I absolutely loved A Man Called Ove and so added this novel to my reading list when I saw it was by the same author.

I loved it! But it took me a while to get there. In the beginning, I intensely disliked the main character Britt-Marie. I struggled with some of the cultural idiosyncrasies of the novel, especially in my appreciation of soccer. But I am so glad I continued to read and experience my own change of heart as the characters in this novel experienced their own change.

Brilliant story-telling and I wish there was another chapter to read, at the same time that I love how it left me not knowing.

It took a few tries to finish this book and then the only reason I did is because I had read everything else on my e-reader. The initial story was entertaining but quickly mired itself down in a predictable sort of young adult novel trying to take a serious look at early twentieth-century mental health institutions. It really did seem like two books mashed into one, the modern story feeling flat and without depth, and the one in the past not getting the attention perhaps that would have made for a far better story.

I enjoyed this book very much. The first person narrative is told in such way as to make you uncertain whether to trust Eleanor's point of view or not, adding an element of suspense to the tale. Overall, however, the story maintains a light and warm-hearted feel as it examines the dark themes of loneliness, trauma and resiliency.

This is a book that encouraged me in such a way that I want to make it an annual read!

I have enjoyed all Ms. Moriarties books, but I think this is the one I like the least. The mystery is well written and drives the narrative along, but the characters seemed less engaging than in her other novels.

Beautifully written, meditative, and thoughtful. This memoir brilliantly captures the final days and battle of Ms. Riggs without being depressing. It helped me confront one of my worst nightmares with poignancy and grace. I am thankful to have read it.

A breath-takingly beautiful story of loss and gain. The characters are rich in their subtly, the story told simply but with beauty and the ending a tearful release. This is one I feel like I should read yearly to remind myself of what really matters.

A quick, light YA novel with a strong female character in the lead. This is very much a Mulan-type story, but it was enjoyable, if predictable. I will definitely recommend it to my 14-year-old daughter.

This book was a tough one. I picked it up and put it down several times, never getting past the first chapter or two. Then finally, with nothing else easily available to read, I powered through. By the end I was in love with how Joyce constructed two stories simultaneously, told them independently and yet wove them together is such a rich and unusual way. I have a secret plan to try and read the Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and the Love Song of Queenie Hennessy in unison!

This was a quick and light read with characters that I easily related to in many ways. The story is emotional and engaging, though the plot isn't very complex or driven. I kept thinking about all the women and their motivations and how they got to be where they were. After finishing it, I wondered about what would happen to them and where their choices would lead them in the future (not that I want a sequel - I don't think I do; but the idea that their very normal and complicated lives will continue on, as mine will, and how will they look. How will my own look?)

This was my second reading of this novel and I bumped my rating from 3 to 4 stars, because even though I knew the story and the ending, I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I also enjoyed Lyra even more then I remember! She a spunky, tenacious hero!

I read this aloud to my thirteen-year-old. It was beautifully written and the story was sweet. My daughter did not predict the ending and so it was even more wonderful to share her surprise. I wish I had read this book as a young person and been able to experience that magic.

A quick, easy read. It was a nice break from anything serious. The story moved along at a good rate. I did not predict the ending. And I forgot everything about it within days of reading it.

This is my second time through this book and it just proves that sometimes your like or dislike of a book is based on your own personal circumstances rather than the nature of the book, because this time I raised my rating from 2 to 4 starts. I loved meeting Will again, and seeing the relationship between him and Lyra grow. I loved the idea of the windows into other worlds, and the struggle of young people trying to find their way in the absence of parents, teachers and mentors. I suspect it may have been that absence that had me disliking the book last time, but somehow it landed right this time.

I liked this book though I had concerns about the story from a developmental attachment point of view. I was so disappointed in the lack of adult attachment, which is so vital to healthy child and adolescent development. Because of this lack, I couldn't enjoy the character development or the storyline.

I have read this book to all five of my children when they are about 5 or 6 years old. It is a wonderful introduction to poetry and lovely look at the world through a child's eyes. Several of my children even memorized some of the poems and still talk fondly of them many years later.

I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely romp through 1960's world of Cold War spies with this spry and practical senior citizen. I stayed awake into the wee morning hours as the plot rolled to its fast-paced conclusions and I was eager to see who would and would not survive. I look forward to reading more in the series.

What an amazingly wonderful book! I loved everything about it and my 13 year-old loved it even more. She laughed, she was horrified, she was concerned, she thought it was awesome. The narrative is fast-paced and written in a unique and engaging way. The plot was amazing. I loved that though Ry finds himself alone, there are caring adults at every point. The sub-stories add so much depth and interest. I wish I had more children so I would be able to read it again with them!

SO I tried reading this book last year and obviously wasn't in the right head space to appreciate it. The unspoken tragedy had me cringing each time I picked up the book. This year - the complete opposite! I found myself turning the pages and reading late into the night trying to figure out what happened.

As always, Moriarity is a master at creating characters with depth and portraying flawed beings with compassion. I especially love how she plays with stereotypes and expectations.

Absolutely loved this series! It was a rollicking good read - awesome characters, great plot, just plain fun! The plot was driving and familiar without being predictable. I am so sad to be done with Hadrian and Royce but look forward to visiting the author's other realms.

This is the teaching manual that accompanies Elfie by Matthew Lipman

This manual aims to help children confront, recognize and explore the problematic aspects of their experience.

It helps them formulate the questions that guide such exploration and, at the same time, it helps them question the seemingly unproblematic aspects of the world and the language they use to talk about it. The manual provides students with many opportunities to organize their experience into story form-an important prerequisite for learning to write. It also provides many discussion plans that the teacher will find useful for promoting classroom dialogue. It further provides exercises designed to help children see that statements are really the beginning of inquiry and not its end, for every statement can be understood as a tentative answer to an implicit question.

Grade Range: K-2 Target Grade: 1

A wonderful introduction to Charlotte Mason's educational idea for children under. This dense text presents all her research and ideas and offers practical ways for parents to engage in her living education.

I enjoyed reading this one. The first person flashbacks were carefully woven into the present day story.

It took me a while to get into this series. I loved Riyria Chronicles, which evidently benefitted from Sullivan's experience because this series isn't as easy to fall in love with. I was especially frustrated with the female characters who are weak and lost and often carried along by male characters, both kind and cruel ones.

Still, the world building is amazing - a full and complete world fleshed out historically, politically, geographically, and culturally. There are many, many more books that could be told in the Empire and I look forward to reading them.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this prequel series and was not disappointed by the second one! More interesting characters were introduced as well as an overarching plotline that obviously spans several books. The violence, while definitely evident, is handled simply and without much gore, making it an excellent read for my sensitive imagination. The characters are complex and multi-faceted, which I love. The plot is driving without being predictable. I am in love with this series!

Such a disappointment after reading the Riyria Chronicles! The strong female characters that filled that series are completely absent. In fact, the princess is actually rescued from a tower.

Other than that Sullivan offers a rollicking good story set in a well-thought-out world full of intrigue and adventure.

I remain hopeful that as this was his very first book, and the Chronicles series was so well done, that this series will improve.

ETA: Yes indeed, the series does get better and even the rescued princess finally develops some chutzpah.

A wonderful completion to this series! The introduction of yet another fascinating aspect of this world was done so naturally as to make the whole world even more believable. Once again, the characters are interesting and presented with complexity and depth, though the good guys are generally good and the bad guys are bad, and the unknown are very much like Star Trek Red Shirts (they will die).

Once again I appreciated the strong female characters and wish that they were more dominant in the storylines.

I am off to read the originally published series that happens chronologically after these stories and am excited to see where Hadrian and Royce end up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a fun light read, familiar but not entirely predictable. I didn't realize that it was a prequel, but I am excited to read the original series and find out what these characters are like "in the future." I've already borrowed the next one in the prequel trilogy.

I loved the strong Gwen character. I hope there is more of her in the future. Royce and Hadrian are also intriguing characters and written with some depth. The plot was driving and moved the book forward quickly. The last bit was quite a page-turner. I actually enjoyed that the story asked more questions than it answered, but yet was still satisfying to read.

I loved how the story is told as a free-flow rambling of an elderly man. But I could not connect with any of the characters - in fact, I had trouble keeping them all straight. The jumping timeline does not help. After about 50 pages I just gave up.

I loved Elegance of the Hedgehog and was looking forward to reading this book, but I barely even finished it. I didn't like any of the characters. I found the story meandering and the characters hard to keep straight. The whole story seemed pointless and felt like spending time with highly unlikeable people who spend all their time talking about themselves. I only finished it because it was for a book club, but I did not enjoy the experience.

This book was a quick read. It deals with domestic violence in a balanced and somewhat gentle way. It tries to portray the inner workings of the abused mind, while also trying not villainize the abuser. Ultimately though, I didn't really connect with the characters or their stories, and was just glad to finish the book.