Finished Reading:
- Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary
I needed another school story for this month's Old School Kidlit Reading Challenge, and decided it was time to read one of the only Beverly Cleary titles I had never read before. I was shocked by how different this book is from many of her others. Otis is not that likable! My review will be posted the middle of next week.
- Butternut Summer by Mary McNear
I finished this a few days before it expired. I like the characters and writing style well enough, but I've decided to take a break from the series for a while, as it was starting to feel like too much of the same thing. My review is on Goodreads.
- Butternut Lake: The Night Before Christmas by Mary McNear
A Goodreads reviewer mentioned that this novella felt more like an epilogue for Butternut Summer than a stand-alone story, so I decided to read it while Butternut Summer was still fresh in my mind. It was a little too long to be an epilogue, but it also had a lot less conflict than the two full-length novels I've read. It's just a nice feel-good holiday story that I probably would have enjoyed more in the right season.
- Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury
This was an odd story overall, and the ending was really strange, but I still gave it four stars. I'm planning to review both Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer here on the blog, probably to be published during the weeks after the new baby is born when I will be on "maternity leave" from reading and blogging.
- Jamie and the Mystery Quilt by Vicki Berger Erwin
Because the new baby is expected to arrive in mid-October, I've gotten a head start on my Old School Kidlit reading for the October theme of mysteries. This was a used paperback I bought years ago and forgot about. Though I don't think I'm keeping it as a permanent part of our collection, it was a solid three-star book. My full review will be published sometime in October.
- The Haunting by Margaret Mahy
My husband recommended this 1982 Carnegie Medal winner as a mystery for Old School Kidlit in October, and I loved it so much, I read it in one sitting. I'll save my comments for my review next month, but this is a five-star book for sure.
Currently Reading:
- Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson
With the help of the audiobook (which I borrowed from the library via Hoopla), I have made great progress on this book this week. The book consists of four lengthy chapters and I am at the start of chapter four. It is very possible that I will finally finish this week!
- Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
My husband is reading this book aloud after dinner each night, and both of our girls (almost 2 and almost 4) are really into it. I'll talk more about it at the end of the month when I do my "Reading with..." post.
- Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
I was going to start a Kinsey Millhone book (W is for Wasted is the next one I haven't read) but decided to save those a little while longer and catch up with Tempe instead. I love the way Reichs writes, and I'm enjoying the relationships between the characters as much as the mystery itself.
- Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A.Milne
I've been reading this book aloud to the girls at lunch time, and though they will probably need to hear it again when they are slightly older in order to really understand it, it is a pleasure to introduce them to these beloved characters. We're about a third of the way through, and I expect we'll be finished in another week or so.
- The Square Root of Murder by Ada Madison
I saw this book in a used bookstore once and didn't buy it. When I was considering which cozy mystery to try next, I remembered the title and discovered it was on Open Library. I'm halfway through the book now, and it is one of the better-written adult novels I have picked up in a while. I'm invested in the main character and interested in the mystery itself, which I find is not always the case. I plan to finish it in a couple of days.
I'll be linking up today
Unleashing Readers/
Teach Mentor Texts and
Book Date for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
I really need to catch up on Kathy Reichs' books. I have enjoyed all the ones I've read. I spent 40 years as a school librarian and never read a book by Beverly Cleary. We had them all in our media center but I was too busy keeping up with newer books. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI'm adding the Square Root of Murder to my wishlist. Come see what I'm reading
ReplyDeleteI remember reading The Haunting by Margaret Mahy to a class of grade 4 & 5's shortly after the book was published. All those creepy horror books were all the rage so I asked our school librarian for something like that but better written. The students and I were riveted.
ReplyDelete