Children's and YA Lit: Keeping Pace

I love middle grade novels and am always amazed by the high quality out there for kids.

Keeping Pace caught my eye because as a family of runners, I'll pretty much read anything about running.  And this story does not disappoint.

Grace and Jonah grew up as best friends. But Jonah's dad died about the same time Grace's parents were divorcing and somehow the two became rivals, competing to win the award for who has the highest GPA in their class.

Grace decides to run a half-marathon over the summer and Jonah has apparently decided the same thing.  The two occasionally run together to train - each time Grace realizes she enjoys Jonah's company.  However, Grace has her eyes firmly set on beating Jonah in something.

This story is more than a book about running, though.  It's a story about friendship and growing up and accepting that life isn't only about achievements and checklists. 

This book is just a perfect blend of so many things.  My girls are a little too old to pick it up, but for middle school girls (or boys) this is a great story.

Waiting on Wednesday: Summer Pact

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

Due out: July 9, 2024

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends make a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and law school hopeful from D.C.; Summer, a recruited athlete and perfectionist from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after moving into their shared dorm, they strike up a conversation in a study lounge, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, a pact is made to be there for each other in their time of need, no matter how separated they are by circumstances or distance.
 
Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance. 

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides to help pick up the pieces?

Waiting on Wednesday: Same Bright Stars

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released title I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella

Due out July 2, 2024

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the author of the Read with Jenna Bonus Pick A Little Hope, an uplifting and emotionally resonant novel set in a Delaware beach town about a local restaurant owner at a turning point.

Three generations of Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant and Jack has been at the helm since the death of his father. Jack puts the demands of the restaurant above all else, with a string of failed relationships, no hobbies, and no days off as proof of his commitment to the place. He can’t remember the last time he sat on the beach, or even enjoyed a moment to himself.

Meanwhile, the DelDine group has been gradually snapping up beloved eateries along this stretch of coast and are pursuing Jack with a very generous offer to take Schmidt’s off his hands.

Jack craves companionship and maybe even a family. He wonders if closing the door on the restaurant might open a new window for him. But who would he be without Schmidt’s, and can he trust DelDine’s claims that they will continue to employ his staff and honor his family’s legacy?

When he receives startling news from the past, Jack begins to reshape his life and forge unexpected new friendships. But will he really let go of the very things that have defined him?

Monday Mini-Reviews: Romances

 I don't read a ton of romances, but I generally enjoy them when I do.  My daughters are all in the phase where they enjoy rom-coms and chick lit books a lot.  Often I can hand off the romances I read to them.  However, the last three I read are definitely more open door than I feel comfortable giving to them. (I'm totally fine with them reading them on their own, but I won't be pressing them into their hands).

Done And Dusted by Lyla Sage is the first in the Rebel Blue Ranch series set on a ranch in Wyoming.  Emmy returns home after a bad fall from her horse that has left her unable to ride at all.  She's always found her brother Gus' best friend, Luke, to be annoying- definitely not someone she would spend time with.  But Luke isn't who Emmy thought he was and when he volunteers to help her get back to riding again, she takes him up on his offer.  This the familiar frenemies to friends to lovers trope which I always enjoy.  The second in this series is already out and I know I'll be picking it up soon.

Before I Let You Go by Kennedy Ryan is the first in the Skyland series.  Ryan is a new-to-me author, but she is quickly becoming an auto-read author and I can't wait for the third installment to be published.

This first book features Yasmen and Josiah a couple who was so in love that they couldn't ever imagine being apart.  But after a series of devastating losses, the two can't seem to find their way together and eventually divorce.  Narrated by both Yasmen and Josiah, we can see their thoughts and perspectives as they navigate being single, yet working together and raising children together.  And trying to deal with the fact that they both are still in love with each other.  

The second installment in the Skyland series features Soledad Barnes, one of Yasmen's best friends.  Soledad is the mother to three girls and unhappily married.  This book features the demise of Soledad's marriage and the aftershocks she must deal with as her ex was even more devious and dishonest than anyone would expect.  

I liked that Yasmen makes many appearances in this novel and we continue to see how her story plays out.  And I can't wait to read Hendrix's story in the third installment.  

All of these books are predictable as far as romances go. I knew who each woman would end up with and that the road to get there would be full of challenges, but that true love would prevail.  These three books are steamy, but the stories are also engaging and kept me turning pages.

I'm glad I have a few more by these authors that I will get to enjoy soon.

Friday Five

Just when I think spring has arrived, winter comes back for a while.  We had snow again the other night and I have skipped two of Little Sister's track meets because it is just too cold. 

I've found a few things to share this week. I haven't had a lot of time to browse online since this is the time of year that things really pick up at school. 

Enjoy!

 

1.  Puff Sleeve Button Front Shirt in Liberty Arrow Floral Fabric

2.  Sleeveless Ruffle Top

3. BDG Saylor Spliced Quarter Zip Sweatshirt

4. Hotty Hot High-Rise Lined Short 4"

5.  Open Stitch Sweater

6.  Joni Crewneck Top

7.  Liv Textured Top

8.  Women's Signature Original Cotton Sweater

9.  The Bureau Matisse Floral Long Sleeve Tee

10.  Quiet On Set

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Kid Lit Thursday: The Book That Can Read Your Mind

Several years ago I happened upon a read aloud that my students were crazy about.  Press Here by Herve Tullet was a fun and interactive story I shared with all my elementary students and each time the students were rapt with attention.

The Book That can Read Your Mind is just as engaging and fun. 

Although I'm now in the middle school, this book has been a winner with my students at school.  The way this book is able to "read your mind" makes everyone who hears it pause and think - and want to see if I can read their mind again. 

I know there's some type of math involved as each listener picks an audience member and reveals what row the character they have picked is in.  When intermission occurs and the characters move, they reveal the row their character is now in.  And from that information the reader is able to determine which audience member the listener picked.  

Ta-da!  Mind reading has occurred.  

I have been surprised how many middle school kids love this one and already know that elementary students will all want to get a chance to pick the audience member to see if their mind can be read.

This is a must purchase; in fact you might want to get two copies.  I envision that this will be a favorite that kids will fight over.

Waiting on Wednesday: Summer Romance

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released title I can't wait to read.

 This week's title: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Due out June 4, 2024

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

The heart-tugging and hilarious story of a professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past, from the bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer and Nora Goes Off Script.

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?

Monday Mini-Reviews: Five Star Read

 

The first quarter of 2024 is already over and I've read an amazing amount of great books.

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan is my latest five-star read; this one was nearly impossible to put down.

Narrated by a few different characters, we see how Nina's disappearance affects her family and her boyfriend's family.  But what happened to Nina? This story reads like a true-crime novel, aided by the fact that the plotline sounds a lot like the Gabby Petito case from 2021 when Gabby was killed by her fiance while they were on a trip across the United States.

This story doesn't entirely follow the Petito case, but there are certainly similarities and I appreciated the different points of view.  This was a book I could barely put down, and I wouldn't be surprised if this one finds itself in my best of list at year's end. 

Sometimes I don't like the resolution in suspense novels, but this one hit just right for me.  I'm hoping a few of my friends will read this one so I have someone to talk it over with.  

Waiting on Wednesday: The Rom-Commers

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released title I can't to read.

This week's pick: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center 

Due out: June 11, 2024

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.


Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

Friday Five

 Happy Snowy Friday!  Although it's the end of March,  I drove through snow this morning on my way to school.  I'm hoping it is short-lived. I am ready for spring!

Here are the things that caught my eye this week:

1.  Athena Sweater

2.  Waist Defined Shirred Jumpsuit

3.  High Rise 70s Flare Jeans

4.  Open Stitch Sweater

5.  Easy Long Sleeve Rugby Tee

6.  Martha Stewart Bobs Sesame

7.  High Rise Light Pink Jogger

8.   Eyelet Mini Shirtdress

9.  Circle of Hope Brass Earrings

10.  We Were the Lucky Ones - I loved this book by Georgia Hunter and at some point I will watch this movie.

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?