I finished it! I remember when this was published, and the BN I worked at had the first midnight release party. I was working 3 jobs that summer and the release was Saturday, so I worked a full day at my desk job then went to my BN shift. They said we‘d be done between 1-2 AM; our store manager didn‘t release us until almost 4.
I hadn‘t read the books until that point, but in the two weeks preceding the release I read them all, then this one too.
I have just under 100 pages to go! Thought I‘d get some reading in at the kiddo‘s dentist appointment this morning, but no go. We had a lunch date and went to the library (for just a couple books...or 27...). It‘s hot and humid and windy - feels like a hair dryer out there. All I want to do is sit in the A/C and finish my book!
But I‘ve been invited to play dolls, so Harry will have to wait.
pick20 down for #nancydrewchallenge ! This one took longer than usual, due to life stuff getting busy recently.
Not my favorite but pretty good. The connection between mysteries strains credulity, Ned doesn‘t show up until the very end and has little to do, but there‘s some solid sleuthing. 3.5/5⭐️
I am struggling with this book. I haven‘t read it since it first came out, and it‘s tough. Other than being huge, I find Umbridge to be too much (though of course it‘s realistic, given our current mess). I have a hard time with books that have absolutely everything going against the MC, and this one fits the bill. Just at halfway and I‘ll get through, but man, it‘s tough.
Very little reading time the last few days. Kiddo (bottom left) had recital this morning, preceded by two dress rehearsals. We had 60-some kids (5-7 years old) plus ten moms in this dressing room last night and today, 90 minutes each. My ears hurt and I‘m all peopled out!
They did well, and now it‘s over! Grandparent visit rest of the weekend, a week off from homeschool, and next weekend a massage.
I agreed to join a Jane Austen book club via email with my MIL, her sisters, my husband‘s cousin‘s wife, and two of his cousins. This may be a really bad idea.
Wish me luck. Emma‘s up first.
I‘m still thinking about this one, so I‘ll hold off on a rating.
+ some diversity (just MC, and mostly it‘s subtle), good dragon, girls saving the world, making tough decisions for the good of the many
- little explanation for the political situation, didn‘t really understand the sorceresses and their stance, think the title doesn‘t quite match the story
Overall this was a quick, interesting read, but not sure how to rate it.
“Serious about their craft”?!
I didn‘t know anyone in middle school who was “serious about their craft,” or who would put it that way. This just doesn‘t fit here.
When I teach drums to kids, I tell them it‘s time to learn how to speak Drummer. Then we get into some of the crazy-named rudiments, and it‘s fun and silly. Paradiddle. Paradiddlediddle. Ratamacue. Flamadiddle. Ruff.
So far I like Chantel, and can totally identify with her. I have a Look, too, and I sooooo badly want to say things.
Sometimes light illuminates things that are better left in the dark.
I‘ll return to this one eventually. It‘s just not a good fit right now.
I started this one today, but I‘m going to shelve it for now. This is the third MG book I‘ve picked up in the last few weeks that hangs heavily on the MC being a liar and the good and bad that comes from that, and it‘s too much of the trope for me.
I do plan to come back to this one, because I‘ve really been wanting to read it - and I think it‘ll be better than the other two, but now isn‘t the time.
Lot of bails so far this month.
so-soI wanted to like this more than I did. There are too many elements - Sam realizes she has a long way to go toward being a drummer, pursues lessons; but she‘s also struggling in school and having discipline problems, and her home life is pretty awful. Then the band program is getting cut, and Sam starts making poor decisions. Too many elements to do them all justice. Not bad, but not great.
Yesterday‘s library #bookhaul (the kiddo‘s 30-some are elsewhere). I swore I wasn‘t getting anything for me...
Also - you may not know this about me but I‘m a part-time professional percussionist. I just found out yesterday my sister is starting her kids in music lessons! Almost-7 niece gets guitar (like her dad) and 8-year-old nephew gets drums like his auntie!
pickAnother solid Cainsville story, although there‘s very little of Cainsville actually featured. The characters are growing into their identities and their roles, and their interactions are very well done. I both love and hate that the books in this series take place in immediate succession, because I‘m trying to space them out and it‘s tough. Now I have to wait on Book Outlet for the next volume and it‘s gonna be forever! 4/5⭐️
bailedForty-some pages in and I really dislike all the little asides. The style is grating and while I‘m intrigued by the premise I find the tone too distracting to continue.
Bummed by a second bail already this month, but on to something new.
pickBetween a pick and a so-so for me. Interesting story, though parts felt far-fetched (though some of those were the factual part of the story). I loved Sister Anna. Some errors were annoying (miscalculating cabs needed for the number of children, “chuck” that should be “chunk”, etc) but overall a good, quick story.
Recommend for a slightly different perspective on the Orphan Train story, upper MG level.
pickNumber 19 down for #nancydrewchallenge. I lost some steam reading these to the kiddo last month, but I‘m hoping to get back into it more.
This story relies on lots of coincidences, in both storylines. A thinly veiled Romanov plot doesn‘t quite work for me (think Anastasia but she‘s a boy), but I liked the characters. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Usually my daughter gets majorly freaked out by costumed characters - but not Pete the Cat! We had fun at the literacy festival today (after migratory bird day at the wildlife refuge).
pickCute mystery featuring the mouse equivalents of Holmes and Watson. Not sure how young readers now like these, but I enjoyed it. I‘m curious to see how my daughter likes it.
pickA solid story, although the villain was pretty easy to guess and there are inconsistencies in the story that really bugged me (supporting character‘s fiancee/wife, was the event two or five years ago). Still, an enjoyable romance and a good addition to the Body Armor/Ultimate storyline.
The kiddo and I went on our weekly library trip. Rather than a quick stop at the neighborhood branch she insisted on a trip to the main branch, as she was DYING to get the next Myth-O-Mania volume (thanks @LibrarianRyan for telling me about that). We returned two bags of books, and left with three...plus the bag we renewed that‘s still at home.
A good problem to have, though. And our library receipts say we‘re saving close to $700 right now!
bailedRats. Starting May on a DNF. I got 60-some pages in and just don‘t care at all. I flipped ahead to see if it picks up, and still don‘t care. Moving on.
3/3 @jpmcwisemorgan You have spoiled me! Thank you so much for all the amazing things. This is my first Pop, and I adore Giles. I love the bag - Dracula is one of my favorite books ever. The books are fantastic (I‘ve been wanting to read Jackaby) and the goodies - yum! Beautiful journal and bookmarks; I love Celtic knots so much I have a tattoo! I just love everything. I‘m so grateful.
#mythsandlegendsswap
2/3 this is the cutest wrapping paper ever!
#mythsandlegendsswap
1/3 @jpmcwisemorgan oh my goodness! I am overwhelmed and haven‘t even opened anything but the boxes yet! Thank you!
#mythsandlegendsswap
@MeganAnn what a great swap!
Thank you @Butterfinger and your little one for Casey‘s goodies! She‘s already reading the Greek myths book (“That‘s Medusa!” she said).
#mythsandlegendsjrswap
Thanks @MeganAnn for organizing!
Well, my momentum really slowed down in April, but it‘s still been a better reading year than the previous five-six.
3145 pages read, 12 books
Four graphic novels, three of them in the fantastic George O‘Connor Olympians series, three Nancy Drews, and one non-fiction slog that was good but dense and really dragged me down.
May is going to be busy, so I don‘t have high hopes for reading much but I‘ll try.
“for when the men of Ancient Greece wrote down their stories, they did not think to ask the women for theirs.”
Not just Ancient Greece.
“Whether or not it is true is unimportant.”
Well, yes and no. Whether it is FACT or not is unimportant, but myth/story can be TRUE without being fact.
pickThis has been on my shelf since childhood, and I finally read it. It‘s a sweet story of Ann, a girl transplanted from Gettysburg to the Western Country in the very early years of American independence (by Western, think West Virginia). She‘s having trouble adjusting. A short, sweet, historical fiction.
pickAnother great installment. Unlike so many depictions of Hera, this one shows a complex woman who is much more than a vindictive shrew. She IS vindictive - but we see more of why that is, along with other dimensions. I wish the story of Heracles had taken up a little less, but it was all great.
pickI am loving this series of graphic novels, telling the story of the Greek gods.
Includes Arachne, Medusa, Athena‘s origin story (not in that order). Very well done.
It‘s a good news/bad news kind of day here. Good: the package arrived from @jpmcwisemorgan ! Bad: the USPS strikes again. I haven‘t received a single package intact since moving into this house in September. I don‘t know what they do to them!
#mythsandlegendsswap
26 years later...I don‘t think the Cold War really ended, but had a thaw. We may not be locked in an unending nuclear standoff, but tines still aren‘t great. Still facing down ecological disaster, despite all the ostriches in positions of power. Maybe some good news on the AIDS front, not sure.
Definitely still valid concerns all around.
pickWoo, boy, this took some doing! A very informative book that gave me a lot to think about, but it‘s very tough to get through.
Some negatives: I found some of the layout difficult, as the chapters follow different ideas in times and traditions that overlap, so in some sections there‘s a lot of “we‘ll discuss this in the next chapter.” Also, inconsistent in giving dates for key figures or their works.
Cont in comments
pickAnother good one for #nancydrewchallenge - 18 down!
Nancy tries to reassure a new friend about the safety of her new job, stumbling into several connected mysteries. She must track down a long-lost relative, resolve a ghost story, find both pieces of a treasure map (and find the treasure) - all while staying one step ahead of the villains!
This is titled “Is it okay to run an illegal library from my locker at school?” and it popped up in my Facebook memories today. After I had started reading the tagged book. That‘s pretty interesting timing.
Just happened to catch this - 11111 Litfluence!
Thanks, Litsy, for being awesome.
Just watched this movie for the #HPBuddyRead - third time watching (maybe fourth?) but haven‘t seen it in about eight years. I do feel a bit like I just zipped through a Cliffs Notes version of the story.
Watching all through the credits, two things stood out. The good one is “no dragons were harmed during the making of this film.”
(Cont in comments)
“Science demands the fundamental belief that there is a rational explanation for everything; it also requires an imagination and courage which are not dissimilar to religious creativity.”
While I like this quote, I‘m not quite sure about the first part. There are plenty of scientists who are also people of faith. This just feeds the idea that science and religion are fundamentally opposed and irreconcilable.
pickLet‘s call this a pick minus. I enjoyed the sleuthing elements, and the secrets of the trunk. But Nancy just happening to “listen in” on a finger-spelling conversation that mentions her by name, on the dock in Rotterdam? Not so much.
Number 17 down for #nancydrewchallenge (skipping number 18 and the exploding oranges, alternate title to come later).
@sprainedbrain the USPS says the package for your young reader is out for delivery today - we forgot to put the opening date on the outside!
#mythsandlegendswapjr
“Humankind cannot bear very much reality.”
Boy, isn‘t that the truth.
First - Yahweh was the original social justice warrior. I find that interesting, and wish so-called Christian conservatives understood that.
Second - and possibly explaining the quandary of the first - “the religion of compassion is followed only by a minority; most religious people are content with decorous worship in synagogue, church, temple and mosque.”
Packages sent for #mythsandlegendsswap and #mythsandlegendsswapjr - estimated arrival by the end of this week!
@MeganAnn
