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Week in Review

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Good morning. Last week, I was talking about beautiful weather, and this week it's freezing and we're expecting sleet and snow. I guess I won't be planting my garden any time soon! We had a crazy wind storm on Saturday night and lost a small tree in our front yard. So we spent a couple hours yesterday morning outside in the cold weather cleaning that up. Then I spent the afternoon on the couch reading!

Reviews and Blog Posts

February Goals ~ Reading, Blogging, Getting Fit
Book Review: Messenger by Lois Lowry

Reading
I finished reading Night Is the Hunter: A Harlan Donnally Novel by Steven Gore. My review will be up tomorrow for the book tour. Then I read Messenger, the third book in the Giver Quartet. Now I'm reading the last book in that series, Son.

Next up is my February book club selection, Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.

C has read the first five chapters of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells with his group at school. He seems to be enjoying it so far.

M and I finally finished Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo with our small reading group at school. I'll try to get her to help me write a joint review of it sometime soon. I'll be starting up with a new book with a new group of kids either this week or next. 
 
What are you reading this week? It's Monday! is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, so hop over there if you'd like to see what others are reading too. You can also check out the younger version of It's Monday!
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Comments

  1. HannahlilyFebruary 16, 2015 at 9:54 AM

    I have started Dark Places three times and still haven't finished it and I just don't know why! I really like it! I've got some sort of a reading block with that book. Winn-Dixie is one of my absolutely favorites. Such a sweet story.

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    1. JulieFebruary 16, 2015 at 1:28 PM

      I really enjoyed reading Winn-Dixie with my group of 2nd graders! Interesting about Dark Places. I have to get it done for my book club meeting so I'll have motivation to finish it quickly!

      Delete
  2. LindseyFebruary 16, 2015 at 1:53 PM

    We love Kate DiCamillo around here, although I think Winn Dixie might be the only one of hers we haven't read yet. We are big fans of Mercy Watson and Desperaux, though.

    Have a great week and stay warm!!

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    1. JulieFebruary 16, 2015 at 1:58 PM

      I didn't love Despereaux, so I was leery about reading another book by her, but I really enjoyed Winn Dixie.

      Delete
  3. UnknownFebruary 16, 2015 at 2:33 PM

    I have the three Flynn books on my kindle but have yet to start any of them! Hope Dark Places is good. I just got Wolf Hall - slightly daunted!

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    1. JulieFebruary 16, 2015 at 2:56 PM

      I tend to avoid huge books like that!! I hope you enjoy it, though!

      Delete
  4. avisiontorememberFebruary 16, 2015 at 2:55 PM

    Thanks for the suggestions! I wish I had time to read! I do love to read for sure.

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    1. JulieFebruary 16, 2015 at 2:57 PM

      I was in the same boat a few years ago, and then I joined my neighborhood book club so I would be motivated to at least read one book a month. It was a good way to get back into reading regularly.

      Delete
  5. Sue JacksonFebruary 16, 2015 at 6:48 PM

    Good for you for plowing through those Lois Lowry books! You are inspiring me to get back to them :) And I LOVE that you are doing a book group with your daughter - Because of Winn Dixie is such an awesome book! Great way to hook them in.

    I've got Dark Places waiting on my shelf. I read Flynn's Sharp Objects last fall and loved it, but my husband said that was his favorite, so that moved Dark Places down my list! Can't wait to hear what you think of it.

    Glad your son is enjoying The Time Machine - my husband and I listened to it on audio last year and enjoyed it.

    Enjoy your books this week!

    Sue

    It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

    I am still reading A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra for my neighborhood book group and am totally engrossed in the story set in Chechnya. Here's what the rest of my family is reading this week - how about you?

    Book By Book

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    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:03 PM

      I haven't read Sharp Objects, but will likely pick that up next. So far I'm liking Dark Places. C finished Time Machine and said he liked it. Now he and his group have lots of work to do related to it, so that's not nearly as fun!

      Delete
  6. DebbishFebruary 16, 2015 at 9:21 PM

    I hope you enjoy Dark Places. Sharp Objects, another of Flynn's novels was actually my favourite of the three published so far.

    Deb

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    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:04 PM

      Okay, I really need to read Sharp Objects too. I planned to read them both, but this one came first since it's for book club. :-)

      Delete
  7. BronaFebruary 17, 2015 at 1:53 AM

    Winn-Dixie is on my list this week - I'll watch out for your review :-)

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    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:05 PM

      I need to spend some time with her writing that review!

      Delete
  8. BethFebruary 17, 2015 at 2:03 AM

    I did Winn-Dixie with my elementary book club. That had a lot of fun discussing the difference between the movie and the book -- some kids had read/watched one but not the other, some had done both, and it was really interesting to see what they thought about the differences. I think some of the teachers were shocked that kids were trying to come to book club by "cheating" but I thought it gave the kids a good way to talk about why the author/director made the choices they did.

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    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:05 PM

      Great idea to watch the movie too. My daughter loves movies so maybe we'll check it out on the weekend.

      Delete
  9. JillianFebruary 17, 2015 at 2:27 AM

    I hope you enjoy Dark Places. I liked it, Gillian Flynn has such a unique, atmospheric style in her writing! Gone Girl is still my favorite from her though.

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    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:06 PM

      Glad to hear you liked it. I love how she develops her characters.

      Delete
  10. Cheriee WeichelFebruary 17, 2015 at 8:48 PM

    I must get back to the rest of Lowry's series. I've started rereading them but got side tracked by other flashy covers. Because of Winn-Dixie is one of those books that both boys and girls in our school love.

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    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:06 PM

      Yes, it's hard when you get sidetracked like that. I was motivated because my son was reading them and we got them from the library. So I had very limited time to get through them!

      Delete
  11. GatheringBooksFebruary 19, 2015 at 3:35 AM

    I'm looking forward to reading another Gillian Flynn novel - I binge-read her Gone Girl - didn't stop reading for an entire day, and can't wait to do something like that again.

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    Replies
    1. JulieFebruary 20, 2015 at 2:07 PM

      I could probably do that with Dark Places, if I had the time. I've been struggling to find reading time lately.

      Delete

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