Thursday, September 05, 2024

Where Is Your Bookmark: A Peek Into It's Elementary & Other Friday Fun



A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the amazing Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

I don't see her coming. 

If I had been on top of my game, if I had been alert, there's no way she would've got me. I've mastered the swift, no-small-talk drop-off in the years that Pearl has gone to Knoll Elementary. Head on a swivel, sunglasses on, don't make eye contact, keep it moving. I can do it in my sleep. (And, well, I actually do sometimes, in this recurring stress dream, which is why my only nighttime companions are my mouth guard and a double dose of magnesium melatonin). [opening of It's Elementary]

I think this is a great start and introduction to Mavis, who I liked instantly. You can't help but wonder who it is she's avoiding. She's certainly had a lot of practice even if this time she wasn't successful.   



A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Our wonderful host Freda of Freda's Voice is on a break, and Anne of My Head is Full of Books  has stepped in to host! 

I follow Mrs. Nelson's directions, speed walking to the door, and once I hit the hallway, I figure it can't hurt to upgrade to a light jog. I'm sweating and shaky, and it's fairly likely my heart's going to thump right on out of my chest, and those feelings only intensify when I slam right into another body. [excerpt at 50% of It's Elementary]

Oof! That was unexpected. I wonder who Mavis has run into. I have reached this part in the novel and am anxious to see where it goes from here. I am enjoying It's Elementary and have no idea yet how this is all going to turn out!


It's Elementary
by Elise Bryant
A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids' schools, from NAACP Image Award nominee Elise Bryant.

Mavis Miller is not a PTA mom. She has enough on her plate with her feisty seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, an exhausting job at a nonprofit, and the complexities of a multigenerational household. So no one is more surprised than Mavis when she caves to Trisha Holbrook, the long-reigning, slightly terrifying PTA president, and finds herself in charge of the school’s brand-new DEI committee.

As one of the few Black parents at this California elementary school, Mavis tries to convince herself this is an opportunity for real change. But things go off the rails at the very first meeting, when the new principal's plans leave Trisha absolutely furious. Later that night, when Mavis spies Trisha in yellow rubber gloves and booties, lugging cleaning supplies and giant black trash bags to her waiting minivan, it’s only natural that her mind jumps to somewhere it surely wouldn’t in the light of day.

Except Principal Smith fails to show up for work the next morning, and has been MIA since the meeting. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Mavis, along with the school psychologist with the great forearms (look, it’s worth noting), launches an investigation that will challenge her views on parenting, friendship, and elementary school politics.

Brilliantly written,
It's Elementary is a quick-witted, escapist romp that perfectly captures just how far parents will go to give their kids the very best, all wrapped in a mystery that will leave you guessing to the very end. [Goodreads Summary]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy? If you have read it, what did you think?


Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. It is hosted by Linda Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About. Join in by answering this week's question in the comments or on your own blog.
How do you keep up with your favorite blogs? 

I tried quite a few different sites before settling on Inoreader. It may not be the prettiest site, but it's straightforward, and I like being able to create folders to categorize the blogs I follow. I use their free service, which limits the amount of blogs I can follow, but I haven't run up against the limit yet; so it hasn't been a problem. There are a very small few of blogs I subscribe to via e-mail--usually ones that I am unable to subscribe to through Inoreader. I may not always be able to keep up with all posts by the bloggers I follow, but I do enjoy seeing what everyone is reading and up to, and I enjoy discovering new blogs along the way. 

What about you? How do you keep up with your favorite blogs? 


Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. What role have libraries played in your reading journey? Do you have any fond recollections involving libraries? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)
Libraries have long been a part of my life. From the summer reading programs I attended as a child at the local library, story time in the school library, research projects, studying, tutoring ESL students, typing papers and projects for school, mastering the internet (I didn't have a personal computer until I finished graduate school!), browsing the shelves for books to check out and read, to working behind the circulation desk and shelving books at the university library where I worked during my undergrad years. And then there was the joy of introducing my daughter to the library. When she was younger, we often spent Saturdays at the library, reading and doing crafts together. I may not put my library to use as much as I used to, but I still find it to be a treasure trove of books and resources. My library system does not offer Libby services but does have Hoopla. Think of the audiobooks I could access! Try as I might, I haven't been able to get it to work for me, unfortunately. Hopefully I will be able to get that resolved one of these days.

What about you? What role, if any, have libraries played in your life? 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading!


© 2024 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.

26 comments:

  1. Libraries play a huge role in my life...and they always have. My dad used to take us to the library every week in the summer (he was a schoolteacher so he had summers off); we'd work on the puzzle they always had up, choose new books, enjoy the air conditioning for awhile, then walk home. Even now I go to my library every month like clockwork and check out way too many books. Libraries are the best. :D

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    1. Lark - My mom used to take my brother and I to the library every week too. I loved those trips. :-) It sounds like you have many fond memories of the library when you were a child. Thank you for visiting!

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  2. My friend had a lot of trouble with the Hoopla app, but she finally took her photo to one of the library clerks, and the clerk was able to help her.

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    1. Deb - I think that's what I am going to have to do. I tried to do it with the library's online help feature, but it wasn't helpful at all. Thank you for stopping by!

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  3. I was a high school librarian for twelve years and loved nearly every moment of my job. Now that I'm retired I use the public library almost exclusively for my reading material. One of my book clubs uses the book club kits the library provides, too. That means that up to fifteen gals can read the same book and none of us have to buy them.

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    1. Anne - Those book club kits sound wonderful! Thank you for visiting!

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  4. I use Feedly to follow blogs. Again, not a fancy site, but it serves the purpose and doesn't let me down.

    Libraries. I was a high school librarian for 4 years and those were really fun for me. As a kid I remember doing research after school a lot, which I enjoyed.

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    1. Helen - When I first tried Feedly, it seemed better designed for mobile use than PC use. It looks a bit different now than when I last looked at it. I am happy with Inoreader though. It has served me well over the years. :-) Thank you for stopping by!

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  5. The excerpts from the book Elementary left me wanting to know more.

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    1. Mystica - It has a very cozy feel to it. I enjoyed it. Thank you for visiting!

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  6. It's Elementary sounds interesting. I enjoyed the quotes.

    I love the library. They do so much now and still are under threat of closure.

    Have a great weekend!

    Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
    My post:
    https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2024/09/06/book-blogger-hop-libraries/

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    1. Emily - I enjoyed it! It was very funny with some very serious moments as well--a nice balance. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend too!

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  7. That book looks so good. I'll have to add it to my list.

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    1. Yvonne - I hope you like it if you do read it! Thank you for visiting!

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  8. I also have so many great childhood memories of going to the library. I haven't been there in a while though. Hope you have a great weekend!

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    1. Jamie - We don't go as often as we used to. But like you, I have many fond childhood memories of the library. Thank you for stopping by!

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  9. The worst thing with feedly is that I constantly forget how to add blogs. Dunno where my memory goes with that site

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    1. Blodeuedd - I have that problem with Inoreader too. LOL Thank you for visiting!

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  10. Thanks for the link to Inoreader. Just based on first glance, it looks a lot like Feedly. I have found I'm able to follow all of the blogs I want to for now!

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  11. This sounds like a wonderful mystery! Those snippets pulled me right in. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great week! :)

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    1. Ashley - I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was very funny. Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a great week too!

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  12. I use Feedly whenever possible for getting to blogs I’m following. I use it for getting all my news on sites I follow!

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    1. Jodie - It seems to be a popular choice! Thank you for stopping by!

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  13. Oh I hope you get Hoopla figured out! I use it constantly. Between audio books and print books I use my library constantly and I know I'm not using a fraction of what is available. I use Feedly for my blogs and so far it works well for me.

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    1. Katherine - I hope I get it figured out too. It would be such a good resource! Thank you for visiting!

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