Hello, February! I want to say that January flew by quickly, but actually, it went by at a steady pace. The last week or so saw a huge slow-down thanks to that big, winter storm. We ended up with around 10-13 inches of snow (huge for here) and schools were closed all last week. We hunkered down in our home, enjoying the fireplaces, drinking tea, and such. I didn't slide in as much reading time as I'd hoped, since homeschooling means things to do no matter the weather. Plus, tending to animals gets more intense, since water opportunities need attention (freezing). We also have two wood stoves, which run nonstop on such days. I have to smile because hauling wood makes sure that all of those yummy, baked treats I make during colder days don't get a chance to add extra pounds on me.
So, now that January has passed, I'm excited to see what February holds. I even have a couple heart balloons already hanging in anticipation of Valentine's Day. (That was actually thanks to my husband who thought it'd be cute to decorate our tractor for the holiday....which I haven't yet due to the snow.)
As to reading, I have so many fun reads coming up the next weeks. I'm sticking to my goal of making each book on here a super enjoyable read, and I think the line-up for this coming month slides nicely in that direction. Hopefully, you'll find, at least, a few which make you smile, too. There's a very even spread on genres, including hearts for Valentine's Day, nonfiction goodness, fantasy, humor, mystery, spies, and even touching reads. I have a few young adult reads, am a little heavier on the middle grade side, and as usual, have a row of picture books as well as those for beginning readers. As said...a nice, even spread of reading goodness. Or so I'm hoping.
LEO AND RALPH
I found the cover simple yet grabbing, and the blurb sealed the deal. It's heads to the stars with an odd, long-term friendship between an alien from Jupiter and a boy. I'm hoping that this one doesn't lean too heavily to the serious side, since it explores the realm of growing out of make-believe friends. At least, that's the sense I'm getting. Still, it might take an interesting twist, since the blurb leaves enough openings for surprises. Explore this one with me right away on the 2nd!
Middle Grade Contemporary
THE DISEASED ONES
I was in the mood for some kick-butt YA, and this one might just satisfy that desire. It's the first in a series...not a new release...and falls into the dystopian category as a sixteen-year-old discovers she carries a disease, making her unfit to be a part of the world's society. We'll see what all of that entails, but I'm hoping for tons of action and fun. Join me on the 4th to see if this is a world to get lost in or not.
Young Adult Dystopian
ZICKY: WRATH OF THE RAT KING
It's time for adventure as this book dives into graphic novel goodness with a ton of fantasy. At least, that's what I'm getting from the blurb. There should be rodent monsters, rats, robots, and so much more. I really am not sure what to expect in this one but am looking forward to finding out where it will head. Because it doesn't appear it will be calm. I'll be diving into this one on the 7th.
Middle Grade Fantasy / Graphic Novel
IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!
I read the blurb and knew I had to take a peek at this one. It sounds like it will be silly and fun with a tad bit of heart to round things off. But mostly fun. I'm not expecting a lot of depth but rather great characters to smile with. I'll be seeing what this bird is up to on the 10th.
Picture Book
THE BLIND DATE AGREEMENT
Can't have Valentine's Day without some romance, and this one promises to pack a little of the unexpected as well. I'm betting that this 'couple' is tackling the entire dating scene from a slightly different angle and hoping that means enjoyable adventures and moments to smile along the way. I just hope it's not cheesy. But we'll find out on the 12th, just in time for the holiday.
Young Adult Romance
THE PREHISTORIC PLANET: DINOSAURS
Dinosaur books always find an audience with younger readers. So, I was glad to get my hands on this one. At first, I thought I'd be taking a look at a digital copy, but then, it appeared in my mailbox...and oh, what fun! It flips open to form a globe with magnets in the cover to make it stand with ease. I'm easily distracted by neat aspects like that. Anyway, I'll dive into ancient times and visit the dinosaurs on the 18th.
Children's Nonfiction
LITTLE MONSTERS
This read is a retelling of Little Women (just in case that wasn't completely obvious) and takes a supernatural twist into this much loved classic. It's geared for the middle grade audience, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm curious how this one goes. I'm hoping it surprises and builds in lovely twists on the original tale, but we'll see how suspenseful this one gets on the 16th.
Middle Grade Fantasy
JETT COOPER
The second I saw this read, I couldn't wait to open it up. This one is about a boy, who loves to fly. I don't think I've ever had a book about this type of sport. It should hit a bit of heart, too, as it follows this boy's love of flying through an accident, which leaves his mother forbidding him to from flying again. This should lead to issues, since I doubt the boy wants to give up, and I'm curious to see how this one steers through the problem. Plus, I'm hoping the flights are grabbing. Let's take off and visit this one on the 21st.
Middle Grade Sports Fiction
GRANDMA, CHO CHO, AND ME
This should be a feel-good book, which centers around a girl and her grandmother...and cooking. It will take a look at the Jamaican kitchen as the girl helps her mother to create some dishes. Maybe, there will be recipe included, too? I'm hoping for family warmth and cultural goodness. Let's head to the kitchen on the 24th and see how this goes!
Picture Book
TRUST NO ONE
I thought a little crime and suspense would be a nice change-up for the end of the month. This read looks at a teen, whose father is a known criminal...and it put the teen in a sticky situation. He's innocent of a crime but is pretty sure no one will even take a glance to see if he's right. This book comes from a series geared for those teens, who aren't necessarily strong readers, but need reads, which are grabbing and interesting. I'll be taking a look at this one on the 27th.
Young Adult Suspense
Book piles grow and grow, and never seem to have an end. It's no different with my pile for Bookworm for Kids. While I have a pretty set schedule, things constantly switch-around and change. Sometimes, I don't like reads as much as I thought I would. Sometimes, they don't arrive. Sometimes, other things happen...anything is possible. So, I have no doubt that another book will find its way into my schedule, and the Joker Read is the first one on top of my 'wait' pile.
RELIC OF THIEVES
I accidentally got my hands on the DRC of this read...yep, strange things happen...which is great for me. I read the first one in the series and enjoyed it. So, I'm curious to see what happens in this next adventure. I have high hopes, of course, and have no doubt it will be a rich, flowing read. I'm not sure when I'm going to squeeze it in, yet, but will definitely be finding the time...sometime.
Middle Grade Fantasy
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