Bermudaonion's Weblog

Between the Covers

Finished last week:

YOGA ANIMALS by Paige Towler is an adorable picture book that will have little ones bending and posing.  It begins by explaining that lots of animals stretch, bend, and curl and says we can too.  From there, it shows animals in their natural habitats and shows how what they’re doing is similar to yoga and shows a young person striking a yoga pose.  For example, a giraffe reaching in a tree for food is similar to the upward salute pose.  The back of the book gives more details on the poses and the animals featured.  This is a great book to get little ones moving and stretching and would be perfect for use in a classroom.  (Review copy provided by Media Masters Publicity.)

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A HUNDRED SUNS by Karin Tanabe is the story of Jessie Lesage.  Born in America, Jessie has been on a quest to reinvent herself for years.  She’s married a member of the Michelin family and, at her suggestion, they’ve moved to Indochine, so he can take control of the company’s rubber plantations and suppress any uprisings there.  Upon their arrival, Jessie is befriended by Marcelle who has something besides friendship in mind.

I enjoyed this peek into the horrible conditions into the expatriate life of the 1930s and was appalled by the things that went on at the rubber plantations.  This well written and researched story showed how French Colonialism brutalized and took advantage of the native people.  I don’t gravitate towards historical fiction but thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone.  (Review copy provided by St. Martin’s Press.)

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BETSEY: A MEMOIR by Betsey Johnson is the story of the designer’s life from her childhood to the present.  The second of three children, Johnson grew up in Connecticut and had a pretty ordinary childhood.  Her parents were supportive and encouraged their children to be active and try different things.  Johnson attended the Pratt Institute and graduated from Syracuse University where she studied art.  She discovered fashion design while she was an intern for Mademoiselle magazine and the rest is history, although she didn’t take a traditional path to success.

Like Johnson herself, I found her memoir to be quirky and entertaining.  It doesn’t reveal any big secrets and isn’t especially deep but it’s certainly a pleasant way to spend a few hours.  I listened to the audio which is narrated by Johnson who does a great job.  (Review copy provided by Penguin Random House.)

Currently reading:

• GOING CLEAR by Lawrence Wright
• RODHAM by Curtis Sittenfeld

On the Screen

Nothing at all.

Off the blog

• I finished my New York City puzzle.
• We got 5.8 inches of rain this week.  We’re happy to have a few dry days before it’s supposed to start up again.
• I walked at least three miles every morning and averaged just over 16,250 Fitbit steps a day.

What’s going on in your corner of the world?

Between the Covers

Finished last week:

WINK by Rob Harrell is a work of fiction that is partly based on the author’s own experiences.  In the book, seventh grader Ross is diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer.  The treatments cause him to lose his hair and have goop leaking from his eye, among other things.  He’s very self conscious and doesn’t want to be known as “the cancer kid.”  He turns to art and music to survive his ordeal and finds friendship in an unexpected place.

I thought this book was fabulous!  While it deals with a serious subject, it’s filled with humor and there are drawings throughout to keep middle grade readers engaged.  It teaches empathy without being preachy and will help kids going through cancer treatment realize they’re not alone.  Pick this book up for the middle school reader in your life – they’re sure to love it as much as I did.  (Review copy provided by Dial Books for Young Readers.)

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In the graphic novel, THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS by Johan Troïanowski, Princess Rose goes on three different adventures encountering kidnappers, a witch, and pirates along the way.  The fantastical stories are filled with whimsical, brightly colored illustrations that are very appealing.  What makes the book unique are several “interactive” pages spread throughout like this one

that help keep middle grade readers engaged.  I’m not a big fantasy reader so the book was just okay for me but I think young readers will enjoy it more than I did.  (Review copy provided by Random House Graphic.)

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THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS by Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt is a collection of true stories about people who lived through some horrific things and lived to forgive those who caused them pain.  Pratt tells the stories of people like Elizabeth Smart, Sue Klebold, and Immaculee Ilibagiza and then shares how they managed to forgive and how their stories inspired her.  She also shares a story of her own and goes on to say that forgiving is a gift to both the forgiven and the forgiver.  While each of the stories were inspiring, there wasn’t enough depth to them to make the majority of them stick with me.  I would have preferred less stories with more detail.  I listened to the audio and do wonder if the stories would have stuck with me more if I’d read them in print.  Pratt narrates the audio version and does a fine job.  (Review copy provided by Penguin Random House.)

Currently reading:

• DREAMS OF JOY by Lisa See
• DIRT by Bill Buford

On the Screen

Not a thing.

Off the blog

• Last Friday, I ran 2.23 miles in memory/honor of Ahmaud Arbery.  The weather wasn’t great and it was really a small gesture but I felt compelled to do it. #irunwithmaud
• I applied for an absentee ballot for our June primary.
• We walked at least three miles every morning and I averaged almost 16,100 Fitbit steps a day.

What’s going on in your corner of the world?

Between the Covers

Finished last week:

I needed something light to read so I picked up MISS JULIA LAYS DOWN THE LAW by Ann B. Ross.  It’s the seventh book in the Miss Julia series.  For those not familiar with Miss Julia, she’s a very proper, wealthy, Southern widow who, after his death, discovered her late husband had a child out of wedlock.  She befriends his former mistress and they, along with a varied cast of characters, form a family of sorts.

In this book, Connie Clayborn has moved to Abbotsville and proceeds to tell the women of the small town everything that’s wrong with their community and her plans to make it right.  This doesn’t sit well with most of them, most especially Miss Julia.  At the request of her preacher, Miss Julia makes an appointment to speak to Connie and is shocked to find her dead.  In true Miss Julia form, she investigates the death on her own.

I didn’t think this was the strongest book in the Miss Julia series but it was still fun.  I’m always charmed by Abbotsville and its citizens, especially Miss Julia.  She reminds me of so many strong Southern women I’ve known and never fails to make me chuckle.

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When Michael and Hilary Gustafson opened Literati Bookstore in, 2013, Michael set out a typewriter for anyone to use and was surprised by the thoughts customers left behind.  He shares some of the most interesting in NOTES FROM A PUBLIC TYPEWRITER edited by Michael Gustafson and Oliver Uberti.  Gustafson was amazed at what those typewriters (he had to replace them from time to time) came to mean and the notes people left.  Some were witty, some were profound, and others were deeply personal.

Why does this thing have a hashtag symbol? They didn’t have Twitter.  #weird

I am 7 months sober today.  I’m finally learning how to forgive.  Not only those who hurt me, but myself.

Someone left a typewriter in our store and people had a lot of fun with it.  I was shocked at how many kids had never seen one before.  They thought I was a genius when I showed them how to backspace or make an exclamation point.  This book made me think about that typewriter and I found it a delight to read.  It moved me to laughter and tears.  Be sure to pick it up – it would make a great gift for yourself or someone else.  (Deb of Readerbuzz sent this book to me.)

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I’m a big fan of Chris Bohjalian‘s books so I picked up THE RED LOTUS without knowing anything about it.  It’s the story of emergency room physician Alexis.  She travels to Vietnam with her boyfriend Austin for a biking vacation.  He takes off on his own to visit the places his father and uncle served during the Vietnam War.  Alexis becomes upset when he doesn’t return and sets out to find him.  What she finds doesn’t make sense and she becomes determined to discover just what happened.

I don’t want to say too much but this was a very timely book and I really enjoyed it.  Rats are featured quite a bit and there are a few gut-churning moments but they didn’t keep me from reading as quickly as I could.  I thought both the characters and the story were well done.  Rebecca Lowman reads the audio and does an outstanding job.  (Review copy provided by Penguin Random House.)

Currently reading:

• DREAMS OF JOY by Lisa See
• DIRT by Bill Buford

On the Screen

Nothing.

Off the blog

• My latest puzzle is taking me to New York.  I was able to order it from a local gift shop that’s providing curbside pickup.
• We walked at least three miles every morning and I averaged just over 16,150 Fitbit steps a day.

What’s going on in your corner of the world?