I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where participants discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics. I am linking up to Nicole of Feed Your Addiction's Monthly Wrap-Up Post, where any book bloggers who write monthly wrap-up posts can link up and visit other bloggers to see what they have been reading. I am linking to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.
My heart is heavy right now. So, so heavy. It is weighed down by current events. This pandemic. And now the murder of a black man by a police officer. Another one. And right before that the outright murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Let's not forget Breonna Taylor. The list could go on. It does go on. A couple of the protests took place at the park right across from my office this past week, bringing together hundreds of people. The big one in the city where I live brought together over 6000 people. And there was a vigil held last night with about 2000 people in attendance. Our numbers perhaps aren't as impressive as those in a big city. So many voices calling out the same message . . . The sadness, hurt, anger and frustration felt throughout the country--and the world--is raw and intense. The tension has been building for years in the United States because of systematic and systemic racism as well as that of individuals. Is it any wonder that it cannot be contained anymore? The real test will be what happens next. Will we work towards actual change or will we offer more platitudes and make promises no one keeps like so often has been done in the past?
New to the Shelves:
This has been on my wish list for awhile now, and I was offered a deal on it that was too good to pass up so it's now officially on my TBR shelf:
Sixteen tales by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic.
Evoking Beyoncé’s Lemonade for a teen audience, these authors who are truly Octavia Butler’s heirs, have woven worlds to create a stunning narrative that centers Black women and gender nonconforming individuals. A Phoenix First Must Burn will take you on a journey from folktales retold to futuristic societies and everything in between. Filled with stories of love and betrayal, strength and resistance, this collection contains an array of complex and true-to-life characters in which you cannot help but see yourself reflected. Witches and scientists, sisters and lovers, priestesses and rebels: the heroines of A Phoenix First Must Burn shine brightly. You will never forget them.
Authors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Dhonielle Clayton, Jalissa Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Davis, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justina Ireland, Danny Lore, L.L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi. [Goodreads Summary]
My daughter is really into graphic novels, and I picked up Click and Camp by Kayla Miller for her recently. She's already read them, and really liked them. Camp was her favorite.
In Click, Olive “clicks” with everyone in the fifth grade—until one day, a school variety show leaves Olive stranded without an act to join and wondering why all her friends have already formed their own groups . . . without her. Will Olive be able to find her own place in the show before the curtain comes up?In Camp, Olive and Willow are off to have the best time at summer camp. But when Olive makes quick friends, Willow struggles to form connections and latches on to Olive, and it’s more than Olive can handle. When this begins to wear on Olive, the girls aren’t just fighting, they may not even be friends by the time camp is over. Will the two be able to patch things up.before camp is over? [Goodreads Summary]
Must reads I picked up recently:
"Jarvious Cotton's great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Klu Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting by Klan intimidation; his father was barred by poll taxes and literacy tests. Today, Cotton cannot vote because he, like many black men in the United States, has been labeled a felon and is currently on parole."
As the United States celebrates the nation's "triumph over race" with the election of Barack Obama, the majority of young black men in major American cities are locked behind bars or have been labeled felons for life. Although Jim Crow laws have been wiped off the books, an astounding percentage of the African American community remains trapped in a subordinate status--much like their grandparents before them.
In this incisive critique, former litigator-turned-legal-scholar Michelle Alexander provocatively argues that we have not ended racial caste in America: we have simply redesigned it. Alexander shows that, by targeting black men and decimating communities of color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial control, even as it formally adheres to the principle of color blindness. The New Jim Crow challenges the civil rights community--and all of us--to place mass incarceration at the forefront of a new movement for racial justice in America. [Goodreads Summary]
Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice. [Goodreads Summary]
Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?
What I Am Reading: I am reading Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia currently and plan to finish it this weekend. I seem to be in this pattern of jumping from light to dark reads, and then back again, and so I imagine my next read will be of lighter fare. Maybe that romance novel I keep saying I will read and never do.
A long-time friend of mine challenged her followers on Facebook to read Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad alongside her, and so I have started that. It's really more of a workbook than a straight nonfiction book.
What I Am Watching: My daughter and I discovered The Big Fib on Disney+ and have been watching that. It's a game show hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown in which kids must determine which adult "expert" is telling the truth and which is lying. I have to be honest. A couple of them had me fooled!
We completed our Marvel superhero movie watch this past weekend. I wonder if I can talk them into watching The Lord of the Rings movies next . . .
Television wise, I have jumped back into Riverdale and am about half way through season three.
Off the Blog: As spring settles in around us more firmly, the last couple weeks have seen the city and county beginning to re-open. Many people and places are still taking precautions, social distancing and wearing face coverings, which are both highly recommended by officials and health professionals. My own family continues to be cautious. We have no plans to dine in at a restaurant or venture to the mall or do any casual shopping any time soon.
Mouse's dance studio is revving up to re-open next week, and has sent out safety guidelines for everyone when they do. They will continue to offer online classes for those who are not able or ready to come back to the studio. I have mixed feelings. The number of cases is still rising as are the deaths in our county. I think it will be good for my daughter to get back out there and away from home, but I do worry about her safety.
School came to a close on the 22nd of May, and I am not sure who was more happy about that--Mouse or me! We will be going to her school Monday to pick up any artwork or assignments from earlier in the year. Mouse's teacher is planning to be there, and I know Mouse will be glad to see her again. I took the school survey this week, voicing my opinion about distance learning and my concerns for the upcoming school year. I had a lot to say. With so many surveys coming in, I am not sure how much weight my own words will carry, but I feel better about saying my piece.
Mouse's Girl Scout troop had been silent since the shelter in place orders came down in mid-March, but Mouse had her first Zoom meeting with them the week before last. She really wasn't up for participating in the meeting at first, but once she checked in, she had such a great time re-connecting with her Girl Scout sisters. They talked and shared about their time in isolation, about distance learning, and whatever else they wanted to discuss. I think my daughter needed that. They are planning to have Zoom meetings throughout the summer. Tonight they took part in a virtual escape room, which she said was fun.
Last week there was a bomb threat on my workplace. It was one of those threats made in the heat of frustration, and so most of us did not take it very seriously. Of course the authorities did, as they should. Only a skeleton crew is in the office at any given time, and it just happened to be my day in the office. We prepared to evacuate at the request of the police, however, in the end, we were allowed to stay and finish out our shifts.
We will be celebrating my husband's birthday this weekend. He always says he does not want a big deal made of it, and this year he is getting his wish. Not that we are big party animals anyway. Seriously though, it will be a quiet celebration, just the three of us (five if you count the cats). And maybe a cake.
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Here is what I finished reading in May:
- Ivy + Bean Take the Case (#10) by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall
- Ivy + Bean: One Big Happy Family (#11) by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall
- A Spell for Trouble (Enchanted Bay, #1) by Esme Addison
- Rebecca: The Sound of Applause (American Girl, #1-2) by Jacqueline Dumbar Greene
- A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell, #1) by Deanna Raybourn
- Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library (Jo-Beth & Mary Rose Mystery, #1) by Eth Clifford
- The Southern Book Club's Guide to Vampire Slaying by Grady Hendrix
- Witch Hunt by Cate Conte
May was a good reading month overall. I enjoyed all of my reading, including the books I read with my daughter. It was fun re-visiting one of my childhood favorites with her for the first time, Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library. Mouse loved it! She also really enjoyed her other books, including The Sound of Applause, which we had many great discussions about the historical time period, refugees, as well as discrimination. Thanks to those who voted in my poll, I was FINALLY able to read the first book in the Veronica Speedwell series. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was probably my favorite read of the month with A Spell for Trouble coming in as a close second.
This Past May In Reading Mews:
- Weekly Mews: Out with April and In With May/May TBR List Poll (Please Vote For My Next Read!)
- Bookish Thoughts: Girls Like Us: Poems by Elizabeth Hazen
- Can't Wait Wednesday: In the First Circle/The Vanishing Half/The Court of Miracles/The Grim Reader
- Where Is Your Bookmark? (Murder in Bellamy Bay/Favorite & Least Favorite Required Reading)
- Weekly Mews: Happy Mother's Day/My Thoughts on Starbreaker & Inside Out & Back Again/May's TBR List Poll Winner
- Can't Wait Wednesday: Primitive Secrets/The Invisible Boy/The Marriage Game/The Shadow Wand
- Six Degrees of Separation: The Road to After the Flood
- Can't Wait Wednesday: Hidden/I Was Told It Would Get Easier/American Demon/Saving Ruby King
- Where Is Your Bookmark? 05/22/2020
- Can't Wait Wednesday: Oil!/Witch Hunt/Mexican Gothic/Her Last Flight
Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your May? Do you have anything planned for this month?
Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:
My TBR List is a meme hosted by the awesome Michelle at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month, and my review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise).
I have been in the mood for something historical. But which one . . . Mystery? Magic? Romance? Could you help me decide what to read next? Pretty please?
USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down…
With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.
But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind. [Goodreads Summary]
From the author of A Secret History of Witches comes an absorbing tale of love, sacrifice, family ties, and magic, set in the Pacific Northwest in the aftermath of World War II.
Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always known that the other residents of their small coastal community find them peculiar -- two women living alone on the outskirts of town. It is the price of concealing their strange and dangerous family secret.
But two events threaten to upend their lives forever. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby with a hint of power like their own. The second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie Anne's long-lost husband -- who is not quite the man she thought she married.
Together, Barrie Anne and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to protect themselves -- and the child they think of as their own -- from suspicious neighbors, the government, and even their own family... [Goodreads Summary]
England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.
Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?
Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke....
A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford Rebels, in which a fiercely independent vicar's daughter takes on a duke in a fiery love story that threatens to upend the British social order. [Goodreads Summary]
Thank you for voting! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!
© 2020, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
I've read Just Mercy! It's a very powerful read and I think very apt for the current climate in America.
ReplyDeleteEustacia - I am glad to hear you found Just Mercy to be a worthwhile read! I had planned to see the movie, but I am not sure when that will be possible. The book is always better though, right? I kept seeing the title on all the must read lists for our current times and decided to give it a try.
DeleteThank you for visiting!
What an informative post, Wendy! And I am so glad that you were safe in your workplace. Sigh. A most troubling week. I feel that I have a lot to think about, pray about, ponder in upcoming days. I will be honest and say that I will also take 'shelter' in reading books that let me escape to a certain extent. Whatever those might be. It's a balance for me. Hope you guys have a nice birthday for your husband and I think cake should certainly be included! Ha! We're going to a family birthday party (to be held outside at my husband's brother's house) this evening. We've only seen the family once during all this at another outdoor celebration. It will be good to visit with them in person. Oh, I voted for the Lady Sherlock book. I really liked it. A different take on the story. Take care!
ReplyDeleteKay - Yes, definitely a lot ot think about. I am doing a mix of "escape" reading and also educating myself/self-reflection reading. A bit of self-care while at the same time finding ways I can be more of an ally and less passive.
DeleteThank you for the birthday wishes for my husband. I felt bad because he bought his own birthday cake. He's still the only one going to the grocery store. I felt bad, but it is what most made sense. I am not a baker (he and Mouse are), and I don't think he really wanted to make his own cake. LOL
I hope you have a nice time at the family birthday party tonight.
Thank you for voting and stopping by!
A bomb threat at your work? That's lovely. What fun times we are living in. As for the books you're contemplating reading...I had to go with The Witch's Kind. Have a great weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteLark - They happen from time to time, unfortunately. Usually though it's more often a person threatening to come and shoot someone or the office, but those tend to be handled much differently.
DeleteThank you for voting and visiting! I'm excited about all the books in the poll, but you know how much I love witches. :-) I hope you have a great weekend too.
Just Mercy is a fantastic book! And, I've got The New Jim Crow on my TBR shelf so look forward to seeing what you think of it.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I am so glad you recommend Just Mercy. I look forward to reading it soon. I've been hearing The New Jim Crow is a must read, and am looking forward to reading it. Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteScary times. I can't get over what I see about the violence and those encouraging violence. Will keep Just Mercy in mind.
ReplyDeleteJenclair - It's definitely shone a bright light on just how screwed up our system is and how deeply imbeded racism is in our society. A lot of us knew that already, but it can only be swept under the carpet so long before someone trips over the bump in the rug. I do not support violence, and it makes me sad and angry to see so much of it aimed at peaceful protesters, passersby, reporters and medics doing their jobs. Not to mention those individuals and groups who are in it just to instigate and create havoc for the sake of it.
DeleteThank you for visiting!
A work place bomb threat? Dang, that is a little scary though.
ReplyDeleteMary - I wish I could say it was the first time. Mostly we just get people threatening to come to our office and shoot someone or everyone. We aren't very popular, which I get.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Oh my goodness that is so scary about the bomb threat. So glad it came to nothing. Yes, the news is just too much right. I do think all the protest all over the world are so wonderful to see and I just hope everyone is as safe as possible. Happy Birthday wishes to your husband and hope you guys have a good weekend celebrating. How is your grandmother doing? By the way, I voted for the Sherry Thomas book. I've recently started it and it's quite fun!
ReplyDeleteIliana - I am glad it wasn't real either. I admit we don't take them as seriously as we should sometimes. They aren't unheard of where I work, unfortunately, although more often that not it's just people threatening to come to our office to shoot us.
DeleteThank you for the birthday wishes!
My grandmother is doing much better, thank you for asking! We were all so worried when she was admitted to the hospital. They thought they would have to perform surgery, but were worried she couldn't take it. Fortunately, the treatments they tried worked. She's home as of yesterday, thankfully.
Thank you too for voting and visiting!
Such a sad week is right, it's hard to even express how I feel right now. We don't even get over one senseless killing when the next occurs.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your husband. May was not a good month for many reasons.
Diane - It really is difficult to put into words, isn't it? I don't think anyone will forget 2020.
DeleteThank you for the birthday wishes for my husband and for stopping by!
My heart is heavy as well. Such stressful times and no leadership to bring us all together. It's disheartening. I've seen the movie Just Mercy but haven't read the book yet. I want to check out that book you read with Mouse, Something Happened in Our Town. Oh, and we watch the LOTR reunion on YouTube tonight and it was so much fun :) Have a great week, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteStacy - It really is a difficult time, one in which having a strong leader would help in so many ways. I hope you get a chance to check out Something Happened In Our Town. It made Mouse sad, but I think it addressed a number of points that lead to a great discussion. Some of it we had talked about before, this put it more into perspective in a way she could more easily understand. Thank you for visiting!
DeleteI share your thoughts on what's going on, and I agree. I think it's way past time that we actually have change- real change- and I'm so afraid this is going to pass and we'll be right where we were when it started.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way with Riverdle- about halfway through S3. And a bomb threat! Oh man- glad that everyone was okay. How scary is that, especially with everything happening?
I voted A Study in Scarlet... I've been thinking for a while that series looks fun. :)
Be well this week!!
Greg - I worry about that too. It looks like changes are coming to some degree. My own sheriff and county government are adamant nothing needs to be reviewed here. It's not surprising, but it is disappointing. I've heard enough stories to know that they aren't as squeaky clean as they want everyone to believe. I don't think it's too much to ask for everyone/agency to do do a little internal review or re-evaluate their practices.
DeleteThank you for voting and for stopping by!
It’s definitely a scary time at the moment! I’m trying to stay positive but it’s a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI still haven’t seen Riverdale. I’ve been trying to watch that one forever.
I voted for Bringing Down the Duke. It sounds like a fun read.
Stay safe and happy reading.
Maureen - Yes, it can be hard to stay positive, especially when I read/watch the news or am on social media. And now with the rise of the virus numbers again as my country re-opens . . . It's easy to get weighed down by it all.
DeleteRiverdale is an interesting show--dark and addicting. I'm not too sure about this 3rd season, but I'm in it for the long haul, I guess. LOL
Thank you for voting! I think Bringing Down the Duke sounds like a lot of fun. And I need fun right now. :-) Thank you for visiting!
I read Just Mercy and it is a compelling and a hard read. I don't know how the EJI does the work it does, but the people there are absolute heroes.
ReplyDeleteVerushka - I am so glad to hear you liked Just Mercy. I look forward to reading it. I will probably read it along with something lighter and happier, just for balance sake. Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteI hope all these would lead to something good in terms of racism, then 2020 would worth its issues. TBH, every country has some form of segregation and disparity, for example in India we have communal riots and systematic casteism - but hey, at least we dont go around shooting people.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe the change in the USA, might lead to changes in other countries too.
That is a wishful thinking.
Gayathri - Yes, that would be a very positive outcome. I am trying to remain optimistic, but it is difficult. I imagine there is some sort of discrimination and disaparity everywhere, as you said. Americans and their guns . . . We're a mess. I think there is a lot the USA can learn from other countries too, if only we'd let go of some of that ego.
DeleteThank you for visiting!
I really like your pickups; Just Mercy & The New Jim Crow. With all that is going on right now, I have a heavy heart. I was looking for good books to read more about the subject.
ReplyDeleteHere in The Netherlands, there are protests every day, so it's definitely something that's relevant and I'd love to be educated and learn! Thanks for pointing out those books.
Esther - Thank you! I have heard great things about Just Mercy and The New Jim Crow. I imagine they will be eye-opening for me and give me a lot to think about. I want to be an ally, and knowledge is always good. Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteDon't think my daughter read those graphic novels, I might have to grab those for her since I am trying to find books for her to read.
ReplyDeleteI picked The Study in Scarlet Woman, I love a retellings of Holmes.
Stay Safe, Wendy! Happy Reading! xx
Michelle - Mouse really likes them and even told me another one is coming out soon she wants before I mentioned it. :-) Thank you for voting and visiting!
DeleteThis is a great post. It lifts me up when I see recommendations for good books that can make a difference. We all need to do what we do best in trying to change the world.
ReplyDeleteJust Mercy was a great read for me. I remember seeing Something Happened in Our Town. Thanks for sharing it and the other books with us.
I'm glad your daughter is starting to reconnect with her friends. I wonder how all of this is going to impact children. I know that I have been very sad and lonely. I'm sure children are even more so.
Deb - Yes, it's going to take as many of us as possible if we want to make these necessary changes. I am so glad to hear you liked Just Mercy. I think I will too. I imagine I won't be able to read it and remain dry-eyed.
DeleteI know my daughter has really struggled being so isolated. My husband has always been a homebody, and I don't think he's been as impacted. And I'm at least in the office once a week, so I get out that way. She's stuck at home all the time.
Thank you for stopping by!
I voted for The Witch's Kind because I absolutely loved it! This past week has been especially trying and sad and worrisome, and sometimes I wonder just how much worse things can get. I worry about the huge crowds at the rallies and spikes in coronavirus coming in a couple of weeks🙁
ReplyDeleteTammy - I am glad to hear you loved The Witch's Kind! I've had it on my TBR shelf for awhile now and look forward to reading it.
DeleteI have been feeling the same way. It's all so sad--everything that is going on. As everything re-opens and the coronavirus numbers go up, I am very concerned. I saw a headline this morning suggesting Americans have just given up caring about the virus. So many people seem to assume that re-opening means the threat has passed, and it hasn't. Not by a longshot.
Thank you for visiting!
I am so sorry about all that's going down - with my son now in the US, I have been paying close attention and found the video of that poor man being suffocated absolutely horrific. As well as a steady stream of other examples of police brutality...
ReplyDeleteYou have had an overly exciting week with a bomb threat - and a good reading week. I have Mexican Gothic on my TBR, waiting to bee read, too - so I hope you are enjoying it!
Sarah - Thank you for your kind words. The news reports have been so disheartening in many ways. I have heard that some good has come from all this and hopefully the change being promised will come. There's still a lot work to do. I hope your son is well and safe.
DeleteI finished Mexican Gothic a couple days ago and hope you will enjoy it when you read it!
Thank you for stopping by!
The world is overwhelming. I hope for real changes; we will see. I voted for A Study in Scarlet Women. I LOVED it! The whole series is great and the audio is great too.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and be well! We are staying home even if others are out.
Anne - Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
Anne - I hope for real change as well. Deep lasting change. I really think it will take a paradign shift, which has been long overdue.
DeleteMy daughter commented yesterday after her Zoom dance class that she is counting down the days until she is in the studio next week. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it's still not for certain that will happen. With the numbers still rising, I'm not sure my husband and I are ready for her to jump back in just yet. I understand this desire to want to get on with life--and some people don't have a choice--but it feels like we are rushing into it and have completely forgotten the risk. So many people aren't taking precautions anymore.
Thank you for visiting, Anne! Stay safe and well.
My heart has been heavy with everything that has been going on as well, and I completely agree with you regarding the long-term. Something has got to change. On your poll, all three choices sound fantastic but I voted for Bringing Down the Duke just because it's a light-hearted read.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne - Something really does need to change. I hope it will. I worry it won't. I have lost so much faith in humanity--in my own country over the last several years. Seeing so many people coming together despite the virus threat does give me hope though.
DeleteThank you for voting! Considering the heavy reading I am doing on the side, a light-hearted read is a must, I think!
Thank you for stopping by!
I am making a list of book suggestions for those who want to read more on antiracism and our current situation. I'd love you to visit and make some suggestions which I will add to the list. Follow the link here and then click HOME, scroll down one post and you will find the list. Thanks. It's been a hard week but there is a lot of cause for hope for the future. Stay well. Stay safe. Please visit my Sunday Salon post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnne - I checked out your list and bookmarked it to visit again. That is so great that you are putting it together. I will definitely let you know as I come across books to add.
DeleteThank you for visiting!
Great post! It's certainly been a horrible week. A bomb threat? I'm glad everyone is alright. Happy Birthday to your husband. I hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday post is here.
Yvonne - It has been a crazy couple of weeks. I am glad the bomb threat turned out to be nothing as well. Thank you for the birthday wishes for my husband and for stopping by!
DeleteIt has been an eventful and sad week. I hope people take note and try to change in positive ways. It's disheartening to see bad behavior from the police and from ones taking advantage of all the unrest by looting and damaging innocent people's property.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about getting back to normal, too, so I understand your mixed feelings about your daughter's dance class. I know little ones need to get out. I guess it depends on how they plan to keep everyone safe. Sorry to hear about the bomb threat! Glad to hear nothing came of it.
I loved Bringing Down the Duke so I voted for that. :)
Rachel - I am so with you there. I do hope change will come from all of this. It's long overdue.
DeleteMy daughter is counting the days until next week when she hopes to be back in the studio. My husband and I haven't made that decision yet. We didn't let her go back this week, and it looked like most parents were of the same mindset. It's hard to want to go back when I see the number of cases and deaths rising. The studio is taking precautions and are really trying. We'll see. I'll either have a very disappointed girl next week or I'll be nervous as heck letting her go. LOL
Thank you for voting and for visiting!
Wow, a bomb threat on top of all the heartache of the week. Glad all turned out well. I took a step back from all the news and social media for a few days. The escape of books helped. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteNise' - I need to take more of a step back from the news and definitely from social media. I haven't been on either as much the last few days, which has been nice. Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteEven though we are very far from what is happening in the United States, the impact of these horrific incidents remain very fresh, especially since the repetition in various forms of similar incidents over and over again. No amount of punishment, rhetoric by politicians and leaders seem to be doing any good at all. That is the sad part. There is obviously a great percentage of people who believe in racism as it stands and are all out supporting it. I do not know how even a small eradication of it will be possible in the light of how many seem to be in favour of it. These are present in every country of course. It is just that in America it gets more publicity than anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteBirthday greetings to your husband. Our curfew was lifted only a night curfew exists right now but getting back to normal seems far away yet.
Mystica - I think there will need to be an entire paradigm shift and it will take more than what has been offered up so far to make things better. Unfortunately, it will require more support from the general public and those in leadership positions.
DeleteThank you for the birthday wishes for my husband! Thank you for visiting!
A Phoenix First Must Rise looks like a great read to me. I think Just Mercy the movie is available to watch for free on one of the streaming services now. Happy Birthday to your husband!
ReplyDeleteBecki - I think so too! I hope it will be good. Yes, I noticed that Just Mercy is being made available. I may have to watch it after I read the book. Thank you for the birthday wishes for my husband! And thank you for stopping by!
DeleteI hope these protests help change things. I’m thinking about picking up The New Jim Crow because people have been recommending it to me for years. Now is probably a good time.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
AJ - I hope so too. If you do decide to read The New Jim Crow, I hope you find it to be a worthwhile read. I'm looking forward to reading it. It's on my immediate TBR pile. Thank you for visiting!
DeleteOh, yes, I definitely feel heavy hearted, too, and the anxieties are growing. I like your reading list. There will be some I need to add, like Just Mercy and The New Jim Crow.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week as much as possible, and I like that you are gradually coming out of lockdown.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Laurel-Rain - It's just such a stressful time all around, isn't it? I am looking forward to reading Just Mercy and The New Jim Crow. Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteI really do hope that REAL change happens from all of this. It's just heartbreaking, and that it happens over and over is just horrible. That picture book about a black man being shot sounds like a great read for kids - really putting these type of events into a format they can understand. You hate for them to know these things, but it's important too.
ReplyDeleteThat's great your daughter is doing to do Zoom meetings with her Girl Scouts troop this summer. I'm sure it will be really nice to "be" with them.
I voted for A Study in Scarlet Women because I own that one and really need to read it soon. LOL
-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Lauren - I hope real change happens too. I wish I could say I was more confident it would, given our country's history. But I also realize that this kind of change may take awhile and may require small steps mixed in with bigger ones. My daughter and I really liked Something Happened in Our Town. As a parent, I appreciate how accessible the book is for a young child and all that it covered.
DeleteThank you for voting and for visiting!
With so many things happening this year, I just wish the year will be over soon and that we'll have a new beginning next year, hopefully with a brighter and a more positive prospect for everyone.
ReplyDeleteJust Mercy sounds like a great read! Will add it onto my wishlist. Hope you've a great week, Wendy!
Melody - This year has been one thing after another, hasn't it? I do hope this second half of the year will be better for everyone. THank you for stopping by!
DeleteI'm so glad your daughter got to connect with her troop via Zoom! My daughter has had Zoom meetings too with her class and teachers. A Phoenix Must Burn and Just Mercy are books I'm planning on buying this summer. I hope your June is going well!
ReplyDeleteDanielle - I hope you enjoy A Phoenix Must Burn and Just Mercy when you read them! Thank you for visiting!
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