This summer felt like A LOT as we said goodbye to the community we have loved for nineteen years and prepared to move from the San Francisco Bay Area to Southern California. I read as much as I could, needing bite-sized breaks from our upended reality, and much of that was on audio book as I walked or drove my short commute to work. I could not, however, take time to blog my reading reviews. It was all I could do to sort of keep up on Goodreads.
FICTION
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s hard to rate one book among a series, but I do think this was my favorite Hunger Games yet.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I rarely make time to read a book more than once, but I wanted to read this one again in preparation for reading the sequel. The two books together have become some of my all-time favorites!
Cerulean starts slow, as grey as the rain falling on Linus who has forgotten his umbrella again. But that makes the contrast so much brighter when Linus arrived at the Cerulean Sea: “Don’t you wish you were here?” Having experienced life in technicolor alongside a vivid cast of characters, how could one return to a bland, solitary life? Just like the children, Linus grew up as he learned to love and so became able to change the world into a better place.
“…we allow ourselves to hope for the best. Because a life without hope isn’t a life at all.” (304)
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
So good! Delightful, true, & heartwarming.
“…event the smallest things can change the world, if only one is brave enough to try.” (369)
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I didn’t think murder mysteries were my thing, but I’ll read anything Osman writes, I expect. Meaningful, smart, funny, & interesting who-dun-its.
“Days of death are days when we weigh our relationship with love in our bare hands. Days when we remember what has gone, and fear what is to come. The joy love brings, and the price we pay. When we give thanks but also pray for mercy.” (258)
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
We drove for 9hrs straight from our San Francisco Bay Area home to our new home in Southern California, & I had 2 dogs panting over my right shoulder for most of it. I knew I’d need an entertaining audio book to keep me going, & Richard Osman did the trick. Beautifully narrated by Nicola Walker, I’m sad this one is over & I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well-written & tragic with a somewhat hopeful ending. Save us from those who only care about money & power & use people to further their own advantage…
Ryan and Avery by David Levithan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I LOVED Two Boys Kissing, so was excited to continue the story of Ryan & Avery. Two things kept this from being a 5 star book: the drag & drop nature of the dates already covered in 2 Boys, & the fact that the dates weren’t chronological. I imagine Levithan made the latter choice on purpose to hold the interest of those who’d read 2 Boys, but I wanted to follow the growing love story as it progressed.
The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars. A mix of historical & magical fiction, this book captivated me for a weekend & has some good things to say about the power of storytelling & how it can be used for healing or used to abuse.
“I didn’t get it at the time. Now I think I do. In a world so full of hate and war, violence and betrayal, how can our stories not be all tragedies? But if there’s truly no pattern, if our stories will be lost, no matter how hard we try to preserve them, then the only thing that really matters is the people in our lives, and how we treat them in this moment in time” (342).
NONFICTION
Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The title immediately grabbed me, & then I was surprised to hear it was largely a book about how design elements impact our feelings of joy – circles, colors, etc. I leaned in & loved it!
“…without joy, we may be surviving but we are not thriving. If we rarely laugh or play, if we never have glimpses of magic or flashes of transcendence or bursts of celebration, then no matter how well fed & comfortable we are, we are not truly alive.”
These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Beautiful! I skipped part of one chapter – I only need to know so much about the many varieties of personal planes her husband has owned/flown – but otherwise, this is well worth your time. Patchett’s attention to detail and her generous kindness towards others offer a reminder of truly how precious each day can be.
Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World by Scott Shigeoka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars. A good book on curiosity, yet Section 3 should have come first – limits & boundaries. The way he ordered the book stressed me out – no way I would put myself in the situations he put himself in. The world would be a better place if we could all get more curious about each other & our differences, but we do have to recognize our personal & situational limitations.
The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert Waldinger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The quality of your relationships is directly connected to the quality of your life. In other words, your happiness, health, & longevity depend on having good relationships at home, at work, & in the community.
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I hope things have calmed down as you settle in.
Each day a little more!