May/June 2022 Reads

So it's been what feels like a lifetime since I've been here on Midway Jenn. In May, my husband and I bought our first house, moved to a new town, and had a baby. In a way, I guess I lived a lifetime in the past two months ☺

With all the chaos of many life changes, my reading life totally suffered. Is anyone surprised? I'm finally starting to feel like I've found a groove, and I'm getting my reading time back. Here's what I've been reading over the past two months:

May Reads

1. Center of Gravity by Shaunta Grimes. This was a sweet story about a girl named Tessa who is navigating the challenges and grief that come with her mom passing away, her dad remarrying and moving across the country. She makes friends with an unexpected group of kids who accept her just as she is. They also play a lot of foosball, which I haven't seen in middle grade books before and loved!

2. A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser. Ugh, this one tugged at my heart. With an inclusive cast of characters, it gives outsiders an up-close look at homelessness and the impacts of trauma. It was such a hopeful story, full of friendship and activism and all the beauty of kids' perspectives.

June Reads

1. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Maybe it's because I had a baby (who just so happened to be named Quinn!) and was moving while I listened to this one, but it seemed to draaaag. I didn't feel like I connected with any of the characters and had an unusually tough time following the story. Again, it's probably a timing thing - I was distracted.

2. Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen. My class this past year was BIG Jennifer A. Nielsen fans, and I am too! This is her latest release, a beautiful story with many perspectives from World War I that ultimately connected. A common thread was the importance of doing the right thing, regardless of how easy or "acceptable" that might be. This audiobook got me through those first few days alone with a newborn.

3. The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart. Whenever I get asked what my favorite book is, my go-to answer is The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, also by Dan Gemeinhart, so when I saw he had a new book coming out soon, I had to read it. The Midnight Children was delightful. It was one of those middle grade books that makes you look at the world more tenderly.

4. The Road to After by Rebekah Lowell. A novel in verse I stumbled upon at a bookstore, The Road to After is about a girl named Lacey, whose father has held her, her mom, and her younger sister captive her entire life. This is the story of them breaking free from the abuse and their journey to a new life.

5. American Royals by Katharine McGee. Imagine if the Revolutionary War had ended in the creation of a new monarchy instead of a democracy, and George Washington was the first king of the United States. That's the premise of the first in this series. I really enjoyed this young adult book with many intertwining story lines.

6. Majesty by Katharine McGee. This was the second in the American Royals series. It's been a while since I've read a series, so it was fun to be lost in this story for longer than typical. There's a third book that I'm sure I'll read in the coming months, too.

7. The Extincts: Quest for the Unicorn Horn by Scott Magoon. This new graphic novel series is about climate change and animal extinction, with some action and super powers. I'm sure some kids will really love it, but I didn't think it was very well-written. I found it difficult to follow.

8. Book Lovers by Emily Henry. My first Emily Henry book, and I'm officially obsessed. I laughed out loud and totally loved the story. The main character, Nora, was so spunky, honest, and relatable, and of course, I love a book-related love story.

So, in the last two months combined, I read less books than I typically read in one month, but I read different things and got to escape to some really phenomenal stories.

A few other reading-related notes/updates/realizations:

• My kindle and audiobooks are the only way I'm getting any reading done. Caring for a newborn is a lot of work that often requires at least three hands. These things help me continue to escape into books while keeping my hands free.

• It's hard for me to read when I'm in challenging seasons, but I always feel most like myself when I prioritize it.

• I'm in the process of moving my classroom library, and I've been reminded of HOW MANY great stories I have yet to read. Books really are magical.