This was perfectly idyllic and it was literally like reading a Hallmark movie! While not my average read, it was just what I needed and wanted and wasThis was perfectly idyllic and it was literally like reading a Hallmark movie! While not my average read, it was just what I needed and wanted and was the perfect read nestled by the Christmas tree. I loved all the characters, the creative ways their paths cross and stories intertwine, the sweet romances that were explored, and the friendships that were detailed. SO enjoyed it! One of those "warm hug" sort of books. ...more
I absolutely inhaled this little Christmas classic and enjoyed it even more than the first in this series, which I read over Thanksgiving week. I compI absolutely inhaled this little Christmas classic and enjoyed it even more than the first in this series, which I read over Thanksgiving week. I completely agree with some of the other reviews and jacket copy where it says if Roald Dahl and Charles Dickens teamed up to write a spry and spunky middlegrade Christmas novel, this would be it! I mean, who wouldn't want to read that while curled up next the Christmas tree? This novel was playful, fun, a bit silly, but full of heart and hope. I absolutely loved Amelia and her spunk and how she holds onto hope even in the darkest seasons of life. Highly recommend this enchanting holiday series to kiddos and adults alike! ...more
4.5 stars, rounded up Captivating and so imaginative. I just get lost in Brian Selznick's work and LOVE his artwork that accompanies his prose. And wh4.5 stars, rounded up Captivating and so imaginative. I just get lost in Brian Selznick's work and LOVE his artwork that accompanies his prose. And while this is realistic fiction, there is a glitteringly magical element to it. This story perfectly and expertly weaves two story lines, a generation apart, but the two protagonists have much in common. They are both searching for home, family, a place of belonging, or a person to belong to; and their stories are going to intertwine in unexpected ways. And it will absolutely make your hear smile. ...more
4.5 stars, rounded up ... LOVED this one! So intriguing. Susan Page's autobiographical work of Barbara Pierce Bush's life is a masterpiece and flawles4.5 stars, rounded up ... LOVED this one! So intriguing. Susan Page's autobiographical work of Barbara Pierce Bush's life is a masterpiece and flawlessly executed, and I loved taking my time with this one and savoring it chapter by chapter. Laughed along with young "Bar", as she was called, as she skipped home after school indulging in a jar of marshmallow fluff, loved the stories and letters of her and GHWB's courtship and their romantic, impulsive, wartime wedding, was awed at the courage and determination she displayed during their drives for the White House both as VP and 41, and thoroughly enjoyed her colorful anecdotes she provided on family, faith, raising children and grandchildren, and her candor as she battled with terrible loss and suffered life-altering depression. I have always found Barbara Bush, and in fact the entire Bush dynasty, to be endlessly fascinating, and while I do tend to lean more right than left on matters of politics, I haven't always agreed with some of their policy and opinion. BUT, there is NO DENYING the indelible hand print this family has left on modern-American politics and culture. Page asked everyone she interviewed for this work, "Would George Bush have achieved what he did, would he have ascended to the White House even, if not for marrying Barbara?"... and that is an interesting question and one you can never really fully know the answer to, of course, but after reading this work, I would have to say, "No", I am not certain he would....more
With the passing of pop culture icon and SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg earlier this year, amidst the media flurry of 2020 and the presidential elWith the passing of pop culture icon and SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg earlier this year, amidst the media flurry of 2020 and the presidential election and worldwide pandemic, I invested some time in reading articles about the SCOTUS and specifically about RBG's legacy and her feminist ideals. In one of those articles, I ran across the following statement... "Sandra Day O'Connor is the feminist icon we've failed to revere..." and it got me to thinking about the first female justice appointed and that glass ceiling being shattered and what it must have been like; how SOC (as many referred to her) paved the way for RBG, Sonia Sotomayor, and now newly-appointed Amy Coney Barrett. And, as it would turn out, SOC is absolutely fascinating! From her early days growing up on a ranch, the Lazy B, to attending Stanford Law School, to all the doors being closed to her in virtually *every* law office she knocked on and being met with questions like "How fast can you type?" assuming she was interested in a clerical or secretarial position due to her gender, and finally to her government career- both as an AZ state senator and then being appointed by Reagan as the first female Supreme Court Justice in the 80's; a seat she held from 1981-2006. The author excellently detailed her personal life as well, as a daughter, friend, wife, and mother, and how she treated her court clerks and invested in them and their careers. Loved hearing stories of how she started an aerobics class at the Supreme Court, details of her process in writing opinions and dissenting opinions on cases, her successes and regrets regarding pivotal cases throughout her career (in her own words), how she cared for John in his latter years as he battled dementia, and finally, her unique relationships with the other Justices, including RBG. Although they were very different, they referred to each other as "Sisters in Law" and I found their repartee to be very endearing. They both spoke of the country becoming more and more divided throughout both the Bush and Obama administrations and the country becoming more and more partisan and warned others against allowing politics to cloud their judgement or affect their personal relationships. Wise words. I LOVED this work and took my time with it. So glad I invested the effort as it was well worth it and will go down as one of my favorite reads in 2020. ...more
Might be my favorite installment in this series yet! And that could be for a few reasons-- although I more closely relate to maybe a mix between Mary Might be my favorite installment in this series yet! And that could be for a few reasons-- although I more closely relate to maybe a mix between Mary Anne and Dawn, Claudia was always my favorite babysitter and the one I aspired to be. Loved her style, her interests, how she spoke her mind, and was fascinated by the Kishi family dynamics. And this book full engages with all of those themes and topics and teach some valuable life lessons along the way. This was a story with a hard plot, regardless of your age, at its center-- the sudden illness of a close and dear-to-you family member. Couple that with sibling rivalry and family stress and how to be a friend and support your friend going through that stage of life and you have Book 7 in this series! An utter delight and an important installment in this beloved series. ...more
This was PERFECT easy-reading and exactly what I had been craving in my reading life. It was sweet, but not saccharin, and a great story about found-fThis was PERFECT easy-reading and exactly what I had been craving in my reading life. It was sweet, but not saccharin, and a great story about found-family, even when they are half-a-world away. And all the locations they visit in Italy and the food descriptions were amazing! Loved it! And I couldn't agree more... you come to Italy to fall in love (even if it's just with the beauty of the cities) and to eat a lot of gelato! ...more
4.25-4.5 stars, rounded up This was pure delight, fun, and fluff! It's like alternate American History meets Soap Opera or an old episode of One Tree 4.25-4.5 stars, rounded up This was pure delight, fun, and fluff! It's like alternate American History meets Soap Opera or an old episode of One Tree Hill, and I for one, am here for it. Loved every single second of it and hope this series continues because this is EXACTLY the sort of soapy, contemporary YA I want to read! ...more
This was just pure, bingeable (is that a word?) fun that I could hardly put down! Although quite stressful at times and worrisome at others, much in tThis was just pure, bingeable (is that a word?) fun that I could hardly put down! Although quite stressful at times and worrisome at others, much in the same fashion as real life "reality TV", this book remained lighthearted and empowering. And who wouldn't root for Bea?!? ...more