I read A Reunion of Ghosts because amazon said it was the best book of the month. I liked the premise of the three sisters in Manhattan. I thought it would be good story. Even though I didn’t like the book, I kept reading it. (Actually, I listened to it on audible.) I kept going and going even though I can’t remember a moment when I actually enjoyed it.

Not even in the end.

Even though I wanted to like this one, I just did not.

I read Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life because of a book club. It is not a book I would have picked up on my own. Partially because I don’t like reading non-fiction nearly as much as I enjoy fiction. Partly because I’ve read so many books on education. Partly because my kids are pretty far away from college still.

But alas, my group picked it.

And it was an interesting read. I don’t think I agree with the author on all his points, and I don’t know enough about some of his points to know how I feel, or what my own thoughts are. But I do think this is all fodder for thought. Even though David’s closer to going to college (only 7 years) than I am from my college years (20 years!) at this point, as I read this I connected more with my own college story. (Since we don’t have a David story yet.) so it was hard for me to really read this book the way I think it was meant to read.

If it’s your type of thing, you might want to pick it up. Otherwise, there are plenty other books to read.

I read Find Me because amazon said it was great. I heard about it again and again so I decided I should read it. It’s a dystopian adult novel which is becoming a thing now. I wanted to like this novel. I even liked parts of it.

But I didn’t like the whole of it.

Especially the second part. The first part takes place in a hospital and then she leaves and the second part is when she’s outside. This part felt off to me, I didn’t believe a lot of what happened and how she felt. So by the end, I was almost completely disconnected from the main character and the story.

In the end, it was a skippable one for me.

I read Vanishing Girls because I loved Lauren Oliver’s “Before I Fall” so very much. But I didn’t like the Delirium series all that much. Nor did I love Panic. But I keep giving her chances because her writing is so good.

Alas, I hated this book.

Hated it.

There is a major twist at the end and it was so stupid. I hate books that do a twist where the whole book feels super gimmicky. What’s even worse is that this exact gimmick was done in another YA book I read this year and I hated it then, too. So it was extra frustrating when it happened again.

Here’s to hoping she does better.

I read Powerless because David’s class was starting a book club and this was our first pick. I read this to be in solidarity with David. It was a quick, fun and easy read. It made some interesting points about what it means to be a superhero and what your powers are.

There are two others in the series and David read both of them. He loved all three so if you have a middle grader, these are recommended.

I read A Spool of Blue Thread because I love Anne Tyler. Love love love love her. Her way of storytelling speaks to me. Her characters are always lovely and stay with me long after I finish her books. There was no way I wouldn’t love this one.

And I wasn’t wrong.

I loved it. It was so typical Anne Tyler.

If you love her as much as I do, it will not disappoint.