Last Minute Additions

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

I loved his first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing,  in which metal alien statues-affectionately named Carl-land all over the planet and people go nuts. This sequel is even better! Carl is back, and saves a primary character through alien prosthetics, leaving her with an android-like appearance. The group of friends then have to face off against a hyper-realistic virtual reality gaming company with much more nefarious intentions.I think what I like most about these books is that the author is not afraid to comment on tough current issues-income inequality, social media conspiracies, information privacy, the list goes on and on. This was a very fun science fiction duology!

452 pages

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti is the first of her people to attend Oomza University, even though it means she will be ostracized by her community. However, trying to maintain her traditions in a high-tech society also does not help her fit in with her peers. Then the Meduse attack.. I was amazed at how much world building Okorafor was able to put into 90 pages. This was a really good novella, and I will probably pick up the others in the short series.

90 pages

Read Harder Task #17


Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi

A loose retelling of Snow White set in a Massachusetts small town during the 1950's/60's. Boy escapes her abusive father, eventually falling in love with a carpenter. Their daughter, Bird, is dark skinned, and exposes them as African Americans passing for white. Honestly, I thought the plot dragged a bit, but that final plot twist at the end makes the story worth it.

308 pages

Read Harder Task #2



Fashion Jewelry: A beginner's guide to jewelry making by Courtney Legenhausen

I've been dabbling with some jewelry making for a while, and I thought I'd finally pick up a book to learn the actual techniques, instead of my current stumbling along with Pinterest and Youtube videos. Apparently I was opening jump rings wrong. I also know the correct way to finish a piece. And crimp beads are lifesavers. With lots of step by step pictures, I thought it was useful for a beginner.

175 pages




Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

I wish they would have told me this was based on a true story up front, because I thought the premise was ridiculous-if this was fiction, why would someone write such a dismal novel? Florence, while training to prepare for her English Channel swim, accidentally drowns. Her family decides not to tell her sister, because they are afraid she will get upset and miscarry as she did before. So, we get six months of family members frantically trying to keep a secret. Meanwhile, there's a weird subplot about Florida real estate? I was not impressed.

309 pages




The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Xiomara feels unheard by her family, her church, and to some extent, her friends. Secretly dating Aman, and forced into confirmation classes by her mother, she channels her frustrations into her notebook. She finally finds her voice through an invitation to join her school's poetry slam club-allowing her to blossom. The audiobook of this is sooo good, and hearing the poetry spoken by the actual author is quite effective.

361 pages

Read Harder Task #8


The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

This intense story follows the lives of three women in an Irish quarantined maternity ward over three days during the flu of 1918. The story is brutal, refusing to shy away from the reality of medical interventions, nauseating symptoms, and the brutality of poverty and the Irish orphanage system of the time. This book was very detailed, emotional and shocking. Definitely not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

295 pages




Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh 

When Henry Silver arrives as a new resident of Greenhollow, his interest in folklore leads him to investigate the Wild Man of the wood. Dryads, old curses, a mysterious past, teen abductions, and a gentle romance compose this creative fantasy retelling of the Green Man myth. I thought it was a great debut, and I plan to look out for Tesh's next book.

109 pages




The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O'Neill

A companion novel to The Tea Dragon Society, this graphic novel provides some backstory for two society members of the first book. They return to Silverleaf village, where everyone lives alongside tea dragons. we meet a young dragon who has just awoken from an unintended 80 year nap. Once again the artwork is beautiful, the characters are diverse, and the tea dragons are adorable. I never thought I would see sign language in a graphic novel-it was very well done!

131 pages



Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump

I've been trying to stay away from reading political stuff right now (easier said than done), but the premise for this family narrative and memoir was too tempting. Mary's personal experiences, familial knowledge and clinical Ph.D psychologist's expertise give us a unique character study that certainly explains... a lot. Toxic families create toxic people. A very interesting read.

225 pages





The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

The reviews for this book were so positive, but I thought it was so bad. I get it, it's a memoir about grief, but using obscure references to celebrities and writers just left me lost and confused. Way too much name dropping, and not really much emotion, considering her situation. If I wasn't listening to the audiobook, I probably would not have finished this one.

227 pages




You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sanchez, Julie Maroh (ill.)

A coming of age story about friends drifting apart, college applications, and discovering your truth. Of course, the main character lives in a desert and has magical powers that react to water-you know, just to make it interesting. I don't think I've ever seen a comic focused entirely on Aqualad. I love how DC has been embracing such diverse characters lately. This was fun!

186 pages



And now I am FINALLY caught up so I don't have to do these crazy long posts.

Learn Something New

The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme

This is a very cute book, and the images are beautiful. My biggest issue with it is some of the recipes and crafts use obscure ingredients and materials you would probably need to order online. The contents also seem to be thrown together helter-skelter. It was fun to read through though. 

259 pages

From Freezer to Table by Polly Conner & Rachel Tiemeyer

Although I thought their second book was better than their first, this one still has some great ideas on how to prep meals in advance for easy healthy weekday cooking. I love the idea of setting up a freezer club, where each person contributes a few meals and they all swap. Probably not a good idea for right now, but it's still something to keep in mind for the future!

233 pages 

Body Reading by Sasha Fenton

This short and sweet guide reviews how humans have traditionally attributed meaning to different parts of the body. The author goes through the reading of heads, hands, eyes, feet, even moles and itches.The chapter on phrenology was especially interesting. Does any of this actually reflect someone's personality and fate? No, but it sure is fascinating to read about what people thought and believed in the past. 

144 pages

The Witch's Book of Self-Care by Ann Murphy-Hiscock

This is a great collection of self-care techniques, meditations, recipes, and activities. I love how simple and clear the instructions are. They are all very doable with little need for materials. Self-Care is a huge focus for me right now, and this book is just what I needed. I may end up buying my own copy. 

224 pages

"Regretsy: Where DIY Meets WTF" by April Winchell

A few years ago I was introduced to the web site Regretsy, which featured the weirdest/kookiest/strangest items on the crafts-for-sale site Etsy.  It turns out that Winchell was the creator and snarky commentator of this wacky ode to creativity gone awry, and it was awesome!  This book captures just a few of the bizarre creations, including a multicolored, knit "chicken poncho" that can also be used as a human wrist cuff (featured on the book's cover), a "charming pond scum and amoeba pendant," and a felt cat toy made to look like a dirty diaper.  The crafters' descriptions and prices of their products are included with the pictures that they posted on Etsy as well as Winchell's reaction to each one.  She also included personal stories at the beginning of each chapter as an introduction, most of which were quite amusing.  This book is hilarious and some of the crafts must be seen to be believed, although my favorite post on Regretsy (three dolls made to look like characters from the musical "Cats" using paint and fake fur) was not featured.  Unfortunately, the Regretsy web site died a few years ago, much to my disappointment.  176 pages.

"Kittens: Science Facts and Fun Art Projects That Teach About Kittens"

This cute little book has wonderful close-up photos of kittens along with basic facts and several craft projects, all appropriate for kids.  There's even a song called "Kitten and I."  (Barron's Educational Series is the corporate author.)  32 pages.