A book of short stories is my kind of thing. I love a book that gives me the opportunity to hop into the lives of many different people and then quickly move on to a new story, new setting, and new person. I feel like this experience is one I get with a short story collection that is well done, and this is the feeling I had while reading Five Hundred Poor by Noah Milligan.
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I love quiet novels in which nothing major really happens but I really get to know the characters. This is how I felt about T. Singer by Dag Solstad. I was immediately intrigued by the cover of this book and felt compelled to request it so I could read the translation early. I am so happy that I did. I fell in love with this author and began kicking myself for not requesting the other book that was just recently translated into English. You know how special it is to find an author you just want to keep reading? Well, that was my experience with this book, and I think, if you give it a try, it can be your experience, too.
This post was going to be a list of great books to read this summer, but with all the lists of summer books coming out, I thought I would do something different. I mean, summer is supposed to be laid back and fun, right? Granted, I love lists just as much as the next person, but wouldn't it just be cool to spend all summer reading what we want to read?
I love a quirky narrator. I especially love said quirky narrator when she has some sort of unique quality I can connect with. In the novel The Universe is Expanding and So Am I, I found the narrator to have quirks that I could appreciate such as her making lists. Overall, I would recommend this book, though I have some hesitations, which I will explain below.
I am fascinated by stories that take place in countries other than the United States; I feel so contained here, not knowing what other people experience in places other than Kansas (and even then my scope is limited). This is one reason why I was so excited to read Driving By Starlight and review the book here on the blog. Needless to say, I was fascinated by the story and the motivation of the main character, Leena.
Have you ever read an advice column? I haven’t...mostly because I don’t get a newspaper on a regular basis. I will say, though, that the concept has always intrigued me, and I love thinking through what I would say to the people who have a letter published. This is why Can’t Help Myself by Meredith Goldstein was a perfect fit for me.
How should I begin this review? I want to begin by saying that I loved this book, but that seems fake even though I really did love the book. Maybe I should tell the story about how I stayed up way past my (admittedly early) bedtime to finish this book. Honestly, none of these beginnings seem to do justice to a book I loved, connected with, and appreciated from beginning to end.
Every month or so my book club gets together to discuss a book we select. We don't really have much of a system for picking books other than that we pick books that sound good and have decent reviews. That is how we came to pick Ten Birthdays for our meeting in May.
I love a quiet novel. Quiet novels sink in and make their readers feel something important. They also help me to learn about another person's experience deeply and feel truly connected with them in that moment of time. Tin Man is one of those quiet novels, and I loved every minute of it.
We all know I am a high school teacher by now, right? What is less known is that I also am a senior class sponsor. That means that I have worked with the graduating class for the past three years on things like float decorating, prom, and so much more. I even went to Chicago with them for a trip over spring break. As I prepare for graduation, just a little over a week away, I am trying to come up with a list of books that may help them as they pursue their dreams.
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