Patterns for Life: An Orthodox Reflection on Charlotte Mason Education by Lisa Rose and Laura E. Wolfe - link to my post (gift copy from Kansas Dad)
The Ghost Keeper by Natalie Morrill - This was a second read (first read here), along with my book club. I enjoyed it as much or more than the first time through. Discussing it with my book club opened up even more thoughts and perspectives for me, so I do recommend reading it with a friend or a group. I haven't given it to my daughter to read. She's definitely old enough (eighteen year old senior), but very busy and tends to read much lighter things in her free time, which is fine with me. Like any book set in the time of World War II, there is violence, child loss, trauma, and heartbreak. (purchased used)
How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson - I heard a poem from this book on the Poetry for All podcast and grabbed it from the library. The poems are set in the 1950s as a young African American girl grows into her early teen years, based loosely on the poet's own life as a young girl when her father was in the Army and they lived in many different places. They are readable and enjoyable, even though they cover some difficult topics. Recommended. (library copy)
The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World by David Robson - link to my post (library copy; then purchased a copy)
The Kate in Between by Claire Swinarski - This is a middle grade novel that explores social media, bullying, friendship, and relationships. It's surprisingly good. Kate is trying to figure out who she wants to be in middle school. Her parents are divorced, but her dad is a steadying and supporting influence. It's probably not great literature, but it does encourage the reader to ask questions about how we live in today's world. (library copy)
Seren of the Wildwood by Marly Youmans - Youmans is the author of Charis in the World of Wonders, one of my favorite books, so I immediately added this book to my wish list. It's a narrative poem intertwining myth and fairy tales. It's wonderful, but also weird and tragic. The book itself is gorgeous, and not just the cover. The poem's stanzas fit on facing pages, or sometimes a single page with woodcut-type illustrations. A well-made book is a treasure in a world that puts so many of our words on screens. My ability to understand or explain the poem is inadequate, but I found some useful and interesting reviews online: Front Porch Republic, Strange Horizons, and The Catholic World Report. I will definitely be reading it again. (received as a gift from my family)
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