That cover made me swoon. The idea of a typewriter as narrator hooked me immediately. There's a LOT going on in this book which makes it feel a bit crThat cover made me swoon. The idea of a typewriter as narrator hooked me immediately. There's a LOT going on in this book which makes it feel a bit crowded (everything but the kitchen sink type crowded), and a lot of heavy topics are included (parental abandonment, terminal illness, mental health). But that typewriter! I adored Olivetti. I loved his telling of the story. Upper elementary + for content....more
Perfect for upper elementary/middle school fans of ghost stories and horror fiction. Narration was good and added a bit of emotion and suspense that IPerfect for upper elementary/middle school fans of ghost stories and horror fiction. Narration was good and added a bit of emotion and suspense that I may not have felt otherwise. Kept me engaged on a short road trip :)...more
I really enjoyed this one! Super fun cast of quirky, eccentric living characters and feisty, interesting ghosts who rarely seem threatening but do proI really enjoyed this one! Super fun cast of quirky, eccentric living characters and feisty, interesting ghosts who rarely seem threatening but do provide some spook factor that kids are often looking for. I quite loved precocious Alice who can fix just about anything. I literally laughed out loud when I learned about "past due" ghosts and why they weren't able to move on. There is a great balance of quirky, mystery, spooky and just plain fun. Highly recommend for upper elementary - it's got some great vocabulary. Audiobook narration was excellent....more
Chose this one on impulse (I'm a sucker for a book with the word "library" in title...) and had no idea it was non-fiction until I started listening wChose this one on impulse (I'm a sucker for a book with the word "library" in title...) and had no idea it was non-fiction until I started listening while on a road trip. I got sucked into the story of the LA library fire, and stuck around for the ode to librarians and libraries in general. The author narrated the audiobook and I thoroughly enjoyed her telling of the stories. Quite loved this book, and I'm not typically a non-fiction reader!...more
Unputdownable. I'm kind of equal parts embarrassed to admit that I devoured this (the language! The spice! Unputdownable. I'm kind of equal parts embarrassed to admit that I devoured this (the language! The spice! ...more
What an absolutely lovely story! It made me a little weepy if I'm being honest. I think I'm going to add this to my Battle of the Books collection forWhat an absolutely lovely story! It made me a little weepy if I'm being honest. I think I'm going to add this to my Battle of the Books collection for my 3rd graders. I think they'll love it! The audiobook narrator was fantastic!!...more
I usually really enjoy a story told in multiple timelines so I was excited to see this story's format. While I definitely loved Mineko's historical stI usually really enjoy a story told in multiple timelines so I was excited to see this story's format. While I definitely loved Mineko's historical story (honestly - I would have preferred a standalone historical fiction based solely on her relationship with Akio!), I found her story with James just sad to read, and Lia's story never quite hit the mark for me at all. I felt like there was a bit too much jumping around with lots of gaps in the story development - I really never could quite get a grip on Mineko's family relationships with her own children and inlaws, yet that surely had a huge impact on who Mineko was in later life. I did absolutely love the interaction between Lia and Grandminnie in the present day part of the story, and I loved the fact that they were working on recording Mineko's oral history - such a beautiful project for a granddaughter and grandmother!...more
I love Erin Entrada Kelly's writing and I adore Marisol. It was so fun to revisit this adorable girl, her friends and family and her quirks and fears.I love Erin Entrada Kelly's writing and I adore Marisol. It was so fun to revisit this adorable girl, her friends and family and her quirks and fears. I love reading the way the people in Marisol's circle help her navigate life and I love the way she is brave despite anxiety. This book has the humor and heart I've grown to expect in the Marisol Rainey books. I enthusiastically recommend this series to students in my library!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for the advanced reader copy of this book. I've now purchased it for my elementary library!...more
A fun series starter! No wonder my older elementary students are so enamored with Wings of Fire! I decided it was time to buckle down and read the firA fun series starter! No wonder my older elementary students are so enamored with Wings of Fire! I decided it was time to buckle down and read the first book in the series so I could understand it's appeal to the kids. Sutherland has created a very cool world of dragons with an interesting premise and interesting characters. I listened to the audio which was a fun way to be introduced to the series. I may read book 2 in the graphic novel format to quickly get the feel for the next part of the story. I like that readers at different levels can enjoy the series in different ways. Note: sensitive readers should be warned that there's lots of dragon violence and death....more
Never read this as a student so while chaperoning my daughter's choir retreat I had a few hours to kill and I listened to the audiobook. Wow. FascinatNever read this as a student so while chaperoning my daughter's choir retreat I had a few hours to kill and I listened to the audiobook. Wow. Fascinating glimpse into future possibility. Some really profound parallels to current day reality. I was pretty mesmerized by Bradbury's tale. There were a few particularly poignant quotes. This was the most powerful to me.
"Nobody listens anymore. I can't talk to the walls because they're yelling at me. I can't talk to my wife - she listens to the walls."
Whoa. If that isn't a parallel to media (social or mainstream) I don't know what is! And this was written decades ago.
Everyone should give this quick read a bit of time and attention....more
Loved the setting. Mildly enjoyed the mystery. Mostly likable characters. Unresolved romance storyline that frustrated me. Didn't care much for the naLoved the setting. Mildly enjoyed the mystery. Mostly likable characters. Unresolved romance storyline that frustrated me. Didn't care much for the narration. This one sits squarely in the middle rating-wise....more
I loved the idea of this book (hanging with your fav book characters? Yes please!), and I enjoyed the MANY classic book references. The cover is stunnI loved the idea of this book (hanging with your fav book characters? Yes please!), and I enjoyed the MANY classic book references. The cover is stunningly gorgeous and made the book absolutely irresistible. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite deliver. I listened to the audiobook version but wish I'd read a print copy instead. The narrator was overly dramatic - everything was presented as suspenseful even though it wasn't all meant to be. And the author/translator had an obsession with Will's "stormy blue eyes" described exactly the same way every time they were mentioned. The ending was unsatisfactory with too many questions left unanswered. Overall, a disappointing read....more
I'm a sucker for just about any book with "library" or "librarian" in the title. I know... I'm so predictable! When I saw this one available as an advI'm a sucker for just about any book with "library" or "librarian" in the title. I know... I'm so predictable! When I saw this one available as an advanced reader copy on NetGalley I was giddy. The cover is gorgeous, and the title immediately demanded my attention. In a genre that feels fairly saturated (WW2 historical fiction), I found this one to be a unique angle covering a subject I was unfamiliar with. I really liked each of the three main female characters and I thought Ryan did a beautiful job telling each of their stories with unique voices. I also enjoyed many of the supporting characters. The themes of friendship, family (including found/chosen family), choice, aspiration, service were nicely explored and illustrated. And of course, the library was simply lovely. A few hiccups for me - with alternating perspectives the timeline sometimes felt very confusing, Juliet's volunteer work was shown in detail for a few chapters and then virtually disappeared (maybe I missed something explaining why she wasn't doing it any longer?), and the ending felt a little too happily ever after. Overall a satisfying read that I really liked, and I found myself up reading late several nights in a row, unable to put the book down.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy of this book....more
Devoured it. Hesitant to recommend due to the author absolute following through on her first page warning that the book contains "elements regarding wDevoured it. Hesitant to recommend due to the author absolute following through on her first page warning that the book contains "elements regarding war, psychological and physical torture, imprisonment, intense violence, brutal injuries, perilous situations, blood, dismemberment, burning, murder, death, animal death, graphic language, loss of family, grief, and sexual activities that are shown on the page". Whew! If you can tolerate (or enjoy?!) those topics and want to explore an utterly fascinating fantasy world this book is a thrill ride! The "spicy" scenes are blush-inducing and the language is absolutely rated-R so consider yourself warned a second time. But seriously, I haven't sat down to read a book for hours at a time like this in I don't know how long. It's a BIG book and I finished it in just a few days. Couldn't put it down....more
Not usually a graphic novel reader myself but I couldn't pass up a Santat middle grade graphic novel! So glad I picked it up. What an entertaining reaNot usually a graphic novel reader myself but I couldn't pass up a Santat middle grade graphic novel! So glad I picked it up. What an entertaining read with his signature art style and story telling....more
I've loved other Gaiman works. This one, not so much. It was strange and dark and crude. It's possible (probable) that I simply didn't "get it" and I'I've loved other Gaiman works. This one, not so much. It was strange and dark and crude. It's possible (probable) that I simply didn't "get it" and I'm okay with that. I'm sure it's supposed to be a comparison to something deep and important, but it just came off as a really bizarre road trip story with not very likable characters. I listened to the audio which was very well read and performed and probably redeemed the experience a bit for me. I can say I've read it now, though, so there's that :)...more
Groundhog day trope. Kind of exhausting. Not just because of the repetition, but because there were certain things as a reader you could see needed toGroundhog day trope. Kind of exhausting. Not just because of the repetition, but because there were certain things as a reader you could see needed to change but the main character was oblivious. Decent audiobook....more
Mixed emotions on this one. I liked the concept, but the main character didn't do it for me. I loved identifying the challenges she was facing, but I Mixed emotions on this one. I liked the concept, but the main character didn't do it for me. I loved identifying the challenges she was facing, but I had no idea that she herself didn't realize what it was that she had learned to manage and live with. As a reader, the big reveal was not very big ...more
This one intrigued me because of the whole Village online mommy group angle. I joined a similar group in 2001 around the time my son was born and estaThis one intrigued me because of the whole Village online mommy group angle. I joined a similar group in 2001 around the time my son was born and established a group of friends that have been my constant for over 20 years. The mystery of this one was engaging enough and kept me focused on a long road trip so it served its purpose. ...more
I liked this one, and it kept me intrigued and reading. It wasn't as good as the former Robert Langdon books, in my opinion, though. Reading Dan BrownI liked this one, and it kept me intrigued and reading. It wasn't as good as the former Robert Langdon books, in my opinion, though. Reading Dan Brown novels is always pretty fun because he has short chapters that end with something making you think "One more chapter won't hurt" and suddenly you find yourself 5 chapters later still wanting to read "just one more". But I found some of the cliff-hanger-ish chapter endings to be repetitive in this book. I also got really annoyed and bored by all the scenarios where someone read a text/listened to a voicemail/whispered a plan, etc that that was life altering in some way but as readers we weren't privvy to whatever was stated in the text/voicemail/whisper. Sometimes that's a fun writing tactic but I thought it was overused and frustrating in this book. Anyway, I liked the premise, I liked the characters, I'm sure it would be an awesome movie :) ...more
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