Just... Go read this book. It's so good. Difficult to read at times but totally worth it.

I finally finished a book! And it was only okay. A secret spy company trains children to be "Love Interests" for prominent (or likely to become prominent) people. The book focuses on two guys competing over a girl who is already an amazing inventor. Interesting premise and it was good enough to hold my interest but I doubt it's one that will stick with me.

Not a book I would typically pick up but I'm trying to branch out and I've never read anything set in Sri Lanka before. There were times when I got annoyed with the very detailed descriptions and the tendency to say the same thing in several different ways but overall, it is beautifully written and a powerful book. Some scenes are fairly graphic (violent) so be prepared. Still, I highly recommend it.

I finished TWO books today! One of the few benefits of being home sick with the flu. (I'm on the mend though!) I went back and forth between "pick" and "so-so" for this one. I knew nothing about Mata Hari going into the book so I had few expectations but I still feel like her story could have been told better than it was in this book. It was good enough to get me interested in Mata Hari so that's something.

This book was not at all what I was expecting but still intriguing. It took me a little while to get into it and sometimes the jumping around through time and to different viewpoints got a little confusing for me and I still have many questions that I wish had been answered but I think this is a book that might stick in my head for a while.

Not the type of book I usually read but I'm glad I picked it up. It was exciting and fast-paced and kept me guessing until the end.

Today in Kindle Daily Deals: Books with Red Covers!

Haven't had much(/any) time to read since school started so I'm taking advantage of my FIVE DAY weekend (wooooo!) to finally dive into this one.

I am in shock. How could people elect that...that horrible, hateful person over a slightly flawed but very qualified woman? What do I say to my students tomorrow, especially the ones who are immigrants or the children of immigrants? "I'm sorry" doesn't seem adequate. But I am. I am so, so sorry, kids. You have no idea how much. And I am so scared for you.

Checked out the new Amazon Books today. I went in with low expectations so I was pleasantly surprised. It's not going to replace my preferred local shops but I'll probably look in when I'm at the mall. So excited All the Single Ladies is finally in paperback! And my students better appreciate the Pokémon book I bought for them. The others are either for work or just sounded intriguing. I've been sick so I deserve new books. Right?

Starting a new book while I wait for Mom to try on cocktail dresses. Seems an appropriate time to read this one.

This audiobook was beautiful. I loved it. The only thing I struggled with is that random words and phrases, spoken by the wonderful Lin-Manuel Miranda, would sound like lines from Hamilton and I'd start singing to myself and only realize it 20 minutes later. Then I'd have to rewind the book to find where I got off track. But that's my issue, not the book's. The (audio)book was perfect.

Listening to Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan as I get all my lessons ready for the day. That was a surprising announcement to wake up to. I love his music but a Nobel Prize in literature? Okay. Congratulations, Bob Dylan! 🎸

I ❤️ Shonda Rhimes.

Well, I'm hooked.

Not sure which one is my #favoritevillian in this book (and movie). I love them both so much. #septphotochallenge

Seemed appropriate for today #bannedbooks https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/25/the-banning-of-books-in-prisons-it...

Since it seems like I am not the only one who loves this book, I thought I'd give a shoutout to the app/e-book version. I haven't used it for a few years but if I remember correctly, it is read by Grover and the reader has to tap the screen to get through the barriers and turn the page. My students loved it. (Okay, I loved it, too.) #scarybooks

I don't do #scarybooks (or scary anything, really) because I get too scared and have nightmares, so this book is about as scary as I get. It has a lovable (and furry) MC who speaks directly to the reader, building suspense until the twist ending that you'll never see coming (unless you've read this book about 8,000 times like I have). #septphotochallenge

#septphotochallenge #translatedbooks I can read about every tenth word in this book (at my most fluent, I could read at about a 2nd grade level) but I like to flip through it every once in a while and basically admire the font.

Stopped at the bookstore on my way home to get Harry Potter 2 for one of my students (offered to lend him my copy then remembered it's in storage) and then bought three new books for myself. Stupid independent bookstore with its amazing "recommended reading" table. I always want to buy everything they have. ? #blameitonLitsy #getindie

My shelves used to be crowded but manageable. Now every shelf has two rows of books on it and I have piles of books all over the place and my already ridiculously long TBR has exploded. I hold Litsy/you responsible for killing that last ounce of self-control I had in bookstores. #blameitonLitsy #septphotochallenge

I'm a few days behind on the #septphotochallenge so here's two days in one: a #bookrainbow of (mostly) #womenwriters (turns out I have a very limited selection of green books). #somethingforsept

I checked this out before I heard about it. I just liked the cover and the blurb. I'm so glad I came across it. It wasn't what I was expecting and it was different from other immigrant stories I've read. It was wonderful. These characters will stick with me for a long time.

Finished this a few days ago and gave it time to sink in. Wow. So good. I actually borrowed it mostly because of the cover and I'm so glad I did. It was not like other immigrant experience stories I have read and did not go as I expected it to but it was engaging and beautifully done. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time.

#septphotochallenge #weirdbooks -- I bought this book to read on a long train ride, finished it in a couple of hours, then spent the rest of the ride curled up in a fetal position, rocking back and forth and muttering to myself: "I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay." I gave the book to a friend who likes stranger stories not because I thought she'd enjoy it but to get it the &$%* out of my house. So disturbing. ? But a cult classic in Japan.

When I realized I didn't even particularly care about the interviews with these two, I knew it was time to call it quits. If you are really interested in comedians' processes, you might like this. There are comedians I really like and admire but this book wasn't for me.

There are many books I could call my #faveclassics but these two were the first. I probably would never have picked up other favorites like North and South, Persuasion, Jane Eyre, Huck Finn, etc. if I hadn't been forced to read these two when I was in high school. #septphotochallenge

I'm guessing Matilda is going to be a popular pick for "favorite Roald Dahl book" on Litsy today. The audiobook (read by Kate Winslet) helps this one win out for me but I also love The BFG and his autobiographies, Boy and Going Solo. Happy 100th Birthday, Roald Dahl! (I stole this picture from the internet so thank you for the image, illustrator Quentin Blake and random internet person.) #roalddahlday

One more post for #septphotochallenge today. I don't check out physical books from my library all that often--the branch by my house is very small so the selection isn't great--but I use library-connected apps almost daily. I ❤️ all the digital options I can access--books, magazines, comics, audiobooks, even music and movies. I use these apps so often, I rarely get to the ever-growing stack of books I actually own. #librarylove #somethingforsept

Taking a break from the final push to finish this book to go out to dinner along the Columbia River. Beautiful view but I'm still a little anxious to get back to the book. It's due back to the library tomorrow and I'm so close to done.

This is the main library in the city I lived in when I was in Japan (Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, just south of Mt. Fuji and about two hours by train southwest of Tokyo). I spoke enough Japanese to confirm that yes, it is supposed to look like an owl but not enough to get the story behind the building's design. #librarylove #septphotochallenge #somethingforsept

I really like blue. Apparently. This isn't even all of them. #shadesofblue #septphotochallenge #somethingforsept

Some books that are #setinasia that I found on my shelves. The picture is the sign for the ramen restaurant my friends and I went to every Monday night when we lived in Japan. The owners became surrogate parents for us and that picture always makes me smile. I hope I can go visit them soon. #septphotochallenge #somethingforsept

I went to B&N after another bad day at work to cheer myself up a bit. When will I learn that book-browsing always, always turns into book-buying? At least I ended up with a couple of books that were #madeintomovies for the #septphotochallenge. I usually prefer covers that have nothing to do with the movie versions of the book but something about these two called to me.

I definitely have a book-buying problem. I have 12 library books checked out, my own shelves are overflowing, and yet I couldn't resist these when I stopped by B&N for a therapy/book-browsing session. I should have known browsing would turn into buying. It always does. You'd think I'd learn not to go in the store in the first place. Sigh. But two of these work nicely for #septphotochallenge! #madeintomovies

#somethingforsept I was not expecting this book to be one that #mademecry. The dieting stuff was fine but it was her anxiety and the sense that she somehow wasn't ready for a "full" life until she was "perfect" that really hit me. This book that was supposed to be a light read was the push that convinced me to ask my doctor for help with my own anxiety. It's been six weeks and I am already feeling a change for the better.

Difficult day at work so I decided I deserved a treat on the way home. Do all Starbucks have almond milk now? I am lactose intolerant and not a big fan of soy milk so this news cheered me up significantly. (The trip to the library helped, too.) If only my work problems were so easily resolved...

#somethingforsept #booksanddrinks My friend felt bad that I didn't get cake for my birthday last month so she made me DELICIOUS spice cake cupcakes from scratch. Even just the smell is amazing. 😋 Enjoying it with tea and a book (a favorite combo).

Most of my #worksplacebooks are either at work or in storage at the moment. Here are a few I had lying around the house though. Guess what I do. 😊 #somethingforsept

#septphotochallenge: Some of my physical books and e-books by #pocauthors. #somethingforsept

It was so difficult to choose a book for #funfridayphoto. I've read so many wonderful books for school (although I always dreaded English class and successfully avoided it after high school). The Kitchen God's Wife was probably the most influential for me but these have all impacted my life in different ways. If I had more room, I would have added more books, too. I have many, many "favorites."

I wanted to treat myself to coffee after the first day of school but I forgot my library books, my Kindle, and my phone at home this morning. What fun is a coffee treat without reading material? So I stopped by the library and picked up two more books (I already had 9 checked out) because I couldn't decide. I hope I have time to actually read them.

Missed a couple of days of the #augustphotochallenge while I focused on preparing for school. Now I'm back just in time for #day28. When I need #feelgoodbooks, I usually turn to old favorites. This was one of my most-read books as a child. I dreamed of a secret hideaway like hers, with reading nooks all over the house and garden, a place all to myself. I still get all daydream-y about a house like that.

Apparently I have a thing for books with #whitespines. Who knew? #augustphotochallenge #day25
Now I have to put all these books back... 😕

I missed #day24 of the #augustphotochallenge and I have boxes full of #stationary to share! Sorry this is late. My current favorite stationary, too precious to actually use, is this card catalogue with notecards that are replicas of actual cards from real card catalogues. I got it at Papyrus a couple years ago so I could send notes to my other bookish friends but I haven't been able to part with any cards yet. #booksandstationary

When I got the email saying my library hold had come in, I thought, "Hmm... Not sure I'll have time to read this right now." So naturally I not only checked that book out but three others as well. I guess this is my #TBR list for the next three weeks. And it gave me a chance to try out my new photo collage app.

I was going to try to come up with someone less popular for #favefemalecharacter but nobody beats Hermione Granger for me. #augustphotochallenge #day23

#augustphotochallenge #day22 : There are so many books about #innocence to choose from but this one has really stuck with me. Young Briony's innocent misunderstanding has lifelong consequences. That's all I'll say, in case you haven't read it. It's just...it's so good. The movie is really good, too.