Plattsburgh Library Reading Challenge: Books Read by Challenge

The author gives great directions on how to tidy up your surroundings and, by doing so, your life. I am going to try this method because it seems easy to implement and maintain.
- Marie: 4 out of 5 stars

Lyric prose. A haunting, but easily imagined future. It's not surprising that this novel is mentioned in many others. A horrror story with some small hope for thosse who love books, language, and ideas.
- Sara: 4 out of 5 stars

Historical fiction is wonderful because it provides insight into what occured during a certain time. The things that happened were so tragic. I was aware of the prejudice held by some Koreans and Japanese but I didn't know the backstory until I read the book.
-Vicki: 5 out of 5 stars

This is a YA novel and a very quick read. The language is very descriptive and beautiful, very true to the voice of a teenage girl. The story centers around a teenage girl with an immunodeficiency disease who is confined to her home, and her next door neighbor who becomes a love interest. It deals with heavy mental health issues like depression and anxiety in a light way that seems approachable for teenagers.
- Catherine: 4 out of 5 stars

I taught this book twenty times when I was a classroom English teacher. Revisiting the novel I was struck by what made me keep it in the curriculum so continuously. There are good messaged in this timeless work of fiction.
-Vicki; 5 out of 5 stars

First graphic novel I have ever read. Did not like it at all.
-Elizabeth: 2 out of 5 stars

The working poor have to grapple with a reality that isn't pretty. This author presents a sadly accurate picture of what living on the edge is like. Sometimes hard topics need to be addressed and the situation is dealt with head on here!
- Vicki: 4 out of 5 stars

This is a heavy novel that deals with a lot of difficult issues: death of a spouse/parent, divorce, strained parent/child relationships, and clashing of modern and old-fashioned lifestyles. I found the story very moving, but very sad.
- Catherine: 5 out of 5 stars

This book was mentioned in another book I read, SuperFreakonomics. It was interesting, funny, and thought provoking. I would recommended it wholeheartedly.
- Marie: 5 out of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love hiking, so it was great to read about a trail/ area that I knew nothing about. Cheryl's story immediately draws you in, and leaves you with hope that healing and change are possible.
- Catherine; 5 out of 5 stars

This is a wonderful novel with an interesting history, as it was initially a flop but has come to be considered a classic work in African-American literature. It addresses a lot of heavy issues, such as gender roles, the value of women, and race; however, the story itself moves quickly and doesn't feel heavy. It takes a few chapters to get used to the strong use of southern dialect, but it flows naturally after you get the hang of it.
- Cathrine: 4 out of 5 stars

I like a good mystery. The book is set in Scotland. Conversations in the novel are spoken with an accent which makes me think of my visit to the country where I loved the inflection of our guides. Anyway, I liked this book read in August well enough to read the sequel this month.
- Vicki: 4 out of 5 stars

The characters are well developed and the story ia told from several different viewpoints, making this a fun read. Loved the ending!
- Marie: 4 out of 5 stars

It was an interesting read because a period of what Russia was like in the past was captured through a fascinating story. I liked the relationships between Rostov and other characters in the hotel. My favorite was his bond with the girl who became part of his life.
-Vicki: 5 out of 5 stars

A must-read for lovers of WWII fiction. This novel is inspired by the true story of three generations of a Jewish family from Poland, separated at the start of the war. The writing is beautiful, the story is captivating, and it was a nice change of pace to read a WWII story with a happy ending.
- Catherine: 5 out of 5 stars

The author is working through some major rage at what must have been a seriously abusive relationship. It's very popular to bash the patriarchy but she went a little too far into the dark side for me. The one line I really liked in it was "be your own lighthouse". Not a book I'll be recommending anytime soon.
- Marie: 2 out of 5 stars

If you grew up in the 80's and consider yourself a geek you will most likely enjoy this book. At the very least you'll recognize the pop culture references.
4 out of 5 stars

hard to get used to with the letters going back and forth, but once I got used to it, I really enjoyed the communication via letters to everyone.
- Elizabeth: 4 out of 5 stars

A delightful epistolary novel! It took about 6 letters for me to get into it, but I'm so glad I did. The characters are charming and entertaining which is helpful to offset the horrors of the story within the story. This book is not only a lighthearted romance, but a historical fiction set in post-WW2 England (London and Guernsey, in the Channel Islands) with flashbacks to the London bombings and the German occupation of Guernsey. The flashbacks are raw at moments, not shying away from death and cruelty. I had not known much about the occupation of Guernsey, but there is no way to deny the starvation and constant fear of the townsfolk who are lucky enough to remain in the relative safety of home. I guess everything really is relative.
- Sara: 5 out of 5 stars

I have wanted to read this book for a long time now, and I am so glad I finally did! It did not disappoint. I have a fondness for WWII fiction, and this is an interesting take on an area affected by the war of which I had never heard. The book is written as a series of letters between the characters, and it takes about 20 pages to really get into the story. It is funny and romantic without being mushy and over-the-top.
- Catherine: 5 out of 5 stars

Tedious. The minutia of his days, poor choices, self righteousness, privilege . . . . . .(doubled the ellipsis because it felt like it went on forever). I remember why I stopped reading it in my lit class so many years ago.
- Sara: 2 out of 5 stars

Trevor Noah gives a very honest account of his childhood in South Africa at the time that apartheid ended and how it affected him as a mixed race boy. It's not an amusing tale by any means but Trevor's sense of humor is evident throughout. We learn how Trevor was able to successfully deal with being an outsider and how he survived abuse on the personal and societal level. Mainly, though, this is a tribute to Trevor's hero, his mother. Authentic and touching without being maudlin. Good read.
- Marie: 4 out of 5 stars