Finished: Becoming, by Michelle Obama

I found it very interesting to hear how she grew up as Chicago was starting to deteriorate. Between her parents making sure she had a leg up in access education and witnessing what other black children go thru just trying to get the same shot, her mission to serve the public had very early roots.

Started: A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini

I’ve only been reading it for about 24 hours and I already am halfway thru. I can’t put it down!! Seriously considering ordering The Kite Runner to read right after I’m finished.

Finished Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson

I thought Mistborn was pretty good, and was hoping Elantris would at least be in the same category but ended up disappointed. This book is nowhere near as good as Mistborn. The start and general idea of the book is pretty interesting and for the first 100-150 pages I thought this book could be okay, but then it became a slog. Even the twists at the end fell flat. First book or not, this just wasn't good.

Finished Becoming, by Michelle Obama (audiobook) Decent book with som interesting insights into the life of the First Family.

Started Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

I finished listening to the audiobook Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi and have started Becoming, by Michelle Obama

I'm working on A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge and I've started reading The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien to my son.

Finished:

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

I really enjoyed Becoming, even though I'm not into politics at all. There wasn't a whole lot of political stuff until the last quarter of the book. I enjoyed her writing style and the story of her life. It was really interesting to hear about the details of living in the White House. I learned about things they go through I never would have thought about.

Station Eleven was okay. I mean I enjoyed the story. But it wasn't great.

Next up is either

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

or

Circe by Madeline Miller.

I've been on the wait list for both books FOREVER and am really looking forward to reading both.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It reminded me a lot of The Road by Cormac McCarthy as the book follows a traveling performing group after a swine flu wipes out a lot of the worlds population.

Becoming by Michelle Obama I'm half way through Becoming and it's amazing. I'm really enjoying getting her perspective of the presidency, race in America and also just learning more about Michelle's amazing accomplishments.

Oryx and Crakes by Margaret Atwood - Just started this book and am enjoying it so far. I really love speculative fiction and am excited to finish this one up!

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Becoming, by Michelle Obama Surprisingly good. I usually avoid political memoirs like the plague, but this actually isn't a political memoir. I'd read Barack's first book, but knew very little about Michelle Obama. It turns out that there's a lot to know! I wasn't so interested in her early childhood (though it is still important for setting her foundations), but the parts about her career, her time in the White House, and raising her daughters were thoughtful and interesting. There were one or two grind-my-teeth bad metaphors, but mostly the writing is good.

Reaper Man, by Terry Pratchett Not his best. There are two parallel stories, involving Death and the wizards, and only the Death storyline is interesting. The book has climactic parallel action scenes, and Pratchett isn't great at writing action. Still, fun reading.

Mrs. Caliban, by Rachel Ingalls I expected more.

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics, by Tim Marshall Terrible! Highly rated, but this is geopolitics for dummies. If you don't read the newspaper, Foreign Affairs magazine, the Economist, then maybe you'll learn a lot. I'm a bit terrified to see how highly rated this is.

The Last Whalers: Three Years in the Far Pacific with a Courageous Tribe and a Vanishing Way of Life, by Doug Bock Clark An excruciatingly detailed view of an Indonesian tribe of traditional whalers. Way too much detail. I recommend just reading the short Outside magazine article.

I finished reading Becoming by Michelle Obama

Finished:

Becoming, by Michelle Obama -- much as I truly admire Michelle Obama, it was just OK. The book did nothing to change my high opinion of the Obama family, but I did want it to be better. I want one of them to write a real, deep and hard-hitting analysis of their time in office...someday. This was a nice start, and interesting to read how much the West wing worried about the "optics" of Michelle. It again affirmed that the office of the Presidency is a thankless and rather horrible job for the family especially.

Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland -- a fun alternative history book about the Civil War being interrupted by the walking dead. An entertaining exploration of slavery and Native "school" systems, colorism and a host of other important topics + zombies!

The Spy and the Traitor, by Ben Macintyre -- nonfiction that reads like thrilling fiction. My favorite of Macintyre's historical spy books so far.

There Will Be No Miracles Here, by Casey Gerald -- I'm done with memoirs for a while. It's a form I just don't seem to love lately. Gerald's book is interesting, decently written, and important for the questions it raises about the American Dream and "pulling yourself up" sorts of "rags-to-riches" tales we tell in the US. I just didn't love the book. It was overly detailed in many places and didn't go deep enough on the most interesting questions it hoped to examine.

Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood -- If all of the above underwhelmed me, Margaret Atwood saved the week. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy. I gobbled this one up in a day over the weekend. Just couldn't put it down, including being a bit irritated in the grocery store when my reading was interrupted by actually getting to the front of the line.

Started:

My Sister, the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite

How Are You Going to Save Yourself, by JM Holmes -- short stories, very good thus far

Still working on:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers

Since I seem to be in a book slump, save the (completely new to me) sci-fi stuff I've had some luck with recently, I plan on rereading some Delillo this week, probably starting with Americana, and I have Lorrie Moore's novel A Gate at the Stairs planned for this week too.

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Becoming, by Michelle Obama

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I finished listening to the audiobook Becoming, by Michelle Obama and have started The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World, by Shannon Hale.

I'm working on A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge and I've started reading The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien to my son.

I started Becoming, by Michelle Obama.

My wife recommended it, and I’ve always found Michelle to be worth listening to. (Without wanting to open a political Pandora’s box, I’ll just say that I expect this book to make me wistful for bygone days.)

Started: Becoming, by Michelle Obama

Finally got my hands on this! I put this on hold at my library months ago. Although I am only a few pages into the preface, I've already teared up. We shall see how it continues! Excited to dig in.

I'm currently listening to the audiobook Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi and my hold came through for Becoming, by Michelle Obama so that's up next.

I'm working on A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge and I've started reading The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien to my son.

Keep forgetting to share on Mondays, but I remembered today! It's been a big week because I had one of those moments where everything on hold at the library mysteriously all came in at once.

Finished...

• The Thing Around Your Neck, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• I'll Be Gone In the Dark, by Michelle McNamara
• Becoming, by Michelle Obama
• Everything Here is Beautiful, by Mira T. Lee
• My Year of Rest and Relaxation, by Ottessa Moshfegh

Started...

• Educated, by Tara Westover
• The Last Report of the Miracles at Little No Horse, by Louise Erdrich

I finished Becoming, by Michelle Obama and I started Dear Evan Hansen, by Val Emmich. Very excited to read some fiction after focusing a lot of non-fiction so far this year.

I really loved Michelle Obama’s book though.

Started and Put Down: Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon I just didn't like it. Too slow, too flowery, and nothing happened. My To Read pile is too big to finish up books that I don't really like.

Finished:

Becoming by Michelle Obama Wonderful book. She really goes in depth into her background, her family, how she got where she was and where she's going. I cried a little at a few parts, not gonna lie. And as silly as this sound, it really has inspired me to look at my own life and realize that I'm not as happy as I could be.

Parasite by Mira Grant Not anywhere near as good as her Newsflesh trilogy. Honestly if this had been written by any other author I probably would've put this one down too, but I dearly love Grant. It did get better towards the end, when it picked up a bit of speed, but I really don't like the main character and I don't know if I want to spend two more books with her going "i'm scaaaaared" over and over again

Started:

Leviathan Wakes by James S A Corey I've watched the show and I like it a lot. So I figured, let's give the books a shot. I know it's a long series, which is good, and I want to start dipping my toe into sci fi more. Can't real horror all the time right? So far it's really good. The show clearly was very faithful to the books, at least for the first bit, but I'm still enjoying it a great deal.

Finished:
Educated, by Tara Westover 5/5
I am I am I am, by Maggie O'Farrell 4/5
Slade House, by David Mitchell 3/5

Almost finished:
Becoming, by Michelle Obama

Just started:
There, There by Tommy Orange
Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie

I finished Becoming by Michelle Obama. This book is beautifully written. She comes across as so warm and down to earth, I found her story incredibly inspirational. I couldn't put it down.

I finished:

• Becoming, by Michelle Obama
• The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin
• Shameless: A Sexual Reformation, by Nadia Bolz-Weber

I'm now starting The Obelisk Gate, by N.K. Jemisin.

Currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama.

I decided to pick it up because I honestly know very little about the former First Lady. I always saw her as an inspiring person and a good role model.

Finished:

The Good Divide, by Kali VanBaale I read this as part of my personal read a book from every state challenge. Great character study about a woman in Wisconsin, her life, her inner workings and some other drama thrown in. Trigger warning: self-harm.

Every Heart a Doorway, by Seanan McGuire This may not be a popular opinion, but this book was such a tease. It could have been great if it was just fleshed out more. It felt rushed and a bit like a tween book that they added some curses and sexual references to in order for it to seem more mature. Don't know if I'll pick up the next in the series.

The Blessings, by Elise Juska This one had me feeling all the feels. Maybe because I can relate having come from a large, enmeshed family or from being married into one as well. This book follows the Blessings family over a span of 20 years, with each chapter told from the POV of a different family member. I really loved it.

Attachments, by Rainbow Rowell This was cute. Nice fluffy read about finding yourself and romance in your late twenties/early thirties. There are some things that you may not appreciate if you were not already an adult during the Y2K period.

Started:

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris (audio narrated by Richard Armitage) This narrator is excellent. I have read a lot of WWII books, however, and am anxious to see where this is going. A love story set at Auschwitz??? Don't know if I'll be able to handle if it it's that trite.

Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler Only 30 pages in or so, and can't wait to see where it goes. I love Octavia Butler.

Slogging Through:

Becoming, by Michelle Obama (audio) Okay, so I'm enjoying the content of the book, but she talks SOOOOOO slow. Even on 1.5 I still have 15 hours to go.... ack. Looking to see if a friend has a print copy so I can just read this on my own.

Finished:

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris (audio narrated by Richard Armitage) The narrator is excellent. That's the only nice thing that I have to say about this book. I read a lot of WWII books, there are much better told stories than this out there. The writing was not good and it was very superficial and "Hollywood" for lack of a better term, which makes sense because the author is a screenwriter. Bleh. Disappointing.

The Rules of Magic, by Alice Hoffman This was a super fun read and I can't wait to pick up Practical Magic as I have never read it (only saw the movie a long time ago).

Started:

Sourdough, by Robin Sloan (audio)

Stalled on:

Becoming, by Michelle Obama (audio) Okay, so I'm enjoying the content of the book, but she talks SOOOOOO slow. Even on 1.5 I still have 15 hours to go.... ack. Looking to see if a friend has a print copy so I can just read this on my own.

Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler Only 30 pages in or so, and can't wait to see where it goes. I love Octavia Butler.

This week I’m reading Becoming by Michelle Obama . Politics aside, it’s fascinating. First Ladies have such a weird role in this country and, as the first black First Lady, she endured a lot of ridiculousness.

Becoming, by Michelle Obama

I love how she describes the relationships with her brother and parents. Her parents are especially wise when it comes to guiding Michelle and her brother Craig. Not too much; not too little. Just enough so their kids take responsibility for their own decisions. If you want to read it for the sole purpose of learning how to raise successful children, you'd find a lot of excellent tidbits on parenting.

Lynda @ Book Editing Associates

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Becoming, by Michelle Obama

Great read! now re-reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince before I find another good book

Becoming, by Michelle Obama

This week I started and finished Becoming, by Michelle Obama. My favourite parts of the book were about her childhood in Chicago.

Then started and finished Lucky Us, by Amy Bloom which was... okay. I loved Away, but this one didn't do it for me. It felt really disjointed and I kept forgetting who was who.

Now I'm starting on Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock n Roll, by Greil Marcus.

Finishing off the year with my 52nd book - Becoming, by Michelle Obama

Started listening to Becoming, by Michelle Obama on audio. Really enjoying it so far.

Last night, I picked up Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult which is intriguing so far!

Becoming, by Michelle Obama. Now starting The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Becoming, by Michelle Obama

The Bride Test, by Helen Hoang

Becoming, by Michelle Obama