July Books

 

Middle grade fantasy about a poor girl who is able to become a mapmaker's assistant and then goes on a voyage to map far distant places. She meets many people and becomes part of many stories. She also gains understanding into her father and many others. 

Middle grade historical fiction about the pandemic. Pretty accurate too about the general fear, shelter in place, disruption of life, etc. 

Middle grade fiction written in poetry form concerning a girl who has Kleptomania. I didn't much care for it, but if that's what you're looking for it will do. 

Middle grade fiction about a Japanese American girl who tries to follow her dreams and comes against walls where she thought friends were, and friends where she never though possible. It's actually one of my favorite MGF I've read this year. 

Lectures about the cities / states in area of Italy during the 15th and 16th century. I was hoping for more about the people, the arts, and so forth. This was more about their culture and the different areas becoming unified and so forth. 

A true story of a few families from a small town in Poland, date ranging from 1920's to post WWII and beyond. The main part is about the family's survival in the forest staying away from the Nazis. It's good, but sometimes its hard to continue to read about how horrible a time it was. 

I appreciated that this information was audio so I could listen while I was driving or washing dishes etc. However, I almost didn't finish. The lecturer resorts to juvenile jokes / comments in attempt to draw in the listener. This technique would most likely work for the high school student and perhaps even lift the professor in the eyes of said student, but for those that want simply pure information it gets old fast. 

Historical fiction about Marjorie Post. I like books like this because I go from knowing nothing about her to having insight into her life. The book follows her marriages (I think there were 4?) and what she accomplished / learned / suffered in them. It also includes things she accomplished with her fortune, including charities and building hospitals for example. Oh, and massive homes. The facts were pretty spot on. I wonder about the book though for all the divorces were the other guy's fault and Marjorie comes away looking like the innocent victim of all 4 divorces. Perhaps it is so, but she comes off almost too perfect. 

Rebekah asked me to read this one as well. It's a story about the connection of two families and the curse that follows them. Apparently many years ago there was a feud between two people of the different families and a "witch" cursed them so that they would learn to get along, however she was just learning and now the curse has continued through the generations. Now there's two kids, born the same day - usually have one big birthday party - and when they stop getting along and have separate birthday parties the two are forced to relive their birthday until they fix the issue. It's fun. It think Rebekeah would enjoy it. 

Just not incredibly moving or anything. 

A fascinating lecture series about the crusades including lectures on the different religions involved, what each believes, why each were fighting, and how in some instances the crusades are still going on today. Probably the best info I've collected on the crusades yet. 

Middle grade fiction with a musical twist. The main character is a young boy who is a very talented musician who loves Chopin. The book starts with him transitioning to a new teacher, but you learn he's transitioning to 6th grade, his father is away with work, and other such things. The main voice in the book is the bird who comes and listens to him play, eventually loving it so much that she sings with him. It's a pretty good book, however the voice of the bird makes it seem younger - more for less mature audiences. 

This middle grade fiction started out well enough: girl is getting poor grades, wants a dog, dad said she could get a dog if she all A grades, they make a compromise. I even liked how the siblings were very academically gifted and the main character struggled. But then it went off the rails: the older girl sibling was in a physically abusive relationship, the main character lies to get what she wants, the neighbors who she works with are living alternative life styles, you find out the mom died through racial medical neglect, the son gets pulled over by the police because he has darker skin, you find out the older girl is accepted in society more because she has lighter skin - which the main character does not have, etc and so on. It's like the first half of the book is tame and then the second goes out of control. It's borderline too much. 

Rebekah asked me to read this middle grade fiction book about a magical town and of course, a curse. It's fun. Benign. Magic without an evil Voldemort type character. For example: one kid goes around doing good with his "know how" (a piece of what's left of the magic). I think Rebekah might enjoy it if she read it but it would be nothing I'd go out of my way to suggest for her. 

A fictional novel set in the swamp down in Southern Mississippi about two teenage girls and the life they lead. Basically they come from hard family relationships and end up both committing murder. So, yeah, not the best book. It compares itself to Where the Crawdads Sing and I suppose I can understand the comparison, but the Crawdads had moments of beauty within the writing. This was just hard and dark.

A rather eat and somewhat obvious - although maybe not obvious - look at healthy eating. I like the rules. Simple and easy to remember. Mainly a return to real food. Sections fall in What should I eat? Food. Why types of food should I eat? Mostly plants. And, How much should I eat? Not too much. See, pretty basic. Basic but good. 

The story of a spy from Russia. I read this mainly for my fascination of Russia history and in that aspect it did not disappoint. I found it fascinating, especially things like the shift from spying on England to joining forces and spying for England during WWII. And then of course the Cold War and Stalin's purges. Fascinating.