Another week of family life (the boys made an icebox cake!), volunteering at the historical society, talking with Ukranians, and going to book clubs. We’re still in the family birthday season which keeps things interesting.

thinks I am currently (in July) reading 62 books. It’s a little high. The library says I have 48 books checked out. That’s under my age.

Books Completed February 27 - March

Lasagna Means I Love You, Kate O’Shaughnessy. This was a fun book and a nice excuse to eat lasagna. I thought it did a good job of showing adults who meant well but were too selfish to be good parents, letting the kid involved be hurt but not demonizing the foster parents. I liked the kids and the adults.

Speculative Whiteness, Jordan S. Carroll. Hugo nominee. I had skimmed this earlier but took the time to read it.it was a bit disheartening to see how many of the tropes developed in a beloved genre either stemmed from racist thought or were co-opted by racists movements, often by men with poor reading skills.

Hurricane Heist, James Ponti. A worthy sequel, with a good use of flashback and a good balance of kid appropriate (and some adult enabled) sleuthing, kid social dynamics between friends and families, and Florida hurricane adventures.

Pokémon Journeys, Vol 4, Machito Gomo. Honestly I have so much nostalgia for my kids’ Pokémon days and these go by so quickly I’ll probably enjoy them forever. But the plots are not gripping.

How To Help a Hungry Werewolf, Charlotte Stein. I liked the wish-fulfillment nature of how he was always supportive and respectful and into her, although it made the flashbacks to their breakup less gripping. I didn’t think the action and the romance bits were balanced.

Books Started

Pokémon Journeys, Vol 4, Machito Gomo. Talbot Hill recommendation.

Miss Martin’s Incomparable Adventure, Courtney Milan. Great author, romance club topic.

Hemlock & Silver, T. Kingfisher. I like this author.

Sunbringer, Hannah Kaner. Sequel and Hugo nominee.

Someplace to be Flying, Charles De Lint. Sword and Laser pick.

The Headless Ghost, R.L. Stine. Goosebumps.

Partly Cloudy, Gary Soto. Poetry book about junior high romance.

Bookmarks Moved

Promise the Night, Michaela MacColl

Ascendance of a Bookworm Short Story Collection, Volume 2, Miya Kazuki

Testimony of Mute Things, Lois McMaster Bujold

King of Elfland’s Daughter, Lord Dunsany

Josephine Against the Sea, Shakira’s Bourne

The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, David Mitchell

Inventing the Renaissance, Ada Palmer

An Exchange of Hostages, Susan R. Matthews

Champion of Fate, Kendare Blake

The Gilded Crown, Marianne Gordon

River of Fire, Mary Jo Putney

Bookmarks Languished

I have given up on a few of these, actually.

The Hunger and the Dusk, G. Willow Wilson

Bourne Supremacy, Robert Ludlum

Death in the Spires, K.J. Charles

Read Dangerously, Azar Nifisi

The Last Witchfinder, James K. Morrow

So Let Them Burn, Kamilah Cole

Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel

Lepunia: Kingdom of the Gallopers, Kevin Ford

The Morgaine Chronicles, C.J. Cherryh

Ariel, Sylvia Plath

Fair Trade, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

One Jump Ahead, Mark L Von Name

Blood at the Root, LaDarrion Williams

Calypso, Oliver K Langmead

Simply Unforgettable, Mary Balogh

Picture Books, Poems, and Short Stories

Truth About Mrs Claus, Meena Harris. Recommended by the Even the Trunchbull podcast. I liked the Christmas setting, the elvish society, and demonstration of executive power.

Books on Slow Mode

Home Comforts, Cheryl Mendleson. I read one section a day. Laundry and fabric stains is our current concern.

50 Great Poets, ed. Milton Crane. Mail bribe. Hopkins is hard core.

The Writer's Stance: Reading and Writing in the Disciplines, Dorothy U. Seyler. Mail bribe.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Marlon James. The ending moves back to the personal.

War Cross, Marie Lu. Mail bribe. My gaming is not on this level.

Teaching With Caldecott Books, Scholastic books. Mail bribe. Good chapters about things to do after and while reading the books.