Another great read from Mr. Backman. This time it is short stories written to his young (at the time) son.

I kept reflecting on the first year and a half of my son‘s life and all the little stupid things that you do as a parent while reading this book.

Does anyone have any good Christmas/holiday book recommendations where it‘s not A Christmas Carol but also not terribly long?

A fun, yet a little pretentious novel to put myself in the Christmas spirit.

There is not much I can say without putting in spoilers. However, the plot twists were evident from a hundred miles away. The main characters were cringy and controlling. The main dude apparently is perfect but cold and has a perfect memory. Apparently us as the reader do not have a perfect memory because it was stated at least once per chapter, sometimes more. I would hate to be treated the way the main lady was treated as a person. Ugh, sunshine

A failed bank robbery turns into a hostage situation for eight or nine people in an apartment viewing.

It was incredibly uplifting to have someone accurately describe the depression I have felt and been through at various points in my life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

119/362

A young girl who can read, a boy who remembers everything, an evil goat, a scared monk, and a runaway king fulfill a prophecy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After Seth dies, he wakes up in an unknown apocalyptic world trying to find out if it‘s all a story played out in his mind or real life.

117/362

Sugar finds herself in foster care after her mom and her lose their home. While on the road, she adopts a little dog named Shush, who is going to be a helper dog.

I love that these books meant for kids do not shy away from tough topics that some children face.

119/364

This was my last unread owned book by Kate DiCamillo and I kept reading the first chapter and putting it down even though it‘s an easy read.

Once I finally got into it, I loved it.

119:362

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

The second book of the Reader Trilogy.

As stated in the previous one, it‘s good but cheesy.

118/364

Many years ago in eight grade, we had to do a report on a book set in a different country. Everyone had already chosen the popular books of that time and my librarian showed me this book to read. It was so influential to me and I lost the name for years until one day with the help of google, I was able to find it.

A boy left alone after his family was taken, tries to find his way home. Set in Russia from the early 1920s. JF

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A reread to finish the rest of the series that I own and haven‘t read.

This book has a good premise where books are powerful and only a select few can read. But it sure is cheesy at times and sometimes a little gruesome.

⭐️⭐️⭐️🥝

Not one of my favorites of Kate DiCamillo. Still cute though.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

121/362

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The third book in the Maid Series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This author is a wonderful storyteller. A journey of love through the eyes of a china rabbit

122/362

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book. Definitely helped me get out of my reading slump.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where Lego meets books. #brickrodeo 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

120/359

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In an attempt to get her dad back, Raymie decides to compete at the Little Miss Florida Central Tire of 1975. What she gets is two best friends.

121/359

I love the way Kate DiCamillo writes, such good stories.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lily runs the last bookstore on earth.

If the main character wasn‘t so pretentious and patronizing about other people‘s choices, and just plain dumb at times, it would have been a good book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lawrence Anthony details his struggle to save the last northern white rhinos.

Wonderfully written, albeit a hard read especially because rhinos are my favorite animal.

123/357

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

A pen pal exchange changed the lives of two teenagers from entirely different backgrounds.

124/357

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rob and Sistine, two children, dealing with grief in their own way find a tiger in the woods.

125/357

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We watched the movie as the family so I decided to read the book. While they are different, they were both very good stories of the people of Baltese who witnessed the magic of an elephant come crashing down in the theater.

126/357

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It‘s hard being called out on why people overshare. But this book had some good information on understanding shame and vulnerability.

127/357

When Max witnesses some kids picking on Worm and steps in to save her. He becomes entrapped to save her life.

Juvenile fiction - some heavy topics. As I kid, I would soaked up every word thinking I was more mature than my classmates. 😬

115/324

Libby, an overweight girl and Jack, a misunderstood a-hole learn that communication would solve their problems. They did not really learn it but this is a case where if they told someone their problems, the book would have been ten pages long.

I still enjoyed the cheesiness. ☺️

???/325 unread

Max, a quiet misunderstood boy finds an unlikely friend who faces a rare disease.

The movie: The Mighty is one I grew up watching at least once a year never knowing it was taken from the book.

115/342

The story of the lives of the five Dunbar boys.

Markus Zusak is one of my favorite authors, however, it always takes at least 50 pages for me to get into any of his novels. But once I get there he‘s a great storyteller.

119/332

The Naturals group work to stop a cult.

What drives me crazy is the entire series focuses on how these teenagers have the craziest and most natural abilities to identify a suspect but they never do. What‘s the point of hiring and traumatizing already traumatized teenagers who have little to no supervision for the FBI?

Haymitch goes against 47 contestants in the Hunger Games.

Great novel, absolutely heartbreaking story. Ms. Collin‘s sure knows how to write where it hurts.

#unreadbookshelfchallenge 115/336

A coming of age story about Lily, a quiet Asian girl, learning to find her voice.

This book was accidentally purchased for my 3 year old from a friend. It was a cute story.

#unreadbookshelfchallenge 115/334

Charlie gets an operation to become smart.

1) It was groundbreaking when it was written, very ableist now. 2) As someone who worked with people with intellectual disabilities for 14 years, I have met many people who held the same beliefs written in the book. 3) I wish it focused more on the Charlie is a human being no matter the IQ, not the science/philosophical bull. 4) I‘m not sure the author ever met a person with IDD.

116/334

The third book following the Naturals program. A group of teenagers with special abilities to find serial killers.

I have a love hate relationship with this series. I hate how predictable it is, yet it keeps my attention to listen to the next book.

The only two blacks kids in a prestigious school gets targeted by an anonymous bully hellbent on destroying their lives.

I had a tough time deciding what to give this book. The overall story was decent, however, I could not get past how predictable the bully was and how the characters who were in the running for valedictorian could not see or do anything about it.

#unreadbookshelfchallenge 117/334

Second novel in the Naturals series. Cassie and her team work to solve another murder.

Another soft pick, if you don‘t want anything complicated with a love triangle, this is for you.

I honestly thought I would hate this book, the first chapter was written by a person trying way too hard to sound smart and frankly the rest of the book was the same. But it held my attention and interest the entire time. I liked it.

#unreadbookshelfchallenge

A soft pick. Cassie, whose mother taught her how to read people is enrolled in the Naturals program at the FBI.

For someone who can read people, she missed the most obvious plot twist. Also, this author absolutely loves her love triangles. It can be a little annoying.

#unreadshelfchallenge

The last story in Let It Snow. The main character has no redeeming qualities, the entire story was focused on her learning how to care about others but I‘m not sure it happened…

I put this as a pick because I know if I read it at a different time I would have enjoyed this book more. I like TJ Klune‘s writing and world building. But since I just finished one of his books I didn‘t care for, I didn‘t like this one as much. As the audiobook person was the same for both.

#unreadbookshelfchallenge

The second story in “Let It Snow”.

Frankly I am just not a fan of John Green‘s writing. The ending is good, but the rest leading up to it was too pretentious for my taste.

The first of three short stories in “Let It Snow”, I was going to leave it as one but the second story is not as good.

The Jubilee Express
Jubilee, stranded in an unknown town after her train was halted by a blizzard meets Stuart and his perky mom.

A cute, quick short read.

#unreadshelfchallenge

A children‘s novel full of wonderful illustrations of Wander, a wolf, journeying over a thousand miles in search of a home.

I enjoyed this book immensely.

#unreadshelfchallenge

One of my favorite authors created a writer‘s guide for anyone to be able to write.

It definitely inspired me to write, but what I loved most is her anecdotes about her life and choices that she made to get to writing.

#unreadshelfchallenge

This was a reread. The first time around was a so-so, but as an audiobook, it was much closer to a pick.

First, I really enjoy this author‘s writing style and the way he tells the story.

Second, while I agree with the politics mentioned in this novel and understand why he felt the need to write it in.

It made me enjoy this book less than his usual because at times it felt too much.

After a year and a half hiatus from my reading journey. I am back at my original challenge of trying to read all the books I own. I put all 119 unread book titles into an antique teapot and I draw each book. It‘s been working except I keep buying more. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Sage wants to be a professional basketball player as she navigates her life in a neighborhood on fire.