whatcha readin'? {goal 48 - book 16}

BROKEN COUNTRY - CLARE LESLIE HALL
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Book 16/48 (JUNE)
*possible small spoiler alert

I really struggled with what
to rate this one.
I loved the writing.
And the story really carried me along.
Yet…part of me wanted to rate it lower…
but then I realized that it was not because
of the book, not because of the writing and
also not because I didn’t love the characters.
But I didn’t love what one of the characters did.
(Two really but one for sure.)
And I realized after that
this is more from an emotional hurt that
I still carry
rather than anything to do with the book.

And the fact that it made me feel that strongly
should count for something.

And it sounds like there might be a movie adaptation
of this one at some point! :)

NEXT UP: THE WIFE - MEG WOLITZER

whatcha readin'? {goal 48 - book 15}

Well, I just wrote a full book review
and realized I was thinking of the wrong book
and had to start all over.

I didn’t love this book.
It was a meh for me…I felt like
the “enemies” part was trying too hard.
And that the story line
was just fair.

This one will be going in the “give-away” pile.
I didn’t hate it. I just didn’t love it.

❤️❤️❤️’s out of 5 ❤️’s

NEXT UP: BROKEN COUNTRY - CLARE LESLIE HALL

whatcha readin'? (goal 48 - book 14)

I read Writers & Lovers in May.
🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵out of 5 🩵’s

This was one of those
"got pulled in by the cover"
"found at a book sale randomly"
kind of deals but I am so glad I did.

I have had Lily King on my list
of “should read” for a long time
and it was well worth the hype.
It was a little hard to read because
her loss made me think of my own
and maybe it felt a little too soon
but if I avoided all books that
touch on loss, the pickings would be slim.

And sometimes, reading about something
can unleash your own words…
and they may have never come out otherwise.

words escaped like:

read this book curled up
in the swing
by the setting sun,
gingham b&w ruffled pjs,
bare feet,
loving the book…so loving the book.

and also

…I cried because I was so happy for her
(redacted why - spoiler alert)…
and partly because I was still so sad
for both of us -
motherless daughters now
watching for the geese to go
but waiting so much harder
for them to come back
and my heart broke open
a little bit
and my words rushed out
in a gush,
in a torrent,
full of happiness and regret and loss
and love.

And I love when a book makes me want to pick up a pen.

*special guest star in first photo is
the lemon graham cracker pie from
Ruby’s Counter! DEEE-LICIOUS

NEXT UP: ENEMIES TO LOVERS - Laura Jane Williams

whatcha readin'? {goal 48 - book 13} 📖

This one is definitely a re-read for me.
I have read all of these books so many times
over the years, I have completely lost count.

I devoured this one weekend when I thought
I screwed up my back again…
so I lost myself in the land of Anne.
Picnics, antics of Davey & Dora,
big decisions, amusing predicaments
and, of course, Gilbert. ♥

I will never not love these books.
They transport me immediately
to my childhood, to laying upside down
on an arm chair,
eating apples,
with nothing else to do
except read all day long.

My dad once told me that
one of his favorite memories
was that when I was a kid,
I would come out to the shed
where he worked, way before the big garage…
but the shed where he worked on
snowmobiles and dirt bikes,
built windmills and ice boats…
and I would sit silently on the steps to the loft
and read while he worked,
neither of us talking
but it was just enough
to be in close proximity of him.

I think of that
and I think of him remembering that
and it gives me a
glowworm in my heart.
I was loved. I loved and was loved.
They might not be here now…
but that love remains.

I got sidetracked. Sorry, Lucy Maud. 🤭

“I like to fancy souls as being made of light. And some are all shot through with rosy stains and quivers…and some have a soft glitter like moonlight on the sea…and some are pale and transparent like mist at dawn…”

This makes me happy now in a way
I would have not understood when I was a kid
or even 5 years ago.
But I understand it now.

Also not to make this way too long
but can we just take a second to
admire these BEAUTIFUL FRIGGING COVERS?
This series is done by Ellie McKay
and I am in love and going to get the whole series.
These are definitely keepers for me.

💙💙💙💙💙’s out of 5

NEXT UP: WRITERS & LOVERS - Lily King

🚀whatcha readin'? {goal 48 - book 12} 🧑🏻‍🚀

I actually read 3 books so far in May
but I am choosing to only talk about this one
today
because I loved it so much
AND because it pushed me into a black hole spiral
of weird hyper fixation that
books will sometimes do to me.

The book is Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir).

I opened the book on my lunch at work
and there was a diagram of a rocket ship
with words like centrifuge and thrust and spin drives
and I felt myself shifting
into the “this must become a project” mode of my brain.

This is not a mode I can plan or control.
Or explain. Or deny.

So I fully enjoyed reading the book.
I love the characters & relationship between Ryland & Rocky.
The humor. The frustrations. The problem solving.
The plot twists I did not see coming.

And I cannot wait to see the movie
(have I had a small but large crush on Ryan Gosling
ever since the Notebook and Crazy Stupid Love…yes.)

While reading the book, I drew random aliens
and space ships, watched videos for kids on the solar system,
and looked up words I didn’t know the meaning of.

AND IT WAS SO FUN.

wanna know SOME SPACE FACTS?
🚀Mars has blue sunsets
👽Venus spins backwards
🚀The sun is actually a star made of hydrogen & helium
👽One year on Neptune = 165 years on earth
I can keep going.
But I’ll spare you. 🤭
I rated this book 5/5 🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀

NEXT UP: Anne of Avonlea - LM Montgomery