I had a professional development day in April and since I'd already done 6 hours worth of Zoom trainings for LETRS, I didn't have to go to work. It was the best morning. I went to a coffee shop for coffee and breakfast. I sat outside and read until I got tired of sitting and then I went for a trail run. That afternoon I went to Elise's school to help pass out Zoo Run packets. Then Ty met me to eat lunch with Elise and we rode together to the zoo to pick up mom and dad's packets since they didn't sign up early enough to be on the race team. We hung out in Mohawk Park and played disc golf until it was time for me to head back to Elise's school to volunteer for talent show auditions. What made it even better was I was reading Abby Jimenez's new book. I saw they had signed copies at Magic City Books and showed Ty. He surprised me by stopping by on his lunch break the next day to pick one up for me.
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| Was setting out my clothes for the next day and turned around to see a surprise on my dresser! |
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| Milo doesn't think I need to read. |
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| Best morning! |
Book:
- The First Time I saw Him by Laura Dave- I really liked The Last Thing He Told Me. It gripped me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading. I was really excited for this book. It started really strong and had me gripped again and then fizzled out. I was bored for the middle section and then it got interesting again at the end. I did not like the time jumps.
- My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney- I did not see that ending coming and I had to stop and re-read at first because I was so surprised. The twists and turns in her books are always unexpected and I did not see these coming! It was a slow start for me, but once it took off, it was hard to put down.
- A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean- I went into this not knowing much other than that it was considered a classic. The long sections about fishing were extremely boring to me. The writing was at times beautiful and that kept me reading.
- The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez- I was a little hesitant going into this one bcause I didn't love her last book like I usually do. This one had me laughing and getting the warm feels just like her books usually do! It was everything I love about her books and I'm so glad! Loved the little hint at what Mike's future may hold.
- Women, Seated by Zhang Yeuran- This was such a strange book. I had a hard time getting through it, but the ending really tickled my funny bone. Not sure if that was the intention or not.
- The Astral Library by Kate Quinn- I had very high hopes for this book. The premise sounded incredible and I have absolutely loved every historical fiction book I’ve read by Kate Quinn. This book just fell flat for me.
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| I had the day off for Elise's track meet and had a little bit of time between dropping the kids off at school and heading to her track meet so I read at a coffee shop for a bit. |
eBook:
- Orbital by Samantha Harvey- I'm not really sure what the point of this book was. There were parts that were so beautiful and then parts that were so boring. I gave it 3 stars because I liked the writing.
- A Prayer for the Cown-Shy by Becky Chambers- I love Dex and Mosscap together and their wandering adventures. Mosscap's view of nature is so beautiful.
Audiobook:
- The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong- I'm starting to think "cozy fantasy" just isn't for me. This book had some really cute aspects and I liked the fortune telling in the book, but I just never really got into it.
- The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman- I enjoyed the evolution of Katia's character in this book. There were some new characters we were introduced to and some we got to know better which I really enjoyed. I found the floor to be less interesting than the earlier floors and I enjoyed this book less than the first 2 in the series. I may just need a bit more of a break before I dive into the 4th book.
- Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee- This was such a lovely story of forgiveness and faith against all odds. It showed the brutality of slavery along with the beauty and reilience of the human spirit. Frankie's character was so lovable and wise. I wanted it to focus solely on her, but going back and forth between her past and the current times worked so well to have her full story told. I also liked how it showed that most slaves who shared their stories with the FWP had their stories edited down to the more palatable parts. One of the most infuriating aspect's of our country's history is how whitewashed it has been.
- The Bee Sting by Paul Murray- Oh my word! I've seen this book on multiple book lists and oof. It was so long and torturous and then the ending was garbage. I liked the way the story alternated points of view, but highly don't recommend this book.
- This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum- This was really good as an audiobook. I liked what they did with the podcast sections. The book kept me guessing and I loved how she slowly revealed the pieces one at a time.
