The Week in Review: 07.14.2017

Between the Covers

Finished last week:

Babymouse is back and in middle school in a new series for middle grade readers.  The first book in Jennifer L. Holm‘s BABYMOUSE: Tales from the Locker series is LIGHTS, CAMERA, MIDDLE SCHOOL and I thought it was great fun!  Babymouse is trying to navigate her way through the beginning of middle school and she discovers, “The hardest subject in middle school wasn’t science or social studies or literature.  It was friendship.”  In an effort to fit in, she decides to join the film club but making a movie isn’t as easy as she thinks it will be.  When she’s put in charge she has to make some tough decisions and learns a lot about herself and her friends.  Matthew Holm‘s adorable illustrations add a lot to this wonderful story that is perfect for kids just starting middle school.  (Review copy provided by Penguin Random House.)

I picked up NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US by Stephanie Powell Watts after Sarah Jessica Parker selected it for the ALA’s Book Club Central and Julie reminded me we received a copy at the SIBA trade show last year.  This book is being compared to THE GREAT GATSBY.  It’s been years since I’ve read that book and I don’t remember all the details and nuances so I didn’t get the comparison.  This is the story of a family and their struggles in a small North Carolina town that’s seen better days.  It’s slow and meandering – more of a character study, really – and I found it somewhat melancholy.  It was hard to keep track of which character was speaking so I had to read some dialogue more than once.  In the end, this book was just okay for me but I do think book clubs would find a lot to talk about if they discussed it.  (Review copy provided by Ecco Books.)

Currently reading:

• GOODBYE, VITAMIN by Rachel Khong
• YOU’RE BACON ME CRAZY by Suzanne Nelson
• THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER by Karen Dionne

On the Screen

I heard some music from Saturday Night Fever the other day so Carl and I decided to watch the movie.  It’s been almost forty years since I stood in line to watch it in the theater and I remember loving it then.  I thought it was smart and edgy and, of course, I loved the music and dancing.  I’m sad to say I don’t think the movie has aged well.  It’s the story of Tony Manero, a young man in Brooklyn who’s in a dead end job with little prospect for the future who finds success with his dance moves at the local disco.  I still enjoyed the music and the dancing but was rather shocked at the racism, homophobia and misogyny and thought Tony and his friends were drama kings.  Still, it was fun to watch a blast from the past.

Off the blog

• I played trivia with a few friends and we came in first.
• I started a new puzzle this week:

• I walked at least three miles every morning and averaged just over 19,250 Fitbit steps a day.
• I’ve been prepping for the store’s 5th anniversary celebration which will be held this evening.

How was your week?