#IMWAYR JANUARY 18, 2016

Sometimes one week morphs into the next and I am scarcely aware of it. Here it is Monday again and time for #IMWAYR. Thank you so much Jen at Mentor Texts and Kellee and Rickie at Unleashing Readers for hosting this weekly event. Last week went to hell in a handbasket and I didn't have time to read everyone's posts. I'll try to do better this week.

This I know is true.
There is a lot of undignified business involved in getting old. 

My mother ended up in the hospital a week ago Sunday. It's been a hell of a week that ended a hell of a month. Mom's cancer has metastasized to many different parts of her body with an ensuing increase in pain. About a month ago, she was prescribed opiates to deal with this. Opiates can leave even the most high functioning individuals goofy, but for those, like my mother, who have had a traumatic brain injury, they can be completely debilitating. Confusion, hallucinations, and inability to monitor her basic needs have been part of the nightmare. On top of this, she was being over medicated. We are actually thankful that Mom ended up in the hospital. I took a few days off work this week to find opportunities to talk face to face with her doctor and the social worker there. The good news is that they are attempting to get her pain medication sorted out, are aware of how confused she is, and won't be releasing her until they are certain that she will be returning to a place where she is safe, comfortable, and well looked after. I wish this meant I could relax, but it only means that our biggest worry is appeased.

Our family lost our father in an instant. We are losing our mother in increments. I'm not sure which is worse.

I needed reading to be a refuge for me this week. I was listening to An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir but I couldn't handle the brutality of it. It would probably be a challenging read for me anytime, but I had begun to dread returning to it because it was exacerbating my already over stressed state. I finally abandoned it and started listening to The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall. But honestly, what I've craved most this week was sitting in front of the TV screen watching mysteries and knitting. I've been carrying The Pirate Code by Heidi Schulz around with me, but because my mother is aware enough to want to interact with me when I visit her everyday, it has mostly remained in my bag.

NOVELS


5 stars
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

The more I read of the Penderwicks, the more I love them. They truly are classic modern family stories. After talking to some fans at school, I discovered that most of them were introduced to the Penderwicks by a parent reading it to them. Then they became fans in their own right and have continued to read the books. I'm going to have to work on parents to get them to read these to their children.

5 stars

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. 

There is so much I love about this book. It's a coming of age tale that focuses on ordinary teens living their lives against a backdrop of supernatural events. It's a sly poke at all the chosen one narratives. I laughed out loud many times. Each chapter begins with a short summary of what is going on in the lives of the "indie kids" who are involved in battles with immortals in an effort to save the world. Meanwhile, Mikey and his friends and family are just hoping it won't interfere in their lives too much. The real battle for them is mental illness. Mikey has OCD and his sister has an eating disorder. However, there is nothing really angst ridden about this. In fact, the ending leaves readers with hope that each of them will be able to deal with their problem. Mostly I am in awe of the sweetness of this story. The relationships between the friends and the siblings is filled with love and respect and kindness: kind of like it is for the most part in the real world. 
I was a bit nervous about tackling this one because the last Patrick Ness novel I read was The Knife of Never Letting Go, which traumatized me. This title makes me determined to find time to read A Monster Calls

 PICTURE BOOKS


I know I read more picture books than I recorded in Goodreads, but I honestly can't remember the titles... I went shopping for books this week and picked up a few. I can't help but notice that half of the picture books deal with loss.

4 stars
Your Alien by Tammi Sauer, Gorō Fujita (Illustrations)


This is a lovely story of a boy who befriends an alien. Everything is wonderful until he realizes that something is wrong with his alien. It takes the boy a while to figure out what is making his new friend so unhappy. I love this delightful message about having the courage to say goodbye and let go even when you don't want to.

5 stars
The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr

This is the perfect book to read to children who are facing the loss of someone important to them. I love Parr's comments at the end of the book where he says.
"Of all my books, this was the hardest to write - because it's never easy to say goodbye."


4 stars
The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein

This book gave me shivers as I read it. Sylvie, a cat, wakes her owner, a young child, while the world is still dark. She drags the child outside where everything is in shadow, yet "the dark is soft and comfortable." The flowers are devoid of color. Animals of all sorts murmur and whisper, "It's coming" and "It's almost here." This is a beautiful build up for what ensues. The only color in most of the book is in the cat's green eyes. This makes the ending even more spectacular. 

3 stars
Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos

I read this one at the bookstore. A penguin searches for a friend he met who loves to dance. It was ok, but it just didn't scream pick me! pick me! And so I left it behind. 




5 stars
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Oh this book is just so so much fun. A very cranky bear who loves to eat eggs, ends up with a batch of freshly hatched goslings that imprint on him. I love how this cranky bear slowly but surely undergoes a transformation. 



CURRENTLY



I'm trying to get into Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker but it's not really working for me. I'll give it a bit more energy before I decide to abandon it though. I'm continuing to work on Heidi Schulz’s The Pirate Code. I've just started listening to Stella by Starlight.

UP NEXT


I think I'll rummage through these stacks of books to see what strikes my fancy.  

28 comments:

  1. My thoughts are with you as you battle with illness in your home - my father in law is also going through radiation therapy and one of my closest girlfriends as well - nothing for loved ones like us to do, really, but pray and be there. I am glad to see that you enjoyed The Rest of Us Just Live Here - I didn't feel that it was Patrick Ness' best by any stretch, but it was a fairly enjoyable read. A Monster Calls is a definite must-read. It was one of the books I pushed people to read endlessly the year I read it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Myra. I'm so sorry for you as well. You are right, just being there is about all we can do really. I will try to get to A Monster Calls soon.

      Delete
  2. I'm so sorry to hear of your mother's ordeal. You're definitely in my thoughts and prayers. I can totally understand how a Penderwicks book would be a soothing read, during such a stressful time. I read the Penderwicks in Spring and immediately fell in love with the family in the book! I also enjoyed The Night World and Stella by Starlight. Hope this week is gentler to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jane. Isn't it wonderful how books can be so therapeutic!

      Delete
  3. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, Cheriee. The Penderwicks sound like just the right comfort reading! I use Hilary McKay's Casson family series for the same purpose (similar in many ways to the Penderwicks but with a bit of a quirky edge that the Penderwicks don't have and that I really like in a book). I think my son might actually like the Penderwicks quite a bit. He would never choose the series on his own, of course, so I might start one as breakfast time reading and see how it goes. I have The Rest of Us from the library right now but have been putting off reading it because I consider myself a traumatized Ness reader too! (A Monster Calls is also difficult, though for different reason than Knife). Your review makes me confident I can handle it! I forgot that I read Mother Bruce this week too! So very funny!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Elisabeth. I'm now going to track down Hilary McKay's Casson family series.

      Delete
  4. I'm so sorry for the tough time with your mother. I went through something similar with my husband, and it is very good to get the meds straightened out. Too many times what seems to be a help is not at all. Hugs to you at this time, Cheriee. I love the Penderwicks too, but still haven't read that latest one. And I loved The Night World, think it is so imaginative. Still also need to read Mother Bruce-looks so, so cute. Thanks for taking the time to share, will be thinking of you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry that you have had to deal with this at all. Mother Bruce is cheery fun read.

      Delete
  5. I have never read any of the Penderwicks books. I keep saying I am going to get to one. I loved Mother Bruce - so funny!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sure is fun! I warn you that once you start with the Penderwicks, you kind of get addicted.

      Delete
  6. My thoughts are with you. I went through this slow decline with my mother a year or so ago. It is hard. Be gentle on yourself. I am amazed at how much you did get read.
    I have not read any of the Penderwicks books either and they keep coming up. The cover does not interest me but I guess it is the old saying don't judge a book by it's cover. I will have to give them a try. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Joanne. It is hard work and I'm realizing how important it is to be gentle with everyone involved. Unfortunately these Penderwick covers just don't sell the books - but they are delightful reads.

      Delete
  7. Sometimes what you need is an escape from life, whether it's through reading, or just zoning out in front of the TV and not thinking about anything at all! I find picture books a lovely escape when life just gets to be too much and the small child that's still hidden inside of all us wants some comforting. Hoping for a better week to come for your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! And the wonderful thing about picture books is that they only require your attention for a brief time.

      Delete
  8. You are in my thoughts. Glad you can find some distraction in books.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. It sounds incredibly difficult and painful for you and your family to be with her through this. I hope you can find time to be good to yourself through it all. I am intrigued by the Night World. My Bible study group is just starting LEarning to Walk in the Dark, and it looks like it would go with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Night World is as much about finding the beauty in where ever you are as it is about looking forward to the end of it.

      Delete
  10. What a very difficult time you are going through. As Kay said, I hope you find time and space to take care of yourself. You've chosen delightful books, most of which are new to me. I'll look for that Gerstein book - he is always so marvelous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That book is definitely worth reading. I think we are all coping better this week.

      Delete
  11. Oh Cheriee, what a heartbreaking post to read, I'll keep thinking of you and your mom.
    Thanks for reviewing Patrick Ness' new book. I have it to read but haven't gotten to it yet.
    I loved many of the picture books you had here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure that everyone will enjoy this book this nest book as much as I did. Sometimes a book comes into your life just when you need it. I feel like this about The Rest of Us Just Live Here.

      Delete
  12. I am so sorry that you are going through this with your mother. I'm glad the Penderwicks were there for you. I find the Penderwick books to be a nostalgic and sweet kind of read. I have been eager to read the new Patrick Ness book. Without spoiling too much, I have to say that A Monster Calls is an amazing book, but I used many tissues every time I have read it. Given what you are going through, I am not sure I would recommend that you read it immediately. Someone else may give you other advice, but it was a heartbreaker for me though it may be cathartic. The GoodBye book is excellent. Mother Bruce cracked me up! I wish you peace on your difficult journey.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Kristen. I will avoid A Monster Calls for a while at least. Besides I've got a whole stack of books from the library that I have to plow through.

      Delete
  13. I am so sorry to hear about your mother. My thoughts are with you and your family. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Beth. This week doesn't feel quite so traumatic.

      Delete
  14. What you wrote about your mother hits very close to home. Thoughts with you and your family.
    I love Ness's writing. I haven't read any of his books since Monster, so I need to fix that!

    Happy reading this week :) Hopefully it is a better one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes it isn't so much that things get better, I think we just get better at coping with what is.

      Delete