2020: A Mixed Hindsight Review

Shall we consider my literary accomplishments in the form of my 2020 Reading Goals?

1. to read an average of one book per week = minimum of 52 books
1. I more than accomplished this goal (see list of books at the end of this post...as of 12-30-2020) and would have thought that I would have read more, especially considering we were living in a pandemic and that I had a house full of books.  But.  School resumed, which completely dominated my life...more about this topic on another blog!
2. to read half of my goal from my own TBR pile = 26 books (these will be bolded).
1. 14 books.  I did not accomplish this goal...in part due to #6.  This one I will attempt again in 2021!
3. to complete books for book clubs before the meeting time (love book clubs!)
1. Yes!  I did okay!  19 books read!  Yay!
1. Paper Chase Book Club 2020
   • January:  Murder on the Orient Express by Christie (read in last week of December 2019)
   • February:  Where the Dandelions Grow by Tara Johnson
   • March:  Doctors by Erich Segal
     Due to COVID, we were not able to meet for the following book clubs.

   
   
   ALA Book Club
   

   • Jan/Feb:  40 Ways to Inject Creativity in the Classroom using Adobe Spark
   • March:  The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
   • April:  The Long Way Down
   • June:  Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
   • July:  Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X Kendi
   • September:  The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
   • October - Ban This Book by Alan Gratz 
   
   
   WRLC Book Club
   

   • May:  After the Fact by Michael Beary (local Batesville author)
   • June:  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

   
   

   SCHS Student Book Club

   • May 6:  Bound by a Dragon
   • May 13: Dark Promise
   • May 20/28:  A Diamond in My Pocket
   • June:  Fire in Frost
   • July:  Cursed Series by Claire Farrell

   Lyon College Alumni Book Club

   • Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
   • Aug. 31:  Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown
   • Sept:  The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (my recommended book; already read)
   • October:  Dear Edward (my recommended book; already read)
4. to read more series (love series!) 
1. For this challenge, I read and completed five series.  Just a favorite...to wait until the entire series is published...and then dive in!
5. to completely read more professional books = minimum of five books received via ASCD membership
1. Yes and no.  I did read five, but none of which were ASCD books.  Hummm...my membership has expired...should I renew?  I have sooooooo many professional books awaiting me in my TBR.  Really think I need to focus on what I have...and, while I want to be ever learning, retirement is ever nearing!  Nice.
1. Teacher Book Club (Colby Sharp):  Becoming Better Grownups
2. BookCampPD (Twitter)
• June:  Evolving Learner
• July:  Strive for Happiness in Education
3. The English Teacher's Companion by Jim Burke (Lyon College Class/Adjunct Faculty)
4. Critical Encounters in Secondary English by Deborah Appleman
6. to read more ebooks 
1. Yes!  I read at least one-third of my books online...ebook form...most checked out via Overdrive.  That saved me a chunk of change!  This, I will continue to do...unless I need to purchase them.  Sometimes, that is a necessity!
7. to continue to read more young adult books
1. I read at least 14 for this challenge...more, depending how you might count some (two I would placed in the classic genre).

All in all?  A great year...so far...will probably add two more to my list!  Unless my other to-dos call louder!  :)

Happy reading

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2020 Chronological Reading List:

1. Blood Fever by Charlie Higson (from class library)
2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (a 2019 Paper Chase read :)
3. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
4. The Gift by Nora Roberts
5. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. The Toll by Neal Shusterman
8. Where the Dandelions Grow by Tara Johnson
9. An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris
10. Doctors by Erich Segal
11. No Other Gods by Kelly Minter
12. A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris (ebook - 3-17-20)
13. Fire in Frost by Alica Rades (ebook) - young adult
14. Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer (recommended by a student!)
15. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (ALA)
16. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris (ebook)
17. Day Shift by Charlaine Harris (ebook)
18. Night Shift by Charlaine Harris (ebook)
19. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (ebook - Overdrive)
20. After the Fact by Michael Beary (WRLC Book Club)
21. Grave Sight (Harper Connelly series - Book 1) by Charlaine Harris - ebook
22. Grave Surprise (Harper Connelly series - Book 2) by Charlaine Harris - ebook
23. An Ice Cold Grave (Harper Connelly series - Book 3) by Charlaine Harris - ebook
24. Grave Secret (Harper Connelly series - Book 4) by Charlaine Harris - ebook
25. Loving a Rebel by Linda Ford - ebook
26. Beauty:  Everland Ever After by  Caraline Lee - ebook - Beauty and the Beast retelling
27. The Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - ALA Book Club
28. The Lost Letters by Mimi Matthew (retelling of Beauty and the Beast)
29. Bound by a Dragon by Linda K. Hopkins  (Student Book Club - ebook)
30. Dark Promise by Julia Crane (Student Book Club - ebook)
31. Masterpieces by Francine Rivers (ebook - Overdrive)
32. Educated by Tara Westover
33. Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury
34. A Diamond in My Pocket by Lorena Angeli (Student Book Club - ebook)
35. Second Chance Ranch by Liz Isaacson
36. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiley
37. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano (ALA Book Club)
38. The Book Club by Mary Alice Monroe
39. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (WRLC Book Club)
40. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (Lyon College Book Club)
41. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
42. Evolving Learner by Lainie Rowell, Kristy Andre, Lauren Steinmann
43. Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
44. Strive for Happiness in Education by Robert Dunlap (#BookCampPD Book Club/Twitter)
45. Cursed series (four ebooks) by Claire Farrell (SCHS Student Online Book Club)
46. Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
47. Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown (Lyon College Alumni)
48. Becoming Better Grownups by Brad Montague (Colby Sharp Book Club)
49. The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon (ALA Book Club)
50. The English Teacher's Companion by Jim Burke
51. The Crucible by Arthur Miller
52. Critical Encounters in Secondary English by Deborah Appleman
53. The Rejected Writers' Book Club by Suzanne Kelman
54. The Apple Orchid by Susan Wiggs
55. The Beekeepers Ball by Susan Wiggs 
56. Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
57. Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand - ebook
58. The 25 Days of Christmas by James Merritt
59. A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs
60. Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand - ebook
61. Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand - ebook
62. Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand - ebook
63. The Bible - Old and New Testament
64. 
    

August Reading UPdate

Such a busy time of the year...for those in education...BUT...still plenty of time (surely!) to pick up a good book and escape for a bit!

Listed below are my most recent reads:

    45. Strive for Happiness in Education by Robert Dunlap (#BookCampPD Book Club/Twitter)
    46. Cursed series (four ebooks) by Claire Farrell (SCHS Student Online Book Club)

    47. Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

    48. Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown (Lyon College Alumni)

    49: Becoming Better Grownups by Brad Montague (Colby Sharp Book Club)

As you might note, most of these are for book clubs as these groups push me from my comfort reading zone and encourage my journeying to experiences and genres that I might not have chosen for myself.  Yes...for, afterall, is this not what we do to our students?  Just think what we read in high school...and those I am about to assign as core texts this year:  The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, and Of Mice and Men.  See?!

Two of the above from August's list of titles, Strive for Happiness and Becoming Better Grownups, complimented the other very nicely, each containing reminders that I (obviously!) needed in my life, as we continue living in the Era of the Pandemic.  Both, full of pearls of wisdom and encouragement, inspire, question, and motivate this 30-year veteran teacher.  Just perfect!  NOTE:  Becoming Better Growups also includes a children's book!  Very powerful!  (This one you will want to own!  Truly!)

Cursed and Chosen Ones took me to worlds of fantasay...nice escapes, yes?...and reminded me of our days of readng Harry Potter and Twilight and other such fun series.  Cursed (a series of four)...I read with a group of students this summer in our online book club. Yay!  I, also, enjoyed Chosen Ones, Veronica Roth's new adult novel.  This one could easily become a series...I hope so!  NOTE:  I checked this one out using the OverDrive app...yes, as an ebook.  Do I like ebooks anymore than I did when the Pandemic began?  Hummmmm...no, not really.  I just love books!  But...despite my husband's affirmation that "One cannot own too many books," I am attempting to decide of which ones I want to own personal copies.  Now...should this become a series...yes, I will need to own them all!  Yikes!

I just finished Watch Me Disappear last evening...stayed up until after midnight.  Don't you just love when a book graps you like that?   So there...that question alone should confirm my recommendation!  I just had to keep reading to find out what happened to the mom...who had disappeared.  I do look forward to listening to book club (we meet via Zoom...and Zoom does not connect the best where we live in the country...so I will just listen and "chat" in the Chat Box!).

What are you reading good?  Please share!  I am always looking for titles to add to my TBR list!

Stay safe!

Summer Reading UPdate

Time to reflect and post out (more!)...

My reading has slowed down some this summer...which is just so odd sounding to me...as summers are usually when I really dive into reading.

Why the change?  More online learning.  Definitely.

Here's a list of my summer titles (end of May? - thru - Now):

    34. Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury
    35. A Diamond in My Pocket by Lorena Angeli (Student Book Club - ebook)
    36. Second Chance Ranch by Liz Isaacson
    37. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiley

    38. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano (ALA Book Club)

    39. The Book Club by Mary Alice Monroe
    40. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (WRLC Book CLub)

    41. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (Lyon College Book Club)
    42. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

    43. Evolving Learner by Lainie Rowell, Kristy Andre, Lauren Steinmann (BookCampPD)

    44. Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi (ALA Book Club)

*Books in bold are books I owned...did not purchase this year.

**Am reading more ebooks!  Go, me!

Time to Reflect:

First, my student online book club is still meeting...and we have grown by a few...awesome!  So far, the students have chosen ebooks, mainly because they are free.  Sweet!  We are currently reading a series that contains four books, which I am really enjoying, as I am NOT allowing myself to read ahead; therefore, making predictions has been awesome!  

Yes, many of my reads are for book clubs.   Have I mentioned lately that I love book clubs?!  But.  I have noticed that because I am involved in several that self-selection is down. Then, mix in that with more online learning.  Hummm...how to blend that more?

• Favorite read (from this list): Dear Reader
• Longest read:  Little Women
• Challenged My Thinking:  Stamped
• Thematic Connection (Books!):  Book Club and Little Paris Bookshop
• Favorite Series:  Cursed (my only series...but...a good one for young adults!)

What have you been reading?  Please share!

Happy reading!

COVID Changes...a good thing...

Today, Quarantine Day #39, finds me enjoying one change in my life...I have read several books over the last 39 days...15 as a matter fact. 

Why not more you ask?  During these 39 days, our school district has hosted 23 AMI (Alternate Method of Instruction), and I have made 225+ masks...plus, the other daily responsibilities.  That is an abundance of numbers! 

My 2020 goal was to average one book a week and to read more of my own books.  As this is week 17 of 2020 and I have read 25 books, I am now a bit ahead of schedule.  Yay!  As for reading my own books....hummm...not meeting that part of my goal so much as I have been reading a lot of ebooks.

Why the appeal of ebooks?

1. I love the Overdrive app, which allows readers to check out books from libraries.  Sweet!  I have finished two series since COVID-19 broke out...and saved some money...and saved some contact with surfaces that others might have encountered, as I really do appreciate purchasing used books from such sites as Thrift Books.
2. Another reason for the appeal resulted from my signing up for a daily enews from BookBub, which sends out a daily book deals (either on sale or free!) based on personal preferences I entered when I signed up.  Nice!  Some days I choose none...some days I may download two or three.  I like!
3. A few of my students are interested in a book club.  During this time, especially, collectively reading the same book is just easier...and cheaper...if we choose a free ebook (currently, we are in the process of previewing three and are meeting tomorrow in a Google Meet to choose and rank their three choices and then invite others to join in.)  Fun!

Thus, while this pandemic has brought about much change, most of which few of us appreciate, this time in history has allowed me a span of time to read...read free books, at that!  To see, a list of of my 2020 reads, just click on that button at the top of this page.

I do hope this time finds you enjoying a good book! Happy reading!

2: All the Light We Cannot See - 2020

I just finished Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See...one I began in 2019 for the Paper Chase Book Club...and had read about 100 pages of the novel last year.

While I am glad I finished this one...yes, here comes the but...the author's use of timing frustrated me.  Antony Doerr has mastered the use of flashing...forward and backwards...continually...sometimes days, months, and years.  I finally sticky-noted the time changes to assist in my knowing where I was!

Also...almost another but!...each chapter was told from the perspective of a different character via third person point of view.  This style, while not new, did add to overall effect of the novel.

With this said, I am very glad I journeyed through this plot line, one set during WWII, a time period that is not my favorite but one about which I most definitely need to learn.  Some might argue this is a young adult novel (and one I would much rather teach than some of the more traditional texts) because of the protagonists:  blind Marie-Laure and orphan Werner.  Much to overcome for these two in circumstances that did not always allow for success.

This time period, these particular settings are ones that young people need to know; we need not forget.  Such harsh times, such spirits of patriotism and loyalty.

I would give this one 4.5 stars...only because of the above two critiques.

Happy reading!

1: Blood Fever - 2020

Book one for 2020 is complete!  This novel I began last month and sat aside, thanks to a busy schedule.

Blood Fever is book two in a series about James Bond...or...Bond, James Bond.  Full of action and dialogue, this one I will definitely take back into the classroom and recommend to all who love much adventure.

Now...to finish book two!  Happy reading!

2020's Reading Goals

2020 Reading Goals:  I am not joining any online reading challenges as I want to focus on the following:

1. to read an average of one book per week = minimum of 52 books
2. to read half of my goal from my own TBR pile = 26 books
3. to complete books for book clubs before the meeting time (love book clubs!)
4. to read more series (love series!)
5. to completely read more professional books = minimum of five books received via ASCD membership
6. to read more ebooks 
7. to continue to read more young adult books

Purposefully, I have chosen to not participate in any online reading challenges.  I want to!  Due to my ever-increasing personal library, this is the year to focus more on reading what I have already purchased.

These goals are attainable.  May we check out my current three reads (books I already own) to see if they meet the goal(s)?

1. All the Light We Could Not See:  This one I started in 2019 and am on page 113 of 539.  This will sorta...maybe...fulfill #3.  This was for a book club.  If only I could go back in time!
2. Blood Fever:  Also one I began in 2019.  This is for #7...and was for a book club began on the spur of the moment with some students.  On page 122 of 337.  
3. Scythe:  This one was recommended by a student several years ago...and another student just asked before Christmas if I would purchase book three in the series, which confirmation of this one's popularity.  This one would help fulfill goals #2, 4, 7.  Winner!

Now...to finish these before we return to school on Monday!

Happy reading!