spring reading challenge ideas and recommendations

I've read fifteen books so far in 2016 and feel like my love of reading for pleasure has been re-ignited by reading a wide variety books. Reading challenges really help me mix it up and avoid falling into a reading rut or getting series fatigue! Here are a few books that are on my to-be-read list this spring, and a few spring break reading recommendations for you (titles link to Goodreads), inspired by my favorite challenges.

From The Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2016 Reading Challenge: A book you should have read in school

 

• My pick: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - As an English major, I often felt like I was the only one who hadn't read this novel in high school; it seems to be part of so many readers' lists of favorites.
• My recommendation: Antigone by Sophocles - We read this play in tenth grade English and it was A Moment for me. I love that waaaaay back in Ancient Greece, Sophocles was writing about a strong, powerful woman, but the character who really mattered to me in high school was Ismene, Antigone's meek sister who must decide whether to follow tradition, follow her sisters' lead, or forge her own path.

From Popsugar's 2016 Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book set in Europe

• My pick: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - This book set during World War II was on all the must-reads last year, was a NYT best seller, and won the Pulitzer Prize. The plot, about a WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE blind French girl and an orphaned German boy working for the Nazis, sounds intriguing. 
• My recommendation: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - It amazes me that I've studied World War II for years now and there are always stories and aspects of that span of time that I realize I know almost nothing about; this YA historical fiction novel is about a Lithuanian family sent to a work camp in Siberia under Stalin's orders. It is a heartbreaking book and a favorite among librarians, teachers, and students at my school.

From Stxrybooks' 2016 Reading Challenge: A book with a character that is similar to you

• My pick: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly - I put out a call for books featuring characters like me on Facebook and my friend Marci, a librarian I've known since sixth grade, said Calpurnia's a lot like me when I was younger - a girl who loves nature, learning, and her family. I'm really looking forward to this one.
• My recommendation: The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - I think the reason I'm so addicted to this mystery series is because Stephanie Plum is such a real woman - she'd rather have Twinkies than a salad, her family drives her crazy, she's comfiest in jeans and a t-shirt, and she knows her attraction to bad boys is no good for her. It's so much fun to read about a lady who's kick-ass in her own way, not because she's a superspy but because she trusts her gut.

From Worthington Ave.'s 2016 Reading List: A book that's becoming a movie this year

• My pick: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - The trailer for the film based on this book makes it look heartwrenching and amazing.
• My recommendation: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - We added this novel to our eighth grade curriculum after one of my colleagues fell in love with it and realized it would fill a big "magical realism" gap in our collection. Conor's mother has cancer, he's being mercilessly bullied at school, his father is basically absent from his life, and he's been sent to live with his overbearing grandmother. When the yew tree in his backyard comes to life on a nightly basis, Conor doesn't know whether to be terrified or vindicated. Liam Neeson is going to be the voice of the monster in the movie, and I can't wait!

What are you looking forward to reading this spring? You can see 

my first list of reading ideas and recommendations for 2016 here.

literary junkies!

1. What are you reading right now? Tell us about it. 

Despite having several Iranian-American friends in high school and college, I knew basically nothing about the Islamic Revolution until reading Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis in college. When I spotted Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi at a secondhand book sale, I recognized it from lots of recommended title lists. It's a memoir written by a literature teacher who attended college in America and returned to her home in Iran just as the revolution was beginning. After she took her first teaching job at the University of Tehran, Iran's laws became increasingly restrictive and eventually abusive toward women, and she was eventually forced to resign for refusing to wear a veil in the classroom. After the war with Iraq, an acquaintance convinces her to return to teaching, which she has missed terribly, although her more conservative students frequently challenge her choice of "decadent" novels like The Great Gatsby and Daisy Miller. She and a few of her most passionate female students decide to start their own book club, meeting on Thursday morning to discuss everything from Lolita to Pride and Prejudice, and along the way her "girls" become like daughters to her. The book really forced me to think about how dangerous fundamentalism can be when the lines of church and state are blurred and corrupted, and about how our perceptions of literature are shaped by our own backgrounds and experiences. I've added Professor Nafisi's syllabus to my TBR pile.

2. What book reminds you of summertime as a kid?

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis - I finished my first reading of the Narnia books in the back of my parents' car while being taken to summer camp. When I got to the book's ending and realized, in a way my 11-year-old brain really couldn't put into words, that the whole series had been an allegory for God's kingdom, I started crying. My parents thought I was upset about going to camp and were ready to turn the car around until I explained as best I could that I was crying because my book made me so happy. They probably talked about what a weird kid they had after that.

3. What book did you have on your summer reading list that truly nailed it as a summer reading favorite?

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd - a really creepy novel inspired by H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau, but then I remembered how much I loved Rebecca last summer. I'd downloaded it because it was a Kindle deal and had a cool name, and got completely sucked in to the main character's desire to find her father and her inherited obsession with scientific discovery, the isolated island and the two men she feels torn between. For some reason, I guess I need to counterbalance hot, sunny summer days with suspenseful Gothic mysteries?

4. Who is your favorite author and why? Give us your top recommendation by them. 

As an English major and teacher, there is no way I can choose one favorite author, so I'll narrow it down to one genre. My favorite YA author is Maggie Stiefvater - not just because of her books but because she has a great online presence and I got to meet her at a reading conference for teachers! Her Raven Cycle series is really popular right now and has developed a fandom, but my favorite Stiefvater book is the stand-alone The Scorpio Races, in which she takes the myth of the water horse and builds a whole world. It's full of action, romance, and amazing description (I use it as a mentor text in my class!), and has a very timeless quality that I think will make it a YA fantasy classic.

5. Fall Book Reading lists are starting to make their appearances. What are you excited to read that's being released this fall?

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid (August 4th) - Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school.  Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. 

This sounds like such a perfect back-to-school read - I love books about male/female best friendships and how complicated the can be, and the "Never List" is a fun concept.

Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt (September 1st) - A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story in which a wealthy Southern boy falls in love with an undocumented Mexican girl and together they face perils when ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) begins raids on their town. 

I cannot resist a Shakespeare retelling, particularly Romeo and Juliet which is the play that started it all for me. This sounds like a really unique, creative twist on the familiar story.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (September 15th) - Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you.

I love Mindy and I adored Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, so I'm sure her second collection of essays will be equally awesome.

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer (November 10th) - Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, despite the scars that mar her face, and despises her stepmother, Queen Levana. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and find their happily ever afters.

The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite recent MG/YA series, so I'm very anxiously looking forward to the conclusion. I hope Meyer can tie up all the lose ends in a way that is satisfying but not too perfect or cheesy.

lately in entertainment.

concerts.

Paul McCartney Out There Tour at John Paul Jones Arena - As soon as I heard that Paul was going to be performing so close to home, I knew that a.) I had to go and b.) I had to take my mom. Mr. Q and my wonderful sister in law made it happen for us as a combination mother's day/30th birthday gift. Afterward, Breeze said, "so I take it seeing Paul McCartney was a religious experience?" and she wasn't wrong - Paul has been #1 on my concert bucket list forever. Mom and I took some precautions to avoid the traffic problems my cousins and I dealt with when we saw Fleetwood Mac at JPJ - we ate dinner very early and walked around the shopping center close to the arena until traffic started looking iffy, and were in our seats with time to enjoy the preshow presentation of songs and pictures from Paul's amazing life and career. I started crying as soon as the lights dimmed and I knew he was about to come onstage; it was so hard for me to believe how lucky I am. I cried four more times throughout the show - for "Maybe I'm Amazed," "Here Today," "Blackbird," and "Hey Jude" (and I'm talking a full-on, shaking hands breakdown for that one!). The long set list included Beatles songs, Wings songs, and newer singles from Paul's solo career, and state of the art visuals including a lifted stage for "Blackbird" and lasers and fire during "Live and Let Die." Another crowd pleasing moment was Paul and his band members coming out for the first encore waving the United States, United Kingdom, and Virginia flags.

books.

My Fight, Your Fight by Ronda Rousey with Maria Burns-Ortiz - A lot of people are surprised to find out that I enjoy watching mixed martial arts because I am such a pacifist and don't even enjoy playing contact sports. I kind of got into it by accident; somehow Mrs. V and I got really into Georges St. Pierre's last fight, and then Mr. V ordered UFC 168 and as soon as I saw Ronda Rousey coming out to Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" I developed a major girl crush. I'm always skeptical of cowritten celebrity memoirs, but in this case, Burns-Ortiz is Rousey's sister so the conversational voice is seamless. The book opens with a prologue written by UFC president Dana White, who went on record in 2011 saying women would never fight in the UFC. I was surprised by how tough Rousey's life has been - a fight for survival from birth onward. Reading about the things she has struggled with - her father's death, abusive relationships, disordered eating, feeling let down by Team USA when she saw the support other countries' Olympic judo athletes received, and even homelessness following her bronze medal win - really helped me understand where her take-no-prisoners attitude comes from, and made me respect her even more.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore - Why did it take me so long to finally read this book? If you're a fan of kick-butt heroines like Katniss Everdeen, fantasy worlds like Narnia, unique takes on supernatural ability like X-Men, or all of the above (are we soulmates?), get yourself to the library and get to reading. In the world of the book, some children are born Graced - gifted with special abilities which range from being a really good juggler to being able to read minds. Katsa, King Randa's orphaned neice, can kill a man with her bare hands, and Randa uses her as his special henchwoman. Unbeknownst to him, Katsa and her allies are working against Randa and bad guys in general by taking on their own special missions, and one rescue mission in particular gets Katsa involved in another country's tangled affairs, and tangled in the arms of a handsome prince who suspects that Katsa's Grace is more than killing.

To the Nines by Janet Evanovich - I guess my reading theme for this summer so far is tough women, but I was in the mood for something light and fun. This is probably my favorite Stephanie Plum book so far - I took a long break after #8 because I was feeling burnt out on the series and I'm glad I did because coming back to the series felt like catching up with old friends. There's just enough love triangle (Trenton cop Morelli being trustworthy and dependable, bounty hunter Ranger being intimidating and flirty), just enough family drama (Stephanie's sister Valerie going into labor, Morelli's Grandma Bella's visions of Steph's impending doom), and lots of fun with Vincent Plum's office staff members, Lula and Connie (Vegas road trip!). This book also subverts one of Evanovich's go-to character types, and being able to solve the mystery before Stephanie made the book's ending more suspenseful instead of making me frustrated with her Lucy Ricardo approach to bounty hunting.

movies.

Chef - Summer weekends have me turning to Netflix for entertainment, and I decided to check this one out knowing very little about it. Jon Favreau plays the titular chef, Carl, who gets in trouble with the owner of his restaurant (Dustin Hoffman) for getting too creative in the kitchen, forcing him to cook traditional (read: boring) customer favorites on the night a critic is set to visit. When the critic blasts Carl in his review, Carl takes to the Twitter account his son set up for him to send a scathing direct message - that is actually a public reply, now gone viral. After he quits the restaurant, Carl takes his ex-wife's (Sofia Vergara) advice and invests in a Cuban food truck. The resulting father-son road trip also goes viral. This is a fun, lighthearted movie with my favorite soundtrack since The Lincoln Lawyer.

Camp Takota - I can't resist a camp movie, and when the familiar faces of YouTubers Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart, and Mamrie Hart popped up on Netflix I decided to give their film project a chance. Written by Mamrie, the movie's set-up is pure Chick Flick territory: Elise (Grace) has a job in YA publishing (paranormal romance department), a hot fiance, and a honeymoon in Paris just around the corner. After losing her job and catching her fiance cheating on the same day, Elise decides to take her old summer camp boss up on an offer to come "home." She's not the only "old" camp counselor - her best camp buddies Maxine and Allison are still working there (believe me, this happens in real life too). She develops a crush on the farmer next door, bonds with her art class students (FYI, the art teacher is always the slacker counselor IRL too), and helps save the camp  from evil nerds (of course!). Since I am pretty sure I'm basically the target audience for this movie (former camp counselors who want to write YA books and go to Paris?), I have to say that even though the plot is a little too predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed the water balloons, awkward Poison Ivy infections, side ponytails, and choreographed dance routines and the three main characters reminded me of my own camp besties.

television.

Girl Meets World - What's that you say? That I am 30 and GMW is a show for children on the Disney Channel? You know who else are in their 30's? Cory Matthews, Topanga Lawrence-Matthews, Shawn Hunter, and Angela Moore. The show may have gotten Disneyfied, but Disney obviously knows that aging TGIF fans are tuning in alongside the 'tweens for this one because it's packed with cameos and shout-outs to the original series. I will admit that I got a little misty eyed when Mr. Feeny asked Maya if Cory is a good teacher. STOP JUDGING ME INTERNET GEEZ.

The Astronaut Wives Club - Y'all know I was excited for this retro goodness, and so far it's completely living up to my expectations - I even found myself researching NASA history to see just how realistic the show's depictions of the Mercury launches is (turns out it is fairly accurate!). The show focuses on the individual wives more during their husbands' missions, showing their range of personalities and how each reacts to the expectations NASA has of them to be the perfect supportive housewife and mother.  Everyone, including the astronauts themselves, seems to be questioning what they really signed on for.

Book Review: Deception at Sable Hill: A Chicago World's Fair Mystery by Shelley Gray

Since several of the best books I've read as a BookLook Blogger have been historical romance, I decided to get back into that genre this month. Since one of my reading goals this years is to read more mysteries, Deception at Sable Hill was the perfect choice, especially considering that I've been a fan of the Victorian era since elementary school. Set in the fall of 1893 as the World's Fair comes to an end in Chicago, Deception at Sable Hill presents a likeable heroine in Eloisa Carstairs, who comes from a wealthy and well-connected family but seems determined to shatter her mother's dreams by not marrying any of the suitors she is constantly presented with - most of whom seem determined to lure her into shady corners. 

Eloisa's society friends are abuzz because a dangerous slasher is on the loose, seeming to target the most eligible debutantes in town. Detective Sean Ryan, having worked his way up through the ranks of the Chicago police despite his background in a poor Irish family and dangerous neighborhood, meets Eloisa when he is chosen to provide security at a fancy ball alongside his partner, Owen Howard. He discerns the dark secret she's haunted by - an assault she's convinced will ruin her reputation if anyone finds out - and convinces her that she is blameless. Soon, she feels more comfortable with Sean and in his world than at the society functions where attacks continue to occur, but even as they grow closer the two know that neither will be accepted in the other's sphere. As the fair's closure on Halloween draws near, Sean and Owen must find the Society Slasher before the attacker gets to Eloisa.

I enjoyed reading about Chicago at the end of the Gilded Age, and appreciated that Gray's female characters represented a diverse range of well-developed personalities - from Eloisa's protective, traditional mother, to her sweet maid Juliet and Sean's spunky sister Katie, who dreams of being a journalist à la Nellie Bly. Rather than a will-they-or-won't-they, Eloisa and Sean's romance is a compelling how-will-they, despite a little jealousy on Sean's part and some stubbornness on Eloisa's. Finally, the Society Slasher presents an intriguing mystery - just when I thought I'd solved the case, I realized that I'd been wrong all along. I hope that Shelley Gray will write more about these characters - I'd be interested to learn how they face the turn of the century, and their differences, together.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”