It’s time to play “guess that book” and also watch our TBRs weep.
Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and is all about the first line of a current/upcoming read. Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda’s Voice, where you turn to page 56 (or 56%) in what you’re reading a find a snippet that jumps out at you.
The one about his birthday.
“Love apples,” Banjo whispered. He took a tomato out of the bag and bit into it, sending juice running down his chin. “That dear, dear Evalina is giving me a glimmer of hope. A token of her affection. A sly, sly symbol of the very depth of her heart.” He looked at Posey. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Posey jumped off the side of the truck and landed with a thud. “Sorry to burst your bubble, Jubilation, but I would not.”
A heartfelt middle-grade novel from New York Times bestselling author Barbara O’Connor about a boy whose life is upended after the loss of his older brother–timeless, classic, and whimsical.
Walter Tipple is looking for adventure. He keeps having a dream that his big brother, Tank, appears before him and says, “Let’s you and me go see my world, little man.” But Tank went to the army and never came home, and Walter doesn’t know how to see the world without him.
Then he meets Posey, the brash new girl from next door, and an eccentric man named Banjo, who’s off on a bodacious adventure of his own. What follows is a summer of taking chances, becoming braver, and making friends–and maybe Walter can learn who he wants to be without the brother he always wanted to be like.
✿ Written by Barbara O’Connor, which should be enough right there.
✿ Heartfelt coming-of-age story about grief and healing.
✿ Characters you will absolutely fall in love with.
✿ Super charming romantic subplot.
✿ For you doggo fans, a three-legged doggo!
✿ Enough emotional heft to lift your feels.
✿ And then smash them to bits on the floor.
This is a weekly meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook meant to take place on Mondays, but since Fridays tend to be my TBR-focused post, I’ve decided to combine them here. Next Monday’s prompt is: graphic novels.
I actually still want to read more graphic novels this year, and I could really use some recommendations. So if you’ve read a graphic novel you particularly enjoyed, drop me a comment and let me know!
I actually got Monstress Vol. 1 for Christmas in 2019 … and then promptly forgot I owned it. A blogger actually mentioned it recently on one of their end of the year surveys and I was like … oh, that’s right! So I plan to rectify the situation this year and finally read it!
I absolutely love George Takei, so I’ve been really wanting to read They Called Us Enemy. I just need to get my hands on it. I was just talking to someone the other day about how easily people forget that Japanese internment camps were a thing in the US and that we need more reminders because it’s something people shouldn’t forget. So this is definitely one I want to read.
I heard the Netflix adaptation of Locke & Key was based on Joe Hill’s series, and I’m really curious about the graphic novels (or comics? I’m not sure I know what the difference is) now. They looked a bit dark and gory, and I generally don’t like a ton of gore, but while I have Kindle Unlimited, I’m thinking I might just check out the first one, at least.
I bought Pumpkinheads while it was on sale over the Christmas holiday. It was one I meant to read last year, since everyone seemed to really enjoy it, but my libraries didn’t have it so I had no way to read it. Problem solved!
I’ve had The Promised Neverland recommended to me many times, and it’s been on my radar! I really need to (and want to) read it, and I’m going to go ahead and make that one of my goals this year! I actually told hubby about it, and he started reading it (probably just to shame me, because he’s like that, all on top of things and such). So I should really get on this one.
Great post, Sammie! That MG book sounds so lovely and the synopsis already has me aww-ing with the feels. Will definitely add that to my already wickedly long TBR 😂 I really enjoyed Monstress and I think it might be one you’ll like too. It’s quite dark (but also kinda complex) but the art is *chefs kiss*! And I LOVED Pumpkinheads so much. It’s simple, fun and feel-good but also, bring snacks while reading! Hope you enjoy all of these and happy reading!
Dini @ dinipandareads recently posted…Book Review: The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva
I think you will LOVE Halfway to Harmony! It was so cute and warm and fuzzy and will absolutely hurt your heart and make you melt.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them! I’m looking forward to picking them up. I should try to get to them soon … although I’ve said that before … and yet, here we are. xD
Love your post! I’ve never read anything by Barbara O’Connor, but Halfway to Harmony sounds lovely. Monstress is on my list, too, and I enjoyed the Locke & Key series so much (when is season 2 coming out?!), I’ll have to check out Hill’s work, too.
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I don’t knoooow, but it needs to hurry up, darn it. xD I’m really bad at waiting for things lol. You’d think I’d be better at it, with all the practice I’ve had so far.
Great excerpts! And I love the title and cover of your book. Here’s mine: “THE WIFE UPSTAIRS”
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Nice excerpts. Sounds like a very engaging story for younger readers.
It was definitely an engaging read!
Loved your book reveal for this week! This is a title that I’m definitely adding to my TBR.
I enjoyed They Called Us Enemy the first time I read it. It was saddening, but definitely an important read for a part of history that is often untold. I haven’t read The Promised Neverland, but my sibling did and absolutely enjoyed it. Not sure if this is the type of genre you’d be interested in, but Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (graphic novel) is a great read.
I hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to read it! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! I expect it to be a pretty darn emotional read, so I’m prepared for it going in.
I hadn’t heard of Persepolis, but it sounds like it’d be a really powerful, emotional read! I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!
What an intriguing opener! This sounds like a lovely read. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi,
Your book sounds interesting…I’ll have to check it
out. Have a great day!
Looks like a good book and a cute cover.
Your book sounds so charming and heartfelt. Enjoy. My Friday post
It definitely was! One I’d highly recommend.
Sounds like a delightful read!! Happy weekend!
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Kind of off topic, but the Storystorm 2021 blog post yesterday was by a graphic novelist. You might enjoy it. https://taralazar.com/2021/01/07/storystorm-2021-day/
Oooh, thank you so much for sharing! Not at all off topic. I enjoyed reading it, and I’ve got a few more books to check out, too!
I love that opening! And the second excerpt you shared made me chuckle. I loved the first volume of Monstress and got the second one as soon as it came out. Then the third. And fourth. But I’ve only read the first one still! What is wrong with me?!
I haven’t read any of the others you mention. I do have a stack of graphic novels though sitting on a shelf near my bed, and it would be great if I read the unread ones this year . . . Including catching up on Monstress.
I hope you enjoy your graphic novels! Have a great weekend!
The same thing that is wrong with 94.792% of bookish people? xD I own whole series that I haven’t read yet, and I don’t even have a legit excuse!
I definitely think that’s going to be my goal this year, though, is to catch up on all these graphic novels that I’ve meant to read the past two years and found excuses not to lol.
Halfway to Harmony looks so delightful!
Locke & Key is great – the graphic novels and the Netflix adaptation. I can’t wait for season 2!
It was a super good, heartwarming read that I really needed right now. Even if it made me cry. xD
I love the prose in this, it sounds so very southern.
Lisa @ waytoofantasy recently posted…Books / Series I Want to Re-Read
It definitely is. xD The author is Southern, and that’s what she wants to capture in her books/characters, from what I’ve read!
I ended up DNFing the first volume of Monstress, but my main reason was the darkness of the story, so I think you’ll probably like it more than I did. 😉 Pumpkinheads is great, I enjoyed it. I also really liked Seance Tea Party by Reimena Yee (middle grade), The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (middle grade, IMO), the Tea Dragon books (Kay O’Neill), and Piper by Jay Asher (YA). In addition, I think you might like the Saga series by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. I only read the first one of those, but I enjoyed it and it seems up your alley too.
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Yeah, dark stories usually don’t bother me, so hopefully that won’t be a problem. I read The Tea Dragon, but I definitely need to read the other books in that series! I absolutely loved the first one. Gonna have to check out some of these other ones you recommended, for sure. Oh, and Saga! For some reason, I keep forgetting about that? I just checked, and I can get it through the library on ebook, so I might do that. I don’t love reading graphic novels as ebooks, but I think that’ll be easier than trying to interlibrary loan it. xD