Practical Magic: It is hard to top the movie, but still worth reading even if you have seen the movie. Two sisters bound in magic, who try to run from it and lead normal lives get caught back up in magical elements when one of the sisters finds trouble she can't escape. Reading this as a part of a 2020 Reading Challenge to read a book and it's sequel or prequel....onto The Rules of Magic next!

Oona out Of Order

Interesting book, written like a fable. It is a reading of a motivational book with many spiritual / philosophical concepts. It focus in the personal journey of the main character, but the other characters also contribute to help Santiago reach the end of his personal journey. It explores / uses different religions views to explain this personal joirney.

The Hate U Give (Angie Thomas) was a sobering and powerful read, especially in the wake of all that has happened this spring. It made me face the reality that even though the book was written in 2017, and there have been many incidents of police brutality and killings in the last 3 years, nothing has really changed, and we have a lot of work to do. Ms. Thomas created memorable and relatable characters in Starr, Kenya, Seven, Chris, Maya, Hailey and others. Through these voices, The Hate U Give provided a window into the experiences that too many Black Americans have in communities around the country. Read, share with your family and friends, and discuss.

Towards the Setting Sun y Brian Hicks.

The Grace Year: I kept hearing buzz about this book and it finally came up on my library hold. I finished it in about a day so guess that is high praise. I would rate it 4.5 stars. If you have wanted to go back and experience Hunger Games over again, here is your chance in a different way. It is a mix of The Hunger Games and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. If you liked both of those, you should like this one. Lots of discussions could abound after reading this. You could take it at face value YA dystopian novel, or read a little deeper and see how some of this may be playing out in the small ways women can tear each other down in today’s society. But there is hope! The same way we feel when we have found a really great group of supportive women!

The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris.

Educated by Tara Westover. Compelling, fast-paced. What is primarily a compilation of unbelievable stories and experiences in the upbringing of the author transitions imperceptibly to deep self reflection and understanding of family (at least of this “extreme” family). Difficult to read but a beautiful book. Not as dark as I imagined.

Chase Darkness With Me: How One True Crime Writer Started Solving Murders by Billy Jensen

The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson