Recent Reads - Quarantine Edition #2

About a month ago, I posted about what I've been reading in quarantine.  Guess what, I'm still at home.  But that's okay!  I'm honestly perfectly happy in my room with my books and my laptop and my window and my Spotify playlists.  And while my reading hasn't really gotten any faster, I've still read some pretty great stuff.

In my Never Say Goodbye review, I mentioned that I'm in a weird headspace reading-wise right now.  Either I read nothing for a week, or I devour three books in three days, and there seems to be no in-between.  Which, I mean, could be worse.  At least I'm loving the books I'm reading, right?

So here I am again with more mini-reviews of what I've been reading lately because I'm obsessed with all of them, tbh.

Martin Legacy - Abigayle Claire

 

 

"so what do you do on the days when you can't move on?"

julie smiled, though it wobbled a little.

"trust God and try again tomorrow."

 

Technically I made this collage back when I read Martin Hospitality, but I never shared it and in a way, it fits this one better.  God is good like that, huh?  I loved the first book when I read it last year, and I'm so glad that I finally read the sequel - I absolutely adored it.  Abigayle has a way of writing slice-of-life stories that keep hold of you until the very last page, and it's a roller coaster of emotions along the way.  I laughed, I cried, it moved me Bob.  (bonus points if you get that reference, lol)

Rating: 5 stars

Met Her Match - Susan L. Tuttle

 

 

"truth is, the only thing that's sure is God.

maybe try trusting him and stepping out where he's leading,

because it's always solid ground even when it shakes."

"shaking ground isn't solid."

"and that's why our God is king of the impossible."

 

Susan L. Tuttle quickly became one of my favorite authors last year when I read her two full-length novels, and this was novella the only work of hers I had left to read.  And I'm already dying for more.  Her books are perfect feel-good rom-coms, they make me so happy, and this was no exception.  Pem and Tobias were so great; I loved both of them individually and then even more together.  It was just a lot of my favorite tropes all rolled into one adorable story that I will 100% be revisiting in the future.

Rating: 5 stars

Wonder - R.J. Palacio

 

 

"if every single person in this room made it a rule

that wherever you are, whenever you can,

you will try to act a little kinder than necessary

- the world really would be a better place."

 

I'd call this book a modern classic - I've heard so much about it for so many years, but I only just last month got around to reading it.  I finished the whole thing in less that 24 hours, and it was so beautiful.  Auggie's story is one that I won't soon forget, and I can't wait to watch the movie, even though I know I'm going to bawl my eyes out. 

Rating: 5 stars

Kit Kittredge Collection - Valerie Tripp

 

 

"how come you're so sure?" kit asked her.

aunt millie considered kit's question. "I guess teachers

and gardeners are just naturally optimistic," she said.

"can't help it. children and seeds are never disappointing."

 

A couple of weeks ago, I was in kind of a "meh" mood, so I decided to re-read the entire Kit Kittredge series.  I grew up on the American Girl books, and while Kit wasn't my favorite as a kid (that went to Felicity), she does live during the Great Depression, which is the time period my novel is based on.  So, you know, I can count it as "research".  Totally.  But anyway I had a wonderful time revisiting these books.  Aunt Millie is an icon, Will Sheperd was totally one of my first fictional crushes, I would die for Stirling, and the film is genuinely such a great adaptation.

Rating: 4 stars

Once Upon a Marigold - Jean Ferris

 

"nobody ever gets enough appreciation

when they're behaving themselves,

but there's no end to hearing about it

when they're not."

This was so weird and whimsical and wonderful and exactly what I needed.  I picked up both this and the sequel at a used bookstore a few years ago, and just now got around to reading it.  It's so adorable.  Christian and Marigold are wonderful, it's got so much humor and heart, and even though I saw the plot reveals coming a mile away, they were still enjoyable.  It's not only a spoof of the classic fairytale setting, but a love letter to it.  It's not perfect, but I had such a good time reading it.

Rating: 4 stars


And there you have it!  Five more books I've read recently.  What have you been reading?  How's quarantine treating you?  Did you have a favorite American Girl character as a kid?  Let me know all the things in the comments below!

~ Abby

Recent Reads - Quarantine Edition

Anyone else finding it hard to read right now?  There's like a lock on my brain that doesn't want to read and it's getting really old really fast.  I've only read 3 books so far in April and it's almost over!  Ahh!

(also it's springtime now and you know what that means... florals are BACK, baby!)

Despite the urges not to read I've been fighting valiantly, I've read some pretty fantastic books.  So I thought it might be nice to give y'all some mini-reviews, let you in on what's been going on in my reading life, and just spend some time together.  Sound good?  Let's go.

Daddy-Long-Legs - Jean Webster

 

"the world is full of happiness, and plenty to go round,

if you are only willing to take the kind that comes your way."

I fell in love with the musical adaptation of this classic book while I had my 7-day free trial of BroadwayHD, and after watching it 3 times in less than a week, I figured I should read the book. What I found was an absolutely delightful story.  Jerusha joins the ranks of my favorite young writers in classics (with Anne Shirley, Jo March, Rebecca Randall, etc.).  She's got such an interesting way of looking at the world.  Plus, the whole book is told in letters from Jerusha to Daddy-Long-Legs, and it's one of very few books I've read (and enjoyed) told in that format.  I will say, this is one of few books where I think I prefer the adaptation?  The musical is perfection, and I loved it so much.  But the book was still a lot of fun, and I enjoyed myself so much reading it.  (also, if you want to hear my favorite song from the musical, click this YouTube link right here)

Rating: 4 stars

Frozen 2: Forest of Shadows - Kamilla Benko

 

"fear will be your enemy."

This was the March pick for the book club I host, and I really enjoyed it!  The story takes place between the first and second Frozen films, and follows Anna as she tries to find her place in this new life with Elsa as Queen and the gates wide open.  The author did a great job of expanding the world of Arendelle, and the twist at the end was perfect.  Though it did need more Olaf, that's my one complaint, lol.

Rating: 4 stars

Three Times Lucky - Sheila Turnage

 

 

"everything's going great.  well...

there's been a murder and we're out of soup."

I absolutely loved this so much.  Mo and Dale are such wholesome little best friends.  The whole town of Tupelo Landing is so fun; everyone knows everyone and they genuinely care about one another even while they thrive on the gossip.  It's like Cabot Cove but with not quite as much buried animosity and it's great.  Also one of the funniest books I've ever read, with a mystery that kept me guessing until the last page.  One of my new favorites?  Yes, for sure.  I can't wait to read the next one.

Rating: 5 stars

 

Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi 

 

 

"good. let them be afraid."

let them taste the terror they make us swallow.

 

When this was recommended to me by a friend, I decided to go ahead and pick it up, just to see what I thought.  I read it in like 2 sittings, because this book puts the pedal to the metal and doesn't stop until the last page.  (well, except for that one part in the middle that just felt kinda weird to me because like... idk the world's at stake maybe we shouldn't party? but maybe that's just me?)  The magic system is so cool, the characters are so well done, the world is fascinating.  Another one where I'm gonna need to read book 2; just to see what happens because that ending was wow.

Rating: 4 stars

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke

 

 

he gave her his heart.

she took it and placed it quietly in the pocket of her gown.

no one observed what she did.

 

Okay story time.  So when I was a kid (like 10 or 11), my grandfather (who was known for reading Thick™ fantasy novels) told me that there was a "magician book" that he was saving for me.  Three-or-so years ago, he put this tome in my hands and told me that this was it.  I read the first page and had zero interest in reading it.  Fast forward to last October, when my grandfather passed away suddenly.  And since now it was too late to discuss it with him and I felt bad for never having even really tried it, I decided 2020 was going to be the year I conquered the book about magicians in the Napoleonic wars.  And, um, it's one of my favorite books now?  All 850 pages of it.  It's a masterfully crafted story of what it means to be human, to be a magician, and how often those two things coincide.  Norrell drove me crazy, but in a lot of ways that makes him such a well-written character.  Childermass, John Segundus, Vinculus, Sir Walter and Lady Pole, the Greysteels, Stephen Black, all of the characters were just so well done and interesting and intricate. I adore Jonathan and Arabella Strange with every fiber of my being (the quote is about the two of them and they're just so cute), and the Gentleman with the Thistle-down Hair is seriously one of the most terrifying villains oof.  It didn't feel like 850 pages, and coming from me, that's big.  Anyway, I really loved this book and I'm sad it's over.

Rating: 5 stars


Anyway, that's what I've been reading lately.  What have you been reading during quarantine?  Or have you been doing an awful lot of not-reading like me?  Let me know in the comments!

(also can we talk about the fact that I've put up two posts in two weeks, who am I? xD)

~ Abby