I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that with as many books as I read, I don’t take the time to review every. single. one. I have read some pretty great ones (and a not-so-great one or two) recently that I wanted to mention, however, so I thought I’d share them here (in what may or may not become a recurring post):

1. Pluto by R.J. Palacio – 4 stars

The Boy and I both loved R.J. Palacio’s hit novel, Wonder (2012), and were thrilled when we learned she had written a follow-up novella, The Julian Chapter. Pluto is yet another Wonder Story, told exclusively from the perspective of Christopher, Auggie’s best and oldest friend.

2. God Don’t LIke Ugly by Mary Monroe – 5 stars

In God Don’t Like Ugly, Mary Monroe “brings to life the bond between two girls from opposite sides of the tracks–and the shattering event that changes their world forever–in this coming-of-age tale about a sexually abused young black woman and the beautiful and diabolical best friend who comes to her rescue.” Make no mistake: this is a very heavy and at times depressing novel, albeit a very good one. There are six novels in this series, of which I’ve read three. God Still Don’t Like Ugly (#2) is definitely worth reading, God Don’t Play (#3) is something you’ll want to read only if you can’t find anything else. I tried reading  God Ain’t Blind (#4), but put it down almost immediately – definitely not worth your time.

3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson – 5 stars

In this YA novel, we follow Melinda as she moves through her first year of high school. She has been shunned due to the fact that she called the police to break up a late summer party; we’re not told at first why she did this, although the reason soon becomes clear. Speak is very powerful, very heartbreaking, and I highly recommend it.

4. Mobile Library by David Whitehouse – 3 stars

Twelve-year-old Bobby Nusku befriends thirteen-year-old Rosa and her single mother, Val. Val is employed as the cleaning lady for the local Mobile Library, which is about to be closed down due to lack of funding. When Bobby is beaten badly by his abusive father, Val packs up Rosa, their dog and Bobby, and they hijack the Mobile Library for an across-the-country  escape. I had such high hopes for this novel, but it just didn’t do it for me the way I thought it would. Mobile Library is still, however, a good read and you should check it out if you have the time.

5. The Orphans of Race Point by Patry Francis – 3 stars

The Orphans of Race Point is another novel I had high hopes for, that just didn’t give me the toe-tingling excitement I’d hoped for. Hallie and Gus were high-school sweethearts until an act of violence tore them apart. Gus then entered the seminary and served as a priest until he was falsely accused of murder and sent to prison. It’s up to Hallie to try to prove his innocence, but she doesn’t do such a hot job with that. Basically, the writing is all very long and drawn-out and full of unnecessary detail until about halfway through, when things start to get a bit more exciting. Don’t just take my word for it, though, because a whole lot of people reeeeally loved this book – so go and get you some, y’all.

A few more worth mentioning…

• Burning Bright: Stories by Ron Rash
• My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh
• The Book of Night Women by Marlon James
• The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore

So that’s what I’m up to, y’all, when I’m not homeschooling, homemaking, spending time with The Boy, or reviewing the other books I’ve read. It’s a small life, but it’s my life, and I love it. Happy Reading, y’all!

What have you been reading?