2023 My Year in Books: Rachel

One of my favorite things about the beginning of the year is seeing the books that others have read and celebrating the reading goals that were met in the previous year. No two people will experience books in the exact same way, so it’s neat to think about what they’ve experienced, and it can also be helpful to build your TBR list for the next year. While I still didn’t use any one set tool (like Goodreads) to track my titles or plan to read a certain number of books, I am glad that I kept a list with a short description of each book to help refresh my memory and think about the journeys I got to go on last year.  

If I had some awards to give out, this is what I’d choose:

Favorite Read: Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd 

This book put me in my feels. We meet a twelve-year-old girl named Olive who dreams of being able to go to school. Her parents have always been hesitant to send her, due to her dealing with osteogenesis imperfecta (what we know as brittle bone disease). However, she gets the chance to go, and learns about the legend of a magical hummingbird that can grant your deepest wish if you find it. While searching for the bird, she learns the lesson, that reminds the reader, that while we think we may know our “perfect” wish, life has a way of surprising us along the way.  

*Honorable Mention: My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen 

I loved this story that was mixed with both salty and sweet moments. Two friends (Helena and Penelope) are in their final year at the Royal Academy. They meet Elijah, and a project unlike any other begins to unfold. Elijah is a lonely street merchant with not much to his name. Penelope’s goal is to turn him into a refined gentleman chef. Will her plan succeed like the perfect recipe, or will things blow up in her face? If you’re a fan of My Fair Lady, you’ll likely enjoy this sweet, clean young adult romance.  

Most Likely to Recommend: The Listening Life by Adam S. McHugh 

I don’t read a lot of self-help books, but this one was very easy to read and practical in nature.  

It reminded me about being able to make simple changes to allow myself to better listen and understand those around me and the world as a whole. As one that doesn’t appreciate all seasons, one of the best parts was remembering to see the beauty in each one and to find opportunities to experience different things.  

Least Likely to Recommend: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

I want to start by saying that I didn’t dislike this book, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Kya’s story was interesting to read, but truthfully, not a lot of it stayed with me. One part that I did enjoy was her description of the marsh. I’m not always the best at visualizing, but with her writing style, I felt like I did better than normal.  

One I’m most glad that I tried: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie 

I don’t do well with branching out to different genres very much. I will most often read middle grade, young adult, romance, or historical fiction.  However, after last year’s March Book (& Movie) Madness, I decided to venture into the mystery genre and read Murder on the Orient Express. I really enjoyed the pacing of the story and was excited to see how everything would unfold. While mystery still isn’t my favorite genre, I was reminded when reading this book how important it is to branch out from time to time.  

Most Unexpected: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (Available through ILL)  

The reason I gave this book this award is that sometimes a book comes along that you need to read, but you didn’t know how much you needed it. There are times when I get into a reading funk and the desire to pick one up is gone. Life can be hard sometimes, and I think books are often the perfect escape into a different reality. This is what The Wishing Game was for me; it was the type of book that made me think about why readers fall in love with reading.  

Jack Masterson was the author of a highly popular series of books called Clock Island. Lucy Hart found peace while reading these pages, and since adulthood, she has desired to read another story, but Jack has stopped writing. Unexpectedly, there is news that Jack has written another installment in the series, and for those that can solve the riddle, they will be invited to the real Clock Island (where Jack lives) with a chance to win the one copy that’s available. This book made me think some of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with the opportunity to experience something unlike any other. If you’re looking for something to pick up your spirits, this may be the one for you. 

---

Thanks for reading. Come back next week to learn about Darius’ year in books.   

Rachel Bloomingburg’s reviews reflect her personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university. 

Reading List: Authors with September Birthdays

Did you know there are more babies born on September 9^th than any other day of the year? September babies may also have a leg up on their fellow classmates by most likely being the oldest students in their classes (fun facts about September babies). Among these amazing September babies are several authors we want to celebrate. Check out some of the books written by these author September babies and let us know what you think about their work.

Malcom Gladwell was featured on the library’s Instagram with Rachel reading a passage from Outliers. Gladwell was born on September 3, 1963. Apart from Outliers, Gladwell is known for Blink, Tipping Point, and What the Dog Saw.

Leo Tolstoy was born September 9, 1828. Tolstoy was a Russian writer known for War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and The Death of Ivan Ilyich. He is also known for his non-violent approach to resistance; his writings on this topic influenced people like Martin Luther King, Jr.

O. Henry, born as William Sidney Porter was born September 11, 1862. O. Henry is known for his witty short stories, particularly “The Gift of the Magi.” You can find collections of his work in our library.

Amber celebrated Roald Dahl on Instagram by reading The Enormous Crocodile. Dahl was born September 13, 1916. Dahl is famous for his children’s literature that is still popular today and the basis for several popular children’s movies. You might recognize Dahl’s works like Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Agatha Christie, the famous mystery novelist was born on September 15, 1890. She is known for the detective novels featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. You may also know her works And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and Death on the Nile.

William Golding, the English novelist and Nobel Prize laureate, was born September 19, 1911. You may recognize his name as the author of Lord of the Flies.

Fannie Flagg was also highlighted on Instagram to celebrate her September 21, 1944 birth. Flagg is an author, actress, and comedian. You may have seen her book-turned movie, Fried Green Tomatoes. Sara shared an excerpt from Standing in the Rainbow. Some of her other books include The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, A Redbird Christmas,and Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven.

Fannie Flagg also shares her birthday with well-known authors Stephen King and H.G. Wells. King is known for his horror novels like IT, The Shining, and The Stand.  Wells is known for his science fiction writings like The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and The Island of Dr. Moreau.

September 25 seems to be another popular birthdate for authors such as bell hooks, Kristin Hannah, Shel Silverstein, and William Faulkner who were all born on this date. bell hooks is known for her works as a feminist and social activist writing more than 30 books on the topics. Hannah is the author of many popular fiction novels like Firefly Lane, Four Winds, and The Nightingale. Silverstein is the beloved poet of numerous funny children’s books like A Giraffe in a Half, The Giving Tree, and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Faulkner was a Nobel Prize laureate and an important writer of American Southern Literature, writing novels like As I Lay Dying, Absalom, Absalom!, and Intruder in the Dust.

T. S. Eliot was born September 26, 1888. You can find collections of Eliot’s letters and poetry in the library’s collection.

We will close out September by noting Ta-Nehisi Coates and Truman Capote’s birthday of September 30. Coates is an author and journalist for The Atlantic. He wrote Between the World and Me and the Black Panther series for Marvel Comics. Capote was an American author known for Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood. Many of his novels and writings are used as the basis for films and television shows.

We hope you will celebrate some of these authors by grabbing your sweater and one of their books from the library. Books that you are interested in reading but not available at Union’s library can be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Follow us on Instagram to watch our author birthday read a-louds and stay tuned for next month’s author birthday celebration!

Reading List: Summer To Be Read

School is out for the semester and summer is on its way here. Summer is the perfect time to get in some non-school or school-related reading. So, we asked the library staff what’s on their summer ‘to be read’ list. Let us know what is on your summer reading list or check out one of these recommendations:

Melissa Moore, Library Director, will be finishing a re-reading of the Harry Potter series, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Homecoming by Kate Morton.

Amber Wessies, Instruction Librarian, is finishing Marriage Builder by Larry Crabb and In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. She also wants to read Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

Rachel Bloomingburg, Circulation Manager, said: “I’m thinking of reading The Wizard of Oz and Murder on the Orient Express. I guess you could say I was inspired by March Book Madness. It’s one you would have to get as Interlibrary Loan, but I think The People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry would be a great summer book.”

Darius Mullin, Evening Circulation Supervisor, might read A Place on Earth by Wendell Berry, William Shakespeare’s The Clone Army Attacketh by Ian Doescher, and The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World by Oliver Milman.

Micah Rhodes, Cataloging Associate, plans to continue reading The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

Sarah Blevins, Evening Circulation Associate, might re-read the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Sara Hand, Cataloging Associate and Administrative Assistant, plans to read Cursed by Marissa Meyer, Loving Our Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk, and Praying the Scriptures for Your Children by Jodie Berndt. (All of these can be requested through Interlibrary Loan).

Beth Lynn, Collection Development Coordinator, plans to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

March Book (& Movie) Madness 2023: Week 4

Union University’s Library at the Logos is back with our second presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2023. A difference this year is that each book has also been made into a movie. We hope that this will help you with the selection process. Each week will feature our titles from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. Then, during the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. Our 2022 Champion was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Will a familiar favorite win again or will a new contender reach the top of the shelf? You, our readers, will determine the winner. We hope that you journey with us as we make our way through the Final Four and crown our second March Book (& Movie) Madness Champion!    

Rachel: Welcome.  I’m Rachel Bloomingburg, and I’ll be one of your commentators again this week, alongside Darius Mullin. I hope you’re ready because we’ve made it to the homestretch and will be introducing you to our final competitors for this year! Darius, could you tell us about our last two categories?

Darius: Sure! Our last two categories for March Book Madness 2023 are Mystery and Children’s literature! Mystery novels focus on some sort of puzzle, crime, or predicament that must be solved. The protagonist is often—but not always—a detective, such as Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Edgar Allan Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin. Children’s literature is a broad category including, quite simply, books that are written with children as the intended primary audience. Children’s books often include accompanying illustrations and are sometimes quite enjoyable for adult audiences as well.

Rachel: They sound like vastly different categories. Would you tell us about our first entry in the Mystery genre?

Darius: The first Mystery entrant is, of course, Sherlock Holmes. There are a lot of different collections and adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, but for our purposes we’ve selected The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Guy Ritchie. Sherlock Holmes himself is a “consulting detective” whose skills of observation and deduction are almost fantastical. His companion is Dr. John Watson, who is the narrator of Doyle’s stories. Holmes has captured the imaginations of generations of readers by navigating numerous exciting cases and adventures; the 2009 film is not based on any particular Sherlock Holmes story.

Rachel: Great choice. I’m not as familiar with this genre; however, Sherlock Holmes is a classic that I believe most will have some knowledge about. Could you tell us about the second selection?

Darius: Our second Mystery story is Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie and its 2017 movie adaptation directed by Kenneth Branagh. In this classic Hercule Poirot adventure, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by an unexpected snowdrift. The next day, one of the train’s passengers, a millionaire, is found stabbed to death in their locked cabin. Surely the murderer is still on board, but who is it? Read or watch to find out!

Rachel: Oh, wow! That sounds interesting. I may give this one a try. Who do you think will advance to the next round?

Darius: Well, these are two very strong competitors, with both the novel and movie versions of each giving us a good showing. Nonetheless, I suspect Sherlock Holmes will win out in the end, as few literary characters are more iconic. Rachel, how about we go ahead and move on to our last category, Children’s literature. Who’s up first?

Rachel: Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my! You will likely notice this line from The Wizard of Oz. The book written by L. Frank Baum with illustrations by Michael Hague, as well as the movie with the same title released in 1939, follows a young girl named Dorothy as she is transported in her home from Kansas to the land of Munchkins by way of a tornado. Her only hope is to return to her home, so the munchkins encourage her to follow the yellow brick road and make her way to the City of Emeralds and meet with the Great Wizard of Oz. As she begins her journey, she will meet a host of memorable characters including the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and The Cowardly Lion. You will later meet the Wicked Witch of the West. She is rather unhappy with Dorothy because the house she traveled in landed on top of the Wicked Witch of the East and killed her. Will Dorothy make her way back home with the help of her friends or will the Wicked Witch of the West succeed with her plan of revenge? Only time will tell.

Darius: Such a classic fantasy story! What is it facing in the sweet sixteen?

Rachel: The Chronicles of Narnia is a beloved series. While there’s debate on which is the proper order to read it, the story it tells is what matters most. For our purposes today, we will focus on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Four siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—are sent from their home in London during the war to escape the air raids. Life is simpler in the country until the day that Lucy discovers a certain wardrobe. While it appears to be full of coats, as Lucy discovers, another world awaits her. A magical world trapped within an eternal winter and under the rule of the wicked White Witch. Lucy is a character that portrays goodness, and her arrival helps to spread the feeling of hope. Will she, along with Aslan and others on the side of good, be able to defeat the White Witch once and for all? You’ll have to read to find out.

Darius: Wow, two beloved stories going head-to-head here! And I have to weigh in on the debate—The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe comes first, at least the first time you read it. But you’re right, the important thing is to read them. Which of the two do you think is most likely to move on to the next round?

Rachel: These stories have similar elements, and I believe they both have a strong chance to advance. I think the popularity of The Chronicles of Narnia series will give it a slight edge. I’m excited to see who comes out on top!

Darius: Well, everyone, those are our last four entrants for March Madness 2023! Which of these do you think has the best chance of making it to the Final Four? Which of our sixteen competitors will take home the crown? Keep an eye on the library Instagram for voting in the days to come, and catch up on the first three entries of this series here.