Letter to CoVid 19

 Dear CoVid 19,

    To quote Alfalfa from Little Rascals, "I hate your stinking guts! You make me sick!" I am really struggling today with everything that is going on. Rachel is stuck in an apartment by herself in New York, and she has called frustrated everyday because she is missing practices and workouts or she has to have people deliver things to her. She is super independent, and we both hate that even though she tested negative for CoVid she still has to quarantine for two weeks. She can't even go outside to talk her garbage out! This stupid virus has turned our lives upside down.

    Our three boys have been doing "online" school for the last three weeks, and today as I'm helping Tommy with his math, he can't even do basic addition or subtraction without counting on his fingers. He's in the third grade! How is he ever going to do multiplication and division if he is still counting on his fingers? I've tried flash cards, and we have watched ALL of the videos that his teachers send (sometimes multiple times), and he still is struggling. JD is failing some of his classes because he's not turning work in (I guess), and VJ is gaining nothing. All he does all day is create posters on Adobe paint. I'm glad that he is learning how to create digital art, but how is he going to survive day to day if all he does is paint on a computer? 

    Now all three of my boys are freaking out because I made the decision to see if we can send them back to school for face to face instruction. It's just not working. Victor is too busy during the day to sit down with each one of them and help them, and I get home from work so tired that all I want to do is go to sleep until the next day. I have found friends who are willing to help Tommy and JD, but in all reality no one can help VJ except his teachers. 

    I honestly have to say that I really hate this time of our lives right now. I kept thinking that 2020 had to get better, and I sing the song "Tomorrow" from Annie almost daily in my head, but I really do think it's just getting worse. VJ just brought me a news article that shows that Alpine School District has 75 positive CoVid cases, and he is shaking because he's afraid he's going to get sick. I just am ready to give up. I also find it ironic that this month is suicide prevention month, and at this point, I honestly feel like suicide might be an option. I know that it's not, and I'm not going to harm myself, but the thoughts cross my mind. I can't help but think that Victor and my kids would be better off without me since I get so stressed out about EVERYTHING and I tend to then get angry and yell or I shut down and go in my room and sleep. How is that helpful? 

    So, CoVid, if you would please just go away that would be wonderful. I am super ready for a vaccine, and I am super ready to stop reading about how the deaths are really only 2% and the flu is worse. I honestly don't give a shit what the death rate is. This disease kills, and it is a hell of a lot worse than the damn flu. In addition, do you know how many times I have come home sick in the past 20 years and then my poor family gets sick because parents sent their kids to school with the flu? I can tell you that's it has been a HELL of a lot. At least twice a year. How is it that it takes a virus like CoVid to make you all wake up and realize that maybe you should use your DAMN common sense and keep your kids home when they are sick? One of my students actually said, "I wear the mask because it's better than being on a ventilator." So for all of you who think it's not a big deal, fine, keep thinking that. But DO NOT tell me that I shouldn't worry. DO NOT tell me that since I am not over 60 or since I don't have any other health issues I don't need to worry. DO NOT tell me that I shouldn't feel bad because I have a student whose dad fell 30 feet and is in the hospital to have surgeries and his family can't visit him because of CoVid. DO NOT tell me that this is what we should have been doing all along any way. If you had all used your common sense before CoVid and stayed at home then maybe we wouldn't be experiencing this f*&^ing pandemic. Maybe if you had taught your kids to wash their hands and cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze CoVid wouldn't be a big deal. Maybe if you had used your common sense and stayed home when you didn't feel well then the elderly people in nursing homes and the hospital could have visits from family members. Maybe people that lose loved ones like I lost my dad this year could have FUNERALS and actually hug one another instead of having to have a DAMN graveside service and not touch anyone because we would have been using our common sense all along. Maybe I could send my kids to visit my 84-year-old mom who is diabetic without worrying about them spreading the disease. MAYBE life would be "NORMAL" if you had all used your common sense years ago.

    CoVid, you SUCK!

Sincerely,

Me

Saying Goodbye to my Dad

Dear Dad,

Tonight as I sit and think about the past 45 years with you, I realized that you never told me no. Every time I would ask you permission to do something your response was, "I guess that's okay" or "Well, you better ask your mother." Today when I took you to Deseret Book, I had no idea that would be the last time I took you for an errand. I thought we had a lot more time together, even though your health has not been the greatest these last few years. 

As I started telling the kids stories, Tommy said, "Mom, you are getting old because your hair is turning gray and you are telling stories." I laughed, and I am sure you laughed too because I know that you are watching us from heaven.

I hope you know how much I loved you, and how much my four kids loved you. I remember sitting with you on the floor of our living room as you read Beatrix Potter books to me out loud in the first grade. I remember you coming in to a parent/teacher night in first grade, and we got to take in those books that came with the records to share with our class, and I had taken in Pete's Dragon to share. You pointed to it and asked, "Who does that belong to?" with a big smile on your face because you knew that I was the one who had taken it in.

I remember every clogging performance that you were there for me. When I went to Ricks the first year of college and I cut my long hair just to my waist, you cried and said, "Oh, Sis! Not your hair." I cried too because I knew that you loved my hair, but you loved me more. I remember calling you that first day back from Christmas break and asking you if I could travel with the folk dance team to France and Spain that year. You didn't say no; you asked how much it would cost, and then you said, "You better ask your mother." 

That same year when I came home from college, and I had friends who called me on weekends to go dancing at 10 PM, you never said no. You simply asked who I was going with, and then when I said, "It's with Wade, Jon, Nancy, and Becky" you said, "I guess that will be okay." You accepted my friends, and you never made me feel bad for who I hung out with. I remember the day that Mike Hatch came over in high school, and he wanted to impress me by riding your motorcycle that was way too heavy for him, and you tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He crashed into Joan and Gene's fence, and you were definitely more worried about him than you were the motorcycle. You accepted that I was dating Mike, and I know that you didn't necessarily like that I had a boyfriend at that age, but you never got mad at me or forbid me from going around him. You welcomed him into our house just like he was one of our own.

I also remember the time that I wrecked the car when you and Mom had gone somewhere for the day. I had been at clogging, and I backed into a truck. The tail lights of the Dodge Aspen were broken out and the back was dented in, but you didn't get mad. You said, "Oh, that's something we can fix."

You bought that 1977 Dodge Aspen for me and LaRayne to share, and you did all you could to make sure it was reliable for us. I remember the night that I took Kirk Young to a dance, and when we came out the car wouldn't start. I called you, and you came and took home the six of us in our group in our Chevy Citation. You didn't complain about the fact that it was after 11 PM, and you could have been in bed. You just came and took us all home with no questions asked. The next day we went and got the car, and you taught me the trick to make it run again if it wouldn't start. 

I remember begging you to go on the Deer Hunt with you and Willie and Joe. I had no idea how to shoot a gun, but you let me go. I begged you to take me on a horse ride up to Timpanookie because you had taken Joe and the grandsons, and I wanted a day just with you and me. You took me, and you made sure that "Old Bo" never once got startled, and it was one of the best days of my life! My butt was super sore after because I had never ridden for that long, but you made sure I had a good time.

I remember telling you that I wanted to serve a mission, and you supported me 100%. You were there with Joe, LaRayne, and I on the day that we all went to the Provo Temple and we received our endowments together. It was such a great day because we were all there (all five of your kids), and your Uncle Glen was one of the officiators that day. He joined us in the Celestial room afterwards, and the feeling of love I felt that day was unforgettable. When I left on my mission, I looked forward to getting those letters from you every week, and I'm so grateful now that I have them in my journal so I can share them with my children.

I remember telling you that Victor and I were engaged, and you didn't blink an eye. It was the worst day I could have chosen to tell you since it was the day that Grandma Ruby passed away, but you accepted my decision and never questioned it. You were there with us at the Salt Lake Temple when we were sealed, and you were there with me for every major event after that. You were there on the day I graduated from BYU with my Bachelor's degree, and the day that I told you I was expecting Rachel Amanda. My favorite though was when I called you from the hospital after she was born, and I said, "It's a girl." You replied with a laugh and said, "April Fools!" and I had to tell you no it wasn't a joke. You took each one of my kids and you raised them as if they were your own. You never were upset that you and Mom took them while I taught full time.

The year that Rachel turned three you broke your hip while playing soccer with her in your front yard. You were 71 years old, and Victor and I had left the kids with you so we could move into the house down the road from you and Mom. You didn't complain about the pain, and you still were willing to play with all of the grandkids when you came over.

I remember the first time we went to Disneyland, and you skipped with us through the park. I clung to you as we rode on Thunder Mountain Railroad, and I thought we were going to fall out. You were laughing, and you were having the time of your life. Each time we went to the ocean you told me about your trip to Portland and the big beautiful ships you saw come into port when you went there.

Dad, you taught me to love John Wayne and all things country. I still won't watch The Cowboys because it makes me cry, and I hate movies that John Wayne dies in. I love The Quiet Man and Hatari and El Dorado and so many other John Wayne movies because of you. I remember on my mission we went to dinner at an elderly couple's home in Hayward, and he had a life-size cardboard cut out of John Wayne. He was going to send it to you, but Mom told me not to let him because we didn't have anywhere to put it at home.

Dad, I'm going to miss you, and I'm going to miss you calling me to take you on errands. I never minded taking you, and I am so grateful that you and Mom allowed me to build next door to you so we could be close for the past eight years. My children love you so much, and I love you so much! I don't know what I am going to do without you. I know that you are in a better place, and I know you are with your loved ones, but I'm going to miss you. Please know that I will always love you, and I am so grateful for all that you taught me and did for me and our family. If I could go back in time, I would just so I could go into the store with you this afternoon instead of sending you in by yourself. That is my only regret. I feel so bad that I wasn't there next to you when you passed out. I know I can't change it, and I know you wouldn't want me to feel badly, but I do. 

I love you, Dad, and I look forward to the time we will be together again!

Internment by Samira Ahmed

Warning: If reality scares you then you should definitely not read this book. 

Internment was on my to read list as soon as it was published, and I read the summary for it. I knew that I had to add it to books I had read, and I wanted a copy to put in my classroom for my students. So, this year since I had extra money in my budget, I bought the paperback copy from Amazon, and I sat down to read it. The scary part is that I read this during the Pandemic and during all of the protests to ensure Black people equal rights. I read it with the intent to learn and to listen, and I did learn a lot!

The story starts with Layla, a Muslim American, sneaking out to see her boyfriend, David. Since the previous election for President of the United States multiple exclusion laws have been put into place, and of course, Muslims are the ones that are targeted. They are stripped of their jobs and even just the sense of security that they had prior to the election. They are targeted as terrorists, and eventually, they are taken to Internment camps that are not considered part of the United States of America. Layla and her parents are taken to the camp near Manzanar on the same night that she returns from sneaking out to see David. David's family are not taken because his father is white, and they are Jewish. 

As soon as they arrive at the camp, they are assigned to "blocks" where they will live in small trailers. Each of the blocks is comprised of people from the same ethnic groups, and Layla and her friends soon see how the "director" of the camp is trying to divide them and cause contention even in the camp. Layla sees horrific things happen such as a lady getting tased and dragged off, and other people simply disappearing from the camp with no explanation.

Layla and the other teenagers her age realize that they have to resist because no one is going to get them out of the camp from the outside. Layla befriends a guard, Jake, who tells her that he is not what she thinks he is. Jake helps to sneak message from Layla to David, and he even helps David sneak into the camp a couple of times. Eventually, the Red Cross comes to visit, and Layla and her friends stage a peaceful fast where they refuse to eat. This gets the attention of the Red Cross, and there are a lot of people on the outside who are protesting as well. Unfortunately, the Red Cross does not have any real power, and they can only be there for a short amount of time to help improve the situation.

Once the Red Cross leaves, Layla is taken by the director, and she is basically tortured to try to get her to give the director names of adults who have been helping them. Luckily, Layla proves she is stronger than the director, and at the end, the Internees are freed and sent back to their homes. The sad part is that there are deaths along the way, and there are serious consequences that are very real.

As I read the book, I couldn't put it down. I was very disturbed by the fact that this could so easily happen in the United States today, and the fact that our President now has openly called Muslims terrorists, and he is trying to build a wall to keep refugees and immigrants out of the country makes it even more believable. I shivered each time I read "Make America great again." It was scary to see how easily supporters of our President are persuaded to look the other way and not speak up when they see injustice happening around them.

The current events in our country have hopefully made all of us look more deeply at our prejudices and biases, and I hope that we never turn a blind eye to injustice again. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and so many others have forced us to look at the system that is built on racism and bigotry. I hope that with these deaths positive change will come, but I worry that there are too many who are still turning a blind eye when injustice happens. As the new school year approaches I plan on introducing Internment to my students and encouraging each and everyone of them to read it and contemplate its message. This is a must read for every young adult and adult in our country to learn how terrifying life can be if we don't take steps now for change.

Thoughts on Quarantine

I never thought that I would be teaching online full time. I especially never thought that my oldest child wouldn't have a traditional graduation. This year has been tough, and I am honestly feeling it. The school closed officially on March 16. My last day teaching was March 12 because I went to St. George to watch the softball team play their last games of the season on March 13 and 14. Can I tell you how glad I am that I went? I usually don't take the time off to watch Rachel play, but this year I had decided I was going to go to every game possible, and I am so glad that I did!

Since then life has been a little crazy. I've felt anger, sadness, happiness, depression, and so many things in between. But through it all, my students and my own children have helped me to remain optimistic. When Governor Herbert announced that schools would be closed for the remainder of the school year I cried off and on all day. My husband came to talk to me about things that needed to be done that day, and I told him I just couldn't function. I couldn't make decisions at that point because I was so sad that I wasn't going to get to see my daughter play high school softball ever again, and I wasn't going to teach in my classroom for the remainder of the school year, and my daughter wasn't going to have a senior prom or a typical graduation. I don't remember if I even got dressed that day. There have been days since when I haven't felt like getting out of bed, but that day was definitely the worst day of the quarantine for me. 

However, that day also helped me to reorganize and realize that even though the rest of the year wasn't going to be typical, I could do small things to help it seem normal. I started having Zoom meetings with my classes, and I held them during the times when we would have normally been in class. We did the same things I would have done in class too. I shared books with them that I have read, and then I read and discussed literature with them. We even had the class clowns join us and help us keep laughing when we really wanted to just give up and go back to bed. For my regular English 12 classes we were studying Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See, and I was super sad that I wouldn't get to do some of the cool activities I had planned, but I was still excited that so many of my students stuck with it and finished reading the book. We had our last Zoom meeting yesterday, and the majority of my students have completed the reading and the quizzes that were on Canvas for them. I even had one student who is usually a rebel and not motivated at all join in every meeting that he could, and he has completed the quizzes online. I love that kid, and I am so sad that I am not going to be able to give him a hug at graduation and tell him how proud of him I am. Another student sent me an email, and he said, "I'm going to read the whole book; I don't want to read the summaries for the parts that you sent us. I want to read it all, so I am going to need extra time for the quizzes. Is that ok?" You bet it was ok! I love seeing my students enjoy the literature that we study in class.

The last thing that I did to try to make things normal, but to also let my students know I love them, is I sent out "Skyridge Shout Out" cards to every student. I still have 21 to write, but before the year ends, every one of my students will have a card from me letting them know that I saw their hard work, and I appreciate and love them so much. We only have 20 days until the official last day of school, and it is still feeling weird for me, but I'm feeling optimistic as well. I know that my seniors have worked their guts out this year and for the last 13 years of their lives to get their high school diplomas. I know many of them don't know where they will be in the fall, but I know that they will be successful wherever they end up. They truly are an amazing group of people! 

When I was pregnant in 2001, and I saw the planes hit the Twin Towers in New York on live television, I wondered what I was doing bringing a child into this world. Then she came, and her birth was not easy. She really should have been delivered by c-section, but the doctor insisted that we deliver her naturally. She came out with bruises on her head from the vacuum, and her skin was super dry because she was a week overdue, but she survived. She has been so strong, so intelligent, and so loving! I know she came at the right time, and I know her friends came at the right time because they are all strong, intelligent, and loving. Then this pandemic hit, and I thought, "Man, this really sucks for these poor kids!" They were born in a world of uncertainty, and now they are graduating in a world of uncertainty, but I know they are ready to face the uncertainty with courage. They have never backed down from the challenges and trials that have been thrown their way. I am so proud of the class of 2020, and I know that this isn't what they wanted or dreamed of, but I will always remember them as the class that overcame all the odds, and they will be the students I talk about for years to come.

The Wicked King by Holly Black

After finishing The Cruel Prince, I couldn't wait to start the second book in the series, The Wicked King. This book tells the story of Jude as she serves as the High King's Seneschal, but in all reality, she is the one ruling the kingdom. Jude has moved into the palace to keep a close eye on Cardan, and she is the one who is making all of the decisions about what he does as king. In addition, she has been intercepting messages from Balekin, Cardan's brother, who murdered their father in an effort to take the crown, but Jude tricked Cardan into being king before Balekin had a chance.
As Jude goes to the jail to meet with Balekin, she meets Cardan's mother, and she learns more about her own mother from Lady Asha. Also, she learns that Balekin is plotting with the Queen of the Undersea, Orlagh, to take the crown away from Cardan.
Meantime, her stepbrother, Oak, is living in the mortal world with her sister, Vivi, and their twin sister, Taryn, is preparing for her marriage to Locke. Locke appoints himself the Master of Revels, and he makes sure that all that is happening in the kingdom is one party after another. Jude is worried at first about Locke's intentions, but she realizes that she can't take the title away from Locke if she wants to make it seem like Cardan is really the High King and acting on his own decisions.
When Oak returns to the kingdom for Taryn's wedding, Jude and her stepfather, Madoc, are ready for an attack from the Undersea, which surprisingly doesn't come the way they expected. Instead, Jude is lured away from the wedding and captured by Queen Orlagh and Balekin. She is held in the Undersea Kingdom for almost a month before Cardan is able to negotiate for her return. In exchange for Jude though, he allows Queen Orlagh to attack the Court of Termites and orders them to not retaliate. When she returns to the land, Jude has to figure out a way to please Cardan, Madoc, and the Court of Termites without starting a war. She pretends to be glamoured by Balekin in order to get back into the palace, and he attempts to frame her for poisoning Cardan.
The end of the book is just as much of a twist to me as the first one was. I won't tell you what exactly happens, but Jude does kill Balekin, and Cardan is able to remain on the throne as the High King of Elfhame. Taryn, her twin sister, marries Locke, and Oak is returned to the mortal world safely.
I feel like the best part of this book is the relationship between Jude and Cardan. In the first book, he admits that he can't stop thinking about her, but he hates it because she is mortal, and he doesn't want to be attracted to her. In this book, however, the two of them act more on their feelings of attraction for one another, and it turns out to be exactly what Jude shouldn't have done. The entire time I was reading, I kept thinking that it would be Taryn and Locke who betrayed her, and I was shocked at the end to see who was the real person behind her betrayal. Holly Black has done a spectacular job of building the kingdom of Elfhame along with believable and lovable characters. Now that I have seen that Cardan and Jude really do care for each other, I can't wait to see how the series comes to an end.

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

So, this is a book that I would have not picked up on my own. I work with a wonderful librarian where I teach, and she started a faculty book group last year, and this was the read that we had for this past month. The book talks about four personality profiles, and it gives suggestions about how you can be a better person by understanding your own profile and the profiles of other people.
The very first chapters give a little summary of the four different profiles and contain a quiz for you to complete to figure out your own personality profile. I was not surprised really to learn that I am considered an obliger, a person who upholds outer expectations well, but I am not great with keeping inner expectations. However, I felt like there are times when I am a little bit of an upholder who meets with inner and outer expectations at times (but those times are few and far between).
I first started the book in March, and I left it on my desk after taking the quiz and figuring out what my own tendency was. I thought it was interesting to know that I am an obliger, but I really didn't have a great desire to keep reading and find out about the other tendencies. In fact, the reason why I finished it was because the quarantine called for us to complete the meeting online, and I felt like I shouldn't join if I hadn't finished the book (showing that I am definitely an obliger). So, I finished the book, and I was actually surprised to see how reading it will now help me as a teacher, spouse, and parent. Through most of the book, I just kept thinking about how it would help me with my family, but then Gretchen mentions how teachers can use this knowledge to help the students in their individual classrooms, and I started to think of different students who fit into the different personality types. I can definitely name at least one student from each of the tendencies, and I'm thinking about how I can use this knowledge now, especially since my teaching is all online, and I am not meeting with my students face to face.
Overall, it was a fun, fast read. I find it informative, and I shared it with my husband (who didn't agree with the tendencies at all, and he claims he is an obliger as well, but then he started questioning the tendencies before even reading the book). I told him he actually needs to read it and then see if he still feels like he is an obliger (I personally think he is a questioner). Anyway, I think it's a fresh look at the different personality types, and I am excited to apply what I learned from the book in all aspects of my life, not only in my classroom.

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

I am one of the first people to tell you that classics are essential to our culture, and we should definitely include the classics when we are teaching literature in public schools. However, after reading Oliver Twist I can say that this isn't a must read for everyone.
The story is the first novel written by Charles Dickens, and it follows Oliver, an orphan, as he runs away from the town he was born in to London. Once he arrives in London, Dodger takes him in and introduces him to Fagin. Fagin plans on teaching Oliver how to be a pickpocket and make him work for Fagin, but on one of the first times Oliver goes out, he is captured by the police and taken to court. Fortunately for Oliver, the man who was robbed, Mr. Brownlow, is a kindhearted man who takes pity on Oliver and takes him in.
Oliver spends a few days with Mr. Brownlow, and he then is taking books back to a bookstall owner when Fagin's gang spots him and kidnaps him. He is taken back to Fagin, and this time he cannot get away so easily. Fagin eventually sends him with Bill Sykes to pull off a house burglary, and this time Oliver is shot and left for dead. Once again, Oliver is taken in by the kind people he was trying to steal from, and he gains an education along with a family.
However, Fagin is still very upset by the fact that Oliver is no longer in his gang, and he is still trying to get Oliver back, but he is not able to. Meanwhile, the people who originally helped to raise Oliver and put him to work in his hometown are also taking advantage of their relationship with Oliver. A locket and ring that his mother gave to the lady who delivered him are sold to a pawnshop, and then they are returned to Oliver's half-brother, Monks, who wants to see Oliver as a thief because he wants to inherit all of their father's money rather than having to split it with Oliver. We soon learn that Monk is working along with Fagin, and Monks is the reason that Fagin tries so hard to keep Oliver as a pickpocket.
Of course, the story ends happily, and Oliver doesn't return to Fagin's gang, but the actions of the thieves and others in Fagin's group are horrifying. Bill Sykes actually murders Nancy, who is only trying to help Oliver without exposing the group of thieves. Fagin is portrayed as an evil man who cares about nothing but money, and Dodger is not a kind boy who takes Oliver in to help him survive.
I was actually shocked by the anti-semitic statements in the book, and I was very disappointed that Dickens had many of the Jewish characters be the villains in the book as well. I had no idea that he was so anti-semitic, and there were times that I was just angry at the way he portrayed the characters in Fagin's gang.
In the end of the story, Oliver is still living with Mr. Brownlow, and he is better off than he was in Fagin's gang. However, Fagin, Bill Sykes, and Dodger are all in prison or dead due to the crimes they committed throughout the story. I understand that they were evil, but I really did not like how evil Dickens portrayed them. The characters who were poor and less-fortunate were all portrayed as people who were willing to do whatever it took to gain money while the only characters who were genuinely good were those who came from money and upperclass families. It would have been nice to see some of the less fortunate characters have redeemable qualities as well. Dickens portrays those in poverty as people who are pure evil.
Overall, the story of Oliver is a nice story to show how there are good people in the world who will take in those less fortunate and help them, but it is not a story that I feel everyone should read. It definitely does not have the same redeeming and lovable characters that are in later stories by Dickens, and the plot isn't really super exciting. There are a lot of holes in the story, and the time skips around so much that you aren't ever really sure if the events are happening sequentially or with weeks and months in between.
I wouldn't really recommend that anyone read this book. In all reality, the musical of the story is much better and more worth your time than the novel.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

If you love fantasy and strong female heroines along with romance then you will definitely enjoy this one. I received this through my LitJoy crate subscription, and it took me a good while to get around to reading it. My 12-year-old son, who is a huge Harry Potter fan, was actually trying to find a book to read, and I handed him this one because it was so late, and he didn't want an e-book. He read it, and immediately told me that I need to read it as well.
The story begins with Elisabeth, who is an orphan, helping the warden at the library transport a grimoire to the vault of the library. In the world Elisabeth lives in, the majority of books are grimoires, and they have the ability to turn into maleficts (monsters). At this same time the library receives a visit from a sorceror, Nathaniel Thorn, whom Elisabeth believes is evil. However, she meets him while spying on him, and she is left with the impression that maybe he is not as bad as she assumed.
 After a few weeks, Elisabeth wakes up in the middle of the night, and she realizes that something is wrong. She rushes to the vault, and she realizes that the grimoire she put there weeks before has turned into a malefict, and she discovers the warden is dead. Elisabeth fights off and destroys the malefict, but of course, she is accused of killing the warden because she was the only one who was awake during the time.
Elisabeth is locked up, and the Collegium sends Thorn to escort her back to the city for her trial. Along the way, she learns that Thorn is not the evil person she thought he was, but she also realizes that his servant is a demon, so there must be some evil to him. Eventually, Nathaniel and Elisabeth reach his home in the capital, Brassbridge, they are attacked by fiends outside of his home. Fortunately, Silas, the demon, helps fight them off, and they are sheltered safely inside Thorn's home. From Thorn's home Elisabeth is taken to the home of Oberon Ashcroft, who is the Chancellor of Magic. Nathaniel leaves assuming she is safe because she has been exonerated from the accusation of murder since another library was attacked while she was in custody. However, while at Ashcroft's, Elisabeth is manipulated by his demon, and she learns that he is the magician who is attacking the libraries.
Fortunately, Elisabeth escapes and makes it back to Thorn's where she convinces him to join her in the fight against Ashcroft. While they are preparing, Elisabeth learns about sorcery, and she and Thorn of course develop a relationship. In addition, Elisabeth becomes friends with Silas, the demon, and she starts to see that there is more to sorcery than she as grown up believing. As they work together to learn what Ashcroft's plans are, Elisabeth learns about some of her own powers, and she is determined to stop Ashcroft no matter what.
The story builds up to a climactic end where Elisabeth and Nathaniel both almost lose their lives, and Silas shows that he may not be the evil demon he is always telling Elisabeth that he is. The end actually ends with the reader not being sure about Nathaniel, Elisabeth, or Silas's futures, but it does end with a hopeful ending. My son tells me that it ends in such a way that there has to be a sequel, but in my mind, it ends with a happy ending. The reader is left to decide what really happens, and it would be nice if there were a sequel, but it's not really necessary.
Overall, the story is a great fantasy that lovers of books will enjoy. I loved that the setting was in libraries and in a world that basically worshiped literature. I also enjoyed the power that books had, and the fact that they were able to transform into monsters and also communicate with Elisabeth was so much fun! For those who have often thought it would be fun to live in a library, this story makes it seem even more unbelievable. As I read about Elisabeth and the books, I couldn't help but wish that I were there with her taking care of the books and learning from them.
Another thing that I really loved was the character of Silas. Yes, he is a demon, and he reminds Elisabeth of that many times, but he is also so much more than a demon. He becomes, in my opinion, the hero of the story, and he is so lovable and easy to accept. I love how he works to help Nathaniel as a servant, but also as a friend. Rogerson creates the relationship between Nathaniel and Silas almost as a child and parent relationship. I couldn't help but cheer for Silas, and throughout the story, I agreed with Elisabeth when she kept thinking that there was more to Silas than he was letting on.
The final part of the book that I of course loved was the relationship between Nathaniel and Elisabeth. The fact that she starts out not trusting him, but quickly learns to love him was a little bit cheesy, but also, so fun to read! I loved that the two of them worked together to save their world and the libraries, and Elisabeth wasn't always the damsel in distress. There were times where she saved Nathaniel just as much as there where times where he saved her. I actually thought the romance would be a detraction for my son, but he told me that he enjoyed the fantasy part of it so much that the romance wasn't a problem at all.
This is one that I am excited to share with my students after this whole Covid 19 quarantine is over. I know that fans of Harry Potter and other fantasy books will definitely love Sorcery of Thorns.

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

This book was suggested to me by a teacher friend about eight years ago. She knows that I am a lover of Historical Fiction, and I don't mind a cheesy romance once in a while, so she recommended that I read it shortly after it was released. Neither one of us knew at the time that it was a series, and we would have to wait until the series was completed to finish the story, but I'm so glad that she suggested the book to me! This was fun to read a second time during the quarantine because I am feeling so overwhelmed with the seriousness of this whole stay at home and teach/social distance period.
The story tells about the Holland family, who are "old money" in turn-of-the-century New York. Elizabeth, the oldest of the two Hollands, is in love with their carriage driver, Will Keller, but she is being forced to marry handsome Henry Schoonmaker, New York's most eligible bachelor because her family has lost all of their money since her father's death. Elizabeth obviously doesn't love Henry, and she wants to run away to California with Will, but she has always been taught to do what is best for the family so she stays in New York even though her heart is with Will.
While Elizabeth is dealing with her engagement to Henry and her relationship with Will, her best frenemy, Penelope Hayes, is trying to figure out how to get Henry to marry her instead of Elizabeth. In addition, Elizabeth's younger sister, Diana, finds herself following in love with Henry, and Henry finds he feels the same about Diana. To make things worse, Elizabeth's maid, Lina Broud, is in love with Will, and she wants revenge because Will chose Elizabeth over her. It really is the cheesy romance that most teenage girls will enjoy. Plus, in my opinion, it is tastefully done. Yes, the characters have intimate relationships outside of marriage, but Godbersen doesn't portray those scenes in a tasteless way. She does not go into great detail during the love scenes, and the language is very tame.
In addition, I love how the characters are developed in the story. Penelope Hayes is very much the stereotypical rich brat who comes from "new money" while Elizabeth is the stereotypical damsel in distress who has to choose between her true love and her family. Diana is portrayed as a romantic teenager who is looking for love, but in all reality, she is more independent and courageous than Elizabeth and Penelope are put together. I hate Penelope strongly, and I feel the same about Lina Broud. The two of them are super selfish, and I love how Godbersen portrays their personalities through their selfish thoughts and actions.
I am looking forward to rereading the entire series, since I have time to do that, and I highly recommend the series to those who are looking for a fun, cheesy romance to help take your mind off of the more serious matters in life.

The Cruel Prince

My family knows, and some of my students know, but I love book subscription boxes! I actually received The Cruel Prince by Holly Black in one of my book subscriptions, and I read it right away. Of course, I was disappointed then because the series wasn't finished, so I set it aside and decided when the series was finished, I would read it. So, two or three years have passed, and the series is done. I borrowed the book from the online library because CoVid 19 quarantine is happening, and my copy is in my classroom, and I didn't want to go to the school to get a book I could read for free. It was much better reading this the second time, and I feel better about it than I did the first time round.
The story follows Jude and her two sisters, who were taken to live in the land of the Faerie when her mother's first husband killed her mother and father. While growing up in the land, Jude is educated with the other children of the high court, and she is trained by Madoc (her stepfather/kidnapper) to be a knight within the court. As Jude reaches the age of 16, she decides that she will show the other royal children that she can belong in their world. However, when she asks Madoc for permission to become a knight, he tells her that she has to wait longer.
Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, for Jude, the High Prince hires her to be one of his spies. While spying for him, Jude learns about more about his brother, Cardan, who is her same age and whom she despises. Along the way, Jude also finds herself falling for one of Cardan's friends, Locke, and she finds herself more involved with the royal family than she ever wanted to be. The story ends on a cliffhanger, and I don't want to ruin it for you, but if you enjoy fantasy with a bit of romance then you will enjoy this one.
The one thing I liked about the story, but also didn't like, was the relationship that Jude has with her stepfather/kidnapper/killer of her parents. Madoc isn't Jude's blood father, but he raises her as his own because of what he has been taught as a Faerie court, and he trains her well. At times, I found myself forgetting that he was the person who killed her mother and father and brought her to the land, but then he would say or do something that reminded me that he really wasn't the great person he seemed to be.
I also loved the relationship between Jude and Cardan. I have to say that the twist at the end of the book was a shock to me both times, and I can't wait to see how their relationship continues in the remainder of the series. They definitely have a love/hate relationship, and it's going to be fun to see how Holly Black continues their relationship.
The only thing I really hated about this one was Jude's stepmother (Madoc's second wife) and actually, Jude's twin sister, Taryn. I couldn't really stand either of them, and I feel like they both owe Jude more than they are willing to give to her. The two of them are super selfish, in my personal opinion, and I hope that Jude doesn't continue helping them, or at least that she won't help them as much in the next books.
Overall, it was a fun and different type of fantasy to read. Black's plot was not easy to guess, and like I said before, the twist at the end is a shock. This is a well-written fantasy that I know any lover of young adult fantasy will enjoy.

Olivia Twist

I'm going to be honest and admit that I have never read Oliver Twist, so I can't really compare this one to the classic at all. The story is about Olivia Langdon, who was born in a workhouse and named Oliver Twist. However, she was raised as a boy because the doctor who delivered her told the nurse who raised her to raise her as a boy so she could avoid the hardships of being an orphaned girl. From there, the story skips to when Olivia is 17 or 18 years old, and she is living happily with her uncle. The sad part is that her uncle is losing his wealth, and in an effort to help him, Olivia has continued with her skills of robbery that she learned growing up on the streets as the member of Dodger's gang. In addition, she feels obligated to marry well so she can help her uncle financially to try to repay him for taking her in all those years ago when she thought she had no one else to turn to.
Of course, Dodger is in the story too. He shows up as the charming Jack MacCarron, an Irish gentleman, who is supposedly the nephew of Lois March, a well-to-do widow in London's society circles. However, Lois's husband left her with numerous gambling debts, so in exchange for a better lifestyle, Dodger became Jack MacCarron, and he helps rob from the rich as well to provide an income for Lois when she has no other way to live.
Jack and Olivia actually meet in the very beginning of the book, and Olivia recognizes him as Dodger, but when she calls him that, he refuses to acknowledge that is who he is. The mystery continues as Jack and Olivia are thrown together at parties and dinners, and even in the streets of London while trying to pawn the goods they have stolen for their benefactors. Eventually, the two develop feelings for each other, but Olivia cannot give in to the feelings because she is going to marry Maxwell Grimwig, a millionaire, who can help provide all she and her uncle will ever need.
The conflict comes into play when a new street lord, Monks, shows up and begins threatening and hurting Olivia's gang of orphans that she secretly supports as well. Olivia introduces the boys to Jack, and he promises to help them as much as he can. Of course, Monks is also Olivia's long-lost half-brother, and he is angry because their father left his fortune to his daughter rather than Monks. As a result, Monks frames Olivia for murder, and Jack/Dodger has to come in to rescue her.
The story is super cheesy, and there is a lot of romance along with kissing throughout the book. I actually had a hard time figuring out who was who because it seemed like most of the characters had two different names (even though that wasn't really the case). Also, the ending was a bit abrupt, and I felt that things were wrapped up quickly so the author could give Jack and Olivia a happily ever after.  I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who really loves the original Oliver Twist because I know it would just ruin it for you. However, I did enjoy the book, and it was a fun read for me (especially during the Co-Vid 19 quarantine when I'm not at school teaching for two weeks). This is one that I would recommend to girls who enjoy the sappy romance that is a twist (no pun intended) on a classic.

In the Shadow of the Sun

If you read my previous review about the book Enchantee, I am going to warn you that this one is a bit similar in the sense that it takes place in Paris and Versailles, and the magicians are considered nobles who run the court. I found it intriguing that two different authors wrote about the same type of idea within a year of one another. Either way, this one was a fun story to read as well.
The story follows Henriette, who is married to Louis XIV brother, Philippe, the Duke of Orleans. However, their marriage doesn't really start out as a happy one, since everyone knows, including Henriette, that Philippe prefers the company of men over women. Fortunately for Henriette, she is what is called a source. A source is someone who can give magic to magicians to control. Louis learns by accident that Henriette is a source, and he persuades her to help him gain power and control through the use of magic to build the Palace of Versailles. Throughout the story, Philippe shows some affection to Henriette, and she clearly wants him to love her, but she also develops a crush on Louis. Louis though never really returns Henriette's feelings, and she must watch as he develops relationships with other women. Eventually, Henriette and Philippe do fall in love, and they have a beautiful relationship. Philippe helps to protect Henriette from Louis going too crazy with her magic powers, and the three of them actually work together to defeat Fouquet, who in the book is the crown magician and tries to get Henriette to betray Louis and be his source rather than Louis's.
I found it so intriguing that the idea of magic is what helped to build the French monarchy, and also what helped the monarchs to remain in control for as long as they did. Also, I had never even heard of Henriette, so it was fun for me to read about her in real life and compare what is known about her in history with how the author portrayed her in the novel.
I would recommend this to those who love a good romance/fantasy, and anyone who wants to learn a little more about Louis the XIV. A large portion of the story is fiction, but the way that the author creates the characters compels the reader to learn more about what these people were really like when they were alive.
This was definitely a fun read for me from Once Upon a Bookclub Bookcase, and I am so glad I signed up for the subscription (I'm not getting paid for this). As a warning, there is supposed to be a sequel to this one, but I don't know that I will read it. The way that the author ends this one is pleasant enough that you won't be waiting on pins and needles for the next one to be published.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

This review contains spoilers! Don't read it if you don't want to know how the story ends.
This was a read for my book club, and at first, I didn't love it. The story follows the life of Enzo, a dog, yes, a dog is the narrator, and his experiences with Denny, his owner.  Denny is a race-car driver, and Enzo loves watching videos or car races when Denny is not at home. Eventually, Denny gets married, and he and his wife have a kid. Spoiler alert: Don't read on if you don't want to know what happens. Denny's wife then gets cancer and she dies. While she is suffering from cancer, she moves in with her parents, and Denny's daughter also lives there with them. Denny comes to visit when he can. Also, when his wife is sick, Denny goes on a family trip with his wife's family and his daughter, and one of the teenage cousins falls in love with Denny. Now, the sad part (yes, more sad than his wife dying). After Denny's wife dies, his in-laws decide to sue him for custody of his daughter, and to make things worse, the teenage cousin accuses him of rape. In the end, it all turns out fine for Denny, but he loses a lot of money, and then poor Enzo doesn't really get to see him happy because Enzo's life ends before Denny gets to his happily ever after.
Now, for my review part. There are chapters about racing cars that really aren't necessary; I felt like it was a bit like Moby Dick where the chapters about whaling didn't really add to the story. However, I can see why the author included these chapters; they do help you learn a little bit more about Denny as a person, but not a lot. So, I didn't really enjoy those chapters; I feel like the story could have been told without the race-car chapters.
Also, I kept thinking, "When is this guy going to get a break?" Good grief! First, his wife gets cancer, second his in-laws sue him for custody of his kid, and third, he's accused of raping a relative. What are the odds that this would all happen in one person's life, let alone within a year's timeframe? It seemed a bit much for me.
In addition, I kept thinking that Denny was pretty stupid, but then I realized that the author made him mainly naive and vulnerable since the story was being told from a dog's point of view. The dog helps the reader actually connect with Denny, and you feel like you learn more from the dog about being human than you could ever learn from actual humans.
All in all, it wasn't my favorite book, but it was a fun read. I liked that it was reality fiction, but I feel that there was a bit too much reality in there. Denny could have just dealt with the custody law suit rather than having to throw in the whole rape situation as well. I get it; it helped the in-laws make him look even worse as a dad, but really? Anyway, if you enjoy reality fiction, and you want to read a book told from a dog's point of view, you should read this one. It really is an okay story, and it does help you think about what we as humans do to one another and how we could all be a little bit more "human" for each other.

Batman: Nightwalker

I know that this book came out a few years ago, but I didn't have a copy. Originally I also thought I wouldn't like it because I am more of a girl hero lover than male heroes, but this one was actually surprisingly fun for me.
The story begins with Madeleine being caught at a crime scene and arrested for murdering one of Gotham City's elite citizens. Right away you get the feeling that she isn't the bad guy and she is taking the fall for someone else. The story then jumps to Bruce Wayne as he is traveling to his 18th birthday party. Bruce leaves the party early because he gets upset by the mayor's son, who used to be his friend. While traveling back to Wayne Manor, Bruce ends up driving right into a crime scene, and when he realizes that the police aren't going to catch the criminal he chases him down instead. As a result, Bruce is sentenced to community service, and he is assigned to work at Arkham Asylum cleaning the halls and other areas. While there, he goes into the basement where the "toughest" criminals are kept, and of course, he meets Madeleine. Madeleine soon starts talking to Bruce, and she tells him things that she won't tell the police. Luckily for the police force, Bruce is willing to go "undercover" for them and try to Madeleine to reveal the secrets of the Nightwalkers. As the story goes on, Bruce finds himself falling for Madeleine, and at the end, we discover she really isn't the bad guy that she seemed to be.
As I said before, this was surprisingly fun, but it was also a little predictable. I was a little sad that the author developed a love story between Bruce and Madeleine, but then Madeleine didn't stick around at the end. Also, by having Madeleine even be part of the story, the author kind of threw a kink in the original DC story that some ardent Batman fans probably won't appreciate. However, I did enjoy the action and the plot line to the book. Even though I knew that Bruce was on the hit list, I didn't realize that the Nightwalkers would target him so early in the story. I was expecting the end of the book to be more about him and the Nightwalkers invading Wayne Manor, and that surprisingly happened more in the middle of the book. Also, I enjoyed the fact that Harvey Dent was included in the story, and he and Bruce were friends from high school (at least the author kept that part from the original).
Since I have the book, I will definitely be putting it in my classroom library for my students to read. I feel that the author did a great job of creating the characters, and males and females alike will enjoy the story. The males because Bruce Wayne is an independent teenager who takes matters into his own hands and comes out on top; the females because Madeleine is part of the story and Bruce falls for her. My own 12-year-old son read the book, and he loved it! He finished it within 24 hours, so I know that if he enjoyed it, most teenage boys will also like it. He even said, "Mom, the love story wasn't that bad in it." So, if you are a Batman fan and don't mind how closely it sticks to the original, Batman: Nightwalker is one that you will want to read and share with other Batman lovers.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez

Woven in Moonlight tells the story of Ximena, the decoy Condesa, for the Illustrian people who have been driven out of their city by the evil King Atoc. Ximena is sent in to take the Condesa's place when Atoc demands her hand in marriage, and as she spends time in the palace, she learns that there is more than one side to every story.
When Ximena first arrives at the palace her goal is to kill Atoc and help the Condesa take control of the throne back. However, as she is in the palace, she gets to know many of the Illustrian people who don't want Atoc on the throne, and she discovers that maybe the Condesa isn't the right person to rule the kingdom. By the end of the book, Ximena is trying to figure out who's side she is really on, and of course there is a love story involved as well.
I truly loved the story mainly because of the Latin background and my love for Latin America. The Spanish phrases that were included helped make the book that much more real for me, and I laughed out loud when the cuss words were there because they were so appropriate for the situation and the book. This was a really fun story, and I fell in love with it quickly. I was a little shocked at the violence and blood involved, but at the same time, it helped to make the story that much more believable. I am excited to include this one in my classroom library and to share the story with my students. Ibanez is a beautiful writer, and I can't wait to read her next book.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Man, I have fallen behind on updating my reviews! I read Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow because a great teacher friend had it and loaned it to me. I was preparing to teach All the Light We Cannot See to my Senior English classes, and I had read an article about Hitler Youth, so when my friend and I were talking, she loaned me the book.
Anyway, the book was great. Written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, it tells the rise and fall of the Hitler Youth organization. Bartoletti starts the book telling the story of one of the Hitler Youth who was killed by a communist gang for being a member of the Hitler Youth, and she moves on to tell the various stories of different members of the group. Included in the stories are girls and boys of all ages who were members of the Hitler Youth. A few remained faithful to the group until the end of World War II while some saw through the organization's promises and purposes and joined resistance groups. The White Rose organization and the story of the group is in the book, and I was actually shocked that their executions didn't deter people away from Hitler Youth, but rather helped strengthen the resolve of the Hitler Youth to support Hitler and his cause.
Overall, I enjoyed the book immensely, and I feel that Bartoletti did a great job of sharing both sides of the story. Quality nonfiction for young adults is not always easy to find, but this is a genre that I feel is on the rise. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow is a title that I recommend for history lovers who want to see both sides of a group who isn't discussed as often as they should be.

Banished (Forbidden #2)

This story picks up where Forbidden ended. Jayden is living on her own in the desert, and she is determined to find Kadesh, the man she believes was killed by her betrothed, Horeb, because she has heard rumors of someone who looks and acts like him being in the area. The story begins with her being attacked by one of Horeb's men, and she kills him to save herself. From there, she is reunited with Kadesh, and the two of them begin traveling to Kadesh's homeland, Sariba. Conveniently, they are able to convince Jayden's father and grandmother to travel with them. The sad part is that her grandmother dies while on the trip, and Jayden is left as the only woman in the entourage.
Eventually, the group makes it to Sariba, Kadesh's kingdom, but they are barely there before Horeb and his army catch up to them. Predictably, one of the Edomites who was supposed to be helping Kadesh was working for Horeb, and as a result, Horeb is able to stay closer to them than they expected. I was a little shocked that the author killed off the traitor, but not the other Edomite who was helping him.
The first story was a little more entertaining to me than this one was. The characters in this book were more predictable than they were in Forbidden, and I kept waiting for a bigger conflict to happen than what actually did happen. Jayden continues to be an insecure teenage girl who is naive and a little too trusting, while Kadesh is still the typical prince (knight in shining armor) who can do no wrong. I was a little tired by the end of the story because no matter how many times Kadesh told Jayden he loved her, she still didn't believe him.
The other part that bothered me about this one is the power that the "Goddess" holds over the people in Kadesh's kingdom. I know that in ancient Mesopotamia there were various religions, and that the people of Abraham tried to remain true to their God, but the power that the author gives to the other religions is a bit much, in my opinion. The villain in this story is the Queen of Sheba's half-sister who wants to rule Sariba and turn it into a stronghold for the Goddess. My problem with this is that I know that during these times the culture was very patriarchal, and I cannot see a religion who worships a woman having as much hold on a community as the author makes this one have. I would find it much more believable for the religion of Ba'al to have more hold in a kingdom than the religion of a Goddess.
By the end of the story, Jayden and Kadesh have conveniently put aside all of the misunderstandings, and they are ready to be married. But, of course, there is a shocking conflict during the wedding, which is where the story ends so there can be a third book in the series. I will read the third one just to see how the author ends the series, but at this point, I feel like the entire story of Kadesh and Jayden could have been covered in one book, and the author is simply milking it for what it's worth to get more money. While I would recommend Forbidden to those who enjoy historical fiction/romance, I wouldn't recommend this sequel unless you're like me and you hate to not finish a series after you have started it.

My Lady Jane

I first read the novel My Plain Jane because I received it in a book subscription box, and as a result, I really wanted to read the first by these authors, which is My Lady Jane. It only took me about two years to be able to find a copy because it was so popular, and the library always had holds for it. I finally found a copy from the school library, and I fell in love with this story!
I have always loved British history, and I especially love learning about the Tudor family and Elizabethan age. The story of Jane Grey is one that is often overlooked, and I was excited to read this take on her reign. Of course, the Lady Janies take liberties with the story, and they turned it into a comedic fantasy, but that is what makes it even better in my personal opinion.
The story starts with King Edward receiving the news that he is dying, and Lord Dunlop encourages him to marry his cousin, Jane Grey, to Lord Dunlop's son so that Jane's son will be king upon Edward's death. Edward does so willingly, and he feels a little regret for marrying Jane off, but he feels like it was the right thing to do.
The funny part is that Jane's husband, Gifford (G), turns into a horse by day, and he is only human at night. He is what is known as an Edian, and although Henry VIII was also an Edian, there have been bad feelings towards them since his death. Jane has no idea that G is an Edian, and she thinks he is running off to spend his time with prostitutes, and so she isn't happy with the idea that Edward married her off to a philanderer.
As time goes by, Edward is captured by Mary, his half-sister, and he is imprisoned. Fortunately for him, his other sister, Elizabeth, is an Edian, and she hints to him that he is one also. Just as Lord Dunlop and Mary are about to kill him, he turns into a kestrel and flies away. As a result, Jane is told that Edward is dead, and she is made the queen with G as the new king. Of course, their reign doesn't last long because Mary comes in with her army, and she has them thrown into the prison of the Tower of London. Fortunately, at this point, Jane also learns that she is an Edian, and she turns into a ferret just in time to escape and get G out of the prison as well.
The story goes on with all kinds of misunderstandings, and I honestly got very frustrated with Jane and G because neither one of them would tell each other the truth. They slowly fall in love, but they are both too stubborn to admit it. Also, Edward eventually reunites with them, and he meets his own Edian love interest as well. By the end of the book, most of the royal family are Edians, but they have to dethrone Mary before she decides to get rid of all of the Edians in England. They enlist the help of the King of France, and Mary, Queen of Scots, to get rid of Mary, and there were times when I felt that it just wasn't going to happen. I actually felt like the true part of the story would happen where Jane is beheaded and Edward dies leaving no heir to the throne.
However, the authors do a great job of taking a tragic history and turning it into a Happily Ever After fairy tale. All of the characters survive, and they eventually get what their hearts desire. In order to remain true to the historical facts though, Edward does not remain king, Jane and G do not reign in his place or lose their heads, and Elizabeth becomes the queen after getting rid of Mary from the throne.
Overall, it was a delightful read for me, and I know that my students who love historical fiction and/or fantasy will enjoy this one. It may upset readers who want historical fiction to remain true to the facts, but I thought the twists on the truth were very well done. In fact, the twisting of the truth led me to do research into what really did happen because I knew so little about Jane Grey and her brief rule of England. This is definitely one I recommend if you enjoy history, fantasy, and humor.

The Library of Lost Things

This title is misleading. If you are looking for a title that lets you know a little bit about the book then this isn't the one you want. Also, if you don't want to read a cheesy romance then this isn't for you either. But if you enjoy teen romance and learning who you are as a person, then you will enjoy this book.
Darcy Wells is a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in LA, and she has never known her father. She has one close friend, Marisol Robles, and she loves books. She has books memorized almost line for line, and she escapes through her books when life gets to be too much for her. However, Darcy has a secret that she is hiding, and the secret is that her mom is a hoarder. Since Darcy doesn't have a father, she and her mother rely on her mother's income, but at times, her mother's shopping prevents Darcy from paying for necessities, like rent, groceries, and maintenance for their apartment. Darcy is counting down the days until she turns eighteen and Child Protective Services cannot take her away from her mother. However, prior to her eighteenth birthday, her grandma has been helping out financially, and her grandmother tells Darcy that once Darcy is eighteen if she chooses to continue living with her mother then the money will be cut off. Darcy decides to stay with her mom, but her part time job at a bookstore doesn't cover everything that she needs. So, Darcy, with the help of Marisol, starts selling some of her mother's hoarded makeup online to make up for the income that she loses from her grandmother.
In addition to dealing with her mom, Darcy meets Ashton. Ashton graduated from her high school, and she never really knew him, but he starts showing up at her work each day during his break. Ashton had a goal to get into the military, but an automobile accident right before he graduated caused him to lose full mobility in one leg, and the recurring headaches from the accident make it so he can't fly anymore, which was his dream. As Darcy starts to spend more time with Ashton, she gets to know him, and they develop a relationship, but she still doesn't let him fully in to her life. She doesn't want Ashton to know about her mother or the problems that she faces with a hoarder as a mom.
Because I am a sucker for Young Adult romance, I fell in love with this one pretty quickly. I love Darcy because she was me when I was in high school. I still would much rather read a book than face reality, and a lot of times, I try to make books my reality. It's much easier for me to read and escape into a fictional world than to look someone in the eye and tell them about my personal struggles.
I also love Asher because he wasn't the typical teenage boy that I expected at first. He accepted Darcy from the beginning for who she was, and surprisingly, he didn't leave when he learned the truth about her mother. In addition, he was open and honest with her about who he was, and he never hid anything from her. It was refreshing to see a boyfriend who wasn't trying to be the "perfect boyfriend".
The only drawback to the story was that I was a little surprised at how quickly Ashton and Darcy started dating. I thought for sure that their relationship wouldn't really begin until closer to the end of the book, but instead, they actually started dating about halfway. The real conflict was Darcy coming to terms with her mother's hoarding and also learning who she really was as a person. I loved the end of the book, but I won't ruin it for you here. Let's just say it ends happily, and there is hope for Darcy to continue to grow and become the person she wants to be.
I would definitely recommend this for lovers of young adult romance and coming of age stories. It's one that I feel the female readers in my class would enjoy, but I know that there are a few males in there who would enjoy it as well. It will be one that is on my list of recommendations for all of my classes from now on.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I have had Six of Crows on my to-read list since it was first published, and I put it on my kindle almost a year before I actually got around to reading it. The story takes place in the city of Ketterdam, which is a city inspired by Amsterdam. Kaz Brekker is a owner of the Six of Crows club, and he is also looking for revenge against Pekka Rollins, a man he blames for the death of his older brother. When Kaz is offered the chance to make more money than he has ever dreamed of, he cannot pass it up. He recruits Inej, Nina, Jesper, and Wylan to help him, and the five of them soon break Matthias out of prison to get him to join the team. The six of them then travel to Fjerda to rescue Bo Yul-Bayur from the Ice Court where he is being held to manufacture a drug that renders Grisha (people with magical powers) basically indestructible. However, the drug is also very addictive, and Kaz and his crew know that if they don't rescue Bo Yul-Bayur then other groups will control him, and the drug could lead to the destruction of the Grisha and the world as they know it.

I have to say that this is one of the better Fantasy books that I have read recently, and as I started the book it was easy for me to see what the appeal was to my students who had read the book. I loved learning about the past of each of the characters, and I was swept away with them in all of their adventures. Bardugo does an excellent job of weaving their lives together, and she creates believable stories for each character. I found myself wishing that I knew more about each character, and I felt that each one of them could have a book of their own to tell their back story.

Another part that I loved was the way that Bardugo was able to get the characters out of situations that I thought for sure they would not be able to get out of on their own. It was so fun for me to see how Matthias worked against the Fjerdan government and turned his back on his home because of his love for Nina. I loved seeing Inej get in and out of predicaments thanks to her own quick thinking and the help of her crew. There were some parts that I thought for sure one of the characters were going to get killed, but Bardugo apparently didn't want to see any of them die, and I was happy to read a story where none of the main characters were killed off.

The end of the story is clearly a cliffhanger, and there is a second book to follow up. I also read online that many felt you should read the Shadow and Bones series prior to reading this, but I don't see that as a necessity. The Shadow and Bones series would help you understand a little more about Ketterdam and the world the characters live in, but I felt that there was enough background information given in this one that I didn't need to read the series that came before. Overall, I highly recommend Six of Crows to anyone who loves young adult fantasy with a little bit of romance mixed in.

Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little

This book can be summed up in two words: Love Story. However, I loved the setting and the characters! It is set in the ancient Mesopotamian desert, and Little does a great job of painting the picture for the readers. Jayden is a 16-year-old girl who has been promised to the son of her tribe's chief, and the book opens at her betrothal ceremony. A large part of the betrothal is getting to dance with the other women in preparation for dancing for her husband on her wedding night. Jayden is nervous at first, but as she begins to dance she finally feels like she belongs, and she is nervous about her wedding, but she loves the dancing! However, the day after the betrothal ceremony, Jayden's mother goes into labor, and she delivers twin babies. One of the babies is stillborn, and Jayden's mother ends up dying from loss of blood. They have to bury her and the baby boy and move on to where the tribe will spend the summer months. Jayden remains at her mother's grave to dance and say goodbye to her, and when she finishes dancing she spots Kadesh, a member of a tribe from the far south. She instantly feels connected with Kadesh, and they fall in love quickly. However, the two of them have to deal with being separated when Kadesh returns home to his tribe, and also when Jayden's intended finds out about their relationship. They go through a lot of trials throughout the book, and at the end, Jayden is left alone thinking she will never get to be with Kadesh.
The book is the first in a trilogy, and it leaves you filled with hope because the author hints that Jayden and Kadesh will be reunited. Along the way, you meet other characters besides Jayden and Kadesh, and they aren't all likable. Jayden's older sister, Leila, struggles with her religious beliefs and what she wants from life, and at times, she doesn't seem to really support Jayden or their father. But, she does have redeeming qualities, and she helps Jayden at a time when I thought Jayden had lost everyone she loved. There are two characters I despised all throughout the book, and they were Horeb, Jayden's intended, and Dinah, a member of the tribe who leaves to live in the city and takes Jayden's infant sister with her after Jayden gives up all of her betrothal jewelry to convince her to save the baby. Horeb is very power hungry, and the way he treats Jayden is awful! I actually found myself wishing that he would be killed, but of course, since every story needs a villain, he is still there at the end of the book. Dinah is just a selfish woman in my eyes, and I got so angry with her that I was hoping she would die as well.
I plan on reading the next two books rather quickly, since they are published and the series is finished. I also want to learn more about Mesopotamia and Babylon after reading this book. Just a word of warning: there is sexual innuendo throughout the book. Horeb does not respect women, and there is attempted rape, but it is not described in great detail. This is a four star book on my Goodreads account because it's not the best I have read, but it is definitely one that I couldn't put down once I started.

The Whistler of Hutoriane by Jimmy Eaton

I first heard of this from my niece who teaches 4th grade at a school near me. She and I have loved to share books for years, and I am interested in what she shares with her students because I have a number of my own students who are at a lower reading level. However, I was not able to read this one for almost a year; mainly because I had other books that I felt were more interesting. Ha! Ha!

I am actually glad that I waited a while on this one because it was not a great book. It was only ok, and even then, I had a tough time finishing it. The story starts with Bean out on a hunting trip with his father, uncle, and cousin. The group is in the Uintah mountains in Utah, and they leave their campsite early in the morning to spot the bucks that Bean and his father had seen earlier. While they are waiting, Bean's dad decides to go one way and his uncle and cousin go another in the hopes of flushing the deer towards Bean. The three of them leave Bean alone, and he gets nervous. Eventually, he realizes that it has been much longer than his dad told him to wait, and he decides to try to locate his dad on his own. Bean leaves the meeting spot, and while he is searching for his dad, a mountain lion spots him and attacks him. Just as the mountain lion is grabbing Bean's leg, Bean is pulled into a dark cave and it seals shut behind him. Once he is in the cave, he meets a strange man named Draug who claims to be his great-great-great-great-great grandson. Draug tells Bean that he gave his grandson a special whistle, and it is the same whistle that Bean's father has given to him. He proceeds to tell Bean that his father is in trouble, and he needs Bean to travel to a woman named Ramona to give her a wooden ladle, and then she will help him locate his father. Bean is desperate and agrees to help. Draug uses some magic to transport Bean to the country of Venezuela where he meets various people who don't like him just because he is an American. He also meets Toni, a Venezuelan, who tells him he will help Bean to get to the silver disc because Toni needs the disc to save his people. Bean has no idea what Toni is talking about, but he agrees to travel with Toni because Toni saved his life. The two end up going to a remote village in a national park of Venezuela, and there Bean has to fight off skin walkers, and Ramona shares with him a visual map of where he has to go to become the leader of Hutoriane (the world we live in that includes different realms that we can't see). Bean trusts Ramona, but he ends up having to use his whistle to travel back to Draug a couple of times, and at the end, he realizes that maybe Draug wasn't as honest with him as he thought.

The story was definitely written for younger students, and I would say if you have a student in third or fourth grade (maybe fifth) he/she would enjoy it. However, there were a lot of things that reminded me of the culture of Utah, especially that of the Latter-Day Saints. The author served a service mission to the country of Venezuela, and he used that experience as part of the inspiration for his story. In addition, there were phrases in Spanish that he didn't always translate, and if you don't know Spanish at all then it would be super annoying to read it. The characters were not deeply developed, and I felt that Bean was a little too young to be so trusting, but to also be traveling through the country of Venezuela all by himself. The author described Bean as a blonde boy, and he had Bean use a ball cap to disguise himself while in Venezueala, which I found hilarious. There is no way that a baseball cap is going to help a blonde kid blend in with the people of Venezuela, especially when he has no knowledge of the country or the language that they speak. I was super annoyed that Bean was maybe at the most 12-years-old, and the author had him traveling through these weird portals and fighting off skin walkers. He even had Bean kill one of the skin walkers, which to me was just a little bazaar.

All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a well-developed plot or characters. It's probably great for kids who don't know what good writing is, but I hesitate to even share it with my lower readers. I just don't see an audience for this one, other than maybe the children and relatives of the author.