The quarantine has forced us all to stay in/around our homes. Aside from dog walks and now, trips to the private beaches in town, I have been busy in the house. I’ve reorganized the pantry and kitchen, we started to put in new flooring, we’ve updated our deck — we’ve been busy, but through that busy, I’ve tried to make time to read. Admittedly, taking my spring course-load and two summer courses has slowed me down but I’ve been trying to read lighter books to keep me balanced.

Here the books I managed to get through in the spring:

1 Becoming by Michelle Obama

There’s so much to say about this book; it was refreshing and real and pretty much everything I would have expected by the former First Lady. I found the writing to be equal parts authentic and warm. On a personal level, I was moved by her openness around fertility struggles. I am an instant fan of anyone willing to openly discuss their experiences around this and I had no idea I could like and respect her more prior to reading this text but I now do.

2 Open Book by Jessica Simpson

I’ll happily admit to being a JSimps fan since her show Newlyweds aired. I had no idea about some of the darkness she experienced or her struggles. Though none of them surprised me, the raw and open information she shared about herself hit the mark — she mentioned in the book that her goal was to make you feel like you were talking to her and it really did. Overall, I found this book to be kind of sad — a lot of people took advantage of her throughout her life but she discusses her resiliency and hope.

3 Evicted by Matthew Desmond

Evicted told the tale of housing issues throughout the city of Detroit. It was written in the early 2000s and documented first-hand accounts of experiences as renters and landlords. This book was heavy and eye-opening about the renters market, eviction process, and dynamic between both renter/landlord.

4 Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan

I had high hopes for this book. I can appreciate the introvert tendencies because I relate heartily to them. Though the sense of humor of the writer and my sense of humor are not the same, I think a number of others would also appreciate this text.

5 Rules for Being a Girl by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno

Since I will be starting as a middle school librarian in the fall, I have been trying to read more YA literature. This is one that I enjoyed — it was nice to read another piece from the SATC visionary. This was a quick read — read it in a few hours.

6-10 I plowed through four of Jasmine Guillory’s books; these are great if you’re looking for a light love-story that’s fairly predictable which was really nice to read during these times. Guillory has another book that’s either newly released or coming out soon and I’m looking forward to reading it soon as well: The Wedding Date, The Proposal, The Wedding Party, and Royal Holiday.

11 Accused! by Larry Dane Brimner

This book was heavier than I’d prefer but in my quest to read more YA literature, I came across this one. There are a number of elements of race and a deep sense of helplessness that came with reading about these young boys/young men being accused of rape by two white women. It is a powerful read that can be used to understand how society places value on white voices while suppressing black ones.

12 March: Book One by John Lewis

Prior to finding this book while perusing the YA section of the Libby app, I had no idea John Lewis had been a part of writing a book. I believe there are three in this series, all of which progress in the coverage of the Civil Rights Movement. Admittedly, I am not a big graphic novel fan — but I am trying to branch out and read more so that I can better engage with my students in the fall. This book really lays out ideas and history in a clear way and is great for middle schoolers.

I am on a bit of a reading hiatus as I slog through hundreds of pages about government resources, primary sources, and digital media this summer but I am hoping to delve into more YA texts and a few more fun reads before the school year begins.

Much of my fall has been taken up with class-based readings. I did make time to finish two books recommended for one class and a few non-academic reads based on interests in health and nutrition and a couple pleasure reads during my trips to South Carolina and DC/VA.

Grain Brain by David Perlmutter, MD

This book was really interesting. I am trying to be more deliberate in my focus to choose healthy, nourishing foods. I don’t want an onset of health issues for things I can control; thus, I checked this book out of my local library. It had a lot of information on issues grain consumption causes — most of which I already knew and some of which I’ve experienced. It was a nice reminder about why we choose the foods we do to cook.

Whole30 by Melissa Hartwig & Dallas Hartwig

My husband and I have talked about doing another Whole30. We held off for the fall but I think that the holiday season will be too rich and we will want to do one in January just to get our bodies back in working order. I like to get a jump start on the new year challenges by reviewing this to get into the right mindset. We normally don’t go through the whole thirty days but it’s a great reset and we do like to follow it strictly for a couple of weeks at least.

Whole30 Cookbook by Melissa Hartwig

I check this out on occasion; mostly when I want some ideas on easy and healthy dinners. I’ve been making a lot of Whole30 meals that are just simply roasted chicken and vegetables.

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

This was an assigned book for class but I thought I’d review it since it’s not a text book per se. It had a lot of interesting thoughts regarding the benefits of video gaming. I tried to read it with an open mind and there were definitely parts that stood out to me but I’m not yet convinced that video games are a form of technology I’d welcome into my home.

It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by Danah Boyd

This was another book assigned for class. This one I really thought was interesting. There were a lot of takeaways about technology and how it extends the social context of teens that I could appreciate. I also liked views about teen’s changing voice to fit the expectations of those viewing their online presence and how/what they decide to keep hidden from everyone. If you have tweens or teens, I think this is worth a read.

The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, PhD and Davir R Cross, PhD

I checked this book out from my school’s library because my husband and I have had some concerns about sensory processing with our toddler (mostly because he’s had some school struggles at school and it’s largely been described to us that he has difficulty when high-chaos is ever-present). There is some great information in here for adoptive parents and also some really positive suggestions. Personally, I appreciated the information about issues that may arise from/with the first two years of life and development.

Living with Tracheomalacia by the Esophogeal and Airway Treatment Center at Boston Children’s Hospital.

This was an e-book published by Children’s Hospital and I read it because my son has this diagnosis. While we have his issues largely under control, I still felt it informative and helpful in understanding some of his medical issues.

The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary

Wow. This was such a loaded text to read. There were a lot of takeaways around ego and supporting our children. I actually wrote down a number of excerpts for my husband to read because I thought he’d be interested in improving some aspects of parenting as well. I really took this text to heart. It was surprisingly quick to read (I read most of it on my flight to Charleston) and was loaded with great suggestions, thoughtful questions, and a good bit of reader engagement. I have already recommended this book to others and think it’s really a great resource for any parent and/or anyone who engages with children.

I can’t date Jesus by Michael Arceneaux

I started reading this on the flight to Charleston when I finished The Conscious Parent and just waited and waited for whatever the humor I was expecting to pop out at me. It never did and while I’m sure some people would find this book engaging, I, personally, did not. I did appreciate the actual writing style of the author and his candor in sharing such personal and intimate details of his life but the humor I expected based on the title certainly fell short for me. I’m not sure that I would or wouldn’t recommend this book to someone else; I guess it would depend upon what that person is looking for…

Where’d you go, Bernadette: a novel by Maria Semple

This book was pretty wild — I loved the story line and even though the end felt a bit rushed, it was a really fun read. I started this on the plane ride to DC and finished it that night while 4 slept. The character development was nicely done but the character relationships at times seemed a bit disjointed/forced; otherwise, I would recommend this as a beach read/something similar because it flows nicely and the plot-line is easy to follow.

Other People’s Houses by Abbi Waxman

This book was a fictional doozy! It really started with a bang. I started this on my flight home from DC and finished it the following weekend. It’s light and scandalous and exactly what every small-town, tightly-knit school community can relate to (even in a far-fetched kind of way). This would be a great beach read — the storyline jumps around a bit more because of the style of book, but I still enjoyed it.

I have tried to take some time this summer to get back into the swing of my reading. I usually am able to tear through a few books between semesters and with the summer, I try to get through a book every week or two. I started the summer with a recommendation from a student in my Children’s Lit course. After that, I started to take recommendations from an online book club on Facebook that I am in. I like nice, light summer reads but picked up a heavier book along the way and ended up finishing it the day I started it. I am taking a couple of graduate courses in the fall and so I’m really trying to get in my recreational reading before textbook requirements, again, take over my time.

We’re going to need more wine: stories that are funny, complicated, and true
by Gabrielle Union.

I was curious to see what she had to say, as I knew she and DW struggled with infertility. That was ultimately what piqued my interest. This was a really light and relatable read. It was quick and I got through it by just reading for a little nightly over the course of time I’d checked it out from the library. I like books that can discuss heavy material at times and balance it with humor and understanding. This did just that for me.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
by Kelly Harms.

I LOVED this book. I read it at the beach and got through about half in one day. It was my beach read while the kids were at their summer camps and I had a few hours (9-12) to kill. It was light and also sending signs from the universe, since the protagonist is a librarian and I’m going back to school to be one. I just really appreciated the lightness of the text and the realness of the toll motherhood can take sometimes.

When all is Said: a novel
by Anne Griffin.

Wow. I read this book in one day, mostly at the beach. The reading was light in terms of the writing; really easy to get through and the story flowed simply. It was really heavy though. As an empath, I had to take a few breaths once I finished and honestly, if I’d gone to the next day, I think that I would have left it behind because I literally spent an entire day reading it/crying. Still, if you’re looking for perspective of losing a loved one, this may provide you with some. This book had me thinking about what I would say/think about how my life was molded in my final days. I will likely write about my five people in separate posts when I have the time to sit down and figure out who those five people would be — at first thought, I have three.

From the jacket: If you had to pick five people to sum up your life, who would they be? If you had to raise a glass to each of them, what would you say? And what would you learn about yourself, when all is said?

How to Party with an Infant
by Kaui Hart Hemmings.

Eh. I could take or leave this book. I wasn’t really into the overall writing style or narration of this but the character development and plot line were okay. The protagonist was relatable but the supporting characters often fell flat for me. It was a light read though and quick.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
by Abbi Waxman.

This book was cute and light; a very straightforward and simple rom-com, basically. I liked the main character and found her relatable (hello, anxiety and a deep appreciation of literature). I found the setting charming and the family dynamic, once revealed, entertaining, sweet, and earnest. For me, this started as a beach read and ended with an SVU marathon while my husband and son were away for the weekend. * The ONLY complaint is that this is the second book in a row (Party with Infant) I’ve read where there was mention of accidental edibles consumption/intentional edibles deceit. Not really my cup of tea and I don’t find it humorous, but that’s my own opinion on the matter.

The Unhoneymooners
by Christina Lauren

I read this book in a day. The character development was seamless and the plot was forthright. There was foreshadowing and overall, this was a nice, light read. I liked Lauren’s writing style and actually picked up another of her books when I was at the library to read. This was recommended to me in an online book club and while it was predictable, I found it enjoyable.

You’ve Been Volunteered
by Laurie Gleman

I loved Class Mom, so when I saw that her sequel was out, I had to grab it. (Well, I had to be 16th in line to check out at my local library.) I appreciate the snark and wit woven through the fabric of this book. My husband was a room parent for years and the emails from the other room parents can definitely be over the top, so I appreciated the candor and comedy surrounding this text.

My Favorite Half-Night Stand
by Christina Lauren

This book was on the stand near the computers when I was picking up You’ve Been Volunteered, so I grabbed it. The writing is clean and light; just as The Unhoneymooners. The perspective switched between the two lead characters about their relationship, thoughts, and feelings. It took a few chapters to settle into that format but afterwards, it was quick and easy. I recommend if you’re looking for something easy and mindless, as most of my summer reads have been.

Next Level Basic
by Stassi Schroeder

This book popped up during my library search as a “suggested book” — I learned that this gal has her own show, so I think if you’re a fan of hers/know who she is, you may get more out of it. I appreciated her forthright honesty about ‘being basic’ and we share a mutual love of Chrissy Teigan. If you’re looking for a book to read in a couple of hours that doesn’t leave you stressed, this may be the book for you.

Honestly, I am typically not interested at all in chic-lit. I think it’s awful because it’s normally terribly written and frankly,  it’s silly. That being said, I have enjoyed taking a break with really light reads this summer. It’s been a nice retreat to read without a ton of post-reading thoughts lingering.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I started to read in on our flight to Disney and then just couldn’t get wrapped up, so I’ve been using it as my emergency book at the beach (basically, something to read when I have nothing else). This one is in progress and will be as my semester picks up.

I try to get as much reading in as I can. I always find myself trying to do what the kids do (and I always used to assign as a secondary ELA teacher): Read for 20 minutes a night. This is simply something that doesn’t work for me. I want to try to read for 20 minutes nightly with magazines I have laying around the house; but books — I need a solid few hours so that I can get through most, if not all, of the text. I was fortunate that my husband worked from home one day a week this summer and I could go to the beach and just read and go for walks; he also took the kids on a few day trips, which opened up some reading time for me. I knocked three books out during my trip to PA to visit my parents.

With the fall semester looming, I know that I won’t have as much time to read as I did this summer. My goal is to knock out 1-2 books per month, reading on weekends after yoga or while my husband and the kids are at church. We have a few weekend plans in place because we want to do more ‘family dates’ but I think that just being in a place to read and relax with a good book has been great for me and I’d like to keep that up.