#IMWAYR December 11, 2023

Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.

This is what I have been working on in my sewing life. I've finished three mice and  sewn, but not yet stuffed, three more. I've finished up a few outfits and hope to have at least two for each mouse by Christmas. 

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

CHAPTER BOOKS

5 stars

The Infamous Ratsos by Kara LaReau & Matt Myers (Illustrator) August 2, 2016

Last week I asked Earl Dizon @ THE CHRONICLES OF A CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER for some help choosing books for my six year old grandson. This is one that was on his list. I downloaded and devoured it. Then I ordered it and the other books he recommended (except for the ones I already purchased for him) from my local bookstore. 

Ever since losing their mother, the two Ratso brothers, Louie and Ralphie, try to be tough just like their father, Big Lou. They do their best to get into trouble and show everyone how harsh they can be, but all their attempts end up backfiring. They try to cause trouble, but end up doing good in the world. This book is full of tenderhearted sweetness and humour, just like my grandson. I'm looking forward to reading more. 

MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVELS

4 stars

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen August 15, 2023

This is based on the author's experience growing up the daughter of a Jewish mother and and Muskogee (Creek) Nation father. 

Mia lives with her Jewish mother, but longs to spend time with her Native American father. She uses her bat mitzvah money to purchase a ticket to go for a visit while her mother thinks she is at a school based weekend retreat. 

Of course she ends up getting found out, but her consequences end up turning into a learning opportunity for her, all her parents and even their rabbi. 

ADULT/YA FICTION

4 stars

System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7) by Martha Wells & Kevin R. Free (Narrator) November 13, 2023

Honestly, if you are not a Murderbot fan, you are living a deprived life. Murderbot is a rogue security unit who hacked their governor model and is now a free agent. Murderbot is plagued with the two f words - feelings and friends. They are now connected to the people on Preservation Moon, a liberal planetary community in a universe mostly controlled by nefarious corporations. 

This novel continues the story after Network Effect. It's set in the same planet, but in a different community. Murderbot and friends are on a contaminated planet where they are attempting to rescue the inhabitants from future corporate slavery. Unfortunately, after their previous contamination, Murderbot is not up to par, and is experiencing strange kinds of flashbacks that might impair their ability to keep their humans safe.

While each of these novels or novelas are full of adventure and humour, it's really the character of Murderbot that keeps me coming back for more. 

4 stars

The List of Last Chances by Christina Myers 🍁 

Ever since finding her partner in flagranti delicto, 38 year old Ruthie has lost her job, been sleeping on her friend's couch and downing a bottle of wine every night. Then her friend finds the perfect job for her. Ruthie is reluctant, but applies and gets it. All she has to do is help Kay, an elderly woman, pack up her house and drive her across the country from PEI to Vancouver. She also has to keep Kay's good looking son, David, updated on their progress. Once they are on their way, Kay reveals that never mind what David thinks, she has her own bucket list of where to go and what to do along the way. 

If you like feel good novels with friendship between generations, smidgeons of romance, road tripping, and plenty of humour, then this book is for you. 

ADULT/YA NONFICTION

5 stars

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown (Author and Narrator) & Gavin Aung Than (Illustrator) November 30, 2021

As soon as I finished listening to this, I started all over again. 

I fell in love with Brené Brown's work after reading Daring Greatly. I'm not a fan of self help books, but I find her work to be invaluable for helping me to live more honestly in relationship with myself and the people important to me. 

In this book she unpacks emotions and experiences that enable us to have richer understanding of who and why we are who we are. 

She narrates this, and it's like having her explain it directly to you. 

CURRENTLY

Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age by Nora Loreto  🍁 I keep adding this book to my list because I started it, but I seem to have misplaced it. 

Nobody Walks by Mick Herron

 

The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person by Frederick Joseph

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon

READING GOALS 

#MustReadFiction 23/24 

#MustReadNonFiction 14/20 one in progress

Canadian Authors 55/75 

Indigenous Authors 21/20 

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 196/200