2025 Book Post #1

New year, new book posts!

A couple of these books were read at the end of December, but the bulk were read in January...if the holiday holds didn't come in until after Christmas, I still read them, ha! 

Read-Alouds
Heartwood Hotel: The Greatest Gift by Kallie George: Brady & I read this one together as part of his homeschool curriculum in December. This book is part of a four-book series & we actually read one of the other books in the series aloud as a family a few years ago, so it was fun to revisit this series with Brady now that he's older.

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder: During the height of COVID, we read aloud Little House on the Prairie together & I have such fond memories of sharing that simple story during such a tumultuous, uncertain time. Fast-forward a few years, and we were in need of a new family read-aloud. Usually, I have a book in mind ready & waiting...but this time, I didn't. Shelby randomly suggested Farmer Boy (which we already had a copy of on our shelves), and it was just perfect!

Let it Glow by Marissa Meyer & Joanne Levy: This book is a new release, and it was the perfect read-aloud to follow Farmer Boy. We went from reading about harvesting & spinning in the early 1900s to tweens texting in present day. This was a fun holiday-ish read for us, and we all really enjoyed it!

Once Upon a Camel by Kathi Appelt: This might have been my fave of the bunch! This was another homeschool read for Brady & me. This book is historical fiction, and the history was brand-new to me & fascinating! Did you know there was a camel experiment with the U.S. Army in the mid-19th century?! I would highly recommend this one!


My Reads
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox: I was reading this book at the same time I was reading aloud Let It Glow, which was funny since they are both books about twins swapping places. The Holiday Swap was kind of cheesy and a little lackluster in my opinion. I wouldn't recommend this one.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: This book was unlike anything I've ever read! I almost didn't pick it up because I knew it was about video games, and we are very much not video game people. But, I'm so glad I took a chance on this book! 

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter: I kept seeing this book recommended over & over again during the holiday season, so I eagerly put it on hold. It absolutely didn't live up to the hype for me. 
 
Pictures of You by Emma Grey: I read this one while on our Disney cruise in January! I read The Last Love Note by Emma Grey a few months ago, and I immediately preordered this book. I think The Last Love Note was better, but I still really enjoyed this one! I would highly recommend both.

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella: If you like Sophie Kinsella books, you'll like this one! I thought a few of the characters/parts of the plot were rather cringe-worthy at times, but overall I enjoyed this one! I find myself really enjoying books set in London ever since our Spring Break trip to London last year, and this book was no different. 

In other book-related news, we just received an order of oh-so-fun bookmarks from Pippi Post, and it just makes me so happy!