by Dusti Bowling Read June 2020 Another great kids’ book, this one is about how a girl with no arms navigates the difficulties of the early teenage years. It is a great way for young readers to identify with people who have a disability or difference. Aven is a very likable main character and despite…… Continue reading Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

by Elizabeth Strout I didn’t realize it when I started this book, but this is a sequel to “Olive Kitteridge” which I have to say I am not interested in reading. Olive is a lady in the advanced years of her life and she doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind in all situations. As you…… Continue reading Olive, Again

by Neal Shusterman Listened to in May 2020 A wild ride (multiple rides, actually), this book is classified as a pshycological thriller but I would call it more exciting than scary. Two brothers and their two friends end up trapped in a haunted/cursed/sentient amusement park that’s not just for fun. The consequences of riding or…… Continue reading Full Tilt

by Marie Lu At first, I was lukewarm on this one since it is similar to Ready Player One by Ernest Cline but without the great 80s culture references. I loved Ready Player One but wasn’t interested in reading a recycled version. As I got deeper into Warcross though, the story swept me away. It…… Continue reading Warcross

by Adam Silvera Read in May 2020. Even though the ending is no surprise, the journey is worth taking. What would you do if you knew it was your last day to live? This book takes that question and runs with it. I liked that it presents the view that even if some things are…… Continue reading They Both Die at the End

by Kathleen Grissom Listened to audiobook. Finished in May 2020 The author was inspired to write this book when she was restoring a plantation house with her husband. She talked to local people to gather stories about their ancestors and used them for the starting point for her tale. It follows the life of a…… Continue reading The Kitchen House

by Jennifer McGaha Read finished 08 May 2020 This was a delightful read! You know when you are immersed in a book and suddenly realize it isn’t fiction? That always feels like a surprise gift to me and causes me to enjoy the book even more. This book was like that. As a bonus, the…… Continue reading Flat Broke with Two Goats

by Jim Butcher Listened to audiobook finished on 06 May 2020 After listening to Station Eleven during a pandemic, I needed some fluff. This fit the bill nicely. It’s not a sunshine and rainbows kind of fluff though so don’t pick it up expecting that. The main character is a wizard-for-hire and he is often…… Continue reading Storm Front

by Emily St. John Mandel Listened to audiobook finished on 06 May 2020 This was a weird one to listen to in the spring of 2020. The premise is a worldwide pandemic similar to but much more aggressive than the Covid-19 situation we are currently experiencing. Time jumps forward and back as you gradually learn…… Continue reading Station Eleven

by Courtney Summers Listened to audiobook finished on 02 May 2020 This one caught my eye because my daughter’s name is Sadie although I certainly hope she never ends up like the character in this book! The audiobook is probably a better way to consume this book since it is written like a serial podcast.…… Continue reading Sadie