Weekly Wrap-Up: 2/6 – 2/12/17

Happy Sunday bookworms!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  I wanted to give everyone a heads up that I may be a little MIA this coming week and into the following week.  Why?  My family and I are heading to Florida for a little fun in the sun 🙂  We will be spending a few days visiting Disney World, then we will be heading to Sarasota for a few days.  I’ve been working on trying to schedule a few posts for when I am away, but it can be hectic preparing for a family vacation so no promises.

I had a very productive reading and blogging week last week, so there’s that.  I was able to finish up 4 books, but before you get too excited 2 of them were middle grade books.  I also was able to get 3 book reviews up on the blog.  So far so good with my goal to knock out my ridiculous back log of book reviews.

Let’s see what I read and reviewed this week…

*Weekly Wrap-Up is a weekly post where I feature what posts were published on the blog for the past week, any bookish/blog happenings, noteworthy posts around the bookish blogosphere, what I recently finished reading, what I am currently reading, and what I will be reading next.

This week on the blog:

*I did warn you February was going to be review heavy 🙂

Tuesday 2/7

Book Review: The Girls by Emma Cline

Wednesday 2/8

Book Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Friday 2/10

Kids’ Corner: Why You Should Read George by Alex Gino with Your Kids

Bookish/Blog happenings:

» I attended an author event this past Tuesday for Brit Bennett, author of The Mothers.  It was a blast.  I really enjoyed listening to Brit read from and discuss her debut novel.  I’ve heard many good things about this book, so I am really excited to pick it up.  More details about this event to come in a post this week!

» I bought a copy on Neil Gaiman’s newest book, Norse Mythology on release day, but not just any copy, a SIGNED copy.  I wasn’t about to let the opportunity to own a signed NG book slip through my hands, so of course I bought it 🙂

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Around the blogosphere:

» Shealea @That Bookshelf Bitch celebrates a milestone by hosting a giveaway → 1,500 followers and 25,000 visits!!! [And a giveaway]

» Cait @Paper Fury shares unrealistic things that happen in YA books → Unrealistic Happenings In YA Books That Make Me Fly Away Upon A Pigeon And Ne’er Return

» Jess @JBelkBooks shares her guide to diversity → A Small Guide to Diversity | Chat with JBelkBooks

» Fadwa @Word Wonders talks about Muslim representation in books → Why don’t I see myself? Muslim Representation in Books

» Margot @Lectito shares 2o bookstagramers you should follow → 20 Bookstagrammers to follow in February

» Danielle @Books, Vertigo and Tea discusses the pros and cons of series →  Let’s Talk Series (As in book Series)

» Jackie @Death by Tsuduko gives you 5 reasons to join a book club → Building Better Book Clubs: Five Reasons To Join a Book Club

» Sammie @Bookshelves & Biros gives us 9 Valentine’s Day reads → 9 Valentine’s Day reads to give you all of the feels

What have I been reading?

*Book titles link to Goodreads

Recently finished reading:

» A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

Much like The Butterfly and the Violin, Kristy Cambron has a very refreshing take on WWII fiction in this book.   I love learning new aspects about WWII which was such horrific time in our world’s history.  Cambron has a way of finding the beauty (art) in the darkest of places.  I had no idea that thousands of pieces of art were created by children in the Terezin concentration camp.  These drawings, created with smuggled art supplies, were hidden and later retrieved.  This artwork can now be viewed at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.  Similar to my feelings of The Butterfly and the Violin, I was not a big fan of the story line that took place in present time, but really enjoyed the storyline that occurs in the past.  In my opinion, both books would have benefited without Sera’s story, but this book especially.

*Part of my SOKY Book Fest TBR

» State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

My first Ann Patchett book!  I really loved the premise of this book: a drug company is developing a top secret drug in the Amazon when a company representative dies under suspicious circumstances… I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book set in the Amazon, so I was very excited to pick this book up.  Now this book was very slow to get going, but once our main character reaches the Amazon, things really picked up.  The cast of characters in the book were not likeable, which added to the suspense of the book because you questioned everyone’s motives.  HOWEVER if you need to like or connect to characters to like a book, you may want to skip this one.  I really struggled with my rating for this one as I did have some issues with it, but on the other hand I did enjoy it.  I would probably say my rating is 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 🙂

State of Wonder would make for a fantastic film adaptation…

*Part of my SOKY Book Fest TBR

» When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin

What a beautiful middle grade book filled with Chinese mythology and folklore!  I was fully immersed in this ode to storytelling.  I also adored the gorgeous illustrations included, and only wished there were more… I know, I’m greedy.  Review to come!

» Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

That’s right y’all.  I read a book in verse.  Surprised?  Me too.  You want to know something even more surprising?  I really enjoyed it!   I even put sticky notes into the passages I felt spoke the most to me.  Review to come!

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Currently reading:

» The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

Whoa is this book outside my comfort zone!  If you know me, then you may know I am a big wuss when it comes to blood.  Like I get faint just thinking about it…  so for those of you who have read this one, you can probably imagine how difficult it is for me to read this.  HOWEVER I am really enjoying the story thus far, blood and all!  Sure I may pass out once or twice while reading, but once I come to I will keep on keeping on 🙂

» The Crystal Ribbon by Celeste Lim

I am really loving this book!  Set in medieval China, The Crystal Ribbon is the story of Jing who is sold into an arranged marriage to be the wife and nursemaid to a 3-year-old little boy.  Life with the Koh’s is not a happy existence, but things get even worse when the Koh’s sell Jing into an even worse situation in order to pay off some debts… Jing decides she must escape and find her way back to her family and the home she grew up in.  Cannot wait to see how this story turns out.

» Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

That’s right! I’m reading another middle grade book told in verse.  I am not very far into this one yet, but I really enjoyed reading her other book, Listen Slowly, last month, so I’m sure I will enjoy this one as well.

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On deck:

» Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

How was your week?

What are you currently reading?

What will you read next?

Have a wonderful week, and happy reading