A Year of Reading 2017

When it comes to book talk, I have been quiet these past few months. My reading life has been pretty dismal. I guess life happens and reading takes a back seat. However, a yearly wrap up is always fun. If you like that sort of thing of course :)

In 2017, I read 44 books. My goal was to read 30 books in 2017 which was significantly less than my 2016 total of 60 books and 2015 total of 52 books. Of those 44 books, only 2 were books I had read before. I totally needed a refresher on The Hunger Games. 38 years old and I still love the book/movie series. No shame here!

My 2017 book list was equal parts fiction, nonfiction, and middle grade this year. Not a good reflection on my overall favorite genres. My favorites are contemporary fiction and celebrity memoirs. I read more suspense/ thrillers this year than I have in the past. I'm starting to like the new thriller genre that is taking off with all the twists and diversions. Hoping to get in more psychological thrillers in 2018.

1. Best Book You Read In 2017?

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. A contemporary fiction novel about the slow destruction of a family after the death of a child. We get to see the impact on each member before and after the incident. This book gets mixed reviews and yet something about it touched me to the core. You can go back to my August book review to read more. I have all the book love for Celeste Ng.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Sadly, there were several books that fit into this category. I was excited about the Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. The ending just didn't do it for me. I was excited about finally reading Farewell To Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. It was boring and unemotional. I can't believe it was required reading in school at one point. I think the subject matter is way more interesting than this author's shared experience. The last book, The Dry by Jane Harper, didn't meet my expectation. It was well written. It had a good storyline but I think the book was overhyped. I expected something more original and nail biting.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? 

The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn 

 4. Best series you started in 2017? 

To All The Boys I've Loved Before series by Jenny Han. Otherwise known as Lara Jean series. It's a young adult series I picked up as a fluffy read and ended up loving it. I thought it was written in a way that adults would like it without being too sugary sweet. 

5. Favorite new author you discovered in 2017?

 Celeste Ng is going to take this one. I read all new authors this year with the exception of my re-reads.

6. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Although most of my books were young adult, I do not usually read the genre. I was happily surprised with all the YA I read. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon was the "best". 

 7. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena kept me up to all hours. 

 8. Book You Read In 2017 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a book I will read over and over again. 

9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2017?

Inside Out and Back Again has a great cover. 

10. Most creatively written book read in 2017?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

11. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2017?

The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn. I don't know why but it was!

12. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2017 to finally read? 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah isn't that old to have waited until 2017 but it was that good. I'm always so hesitant to read overhyped books but I felt this one deserved the praise. 

13.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2017?

Shortest Book: We Should All Be Feminists, 52 pages

Longest Book: The Nightingale, 440 pages

14. Best Book You Read In 2017 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

The Nightingale was solely read from recommendation. Thank you friends!

15. Best 2017 debut you read?

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi was my favorite debut out of the 8 (I think) I read.

16. Books That Made You Cry in 2017?

I rarely cry when reading a book but this year I did it twice.  I cried reading Everything I Never Told You and The Mothers. I wanted to cry about all the unfair treatment I read about, the stupid endings, and the lack of emotion in other stories :/ 

17. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

My hidden gem was The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. It a middle grade novel full of history and conversation starters. We listened to this as an audiobook on a road trip and we all loved it. I would recommend reading it with a child or reading it then have your child read it. Then talk about all the things.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2017 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2018?

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Sorry scholarly readers, I let you down! I promise to make up for it in 2018 :)

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2018?

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading Life In 2018?

My first goal for 2018 is to read only good books. Lately, I've been feeling the burn-- as in burnout. I'm not sure how to control the only good books thing, trust Goodreads ratings maybe. My second goal is to read all the books I bought in 2017 that went unread. Buying books is definitely my weakness and the library sale is two months away. I can't justify buying more books when I have so many still unread from 2017. My third goal is to re-read an old favorite or two.

Now it's time for you to answer some bookish questions. What was your favorite book of 2017? What book are you committed to reading in 2018?

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A Hodge Podge of September Books

It's October! Have you done all the Fall things by now? I'm running a little behind. I haven't even indulged in my first Pumpkin Spice flavored anything.  Am I even an American? It's hard to say! Fall is an exciting time in the South. Yes, I will always refer to North Carolina as the South because humidity. To me, real humidity can only be found in the South...and on islands in the Pacific Ocean. But seriously, I'm not sure if North Carolina is technically the South to Southerners, but it is to me :) Anyways, Fall or mainly October, means the weather is bearable and we can spend more time outdoors. Hallelujah!

You know what goes perfectly with Fall weather and Pumpkin Spice? Books! Let's talk about that shall we? September was such a weird reading month for me. I just couldn't figure it out. I think I'm ready for a really good book. Do you know of one? I want a book that sucks me in pretty early on and  doesn't let go. It has been awhile since I had that. I miss it. My weird mix of books was a hodge podge. Nothing in the bunch was amazing but they weren't horrible either. Here they are:

#1 Sarah,  Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachan. A Newberry Award winning children's chapter book from ages ago. Sometimes, I feel the need to catch up on great children's lit that I should have read as a child. This book is about a motherless family living on the prairie who exchange letters with their father's potential wife. The author uses both characters to educate readers about life in two different areas of the United States which would have been important  way to glean that knowledge before the Internet ;) Not a page turner but it's a classic.

#2 The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This is a comical "dystopian" sci-fi book about the ins and outs of surviving in an intergalactic world. Aliens and humans co-exist and life is explained through the non-human perspective. It really is humorous in a clever and sarcastic way. This was my second attempt reading Hitchiker's; the first time I quit the book. I think you just have to commit to see it through :)

#3 Holly and Ivy by Fern Micheals. Fluffy Christmas novels are one of my all time favorite things. Every year I only read Christmas themed books in the month of December. It's a thing I started about a decade ago when I picked up reading as an adult. This year I was ready for Christmas reading early...way early. Netgalley to the rescue! The novel is about a single woman who is confronted with a motherless child and a relationship begins. Old wounds are healed and life evolves into a magical happy ending. Could we expect anything less? It's a feel-good novel. I liked it. You are in luck because the publication date is October 2017.

#5 Taking The Lead by Derek Hough. Another favorite genre of mine is celebrity memoirs. Derek Hough as a celebrity is another guilty pleasure as wel. ;) He is such an incredibly creative talent and he uses and continues to perfect those gifts. Years ago, I had a brief encounter where I was able to observe him in real life. That sounds creepy but bear with me :) I went to Dancing With The Stars taping and as we were leaving down the stairs he was walking up the stairs. A group of teen girls in front of us mulled him with hugs. "We love you. We love you!" He was taking aback but he was genuinely kind to them.  I had to give him credit because it was a little much :) We also stood on the stage right above him and Kellie Pickler and they waved and interacted with the audience during commercial breaks. I promise you, watching those celebrities during commercial breaks...you can see some celebrities put on a really good show. You can definitely tell who does not like their partner or who is a diva. Once filming resumes they put on a fake gracious attitude. Puh-lease. If you like Dancing With The Stars or Derek Hough, you will most likely enjoy this short read.

#6 Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman . Remember that book I abandoned 70 pages in? Yep, it was this current popular bestseller. My apologies to all who love this book. I just couldn't do it. The first chapter I laughed so many times. I was so excited to read the whole thing in two days. By page 40, I was not wanting to read it at all. The book is about this quirky socially awkward woman who finds a love interest and begins to pursue a relationship. It really is funny. There seems to be an underlying story that (I believe) helps us to understand Eleanor. I kind of felt like that storyline was a little too dark for my taste and it wasn't progressing quickly enough for me. I might attempt it again in the future.

Looking forward to spooky October reading in my sweaters with hot chocolate in hand ;) 
How was your reading month?

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July Books And Mid Year Reading Check In

I am just as stunned as you are that this month is over. It just went too fast. I always have high hopes that July will be the month for everything. And then, every year, it flies by and I only did half of what I hoped for. Does this happen to you?

Reading was a lot like that in July. I planned to read my way through the month with a tall stack of books. In reality, I read two books and I spent more time doing other things. Most of my time was spent on a summer course I need to prepare for a grad program. It isn't nearly as much fun but necessary. Maybe, August will be my month for reading *fingers crossed*

I have been working my way through my Summer Reading List I created in May. I've surprised myself by sticking to the list. The Nightingale, Behind Her Eyes, and The Lightning Thief were my 3 books left to read. I started with The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah which lived up to all the good things readers shared with me. Wow, what a well written story! I have never read a WW2 book set in occupied France, so that was eye opening. 

The story follows two sisters living in occupied France. One is forced to live alongside the enemy while the other fights against them. Years and years pass, things get worse, and you wonder how did these people make it through such hardship. 

#2 Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. What a peculiar book. I was all kinds of upside down reading this book. I just kept wondering "Why?", "Why are the doors important?", "Why is this a problem?" I guess much of the plot didn't make sense. Behind Your Eyes is a typical unreliable narrator story that unravels very slowly. I don't want to give away too much because I think these books are better read without knowing anything. Overall, I just did not care for where this book went and how long it took to get there. It just was not for me!

Since this post is so very short this month, I thought I would do a little mid year reading checkin. As of July 31, I have read 26 books. I have slowed down considerable since the beginning of the year and way slower than 2016. I haven't been too excited over the books I've read this year. My books have been pretty average. Only a couple books have stood out as favorites. 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng was a favorite. That book really got down deep to my soul and touched some real life feels for me. It is not a book that I will recommend for others because I think it's very personal to the reader. If you love that book, I get it. If you don't love the book, I think I kind of get that too :) My second favorite of the year was The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn. When I started reading this book, I felt like a horrible person. I really considered putting it down because the premise of the book goes against one of my strongest beliefs. Here is this author basing an entire plot line on open marriage and I'm all "Maybe I shouldn't"??? But I did because I'm an adult and I can be a big girl despite difference of opinions. The Arrangement was so unexpected and I had some really great take aways for my closed relationship :) I do recommend this book, especially to those who have been married awhile, because it's important to be reminded to not go on autopilot with your spouse. 

My biggest reading commitment this year was my Summer To Be Read pile. At the beginning of summer, I created this stack of must read books. I stuck to it and read every book, except The Lightning Thief. I read two chapters and knew it wasn't for me. I really enjoyed Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. The Dry by Jane Harper and Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough were my least favorites.

Looking ahead, I hope to read a few more 2017 releases. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Tara Jenkins Reid is high on my list. It has a lot of great reviews and yet, my small town library doesn't have one copy. So sad! The second book on my list is Since We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate which my library doesn't have either. This might be a good time for a little reading break.  I'm feeling a little burnt out lately over books. I just want something light and happy... and funny would be nice. If you have any suggestions, please send them my way :) Until them, I'm taking a little break.

Linking up with Jana, Steph, and Narci for all the book recommendations your heart desires :)

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June's Beach Reads

June's Beach Reads is the most fitting title for this post. Literally, I read every book this month at the beach. It's that time of year. Beach weather, plus, it's super convenient to just whip on over to the island for an hour or two. Anytime of the day is beach weather here so whenever we get a whim, we go. Book in tow!

Last month, I was a little embarrassed to devote an entire post to what I read in May. Only three books for the month. (One a very short middle grade that took me about 2 hours to read.) I probably should have just tagged those books on to the end of some weekly wrap up post :)  But, it's my chance to talk books, so I want a whole post! :) I really did love The Arrangment by Sarah Dunn. I think it is one of my top books of 2017. All your forever married readers will appreciate what the author was trying to say with her story. You might even apply those takeaways to your own relationships. When a book does that, I love it even more! I haven't read many books that really blew me away this year. Good books just not much with the "wow" factor.

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman is a good book. No 'wow' factor :) MGAMTTYSS uses some fantastical elements to tell a little girl's story of grief. She delivers several letters to unsuspecting people from her grandmother. Each character is both represented in fairytale and real life. It can get confusing at times. The overall story is still a good one! I am convinced Backman is an excellent writer and anything he writes will be good. I loved A Man Called Ove. And I think I will be picking up some more of his books in the near future.

Have A New Teenager By Friday by Dr. Kevin Lehman was another May start and June finish. This is a non-fiction parenting book.  I have to thank my first born for always making parenting books required reading! LOL. My take away from this books is give your teen consequences, responsibility, and don't save their ass when they get in a bind. Pretty much we are doing it all wrong over here! Partially kidding but I did learn a thing or two :)

Shall we move on to June books now?

  

Can I have a little cheer for sticking to my reading list this month?? I never do that! But... I have these books from the spring library sale and I really need to read them. I also had two library checkouts that needed to be returned. 

The Dry by Jane Harper was a highly anticipated mystery/suspense read for June. The basis of the story is two unsolved murders in a small town with the detective having a personal connection to the victims. The story resolves both murder mysteries. I had been reading and hearing all good things about The Dry. Modern Mrs. Darcy was dropping words like "favorite" and "top of 2017". Other reviewers were "blown away" and in "awe", so I thought I should get right on that! Let me say, I wasn't as "blown away" as others. It is a good book. Well written. The story flows nice and smooth. Not too boring but not too exciting. You get to know the characters. You like them. You feel the setting come to life. However, I didn't feel compelled to read this book. There were no late nights with this one. I think mystery genre readers will like this and feel all those super exciting feelings about The Dry. The rest of us are probably no better or worse off reading it or not reading it. 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. This is definitely going to make my favorite books list in 2017. The premise of this book is an unsolved death in a family. The focus is all the inner feelings, connections, and relationships of the family members experiencing the loss. Every character reflects back as they wonder why and how this could have happened. I thought Celeste Ng captured those things very well. For me this book hit on a personal level. The relationship between the brother and sister in this family dynamic reminded me of my own sibling relationship. My own dependency on my brother in our crazy childhood and his increasing desire to distance himself (as a way of coping). It made me sad but it also made me understand too. This is why I love reading. It makes me consider other perspectives. I think if you love family dynamics and family drama, you will love this book. If reading this review makes you want to read this book right now, I will personally send you my copy. Just let me know in the comments :)

The Refugees by Viet Than Nyugen. This book was a collection of fictional short stories about Southeast Asian refugees' experiences. It was interesting and a quick read. I liked the short story format versus a novel by this author. If you like reading about the immigrant or refugee experience (one of my favorite things to read), then this book will be perfect. 

This month was a good reading month. I'm so happy about that. I have three books left from my Summer TBR: The Nightingale, The Lightning Thief, and Behind Her Eyes. Then I'm going to make another TBR with only light and fluffy books :)

Linking up with Jana and Steph for all the book recommendations you could want to read :)

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7 Books On My Summer TBR List

Summer is too short to read bad books. Do you agree? Most of us gravitate to more entertaining reads during our summer months, it's what we do. Blame vacation mode or the plethora of summer activities, but we don't want to be consumed with pages of less than stellar literature for days and weeks. Summer is a great time for great books! This summer I am taking time to read some raved about new releases, thrillers, and oldie but goodies in all genres. It is summer: I only want good books!

One of my very favorite things to do online is find book reviews. I use blogs, book rating sites, podcasts, and Youtube. I want to know what all the good books are before I start reading. The first book on my list is getting all the attention right now from all platforms... 

1.) The Dry by Jane Harper is apparently the must-read book of the moment. It's a murder mystery story set in Australia. An old friend comes back to the hometown to figure out the answers to an unsolved death. I don't know much more about it and that is the way I like to start mystery thrillers. I've consistently read reviews that The Dry is fast moving and suspenseful. Readers are singing its praises and I'm excited to read for myself. 

2.) Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. This book has been dubbed a psychological thriller which means crazy characters. Again I don't know a whole lot which I am convinced is the correct way to approach any thriller novel. I've read the premise is a love triangle with a twist. There are buzz words like, unpredictable and plot twist, so I'm intrigued. This book is consistently reviewed with high praise by readers. 

3.) The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Pulitzer Prize winning author for The Sympathizer. This book is full of short stories about refugees accounts fleeing Southeast Asian countries spanning across several decades. I have read a couple chapters and feel the story telling is very dark and raw but very well written. The subject matter is relevant for our time. Reading books like this reenforces the gray areas of immigration and refugees. I appreciate any book that will challenge me.

4.) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordian. A classic everyone seems to have loved reading. Both my reader and non-reader kiddos loved The Lightning Thief. I figure the agreement alone speaks volumes. Plus, I was in several classrooms this year where the students were reading The Lightning Thief and loving it. I love to read what my kids are loving and connect with them on their level. I think I am most excited about reading this popular book! 

5.) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. I bought this book at a library book sale and have yet to read it. Everything I Never Told You gets mixed reviews. The story seems just my speed. A short novel with a little mystery surrounding a death tied in with family drama. Perfect summer beach read.

6.) The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. How could I not read this book at some point? It feels like it would be a slap in the face of all readers :) First, I feel like everyone has read this book. Second, I feel like everyone has loved this book. What you need to know: historical fiction, World War 2 Europe, always a top favorite on reading lists.

7.) Not A Fan by Kyli Idleman. Christian non-fiction confronting the question of what it means to be a true Christ follower. I've heard great things about this book. However, a peek into the first chapter makes me question how fanatical the author is. I'm not sure I will like it but I do try to sprinkle in books regarding my Christian faith throughout the year. I'm long overdue for one.

My summer reading will have a slow start in June because of a commitment I've made. I am currently reading The Refugees very slowly which works well with the short stories format. After the July holiday, I will be burning through my reading list. Do you see any books here I should bump to the top of my list? Any favorites? 

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My May Books Short List

Hello Readers! It's book day. I've got a super short list to share. I went into ultra slow reading mode in the month of May. All the warm weather had me spending a lot of time outside. Now I'm covered in bug bites and itchy as you-know-what. So, I'm back inside reading for a few weeks while I recover :) and forget summer in North Carolina means mosquito land. And I can start the cycle all over again.

Here is a fun fact for you ;) I only finished two books in May. One adult book and one kid lit book. What happened?!? You know the easy answer is life but there's more. I was super indecisive and I was super distracted (by outside activities). It took me forever to decide on my adult book and then I felt guilty reading it (more on that in a minute). After I finished The Arrangement, I couldn't decide which book to read next. Bottom line: I wasted a lot of time deciding. Oh well. 

The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn was my first book this month. It's a fiction book about a couple who decides to have an open marriage for 6 months. Stop in your tracks! I know! I had trouble committing to this book because 1.) I'm not a supporter of open marriage or 2.) books presumably about sexual encounters. But the inside cover promised to be funny and I was a little intrigued on where the author would take this. I'm so glad I read it! This book seems to start in the predicted way of an author supporting open marriage. The couple agrees to this arrangement and seem a little too excited about it. In the first several chapters, I wanted to put it down because I felt I was being persuaded to feel that way too. Lo and behold, the author doesn't go in the predicted way; instead, Sarah Dunn uses the arrangement to address very real feelings about marriage discontent. In the end, I was impressed with the author's story telling. I would recommend this to the open minded reader. You have to be open to the tough messages that are being told and can't react negatively to every thing you don't agree with. I'm still thinking about this book :)

Number The Stars by Lois Lowry was my kid lit pick. This is one of those books you find on every 'Must Read' list on the internet. I came across Number The Stars as a freebie and decided it could tie me over while I searched for my next book. The story is set in Denmark during World War 2. The character is a small girl who flees with her family to the countryside to smuggle Jewish friends to Switzerland by way of boat. It's a very short book packed with great information. I would recommend it to kids and adults.

I also started My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman and New Teenager By Friday by Dr. Kevin Lehman in May. I'm still not done with these big books so I will wrap them up next month. 

Was your reading more eventful this month than mine? Did you read anything you would recommend?

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Lately, This Is My Favorite

I'm obsessed! The Little Free Library has been outside our house for a little over a week and it's been a blast. It has been a great conversation starter among neighbors and friends. We haven't put out anything official to announce what this little birdhouse is but our neighbors seem to know what to do. New books have been popping up daily and disappearing at the same rate. It's such a fun thing to be a part of.

I absolutely love the simple design and plan to add color in the future. The best part is my husband made this himself. It makes it so much more special. The library is portable, so we move it near the street on the weekends.  During the week, I keep it near the house. I'm a little nervous about vandalism during the night. Some of our neighborhood mailboxes get pretty bent up. I'm not sure if people intentional hit them or are just terrible drivers. If you've been to North Carolina, then you could see how that is a valid question! Haha 😊

This week the Little Free Library also became official in the Little Free Library non-profit organization. We received our library number and will be on the world map for all to find us. It's a fun step to reach a broader group of readers. I love the addition of our silver plaque!  It's another favorite :)

The best part is adding books to the library. The picture above was my first round of books I stocked the library with. Things have changed over the seven days the library has been "OPEN".

Most of the above books have come and gone over the past week.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan was our first book donation. Someone took it almost as soon as it was left. I get so excited when people use our Little Free Library. It's exactly what I hoped for.

I was worried keeping the library stocked with books would be difficult. I think the neighbors are going to take care of this one. But, I'm still going to buy books when I come across a good deal. Today the base thrift shop has a bag sale for books. How perfect is that? All these books cost me $3. I love military base thrift stores!

Another favorite, book themes for the library. I thought there should be military books and red/white/blue for Memorial Day weekend. Hoping the community enjoys the little "extra" put into the library themes. I've got plenty more ideas to last through the summer :) 

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Spring Reading For The Win

Spring is here in full force. We've got sunny days, windy days, and rainy days all mixed up into some very crazy weather. As I posted earlier this week, the sunny days have me craving more beach days! My body and soul just can't wait until the weather is permanently warm and I can set up my beach chair right along the water and read all the books! Just like I did on Saturday. Consider this my open invitation to you all to join me :) 

Our Carolina coastline is pretty amazing and I have plenty of book recommendations for you! Today's post will get you started in the right direction. I'm so happy with the books I read this month. I started April without any real direction again. I read a couple non-fiction books, one hefty young adult contemporary, and then switched gears to lighter reads. I'm staying the path of fun and breezy fiction from here out. My brain just can't process all the heavy material when switched to vacation mode! 

#1 Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick. I do love a celebrity memoir. Let's call it a guilty pleasure. It doesn't even have to be good! I just want all the juicy details of the Hollywood life. And any million dollar health and beauty tips they have to share. Occasionally, I find bits of wisdom and inspiration. Ultimately it's really about the pointless gossip to appease my curiosity. There I said it! I actually listened to Kendrick's Scrappy Little Nobody by audiobook which was narrated by her. This is the only way to listen to memoirs in my opinion :) I wasn't a huge fan. I didn't get a lot of inspiration from her "difficult" journey to success. I think I may be a little above the target age group for this book. I'm on the fence about a recommendation because I think Scrappy Little Nobody would be an entertaining beach read.

#2 The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Wow, what a book. Just go read it now. Before I say anything else, to persuade or dissuade.This book will make you consider and re-consider your opinions on police accountability, low income communities, and Black Lives Matter movement. I've shared multiple times, I am an empathetic thinker with pretty liberal beliefs. These topics still reach to my core and make me think about our current events. You don't have to be 100% Black Lives or Blue Lives Matter to be touched by the message of this book. I feel like Thomas presented a complete story and argument for all sides. The Black, the Blue, and all the hues in between. There is no clear solution. I feel like we need to start educating ourselves with other perspectives.This book does that with so many characters. Once you read the book, come back to tell me your thoughts! I really want to discuss this book with someone!

#3 The Power of Discipline: 7 Ways It Can Change Your Life by Brian Tracy.   I needed this book in a big way. We are coming to a big transitional time in our lives, as my husband's Marine career comes to an end. The 'what comes next' question weighs heavy as we try to find the answer pronto. This book is perfection to motivate and encourage proactivity in your life. It really lit a fire and provided a sensible to-do list for putting the 7 ways of discipline into action. I listened on audiobook; I replayed the short chapters multiple times. I would highly recommend The Power of Discipline to anyone feeling complacent, stuck, or in need of a little boost.

#4 Out Of My Mind by Sharon M Draper. This middle grade fiction novel is told from the prospective a 11 year old girl, Melody, with cerebral palsy. Spending her life unable to communicate, a new computer creates a whole new world of interaction. I love the positive premise of this book. There are so many truths and prejudices Melody faces that were eye opening to me. I was drawn to this book because of my current work in the school district's exceptional child classrooms. Other states might use special education or developmental disabilities. Any way you name the classes, there is still an overlooked and isolated population of students who have very real desires to be included. This book was important to me and I wish so many others would read it.

#5 The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon. I have fallen hard for Nicola Yoon's writing. It's so light and airy yet holds such depth. Her books are the perfect spring read. The Sun Is Also A Star follows the path of two teens budding relationship against the backdrop of immigration/deportation in America. The story shows the interconnectedness of all the minor and major players along the way. As I'm reading along, I'm think "hmm, I never think how my actions might be impacting someone in this same position".  Always a bonus when fiction makes you do that. My love for Yoon runs deep. She writes with love, hope, and empowerment. It's the very sweetest type of writing without the sap :) I will always recommend ;)

Your turn to recommend books :) Anything you think goes well with warm weather and sitting on the beach??? 

Linking up with Narci and Steph and Jana for books suggestions galore!

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