I love Brené Brown. I first read Daring Greatly last year (see 101 Books: A Year in Reading Ranked Through Genres). I knew that this was the kind of research for me, and I wanted to know more. I really enjoyed Braving the Wilderness. It’s all about belonging, what it means to belong, and how that feels. Reading this books also proved helpful before diving into Atlas of the Heart.

After absolutely loving Going Bicoastal, I knew I wanted to read more of Adler’s work. This was such a fun read, with split timelines and a love triangle. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun YA romance to fall into.

This was an eye-opening read. I’ve always been a sensitive person who feels things really deeply, and I don’t always have the right language to tell myself or others what I’m feeling. This book served as an extremely well-written guide to learning how to use that language that helps us identify emotions, and how that can help us in processing and healing. This is a must read.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but I ended up really loving it. Sometimes when books tell the story of journey it can feel monotonous, but The People We Keep was captivating. The story, the characters, and the writing all complimented each other to tell the story of a girl named April. While this book is fictional, it reminds us that we all have our own stories to tell that are interesting and powerful.

I’m starting to write a research narrative for a college composition class I’m taking. The project is going to take us through May, so I chose I topic I’m ready to spend some time reflecting on and researching: running. This book was so funny and real. Running isn’t glamorous, and runners don’t love every second of it. The “why” of running is essential, and Inman does an excellent job of using humor and illustration to explain it.

What a magical short story! I loved the idea and the writing. A boy finds himself imprisoned in a strange library, with some strange company, all because he was curious about the ottoman tax collection system. I hope this book encourages you visit your local library to find out the answers to your questions, and doesn’t scare you away!

I had a feeling I would like this book, and it had such a long hold list, so I bought it. I don’t buy books often, but it was worth it. Murakami’s memoir centered on running is fascinating. It brought up a lot of things I resonated with and I feel are critical parts of the running experience. I’ve read mixed reviews, but I think even if you don’t run this book can be valuable (and maybe inspire you to give it a try).

I conveniently work at a library, and at the end of our shift, my coworkers and I will sometimes walk around the library. There’s always things to do and see. During one of these instances, I picked up this book and started reading, and I decided to check it out. I think this book does really well at educating a younger audience about wildfires and the impacts of climate change, I felt like I knew more after reading it! This is a valuable tool that I hope is in many classrooms.