2026 Book Post #2

My Reads
Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze: While I love Nate Bargatze's comedy & all of his specials on Netflix & Amazon Prime, I felt like this memoir was kind of a flop for me. 
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros: I was initially introduced to this author by my sister when she gifted me a copy of In the Likely Event, which I really enjoyed. Rebecca Yarros is also the author of the Fourth Wing series, but those aren't really my jam. The Last Letter is a little long, but I liked it!
The Favorites by Layne Fargo: I loved this one! It was so different than anything I've ever read before. The storyline focuses on ice dancing {which I'm not sure I ever realized was its own distinct sport!}, and it was especially fun for me to read during the Winter Olympics. Lots of drama, but I highly recommend this one!
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: This is another book that was unlike anything I've ever read. The storyline focuses on the 1980s space shuttle program. While it certainly wasn't a favorite of mine, I'm so glad I read it!
To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: This is a YA book that I saw pop up on a bookstagram account & decided to give it a whirl. It was so unexpectedly fun for me to read! I think part of the reason I enjoyed it is that the main character is close in age to Shelby--learning to drive and navigating high school life, so it put me in her shoes a bit. Funnily enough, when I mentioned the book to the girls, they both said they'd read it and didn't like it. Soooo, take that for whatever it's worth!
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage: I loved this one! The ending left me wanting a bit more, but I flew through this one on our cruise over Spring Break! This book is completely fictitious, but if you enjoy the royal family or The American Royals series, you'll love this!
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry: This book is in the historical fiction genre with a split timeline--England in WWII and then again in 1960. While I've read lots of books set during WWII, this is the first book I've ever read about Operation Pied Piper, which was the British government's initiative to evacuate their country's children ahead of the seemingly inevitable German bombings. It took me a bit to get into the book and the plot moved a little too slowly for me, but I'm so glad I read this one!

Read-Alouds
The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody: I read this one aloud to Hadley & Brady as part of our homeschool curriculum. This is the first book in the Wilderlore series. We all liked it well enough, but didn't like it enough to pick up the next book in the series. If you like adventure or fantasy stories with a little suspense and mystery mixed in, this might be for you!
Winterfrost by Michelle Houts: This was a winter read-aloud for all of us, but I first learned of this book through Julie Bogart's Brave Writer program. We all adored this one--definitely a perfect read-aloud for the holiday season!