until April.

@Julie548 - Just got your book this weekend, so I will go through it as quickly as I can to send it your way.

@Melismatic
@TheReadingMermaid

I enjoyed "The Cruel Prince". I am not always a huge fan of faerie books, but they are starting to grow on me a little bit more. I also enjoyed the protagonist discovering herself and the journey she took. Waiting on the library for book 2!

Hello Litsy! I am looking for recommendations on graphic novels or novels in verse to add to my classroom library for my high school students. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Today was a long day that got me up early and home late, but my #springathogwartsswap package was sitting on my table when I got home tonight!

I cannot wait to open it!!!!

@Endowarrior21
@ashley_o13

@Endowarrior21 #springathogwartsswap

My gift is going out tomorrow morning to another witch or wizard! I cannot wait for them to get it!

From debut author (and librarian) Megan Bannen comes a harrowing story set in an Mongol Empire in the 13th-century. Jinghua's story was rich and full of history, family, love, sacrifice, and riddles. Though there were some troupes, I absolutely enjoyed reading this story and cannot wait for Bannen's next novel.

You know those fairytales where the heroine is saved by her dashing prince to live happily ever after? This is not one of them. Alice is a strong female character that finds herself trapped in fairytales akin to the Brothers Grimm. Fantasy, mystery, and just an overall good storyline, I followed Alice to the very end of her tale.

Couldn't finish this one. The storyline jumped too abruptly from character to character and I can never seem to enjoy a book that has no sentence variety. I also felt there was a lack of detail. Though I don't like books that are long winded with descriptions, I need something to capture my imagination and this did nothing for me.

Three chapters in and I have to bail.

Jennifer Nivan writes a beautiful tale about two teens both contemplating love, life, and suicide. Though the story seemed predictable to me, I still felt Theo and Violet's story deeply and I believe Nivan tastefully discusses a taboo subject (subjects if I am being honest- suicide, abuse, drugs, bullying, divorce, lack of adult help/notice). A heavier read, but one that I am glad I read and one I reccommend.

This book just reminded me how much I like Jennifer A. Nielsen as an author. I enjoyed "The Traitor's Game" and am excited for the next one as we continue to follow our protagonists into their prophesied roles to bring peace back to the Kingdom.

"The Immortalists" was a fascinating novel on life and death. What would you do if, at a young age, you learned the day you would die. Would it haunt you or would you let it go? Benjamin expertly follows 4 siblings stories as they cope with their pending deaths- leading back to the question of what would you do if you knew you were going to die tomorrow.

What better way to teach my students about Elizabethan dancing then to get them out of their seats and teaching them a dance (and yes, in masks). They are now ready to read the party scene where our lovers first meet!