Category: It’s Monday!

Posts to reflect on my reading week.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 1/4/2016

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

This was a very interesting winter break for me. I did not really do as much reading as usual. I am not sure exactly why, but I don’t really feel bad about it. I think I have just been focusing on other areas in my life lately and not spending so many hours reading. That is not to say that I am not reading…I just am not reading as much as usual. 
Books I finished this week:
I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was a great book for our road trip. Both my husband and I were very interested in the story. The backstories of Rachel and Megan were both so tragic. I did figure it out before it was revealed, but I was entertained by this mystery. 
The Miracle Morning is one of those titles that I just ran into. I was doing some research into bullet journals before setting mine up. I saw one person had a whole bunch of references to this routine and I bought the book so I could read about the routine. I will definitely be doing this routine. I had already started to transform my morning routine and I love the structure that Hal Elrod shares in this book. 
That’s it. See? I usually would have finished at least a few books during a vacation week. Oh, well. 
What I am currently reading:
I am listening to Around the World in 80 Days, which I got for free this summer through the Sync Audiobook giveaways. I also am more than halfway through Dorothy Must Die. I am plugging away at 1Q84 but that one will take me a LONG time to finish. I also just started Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle that Set Them Free. I am supposed to have this one finished by Thursday for my book club. I am pretty sure that isn’t going to happen, but I will make an effort to do so. 
What’s Next? 
I have a pile from the library that I might dig into next. However, with the books I am reading now, I am not sure if I will really get to anything else. 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/28

Here are some books I have been reading in the last couple of weeks:

A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin is the fourth in the Mistress of Art and Death series. These are murder mysteries set in the middle ages when a woman doctor was thought to be a witch. The main character of this series was from Sicily and therefore received medical training and has learned to perform autopsies to determine cause of death. However, this must be done in secret in England or she will be shunned for being a witch. I really have enjoyed all of the books in this series. In this one, the main character is in mortal danger herself as she accompanies the princess on a journey across Europe. Fans of mysteries and historical fiction will enjoy this book for adult readers.

I have had Bluefish by Pat Schmatz on my shelf for years. I finally brought it down and read it. What an amazing story. I love the way the teacher in this book helps the main character to learn to read. It is a beautiful story about perseverance in the face of life’s challenges and the struggles that some people have to find family. I highly recommend this one to grades 8 and up.

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick was a tough book to read. In a lot of ways, I was glad I read it while I was sort of distracted and not able to fully immerse myself in the story. It is an important story about the true events that happened to a young boy in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge took over and there was awful genocide. This is an important story to know about, but really tough to read. I would recommend it for grades 8 and up, but with fair warning that it is quite graphic in parts.

I also have been reading with my ears this week. We did a road trip from Milwaukee to Savannah to visit my sister and her family for Christmas. On the way down, we listened to the first Harry Potter book because I love Jim Dale as a narrator and it was an entertaining reread for both my husband and me. We also listened to the first season of the Serial podcast. So intriguing!

What I am Currently Reading:

I started to read IQ84. That seems like it will take me quite a while to get through, because it is so long. I also started reading Dorothy Must Die because my sister had it on her shelf and I wanted to see if I would like it. I have requested it at my library and will hope to be able to continue reading it soon. I am also listening to Girl on the Train during our road trip back to Milwaukee. It was a great choice for a book that keeps us both intrigued.

What’s Next?

I will be reading Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free for my book club. Otherwise, I will have to see what comes up this week.

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments! Have a great reading week!


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/14

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

I didn’t get a chance to do much reading this week. It is so busy at this time of year with all the holiday preparations. I would much rather be at home reading than in the crowded stores on the weekends, but alas, I have had to be in the shops. 

Books I Finished This Week:

I really enjoyed Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs. I picked it up because I have some boys who would be interested in this type of story, but I wanted to make sure they would be able to handle the storyline. This is a great adventure book that really highlights the challenges of immigrants and the real struggles of families in Mexico. I am looking forward to sharing this title with the boys in my class. I would recommend it for grades 4 and up. 

Books I Am Currently Reading:

I am almost finished with A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin. It is one of the books in the Mistress of Art and Death series. I really like these books about a woman who is a doctor in medieval times but has to hide it in England because it is seen as heretical for a woman to be practicing medicine. Her specialty is doing autopsies, which is also unseemly in that time period. 

What’s Next?

I will choose from my shelves according to my mood. That is about the best plan I can come up with right now. 
What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments! 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/7

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

Oh, my goodness! It has been so long since I last linked up! This Fall has been a tough one, but I am hopeful that the rest of the year will be a little more sane and normal.

I have been doing some great reading during these few months! There are so many fabulous books out there and I happen to have a bunch on my shelves. I am just going to highlight a few of my favorites because it has been so long.

Books I Finished:

I reread Throne of Glass because I had my Kindle with me while staying with my mother and I had it on there and needed a good distraction. I knew I wanted to read the rest of the series and thought this would be a good time to read it. I also was mistaken thinking that it was a trilogy. I devoured these three books and got to the end of Heir of Fire and was really surprised that the story did not get resolved. Now, I need to go seek out the fourth book which, luckily, came out this Fall.

I highly recommend this series!

I read The Martian for my book club. It is not a book I would usually pick up to read, but I enjoyed the story. I did study engineering for a few years, so the scientific sections were fascinating to me. My husband, on the other hand, could not handle that stuff and gave up on the book. The people in my book club said they just skimmed the technical parts and ended up enjoying the story. This is a book I recommend. Just know that you might have to give it a little longer to hook you than usual.

I loved The Water Castle. It is a great middle grades story that I know a lot of kids will connect to. I thought a lot about how this story would be great to read along with Tuck Everlasting because of the idea of the fountain of youth and water that might make you immortal. I think kids could really sink their teeth into the deep ideas presented here. I highly recommend this book.

I love, love, LOVED The Mark of the Dragonfly. It is a beautiful and intriguing story. I was hooked from the beginning and could not put the book down. I highly recommend this one as well.

Learning to Swim was a fast-paced mystery that I read in one day. I was caught up in the story and trying to figure out what had happened. I did figure out some of the mystery, but it took so many twists and turns that I was not fully sure until the very end of the story. I recommend this one to adults who like a suspenseful story.

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs.

What’s Next?

I have The Heir sitting on my desk. I will probably get to that one soon. I am not sure what else I might read. I have been very spontaneous about book choices lately and will probably go with whatever strikes my fancy.

What are you reading? I would love to hear from you in the comments! Have a great reading week!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 10/5

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

Books I Finished Recently:
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain was much more fascinating of a read than I thought it would be. It was really interesting to read about the inner workings of restaurant kitchens and the sort of unsavory characters that might be lurking in the finest restaurants. I think it would be interesting to hear what another professional cook or chef has to say about the book. 
You just have to read Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan if you haven’t already read it. I loved the way music was a theme throughout the book. It is a magical and wonderful story and you will love it. 
What happens when a magic mirror whisks you away to a fairy tale? That is what the two main characters in Whatever After find out. It is a fun read and I know that some of my fourth graders are going to love this series. 
Books I am Currently Reading:
I am enjoying Hollow City more than I thought I would. I didn’t love the first book as much as some people so I was interested in reading the second book but not dying to read it. So far, I am very intrigued with the story and liking the plot better. I am almost done with this one and will probably finish today.
What’s Next? 
I am not sure what will be next. I know I want to read The Martian so that will probably come off the shelf. I also have a lot of 4th grade books that I want to read so I will probably grab a couple of those. Life is happening at a very fast pace so I am unsure about how much reading time I will have.
What are you reading this week? Have any recommendations for me? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 9/21

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

Books I Finished This Week: (or in the last few weeks)

I Crawl Through It by A.S. King is not my favorite book by her. I think it was really just the style that threw me. The surrealism just really was hard for me to swallow. I really liked and sympathized with the characters who had some really big challenges and trauma that they were dealing with. I would still recommend this book for high school and up, but I would just warn that it might be kind of confusing for people who are not willing to suspend their disbelief for the surrealist elements of the book. It was a big stretch for me. I am sure others will absolutely love it and I am impressed with this author for taking a big chance and writing another important YA novel.  I got this copy from NetGalley. Look for it when it comes out this week.

The Mark of the Thief by Jennifer Nielsen was a fun read. I enjoyed the adventures set in Ancient Rome. It was a fun book that I had a hard time setting down. I would definitely recommend this one for grades 4 and up. I am looking forward to finding the second book in this series to read more of the adventure.

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. It is an interesting read. I love watching Master Chef and Top Chef. It is fun to get a glimpse into restaurant life through this gritty memoir. There are a few things I will change in how I order when I eat out as well. I am also reading Rump aloud to my class. They are eating it up and they love to speculate about the character’s motivations.  SO fun!

What’s Next?

I have no idea! There is so much involved with the beginning of the school year. I do read every night but usually end up dropping my kindle on my face. We’ll see what this week brings.

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/31/15

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

This week I had a crazy busy time. I was able to get in my classroom to start setting things up on Monday and officially started work on Thursday. My sister and her family chose this crazy time of year to come visit from California, so they were staying with us on Thursday and Friday nights. Love the time with my nieces and my sister and her husband, but I was so exhausted by the time they left! This weekend was spent supporting my husband who is still a relatively new teacher and is struggling a little bit with designing courses and planning for four preps without spending hours and hours working. I am trying to help him streamline, but we think differently so it is sometimes bumpy. That being said, I am proud that I actually finished a book this week! It is much less than usual, but I will take it!

Books Finished This Week:

The Traitor’s Smile is the sequel to The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliot.  The books are set in revolutionary France. The main character is an aristocrat and therefore in danger during this time. Both books are full of intrigue and were interesting reads because I learned a lot about that time in history in France. I would recommend this book for grades 8 and up.

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading I Crawl Through It by A.S.King. I got this copy from NetGalley. I am having a hard time with this one. I really love all of this author’s books and I know I will probably love this one once I understand what is going on, but I am really confused right now.

What’s Next?
Frankly, I have no idea what I will read next. My students start tomorrow so this week is just surviving and getting everything prepared for the first few days of school. I do know that I will be reading Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin for my first read aloud because Liesl Shurtliff is coming for an author visit later this month!

What are you reading? Do you have any recommendations? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/24

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

I didn’t plan to do so, but I seem to have taken a break from blogging for the last month or so. It was kind of nice to really not worry about what day it was and live in total vacation mode. Going back to work later this week makes it important to actually know what day it is. And, oh, guess what? It’s Monday! Here are the books I’ve been reading:
Books I Finished:
Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat was a beautiful, but deeply disturbing book about growing up in two cultures and coming to terms with your past. It is definitely a novel I am glad I read but some of it was quite difficult to read. This is a book I would recommend to adults. 
Stella by Starlight is another fabulous book by Sharon Draper. The Ku Klux Klan has moved into Stella’s town and now tensions are really high and everyone needs to be extra careful. I read this book thinking it would be too much for my fourth grade students, but I don’t think it would be too difficult for them content-wise. I was impressed by the way the author dealt with this sensitive and scary subject matter in a way that I would be able to incorporate into my classroom. Of course, the book is also very appropriate for older grades as well. I would highly recommend this one to grades 4 and up.
I loved The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein, but not as much as I loved Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. I still would absolutely recommend this excellent adventure to kids in grades 4 and up. 
I loved how Liesl Shurtliff wove together the worlds of Rump and Jack. I read Rump with my students at the end of the school year and they loved it. I know they will also love Jack! What’s awesome is that my school has an author visit scheduled for Liesl Shurtliff to visit in September. I cannot wait to share this book with students and have them fall in love with this author too!
I finally got my hands on a Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales graphic novel. This one is The Underground Abductor. It is about Harriet Tubman. I actually learned a lot and I know my students will love this graphic novel. I highly recommend it!

The Trap by Steven Arntson is a really interesting fantasy which explores an idea about being able to have out of body experiences. I would recommend this one for grades 6 and up. 
I LOVED The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen. The story fascinated me from the very first page. I was able to connect with the main character from the very beginning. I liked the way the author really highlighted the idea of really seeing the people around us who are disabled and not seeing just their conditions. 
I have also been reading a bunch of the Who Was and What Was books. I love learning more about some of these things and I know my students will enjoy these books too.  
Have a great reading week!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/3

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

My poor blog has been quite neglected and pitiful this summer. I am enjoying my summer and it has been nice to just play it by ear and not necessarily stick to a schedule. This blog post will include the books I have read in the last two weeks since I didn’t get to write last week. 
Books I Have Finished:
I bought Life After Theft because I was really interested in reading it after seeing Aprilynne Pike talk at an event. She is so funny! I really enjoyed reading the book. The characters are witty and clever. This is a fun read that many young adults would really love. I highly recommend this one for a light read.
Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori Lee is a very intriguing fantasy book. It captivated my attention from the first page. I highly recommend this book to grades 8 and up, especially fantasy fans. 
I love Rainbow Rowell and all the novels she has written! Landline is a novel written for adults and is a realistic look at marriage and the way people choose their priorities. The way the author weaves together a science fiction element and the great story about relationships is magic. I really loved this one and would highly recommend it for adults, especially those of us who can remember having to memorize a friend’s number and call back multiple times in order to reach our friend. 
Milo gets pulled into a world full of Ogres and needs to figure out his way back home. He goes on a big adventure with lots of dangerous escapes. I know my 4th graders will love this book! I can’t wait to share it with them when it comes out in September!
I have seen a lot of great things said about this book. I completely agree with all of them. What a magical story! I cannot wait to share this story with my students. I would highly recommend this one for grades 3 and up. 
Currently Reading:
I am reading The Witch of Lime Street: Seance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World from NetGalley. It is a fascinating historical account of how science tried to prove that the psychic world exists. I am really enjoying learning about this time in history. I am also reading Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat and listening to Rebecca.  
What’s Next?
I am not sure what will be next. I do have a pile from the library and a shelf full of books from my class library that I wanted to read this summer. 
What are you reading this week? Any recommendations for me? I would love to hear from you in the comments! 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? July 20

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

Books I Finished This Week:
I enjoyed The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick as much as I enjoyed The Silver Linings Playbook. I have to admit that I have a weird issue with narrators like this. The book is really well written and many people would give it a rave review, but there is just something off for me (this is the case with The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night as well). I did like how the resolution of the book turned out. It definitely was a good ending and I am glad I read this one. I would recommend it to adults. 
I can understand how this book won the Pura Belpre award. I was riveted from the start. I felt so awful for the protagonist, Piddy, who was bullied from the first day at her new school. What was so awful was the way that things spiraled out of her control and she hadn’t done a thing wrong. I highly recommend this book for high school and up. 
The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare is an amazing book. It absolutely would be a great one to recommend to all Harry Potter fans. These two authors are amazing fantasy authors and they hit this one out of the park. I can’t wait to read more of this Magisterium series! I highly recommend this one to grades 5 and up. 
Books I am Currently Reading:
I am reading Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike. I am also listening to Rebecca thanks to a free audiobook download from Sync audiobooks. I also have started reading Day by Day for ideas about writing workshop. I also started Flipping 2.0. 
What’s Next? 
I have Unsnared and Stella By Starlight on my shelf from the library. I also got a few pages into A God In Ruins and need to get back to that book. I have an entire small bookshelf of titles from my classroom that I want to get to. I also might like to pick up The Martian. We’ll see! 
What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments.