I read A Separate Peace because most people read it in high school but I never had and I decided it was time that I fill up this whole in my education. I read this little book in a few sittings. I enjoyed reading it so much that I often found myself wanting to put it down and think about it. I found myself wanting to slow down to enjoy the writing.
I found the story interesting, sad, poignant and I am glad that I read it after having been here this many years because there is a lot about being at an all-boys prep school that I would not have understood when I was in high school in Turkey. I kept wanting to ask Jake questions as I was reading it. Even though he didn’t go to an all boys school, he did have a somewhat relatable experience so I was curious how on point it was. But Jake didn’t really remember much of the book from his high school years.
I was very happy to read this one.
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 When because I loved the premise. I remember years ago, there was one episode of the TV Show Medium where she could see numbers above everyone’s heads and the number was how many more days they had to live. The premise was so fascinating to me that it stuck with me even after all these years.
So when I read that this book had the same premise, I decided I wanted to read it.
And I read this whole book in one sitting. It was an easy-to-read story and I enjoyed it. I don’t think it’s a life-changing book and I’ve read many better ones but I still enjoyed reading this one and it has stuck with me even though I read it a while back.
If it’s your type of thing, recommended.
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 Aquarium because I saw it on a friend’s goodreads feed and I had already seen it in two places so I decided it must be time for me to pick it up.
I read the whole thing in one sitting. It was one of those books I loved while I was reading (or not even loved but would not put down) but then I wasn’t crazy about it in retrospect. So I am on the fence about it now that I look back and think about it.
In the end I am not sorry I read it. If any of you have read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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 am not sure why I read Belzhar. One night I just felt like picking it up so I did. I had liked but wasn’t crazy about Meg’s adult book The Interstings but I read this book in one sitting. It really spoke to me and I kept finding myself wanting more of it. I am not a huge Sylvia Plath fan one way or another and maybe because of that my expectations were low.
So, for me, it was enjoyable all the way.
And this book, too, had a bit of twist but in this case it didn’t bother me at all for some reason. It wasn’t as extreme, maybe that’s why.
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 The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy for my Young Adult book club. It was incredibly tough to get through. Incredibly. I read the same page 11 times. I didn’t like the name, the cover, or the book itself. There were some interesting bits but overall it’s not a book I would recommend in this day and age where there are so very many great Young Adult books.
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 The Buried Giant because amazon said it was the best book of 2014 and even though I kept resisting it, I finally just gave in and bought it.
Man, am I glad I did.
This was an excellent book. A tough tough one to read but really well written and such interesting thoughts about parenting, families, siblings, and more.
A really thought provoking read and I am really glad I stopped being stubborn and finally tackled it.
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.
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projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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