It has been such a wild ride in the months of May and June. Between finishing up my school year, teaching, all of my sisters home from college because of quarantine, etc. it has been while since I've been here! But I'm back and more pumped for my blog than ever! I have started (obsessively) watching a BookTuber, Merphy Napier, and, despite the fact that her platform is on YouTube, she has taught me a lot about releasing quality (and consistent) content. Not only that but her channel has helped me renew my love for reading. I was kinda in a slump during May but since finding her channel and just having a chance to be in a reading community again, it has renewed my bookish soul and I am excited for what is next on this blog.
Speaking of, I am planning on giving more structure to my site, e.g. I am planning on implementing specific days to write/release content. I'll update y'all on what that means more in the future. ;)
WRAP UPS: What I Read in April and May:
April and May were super weird reading months for me. In April, I didn't read any of the books I put on my list! XD I am very much a mood reader and I ended up totally changing my list. Then, when May hit, I wanted to read some of the other books on my list, simultaneously hoping to finish my official April TBR.... Did not happen.
APRIL
Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
When I tell you this book changed my life, I am not kidding. It is a Christian non-fiction encouraging teenagers to step up and defy the expectations that the older generations have of teenagers- that they are lazy, disrespectful, and could care less about the world we are to inherit. This book was phenomenal and so grounded in the Word. I so appreciated that while it technically targets Christian teenagers, Alex and Brett wrote their message so that regardless of your age or religion you can take many of the same truths from it.
2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I won't say much about this since I've already written a pretty quick (spoiler) review of my thoughts on it. Little Women is the start to a fictional series set around 1868 about 4 young girls, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March. It was overall an amazing start to the series and so much fun to read. It was light-hearted, a cute story about the girls and their new best friend, the boy next door. Alcott beautifully portrayed the day to day life of the March girls and how it was shaken up when young Laurie came into the picture. Very well done~
May
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
This book cut deep. The Hiding Place is a memoir by Corrie Ten Boom, dealing with her time hiding Jews in WWII and her time living in different camps after being caught for helping these Jews. This book will show you the value of kindness and of human life. It will literally mold or change the way you look at people. Just read it.
2. Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott
Good Wives is the second addition to the Little Women series. I immensely enjoyed this read but I was not happy with the ending. I don't want to give spoilers but let's just say... at least Jo is happy. For that is all that matters.
Then again, I went into this book thinking that it was the last of Little Women as the first 2 books are often merged into one book (as my copy was) and I had no idea there were more books until someone told me over over on my Instagram that, unlike I said in my review, *lol* it's not a duology! There are 2 more books! So, my thoughts on the ending, I know, will change some more seeing as, well, that's not the end! I will be reading Little Men and Jo's Boys as soon as I can get my hands on them. (So expect a review on the series in the next few months.)
JUNE UPDATE: What I've Read & What I'll be Reading
June has been my best reading month so far. I am reading so much more and I'm finding that is has been so much easier to get through books! #relief
What I Have Read (Wrap Up)
1. Heroes of History: Clara Barton, Angel of the Battlefield by Janet Benge
First thoughts: Wow. What. A. Woman. A fairly short biography, Clara Barton follows the life of the woman that went from school teacher to battle field nurse to leader of the American Red Cross. Fast paced and informative, I was in awe the whole time of Clara Barton's wit and sheer desire to help people. I thought this story was very well done, especially for a biography generally targeting a younger demographic.
2. The Penderwicks in Spring by Jane Birdsall
I was so, so pleased with this book... Overall. Granted, there were a lot of things that I would've changed but, for the direction that it took, I was happy. The Penderwicks is a middle grade series that is like a modern day Little Women. In more ways than one, unfortunately. (:I) *my best shot at an emoji*
I will be uploading a full review on this series soon so I won't talk about it too, too much. But briefly (no spoilers), what I loved: Birdsall dealt with some heavy stuff very tastefully such as family ties, depression, etc. The way she writes, it's like we are in the mind of a child, and it is fantastic. We are viewing the world through the eyes and with the reasoning of a 5th grader! She is on the ball of how a child thinks (or at least how I thought at that age) and that is what makes her writing so fantastic!
Secondly, the not so great about the book: There was a time jump from book 3 to book 4 and if we had gotten a book in between them, the series would have been a lotta, lotta better. Other than that, there wasn't much else I would have changed. (That I can mention without giving spoilers, anyways.)
3. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
I heard about this story from Merphy Napier over on her February Classics Wrap Up video and I found the audio book on YouTube, which you can listen to here. Written in 1890, this is a short story dealing with the insane treatments for those with "mental stresses" in the 1800s. Gilman actually wrote this short story based off her own mental treatment experience. The story is in the mind of a woman diagnosed with "Nervous" Diseases and Hysteria. Her doctor, who unfortunately is also her husband, gives her an isolation "treatment" where she has no contact with people unless necessary (I think the only contact she has with anyone is her sister-in-law when she brings her food and occasionally her husband), has no possessions to occupy her time with, and stares at the yellow wallpaper in her room. Eventually, her isolation causes her to see hallucinations in the yellow wallpaper.
I'm releasing a review for this one soon so I'll also keep this one brief. ;) For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed this story for the deeper meaning and history. It was a little confusing and hard to track with at times but I can see why since we are in the first person mind of the woman, viewing the world through her state of mind. What I did not like about the story was the ending! It was an abrupt, cold turkey ending with no resolution whatsoever. While I understand that the purpose of the story was to inform and not particularly to entertain, I would have asked for at least a closing word, some sort of resolution.
I would recommend The Yellow Wallpaper to anyone who loves to learn or reading classics and physiological stories. Extra awesome-sauce, the audio book was only 39 minutes long so your time is spent well for the enrichment~
(Also, 10/10 recommend: watch John Greene's Crash Course on this on YouTube after finishing- he is very informative and explains any confusion you may have experienced during the book.)
4. The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall
How do I feel about the last book in this beloved series, you ask? You really want to know?...
I feel ripped off.
Birdsall did us dirty. I was thriving with this series. It made me want to be a kid again, to sit under a table and eat grilled cheese or to go and explore the woods! I grew up with this characters, I lived with the characters, I experienced love and sorrow with these characters... and I failed miserably in my relationship choices with these characters..
Yeah.
Only one anticipated couple actually happens- and there is no proper growth for it!
Hoo! *deep breaths, Piper, deep breaths*
The thing is, I still loved this series. The ending didn't just ruin the whole experience for me. It was just that Birdsall had set up certain plot points and arcs early in the series that she didn't follow through on. For example, the whole book (not a spoiler, pinky promise) is about one of the Penderwicks' wedding. The whole book is about the family returning to Arundel with Jefferey to plan one of their weddings and they prepare, and things happen, and we're waiting for the big day that the girl gets married and BAM! Skip the wedding, it's now about the main character (who is not the one that got married) and how she wants to stay at Arundel for the rest of the summer and is happy to stay until school starts and then the series ends. That's it. Literally, it sounded to me like the wedding was the whole point for the story and we got none of it. Birdsall skipped to the end of the Penderwicks' time at Arundel when the sister was married and then it ended... (:I) Again, The Penderwicks at Last wasn't the worst- I loved the different character perspectives we got, the character development on some particular characters like Batty, and the overall happiness that everyone was left with.
5. The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
Hmm... Mixed feelings. I almost don't feel right saying much about this because it's target is for girls 8-14, of which age I am not. But, I'll still give my thoughts! (I will admit, these words are more directed at the whole series than the first book.) :I
I love this series for the nostalgia of my childhood and playing the video games are still one of my favorite past times. Where my opinions have changed since getting older, is that the mysteries have very little depth or intricacy, the plot feels rushed, and the writing style can be bland. Keene does a decent job on her characters, although if the stories were longer, we would have so much more time to enjoy the characters and their development. But I digress. This series really isn't for my age group and I think I could be spending my reading time on something more my age so I don't think I'll be coming back to Nancy Drew except for nostalgia. It's not that I don't like the series, it's just not targeted for my age, you know?
JUNE TBR: My To Be Read List
The Giver by Lois Lowry
I am challenging myself this summer to read a list of classics! This has been a series I've been meaning to read for a while and I think this is the perfect classic to slowly warm me up to the classic writing style. This is the first in a dystopian/Utopian (depends on who you ask) society about a boy named Jonas who, at the ceremony that all 12 year-olds receive their assigned career, begins to train for his position called The Receiver. The Receiver is the only one in their society who knows of the evils in the outside world like war, famine, disease, etc. and when this "Utopian" society needs to make tougher decisions, they ask The Receiver for advice since he is the only one who knows the possible outcomes of terrible decisions could be.
So far, I am only on chapter 5 of this book and I am in love. More to be said when in my June Wrap Up (you know, once I've finished the book XD).
2. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I actually know next to nothing about this book and I'm pretty excited going in not knowing. That's what makes it an adventure! The little I do know from beginning the book that it's about this guy who tries to "prove" himself to this girl he likes that he can be adventurous, macho man and, funny thing, turns out dinosaurs are still around! And that's the extent of my knowledge! :D
We'll see how it goes!
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
This is my month reread! This will only be my second time reading the Harry Potter series and I am PUMPED! Harry Potter is a 7 book series about a boy named Harry who has been raised by his abusive aunt and uncle when on his 11th birthday he learns that he is a wizard and that his parents were murdered by "The Dark Lord," Voldemort. The books go through Harry's time attending one of the highest wizarding schools, Hogwarts, his trials in battling Voldemort, and, honestly, trying to get past his teen years alive. I totally fell in love with this series and am oh so excited to read it again.
That's it for my updates! Let me know what you all are reading and you know I am always up for recommendations!
Sincerely,
P. T. Lockwood