Oh the “ber” months, am I right? We are now at the beginning of my favorite season, a.k.a that stretch from October through December that encompasses fall, early winter, and all my favorite holidays. I’m just over here reading, writing, baking apple pies, drinking coffee—basically living my best life!
After a long season of reduced reading, I have felt my old reading energy and enthusiasm returning to me over the last few weeks. Which is great news for you, because that means I have some really awesome books to share! So without any further yapping from me, let’s get to it.
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Just Finished:
Art Attack (The Sherlock Society #3)
What do you get when you combine four friends, a mischievous grandpa, and a grafitti-based mystery in sunny Miami? A good time, that’s what! If you have a middle-grader (or are a grown-up who likes middle-grade like me!) James Ponti HAS to be on your radar, and in particular, The Sherlock Society series. He has several really popular series that I’ve dipped into and my daughter loves, but this one is my favorite. In fact, I’m technically sharing the entire series here and not just Art Attack because I read/listened to all three of them in one week. What I love about these books is way the author balances smart kids being independent with healthy, helpful authority figures who care about them. These kids make mistakes and face consequences, but there is still an undercurrent of respect for the parents and grandparents that makes it feel different from a lot of other middle-grade novels. I also get the impression that the author does a lot of research to make the story and setting feel realistic. I feel like I’ve actually leaned a few things about Miami, hurricanes, art, and more from reading these stories, which makes me feel great about handing them to my kids. Can’t recommend enough and I hope he keeps adding to this series!
This book is about Ashley, a teenage girl who stumbles off into the woods when she witnesses her boyfriend cheating on her at a party, and finds herself lost and injured in the Great Smoky Mountains. This is primarily a story of survival, which is exactly what I was in the mood for when I started it, and since it’s fairly short at around 6 hours long, I listened to the whole thing in one day. I love a same-day book! I found it to be very propulsive, and while there were a few things I thought stretched believability, it wasn’t far-fetched enough to make me stop. I will give a warning for the language in this book—the protagonist should not be kissing any mamas with her mouth—and you should also know that there is some icky injury stuff that didn’t bother me but might be a little much for readers who are sensitive in that way.
In Progress:
I’m so enjoying this new release from Melissa Ferguson! I love that her books are the perfect mix of hilarity and heart, with plenty of relatably funny moments that give way to real problems and themes that dig deeper than your average Christmas rom-com. This story follows Chloe, who has come home to the small town she grew up in to lick her wounds after losing her job and to reevaluate her life. First up on her list? Overcome her people-pleasing tendencies once and for all by acquiring a string of rejections. In pursuit of that goal, she offers a ride to someone she is sure will say no, and a surprising friendship—and maybe more?—ensues.
Here’s my one sentence summary of what I think this book is supposed to be about: aliens invade earth and tell the humans if they want to live, they have to live in Antarctica. However, I’m at the 10% mark and there are no aliens yet. I’m trying to be patient through the set up and hoping the action starts soon!
This is a YA story about Paisley, a bookish girl who largely feels overlooked and invisible. When she picks up a self-help book that boasts a sure-fire way to make people see you, she embarks on a journey to change herself into the kind of girl people can’t help but notice for her senior year of highschool. And it works—maybe a little too well. Suddenly she finds herself being pulled into groups and situations that she’s always seen from the outside, and farther away from the people who noticed and liked her even when she wore glasses and funky socks to school. What I like about this book so far is the way Paisley is learning how to be herself and not to care so much about what other people think. It can be tricky to know if you’re making a choice because it’s really what you want or because you feel like you should want it, and I think the author handles that nuance well. I also like the sweet, wholesome romance aspects as Paisley is trying to figure out who really likes her for her. I will say, I’m not impressed with the editing. There are a lot of typos and errors that could have easily been fixed with a good proofreader, but I’m enjoying the story enough to overlook it. Also, the cover is so cute!
Up Next:
The Resurrection of Evania James
I am a gigantic Jaime Jo Wright fan, so I’m really looking forward to her newest release later this month. I have a reminder set so I can be at the front of the holds list on Libby for this dual-timeline novel about a girl who goes missing from an asylum in 1879 and a set of mysterious historical human remains that are found in a present day Gothic mansion. I seriously can’t wait! Experience has taught me that it will be spooky but not too creepy, and full of beautiful prose and thought-provoking themes.
I’ve had this book hanging out in my Kindle library for a long time, and I think now might be the time to pick it up! It gives off cozy vibes that seem perfect for this time of year with a girl who drops out of college to run her dad’s coffee shop after he dies. She’s battling to keep the shop going and dig out from under a mountain of debt, and when a handsome stranger offers his expertise, she wants to refuse. But if she’s going to keep her dad’s dream alive, she’s going to have to swallow her pride and let him help. I have a feeling they’re both going to lose their hearts along the way!
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