Random Musings of a Bibliophile

Here are some shorter musings on recent reads. Scythe by Neal Shusterman I have had this on my list since it came out. Then I thought I might wait unlit the trilogy was finished. One of my teen book club girls chose it for our June book, so I read it earlier than intended. It is quite excellent. I am well and truly over dystopians, but this is so well done. I appreciated the philosophy and exercises in ethics found throughout, as well as the themes on the corruption of man and our lust for power. I also loved the adult characters in the book. They are truly fascinating. The two teen protagonists could have been developed a little better, which is the only reason this isn't getting 5 stars from me. (Funny thing is, this was the prevailing opinion of the teens too.) Shadowhouse Fall  by Daniel José Odler I enjoyed this sequel to Shadowshaper . It is a broader book, requiring knowledge of both plot and characters for the previous book in order to fully enjoy it. (If you haven...

Here are some shorter musings on three recent MG historical fiction reads. Betty Before X  by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renee Watson This book is a narrative on the life of Betty Shabazz's childhood. This is the little girl who would grow up to be the wife of Malcom X and a community leader. It is considered fiction because of the way the story is told, but her daughter is one of the author's so the basic facts of Betty's life are true. The book is a short, quick read. It's perfect for kids who love historical fiction or stories about complicated families and friendships. I found it engaging and hard to book down. The Journey of Charlie Little by Christopher Paul Curtis This book is about a share cropper's son who must travel with a slave catcher to Michigan in order to pay of a debt his father incurred before his tragic death. Charlie doesn't like the overseer he is indebted to and finds everything about their journey distasteful. I enjoyed this mostly becau...

Here is a round up of all the books I chose not to finish, adult reads, and favorite reads of the last three months. The DNFs (with links to my reasons why on Goodreads): The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter Adult Books Beginner's Luck  by Kate Clayborn (contemporary, romance) The Great Alone  by Kristin Hannah (historical, literary) One and Only  by Jenny Holiday (contemporary, romance) A Princess in Theory  by Alyssa Cole (contemporary, romance) Favorites: The Lost Books: The Scroll of Kings  by Sarah Prineas Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West The Penderwicks at Last  by Jeanne Birdsall

Here are my reading stats for June with my favorite reads of the month. Did you read any book in June you want to recommend?