Book Update
How about a book update?
Wow. I could practically HEAR you all click away from this page, already bored.
For the two of you who stayed, grab your library card. We've got work to do.
So, Beezus and Ramona was such a huge hit with Charlotte that we immediately moved on to Ramona the Pest. Charlotte LOVED it--possibly even more than the first book. Beverly Cleary is amazing at getting into the head of a kindergartner. So, we zipped through that one and are now in the midst of Ramona the Brave. Lorelei has become a fan as well, which is spectacular because I can merge their reading time.
I do think we're flying through the Ramona books too quickly. I floated the idea of taking a break and reading something else next. That idea did not fly. Off we go to the library again.
For Mommy's nonfiction read, I recently finished the epic Elizabeth the Queen, which was sooooooo good. I just love Elizabeth II. And after reading this, and talking with my anglophile coworker, I'm convinced Diana would've been one batshit crazy mother-in-law for Kate. Sharing the spotlight AND her son? Oh, Kate. You dodged a bullet there.
During my days holed up in South Dakota, I read Back When We Were Grown-Ups by Anne Tyler, in which a middle-aged woman goes down the what-could've-been path of lost opportunity. I always enjoy Tyler's nuanced, subtly layered portrayals of domestic life. There's such a whiff of TRUTH in how she writes.
In South Dakota, I also finished Greenglass House, a middle-grade novel, which just didn't capture my imagination like I expected it to. It was too long (376 pages) and meandered. There were too many characters, which got confusing--IN AN MG NOVEL. Do you know how embarrassing it is to get confused while reading a MIDDLE-GRADE novel? Finally, the overarching quest was just . . . missing. There were too many components. That said, I seem to be in the minority in my opinions. Lots of folks adored it. So what do I know?
For pure fun, I read Royal Blood, the fourth book in the oh-so-witty Royal Spyness mystery series. These books are just such fun reads. I'm kind of addicted. Yes. TO A MYSTERY SERIES. Stop your judging.
Finally, I just finished Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. My friend Suzanne raved about the book, which was a good enough reason for me to pull it off the shelf at my tiny local library. It's comic and heartbreaking, all at once. And unexpectedly brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Moriarty knows her characters so well, and the schoolyard mommy dynamics are amazingly and hilariously portrayed. There are little asides from various parents at parts of an investigation, and Moriarty's comic timing is effing genius. Any mom of elementary-aged kiddos would love reading this. Local moms? I'm returning my copy to the library today. You'll find it under "M" in the fiction section. Go. Go read this book.
Wow. I could practically HEAR you all click away from this page, already bored.
For the two of you who stayed, grab your library card. We've got work to do.
So, Beezus and Ramona was such a huge hit with Charlotte that we immediately moved on to Ramona the Pest. Charlotte LOVED it--possibly even more than the first book. Beverly Cleary is amazing at getting into the head of a kindergartner. So, we zipped through that one and are now in the midst of Ramona the Brave. Lorelei has become a fan as well, which is spectacular because I can merge their reading time.
I do think we're flying through the Ramona books too quickly. I floated the idea of taking a break and reading something else next. That idea did not fly. Off we go to the library again.
For Mommy's nonfiction read, I recently finished the epic Elizabeth the Queen, which was sooooooo good. I just love Elizabeth II. And after reading this, and talking with my anglophile coworker, I'm convinced Diana would've been one batshit crazy mother-in-law for Kate. Sharing the spotlight AND her son? Oh, Kate. You dodged a bullet there.
During my days holed up in South Dakota, I read Back When We Were Grown-Ups by Anne Tyler, in which a middle-aged woman goes down the what-could've-been path of lost opportunity. I always enjoy Tyler's nuanced, subtly layered portrayals of domestic life. There's such a whiff of TRUTH in how she writes.
In South Dakota, I also finished Greenglass House, a middle-grade novel, which just didn't capture my imagination like I expected it to. It was too long (376 pages) and meandered. There were too many characters, which got confusing--IN AN MG NOVEL. Do you know how embarrassing it is to get confused while reading a MIDDLE-GRADE novel? Finally, the overarching quest was just . . . missing. There were too many components. That said, I seem to be in the minority in my opinions. Lots of folks adored it. So what do I know?
For pure fun, I read Royal Blood, the fourth book in the oh-so-witty Royal Spyness mystery series. These books are just such fun reads. I'm kind of addicted. Yes. TO A MYSTERY SERIES. Stop your judging.
Finally, I just finished Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. My friend Suzanne raved about the book, which was a good enough reason for me to pull it off the shelf at my tiny local library. It's comic and heartbreaking, all at once. And unexpectedly brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Moriarty knows her characters so well, and the schoolyard mommy dynamics are amazingly and hilariously portrayed. There are little asides from various parents at parts of an investigation, and Moriarty's comic timing is effing genius. Any mom of elementary-aged kiddos would love reading this. Local moms? I'm returning my copy to the library today. You'll find it under "M" in the fiction section. Go. Go read this book.
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