August Book Report

I worked hard to get through the 2017 Summer Book Bingo but missed it by a few books. OK I missed it by 6 books but I'm still planning to read them. I had a month of books that I didn't really love except the first one I read. However, I've already turned that around in September which thrills me to no end. 

I read "1984" by George Orwell for the "Published the year one of your parents was born" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. 1984 is an amazing book. This book was simply amazing even though it took me longer to finish than it should have. One line hit too close to current events and summed up the book so well - "Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship." I know why 1984 is a classic. 

I read "You are a Badass" by Jen Sinciero for the "You've been meaning to read" category. I was so excited to read this book. It honestly it was a slog to get through. I've been reading it since the beginning of July and just did not connect with her message. All of it sounded like something I've heard before and things I actually say. I could see where this could be a message for others but for me, there wasn't a connection. 

I read "Goodbye Vitamin" by Rachel Khong for the "Finish in a day" category. Another book I just felt meh about. I enjoyed the writing and the subject matter was interesting but somewhere along the way I didn't love it but I still finished it in a day! It was a Seattle Refined book club pick and the discussion about it was amazing! I love our book club. You can watch our discussion on SeattleRefined.com.

I read "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield for the "About art or an artist" category. Another book I just felt meh about. It felt a bit too preach to me but I'm still glad I read it since it has been in my list for ages. I think I had too many "self-help" books this month and I was not in a "self-help" mood. 

Yearly Book Total: 31/52

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something from a link, I receive a very small percentage back. 

July Book Report

I didn't get through as many books as I envisioned last month while on vacation but I did get through 4 really good books. I'm chugging away at the 2017 Summer Book Bingo and checking off my boxes. 

I read "Stories of Your Life and Others (Arrival)" by Ted Chiang for the "Adapted into a movie" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. This is a collection of stories with the one, Arrival being based on a short one within this book. I preferred the movie version but have been thinking a lot about another of the stories - Tower of Babylon. It is the story of Babylon as told from one of the miners and it was so entertaining. I am vastly interested in the stories behind the Bible and what was historically happening at that time. I felt like this story was one that could have been true, one that had little to do with worshiping God. 

I read "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin for the "Choose a book by its cover" category. Rubin took on a project to see if she could influence her happiness over the course of a year. I loved her ideas and some of her goals. They were all great ideas. One idea I've really taken away is, Boomerang Errands. Boomerang Errands are those ones that you attempt to complete but keep coming back to you for various reasons. i.e. You go to the doctor but then get sent for tests and appointments with other doctors so you never quite finish the task of going to the doctor. 

I read "The rules do not apply" by Ariel Levy for the "Biography or memoir" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. Levy was at the top of her game in a passionate marriage and a baby on the way when she lost it all. She was on assignment in Mongolia when she gave birth at only 5 months along. When she returned home, her wife left for rehab and her world fell apart. Levy's writing drew me in. I was practically unable to stop reading while at the same time itching to write like her. This is one book I think everyone should read. It is unapologetic and heartbreaking. 

I read "The Widow Nash" by Jamie Harrison for the "Fiction" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. Dulcy has lived her entire life overshadowed by her father, Walton and his travels around the world as he chases cures for his syphilis. On his last trip, he loses a fortune and gains the wrath of his business partner and Dulcy's ex-finance, shortly before dying . As Dulcy travels from Seattle to New York with her sister and her father's body, she decides to disappear. Things get interesting from there. This was also a Refined Reads.

Yearly Book Total: 27/52

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something from a link, I receive a very small percentage back. 

June Book Report

I was a reading machine this month and got through 6 books. The 2017 Summer Book Bingo is helping to keep my head in a book which I love! I also discovered a few new authors and read some really interesting books. 

For the LGBTQIA author or character" category, I read "Every Heart A Doorway" by Seanan McGuire in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. I LOVED this book. This was a beautiful book with so much packed into its' slim pages. It is the story of children who attend a special boarding school made up of kids who have visited other magical lands. I wasn't sure how she was going to pack so much information in to so few pages but it was perfect. 

 "The Call of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft fit into the "Genre that is new to you" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. This was a crazy and awesome story of horror. I can see why H.P. Lovecraft was inspirational to so many writers. Creepy story!

My super quick read was "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman for the "Recommended by a young person" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo.. This was recommended to me by the students of a middle school teacher and I loved it. Each chapter is told by a different person but it all revolves around an empty lot that is slowly turned into a garden. I loved the short chapters about various people involved in the transformation of one vacant lot. 

• In the "Washington state author" category was "A Year Right Here" by Jess Thomson in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. This is the story of a Thomson's pledge to explore the world where she is rather than far-flung places abroad. I started the book excited to discover more about the food and locations near me. Kirk Thomson, I live in Ballard and love food. Unlike Thomson, my children do not have a disability. This book chronicles both her journey and her family's journey as they work to help their son with his disability. I do wish there has been more adventures in the here. Due to life circumstances she didn't go huckleberry picking and never ventured east of the mountains to see what most of Washington's farmland has to offer. 

Last year, I read "My Name is Lucy Barton" and this year Elizabeth Strout wow'd me with "Anything is Possible" for the "Recommended by an independent bookseller" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. This was the Refined Reads pick for June and the discussion was way more fascinating than I expected.  This is a story of small town people and how they cope with their devastating pasts, love and losses. I read this book so fast and always love all of Elizabeth Strout's books. I felt heartache and joy for all the characters.

I read "Ways to Disappear" by Idra Novey for the "Set in another country" category in the 2017 Summer Book Bingo. An author goes up into a tree in Brazil and disappears. Her American book translator arrives to help her family find the author, shenanigans happen from there. This was a very entertaining book.

Yearly Book Total: 23/52

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something from a link, I receive a very small percentage back. 

May Book Report

I got my reading mojo back at the end of May. I read 4 books in just under 9 days and am ramping up for Summer 2017 Book Bingo!

The Sun is Also a Star" by The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon was a quick read and my first book for Summer 2017 Book Bingo. It fulfilled the  "Young Adult" category. I enjoyed this one but not nearly as much as "Everything, Everything". This tells the story of a young girl on the day of her deportation from NYC back to Jamaica and how she meets a young man who she falls in love with over the course of a day. 

You Might be an Artist If.. by Lauren Purje was the book I choose for the "Graphic Novel" category of Summer 2017 Book Bingo. I loved this book and enjoyed reading about the creative process. I spent a lot of time nodding my head and yelling, Yes! So True! 

The third book I read was for the "Recommended by a Librarian" category for Summer 2017 Book Bingo. The Girls by Emma Cline was a compelling read which reminded me of the Manson girls and Helter Skelter, the one book that terrified me so much I threw it in the garbage and thought about setting it on fire. I loved getting inside the mind of a preteen and her jumbled thoughts. 

I next read Turner House by Angela Flourney. It was both a Refined Reads for Seattle Refined and fit the "By an author of color" category for Summer 2017 Book Bingo. This was a fast and lovely read. It is a compelling story of a family (the Turner family) and their life in a Detroit house with 13 kids. My only complaint about this book is that I wanted more of the Turner family. 

Yearly Book Total: 22/52

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something from a link, I receive a very small percentage back. 

Summer Book Bingo

Every year my heart starts to race when I realize it is Seattle Public Library Book Bingo time! Every year my friend, Laurie and I say we are not going to get obsessed. Every year we spend hours plotting out our bingo boards and exchanging ideas. I spent most of last Monday scheming and I'm pretty excited about my summer of reading! 

First things first, you can grab your Bingo Board on the SPL site. This year they also have a Kid's Book Bingo Board so get your kids involved! I've already told Maggie and Molly about our Summer Reading Adventure. 

I started my reading adventures last week and have already read two books! I'll be posting about my progress on Instagram all summer, using the hashtag #reebeckireads

There are 24 categories on the board and here are my plans (subject to change) for all of them! Well, most of them, I still need a suggestion or two so send them my way! Also the shorter the better, I need to read 24 books before Labor Day! 

Recommended by a librarian: The Girls by Emma Cline 

Choose a book by its cover: North Haven by Sarah Moriarty

You've been meaning to read: You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Young adult: The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (Finished!) 

Biography or memoir: The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy

Adapted into a movie: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (The movie, Arrival is based on this book!) 

Graphic novel: You Might be an Artist If... by Lauren Purje (Finished!) 

By an author of color: Turner House by Angela Flournoy

Recommended by an independent bookseller: Grocery by Michael Ruhlman

Set in another country: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Genre that is new to you: I'm considering H.P. Lovecraft for this category but am worried about the length of his books. Any good Horror books out there under 200 pages? 

Banned: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Collection of essays or short stories: Upstream by Mary Oliver

Published the year one of your parents was born: 1984 by George Orwell

Fiction: The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

About art or an artist: Frida by Hayden Herrera

A SAL speaker: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 

Reread a book you read in school: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Finish in a day: The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking 

Washington state author: A Year Right Here by Jess Thomson 

Poetry: Beowolf

Science nonfiction or science fiction: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

LGBTQIA author or character: Every heart a doorway by Seanan McGuire 

Recommended by a young person: Any young person out there read to recommend me a book?