A Monster Calls is a short, illustrated novella that is a quick but heart-wrenching read. Patrick Ness does an amazing job of creating a compelling story that forces readers to confront their own demons.
“I hope you aren’t holding an ice cream cone against your chest, ’cause your heart just warmed—and your ice cream just melted.” ― Aziz Ansari, Modern Romance: An Investigation
On July 5, I wrote a blog post for the first time in a year. It was filled with gratitude and hope. Life is looking vastly different than it was four months ago. On August 13, 2016, our home flooded. We were not the only people on our street to flood. We weren't the only … Continue reading A Year (Revised)
Hello! It's been almost a year since my last blog post. Why so long? Well, starting a new job is never easy. Starting a new teaching job with subjects you've never taught before in a school that allows you to create your own curriculum? That's damn overwhelming.In the past year I've planned a wedding, kicked … Continue reading A Year
“We do not remember days, we remember moments.” ― Jennifer Niven, All the Bright PlacesBook Title: All the Bright PlacesAuthor: Jennifer NivenPublication Date: 2015Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Mental IllnessGoodreads Rating: 4.21 StarsMy Rating: 4 StarsTheodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.Violet … Continue reading Book Review: All the Bright Places
“She understood that the hardest times in life to go through were when you were transitioning from one version of yourself to another.” - Sarah Addison Allen, Lost Lake
This summer, there hasn't been a whole lot of reading getting done. I know exactly why.Procrastination.I'm falling prey to it, just like my students. All summer long, I could have been reading glorious contemporary fiction that sucks me in. Instead, I've been feeling guilty about not completing my summer reading. I didn't want to read … Continue reading A Summer of Classics
Oops.. I might have been slacking on the blogging, but I really miss these wrap-up posts. They are a way for me to keep my life organized, and help me look back on my year. (Also, it helps me remember all of the books I read, which, alas, hasn't been many lately.)Spring in One Word: … Continue reading Spring Wrap-Up
Whew! Came back to TTT just in time for a kick in the pants about the fact that 1) IT IS SUMMER, 2) I have all the free time, and 3) Remember how much I love reading?While some of these novels are definitely for work, not play, I think I should get through all of … Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: My Summer TBR
So sorry guys. It looks like I fell off the map a bit. Life is busy and really hard sometimes, but I'm finally seeing the light (and feeling more inspired than ever)!I'm currently spending the week at my alma mater, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, studying at the Ernest J. Gaines Center for the 2nd … Continue reading Ernest Gaines and Southern Literature
