It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

So Stefanie of StefanieCraftswithwoolpaperfabric turned me on to these two memes that are connected and up on Mondays....whether I stay with it or not, we'll see....I'll try to hook up with them in the morning, but not sure which time zone they are in....

The first is for books I'm reading personally.  The second is for kidlit...since I read a lot of kidlit, thought I'd join that one too....The first is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date and the second hosted by Jen at Teachmentortexts and Kellee of Unleashingreaders

I used to read so much, but since I started knitting, crocheting, blogging...not so much...I bought a shirt yesterday that says Read More Books....and I'm taking that to heart!

Since I just found out about this, here are the books I am reading now....

F is For Freedom by Roni Schotter.  This is the book I am reading with my high group.  I am working on empathy with my class this year.  Many of them have never read anything about slavery (it is third grade) So this is a good book to introduce them to the topic.  We have not finished it yet.  I will let you know how they feel about it.

The Hero Two Doors Down by Sharon Robinson is our OSOB book this year.  OSOB is One School, One Book.  The entire school reads one book. The school buys the books for everyone.  We are a preK-8 school, so deciding on the books can be tough.  I'll be honest, I've only read the first chapter, so I have to catch up on it, as this is the last week.  There are trivia questions every day and teachers volunteer to record chapters, so the book can be listened to.....This is the third year we have done it.  It hasn't been quite as well organized this year, but it is still a great idea.

Why?: The Hubs brought the second of the series home from the library. I waited until I got the first one.

Plot: Josie Blair, an aspiring designer, has to leave NYC and go to rural Connecticut to take care of her great-uncle, who was in a car accident.  The accident killed his wife and Josie has to help him close up the yarn store she owned.  Except another person is found dead in the yarn store.

What Appeals to Me?: It's a mystery, set in my home state and featuring a yarn shop.

And so: I've read other series set in yarn shops...The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil was a great series. I also have the first couple (I own the first couple, only read book 1) in the Maggie Sefton series, among others.

I wanted to love this series, but I don't.  I have issues with some of the characters, some of the plot lines and definitely some of the writing. I believe it was her first book.  I can't tell if the author is actually a knitter (her main character is not).  She set the book in rural Connecticut and there is definite shade thrown at the "rural" life.  Main character lives in NYC at the beginning.  Also, not sure she has ever been to Connecticut, the author is from upstate New York....and the writing.....she has to TELL us everything.....and some of it is BAD....

"The tea had real steam drifting up from it." I'm paraphrasing as I don't have the book in front of me. But those two words threw me.....real steam, as opposed to fake steam????

But I am reading the second in the series: A Knit Before Dying.  I figured, I'd give her a chance to redeem herself.....

I'm not very far into it, so I'll let you know next week.

I am hoping this will help me read more this year....I don't do well with audio books, so I have to make the time to sit and read.