“Kinda weird.”

Had to DNF this one halfway through after reading it on my bus ride every morning and falling asleep every single time. I can only describe this book as exhausting. Desperately in need of an editor that could rip the heart out of this book and cut out all the fatty tissue. Has an all-timer bad line in it: "I'm seventy-five and falling apart. My body, not my womanhood, nor my Japanese Americanness." With a line that bad you know this author is not a woman nor is he Japanese-American because genuinely what does that even mean?

Pulse quickening! Mo Hayder truly out did herself with this one!

We love Calvin and Hobbes!

I listened to this audiobook of short stories on Libby after it popped on my radar as a July Indie Next pick. This is a collection of 11 tales set in the south that cover a lot of content: pregnancy, violence, sex and intimacy, church, hair, Blackness and more. Nearly all of the vignettes felt forgettable and most seemed unresolved in my opinion. The narration was solid but the stories didn’t captivate me. My hands-down favorite from the bunch was “How Does Your Garden Grow?” which is a memorable and unique depiction of fibroids.

This heartfelt story that is a squeal to Circus Mirandus is about a boy named Micah coming to live in a magical circus. In the circus Micah can tie magical knots in which hold memories and strong connections. As the story goes on Micah’s power grows and soon he does not know if he can control it or not. Then all of a sudden his grandmother Victoria the bird women comes to the Circus after betraying them many years ago and it’s Micah who’s the center of the circus’s power to destroy Victoria.-written by Mackenzie

Evil spy school is a very good book.

4.5 stars. Jack and Annie travel to the prairie and visit a dugout schoolhouse, write with chalk on slate and befriend pioneers. They encounter a twister and have to hide in a storm cellar. This is one of their more exciting and endearing adventures.

A young pregnant woman finds her way walking home after Portland experiences "the big one". There is a dual time line. While she is making her way, she is mentally reviewing her life choice. Interesting book. Will definitely make you thing about your own preparedness. Kudos to the author for resisting the urge to tie up all the loose ends at the end of the book. (Tho, I wouldn't have minded if she did.)

This is such a good book, especially to get you into those summer vibes. It has a nostalgic feeling for those people who go to sleep-away camps in the summer!