Review: Merci Suárez Changes Gears

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me about this book, I'll tell you to read it.

Merci Suarez is a great book about changes that all children go through as they grow up. It covers bullying, growing up, friendship, and family. It also talks about the interesting family dynamics when multiple generations and branches of a family live together and grow up and grow old together.

Merci and her older brother are scholarship students at a local private school, which allows her the opportunity to interact with other students who have more than she does. So the book discusses embarrassment and growing to accept and love your family and your place in the world. It also talks about popularity vs friendship and that they're definitely not the same thing. Someone can be popular without actually having a lot of friends, and someone can have great friends without having the label of "popular". This is something that I wish I had known growing up!

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Review: Christmas at Carnton

Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me about this book, I'll tell you to read it.

After reading Colors of Truth (the 2nd book in this series), I decided I really should go back and read the others that have already been published.

I really enjoyed meeting some of the characters and being introduced to how the series started. The characters are well thought out and the story line well researched. You can tell that Tamera Alexander tried to get the historical details correct.

Set during the Civil War, we are introduced to the Women's Relief Society and the ladies who were forced to stay home and fight their own fight while the men were away at battle.

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Continuing Education

I love learning for learning's sake.  I think I always have.  Considering I have tried 4 different majors and a minor throughout college, I obviously didn't want to just graduate and get out of school. :)  I started with architecture, then moved to sociology, added a psychology minor, then added management before graduation.  I then returned to school for engineering.  While I liked my major classes, I really loved my elective classes.  I enjoyed being able to pick and choose my random classes to learn new things.

I once heard of a bus driver on the University of Iowa campus that took just enough classes each semester to keep the "student" job as a bus driver.  Talk about always learning!  If I had unlimited resources, I would always be taking at least one new class each semester.  There are so many certificates and minors and majors that I would love to earn and learn more about.

With the ever expanding online learning opportunities, I've loved learning for free!  I regularly go online and try to take (and complete) a course on various topics. 

Here's a few of the Coursera classes I've completed in the past:

Age of Jefferson

University of Virginia

The Music of the Beatles

University of Rochester

Public Policy Challenges of the 21st Century

University of Virginia

The Kennedy Half Century

University of Virginia

American Deaf Culture

University of Houston System

Sports and Society

Duke University

Marriage and the Movies: A History

Wesleyan University

The American South: Its Stories, Music, and Art

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

I'm currently working on these courses:

How Things Work: An Introduction to Physics

University of Virginia

The Science of Well-Being

Yale University

History of Rock, Part One

University of Rochester

COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Johns Hopkins University

I also regularly go on Khan Academy and slowly work to complete 100% of all the topics they offer.  This is a constantly ongoing process as they continue adding more and more topics!  Just when I think I'm done with a topic, I find that they've added more information to it.  I love trying to complete 100%.  I also find it interesting that I have so many issues with the math section, since I've taken so much of it.  I get stuck on basic topics that they have listed in elementary or middle school!  It's crazy!

Review: Colors of Truth

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me about this book, I'll tell you to read it.

Tamera Alexander really did her research for Colors of Truth. There were several different historical stories throughout this book: post Civil War reconstruction, Irish immigrants, counterfeiting, the beginnings of the Secret Service, and the McGavock Civil War Cemetery. While I knew the basics of some of these topics, it was very interesting to learn about the others.

When Catriona O'Toole immigrates from Ireland with her sister, Nora, she's faced with many challenges along the way. She has just lost all members of her family remaining in Ireland, and she's facing an unknown with the life of her brother, Ryan. Ryan was conscripted into the Confederate Army and fought in the Battle of Franklin in Tennessee where thousands of men died.

I really enjoyed reading the story and watching the relationship develop between Catriona O'Toole and Wade Cunningham. There's an initial distrust of Wade on Catriona's part, but they eventually decide to be friends. That friendship develops into strong feelings and eventually a happy ending with a marriage.

After reading this book, I decided to go back and read the first 2 books/novellas in the series. I look forward to reading the next book to come out as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader's Copy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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20 in 20

At the end of last year, my friend Kathy challenged me to join her in a 20 in 20.  We put together a list of 20 things we wanted to accomplish in 2020.  Needless to say, the pandemic has put a lot of those items as impossible to complete.  I've put my list below.  The red ones are either unable to happen or very unlikely to happen.

1. Go to Oregon for DAR Conference
2. Go skiing 7x
3. Knit 12 scarves
4. Finish hiking the Ice Age Trail segments in Waukesha County
5. Run one 5k per month with a medal
6. Finish hiking the Ice Age Trail segments in Washington County
7. Go to Michigan for DAR Conference
8. Hike the Ice Age Trail segments in Walworth/Jefferson Counties
9. 52 hours of biking
10. 52 hours of gym equipment
11. 52 hours of running
12. 52 hours of swimming
13. 52 hours of yoga classes
    
14. Visit the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, DC
15. Go to DAR Continental Congress
16. 250 Days of "No Paying to Eat Out"
17. Join Mayflower Society
18. Learn Cross Country Skiing
19. Learn to Crochet
20. Read 150 books

The question now... Do I work on those I can complete and bail on the ones I can't or do I come up with new ones to replace the ones I'm unable to complete?

Life Changes Since Covid-19

How have things in your world changed since the Covid-19 outbreak?

I now keep a mask in my car, on my desk at work, and at home.  I love the 2 masks that were made for my by a friend in DAR.  (She's made over 1,200! How amazing is that?)  I should probably look into getting a few more, just in case.

I also now carry a pad of paper in my purse, in case someone with hearing difficulties needs to communicate with me.  I can write them a note, since they can't read lips behind a mask. 

Since I lack the sewing skills of several of my friends, I've started knitting scarves as a "thank you" to those who are working so hard to keep everyone safe.  I also made an ADORABLE little hat for a friend who just had a baby.

Review: Girl With Three Eyes

Girl With Three Eyes by Priya Ardis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kira Shine has a gift, she just doesn't know it. Kira has a third eye in the middle of her forehead, but she believes it is useless until she wakes a boy from a coma and finds that she does indeed have some sort of powers. Her third eye allows her to sense the feelings and intents of people in three word snippets.

As a result of this new found power, Kira is whisked away to the country's capital. She's living with a "highborn" family and going to the Royal School. She's asked by the man who has taken her in to be a secret bodyguard for his son. Like a lot of stories lately, the school has "four houses" that students are assigned to. While in school, she makes new friends, and saves a few lives in the process!

The story definitely had some fun twists from the normal. There's a new sport we're all introduced to that appears to be a cross between jousting, flying, and snowboard! It sounds super fun and interesting, and I wish that I could participate.

This book would make a great movie.

I feel like the story ended on a cliffhanger, and now I can't wait to see if there's a sequel!

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Memorial Day Weekend

Lately life has been interesting, and not just pandemic related. 

My elderly dog, Ella, is now nearly completely blind.  It means that this weekend will involve a project adding more boards to the railings on my deck in order to protect her from falling off the edge.  She's still pretty spry and independent, but those edges come up quickly and the fall (I'm sure) hurts each time it happens. 

Another project this weekend is DAR related.  I have to try to work ideas for how we can "keep the lights on" at Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters.  The Surgeons Quarters is owned by the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution.  It's a small museum that is run mostly by volunteers (and one staff member).  With no tours currently happening, there's no income being generated.  So, we've taken on the project of coming up with creative ways to bring in some extra cash.  I'll be brainstorming a lot this weekend, but I'm sure the best ideas will come randomly as I work on other things!

With a three day weekend coming up, I'm looking forward to some time to organize some areas around my house.  I've always wanted to arrange all of my books by author, and then by publication date and series order (keeping the series together).  It would take a while, but I think it would feel so rewarding when it's complete.  Another organizing project I need to tackle is going through some of the older totes and boxes that have been through multiple moves with me.  These items either need to be unpacked or removed from the house (through donations, sales, or trash).

What will you be working on this long weekend?

Review: Dead Silence

Dead Silence by Robin Caroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dead Silence by Robin Caroll was a great story of suspense and mystery.

Elise Carmichael "overhears" (via lip reading) a conversation that someone is about to kill her mother in law. She gets some news that throws that conversation out of her mind until she turns on the news the next morning and learns that her mother in law has been murdered.

I admit I figured out "who done it" pretty early in the story, but I was kept enthralled with the story of how it would be solved and what the outcome would be.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for a free Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. 

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Review: The Kiss Quotient

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the story, but it was definitely not what I was expecting.

Based on the cover and the description, I was expecting a chick lit love story. What I got was some extremely steamy sex scenes. They were well written and pulled me more into the story.

While I couldn't completely relate to Stella, there were definitely parts of her that were totally something I feel at times. I liked getting to know her and Michael and the issues they were both working through. I also really enjoyed being introduced to additional characters that will go on to be featured in future books!

I can't wait to read the next one.

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Quarantine Thoughts

During this time of "shelter in place" and "safer at home" during the Covid-19 era, I have to wonder how previous generations would have handled this.  Without the 24-hour news cycle, internet, cable, multi-generational families... I tend to think they would have done it better than we are.

While I've continued to go to work each day, I know many who are staying home and doing their best to stay safe from the virus.  They're going stir crazy, I'm sure, but they're staying home.  I go to work and come home.  I only stray from that path for a trip to the grocery store.  I've even started having dog food delivered.  It's so much easier!

I struggle when watching people who clearly think that this virus is "no big deal" or a hoax.  The ones I really struggle with though are those who say we should just go about our business and we should just accept death from this as a part of life.  I've seen way too many people not following social distancing expectations, not wearing masks in crowded stores, not properly wearing gloves, etc.  If you're going to wear a mask, don't touch it.  If you're going to wear gloves, change them between customers!

I've noticed it's harder to focus on anything while we're forced to stay home and contemplate what is going on outside in our communities.  I can't binge watch TV or watch a movie without getting distracted.  Even reading a book has been pretty tough lately.  I just can't concentrate long enough to get into the story.  My goal for the year was 150 books, but currently I'm about 13 books behind schedule.  I've been trying to find books that were something I thought I could get sucked into or finish quickly.

Review: The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones makes you stop and think... about family, relationships, race, and racism. While set in the 1950s, the story line could easily be transposed into current times with only a few tweaks. When Ethan is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, he doesn't truly understand the impact the color of his skin will have on what happens in Alabama. No one has talked to him about race in America. He is shocked to learn of the laws in 1950s Alabama and what it means for how people in the small town will treat him.

He makes a friend in Juniper Jones when she, as another outcast in town, decides she wants a friend and Ethan it will be! They have their struggles, but their friendship sees them through some rough patches that summer. Juniper makes sure that Ethan sees the good things in her town. She's there for him during some tough decisions and events in his life.

While the ending was not what I was expecting, I think it brings more meaning to the story.

Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for a free Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Back to it?

For a while there, I was posting regularly.  I had all sorts of plans for this site, but nothing really to share.  I'm going to try to utilize this to share a little of what is going on in my life, but mostly reviews of books I've read.  Hopefully you'll get some great ideas for books YOU can read.