Just Couldn't...

I really have enjoyed Siobhan Vivian's book.  I just think that during this time of pandemic it is hard for me to keep focused and unless a book REALLY grabs me I don't respond to it as I normally would. I think that is the case for We Are the Wildcats and maybe I will revisit it when life seems more normal.  For this one I REALLY stress that this is NOT a book review blog.  It is just my own reflections on the books I read.  So don't pass this one by, I think it is important and I think it is well done and I think that people will be able to relate to it. 

Complicated

The love story in The Opposite of Always is complicated.  Aren't all love stories?  Isn't life complicated?  It is.  And this was a complicated and beautiful story.  It just seemed a wee bit too long for me, but I still would highly recommend it.  Faith and life and death and time travel and Groundhog Day and love all rolled into one. 

More than "for fans of..."

I have ranted about the "for fans of" and "for those who like" in book blurbs and I have to say this one really bugged me.  Unteachables is by Gordon Korman who has long proven to be one of the best writers for children and/or tweens and to say that "for fans of...." about one of his books just seems to reduce the book to seeming like one capitalizing on what's popular at the time. 

Keep It Between the Lines

was a great song.  Between the Lines was a great book.  I can't even describe how good except to point out that the author is Nikki Grimes.  So  yeah, you know it is going to be excellent.  It was one of those books for which I found myself replaying and replaying some chapters just to make sure I "got it all."  Great stuff.

Ripped from the Headlines

Sadly Tease, though fiction, is very real.  It's one of those ripped from the headlines kind of deals. And while some people seem to have said that they didn't like it because there was slut-shaming and the main character didn't take responsibility...well, I think that was the point!  I mean, I don't think Amanda Maciel was writing this to show that the main character and real-life people who do what the main character did SHOULDN'T have responsibility-- I think she is point out that sometimes they don't and what their thought process is.  I mean...it just seemed really weird to me that people would criticize the book for this reason.  So weird.  In any case, I really liked this book a great deal.  It mean, it was painful and sad.  But it was honest and real.  And yeah, it was really good.

Life Goes Quickly?

Sometimes!
But sometimes it seems like the clock never moves!
Even when one is old, like I am, there are still times when things move in slow motion.  But I do have to say, life does seem to move faster than slower.
Speed of Life was a very well done book.   Carol Weston is a great author!  I want to read more from her!
I love that same sex marriages don't even seem like a big deal anymore, in some circumstances.  That was random, and not a big part of this story, but it was a little detail and I just thought that was neat.  That is wasn't THE story, but just a little detail in the story.  Really good book.  Really REAL.

Not since

Girls like Us have I read a book about people with exceptional abilities, as good as A Step Toward Falling.  Basically I have no idea how to word that sentence.  All I am saying is that I really liked this book and it has been a long time (since Girls Like Us) that I have read a book about people who just happen to have exceptional abilities that was this good!
So, yeah!  I loved all of the characters and even though the book was on the longer side, which you know is a problem for me, I didn't lose interest at all or think that it was getting too long!  It is told in 2 parts and deals with some tough stuff.  Great, great book.  Cammie McGovern also wrote Say What You Will, which I read recently and also loved!

Not So Simple...

Remember Simple Simon?  The guy who met the Pie Man?  Stupid rhyme.  Anyway.  Simon in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is not stupid.  He is a very thoughtful kind of guy.  I liked this guy.   I thought it was neat to be set in near Atlanta, where while not the middle of Georgia, is not exactly NYC or Madison.  And so I am thinking it might be harder (and the character even mentions this) for Simon to be out than others from more cosmopolitan areas. But the world is changing, praise God.  And so someday, hopefully, all will realize that God is not concerned who we love, just that we love.  Sweet little story.

Life is Hard, for everyone!

Through to You was a good, good book.  I gave it five of five stars on goodreads because I thought Lauren Barholdt did a great job of offering insight into why some people act the way they act.  We're all so quick to judge people, especially guys who seem like "jerks" and worse words when they jump from girl to girl or close themselves off from real feelings.  Penn is one of those guys.  But we find out why Penn acts the way he does.  That doesn't excuse his behavior, but it really helps the reader to get a better understanding.  Maybe we all need to just take a chance on people, find out about people, who they are, what they are, and why they are.  No one gets through this world without feeling any pain, pain influences our behavior.  This was a very good relationship study, told from the POV of Penn and Harper, as they try to figure out how to be together, despite their baggage.