The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate Review

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this in order to prep our fourth grade reading unit. My students absolutely loved this book! They would constantly as to read it during the day, and they were disappointed when we had to stop reading (which is definitely not the norm for my kiddos!). This book really got my students thinking and talking to one another about so many different topics, like animal cruelty, zoos, and captivity. I know they learned a lot from this book and they had wonderful conversations with one another. I love this book because it allows children to ask and answer questions about their own morals and feelings regarding complex concepts. I would definitely recommend this book for any fourth or fifth grader (some third grade students may also find this engaging). Can be read independently or aloud, depending on the child’s reading level.

View all my reviews

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch Review

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

This is something I would typically read, so I’m surprised to say that this was one of the better books I’ve read this year! It’s not my favorite, but it was well written and entertaining to say the least. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending and some of the major plot points felt a little rushed, while others dragged on a little too long. I don’t want to say too much about it because that’s half the fun of this book- you’re left in the dark for a while but you slowly start to figure out exactly what’s going on.

It’s strange and different, which was exactly what I needed when I read this. If you’re into science-fiction or you need something completely different from what you’ve been reading, give this one a try.

View all my reviews

Warcross by Marie Lu Review

Warcross by Marie Lu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

I’m writing this review months after reading this book (its July as I type this...) because I dropped the ball on writing reviews. Sorry!! But I’m back and ready to go!

Anyway, this book was well written and I did enjoy the story for the most part. It fell a little flat for me, only because the characters don’t really grow or change much, and the story was pretty predictable. I know I’m not the target audience, so I try not to comment on the content of these books, but I’m so over the romance aspects of the YA genre. It wasn’t the main focus of the book, but Lu focused on the love story a little too often for me.

If you’re into action/ adventure novels with a romantic twist, I’m sure you would love this book! I’m not sure if there are more books in this series, but I’ll probably give the second one a chance later on this year. I’m trying to expand my horizons and read more widely instead of only sticking to YA fiction. Wish me luck!

View all my reviews

Closer Reading by Nancy N. Boyles Review

Closer Reading, Grades 3-6: Better Prep, Smarter Lessons, Deeper Comprehension by Nancy N. Boyles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I participated in a professional development book club this past school year, and I have to say, I’m so glad I was able to discuss the close reading strategies (and rationale supporting those strategies) presented in this book with fellow reading teachers. I’m not kidding when I say every new teacher should read this text, and I’m not really sure why we didn’t read it in college. As a reading teacher in a Title 1 school, I have students who are several years below a fourth grade reading level. The strategies suggested in this book have already proven to be beneficial for my students, and I can’t wait to see even bigger changes when I implement these same strategies at the beginning of this coming school year.

Definitely check this book out if you have any questions about what close reading is or how to implement effective close reading steadies within the classroom. Sorry for the nerdy teacher post- I just love this book!

View all my reviews

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden Review

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my second time reading this book, and my first time reading it as an adult. I remember liking this book when I was a teenager, but I have even more appreciation for it now that I’m older (and sort of wiser, I guess). The storytelling is absolutely beautiful, the characters are dynamic and relatable, and the overall plot is magnificent. Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about this book. One of my teacher friends mentioned that this was her favorite book, so I had to re-read it to see if it was as good as I remembered. It surpassed my expectations, which says a lot considering how critical I am of most literature!!

I have a weird habit of wanting to know everything there is to know about certain topics. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Japanese culture; as an adult, I’m still obsessed. My fiancé and I would love to travel to Japan, and this book caused us to add more destinations to our dream vacation itinerary. I will definitely be adding even more books to my TBR pile as well :)

View all my reviews

Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 2: Godbomb by Jason Aaron Review

Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 2: Godbomb by Jason Aaron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s safe to say that Jason Aaron is quickly becoming my favorite comic book artist/ author (still don’t know what their actual titles are...). I’m still new to the world of comic books, but I can definitely see why people are obsessed with them! Like I said in my last review, the artwork is amazing and I love the overarching plot line. The subplots are great, too, and add a lot to the story. I’m taking a short break from comics but I will pick up more in the near future.

View all my reviews

Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 1: The God Butcher by Jason Aaron Review

Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 1: The God Butcher by Jason Aaron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shockingly, this is the first comic I’ve ever read (besides manga, if you consider it to be in the same genre as comics), and I absolutely loved it!! I’m not surprised that I fell in love with this as soon as I picked it up- the artwork is phenomenal, and the story lines are incredible. One of my fiancé’s friends recommended this author/ artist (what do you call them??) to me. I will definitely be checking out more of this series, as well as different Marvel comics throughout the year. I really enjoyed it and it was a quick read. 10/10 would recommend to a friend!

View all my reviews

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse Review

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you need something depressing and heart-wrenching, this is the novel for you! Obviously anything written about the Dust Bowl/ the Depression is going to be at least a little sad, but this is just downright ghastly. Yes, you should read it because it is a work of art. Be warned, though: you’ll need a whole lot of tissues and chocolate to make you feel better after you’ve finished this book.

View all my reviews

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo Review

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

I’ve been slacking on my reviews, so I’m writing this in July instead of in March like I should have. I remember loving this book, and the series as a whole mostly because I enjoy the mythology aspect of it. The author draws on Russian mythology and religion, which I don’t know much about; that being said, she does a wonderful job incorporating it in a way that makes sense to someone without that knowledge. This was one of my favorite books so far this year!

This is the problem with writing reviews months later- I don’t know what else to say. I would recommend this book/ series/ author to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy (or fantasy in general), or anyone looking for something unique. This isn’t your typical teen fantasy with lots of romance involved. There’s a love interest, for sure, but it wasn’t overwhelming or overdone, in my opinion. I would love to read more books from this author in the future :)

View all my reviews

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon Review

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Most romance/ love stories are not my style, but I absolutely loved this book! I seriously cannot say enough good things about it- I love that the perspective switches between Dimple and Rishi’s point of view, without getting cheesy or too predictable. There are some awesome plot twists that I didn’t see coming. Oh, and did I mention that this is an emotional rollercoaster? Well, it is. Overall, it’s a heartwarming story that manages to address so many relevant cultural and social issues in about 400 pages. Seriously, check this out ASAP and you can thank me later!

View all my reviews