Wow, April already. Funny thing is that it felt like spring in early March and now it feels almost wintry again! March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion this year!
Very busy week with school stuff, soccer starting, spring break preparations, plus dealing with my younger son's knee injury (still waiting for MRI results to hear how bad it is). As always, though, our books provided a little respite from the chaos. Here's what we're reading:
- I finished - and thoroughly enjoyed - Bill Bryson's memoir of growing up in the 50's, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. Interesting and very entertaining.
- I also finished (finally) my audio book, Falling Together by Marisa De los Santos, and enjoyed that one, too.
- I started a new audio, the middle-grade novel Leisl and Po by Lauren Oliver. So far, it is reminding me a bit in tone and story of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (which is obviously a compliment!).
- Next, I read another middle-grade novel, Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood, set in 1964 in Mississippi. It's a young girl's view of the civil rights battles going on in her small town; it was very good.
- I am now reading The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart for my neighborhood book group. It's very good so far, quite amusing. I waited too long to start it (again!), so I have a lot of reading to do before Wednesday!
- My husband, Ken, is reading Black Hills by Dan Simmons, a historical novel set in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Besides being a good novel so far, this book has special significance for Ken because part of his family lives in that area, which he has visited frequently since he was a kid. We are thinking of going back this summer.
- On his Kindle during our son's many medical appointments this week, Ken has been reading The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. I may have to borrow his Kindle so I can read this one!
- Jamie, 17, finished re-reading The Books of Umber trilogy by P.W. Catanese and moved onto re-reading the Tunnels series by Brian James Williams and Roderick Gordon. He has read Book 1: Tunnels, Book 2: Deeper, and is now reading Book 3: Freefall. These are each over 600 pages long! I read - and enjoyed - Tunnels but have never found the time to tackle the rest of the series. Jamie says it just gets better and better.
- For his World Lit class, Jamie is reading An Ordinary Man, an autobiography of Paul Rusesabagina, the book that inspired the movie Hotel Rwanda. I really want to read this one when he is done with it.
- Craig, 14, is reading more than usual because his injury is keeping him off his feet (but he is still going stir-crazy!). He finished The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulsen.
- With the end of the marking period behind him, Craig went back to continue the longer novel he'd started a few weeks ago, Night of the Soul Stealer by Joseph Delaney, Book 3 of The Last Apprentice series.
And, finally, I am looking for audio book suggestions for our upcoming family road trip and would love to hear your recommendations!
What are you and your family reading this week?
(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kids/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)
If you are a fan of Ellen, listen to one of her audio's, her book is funny but you won't really learn anything new about her but still entertaining.
ReplyDeleteWow!! Busy busy reading week. :) Looks like you had some good ones though :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading this week!
It's Monday! What Are You Reading @ the Brunette Librarian's Blog
Thanks for the suggestion, Marce!
ReplyDeleteI've read An Ordinary Man. It's really powerful. The thing that really stuck with me is that while we may be tempted to make Rusesabagina a hero, so much of it was pure luck. It's terrifying.
ReplyDeleteThe Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid sounds good. I may check that one out. Sounds like you've been getting a lot of reading done lately!
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