May 2020 Reading Wrap Up

May 2020 Reading Wrap Up

Another month has flown by and I'm left feeling like I didn't get all that much accomplished except for in the garden!
The weather has turned and it is muggy and rainy now so I may be stuck inside more. I'm hoping that translates into more time to read and write!


Books I Read In May

Chapter Books I Read Out Loud

Books I Started But Haven't Finished:

REVIEWS SHARED IN MAY

Picture Books
Bruce's Big Move by Ryan T. Higgins
Grow Kind by Jon Lasser
Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson
From Tree to Sea by Shelley Moore Thomas
The Nuff by Veronica Waldrop
The Fish Who Found the Sea by Alan Watts

What About Worms?! by Mo Willems & Ryan T. Higgins
When Sadness Is At Your Door by Eva Eland

MG/YA
The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy #1) by Trudi Trueit

Adult
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Saga (Ch 1.) by Brian K Vaughan
Monstress (Vol 1) by Marjorie M. Liu



CHALLENGE PROGRESS

ABC Challenge
April: 10 / 26
May: 14 / 26 

Back the Beatlist / Tackle My TBR

April: +4
May: +3

Saga
Monstress
Fantastic Mr Fox

New Release Challenge

April: +1

May: + 1

The Deep
Deeplight*

PopSugar Reading Challenge

April: +1 = 8/50
May: +0

Read Harder Challenge
7/24
April: +1
May: +0

1001 Books to Read Before You Grow Up__/1001
April: +1
May: +0




May Music:
I love music. Music heals.
I'm always on the lookout for something new that speaks to me and here's what I listened to the most this month.
 links to youtube

Lovers - Timecop 1983 ft. SeaWaves
Touch - Ghostly Kisses
Leave Like That - SMYL
Draw Your Swords - Angus & Julia Stone
Underwater - Sidewalks & Skeletons



What was your favorite read of the month?

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The Sunday Post - Wk 22 - Rain Lilies

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

and is a chance to share news, both new and old!

Hey there, bloggers!

I took a few days off from everything last week and missed getting my Sunday Post up in time so I have a little extra to catch up on this week. 

I had a quiet and rainy Memorial weekend filled with games, puzzles, and art time with my daughter. I spent a few days not feeling one hundred percent so I relaxed and flew through The Deep by Alma Katsu. Thankfully (hopefully) it's nothing and I was back to my usual yard work in a day or two. It is quite muggy out now with afternoon storms starting up so getting everything done first thing in the morning is best. 
We ordered and received a BookOutlet haul that I shared in my Stacking the Shelves post yesterday. 

In the garden, we've harvested all of our cukes, beans, some squash, lots and lots of tomatoes, and we have our first round of bell peppers almost ready to pick now! The sweet potatoes are starting to spread and my pumpkins are finally taking off and have some blooms! 
We also have tons of rain lilies popping up all over my yard now thanks to the rain! 

Currently reading:

I'm struggling with my own reading time at the moment but am reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to my daughter and am enjoying the reread very much. 

Recently finished:

I loved this! My review will be up on Friday!

Recent Reviews:

The Nuff by Veronica Waldrop
What About Worms?! by Mo Willems & Ryan T. Higgins
The Fish Who Found the Sea by Alan Watts
When Sadness Is At Your Door by Eva Eland
The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy #1) by Trudi Trueit


What I'm Watching:

Apparently, I am still paying for Hulu and found this to watch (about Catherine the Great) and am hooked. It's hilarious and depraved. I recommend.

How are you all doing? Anything new in this crazy covid world going on with you? 

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Stacking the Shelves 2020 #2

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Hello readers!

I feel like one of the only bookworms that didn't order a ton of books while staying at home in the past few months but I did finally give in and order from BookOutlet!  I love their prices and my daughter loves the chapter books as well as the fun and educational material they have to offer! We ended up with some children's books, how-to-draw books, a kids reading journal (with bookmarks!), a shell collector's box that came with postcards and a journal, a RoyalHorticultureSociety stationary pad (I'm a paper addict), and more!

The other half of my order should be here asap so I'll have more to share next week!


WON / GIFTED

I finished this the other day and LOVED it!
It's a historical fiction horror novel set on both the Titanic and Britannic. I'll have a review up later this week!

Many thanks to FFBC & Transworld Digital!

NETGALLEY

A few goodies approved and read to my mini. 

Many thanks to Quarto, Sourcebooks Kids, & Tundra Books!

That's all, folks! 
Did you add any good books to your shelves this week?
Feel free to share in the comments!
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The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy #1) by Trudi Truett (MG Book Review)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Nebula Secret
Explorer Academy #1
by Trudi Truett
Published by Under the Stars
on September 4, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure
Length: 208 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years


Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository



Synopsis:
Adventure, danger, and a thrilling global mission await 12-year-old Cruz Coronado as he joins an elite school for explorers. 

Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world's leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there's more at stake. No sooner has he arrived at the Academy than he discovers that his family has a mysterious past with the organization that could jeopardize his future. In the midst of codebreaking and cool classes, new friends and augmented reality expeditions, Cruz must tackle the biggest question of all: Who is out to get him, and why?

My Thoughts:

Cruz Coronado is thrilled to be admitted into the elite Explorer Academy boarding school where he and his classmates will be trained and tested on matters of science, exploration, conservation, and more. He's been hoping for it for as long as he can remember but someone doesn't seem to want him there at all and he must use his wits and the help of his friends and classmates to discover who and why.

The Nebula Effect is an action-packed middle-grade adventure filled with high-tech gadgets, simulators, and more, and includes a diverse group of characters from around the world. Cruz Coronado is from Hawaii but has classmates from Iceland, Scotland, and New Zealand, among others. We get to learn a little about their homelands, languages, and cultures, which really adds to the story experience.

This fun series will appeal to those who love adventure and learning, but also to tech lovers, coders, and anyone who loves a good fast-paced mystery! The mixture of a high-tech adventure school and a secret organization out to get Cruz for reasons he doesn't understand will keep you entertained and ready for the sequel!

The hardcover copy of this book is absolutely gorgeous, with a full-color naked cover, beautiful world map end pages, fun chapter headings that include closeups of setting locations and topography, as well as plenty of illustrations mixed in!

There's also a fun addition at the end of the book that shares the 'truth behind the fiction', with explanations of some of the technical terms mentioned in this book such as 4-D printing and augmented reality, as well as several real-life adventurers who live lives that the soon-to-be-explorers in this story --and perhaps even you-- dream to become. 

More from this series!

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When Sadness Is At Your Door by Eva Eland (Children's Picture Book Review)

When Sadness Is At Your Door
by Eva Eland
Published by Random House
on January 29, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
In the style of Harold and the Purple Crayon comes a picture-book primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest.

Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is part of who we are--an overwhelming, invisible, and scary sensation.

Eva Eland brilliantly approaches this feeling as if it is a visitor. She gives it a shape and a face, and encourages the reader to give it a name, all of which helps demystify it and distinguish it from ourselves. She suggests activities to do with it, like sitting quietly, drawing, and going outside for a walk. The beauty of this approach is in the respect the book has for the feeling, and the absence of a narrative that encourages the reader to "get over" it or indicates that it's "bad," both of which are anxiety-producing notions.


Our Thoughts:

When Sadness Is at Your Door is a calming story with minimal text and color palette that shares a simple and easy to absorb message about sadness and how to understand it. 

This cute mental health book reminds us that sadness can linger behind any door and for any amount of time but also helps to understand it by personifying sadness itself into an entity that is part of one's self; something that can overshadow parts of your life if you let it. 

The positive message is that even though sadness is part of our lives, there are ways to understand and accept this difficult feeling and how to move on from it in positive and constructive ways. You can sit quietly or color or go for a walk in the woods. Whatever you choose to do, know that the sadness won't be there forever.

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What About Worms? (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading #7 by Ryan T. Higgins & Mo WIllems (Children's Picture Book Review)

We received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What About Worms?
(Elephant and Piggie Like Reading #7)
by Ryan T. Higgins
Published by Hyperion Books for Children

on May 19, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books

Length: 64 pages
Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Tiger is big. Tiger is tough. And Tiger has an important note for you.

Dear Reader,
WATCH OUT FOR WORMS! They are everywhere! They might even be in this book!
Your friend,
Tiger

Our Thoughts:

Tiger is strong and big and brave. Tiger is not afraid of anything... except worms!

The much-loved duo, Elephant & Piggie, from the mind of Mo Willems, introduces readers to an adorable tiger, illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins, that has an irrational fear of worms. He is unknowingly benefiting the worms with his fears, which gives us a fun little plot twist that really makes the story!

This story starts out with a letter to the reader from Mo about how Elephant and Piggie love to read so much that they've decided to share some of their favorite books with us! It then shows a picture of Elephant and Piggie reading 'What About Worms!' and immediately begins with them talking about this very book before the book even starts, which offers a bit of layering to the overall story and introduces readers to something new using something they may already know and love!

Similar to the original Elephant & Piggie books, this story has thought bubbles with minimal text and onomatopoeia that is perfect for children learning to read. We have already fallen in love with Ryan T. Higgins' illustration-style from his Mother Bruce picture book series and recognized his work in the tiger right away! His characters are always super cute and expressive and this tiger is no exception! He's actually got plenty to say about worms!

This story had my five-year-old laughing out loud and asking for more!

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The Fish Who Found the Sea by Alan Watts (Children's Picture Book Review)

I received a digital reading copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Fish Who Found the Sea

Written by Alan Watts
Illustrated by Khoa Le
Published by Sounds True

on May 19, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A rediscovered treasure for a new generation: the first and only story for children ever written by Alan Watts.

Alan Watts, beloved for bringing a childlike wonder to the spiritual journey, once wrote a story for children. The Fish Who Found the Sea brings this delightful and wise parable to life for a new generation. Presented with new art from award-winning illustrator Khoa Le, here is a story as timely as it is entertaining--sharing a key message about getting into harmony with the flow of life.

In this tale of a tail, we meet a fish with a curiously familiar problem--he's gotten himself so mixed up that he spends all his time chasing himself in circles! Only the Great Sea knows how to help our poor fish get out of the mess he's created with his own runaway thoughts. Here is a parable that perfectly captures the wit and wisdom that have made Alan Watts a timeless teacher we will never outgrow.

Our Thoughts:
The Fish Who Found the Sea is about a mixed-up little fish that suddenly finds himself out of sorts, falling and spinning and chasing himself in circles. He feels like it will go on like that forever. Will he find a way to go with the flow again? 

This book is gorgeously illustrated with bright colors and has a painting-like quality that I was in awe of. Ocean lovers will especially enjoy the underwater artwork by Khoa Le.
The story is lyrical and makes a good read-aloud. There's also a happy ending!

My little listener enjoyed the art but wasn't very interested in the story. I think this may be because this book is a bit lengthy with small text and has themes that might not be entirely clear to children. There are a lot of intellectually advanced words (like obtruded) and concepts included that I think young readers and listeners will struggle to understand and follow.

I wasn't familiar with the author or this book prior to reading this but have since learned that he brought philosophy and religion to the West in the form of 'zen', or Buddhism, before dying in 1975.

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The Nuff by Veronica Waldrop & Cat Elliott (Children's Picture Book Review)

Many thanks to the publisher for a copy of this touching picture book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Nuff
Written by Veronica Waldrop
Illustrated by Cat Elliott
Published by Tailwind Publishing
in 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Book
Length: 36 pages
Ages:

Goodreads | Amazon

Synopsis:
Through a series of adventures, a unicorn with a broken horn discovers the truth about herself and what it means to be enough... or a NUFF!

Our Thoughts:

The Nuff is a heartwarming picture book with an important message from a mother to her daughters about being enough no matter your differences. It's about a unique little unicorn that is quite enough just the way she is, even with her slightly broken horn and hair as green as grass on a warm summer's day. 

This is an incredibly special story, written by a mother who knew her time was short. She wanted her daughters to know that they were enough, no matter what. Veronica Waldrop lost her battle to breast cancer in 2017 but left behind a beautiful message, not only to her daughters but to children all around the world. 

This colorfully illustrated story is full of life and adventure and lessons about being yourself, being your best self, and always knowing your worth. 

I've read this to my daughter several times already and each time it makes me choke up. It's a touching and beautiful message all on its own, but the story behind it is a reminder of how important it is to hold our loved ones close and to build up our children.

The hardcover copy of this book is a beautiful pinkish purple with end pages that feature the Nuff doing different activities. The book also includes a  few lovely dedications as well as an illustrated portrait and full-color photography of the author with her daughters and a message from the father.  

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The Sunday Post - Wk 20 - Staycation...

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

and is a chance to share news, both new and old!

Hey there, bloggers!

This past week has been our stay-at-home-vacation time so we took our minds off of our missed adventures by staying busy with lots of extra Spring cleaning before it's too hot to open the windows and doors. We set up our little family pool for my mini to swim and we're already tan after just a few days, even with our beach tent set up over half of it. Summer is going to be brutal here!
I'm almost finished my big book/shelf moving project! I only have a little more organizing to do and have to work out how to fit all of my overflow genres onto one last shelf. The lighting in the new space is not the greatest but I'm trying to make it work and have even been posting a lot on bookstagram when I can find a minute!
In the garden, we're harvesting lots of cucumbers, beans, and banana peppers already. A few strawberries and cherry tomatoes. The rest are still ripening. Our summer squash and bell peppers are growing nicely and should be ready to pick soon. The corn is shooting up now, the sweet potatoes are starting to spread, and the pumpkins are finally growing new leaves! We've also added a few new blueberry bushes to our garden!

Currently reading:

Recently finished:

Recent Reviews:

I'm behind on reviews this week but I did get my reviews of From Tree to Sea by Shelly Moore Thomas and Monstress: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu posted!

What I'm Watching:I've cycled through the first few episodes of a few shows this week, including Normal People on Hulu. I haven't read the book but I think I'm okay with that.

What I'm Listening to:

Deadmau5 - There Might Be Coffee + Aural Psynapse 
(This is a piano mashup of the two songs. Very beautiful. Not the 'house/techno' version.)

I've been listening to my 2019 playlist this weekend. Probably not the best idea, as it brings up a lot of hard feelings but sometimes good ones too. I can't believe this year is almost half over.

I hope you all have a great week! 

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Monstress Vol 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (Adult Graphic Novel Review)

Monstress
Volume 1: Awakening
by Marjorie M. Liu
Illustrations by Sana Takeda
Published by Image Comics
on July 13, 2016
Genre: Adult, Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Horror
Length: 192 pages
Ages: 16+

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2016)
Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominee for Best New Series & Best Writer (2016)
British Fantasy Award for Best Comic/Graphic Novel (2017)
Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story (2017)

Synopsis:
Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steampunk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both.

My Thoughts:
This is fantastically dark and gruesome!

Maika, a teenage girl with only one arm, is sold as a slave along with a group of others and taken to a 'witch-nun' that does odd experiments on them. Maika is pretending to be merely human but she has a big secret... and a plan.

The artwork in this graphic novel is amazing! There's so much patterned, scrolling detail in the clothing, and the characters all have fantastically drawn hair that flows beautifully. There's also a ton of detail, depth, and expression in the faces, which sometimes border on horrific.

There's some really dark material in this, with slaves that are used as 'parts' or even food, which made me feel like it's partly horror. Otherwise, it's mainly fantasy, with some arcane or dark magic and an endgame that I definitely want in on! I'm looking forward to reading more from this graphic series!


A special thanks to Image Comics for providing this graphic novel for free on Kindle for Free Comic Book Day!

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From Tree to Sea by Shelley Moore Thomas (Children's Picture Book Review)

From Tree to Sea
Written by Shelley Moore Thomas
Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

Published by Simon Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books

on February 12, 2019

Genre: Children's, Picture Books

Length: 32 pages

Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

 From a child's point of view, this lyrical picture book looks at the relationship of nature to the human world and the place we call home. 

From the edge of the sea to a high mountain top, everything has its place in the world and all living things are connected. The world around us has a lot to tell us if we take the time to look and listen. This tender and comforting picture book celebrates the wisdom in many of the things great and small that make up our wonderful world. 

My Thoughts:

From Tree To Sea is a fantastic picture book about the world around us, taking us on a journey through nature, from a tree dancing in the breeze to the sea and its' endless view, teaching us small lessons that can be found in each.  

Nature lovers will love the beautifully illustrated landscapes and seascapes and skyscapes, as well as the close-ups of bees in gardens, birds in nests, and more. There are beautiful night sky pages and pages full of lovely green growing things as well!

 This calming book reminds us of all the wonderful things that nature has to offer, whether you're in your backyard or not!

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