June Reads

During the month of June, I read the Sarah J. Maas’ Court of Thorns and Roses series. I finished book 3, and 5 (A Court of Wings and Ruin and A Court of Silver Flames). I did not read book 4, as a friend said the book did not add to the plot lines. Since I didn’t read book 4, I can’t say it didn’t add anything, but I don’t think I needed it to understand book 5.

I thought A Court of Wings and Ruin was a good conclusion to the story of Feyre and Rhys. They become side characters in A Court of Silver Flames. Again I think Maas is an excellent world builder and tells a great story. There is still quite a bit of sex which would lead me to recommend it for mature readers. I will say you could skip the scenes and still understand the book.

In A Court of Silver Flames, it is a bit harder to skip over sex scenes as they are much more common. The relationship between Nesta and Cassian is less love and more lust. However, both characters learn quite a bit about love, friendship, vulnerability, and themselves. I appreciated the friendships Nesta made with new characters. Maas also takes time in the novel to address trauma and pain from multiple perspectives. Characters from the previous novels are present but take a back seat role to Cassian and Nesta.

May Reads 2022

Ambushed!

Gail Jarrow

This book is part of Jarrow’s medical fiasco series and showcases the medical treatment of President James Garfield. Garfield was shot early in his presidency and lived 80 days after being shot in the back but a disgruntled job seeker. At the time, Garfield was receiving treatment from top surgeons, however his treatment lead to infection and blood poisoning and ultimately a painful death. Current medical treatment and standards would have saved Garfield’s life. Although Garfield was unable to make major things happen during his presidency, his death led to changes in both politics and medicine. Federal appointments are no longer given based on the president’s choice but on qualifications. In addition, sterilization and cleanliness in medical procedures became more widely accepted in the United States. I found this book to be interesting and informative.

Sea-Ringed World

Maria Garcia Eperson

This book is full of short stories or traditional tales of the native peoples of America including North, Central, and South America. I think it was interesting to read the origin stories and to see how people have always searched for meaning. There are also many similarities between the different peoples and even some similarities to Christian traditions. I think I would have preferred for the stories from one people group to be put near each other rather than jumping from one people group to another.

Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle

Rick Riordan

I have always enjoyed Riordan’s books and the adventure tales he weaves. I appreciate his creativity in uniting modern times with ancient gods through telling stories about demi-gods. This series follows the god, Apollo, who has been turned into a mortal human as punishment. I liked this concept because Apollo is learning a lot of lessons about life and himself. He must find the oracles in order to save the demi-gods, but he can’t do it alone. This series also incorporates characters from other series including the Percy Jackson series and the Heroes of Olympus series. I am listening to the audio version, which I would recommend over print.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas

I liked the plot of this book about a human who can maybe save the Faerie realm. There were some Beauty and the Beast similarities but they are minimal. It might be a little too obvious about how the love story will change as the series continues. This is part of a series but fairly satisfying as a stand alone book. There are some sex scenes, violence, and the occasional curse word.

A Court of Mist and Fury

Sarah J. Maas

I like the plot of this series, although I think this book was a bit long. Lots of character development for the first 500 pages. The action really doesn’t come in until the end of the book, at least the events that are important for the third book. This book does contain several sex scenes, some violence, and some cursing.

April Reads 2022

We have come to the end of the book awards. There were several I didn’t read but this will be the last three I read for this year.

Revolution in Our Time

Kekla Magoon

I learned quite a bit in this book about the Black Panthers. I think we usually focus on their philosophy of using violence when necessary to stand up for their rights and the breakfast clubs. I learned about other programs they had and how they began. I do think the book was written well but would skew towards only seeing positives in what the Black Panther did. There would also positive view if not a push towards Marxism. I think it could lead to good discussion with teenagers or even among adults.

From Whisper to Rallying Cry

Paula Yoo

This book covers the trials surrounding the murder of Vincent Chin in the 80s. It also discusses how the murder of Vincent Chin brought to the public eye racism towards Asian Americans. I found the book interesting and learned a lot. It was written by a journalist which is not usually my favorite style, I was able to follow the plot and understand what was happening throughout the book. This book like Revolution in Our Time make it pretty obvious their political opinions, I thought it was written well and highlighted a historical event I didn’t know about.

Finding Junie Kim

Ellen Oh

I have mixed feelings about this book. Junie Kim is a middle school who is experiencing bullying. At the beginning of the book, someone vandalizes the school with racist graffiti. Her friends decide they need to do something to raise awareness of diverse voices and the experiences of BIPOC students. Junie is also assigned a school project to interview someone from an older generation, she ends up choosing her grandparents and recording their stories. Throughout the book Junie struggles with depression (has suicidal thoughts in the beginning) and is treated with medication and therapy. I really enjoyed the parts about Junie’s grandparents experiences during the Korean War. However, I found the present day interactions at school with Junie to be disheartening. It is very clear how middle school is similar and different from when I was in middle school. The book also discusses racism, bullying, microaggressions, and activism from a CRT viewpoint.

Cold Skin

Stephen Herrick

This verse novel was a quick read due partly to the verse novel format but also the pacing of the novel was quick. I didn’t want to put this one down. A murder mystery set in an Australian mining town after WWI, Herrick takes time to introduce the reader to the characters before the murder. This one didn’t end the way I expected, especially when almost everyone seemed to have a secret in the town. I enjoyed the book, there were some references to sex but it was not graphic. Also, don’t forget it is set in Australia, so the sayings and terms don’t always match what we use in American English.

The Guest List

Lucy Foley

I originally started my print copy version of The Guest List last summer, but never finished it. I then got it through Hoopla as an audiobook and finally finished it. This is a locked room mystery set on a remote island in Ireland. The only way to get there is by boat/ferry and the only people on the island are the guests to the wedding, the wedding party, the wedding planner, and the wedding planner’s husband who also own the venue. I enjoyed how all the characters’ stories were connected. None of the characters were particularly likeable to me although maybe that is the point since they could have all been suspects. I also liked how it went from the present to the past in alternating voices. The audio version was great with different readers for the different characters. There were some heavy topics like cutting, pornography, drinking, drugs, bullying, and abortion, these topics for the most part were not discussed heavily and served more as a means to develop the characters and their back stories.

The Last Cuentista

Donna Barba Higuera

This book was the Newbery and Pura Belpre winner for 2022. I enjoyed the story although I think I would have liked it better as a movie. This is a sci-fi novel and I like sci-fi movies much more than books. In the book, Petra and her family board a ship headed to a new planet. They have to be in stasis during the journey and will get “downloads” for things they need to know to help settle the new planet. Well, things go awry when the Collective takes over the people on the ship. The Collective believes it is best to start over completely, by erasing memories of Earth and creating a new group of humans that are “perfect” and all the same. As you might expect, this isn’t the best plan. Petra must help save herself and the others who were in stasis. Her desire and ability to tell stories may do just that. I would recommend this book to sci-fi lovers. It would also be a good one for book club as the idea of the Collective would be interesting to discuss.

Child of the Flower-Song People

Gloria Amescua

This is a biography Luz Jiménez. Luz is a daughter of the Nahua, Aztec, people. She loves the stories and traditions of her people but longs to learn how to read. When she is given the opportunity to go to school, her desire to be a teacher is ignited. Luz doesn’t get to become a teacher right away and when she does become a teacher it is in a way she didn’t expect. Throughout her life, Luz teaches people about the Nahua people. She is a model for artists and shows traditions as she poses. She eventually teaches Nahuatl, the language of the Nahua people, at the university. I enjoyed this short picture book biography and learned about Luz Jiménez who I didn’t know about before.

And We Stay

Jenny Hubbard

In this book, Emily deals with the grief and confusion of her boyfriend’s suicide and her abortion. She does so with the help of two new friends, a French teacher, and Emily Dickinson. After her traumatic experience with her boyfriend and abortion, Emily goes to a boarding school in Amherst. Here she learns to cope and discover the possibilities of a future by writing poems and learning and reading about Emily Dickinson. Although this book discusses suicide and abortion, it is not graphic. Abortion is discussed as the only plausible/realistic option to a teen being pregnant.

March Reads 2022

Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero

E. Lockhart

This book is definitely outside my preferred genre as it reads more like a comic book than a graphic novel. Lockhart takes the ideas of the Batman comics but puts a twist on them. Willow loves her city but it is steadily going down hill and the “greenings” are making things worse. She wants to make a difference for her city. The book is about how she does that in different ways. Throw in superpowers, a love story, a mother with cancer, illegal activity, and a job as a game runner for E. Nigma and you have a new super hero story.

How to Find What You’re Not Looking For

Veera Hiranandani

I enjoyed this book and didn’t want to put it down. The book follows an eleven year old Jewish girl living in Connecticut in the late 1960s. There are very few Jewish people in her town, but being Jewish is very important to her family. When her older sister falls in love with an Indian boy and decides to elope, their parents unofficially disown the older sister. The main character, Ari, struggles to understand her parents decisions, the world around her, and a potential learning disability. However, her bravery and questions might just be the key to bringing a family back together again.

The Summer of Lost Letters

Hannah Reynolds

I enjoyed this YA novel. It reminded me of Sarah Dessen or other teen romance novels. This novel was probably PG-13 as far as romance goes, some kissing and desire for more but no detailed descriptions. In the book, the main character finds love letters written to her grandmother. She wants to find out more about this mystery man and missing necklace, so she stays the summer in Nantucket. There she learns about her grandmother and ancestry. She makes new friends and maybe some enemies. Along the way, she falls in love.

The People’s Painter

Cynthia Levinson

In this picture book we learn about the life of Ben Shahn who was an artist and activist. His art showed the nation as it was. He broke tradition by painting people. I did not care for the illustrations although I think they were inspired by Ben Shahn. However, I think the book highlighted a historical figure and artist many people do not know about.

Indigenous People’s Day

Katrina M. Phillips

I was not a fan of this book. It reminded me of a leveled reader you would use to teach in a small group reading session. The pictures were helpful and actually pictures rather than illustrations. However, the text was too long for the complexity of the vocabulary. The book had simple sentences and relatively simple vocabulary but each page was filled mostly with words.

Elatsoe

Darcie Little Badger

I have mixed feelings about this novel. It was more fantasy than I tend to chose but it did fit well. There was not as much world building as other novels because the book is set in present day United States just with a few twists. In the book, everyone is comfortable with magic; monsters, ghosts, and vampires are real. In the book, Ellie’s cousin is murdered. Ellie must solve the mystery of his death with the help of her ghost dog, Kirby, part fae friend, Jay, and her family. I think people would enjoy this book. The character and plot development is strong. It felt a tad bit long, but that was something I could easily overlook.

Notable Native People

Adrienne Keene

I didn’t finish this book. It was basically an encyclopedia of people the author thinks are notable native people. There is a picture and few paragraphs about each person, so not much in depth information. Adrienne chooses mostly activists and purposefully picks LGBTQ+ representatives and those who identify at Two Spirit. One positive is her inclusion of people from the Alaska and Hawaii as well as the contiguous United States.

Healer of the Water Monster

Brian Young

I enjoyed this book from an adventure perspective. It reminded me of Percy Jackson books, but using Navajo traditions. In the book, a young boy must heal the water monster who is suffering from radiation poisoning. In order, to save the water monster, the boy must learn some of the water monster songs then travel to the Third World. However, this book has additional layers, as the boy learns to deal with emotions and his uncle’s PTSD and alcoholism. I liked that the book discussed how the traditional Navajo ceremonies would not cure the uncle but he would also need help through counseling and western medicine. I would recommend this book to middle grade readers and fans of Rick Riordan.

Soldiers Unknown

Chag Lowry

I didn’t care for this one. It is written more as a comic book than a graphic novel. Most of the book describes the main characters fighting in France during World War I. There was lots of blood, obviously. There were also quite a few instances of indigenous and German languages without translation. I had a hard time keeping track of which character was which, although that might have been the point (in the beginning Lowry talks about how many soldiers died or were injured but remain unknown). I did appreciate that the man telling the story explained how hard it was for the soldiers to come home and integrate back into their communities.

January and February 2022

It’s already February of 2022; time is going by fast. I was talking to a coworker the other day and we realized it was Friday. We were thankful it was Friday especially after a busy week, but we also acknowledges that we didn’t want to wish our life away. The days are quick sometimes and drag on others, while it is all a blink of an eye for God. Either way, we should not wish our life away or spend more time worrying about the future rather we should live in the present. In this same vein, I have recently been contemplating God’s sovereignty as it relates to current circumstances. There is a reason for each season of life and I pray that I can learn what God is teaching me in these times. If I wish my days away, I will miss the important things God is showing me.

Anyway, I will get off the contemplation train and get to the book reviews. I didn’t get to post in January, so I’ll do January and February books together. It’s book award season, so lots of the books in the next few months will be award winners.

Defy the Night

Brigid Kemmerer

This is the first book in her new series. I was excited to read it after the Cursebreakers series. I will say I enjoyed A Curse So Dark and Lonely a bit more than Defy the Night. Things were a little more predictable in this one. Although, I think the relationship between the main characters is more believable. In Defy the Night, Kemmerer makes a nod to Robin Hood. So, fans of retellings will enjoy the concept. I would still recommend this one and plan to read the next in the series when it comes out.

The No Worries Guide to Raising Your Anxious Child

Karen Lynn Cassiday

I won’t say much about this one since I don’t have kids. However, I did appreciate that Cassiday gives lots of personal examples throughout the book. Some big take-a-ways are laughing at outrageous situations, reframing your thinking, and encourage your child to try anxiety causing things. This is not a biblically based parenting book, but had practical ideas that could be helpful for probably any child.

Distracted

James M. Lang

I would recommend Distracted for primarily professors and educators of teens and young adults. Lang starts the book by introducing the idea of distraction as it relates to our technology rich society and digital native students. However, Lang explains that technology only feeds our distractible nature which has existed since the beginning. This book gives recommendations for limiting distraction through creating community, building curiosity, changing things up, having shifts in class time, including signature activities, and giving assessments. He ends the book by noting the benefits of mindfulness practices for professors and the importance of teachers setting a good example.

Starfish

Lisa Fipps

I loved this book. Written as a verse novel, the main character describes her life as a fat girl. Throughout the book she learns to heal from the pain of bullying and make new friends. Her mother does not like that she is fat and it is not a secret. The girl reluctantly goes to therapy, during therapy she learns that words do hurt and how she can stand up for herself without being hurtful in return. This book is a tear jerker, but I definitely recommend it.

Watercress

Andrea Wang

Watercress is a book that shows how family history can impact the present. It also delves into family relationships, pride, and shame. The daughter is embarrassed by her family’s food choices. They even dig up watercress on the side of the road. She doesn’t want to eat the watercress. However when she learns the story behind watercress, she changes her mind.

Unlikely Friends (Beak & Ally Book 1)

Norm Feuti

This is an early reader and part of a series between Beak and Ally, a bird and an alligator. In this particular book Beak is building a new nest and trying to make friends with Ally. But Ally doesn’t want any friends until she does. I enjoyed this book and think children would find it entertaining and humorous.

Nothing Fits a Dinosaur

Jonathan Fenskey

Nothing Fits a Dinosaur is a cute early reader about a little boy who acts like a dinosaur while getting ready for bed. He becomes a dinosaur through the illustrations. However, I think a parent may have to help a child understand what is actually happening because much of the story is explained through illustrations of reflections in the mirror.

The Most Beautiful Story

Brynjulf Jung Tjonn

I think a lot was missed in translation here. The story is about a young girl grieving the loss of her brother. She goes to a water spirit who can bring her brother back to life for the night. Although the sentences for the most part made sense individually, the story as a whole I think lost meaning. The illustrations were also odd to me, but I think that may again be a cultural barrier to this translated book.

A Walk in the Words

Hudson Talbott

A Walk in the Words is a cute picture book about a little boy with dyslexia and his experiences learning to read. He struggled to learn to read, seeing that he was slower than his classmates. He was not taught to read using appropriate methods for dyslexia, but he still fought through the struggles and learned to read.

A Kind of Spark

Elle McNicoll

I was a bit unsure about this book when I first read the summary, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book is about an autistic girl who learns about the witch trials in her village. She relates to these women because her classmates and town don’t understand her. I thought this book did a great job at showing others what it might be like for autistic people. I would definitely recommend it.

Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, Lost

Betina Birkjaer

This was a sweet story about a child collecting the words his grandfather was forgetting due to dementia. You can see the boy loves his grandfather, but also the struggle the whole family has as the grandfather loses his recent memories. The illustrations are also great. This was an excellent pick for a translated work.

The Words in My Hands

Asphyxia

This was a dystopian novel that may hit close to home. Set in a post COVID Australia, the characters are dealing with a food and energy crisis. The main character is Deaf and throughout the book learns about signing, gardening, community, love, friendship, family, and activism. Asphyxia does an excellent job of showing readers the struggles of a Deaf teenager living in a hearing world. She can speak so often communicates that way but has to lip-read to understand the response. This is taxing and makes it hard to communicate and fit in. When she meets a child of a Deaf adult (CODA), her world is opened up through sign. I would highly recommend reading the print copy of this book because it reads like a journal. The digital version does not include all the illustrations which really add to the overall book.

Boogie Boogie, Y’all

C. G. Esperanza

I did not really care for this book because it seems to encourage graffiti and vandalism. I like the idea of stopping to see beauty and art all around you, but it also seemed to have a conflicting message.

Soul Food Sunday

Winsome Bingham

This book is about a family’s tradition of eating soul food together on Sunday. The little boy helps his grandmother cook instead of going out to play with his cousins. I thought the illustrations were great because you could really see the joy and excitement the little boy had from getting to help cook. However, the little boy in the illustrations seemed too young to speak the way he was in the text.

Coqui in the City

Nomar Perez

This was a cute story about a boy who moves from Puerto Rico to New York City. He is misses his grandparents and his home as well as his little pet frog Coqui. When he and his family get to New York, he and his mom go for a walk to explore their new home. The boy sees lots of new things but also sees reminders of home like a pond filled with frogs and a bakery.

May Your Life be Deliciosa

Michael Genhart

I enjoyed this book as it reminded me of Texas. The family in this book is making tamales. The grandmother walks the family through each step of making tamales. Each step includes a lesson/blessing for the grandchildren. The illustrations were beautiful and you can tell Genhart has fond memories of making tamales.

Temple Alley Summer

Sachiko Kashiwaba

This book was translated from Japanese to English which I think impacts my view of it. Overall, I don’t think a lot was lost in translation. I thought the book was definitely confusing at first, but got better as I read. I enjoyed the story within the story more than the actual book, though.

The People Remember

Ibi Zoboi

Zoboi tells the story of African American history starting with the Mid Atlantic Slave Trade through current times. Kwanza is also incorporated as Zoboi uses one of the themes of Kwanza to summarize African American history. This was not one of my favorites after reading the author’s note which explained this was written to help celebrate Kwanza. However, it was hard to tell the book was even about Kwanza until reading the author’s note.

Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued

Peter Sis

This book is based on the story of Nicky and Vera. Nicky helped hundreds of children escape Prague when the Nazis invaded. Vera is one of the children who escaped to England. The story is heart warming. However, I did not care for the illustrations. On several pages the lack of contrast between illustrations and text made the words hare to read.

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

Alda P. Dobbs

I enjoyed this novel although the content is heavy. Dobbs was inspired by her great grandmother’s experiences and writes about a young girl and her family as they escape Mexico during the Revolution in 1913. The writing was excellent and showed how a young girl struggled to take care of her family, fulfill a promise to her father, while being scared about what was happening to and around her.

Praying the Bible

Donald S. Whitney

This was probably my favorite book the last two months. Whitney describes a method of praying that won’t leave your mind wandering. It is simple, pray the Bible. He explains with examples how to pray through the Psalms. Simultaneously, reassuring readers that as believers we have a desire to pray. Our minds wander because we pray the same old thing the same old way. I highly recommend this quick read to all Christians.

Home is Not a Country

Safia Elhillo

This was a verse novel, which I enjoy. However, I had mixed feelings about this book. I appreciate the way Elhillo shows people the challenges of being a child of an immigrant and what heartache can do to relationships. However, the part about her “sister/spirit” was a bit confusing for me. It may be a cultural aspect that I do not understand.

Stitches

A couple days ago, I heard the song “Stitches” by Shawn Mendes and I was reminded of how great and loving and gracious God is. I know this isn’t a praise and worship song, but stay with me here.

When this song came out back in 2015, I was going through my first break up. I was in a city with no friends or church family. And working a job that I took to stay in that city to be closer to my boyfriend. (Looking back it was obviously a recipe for disaster, but…hindsight).

My boyfriend of about a year and a half had broken up with me for reasons I can’t really even remember now.

I would hear this song on the radio regularly and unfortunately on occasion cry as I listened. The song seemed to describe what I was feeling. Dramatic I know but I was young, naive, and seemingly heart broken by a boy for the first time. At the time, it was challenging and the song provided temporary comfort.

Anyway fast forward to when I heard it a couple days ago. It’s a catchy song and I sang a long a bit. Remembering all the things God rescued and protected me from.

That man breaking up with me was just the right thing. He wasn’t the right guy and we didn’t believe the same things. I knew this and had known for a long time but in my loneliness and other struggles I couldn’t end things with him.

He broke up with me and it was a blessing. Since then God has protected me in more ways than I can count. He has forgiven me of sins I wish I never committed. And God has protected from that man and a couple others since him. I may not have known then but I know that heartbreak was Gods goodness and grace to me.

So now when I hear “Stitches” I don’t cry over broken hearts but thank God for his sovereignty and protection and love for me.

December Reads

Before and After

by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate

This was our book club book for December/January. It was a quick read that I didn’t want to put down. Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate tell the true story of the survivors of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society and Georgia Tann. These adopted children knew nothing of their birth parents and were commodities to Tann rather than children. Tann profited from her adoption business by charging well over the legal amount for Tennessee. Each chapter tells a story of a different adoptee on their search to learn about their family. The survivors or families of the survivors meet in Memphis at a reunion where they share stories and tips for finding out about their history. These people form a bond because of their shared suffering at the hand of Georgia Tann. I highly recommend this book for anyone even those who prefer fiction.

Out of Darkness

By Ashley Perez

I picked this book because I have seen it talked about in several new stories circulating censorship and book banning. I will say this book doesn’t need to be taken out of libraries. However, I can’t say that I would recommend it. I agree with the author that there are many untold stories of minorities especially in the 1930s and minorities and women suffered many horrors. But I found the scenes graphic unnecessarily. Some of the sexual scenes weren’t needed in general. If you do chose to read this book, know it has mature content.

5 Kinds of Nonfiction

By Melissa Stewart and Marlene Correia

This is a great book for teachers and educators. We teach people the genres of fiction but what about nonfiction genres. Not all nonfiction is the same. The authors walk readers through the types of nonfiction and how to use them. Nonfiction texts are great for teaching writing and encouraging a love of learning. Adults tend to prefer fiction for the story but kids love nonfiction, so why not give them excellent nonfiction texts. The authors provide examples of books for each type and activists for teaching nonfiction genres and writing.

Tornado Sirens

Did you know there is a second tornado season in December? Did you know typically sirens are tested once a week? Did you know sirens are for people outside not inside? I definitely didn’t until I moved to west Tennessee and tornado alley. You might have if you grew up there your whole life.

We are used to our environment. Hail doesn’t scare me. I’m a little less worried about earthquakes. But I have to say I’m nervous with tornadoes. I’m not accustomed to them. I’ve never experienced one.

It seems like this year there have been more instances of favorable conditions for tornadoes. This past week, I had to go into a storm shelter for the first time because the conditions were pointing towards tornadoes or at least damaging straight line winds. We were fine where I was and I figured my apartment would be fine. Someone close by had been fine and still had power. However, as I was driving home I began realizing this was not the case.

There were downed trees in many areas. Streets were closed and some roofs and buildings had damage as well. I had to drive a windy way to get home due to road closures. There were cops, first responders, and line men out working. There were even civilians checking roads and picking up debris. I got home to no power. However, there was no damage in my vicinity. Something to be thankful for. I had candles and flashlights and hopes for the power to come back on soon before morning at least.

Lo and behold when I woke up in the morning, I still had no power. Here is where thankfulness to God’s provision comes in. I was going on 12 hours with no power, but I was still able to take a warm shower. I had multiple families from church offer their home to me if needed. I was already planning to eat lunch out, so I didn’t need to open my refrigerator.

I went to work with an eye on the energy company’s site for power outages. I still had no power by the end of the day. My apartment complex was keeping us abreast of the issues. About 22 hours after losing power, our power was restored. Over 11,000 people lost power in the storm and it took less than a day to get it back.

I also am very grateful that my plans to go grocery shopping had been delayed. Although, I did lose basically everything in my fridge and freezer, it was no where near the loss of a recently stocked fridge and freezer. As I spoke to my parents, my mom reminded me that cleaning out the fridge and freezer gave me a chance for a fresh start. Our attitude towards our situations impact us greatly. As a Christian, I am called to praise God and be joyful even during the struggles. I need this reminder constantly. Seeing the positives and protection of the Lord even amidst a weather storm, reminds me of how great His love is for me. I can’t control what happens, but I can rest knowing the God of the universe is in control.

October and November Reads

Well in October I didn’t finish any books, so I’ll combine October and November with hopes of finishing up some books I have started. October was a busy month with starting classes and traveling. I visited Pennsylvania for a wedding and then San Antonio to see my family. Although, they were quick trips we had a great time. Did some touristy things in San Antonio and went to Hershey World in PA. Slightly disappointed with Hershey World as the candy options were basically the same as any other store. They had a couple new candy bars, but lines were too long to wait. The wedding was beautiful and it was nice to get away from civilization for a couple days. Only to return to the Southwest Airline craziness. The cancelled flights affected my trip to San Antonio, but I made it eventually and that’s what matters.

In San Antonio, we went downtown to see the Alamo, ate Mexican food, played pickle ball, yard games at home, and this crazy candies from around the world game. I think for the most part I am going to stick to American candy after that game, especially avoiding salmiak (salty licorice) candies.

I also started my leadership certificate, so I have been doing a lot of reading about leadership, leadership development, and leadership qualities.

Here are books I finished in November:

Seeking What is Right

by Iain Provan

This book took me quite a long time to read. The book itself is long (400ish pages) but the content was also deep and thought provoking. This isn’t one you read without concentrating hard. You might pick it up and put it back down, which is what I did. Although I will say, he references previous chapters often, so take notes or hope you have a good memory. I did not agree with everything, I did find it insightful. Provan depicts the history of Christianity and even modern ethical dilemmas in light of the Old Testament and New Testament. He emphasizes the importance of reading the whole Bible including the Old Testament to understand what God is teaching us.

Dracula

by Bram Stoker

I have never read Dracula before. I know its odd but classics aren’t really my thing. I tend to not read them unless someone is telling me too. I actually listened to it, rather than reading the book due to time constraints. However, I think listening to it helped because I could keep track of characters based on voice changes and I didn’t have to navigate different dialects. The book is quite creepy at least the beginning is, I wonder what it was like for readers when it was first published that maybe didn’t know as much vampire lore. Dracula was just a monster, they didn’t call him a vampire until the end of the book, but Americans today seem to love vampire stories. Dracula isn’t like the vampires of Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Dracula is not loveable or redeemable. Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you haven’t read it, it might be worth it.

November was busy too. I finished two books in November, but read about 20 articles related to international leadership and narcissism. Now that I am on Christmas break from classes, I may be able to get more reading in during December.

September Reads

Dead Wednesday

by Jerry Spinelli

I still remember a literature circle in 5th grade where we could pick Maniac Magee. I don’t even think I ended up picking that book to read, but for some reason it sticks in my memory. So when I saw an email advertising Spinelli’s new book, I couldn’t resist. I’m glad I didn’t. As a middle grade read, it didn’t take me too long but it was still enjoyable. In Worm’s town, the last Wednesday of June is epic for 8th graders. They can do whatever they want because they are “dead” and no one is supposed to see them. Worm’s experience isn’t what he expects, but it is life changing none-the-less. This book does have a ghost and some chaste kissing, but it also addresses love, death, tragedy, friendship, being yourself, and being brave.

To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel

by Harper Lee and Fred Fordham

To Kill a Mockingbird is a controversial book that has been on the top banned book list several times. I read the book twice for required reading in high school and middle school. I personally enjoyed the book. I wanted to see the differences between the original novel and the graphic novel. I thought the graphic novel stayed true to the major plot points of the original novel and the illustrations enhanced the text. Although, I still prefer the original novel (maybe because I knew what would happen or you can imagine for your self what characters looked like), I would recommend the graphic novel. The graphic novel lets the reader understand the main points of the novel in an illustrated form that is much shorter to read and probably better than Cliffnotes.

American Born Chinese

by Gene Luen Yang

Another graphic novel although not a remake of a classic. Yang is an excellent graphic novelist. This is the second book of his that I have read and enjoyed. In American Born Chinese, Yang weaves together three stories, Jin Wang, Danny, and the Monkey King. This book focuses on a Chinese American teens, Jin Wang, experience in American school. Jin Wang feels like an outcast; he doesn’t want to be American Born Chinese. He isn’t much different from the Monkey King, a Chinese folktale. The Monkey King is beloved by his people but he wasn’t to be viewed as a god not a monkey. Finally, we meet Danny who is thoroughly embarrassed by his cousin Chin-Kee from China. Chin-Kee embodies every negative stereotype of a Chinese person. By the end all the stories are connected and everyone has learned an important lesson about embracing who you are.

Developing a Library Accessibility Plan

by Rebecca M. Marrall

This was more professional development than pleasure reading. Marrall provides a great overview of accessibility in a variety of library settings to include physical and digital considerations. She provides example templates for accessibility audits, accessibility documentation, staff trainings, response protocols. This book also briefly covers therapy, comfort, and service animals and the differences between the two. Marrall discusses the importance of knowing legislation surrounding accessibility and also the good will that comes with being aware and making efforts to improve accessibility for patrons.