Cindy Sue

Former librarian. Mom. She/Her. Cook. Business Owner. Zontian. Admin and host of bookstodon.com and woodworking.group. Anarchism. Dogs. Cats. Mostly books. Weirdo. Future farmer. Higgins Lake. Upper Peninsula. Michigan.

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StoryGraph profile: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/cindysue

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Last Notes

2026-08-01 02:37:08 GMT

Soooo... In Houghton Lake it is Bud Bash weekend which is exactly what it sounds like- Budweiser, boats, and drunks. Anyway, it is super busy even in Higgins Lake because of it. THIS is the result of one drunk coming off the lake tonight just a couple blocks from me. Boat flipped, driver ran off, police and FD STILL there hours later.
I think I am just going to stay in my house this weekend. It may be the safest option.
#boats #DrunkDriving
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2025-12-23 15:28:06 GMT

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a definite 5 star read. Nothing else needs to be said. If you haven't read it yet,put it on your list.
@bookstodo @a.gup.pe
#books #nonfiction
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2025-08-26 12:07:25 GMT

Books & Islands in Ojibwe Country: Traveling Through the Land of My Ancestors was Louise Erdrich was beautiful. Below are a couple quotes I felt in my heart:
"I can't imagine home without an overflow of books. The point of books is to have way too many but to always feel you never have enough, or the right one at the right moment..."
"Not many books can be read with such intimacy, nor are there many so beautifully composed that the writing alone brings comfort..."
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#books
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2025-08-25 14:46:08 GMT

I read Think Indigenous: Native American Spirituality for a Modern World by Doug Good Feather. Such a good book! I could have highlighted so many passages! I will have to reread it. I feel I get more out of it a second read through.
I grabbed this at a tiny used bookstore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in a little town called Moran. The bookstore has so many great books. My favorite little place on Earth. If you have a chance, do visit. It's only open in the summer though.
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-08-21 10:03:49 GMT

One of the books my husband bought me for my birthday. You Are Here has so many beautiful poems in it. I had to keep setting it down and digesting what I just read. Highly recommend for poetry lovers.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#poetry #books
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2025-08-21 09:49:51 GMT

I read both books in the Death & Sparkles series the other day. What a fun middle grade graphic novel series! And I absolutely loved Death as a main character in books! I would recommend this series for readers aged 7-12.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit
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2025-08-18 11:09:14 GMT

So I read A History of the World Through Body Parts yesterday and it was a fun read. Quick, 3-5 pages on a historical person's body part (examples include Cleopatra's nose and Anne Boleyn's heart). Some fun historical facts are thrown out. I bought this for my kid a few years ago, but picked it up randomly yesterday morning. Read the whole thing in a day.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-08-14 22:20:31 GMT

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
By the end of this book, I had happy tears in my eyes, no lie. I was sitting out front and I set it down after finishing and thought: this is a book that many, many kids NEED in their lives. Part ghost story, coming of age story, gender journey... It was probably the best middle grade book I have read about transgender kids. The best- and I have read A LOT of them. Do search it out. I think it will resonate with parents as much as with kids.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-08-12 22:43:03 GMT

I just don't know what to think about Craft Stories I Wrote For the Devil by Ananda Lima. I am not sure if I liked it or not. So I am just going to put it out there and maybe someone else who has read it can tell me their thoughts. I have rated it 3/5.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-08-12 22:05:17 GMT

- reply

My favorite first line is from Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.
That didn't make me read the book as it was required reading in AP English 25+ years ago for me. But it has stuck with me since I first read it. And it is my favorite book.

2025-08-12 00:15:55 GMT

Another book that I finished late last night. Honestly, this was a Dollar Tree find. There were no high expectations, but this book DELIVERED. About a 12 year old Black girl growing up in small town Mississippi in the early 80s.The Civil Rights Era has come and gone, but it never really changed much. A white woman moves into the neighborhood and she is, well, she has history, we'll say. Beautiful, tragic, yet full of hope. I loved my time spent in these pages. TW in alt text.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#book
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2025-08-11 20:46:22 GMT

The Red Pencil was a wonderful middle grade novel in verse about a 12 year old girl in Sudan in 2004. Her village is attacked by the Janjaweed and her father is killed. Her family escapes to a refugee camp where she is given a red pencil and note pad. Her dream is to learn to read and write and come back to teach others. A book of hope. Very glad to have taken the time to read it.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-08-11 15:23:49 GMT

The final book in Moses Ose Utomi's series was FANTASTIC. All 3 books were 5⭐ reads for me. I will read absolutely anything he writes. I have purchased his middle grade duology so I will soon be reading that.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-08-08 02:09:27 GMT

Not My Type by E Jean Carroll was definitely a five star read for me. She is whip-smart, funny, and hey- like she'll tell you, she's fabulous! The majority of the book is spent going over the first trial- chapter 40 (the last and longest chapter) goes over the second trial. A woman standing up for herself against the most powerful man in the US is someone to be proud of. Her bravery is admirable.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #nonfiction
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2025-08-03 22:02:47 GMT

Ecstasy by Ivy Pochoda was a 5⭐ reads for me. Honestly, it has a pretty low rating on StoryGraph (3.5), but I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was fucking fantastic. It's gritty and dark; it's not a light read by any means. If you like dark and gritty, you will probably like this.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-08-02 23:15:57 GMT

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood was an emotional book, especially if you have children. I was about to take it back to the library unread, but decided I would at least give it a shot. Was it great? No, but it is definitely good. And it definitely made me sad, angry- all of the feels. I wanted to kick the husband in the bead throughout until the very last chapter and I'm not sure he completely redeemed himself, but it ended positively.
#bookstodon #books
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2025-07-31 02:26:55 GMT

The Sinners All Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne by Kate Winkler Dawson was good. I am not a true crime fanatic, but I thought this would hold my interest with both the historical and literary aspects. It did hold my interest, but wasn't as interesting as I was hoping. Not bad. If you're into true crime it would probably be for you.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #nonfiction #TrueCrime
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2025-07-29 02:27:28 GMT

Love Her Wild by Atticus was a random find at Goodwill and I am so glad that I picked it up. What a beautiful book of poetry.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #poetry
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2025-07-24 21:37:43 GMT

I love the dedication in Ellen Oh's Spirit Hunter: Something Wicked (middle grade, book 3 of the series).
@npub1ny7…uv57
#KidLit #books
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2025-07-24 00:00:45 GMT

Isaac's Song by Daniel Black is sooooo good, y'all. Do yourself a favor and pick it up somewhere- the library, your indie bookstore. I promise it is worth a read!
@npub1ny7…uv57
#bookstodon #books
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2025-07-23 03:19:40 GMT

I wonder how feasible it would be for me to disappear for a few days all by myself. A hotel room, me, a couple books, and absolutely no one talking to me or needing anything from me.

2025-07-22 00:35:48 GMT

Chouette by Claire Oshetsky is definitely the oddest book I have read this year. It's not bad, it's perfectly fine. It is well-written. But it is definitely ODD. I think that if you like very strange things, you may like this. If you liked The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill, you may like this. It is odd though- you have been forewarned.
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-07-21 00:09:52 GMT

The Doll People by Ann M Martin and Laura Godwin is absolutely adorable! Perfect for a read aloud for ages 5 and up or independent reading for ages 8-12. It is the story of a doll family in a doll house that has been passed on through generations for 100 years. Adventure, mystery, and a ton of fun!
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit
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2025-07-20 02:13:43 GMT

Currently reading When You Were A Tadpole and I Was A Fish: And Other Speculations About This and That by Martin Gardner. I am absolutely fascinated by the essays in this book.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-07-18 22:27:01 GMT

Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani is a middle grade novel told in verse about the partition of India and Pakistan. Through all of the upheaval and loss, Raj is able to find a life after losing everything (even his friends and family) because of Partition. It was beautifully written in a way for young readers to understand and empathize with. Recommend for ages 8-13 or anyone with a love for history.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit
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2025-07-18 00:35:50 GMT

Ohhhhh.... Pia's little brother has died, her family has moved, she has no friends at her new school, her mom blames her for her brother's death... Life is HARD. But Pia goes on a road trip with a bus load of interesting people to a lake with supposed special powers. This is her story of healing. Middle grade- ages 8-13.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit #GraphicNovel
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2025-07-17 21:55:53 GMT

Fuck!!!! Devour by Jasmine Joyner and Anthony Pugh was absolutely amazing. It takes the Ghanian folktale of Anansi and spins a family tale from American slavery to the present day. It is horror. It is very graphic. Trigger warnings for hate crimes, racism, and violence. Graphic novel.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #GraphicNovel
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2025-07-17 00:38:41 GMT

What can I say about Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans? Not always easy, not always pretty, but 100% real. The feelings invoked from this book of poetry will stay with me for a long time.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #poetry
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2025-07-15 00:36:55 GMT

I am reading Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland right now and so far it's good. Of course, I expect no less out of Ireland. I loved Dread Nation which is a dystopian YA duology. I have the second book and was about to start it last night, but decided I better work my way through my library books. This one is middle grade historical fiction with a supernatural element. Not necessarily an easy read, but an important one. Recommended for ages 9-13, conversation starter.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit
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2025-07-13 21:13:45 GMT

Higgins Lake, Michigan. July 13, 2025.
#michigan #HigginsLake #lakes
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2025-07-12 22:42:24 GMT

So maybe I should pass The Devil's Element: Phosphorus and A World Out of Balance by Dan Egan around to all the people in Higgins Lake (especially the lake fronters) that put shit on their lawn and then complain about algae blooms. But then again, I know the mass of people don't believe in science these days so...
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-07-12 14:09:13 GMT

Okay, you know when a book is freaking fabulous and you are just devouring it and then all of a sudden you're like, "I gotta slow down because I need to savor this"? Yup, I am there with The Black Flamingo. I feel like a doofus for letting this book sit on my shelf for five years.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit
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2025-07-12 12:05:28 GMT

- reply

Honestly, there really isn't much in it that I don't think a 12 year old couldn't handle. While it is about a child soldier, the violence is not descriptive at all really and it is pretty minimal. There is death though, but not descriptive. So I guess it depends on what you're comfortable with. My kids- I would have been fine with it at that age.

2025-07-12 11:37:19 GMT

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins is a YA novel set in early 2000s Myanmar/Burma (the author uses Burma, but does have a note on why she chose to do so). It's about a 15 year old who is forced into being a child soldier. It was easy to read- I read it in a day- but definitely not an easy subject matter. It did come with a happy for now ending, but let's be real about where Myanmar/Burma is now- war. I do wish that it had contained more historical context.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit
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2025-07-11 01:58:06 GMT

I just walked outside to get something out of the car and there are fireflies every fucking where! I haven't seen so many here in Higgins Lake since I was a kid! I ran inside to get my husband and the kids. You could see them flashing deep into the woods across the street. So cool! Made me happy!

2025-07-10 22:16:33 GMT

I don't know what to say, but Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis is absolutely amazing. Perfection. Read it. Please. You will not regret your time with it, I promise.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-07-09 00:05:34 GMT

King Arthur, Lancelot, Morgan le Fay, Camelot, Guinevere, Merlin- it's all here! Young Hag and the Witches' Quest by Isabel Greenberg was a fun, coming of age, adventure story based upon the King Arthur legend. It's a pretty long graphic novel, but I was able to finish it in a day. If you have a fascination with King Arthur, this is a great reimagining of the tale.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-07-08 01:48:48 GMT

Cassi and the House of Memories by Dean Stuart is a middle grade graphic novel about a young girl who is learning about her grandfather's past through his memories that she enters. He has dementia or Alzheimer's in the book (it is never said which- just that memories are hard for him). Super cute book. Would recommend for any child that has a grandparent with memory lapses.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#bookstodon #books
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2025-07-08 01:11:22 GMT

Ghost Roast by Shawnee Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs is a YA graphic novel. It has ghosts, history, a murder mystery... It was a lot of fun to read. Glad I grabbed it at the library last week.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #KidLit
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2025-06-28 15:43:09 GMT

This book was absolutely beautiful. Growing up and living in northern Michigan, trees have surrounded me much of my life. When I was a kid, they provided supports for not just a tree house in my backyard, but also forts that we made throughout the woods that surrounded our home. They provided the shade for the trails that my brothers and I would ride our bikes down. I would skip through them, back and forth, down slopes in the winter.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-06-28 02:41:08 GMT

Lily's Mountain by Hannah Moderow is reminiscent of the junior fiction classic, Hatchet. Lily's dad falls in a crevasse on his way back from the peak of Mt. Denali. She is in denial, as any kid would be, that her dad is never coming back. This is her adventure up the mountain with her sister, Sophie. Adventure and survival- it's all there. Recommend for ages 8-12.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-06-24 15:03:23 GMT

Not entirely sure what I just read. Not entirely sure I enjoyed it. I am sure that I was totally invested in figuring out what the actual fuck was going on.
Thrum by Meg Smitherman
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-06-21 04:14:06 GMT

The Runaway Princess by Johan Troianowski was a fun junior fiction/middle grade graphic novel. It was not only one adventure after another, but it also provided interactive prompts throughout. I see kids having a lot of fun reading this.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #GraphicNovel #KidLit
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2025-06-20 12:04:45 GMT

- reply

I could see that. I don't do audio, so I'm not sure. I can't seem to focus on it. Okay, I did some research and it sounds like a lot of people think the audio is great so it's probably worth a try.

2025-06-20 11:48:57 GMT

This.Freaking.Book! I am speechless! Part horror, part historical fiction- it weaves Gullah Geechee culture and language along with Black folktales into a story of vengeance. Told in a southern Black dialect, it tells the story of Maryse and her friends hunting Ku Kluxers who are different from just Klan members, but are actual monsters. Not a long book and not easy to read, it will definitely stay with me for a long time. Major trigger warnings for racism, hate crimes, gore.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-06-19 01:26:38 GMT

The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi was an amazing ride! What a great middle grade novel! Sci-fi/fantasy, action packed... It would be perfect for a read aloud before bed for ages 6 and up or as an independent read for ages 8-13. I already looked to see if the library has books 2 and 3- they do!
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #KidLit
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2025-06-11 15:10:11 GMT

I read Give Her Credit by Grace L Williams yesterday and it was a good read. About the start of a women's bank in Denver in the 70s. It was pretty short, about 200 pages, but it provided a lot of background information and historical context. Did you know the first women's bank opened in 1919? It was short lived, but it existed.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#nonfiction #books
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2025-06-10 12:07:11 GMT

I really liked Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey. It was like a feminist/LGBTQIA/wild west/librarian dystopian novel. I do think it was too short though- it could have been fleshed out more. So it was good, but definitely could have been better. I rated it 4 stars. I am going to search out some other books by her. I know when I worked at the library I purchased at least one so unless it's been culled in the last three years, it should be there.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-06-08 20:58:24 GMT

- reply

Ahhh! Enjoy! I am giving it a bit, but I am going to reread it soon. I never reread, but this is calling to me again.

2025-06-07 02:49:20 GMT

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar was simply the most beautiful book I have read all year. My local indie bookseller posted this the other day saying that he loved it on audio. I looked it up on StoryGraph and saw that it had illustrations in the hardcover. I knew I had to get it. I drove up to the bookstore and grabbed their singular copy and I am so glad that I did. Absolutely, positively beautiful. The writing is lyrical. I just love this book. Perfection.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-06-06 15:01:23 GMT

Read this in less than 24 hours. Started before bed last night and finished before noon this morning. Compulsively readable. Stream of consciousness. Book is Tilt by Emma Pattee.
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#books
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2025-06-01 00:47:28 GMT

A Nearby Country Called Love by Salar Abdoh was nearly perfect. I just don't even know what to say. I absolutely love this book.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-30 19:49:18 GMT

Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan was absolutely beautiful. About a 12 year old Cree girl learning about residential schools while at her grandparents for the summer. It has me tearing up at parts. Really a great book and should be required reading for grades 4-6.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-24 16:29:30 GMT

Half way through this amazing book by Akwaeke Emezi. I am just loving it- all of their books are amazing. If you haven't read something by them, search one out- they have both adult and young adult books.
I am supposed to go on a hike today and fill the local LFLs, but I can see myself just staying home and finishing this beautiful book.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #KidLit
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2025-05-23 13:41:13 GMT

Grabbed this graphic novel at the library in the next town north of me last night when I took the 14 year old there for D&D. It is a continuation of The School for Good and Evil series which I have not read, but had no problem following this separate story.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#GraphicNovel #KidLit #books
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2025-05-23 11:37:56 GMT

The dog woke me up at 5:30 because she had to go outside so I have been up for a couple of hours. Took the time to finish Darling Girl by Liz Michalski. It is a Peter Pan retelling and I really despised the main character throughout the entire book. She redeems herself a bit by the end. Nothing spectacular, but it was entertaining which was what I needed.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #FairyTales
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2025-05-20 12:32:41 GMT

Currently reading The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World by Oliver Milman. And, ya know when you know about something, but you aren't totally knowledgeable? Yeah. That's me with this book and now I sitting here thinking we're fucked.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #insects #science
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2025-05-18 13:02:35 GMT

Some people are all about actors and actresses. My brain has no space for them. But authors? Yes. And Jason Reynolds?!? Double yes! All of his books are beyond amazing. If you haven't taken the time to read at least one, do it. You won't regret it. He deserves all the awards and accolades he has received over the years. One of my absolute favorite authors ever.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #KidLit
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2025-05-17 18:11:45 GMT

This was... Different. Not bad, just different.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-16 01:07:15 GMT

The Seventh Raven was interesting. It is young adult and is a novel in verse. It's pretty short at 170 pages. I could see kids who have a hard time reading full length novels enjoying this a great deal. It wasn't great literature, but it was enjoyable. And like I said, reluctant YA readers may find it to be an easy read.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #KidLit #bookstodon
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2025-05-15 13:18:41 GMT

Been reading Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton the last few days. It's taking me a bit longer than usual as it's so disturbing and difficult to read. But that's the point. I have spent my life hearing stories about the asylums across the US so none of it is a surprise, but it certainly doesn't make it any less unsettling. Please beware that it is an especially hard to read book.
#books #MentalIllness #health #history
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-05-13 02:13:23 GMT

Finishing up Penitence by Kristin Koval tonight. Not my usual cup of tea, but when I started it I got pulled right in. Trigger warning for child death. It's a family drama, I suppose. I didn't love it, but it wasn't bad by any means. If you like family dramas, you would probably like it.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-11 12:18:20 GMT

Found this at the thrift store yesterday. Had it on the kitchen table and my husband said I had to read it right away. Of course, he has read it before me. I am going to donate this copy to a LFL because it has highlights in it and buy myself a new copy, but this will stay on my shelf for a long time to come.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #poetry #bookstodon
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2025-05-09 19:08:24 GMT

Reading Never Whistle At Night edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. I really have loved this book, I have a little over 100 pages left. The stories are amazing.
However, I do suggest not reading before going to sleep at night. I woke up this morning saying "what the motherfucking hell" after the dreams I had.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-07 02:21:22 GMT

Not my favorite, but When Among Crows by Veronica Roth wasn't bad by any means. I'm not a huge fantasy reader. I like middle grade fantasy much better than YA or adult fantasy. I did read this quickly though- took me a few hours altogether today. It was confusing at first because I had no clue what was happening, but it did come together to a satisfying end.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-06 13:55:49 GMT

I usually finish a book before I post it, but I am finding that Eartheater by Dolores Reyes is too good not to share as soon as possible. I bought this at Dollar Tree. I didn't think it'd be as good as it is, I thought it would be mediocre at best. This book is about a young woman living in the slums of Argentina. She eats earth and can find missing women in the community. It's sad, desperate, but amazing. Highly recommend.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-05-05 19:22:26 GMT

This was a great middle grade read! Of course, it was, it's by Nnedi Okorafor and she is amazing! It's marked ages 10 and up, so definitely middle grade. I know some people would have a fit over the violence that is depicted, but it really was great. Takes place in Nigeria, main character is a boy whose father is killed, and he is searching for the killer.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #KidLit
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2025-04-28 18:52:50 GMT

This was a rather relaxing read.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-04-20 16:47:51 GMT

The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf was a very good young adult novel about May 13, 1969 in Kuala Lumpur. At times it was hard to read, but there is a happy -ish ending, I suppose. As happy as can be after so much violence and death. Shows how bravery and community matters.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #YoungAdult #bookstodon
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2025-04-20 16:33:11 GMT

This was fucking brilliant. Trigger warnings galore- all of them.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #read
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2025-04-17 02:44:55 GMT

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer was as fantastic as I knew it would be. Braiding Sweetgrass is one of my favorite books and I put this one off for far too long. I did finally order a copy from my local indie bookstore and picked it up today. Beautiful. Just as I knew it would be.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #nonfiction #bookstodon
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2025-04-16 22:49:39 GMT

So... When I said I bought I'll Never Call Him Dad Again: Turning Our Family Trauma of Sexual Assault and Chemical Submission into a Collective Fight by Caroline Darian, a friend asked how I was going to be able to read it. I replied that I may not be able to get through it, but today I did it. I think I had tears in my eyes throughout the majority of it. I think it was an excellent account of the first year after the arrest. Emotional. Real.
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-04-15 19:53:17 GMT

Read Trickster Feminism by Anne Waldman while waiting for the 14 year old who was taking their PSAT this morning. I finished when we were waiting at Belle Tire because I ran over something in Lansing and my tires did not appreciate it.
It was a really good book of poetry. Highly recommend.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #poetry
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2025-04-15 12:47:24 GMT

Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit was a well-written book concerning a murder among the Puritans of Plymouth. It was good and worth a read if you're interested in the topic. I just don't have any interest in Puritans, but I had it from the library and figured I would read it.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #HistoricalFiction
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2025-04-14 16:33:25 GMT

Read Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa this morning. It is a middle grade graphic novel about a two spirit kid who has faced discrimination at school. They rekindle a friendship over the summer and make a ribbon skirt to wear to the local pow wow. It was a lighthearted book showing friendship and respect. Highly recommend for the kidlets in your life.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #GraphicNovel #KidLit
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2025-04-13 23:07:21 GMT

This was a random pick at the library and I loved it! It is about witch trials in a far northern island of Norway. If historical fiction is your thing, I recommend this.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #HistoricalFiction
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2025-04-13 12:30:09 GMT

#SilentSunday
Higgins Lake is looking beautiful these days. Just waiting for warmer weather to jump in. My 14 year old just wants to spend their summer at the beach every day.
#HigginsLake #michigan #NorthernMichigan
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2025-04-12 16:11:02 GMT

Well, I started The Sun Was Electric Light by Rachel Morton last night. Let me preface this by saying that this book was unlike anything else I have read in a long time. I think it was beautiful in a simple way. I liked it, but I am not sure I enjoyed it. It was a life that maybe I just don't understand. Give it a try if you like contemporary fiction, ex pats living in Central America, life as it is (not easy, but full of questions). I am not sure what else to say.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #read
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2025-04-11 22:07:21 GMT

- reply

Finished and it was fantastic! My 14 year old saw it in the kitchen and was so excited we had a copy. The third book releases in July!

2025-04-11 16:26:19 GMT

I read The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi years ago. I had received an advanced copy from the publisher. For such a small book, I absolutely loved it in every way. I handed it to my then 11 year old to read and they loved it as well. I am super bad about series- I never seem to finish them, but I found this on Book Outlet and knew I had to continue with the series. I am just starting it so I can't say much, but I expect to love it as much as the first book.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #read
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2025-04-11 12:36:06 GMT

And We Rise: The Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin was excellent. I believe it would make a great addition to any 6th-12th grade English or history classroom. Will be passing this along to a Little Free Library in my area so someone else can learn from it.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#bookstodon #books #CivilRights #history #poetry
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2025-04-10 02:03:04 GMT

Tonight's book makes me want to vomit. But I think, especially today when Nazis seem to be taking power in the US (have taken power), it's important.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #history
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2025-04-09 12:25:56 GMT

I wasn't going to share this here, but I decided that Geronimo Stilton is worth sharing. I am no longer a librarian and my kids are teens so there is no real reason for me to be reading these books, but I do because they are just so much FUN! I highly recommend the Geronimo Stilton series and Thea Stilton series for kids in grades 1st-3rd. These books include great pictures and fun script throughout. Littles first getting into chapter books will love them!
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-04-09 03:18:53 GMT

Stayed up a little late to read this one in its entirety tonight. Novella length, so it's pretty short at just 124 pages. I did like it though. It was a random find at the used bookstore awhile ago. I don't read horror often, but something about it drew me to it. It's horror so it does get a bit graphic at one point, but most of it is just spooky.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #horror
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2025-04-07 21:19:38 GMT

Today's book has been both emotional and uplifting for me. I have had two abortions in my life and while neither one was especially difficult for me in any way, I understand that for some people it's different. Circumstances, emotions- so many things come into play with a decision this big.
I would like to mention that the author donated 50% of her advance and is donating 100% of sales to abortion funds. Makes me feel good about purchasing this book.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #abortion
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2025-04-07 12:06:16 GMT

Yesterday's book was Revolutionary Women: A Book of Stencils edited by Queen of the Neighborhood. Very short introductions to revolutionary women throughout the world.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #history #women
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2025-04-05 22:40:21 GMT

Today's book has been an interesting read. The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire by Jack Weatherford
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon #read #history
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2025-04-04 13:54:05 GMT

I did a book order through my local indie bookstore and I got a call today asking if I wanted to use my $16 credit I had earned towards my order. Ummm... Yes. And I was unaware that I was even earning credit. Way to make my day! Indie bookstores are awesome!
@npub1ny7…uv57
#bookstore #books

2025-04-04 13:23:28 GMT

This was an eye-opening introduction to the history of Ferris State University. As a Michigander, I have only been to Big Rapids twice in my life, was never interested in FSU as a high school senior. But it appears they have some interesting history that more people should know about. Give this a read. I really liked it a lot and will make the journey to the Jim Crow Museum there sometime.
#MichiganHistory #michigan #books #bookstodon
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-04-03 17:03:52 GMT

After a long time of being too stressed to read, I am going through books like crazy now. They are generally shorter books, but a book is a book. And short books can have big ideas as well. This is one of them.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#bookstodon #books #read
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2025-04-03 01:29:50 GMT

I am guessing most of us remember Amelia Bedilia. I know I read her picture books as a kid. Well, the early chapter book series began in 2013. My kids never got into them when they were little and for some reason I never picked any of them up.
I got a box set of the first four books in the series awhile ago and decided I needed something silly to read. I have read the first two books tonight and they are a joy to read. Not my favorite junior fiction series, but it's funny.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books
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2025-04-02 15:53:35 GMT

This book. Y'all need to search it out and devour it like I am doing today. Kind of glad that we're getting another ice storm so I can stay home all day and read. But yeah, get this book. I love it!
Imagination: A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin
@npub1ny7…uv57
#bookstodon #books #read
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2025-04-02 00:27:41 GMT

Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King was fantastic! Honestly, I was stuck in my cabin last night because of the ice storm and I only have like ten books there. This one caught my eye so I grabbed it. I was able to finish tonight. A great story about censorship in a middle school classroom. The main character has a lot of real world problems going on- his dad is an asshole, he has his first crush. Highly recommend for ages 8-13.
#bookstodon #books #KidLit
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-03-31 12:19:18 GMT

I finished The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story by Pagan Kennedy this morning. I didn't know how I would react to this book, but when I saw it at Schuler Books last week I knew I had to purchase it. I brought it with me on our trip to the UP this weekend, not knowing if I would have the time to get to it. Due to an ice storm, I did. And I read most of it yesterday, learning all kinds of facts about rape kits. Highly recommend. But take care.
@npub1ny7…uv57
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2025-03-14 16:36:22 GMT

Zoo seems to think my lap is an appropriate place for her head while I eat lunch.
#DogsOfMastodon
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2025-02-15 22:20:02 GMT

I don't usually read male authors, but my friend said that I have to read this. I started the other day and am loving it.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-02-10 17:21:32 GMT

#CurrentlyReading Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope. Only 24% into it, but I am liking it so far. It is about a mute Black woman living in a Black town in the South that is being bought out by the Army Corps of Engineers so they can flood the town.
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-02-06 02:41:32 GMT

#CurrentlyReading Trouble in Censorville: The Far Right's Assault on Public Education and the Teachers Who Are Fighting Back
@npub1ny7…uv57
#books #bookstodon
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2025-02-01 04:53:47 GMT

The 14 year old is doing research on literacy rates in the US and has found that some info has been scrubbed from the .gov sites. Which, of course, isn't a surprise, but the news from earlier just became very real for him. The kid just wants to learn about literacy rates and he can hardly do that. I had to tell him to be careful about anything he finds on a .gov site right now, it may not be true. How fucking crazy is that? Two weeks ago I wouldn't have said that.
#literacy #US

2025-01-29 22:34:40 GMT

- reply

I use StoryGraph and pay for the premium version, though I don't think that's necessary in order to get a good experience from it.