King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry

I read this because it was a Newbery winner--but honestly, I did not enjoy it all that much. A lot of the reviews on Goodreads are from people who loved it as children because they were horse girls who were obsessed with horses and horse books. I honestly read Black Beauty as a child and loved it, but not really any other horse books, and I also have a hard time imagining any kid that would like this book. It was the story of a horse who became a famous racer and winning many races against long odds and not being favored. I kind of struggled through this and was glad to finally check it off. 

Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt

This book is the 2nd in a longer series about the Tillerman family, and our library didn't have the first book available. I usually like to read at least the books that lead up to a book in a series, but since I didn't have that option here, I just read this one by itself and still was able to appreciate it. It tells the story about a girl, the oldest in her family, who had to help her siblings find their grandma to take care of them after their mom abandoned them. The story starts with them living in their grandma's house and adjusting to their new life and figuring out how to trust and love again and live normal lives as children. I loved Dicey's character--so proud and independent and caring for her siblings. I thought this was a great choice for the Newbery and I think this is one I would have liked also as a kid. 

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

After reading The Hating Game, I wanted to read another one of Sally Thorne's novels--I was definitely in the mood for more easy, fun romances. This one was a brother's best friend trope novel, and the guy is renovating the girl's house for her before they sell it, so they see each other all the time and get stuck working together and eventually admit their mutual love for each other. Super classic and easy to read and enjoyable.

The Partner by John Grisham

I got this book for Tommy for Christmas and then he insisted I read it after he finished so we could talk about it. Once I did, I knew what he meant. I was all on board for the entire book but then the ending made me so mad. The book is about a lawyer who steals millions of dollars from his clients and then disappears--but when he's found and brought to trial, he's in big trouble. He has this woman friend who helps him but then in the last three pages she disappears with all of his money and he never sees her again--after NO HINTS the rest of the book that she was going to do that or that she was capable of or interested in leaving him. I felt like that threw everything else off from the rest of the story and it was annoying. But the rest of the book was a fun mystery/thriller. 

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

I got several recommendations for this book from friends and I started listening to it on audio, but then had to switch to the e-book to get through it faster. This was the cheesiest, most obvious romance ever, but I thought Thorne did a great job building the tension and creating it between the two characters. The scene where she gets deathly ill and he tenderly takes care of her was a little bit much, but otherwise, I devoured this and was rooting for them to get together. I wished there was a little bit more closure/explanation at the end though. 

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

This book won the Newbery Award for 2021, and as soon as I heard it had won I checked it out from the library to read it. Petra and her family get on one of the only three spaceships to leave earth before a comet hits the planet, and they are supposed to stay in hypersleep for something like 500 years until they reach the new planet where they are going to live. But when she wakes up, her family is all gone and the people who are running the ship have gone rogue and are not following the plans, so Petra has to figure out how to fool the people on the ship and escape safely. It was kind of a creepy and scary dystopian novel, which I think was totally fine, but I bet it would be hard for Dane to read, especially with the family disappearing. I think he'd probably be fine but we'll see. I really liked it and I thought it raised some interesting questions about what makes us human and what makes each of us "us" in a kid-appropriate way. 

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

This book is the prequel to The Blue Sword which I read first, and this book won the Newbery Award. I loved this book as well and I liked how it was also focused on an amazing female protagonist who was pretty normal but determined and gritty and ended up saving her kingdom from dragons and war and lots of stuff. I think this is again one that I want to buy for our kids to have on our bookshelves. 

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

I've read several of David Sedaris's books and always thought they were funny. Austin gave me this book for Christmas and even got it signed by David Sedaris himself (which he did very inappropriately, haha). None of his essays stand out too well in my memory even just a little while later after I read it, but I feel like he is always fun to read. I always wonder if he will ever get tired of writing about himself or about his family, or if they will get tired and tell him to stop. But I'm glad he's written what he has. 

I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away by Bill Bryson

I loved this book so much when I first encountered it years ago. I remember reading it out loud to some of Tommy's family in the car in China in 2009! So it has been a while since I first read this. Bill Bryson is such a hilarious writer and I love that he is so matter-of-fact and basic while also making funny observations. Tommy and I re-listened to this while on our get-away road trip to Fredericksburg in March and it was a great audiobook for our drive. I feel like my appreciation for it this time around was less than I remembered, though--although some of his points still resonate, like him talking about how Americans don't walk anywhere ever. I still think about that all the time. 

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

I am so disappointed that I never read this book as a child. It was really good and I can tell that it was one I would have loved even more if I had read it when I was in the correct audience age it was aimed for. It tells the story of Harry Crewe, who lives in what sounds like a version of Imperial Britain which also has magic, and she is kidnapped and then adopted by a tribe of magical itinerant natives who teach her how to access the magic within her and help her to claim her true identity as a leader over their tribe and to stop the war that is impending. I really loved this story and how empowering it was. I think this is one my boys would love later. I chose to read this because it was first written before the Newbery award winner that came after it (although that one was a prequel to this one... confusingly) and I'm glad I did. It was worth it.